This was a lovely, cute romance read that had me laughing and tearing up throughout.

Different to other hockey romance’s I’ve read as this book focuses more on the MMC’s mental health and trauma than on his hockey career itself, giving his character depth. He was an absolute sweetheart too, I found him and the FMC both very likeable.

I liked the romance in this book, as well as the more sad parts of it that really made you feel for the characters.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who likes a good hockey romance, or just a romance overall.

Thankyou for the chance to read and review this book!

This is absolutely charming. I cried, I had a few real belly laughs, and it was decently spiced. Can't wait to read more from this author!

I thank Netgalley, Alcove Press, and the author for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

One of the genres I read less frequently is romance, but when I do, I always look for something that blends the light side of the love story with something that leaves an impact.
When I came across this book, I was immediately intrigued by the aspect of mental health as a fundamental part of our protagonist's journey. After surviving a plane crash that cost him his team and best friend, we navigate through his mental condition and his sense of guilt for still being alive.
To assist him, Alyssa enters his life unexpectedly, an interior designer who helps him rearrange his home and somehow his life. Despite the fairly complex theme, the author managed to address it with simplicity, never sidelining the topic of mental health.
However, despite this, I would have liked to see more in this relationship; perhaps, I wished for a deeper exploration of Alyssa's past.
Honestly I would have liked a more in-depth psychological aspect.
Secondary characters remain in the background, and instead, I would have wanted to learn more about Nick's team and Alyssa's friends. But it could be just my personal preference. The book has a significant pro, being humorous at many points and easy to read, I managed to finish it in one evening.
If you enjoy this kind of book, then I absolutely recommend it.

"Hearts on Thin Ice" by Katie Kennedy is an emotionally charged and heartwarming novel that explores the resilience of the human spirit in the face of tragedy. The story follows Nick Sorensen, a former hockey star who survived a devastating plane crash. As he battles to regain his physical prowess on the ice, it becomes clear that the wounds within his heart run deep.

Ms. Kennedy weaves a poignant tale of recovery and redemption, skillfully delving into the complexities of Nick's mental and emotional struggles. The novel excels in portraying the aftermath of trauma with sensitivity, offering readers a glimpse into the profound impact such events can have on one's psyche. Your heart will break and rejoice with this story.

Ms. Kennedy's storytelling is both engaging and evocative, creating characters who resonate with authenticity. Nick's stubbornness and Alyssa's determination make for a captivating push-and-pull dynamic that keeps readers invested in their emotional journey. The gradual thawing of Nick's icy exterior and the unexpected ways in which he supports Alyssa showcase the author's talent for crafting well-rounded and endearing characters. The supporting cast, including Janet, Alyssa’s BFF; Stacey, her boss-nemesis; and Devin, the hockey team captain, add to the fun and complexity.

"Hearts on Thin Ice" is a triumph for Katie Kennedy, delivering a powerful story of love, resilience, and the healing that can come from unexpected connections. With its well-drawn characters, engaging plot, and a touch of humor, this novel is a must-read for anyone seeking a heartening and satisfying tale of overcoming adversity and finding love in the most unexpected places.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press, and to the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

If there’s a hockey romance, I’m signing up to read it. It’s my niche now. I’m into it. And this one was a cute, easy read! It had some of my favorite aspects of a good hockey romcom: very unserious teammate bromances, abs, and…I’m currently deciding to add pirate costumes to that list. That needs to become a theme. The author gave depth and vulnerability to her hockey star too. He’s not just a jock, he’s an artist struggling with survivors guilt. And the way he progresses, with the help of acceptance and therapy, throughout the story was a really endearing twist to the pattern of typical sports romances.

I’m not a fan of the miscommunication trope, and let me tell you, there was a lot of it, but I feel like Michelangelo really made up for it! 😌😌😌 (If you know, you know.)

