Scan barcode
lafe's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence and Sexual assault
bzliz's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I really wanted to like this but there’s so much heart missing that it’s hard to say I truly enjoyed this book. After being a little let down by Icebreaker recently, I wanted to give sports/hockey romance another shot but I’m coming to a firmer conclusion that it’s just not for me.
Mackenzie’s whole family lives for ice rinks but she can’t even skate, so they borderline neglected her to focus on their more successful children. Eli was taken out of the NHL by a knee injury and is trying to whip a minor team into shape. She’s a consultant trying to financially turn things around because the IRS is coming after them? That part didn’t make a lot of sense.
I wish I could say sparks fly between them but I don’t think they actually had much chemistry. They cave in and act on their attraction to each other and they declare that they’re dating but they don’t actually go on any dates because it’s a secret, so really they’re just meeting up for sex and sleep every night. The middle third of the book takes place over the course of several weeks and is supposed to show the development of their relationship but is more like a slideshow of their sexual encounters.
Her family, especially her dad, doesn’t seem to care about her or her feelings. Her dad invites the guy who dated her and her sister (AND ended Eli’s NHL career) to be part of the all stars team for an exhibition match and he didn’t stop to think for just ten seconds about why that was a bad idea?
I also really disliked the plot line about Mackenzie’s “humiliating” past. I don’t think it was necessary; Danny could’ve just been the villain who broke her heart then got with her sister without needing this convoluted side story about how because of him she ended up exposed to an audience and then video of it was put on the internet. I almost DNF’d when that was revealed.
Mackenzie’s whole family lives for ice rinks but she can’t even skate, so they borderline neglected her to focus on their more successful children. Eli was taken out of the NHL by a knee injury and is trying to whip a minor team into shape. She’s a consultant trying to financially turn things around because the IRS is coming after them? That part didn’t make a lot of sense.
I wish I could say sparks fly between them but I don’t think they actually had much chemistry. They cave in and act on their attraction to each other and they declare that they’re dating but they don’t actually go on any dates because it’s a secret, so really they’re just meeting up for sex and sleep every night. The middle third of the book takes place over the course of several weeks and is supposed to show the development of their relationship but is more like a slideshow of their sexual encounters.
Her family, especially her dad, doesn’t seem to care about her or her feelings. Her dad invites the guy who dated her and her sister (AND ended Eli’s NHL career) to be part of the all stars team for an exhibition match and he didn’t stop to think for just ten seconds about why that was a bad idea?
I also really disliked the plot line about Mackenzie’s “humiliating” past. I don’t think it was necessary; Danny could’ve just been the villain who broke her heart then got with her sister without needing this convoluted side story about how because of him she ended up exposed to an audience and then video of it was put on the internet. I almost DNF’d when that was revealed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
aelin_morgenstern's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
More...