So much miscommunication! Jeez louise! Fortunately, there was much more to the story. Lots of trauma which I think was handled very realistically. A few tears I did not expect to shed. And some spicy goodness. I’m looking forward to more from the author.

3.5 stars.

"Hearts on Thin Ice" by Katie Kennedy has some very high points and some not-so-high points. While I liked the main characters, Nick and Alyssa, their attraction and love feel too convenient and too quick. I didn't really buy into their connection. They didn't have a lot in common, and then when they found one commonality, BOOM!, s3xy time. It just felt way too fast and surface-level without a lot of chemistry! While they are fine characters, they could have used some more character development. It felt a little lacking at times, apart from the traumas that eventually bind them. Also, the spicy scenes aren't the best written. I did like all of the goofy banter between them, even when they were doin' the deed, which a lot of people will cringe at, but it made me giggle. The best part of this book is about Nick's journey toward healing after a tragic accident left several of his friends/teammates dead. Nick was the only survivor, and his physical recovery, guilt, and grief are immense. His tremendous survivor's guilt is explored in a compelling way that made me care about his mental health and physical health journey. Alyssa also has some trauma in her life that is slightly less well-explored but is still engaging and interesting to read about. These raw, real topics give this book a human edge that felt much needed with a lot of silly dialogue, inside jokes, and goofy side characters. On the other hand, some of the chapters feel superfluous and unnecessary. In fact, this book isn't that long, but it could have been shorter. There were moments when I forgot this was a hockey romance. It feels much more like a workplace romance as it focuses more on Alyssa's burgeoning interior design career. Also, there is sooooo much miscommunication in this book. Yikes! Like, right up until the end. That could have been handled better. Still, I did really like Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mondelli's dual narration. They added some much-needed emotion and inflection into what may have been a bland/monotonous reading otherwise. There is more good than bad here, though. I will definitely check out Kennedy's work in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katie Kennedy, and Alcove Press for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Overall a enjoyable read and different then your typical hockey romance. Nick and Alyssa both had a lot of trauma to work through in the book and even though it is a hockey romance not a lot of the book takes places on the rink it’s more of a side plot. I liked Nicks dynamic with his team and would definitely read another book about one of the other teammates.

Nick and Alyssa, hockey player and interior designer. It's grumpy sunshine, as Alyssa gets the job of decorating his apartment to show he's getting himself together, or he risks losing his place on the team. Nick has a lot of demons, with unresolved grief and guilt that he needs to navigate. Alyssa learns to listen, and back herself. I must admit this didn't engage me as I'd hoped it would, even though the characters are likeable and the premise works well - I did skim a bit so I may not be doing them justice...

If you like hockey, and wounded heroes, friendship groups and banter, this should work for you. Worth a read!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Katie Kennedy for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Hearts on Thin Ice" by Katie Kennedy intertwines the poignant journeys of Nick, a hockey player battling survivor's guilt, and Alyssa, an interior designer striving for personal success. Marketed as a hockey romance, the novel delves deeper into themes of grief and healing, as Alyssa helps transform Nick's apartment and, inadvertently, their lives. While the romantic chemistry is subtle, overshadowed by heavier themes, the story provides meaningful insights into overcoming adversity. Kennedy gracefully handles sensitive topics, making this book a thoughtful pick for those who appreciate depth alongside romance in their reads.

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

A very even-paced book that keeps the story interesting. The characters are likable and well-written, which makes reading a breeze.

I hate writing negative reviews but I really didn’t like this book. I thought this was gonna be a cute story but no it wasn’t lol. There was no chemistry between the characters and the storyline felt a bit flat and is more based on the interior stuff than on the hockey. Personally this book wasn’t for me :(
Thank you Netgalley and Alcove Press for this arc.

Loved this book. I enjoyed the hockey aspect but I really loved the depth of the characters and their growth. The tough topics were handled well and added to the story rather than detracting from it. I can't wait for more from this author and hope it will be a series.

Hearts on Thin Ice follows Nick Sorenson who is battling immense guilt and grief after losing his teammates/ best friends in a plane crash. His coach, concerned with Nick’s well being, tasks him to fix up his living situation and get into therapy. This is where interior designer Alyssa Compton comes into the picture; after getting hired by Nick to fix his apartment, the two of them grow to enjoy each other's company.

I liked that we got to see how Nick is dealing with the loss of his friends and learning how to move on; while Alyssa is dealing with a boss she can’t stand and the dreams of opening up her own firm. Although, some of the dialogue and chapters were hard to read because they felt quite unnatural.

There wasn’t a whole lot of hockey, but it was a rom-com that seemed to have a heavy focus on grief and big life changes. Overall, solid 3 stars!

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

✨ Publication date: June 18, 2024✨

Hearts on Thin Ice is promoted as a hockey romance but really focuses on two characters that have their own struggles with some hockey weaved in.

Nick Sorensen is a professional hockey player and a plane crush survivor. Coming back from a serious injury after the crash left him the only survivor of the small plane that killed Four of his teammates.

