A review by lawbooks600
Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

funny slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

Representation: N/A
Score: Two out of ten.

Short review: Icebreaker was awful.

Long review: Icebreaker by Hannah Grace was the worst book I've read this year. I wanted to read it after seeing it in my recommendations, then I got it when it was ready at the library. I glanced at the blurb, which made it seem intriguing, but I lowered my expectations after seeing the ratings. When I closed the final page, I was disappointed.

It starts with Anastasia Allen and Nate Hawkins, each living separate lives, with Anastasia being part of the USA ice skating team for three years, and Nate being part of the ice hockey team. The opening pages are slow, and the pacing continues to be this way. A slow pace only works when I like the characters, but unfortunately, I found it hard to connect or relate with them. I didn't like them either. There's only one plot in Icebreaker: the relationship between Anastasia and Nate, but the author didn't write them well, so I didn't feel like they had any chemistry. I would've liked to see more of the side characters, but Icebreaker didn't dedicate any subplots or page time to them, and the narrative still managed to  span more than 400 pages. Removing filler pages and adding more subplots would've improved the reading experience. There's no literary value or diversity either. 

Icebreaker sent a worrying message of unhealthy eating when I saw Anastasia dieting, meaning she didn't eat as much as she should. Even worse, she gets away with it for most of the narrative, and her issues are only visible when she gets bruises more easily. Where are the support systems? There aren't any as far as I can see, much to my dismay. Ten chapters have spicy scenes, which I found hard to read, and I almost gave the work a DNF, and I should've. The jarring juxtapositions detracted from the storyline, as sometimes there can be discussions of serious topics, contrasting with the overall lighthearted tone. At least the climax is a high note, with Anastasia and Nate continuing their relationship.
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