Jubilee is already a gold medal winner. She and her husband, Stephen, won figure skating gold at the last Snow and Ice Games, but soon after Jubilee’s world crashed when Stephen died. Jubilee was left alone and closed herself off. She tried skating solo, but went back to pairs and found a new partner in Beckett Hughes.

Beckett has had several skating partners in his career, but hasn’t found one willing to stick with him to go the distance. He skates well with Jubilee and their chances of a medal are high. But Beckett’s relationship with Jubilee is on the ice only and based around practice and more practice and they know little about each other off the ice.

When a mix up has them sharing a room at the Games, Jubilee is livid. She likes her space and has no interest in walking in on Beckett with someone in his bed. So, they come to an agreement to sleep with each other during the Games, only Jubilee didn’t expect or want to feel anything for Beckett.

On the Brink of Passion is the fifth and final book in Tamen Parker’s Snow and Ice Games series. The series did not end on a high note for me. This book reads like all the rest in the series with the MCs being in a secret relationship. This book also follows along with the same style of the characters hardly talking to each other and with pages upon pages of internal narrative instead. After four other books in the series, I was really looked for some variety in the style.

The characters here were not to my liking at all. Jubilee was cold and aloof and Beckett was just sort of there. Their first time together was initiated as a dare. Beckett had to talk himself into getting aroused and Jubilee was determined not to enjoy herself and just “fulfill” her “obligation” and this is not the stuff romances are made of. The first few times they are together, Beckett is fantasizing about what it would be like if Jubilee was really into it and Jubilee refuses to enjoy herself and can’t wait for it to be over. All because she didn’t want Beckett to bring other women back to the room. It was awkward and uncomfortable, made little sense, and due to the set up, the characters definitely lacked chemistry.

The book then just follows Beckett and Jubilee as they have these encounters and practice for the Games. There were some scenes of them on the ice, but it was rather basic and what you could find anywhere, and I would have like more in depth sports coverage for a sports series based around athletes. There is a scandal brought it in, but the resolution is glossed over in just a few sentences. A main portion of Jubilee’s issues was the loss of her husband, yet we don’t learn what happened to him until almost the end of the book and then it was in a round about way.

This book also follows the same template as many others in the series as the story takes place during the course of the Games with their future shown in an epilogue. It was never shown how or when these two fell in love, it was all fairly forced, and the entire story didn’t work for me. I was really looked forward to this series set around athletes, but this book and this series did not deliver at all what was expected.

This series was published around the time of the most recent Winter Olympics when us romance readers were eager for romances between athletes and I must say that no one has done a better job at giving the people what they wanted with this book series. There’s a lot I loved about this romance but I absolutely loved our heroine Jubilee, no she isn’t what people would describe as like able but she was such a dynamic heroine.

I loved the way her relationship progressed with Beckett and how it was an enemies to lovers romance. She just wanted sex at first and when it became so much more I loved it.

4 stars — Quite a few of the books in this series start off in such a strange manner wrt the romance…and this one was not an exception. I was initially super uncomfortable with the arrangement between Beckett and Jubilee. It was awkward, and not hot, and just…fucked up. But here’s what’s funny. It was awkward and fucked up to them too…and it really sort of opened up a completely different way of falling in love. I loved that they were both so stubborn that they got themselves into that situation. In the end I loved that it started off all awkward and wrong, because that made the transition that much more believable. I loved that Beckett tried to put a stop to it, and kind of forced Jubilee to make some confessions to herself. It was SO WEIRD, but it felt realistic in a weird way too. I just…can’t go into it further without spoilers.

I had a HELLA hard time connecting with Jubilee. Which is not to say that I didn’t feel for her situation, and that I didn’t actually understand how her past had shaped her into who she was. But it was SO HARD to see her willingly hurting Beckett, and being willfully blind to him at the same time. I can get her and still not really like her. But the thing is, that I did like parts of her. I liked her vulnerable side, and how she tried to hide her squishiness from the world as protection. I loved her drive and determination, and her respect for Beck as her partner. I just don’t think I could be her friend…then again, I’m not sure I could be any professional athletes friend, b/c that requires a certain personality that’s probably not super compatible with my own.

