Hearts on Thin Ice Review

By Katie Kennedy

Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Audiobook rating: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧

Blurb

 

A pro hockey player falls for an interior designer in this charming debut sports romance. For fans of Icebreaker and Set On You, this flirty workplace rom-com explores mental health, belonging, and finding your way in the world.

Nick Sorensen had once been one of the fastest men in hockey—until the devastating plane crash that took the lives of his best friends, leaving him the only survivor. Now he’s physically ready to get back on the ice, but his coach is concerned Nick isn’t doing as well, mentally, as he says he is. Case in Nick’s apartment is completely empty, apart from a single chair and a mattress on the floor.

To prove he’s fine, really, Nick hires Alyssa Compton, an up-and-coming interior designer, to decorate his space. Alyssa’s thrilled at the chance to prove herself to her demanding boss—with job security at last, maybe she can finally put down roots and create a home for herself too. But Nick turns out to be infuriatingly stubborn and impossible to work with, and just when Alyssa decides to throw in the towel on the whole thing, Nick shows up for her in a way she never could have expected.

The icy path ahead of these two lost souls may be slippery and cracking, but when it comes to love, sometimes all you need is someone on your team.

Category: Sports Romance

 

Read if you Like:

⛸️ Hockey romance

⛸️ Dealing with trauma

⛸️ Interior decorator

⛸️ Emotional romance

⛸️ Working together

My Thoughts:

Hearts on Thin Ice surprised me with its emotional poignance and ability to balance humor and dealing with some very heavy topics. I loved watching Nick and Alyssa deal with their pasts and learn to trust each other. I also really enjoyed the hockey team and the art references throughout. This book is beautifully written!

Alyssa and Nick have both been through a lot. Nick is handling his trauma by leaving his trauma by having a nearly empty apartment. Alyssa is an interior decorator and she agrees to help him decorate his apartment. It ends up being an emotional process for them both. I loved how much Alyssa loved her job and how much Nick supported her.

My only note was that I felt like the last third could have been a bit shorter. I did love that we got to see the hockey team more in that part though. I loved how they came together to support Nick. I'd love for this to be a series and we could read more about the team.

If you love a hockey romance, an emotional romance or a story about surviving trauma this one is for you! Fans of Unsteady or Just for the Summer will love this one!

I listened to the audiobook of this title. Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mondelli did a fantastic job. Romance listeners may know Scarlett from What is Love by Jenn Comfort and Nick from The Book Proposal by KJ Micciche.

Thanks to Alcove Press and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.