What a wonderful book! And what a pleasant surprise. I didn't fall instantly in love with Hearts on Thin Ice, and even by Chapter Three, when Alyssa is obsessing about a squeaky sandal, I had my doubts. But not long after, something clicked. Nick's deadened soul becomes more relatable, and Alyssa's pluck and determination become more realistic and less cartoonish. There are a million romance novels out there featuring wounded souls gradually brought back to life by love, but not many of them involve a mutual appreciation for fine art. This is a sports romance that provides adequate hockey detail for those who care and not too much for those who don't, and the author delves into the intricacies of interior decorating with an equally judicious hand. I was truly sorry to come to the end of Hearts on Thin Ice, and I hope the author has more romance in her repertoire.

Nick was in a plane crash with his 5 team mates and best friend. He was the only survivor. He comes home from a long stay in the hospital to find out he’s been traded to a new hockey team.

Alyssa is an interior designer working for a crappy boss and has dreams to one day own her own business. It’s all planned out even down to the pink cookies.

Hearts On Thin Ice is a dual POV and both narrators did a fantastic job! The pacing was great and I really enjoyed how hockey wasn’t the main topic- overcoming trauma was number 1.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Hockey romances are so popular right now and this was another good one! I didn’t love it but it was enjoyable. I liked both characters but didn’t feel they had amazing chemistry. I really enjoyed the interior decorating, the friendships, Nicks journey to healing and Alyssa’s growth. There was just something missing for me. I wanted more…more chemistry, more banter, more of the MCs falling in love. I did enjoy the audiobook and felt like the narrator’s did a great job with the characters. I’d still recommend to and fan of hockey romance.

Funny, sweet with tough moments. Nick and Alyssa's love story will warm your heart. He has an empty apartment and needs to decorate it or go to counselling. After surviving a plane crash that killed his best friends and hockey teammates, the guilt kept him stuck in life. Little does he knows that meeting Alyssa will not only decorate his apartment but changer his life forever. The audiobook with Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mindelli makes the story even better

There wasn't as much hockey as I expected from the cover lol but it's a quick read! It's not super light and fluffy because of the characters' pasts and there's some miscommunication but overall I enjoyed it. Nick is grieving his best friends who died in a plane crash in which he was the only survivor and he's struggling to continue living in a meaningful way because he feels survivor's guilt and of course the absence of the guys who'd been like family to him. Alyssa struggles to take risks because her father was a gambler and lost everything so her mom, brother and her were left to try to pick up the pieces and spent some time poor, hungry, and living in a car. There's definitely a lot of trauma between the two MCs and I felt like they each could have used a little more healing before ending up together. I liked them Alyssa and Nick separately but I did feel that sometimes their actions didn't match up what we knew about them and if they had more time to develop a relationship I probably would have liked it better. While there's a lot of the heavy stuff there are still plenty of silly moments and fun lines that keep the story from feeling too heavy. I listened to the audio and read at the same time but the audio is clear and even paced so it's easy to follow without needing to read along, I just prefer to do it that way(: Narrators Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mondelli do a great job as Alyssa and Nick and I love when there are two narrators for both points of view.

Hearts on Thin Ice is out today June 18th!

Thank you Dreamscape Media & NetGalley for the ALC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! I’m so impressed with this one! I loved it so much more than I expected to! It was an unexpected gem and the blurb doesn’t do it any justice!! If you’re unsure from the blurb… just pick it up and listen - it came out of nowhere, from an unknown author, and it just blew me away.

It was well thought out, well plotted, and had a perfect mix of a darn good hockey romance, some of my other top fave tropes, and fantastic steam. Oh, and it really gets you in your feelings several times with main character Nick’s background… he’s a star hockey player who had done a quick getaway trip with several other teammates and their small plane went down (crashed), and he was the only survivor. He’s healing not just physically but doing major emotional and mental healing, back on the ice, and on a new team in a new town, and struggling with having no one. He’s a heartbreaking character that I fell for.

