Cracks in the Ice

By: Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood

Narrated by: Alexander Cendese

Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

How can they trust love not to hurt them again?

Benny

I’ll never fall in love again.

I had my chance, and I was the happiest man you can imagine. One day, it all came to an end. The only thing left was playing hockey, but it wasn’t enough, and I became my own worst enemy.

When my old school offered me a lifeline, I took it. As a coach, I could at least be miserable in a different place.

But when I arrived, there he was—bright and warm, like sunshine. I’d lived in the dark for so long my soul was frozen, but he thawed me out. I started feeling things again, wanting things. For the first time since the dark times began, I wondered if there was a chance. I’d never thought about being with another man, but so what? Could I be lucky enough to find love twice?

Cole

I was done. No. More. Men.

I’d always made the worst possible dating choices, and one guy after another took advantage of me. Invariably, I thought I was falling in love. Once I told them, they’d show their true colors and run.

Worn out and unable to stand another heartbreak, I swore off love. I almost had my master’s degree, and playing the piano was a much safer route to happiness.

No sooner had I made up my mind than there he was—hot as a forest fire, yet very sad. When I found out why, I understood. Someday, he’d love again, but there was no reason I shouldn’t be a friend.

Then he kissed me, and everything turned on a dime. I needed to protect myself from getting pulled in again, but the harder I tried, the more I believed in him. Was I making another horrible mistake? Would this time be different, or was I setting myself up for the biggest letdown of all?

Cracks in the Ice is a gay sports romance featuring hurt/comfort, sensitive men, unexpected connections, first times, an age gap, faculty/student romance, explosive chemistry, hard-earned happiness, and a very satisfying HEA.

Content warnings for partner deaths, traumatic accidents, and alcohol abuse. While these issues happened in the past, they may still be difficult for some.

©2022 Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood (P)2022 Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood

They hit this one out of the park!

I have read all of this at the end of each I finished feeling that something was missing. The dialogue was often weak. The pros a bit stilted. Sometimes, the plot lines just in the flow.

not this time! I have just finished this latest release and I am blown away. Excellent dialogue. Fantastic word craft. And a plot that is absolutely believable. I questioned if I was reading a new release from Saxon James and even family at times. I can’t wait for the next one!

Well done! Truly deserving of the first five star rating I have ever left.duos previous works.

Finding love when life is at a crossroads

I absolutely loved this book and knowing the audiobook was released I knew I had to buy, especially as Alexander Cendese is one of my favourite narrators. There’s a level of instalove like in all of Taylor and Harwood’s previous books but it was angstier than the previous stories we’ve had in this world. It’s still full of lots of heart and steam. It was great to see familiar Bethesda Barracuda faces supporting Benny through a very difficult time in his life. It was a great way to spin-off to a new location within a shared world. I can’t wait to read what comes next and which men find their HEAs. I’m Bert much looking forward to seeing the “bad guy” in this getting a redemption story. TW: recovering alcoholic, death of a spouse (car crash) and stalking. The death happens off page but is described.

Very Good !

the story is very good . Personally, I find it to be a bit too schmoopy but that doesn't mean it's bad. 😉

The narration is perfect

A Fun Listen!

Cracks In the Ice is a great story; I enjoyed this audiobook! Alexander Cendese did a great job bringing this story to life!

Benny & Cole were an amazing match for each other. I have read this book before, but I’m glad to have the audio. I’ll listen to to this book again. I enjoyed the story!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this audiobook.

Great Story!!

There is something special in the way that Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood write a romance. There is a sweetness to it. What Benny and Cole find together is so special and they treat it as such. I enjoyed the way the Barracudas came to visit and were visited at their hotel after the game. As emotional as this book was to read, I think even seeing Eckie’s part in the story was important. I hope he comes back, healed, emotionally and mentally, and ready to play hockey. I’m ready for more of Mohegan U and I’m thrilled beyond belief to have started at the beginning of this series this time.

Now to the audio portion of the book! Every time I start a new audiobook, it’s like my first audiobook experience all over again. I have to find the right speed to listen to THAT narrator at, I have to figure out how they sound at particular points, which is my favorite voice of theirs. This was my first book with Alexander Cendese narrating and it took me a hot second to get used to his voice fluctuations. He really does a good job going between Cole and Bennie and keeping his voice moving and exciting like the story. He has a great range as you’ll hear once you start listening as there are so many characters that he voices male and female, young and old. Overall, a good listening experience and I wouldn’t mind hearing him again in another book. 😊

Benny and Cole

"𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣. 𝙎𝙚𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙟𝙞𝙣𝙭𝙚𝙙. 𝙄'𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄'𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙞𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙙. 𝙇𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣'𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪."