Beckett was much easier to love. He reminded me a bit of Blake Riley in his general personality and demeanor. He’s someone who is not shy about his own accomplishments, who’s super confident in his sexual capabilities (and rightfully so), but who has just this odd sunny demeanor that is hard not to love. I found it interesting that the author made him less book smart, but showed that that didn’t impact how successful he could be. I hurt for him and the kinds of discrimination he faced as a man in figure skating…I thought that was super interesting. But he didn’t let it beat him down, he just became more determined and driven. And that goofy personality was just so endearing…the pajamas…and the pillow. *swoon*

As I said, their romance was odd…but I still fell in love with them together. They fit somehow. He didn’t take her shit personally, and she didn’t take his goofiness as lack of talent/drive. And I loved how his effervescence kind of rubbed off on her. I truly felt their caring for one another, despite the obstacles in their way.

As I’ve said with every other book in this series, the sport aspect is just BAR NONE the best. I love all the different sports explored, and I loved that you could tell the author respects athletes, and enjoys the sports themselves. I love that we actually get to read about them performing, and that I learn something new about them. It just makes me really want to watch the Olympics right now.

So yeah. These stories are all complicated and unusual, but I’m always invested in the end. It helps that I love sports romance, and am humbled by athletes, so I’m fascinated by their lives (that I would never ever want for myself).

On The Brink of Passion is book five in the Snow and Ice Games series. It can be read as a standalone as each book features a different couple and different sports.

I have enjoyed all the previous books in this series. This was my least liked story of the lot. I had a hard time forming any connection to the characters or their story. Mainly because of Jubilee.

Jubilee gives a new meaning to the word ice queen! She has been paired with Beckett in pairs skating solely to bring home a medal. She was such a turn off for me. I realize she had been through the wringer, but the way she treats Beckett, I did not care for.

Beckett was so warm and caring-opposite of Jubilee. He took WAY too much crap from her! We find out what happened to her much later in the book, and by then, my opinion of her couldn't be changed. I felt so bad for Beckett. He came off like a doormat and I wanted him to break free to be with someone worthy of him. I really did not like her.

I think if we were let in on the traumatic event earlier in the story, my thoughts on them as characters and then a couple may have been different.

Brink of Passion is one of the best in the series. Julibee is a figure skater in the Snow and Ice Games. She had everything a loving husband and skating partner until her husband/partner passed away.


Beckett is happy to be Julibee’s new partner. She tough and works hard. They both hope together they can win at the Snow and Ice Games.


A big mixed up happens when they get to the games. They are forced to live together and Julibee is not happy. They make challenge that Beckett can not bring anyone back to there housing while at the games. Julibee and Beckett start just a sex relationship but we all know how just sex never lasts. They both start to fall for each other.


Can Julibee open her heart to another man? Can Beckett bring Julibee out of her shell and find love?


A second chance love story that’s funny, heartwarming and hoping for a big win.

*~~*ARC kindly provided to me for an honest review *~~*

- Review to come

Review originally posted on my blog with added content on Mikku-chan / A world full of words

This is the fifth book in the series and I read it straight after finishing book four five and ice. This one is Jubilee and Beckett's story these two are Ice skating partners but have only been partners since her husband who was her original partner passed away when they have to share a room their relationship starts to change but will either of them get past their past issues to make it work. I liked this book I was pulled right into the story and found myself rooting for these two. A super end to the series.

This book was hard to like. I'd never read the rest of the series. I just could not warm up to the heroine. She just came across as a raging bitch and I had no clue why the hero pursued her. Maybe the other books had more of their backstory but I couldn't figure out their relationship. It was just hard to read when he kept doing her while getting no response. Came off as creepy

Yea I like this author.
I feel like she describes the athlete's thought process fairly well and the romance is never cheesy, mush.

When Beckett and Jubilee have to share a room at the Winter Games their relationship changes drastically. Beckett insists he needs to have some fun, AKA sex, at these games so Jubilee counters with she will be his partner so they can stay on track. The chemistry between them picks up as the story goes on and the backstory that you find out keeps you turning the pages.

I voluntarily read an advanced review copy of this book

After suffering a huge loss Jubilee Buford has fought to work her way back to the top. With the Gold metal in sight Jubilee is ready to live up to her Ice Princess nickname to get what she wants.... until Beckett shows her that maybe there is more to life than winning.

Overall this book was really good. While at first I did not like how Jubilee and Beckett's relationship started I quickly fell in love with them and enjoyed reading how their relationship blossomed. By the end of the book I had a huge smile on my face and a tear in my eye. Very good job Tamsen Parker!

You guys know how much I love all things sports romances. I was excited to read these books because they were set at a Winter Olympics-type sporting event, so we got to see different sports, some that you don't really see in romance. I will say that I enjoyed all of them very much, and pretty much finished them in one sitting, though I was left wanting more.



[★★★1/2]

Love on the Tracks' heroine, Rowan is a luger with a massive crush on heartthrob Zane Rivera. I liked this story quite a bit even though I'm not entirely into books with rockstars. There's the fake-relationship trope here and it was well-written. Both characters are quite likable too. I liked all the insides of luge, which isn't a sport that I've thought too much about, so that was interesting. Who I didn't like in this book was Rowan's dad. He does some shitty things and ugh, I was ready to punch the guy! I will say that the romance between Rowan and Zane developed quite fast here, but I expected that with the short length of this book.



[★★★★]



Seduction on the Slopes was quite possibly my favorite in this series. This one features skiers and an age-gap romance. And it's an M/M romance. I thought this one was so much fun, and I loved the dynamics between Crash and Miles especially. This was definitely on the sexier side, but we see the two begin to fall in love over the course of the sexy times. I would have loved for this book to be a bit longer because I loved these two different personalities and how well they clicked together.



[★★★1/2]



On the Edge of Scandal features the romance of a female hockey player and her coach. It has the unrequited love storyline and ahhh! I don't think I've screamed enough about how much I love this trope! At the start of the book, Bronwyn has a jerk boyfriend, and Ash watches from the sideline as he pushes her around. I didn't particularly care for the scenes of the jerk boyfriend, but once he was dumped, I was pretty happy with this book. There were interesting conversations here about the power dynamic at play, and I liked how there was clear consent given on both Bronwyn and Ash's sides before they dove into a relationship. Their romance is sexy and sweet. Of course, I loved all the hockey elements as well. A good read!



[★★★]



Fire on the Ice is the F/F romance between two skaters competing for different teams. This installment read very differently from the others to me because of how much focus was on the sex, especially in the first half. This was one of my first F/F adult romances, so I was very much scandalized by some of the sex scenes - haha! *blushes just thinking of the book*

I did wish we would have seen Maisy and Blaze connect on a more emotional level in this book instead of just them banging like bunnies. They were both interesting personalities, especially with how different they were from each other. Blaze is more no-bullshit and Maisy is quiet and shy. So, I would have liked to see why exactly these two contrasting people connected so deeply and I didn't feel like we saw that here.



[★★★]



On the Brink of Passion was my least favorite book in this series. It made me a little uncomfortable if I'm being honest. I was excited to read it because it has a figure skating couple, but oh gosh. I'm a romance reader who doesn't always like reading about tougher situations, and here, there were some seriously awkward sex scenes with discussions about verbal and non-verbal consent. It was all important talk of course, but because I wasn't expecting it, it took me aback. I did end up liking it towards the end, especially because the hero, Beckett, was a sweetheart, and the heroine, Jubilee started to open up more emotionally.



