After a terrible accident sends Amaliya Marcell's world into a tailspin, she shelves her dream of dancing professionally and she moves in with friends of her family. Her time at the rink leads to her meeting pairs skater Tyler Linden, who's partner just announced retirement. Can her background in ballet and comfort on the ice be enough to make their growing dreams come true?

Perfect for fans of figure skating, this sweet romance brings the best of both worlds during the golden age of figure skating. It reminded me of Cutting Edge a little with the premise of turning a novice into a competitive pairs figure skater. Tyler is an all-around great guy, respectful and driven, I liked how he is protective of Amaliya and helps her navigate the ins and outs of the competitive figure skating world.

Overall, as a fan of figure skating I thought that this was an enjoyable read, and I liked that there was more than a sweet romance moving the plot. The author did her research and it was smart to set the story in the 80's to make the story more feasible. I liked Amaliya's willingness to try new things and take on challenges. An entertaining read, compelling and sweet.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have read other stories by this author and am never disappointed with her ability to draw the reader in to the story she weaves. This story accomplished just that. After a family tragedy, Amaliya Marcell moves to Connecticut half way through her senior year to live with some family friends leaving behind the life she has always known in Virginia. While there, she meets Tyler Linden, who is a world renown pairs figure skater. When his partner and sister decides to retire suddenly, he is looking for a new partner. He is disappointed with all the applicants he interviews and then his sister notices Amaliya and her grace and poise and natural artistic abilities on the ice. She is a ballerina who has studied ballet all her life but her father taught her how to play hockey and skate on ice. When she combines both skills, she might just have what it takes to a successful figure skater, with some training.

This story focus on Tyler and Amalia's story but also weaves in all the secondary characters of family and friends to keep the story interesting and well-rounded. It had me hooked and kept me reading until its conclusion. I can't wait to read the next book in the series now.

This is was clean and wholesome and had lots of heart, romance and a little drama thrown in.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.

An Unlikely Pair is a modern-day novel written by Traci Hunter Abramson.

Summary: Amaliya Marcell’s life has been turned upside down. She has always wanted to be a ballerina like her famous mother, but when tragedy strikes, she isn’t sure she will ever dance again.

Tyler Linden has been a pairs ice skater for most of his life. With his partner’s sudden retirement from the sport, he feels set adrift. Can a chance encounter with Amaliya make his Olympic dreams come true?

My Thoughts: I really liked this book. It is well-written, has a good storyline, and a nice romance as well.

This is a book I would re-read, and I don’t say that very often, but I really did enjoy it.

If you want an easy read with a little bit of romance, this book would probably work for you-especially if you like stories set in the figure skating/sports world.

I would like to thank Covenant Communications for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of "An Unlikely Pair" by Traci Hunter Abramson.

Amaliya Marcell is set to begin her like as a ballerina, just as soon as she graduates from high school. She has offers already appearing that her parents, a famed hockey coach and ballerina, are delaying her from accepting up until they are in a car accident and end up in the hospital right before Amaliya's 18th birthday. After this her parents suggest she accepts her offer to move across the country to follow her dream but Amaliya doesn't want to dance anymore, especially if her mother can't.

Moving in with her parents friends Amaliya helps Miles with a hockey practice and meets Tyler by accident. Tyler has just lost his partner for pairs figure skating and has had no luck looking for a replacement. Could Amaliya be someone to help him achieve his dream of an Olympic Gold?

I really enjoyed this story. It was a typical sports romance story but it was told well. There was enough tension and enough setbacks that it wasn't impossible to believe in Amaliya's success and I became invested in Tyler and Amaliya's skating and relationship as the story moved along and they were working toward their dream together.

Enjoyable, fun and light I thought this was a 4 star read.

Traci Hunter Abramson is always one of my go to authors.. While her Navy Seal series have been my favorite thus far, this new series has had me so intrigued as I have read each book. I would suggest reading the two novellas, Dancing to Freedom and Broken Dreams before reading An Unlikely Pair so you are familiar with the back story of some of the characters you are introduced to in this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for the ARC.

