Have I said how much I love the Dream's Edge series? Sorry (not sorry) but I'm going to say it again--I'm in love with this series of books and novellas that are taking me on this journey with Amaliya and Tyler as they overcome trials and obstacles in their quest for Olympic gold. Ice skating has been my favorite winter Olympic event since I was a teenager which was a loooong time ago. To me it's like a combination of ballet and ballroom dancing (two of my favorite things) on ice. I finished reading Dreams of Gold the night the team ice skating event started so I was all ready to watch some fantastic ice skating.

This book picks up right where An Unlikely Pair left off. Tyler and Amaliya are getting ready for the competitions that will help them get to the Olympics. Unfortunately, that's not all their dealing with--they have to adjust to Amaliya's parents being back in their home, and to say Amaliya's father isn't a fan of Tyler is an understatement. They're competing against their coach's former skaters, and there's an injury that threatens to end their dream of going to the Olympics.

The descriptions are so great I could see the choreography in my head and almost hear the scrape of their blades on the ice as I read. Having grown up when the Soviet Union existed, I can say the author did not exaggerate when describing the security for the athletes and the fears Gordon, Tyler and Amaliya's coach, had regarding his skaters. When Amaliya wanted to find her family I was so afraid something would happen that would keep them from competing.

Traci Hunter Abramson has written another fantastic story that will pull you in, but it's not just about Tyler and Amaliya skating their way to gold, it's about family, trust, overcoming obstacles, and fighting for what you want to achieve. Be prepared to read all day or late into the night, depending on when you start reading, and warn your family because things in your house will fall by the wayside until you're finished.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Covenant Communications via NetGalley for review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Dreams of Gold is book two in the Dream’s Edge series and I would definitely recommend reading book one, An Unlikely Pair, first. I believe that you could probably follow along and enjoy this book even if you hadn’t read the first one, yet that first book covers the way Amaliya and Tyler met and began working together as a figure skating couple and their journey to falling in love, as well. It made these characters feel like real people and made them important to me.

Once again, just as in book one, I felt that the author really immersed me in the life of these figure skaters. From the little things, such as the way the coach monitored their diet, to choosing music and strategy, to overcoming setbacks, and to the absolute dedication needed to become champions, I felt as if I was there with them all the way. These two had some big things to overcome, which made their journey together that much more special.

I really liked Amaliya and Tyler in both books and I am hopeful that there will be future books in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Abramson has a gift of pulling the reader in right away! Then she keeps them there with heart pounding moments and a story you cannot put down. She combines action, suspense, and love flawlessly in this 1980s figuring skating romance. If it is possible, this book is even better than I anticipated it would be. It had heart stopping moments and then moments where my heart was pounding with anticipation! Abramson is truly gifted with her story telling, she brings the reader into the story where they feel like they are a part of it. I literally felt like I was there watching Amaliya and Tyler perform and I was nervous just reading it, it felt so real! This second book in the Dreams Edge series had me page turning until the late hours of the evening because I had to know how it would turn out. A smashing success, Dream’s Edge is worthy of a gold medal! I received a copy of this book for free; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book picks up right where book one ends (you are going to want to read that one first) and I felt like I was on the front row cheering Tyler and Amaliya on from first page to last. Loved reading about their journey to get to the Olympics - the ups and down and all the challenges that come with competing at that level. I was so intrigued by all their ice skating moves that I was even searching things up on youtube so I could see what they looked like. Loved Gordon (the coach) as a side character and so glad we got his story in the Broken Dreams novella.

The romance is very sweet and clean (kissing only) but their story is so romantic and I loved watching their relationship grow stronger as they faced challenges together.

Honestly, this series would make for a fantastic movie and I am eagerly awaiting book 3 as this book set up what is going to be both more intense athletic competition as well as some political intrigue and suspense.

A truly enjoyable read and definitely re-read worthy! 4.5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book but a positive review was not required.

Dreams of Gold is the second book in the series. I strongly recommend reading the first book, An Unlikely Pair, as this book picks up right where that one left off.
I absolutely loved An Unlikely Pair, it was one of my five-star reads for 2021, and I could not wait for this book to come out. Once it was up on Net Galley, I immediately requested it. Unfortunately, Dreams of Gold is a minor disappointment to me. Here's why: most of the things I loved about the first book are missing in the second book. I thought Amaliya and Tyler had a lot of depth in the first book. Yet, they don't progress much in the second book. We don't go deeper with them as characters, everything is on a superficial level. Second, in the first book, they were SO positive. They did not focus on the negatives or let things get to them. In this book, it is the opposite. They are dealing with many things, and I get that, but they are constantly doubting their abilities and being negative. We get enough of that in real life, I don't want to read about it in my books. Especially since it is so out of character from the characters I loved in the first book.

