REVIEW
cw: mention of death, anxiety
When single father and NHL star Logan Rivers accidentally concusses Coco Charmont, his daughters' ice skating coach, he's mortified. But as he gets to know her better, he realises she's not only the woman he wants but also his good luck charm.
I've read another of Lisa Daily's books and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was excited to read a hockey/figure skating romance by her. I'm not sure what happened here, but the blurbs on Goodreads (which had a completely different female lead's name) and NetGalley didn't really represent the storyline here until around the 60% mark. It's only then that the lucky charm element really comes into play. Before that, the entire story takes place in the hospital after the first chapter. I do wish we'd had more figure skating content. As it was, Coco was in the hospital for almost 70% of the story, so the bit we did get felt shoehorned in and over-simplistic. That said, generally I enjoyed the story, and the idea was good because hockey players ARE super superstitious. I liked Logan and Coco's chemistry throughout, and Poppy was adorable on the few occasions she was around. Logan was also a sweetheart, and I liked that Daily addressed the financial burden that a lot of Olympic-level athletes face. I also enjoyed the amount of in-play hockey content, BUT there are some inconsistencies... At the start of the book, Coco says she doesn't know what Poppy's father does and didn't even know he worked at the same facility as her, but then a couple of pages later she suddenly knows he's a superstar NHL player. I also couldn't work out how the accident happened. There's plexiglass and netting around the goals, which is where I'd assume a pro hockey player would be aiming a slapshot, not at a door. Also, NO-ONE in the NHL would be allowed to sit on the bench during any game (let alone one that decides post-season) with their mobile phone, repeatedly texting, least of all the superstar captain! I didn't understand the point of the 3rd act breakup, or the random ex that hadn't been mentioned at all previously, other than to add drama, so I'm going to pretend those didn't happen. I was intrigued by Lana and Cam, and liked the idea of their story, although it felt shoehorned in at the end (there could have been a couple of scenes between them to add authenticity earlier in the story).

Overall though it was a cute romance, if uneven at times in plot structure.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥.5
Emotional Rating: 💓😂🙈🙄😬🤔🤷🏻‍♀️🥰😍🤷🏻‍♀️😬🤔😉😒💓🥰

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review. The Cutting Edge is out now in the UK*

p.s. Notes for editing: It's Tonya Harding, not Tanya. It's Gretzky not Gretsky.

First of all, I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion and I’m thankful for the opportunity, but unfortunately this book was not for me. 😔

I have been obsessing with hockey romance for a while now, so I really wanted to love this book. When I read hockey romance/single dad trope, I was super excited. The fact that it had the word steamy on the title made it even more appealing. 🔥

The premise sounded intriguing: a figure skating teacher gets accidentally hit by a puck by none other than a famous hockey player who ends up being the single dad of her student. So there was an instant attraction and I was here for it, but it didn’t do it for me. 😕

I reached 47% and I felt like they overextended the hospital thing. I get that it was part of the story on how she got hit by a puck, but I think that was already too much. And if you are selling me a book with the word steamy on the title and I have reached that percentage with nothing but a kiss… you get my point. And don’t get me wrong, I love slow burns and even enjoy books without spice, but I wanted to make a point on how the title is really telling there will be smut. 🙈

I think the story could have flowed faster in the events that occurred in the hospital and moved to a home recovery or something similar. Maybe then I would have been more invested in the characters and their relationship. But for some reason, this book didn’t do it for me and I’m sorry. 😢

I ended up DNF it at 40-something percent 🙈

Like always, just because I don’t like it, it doesn’t mean you won’t. Maybe you will enjoy it more than I did and find something that I missed. So give it a try if you are interested in this trope and let me know what you think. 😊

Thank you Netgalley, Siesta Key House, and Lisa Daily for the review copy.
Very enjoyable read. I loved the way the author built each character, well this us a hospital romance as more than 70% of things happen in the hospital.
Good one.
💥💥💥 3/5

Summary:
Logan Rivers, a professional hockey player for the St. Pete Slashers, is facing a performance slump. To help him, Olympic figure skater Coco strikes a deal with an assistant coach to act as Logan's lucky charm in exchange for covering her training expenses. This plan seems to work well, with Coco clearing off her debt and the Slashers gaining a winning streak. However, Coco has been deceitful about her intentions and is unsure about confessing to Logan. She plans to keep her secret hidden until the playoffs end.

