I absolutely loved these characters! This book was perfection!!! I highly recommend if you need a good hockey book!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author Elsie Woods and the publishers for letting me read and review this advanced copy. This is a four star hockey romance read that is the second novel I have read in the Love On Thin Ice book series and it was hands down heartfelt along with it being amazing. This is a second chance romance of two people reconnecting in their hometown ten years later. The two main characters Kiera and Dan were high school sweethearts who never had a bad breakup. They broke up from the long distance relationship when Dan joined the NHL for a professional hockey career and moving to Chicago. Kiera lives in her hometown of Maple Falls who is currently helping her sick sister take care of her kids. She has one of the best personalities in the book minus her insecurities but everyone has them. This was a cute/ funny romance read.

Small town charm? Check. Hockey heartthrob? Check. Sweet, feel-good romance with just the right amount of swoon? The Rebound Play absolutely delivers.

I’m always a sucker for a small town setting and a hockey romance, so this book was right up my alley from the jump. Kate O’Keeffe brings both elements together in such a cozy, fun way—I could practically feel the snowy town vibes and hear the locals gossiping over coffee.

The chemistry between the main characters was adorable, and I loved watching their relationship grow from hesitant beginnings to something real and full of heart. There were just enough emotional beats to keep me invested, but it still stayed light and easy to read—the perfect comfort romance.

While a few moments felt a little predictable, I honestly didn’t mind because I was having such a good time with the characters and the setting. It’s the kind of book you can curl up with on a weekend and finish with a smile on your face.

Definitely recommend for anyone who loves sports romances with a sweet twist and all the small-town feels. I’ll be keeping an eye out for more from this series for sure!

Hockey romances are still having their moment, and this recently released multi-author series capitalizes on that. If you aren’t familiar with multi-author series, each book can stand alone, but they all share a common setting. Protagonists from one book will likely be side characters in another. Stores, events, and side characters will also be repeated, allowing multiple views of the setting.

This particular series revolves around a hockey team that is put together as a fundraising event for a ranch that serves underprivileged children, with a limited season of games against a Canadian team. The Ice Breakers are based out of the small-ish fictional Western Washington town of Maple Falls (not to be confused with the real town of Maple Valley).

Unlike the Appies series, each of these books was written by a different popular sweet romance author, each with her own style. There are some differences from book to book, but nothing so serious as to mar the series.

Similar to the Appies series, all of the female main characters exist beyond their potential as romantic partners. They have actual lives, careers, and struggles.

The male main characters have various reasons for their singleness at the beginning of the series. Several have (mostly undeserved) reputations as serial daters. All are dedicated to hockey.

The situations that get the various couples together are varied and interesting. Of course, there is an element of predictability: when there are two POV characters, you know they’ll end up together. The question is: what will happen to them before they get there? Will there be a third-act breakup, or will there be something else that tests the relationship?

I find that the passage of time is a bit confusing. There is a Halloween party mentioned in several of the books, and there’s a corn maze and haunted house at Maple Fest. There is pumpkin spice everything. The Ice Breakers practice together for a while before the first of their five games, but the space between games is a bit fuzzy. Days? A week? It all seems to be over before Thanksgiving though. Especially since some of the epilogues mention Christmas lights.

Also…what’s wrong with an otter as a mascot? (If you know me, you know I adore otters.)

Possible objectionable material:
Very mild cursing. Various issues such as parental divorce or neglect, alcoholism, death of a parent, chronic illness, infidelity, sexual harassment. This is hockey, so there are injuries and the occasional fight. People drink. This is closed door romance, so we don’t see more than passionate kisses. There is a hint that sex happens.

Who might like these books:
Romance fans, hockey fans, hockey romance fans. Anyone who likes well-written books where characters grow and develop over the course of the story.

These books are also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-hockey-romcom-era-continues.html
Thank you to the authors, publishers, and NetGalley for providing ARCs in exchange for my honest opinion.

When Dan “The Man” went off to college on a hockey scholarship, he and Keira thought it best to break up, knowing that long distance would be hard. Ten years later, neither has found anyone. When Dan returns to town for the Ice Breakers, he looks forward to seeing Keira. She’s been avoiding him for ten years.

This time, there’s no clear antagonist. The struggle is with her feelings of being tied to Maple Falls, taking care of her chronically ill sister, niece, and nephew. Keira feels there’s no way she could be enough for Dan, given his professional hockey career and ability to attract puck bunnies.

