Icebreaker is a love letter to the hockey community. To hockey fans everywhere, you will feel so seen in this book. As a diehard hockey fan, I loved how much hockey culture is poured into the book from the fanfiction to mentions of LGBTQIA+ players who show BIPOC queer and trans* youth that they CAN play. This book just got it right and you can tell a fellow hockey fan wrote this.

I have not stopped thinking about Mickey, Jaysen, Zero, Dorian, Barbie, and Delilah since I finished this book almost a week ago. It's very rare for me to want to re-read a book right after I've read it. Mickey is hands down one of my favorite characters, ever. He is complex but a good friend, teammate, and partner too.

Icebreaker has so many important conversations especially mental health. I love how much mental health is talked about and shown through Dorian and Mickey. I loved how everyone helped Mickey rather than mocked him. His teachers, coaches, family, and friends were there for him and that's all anyone wants when they speak up about their mental health struggles. Mickey deals with imposter syndrome from his depression and feeling abandoned by his own family. Mickey is such a complex character but his character development is slow and realistic.

This book will tear at your heartstrings and leave you craving more. If you're a hockey fan, you should read this book and if you don't know anything about hockey, you should still read this book.

3.5 Stars - very accurate portrayal of depression. Slow burn and really great characters. I was given an ARC of the audiobook and I will say I enjoyed the performance. Being a hockey story, there are lots of last names, and some tended to sound similar so I struggled to keep characters straight in the beginning. YA for sure but overall an enjoyable read. Thanks #netgalley for the opportunity to review!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review on net galley.

Even though the book revolves around a sport I don't know much about, I loved it. I love Mickey, and every time he talked about his feelings I wanted to hug him and protect him from all harm. This enemies to lovers was very good. And omg what an open ending that was... I loved it. I thought it address depression and a summarized form, but it was still an important mention. It was a really fun read

Mickey James III “has been bred” to be a hockey star, according to one article about him. His father and grandfather were number 1 picks in their draft years, and the same is expected to happen for Mickey despite his 5’5” stature. His biggest competition, Jaysen Caulfield, is also now his teammate, as they play their freshman year on the university’s hockey team. Their rivalry quickly sparks enmity, but soon attraction thrums between them too.

Despite the fact that Mickey’s situation as an incredibly talented athlete is not one most people will find themselves in, the emotions in this book are so spot on and relatable. This book is so much more than just a romance story; it covers mental health, family relationships, and more. I love the way mental health issues were handled in the book. Not knowing much about hockey did not hamper my understanding or enjoyment of the book. I look forward to seeing what books Graziadei comes out with in the future!

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

A.L. Graziadei’s riveting YA debut Icebreaker is a fast-paced, funny, sweet, sexy, emotional, and romantic LGBTQ+ rivals-to-lovers/opposites attract romance vividly narrated by Tom Picasso. Graziadei’s knowledge and love of hockey are evident throughout the hockey-filled novel—not just gameplay, but the day-in, day-out lives of hockey players training and working toward being their best and competing for the top NHL draft spots. I was drawn in from the opening scene and couldn’t stop listening at every chance. I hope for hockey content in books about hockey players, but rarely find authors writing in detail about hockey play, games, lifestyles, teams, leagues, etc. I love both hockey and romance, so I love this about Icebreaker. Graziadei’s vivid description and detailed exploration of a year in these young players’ lives leading up to the draft. She excellently develops her characters, particularly the leads, starting with their outward descriptions, which she keeps coming back to in pivotal moments, down to their personalities, quirks, and interactions with other characters.

Icebreaker is from seventeen-year-old college freshman Mickey James III’s POV. He’s from a family of accomplished athletes and is the third generation of an Italian hockey legacy down from his grandfather and father—at his college and in the NHL. Mickey's expected to go first in the upcoming NHL draft, his future all but certain. However, he has legitimate competition for the number one spot from his nemesis and teammate Jaysen Caulfield, who Mickey can’t help finding as attractive as he is annoying. Or maybe part of why Jaysen infuriates Mickey is that he is both attractive and an excellent hockey player, who learned to play with all the odds stacked against him?