"Hearts on Thin Ice" is a compelling hockey romance that surprised me with its depth.
The characters are written with each their own scars and vulnerabilities that make them relatable and endearing. The protagonist's journey is particularly beautiful, as he navigate the challenges of grief and find solace in unexpected places.
The romance in "Hearts on Thin Ice" is not just about passion on the ice but also about the vulnerability that comes with opening one's heart.
Moreover, "Hearts on Thin Ice" addresses the common theme of miscommunication in relationships. Especially in the last 40% of the book. This is where the book lost me a bit.
Nearing the end the main characters where both making stupid mistakes and it took away some enjoyment of reading this book.
In conclusion, "Hearts on Thin Ice" is a delightful romance with surprising depts regarding loss and moving forward, but also fun an cute.
in the end 3,5 stars

Thank you for this ARC.

Adorable hockey romance! I recently read “I’m Your Guy” by Sabrina Bowen and I would describe this as similar but the heterosexual version with more trauma history to the characters. This comes from the MMC having survived a plane crash that killed his five best friends and team mates. I enjoyed the dynamics between the two main characters and how they fell in love. It was adorable and cute. I love a good hockey romance. If you’re looking for a meet cute happily ever after this is for you! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy!

The characters were warm and their individual storylines captivating, but while the romance was cute, many of the obstacles seemed contrived and easily avoidable. For example, not dating a client could have been a much more compelling factor/difficulty in Alyssa and Nick’s relationship. The writing style was easy to read but lacked complexity and nuance at times.

A heartwarming story of Nick and Alyssa. This is an interesting way to portray the sports trope without getting in too deep with the hockey terms. Having the MMC suffer with PTSD and not portray anger issues towards his teammates and the FMC was a huge positive for me. I enjoyed the main characters having the art history background that they could battle out with each other.

This books does not have any OM/OW drama, no major third act breakup!

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this title!

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)
-m/f contemporary romance
-hockey romance
-fixin up a house
-PTSD rep

This was a soft and lovely romance with heavier elements of grief. Nick is the sole survivor of an airplane crash that killed his teammates and best friends. To try to prove he's mending he needs to fix his apartment into a home. Alyssa is spunky and ready to dive into the project and these two instnatly just conenct. I really enjoyed how they pushed each other but the importance of therapy and just how messy grief was a thread throughout.

Nick Sorensen had once been one of the fastest men in hockey—until the devastating plane crash that took the lives of his best friends, leaving him the only survivor. Now he’s physically ready to get back on the ice, but his coach is concerned Nick isn’t doing as well, mentally, as he says he is. Case in point: Nick’s apartment is completely empty, apart from a single chair and a mattress on the floor.

To prove he’s fine, really, Nick hires Alyssa Compton, an up-and-coming interior designer, to decorate his space. Alyssa’s thrilled at the chance to prove herself to her demanding boss—with job security at last, maybe she can finally put down roots and create a home for herself too. But Nick turns out to be infuriatingly stubborn and impossible to work with, and just when Alyssa decides to throw in the towel on the whole thing, Nick shows up for her in a way she never could have expected.

I really enjoyed this, but this really isn't a hockey/sports romance. It deals a lot with grief and PTSD, so be aware of that going in. This is not your typical light romance novel.

That's okay, because I enjoy books that deal with more serious issues, too. As someone who's dealt with grief and PTSD, Katie Kennedy does a remarkable job with that. Both Nick and Alyssa are beautifully written characters, their relationship was beautiful to read - both the deeper parts and the spicier parts! As long as you don't mind delving into some deeper topics, this is a great read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun Hallmark type of read that could be consumed in one sitting. Hockey is not a huge focus in the action of the book, but plays a very big part of the background "plot" and sets the stage for the character our MMC, Nick. Our FMC is a very relatable interior designer trying to find her footing in the career world, with a crap boss, and our MMC is her challenging client that she has to work with. The two become fast friends, working through some traumas that each other has, and maybe falling for each other along the way.

3/5 and not because anything was glaringly wrong in this book! If you love this type of quick novella romances you will enjoy this one! There's a few parts where I felt like I had missed some information but otherwise this did not sway me one way or the other in terms of view.

