Amy Andrews delivers a delightful and steamy romantic comedy in Breaking the Ice. The book introduces readers to the dynamic between two strong-willed characters who find themselves in a heated rivalry that turns into sizzling chemistry. Andrews excels at creating a balance between humor and heart, making the book a fun and engaging read from start to finish.

The plot centers around the unlikely pairing of a hockey player and a woman determined to prove herself in a male-dominated world. The chemistry between the two is palpable, and their witty banter makes their interactions feel fresh and exciting. The development of their relationship feels authentic, and while there’s plenty of romantic tension, the author also takes the time to explore the individual growth of both characters.

One of the book's strengths is its strong, relatable protagonists. While they both come with their own set of flaws, the way they challenge and support each other through personal and professional hurdles makes for a heartwarming narrative. Readers will find themselves rooting for them to not only find love but also to achieve their individual goals.

The pacing is just right, keeping the plot moving without feeling rushed, and the romance develops in a way that keeps readers hooked. The backdrop of the hockey world adds a fun layer of competitiveness, but it doesn’t overshadow the romance at its core.

Breaking The Ice was a fun romcom style book. Between Sam's 'eggs' telling her to find a baby daddy and Nick's desire to maintain his grandma's shop after she passes, this book had steamy moments and bits that had me laughing out loud. Sam is a bit of a quirky character Nd I had fun reading this book.

I really enjoyed this quick read to break up my reading slum. I was invested in the two main characters making me want to pick it up more and I loved the setting of the bookshop. Would definitely recommend.

Book Review: Risky Business by Amy Andrews

Amy Andrews brings the heat with Risky Business, a spicy sports romance that’s sure to make readers laugh, swoon, and root for its two compelling leads. With a career-threatening injury sidelining NHL star Nick "Hawkeye" Hawke, he's forced into a quieter existence to heal—starting with overseeing his grandmother’s second-hand romance bookstore. But things take an unexpected turn when Samantha Evans, a driven corporate woman seeking a slower pace in life, steps into the bookstore at the same time. The chemistry between them is instant, but both are determined to resist the pull.

The premise of the story is pure fun: a bookshop face-off between a hotshot hockey player and an ambitious woman who can’t stop daydreaming about him—and not just in the "professional" sense. Their forced proximity creates plenty of tension as they try to keep things "professional," but the slow burn between Nick and Sam is almost impossible to ignore. Amy Andrews masterfully builds up the anticipation, crafting a story that’s both laugh-out-loud funny and sizzling with sexual tension.

Nick is the perfect combination of cocky and vulnerable, which makes his character so endearing. Despite his fame and success, he's a man recovering from an injury, realizing that his life may need to be redefined. Sam, on the other hand, is a woman at a crossroads in her career and personal life. Watching her let her guard down and navigate her attraction to Nick while juggling her internal struggles is both entertaining and relatable. The banter between the two of them is witty, full of sparks, and keeps the pages turning.

As with any forced proximity romance, the setting itself—Nick’s grandmother’s quaint, beloved bookstore—adds charm and coziness, making it the perfect backdrop for the unfolding romance. The slow burn builds with delightful tension, and once these two finally get together, it’s all fireworks. But Amy Andrews doesn’t just rely on chemistry; there’s real depth to their relationship, especially as they both face personal challenges and growth.

Fans of spicy, slow-burn romance will adore Risky Business. The book is full of humor, heart, and just the right amount of steam, all while exploring themes of personal growth, love, and taking risks. If you’re a fan of books by Elle Kennedy, Emily Rath, or Hannah Grace, then Risky Business will quickly find a spot on your must-read list.

Rating: 4.5/5
A delightful mix of spicy romance, funny banter, and character development that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Amy Andrews delivers a winning combination of heart and heat that readers won't want to miss.

I really, really enjoyed this book! The plot is fun and interesting and I found the book extremely relatable as I’m struggling with same things as Sam.
I really loved the way Sam and Nick’s relationship grew during the book and I’m extremely happy how things turn out for both of them.
All in all, this book is easy to read, interesting and super relatable for a girl in her 30s. I loved everything about it!

Sam’s life is in shambles—she’s lost her job to a slimeball, her biological clock is ticking, and her favorite bookshop owner, Birdie, has passed away. Meanwhile, NHL player Nick has his own struggles with an injury, looming retirement, and inheriting Birdie’s bookshop.

The two barely know each other, but when Nick offers Sam a job at the shop, they start spending more time together. Sam confides in Nick about her dating woes and “chirping eggs,” leading Nick to play matchmaker with blind dates and some blunt advice. But as their connection deepens, both realize what they truly want might be closer than they thought.

This was such a cute and fun read! I found myself sneaking in pages every chance I got. The characters had great chemistry, and the story kept me hooked, though some elements—like the repeated mentions of Sam’s “chirping eggs” and the quick ending—felt a bit off. Also, while advertised as spicy, this was more fade-to-black (1 🌶️).

Overall, I enjoyed it and would happily read more from Amy Andrews!

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Amy Andrews for the ARC!

I was truly very disappointed by this. I feel like it could have worked so much more if it was less abrasive with its vocabulary when it comes to commentary about others and more of a trope checklist rather than taking the time to have a few and then flush them out. In addition, I will give content warnings for grief, for a ton of baby discussion when it comes to a woman's biological time clock and IVF, for difficulties with the act of sex and the negativity associated with it. I was going to not finish this book due to these aspects but ultimately I skimmed to see what happened and it just was worse and worse.  Because of these points, I have to give this a 2 out of 5 stars.

