So, this book was good! I always love something with the cutting edge vibes. There’s even a toe pick reference. Loved that. I found this to be a solid second chance romance. Both of them deal with parental trauma and issues from the past, which makes it hard for them to reconnect. But the feelings are still there. I didn’t love how the past was in third person, j would have liked it better had it been in Chase’s perspective. I think that would have added a lot to the story, since you got to see how Zoe felt about the situations. The third person just kind of took me away from the story, but it’s still a good book. I am looking forward to the next one in the series.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy

This was my first Sarina Bowen novel and it was a fun, easy, well-paced read that I thoroughly enjoyed!

After falling in love (and falling apart) at figure skating camp, Zoe and Chase are back together ten years later. Olympic medallist Zoe is hired as a skating coach on Chase’s professional hockey team. Determined to prove herself and secure a permanent position, she’ll train even the most reluctant players, even if it means having to revisit what really happened at camp all those years ago.

Chase and Zoe 🫴🏼 They were both compelling as individual characters and I loved the build up of their relationship. I’m typically a bit apprehensive of dual timelines because I feel like I’m losing momentum in the story, however that wasn’t the case here. I enjoyed the flashbacks and how they helped to better understand Chase and Zoe’s personal and professional growth since camp a decade ago.

Other notable elements:
⛸️ As a hockey/skating fan, I really enjoyed how detailed the sports aspects were throughout the book.
📖 There were a few different plot lines and I enjoyed how they weaved together along with the romance.
🕺The supporting characters were fun additions, and I’m very much looking forward to the sequel to follow their stories.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Forever and Sarina Bowen for providing an ARC of this book!

Wow this was such a fun read! Was impossible to put down. I was rooting so hard for Zoe and Chase. Zoe and Chase met as teenagers and fell in love. That sadly imploded and they both left hurting. Years later Zoe is offered a job as skate coach for the Legends NHL team. Chase is a player on that team and not happy to see her. They both are fighting so many emotions that it is hard to get past themselves. Zoe especially has some growing to do and it is a pleasure to watch them begin to understand and help one another! They are each others loudest cheerleader! As it should be!

I love a second chance hockey romance and this one is excellent! Years ago, figure skater Zoe and hockey player Chase had a short-lived romance while coaching at a summer camp in Massachusetts that fell apart. The book alternates between present day and flashbacks from what happened to them. Now, Zoe's figure skating has ended and she takes a part-time job as a skating coach for a hockey team, Chase's hockey team. They didn't part on great terms and he's not exactly thrilled to see her but she's determined to turn this job into something permanent and persists.

There is a side story of someone not wanting Zoe there and threatening her but it honestly didn't add a ton and I felt like it was unnecessary. The real meat of the story is Zoe and Chance having a second chance to be together and I loved their romance.

Thanks Netgalley and Forever for the ARC.

Thrown For a Loop is a heartfelt story about forgiveness, healing, and daring to believe that love deserves a second chance—even when the ice feels a little cracked beneath your feet.

With strong, emotionally grounded characters and a story that gracefully balances personal growth with slow-burning romance, this book delivers all the things romance readers love. Chase is equal parts broody and loyal, while Zoe shines as a resilient and passionate heroine determined to protect her heart and her career.

Unfortunately I didn’t feel the romance between Chase and Zoe. It felt more like they spent the book rekindling their friendship. Which by all means isn’t a bad thing but I didn’t feel the spark or electricity I was hoping for.

I was so excited to read a new story from one of the queens of hockey romance, Sarina Bowen. Second chance romances are my jam and Zoe and Chase didn’t disappoint.
They met at skating camp and quickly fell for each other. However after a disastrous event, they parted ways and haven’t seen each other until Zoe gets a job with the Legends, the hockey teams Chase plays for. There were so many misunderstandings to what happened when they were younger, and it took a while to unravel. But figuring out their past was crucial to working together and figuring out a way forward. It took self-reflection on both their parts and courage to take a chance for a future they both wanted.

I loved the side characters in this book. The hockey team and hockey management both added the enjoyment of the story.

There is a slight mystery to the story- someone does not want Zoe to be the new skating coach. Did it add to the plot line? Not really. I think Zoe’s struggles of a new job, a new life away from her mom and ex-husband, and her rekindled relationship with Chase carried the story enough without needing the mystery.

