Reviewed by Cheryl
TITLE: Frosty the Schnauzer
SERIES: Must Love Dogs
AUTHOR: Andrew Grey
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 85 Pages
RELEASE DATE: November 5, 2024
BLURB:
When Riley Whitehall picks up his niece’s Christmas present, he unexpectedly falls in love with a black Giant Schnauzer named Frosty. Now, as he fumbles through dog training and sleepless nights as a first-time pet owner, he realizes he needs help.
Enter Wayne, the dog expert recommended by the shelter. From the first meeting, the connection between them is undeniable. But Riley’s heart is still healing, and Wayne is hesitant to trust again after his last relationship left him devastated.
As they bond over training Frosty, Riley must learn how to care for his dog and open his heart, while Wayne fights to rebuild trust in love. Together, they may just find that Frosty and the warmth of the season can help them heal and embrace a future filled with possibilities.
A feel-good rom com with a larger-than-life dog, “Frosty the Schnauzer” takes readers back to Carlisle and blends a new love with recovering from a broken heart.
REVIEW:
This is one of the nicest books I’ve read in a while. Of course it’s formulaic and plays like a Christmas movie, but there’s more to it than that. I particularly like the little ‘life lessons’ that are slipped in, like “if you wanted a different result, you needed to act differently”. It added to the realism and rounded out the characters.
This author is particularly good at drawing three dimensional characters in a small number of words and he certainly didn’t disappoint in this book. Both Riley and Wayne are well fleshed out and likeable from the start, and the dogs are characters in their own rights. Background characters are also well rounded and come to life with mere sentences. I felt I understood Lilly’s exuberance and Davis’ reticence, and was well aware of Mike’s bad character before we even met him.
Another thing this author is great at is bringing in little details that are not necessarily part of the story but add to its overall richness, like brightly coloured baubles on a Christmas tree. A case in point is the lion at the start.
Of course, the best parts of the book are the Prologue and Epilogue, writing in Frosty’s pov. That dog has some sense.
If you want a cozy, feel-good Christmas story, with just a little tension and a lot of dogs, this is the one for you. At eighty-five pages it’s a short snap, just enough for a cup of coffee and a gingerbread biscuit in front of the fire and will be sure to warm the cockles of your heart.
RATING: 
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