I loved every minute of this book. Easton and Harper have known each other for years. Aside from having school lockers next to each other they really didn’t have any other relationship. One night Easton ends up in Harper’s yard and suddenly the stakes change. Easton needs her to keep his secret and Harper needs a prom date. Pick up this book and see how it all plays out. You won’t be disappointed!

❄️🏒 Love on Ice by Sara Ney 🏒❄️

What an absolute delight! ✨ Love on Ice had me grinning, giggling, and swooning from start to finish. This YA rom-com captures all the messy, magical chaos of teenage life with awkward crushes, laugh-out-loud pranks, and that first taste of real romance. 💕

Harper is sharp, witty, and totally relatable (seriously, I adored her from page one). Catching Easton, the golden boy of hockey, in her backyard with a stolen mascot? ICONIC. 😂 Their fake prom date deal was hilarious and heart-melting all at once, and watching it turn into something real had me kicking my feet like a teenager again.

The banter? On point. The chemistry? Chef’s kiss. The friendship dynamics? Pure gold. This book is fun, flirty, and full of those big teenage feelings that feel like the end of the world but actually make you who you are.

If you love fake dating, sports romance vibes, and YA rom-coms that sparkle with heart + humor, this one is for you. 🌸

Thank you to NetGalley and @delacortepress / @randomhouse for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

#LoveOnIce #SaraNey #Delacorte #RandomHouse #YARomance #YARomcom #FakeDating #SportsRomance #PromRomance #HockeyRomance #NetGalley #BookReview #Bookstagram #RomcomReads #TeenLove #Bookish

Unfortunately this book bored me. I was really hopeful, as I love YA romances typically. And I’ve enjoyed the hockey romances I’ve read in the past. But this just didn’t hit. The phrasing didn’t make any sense, I’m sorry but what High Schooler says cahoons? Especially one who makes fun of someone else for saying Effer?
It didn’t feel believable, and as someone who graduated HS pretty recently it felt like someone who wanted to pretend to be a teenager again wrote it.

Thank you to Delacorte and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This honestly reminded me of Lynn Painter's books, especially Fake Skating (another ARC! At least at the time of me reviewing this) and I'm glad that the sports contemporary romances are moving into the YA sphere because I think, personally, it fits better in the YA coming of age type story, than the college sports romance genre, but perhaps that's just because of the oversaturation lately. While I loved loved LOVED Harper, I think that Easton had to grow on me, and there were definitely times where I had to give a lot of grace to him. Like he was so questionnable and I'm not far from high school (at least I don't think so) but were teenage boys always so... dense? It made it hard to read sometimes, even though I'm sure that was just the author trying to be realistic. Especially because the premise really is surrounded by Easton and his "dream girl". Like... okay maybe I shouldn't be so pressed about this because he's such a romantic, but I think it was just something about it being his "dream girl" being the surrounding premise of this that I was like ughh... So, again, maybe being a bit unfair but that's just how I feel. I think this was fun, though, and worth giving a shot, especially if you are a Better Than the Movies fan.

This is a cute YA ROMCOM that even if you were born in the 80's will be appealing.

Harper and Easton romance was perfect for YA, the book didn't feel adult at all which even for YA can mean a lot. The entire plot and vibe of the book screamed tween/ teen to me but in a good way. I loved that the author put emphasis on Harper and her best friend Macy which takes some of the focus off the romance aspects of the book.

This romance starts when Harper and Easton agree to fake date after she catches Easton pulling a prank in her backyard. From there this funny, sweet romance gives you all the awkward teenage angst I'm sure we all had and are thankfully passed. As you know of course feelings build and it leads to a sweet and satisfying ending for our coming of age couple

Thank you for Netgalley for the ARC copy.

This had that romance element that I was looking for and was engaged with what was happening. The characters had that overall feel that I was wanting and enjoyed the concept. Sara Ney wrote this well and was engaged from the first page. It uses the hockey element in a way that was unique and thought was a fun concept for a romance novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for the ARC!

I am a sucker for hockey romance and was excited to experience this YA story as the book cover drew me in to the story. Harper and Easton were cute. It was nothin memorable but it was still a quick and enjoyable read. Easton at times acted his age, a little like an idiot. However, it is a young adult book so it is a given!

Love on Ice was a cute, hilarious and heartwarming YA romance!

I love the hilarity between their “run in” and how their friendship progressed. This was such a fun story to read and I loved Harper’s tenacity. Easton had a lot to learn lol but he put in the work and the ending…so cute!

This is young adult so no big steam but for the characters it was perfect. I don’t read YA much anymore but this book was such a good read I’m happy I picked it up!

First, this cover is adorable. Second, this was a DNF for me. I got to 66% but we haven't even had the "promposal," which I think is so ridiculous anyway, but I understand I'm an adult woman and not the target audience. This needs additional editing (Easton invites Hannah to a scrimmage at the rink but it's actually a solo practice), and there are a LOT of caps. I skimmed much of the 66% I did read, and while teens might like this, I would hesitate to recommend it as the characters are so juvenile, and I don't care for the profanity.

Sidenote, I had never heard of this author but if I had known she wrote a series called "How to Date a Douchebag" I never would have requested this.

Cute quick young adult read. I'm used to some of the steamier books from this author, but this is perfect for teens wanting a romance book but not heavy on the relations

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for the opportunity to read an ARC of Love on Ice by Sara Ney. I appreciate the chance to experience this charming story before its official release.
Love on Ice offers a sweet and engaging read with lovable characters and a compelling storyline that keeps you turning the pages. Sara Ney’s signature humor and heartfelt moments shine through, making it a delightful addition to contemporary romance. While I enjoyed the story overall, there were a few pacing moments that felt a little slow for my taste, which is why I’m giving it a solid 3.75 stars.
Overall, this book is a wonderful pick for fans of sweet, sports-themed romances. I look forward to seeing how readers embrace this story when it officially hits shelves!

Amazing book loved the characters and plot. I couldn't stop reading I stayed up all night. I loved the book so much thank you for the arc.

This book was good. The title makes it seem like there’s going to be a lot more ice time involved which was a bit confusing, because we truly don’t have much. What also confused me because Macy acted like she had never been to a hockey arena before when they went earlier in the book. Also, during that, he invited her to his scrimmage but it ends up just being his practice time alone?? But it was still a cute book.

I always find it hard to write reviews for YA because as an adult woman, this was not a 5-star read for me, but I could totally see 16 year old me LOVING this and thinking it was super cute. So with that being said, I feel like 4 stars is a solid rating.

Things to expect:
🤍Sports Romance
🤍Coming of Age

The characters, Harper and Easton are super cute. I love the banter between them and there are definitely some good laugh out loud moments. This book gave me lots of Lynn Painter vibes, who I am a big fan of!

The burn was suuuuuuper slow, but it worked. And the ending when they finally do get together? 10/10 cute like 16 Candles or 10 Things I Hate About You.

I really enjoyed seeing the main characters grow and mature throughout the book. They definitely act like baby freshmen at some point, but by the end, you can really see how they’ve grown.

Sara Ney’s writing is fun and she does a really good job telling the story. It was a quick read I could see many YA readers enjoying.

I’m going to be totally honest when I requested this book I had no idea it was YA. I was just so excited to finally try one of Sara Ney sports romances. She’s been on my radar for a while and I saw this cover on NetGalley to request and immediately went, YES PLEASE. I should also admit I’m horrible at reading synopsis. I also saw this books cover and went yup, hockey romance say less. So with those two things combined and once I started reading I realized oh no I may have made a mistake. Which again not blaming on the author. This was totally my bad. But I typically don’t read YA anymore, I’ve realized one too many times that I’ve just aged out of it. But since I requested and got approved for an ARC I figured what the heck we will still give it a go.

Now with that said I enjoyed the book.
Was it perfect? No.
Would I recommend it? Yes

I loved the plot FMC blackmailing our MMC into taking her to prom after catching him trying to pull off the senior prank. Through forced proximity the two MC's slowly start falling for each other but because they are teenagers they do make some silly goose decisions along the way. Now with that said some of those decisions had me cringing and rolling my eyes. Especially because these are supposed to be seniors in high school but at times they were acting like freshman or heck even middle schoolers. I mean I was dumb in high school but I don’t remember being that dumb.