There’s a brief third-act breakup, as Keira tries to end the relationship as Dan’s brief season in Maple Falls comes to an end, but he’s not having it.

This was such a cute, sweet story about the small town high school sweethearts, Dan and Keira that get a second chance at love! Dan is an NHL star that always wonders "what if" with Keira if they hadn't broken up when he left for college and then to the NHL. They reunite (hilariously at first) when Dan is injured and comes back home to play in a charity hockey event for a local organization. While the story was predictable, I really enjoyed this quick read with minimal spice to it. Even though this book is the second in the Love on Thin Ice Series, I was not lost from not having the first book prior and I'm looking forward to reading the others in the series. Thank you to Wild Lime Books for the copy to review in exchange for my opinion!

This was a sweet romance where love find two individuals again 10 years after they have parted. One of them has given up their dreams to help her sister and the other went away to live his dreams. We join the story when he is planning to come back to their hometown and when they reconnect we find that they are each others one that got away. The second chance romance in this one was so sweet and had me laughing in places which is the sign of a good author - looking to get to the rest of the companion series in the new year

This book checks the box for hockey romance and second chance, but overall it is nothing special. It is pretty basic and surface level. Very short too.

like this series the small town it is based in and all the chracters and this installment was pretty enjoyable.

Dan "The man" is spending a few weeks back in his hometown that made him a hockey "hero." Kiera is trying to keep her life moving ahead, helping raise her sister's kids and forgetting to fall out of love with her high school sweetheart, Dan. Adorable encounters, flashbacks to high school, fond memories and some romance. I love second chance romances especially set in small towns and this one did not disappoint. This was my first book by Kate O'Keeffe and I need to read all of her stories now. Just what I needed for a quick and cozy weekend read.

The Rebound Play by Kate O’Keeffe was such a sweet hockey romance! Was it hockey realistic? No, of course not. But was it cute? Was it sweet? Did it make me happy to read? Yes! Normally, I don’t care for second chance romances but I wanted to give this book a shot and I’m glad I did. The initial break-up was normal and understandable. It wasn’t do to anyone being a jerk or cheating. It made sense for a pair of 18 year olds having life go in different directions. The reconnect was cute and Dan absolutely knew what he wanted and didn’t care that he was wearing his heart on his sleeve. Pacing was wildly fast, and as a result, character depth and plot definitely take a hit. Still, if you want a cute cinnamon roll second chance romance with hockey as background flavor and spice free, this will be a fun pickup!

A small town, second chance sports romance that is part of a multi-author series. Professional hockey player, Dan, returns to his home town with his sights set on winning back his ex, Keira. But Keira is intent on protecting her heart. This is a closed door romance and part of the Love on Thin Ice series.

Thank you Kate O'Keeffe and NetGalley for this eARC.

#secondchanceromance
#smalltownromance

When Dan the Man comes back to his hometown to captain a hockey team through a series of charity games after an injury. In drops (literally to the rink floor) Keira, his first and only love.
This is a happy-go-lucky story that was a quick read. I really appreciated the role of 'Aunt Kiki' and the dynamics she had with her niece and nephew. I did feel like the re-connection was drawn out at times. Overall, cute read.

I love a good second chance romance as well as a good hockey romance. This book has both of these things! I love that it's short and sweet and it's part of a little novella like series. It's a very cute idea and I can't wait to read the rest.

If you're a sucker for second-chance romances with small-town charm and swoon-worthy hockey heroes, Kate O’Keeffe’s The Rebound Play (part of the Love on Thin Ice series) is the perfect escape.

This sweet, easy read centers on Dan Roberts, a hometown hero turned NHL superstar with the Chicago Blizzard, and Keira Johnson, his high school sweetheart who’s stayed behind in Maple Falls to care for her chronically ill sister. Dan returns to town to play for a charity hockey team - the Ive Breakers, and sparks fly as he reconnects with Keira, the woman who still holds his heart. But Keira wonders if there’s any space in Dan’s fast-paced NHL life for their small-town love.

The Rebound Play delivers exactly what you’d expect from a second-chance romance—lots of sweetness, heart, and an almost instant rekindling of feelings. The story definitely has that Gilmore Girls vibe, with the charming small-town setting and lovable characters.

