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A review by stevienotnicks
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This one started off strong for me. It had the makings of my fav type of romances: reverse grumpy/sunshine + hockey + he falls first, but it quickly spun out into smut over substance.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a nice bit of spice, but I need a strong plot line and character development and both just missed the mark. The subplots were a bit too ambitious, never fully getting the attention they deserved. The characters were pretty cliche and very one dimensional, despite having the most groundwork laid for pretty complex backstories. I’d hoped to dig deeper into Nate’s relationship with his father and Anastasia’s mental health struggles, but we merely got surface level explanations at best.
A few trigger warnings: There was a LOT of glorification of disordered eating, a hefty bit of slut shaming, and a way too heavy dose of misogyny for my tastes.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a nice bit of spice, but I need a strong plot line and character development and both just missed the mark. The subplots were a bit too ambitious, never fully getting the attention they deserved. The characters were pretty cliche and very one dimensional, despite having the most groundwork laid for pretty complex backstories. I’d hoped to dig deeper into Nate’s relationship with his father and Anastasia’s mental health struggles, but we merely got surface level explanations at best.
A few trigger warnings: There was a LOT of glorification of disordered eating, a hefty bit of slut shaming, and a way too heavy dose of misogyny for my tastes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Sexual assault and Death of parent