Breaking the Ice by Amy Andrews is a lighthearted, steamy romance with plenty of humor and a small-town charm. The setup is fun, with two polar-opposite characters navigating their undeniable chemistry in a hockey-obsessed town. The witty banter and sizzling tension between the leads are definite highlights, making for some entertaining moments.

However, the story felt predictable at times, and the emotional depth between the characters was lacking. While the romance was fun, it didn’t leave a lasting impact. Some side plots felt underdeveloped, and the pacing dragged in parts.

Overall, it’s a decent, enjoyable read, but it didn’t quite hit all the marks for me.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

My Thoughts: a curvy female main character, a male main character who reads and the main setting being a second hand book store?! yes please!

This was such an easy read, it was fun and flirty, the banter between the characters was perfect and you’d have been hard pressed to wipe the smile off my face throughout!

Sam and Nick were like the perfect couple and the only 2 people that couldn’t see what was staring them both in the face was them!

Some of the scenes in this book had me laughing so much, but then made me a little sad because you could feel Sam’s insecurities coming through the pages!

I really enjoy Amy’s writing, the characters feel so real and genuine, they know how to communicate and the spice was chefs kiss 👌🏼

I am eagerly awaiting her next release!!

Let me start by saying I love the bright colours on the front of this book.

I was looking forwards to reading this described as a SPICY sports romance. Nick Hawkeye Hawke is a big name in the hockey work but has taken a break after an injury. After his grandmother dies he takes over the running of her bookshop whilst he recuperates. He needs help and gives the job to Sam, who is currently on a break from her career. They know each other but not well.

The book is definitely a slow burn romance but does have plenty of spice once we get there which was well written but the whole personality of Sam really put me off and especially the talk about her eggs and suddenly deciding she will leave a great career and needs to have a baby. My eyes were rolling and not in a good way.

Ok for a short read but nothing remarkable about it, not will I remember it in a few weeks.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you like to read hockey romance with some touch of books and bookstore then you should try this ~

This book was an okay read for me. The characters are likable, but sometimes I became very frustrated with their actions, feeling that they needed to make better decisions. Ig my expectations were higher for this book which affected my ratings.

This is an ARC read which is exchanged with an honest review.

Cute romance book with a slow burn! I really liked the fact that is was set in a bookstore, I love to read about books and readers!
Definitely recommend this book!

I thought this was interesting. I was able to read it an get the ALC. i thought that putting voices to the story may make it better, no it did Listen i am in my Hockey era. I love to read all things hockey but i just was not sure about this one. I still give it 4 stars for its quality work and great story line. I’m just not sure it worked for me .

This is a paused book rather than a DNF.

I am currently 16% through and even though I am enjoying it, it’s not got me gripped. Trying to get my head around third person as well as I’m used to first person POV.

Apart from Nicky not being around much but now has an injury, I’m still waiting to see how hockey comes into the story line.
Samantha turning 30 and her eggs are “talking” to her has never made me feel more old. OK, I have two kids already but at times I do feel broody. But I know I still have plenty of time to have more if I want to (I’m nearly 34). So with Samantha seemingly going through some sort of midlife risks has made me feel weird and old. Because she is not old. And the emphasis on her being “curvy” all the time is rather off putting. I’m not a skinny girl, nor a bigger girl. But I feel like her weight is pushed on us quite a bit and even in Nicks slight POV it’s mentioned quite a bit. I just find it unnecessary to talk about a woman’s body this much when I’m not even 1/4 of the way into the book.

I hate having a book sitting there waiting to be reviewed as I cannot find the want to pick it up and read. So, I’ll review it here now and update my goodreads review once I finish it.

It is still a good story so far, which is why I put 3 stars.

A cute friends to lovers story set in a bookshop. I loved the slow build between the characters but wished she talked less about her biological clock and eggs as she grappled with getting older.

Sadly, getting through this one was a struggle for me. Generally, I love Boldwood Books' catalog, and love trying their new or new to me authors, but this was a miss. Reading the description, I was so excited- hockey and a bookstore - woohoo! But then the biological clock started ticking. The constant reference to Sam's eggs just got to be too much - it distracted me from what otherwise would have been a great spicy romance. I'll give the author another shot at some point but can only give this particular book 2.25 🌟, rounded to 2.

I have never read anything by this author, but I will be looking out for other books they write in the future. I really enjoyed the story as well as the pacing of the story.

In her latest spicy sports romance novel, Amy Andrews introduces readers to NHL star Nick Hawke, currently recuperating from a potentially career-ending injury, and Samantha Evans, a former corporate superstar who traded in her stressful career for shifts at her favorite local romance bookshop (run by Nick’s grandmother no less) and a ticking biological clock. As Nick and Sam have to balance their intensity in the workplace and their vastly different tastes in books, they both have to resist the temptation to break out of their self-enforced friend zone and maintain some semblance of professionalism even though the biological clock and slow burn are driving them (and the readers) crazy. With two very intense yet likeable characters whose romantic and sexual tension is off the charts, fans of sport romance novels will love Amy Andrews’ new release. With tropes galore and a fun yet spicy plot, readers of the genre will love the obstacles and adventures in Sam and Nick’s way as they negotiate their professional and personal relationships. Nick and Sam and their relationship are the stars of this novel, so readers looking for character-driven novels and romances will definitely find this kind of development and dynamic in this new and fun sporty romance novel.

This one did not work for me at all, unfortunately. The characters and plot felt very two dimensional with certain actions only happening to move the plot along with no rhyme or reason. I was excited for a sports romance and unfortunately the hockey player is on a break due to an injury so there isn't any sports.