In this moment, Amy was all about the joy on Caro's face.

This was one of those books that just made me really happy somehow, despite the flaws it had here and there. It dealt with serious and heavy issues in a way that I appreciated (mostly) but was also just light and realistic in the portrayal of its characters and I liked it so much. Perhaps it's just the kind of book that I needed right now. I just really appreciated how the author really showed us the characters becoming closer, through mundane conversations, their great dialogue and banter, the little back-and-forths, all the teething parts of a new relationship. Liked it said, it felt so real somehow, and so many parts of this made me smile. Especially Doug, who is such a great dog, and every single nickname Amy had for him was so good lol. In a lot of ways it was a simple story, and I can't say the writing or the style impressed me, but the fact that the characters felt like real people went a long way towards making me like it.

Caro's depression and Amy's ADHD were worked well into their stories and personalities. It's always great seeing therapy treated as natural and normal. I loved that biphobia was so thoroughly addressed, especially how it happens within the queer community. I didn't care much for the sports bits, but hey, I rarely do. There were some difficult conversations to be had near them end, handled with varying degrees of deftness. I rarely enjoy how coming out is written about, and sadly this didn't really change my mind on that (though to be clear: I've read MUCH worse, and it's subjective, anyway). Some aspects of the final conflict really frustrated me in how it was written and how the characters reacted and how it was a bit too easily resolved. But I still think kudos is deserved just for the way some of those conversations were handled, and how they kept the lines of communication open.

Content warning for a fair amount of on-page verbal homophobia, and part suicide ideation.

A note on the cover: I like it, but it really doesn't suit the characters now that I've read the book! I know it's not the easiest thing getting good f/f covers, but it would have been great if, idk, the facial expressions had been switched. That smile on the blonde is definitely an Amy smile, rather than a Caro smile.

This was really enjoyable. It had its bumps, but honestly, I just keep coming back to how much this book made me smile.

This was such a great book. The characters went on incredible and believable journeys; professional, personally, romantically, and platonically. A great read for sports and romance fans alike. Excellent read alike for Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Chicago Stars Series.

While the story timeline was on the shorter side, I found Amy and Caro’s emotionally connection satisfying and convincing. Their romance and relationship was right for them, which perfectly tied into the larger theme in the book of found families and finding your place in the world. It was nice that both characters were in their 30’s, as it gives readers who may be in the same age bracket still struggling to find their life happy place a different perspective on how long it takes to ‘grow up’ and life your best life.

Overall I truly enjoyed it and look forward to more by Kelly Farmer, an excellent debut

Out on the Ice by Kelly Farmer - Published on 24 August 2020

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This storyline would not be something I normally read, however, I am glad I did. I was initially interested as it is difficult to find “normal” lesbian books that aren’t just about erotica. This was a book about 2 normal people who happened to be gay and does not define them purely on this.

It was a love story. It showed the difficulties of being gay in modern society. Moreover, I fell in love with the characters and was rooting for them the whole way through. Caro’s story was reminiscent of my own.

I don’t want to say much about the actual story and spoil it for others but I do highly recommend to everyone gay, straight and otherwise. 5 👋👋👋👋👋

Honestly, my favorite part of this book was the honest discussion of bi-erasure. The characters are so cute and they had realistic issues and worked together to solve them.

It's well-written and I'm thrilled that it's bi f/f (yay bi rep!), but honestly I was bored because it's so low-angst. Not for me.

4.5 stars

Out on the Ice is a well-written romance with solid characters who I became very attached to. Both Caro and Amy had to deal with how other people saw them - and especially Caro was very prudent because of this. Her family more or less disowned her when her brother outed her as lesbian, and she didn't want anyone who wasn't part of her inner circle to know.

Amy was very open about being bi, even if some people told her it's not even possible to be bi in the first place. Why do humans so often want a little box to put other humans in? Why is there this need to put a label on people when it has nothing to do with us?

Of course, one of the reasons I loved Out on the Ice is that there's a lot of hockey in the story - it's forever my go-to sport. And it's clear that the author has a good knowledge of the sport as well. And of course, as with any kind of sport, there is a certain level of limelight on the players. Amy was fine with the limelight, she even sought it out. Caro was the opposite, wanting to keep her private life private.

I loved how the relationship between Caro and Amy was a very slow burn - they were both dealing with a bit of self doubt, and they were also very much impressed with each other. Amy had a lot of good friends, and she was very open-minded. Caro was more closed in, and while she did have some good friends, she had been burned pretty hard in the past, and didn't trust easily.

The writing flows very well, and the romance is beautiful. If you're looking for a well-written FF romance, look no more, pick up Out on the Ice and sit back and enjoy.

