Fire on the Ice by Tamsen Parker

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Title: Fire on the Ice
Author: Tamsen Parker
Series: Snow & Ice Games #4
Published by: Swerve
Release Date: February 6, 2018
Format: eARC
Pages: 169
Genres: Sports Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Erotica
Source: NetGalley
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2019 Beat the Backlist Challenge, Lenoreo's 2019 Diversity Reading Challenge, Lenoreo's 2019 Netgalley and Edelweiss Challenge, Lenoreo's COYER Summer Hunt
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks
My rating:

Blurb:

Welcome to the Snow and Ice Games where competition is not the only thing that is heating up! The fourth book in bestselling Tamsen Parker's romance series continues with two female skaters from opposite sides of the rink.

Blaze Bellamy is the bad girl of the short track speed skating world. Looking like a roller derby bruiser when she’s not in her Team USA uniform, she’s an unlikely American heroine. She’s got a punk attitude to match her provocative dress and her dyed hair, and she’s determined to get onto the front pages of the papers regardless of how she has to do it.

Maisy Harper is the workhorse of the Canadian women’s figure skating team. Serious, modest, and above all, polite, Maisy would prefer to win her victory on the ice rather than in the press, and is exasperated by Blaze’s antics. When she’s not lusting after her anyway. After they both failed to make the medal podium at the last Snow and Ice Games, they drowned themselves in gin—and each other.

Despite their hookup being drunken, they both harbor fond memories of their night together and are keen for a repeat. But they’ve got different ways of going about getting what they want, and Blaze’s willingness to go to any lengths for the spotlight could ruin any chance she has with Maisy.

My Review:

I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

3.5 stars — I will admit I was a bit concerned when our MCs jumped right into bed, and what followed were a lot of very descriptive and hot sex scenes, with only sprinklings of emotions (mostly leftover from their previous encounter).  I guess I was expecting a steamy romance, and really got more an erotica with romance.  The thing that saved it for me was that I *did* get some emotions and hints of depth in that first half, and when we got over the lust hump, there was a lot of interesting stuff to unpack.  But if you’re not down for immediate (and gratuitous) sex scenes, you might want to try a different F/F.

So, outside of ALL the sex (some of which were uber steamy, some of which were just long), we have two very flawed and broken MCs who deal with their brokenness in vastly different ways.  Blaze takes all the shaming coming her way and gives the world a big FU, whilst still internalizing some of the hurts (because, you know, human).  And Maisy keeps herself all bottled up and private, allowing the shaming to become voices that she has to try to work around.  It was kind of heart breaking actually.  Despite all that, it was a pretty sex positive book.  Both characters weren’t themselves ashamed of who they were…they were just shouldering the burdens of shame heaped upon them.  It made for some passionate, aggressive, and without apologies sex scenes, and I appreciated that.  I loved the dichotomy of recognizing slut shaming, being fucking pissed about it, but still having it affect you, no matter how strong you are.  It was very realistic and human.

Once we got to more than just sex, I really appreciated the little ways we got to see them start to care for one another, and the way their chemistry extended beyond the bedroom.  There were a lot of sweet moments and silly moments that I loved.  I also really appreciated the way they handled obstacles, and mistakes, and forgiveness.  There were some great genuine apologies and epiphanies to be had.

The book also gave us an interesting look into what it might mean to be polyamorous.  I appreciated that it wasn’t sensationalized, and that we got to see how it might play out.  I’m fascinated by it from a “not for me” perspective, and I still can’t wrap my head around the emotions/trust involved.

And as with all the books in this series, the sport was fucking ON!!  I love the Olympics, love winter sports, love both of these sports, and I loved the time and attention that the author showcased to BOTH of them, and the athleticism of both women.  This is not one of those sports romances where the sport is token, it was part of the plot.  I loved that.  It’s probably my favourite part of the series.

So yeah.  I can see this book not being for everyone, but I enjoyed what it brought me.  Just go in expecting erotica, and you’ll have better expectations I think.

COYER Summer Hunt: IT’S HOT! HOT! HOT! Read a book in a hot location or an erotica — 3 points.