Title: Frozen Hearts, 2nd edition
Author: Teegan Loy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel (200 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (August 22nd 2014) NOTE: 2nd edition, originally published in 2013 by Silver Publishing
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Tams
Blurb: The best college hockey player in the country is hanging up his skates because he’s tired of living a lie. Five years ago, Erik Fox’s father found out about his indiscretions and forced him to change schools in the middle of the night. Erik had a boyfriend, and hockey players do not date boys.
With his college career over, Erik is determined to get his life on the right track, and that means making peace with the boy he left behind and living according to his own desires. But to do it, he must resist pressure from his father and everyone who wants to define him as nothing but a hockey player.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5333
Review: Erik Fox loves two things in life, Tyce and playing hockey. Five years ago, his father forced him to give up one for the other and Erik’s life has never been the same. Now that he’s old enough to make his own decisions, Erik wants to be more than just a hockey player. He decides to turn down an offer to go pro, finish college and keep his grades, and be open about his sexuality finally. In a world dominated by narrow-minded men, Erik will face challenges he didn’t consider as friends and family turn against him in the aftermath of his decision.
Erik’s roommates and sister rally around him as judgement and hatred run rampant. Though it’s been five years since that night when Erik was forced to leave Tyce without so much as a goodbye, neither of them has really moved on. They gave their hearts away a long time ago, a stolen kiss on the ice, and they never got them back. “Always have, Always will.” They gravitate back toward each other and slide right back into a groove, as if nothing had ever changed. But just as it was five years ago, other people have other plans that don’t include Erik and Tyce having their Always and forever.
While the premise for this story was evident within the first few pages, the execution was flawless. I was pulled in from the start, with that first look into Erik’s mind in the locker room, and my attention stayed focused throughout. There is a lot going on and the subject matter is at times dark and depressing, but the love Erik and Tyce share and the bond they have with their friends adds a lightness to the story that was needed. The story is told from Erik’s POV as he finally takes control over his own life and the emotional process of being true to himself regardless of the cost.
There were a few unrealistic situations that made me scratch my head a time or two, but overall I just fell in love with these characters. They made mistakes and learned from them, they found their way back to each other and found a way to forgive and move forward. If you are a fan of any stories that have Ice, Sticks and Pucks in them like me then this is definitely a book for you. But there is so much more to Erik and Tyce and their story. True love conquers all, standing up for what’s right and being true to yourself are definite morals to this story.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *