scorpiomoonchokehold 's review for:

Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei

4.0

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a really great, adorable enemies to lovers story :~) i got pretty attached to these characters n could relate to both of them, they’re def gonna be on my mind for a while. i loved the way the author wrote about depression & bisexuality, it’s almost like they dissected my brain and took the thoughts that stuck out most, and that’s a really lovely feeling! the focus on the boys by the media & hockey fans was so intriguing to me, it really shows how popularity/fame and expectations can affect young kids. i loved jaysen and the vulnerability he expressed around mickey, and how he helped mickey open up on & off the ice. i loved that mickey was hell bent on not having jaysen try to fix him, he knew he had to do it himself. i absolutely loved their dynamic, and their text messages especially are so reminiscent of the flirty first stage of young relationships. the side characters in this book are really greatly written too. i loved both barbie & dorian and their dynamic, how they felt so safe around one another & could be vulnerable in a way a lot of people struggle to be in real life. the way they took mickey in was so cute, watching him open up to them slowly was so perfect <3 the family dynamic was really interesting too, i love stories involving multiple siblings, i find it to always be a really beautiful addition. at some points it definitely showed that it’s a story more for teens, but that’s my fault for not paying attention, it was overall still a really beautiful story about growing into yourself, figuring out who you are while also dealing with mental illness & living up to people’s expectations of you.