Overall, I liked this series a lot though there were both ups and downs. I would definitely read more from Tamsen Parker in the future!

Jubilee, a veteran SIGs pairs figure skater, has returned to the spotlight with new partner, Beckett. She was the SIGs four years ago with her husband as her partner, but shortly after, he suffered an untimely death. Vowing never to lose so much all at once again, Jubilee appreciates Beckett because he is hard working, dedicated, and has no desire to her friend.

Beckett missed out on the SIGs four years ago, after which his then partner and lover, Sabrina, dumped him. Finding Jubilee was a godsend, and the fact that they are favored at the SIGs after only two years together is almost a miracle. Beckett is looking forward to the competition, and everything (and everyone) that comes along with the ride.

Through a mistake in room assignments, Jubilee and Beckett are placed in the same suite, and neither is happy. Jubilee needs her downtime and private space. Beckett needs to get laid, but the Ice Princess won’t allow him to bring anyone back to the room. So on a dare/joke, the pair decide to sleep together.

On the Brink of Passion is a wonderful, amazing story and by far my favorite of the Snow and Ice Games series. It works for several reasons, namely it punches all my yes buttons. I enjoy books where the primary couple already has a strong sense of an established, non-sexual backstory, which is especially important when characters fall deeply in love on a shortened timeline. I also love books that pull at my heartstrings, allowing me to feel the heartache and/or suffering of one/both characters, but also brings me up so high in their love. Finally, the story is well-written, lacking any side stories or distractions that detract from the ebb and flow of the book.

The romantic journey begins well before the book starts - even though neither Beck nor Jubilee recognize it. The pair meshes perfectly on ice, creating an intimacy even though they aren’t friends or lovers. This gives the book a solid foundation for which their love affair can grow. The ludicrous start, being placed in the same suite and having sex on a dare, creates a forced proximity and more intimacy, once again, even though the characters attempt to keep a distance.

Beckett is strong and kind, funny and determined. There were times I was laughing out loud at his thoughts and actions. He had trouble with past partners and has finally found the perfect match in Jubilee. And once they break out of their standard routine and he gets inside of her mind and body, he realizes he loves her. But Jubilee is so determined for history not to repeat itself that she refuses to acknowledge the strong bond and love she shares with Beck. The give-and-take between the two pulled at my heart, causing me to become emotionally connected to the pair.

On the Brink of Passion follows Beckett and Jubilee as they go from platonic partners to lovers. Watching them grow closer, even though Jubilee is determined not to see history repeat itself, warmed my heart. Their story shares heartache and triumphs in equal measures, giving me all the feels. I absolutely adored their romance and highly recommend it to any and all.

My Rating: A, Loved It

Having just intensely watched all the Olympic figure skating, this story was a lot of fun to read! There are lots of technical skating details (which is my jam, though might be more than some readers want), and a couple who sizzle on the ice but haven't attempted anything off the ice for good reason. Jubilee's husband and partner died suddenly four years earlier, and while her new on ice partner Beckett is a steady and consistent and trustworthy presence, she's not ready to move forward into any kind of relationship.

Their initial sex scenes are...well... awkward, because Jubilee and Beckett make an arrangement that he won't bring any women back to their shared room if they are having sex. It's sex on a dare, and while Jubilee is determined not to react (making it hard for Beckett to really enjoy himself with a partner who is not overly enthusiastic (but fully consenting)) it gets harder and harder to deny that she's enjoying herself. Grief takes different forms for everyone, and for her, the idea of losing another partner is terrifying. When she starts to experience deeper feelings for Beckett, she pulls away, and he knows her well enough not to follow. She's got to come to the conclusion on her own that it's worth the risk to be with him.

Beckett is a really nice guy beta hero, easygoing and understanding. He's also talented and a real partner to Jubilee, understanding her moods and quirks. Jubilee is what one might call a 'difficult' heroine - a woman who keeps her emotions in check which makes her seem cold and indifferent. The reality is that she's focussed and still dealing with her grief. They make a good match.

If you want to experience another taste of the Olympics and watch two people go from on ice partners to real life ones you'll enjoy this unique and entertaining romance.

Trigger warnings: death of spouse and partner, grief, panic attacks

This is the last book of the Snow & Ice Games series, loosely based on the winter Olympics. While it’s part of series, each book can be read as a stand-alone, though, honestly, they’re awesome, so just read them all! Spoilers for the book below, as there were some aspects I wanted to talk about in depth.

Jubilee and Beckett are fairly new ice skating partners, and this is their first time together at the SIGs. Jubilee, however, competed at the last Games with her husband, who has since tragically passed away. She’s initially relieved to find that she has a room to herself – until a mix-up leads to Beckett rooming with her. While they’re partners on the ice, it would be highly charitable to go so far as to even call them friends. Jubilee is a serious, driven ice queen, fully focused on taking advantage of this chance at the SIGs, from rounding up sponsors through interviews to practicing their routine to make it as perfect as possible. At one point, Beckett says that Jubilee “lives as though having fun is a crime punishable by death.” The last thing she wants to do is to deal with any emotions about the last time she was at the SIGs, before her husband died. Beckett has his own reasons for avoiding a relationship with Jubilee. He dated his last partner, and was left even more brokenhearted when she kicked him to the curb after they didn’t make the last SIGs. This time, he thinks he has a real shot at the gold with Jubilee, and he does not want to screw that up.

“’Okay then. Just, you know, give me a minute.’
Jubilee’s eyes get big and doubtful, and she heaves what is probably the most massive sigh possible given her small frame. ‘Sure, Beckett. You just let me know when you’re ready to blow my mind. I’ll be reading my book.’”


So, naturally, they end up having some seriously awkward “I dare you” sex. There is some reasoning behind it (Beckett not bringing hookups back to their room), but both characters admit that, at some point, it just becomes a matter of pride and not backing down from a stupid dare. And while these are probably the least sexy sex scenes I’ve ever read, they’re an amazing insight into exactly how f’ed up Jubilee and Beckett’s relationship is. For Beckett, the whole thing is just a exercise in trying to provoke Jubilee into showing some emotions, but for Jubilee it’s a desperate grasp to keep control of the situation.

At one point, when Beckett has basically dared her to go hang out with him at the SIG bar, she wishes she were back at their room watching Tangled. So, going mostly off-tangent: there’s a particular quote from that movie, when Rapunzel asks Flynn what to do after her dream to see the floating lights is gone, and he answers, “You get to go find a new dream.” I’ve heard this particular quote mentioned a lot in the grief and special needs parenting communities (perhaps because it’s a concise version of the “Welcome to Holland” story), and it fit Jubilee as well. For Jubilee, her old dream and her new dream are inextricably intertwined – winning another gold medal at the SIGs, but this time with her new partner. And if she has a relationship – one with feelings, not just sex – with Beckett, then it feels like she’s just repeating history, because she’s convinced she’ll lose him just like she lost Stephen. And even though this is something that Jubilee herself has trouble expressing, Beckett’s able to understand that, even if he’s ready relationship, Jubilee isn’t, and may never be.

“’How about you just do what you always do and let me lead?’
She looks up at me with that sweet little scowl on her face. ‘I have so much fuck you in my heart right now.’


Ok, so heavy grief stuff aside, this book is quite funny. There was a side-plot with Beckett’s former skating partner that I felt was extraneous given the strength of the main plot line, but besides that, there was very little to complain about. And one final note, since is the last of the Snow & Ice Games series – wow, what an amazing ride! I’m definitely hoping Ms. Parker writes a Summer Olympics series!

Overall, this was an fantastic end to the series. Recommended for anyone needing an ice skating fix, especially if you like romances between two strong, hilarious characters!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

3.75 stars

The first book in this series is my favorite, and this one came close to matching it for me, and would have beat it out were it not for the ending. 

The sports aspect of this story is one of the strongest pieces about it, and is one of the best things about this series in general. I've gotten into sports romance only recently, and this series has been working quite well for me on that level. This book was the most satisfying to me in this regard, which is partly because it centers MCs who are doing the same sport and as a team. Yes, they still have competitive drive, but they are working together, and managing the ups and downs of their relationship in the process. Plus it's a sport I know better than the others in the series (or in most sports romances I've read), which made it easier for me to picture what was going on, and get revved up about the moments when they were competing. 

I appreciate the range of pairings in this series, something I wish was part of more romance series. This series includes m/f, m/m, and f/f romances, and while they are loosely connected, they also work as stand alone stories. 

It started out looking like it was going to be a tropetastic romance playing with forced proximity, dare-based competitive sex, and melting ice queen tropes, in a rather lighthearted way, but it cracks open to reveal a story that's actually full of angst, with an intense central grief arc. I liked that bait and switch aspect of it, though I was caught off guard, but I also like both kinds of stories, and enjoy that kind of twisty turny thing. Parker is very good at hooking me as a reader, and getting me to care about the characters, and this book delivers that way. I cared about both the MCs so much, my heart bled for them.

The sex in the book is unusual, in that much of it is, well, bad. It's got several scenes centering sex that include clear verbal consent but no enthusiasm, participation, or pleasure. I found these scenes uncomfortable and rather incomprehensible from the hero's POV, and was relieved when he drew boundaries around this eventually. These scenes made more sense from the heroine's POV, but they felt mostly like self harm. It was difficult to read about, and I'm still wondering if it needed to be described in such detail to get the narrative arc to work. As a survivor, these scenes hurt to read, from either POV. They weighed down the story, and made it difficult for me to root for them as a couple. I was brought around to that in the last third of the book, but this wasn't an easy journey. I'm impressed that Parker got me to root for them.

I appreciated seeing Beck agonize over these scenes, trying to honor what the heroine said she wanted, what she seemed to need, and how she acted (all of which conflicted), and struggling to parse what was going on and how he should act. He cared so deeply about her consent and well being and pleasure, and that's part of what made me fall for him. I also adored that he was just gone over her, both because of her tremendous strength and will and because of her vulnerability. I was glad when he honored how the sex made him feel, and how wrong it felt for him, and drew the boundaries that he needed for himself.

I also really appreciated the way he honored her boundaries throughout the book. This is one of the few m/f romances I've read where there's a separation and it doesn't somehow justify a John Cusack kind of stalking and coercion (e.g. Say Anything, High Fidelity, Grosse Pointe Blank) to get the heroine back. It really stood out, how much he honored her no's and yeses in the story, and that he cared so much about not overstepping. My kind of hero. 

I liked Jubilee so much, her emotional armor and her adorable pajamas and her determination as an athlete. She was caught in a chaotic whirlwind of traumatic grief and fear and trying to make it through that the best ways she knew how. I felt for her, and all the ways she was stuck and struggling, and was really charmed by the inadvertent sweet moments between them. I loved that she intervened when he was being sexually harassed, and I really enjoyed reading about them skating from her POV. 

This romance mostly worked really well for me, in pacing and characterization, and the complexities that it grappled with, and the sports competition arc was gripping. It had so much going for it. And then I got to the chapter where the conflict is resolved and we see the HFN. (Which becomes an HEA in the epilogue.) 

I was troubled by the resolution of the conflict, and I really wished that it had been resolved in a different way. I wanted her to have a BFF who would call her on her behavior and kick her butt and help her to see that she wanted to take a risk even though she was scared, and support her in figuring out how to go after what she wanted. I would also have gladly taken a therapist doing that, or a relative, or all of them together. 