That said, I do wish there had been more insight into Dan and Keira’s high school relationship. It would have been nice to see a bit more of their history and why they’re still so deeply in love after all these years. I also found myself wondering why they didn’t try to stay in touch when Dan went off to college—if they cared so much, wouldn’t they have made the effort?

Overall, if you’re a fan of Gilmore Girls, Hallmark movies, or just love a good feel-good second-chance romance with a bit of small-town magic, The Rebound Play is the perfect read. It’s charming, sweet, and sure to leave you with a smile. I can’t wait to dive into more of the Love on Thin Ice series!

This is a super short book that could be read in a day or a few depending on how fast you are. It is apart of a multi author series so I highly recommend reading all of them!

Love in Overtime is set in a small town in Washington state (which I loved because I live in Washington!). This one is a second chance romance.

The Rebound Play follows Dan, the hometown hero of Maple Falls who has returned to play in the charity hockey tournament, and Keira, his high school sweetheart who runs the town's farmer's market and cares for her chronically ill sister, as well as her niece and nephew. Dan and Keira broke up when they left for college, but never really forgot about each other. Running into each other again at the rink forces them to acknowledge that their old feelings never fully went away. But with time quickly running out on Dan's return to Maple Falls, Keira has doubts that their second chance would be able to work.

I really enjoyed Keira and Dan's story. It was fast paced and for the most part, a fluffy, sweet romance. I do wish that it was a bit longer, as it felt like the conflict was resolved too quickly and the ending as a whole was on hyper speed compared to the pace of the beginning of the book. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of second chance romances because I tend to be skeptical that they can prove to me the issues that caused the relationship to fail initially will be properly resolved, but I felt that O'Keeffe did a very good job with clearing that hurdle. I also appreciated that she didn't gloss over the hockey aspects of the plotline. The Rebound Play is a well-written, light-hearted romance.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC to review!

The Rebound Play is a contemporary hockey romance novel written by Kate O'Keeffe. It is book two in the Skating on Thin Ice series. It is not necessary to have read book one in order to read book two, but characters do intersect throughout the series.

Summary: Keira is stuck with the uncomfortable truth.

She still has feelings for her ex.

And he's coming back to town.

Can she avoid him forever, or should she tell him the truth and risk being hurt all over again?

My Thoughts: This one was OK. I had a hard time buying the fact that if they really loved each other to begin with, they would have let each other go and never gotten in contact in some way.

It kind of tainted the romance in the story for me because they let each other go, and then threw themselves into a new relationship as soon as they saw each other again.

It didn't seem super believable to me.

Overall though, it was a decent one-time read-just not my favorite.

I would like to thank Wild Lime Books for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you.

I really loved the small town feel and the energy in this one, the side characters are phenomenal and I loved the incorporation of hockey and actually reading about plays on the ice. Kiki was cute and relatable and Dan was Man!

Note: this book was provided as an arc by netgalley.
Firstly I would like to say that I LOVE shy girl x popular guy/jock guy so I came with an already some sort of formed opinion, what I didn’t expect was how short the book was, if felt more like a novel than a book and I feel like if the book included their past and than the present this would’ve been so much better because it definitely has potential, the writing is beautiful and well written.
The main reason this book got three stars although I enjoyed it was because if felt flat. The characters didn’t have any “character”, if felt more like an idea rather than an actual plot and interesting characters, again I assume that if the book was longer we would’ve seen much more plot and depth and here it just… lacked.
Also if ENRAGED me how at the beginning of the book he called her his girl like dude you’ve spent ten years sleeping around with every single woman than you dare say shit like “she was always the one in my heart” if you loved her that much you shouldn’t have left her, let’s say you did it but waiting ten years for that is wild!!!
Kiera also made me super mad because of her reaction like excuse me but if my ex broke up with me to become famous without even trying long distance and slept around with other women for years than came back acting like nothing happened I would’ve LOST it and I wish she did to. I’m glad they had their happy ending but like come on the book had so much potential and the idea is there.
I would like to finish with the fact that I did enjoy the book, mainly because it’s short and fun and nothing really deep or dramatic but coming from a point of view of someone who reads and reviews for years this was flat.

I have loved read the maple hills series and like the rest of the books, found this very sweet, an easy read and cute! I found parts a little cheesey and not necessarily my kind of book, but overall a really lovely read and as a whole series something I’d definitely recommend! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this!