Mickey (Terzo) and Jaysen (Cauler) couldn’t be more different. Terzo's an introvert, small for a hockey player, risk-averse, avoids the spotlight, overwhelmed by the burden/pressure on his shoulders to succeed as James III, didn’t choose hockey, paralyzed with worry about what people think of him. Jaysen on the other hand is extroverted, loves the spotlight, a risk-taker, he chose to play hockey, he learned to play late, has worked hard against the odds as a Black player without Terzo’s advantages, and thrives on the pressure to be the best and competition—especially with Terzo. However, the biggest difference between them is that Terzo is dealing with major issues of doubt, burnout, insecurity, fear, anxiety, and something more insidious affecting his gameplay, love of hockey, schoolwork, and overall quality of life.

Of course, competition with Cauler turns out to be the best thing to happen to Terzo’s hockey and his life. I love their fiery, snarky, sweet, sexy, emotional, intense, and, at times, sad interactions. Graziadei excellently builds the intimacy, connection, friendship, and ultimately love they share from the simmering chemistry buried beneath antagonism. The “therapy scenes” when their teammates get tired of their arguing, messiness, and BS are amazing. While Cauler brings light, fun, excitement, challenge, and, most of all balance into Terzo’s life, he doesn’t magically solve all his problems or cure him. But having Cauler and his teammates in his life do encourage and motivate him to look at things from different perspectives and grow as a person/player. Most importantly, they offer him needed friendship and support. Terzo’s relationships with five older sisters and his best friend Nova and how they shape his respect for women, in general, and as athletes are awesome.

Graziadei explores relevant, important themes including, coming out, sexuality/sexual identity, bi-erasure/phobia, mental illness—anxiety and depression, issues faced by Black hockey players like financial and racial barriers. and how women in sports are overlooked/ignored,

Picassos’ narration is terrific. At first, I wasn’t sure about him, but he perfectly captures Terzo’s personality, headspace, isolation, confusion, and weariness that Cauler manages to break through with his relentless teasing, skill, and presence. He excellently narrates both male and female characters. I love his voice for Cauler and how soft it is when he’s talking to Cauler when they're alone. The novel’s tone shifts from hilarious, melancholy, sexy, sad, and angry, at a moment’s notice, but Picasso’s narration stays balanced throughout with Terzo’s melancholy voice reflecting his state of mind. However, he deftly varies his tone, capturing the personalities and emotions of the other characters. His skill with accents is spot on.

Exploring themes of friendship, belonging, first-love, family, sexual identity, coming out, being part of a team, depression/anxiety, self-discovery, and self-acceptance/love, Icebreaker is an engaging romance. It’s a snarky, hilarious, sweet, romantic, emotional, and hockey-filled enemies-to-rivals-to-friends-to-lovers/opposites attract romance that will make you LOL, cry, and sigh with satisfaction. Readers who love hockey romances, YA romances, and LGBTQ+ romances should give this awesome audiobook a listen!

The rivals to lovers trope is perfectly executed, the banter and found family is amazing. Mickey's struggle with depression is an important part of the book and the author handled it very well.

An ARC of this audiobook was provided by  the publisher via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

Well , I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. I am going to start with the things I liked:
A. The queer rep is great (there is gay, bi and lesbian rep) there is also an mc with deppresion.
B. I really liked that it mentioned how women' sports don't get the same recognition that men'  sports do.
C. The cover is gorgeous.

Now to the things I didn't enjoy:
It didn't feel a lot like ya , other than the fact that the mcs are the right age.
The narrator honestly didn't do it for me. I found his voice really irritating and even in the parts of the book I enjoyed I  couldn't wait for it to end so I won't have to listen to it agai . Sorry.
I also didn't  connect with the characters. The mc was really whiny.


Book description:
Seventeen-year-old Mickey James III is a college freshman, a brother to five sisters, and a hockey legacy. With a father and a grandfather who have gone down in NHL history, Mickey is almost guaranteed the league's top draft spot.

The only person standing in his way is Jaysen Caulfield, a contender for the #1 spot and Mickey's infuriating (and infuriatingly attractive) teammate. When rivalry turns to something more, Mickey will have to decide what he really wants, and what he's willing to risk for it.

This is a story about falling in love, finding your team (on and off the ice), and choosing your own path.

This was really good. I’d say the romance isn’t really the main plot it’s more about being young and struggling with your mental health, who to talk to about it, what meds to take, how to function period. And I love Mickey’s family, five amazing sisters. Also love the family environment of the team. And of course dearest Jason who pushes all of Mickey’s buttons in the best way. Check it out!

