Thank you Alcove Press and netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

You know I can never say no to a hockey romance so I was very excited to read this! I thought this book was cute but lacked the hockey aspects of a "sports romance", but that could simply just be my personal preference of enjoying the actual hockey part of a sports romance. I also felt it hard to connect with Alyssa and Nick. I didn't truly believe in their love, it didn't feel genuine and real to me, it was surface level infatuation at best. I did enjoy when the book explored Nick's feelings of trauma and healing, however I felt it was also very surface level and could have been explored at a deeper level.

Overall, it was still a cute read but I just wanted more!!

Hearts on Thin Ice: ★★★☆☆ (3)

Pub date: June 18, 2024!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun quick read. Nothing super deep but s great beach read.

3/5⭐️
Hearts on Thin Ice is a cozy contemporary romance with just a dash of spice and hockey. The story takes on past trauma within both the main characters and takes us on their journey to healing while also exploring their romance with each other. Nick is a golden retriever NHL Hockey player who adores art and has a crippling case of survivors guilt. Alyssa is a quirky and warm perfectionist who does Interior Designing. This book was a bit hard for me to get into a first because it is written in Third person(I'm more used to first person) and the more observational nature of that POV just make it a little harder to get connected with the characters but once I was able to make that connection it was an easy and fun read! The world building in this book is beyond beautiful because of the strong art influence throughout the book. As someone who appreciates art, the way colors and light are described was vivid. Every space was thoroughly brought to life down to the decorations and appliances present. I feel the art influence in this book shines through much more than the hockey aspect. I feel the book did a great job with exploring grief and trauma in a way that was unique and very genuine. If anyone has ever lost someone they can understand that grief really can just hit you out of no where. One minute you are happy and enjoying life and the next you are sobbing and feeling guilty for cracking a smile. This book did make me tear up a few times and when a book can make me emotional I think it shows the author did a good job getting you invested in the characters and their story. There were sweet, tragically beautiful, moments that I felt really caught my heart. I think overall this is a great debut novel and a book that many will be able to enjoy and connect with.
*Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Alcove Press and Katie Kennedy, the author, for allowing me to read this eARC*

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing a DRC of this title for review.

In Hearts on Thin Ice, interior designer Alyssa and hockey player Nick team up to renovate his space after the tragic deaths of his teammates and roommate, finding love in the process.

I wanted to love this one but never felt like I really connected with Alyssa or Nick or got a handle on their dynamic as a couple. I know this will definitely find its audience with hockey romance fans (especially those looking for an exploration of trauma and grief), but it wasn't quite a fit for me.

I love hockey romances, so I was ecstatic to dive into "Hearts on Thin Ice." However, while the book held promise initially, it ultimately left me feeling underwhelmed.

I found the chemistry between the main characters, Nick and Alyssa, lacking, which detracted from the romance aspect. Additionally, while I expected more focus on hockey, the story seemed to prioritize Alyssa's decorating – which is fine, but I felt like the book is showcased as a sports romance, which it's not in my opinion.

The rushed pacing, especially towards the conclusion, was particularly noticeable. It felt as though everything was crammed into one final chapter, leaving little room for a meaningful resolution between the characters.

Despite these shortcomings, I did enjoy certain aspects of the book. There were moments that had me laughing and giggling, showcasing the author's ability to inject humor into the narrative. However, even these lighter moments couldn't compensate for the awkwardness I felt during the spicy scenes, which didn’t convince me at all off their affections towards each other.

Overall, "Hearts on Thin Ice" had its moments of enjoyment, but its rushed pacing and lack of chemistry between the protagonists prevented it from reaching its full potential.

Thank you so much to Alcove and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange of an honest review!!

I liked the back story of the hockey player but other than that it sort of blended with other hockey romances I’ve read. It was fine. I like the cover a lot. Thank you for the copy

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a situation where the cover does not match the book. If you are expecting a light-hearted hockey romance, this is not it. Expect to cry multiple times and be taken on an emotional journey with a little bit of hockey as well.