So, what did I like? I liked that we see more of Gordon (the coach) and his family. We understand more about what he has been through and how he got to where he is. I enjoyed learning about Amaliya's heritage and what her mom's life was like growing up. I appreciated when Amaliya and Tyler got out of their heads and started acting more like the characters from the first book. There are some incredibly well-written scenes in this story, and I even got chills at one point. The ending was good, and it set the stage for the third book.

Overall, I am glad I read this book and plan to read the next one as well. I would recommend it to those who enjoy clean romance stories, and those who enjoy the Olympics.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the second book in the series. Amaylia and Tyler are working towards their dreams of a Olympic gold medal but the road there is full of struggles. I enjoyed going on the journey with them. I can’t wait to read the last book in this series.

#BookReview : DREAMS OF GOLD by Traci Hunter Abramson

Do you like figure skating? It is one of my favorite sports to watch in the winter Olympics. The 2022 Winter Olympics starts today so I’m pretty excited. I liked the first book in the series so I was looking forward to reading this one. The cover is beautiful too. We continue to follow Tyler and Amaliya’s ups and downs as figure skaters who aimed to go to nationals and ultimately to win the Olympic gold.

I liked that they both go to church together and encourage each other. They were meant to be together professionally, as well as personally. Tyler’s personality was likeable. His character seemed more stable to me than Amaliya. Then, Tyler had to doubt his capabilities. It was relatable and I loved how Gordon handled the situation. He was a good coach. We also get to revisit their parents and their undying support for the skaters.

The writing was good, but the story kind of dragged on some with a little suspense in the middle. I liked it best when they arrived in the Soviet Union. It was good that Amaliya could speak in Russian. I would be amazed too like Tyler. As I’ve said before, I would love to see Tyler and Amaliya perform for real. Their final performance sounded amazing.

Rating: 3.5 stars
Series: Dream’s Edge
Pub date: 07 Feb 2022

Thank you Covenant Communications for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

What a wonderful series! Especially with the Winter Olympics coming in a few weeks! I have always loved watching the Olympics. Although ice skating is a big part of this story, so much more Is taking place. Family - I enjoyed watching the dynamics of Amaliya’s parents; the transition back to living at home and going back to their routines. Robert being the over protective father, and Katerina the loving, attentive mother. Amaliya is faced with some trails, that are hard to overcome. There was so much that kept you on the edge of your seat. Intriguing, suspenseful, encouraging, and sweet young romance will hold your attention throughout the book. I definitely would suggest starting with the beginning of the series, because it so good and leads into this story. I am so excited for the next adventure!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.75
Beautiful cover.
Good continuation of the story. I loved getting to watch Amaliya and Tyler work together. Gordon is a great secondary character
There was a LOT on this book, and sometimes it felt a little choppy but I'm not sure if that was character of the writing or the formatting.
Overall, a good add to the series. If you loved number 1, you should definitely read this one.

3.5 stars
It's hard for me to admit this about one of my favorite authors, but this book was kind of a let-down for me. The first book in the series was fantastic, but this sequel didn't measure up. The first 3/4 of the book dragged on and felt like events and feelings were just repeated again and again instead of having an interesting plot. The storyline definitely picked up once the characters made it to the Soviet Union, which is what bumped my rating up from the 3 stars I was going to give it.

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

This story is nicely told. It is full of conflict and tension. There are many plot levels intricately woven in. We are immersed into the world of Olympic athletes. Plenty of details to help us know and understand what it takes to reach that level of ability.

