God Level YA romance. Thats my first thought. I will be buying this and forcing everyone I know to read it too.

Mickey James III has spent his whole life preparing to follow in his father and grandfather's footsteps as the first draft pick in the NHL. He's given up so much of his childhood and his life... for a goal he isn't even sure he wants to achieve. Freshman year of college, and he's on the same team as the biggest threat to his first pick spot, Jaysen.

This book has so much in it that I loved so deeply. First and foremost, the romance is amazing and sweet and walks such a perfect enemies-to-lovers kind of line. Its glorious and I want to read Icebreaker for the first time again and again. This book also includes rep for all kinds of different, beautiful relationships in so many ways. The deep platonic friendship that two of Mickey's team mates shares is so heartwarming, and the broader team dynamic that emerges is well imagined too. In addition to that, one of Mickey's sisters is in a poly relationship, another is in a sapphic relationship and all of it was just so god damn nice I wanted to cry from that alone.

While the romance was amazing and beautiful and this book was filled with so much love in so many ways, the thing that pushed it over the edge for me was the heartbreakingly real and candid way that Graziadei describes depression and Mickey's struggle with it, as well as his roommate's struggle. Showing mental illness on paper is so important and I think Icebreakers did such a nice job of capturing depression in Mickey.

All in all, I'm in love.

When it comes right down to it, hockey is one of the most garbage-can sports currently operating any sort of national league. The racism, homophobia, and culture of permitted, condoned, or excused violence on and off the ice makes being anywhere hockey-adjacent a risk factor to either yourself or the people around you.

And it's my favorite sport.

Graziadei takes all the looming menace of striving for something that wants to eat you alive (and maybe already has) and stuffs it deep inside the veneer of college athletics and the much, much deeper substance of living under the weight of expectation while simultaneously buried under the smothering blanket that is depression.

Did I mention that this is a love story?

Jaysen and Mickey are full of the pettiness and palm-sweat that comes with being A Teen With A Crush, and each has a different way of expressioning their dedication to the sport they play. It's funny, sweet, and at times comically cringe-worthy to watch these two fumble their way past rivals, unsteadily arrive at friends, and think about taking the leap into something more.

Final thought: I love the fact that Jaysen is unapologetically and vocally Black, and his awareness of the precariousness of being Black, gay, and playing hockey is heart breaking in its relevance. Two of the top three NHL draft picks are people of color (more about Alex Nakamura, please), which is an unfortunately mind-boggling thought in today's reality. The team at Hartland is a vision of what could be if hockey was truly for everyone, and it's a future worth striving for.

Final, FINAL Thought: The Sabres? Really?

This book is terrific. This book tells the story of a hockey prodigy as he spends a year at college in preparation for entering the NHL draft. Within this story is a probing account of figuring out one's future in the face of family and other pressures, acknowledging and addressing mental health issues, and exploring one's identity in the midst of these other dynamics. A thoughtful and well-written debut.

Highly recommended!

This book is so good. It deals so well with mental health, the first year of college. Oh and falling in love with your teammate and main rival for the top draft pick in the NHL draft.

I loved the way Mickey and Jaysen’s romance evolved from hate to love as Mickey dealt with his depression and family expectations on the the third generation of hockey player set to be chosen first in the draft. Highly recommend

five out of five stars. oh my god, this was such an amazing book. as someone with anxiety and depression, mickey's portrayal was so perfect and realistic and relatable and i want every author writing about mental illness to to take notes from it. full rtc.

This book has *so* much to love. I read this all in one sitting, and literally could not go to sleep until I finished it (at 3am.)

Icebreaker follows Mickey James III, a hockey legacy groomed to be the NHL's top draft pick and his teammate Jaysen Caulfield, a fierce competitor who pushes farther and farther. When the two join the same college hockey team sparks fly... in more ways than one.

