Review of ‘Fire & Ice’ by Rachel Spangler

This was a really good lesbian sports romance. I’m a big Spangler fan but I have not had a chance to read many of her newer releases. Reading this book was like a big duh sign hit me right in the face. Of course, I enjoyed this because this is the Spangler I know and love and it reminded me just how much I missed her books.

There are a few authors that really know how to write sports romances and Spangler is one of them. What Spangler is great at is having the perfect amount of sports to romance. While most sports romances don’t have enough sports, they can occasionally swing the opposite direction so that the romance takes a backseat. Spangler gets the ratio perfect so that both the romance and the sport featured shines.

Let’s talk about this sport first and that is curling. I would not be surprised if some people’s eyes are glazing over right now. Curling doesn’t have the excitement of most sports I enjoy like soccer or tennis, but it is surprisingly addictive to watch. I’m obsessed with the Olympics so every four years, in winter, I get sucked into curling and enjoy it for a few weeks. That’s it, I’m not a “real” curling fan, but Spangler actually made me wish I was.

She explains the basics well and even goes a little farther for those interested in strategy, but doesn’t overdo it so it isn’t boring for someone like me who’s not that into the sport. The real sports story is about how hard these athletes work and what they put up with just for the chance to go to the Olympics. So fear not, you don’t have to be a curling fan to enjoy this. However, Spangler might just make you want to check the sport out after you read this.

When it came to the romance I was a very happy camper. I don’t know why but I have been noticing a lack of good chemistry in romances of late. I’m happy to say that was not the case here at all. These two had chemistry and sparks big enough for anyone to see. I loved the flirting, the witty banter and of course the well-written sex scenes, everything was on point.

I do have to mention one of the main characters is pretty unlikable in the beginning. Don’t let that worry you. Once you unpack her baggage and get to really know her, everything makes sense and you will soon fall for her too. I was so invested in both characters that during some conflict I found myself having to grab a tissue. I love when an author makes me feel like that because it means I really do care about the characters.

I absolutely recommend this to sport romance fans. Even if you don’t know anything about curling, if you appreciate athletes and a good romance, that’s enough to enjoy this book. Now, I need some free time so I can read a few of those Spangler books that are sitting on my Kindle. I honestly had forgotten why Spangler was such a favorite author of mine. I won’t be making that mistake again. 4.25 Stars.

A copy was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review