Hot on the Ice!

I found myself in the middle in this book. I truly liked Lily, especially when she stood up to Dante and not allowing them to fall into a second-chance relationship without some solid ground. However, I did not like how she always assumed the worst and would not talk with Dante about her fears and her thoughts before crucifying him for actions of which he wasn’t in control. On the other hand, I liked Dante after he figured out his own priorities, but hated his reactions to the same events. It’s like neither of the main characters considered the other important enough to discuss and decide actions together! It takes a lot of finagling by outside characters to make their relationship work, which made me wonder what would happen when they need to navigate their relationship alone. I was very impressed with Savannah (Van) and Jessie! The way they worked to save Lily and her business partner Abby was nothing short of inspired! One nit-pick was some of the terms used with respect to hockey. I’ve never heard the use of the term Zebras for refs! I thought when I first read it, we were talking about the other team! Also, a puck is a puck, not a biscuit.

Overall, I enjoyed Jessie and Savannah more than Lily and Dante and I wanted to shake both Lily and Dante at various points in the story. This was an ok read for me.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Entangled Publishing. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.

Let me start you by warning you that the hero does cheat on the heroine and this is their second chance romance.

It took me a very long time to get into this book, and I think that was in part because there was a lot of detail that didn’t really contribute to the plot. The other thing I had a huge issue with was that...Lily kept making sacrifices for Dante and their relationship despite having been through this once already.

Dante spends a lot of time regretting the mistakes he made with Lily the first time around, but it doesn’t seem like he’s grown from them in any way, which is a little unfortunate. The two of them did have chemistry, but sometimes, chemistry isn’t all you need!!

Lily’s character, outside of Dante, was very endearing. I loved how clever she was, and driven by her ambition to be a chocolatier. She’s the reason I hung on this long, and I loved seeing her grow, I just wish that she’d gotten more.

I enjoyed the premise, but unfortunately, I just wasn’t able to get into it.

[Thank you Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing this book to me in exchange for an honest review!]

I really enjoyed this story a lot. I am a huge hockey fan and love the romances about the players. This book did not disappoint. NHL player Dante is at the top of his game, but there was always something missing. When he runs in to Lily at a promotional event he soon realizes that she is what is missing piece. They had a relationship years ago but he made a huge mistake. Now he needs to fix his mistake, if he could get Lily to give him another chance. Lily has put Dante in the past, but when he returns, all those feelings resurface. Willing to try again, they start a relationship. Unfortunately, there is someone that doesn’t want them to be together. They will stop at nothing to tear Lily and Dante apart. I cannot express what a great story this was. It was sweet, sexy and funny. Hoping that the other players get their own stories too!

3.75
I really liked the plot of this book, it had GREAT promise. One issue I had was that there seemed to be the same reoccurring issues unsolved. I don’t want to spoil things for other readers, so some of the other things I had a problem with I won’t mention for now.
One thing I can mention that doesn’t really have to do with the story is that I kept seeing “oh-kay” which doesn’t seem right in my head while I’m reading, it made me feel like they were trying to teach me how to pronounce the word.
Overall I would give this author another chance, because I loved the promise of this book and the characters did flow well together. Lily and Dante ARE meant to be.

Second chance, hockey, baker

I love hockey and romance but I’m sorry to say I wasn’t getting into the writing or the couples here.

I liked the journey Lily and Dante went through to get to their HEA. Even though Dante was not right the first time their relationship ended in the way he ended it, I think it made them better and stronger. Lily made herself become stronger, more independent, and determined to be a success. They were very cute with each other until the drama came. Then he made me sad and a little angry. I was glad he finally understood and took into consideration Lily's feelings. And that they were able to work through their differences to find their way together again. Another feature I loved about this story were the friendships and camaraderie between the ladies and the Dockers players. I really hope for more from these characters. I am intrigued by Noah and Jessie. I really want to see Amy and Savannah find someone as well. The other teammates were a hoot and need someone too.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher through Netgalley.