After the team lets him go expecting him never to skate again he defied the odds and was picked up by the NHL team in Detroit. Nick has a new team, new line mates and friends but is overwhelmed with survivors guilt.

In order to play his new team mandates therapy sessions and tells Nick he needs to get settled in and stop living like a visitor. Nick hires an interior decorator to help fix one of his mandated problems.

Alyssa Compton knows nothing about hockey or Nick Sorensen but she does know how to decorate an apartment. As she gets to know Nick in an effort to make his condo his own, she she’s he is still struggling with his tragic past.

Alyssa has her own issues, growing up in poverty and constantly trying to prove herself, she gets fired from her job when her manager learns she’s seeing Nick. Alyssa and Nick engage in a series of miscommunications affecting their relationship.

This book was okay. The premise was solid but I had a tough time connecting with either character or believing in their connection. The constant referral to “lady bits” was a bit much. This is a 3 star read for me.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #katiekennedy #heartsonthinice

Hearts On Thin Ice by Katie Kennedy is a hockey romance and the story of Alyssa and Nick.
 
Alyssa is an interior designer and I really liked seeing more of her job. She is such a sweet and loving person, and I liked her.
 
The more interesting person in this book is Nick. He survived a plane crush and that comes with a lot of trauma and I liked seeing how he dealt with this. He is a hockey player and working hard to get back into his job and that only showed his strength. Nick is quite grumpy, and I liked how that slowly went away.
 
Nick returns to an empty apartment, and he can’t see that anymore, so he employs Alyssa to redecorate. I liked seeing their grumpy sunshine dynamic from the start and the romance progressed super slow because of their work relationship. Most scenes take place in the apartment and that got boring and repetitive quickly, and I would have liked to see more hockey scenes. In addition, a lot of dialogue scratched only the surface and it felt more like small talk which made it difficult for me to be obsessed with this story. Furthermore, the third person narrative kept the distance to the story and the characters, and the emotions didn’t fully arrive by me.
 
Overall, Hearts On Thin Ice is a solid story and good for in-between heavier reads. 3 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

First off, thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

OUTLIER ALERT!!! 🎵It’s me!🎵 The synopsis for this book sounded amazing and I was super excited to read it. I mean who doesn’t love a hockey romance with found family!?! Plus the cover is so cute!!! Unfortunately, it makes me really sad to admit that this one didn’t work for me at all. So what were my issues with the story? The lack of chemistry and immature dialogue between the two main characters AND the dreadful, constant miscommunication. I do not recommend this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨I know many people will love this book so please so not base your decision to read this book solely on my review. ✨

Thank you to Net Galley for gifting me an arc of this book.

Hearts on Thin Ice follows our two main characters finding their way together through Alyssa helping Nick decorate his apartment while both dealing with tough, real life issues. Katie Kennedy handled the topics gracefully while tying in a sweet romance story.

Some tropes were: -grumpy/sunshine
- found family
- forced proximity

This is an entertaining read. Nick and Alyssa are interesting, relatable, wounded, complex, entertaining, intriguing characters. The path to their HEA is full of twists and turns and entertaining to read. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. Kennedy does a really good job with the subplot of grief and loss. This story had me crying, laughing and wanting to participate in tapping my stick on the floor. The story is easy to read and get into.

TW: The story deals with survivor’s guilt, loss and grief.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was cute and swoony and just the fun I was looking for! At times I felt that pacing was an issue but I still very much enjoyed reading. :)

Hearts on Thin Ice ❣️🏒

If you love…
💌 NHL hockey romance
💌 found family
💌 slow burn
💌 workplace rom-com
💌 mental health awareness
💌 duel POV
Be sure to check this out by Katie Kennedy! Available June 18, 2024 ♥️

Thank you NetGalley, Katie Kennedy, and Alcove Press for this ARC!





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This one was good. I enjoyed the relationship between Nick and Alyssa. Nick had a lot of trauma, and I enjoyed the growth we got to read about from start to finish. I loved the role that Alyssa played in helping him achieve this growth and overcome his grief. I struggled with how much his grief was the focus, I was hoping for more of a lighthearted story.

I'm a sucker for hockey romances and this one was pretty good!

It did tackle some really heavy topics dealing with grief, childhood trauma, and death. I did enjoy Nick and Alyssa's relationship. It got a little dramatic here and there but I enjoyed their moments together in the museum. I did get annoyed at the overuse of the miscommunication trope a bit but I'll let it slide since I believe this is her debut novel.

Overall, a good romance but don't pick this up if you're wanting something light and fluffy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I think this book had so much potential but unfortunately it just fell flat for me. I DNFd at 27% because I felt like I was learning more about interior design than the relationship that these two were building. I loved the idea of this book and think it could be better with just some more editing. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters because it seems like he was just excited about her because she didn’t know his past.

This book was so cute and left me wanting to read every book written by Katie Kennedy. If you love hockey and cute love stories this one is for you.