Date of Reading: 7/4/2021
Author: Helen Buckley
Publisher: ChocLit
Publication Date: March 9, 2021
Rating: 5/5
(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Rachel's Random Resources)
About the book:
When falling in love comes with the risk of falling flat on your face ...
Former Olympic skating champion Katie Saunders is well known for her ‘ice queen’ persona in the press. On the face of it, perhaps Katie should have forgiven her former skating partner and ex-boyfriend, Alex Michaelson, for the accident that shattered both her ankle and their Olympic dreams – but she just can’t seem to let it go.
When Katie reluctantly agrees to take part in a new TV skating show, it’s only because she’s desperate for cash. What she didn’t count on is the drama – not only is she partnered up with infamous love rat rugby player Jamie Welsh, but one of the judges is none other than Alex Michaelson himself.
As the show progresses, will Katie be shown the hard way, once again, that romance on the ice should remain strictly off-limits?
Review:
It is always a rare treat to meet a book that surprises you. Here I was, expecting a laid back romance and what did I find? A story so evocative and nerve-racking that I finished half of it pacing through my room, kindle on hand, everything else forgotten. As you have rightly assumed, this is no story for work nights.
A seemingly innocent reality show and an opportunity for past lovers to reunite. What is there to go wrong? On one side, we have handsome, charismatic AlexMichaelson, the public's favourite and on the other, the clumsy Jamie Welsh, notorious for cheating his wife. Well, another lesson to not believe everything on the papers.
What makes this novel special is the delicate and daring way the author handled the issue of domestic violence and the exploitation of a young girl that made it close to reality. I have heard of similar things happening with actresses, especially those who taste fame at a very young age. Well, maybe we don't have to look that far for instances, it could be anyone around us, trapped and dependent with no way out.
From beginning to the very end, this had been an enlightening read and the narration which juxtaposed the present and the past only heightened the feeling that this is one of the best books I read this year.
Meet the author:
Helen Buckley lives in Bedfordshire with her husband and two sons. After working in the charity sector in the UK and abroad, she turned her hand to writing and her first novel, Star in the Shadows, was published in 2019.
She writes any moment that she can, enthralled by stories of fame, romance, and happy ever afters. Apart from being addicted to writing and enjoying soft play with her sons, she’s an avid reader, action-movie fan, and chocolate addict.
Follow Helen on social media to find out more about her work or to get in touch:
Twitter: @HelenCBuckley
Instagram: @helencatherinebuckley
Facebook: @HelenBuckleyAuthor
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I want it!This sounds so good, Excellent review, thank you for putting it on my radar.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds awesome
ReplyDeleteThis sounds lovely. Thanks for putting it on my radar.
ReplyDeleteAdding this to my TBR. What a compelling review!
ReplyDeleteGlad you loved it and that it exceeded your expectations. Great review.
ReplyDelete