Crossing the Ice

By: Jennifer Comeaux

Narrated by: Emily Stokes

Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Pair skaters Courtney and Mark have one shot left at their Olympic dream. They vow not to let anything get in their way, especially not Josh and Stephanie, the wealthy and talented brother and sister team.

The heart doesn't always listen to reason, though.

The more time Courtney spends with sweet, shy Josh, the harder she falls for him. But they are on opposite sides of the competition, and their futures are headed in opposite directions. Will their friendship blossom into more or are their paths too different to cross?

©2014 Jennifer Comeaux (P)2014 Jennifer Comeaux

one of my favorites

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a sweet love story.

Sweet and charming romance!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would! If you're a fan of sweet romance and ice skating, like I am, this was a quick and enjoyable read. Courtney was real and likable. Josh was adorably sweet and shy.

What did you like best about this story?

As much as I enjoyed the competition aspect of this book – and the lessons learned along to the way – I'd be lying if I didn't say the romance was my favorite thing about this book. I adored Courtney and Josh separately, and liked them twice as much together. What developed between them was natural and believable. It wasn't hurried. It was also pretty tame by most new adult standards, which is a nice change every now and then.

Which character – as performed by Emily Stokes – was your favorite?

I think Emily did the best job voicing Courtney. She sounded just as I pictured Courtney. Her pacing was great and she wasn't overly-dramatic. I didn't love all the voices she provided, but I was totally sold on Courtney.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book served up lots of smiles and a couple laughs. I got a little teary-eyed at the end, but I'm a sap like that.

Super sweet

A super sweet story about young love and going after your dreams. Sometimes love gets in the way, sometimes it guides your way.

Sweet Contemporary Love Story - Perfect for Teens

What made the experience of listening to Crossing the Ice the most enjoyable?

The story brought me back to my teen years and the phenomenon that was Ice Castles. This contemporary view of the competitive world of ice skating. All the tantalizing components are there: evil villain, spunky heroine, shy creative boy etc. This series is an excellent addition to YA genre.

Have you listened to any of Emily Stokes’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Emily Stokes does an excellent job with the various characters from toddlers to Russian coaches. The pacing was perfect adding to the build of the plot. I would like to another of her performances.

Any additional comments?

This book is PG rated. No hot, steamy love scenes so be confident in gifting to younger readers.

ICE -ING ON THE ROMANCE. IT'S DYNAMIC & FANTASTIC

STORY IS GREAT AND EASY TO FOLLOW. ACCEPTABLE FOR TEENS AND MATURE AUDIENCE. IS MOSTLY CLEAN BUT HAS A COUPLE SENSUAL MOMENTS. ITS DRAMATIC, INTRIGUING ROMANCE WITH LOTS OF GOOD HUMOR THROUGHOUT. NARRATOR IS GREAT AN EASY TO FOLLOW.

Super Sweet

Is there anything you would change about this book?

It's a little too long.

What did you like best about this story?

I really enjoyed how they took their relationship slow and really fell in love before things got serious. Lots of romance combined with lots of patience on Josh's part to make this one sweet and yummy. And kisses? Yes, lots and lots of kisses. I so love kisses.

What didn’t you like about Emily Stokes’s performance?

Emily Stokes is the narrator. I thought the narration was fine. Some of her voices seemed dramatic but there is was nothing that had me wanting to stop listening. I'm not sure the quality of the audio was as good as it could have been. There were just some odd places with strange sounds and pauses.

Did Crossing the Ice inspire you to do anything?

No.

Any additional comments?

This book is super sweet. Courtney and Josh may be in their early twenties but they have the feel of much younger characters. I think the reason for this is the their skating careers. It's stopped them from participating in a lot of things that average young adults would experience. This makes this the book feel more YA than NA. I still enjoyed it.

HEARTS CROSSING ICE

PHENOMINAL! THIS IS A WONDERFUL SERIES THAT TAKES THE LISTENER TO THE ICE RING AND SEE THE FIGURE SKATING! IT IS A FEEL GOOD LISTEN THAT WILL MAKE YOU SMILE!
EMILY STOKES IS A FANTASTIC NARRATOR!
I CANNOT WAIT TO LISTEN TO MORE FROM BOTH THIS AUTHOR AND NARRATOR!
SKATE ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crossing the Ice is a sweet new adult romance set

What made the experience of listening to Crossing the Ice the most enjoyable?

