Tyler and Amaliya must work together to keep their Olympic dreams alive.

Everything is starting to fall into place, until a few large set backs have them wondering if they have what it takes to stand on top of the podium, and what does it mean for their growing relationship?

Picking up shortly after the previous book, this book continues to follow Tyler and Amaliya as they navigate the bumpy road to the Olympics, and their relationship is challenged.

An enjoyable read, I liked seeing Tyler and Amaliya's story continue, and seeing them fight through the things that they faced. Gordon is an amazing coach and I liked how supportive he is of them, balancing that with firm guidance. Also liked seeing their relationship grow, though I will admit that there were parts of this book that lagged and were a slower read.

Overall, a good sequel, I wasn't expecting their journey to go so quickly, especially with one more book in the series still to come, but it will be fun to see where it goes. A clean romance set during the 1980's.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved watching Amaliya and Tyler overcome the obstacles that were thrown in their path as they were reaching for Olympic Gold. The perseverance and hard work that they put into skating and the rest of their lives are inspiring and a bit daunting. I love the strong family connections in this book. While Amaliya's parents sometimes come on too strong the bond their family has and the love they share is undeniable. So much so that Amaliya used that love as a motivator to get to the Olympics when it seems completely overwhelming to do so. I love watching Tyler and Amaliya's relationship grow as they overcome hard things together.

Tyler and Amaliya qualify for the Olympics in Leningrad, and Amaliya is excited to go to her mother's birthcountry. Amaliya's naivete and innocent hope lead to perilous situations in a country far different from the US she grew up in.
The romance is established from the previous book in this series, and the suspense is always high! I really loved the ice skating element in the book, and would recommend it to those that enjoy sports, suspense, and mild romance. Amaliya's ignorance irked me through parts of the book, but I enjoyed seeing her growth.

I really enjoyed this heartfelt and charming story. The characters felt real and were well written. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

The second in a trilogy, this story continues Tyler and Amaliya’s skating journey. It flows well and engages the reader from the first chapter. I love the sense of family and hope that Abramson is able to weave through her story. The trip to Leningrad doesn’t go as planned, a poignant story of love and loss told through the eyes of the young skaters and those they love.

I loved this book! Classic figure skating vibes with a romance interwoven! It was a perfect romantic read during the Winter Olympics of 2022! Highly recommend if you love contemporary romance!

Could. Not. Put. It. Down!

Amaliya frustrated me at times in this book. Despite her parents' attempts to explain things to her she seems determined not to listen. Her stubbornness and ignorance irritated me, especially when it carried clear risks. That said, until recently I shared her ignorance about such things. It was eye opening to see the Soviet Union from Amaliya's perspective as she realises just how starkly different it is to the world she grew up in.

The ice skating scenes are incredibly well written, and will get your adrenaline pumping just as much as watching it live, if not more!

Trigger warning for sexual assault (nothing explicit).

This is the sweetest story and I loved this book as much as the first. The struggles both of them went through did not get in the way of their dreams. There were definitely some struggles that were faced but in the end they were able to grow together and it was so sweet. I did find myself nervous for them as they competed at the end which goes to show how well the author did to connect you with the characters. I also loved the pacing, the year gap didn’t feel like you were reading for a year which I appreciate

Reading books that focus on a subject I know nothing about is almost like reading a foreign language. Thank goodness for Google to help me make sense of all of the ice skating jargon. Aside from not knowing what they were doing on the ice, I really enjoyed this story. My elevated heart rate during the climax can attest to that. I'm looking forward to what comes next for Amaliyah, Tyler, and the rest of the characters in this series.

This book is so amazing! I picked it up one afternoon and finished it the next day. It held my attention and made me excited to get to read the next book in the series!

I already know that I love the characters Amaliya and Tyler. I grew to love them when I read An Unlikely Pair. These two are so great together. It was fun watching them navigate the new world of having Amaliya’s parents home from their hospital and rehabilitation stay. There were definitely some ups and downs due to Amaliya’s dad not loving having Tyler in their space. But it was fun watching him get won over.

I love the idea of these two characters getting ready to go to the winter Olympics. It’s so fun that the winter Olympics is going on right now. That makes this story even more fun to read.

I love how the author wrote this one. It made me laugh, cry, smile and be terrified for the characters. All at the same time. You need to read it!

While I really enjoyed the first book in this series, this book felt repetitive and slow for me, with some characters that weren't acting true to themselves. DNF at 20%

Romance, sweet, contemporary (slightly in the past); Series, but stand alone read
While this is the second book in this series, it can be read as a stand alone read. Amaliya and Tyler's journey to Olympic Competition, their training, the different things that they do to reach the best of their gifts and talents, even as they try to figure out their relationship, balance it with training, family demands and misconceptions, and of course, the lengths their rivals will go to win at all costs, made for a compelling and fun read. I happened to read this right during the Winter 2022 Olympics. Truly a perfect read at the time! The competition, the back story, the training, it was like watching the Olympics in a book (with all the interviews they do with athletes it felt that way a bit. Fit in so well with the political situation right now, even though it was set slightly in the past.
There were strong side characters, and the setting with the training rink, the hockey back story that continues a bit from the first book in this series, and the Olympic/International Rivals made for a perfect read!
Looking forward to the next book in this series! Can't wait to see where THA goes next with this series!
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review, my opinions are my own.

I really wanted to read this book. I had contacted NetGalley and told them this book would not download. They said they were aware of the problem. But I never heard back from them.

I'm sure I would have loved this book. I enjoyed book one in this series. I like this authors books.

What a fun book to read as the winter Olympics are going on! Ice skating is one of my favorite things to watch so this book really grooved with where I am right now and what I'm watching. This is book two in a series you really should read in order. There are also a couple novellas in this series which again, should be read before this book.

By now these characters are feeling very familiar to me and I feel like I know them. Amaliya and Tyler have been working hard and are finally competing, on a quest to get to the Olympics. There are plenty of bumps in the road- distrustful father, stalker, competitors, and secrets uncovered. It's quite a ride that has been building for a while now.

This series is pretty gentle in nature. It flows easily and comes across very naturally and life like. There is a strong sense of family and lots of good support that comes from that. The overall theme of working hard and reaching for your goals is easy to feel given that Amaliya and Tyler are athletes. This book is definitely more climactic and exciting in nature than the other ones. It has more plot based elements where the others are more character based. The whole series is great but this book was my favorite of the series.

Content: mild peril, mild violence, kissing.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I am loving this series! This book was so good and I loved that it was released at the same time as the Winter Olympics are going on. I loved how Traci described what an athlete goes through emotionally and physically as they try to be the best in their sport. I thought this story was well written and I loved the characters. I love how invested I became in the characters lives. I can’t wait to see more of these characters. I would highly recommend this book and series to others.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

After reading An Unlikely Pair, I kept my eye out for the sequel of Traci Hunter Abramson. Because I wanted to know whether Amalia and Tyler made it to the Olympics. Especially with the winter Olympics starting in China this week.

Traci takes us on another wonderful journey. we see Amaliya and Tyler grow. Professionally and personally. We see how Amaliya and her parents have to find a new equilibrium, after being apart for all those months. Amaliya is no longer a little girl and she has a life of her own now.

And we get more insight in coach gordon and his motives for helping Tyler and Amaliya.

Dreams of Gold is another wonderful story. I don’t think you’ll be able to enjoy the total story, if you haven’t read the first part of Dream’s Edge. So I would highly recommend to start with An Unlikely Pair. Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

Dreams of Gold by Traci Hunter Abramson is the second book in the Dreams Edge series. The story picks up right where An Unlikely Pair left off and we get to follow Amaliya and Tyler and their coach Gordon as they works towards the Olympics. Just like An Unlikely Pair, I loved all the figure skating and liked that Abramson was able to create the story within the strict schedule kept by an Olympian but mixed up the events enough that it didn’t feel monotonous or boring. I liked that there was drama both on and off the rink. The conflicts weren’t always about not being able to land a jump or recovering from an injury, there was relationship drama too. Although, for a romance, I’m surprised there wasn’t more conflict with Tyler and Amaliya’s romantic relationship.

I loved seeing Tyler and Amaliya compete at various competitions and continually fight to rise to the top. I loved their long program curse and can’t believe that Tyler, Amaliya, and Gordon all had such bad experiences with long programs over the years. That superstition really made me care about the characters and want to root for them so they would break their curse! I enjoyed seeing their whole team overcome so many different challenges, physical, mental and emotional, and find strength and support in one another.