This book! was! amazing! I didn’t know what to expect when starting this, I just knew of a bi main character, ice hockey and that people were really excited for it. Since I really enjoy audiobooks I just went for it. And I don’t regret a second. But let me tell you that I especially liked the side characters!! All in all the story was great! The characters seemed real to me and the relationship between Mickey and Jaysen was like a rollercoaster which was on one hand annoying but on the other hand it really kept things interesting!

3,5/5 rounded up

I enjoyed this book. It’s a coming of age novel with a sweet romance, but it’s really more about the MC finding out who he is and who he wants to be than about the romance.

I loved the way this book talked about depression and mental health, especially in sports and for people who are under the eye of the media. One main theme is how, despite being lucky in life and very privileged, depression can still happen to you and you don’t have to feel guilty for that.

It also has things to say about professional sports, and if you’re into hockey or sports in general, you might really enjoy this book. I loved how it talked about the attention given to men’s sports specifically, about the idea of legacy and privilege, and about being queer.

Another aspect that made me enjoy Icebreaker was Mickey’s relationship with his family, and his interactions with his dad. Reading YA books as an adult is interesting because parts of you understand and identify with the teenager, but other parts connect with the adults. That’s exactly what happened here for me, and I loved that!

And yes, this is an enemies-to-lovers romance, with what looked to me like a realistic development. I really enjoyed reading about the characters and their relationship, and I loved their scenes together.

This was maybe a bit too character driven for my personal taste and lacking a little something, and I didn’t really love the ending, but overall the book was very enjoyable. I’m happy I got to listen to the audiobook, which was probably the best format to get me to enjoy the book.

On a last note, I think this doesn’t need the All For The Game comparison that I see in a few reviews. The books have nothing in common except for sports and queer people. If you’re looking for a sweet mlm romance and sports, you should pick this up! It touches on a few heavier topics, but nothing near as heavy as AFTG.

Content warnings: anxiety, depression, use of alcohol, underage drinking, abandonment

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC!

Impeccably sweet but also very realistic. "Icebreaker" is a beautiful, riveting, eye-opening and heart-warming book. A must read for the fans of "All for the Games" trilogy. The ending was underdeveloped, slightly unsatisfying. Otherwise, every single page of this book screams- PERFECTION.

A. L. Graziadei's "Icebreaker" is a stunning YA debut about two hockey players fighting to be the best—and the romance that catches them by surprise along the way. It's a wonderful piece of a novel that follows some most relatable characters ever and explores some very important themes; makes you laugh and also compels you to shed tears - all within the boundary of 400 pages.

In this book we are following a 17 years old boy named Mickey James. He from a very privileged family bearing a lot of pressure from family and peers. As a talented hockey player with a family legacy in the NHL, Mickey is a top contender for a spot in the upcoming NHL draft. However, when his rival ends up playing for the same college team, Mickey must work harder to earn his place. While Mickey and Jaysen are rivals, they are also teammates who must learn to work together, and as Mickey starts to get to know his teammate better, he realizes that Jaysen isn’t so bad, and that he may even like him.

I loved our main character Mickey. It's not a secret that I have a soft spot for characters struggling with their mental health. So, of course I loved Mickey very very much. Jaysen is also an amazing character and interesting love interest. The siblings dynamic among Mickey and his sisters warmed my heart.

The whole hockey team is great. Jaysen and Mickey's friends are very supportive and loving. Icebreaker portrays the Found Family trope (which is my all time favourite) and it does that flawlessly. I am comparing it to All For The Game trilogy for a reason of course....

I really enjoyed the romance. It is slow-burnt and steady. The build-up is wonderful, you can actually feel the tension brewing between them. Mickey and Jaysen's interactions are nice aThe romance doesn't get enough scene-time. The book actually doesn't even focuses on the romance despite what the blurb hints. The romance is used as a subplot. Overall it is satisfying and sweet.

I loved how Graziadei have approached Mickey’s depression. It’s so clearly present in the way he interacts with others but also in those moments where he’s alone and really turning inward, feeling the utter despair and hopelessness that comes with depression. I myself have suffered from severe anxiety and depression in the past, so without any doubt, I can say that the representation is accurate. I loved the attempt Graziadei have given to the details. The book also discusses themes of privilege and dealing with peer pressure. It shows us how important role family plays in our lives. Our families may not be perfect but at the end of the day, they are very dear and near to us.

"Icebreaker" is a stunning debut that I would highly recommend to everyone out there. The book itself is short and very easy to read. From the writing to characterization- everything is done well. My only complain would be about the writing. It could have been better.

Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for an advanced listener's copy in exchange for an honest review. I thought I would love this novel, but I wasn't really ever invested. Something about the characters' growth in this novel did not click with me. Unfortunately, my only positives are the gorgeous cover and LGBTQ+ representative. I wasn't actively engaged in this book and the ending left me unsatisfied. I feel it was a combination of rushed and not quite aligning with the rest of the character's development.

Icebreaker by a.L. Graziadei

When I first heard of Icebreaker, a queer enemies to lovers hockey romance set in college (with other themes such as mental health, identity, family, etc.), it immediately became one of my most anticipated release of 2022 and I’m so excited to say that it did not disappoint!!!

I would like to say first that although it is a hockey romance, you definitely don’t need to know anything about the sport to enjoy this book. The author makes everything interesting and easy to understand (but as a hockey fan myself, my heart was very satisfied with every detail regarding the sport).

The relationship between mickey and jaysen, our main couple, was just as sweet and heartwarming as I hoped it would be!! I almost wish we had even more scenes of them together. Aside from the romance, this story also had such a diverse cast of characters, which made for great family and friendship dynamics.

I appreciate how real the mental health representation felt in this. I found myself relating to our main character’s journey a lot. It made me think, but it also gave me so much comfort, which is all I can ask for.

Unfortunately, the ending was a bit underdeveloped and rushed. I wish it would have been a few pages longer so that it could have ended on a satisfying note.

I’m so glad I got to read this book and I absolutely recommend it to everyone. ⛸ 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and RB Media for providing me of this audiobook arc in exchange for a honest review.

Emotional, captivating, hockey, mental wellness, college, self-discovery, NA, LGBTQIA

This was such a fantastic read. I was hooked from cover to cover. The story follows Mickey, a top NHL draft contender during his first year of college. Mickey’s journey was emotional and heart wrenching as he faced struggles with mental wellness, family, college, the pressures of being a bisexual professional athlete and of course the uncertainty and complications of finding love.

I loved this book for several reasons, the writing and tempo were spot on. All of the side characters were amazing and I’d love to read a story for any one of them (Nova and Barbie please). There is a lot of hockey and as a good Canadian I ate up every last word however you do not have to be a massive hockey fan to love and enjoy this book. The different themes of love, mental wellness, inclusion, acceptance and athletic pressures were skillfully woven together delivering a compelling portrayal of Mickey’s struggles while transitioning to adulthood.

Then there’s the ending…wow. It was a good ending but I selfishly wanted an epilogue or something a bit more to satisfy the hopeless romantic in me. Yet with that being said it was still a brilliant way to end Mickey’s story, with the realization and acceptance of what was truly important to him.

I listened to the advanced audiobook and thought the narrator, Tom Picasso did a wonderful job.

Special thank you to #NetGalley, #ALGraziadei and #RecordedBooks for sharing this digital copy for my honest thoughts on #Icebreaker, also thank you to narrator #TomPicasso.

Rep: bi/pan half-Italian MC with depression, Black gay loveinterest, SCs in a poly relationship, lesbian SCs, SC with depression, queer athlete with depression

TW: depression, alcohol abuse/excessive drinking

This book!
I only read okay books so far this year/month and I really really needed a banger. This. This was it. I preordered the book in a hot second once I was 50% into the audio.
I absolutely LOVE sports books, the lifestyle of athletes and the team spirit/ found family element in this always gets me! Especially if it’s hockey and especially if there’s romance involved.

The best thing: when the MC and the loveinterest hate each other.
And they HATED each other. They are RIVALS! Nemesis level hate!!!
It was soooo good.
But of course they also find each other very hot and know, but won’t admit, that the other is super talented and they find that very sexy. A classic.

This book was way more than a romance though, it focussed a lot of the metal health of the MC, who suffers from clinical depression.
It was very hard for me to read because I experienced a lot of the same symptoms, but it was very realistically portrayed.
Mickey is the only son of a famous hockey legend and is expected to play since he’s a baby. He grew up apart from his family and sisters to get the best hockey training possible.
Apart from the normal craziness of the teenage experience he struggles a lot with his family image, the relationship with his parents and his emotions in general. He doesn’t make friends easily with his college teammates and keeps to himself a lot. He is very closed off and does not open up to anyone besides his best friend Nova. Being queer in sports does not make any of this easier.
His teammates won’t have it though and kind of force him to hang out and become friends.
I loved it so much. How Mickey starts to get to know, like and open up to his teammates. And of course to Jaysen.
They were so cute together. The public believing and the press constantly writing about their hate for each other, hilarious.
I loved Jaysen, he was so patient with Mickey and let him go at his own pace, never forced him to talk.
I also loved Mickeys roommate a lot, who he finally opens up to throughout the story.