The primary conflict (besides the obvious vying for NHL's top draft pick) between Jaysen and Mickey lays in the conversation of privilege. Mickey attends their college on a full ride, with the intention to only attend for one year before going pro. Being a legacy and an NHL sweetheart, Jaysen believes Mickey is being selfish to take that full ride scholarship and place on the college team when somebody less fortunate could really use that scholarship and exposure. Jaysen is a Black hockey player who doesn't come from a family of riches and athletic success, and the book shows throughout how he has to consistently work harder than Mickey to receive any kind of recognition from sports media.

My favorite part of this book was Mickey's struggle with depression. Despite being a very privileged person, Mickey struggles just to feel... any emotion at all. The pressure from his family combined with his genetic predisposition to clinical depression makes for a lethal combination, and through the book we see Mickey's struggles to build relationships with his teammates and his father, as well as his dependency towards alcohol to make himself feel something. Depression and alcoholism are both huge problems amongst the male population in real life as they are under-diagnosed, under-treated, and stigmatized for having depression, which leads to very real high rates of alcoholism and suicide, and I loved how this book really drove that point home through the character of Mickey.

This book was so fiery, yet so tender. Mickey and Jaysen have a complicated, hair point trigger relationship due to their circumstances and Mickey's mental health, but they're so tender towards each other and towards their friendships. Mickey has five older sisters who he loves to the death, and reading their bond was uber heartwarming. The relationships the hockey team members had with each other were also so heartwarming, tender, and fantastic examples of how ale friendships should be without the toxicity of masculine culture.

Huge props to this book for handling the discriminatory ways of the NHL and male athletics at large in a considerate, yet non-preachy way. We hear Jaysen lament the ways that being Black in the NHL would be difficult, given there are VERY few Black hockey players, as well as Mickey agonizing over how coming out as bisexual would affect his image to the sports media and hockey fans.

The only thing I didn't love about this book was the ending. I won't get into it here, OBVIOUSLY, but after writing such a glowing review I knew people might wonder why the rating is 4.5 instead of 5. I just thought it was ~underdeveloped.~

Overall, I loved this book so, so much. I think fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston would enjoy this book, and I don't say that half-heartedly as I know how frustrating it is for All Queer Books Ever to be related to that book just for marketing points. The dynamic between the characters reminds of of Henry and Alex, as do the friendships between the team and families. While this book does not carry the same comedic edge that McQuiston has mastered, the heart of the book is very reminiscent of those character dynamics to me.

I know nothing about hockey. Not about blueliners, not about drafts, not about NHL. The only other book I’ve read about hockey is Beartown. And I loved that one, just like I loved Icebreaker.

Icebreaker is a story to read in one sitting, on a cosy evening or on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I saw reviewers compare it to All for the Game, and I can relate to that as it comes to the sports part, but no more. Whereas the All for the Game series is really messed up, Icebreaker is cute and sweet and very easy readable, even if you know nothing about hockey like me. I’d compare this with other (YA) stories that deal with some heavy topics, and are cute and sweet at the same time.

When I started reading this story, for a couple of chapters, I felt like I was reading one of those mainstream enemies to lovers M/M stories instead of a YA. College, banter, sports, parties, and lots of alcohol use. I still believe Icebreaker is more a crossover between YA and NA than real YA, but it’s much more than a simple NA college romance. I loved the themes presented, the execution and the overall representation. In color, in identity and sexuality, and more.

The mental health rep is an important part of the book, and I really loved the way the author handled it. Mickey’s depression was so clearly present and I think a lot of people who are depressed themselves can relate to his feelings.

This story is about more than mental health rep and two hockey players liking each other. It’s also about friendship and family relationships. And it’s about being scared to come out as queer as a professional hockey player. Although Icebreaker breathed hockey all over, it never bothered me. Stories about sports and sexuality are incredibly important because of the queerphobia that’s still present in the (male) sports world. I don’t know if there are any male NHL players out yet, but I do know that it’s still difficult for men to come out in a lot of sports, especially those that rely on the masculinity factor, such as soccer and football.

I read Icebreaker in a weekend when I wasn’t feeling great, and this story was the perfect distraction. I snuggled up on the couch, and just read and smiled, and read and swooned, and got teary eyes at the end. I blame my cold 😉.

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.