I had no expectations heading into this. I knew it was a romance set on the ice and that was good enough for me. I ended up really enjoying it. I listened to the audiobook and found reasons to take extra walks during the day so I could listen to more. The narrator, Emily Stokes, does a really good job. There were a few technical issues in Chapter 5 that should have been edited out, and other than the little kid voices she does that grated on my nerves, I thought the production was top notch.

Courtney and Mark are pairs skaters with their sights set on the Olympics. Josh and Stephanie are their competition. So when Courtney and Josh develop feelings for each other, things are going to get interesting. And they do. Jennifer Comeaux creates sexual tension with the best romance writers. The chemistry between Josh and Court is palpable.

The story has two main plots -- the skating competition and the romance -- and both are done really well. The pacing is slow in a few spots, but for the most part, it's a compelling tale of love and skating. About the only thing that didn't work for me was the lack of sex. No, I don't need steamy sex in a new adult novel. In fact, I'm okay if all the sex takes place off the page. But I had a hard time buying that it didn't even happen there. Or anywhere. These are young, vibrant, attractive people with healthy sex drives and no real compelling reasons not to engage in a physical relationship. I could have bought into a religious, or any deeply held belief, that kept them chaste. However, that unbelievable aspect didn't keep me from enjoying this otherwise angst-ridden tale.

Plot
Both plots are strong. The competition was intense and I felt like I was right there with them, battling for a place on the Olympic team. The romance was equally well done, with the push and pull of a forbidden love that is meant to be. There were several subplots, including Josh's relationship with his parents and Courtney's college plans, that were woven into the main plots seamlessly.

Characters
Courtney was fantastic. I love that she's not perfect. She's flawed in the best of ways that only makes her more human. And Josh is sweet and sensitive. It's refreshing to read about a male lead who isn't an alpha male yet still comes across as incredibly sexy. His vulnerability only adds to his attractiveness. I haven't read any other books by Jennifer Comeaux, but I get the feeling that Em and Sergei were developed in an earlier novel, yet their characters are fully developed here.

Steph, Josh's sister, is the only character I felt came across as stereotypical, but it fit the plot, so I'm not going to complain too much. And I do like that she didn't change to become someone more likeable. Her role as the antagonist served a purpose and she does it well.

World Building
For someone who has never skated competitively, Jennifer Comeaux creates an incredibly believable world. Her descriptions are detailed and the world comes alive through the narration.

Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Crossing the Ice
1. Emily Stokes narration is really well done with only a few exceptions. I love the way she brought emotion and personality to the characters and the story through tone and inflection.

2. The skating details brought me into the heart of the story and made me feel as if I was on the ice with them.

3. Mrs. Cassar (although I'm not sure if that's spelled correctly) is a hoot, and I loved listening to the way the narrator brought her to life.

4. So many of the locations were familiar to me, Los Angeles, Staples Center, Provincetown, it was easy to visualize them.

5. The big competition didn't turn out the way I thought it would. It was a twist I never saw coming and was deliciously refreshing.

Bottom Line
Crossing the Ice is a sweet new adult romance set in the world of competitive pairs figure skating. The audiobook is high quality and the narration is superb.

Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this audiobook by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Sweet and very well written

Would you listen to Crossing the Ice again? Why?

Probably not, but it was a very good listen

What other book might you compare Crossing the Ice to and why?

This is very Sarah Dessen like. Young love with a twist of drama.

Which scene was your favorite?

When they were in Martha's Vineyard and were stuck at Emily's Aunts Cabin. It was so sweet and innocent it brought me back to those experiences myself.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I could have most certainly but I broke it up into several settings.

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast.

Gliding into romance ....

If you could sum up Crossing the Ice in three words, what would they be?

Determined, sweet and romantic

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the fact that the author really had knowledge of figure skating and the life that the skaters lead. Either Ms. Comeaux was a competitive skater or she researched the heck out of it. It is very realistic. It didn't seem contrived or impossible.

What about Emily Stokes’s performance did you like?

Ms. Stokes gave each character their own voice/personality and you knew who was speaking at any given time by her voice alone.

Any additional comments?

Crossing the Ice is the first in the Ice series. We meet Courtney and Josh as they are competing, with other partners, for a coveted spot on the US Olympic team. While training at the same rink, they get to know each other and before you know it friendship becomes more. Can their personal relationship handle the pressures of the business relationships with their respective partners? Also, what will happen if only one of them makes the team?

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a sweet love story. 15 y/o and up

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast.