Out on the Ice by Kelly Farmer

Don’t miss this tender and funny contemporary romance from debut author Kelly Farmer.

Caro Cassidy used to be a legend.

During her career, Caro was one of the best defense players in women’s hockey. These days, she keeps to herself. Her all-girls hockey camp is her life, and she hopes it’ll be her legacy. Sure, her new summer hire is charming and magnetic, but Caro keeps her work and personal life strictly separate.

Amy Schwarzbach lives life out loud.

Amy’s as bright and cheerful as her lavender hair, and she uses her high-profile position in women’s hockey to advocate for the things she believes in. Ten weeks in Chicago coaching a girls’ training camp is the perfect opportunity to mentor the next generation before she goes back to Boston.

Letting love in means putting yourself out there.

When the reticent head coach offers to help Amy get in shape for next season, her starstruck crush on Caro quickly blossoms into real chemistry. As summer comes to an end, neither of them can quite let go of this fling—but Amy can’t afford a distraction, and Caro can’t risk her relationship becoming public and jeopardizing the one thing that’s really hers.

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Carina Press—Harlequin

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
I am a big ice hockey romance fan – but there aren't many about the women's game, so I was really excited to get to see a different side to the story. I had imagined how it might be, and this book certainly reinforced some of my expectations, and reminds us again how female athletes get a raw deal in professional sports which have been so dominated by men. The work that Caro does in trying to give upcoming players the chance to grow in a safe space is a lovely part of this really enjoyable romance. I might add, there is really very little if any speechifying of these issues in the book, they are just my observations – in fact, the book shows the life and lets you come to those conclusions for yourself!

I really enjoyed watching Caro allow herself to be open to Amy's clear attraction, and also the journey which she took to get herself to that point. Her attitude was so rigid, so work focused, that it had to be someone who really cared about her and showed her the genuineness of those feelings that could break through. Always a difficult situation when romance hits at work, but even more so when the employment is temporary and then there will be an issue of distance. Caro is the logical to Amy's romantic, but as we see, their joint skills are what makes the difference – at work and in their relationship.

Very enjoyable read, thank you, Kelly Farmer.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is the story of two famous hockey players who find each other while working together at a hockey camp for young girls. Caro, the owner of the camp, is an Olympic legend who is determined to keep her personal life private. Amy is the Megan Rapinoe of hockey – she’s loud, proud, and full of life. The sparks between them are instant but a relationship is a little more complicated.

This is a fun read. I really enjoyed the hockey action and I love the way Caro and her coaches interact with their students. Amy is fabulous. I love her energy, her colour, and the intensity of her relationship with her two best friends. It took me longer to warm to Caro but once I understood her history, it was easier to understand her coldness and her caution. There are moments where Caro is great, but her hang-ups are a little overwhelming at times. While I loved Amy from the start, I came to like Caro by the end. It is easy to see how the two women balance each other.

The pacing of this story is a little erratic. I really enjoyed the action at the start, but things became almost painfully slow as Caro and Amy worked through the many barriers to their relationship. It’s a low heat read – something that makes sense for Caro but not for Amy. I really love the characters that surround Caro and Amy and I would love to see a couple of them in their own books.

Kelly Farmer has been writing romance novels since junior high. The stories have changed, but one theme remains the same: everyone deserves a happy ending. She loves telling tales with a touch of snark and a lot of heart. When not writing, she enjoys being in nature, quoting from 80’s movies, listening to music, and petting every dog she comes in contact with. All of these show up in her books.

Kelly lives in the Chicago suburbs, where she swears every winter is her last one there.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Out on the Ice by Kelly Farmer to read and review.