I'm really torn on this one. Until the Epilogue, I'd give this 4.5 stars -- I loved how Graziadei portrayed the realities of depression, I loved Jaysen's unapologetic ability to just be himself and go for what he wanted, and I loved (and so sympathized with) Mickey's constant struggle to find joy (or even contentment) with his life. Even with my concern about the alcohol abuse (by pretty much everyone -- but especially with Mickey), I thought this picture was relevant and well done.

And then the epilogue hit, and I was so incredibly disappointed. Ugh. [After all that wonderful buildup and the compassionate look at depression, Graziadei basically let it all go. Mickey decides to leave the only real support system he's found and go off into the NHL -- where (as he put it himself earlier in the book) he'll be completely alone yet again. We're supposed to believe ... what, exactly? That he's suddenly (after only 6 months) good to go? He's beaten the depression, he's again found the love for hockey (that he never really had in the first place), his relationships are all solid ... yeah, I don't think so. What an unrealistic and honestly horrible ending to a truly great story up to that point. Not only that, we didn't get to *see* any of it, as the rest of the story ended right when Mickey realized he needed to get help. And to suggest that he's conquered all his demons in only 6 months??? And the worst part was his little speech to the reporter -- he's leaving because he's 'privileged'? Ugh, Ugh, Ugh! Yeah, I hated the epilogue. I think it completely undermined every good thing about the rest of the book. (hide spoiler)]

I read the ARC, so maybe, just maybe, the epilogue will be redone? Truly, any decision other than the one Mickey reached would be better, imo. Authors have the freedom, of course, to write whatever they want, but I found this (the epilogue) to be a horrible misrepresentation of dealing with depression. :(

I'll end with 3 stars, but truly, I want to give it one based solely on the ending.

There are parts of this book that I did enjoy and I am happy that I read it. I liked the build up of Mickey and Jaysen's relationship throughout the book and the enemies to lovers theme. I also thought that the book dealt with a lot of heavy topics well, especially the topic of depression. The part that really struck me that I loved was how the author portrays depression as an ongoing thing, it's not something that one overcomes and then is over. The characters have frequent discussions about it and it is something that they are working on, but not something that just disappears.

I thought that the book was slow in some places and I would have liked to see better development of some of the minor characters - there was a lot of diverse LGBTQ+ representation, but sometimes it felt like that part of the character's identity was all that was talked about instead of giving them multiple facets.

This was totally what I needed today. I felt like this author was in my brain writing this one! I totally enjoyed this story (and maybe related too much to Mickey). Come for the rivals to lovers hockey romance, but stay for the depression rep and a kid finding his way in a world that's left him unsettled. Perfect for fans of slow burn, light angst, and team dynamics (and antics)!

I read this in less than 24 hours. While the pacing was fast, I think that’s what I liked best - it didn’t need to be drawn out or painful, because the time allotted to tell the story was perfect for the story that needed to be told. I loved the focus on mental health and the realistic portrayal of depression, and I LOVED the assortment of queer relationships sprinkled in throughout! I can’t wait for this book to be published so I can have it on my shelves and recommend it to any YA fan who comes into my bookstore.

This review is based on an ARC copy.

This book had me at hello. I wanted to live with these characters long after the story ended. Mickey goes through life with privilege and talent and when put on the same team as his rival Jaysen he is confronted with a choice be a better player or break under the pressure. Their rivalry pushed Mickey to examine his own beliefs about hockey and who he is off the ice. I was hooked from the start and did not put it down until I got to the steamy ending.

I have to confess, I do love a good sports romance; especially when there's a "rivals to lovers" trope. A bisexual/pansexual (he hasn't picked a label) MC with a hockey legacy to uphold? A rival who pushes all the right buttons even when he's throwing shade? 5 doting older sisters?? YES PLEASE!!

Ok but also!... Even though I loved the romance of the story, what got to me more was reading about how some of the characters dealt with depression, anxiety, and their overall mental health.

CW:
Slight thoughts of suicide
Underage drinking
Alcohol abuse

If you're looking for LGBTQIA representation, this book has it all. In fact, it's almost overkill - the main character is bi, one sister is gay, another is in a polyamorous relationship with two guys. Then, the main character struggles to come out to his family, in spite of his siblings' relationships.