Romance, contemporary, sweet; Series, but stand alone read
Amaliya Marcell and Tyler Linden's story was so fun to read! I loved their honest hearts, the setting, and the talent they both had. Seeing Katerina and Robert (Amaliya's parents), and their friends again was a fun part of this novel. Loved seeing Amaliya develop her talent and skill in a way that melds her parents talents with her own unique gifts along with her talent working with Tyler was captivating and perfect! Perfect seeing how Amaliya built on her talent as a ballerina, and skill as a skater from being with her father to develop and aquire the new skill in skating.

Seeing the romance between Amaliya and Tyler develop along with their talent as a skating pair, through myriad misunderstandings, moments, and of course their blooming attraction for each other, was the other main part of this novel.

T.H.A. gets the small moments that 'tell' a story and 'show' the characters thoughts, motivations, concerns, cares, and feelings. She knows how to make the story come alive sharing the hurts, hopes, triumphs, and emotions of her characters. Hoping to see another installment in this series for the 'final' competition! Loved the moments when the characters soared!
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review, my opinions are my own.

Amaliya is pretty sheltered when she has to leave home and stay with family friends. She’s led a fairly charmed life, despite her mother’s past as a defector from the Soviet Union. A high school student, Amaliya faces typical problems related to having to move during senior year, finding friends, and overcoming her fears about her parents’ recovery from a car accident. Her father is a professional hockey coach; her mother was a star ballerina, and Amaliya aspires to be a professional ballerina.

Tyler has an on-again-off-again girlfriend who trains with the same coach. He’s determined to get to the Olympics in pairs skating, despite his sister’s retirement and his girlfriend’s suggestion that he switch to singles. When he sees Amaliya at the local ice rink, something about her skating intrigues him. Eventually, they become partners, though she’s barely even done single jumps before, let alone the doubles that are the minimum requirement for competition.

Nonetheless, he’s determined that her ballet ability will be the key and she can learn the rest. Naturally his coach disagrees and his girlfriend is skeptical.

A variety of challenges and setbacks ensue on the path toward Olympic qualification.

I have to say, my biggest question goes back to my own ballet days: my ballet teachers wouldn’t allow us to ice skate. They told us it was bad for our ankles. I don’t know if that’s really a thing, or if it was just my teachers, but it did make me wonder.

One of my favorite scenes is when Tyler and Amalia start teaching in order to pay for ice time. Naturally, Tyler is assigned the hockey boys, and Amalia is assigned to beginner figure skaters. They convince their boss to let them switch, and Amaliya makes quite an impression on the little boys—and their dads—who think a girl can’t coach hockey.

Possible objectionable material:
Teenage drama. Drunken prom dates. Kissing. Hearing about Amaliya’s parents’ injuries could be worrisome. Seriously though, there’s nothing here that I think would be inappropriate for a 12-year-old.

Who might like this book:
Those interested in ballet and/or ice skating. The protagonists are late teens/early 20s. Those who like innocent romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for the eARC, which was provided in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

This book also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2021/12/a-dozen-by-traci-hunter-abramson.html

The 80s setting is so fun! I would love to read more book set in that time period! I love that the author was up to the challenge and was able to create relatable characters that you find yourself rooting for!

An Unlikely Pair is a cute but very predictable book. If you liked 'The Cutting Edge," you will love this book. It was a quick fun read but nothing really noteworthy in the plot.

Tyler is a pair's figure skater. His sister, who is his partner is retiring and Tyler is looking for a new partner. Amaliya comes from a famous family. A father who is a renowned hockey player and a mother who is a world-class ballerina. When you put them together there was no way she would be anything but an excellent skater. When Tyler takes a chance on her as his new partner they begin to connect on and off the ice.

Thanks, NetGalley for the advance copy.