When he meets the bubbly, but insecure, Alyssa, struggling to be an interior designer (former party planner and desperate to impress her new, evil boss), he very reluctantly agrees to have her do his new apartment, to get his coach and therapist off his back about being “normal “ again. She’s also struggling with not really having anyone.

It’s both a heartbreaking and heartwarming story and a joy to read. Kennedy has written something extremely special here - I thought it was extraordinary and I have read a ton of books (over 200 by this point in June)! She’s infused enough humour into it to break up the emotional and mental health aspects which felt like they started to get heavy, so she was able to balance it perfectly. Super well done and I absolutely recommend it to all romance lovers!

But get the audio! It was best enjoyed by the audio version - narrated by new-to-me voices Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mondelli, they really brought this one to life and did a really fantastic job. I listen to a lot of audio and have many faves, but don’t think this one would have been better with anyone else.

I received an advance read and listen copy from NetGalley, Alcove Press and Dreamscape Media, and this is my honest feedback.

Not having heard of Katie Kennedy or Hearts on Thin Ice before, I didn't know what to expect with this audiobook. But I'm absolutely in my hockey era so I knew I wanted to give this one a try. And I'm so glad that I did! I really enjoyed this one, and I really loved listening to it as an audiobook.

This story is told in dual POV which worked so well with this story line. There was a lot of depth - and emotional depth - to this story. Nick Sorensen, a big name in the hockey world, is still grieving the loss of his friends and teammates in a plane crash - of which he was the only survivor. He's working his way back to being at his best on the ice, but his coach has big worries about Nick and his mental health. Living with only the basics in his apartment, Nick's coach is requiring him to fix up his apartment.

Enter Alyssa Compton - an interior designer who works for a ruthless boss. When Nick meets Alyssa and wants to hire her to decorate his apartment, he has to physically steal Alyssa from her boss so she'll get the job. This creates an awkward dynamic between Alyssa and her boss that will continue to play out through the story.

As Alyssa tries to break through Nick's tough exterior, she finds just how stubborn and frustrating he can really be. Alyssa eventually helps Nick and Nick comes to her rescue as well. This story deals with some heavy topics but I thought the author handled them very well. There wasn't a lot of on the ice action in this story, but we do get to meet many of Nick's teammates - some of whom made me laugh out loud while I was listening! I highly recommend this story!

"Hearts on Thin Ice" by Katie Kennedy is a mixed bag. The premise of a pro hockey player, Nick, grappling with the aftermath of a tragic plane crash and finding solace in an interior designer, Alyssa, is compelling. The exploration of mental health and the journey to belonging added depth to the story, making it more than just a typical sports romance.

Nick's character is well-developed, showcasing his struggle to regain his footing on and off the ice. His vulnerability and the way he slowly opens up to Alyssa are touching. However, initially, his stubbornness and reluctance to let her in felt repetitive and frustrating.

Alyssa's passion for her work and determination to prove herself are truly inspiring. Her interactions with Nick are a blend of fiery clashes and tender moments, which kept me engaged. Yet, her relationship with her demanding boss and her quest for job security could have been fleshed out more to add another layer to her character, but it also serves as a reminder of the challenges many face in the workplace.

The romance between Nick and Alyssa progresses at a steady pace, with some sweet and heartwarming scenes. However, certain parts felt predictable, and I wished for a few more surprises in their journey. The chemistry between them is believable, but it didn't thoroughly sweep me off my feet.

Overall, "Hearts on Thin Ice" has its charms and delivers on love and personal growth themes. It's an enjoyable read, especially for fans of sports romances and workplace rom-coms, but it didn't fully hit the mark for me.