I know this is also not the final version of the book but it was sometimes hard to follow a text vs. an inner thought. Some texts were laid out separately with Zoe: Chase: headlines, and some were within a paragraph with no distinction of who was saying what.

Lastly, the hinting and build up for the couple in the next book makes me SO excited to read it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever publishing, and Sarina Bowen for an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

I am sleep deprived in the most beautiful way because of Chase and Zoe!

This book sucked me in and I could not put it down because I had to see these two who loved so hard and so fast get their redemption.

Omg the story telling was so beautiful and I loved that for half the book we get memories mixed in with the present that help to show us what went down. I enjoyed that Bowen had me on the edge of seat wanting to know what happened and if they could get another chance at love. Chase and Zoe were both broken individuals that got beat down by life but fought back and still achieved their goals.

Zoe is so unsure of herself but seeing her come into her strength and show everyone she wasn’t going to be meek or quiet had me rooting for her the whole time.

An amazing read that any lover romance must read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this read now!

Zoe is a former figure skater that has been hired as a skating coach for a hockey team. She learns that Chase is on the team and they have history. They had a summer together as teens. Now, Chase can’t stand her but she wants to help him skate better.

Throughout the story, we learn more about what happened between Zoe and Chase. There’s a little bit of some The Cutting Edge vibes to this one! ⛸️🏒

There are past and present chapters featuring a little spice ☺️

Sarina Bowen does it again! I love her hockey romance books and this one does not disappoint. Zoe is such an empowering female lead.

Thrown for a Loop was a sweet and engaging second chance romance. I loved Zoe as a main character. Her struggles with self worth and trying to find her place in the organization were very real and touching. I especially loved the relationship that formed between her and Darcy throughout the book. However one of my favorite parts was watching Zoe and Chase fall in love in the past and present. I thought the supporting cast added to the story even if I didn't totally find the reason to target Zoe reasonable. While I struggled a few times to follow text conversations because of the set up in the ebook, I loved the book and can't wait to see what comes next in the series.

Sarina Bowen can do no wrong. I have yet to read one of her books and be left wanting or disappointed. Thrown for a Loop is no exception. Sarina writes one hell of a hockey romance and this story was everything I wanted it to be and more. I am so looking forward to what she writes next.

This book caught me by surprise!! If youre a fan of fleshed out slow burn romances, I think you'll enjoy this one. And the combo of hockey and figure skating was soooo fun! I was a little bummed that there was so little spice but I still devoured this book and look forward to the next book in the series!

*arc was provided but opinion is all my own!

*4.5 stars*

I loved it and I'm so happy that Sarina is "back" to writing hockey romances... 'nuff said!

Sarina Bowen has done it again. Thrown for a Loop is one of those books you pick up meaning to read a few chapters—and suddenly it’s 2am and you’ve finished the whole thing. Fast-paced, full of emotional twists, and layered with just the right mix of angst, romance, and just the right amount of developed characters, this story pulls you in from page one.

There's something so effortlessly readable about Bowen's world-building—you feel like you know these people, this team, this whole messy, beautiful situation. The chemistry crackles, the heartache feels real, and somehow she makes it all feel fresh even if you’ve read dozens of romances before.

Another win for Sarina Bowen. Don’t start it unless you’re ready to lose a day.

I’m a big fan of figure skating stories. And when one of my friends mentioned "Thrown for a Loop" was available, I had to pick it up. This is my first time reading a book by Sarina Bowen, and it certainly won't be my last.

I expected to read a book that was primarily about hockey, but I found there was a nice balance between the two sports. Think "The Cutting Edge." The technical aspects of both sports were pretty spot on and well explained.

Both of the main characters of the book, Zoe and Chase, are also well-developed. Sarina did a great job integrating in a series of flashbacks to take us readers from the past to the present. It added to the depth of both characters and really made me root for them to succeed.

If you enjoy second chance romances, slow-burn, enemies to lovers, and grumpy sunshine reads, this book is for you.

I can't wait to read Darcy's book next,

Solid 4/5 stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Forever Publishing for allowing me to read an advance copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

4 stars- I have read a few other books by Sarina Bowen before and I love hockey romance books so I was excited to read this! This was such a cute read! Once I started reading this, I flew through it and couldn't put it down. I really enjoy second chance trope books and this was no different. I liked the twist of Zoe with a figure skating background being one of the coaches for Chase's hockey team. I enjoyed seeing them build their relationship together again as adults. I am looking forward to the next book in this series with Darcy and Tremaine!

