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A review by readwithkaitlin
An Unlikely Pair by Traci Hunter Abramson
5.0
When a family tragedy hits, aspiring ballerina Amaliya Marcell is forced to leave her home, friends, and all that is familiar to her to try and build a new life, all while finishing her senior year of high school. Filled with guilt and uncertainty as she waits for healing to happen, she moves to a new state. As she tries to find something normal she heads to the ice rink and finds an unexpected glimmer of hope.
Tyler Linden is thrown into one bad audition after another trying to find a new pairs figure skating partner, after his sister announces retirement. He is having to come to terms that he might have to give up the opportunity to go to the US national championships when he sees a beautiful young woman at the local ice rink. She has poise and grace and he takes a risk on Amaliya, by asking her to be his partner.
She agrees, which is surprising considering she has a long way to go to make up the basic jumps required to compete. They both know it won't be an easy path to make it to the championships, but as they continue to get to know one another and skate with one another, they are able to find an easy and solid partnership- on and off the ice. The competition is fierce though, and have to put everything on the line if they wish to achieve their Olympic dreams.
What Traci has done here is such a clever idea. I love the idea that she had in setting up Robert and Katerina in a novella, and then continues their story through their daughter twenty years later. I loved the connection between hockey, ballet, and figure staking. I have always thought that ice dancing in the Olympics was the closest thing to dance. As Tyler says, "Your dad is a skater. Your mom is a ballerina. Combine the two and you get a figure skater." That is really does make sense.
I am trying to think of a book that I have read in the past that has figure skating, and I am coming up blank. However, there were a few times that I wished that the line, "toe pick" had been used just one time. Cutting Edge anyone? I appreciated that Amaliya tried to really find her own path. Although her original path of dancing in San Francisco would have served her well, I understand the need to step back from something after a big life event. In the end it ends up being the best route for her.
It was an endearing read with sweet romance, determination, familial love, and competition. I promise you, it is worth every word and every second. I only wished it kept going. Can't wait to read more in this series.
Rating: 5 Stars
Tyler Linden is thrown into one bad audition after another trying to find a new pairs figure skating partner, after his sister announces retirement. He is having to come to terms that he might have to give up the opportunity to go to the US national championships when he sees a beautiful young woman at the local ice rink. She has poise and grace and he takes a risk on Amaliya, by asking her to be his partner.
She agrees, which is surprising considering she has a long way to go to make up the basic jumps required to compete. They both know it won't be an easy path to make it to the championships, but as they continue to get to know one another and skate with one another, they are able to find an easy and solid partnership- on and off the ice. The competition is fierce though, and have to put everything on the line if they wish to achieve their Olympic dreams.
What Traci has done here is such a clever idea. I love the idea that she had in setting up Robert and Katerina in a novella, and then continues their story through their daughter twenty years later. I loved the connection between hockey, ballet, and figure staking. I have always thought that ice dancing in the Olympics was the closest thing to dance. As Tyler says, "Your dad is a skater. Your mom is a ballerina. Combine the two and you get a figure skater." That is really does make sense.
I am trying to think of a book that I have read in the past that has figure skating, and I am coming up blank. However, there were a few times that I wished that the line, "toe pick" had been used just one time. Cutting Edge anyone? I appreciated that Amaliya tried to really find her own path. Although her original path of dancing in San Francisco would have served her well, I understand the need to step back from something after a big life event. In the end it ends up being the best route for her.
It was an endearing read with sweet romance, determination, familial love, and competition. I promise you, it is worth every word and every second. I only wished it kept going. Can't wait to read more in this series.
Rating: 5 Stars