Review:
I just couldn't stop reading this book! I was really cheering on Logan and Coco - they just clicked so seamlessly. They're perfectly suited!
I absolutely adore Poppy! She's truly mature beyond her years and her sense of humor is just wonderful. I have a special affection for the father-daughter bond she shares with Logan. It's heartwarming and precious.
Ice hockey might not be very popular in the UK, but wow, I was totally captivated by Logan's game! It's such an intriguing story that I am dying to delve deeper into. I'm totally hooked! I am now craving for more ice hockey and figure skating experiences. And I absolutely must find out what's in store for Cam and Lana. Eagerly awaiting the second book.

Thank you Lisa daily and netgalley for this ARC

When Logan, a NHL superstar, fails to pick up his daughter Poppy from figure skating practice her coach and Olympic skater Coco decide to go find him. Walking into a closed practice Coco gets hit in the head with a puck, waking in the hospital Logan and Coco begin to form a bond. Which soon develops into a romance.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. It was very fast paced I flew through it. But it felt very repetitive and there were so many cringy parts that I was getting second hand embarrassment. Poppy was by far the best character, and Logan was pretty sweet. I didn't like Coco as a character she was too moany for me.

If you really like hockey romance you might like this.

The Cutting Edge by Lisa Daily
I loved this story.

Things I am here for:
Women in sports! HECK YEAH! Coco is an Olympic figure skater. This story shows how hard it is for Coco to train at the Olympic level and make ends meet, vs. how easy it is for Logan to do everything because of the money from his NHL contract. Women in sports need pay equity and equality for everything!
Logan is a stud! And he is so nice and sweet and caring. One of my favorite male main characters in a while.
Concussions are NO JOKE! This story shows some of the reality behind a serious concussion. Your brain is important!
I loved how Coco and Logan banter together, they take no prisoners.
Poppy is absolutely adorable!
Document false! Is this a real show? I must find out.
I want Marissa's story!
I want those flamingo slippers. Where can I get a pair? 🦩

I read this as an ARC from NetGalley, and it's possible that the language has changed in the final version, but this paragraph is soooo good.

"At some point in every relationship I've ever had comes the granddaddy of all arguments: “skating or me.” And every time, I choose skating. Every time. What's more, is that I know I will continue to make that choice, over and over again, for as long as I'm able to skate and have a viable shot at winning a gold medal. It’s who I am. I don’t want to spend my life apologizing for single-mindedly pursuing my ambitions. Male athletes are revered for that. Why not women?"

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I thought the book was an interesting and light read and cute, it's a single dad who plays pro hockey. He also happens to fall for his daughter's coach I don't want to stay too long but if you're looking for a light fun read this is the book for you

This was such a cute and fun read, that I finished the book in one day. It has dual POV (which I always love), has a single dad who falls first and hard for her daughter's coach, and has some spice (2/5🌶).

I loved the interactions between the characters, though, I wish we could have seen more of Poppy and how she made some decisions for Logan and how she felt about the relationship.

Overall, the plot was really good, and it's a light-hearted story that you can read in one sitting.

🏒The Cutting Edge By: Lisa Daily Review ( Received a LATE ARC from NETGALLEY) ⛸️

Synopsis:

Logan Rivers is a star pro hockey player for the St. Pete Slashers -- and he's in a slump.

He hasn’t scored in 3 games and it’s starting to freak him out. Enter Coco, who strikes a deal with an assistant coach to be Logan's lucky charm to pay off her training expenses as an Olympic figure skater. Everything is looking up for both of them.

She’s almost got her debt paid off and the Slashers are on a winning streak. There's only one problem: she doesn’t know how to tell Logan she’s been lying to him the whole time.

If she can just keep her secret until the playoffs are over…
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I enjoyed this book until the last page 📖. It was swoony , fun , comedic , raw in the best way , and everything else in between 🙌🏻. Miss Poppy stole the show for me🎀🥹. It’s always the single dads with the daughters that get me EVERYTIME literally. 🫠It was the cutest and I loved the pace of the book . I just didn’t enjoy the repetitive parts .. 🫤some of it was the same paragraph written over and the names were different every chapter for outside characters. Im really not knocking it at all , perhaps it’s just due to it being an ARC or the file. 🫶Regardless, I’m glad I recieved it! ❤️It was so cute. Im excited for Cam and Lana!! GO Slashers !! ☄️🍀
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Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice : 🌶️/5
Tropes : Freak Accident/ Single dad : Ice skating teacher / Figure skater : Hockey Player / Acquaintances to Friends to Lovers ( kinda insta ) 💕

Thanks @netgalley & @authorbythesea for the Late ARC. ☺️

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Thank you NetGalley and Siesta Key Publishing for the free copy. I enjoyed reading this book. I give it a 3/5 stars. It was a pretty predictable plot line but it was still really cute. It was perfect as an easy read for an afternoon by the pool!