I did enjoy the build up of the relationship between Mickey and Jaycen as well as Mickey's struggles with the pressure to live up to his family name. His mental health issues and childhood trauma were sensitively portrayed, and the character was realistic and well-developed. I wish I could say the same about the side characters, but there was no real depth to any of them, including Mickey's teammates.

I LOVED this!! I was excited to dive into this one and I enjoyed it even more than I expected to. I’ve been itching to read more hockey romances (Taylor Fitzpatrick is the gold standard, imo, and has spoiled me for them) and this one hooked me right from the first line. Really well written and character-driven, this checks so many boxes of Things I Love in a Romance.

College hockey player Mickey is struggling with depression, feeling the weight of being the third generation of a line of elite NHL legends. The pressure from the expectations his family’s legacy has dropped on him is becoming too much.

I sometimes struggle with the enemies/rivals to lovers trope but this relationship developed very naturally and didn’t feel forced (or hateful). And I really liked Mickey - he’s such a great character. He’s really funny, totally low key and down to earth. He is definitely an enjoyable and relatable character to read in the first person POV.

The book is heavy on the hockey (which I love!) and I thought the hockey elements were really well done. The author definitely knows what they’re talking about - the lingo, the game, the overall culture are all captured brilliantly. (And the chirping is top notch. 😂)

Honestly, everything in this book is well done. I’m impressed with the writing; all the characters - Mickey’s sisters, friends, and teammates - are wonderful; the humor is great (I was laughing so hard during the team bonding exercise); there’s excellent LGBTQ+ rep; mental health discussions play a large role here and topics like homophobia, bi erasure, misogyny/patriarchal standards, privilege, and toxic/hyper masculinity (in sports culture in general and the NHL in particular) are addressed. Those bits were particularly interesting to me. I really appreciated Graziadei incorporating all of those issues, especially from the vantage point of a character like Mickey since they all play a role in his life.

I really really wish the digital ARCs allowed for highlighted passages to be uploaded to GR because there are so many amazing lines and bits that I felt were important and beautiful and just so well said, I might hafta buy the kindle version when it’s released so I can do exactly that.

Highlights:
❤️ ALLL THE HOCKEYYYYY
❤️ Mickey’s relationship with his sisters 🥺
❤️ It’s so funny
❤️ A realistic depiction of depression
❤️ The ending

5 stars out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to NetGalley and McMillan Publishing for the DRC.

I got the Arc off of Netgalley, these opinions are my own. I loved this book! I enjoy reading about jocks who fall for each other. I especially enjoy it when writers create a supportive team! Dorian, Barbie, Zero, and Kova were all amazing! And I loved Mickey! A.L. Graziadei did an excellent job of writing about emotional/psychological disabilities and how they can take a toll on a person, even when that persons life is seemingly “perfect”! Cauler was the just right kind of snarky for me! I love the enemies, to reluctant teammates, to teammates, to something more that this book has! I also recalled enjoyed Mickey’s relationship with his sisters, not just cause they were supportive, but the closeness and bond they all had despite being in different parts of the country and the differences in ages. The ending was good but it did leave me longing! I tend to like perfectly wrapped endings, which is not as realistic! I very much enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read it again when it comes out!

Although Graziadei's debut brings to the table much needed sex and mental health-positivity, as well as starting discussions about bigotry in sports circles—in this case, the world of hockey—the romance left a lot to be desired, and the note that the book ended on was not fitting enough for the direction the book had seemed to be going in.

Icebreaker tells the story of Mickey James III’s freshman year of college. Mickey was born and raised to be a professional hockey player, and he knows his family has one goal for him: be the third Mickey James to be the first draft pick. He’s only in college because, at 17, he was too young to be drafted when he graduated high school. Now, he isn’t sure what he really wants. He loves hockey, but there’s so much pressure - does he want to leave school and start playing next year when he’s never gotten to decide if this is what he wants to do? On top of that, he’s facing undiagnosed depression, and nothing really feels worth doing at times.