Nick Sorenson is a professional hockey player who has been through a lot over the last year. He used to be one of the fastest skaters on the ice, but following a plane crash where he was the only survivor and a crushed leg, it’s going to be hard to get back to where he was before. After losing his best friends in the fatal accident, Nick is hesitant about everything, but it’s time to get back on the ice and get on with his life. Enter Alyssa, an interior designer who is the perfect person to get Nick’s place into shape. Along the way she just might be able to help him see the bright side again.

I am a fan of sports romances so it’s no surprise that I picked this book up. I enjoyed the depth in this story and there of growing from the loses we endure. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the characters or this romance in general, but I still enjoyed the book and thought it was a decent read. This book explored a lot more than your typical sports romance and I liked this change of speed. I felt like I wanted something more in this romance, but I still liked the overall book. I would definitely check out more by this author in the future and look forward to seeing if this turns into a series, there was a bit of foreshadowing at the end that makes me think it might.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary romance📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
A sweet romantic comedy that’s isn’t heavy on the hockey

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Hockey romance
Dual POV
Romantic comedies
Heavier topics
Grumpy / sunshine
Found family
Debut novel
Interior design
Character development

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Mental health rep
Museum visit

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Miscommunication

The narration was well done

Genre: Romance (Sports/Hockey)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️
Release date: June 18, 2024

I really had hoped to like this book more since I have slowly been getting into sports romances much more.

Nick and Alyssa were cute, but they needed some more seasoning, at points in this story there were just some things missing between them. Also this book is a sports romance, but there isn’t much mention about the sports part, except that the main character is part of a hockey team and is slowly making his way back to the game after a plane crash.

There is some mention of some heavier topics such as PTSD, trauma and mental health.

Read this book if you like:
⛸️ Sports Romance
⛸️ Grumpy vs Sunshine
⛸️ Workplace Romance
⛸️ minor slowburn

Thank you to dreamscape media and netgalley for the ALC of this book.

I really was excited for this book. This would be my second hockey book. I liked the first one so I was really excited for this. I really liked the writing and the main characters as well.

Heart On Thin Ice is a sports rom-com that follows two individuals, Nick and Alyssa, and their journey through dealing with trauma and grief. Going into this book, I was excited because I love a good sports romance, however, this was not what I expected. This book focuses more on the traumatic experiences both Nick and Alyssa experienced and less on their romantic adventure. The romance  and chemistry felt very lacking, as well as the comedy. Unfortunately, this book was not my favorite. I also found myself disliking Nick towards the end. His attitude towards Alyssa's response when he helped her was very off-putting. I had mixed feelings about Alyssa as well, however, for different reasons. What she experienced in the past was very traumatic, but the fact that she held onto it for so long was a bit ridiculous and immature (her reason for not wanting to help the church). This book was a difficult one for me to really enjoy. 2.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Katie Kennedy for this ARC!

This cute hockey cover and book description seemed interesting to me. I listened to an ALC of this book on Netgalley and it was the debut romance book for this author. I hesitated to even give it a rating, because if you are a reader who likes more spice, it might be for you. But putting the spicy scenes to the side, I do think the two main characters have some depth and good stories. I actually did like their individual stories, but the author missed the mark for me on this one. I just felt like their stories didn’t come together until way too late, if at all (only stuck with it hoping they would). There were also a lot of side characters that made appearances, but didn’t really seem to add to the story and made it a little hard to follow at times. The miscommunication was killing me. I also hated how they kept throwing around the phase, “but you slept with me.” This is obviously all just my opinion, but not a read I particularly enjoyed.

If I’m being honest, I expected a light-hearted rom-com. I was not prepared for the emotional gut-punch this book delivered. Hearts on Thin Ice is a story about survivor’s guilt, processing trauma, and investing in yourself. It truly surprised me how fleshed out the characters were, and how real the emotions came across. I’m not one to cry while reading a book, but I came very close here. Be aware of any content warnings if grief, loss of a friend, homelessness, parental neglect, etc., are sensitive topics for you. And if you’re wondering about the spice, it’s definitely there. My only complaints about this audiobook were a few instances of the male narrator mispronouncing words (that I picked up on). Otherwise, I was caught off-guard at how invested I was in this story.