Ce livre ne sera publié qu'en novembre 2025 mais j'ai eu l'opportunité de le découvrir et j'ai passé un très moment avec ce livre!

Nous allons suivre Zoe, une ancienne patineuse artistique qui est devenue coach en patinage. Elle vient d'être recrutée par le club de hockey de New York. Le seul petit bémol, c'est qu'il y a Chase Meritt, le meilleur joueur de hockey du moment mais également avec lequel elle a eu une relation il y a 10 ans qui s'est mal terminé... Alors arriveront-ils à travailler ensemble?

J'avoue que quand j'ai vu Sarina Bowen et romance hockey, je n'ai pas hésité et j'ai foncé dessus! Je ne suis pas déçue du tout! Sarina Bowen nous offre une romance seconde chance, slow burn, proximité forcée et cela fonctionne parfaitement! On est sur une double temporalité : le présent et le passé, ce qui nous permet de saisir tous les enjeux de leur relation. J'ai beaucoup aimé les personnages : ils savent ce qu'ils veulent respectivement et se battent pour leurs opinions mais ils se soutiennent mutuellement ! J'ai hâte d'avoir le second tome sur Darcy et Tremaine!

En bref, une très bonne hockey romance!

📚✨ ARC REVIEW ✨📚
Thrown for a Loop by @sarina.bowen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (4.5/5 stars)

Thank you to Sarina Bowen and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Zoe, a former Olympic figure skater, has traded in medals for a coach's whistle. She is the new skating coach for the New York Legends hockey team. It should be something to celebrate — except her ex, Chase, is on the team. Zoe hasn't spoken to him in a decade, ever since he ghosted her after falling in love at skating summer camp… and she’s never been able to fully let him go. ⛸️

Chase is having major skating issues. Zoe knows she could help him, but he refuses to work with her. His game is suffering, and he’s lashing out, earning him a spot on management’s naughty list. 😬

When an old video of Chase and Zoe skating a pairs routine at camp goes viral, the team sees a chance for Chase to redeem himself with fans. The two are tasked with recreating the routine, putting them in close proximity and forcing them to confront the ghosts of their past.

I loved this book (no surprise — Sarina Bowen is one of my favorite authors!). Her signature mix of banter, heart, and heat is all here and beautifully done. 🔥

Zoe is such a powerhouse. A woman succeeding in a male-dominated field, she quickly proves her worth, even when others are hesitant. I felt so much for her as she navigated complicated dynamics with her overbearing mother and sleazy ex-husband/agent. I practically cheered when she stood up for herself.

And Chase? Whew. A sexy hockey player with deep-rooted trauma? Yes, please. 🏒 He starts off so angry and shut off, but you can feel that there’s something simmering underneath. I only wish we’d had dual POV—it would’ve been amazing to see inside his head, especially given how different he was at 19 vs. 29. I get why it was withheld (to preserve the mystery of the event that tore them apart), but still—I'd take any excuse to get more Chase.

Perfect for fans of:
💘 Second chance romance
🏒 Sports romance
💼 Workplace romance
🔥 Slow burn tension
📹 Forced proximity
🏕️ Summer camp love
⏳ Dual timelines

#ARCReview #ThrownForALoop #SarinaBowen #SecondChanceRomance #SportsRomance #HockeyRomance #FigureSkating #NYLegends #RomanceReaders #RomanceRecs #Bookstagram #RomanceBookReview #NetGalley

I grabbed this book purely based on the cover because it’s way too cute and it’s a romance book even though I literally do not enjoy hockey romances, so I don’t know why I picked this one up - that was literally on me.

If you like hockey romances, this one’s really written well it’s got good banter. It has really cute images separating the chapters. I think this one’s gonna do really well like I was giggling with it. I just personally I can’t do hockey romances. I just cannot do them.

Again, if you like hockey romances snatch this one up and do not miss out on that because it’s really really really good

Thank you for this ARC! I appreciate the opportunity to leave feedback honestly.

I really enjoyed this story! It was the perfect summer read and I finished it in a day. Chase and Zoe I felt like were well developed characters that I was invested in. I loved how multiple chapters provided a flashback with deeper knowledge on their previous relationship. This is a book I can’t wait to share and put on my shelf when it comes out. I also can’t wait for Tremaine and Darcy’s story comes out. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Thank you for the advanced read netgalley and publisher.