A review by tfortilney
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Ironically for a romance, my favourite aspects of this book were not the love story between the main characters.

It might be a silly thing to like, but I found it refreshing that, in the beginning, Stassi has a “friends with benefits” relationship that is actually well communicated, satisfying to both parties, 
and eventually ends in a regular friendship
, with no mismatched expectations on anyone’s part, which already indicates that she is (usually) good at communicating her expectations, needs, and boundaries.
I actually wish Ryan had played more of a role as a friend later on, but he just kind of disappears from the story.


I really appreciate the book’s depiction of an abusive relationship that is neither romantic, nor a parent-child-relationship, not because the latter two don’t exist (They’re obviously very common), but because I think it’s important to show that other dynamics can be abusive too . The conflict about Stassi needing Aaron as a skating partner also made for a great third act drama between her and Nate where both character’s positions are very understandable as Nate’s opposition to Stassi’s plans is  rooted in how deeply he cares for her. I actually wish Stassi had reported Aaron for sexual assault for that final kiss, like in the Luis Rubiales case. It felt like he got off lightly.


I also liked that Stassi is in therapy, that it is portrayed in a realistic way, and that she references what she learned there and how it helped her several times, including by communicating her needs and worries openly with Nate, without the book acting like it solved all of her problems forever.


As for the more romance-typical things, I am an absolute sucker for the found family trope, so the way
the hockey team basically adopts Lola and Stassi, and the way Stassi’s parents accept Nate as their own
just warmed my heart (especially when
her dad tells him how proud he is of his hockey career which his own dad never did 🥺
). I enjoyed many of the side characters, and I’m excited to read Ross’s and Henry’s stories in their own books.

I like that the book is generally sex-positive, with open discussions of consent and protection, neither of the main characters freaking out about the other person’s previous sexual experiences, and both of them recognising both their own and the other’s sexual attraction relatively early on. I don’t think there’s too much sex in this book, or that sex is the only thing that connects the characters, as some reviewers seem to think, but it’s definitely something readers should be aware of going in because it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.


I will say though, Icebreaker made me realise that praise kinks* and possessive language like
“This pu**y is mine”
are a turn-off for me, at least in m/f couples that already show some rather… traditional dynamics like the boyfriend being possessive outside of sex too. (*I’m sorry, but “good girl” sounds like someone’s talking to a dog.)

Speaking of possessiveness, I was honestly not always a huge fan of Nate. He doesn’t outright cross lines as some truly problematic romance protagonists do, but I didn’t like that, even before he realises Stassi likes him, he already likes the challenge of pursuing her when she avoids him. (And even if he was sure that she found him physically attractive, doesn’t mean she wants to be chased.) Of course, this later becomes a deliberate dynamic between them that she enjoys and encourages, so it’s hard to argue why it didn’t sit right with me, but I feel like the author is blurring the lines between mutual kink and potentially uncomfortable behaviour here. 

Given the  importance the author clearly places on therapy, I wish Nate had also considered giving it a try at some point, be it to talk about his dad, or to work on his possessiveness and control issues. There are several instances, up to the very end, where Stassi calls out his behaviour towards her as disrespectful, but she seems to forgive him many things because she knows he hasn’t been in therapy for years as she has, so he doesn’t always have the tools to express his feelings the way she does. That doesn't mean that he can’t learn that though! It doesn’t help that the plot usually proves him right.
Yes, Aaron is still abusive towards Stassi, so Nate is right to not like her continuing to work with him, but that doesn’t mean that the way he goes about it is great. It can be hard for people on the outside of an abusive relationship to understand why the abused partner doesn’t just leave, but that doesn’t make the abused party naive, stupid, or in need of someone else making decisions for them, and I think the book could’ve done better at making this clear.


Lastly, I’m generally not a fan of the “surprise baby” trope,  but in this case especially I thought it was a shame the author went with it when Stassi had previously said very clearly that she wanted to adopt rather than having biological kids. Of course surprise pregnancies happen — though I find it odd that Stassi, who has been both taking the pill and vomiting before competitions for years, wouldn’t be aware of the possible interferences —, but as an authorial choice, I didn’t love it, especially when Stassi is still so young and the beginning of the book claims it’s hard, if not impossible, for figure skaters to go back to their careers after a pregnancy.
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