I enjoyed Caro and Amy’s story. It made me realize how much I miss the camaraderie of playing a team sport. Also how much I am jonesing for the next hockey season to finally start! The author did such a great job setting the story, I really felt like I knew the characters. While there was quite a bit of supporting characters throughout, they were important to understanding each woman and their unique personalities. They were written so well, you enjoyed them as well as the main characters. I loved that this told the full story of Caro and Amy’s relationship. That real issues emerged and were worked through and not glossed over. There were a lot of feelings expressed, addressed and worked through. I especially liked that Caro’s family issues weren’t resolved and magically fixed like a 30 minute TV episode. Let’s be honest, this isn’t they way of most family issues when sexuality is misunderstood. It was refreshing to see that represented here. What I would have liked to see more of was the romantic times between Caro and Amy. If you’re looking for on-page relations, you won’t find it with this book. Overall I enjoyed the story, and it was well written. The author could have taken some “easy outs” with difficult topics that came up, but they were resolved with real world solutions or outcomes.

This book started bit slow, but after reading it I know why. I actually loved this one. Emotional and it goes deep into family issues, and beibg outed.
I liked the characters. I would say polar opposites but great for each other.

There was bunch of issues described and it really touched my heart just reading about it.

Very nice ending. Exactly what was needed.

Caro Cassidy is a former professional hockey player who now owns her own ice skating training facility in the suburbs of Chicago. She has some issues with the way her family treats her, being out and doesn't date much because she was hurt in the past. She hires professional Amy Schwarzbach to be a coach during her summer training camp for girls. Amy is on the other end of the spectrum. She is an out and proud bi-sexual. She has a loving family and a set of wonderful friends. Amy also has had a huge crush on Caro for years.

So overall I enjoyed reading this one. I thought the issues with the mains were valid issues that many people in the lbgt community have. So it was realistic. The mains also took time to get to know each other before jumping into bed. Here is where I had the biggest issue. The sex scene came and I got nothing. Talk about a huge let down. I know some people don't care about sex scenes in a romance, but I do. I was pretty disappointed. I tend to not read romances that don't have sex scenes. So I think those that don't care will find this romance fairly good. For those who love a good sex scene....just know it doesn't exist in this one. I probably would rate it higher but I can only rate 3.75 stars.

TW: homophobia, depression, brief discussions of suicide.

Caro Cassidy has competed in three Olympics before a hip surgery pushed her into retirement. Now she runs Girls & Goals for girls who play hockey and is very private about her personal life. When pro player and social media celebrity Amy Schwarzbach comes to coach Caro's summer camp, the pair eventually acted on their mutual attraction and begins to date. But Amy plays in Boston while Caro lives in Chicago, and that means long-distance as hockey season begins. Can the two very different athletes fight for their relationship even when everything is on ice?

I should first say that the cover photo is slightly misleading for me. Since I cannot associate the two wonderful women as Caro and Amy, the cover prevented me from getting into the story until about halfway through. Then everything clicked into place and I have my own version of the couple in my head. But maybe it is just me.

Neither Caro nor Amy is flawless or completely likeable, and that makes them very real and relatable. Caro feels safer with privacy, and given her ties with her homophobic family, the thought of being out and proud at work makes her uncomfortable. Amy is proudly bisexual and has a strong social media presence. With both Caro and Amy being high profile hockey players, keeping their relationship off the limelight is not easy. But Caro is not ready to have her work associated with her personal life, and Amy tries to respect that. Now that is trouble bubbling up.

Note that there are many hurtful homophobic comments throughout the book, and at one point, I found my vision blurring from anger. If homophobia is triggering to you, maybe reading this book is not a great idea. Also, since Caro has depression and Amy has anxiety, a fair portion of the book deals with mental health. I think the topic was done well, and we can definitely see how Caro and Amy's relationship impacted their mental states. Both characters have insecurities, Caro's stronger than Amy's, and their character growths of overcoming uncertainties are great to read.

To be honest, Caro and Amy's relationship did not fully work for me. Maybe because I didn't get to see a lot of the initial bonding, I was almost convinced their attraction was completely physical. Until about two-thirds into the story and rifts showed up in their relationship. The mending and reconnecting parts had me believe their love was real though.

"Out on the Ice" is a wonderful debut novel that is not a light read. For anyone who loves women in professional sports with honest discussions of mental health, this book is for you. I really enjoyed reading it.

This one has a fantastic synopsis that encapsulates the characters perfectly.

Caro Cassidy used to be a legend.

During her career, Caro was one of the best defense players in women’s hockey. These days, she keeps to herself. Her all-girls hockey camp is her life, and she hopes it’ll be her legacy. Sure, her new summer hire is charming and magnetic, but Caro keeps her work and personal life strictly separate.

Amy Schwarzbach lives life out loud.

Amy’s as bright and cheerful as her lavender hair, and she uses her high-profile position in women’s hockey to advocate for the things she believes in. Ten weeks in Chicago coaching a girls’ training camp is the perfect opportunity to mentor the next generation before she goes back to Boston.

Letting love in means putting yourself out there.

Loving means putting yourself out there. Yes.

It is impossible to not get completely swept away by the wonderful whirlwind that Amy is. But exciting-ness and guilelessness is not all that is there to Amy. She has her own issues but more importantly, she is entirely amazing as a person and as a partner. She totally has it all together and all right.

