Nick was a up and coming hockey star until a plan crash takes his best friend and teammates and leaves him as the only survivor. With a lot of physical therapy he's back on the ice but he can't shake the ghost of his teammates. His new apartment he leaves pretty beer and the 2n d room he leaves for his best friend.

His new team and coach is trying to help him grieve and a condition is to decorate the apartment. They dont know why he wont he wont talk about it.

He hires Alyssa an interior designer. Alyssa learns he doesn't want a new look and wont help with any options so shes trying all the options to make him happy.

There was some disconnect for me with the characters and I get the heavy topics but they didnt make sense all the way and when they did. It was to much of no they would be great friends.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of hockey romances but this one didn’t hit home for me. The characters had interesting stories, especially with the male love interest being in a plane crash, but I found the characters themselves to be lacking personality. There were a lot of different storylines going on so it was hard to keep track. I think there was a lot of potential but this one just didn’t stick compared to other hockey romances I’ve read.

Interesting premise but I didn’t really feel that the characters were developed well. There’s no chemistry between them. I liked the work Nick did to come back from his accident, both mentally and physically, but didn’t really get to know him other than that. I don’t feel like I got to know Alyssa at all outside of her interior design. It was easy for my mind to wander while listening to this.

2.75 ⭐️ ARC from NetGalley, these are my own thoughts and opinions. Thanks for the advanced copy!

This was a very quirky romcom that I honestly just didn’t vibe with. There were parts of it that I really enjoyed like the therapy rep, but then there were parts that I did not like at all. The FMC infuriated me the entire book. There was zero communication between the main characters and I did not vibe with a romance being in 3rd person.

Posted on Goodreads, StoryGraph, and Instagram stories 6/26

"There's nothing wrong with it...living through hard times."

"That's why I thought you might understand; because you're pretending everything is fine."

There is more emotion than comedy or romance in the sports romantic comedy Hearts On Thin Ice by debut adult romance author Katie Kennedy. It's written with such grace and sensitivity towards the mental health of its leads that when the comedy and romance show up there is just joy for all the fun and love.

Nick's struggling with just being alive. A popular talented hockey player he's finally physically healed after being injured from a plane crash that killed his teammates. His body has fought hard to recover but his mind and heart are too broken to get past the survivor's guilt and PTSD.

Alyssa is an up and coming interior decorator working for the world's cruelest boss. She suffers from her own internal insecurities from growing up with serious hardships.

Living with just a chair and a mattress, Nick's coach demands he furnish his place and start living before he can play in a game. Enter Alyssa. It's not easy. He's unresponsive to her designs. She's tired of trying so hard but then...paint and sex. Quite a tension release!

I really enjoyed voice actress Scarlett Everdeen. She gave believability to Alyssa's frustrations and fears. But voice actor Nick Mondelli broke me. His pain was visceral. When he sits in the bedroom that would have been his best friend's had he lived; and talks to him in ways he can't to his therapist, coach, or Alyssa, I physically felt the grief, the guilt, the devastating heartbreak.

It's not all tears. Nick's retaliation on Alyssa's boss was hilariously clever. His teammates are rascals and Alyssa...well her heart and Nick's warm up on and off the ice.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own

Hockey new adult books are the new "IT" thing i guess we have lots of readers at my library so I will be sure to add this one.

DNF'd at 11%.

I couldn't relate to these characters and found in interest in seeing what happens with them. I was a little bummed because the premise is very promising and I love the tropes. Perhaps this one wasn't for me but might be for you! :)

Thank you NetGalley, Katie Kennedy and Dreamscape Media for the ALC!

I loved the premise of this book but it was not for me. I couldn't connect with the main characters, and while the writing was easy to read, I couldn't get into this story. Both Nick and Alyssa felt as characters like they needed more for me to be able to really grasp them as characters and their stories. I would try out other books by this author in the future!

Thank you #netgalley for this eARC!

Thanks first of all to NetGalley for giving me this arc. I really enjoyed this hockey romance. nick is the sole survivor of a tragic plane crash and while grieving for his hockey team mates is forced to hire an interior designer to work on his apartment. I loved Nick and Alyssa’s relationship and how there they both fell for each over time. This perfect for fans of Elle Kennedy’s hockey romance series as well as Hannah graces books.

3.5⭐️, 2.5🌶️

While the book was cute and quirky at times, I just wasn’t majorly impressed with this book. Nick and Alyssa were a cute couple, but the expected “emotional rollercoaster” of the story, especially going through Nick’s character backstory, just wasn’t impactful to me. Where I wanted to be sad and overwhelmed for him and his past trauma, I just….wasn’t. And Alyssa’s character just didn’t have any major depth and relatability. The romance wasn’t that readable for me, and I think by the end of the book, I couldn’t give a great synopsis, because while I was listening to the book, I wasn’t gripped by it in any way. Ugh, just not the book for me.

