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Dashing Through the Snow

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Savor the magic of the season with #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber’s newest Christmas novel, filled with warmth, humor, the promise of love, and a dash of unexpected adventure.

Ashley Davison, a graduate student in California, desperately wants to spend the holidays with her family in Seattle. Dashiell Sutherland, a former army intelligence officer, has a job interview in Seattle and must arrive by December 23. Though frantic to book a last-minute flight out of San Francisco, both are out of luck: Every flight is full, and there’s only one rental car available. Ashley and Dash reluctantly decide to share the car, but neither anticipates the wild ride ahead.

At first they drive in silence, but forced into close quarters Ashley and Dash can’t help but open up. Not only do they find they have a lot in common, but there’s even a spark of romance in the air. Their feelings catch them off guard—never before has either been so excited about a first meeting. But the two are in for more twists and turns along the way as they rescue a lost puppy, run into petty thieves, and even get caught up in a case of mistaken identity. Though Ashley and Dash may never reach Seattle in time for Christmas, the season is still full of surprises—and their greatest wishes may yet come true.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 6, 2015

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About the author

Debbie Macomber

841 books19.3k followers
Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.

In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.

Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.

She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.

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5 stars
3,997 (22%)
4 stars
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3 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,156 reviews
Profile Image for Claire.
2,319 reviews729 followers
November 15, 2015
1 - Errrr....... Star.

DNF @ 55%

I really am at a loss as to find anything positive to say about this book. Debbie Macomber is a huge, huge author, with dozens and dozens of books to her name, and to be honest I was expecting Dashing Through The Snow to be one of my Christmas hits in the reading department, this was so much of a miss it is not even funny.

To be honest I am actually struggling to believe that this book has been written by this author. I was expecting a heart-warming story-line, likeable and relatable characters in a Christmassy setting. Not-so-much, Dash and Ashley came across more of a father and daughter combo, and personality wise I could not see them coming together as a couple at all. There was no chemistry, and no perceivable connection between them.

The whole FBI scenario... I have no words,

I know this sounds harsh, but I think the author has seriously let herself down here, this book needs serious revision, and rewriting to make it resemble something in the realms of the high level of quality reading material that I would expect have Debbie Macomber's name attributed to it.

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, I am sorry I cannot offer a more positive review on this occasion.
Profile Image for Sheri.
1,266 reviews128 followers
January 7, 2023
Romance develops when two strangers, Dash and Ashley, share a rental car on a roadtrip from San Francisco to Seattle. The trip is pretty typical except for the fact that, unbeknownst to her, the FBI is on the hunt for Ashley. Bungling teens, mistaken FBI agents, and an eccentric car mechanic offer some light humor and add interest to a slow plot. I didn't find the characters very interesting; the most memorable are Dash's mom and the puppy, Little Blade.

The cover calls this a Christmas novel, but I don't agree as there is almost no Christmas element. Ashley is trying to make it home for Christmas and she buys her mother a Christmas gift, but other than that, nothing. I always enjoy more seasonal elements in these quick holiday reads but this fits the bill as a light escape or in-between read.
Profile Image for Paula.
545 reviews7 followers
August 17, 2020
Ashley Davison is trying to get to Seattle for Christmas to visit her mother. Dash Sutherland needs to get to Seattle before Christmas for an important job interview. When all the flights to Seattle are booked and there’s only one rental car available, the two strangers decide to share the car since their destinations are the same. Ashley and Dash at first start off on the wrong foot with much head butting, but the more the trip progresses, the more they find they are enjoying each other’s company and are attracted to each other.

