Icebreaker (Maple Hills, 1)
£4.30£8.50 (-49%)
A TikTok sensation! Sparks fly when a competitive figure skater and hockey team captain are forced to share a rink.
Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA. It looks like everything is going according to plan when she gets a full scholarship to the University of California, Maple Hills and lands a place on their competitive figure skating team.
Nothing will stand in her way, not even the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins.
Nate’s focus as team captain is on keeping his team on the ice. Which is tricky when a facilities mishap means they are forced to share a rink with the figure skating team—including Anastasia, who clearly can’t stand him.
But when Anastasia’s skating partner faces an uncertain future, she may have to look to Nate to take her shot.
Sparks fly, but Anastasia isn’t worried… because she could never like a hockey player, right?
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Additional information
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster UK, 1st edition (19 Jan. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 448 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1398525685 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1398525689 |
| Dimensions | 13 x 2.65 x 19.8 cm |
by Sophie Stephens
I’ve read a few spicy book-tok books now but this is the first when it’s been equal parts spicy and equal parts good relationship modelling. I throughly enjoyed every second and couldn’t put it down. Almost too much spice so maybe don’t read it on a plane like I did! Great book though and even taught me a thing or two about good communication and the female lead still has ambition and wants to have her own achievements, so refreshing after some books I’ve read recently. Definitely recommend.
by Mrs Stephanie L Cain
I bought this for my niece – she wanted it as part of her birthday gift. She loves to read and often chooses books that are holiday-read worthy. She is happy with the product ????
by Becca (Pretty Little Memoirs)
Anastasia Allen has dreamed her whole life about making Team USA and making her parents prouder than ever as a competitive figure skater. She’s on a full scholarship thanks to being on the Maple Hills skating team, on a tight schedule that leaves little room for distractions or free time. Nathan Hawkins is captain of Maple Hills Titans ice hockey team, levelheaded and a friend to everyone, but somehow his path doesn’t cross with Stassie until one of the school’s ice rinks becomes destroyed and the hockey and figure skaters have to share a rink. But first impressions aren’t great, and a wedge forms between them that feels as if it will never soften—that’s until Nate and Stassie’s best friends begin to date and they find themselves in each other’s company more often, Stassie’s walls gradually coming down to let Nate see the caring, big-hearted girl within.
They soon become romantically involved (with some very spicy/blush-worthy chapters) and everything seems like it’ll be okay: that’s until Stassie’s red-flag-wearing skating partner claims Nate sabotaged him, ending with him being hurt and out of play. Stassie doesn’t know who to believe when Nate and his team declare innocence, but soon enough Nate offers to help her practice with him benched for her partners injury, showing her that he always steps up when it comes to her. Through trips to meet each other’s Parents and many explicit nights together over festivities and holidays, Stassie still struggles to let herself feel loved. But Nate can’t help himself from falling more and more in love with her—only when it’s time for the biggest day of her life and it doesn’t end up the way she thought, and Nate can’t fix it though he tries, it leaves everything Stassie worked so hard for hanging in the balance.
Overall, Icebreaker felt like the start of something wonderful. Through learning curves of body issues, commitment fears and what it takes to be the best at what you do whilst still finding time to live, there was a soft and spicy love story that made me smile and laugh throughout. Nate and Stassie, through alternating POVs, show their opposing personalities and how it seems like they shouldn’t be together but are also somehow perfect for one another. Their friends were just as entertaining and I can’t wait to read more from the Maple Hills residents (gimme some Lola and Henry stories please!!) I was at first very afraid of the size of the book as it does feel too long to begin with, but by the end I was glad it was a big book because we got to meet so many faces and see an epilogue that made my heart soar. A beautiful, hilarious and heartfelt book that you’ll fall head over skates for.
by Hannah
Frenemies to lovers ✔️
He falls first ✔️
Communication ✔️
Found family ✔️
Forced proximity ✔️
Above are just a few of the tropes that you can find within Icebreaker. It’s a story that is bound to make you swoon and wish that you had a boyfriend that played Ice Hockey, and it’s a story that will leave you reeling for a love just like Nate and Stassies.
Truth be told, I didn’t love or hate the book at first, I couldn’t understand the hype over it, but I could understand why some people disliked the book. It was purely a book that I felt in different too, but as I continued to read along, I found myself rooting for the characters and falling in love with their story.
Anastasia Allen is a strong willed woman who has dreams and aspirations that go beyond the norm for pet, but she is determined to achieve them. When she is thrown through multiple loops, her perseverance only grows and she achieves her outcome each and every time. When it comes to love, she’s not interested, but Nate is the one who’s able to change her mind on that.
At first I founded Anastasia to be quite arrogant and conceded, I felt as though she only cared for herself and her best friend; but as I continued to learn about Stassie, I found myself wanting to protect her and promise her that everything will be okay. She deserved so much better than what Aaron did to her and I am BEYOND glad that she put that man in his place. She deserves all the happiness in the world.
As for Nate, goodness me, I would happily become a homewrecker if it meant I could have him as my partner and love. He is a dream and a beautiful one at that. This is the third hockey romance I have read and I can honestly say that Nate is the best LI out of all three. A natural leader and an even sweeter man, there’s nothing that can stil me from simping over him.
The love he has for his team and Stassie is admireable, and I think he’s going to make a wonderful player and father as the years go by.
All in all, what started out as a book I had no care for turned out to be one I loved in the end and I cannot wait for the next one!
by readerofmanythings
I picked up this book thinking it would be quick, easy, fun and fluffy. While it is fluffy at times, definitely fun, there was more depth to it than I thought. I really loved getting to know these characters and their complex world. Super cute, makes you believe in love!