This was a fun & steamy sports romance.
Sports romances aren't usually what I go for but the premise of this sounded like it was going to have a lot of angst and steam so I gave it a try.
I think the premise worked ok but I wanted a bit more drama. I was not a fan of Dante. It's the same problem I have with Anthony Bridgerton. I'm going to treat you badly because I don't want to face my feelings. Just not the kind of hero I enjoy reading in romance novels.
I did like Jessie and was rooting for her the whole book.
Overall, I think there needed to be more drama, especially between the main leads, but the story itself was entertaining enough.
Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the arc. This did not influence my review.

Dante and Lily's is a sports romance story, I enjoyed it as it had some refreshing circumstances that most authors avoid for being a possible trigger, but I actually liked the way it was approached in the story and how it improved from a romance to a more emotional read. Full of angst until you get a redemption made this story one I liked and will look forward to more from the author. A second chance, that takes up a few years later, full of emotions, good characters, and hockey. Definitely one you want to read if you like those topics.

Lily has invested her heart and soul into her chocolate business but through no fault of her own her business could be in jeopardy. She needs some financial backing to overcome the obstacle she is facing but she never expected to see Dante, the man who broke her heart in the most painful way possible years earlier, or that he would offer to assist. There is nothing she would like to say more than no but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Dante is a professional hockey player who believes it was the right decision to end his relationship with Lily but the way he ended it was wrong. He wants to make amends for the past and maybe have a second chance along the way but he is about to find out that Lily isn’t just going to forgive and forget.

A little intrigue and a whole lotta angst as Lily and Dante try to find their way back to each other now that they know what and who they want in their lives.

I fell in love with this book first because it is about a hockey romance and second because the cover is very eye catching. I love second chance romance books. Dante and Lily were together when they were younger and they did not work out. When they meet again the sparks fly between these two. They have so much chemistry between them. I love reading their story. The side characters were great. I look forward to reading more books by this author. Thanks Net Galley. I voluntarily reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review.

Hot on the Ice by Anna Sugden is a steamy sports romance that is sure to warm your heart and leave you wanting more. The characters are vividly realistic with intriguing backstories all set in an incredible storyline, making it hard to put down. I read this in one sitting.

Hot on the Ice is a hockey romance by Anna Sugden. I was excited to pick this one up, but it just didn't do anything for me. I wasn't gripped the way I wanted to be. The cheating aspect is fitting of the circumstances, but I just didn't care. I didn't connect to the characters and didn't really care what happened to them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled publishing for an advanced reader's copy of this book. I love sports and romance and books. So to be able to read a book about sports and romance was great.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Anna Sugden for the opportunity to review a copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Lily needs an investor for her growing chocolate business. Dante wants to earn back the trust he broke years ago. Why not help a former flame out with a worthwhile business?

I loved that Lily was a chocolatier with expansion plans. Knowing exactly what she likes based on customer feedback and potential investor interest. Plus, she constantly communicates with business partner Amy on any decision instead of miscommunication. A rarity in this book.

Food is a shared experience with Lily and Dante. There's one scene with a family recipe that made me heart happy. Perfect for the just post Valentine lull. There's something intimate in handing down tips and recipes to someone you love. Makes me root for a couple.

I gave the book a low three stars because there was too much plot and not enough romance. Don't get me wrong, I love some hockey talk. But some of the other plots cluttered the story. Too many moving parts. I felt like some of the reconnection was missing that spark and sizzle. Instead readers are constantly reminded of Dante's constant memories. Very Gordon Bombay.

I wanted a bit more bonding during tumultuous times. When your villain has a definite stalker edge plus frightening ambition, perfect bonding opportunities appear. But remain underutilized. Plus, Dante felt a little too pushy at times. I prefer honest groveling. Bone deep "I'm so sorry baby please forgive me by letting me show you I understand" groveling. It's not just grand gestures. Another level of emotional intimacy in listening to your partner.

That's not to say I disliked the book. I did! I loved the side characters. I'm invested in Noah and Jessie's story. I just wasn't as invested in Dante. And the writing style was very clunky at times with random bouts of filler or too much tell without show. Perhaps this would have been a second in a series instead of the first. Lily's friendships helped make me enjoy the book, though. They clearly were willing to take Dante to task when necessary. Even his friends and coworkers.