🩵Workplace Romance
🏒Sports Romance – Pro Hockey MMC
🩵Mental Health Representation

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of Hearts on thin Ice, written by Katie Kennedy, and narrated by Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mondelli, in exchange for my honest and unpaid review!

"Hearts on Thin Ice" is a poignant sports romance that delves deeply into themes of grief, recovery, and unexpected love. The story centers on Nick Sorenson, a professional hockey player grappling with the aftermath of a tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of his best friends, leaving him as the sole survivor. Struggling with survivor's guilt and a near-empty apartment that mirrors his emotional void, Nick reluctantly hires Alyssa, an ambitious interior designer with a passion for transforming spaces.

Alyssa, driven by her own past experiences of homelessness, sees this job as a chance to gain experience and create a comforting space for Nick. Initially, she finds him difficult to work with due to his emotional barriers. As she gets to know him, Alyssa discovers that Nick's exterior hides a deeply wounded man in desperate need of healing. Their professional relationship begins to evolve into something more personal, marked by moments of genuine connection and mutual support.

The characters, although individually compelling, seem to lack the chemistry needed to make their relationship believable. At times, the romance feels forced and the miscommunication trope, a major plot device here, detracts from the overall narrative. The book's pacing seems uneven. The slow burn romance, combined with the weighty topics, makes it a slog to get through. While the cover suggests a fun, hockey-themed romance, is somewhat misleading as hockey plays a minimal role in the storyline and doesn’t help with keeping the book hype.

The emotional depth and the exploration of complex themes show promise, even if the romance itself falls short. Fans of more serious, character-driven stories might appreciate this book more than those seeking a lighthearted romantic escape. With further refinement, this author could indeed produce great work in the future.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.

<i> Note: This review is based on an ARC copy </i>

I liked this, but didn't love it... I struggle to call this a romcom because it deals with a lot of very heavy topics (TW for grief, loss of loved ones, poverty) brought my mood down. I didn't love either MC and just thought they were both childish at times. The story flowed OK, but overall I thought this was just fine.

Hearts on Thin Ice surprised me with its emotional poignance and ability to balance humor and dealing with some very heavy topics. I loved watching Nick and Alyssa deal with their pasts and learn to trust each other. I also really enjoyed the hockey team and the art references throughout. This book is beautifully written!

Alyssa and Nick have both been through a lot. Nick is handling his trauma by leaving his trauma by having a nearly empty apartment. Alyssa is an interior decorator and she agrees to help him decorate his apartment. It ends up being an emotional process for them both. I loved how much Alyssa loved her job and how much Nick supported her.

My only note was that I felt like the last third could have been a bit shorter. I did love that we got to see the hockey team more in that part though. I loved how they came together to support Nick. I'd love for this to be a series and we could read more about the team.

If you love a hockey romance, an emotional romance or a story about surviving trauma this one is for you! Fans of Unsteady or Just for the Summer will love this one!

I listened to the audiobook of this title. Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mondelli did a fantastic job. Romance listeners may know Scarlett from What is Love by Jenn Comfort and Nick from The Book Proposal by KJ Micciche.

Hearts on Thin Ice
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Katie Kennedy

I requested an audio advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Nick Sorensen had once been one of the fastest men in hockey—until the devastating plane crash that took the lives of his best friends, leaving him the only survivor. Now he’s physically ready to get back on the ice, but his coach is concerned Nick isn’t doing as well, mentally, as he says he is. Case in Nick’s apartment is completely empty, apart from a single chair and a mattress on the floor.

To prove he’s fine, really, Nick hires Alyssa Compton, an up-and-coming interior designer, to decorate his space. Alyssa’s thrilled at the chance to prove herself to her demanding boss—with job security at last, maybe she can finally put down roots and create a home for herself too. But Nick turns out to be infuriatingly stubborn and impossible to work with, and just when Alyssa decides to throw in the towel on the whole thing, Nick shows up for her in a way she never could have expected.  

The icy path ahead of these two lost souls may be slippery and cracking, but when it comes to love, sometimes all you need is someone on your team.