Caro is more about her baggage and issues. About her fears and about her personality problems. By the end of the book, Caro is making and effort and moving out of her own mental and emotional prison, largely because of Amy’s positive impact on her.

Farmer write both characters with depth and empathy. She creates three-dimensional women who such completely realised characters that they become real. You can totally feel them.

As a couple, we aren’t completely happy with the pairing. We found it very, very one-sided with Amy putting herself out there and making all the effort. We felt Caro didn’t give nearly enough (and far from equal) to either Amy or the relationship. We appreciate that relationships probably work out that way, but it is hard reading it. Harder to feel so invested in Amy and feel she’s not getting nearly as much as she deserves on the caring and emotional level. Yes, by the end, Caro is more open but everything she is doing is about herself and self-acceptance; we didn’t find anything about her putting herself out there for Amy.

So that was our rant about wanting a character we loved to get more.

Rant apart, this is a very, very well written book. Completely engaging, thoroughly involving and, well, Amy.

We unhesitatingly recommend this one.

I think the book was overall cute, I just didn't love it. I think this book works for people who are fans of slice of life romances. If you're into more intense romances I wouldn't recommend it. It was cute and I liked the romance but it wasn't anything spectacular. Although if you prefer low heat romances, this is perfect.

There is homophobia in this. but I will be honest, I found it kind of...cartoonish? It was religion based but it felt a little over the top in my opinion. It felt like caricatures of the kind of people who genuinely believe those things.

In the end, not a bad book but it didn't leave any kind of impression.

Not for me
Caro was one of the best on the rink in her pro hockey days. Now she lives a quiet life with her own rink and project teaching girls hockey. Amy is an out and proud bisexual woman who has crushed on Caro for years. Now she finally has a chance to spend time with her idol when she signs up to be a coach for the summer. When a relationship blooms between the two women, can there be a half way point or will they be unable to make it work?

This is a good debut book. Its very well written and engaging. The romance is sweet and I liked the story. I have real mixed feelings about the tale too though. The bisexual aspect of the book was pretty in your face. There are parts where it was talked about in detail, what it means to be bisexual, how Amy feels and deals with it etc. While Caro isn’t really in the closet, she’s not exactly out wither and I feel like Amy forced her out but at the same time if they had talked about it, maybe things would have gone smoother. I don’t know, it was necessary for Caro to come out but I didn’t really like the way it was done or the way Amy was so in your face about doing some of the things she did. I wasn’t happy that Caro couldn’t see things a bit more Amy’s way either so…. Im glad I read this book but it really didn’t do a whole lot for me. Hopefully you feel differently.

For a debuting author this a pretty good book.

Former hockey star Caro runs an all girls ice hockey club and she has just hired a new coach for her summer camp. Amy is a hockey pro and nutritionist and the newest coach at Girls & Goals (lame name). Caro is an extremely private person, one might even say totally closed off. Amy in the other hand is the exact opposite; bubbly and an over-sharer. Caro’s psychiatrist urges her to step out of her comfort zone and do something besides work. Amy is the perfect person to drag her out of her shell, Amy is happy to do it since she has had a crush on Caro since forever. Caro struggles with depression and poor self esteem, I think Amy struggles with some self esteem issues at well, but hides it better. They are drawn together and bring out the best in each other. The reluctance of Caro to make their relationship public or say something in support of the LGBTQIA+ rubs Amy in the wrong way, but she try understand where Caro is coming from.
Somehow they overcome there differences and a happy ending is just around the corner..

The books starts with a warning about sensitive content, suicide to be precise, so I was kind of expecting some real drama. There was such a brief mention of suicidal thoughts that it almost didn’t register with me. Throughout the book I was actually kind of waiting for it, for the angst to become to much, but it was only a mentioned about the past. In my opinion the warning is a bit much. There is a good amount of talk about metal health, which is good, especially in these times. I get where both characters are coming from but I do find that Amy is giving up too much of herself in the beginning of the book, it gets better towards the end.. the story is also a bit slow and sort of repetitive at some points. The sense of timing in the book is a bit off as well, some days are pages long and some months are just skipped without mention. Overall it’s a pretty decent read, mostly because of the writing style and the openness around mental health.

I really wanted to like this book. I played ice hockey in college so I have always wanted an f/f hockey romance. But I just didn’t love it. The pacing and writing are uneven at best.
The use of “female identifying” is antiquated and borderline offensive. A big yikes for it to be used several times in the book.
The characters needed more development. I really wanted to love this book... but couldnt

I"m not really sure what to say about this one. I enjoyed it and when I had to put it down I wanted to get back to it and read more.

Here is the tricky part. The characters...both main characters are a bit annoying in their own rights and sometimes i just had to grit my teeth. But they are both real. real struggles, real issues that make them ohhh so relatable. So while they annoyed me and I'm not a huge fan of either one, they worked and the story pulled it all together. I am looking forward to reading about other characters we met in this book.