It was really hard to read about Amaliya being sexually assaulted. Although the perpetrator is caught and punished for his crimes, and nothing inappropriate or explicit happens, the intent was obvious and had a major impact on Amaliya and her family. Sexual assault is a pretty difficult topic and although I liked that Amaliya had such an incredible support group, I can’t believe she bounced back as quickly as she did. Amaliya faces a lot of challenges in this book, and I loved seeing her grow from them.

I enjoyed seeing Tyler, Amaliya, and Gordon travel to the Soviet Union for the Olympics. I loved that Amaliya was able to discover more about her heritage, who she is and where she came from by preparing for the Olympics. I kind of expected more drama and conflict with the government of the Soviet Union during the Olympics, but considering the characters are athletes not spies the level of drama felt appropriate. I loved that Amaliya connected with her mom’s family and was not at all surprised that they are just as incredibly talented as Amaliya and her mom.

Overall I really enjoyed this story! It was a great addition to the series and was so fun to read during this year’s Olympics! I learned a lot about figuring skating and enjoyed seeing the characters overcome multiple challenges by supporting and loving one another. It’s a great sports romance and if you enjoyed An Unlikely Pair you will definitely enjoy Dreams of Gold.

Content warning: sexual assault

Dear Traci,

This book! This book sent me through the wringer—and I loved every minute. It was as if I were present for every single competition, every set back, every practice. I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to know what would happen. I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up late. I read during every spare second. I couldn’t get enough and I cannot wait for more!

As in the first book, Amaliya and Tyler have a fabulous relationship and good chemistry. You gave us such likable characters! I love that their relationship is based on their mutual regard and respect for one another. Despite being quite young, they are mature and reasonable. But occasionally, one or the other does something that still shows their naïveté or inexperience. I often get annoyed with younger protagonists, because I almost feel as though the author forgot their age and wrote a 40 year old’s maturity level into an 18 year old’s body. But I never once felt that way with your characters, and I am grateful!

I absolutely love Gordon, Katerina, Caroline, and Maggie. Gordon is tough but you know he 100% has those kids’ backs; Katerina understands the pressure they’re under and is supportive when they need it. And I just love the friendship and kindness Caroline and Maggie provide for Amaliya and Tyler. Miles, Linda, and Beth are so great, too! Now Amaliya’s dad…is it cruel to say I wanted to Gibbs-slap him a couple times? (Also, I really hope you understand that reference.) I’m glad he came around, because Amaliya deserves to have to her dad totally in her corner.

I am still super impressed with the level of figure skating detail in this book. I know essentially nothing about figure skating, and yet you painted a vivid enough picture that I felt almost as if I could see them doing their routines and programs. So good work there. I also liked how you handled the mental recovery for different traumas, as well as the mental games that could be played by a competitor and their competition. I thought each was handled quite well.
The small tidbits and info about what life could have been like for those living in Soviet Russia were so enlightening. Now I want to know more! And then when all the stuff with the Soviets and KGB were thrown in, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen and now I cannot wait until book 3! I am fully invested. This is some good stuff. You remind me why you write suspense.

I really loved this book and I’m so glad you wrote it!
Kindest regards,
Jessica


*Note/CW/TW: attempted assault (not a major theme, very brief mentions, not graphic); brief mention of blood and a wound.

**Many thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions belong to me.



Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In Dreams of Gold, Traci Hunter Abramson continues her Dream's Edge series. I loved getting to revisit these characters as they continued chasing their dreams of Olympic gold. The road to the Olympics is far from smooth for Amaliya and Tyler and this book explores that journey. Not only does this book bring the road to Olympics to life for this pairs figure skating couple, but it does so with a cast of familiar characters who've all overcome incredible odds. I enjoyed the hints of romance in this book and look forward to the next installment in this series.

*Thank you to Traci Hunter Abramson, Covenant Communications, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Amaliya and Tyler are World Class skaters. They are shooting for the Olympics and encounter several hurdles on this journey. This book is a little different from others I have read by this author. There is some suspense but this is more about the journey and overcoming obstacles along the way. Amaliya's mother defected from Russia many years ago. So Amaliya does not know much about this side of her family. If she and Tyler make it to the Olympics, they will be held in Leningrad which is her mother's home.

I enjoyed this book. The author does an amazing job of adding in enough suspense and little mysteries along the way. It kept me reading to see what would happen next. The writing style is easy-to-read. The characters are likeable and make you feel invested in their outcome. It is also interesting to read about the life behind the scenes of an athlete.