For me this book most of all stuck out with its amazing depression rep. A rich, famous kid who apparently has everything and never experienced anything bad.
You can only look at peoples outsides, you never know what’s going inside of them and what they experienced in their lives. Mental health is something athletes rarely talk about, even though they experience so much pressure from the public and in their every day job.
I loved the diverse and queer cast a lot. Finding your people and finding people who you’re able to talk to about serious stuff and feelings, who you trust, is so important.
I think college life was portrayed pretty realistically as well, even though some people (or parents?) who read this might not be impressed with all the drinking. I thought it was rather realistic, especially for someone struggling with their mental health, drinking is often an outlet (not a good one).
For me personally it had the perfect ending. In the end not everything is completely worked out, not every problem is solved, but it’s a very happy ending and it was exactly what I was hoping for.
The only thing I would have wished for was to have a little more insight into Mickeys therapy. The transition from denial and ignorance to talking openly about his depression and starting treatment went a little too rapidly in my opinion. I would have loved to read about his councelling appointment. I don’t know if it’s really that easy to just get a prescription, especially without accompanying therapy or doctors appointments. But maybe it’s a lot different over here.

All in all I absolutely loved this and now have my first favourite of 2022!

4.25 stars

A m/m college hockey rivals-to-lovers story?? Sign me tf up!! 😭

In this book, we’re following Mickey and Jaysen, the top two prospects for the NHL draft, in their first year of college. They have been competing for the top spot for years and have developed an intense rivalry, but when they end up at the same college and playing on the same team, they have to learn how to put their differences aside. And… maybe they fall in love along the way.

There was so much to love about this story. There’s just something about a hockey romance that hits 👏🏻 different 👏🏻. I really loved Mickey and Jaysen’s romance and, even when they were still actively hating each other (and this is a true enemies-to-lovers lemme tell ya they actually BRAWL like FIST FIGHT omg) there was this intense sexual chemistry and attraction. 😫 THAT FIRST SCENE WHERE THE TEAM MAKES THEM SAY NICE THINGS TO EACH OTHER!!! FUCK ME!! But, from there, the relationship progresses in a way that makes sense for the characters and it made me SOFT.

I also really liked the focus on mental health in this story. Mickey struggles with depression throughout the book. He doesn’t deal with it in the most healthy way, but by the end, he reaches out for help and there is positive representation of therapy and medication.

My only complaints about this story would be that there were some weird time jumps that were summarized in a few seconds. I would have rather seen that growth on-page. I also didn’t love that there were so many fade-to-black scenes. I almost wish, since these characters were in college, that this was new adult rather than YA. I think that would have felt more natural, especially with how dark the mental health rep was in this story.

But, I really did love this book so much and binged it in a single evening. Would wholeheartedly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for gifting me an ARC of this book on audio in exchange for an honest review.

A hilarious romp into the world of competitive men's hockey, with a delicious look at mental health and all the ups and downs of freshman year of college. Heartland University's men's hockey team and all of the James family will forever have my heart. Especially Dorian. I already miss Dorian.

Perfect for fans of Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey and Michigan vs. the Boys.