I don't think there's a way to talk about the issues I had with the resolution without spoilers, so HERE BE SPOILERS Jubilee is deeply afraid to let herself be in another relationship because of her traumatic grief from the sudden death of her husband/skating partner, of an aneurysm. Beck gets scans of his brain done to prove to her that he is not at risk of an aneurysm, and offers to get a full range of tests to prove he has no health problems or risk of sudden death. This is the beginning of the conversation that results in her deciding to risk a relationship with him. (One where he also points out that he could still get hit by a bus, there are no guarantees.) I get that she's terrified of losing someone she loves again, but this thing where he decides to prove to her that he has no health problems, and that being the thing that convinces her...it felt awful to read, as a disabled reader with multiple chronic illnesses and PTSD. It was this terrible gut punch, that this is the thing that convinced her, that he was required to be in perfect health in order for her to give him a chance, that he of course felt certain of his perfect health as the key that would get her to open up and take the risk. It was a slap in the face that her traumatic reaction and the phobia that came from it would be resolved so easily. That's not how trauma works. There are no long term guarantees of continued health, and even if there were, it should not take "proof" of health for the person you want to be with, to try a relationship with you. This is a deeply ableist resolution to a story that was actually handling traumatic grief and risk of disability and disfigurement quite well up until that point. 

I think fans of The Cutting Edge might really appreciate some aspects of this romance between couples skating partners, featuring an ice queen heroine. I don't think this book is for everyone, as the reviews I've read reflect; folks had concerns about the tone, the heaviness in the story, and the way the sex scenes worked. I didn't mind the shift in tone towards angst and a grief arc. I struggled a bit with the sex scenes but was generally enjoying the pacing, the arc, the characters, the competitive sports element quite a lot, and it was this ableist ending that didn't work for me. That said, I did like much of the book a great deal, and it is one of my favorites in the series. 

Content Warnings:
The heroine is a widow, and her traumatic grief at the loss of her husband is a huge part of the story. Sexual harassment, which gets challenged. On the page sex, including detailed descriptions of sex that includes verbal consent but no enthusiasm, participation, or pleasure. References to queer hating comments in the past. References to disfiguring injuries in the past. Ableism embedded in the resolution of the romance arc.

On the Brink of Passion
Snow and Ice Games #5
Tamsen Parker
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had a hard time getting into this one. I have really enjoyed this series up till this one. I couldn’t connect with the characters and how they interacted with each other.
Jubilee was a complete ice queen and Beckett was the opposite. But he took so much shit from her and basically had sex with her lying there like a dead fish. It was such a turn off to the story. I understood that she had something traumatic happen to her but you didn’t find that out until later. So I didn’t understand what drew Beckett to her. And that made me think of him as weak. I had a hard time changing my mind. The story would have been better if the characters behaved differently.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 Stars
Jubilee is already a gold medal winner. She and her husband, Stephen, won figure skating gold at the last Snow and Ice Games, but soon after Jubilee’s world crashed when Stephen died. Jubilee was left alone and closed herself off. She tried skating solo, but went back to pairs and found a new partner in Beckett Hughes.

Beckett has had several skating partners in his career, but hasn’t found one willing to stick with him to go the distance. He skates well with Jubilee and their chances of a medal are high. But Beckett’s relationship with Jubilee is on the ice only and based around practice and more practice and they know little about each other off the ice.

When a mix up has them sharing a room at the Games, Jubilee is livid. She likes her space and has no interest in walking in on Beckett with someone in his bed. So, they come to an agreement to sleep with each other during the Games, only Jubilee didn’t expect or want to feel anything for Beckett.

On the Brink of Passion is the fifth and final book in Tamen Parker’s Snow and Ice Games series. The series did not end on a high note for me. This book reads like all the rest in the series with the MCs being in a secret relationship. This book also follows along with the same style of the characters hardly talking to each other and with pages upon pages of internal narrative instead. After four other books in the series, I was really looked for some variety in the style.