This book was a lot of fun. I thoroughly enjoyed Ashley and Dash’s road trip. Along the way they rescue an abandoned puppy, have the FBI on Ashley’s trail, and many other adventures with interesting characters they meet on their way. It was a really cute, fast-paced, and entertaining romantic comedy set during the holiday season. And I couldn’t resist the adorable puppy, Little Blade.
Profile Image for Kat.
Author 12 books559 followers
January 31, 2024
DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW was one of my favorite Debbie Macomber Christmas rom coms. Ashley and Dashiel find themselves at the same airport ticket counter, trying to book a last-minute flight home to Seattle. When there are no more flights available, and they also find there is only one rental car left, they agree to share it for the drive. The romance was cute as always, but what made this one especially hilarious was the subplot where the FBI believed Ashley was a terrorist because of someone with the same name as her. So throughout the book, they are chasing her. It put a cute, fresh spin on a Christmas book.
Profile Image for Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin.
3,601 reviews11k followers
November 3, 2015
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com

This was a sweet little Christmas read :)

Dash and Ashley are both trying to get to Seattle before Christmas, yet both of them wait until the last moment to try to get a plane. We all know there is not flights available so after some arguing they decide to share the last rental car and drive from San Francisco area to Seattle. Dash has an interview he has to make on the 23rd and Ash just wants to get home and see her mom for Christmas.



They run into issues along the way. Dash loses his phone which makes him grumpy. They pull into a rest stop and a vet is there giving out drinks and snacks, he tells Ash that someone dumped a box of sweet puppies in a box at the rest stop. He was able to find homes for three of them, but he had one left and was going to have to take it to the shelter. Ash wanted to get the little dog for her mom because they had just lost Pickles, their own rescue dog and her mom wanted another one. Ash decides to take the sweet little puppy, but Dash is being a butt and doesn't want to take him. They have a fight, he drives away, Ash has a conversation with Blade, a man with a motorcycle group, thus giving her the idea to name the puppy 'Little Blade'. Soooooo, Dash comes back and gets her and the puppy and they are on their way.

 :

They are going to run into a snow storm, so they drive as far as they can and stay a night in a motel that accepts Little Blade.



In other places, the FBI has targeted Ashley as a terrorist! Really? They are tracking her and Dash and when they finally catch up to them they are detained for 24 hours. They find out they were stupid and have the wrong woman and let Ash go. Dash waited for her and missed his interview. Needless to say because they were falling in love. Yep, that was quick, but it was sweet and I don't care!

They make it to Ash's moms house and come to find out her mom has a boyfriend, she falls in love with Little Blade and Dash. They all have a wonderful Christmas together. The End :)

Okay, I didn't give out too many spoilers, there is a lot more to the book and it was a great book I thought.

Profile Image for Jessica .
2,322 reviews15.2k followers
November 8, 2021
After watching this Hallmark movie, I had to go back and read the book. I got the audio from my library and devoured this in one day. Ashley has to get to Seattle for Christmas to visit her mom, but she can't get a flight. She grabs the last rental car, but she runs into Dash, who is heading to Seattle for a job interview and needs to get there asap. The two share a car and drive together. They bicker and banter along the way and their romance was really sweet! It's definitely insta-love, but I didn't mind because it was just a fun romance. I loved how there was a dog in here and there was a little mystery thrown in. It read like a hallmark movie, but in a good way! I will say, I did like the movie more because of the changes it made, but this was still a fun and sweet holiday romance!
May 11, 2021
4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Yahu bu kadar kısa bir kitap beni nasıl şoktan şoka soktu anlatamam.😂 Bir de sürekli ikilemde kaldım kime inanacağımı şaşırdım. Kısa, eğlenceli,garip ve çabuk okunan bir kitaptı.😃 Çok beklentisiz başlamıştım. Belki de o yüzden bu kadar sevdim. Hayır, hayır gerçekten sevilecek bir kitaptı. 😃Böyle uzun kitaplar okumaktan sıkıldıysan araya sıkıştırabileceğiniz mükemmel bir çerez. 🙊 Bir şey diyim mi, bu senaryoya böyle 500 sayfalık kitap yazılabilirdi. Biraz ona üzüldüm konu heba edilmiş gibi geldi neyse yine de keyif aldım.😋
Profile Image for Trina.
902 reviews3,898 followers
December 7, 2018
This book irritated me so much. Shallow, trite plot and writing. Undefined characters that contradicted themselves in the same scene. Rushed romance with zero chemistry. The whole FBI plot was.... not good. This was just not good. (This is totally subjective of course! And keep in mind that this is not my usual genre.)
Profile Image for Elaine.
604 reviews239 followers
November 13, 2015
Debbie Macomber is an author who has been on my radar for some time now. One I have been meaning to check out but never got round to until now but on the strength of this read I don’t know whether I would bother again.

