Blaze Bellamy is the bad girl of the short track speed skating world. Looking like a roller derby bruiser when she’s not in her Team USA uniform, she’s an unlikely American heroine. She’s got a punk attitude to match her provocative dress and her dyed hair, and she’s determined to get onto the front pages of the papers regardless of how she has to do it.

Maisy Harper is the workhorse of the Canadian women’s figure skating team. Serious, modest, and above all, polite, Maisy would prefer to win her victory on the ice rather than in the press, and is exasperated by Blaze’s antics. When she’s not lusting after her anyway. After they both failed to make the medal podium at the last Snow and Ice Games, they drowned themselves in gin—and each other.

Despite their hookup being drunken, they both harbor fond memories of their night together and are keen for a repeat. But they’ve got different ways of going about getting what they want, and Blaze’s willingness to go to any lengths for the spotlight could ruin any chance she has with Maisy.

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Release Date: February 6th
Annie’s review of Seduction on the Slopes

*A copy of this was provided via NetGalley

DNF at 68% – no rating.

Fire on the Ice is the fourth book in Tamsen Parker’s Snow & Ice Games series and can easily be read a s a standalone. Though I recommend you to read the first two books in the series because I really enjoyed them. Haven’t read the third one yet, but will do that as soon as it releases.

This isn’t the first time Maisy and Blaze have a bit of fun together. They first met during the last Snow and Ice Games and had a secret affair back then too. While Blaze is open about her sexuality, Maisy is not. Other than Blaze, only her parents know — and they made her stay in the closet. Maisy looked forward to the SIG’s not only because of the competition but also because this was another possibility to see Blaze again.

They’re familiar with each other both sexually and non-sexually, so getting to know each other happens off-page. I’m a sucker for reading the first time meeting of two characters — I love that attraction and the first spark, the getting to know each other and slow (or sometimes fast) progress of the main characters relationship). All that was missing here. I feel like in some instances it would have helped to have a bit more insight to that. Particularly because they have a very intense sexual relationship that requires a lot of trust. Though this is only a personal preference and I know some people who would really enjoy this story.

I had high expectations for this when I requested it on NetGalley. Partly because I really enjoyed the first books in the series, and partly because it was an f/f sports romance. The sports aspect wasn’t as prominent as I had hoped it would be, but I liked Blaze and Maisy, and liked them more the more I read. Although I would have liked a bit more of the sport, I didn’t really miss it. Fire on the Ice was easily on track to be a 4 star read. I really enjoyed how their perceived roles changed when they were alone with each other. You’d think that Blaze is the more dominant one because she’s very loud and has a strong personality. Maisy is more quiet and keeps herself hidden. Once they’re alone, though, that completely changes.

What I loved about Fire on the Ice was how sex-positive it was. Blaze is bisexual and poly — she loves sex and she wants a lot of it. There is a small misunderstanding in the story that relates to that — but I feel like it was handled well by Parker and it showed some of Maisy’s insecurities. Also Blaze called her out on the spot and they resolved it fast.

As I said this was fast on track to become a four star read… and then Blaze decided she needed more media coverage and attention, so she set up a photographer to be there when Maisy and Blaze were watching a sporting event — to take photo’s of the two of them kissing. Of Maisy, who is not out to the public.
That was the moment that I really did not want the two of them to end up with together. And there is nothing Blaze could possibly do that would ever justify or excuse her decision, so I put the book away. This might not be a no-go for everyone, but for me this was like a roundhouse kick to the stomach and I just couldn’t read any more of it.

Tamsen Parker is a stay-at-home mom by day, erotic romance writer by naptime. She lives with her family outside of Boston, where she tweets too much, sleeps too little and is always in the middle of a book. Aside from good food, sweet rieslings and gin cocktails, she has a fondness for monograms and subway maps. She should really start drinking coffee.

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Identity: Polyam Orientation: Pansexual Pairing: F/F Publisher: SMP Swerve Review Tag: Insta-Love / Insta-Lust Tag: Part of a series Tag: Sports Fire on the Ice Snow & Ice Games Tamsen Parker