What is Splintered Ice by Cali Melle about? (Synopsis)
Olivia
Transferring schools in the middle of my freshman year wasn’t a part of my plan, but I won’t let my smile falter.
Even when I run into my best friend’s older brother… the grumpy hockey player who I had a crush on in high school.
He threatens to break down every wall that I’ve barricaded myself behind, but I can’t let him in. Not when I know that he’ll only break my heart.
He claims that he doesn’t have feelings for me, so I’m left with no choice but to move on from the fantasy land I’ve been living inside my head.
But as soon as I meet another guy, Sterling Barrett has other plans…
And he won’t stop until he sabotages everything.
Sterling
Hockey is the only thing that matters.
There isn’t a single thing in my life that comes above it.
So, when my little sister’s best friend transfers to Wyncote, I add that to the list of things I don’t care about.
After going out of my way to avoid her, my sister begs me to keep Olivia Davis company. Reluctantly, I give in, even though it’s the last thing I want to do
But as I begin to get close with Olivia, I find myself going out of my way to see her.
She is my little sister’s best friend. She isn’t supposed to be anything more to me.
So, why do I find myself running toward her instead of away?
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review:
This was my first time reading a book by Cali Melle, and I was not disappointed! When I signed up to receive an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, I had no idea that it’s actually the 6th book in a series of interconnected standalones. I have to say that I do wish that would’ve been made clear, because I don’t like to start a series in the middle — but I would like to read the first five books when I have a chance, since those characters pop up in this one!
Sterling and Olivia definitely have a grumpy/sunshine vibe going on, and I haven’t read a book with that trope in awhile, which made it a fun read. Olivia being Sterling’s younger sister Stella’s best friend raised the stakes and made it a “forbidden” romance, and it was interesting seeing the two of them navigate that. (There’s only a three year age gap. Sterling is in his second semester of senior year, and Olivia is in her second semester of her freshman year, after just having transferred colleges for her forensic psychology degree.)
I love sports romances, and probably have read almost as much hockey as I have football — and this did not disappoint! It’s a relatively short and quick read, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a fun forbidden college hockey romance told in dual POV. Huge thanks to Cali and her team for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review! The book is available now, and is free to read in Kindle Unlimited.
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Other Hockey Romances I Recommend:
Wildcat (Wildcat Hockey #1) – Rebecca Jenshak (NHL)
Wild About You (Wildcat Hockey #2) – Rebecca Jenshak (NHL)
Tutoring the Player (Campus Wallflowers #1) – Rebecca Jenshak (College)
Boyfriend Bargain (Hawthorne University #1) – Ilsa Madden-Mills (College)
Boyfriend Material (Hawthorne University #2) – Ilsa Madden-Mills (College)
buried in a bookshelf 