Reviews

Out on the Ice by Kelly Farmer

judeinthestars's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

I read this book when it came out in 2020 and as is usual for me, the story didn’t stick much in my brain, but I remembered very clearly that how much I’d liked it. As I reread the review I wrote then, I realised that I got into it a lot more quickly this time. I don’t know if it’s the narration (Chelsea Stephens is at her best when the MCs are together), or because I have a better understanding of ADHD—diagnosed or undiagnosed—than I did four years ago. Maybe it’s both. Whatever it is, I loved Amy a lot more, and could relate to both her and Caro.

Kelly Farmer writes neurodivergence and depression with an accuracy and a gentleness that makes the characters decidedly relatable. Amy and Caro are opposites, one an out and proud bisexual with a loving and supportive family, the other a very private—albeit not closeted—lesbian from a homophobic family. Speaking of family, there’s a profoundly moving scene between Caro and Amy’s mom that brought tears to my eyes.

Another aspect of this story that didn’t register with me the first time is how often we talk about miscommunication as a trope and I’ll be the first to say I dislike it when a five-minute conversation would have solved every issue and there are no good reasons for the MCs not to have that talk. Here however, the miscommunication is real, it’s not a lack of communication, and it highlights the fact that sometimes, talking when you’re in the wrong headspace isn’t helping and can actually make things worse. Then it’s love, trust, patience, and the willingness to get through hard times together that make all the difference.

Beyond the romance arc, two themes prevail, both tied to the author’s own experience: coming out (and the many forms it can take) and bi-erasure. If you want to know more about Kelly Farmer’s journey, I recommend this post she wrote for LGBTQ Reads.

Watch the video review (with Galipette): https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAQd3S...

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Read all my reviews on my website (and please get your books from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars

nicoleeweber's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

A sweet sapphic, hockey romance! Out on the Ice is a great romance full of love, family (found and otherwise), and self-acceptance. 

Our story follows two female hockey players—retired former Olympian Caro, who now owns her own girls hockey school, and Amy, a current professional women’s hockey player with a big social media following but coming off a rough season. Amy has always idolized Caro—both as a hockey player and as her ideal woman—so when she’s invited to coach at her training center for the summer, Amy jumps at the chance. As Caro gets to know Amy, she finds she can’t stop thinking about her, but there’s no way she can get involved with a younger coach, right? The summer brings Caro and Amy closer, but being together means they might both need to put who they think they are on the line. 

❤️ What I loved: This is a super sweet, very real feeling sapphic love story. I also love that the usually very straight hockey romance subgenre is reframed in a wonderfully queer way. What I was impressed by the most was the ability of this relatively lighthearted book to deal with some complicated topics around mental health, homophobia, and the pressures of social media and public image. This book was also well-suited to be an audiobook, and the narration was great!

💔 What I didn’t love: There was more “telling” than “showing” at times throughout the book, which pulled me out of the story a bit. The front half of the story was also a bit slow for me.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of queer and sapphic romance, especially those who like sports romance! I hope the other books in the series will get audiobook versions soon.
 
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (3.5-4.0)

Acknowledgments & Disclaimers ✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Kelly Farmer, and Spotify Audiobooks, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book. ✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. ✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

sterling_sapphic_reads's review

lighthearted medium-paced

3.75

Out on the Ice by Kelly Farmer is a slow-burn, emotionally rich romance that tackles important topics like mental health, identity, and the complexities of love. Narrated by Chelsea Stephens, the audiobook adds an extra layer of depth to this already engaging story, making it an enjoyable listen for fans of sapphic romance and sports fiction.

Caro Cassidy, a former women’s hockey legend, is now dedicated to running an all-girls hockey camp and keeping her personal life private. In contrast, Amy Schwarzbach is all bright energy and charm, using her high-profile position in women’s hockey to advocate for causes she believes in. When Amy joins Caro’s camp for the summer, their initial chemistry turns into something much deeper, but both women have reasons to be cautious about letting love in.

I really appreciated the strong representation in this book. Having a half-Jewish, bi main character was fantastic, and the bi-representation felt authentic without being heavy-handed. The way the book handled discussions around mental health—covering anxiety, depression, and personal insecurities—added a realness that made the characters feel relatable and three-dimensional. Neither Caro nor Amy is perfect, and I liked that they both had flaws that made them more human and easier to connect with.

The slow-burn romance was filled with so much tension that I found myself wishing for a bit more on-page romance. The fade-to-black scenes, while well-written, left me wanting a little more in terms of intimacy, especially given how much build-up there was. That’s just a personal preference, but it’s a testament to how well Farmer created that chemistry between the two leads.

The pacing of the story is definitely on the slower side, so if you're someone who enjoys taking your time to get to know the characters, you’ll find a lot to love here. The hockey setting and the strong focus on the sport added an extra layer of excitement, especially if you're a fan of sports romances. 