Cracks in the Ice by Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood is the first book in the Mohegan U Hockey series and can be read as a standalone.

Get ready for... mm, sports (hockey), age gap, hurt/comfort, faculty/student, first times, roommates to lovers.

Benny has taken a new coaching job and moves into his friend's house with his new roommate, Cole. Benny and Cole quickly become friends and confide in each other about their past heartaches. Growing closer the more time they spend together, Benny starts to see Cole in a different light and both may just be able to move forward.

Benny and Cole's friendship and connection come almost instantly and so naturally. They are perfect for helping each other heal and move forward from their past heartaches. I loved getting to see our favourites from the Barracudas.

Alexander Cendese was a good selection to narrate Cracks in the Ice. He did a good job of bringing Benny and Cole's story to life.

A great beginning to a new series. I can not wait to see where Ryan & Josh take this new world and to meet all the new characters.

4.5 Maple Leafs / 4 Flames

So good!

I really enjoyed this! It's so feel good and you can't beat sensitive, in touch with their feelings, good at communicating guys (especially if 1 plays Hockey). I actually want to hear more about the side characters! I hope the douchey guy gets a redemption book, I'm sad for him! Alexander Cendese is perfection, as always.

Heals Your Heart

Benny Caldwell, 30, is an NHL professional hockey player for the three-time Stanley Cup winners, the Bethesda Barracudas, in Washington, D.C., except he’s only played in three games in the past year. Two years ago his wife was killed in a tragic car accident that he blamed himself for because he was driving when a semi truck smashed into the passenger side of their car. Benny drowned his pain in alcohol for the following year until his best friends and teammates intervened and helped him into rehab. He was able to return to play but then almost immediately broke his ankle.

Now he has a choice, he can continue to workout with the team and ride the bench or his former university has called and offered him a temporary head coach position for their hockey team, the Mohegan Lions. A change of scenery will do him good and his D.C. team is willing to let him go for six months, so Benny packs up for Winscombe, New York.

Cole Dawson, 23, is a graduate student working towards his masters in the music school at Mohegan University. Cole is a concert pianist and plans to teach following graduation. Cole is small and thin, standing just 5’7” and maybe weighing in at around 140 if he’s had breakfast. Blonde and blue eyed, he’s handsome and has had the absolute worst luck with men pretty much his entire dating life.

Cole is sensitive and wears his heart on his sleeve and is easily taken advantage of by the jocks he prefers to date. Used and emotionally abused, he’s sworn off men, huge sportsy types in particular. A kind friend rents him a room in her home in exchange for his watching out for things when she needs to be out of town taking care of a sick relative.

Benny’s friend and former classmate, has graciously offered him a room in her home while he’s back on campus and as she’s leaving let’s him know she has one other tenant staying there as well. Yeah, that would be Cole. So imagine Cole’s surprise when the muscular, 6’2”, 200+ pound, hockey coach with the thick brown hair and dark brown eyes is in the den watching television when he gets home from school their first night as roomies.

Cole may have sworn off jocks but his brain forgot to tell the rest of his anatomy. Benny has been a shell of his former self since his wife’s death, barely existing (you couldn’t call it living) in emotional darkness. He’s immediately drawn to the bright ray of sunshine, Cole. Cole lights up a room just by being in it and something Benny thought had died with his wife, sparks back to life inside him. Heavy emphasis on the sparks!

Cracks in the Ice is a sports romance featuring hurt/
comfort, sensitive men, unexpected connections, first times, an age gap,
faculty/student romance, explosive chemistry, hard-earned happiness,
and a very satisfying HEA. It’s romantic and sexy and witty. When Benny and Cole connect they never again separate. Supportive and sensitive with one another, they face challenges and forge a new life together with determination.

I loved this book. I read it in one sitting and I hope there are many more books to come in this series. New authors to me and a wonderful listening experience. Incredible narration by Alexander Cendese.

Beautiful story!

Cracks in the Ice is everything that I’ve come to love and expect in a Taylor and Harwood novel. Alexander Cendese has done an amazing job of bringing their characters to life. You definitely don’t want to miss this audiobook! It’s sweet, hopeful, engaging, intimate and full of heat. Cole and Benny both have so much compassion and heart that you can’t help falling in love with them and routing for their HEA. This audiobook book is one that I’ll be listening to time and time again! I highly recommend it!

Great story brought to life... the double whammy!

This is such a great story, but I loved it even more as I listened to Alexander Cendese bring the characters to life. This is a great entry into Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood's world of hockey and self-discovery... if you love hockey, even better!