4.5 stars

Okay, so I think that maybe queer hockey romance is another genre I didn't know I needed in my life.
This book was so good!
The story is about Mickey and Jaysen, who are both star hockey players, playing NCAA and both set to be drafted in the NHL entry draft. They are rivals, and have been for some time, with much speculation about who will get taken first overall.
One of the things I really loved about this book is that it is very much a hockey book and I feel like you probably need to have at least a working knowledge of ice hockey before reading this. And that was a big plus for me! I played hockey for years and still dearly love it and miss it. I liked that all of the lingo was used and it was used properly and it wasn't really explained. I mean, it could probably benefit from having a glossary, for those that aren't as familiar with terms like: the slot, one-timer, dangling/dangles, etc. When reading a book about something quite specialized, like hockey, for me it really takes away from the feel of the book if the narrator is constantly having to explain the lingo, ie: he was in the slot, the spot on the ice in front of the goalie, between the two face off hashmarks in the offensive zone.
Also, I feel like the author probably actually played hockey, based on how things were described. Like, the way players were standing and what they were doing with their sticks, it was just SO hockey. Like, I know I've stood like that before during a game and I'm not sure that it's something that a fan would be able to adequately describe. Also, before one of the games, the players are on the ice stretching and I could almost feel the stretches they were doing, the description was just so spot on. Or maybe I'm just horribly missing hockey?
Another thing I really liked was that there were really good discussions on mental health, specifically depression, with a sprinkling of anxiety. I really like that it challenged the idea that something specific causes depression, that you're depressed for a reason, and that if you live a privileged life you shouldn't be depressed, because what do you have to be depressed about? Anyone can suffer from depression, it's about the chemicals in your brain, not your class or social standing (though access to resources to help with depression are very much dependent on those things).
And lastly, something I LOVED is that one of Mickey's sisters suffers from endometriosis. Obviously, I don't love that she's suffering from an at times debilitating chronic illness, but I have NEVER seen that in a fictional book before, and as someone who suffers from endometriosis, it was a little bit incredible to see that tiny smidgen of representation.
Anyway, this book is out today, and I highly recommend it! Though you may want to find yourself a glossary of hockey terms if you're not super familiar. =)

What an absolute banger of a book!

One of my favorite things is when you start a book expecting what it says on the tin, but end up leaving with that and so much more.

Icebreaker is chock full of fantastic characters who are so diverse and well fleshed out that you can't help but fall in love with all of them. But this is so much more than a romance. While the romance was beautifully and realistically crafted with a slow burn that was achingly good, this book really shines with its nuanced and sensitive mental health rep.

Although the pacing felt a little jarring at times, that does not take away from how enjoyable this book is. I'll be thinking of Icebreaker for a long time.

There’s this thing with sports stories. Even though I personally do not care for sports at all, whether that is doing it myself or watching others, sports stories can drag me in. The passion that rolls off these people sucks you into their world as well. I might not know a single thing about hockey, but I care about these characters and, therefore, also care about what they love. Which is hokey. So i start to care about hokey.
Reading stories about people who are so passionate is part of what makes reading so much fun. That’s what makes sports novels so much fun. And all of these things absolutely apply to Icebreaker.
I’ve seen other reviewers compare this novel to the all for the game trilogy and I certainly see it. The fun team dynamics and passion for sports give both of the stories a similar feeling which I really enjoyed.

But sports is just a small part of this story, really. It’s about Mickey. As he’s going through so much, so are the moods in the story shifting. One moment you’re all giddy and excited with the tension between Mickey and James. The next your throat is tight as you watch Mickey sink into his depression. And right from the start you root for Mickey. Not for his success. But for his happiness.

His character is beautifully crafted and feels so alive. Right from the beginning I was attached to him. He has glorious depth that you almost seem to unveil his layers together with him as he is exploring his own feelings.

The cast of characters is rather big, which I struggled with a bit at times. I feel like a lot of thought was put into these characters but because there are so many of them, they don’t get the time they deserve. I kept mixing some characters up or not remembering what they did previously in the story. I feel like the novel needed to be longer in order to be able to handle this big cast of characters.

And then there’s the romance of course. That was some supreme enemies to lovers and was exactly what I want to see from this trope. The tension between Mickey and James is off the roof. It was genuinely one of the most electrifying relationships I’ve ever read. You could perfectly sense how they could barely keep away from each other. I kept craving to see more of them and keep exploring their relationship, which gets mixed up with so many emotions and struggles. Yet, their love is not diminished by those struggles. Instead they are pulled closer together. It was beautiful to see.

I didn’t want this novel to stop. When I saw that I only had 20% left on the audiobook I had so many questions on how it would wrap everything up. As I was afraid at that point, the ending was rather rushed. While I think it managed to wrap it up, some things still felt a bit underdeveloped. For example the topic of homophobia in the industry was ignored by the end which was really unfortunate. I also wanted to accompany Mickey along his journey at the end and I wanted to see the relationships evolve. It also made me crave for a sequel, as I’ve gotten so attached to Mickey and the other characters that I want to see where they’ll go from there. This ended up being my only more major complaint I have about the novel as because of these things, the ending unfortunately wasn’t all that satisfying. It wasn’t a bad ending, but I had hoped for more.

The fact that it was an audiobook didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book at all. A very average audiobook with nothing special to say about it.

Overall Icebreaker was wonderful ride. I had a glorious time and it gave me everything that I had hoped for when first reading the description of this book.