When the airlines are fully booked up before Christmas, Ash and Dash (yes, really) are forced to share a hire car to drive from San Francisco to Seattle in this road trip story that is a quick, light, easy read. We know exactly what is going to happen from the first moment they meet and even when it becomes apparent that they are being followed by the FBI, we know exactly why. Without being told, it is easy to figure out.

The whole FBI part of the story, to be honest, is very weakly executed and implausible from the start with a pair of FBI agents who are more reminiscent of Boss Hogg and Roscoe. We know that at some point the paths of the FBI and “Ash and Dash” are going to collide and when they do, after such a long build up, it comes as a huge anticlimax as it all just fizzles out quicker than a wet weekend in Morecambe. This really isn’t one that I could recommend at all. Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the review copy.


Profile Image for Kay.
2,182 reviews1,120 followers
January 28, 2016
I like this book!

It's cheesy, unbelievable plot, over the top loony romance. But it is an easy cheerful holiday story, short and fun. Made me giggle at myself for enjoying it.
Profile Image for Allison  Junkans.
179 reviews
November 19, 2015
When I was in elementary school, I thought I was a great writer so I wrote stories for my teachers and parents. If I read any of those stories today, I would be embarrassed. However, this book is so much worse than anything I ever wrote. I don't believe Debbie Macomber wrote this. I think her ghost writer needs to get fired for writing this book. This is one of the worst books I've read in years. I usually rate books pretty high.
The characters were one dimensional. The big conflict of the book was resolved in one sentence with very little further explanation. The dialog between the 2 main characters made me cringe. However, the low point of the book was the mechanic who was married to an alien. The only thing that could be worse than this book would be the movie. I've read many Debbie Macomber books but I'm going to think twice before picking up her next book.
Profile Image for Jeffrey Caston.
Author 9 books189 followers
April 21, 2022

Ever take a pint glass, fill it up with corn syrup, and then chug it down, all the while NOT minding that it was cloyingly sweet?

Yeah....I didn’t think so. Well, me neither. But…

Reading Debbie Macomber’s Dashing Through the Snow was what I would imagine that would be like. But that’s not a bad thing, here, really. At least it wasn’t for me.

This was the first time I had "read" Debbie Macomber's work. For me, it was cool to experience a Washington writer's work. The story is a rom-com sort of story where the two main characters (Dash & Ashley) are thrust into a situation where they rent a car together because they can’t get last minute plane tickets from San Francisco to Seattle. Neither one is particularly keen on the behavior of the other, but they both seem physically smitten by the other. So it starts out as a “not quite enemies” to love interest trope. The story is told primarily from Ashley’s point of view. Ashley wants to get up to the Emerald City for a surprise visit to see her mom for Christmas. Dash has got a “really important job interview.”

They get started on their trip and what follows is a completely absurd sequence of events, but completely sweet. Let’s see, so between setting off for San Francisco, these two go through:

And all that’s BEFORE Dash and Ashley cross the border from Oregon to Washington! But it all works out! (Oh sorry, that might be a spoiler, but not really. You gotta know nothing really bad is going to happen.)