Even with that said I overall enjoyed the story. I thought it was a cute, quick read that anyone could enjoy. Lastly thank you to NetGalley & Random House Children for providing an ARC for me to read and review.

rating: 4/5
Sara Ney's Love on Ice delivers a sweet, fast-paced romance with the perfect blend of tension, humor, and heart. A delightful entry in the sports romance genre, it brings together a couple from two worlds-one an aspiring hockey star and the other a driven and independent figure skater-who, at first glance, seem completely opposite but find common ground through their undeniable chemistry.
•
Love on Ice follows the story of Harper, a talented but somewhat introverted figure skater who is navigating the competitive world of ice skating with dreams of going pro. Then, enter Easton, the charming and cocky hockey player with a reputation for being the bad boy of the rink. When they’re paired together for a high-stakes ice skating competition, their contrasting personalities—Penny’s focused, disciplined approach to skating and Parker’s laid-back, often arrogant demeanor—lead to plenty of sparks flying, both on and off the ice.
•
Sara Ney’s writing is witty and engaging. She has a knack for crafting moments of humor that feel natural, not forced, and she nails the tension between Harper and Easton. The pacing is great—there’s enough time for the romance to simmer without dragging, and while the plot is relatively simple, the focus on the characters’ chemistry and growth keeps things interesting. The way the romance unfolds is perfectly timed, with plenty of moments that left me rooting for the couple.
•
Love on Ice is a charming, well-paced sports romance with great character development, plenty of humor, and just the right amount of tension. It might follow a fairly familiar formula for romance novels, but it does it with heart and authenticity. Harper and Eastons slow-burn romance will keep readers hooked, and their banter will definitely put a smile on your face.

Nik’s Arc Review
💒 Love on Ice by Sara Ney
💗 Genre: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
🗓️ Publish Date: 3/10/2026

📖Read if you like:
Coming of Age
Sports Romance
Fake Dating

Story Premise:
Harper can’t wait for prom. She’s on the planning committee and found the perfect pink dress. All that’s missing is a date. That changes when she catches Easton, the school’s star hockey player, in the middle of the senior prank. One secret for one promposal? Sounds fair. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.

Flow Factor:
The story flowed seamlessly between Harper and Easton’s POVs. It was an easy read and completely bingeable.

OTP Energy:
Artsy girl & sports jock. Doesn’t get more high school than that. It took Easton a little too long to give Harper the love and attention she deserved. He needed to swoop in a little sooner at the end. However, their heart to heart texts were just the sweetest.

Final Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I didn’t realize this was YA before I started reading. However, I wanted to give it a shot since I teach middle schools. This is a perfect read for high school students who love romance and comedy.

Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an Arc in exchange of an honest review.

Love on Ice is a cute and sweet romcom. It wasn’t good or bad it was just alright but I did enjoy it. athena characters humor were kind of dry and they did not sound like gen z at all…

This book was cute and fun and definitely intended for a younger audience. This book has good character development and strong lead characters who are easy to like. While I enjoyed the storyline and banter between our main characters there was too much “filler”. I found myself getting bored and scrolling for dialogue.

In this book we follow Harper, who one day catches Easton trespassing in her own backyard after stealing their rival school's mascot. To assure her silence, Easton agrees to go to their senior prom with Harper as her date.

The main tropes are friends to lovers and a prom agreement.

For the characters, overall I liked Harper's creativity, even though at times she would behave as if Easton could read her mind, and I thought please just tell him what you think.

Now, for Easton, he was at times a bit clumsy with his decision-making some of them were really questionable, but at the end of the day he's a man, so a lot of his actions will be arguable. I don't want to spoil anything, but there were some moments in the story where the choices he made were the worst he could have done, which made me roll my eyes multiple times.

For their relationship, the build-up was made on ups and downs. They were cute together but I liked more the parts before the actual Relationship, they had good Chemistry even though some of their interactions seemed a bit childish sometimes.

My biggest problem with this book is that the characters did not behave like seventeen-year-olds for the majority of the story, I felt like some of them were childish. If I didn't know what age they were, I could have assumed that they were fourteen or fifteen years old. It might be an issue in young adult books, trying not to age the characters too much or not too young, but having these kinds of behaviors and interactions at seventeen was a bit unrealistic to me.

Finally, I liked the Pitch Perfect reference, it was a cute and fast young adult read.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.