Book Review: Red, the Wolf, and the Woods by Scarlett Gale (romance, fairy tale)

Title: Red, the Wolf, and the Woods
Author: Scarlett Gale
Publication Date: Sept 1, 2023
Genres: Romance, Fairy Tale
Protagonist Gender: Female

Oh my, this was just marvelous – a fun, fanciful delight from beginning to end! Red, the Wolf, and the Woods is a contemporary fairy tale, an updating of the original story that’s full of magic and romance. It’s a narrative delight from page one, told by Scarlett Gale with a sense of humor that’s both self-aware and tongue-in-cheek.

Red (who does indeed wear a red hoodie) is a farmer, a dog trainer, a hiker, and a dutiful granddaughter. She’s a woman who doesn’t put up with nonsense, but who loves her time alone in the forest – which just happens to be the shortest route to her grandmother’s house. When she meets a rather large talking wolf one afternoon, it’s cause for caution, certainly a surprise, but nothing that saying “good boy” and tossing some dog treats can’t handle.

The story hits all the key points of the original story, but twists them into something sweet, and extends it into something romantic. I won’t spoil any of the delightful surprises, but there’s joy to be found as much in the story as the telling. It’s a slow-burn romance that takes through the kinds of tenderness fans of Scarlett know she does so well, offering something that’s softly, casually, naturally female-led. No real kink or fetish, just a natural realization of a young wolf’s first love with a more experienced partner.

Red, the Wolf, and the Woods is a quick read that will have you smiling from beginning to end. It’s the best kind of fairy tale.

Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀

My sincere thanks to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.