I think I'm going to honest here. I was drawn in by the books cover. It's simply gorgeous! I'm a big ham when it comes to book covers.
But anyway, this story stole my heart because of the characters and I love ice skating. This particular subject fascinates me because I'm enthralled of how they managed to stay in their routine or in competition without falling. I'd be horribly embarrassed so I really admired these characters.
Traci has done a marvelous job with this subject. She had me drawn in from the beginning to end. I didn't want the story to end. It was super that she had my heart soaring with Tyler and Amylia.
I think would like to read more about this sweet couple and hopefully the author will pick up their story where she left off from this one!
My thanks for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Highly recommended!

I very much enjoyed reading this story. Amaliya’s story is quite compelling. So many unexpected events have brought rapid changes into her young life and turning from being a ballerina to a pairs figure skater is only one of those. Tyler and Amaliya’s partnership works from the very beginning and I found myself cheering them on as they prepare for an important figure skating competition. There is a very sweet, clean romance that develops between them, but the main storyline revolves around their skating and competition. Readers who love Olympic competition will especially enjoy this book.

I’d classify this story as more of a sweet and clean general fiction story rather than Christian fiction. There are great values in this story of honoring your family; working hard to reach a goal; and having compassion for others.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was like a mix of The Cutting Edge and Save the Last Dance. If you like those movies you'll like this book.

This is my first read of Traci Abramson’s books though she’s been on my radar for a while. I don’t ice skate but figure skating is my favorite winter Olympic sport to watch so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read this book.

It’s a fast read and I really enjoyed learning about the technical aspects of skating and competition. I liked both Amaliya and Tyler though they’re much younger than I expected. Their relationships, emotions, reactions, and dialogue are probably consistent with their age but felt somewhat under-developed. I’m not sure how feasible it is for an almost professional ballerina with skating background to be groomed into Olympic pairs figure skater in less than a year but the excitement at the possibility of this new dream for Amaliya and Tyler is palpable and contagious throughout the book. It looks like this book is a part of a series with some novellas thrown into the mix, so be prepared for the ending of this book to not be the ending of their story.

I received the book from the publisher via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own.

This book made me a big fan of Traci’s. It was my first time reading one of her books let just say I am hooked. I went out and bought a few of her other books. Let just say I have been a big fan of ice skating since I was little. I loved the elements of Romance the book had in it. I also love how the characters had opitilcules to over come and how they both grow from them! Traci has a way with writing that just sucks you in from the start to finish!

This was a great read! I was sucked in quickly, and the action and adventure continued to keep me engaged. I was on the edge of my seat, reading as fast as I could to find out how they would jump over the next hurdle. This is my first book by Tracie, and I will definitely come back for more.

Her characters, while on the young side, were very real and had to deal with a lot of tragedy. I appreciated how realistically they responded to events in their lives. Amaliya and Tyler were adorably sweet, and from all their practicing they were very determined. They set high dreams and achieved them.

If you are looking for a sweet romance that reminds you of the Olympics, this is the one! Figure skating is one of my favorite events to watch, and this story is kind of like the “backstory” of all skaters prior to becoming Olympians.

I was first drawn to this novel by its beautiful cover, it sets the tone of the story. The author is a remarkable, insightful storyteller who quickly draws readers in and keeps them hooked with a heartfelt story, a unique situation, and full-bodied characters. I felt for Amaliya Marcell being an only child dealing with her parents’ accident. I also felt for Tyler’s situation with his sister. Both of these young people are driven to make their dreams come true. I bought the fact that Amaliya was a quick learner and could achieve very difficult maneuvers on the ice in a short period of time. It could happen for this high achiever, given her father’s skating training and her mother’s ballet influence and background. I felt it was believable. I liked seeing how Amaliya’s mother and father’s friends went to bat for Amaliya and Tyler so that they would have a chance at qualifying for professional level competitions. There is a real sense of community as everyone tries to help this skating couple become a team to have a chance to be in the finals.