My 3/5 is really more so a standard "no true opinion". It's like answering "N/A" on a survey for me.

HEARTS ON THIN ICE by Katie Kennedy isn't your typical sports romance. But what it lacks in sports action it makes up with heart, tragedy and healing.

Nick is healing from a tragic accident and needs Alyssa's help to convince his friends that he's totally fine. Spoiler alert - he's not.

I loved the connection between Nick and Alyssa, their relationship was the perfect balance of that new relationship giddiness and healing. Some of the scenes tore my heart out - his grief and despair was so perfectly captured!

READ FOR:
❤️Healing journey
👫Found family
👫Spicy
⭐4 stars

Thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the ARC! Opinions are my own

#rochellereadsit

NetGalley Review

I think when listing books, the POV should be included. The third person POV disconnected me from the story. There was also some repetitive plot points that I didn’t love.

This book was so nicely written. The way the serious subjects were handled with the enthusiasm of a brand-new relationship impressed me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book by a new author, and I strongly advise you to do the same.

{3.5/5} I liked the premise of the book, an NHL player meets an interior designer who ends up renovating more than his house, it was charming. The pace was great, all the interactions start pretty quickly and the conversations fluid nicely. I loved how the author touch the more sensitive topics, they both had trauma from the past but it it's dealt in a beautiful way.

My main problem here was that I just wasn't able to connect with both of the main characters, there was something about them and their relationship that made it really hard for me to fully enjoy it.

At the end of the day it's a nice reading, maybe I'd fit better to someone else, so I'd advise you give this book a try:) thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance

Hearts on Thin Ice isn't your typical hockey romance - there isn't a lot of on ice action or sports. The MMC is simply a hockey player and something tragic happened that effected his ability to play and this is his struggle to get back to his job, which we rarely see in this trope.

Our MMC, Nick was the sole survivor of a plane crash (not a spoiler) and he lost his best friend and other teammates, and while he is struggling to recovery physically, his mental health needs a chance to heal also. He meets Alyssa, an interior designer, at a new teammate's house and their relationship begins there.

While Alyssa helps Nick with his PTSD, he helps her after she experiences a traumatic event (no spoiler here) and we watch their relationship bloom.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. It was a different take on a hockey romance; it covered serious subjects, but the author didn't forget to make it fun too.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Nick was one of the best hockey players until a plane crash took his best friends and he's the only survivor. His coach needs convincing that he's mentally ready to go back so he hires Alyssa to decorate his apartment. They crash and sparks fly....

I like the sensitivity of the author and how she deals with the discussion of PTSD. Love the main characters' banter. Terrific LOL scenes.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Oh my goodness I don’t have words for how much I loved this book.

It’s hard, there is so much pain within these pages and it just keeps hitting again and again. But every time the tears start there is something else, a little joke or a little romance or a little something else happening and then suddenly I’m laughing before I know it.

The relationships between the characters contained within the pages are complex, yet so rewarding. Nick and Alyssa actually save each other, they actually really need each other and wouldn’t be the amazing characters they end up being without each other. This happens in so many little and big ways, not only on the way they open up about their individual pain but also how they encourage the other to embrace life and of course the building romance between them.

The pain Nick feels made me cry, the hurt and despair was so well written that my heart hurt at times. And the scenes in the empty room were some of the best I have ever read, actual tears have been shed over this book.

An amazing read by a new author to me, this will take some getting over. Highly recommend you take the time to lose yourself in the story.

This book was so beautiful and well done. It handled the heavy topics so nicely and balanced it with the excitement of new relationships and the process of healing from grief. It was heart warming and felt like sitting in front of a fire with fluffy socks on a cold fall day. Seeing Nick come to terms with his loss and survivors guilt and Alyssa overcoming her past to push each other to be better and work harder was everything. The spice was spicing! I loved them together. I wish we got an epilogue to see more of their happy ending but this is a very early copy and could possibly be added.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend. It wasn’t heavy on the hockey but it made for a cute setting. 4.5 stars for me!