Dreams of Gold (Dream’s Edge #2) by Traci Hunter Abramson, 312 pages. Covenant Communications, 2022. $17.
Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Having qualified for nationals, Amaliya and Tyler are thrilled to skate closer to Olympic gold medals. With audience-capturing routines and an encouraging coach, the path to achieve that goal is smooth at first glance. But when adjustments are necessary both on and off the ice, will Amaliya and Tyler also have to adjust their dreams?
Readers jump back into the story as Abramson continues right where the prequel left off. Amaliya and Tyler’s story covers a long period of time, which made for some choppy transitions. I felt that some of the conflicts were built up and then quickly flattened and pushed aside like they never happened. However, I appreciated the inner conflicts throughout the book because Abramson shows readers that they can overcome mental struggles and live their dreams. The conclusion was satisfying, but I worry about a possible sequel because I don’t want any future conflicts – or victories – to feel more forced than they were in this part of the story.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Once again, I would love to see this book in movie form. I want to see all the skating in real life. I want to see their signature moves and watch how well they team up. It all sounds so beautiful. I really know nothing about skating and what it takes to skate at that level so I can't attest to the accuracy of it all in the book but it was beautiful to read.

Though I still feel like Amaliya is young for their romantic relationship, she and Tyler are pretty mature about keeping their rules and not letting all the time they spend together and their close living proximity ruin their ability to be an excellent skating team. I was kind of glad to see her youth still show in her relationship with her parents. She wanted to spread her wings and couldn't see from her parent's perspective. All part of the growing up process.

Watching them struggle as a skating team, I felt like it was realistic that everything wouldn't go smoothly all the time. They had their ups and downs.

I lived through the cold war and grew up with fears and distrust of Russia and the USSR so as I was reading I felt real tension about Amaliya's desire to contact her mother's family and even just going to Russia. As soon as that aspect entered the story, I started worrying about how bad things were going to get. My imagination went everywhere with all the terrible things that could happen. No spoilers to say how much of my fear was realized in the story but my anxiety was real.

All in all, it is a beautiful story of learning to trust each other as well as themselves, being able to focus and overcome fears and being determined enough to work toward goals. And you get some sweet romance as well.

This series should be read in order though. There is so much background that makes the next book easier to understand. You could probably read it as a stand alone but the story will be fuller if read in order I think. And that includes reading the novellas as well.


Possible triggers: attempted sexual assault, attempted kidnapping
Sex: no
Language: no
Violence: forceful attempted sexual assault
*I received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

As a young girl I dreamed of being an olympic figure skater. I'd watch all the single and couples figure skating events and imagine myself on the ice, dancing and jumping and gliding along to the beautiful music. Unfortunately I didn't live close by an ice skating rink so that dream wasn't very realistic. Years later I lived close by a rink and would spend hours there on the weekends with friends. We would pretend we were amazing ice skaters with all of our amazing skating in circles. Hahaha!!!

As I was reading Amaliya and Tyler's story, I felt like I was back in my youth watching the many competitions of figure skating. It was so well written that I felt as if I was right there on the ice with these two. I found myself holding my breath hoping that they'd land every jump and be in sync with each other during their practices and competitions. Talk about an adrenaline rush while reading! Lol!

Traci Hunter Abramson did such a great job creating this world and characters and their story of reaching for their dreams. Amaliya had some hard moments that caused some setbacks for her on and off the ice. My heart felt for her and those struggles she was trying to navigate. Trying to decide if her dreams were going to be the same or if she needed to change them. I loved the support she had from her family, Tyler, his family and her friends. They didn't give up on helping her and supporting her.

I loved watching Amaliya and Tyler's relationship develop further. Their friendship, their skating relationship and yes their dating relationship. I enjoyed how well balanced they seemed to be in all aspects of their relationship. Their coach and family were good about keeping them grounded in the real world. But their love for each other really helped them as they navigated their journey to the olympics.

I'll tell you that the time they spent in Russia had me holding my breath and wondering if there would be some setbacks due to her mom. Eeeekk!!! It was a little nail biting! If you haven't read the previous books in this series, that's ok. You can read this as a stand alone. But reading the previous books will add so much to the characters in this book and their stories and struggles. They're all fabulous books.

The skating, the characters, the competitions, the struggles, the joys, the sweet love story, the family aspects, the suspense...all of these aspects and many more pulled me into this story. I'm really hoping and thinking that there will be another book in this series!!! Woooohoooooo!!! I can't wait to read it. But while I'm waiting, I'll indulge in more of Traci's other books.

Content: Clean. Some mild intense moments. Some kisses and nothing further.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

This 5-star rating won’t come as a surprise to anyone. I am a BIG fan of Traci’s writing because it consistently has everything I’m looking for. Great characters? Check. Romance? Check. A perfect dose of suspense? Check. I’ve been following this series and every time I finish, I want more, more, MORE :) I’m incredibly psyched to watch the Olympics after reading this one and learning so much about pairs figure skating and feeling like I’ve had a behind-the-scenes look at competitions! I loved every setting, every twist and turn and to avoid spoilers I’ll just tell you now… YOU NEED THIS BOOK!