Nick is a professional hockey player grieving the deaths of his best friends who passed away in a plane crash that he was also involved in. He was the only survivor of the crash and punishes himself for it daily in ways that may not be noticeable to others but are evident when going to his apartment. His new team coach tells him to decorate his apartment and start living again so he meets interior designer Alyssa.

This may not be the book I was expecting but it was still a solid read.

rep: PTSD
To be honest, I’m having a bit of a difficult time reading this one or even reviewing it. I requested this book on a whim from NetGalley and was honestly really excited about it. I had pretty high hopes and it just didn’t meet the mark for me.
On one hand, this book is very fun hallmark type read that could be read in one sitting, as I almost did lol. It’s one of those romances that doesn’t really take a lot of brain power and is easy to follow along with.
This book follows Nick, who is one of the fastest players in hockey- until a plane crash takes the lives of all of his best friends, leaving him the only survivor. Clearly, it’s safe to say that nick has a lot of trauma to work through but in order to prove he’s fine, he (reluctantly) allows an interior designer to makeover his apartment and make it into a suitable living space and not just empty rooms.
In walks Alyssa, who has also seen her fair share of struggle and trauma, however different they may be from Nicks. Alyssa quickly learned how difficult this job may actually be considering how stubborn Nick is. While both Alyssa and Nick are a bit broken from their past they slowly are able to bring each other back out of their shells.
with all that being said, it was a very beautiful story of two people coming together however, it definitely read wayyy more as a contemporary romance versus a romance while hockey is mentioned it’s kind of background information. This book is also in third person POV from both Alyssa and Nick, so I did find it a bit hard to get into at times or to just feel a deeper connection between the characters. Honestly, this book just felt slightly under developed, there was scenes I enjoyed that I felt should’ve been longer and there was scenes that felt altogether unnecessary and lengthy. This book also had a lot of heavy topics that I just don’t know if they meshed well with the light fluffy short romcom feel of this book, they almost just felt kind of haphazardly thrown in to add more of a plot. I also hate the miscommunication trope and that was definitely overused in this one.
Overall, this wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, but I do think it was good for a debut. I definitely see potential and I can see this author writing some great books in the future, I just wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend this one.

*Thank you NetGalley and team for an eARC of this book an exchange for an honest review. All opinions above are 100% my own!*

2.5 rounded up to 3. I so wanted to like this book but it fell short.

After a tragic accident, Nick is left homeless. He has a roof over his head, but he's never felt more alone. Meanwhile, Alyssa wants to create the perfect home for her clients because she knows what it feels like to not have one. When Nick hires Alyssa to decorate his apartment to prove to his Coach that he's fine, they initially butt heads but soon come to find they want the same things.

While this book wasn't for me, it might be for you. Here are some reasons why you might consider picking it up.
-Mental Heath/Therapy Positive
-Deep Emotions/Discussions of Trauma and Grief
-Found Family

Unfortunately, it did not work for me because of the miscommunication. The way the trope was used hurt so much that it undermined the romance for me and left me feeling like Nick and Alyssa would have been better off as friends.

I liked! Addicting, it was interesting to read. I liked a lot 🤭 there were also 🔥 scenes. Very serious topics were also touched. I liked the writing style. I liked the theme of friendship. Maybe it was annoying sometimes, the stubbornness of the characters. Because that was what prevented them from getting together, but at least in general, it was a very cute story!😍 #NetGalley

3.5 stars
During the first part of the book i felt the relationship between Nick and Alyssa seemed a little Insta Lovey. I felt like i had just started the book and all of a sudden they were kissing with no foundation of the crush. The writing felt a little choppy at times and jumping around a little too abruptly. after the 15% point i really started to enjoy the flow of the book. I really enjoyed both characters and their personalities. we watch both characters grow together and genuinely got to know each other. the communication between both characters was amazing and even as the reader i got to know them so well.

Nicks trauma was done really well. I felt like I could feel his sadness and see a lot of the reasoning behind his actions . I really enjoyed how Nick was not afraid to show his emotions and share his feelings.

I liked how Alyssa was also very open with what she experienced as a child. I also enjoyed the friendship aspect with Janet end Emma. those girls were ride or die kind of friends which i love!

i would have enjoyed more of the hockey aspect in this book! i feel like we went a lot of time is Nicks room and not nick overcoming his hockey struggles.