The author does a brilliant job of taking the reader onto the ice with Tyler and Amailya. I felt like I was skating with them and at times watching them, feeling their highs and lows of their performances as they learned how to be partners, and friends. Tyler was learning how to teach Amailya their routines at the same time, not put too many demands on her skills just yet. The story takes place in the 1980s, and has a nice, nostalgic feel to it. I loved the details of their skating lives. I liked many aspects of an athlete’s journey to the Olympics. It is hard work, and the author shows that side along with the fierce competition and gives readers a peek at some things that can derail competitors.

The author left readers wanting to know what happens next. I was thrilled to know there will be more books in this series. I looked forward to seeing how this partnership grows as skating competitors and what happens with the sweet budding, wholesome romance between them. This book is about succeeding in the face of hardship, learning how to adapt to challenging situations when live does not go according to plan.

It is a positive and inspiring novel you won’t want to miss. This is the second book I have read by this author. The last novel I read was a suspenseful, drama. Loved it and this book too. I highly recommend this for a fun, great escape, looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

<b>Gold medal winner!</b>

I don't watch a lot of ice skating outside of the Olympics, but I have always loved the sport. I also feel like a ballerina trapped in a clumsy body. My soul is that of a dancer, so you'd better believe I connected with this book in intricate ways.

This story takes place in the 1980s, which was interesting to me, because that's about the time I would've started watching the sport in the Olympics and tying a rope around my Barbie's waist to twirl her around and pretend she was skating. Amaliya and Tyler come together in a wondrous way and I was completely captivated following along on their journey. I couldn't get enough of the beauty of it and the technicalities were fascinating to me. I could visualize every stroke of the blade in my head and it was perfection. I loved the growth and attachment, especially as the story progressed.

And just as a side note, I'm crossing every finger and toe, hoping there will be more to Amaliya's and Tyler's story, because it just wasn't enough--I wasn't ready for it to end.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*

I have loved figure skating since I was a little girl watching the Lillehammer Olympics - and romance novels about figure skating are my catnip! I love reading about couples who get romantically involved after working grueling hours together to achieve a goal - it was lovely to see Amaliya and Tyler's connection and relationship grow. Thank you so much to the publisher for gifting me with an ARC of this lovely book.

4.5*

As a child I could not get enough of figure skating. It was so amazing and magical for me! I still love watching it. Growing up we'd go skating at a local ice rink and my friends and I always tried to do some cool moves and pretend we were going somewhere with our skills. Hahaha! No, we didn't make it farther than just skating in circles around the rink and attempting some very small jumps and skating backwards. But hey, we had fun, and still loved to watch professionals and dream.

When I saw the cover for this book I was beyond excited! Flashback to all those times skating at the rink. This author is a go to author for me. She writes amazing suspense novels and I kept wondering if this one would have some sort of suspense or intrigue within the pages. There's a little bit of suspense, but more in the sense of reading quickly to see how the routine would turn out and how their scores would rank against the other skaters. Lol! With it being a little different than her other novels and series, it was still a great read! I was amazed at the detail within and the knowledge she displayed through all the skating jargon and figure skating world. This just goes to show how meticulous the research for books can be. And all that research paid off and showed in the beauty of this book.

I loved Amaliya and Tyler. They were a fun couple to read about. They had struggles occurring in their lives. I liked the added dimension that brought to the story as well as the way that they and the other characters in the book handled the ups and downs that were thrown at them. The opening of the book had me holding my breath wondering what the outcome was going to be. These characters are strong and resilient. There are moments of sadness and sorrow but I was so impressed with how they moved forward.

If you're a fan of Traci Hunter Abramson's writing, you're going to enjoy this one. A little different than the genre she usually writes in but it still pulls you in and has you invested in the characters, their story, their struggles and the hope for a good outcome.

Content: Clean. Some moments of peril and mild suspense but nothing graphic.

I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

I absolutely loved this book and had trouble putting it down. Loved escaping into this world of figure skating, romance, and happy(?) endings. Would love to follow their journey for longer.