You just can’t think too hard about the plot. The premise was ridiculous and completely unrealistic. But that did not matter to me. This story was so light-hearted and so so innocently sweet and I could not help from groaning while still laughing at the funny dialogue and internal thought narrative. I found this one very entertaining. With all the blood and guts comprising my normal reading and writing predilections, this was such a wonderful change of pace.
Profile Image for Amanda Hupe.
953 reviews63 followers
December 14, 2020
Now, THIS is a fun read! Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie Macomber is a light-hearted holiday read! Ashley Davidson just wants to get home and surprise her mom. She didn’t expect to get time off from school and work, but now the airline is REFUSING to sell her a ticket. Dash Sutherland is also trying to buy an airplane ticket to get to an important job interview, but the best they can offer him is standby. Both Ashley and Dash end up at the rental car area and there is only one car left. There is only one option, for them to share the car. After much negotiation, they are on their way. Meanwhile, the FBI arrives at the airport determined to find Ashley Davidson. She is on the no-fly list for terrorism and she has managed to escape them time and again. But now that she has either a hostage or an accomplice, she will be much easier to track, but what they can’t figure out is why she would use her real name and not an alias?

This is a delightful Christmas romantic comedy! I just found out it is also a Hallmark movie, so I need to check it out. It is cheesy and unbelievable like most Hallmark stories but the characters are amazing! Dash is ex-military, Ashley is a grad student, and both completely stubborn. Their road trip does not go as expected especially with a little tag-along! Dogs always make a story better. I have to say, I laughed out loud more than once. I had to pause the audiobook during the karaoke scene because I could not stop laughing. Debbie Macomber has a way of really setting a scene!

Now the FBI part is where the cheesy part comes in. So many rights were broken, but it also led to many chuckles and gave the story a little extra zing! Allyson Ryan is the narrator and she does a wonderful job and bringing each personality to life! I rate this quick, holiday read 4 out of 5 stars.
Profile Image for Tina Loves To Read.
2,856 reviews1 follower
December 10, 2021
This is a Christmas Romance. I read this book for the first time in 2019. I really enjoyed the romance in this book. This is all about two strangers that need to get Seattle, and they decide to take the trip together. So, You can say this is a Christmas Road Trip Romance Book. I found this book to be fun and cute at times, and it also has some light suspense and action. This is not my favorite Debbie Macomber Christmas book, but this is fun book with some great characters. This is one of those books that the characters as to grow on you.

I did re-read this book by listening to the audiobook for this book. I really enjoyed the audiobook, and the narrator was good.
Profile Image for Dana (Dana and the Books).
221 reviews1,198 followers
November 29, 2015
3.5/5 This review can also be found on my blog, Dana and the Books.

Those who know me well are aware that I’m not big on Christmas cheer; some go as far to call me a Grinch.

Why the hell is she reading a Christmas novel, you ask? The reason I requested Dashing Through the Snow book from NetGalley was not because it was a Christmas story, but because the plot looked like fun and cute (and it just so happened to take place during Christmas).

And I was right. It was one of those stories that you need to read in one sitting because it’s so friggin cute.

Basically, complete strangers Ashley and Dash both need to get to Seattle by December 23. All flights are full and there’s only one rental car left, so they decide to rent it together and start the drive from California. An adventure against time ensues, there’s a snow storm, a case mistaken identity, and a cute puppy. Throughout the peril-filled drive, the two of them get to know each other and maybe a romance blossoms?

Yes, you have to go into this book with a sense of suspended disbelief – no way would the FBI be that incompetent – but it was adorable and had some genuinely funny moments. Throughout reading this I kept thinking how it would make a cute movie, and it turns out I was right! According to IMDB it will be released December 13 as a TV movie.

I had actually never heard of Debbie Macomber before, but a quick browse through her Goodreads page tells me she’s quite a well established author. Next time I want a cute and quick story, I’ll be looking through her works!

