The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
verityw's review against another edition
2.0
****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review****
I picked this out because I really fancied some Winter Olympics romance action before the games. I love winter sports - particulary figure skating and I love finding out about who is dating who off the rink, so I thought it would be perfect for me. And the romances here are nice - three dimensional characters with actual backstories and issues that aren't just about their sports careers. However, possibly because of all the figure skating I watch, I kept getting drawn away from the romances by the technical details (large and small). So not as perfect for the Winter Olympics fan as I had hoped - but for the casual viewer, this might be spot on.
I picked this out because I really fancied some Winter Olympics romance action before the games. I love winter sports - particulary figure skating and I love finding out about who is dating who off the rink, so I thought it would be perfect for me. And the romances here are nice - three dimensional characters with actual backstories and issues that aren't just about their sports careers. However, possibly because of all the figure skating I watch, I kept getting drawn away from the romances by the technical details (large and small). So not as perfect for the Winter Olympics fan as I had hoped - but for the casual viewer, this might be spot on.
llamareads's review
4.0
Trigger warnings: Homophobia (in the past), death of sibling, school shooting (in the past)
This is a duology of two interconnected stories set during the winter Olympics. Though this may seem odd to say, it was nice to see countries other than America represented (most of them are representing Australia, and Arielle is Canadian).
Fighting Their Attraction – Nicole Flockton – ★★★
Brady arrives at the Olympics as a strong contender for a gold medal in snowboarding – and promptly runs into several ex- skating friends, including his old pairs skating partner. Brady burned his bridges with them when he left the sport years ago, so it’s even more inexplicable to him when he finds himself attracted to one of the Canadian skaters, Arielle. And even stranger, Arielle, who doesn’t know anything about Brady except there was a bit of a kerfuffle around him several years ago, is interested despite herself. Her parents – who are also her coaches – have drilled into her that she doesn’t have any time for distractions.
I think what personally struck me the most about this story was Brady’s and Arielle’s parents’ controlling influence on their lives. I mean, Arielle’s mom freaks out when she finds out she went to dinner with Brady, and Brady’s dad is partially responsible for his abandonment of ice skating, not to mention his childish reaction when he thinks Arielle is a distraction to him going for the gold. I think this made the whole relationship feel even more doomed to me, as it doesn’t seem like either person had the maturity since they’re so used to being bossed around by their parents. It was just too insta-love for me to believe.
Man of Ice – Fiona Marsden – ★★★★
This story worked better for me. While calling Belle and Bohdan’s prior relationship a friendship would be a stretch, they at least had more familiarity with each other to build a romantic future on.
Maybelle (Brady’s old partner) and Bohdan are competing for Australia in the ice skating pairs competition, though Bohdan is actually Ukranian. Though they’ve only been skating together for a few months, they’re both driven to medal at the Olympics, even though it’s a long shot. Like Brady and Arielle, their families are a strong influence, though there’s a bit more depth behind their reasonings. Bohdan has been taught by his life experiences that it’s best not to get too close to anyone, and Belle isn’t used to doing anything for just herself. Of course, things between them start to shift at the Olympics – the worst possible time! I liked that they both had quite a bit of back story going on, and that they both discovered, as their relationship progressed, that they had other common goals (besides the Olympics) that they wanted to work towards.
Overall, I enjoyed these stories, and I’m rounding up to 4 stars for the book as a whole. Recommended if you’re looking for some winter sports fun!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This is a duology of two interconnected stories set during the winter Olympics. Though this may seem odd to say, it was nice to see countries other than America represented (most of them are representing Australia, and Arielle is Canadian).
Fighting Their Attraction – Nicole Flockton – ★★★
“Turning to look at the friend he hadn’t seen in more than eight years shouldn’t have been difficult, but it was proving to be. The last thing Brady Thompson let rule his life now was fear. Once, it had. Now, he couldn’t do half the tricks he did if fear controlled his world. Pasting on a smile, he faced his past.”