Chelsea Stephens did a good job with the narration, capturing the distinct voices of Caro and Amy and bringing the characters to life in a way that added even more depth to the story. I also loved the audiobook cover—it’s so cute and perfectly captures the spirit of the story!

This is a heartfelt and well-developed romance with characters you’ll root for, and I enjoyed seeing the emotional growth of both Caro and Amy throughout the book. Kelly Farmer has shown great promise with this one, and I’m excited to see what she has in store next!

ilmiruth's review against another edition

5.0

Thank you NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the advance copy! Out on the Ice is a fun, sweet sapphic romance. I found Amy and her "squirrels" very relatable and thought the characters had a lot of depth. This was a really good sports romance. I love the women's hockey players and the dynamics between Amy and Caro with Amy's longtime crush. I also enjoyed reading about the players on different levels/teams and at the school. I love that this is a series and I will definitely read more! 

edithslittlefreelibrary's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to receive an ARC audio book in exchange for an honest review!

As you may know I am a sports sapphic romance goosey girlie, so when I got the opportunity to listen to a sapphic hockey romance, I was so excited!

I enjoyed getting to know Caro and Amy- Caro as she navigated running her skating facility and programs- Girls and Goals, while also confronting her identity as it relates personally and professionally to the life she wants to live. And Amy, who’s still in her pro hockey career and also working as a nutritionist- having fully embraced her sexual identity and dove into being an advocate and activist for queer athletes.

While Amy has embraced having personal relationships throughout her career, Caro has not, well, she’s had one, but it wasn’t a positive experience and paired with Caro’s family's homophobia Caro really holds a firm boundary between her work and personal life.

Amy has had a crush on Caro since the beginning- admiring her from afar throughout her hockey career. So when Amy has an opportunity to work at Caro’s training facility for the summer and work and learn alongside Caro it was more or less a dream! With no intention of acting on any romantic interest Amy was purely excited to be there! 

But! The romance blossoms- I’ll refrain from spoilers except to say I haven’t read a closed door romance in a while and I kept expecting… wanting? More…. There was so much hype and build up in the beginning stages of their relationship so when we ended up not really seeing what happened it felt a bit like a drop off. Not to say that there weren’t other parts of the romance we weren’t a part of– but I think there could have been a bit more spice!

Caro’s family and homophobia was a tough read. Not because the content, though that is always a gut punch albeit the reality we face, but more so because it felt a bit like the early 2000’s and I can’t really put my finger on it.

In terms of Amy- her scatterbrain, people pleasing, doing everything all at once and trying not to let anything go, is relatable and I appreciated what I interpreted as neurodivergence rep- I also think she got more criticism than I saw fit though that could just be my own defensiveness in Amy’s behalf, lol.

Overall, I enjoyed Caro’s and Amy’s relationship and the ending felt like it tied much of the story together!

3.5 gooses

1 spicey honkin' pepper

rainbowbookworm's review

3.25

This book lingered on my TBR for years until the publisher granted me access to an ARC of the audiobook. I’m glad that was what finally made me pick it up. Out on the Ice isn’t your traditional romance—it dives into some real issues, like the psychological repercussions of being outed and the trauma of growing up queer with a very religious upbringing. The story also highlights how beneficial therapy can be in helping to heal from that trauma, as well as the hidden wounds some of us still carry.

Beyond the romance, this book is about finding the right partner—someone who supports you during the highs and lows, roots for you, and inspires you to be the best version of yourself. It also touches on the importance of having safe spaces where people can be themselves. While it may not be what everyone expects in a romance, I think it works for what it sets out to do.

Out on the Ice may not be a book that lingers in my memory for long, but I did enjoy reading it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing

bookfortbuilder's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Closed door 

pages_and_papercrafts's review against another edition

3.0

Two female hockey players fight their feelings for each other while one also has to prove her worthiness of identity to her family. The premise of this sapphic sports romance was great, but I am sorry to say I thought the execution fell a bit flat. I couldn’t relate to the stubbornness of Caro or how naive Amy was portrayed. I also wasn’t a fan of the narrator either, the voice she had for Amy was too young for the subject matter presented.
Thank you to Net Galley and Spotify Audiobooks for the eALC.

aedavison's review

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A cute and quirky, opposites attract love story that deals with tough topics such as internalized hemophobia, feelings of inadequacy, and societal pressure in a warm and gentle way. This was a delightful queer hockey romance that centered the relationship just as much as the game. I really appreciated the emphasis on mental health and the way the characters communicated with each other, even through struggle. I'm excited to read the rest of the series.

thisboricuareader's review against another edition

3.5

I mean overall this book was interesting. Like I liked women in hockey, and I wanted Caro to just be a tiny bit more confident with herself. I get she was navigating the homophobia in her family. I thought it was cute. 

I got an alc of this book on NetGalley.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.