I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jonel.
1,717 reviews311 followers
October 21, 2015
Macomber had me in stitches throughout this entire novel! It was priceless to the n-th degree. The plot was unforgettable. The story that she has created not only bought the hectic vibe of the season to life, but she took me on an unmistakable journey. The plot twists and turns had me wondering how it would all turn out. She has developed a fantastic world in which characters come to life and adventure abounds, even if it is an unexpected one.

The relationship between the main characters was hilariously ridiculous while also completely natural. I loved getting to know then as they got to know each other. The situation which Ash & Dash find themselves in really highlighted who they really are on the inside. The intricate character development left me feeling as if I really knew them.

Macomber is the master of Christmas! This is the must read holiday novel of the season.
Profile Image for Christy.
680 reviews
December 7, 2020
I'm two for two on Debbie Macomber Christmas books (the only ones I've ever read from her). They are cheesy, delightful, and so much fun for the Holidays. I love the characters in this one and their funny banter.
Profile Image for Meltem (ruyalarkitapligi).
83 reviews61 followers
February 15, 2021
Çıtır çerez Noel temalı Debbie kitabı 😌 Debbie’nin kısa romanlarını seviyorum doğrusu Hallmark aşk filmi izlemek gibi diyebilirim❄️ Sadece sonunu pek beğenmedim açıkçası olay örgüsünü neden bu kadar saçma yazdığını hala anlayamadım gerek var mıydı gerçekten 😂 Direk tüm uçuşlar iptal olduğu için aynı arabayı kiralayabilirlerdi böyle saçma bir kurguya bence gerek yoktu :( Neyse zaten oldukça kısaydı ondan sorun yok 😌
Edit : Kitabın gerçekten Hallmark filmi varmış 😂 İzlemek isteyenler mutlaka izlesin ben sanırım izlemiştim tam hatırlayamasam da🙄
Profile Image for Suz.
1,367 reviews731 followers
December 6, 2018
This was a fluffy Debbie Macomber read, though being a Christmas themed novel I was expecting more 'Christmas', not exactly the FBI chasing an alleged terrorist plot! It was a little funny the dialogue of the FBI agents, they were far from switched on, but I guess it fit within this type of book. Dash and Ash (a little sickly?!) meet at the airport during peak Christmas time and there are no flights left. How will they get to their destination with all this snow and no airline seats available? They share a rental car and thus begins an adventure, albeit a little contrived! It isn't Christmas without a Macomber read, although I did much prefer the Cedar Cove Christmas themed books. I am still happy with four stars - light, syrupy and neat.
Profile Image for Sue Gerhardt Griffiths.
1,041 reviews56 followers
December 6, 2023
4.5 stars

Super cute Christmas rom-com.

Tis the season for laughter and these delightful characters, Ash and Dash, and a rescue puppy, a bikie gang, two scheming teenagers, Stan the man the mechanic, FBI agents on a chase make for a fun and hilarious read.



Listened to the audiobook on BorrowBox
Published by Cornerstone Digital
Read by Allyson Ryan
Duration: 4 hrs, 32min. 1.50x Speed
Profile Image for Faith.
Author 5 books242 followers
February 13, 2018
3.5

Overall, cute and funny. I could have did without the five instances of cussing and four/five mentions of things that I didn't care to hear about... Due to that, I think I liked the movie better. ;)
Profile Image for Simge.
349 reviews
December 29, 2021
Bir araba içinde didişerek yolculuk yapıp sonunda aşık olan çiftler kalp ben gerçekten. Enemies to lovers'tan sonra en sevdiğim tema bu olabilir. Ne olsa okurum, çerezlik uzun kısa farketmez. Bu da güzel örneklerinden biriydi😌 Karakterler daha derinlemesine yazılarak kurgu uzatılabilirdi ama olsun. Beklentisiz okunduğunda keyif alınabilecek güzel bir kış tatili kitabıydı
Profile Image for ☆Angel☆.
438 reviews36 followers
December 15, 2015
Ashley Davison finds herself in quite the predicament. The clerk at the airline counter won't sell her a plane ticket to Seattle to surprise her mom for Christmas, and she is too young to rent a car. But salvation comes in the form of ex-soldier Dash Sutherland. Who was trying to convince Ashley to let him ride with her, since it was the very last car and they were both going to Seattle, but Ashley refused until she was told she wasn't old enough to get a rental. Then she changed her tune and found herself on a long drive with a handsome, somewhat frustrating man.