My Thoughts: This was a cute, endearing romcom that I enjoyed listening to. The story opens up with Nick having lost all of his hockey teammates/friends on a tragic airplane accident where he was the only survivor. His coach gives him an option, make his house seem like a home or go to counseling over the loss of his friends. He chooses the first option, he hires Alyssa Compton, a newer designer who did a lovely job on his teammates house. Alyssa wants the chance to shine at her career to cool her ever demanding boss down a few notches. Nick is one of the worse clients she has worked for, he won’t make decisions, and is too wishy washy. Just as she is about to give up, he does something incredibly nice for her. The path is icy on the way to love with slips along the way, will it be enough? Or when the project ends, their connection ends? This follows the tropes of friends to lovers, forced proximity, hockey romance, and sunshine/grumpy.

The story was narrated in a dual narration by Nick and Alyssa, through their respective perspectives. Nick was a dark soul having experienced the ultimate tragedy. He was hard to connect with initially, but his character did grow on me. Alyssa was sweet, brilliant, and kind. Alyssa has a horrible boss and has aspirations of opening her own business. I immediately connected with Alyssa. The characters were developed well with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and intriguing. The supporting characters of Vanessa and Devin really elevated the story to another level. The author’s writing style was complex, steamy, swoon-perfection, and engaging.

There was some miscommunication between our MCs. Usually, I don’t care for miscommunication tropes, however, it really worked for this story. This is a slower burn romance novel with trauma and love, and everything in between. My favorite scene was the museum scene, I still think about it today. I really love the message that this story portrays, the importance of seeking therapy without the stigma, especially when you need it. The author does an amazing job at approaching heavy topics and balancing them with sweet tender moments.

TW: airplane crash (past), loss of friends, and grief. The narrators, Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mondeli, were perfect for this audiobook. They had excellent voice variation with character distinction. The pitch and flow were perfect, I could listen at 2x with no issues keeping up. They really held the emotion in their voice and came through the characters like a force, and you could really feel it. For a sports romance debut novel, this really was brilliant and I will be first in line to read more from Kennedy as she curates her craft, the books will soar to greatness. I highly recommend picking this up today.

This was a super sweet and spicy hockey romance with layers. Nick and Alyssa have instant chemistry but their relationship builds from one of designer and client, to supportive friends to lovers. I love how loyal Nick is to Alyssa from the get go and how he sticks up for what is right. Alyssa is the sweetest and I just loved these two together! I enjoyed the audio for this one, dual narrators always add another layer to a dual POV!

After a devastating plane crash that left him the sole survivor and physically ready but mentally struggling to return to hockey, Nick Sorensen hires interior designer Alyssa Compton to prove he's fine, leading to a tumultuous yet unexpectedly supportive relationship that helps both find stability and love.

Read if you vibe with…
🏒 Hockey Romance
🌤️ Grumpy x Sunshine
🥅 Hockey Player MMC
🖼️ Interior Designer FMC
🧲 Opposites Attract
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Found Family
😥 Loss/Grief

ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥: 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞, 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲-𝐭𝐨-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐬. 𝐈 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐝𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜—𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐈’𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐲, 𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐧!

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒏 𝑰𝒄𝒆 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞.

𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐬: 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧! 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 (𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢) 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐎𝐕𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐣𝐨𝐛. 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.

𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒦𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑒 𝒦𝑒𝓃𝓃𝑒𝒹𝓎, 𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝓈𝒸𝒶𝓅𝑒 𝑀𝑒𝒹𝒾𝒶, & 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.

Let me just say, I loved Alyssa and Nick! They pushed each other to be healthier people mentally, and I was definitely not prepared to feel all of the feelings in this story. Nick working through survivor’s guilt was so impactful. Nick helping Alyssa to see that she was worth more than her mean boss made her feel was actually precious.nI think anyone who has been around a while, knows that I love a hockey romance, but the emotional depth of this one made it that much better!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I adored this compelling sports romance debut, featuring a dual point of view and remarkable emotional depth! Following the heartbreaking aftermath of a tragic plane crash that leaves Nick Sorenson as the sole survivor and mourning the loss of his hockey teammates, he reluctantly enlists the help of an interior decorator to revamp his apartment. Enter Alyssa, who endeavors to transform Nick's space in a manner that resonates with him, inadvertently finding herself drawn to him in the process.

So so so good! Absolutely perfection. Just as adorable as j knew it would be. Narrator choice was perfect. Tone was great and pacing was perfect.

What a heavy opener—was not expecting that. But I loved the MMC’s emotional growth as he moved through a devastating period of loss and grief.

I also appreciated how the romantic aspect of the story didn’t feel instantaneous. Instead, it was a sweet, slow burn. Spice was 2.5-3/5 🌶️🌶️

My biggest critique with this book is that, even though it’s a hockey romance, that didn’t come across all that well. It was more like a traditional rom-com instead, which was fine, just wanted to note for those hoping this will fill their hockey romance desires.

That being said, I’d read more books by this author.

(Thank you, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)