The characters here were not to my liking at all. Jubilee was cold and aloof and Beckett was just sort of there. Their first time together was initiated as a dare. Beckett had to talk himself into getting aroused and Jubilee was determined not to enjoy herself and just “fulfill” her “obligation” and this is not the stuff romances are made of. The first few times they are together, Beckett is fantasizing about what it would be like if Jubilee was really into it and Jubilee refuses to enjoy herself and can’t wait for it to be over. All because she didn’t want Beckett to bring other women back to the room. It was awkward and uncomfortable, made little sense, and due to the set up, the characters definitely lacked chemistry.

The book then just follows Beckett and Jubilee as they have these encounters and practice for the Games. There were some scenes of them on the ice, but it was rather basic and what you could find anywhere, and I would have like more in depth sports coverage for a sports series based around athletes. There is a scandal brought it in, but the resolution is glossed over in just a few sentences. A main portion of Jubilee’s issues was the loss of her husband, yet we don’t learn what happened to him until almost the end of the book and then it was in a round about way.

This book also follows the same template as many others in the series as the story takes place during the course of the Games with their future shown in an epilogue. It was never shown how or when these two fell in love, it was all fairly forced, and the entire story didn’t work for me. I was really looked forward to this series set around athletes, but this book and this series did not deliver at all what was expected.

Jubilee is at the latest Snow & Ice Games looking for another gold medal in pairs figure skating with her partner Beck. When a snafu has Jubilee and Beck rooming together everything is about to change between them.

Beck doesn't care that he's rooming with his platonic skating partner -- he's at the games to have some fun in addition to winning a gold medal and he's a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. He's ready to experience the games in all their condom-loving glory, if you know what I mean.He's worried he won't be able to bring his conquests back to their suite until Jubilee gives him an alternative plan -- which is for Beck to contain his extracurricular activities to sleeping with her.

These two are a quite the team as they go from being super uncomfortable during sex to something ever so sweet, but it all goes up in smoke when Jubilee can't seem to get over the fact that she's lost one spouse and skating partner and she can't go through that again. Ever.

I really loved the evolution of the relationship between Beck and Jubilee. From colleagues on the ice to being much more than that, their relationship grows between the agonies they both have experienced in their past. I really felt for Jubilee's grief and how closed off she was. Beck knows he's going to have to work hard to get Jubilie to take a chance on love again.

This is such a sweet story of a widow finding love again and a determined man who didn't give up, even when he had good reason to. Once these two find their groove with each other, the heat level is on high -- I really did love the way their sex life went from almost disastrous and very uncomfortable to something meaningful by the end of the book.

I've thoroughly enjoyed this entire series. Tamsen Parker saved the best for last with On the Brink of Passion.

An ARC was provided for review.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the fifth in the series, and I think they all standalone very well, but obviously all link together due to the location of the events.

Reading this during the Winter Olympics has made it so much more fun and relevant. Especially as there is quite a lot of complex detail about the skating jumps, lifts, etc. Completely loved that I could picture their routines based on having just seen it on TV. If you read this at any other time, I would recommend a quick YouTube of a free dance pairs routine just to get you into the triple salko mood.

It is inevitable that watching two people dance together on the ice, there is a desire to believe that the chemistry follows on in their private lives. Well Ms. Parker has come up with the most amazing story here. The beginning was really quite shocking. I couldn't decide if I felt more sorry for Beckett or Jubilee, but painful it certainly was. As time goes on it feels a little more comfortable, but as we get both viewpoints, we know that there is a massive elephant in the room, which inevitably squashes everything.

I loved how the twists and turns were unravelled and the story gives us what we want, but only after some very dicey moments. It was definitely a story with plenty of complications, but absolutely fascinating and very entertaining for sure. Thank you, Ms. Parker.