Ugh...I really hate when I have to give lower ratings, but I cannot honestly give this book more than two stars. I was disappointed too because I was looking forward to reading this.

The storyline was fine, but my complaint was the writing. None of it seemed to connect for me. If there is such a thing as over simplifying, it happens in this book. Some things that didn't really need to be explained were elucidated thoroughly. There were other instances that did need more details, but they weren't provided.

Ashley really takes those Snickers 'you're-not-you-when-you're-hungry' commercials to heart because every time Dash gets cranky or upset she convinces him that he's hungry. Like he can't just be frustrated? It was starting to get annoying.

The Hallmark Channel did make a movie of this that premiered last night and is waiting on my DVR to be watched. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but the movie may actually be a better experience for me than the book was. (Update: It wasn't.)

One thing I really liked about this book was the cover.

There are a lot of people who love this author's work and I would probably read something else by her just to see if it was this story alone that I can't connect with. So, if you're already a fan, you may like it and it doesn't take that long to read.

I won this book through Goodreads Giveaways
Profile Image for Wendi Lee.
Author 1 book479 followers
December 8, 2017
I don’t generally read romance novels. Let’s get that right out of the way. I read many genres, but my knowledge of romance novels is confined to a bodice-ripper I read when I was 16, and more recently, a collection of Amish romance stories (I liked these a lot better than the bodice-ripper, but I’m still not convinced romances are for me).

But ... I was in the mood for holiday fiction, and my mom is a diehard romance fan. Not the x-rated stuff, but the cozy romance books, like this one. I’m also in a repentant daughter phase - let’s just say that I teased her a lot over the years about the books she read. Now that I’m older and am embracing everyone-read-whatever-they-want, I feel bad. So I arranged a mom-daughter buddy read for the holidays, and she picked this book.

It took some getting used to. I read a lot of thrillers this year, and was still in the thriller mindset when our protagonist decides it’s both safe and prudent to share a rental car with a strange man. I did some shouting and waving my hands. But eventually I suspended my disbelief, and enjoyed the story.

I have to admit, I spent 80% of the book disliking Dash. My mom read faster than I did, and assured me that he got better, and alas, he did. The puppy helped. Puppies always help!

But most of all, this book gave my mom and I something fun talk about, and that is golden.

Profile Image for Laura.
19 reviews
December 12, 2015
This is one I actually regret reading, which is rare for me. Dumb characters, idiotic plot...the only thing going for it was the puppy. And the way the characters treated that poor puppy made me crazy!
Profile Image for İlkim.
1,433 reviews11 followers
January 4, 2023
Kitabı daha önceden okuduğumu buraya girmek için geldiğimde fark ettim. Tam bir çerez, asla aklınızda dahi kalmıyor okuduğunuz.
Profile Image for Tracy.
130 reviews
October 16, 2015
It was a nice story about a road trip Christmas adventure but I found the main character Ashley to be young and silly. The guy Dash did not come off as wonderful as she thought he was. Still if another book is written to see where they go from here I will invest the time to read it, just to see if she matures more.
Profile Image for Laura.
592 reviews120 followers
November 29, 2018
Quick, fluffy Christmas read with a touch of lighthearted humor and a happy ending. The audio was enjoyable and entertaining, too. For some reason though, I assumed this would be a clean read but was surprised by a few profanities and comments that were made. If you prefer Christmas stories that don't make you cry, and are looking for a really light read, you might enjoy this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,156 reviews

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