This was a cute hockey romance. The narrators were good. I think readers who like hockey romance would like this book

Hearts on Thin Ice by Katie Kennedy
4.5/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

•••Spoiler free review below•••

Nick and Alyssa are EVERYTHING! This was a very cute hockey romance filled with healing, humor, and lovable characters all around. I didn’t expect the seriousness of what the main characters had previously faced but I found the topics discussed to be very tastefully done and sensitively discussed. Both Alyssa and Nick were so sweet in every way and - clearly - absolutely perfect for each other! Fans of hockey romance and books of healing will adore this upcoming release.

Read this book if you like:
-cinnamon roll x cinnamon roll
-they help each other through trauma
-art as foreplay
-banter
-hockey romance
-found family

Hearts on Thin Ice will be released on June 18th and if it’s not already on your tbr, it should be! Special thanks to Dreamscape Media for sharing a free copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were very appealing. I couldn’t help but root for them. Off you like sport books or HGTV type books, this is a great combo of the two. There are a few spicy parts, but it is not elicit. I can’t wait to read another Katie Kennedy book!

Being the lone survivor of a plane crash that killed several of his best friends and teammates has been hard for Nick. He's in a new city, but he has tremendous survivor's guilt. His apartment has four things- a mattress (on the floor), a recliner, a TV, and a cheap coffee maker. His coach forces him to furnish his apartment for his mental health. He reluctantly hires Alyssa. Over the next few weeks, Alyssa manages to coax him into living a little bit.

I really liked Nick- his personality, his character arc, he was pretty great. Alyssa was kind of flat.

I am not sure what, but it felt like something was missing from this book. It had a lot of components that I love in a contemporary romance, but together, it wasn't complete.

I can pinpoint a few things- Alyssa's relationship with her parents- this could have gone deeper and I feel it wasn't really resolved. Yet there were unnecessary parts- like the whole former classmate and party as an elf- it didn't add anything to the story. The team name - Detroit Red Wheels. I can get not using Red Wings, but seriously, go in a whole different direction then. Maybe this is especially painful for me since I am a native Michigander. And, lastly, the steamy scenes- they were not great. They were awkward, unpleasant, and not romantic.

Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mondelli narrate the audiobook. I always appreciate dual narrators. Neither wowed me though.

Would I read another book by this author? Yes. There were enough good pieces that I'd give her another chance.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Hearts on Thin Ice" by Katie Kennedy is an absolute gem! I was fortunate enough to receive this as an ALC, and I can't express how much I enjoyed it. Narrated by the incredibly talented Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mondelli, this story came to life with so much emotion and depth that it left me in tears more than once.

The narrative follows Nick Sorensen, a pro hockey player recovering from a devastating plane crash, and Alyssa Compton, a determined interior designer. Their journey from reluctant partners to something much deeper is both heartwarming and heart-wrenching. Kennedy's exploration of mental health, belonging, and finding one's place in the world is beautifully intertwined with a charming and flirty workplace romance.

Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mondelli did a phenomenal job portraying their characters. Everdeen captures Alyssa's strength and vulnerability perfectly, while Mondelli brings out Nick's complex emotions with such authenticity. Their performances added an extra layer of immersion to an already captivating story.

Kennedy's writing is sharp and engaging, and she does a fantastic job of developing both main characters. Nick's struggle with his past and Alyssa's fight to prove herself in her career create a dynamic that is both relatable and inspiring. The emotional depth of the story is profound, making it impossible not to become invested in Nick and Alyssa's journey.

If you're a fan of sports romance or enjoy stories that delve into the complexities of mental health and personal growth, "Hearts on Thin Ice" is a must-read (or in this case, a must-listen). This debut is a testament to Katie Kennedy's talent, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. Highly recommended!