Brady arrives at the Olympics as a strong contender for a gold medal in snowboarding – and promptly runs into several ex- skating friends, including his old pairs skating partner. Brady burned his bridges with them when he left the sport years ago, so it’s even more inexplicable to him when he finds himself attracted to one of the Canadian skaters, Arielle. And even stranger, Arielle, who doesn’t know anything about Brady except there was a bit of a kerfuffle around him several years ago, is interested despite herself. Her parents – who are also her coaches – have drilled into her that she doesn’t have any time for distractions.
“But people didn’t fall in love in a few days. Especially when they were at a highly emotional event like the Olympics, where one second you’re riding a high and the next you’re in a heap at the bottom of a snowdrift.”
I think what personally struck me the most about this story was Brady’s and Arielle’s parents’ controlling influence on their lives. I mean, Arielle’s mom freaks out when she finds out she went to dinner with Brady, and Brady’s dad is partially responsible for his abandonment of ice skating, not to mention his childish reaction when he thinks Arielle is a distraction to him going for the gold. I think this made the whole relationship feel even more doomed to me, as it doesn’t seem like either person had the maturity since they’re so used to being bossed around by their parents. It was just too insta-love for me to believe.
Man of Ice – Fiona Marsden – ★★★★
This story worked better for me. While calling Belle and Bohdan’s prior relationship a friendship would be a stretch, they at least had more familiarity with each other to build a romantic future on.
“It wasn’t as if she even liked him in that way. Not now. He’d stifled that initial attraction with his indifference right from the start.
Respect, yes. He worked like a demon and was a superb partner, generous with praise even when he was tough about practicing and putting her all into everything.
It had been his drive that put them into medal contention at the last world championships at Helsinki and earned them a spot on the Olympic team even though they’d only been working together for a few months at the time. They’d missed out on a medal, but it had been close enough for the Olympic selectors.”
Maybelle (Brady’s old partner) and Bohdan are competing for Australia in the ice skating pairs competition, though Bohdan is actually Ukranian. Though they’ve only been skating together for a few months, they’re both driven to medal at the Olympics, even though it’s a long shot. Like Brady and Arielle, their families are a strong influence, though there’s a bit more depth behind their reasonings. Bohdan has been taught by his life experiences that it’s best not to get too close to anyone, and Belle isn’t used to doing anything for just herself. Of course, things between them start to shift at the Olympics – the worst possible time! I liked that they both had quite a bit of back story going on, and that they both discovered, as their relationship progressed, that they had other common goals (besides the Olympics) that they wanted to work towards.
Overall, I enjoyed these stories, and I’m rounding up to 4 stars for the book as a whole. Recommended if you’re looking for some winter sports fun!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
krista7's review
2.0
Note: This review is based on an ARC from Netgalley.
Okay, cards on the table: I've always loved to watch figure skating. The combination of dance, musicality, and raw athleticism is fascinating, and the reality of skating--the daily grind, not just the glittery costume on competition day--is likewise intriguing. As a result, I've been gobbling up books related to the sport.
That's why I asked to read "Medal Up," two short novellas based in the world of skating in the winter Olympics. The two stories are by different authors, but they are clearly created to work together, as they share the same set of core characters. I originally began "Medal Up" and, for some reason, I drifted away into another book.
Now I've gone back, reread and finished the book, and I can see why I didn't finish "Medal Up" the first time. If you're looking for a fluffy romance with a very accelerated happily ever after, it's fine. For me, I wanted a bit more--more of the sport, more realism, more character, etc. And maybe I was asking the book to be something it wasn't meant to be, but either way, this book just didn't do it for me.
Okay, cards on the table: I've always loved to watch figure skating. The combination of dance, musicality, and raw athleticism is fascinating, and the reality of skating--the daily grind, not just the glittery costume on competition day--is likewise intriguing. As a result, I've been gobbling up books related to the sport.
That's why I asked to read "Medal Up," two short novellas based in the world of skating in the winter Olympics. The two stories are by different authors, but they are clearly created to work together, as they share the same set of core characters. I originally began "Medal Up" and, for some reason, I drifted away into another book.
Now I've gone back, reread and finished the book, and I can see why I didn't finish "Medal Up" the first time. If you're looking for a fluffy romance with a very accelerated happily ever after, it's fine. For me, I wanted a bit more--more of the sport, more realism, more character, etc. And maybe I was asking the book to be something it wasn't meant to be, but either way, this book just didn't do it for me.
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