This book was good but not great. Just needed a bit more work. I love hockey romance, and appreciate that the author tried to address some big topics in this.

Hey there, fellow bookworms! 📚✨ Let's chat about Hearts on Thin Ice, the coolest ice hockey romance around! 🏒❤️

So, this book follows Nick, a pro ice hockey player who's bouncing back from a super tragic plane crash that wiped out everyone onboard, including some of his teammates. 😢 Meanwhile, we've got Alyssa, a gal with big dreams of owning her own interior decorating biz. 💼

Now, I gotta give this book 3.5 stars, but hey, let's round that up to a solid 4 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I'm all about those angsty romance vibes, but this one didn't totally hit the mark for me. 😕 While there were some feels sprinkled throughout, I was hoping for a deeper dive into the heavy stuff, especially with Nick's traumatic past.

The romance between Nick and Alyssa? Well, it was kinda like a lukewarm latte. ☕ Sure, they liked each other, and the steamy scenes were there, but I wasn't totally buying the whole "love" thing. Plus, the constant misunderstandings between them had me rolling my eyes harder than a pair of dice! 🎲

Oh, and can we talk about Alyssa's nickname for her own lady bits? Yeah, she called it 'Rip Van Winkle' way too much for my liking. 😳 Made those spicy scenes a tad cringe, if you ask me.

But hey, it wasn't all bad! This book was a breezy read, perfect for a lazy afternoon. It had its cute moments and kept me entertained, even if it didn't quite reach the stars. 🌟 So, if you're into sports romances that aren't heavy on the sports, a bit of trauma without going too deep, and some sweet, light-hearted romance, then this book might just be your cup of tea! 🍵💖

*2.75*

I really wanted to love Hearts on Thin Ice… I really did, the cover and tropes had me reading it so quickly but unfortunately this book just didn’t hit for me.

At a certain part in the book I think I just started skim reading, I can’t DNF books but I did think about it…

The two main characters, Nick and Alyssa lacked chemistry, in majority of their scene…
I also wouldn’t really call this a sports romance, it had a very (and I mean very) small part of hockey mentioned throughout it. I really don’t know if it could be called a sports romance.

Again, I’m sorry I couldn’t love this book. I really wanted to but it just missed the mark for me.

*Thank you NetGalley, Alcove Press and Katie Kennedy for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

A hockey romance I adored! I absolutely couldn't put this book down! I appreciated the representation of PTSD in a light-hearted way but still accurate. Nick was my favorite character I hurt for him and the pain endured but man did he love well! I love when NetGalley blesses me with amazing reads like this!

Nick is an NHL player with a traumatic past who hires Alyssa, an interior designer, to make over his apartment after his coach insists that he make it more of a home.

Going into this I expected a light-hearted hockey romcom. However, this book was heavy. I did appreciate the author exploring topics such as grief, trauma, and PTSD but I thought I was getting a fun hockey romance.

The characters felt underdeveloped and immature, yet I loved the friendship they created and how they helped each other through their issues. I will admit I’m not usually a fan of 3rd POV so that may be why I felt a disconnect and the character development was off for me.

Nick was my favourite character and my heart hurt for him and the trauma he endured.
Overall, I enjoyed this book despite its flaws!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have been really loving hockey romances lately and this one is right there with it! It was a fun read that I read in just a few days!

I really enjoyed this one! I appreciated the way in which the heavy topics were handled, the grumpy/sunshine vibes from Nick and Alyssa, and their sweet romance. I loved the forced proximity and the dual POV, plus the hockey aspect was just 🤌🏼 looking forward to more from Kennedy!

As a fan of hockey romances, I was so excited to receive an arc for this book, and it started off promising but ultimately fell flat for me. Though I enjoyed Nick’s character the most, I felt that him and Alyssa’s relationship lacked chemistry and that the story overall just felt a bit rushed.

This was so cute!! Really wholesome, a great cast of characters and such super sweet heartfelt moments. Will definitely be recommending to my reader friends.