What Mickey does want is something he’s sure he can’t have - his teammate and rival for first draft pick, Jaysen. Even if Jaysen were interested (and he does seem to flirt sometimes…), Mickey’s family doesn’t know he’s bisexual, and the NHL isn’t known for being accepting. Pursuing Jaysen could ruin his career. With the crushing pressure already coming from his father, is it worth adding one more complication?

This book handled some heavy topics, but it was always very sweet. The main plot of the relationship between Mickey and Jaysen was perfect. The “teammates who fall for each other” trope that has been popular in YA lately is a favorite of mine and very cute here. Mickey’s depression, meanwhile, was also handled really well. There was great character development not only from Mickey but also from his family and teammates. The secondary characters were really cute and I’d love a sequel focusing on any of them.

I did feel like the book ended a little too quickly. I understood what the author was going for but I was surprised when it was suddenly over. Maybe it was just because I was enjoying the story so much and wanted more! That jarred me a little but didn’t ruin the book.

Overall, I think anyone who enjoys enemies to lovers and/or teammates falling for each other will like this one. 4.5 stars, rounded up.

I liked that the "bros" had a lot of emotional depth. Cute story! Even if my teens are not hockey fans, I'd still definitely recommend this to them.

So engaging, you'll devour it in a day.

Truly. I read this in less than 24 hours. Everything about this book kept me engaged and excited to turn the page.

Let's start with the writing. Graziadei kept a snappy, upbeat pace, even when dealing with heavy, emotional topics. They infused their characters with personality, wit, and snark. Every word, every sentence, was carefully crafted to add to the story in a meaningful way. Graziadei clearly knows their stuff about hockey, given the in-depth descriptions of plays and schedules and practices and draft combine and use of NHL legends. That knowledge helps immerse the reader; even with my limited knowledge, I felt like I knew what was happening in the world of hockey. The dialogue kept me on my toes. Nothing in this book bored me. When it ended, I found myself hoping for a sequel, despite this being an early release. I cannot wait to see what else Graziadei writes!

Now we have to talk about the characters. Mickey James III clearly struggles with self-worth, abandonment, and depression (will discuss in a moment). Jaysen Caulfield also struggles with self-worth, but adds in racial tension (never explicit) and jealousy. They compete against each other basically their entire lives for that #1 draft pick, when in reality, their relationship morphs into a beautiful "enemies to lovers" trope. The line between hate and love blurs and I'm HERE for it with Jaysen and Mickey. But my favorite thing about these two characters is how they don't sacrifice who they are or what they want just because they're both gunning for the NHL. Neither concedes in hockey or life. While we don't get to see who comes out on top (*screams in disbelief*), the growth of their relationship and of them as people proves a greater point.

Of course, we also get incredible support characters in Nova, all of Mickey's sisters, incredible growth by Mickey Junior (Dad), and all the hockey boys. Dorian and Zero were personal favorites of mine.

But the real deal is the discussion over depression. Never have I read a book that deals so frankly and unflinchingly with depression. Mickey experiences bouts of depression throughout the book. Dorian also explains how his depression impacts his life, despite being slightly higher functioning in academics. However, Dorian also has medication from the get-go. We see firsthand how Mickey yearns and wishes and pleads for someone to realize that he's struggling, that he's <i>drowning</i> in his depression. Yet as soon as people start to notice and suggest talking with a counselor as a first step, he reacts with anger. It takes a long time for him to finally have a frank discussion with his mom to learn that she also has depression, that it is genetic/hereditary, and that there is NO SHAME in seeking help. He still fights it; nothing changes overnight, even after he's on medication; and he does have missteps in terms of alcohol abuse as a coping mechanism with depression. But the conversation and emotions are real, are honest, and are necessary to understanding Mickey as a character. I love this book because of this hard discussion. Graziadei portrays real emotions and real conversations surrounding mental health and doesn't shy away from the negative aspects of it. While the end of the book does see Mickey in a much better, healthier place mentally, the struggle isn't over. It's never over. And I have so much appreciation and respect for this book because of what it offers as a real portrayal of mental health.

Please, please read this incredible book when it comes out in Jan. 2022! So many good things in here that will keep you reading, keep you engaged, and keep you hoping for a sequel in the future.

I really liked the discussions of mental health in this book. There was also a lot of diversity in this book and several strong women roles as well!