Hot hockey guys and the ladies who love them. Dante and Lily have history. It’s a history that wants to repeat itself. The story showcases the ups and down of a relationship complicated by the limelight. There is the drama that goes with the hanger ons of the sports world. There are some great characters and the conversations are sharp and witty. The arc of the story is great which leads to a wonderful wrap in the end.

I usually like hokey romances way more than I cared for this one. First of all, I hated all the nicknames. It was way overdone, It became annoying to me. I just could not get over it.

This was also very dull for me. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, and yet it never did.

Thank you NetGalley, Entangled Publishing and Anna Sudgen for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
You know it’s not going to go well when you have to re-read the FIRST PAGE multiple times just to make sure you got the name right. I know it’s a hockey thing to have nicknames for the team, but this was bad. So distracting, so inconsistent. Everytime a nickname came up in the book my reading pace would literally stumble. It just wasn’t written smooth enough. Add on the fact that there were a ton of characters mentioned and I was lost.
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It wasn’t all bad, though! I really did like the general plot of the book, but I just couldn’t like Dante. What he did was unforgivable and he’s just not a male lead I want to read about! The chemistry was there at certain parts and felt totally forced at others. All in all, I just didn’t like this one!

I found Hot on the Ice by Anna Sudgen, missing the charm and humor that draws me into a contemporary romance. I love reading sports romance; devouring them in one sitting. This story was sometimes difficult to follow, given information was missing that the author assumed the reader knew; much about Lily and Dante’s previous encounter as well as other information. Bits and pieces were added throughout the story, but it would have been nice to have had earlier.

Lily and Dante were interesting characters and I liked Lily from the start as she didn't allow herself to be swayed by an old flame; even if there were still had feelings. When she did give in, because in her eyes Dante kind of redeemed himself explaining why he broke up with her the way he did; by cheating. Dante was quite cocky making me to wonder if his feelings towards Lily were truly genuine. By the second half of the story Dante did start making steps toward becoming a nice guy. The secondary characters were a great addition to the story, especially Jessie and Noah. There's definitely a story there. I also enjoyed the business aspect of the story and seeing a pair of female partners running their own business

I found this story somewhat dull; having to often take breaks, just to get through the book. Much of the romance and relationship building was skipped over, and not much insight into how the relationship progressed was given. I really wanted to like Hot on the Ice, it was the perfect recipe for everything that I enjoy while reading. Unfortunately, I think the author missed out on a few of the dynamics.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

This was a second chance romance story between the MCs as they dated before and the H cheated and if that wasn't enough publicly humiliated and broke up with the h. That's not a good start on my book and I just couldn't picture them as a couple the secondary characters had more going on.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book received from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was given an ARC for an honest review. Two stars out of five. (my rating system: [one star = no.] [two stars = meh] [three stars = okay] [four stars = yes.] [five stars = wow!]) Hot On The Ice is a standalone and my first book by Anna Sugden.

I did not like this book. The only reason it took me two days to finish it was solely because I was disinterested. I woke up the next day and tried to remember what book I was reading and what was going on .. and my mind was blank. I was on the last few chapters and felt no urgency to get to the end of the story.

Plot Summary:
Lily Eddison is an up and coming chocolatier until her landlord is trying to kick her out as soon as possible. She needs investors to keep her new business float with a move. She would rather never accept help from Dante “Fireman” Taylor but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Dante’s whole life is hockey. He’s never had time for love, but when the opportunity arises to invest in Lily’s business and be a part of her life, he can't seem to let go. Eventually their relationship goes from just partners to more.. and he’s all in, except a crazy stalker’s revenge gets in the way. Can he salvage their relationship again?

Overall, I found this book boring. I didn’t ever vibe with either of the main characters. Dante’s constant self depreciation honestly just got on my nerves and felt like a lot of excuses for his behavior. Lily on the other hand was annoying. The book wasn’t that steamy. It had a filtered feel to it. For example, I’m not sure if this was to be quirky or something but this phrase came up a lot, “anatomically impossible sexual position” or “near impossible sexual position” when the players were cracking jokes with each other. It is an easy read and if any of the plot summary calls to you, give it a try. Just because it wasn’t for me doesn't mean someone else won't enjoy it.