Thanks to the author Lisa Daily and Netgalley i got an eARC in exchange of an honest review.

First of all, i like Logan… you can tell he really is a genuine guy and wants to be kind to Coco and make up for his mistake. He fall first & hard.

I liked the story overall. It was a bit predictable but funny. I also really liked the roommate/boss Marissa.

For me it’s a 3.5/5 ♥️

2.5 / 5 ⭐️ review posted on Goodreads


please enjoy the following list of what came to mind as I was reading.

- he's always nice and happy and sweet and the only time he ever gets mad he talks like a man written by a woman but in a excessively obvious way

- 60% of the book happens in the hospital, it might as well be a hospital romance but even those don't spend as much time in the actual building

- slow af in 14 chapters you've gone through only 3 days

- coccinelle charmand??? if a real French person was named like this- they wouldn't be

- I hope this is only because it's an ARC but it hasn't been proofread AT ALL. I could barely get into the story because of how bad the mistakes were. the punctuation was a terrible mess of " out of place and I won't even mention the exact same paragraph appearing twice in the span of 2 pages

- not anything standing between them it's just sunshine rainbows and butterflies, it lacks tension. the one thing that causes them some drama feels far-fetched as they're both in the wrong but only one gets mad at the other

- closed doors on first physical scene but later a very detailed smut scene??

- ex bf turns out to be violent conveniently at the end when Logan needs to show a little testosterone and alpha attitude for the first time in the whole story

- so many dialogue I feel like I've heard every word they've ever exchanged in their entire lives

- she's on the ice ONCE in the whole story

- "manly cheeks tinged pink" he's blushing but in a manly manner, I can't stop laughing over this

- Sports romance
- Single dad
- He falls first and harder
- Fun read
- Insta love

Perfect hockey romance. Closed door spice

This one was easy but overall pretty bland. It felt very surface level and insta-love which isn't my thing. I also wasn't sure where the chemistry between the characters came from. The third act breakup was kind of strange. Also, it was targeted as "steamy" but had one short sex scene so I was a little confused. A pretty easy palette cleanser if that's what you need.

It’s a cute rom com. Very easy to read. It’s not spicy and more flirty/banter. The FMC wasn’t my favorite, she seemed immature with her hypocrisy. Also the ending was confusing like I missed something. I had to go back and reread and I still felt like there was part of the story missing.

First thought: An adorable hockey and ice skater romance that is a fun and fast read you won’t want to put down.

Coco placed 4th in the last Olympics and that day she lost everything: her gold, her bff, and her dad paying for her training. But she’s not giving up on her dreams. She is teaching skating lessons, sharing a coach and going into debt to fight for her chance to get back to the next Olympics. What she didn’t plan on is being smacked in the head with a slap shot and waking up in the hospital with a skull fracture and concussion. Needless to say her plans may now be derailed and skating may be off the table and now a dreamy hockey player will have to be her new dream.

Logan is a single dad of Poppy and he is the star and team captain of a professional hockey team. He’s been in a slump and he lost track of time and forget to get his daughter from skating lessons and as he hit a slap shot out walked Coco on the ice. The puck knocked her unconscious and he feels nothing but regret. Little does he know this unfortunate event was the best thing that could have happened to him as it lead to meeting his lucky charm Coco. He falls hard and fast but he has to win her heart and it will take more than his good looks and charm. Plus the huge secret he’s hiding could destroy it all.

This was a super cute book that was told in dual perspective, it made the story more relatable as you saw both sides. If you like cinnamon roll MMC, single dads, hot hockey player, hidden secrets this one is for you!

I liked the cute little cover and it was very promising after reading the description. But unfortunately it didn’t hold up to my expectations in the end . I gave up 50% In because none of the characters hold my attention and some of the scenes made no sense or just felt disjointed to me. That doesn’t mean that it’s not a good story, just not for me at this time.