If you're a hockey fan, I definitely recommend this for you.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Mickey is the son of a famous hockey play and all eyes are on him as he gets closer to draft day. It doesn't make it easier that his biggest rival is his new teammate. As the season wears on, sparks fly on and off the rink.

This was a fine book. It didn't enrapture me, but it was a good way to spend some time. I liked the characters and I thought the relationship build-up was well-written, if a little slow. I am not a sports person AT ALL, but do enjoy a good sports story now and then, however, this book assumes I know more about hockey than I do, some of the lingo and plot points went completely over my head. Some of the subplots were also rushed, such as Mickey's relationship with his dad. Overall, an enjoyable book that could have been improved if some threads would have been woven a little more neatly.

A queer YA hockey story between two players?? ABSOLUTELY up my alley, and overall this book really did not disappoint!!

The main character is Mickey James III, who is playing college hockey for a year before he can be drafted into the NHL. He's third generation of hockey royalty with his father and grandfather having their numbers retired with the Sabres (the author is a huge sabres fan which I thought was super funny they said its my book and I wanna talk about the sabres!!! huge respect). He's also got anxiety and depression AND unresolved daddy issues, which he is trying to deal with while being crushed under the weight of expectations.

His rival/love interest is Jaysen, pretty much the only thing standing in the way of his #1 draft slot and the complete opposite player to him (charismatic, tall, physical, ect).

This is the setup for what turned out to be a pretty sweet, uncomplicated rivals-to-lovers story. Jaysen is Black and gay, and Mickey is bi, so homophobia and racism in the NHL is mentioned and discussed but there's no discriminatory language or behavior on page. Nothing bad really even happens, haha. No real complaints from me about that, its kinda nice to read a YA book with queer characters where no one gets hate crimed.

I appreciated that the story was set in college, and as a hockey fan I enjoyed that hockey was front and center and not just a background prop for the characters' relationships. If you don't know anything about hockey this will still be very easy for you to read! You may just need to google Gary Bettman, who actually gets namedropped a lot (he's the NHL commissioner).

This is really more of a character-focused book and I genuinely loved and was interested in all of them! I'd pick up a story about any of them in a heartbeat. (Dori and Barbie?? zero and kovy?) The relationship between mickey and his sisters was really special, and I enjoyed all the scenes they were in. If you're looking for a gripping plot, this is not the book for you.

If I've got any nitpicking with the book, it's that I wish Jaysen got more time in the spotlight. His family gets mentioned, but I really wish we got to see more of them! Also that hockey in the second half of the book is more background as Mickey focuses on his mental health and new relationship. I also wasn't completely satisfied with the ending, but I don't think it's a bad one necessarily.

Overall, a very enjoyable debut from this author! I will be picking up their next book, whatever it ends up being. And if y'all love hockey, or sports stories featuring queer characters, or just want a sweet, low-stakes YA read, definitely pick this up in January 2022!!

The incredibly wholesome, queer, enemies-to-lovers sports romance we all needed.

Mickey James is a hockey legacy starting his freshman year in college. Jaysen Caulfield (Cauler) is just some guy who only started playing hockey when he was 9 - and Mickey's biggest competition for being first draft pick in the NHL. Inconveniently, they're on the same team, and that team has very little tolerance for the unfriendly competition between the two. As it turns out though, Mickey and Cauler have more than one type of tension between them to address.

Aside from being an incredibly sweet romance wherein absolutely nothing goes wrong, this book does amazing things. Mickey is depressed and ends up starting medication, one of his sisters is queer and another one is in a polyam triad, and Cauler is Black (with the overwhelming whiteness of hockey being explicitly called out). The plot is fast-paced enough to remain interesting but ultimately this is a very character-driven book, with exceptionally well fleshed out characters all around. Mickey's depression is dealt with fantastically, especially with his feelings on how he shouldn't be depressed given how privileged he is. There is minor family conflict, but ultimately his family is very supportive of him as a person, and his sexuality goes unremarked upon despite his anxiety over it.

Highly recommend for fans of Julian Winters, anyone who enjoyed FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES FROM THE SUN, and everyone who wants a fluffy, quick read.