Possible trigger warning for assault/repeated assault/attempted kidnapping. It’s not graphic or even overly descriptive, but it’s mentioned.

Thanks to the author/publisher/netgalley for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

I love skating fiction; but, unfortunately, this is not good skating fiction.
The publisher is "Covenant Communications" which I assumed was Christian, meaning this is Christian fiction. Actually this company is aligned with the LDS church. Therefore, I am not the intended audience of for this book. I do read Christian fiction, and have read a lot of really good Christian fiction. I do not even think this is a good piece of Christian fiction. It is not a good piece of fiction at all. It is not preachy, though it is squeaky clean, and the characters mention going to church. However, it does not go much further than that.
The main character's father is so over-protective, that it borders on emotional abuse. However, this is not a story about an 18 year old woman dealing with a problematic family situation. The father is merely safe guarding his adult daughter's virginity. I find that off-putting, but I am not the audience for this book. Does anyone really enjoy a paternal character who is as nasty and controlling as this guy?
As for the skating plot, there are just too many inaccuracies. I am a former skater and coach. None of this rang true. Skating fiction usually includes an element of the outlandish. This one reminded me of "The Cutting Edge" (the original version). This girl who studied ballet from her mother, who was a prima ballerina who defected from the USSR, was not allowed to become a professional dancer by her insane father. However, he allowed her to pairs skate with some guy whose partner dumped him. She learned a double axel and triple jump in a couple of tries. I have shared the ice with Olympic pairs skating competitors and watched them struggle to learn one triple. It is not that easy.
Also, why did the author need to create a fictional 1984 Leningrad Olympics? She wanted the character to connect with her Russian heritage and family, but why not leave the Olympics in Sarajevo and make the family from Yugoslavia? This was a huge failure for me. It seemed the author was not interested in creating a character from the former Yugoslavia for whatever reason.
I did not get an 80s vibe from this book at all. The author mentioned VHS tapes as though that is the only thing she could think of from the 80s; that and "The Soviet Union" which she absolute never called Russia or "The USSR". I am left wondering if the author is too young to relate to the 80s and chose not to do the background work necessary to create a realistic setting.
It ends without a satisfying conclusion, apparently because another book in the series is planned. I will not be reading that one.
So why did I give this thing 2 stars? I probably shouldn't. The concept is actually not bad. It could benefit greatly from research. Maybe the target audience would enjoy this book more than I did. At least I hope so.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#dreamsofgold #netgalley
I loved this second book in this series. I definitely feel like you need to read the first book to have a basic understanding and background knowledge. I enjoyed the follow up storyline.

After reading The first book in this series, An Unlikely Pair, I was eager to continue Tyler and Amaliya's story. Their dreams of winning gold at the Olympics continues in this installment.
The path to the Olympics is not an easy one for sure and the pair has many obstacles along the way. Watching the growth in their skating and in their relationship is heartwarming. I loved the addition of her mothers Russian heritage. It adds to the story greatly as the Olympics will be held in Leningrad.
I am hopeful that there will be another book in this series as some aspects were left open for the story to continue. I will be looking for the next one.

Many thanks to netgalley and Covenant Communications for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5* Abramson has done an impressive job with telling the story of Olympic athlete preparation that stretches over years.  The pacing of the story worked well and the multiple viewpoints highlighted the challenges to be overcome by various characters.  I enjoyed the side plots that enriched the story, and was impressed with the emotional depth.  I have enjoyed the books in this Dream's Edge series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Book 2 in this series does not disappoint. Amaliya and Tyler continue with the chemistry they had in the previous book. They have new challenges in the form of Gordon's former skaters and having Amaliya's parents at home following their accident in the first book.

Traci Hunter Abramson strikes gold with this sequel and it leaves room for more. There is great building of the relationships as well as the conflicts that feel organic and natural.

The suspense in this book builds naturally and you can feel the tension as with any sporting competition. The author makes you believe that you are there watching the events unfold. The inclusion of cold war policies adds to the tension and emotional build up.

There are great pay offs while cliffhangers leave room for further stories. I loved this book and highly recommend.

I received an eARC through NetGalley and this is my honest review.