*Book kindly received from publisher through netgalley*

A 4 star read for me, a great hockey romance book! I have broken down my review below:

⭐️ Overall the book was really fast paced which I liked, it was really sweet and had a lot of tension in which I enjoyed massively. Honestly I read this so quickly as it was entertaining!

⭐️ I really loved Logan’s character, I loved him the whole way through which is a rarity for me! His relationship with his daughter too was lovely (especially surrounding the circumstances).

⭐️ I liked Coco’s character but I feel like sometimes she was a bit harsh on Logan and the argument was dragged out when it didn’t need to be. She was a likeable character though and her life was lovely to read about.

⭐️ The relationship between Logan and Coco was actually really healthy and sweet. It was an entertaining and quick read which I loved! The hockey/figure skater romance is always a winner!

The Cutting Edge is an instalove rom-com

Rating: 3 stars

Tropes:
Single father
Sports romance
He falls first and harder
Insta love

Synopsis: Coco is an Olympic figure skater who teaches a skating class. Poppy, one of the students, ends up stuck at the rink when her father, Logan Rivers, doesn't show up to pick her up. Logan is an NHL hockey player, and Coco walks Poppy to try to find her father. Logan accidentally hits Coco in the head with a puck sending her to the hospital for a week with a fractured skull. Coco strikes a deal with his coach to become his good luck harm in exchange for a paycheck, to pay for training to get back to the Olympics, and her hospital bills to be paid off. Coco has to figure out how to keep it a secret from him and everyone else.

What I liked
- I really enjoyed Poppy in this book, and I thought she was absolutely precious.
- Dual POV
- Quick read since it is less than 250 pages
- I think the book had a nice pacing.

What I didn't like
- I felt that the gifts that Logan gets Coco are excessive for what happened and how long they have known each other, even for an Insta love story.
- The author briefly touches on the character's past, but it would have been nice for her to have gone a little more in-depth.
- I did not particularly care for the 3rd act break up. I felt like it wasn't necessary for this book. If the book was longer and a little more fleshed out it probably could have, but it ended as quickly as it started.
- I also wish we could have gotten to see Poppy learn about their relationship.


Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What’s this book about?

Logan Rivers is the star hockey player and captain of the St. Pete Slashers. Coco Charmaine is a figure skating teacher who dreams of fulfilling her goal of winning gold at the Winter Olympics after placing 4th last time. They had an unconventional meeting, meaning that Coco woke up in a hospital after taking one of Logan’s 103 mph slap shots to the forehead.

Logan’s always had it bad for his daughter, Poppy’s, figure skating teacher, and these unfortunate circumstances are giving him the perfect opportunity to get to know Coco. As Logan spends more and more time with Coco, he gets his game back on the ice. Is Coco the lucky charm he’s been looking for to bring his team to the Stanley Cup?

Logan’s shooting coach strikes a deal with Coco - act as Logan’s lucky charm for the rest of the season, and her living and training expenses will be covered by the team. As Logan and Coco spend more time together this chemistry continues to grow. But will the truth of their circumstances hit like a slap shot to the face?

My review of Cutting Edge:

Such an easy 4 out of 5-star rating for me! I am a sucker for a good hockey romance, and as a Tampa Bay Lightning fan, it was fun to see another hockey team set within the area in this book!

One of the reasons I loved this book so much was because it was so easy to relate to Coco. She is such a hard worker who has a really hard time relying on anyone but herself for anything. She will singlehandedly bend over backward to help out her friends in whatever way possible, but is reluctant to accept that same kind of support. It was amazing to see her personal growth, and how Logan helped open her open to the possibility of sharing the responsibility with others.

Logan Rivers is falling under one of my favorite book boyfriends. His relationship with his daughter, Poppy, is so swoon-worthy and emotional. I loved how he never questioned how he felt about Coco throughout the whole story, and his support of her and her dreams never wavered. They both have such an amazing support system around them in the form of their teammates, and I loved how easily Logan’s team accepted Coco into the fold as one of their own. Also, I am trying to figure out where I can get a flamingo pink weighted blanket because that is a NEED.

I CANNOT wait to dive into Lana and Cam’s story as they fight their undeniable chemistry.

If you like _____, you’ll enjoy this book!
- Hockey Romance
- Dual POV
- Swoony, cinnamon roll hockey player
- Hockey player/ figure skater dynamic
- Single father
- He falls first and hard.
- Lucky charm/superstitious hockey player
- Stanley Cup Finals!!