O P E N I N G L I N E:
I loved Josh's sweetness, his sensitivity, his passion, and his creativity. I loved how respectfully he treated me both as his girlfriend and his skating partner, and I loved how his clear blue eyes could melt me all over with just one look.
But his family...
They made me want to run screaming into the hills.
(pg. 4, US E-ARC edition)
LOSING THE ICE is a sequel to last year's CROSSING THE ICE. It can be read alone, but you miss the struggles of Courtney and Josh prior to when they fall in love and become pairs partners. In LOSING THE ICE, a skating accident creates tension that tests the strength of their relationship and their skating future. It took a little bit to job my memory since I didn't re-read the first book before diving into this one, but I still remembered enough of the important stuff and didn't feel like I needed a complete refresher, which is critical for readers diving in for the first time. The books are also a companion series to LIFE ON THE EDGE and its accompanying sequels. You definitely don't have to read that series first, as Courtney and Josh don't exist, and it focuses on the adventures of their now-coaches Emily and Sergei. If you like skating books, you are going to want to check out the world created in Jennifer Comeaux's novels.
Courtney is finally in a good place. She still has skating in her future and she's finally at Josh's side. Even better, they're now skating together, and their love is stronger than ever. When Josh falls in competition, fear threatens to destroy everything the two have worked so hard to build. Josh freezes up when it's time to attempt lifts, and he can't even remember how to play the piano anymore, so he's lost his source of income. He's shutting Courtney out just when he needs her most, and Courtney can't bear to see him struggle alone. For many skaters, a catastrophic fall means the end of the career. Are Courtney and Josh done being pairs skaters even before they've had a chance to truly compete?LOSING THE ICE is much more somber and serious than CROSSING THE ICE was. CROSSING THE ICE allowed me to discover and adore the characters, while the new book focuses on watching them overcome their struggles and making their way through life. I wouldn't recommend reading LOSING THE ICE first, even though you can, because you don't get as much out of it. You won't care about the characters in the same way or be as invested in their struggles this time around. While I liked seeing Comeaux focus on ice issues that plague skaters, I also wanted to see more triumph in the destiny Courtney and Josh struggled so much to grasp in the first book. I also wanted to see them at the Olympics, proving all their doubters wrong! The book takes place too soon after the first for that, so it was just a wish, but still! The book sped by so fast, and we spent so much time in sorrow that there wasn't as much room for triumph, but all the various elements were handled well and definitely fit in with the skating canon I always enjoy reading.
I hope Comeaux continues to write books revolving around skaters and the rink, especially since it's a topic she knows so well. I'll be continuing to read them if she does!
EXCERPT FROM
CROSSING THE LINE
by Jennifer Comeaux:
CROSSING THE LINE
by Jennifer Comeaux:
I turned to Josh with my arms folded and my head cocked to the side. “So, you’re an athlete, a dancer and a musician? If you tell me you’re a skilled artist, I’m gonna have to hate you.”
He laughed. “I can barely draw a stick figure.”
“Whew.” I swiped my hand across my forehead.
“Even if I was the next Picasso, though, I wouldn’t have told you.” He paused and held my gaze. “I don’t like the idea of you hating me.”
My stomach fluttered. Josh didn’t often make extended eye contact, but whenever he locked those sinfully blue eyes on mine, I became a mesmerized puddle of swoon.
~*~
C O N T E N T R A T I N G S
Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) for details
Romance: PG13 ( lots of kissing; innuendo/cut scenes )
Language: PG ( Nothing too bad that I can recall )
Violence: --
Violence: --
Other: --
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C O V E R D E S I G N:
This cover will attract ice skating fans. I always grab books with skating covers.
The crack in the ice hints at danger and adds action to the cover.
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O F F I C I A L I N F O:
Title: LOSING THE ICE
Author: Jennifer Comeaux
Release Date: Feb. 23, 2015
Publisher: Jennifer Comeaux
Received: For Review
Received: For Review
SUMMARY:
Courtney and Josh are in love and excited to finally compete as skating partners. When they take the ice for their first competition, they want to show everyone, especially Josh's family, they are the perfect pair. But ice is slippery, and one misstep puts all their dreams in jeopardy. Now they must show each other both their love and their partnership are strong enough to survive.
~*~
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Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is traveling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing.
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****Giveaway*****
Ready to check out
CROSSING THE LINE?
CROSSING THE LINE?
a $20 gift card
(You can use some of it to buy CROSSING THE ICE and/or LOSING THE ICE!)
thank you for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great review and for being part of the tour, Bonnie!! The next and final book in the series will take place during the Olympic season, so there's more to come for Courtney and Josh! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for participating :)
ReplyDelete