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Roll With It
Ainslie Wynter and James Sunderland are two of the most successful artistic roller skaters Australia has ever produced. After placing fourth at the World Championships in 2019, Team Jameslie quickly became the country's greatest hope for gold. Upon returning to Sydney, the pair decides to make 2020 the year they finally make it onto the Worlds podium. But when Ainslie's boyfriend starts putting pressure on her to retire, it quickly becomes apparent that 2020 will not only be Team Jameslie's year but will be Team Jameslie's last year.
Just like that, Ainslie and James find themselves with one more season left. One more chance to be the best, one more shot at gold, one more year together. But with tensions rising between Ainslie and her boyfriend, and her complicated feelings for James coming to the surface, it seems as if Team Jameslie might go down in history for a reason other than just their skating ability.
For as long as she can remember, Ainslie has wanted to be the best artistic roller skater in the world. But when it all comes down to it, what does Ainslie really want? And who does Ainslie really want?
Roll With It is a story of life, love and the art of roller skating - taking the bad with the good, learning from experience and finding a little perspective in a cut-throat and competitive world obsessed with winning, no matter the cost.
Just like that, Ainslie and James find themselves with one more season left. One more chance to be the best, one more shot at gold, one more year together. But with tensions rising between Ainslie and her boyfriend, and her complicated feelings for James coming to the surface, it seems as if Team Jameslie might go down in history for a reason other than just their skating ability.
For as long as she can remember, Ainslie has wanted to be the best artistic roller skater in the world. But when it all comes down to it, what does Ainslie really want? And who does Ainslie really want?
Roll With It is a story of life, love and the art of roller skating - taking the bad with the good, learning from experience and finding a little perspective in a cut-throat and competitive world obsessed with winning, no matter the cost.
- GenresFriends To Lovers
452 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 13, 2022
61 people want to read
About the author
Alex Ravenscroft
2 books30 followersThere have always been two constants in Alex Ravenscroft’s life -- artistic roller skating and storytelling -- and for as long as she can remember, she has dreamed of marrying her two passions to create fiction for the artistic roller skating inclined.
Alex has travelled the world representing Australia in artistic roller skating and is constantly giving back to the sport as both a coach and an official.
Alex has a Bachelor of Arts (English) and is studying a Master of Creative Writing.
Alex lives and writes on Darug and Gundungurra land, in a little cottage in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. She lives with her mother and their three cats, Louis, Pandora and Merlin.
Alex has travelled the world representing Australia in artistic roller skating and is constantly giving back to the sport as both a coach and an official.
Alex has a Bachelor of Arts (English) and is studying a Master of Creative Writing.
Alex lives and writes on Darug and Gundungurra land, in a little cottage in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. She lives with her mother and their three cats, Louis, Pandora and Merlin.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 22, 2022
Things I know nothing about: roller skating, that people make roller skating an artistic sport, and roller skating in Australia. When I saw that Alex Ravenscroft had a new book coming out (with an amazing cover by the way) about a pair of competitive artistic roller skaters and how their relationship changes over time, I was like well this should be a lot of fun! And it was. Roll With It is about, you guessed it, a group of friends who compete as artistic roller skaters, specifically a pair of them who have been best friends their whole lives. The book takes us through their relationship, how it changes over time, throughout life’s ups and downs and shows the comfort of the types of friends who are more like chosen family.
I really liked this one. I learned a lot about a sport I didn’t know existed. I appreciated the comfort in the chosen family friendships among this group. Reading about this group
of friends felt like sinking in to something well worn and sturdy, like they will be there for each other no matter what happens. I definitely recommend Roll With It to learn more about a really fun sport and feel like you’re traveling the world with a group of friends that will always be there for each other.
I received an ARC of Roll With It and am writing this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the author for this ARC. It was so much fun!
I really liked this one. I learned a lot about a sport I didn’t know existed. I appreciated the comfort in the chosen family friendships among this group. Reading about this group
of friends felt like sinking in to something well worn and sturdy, like they will be there for each other no matter what happens. I definitely recommend Roll With It to learn more about a really fun sport and feel like you’re traveling the world with a group of friends that will always be there for each other.
I received an ARC of Roll With It and am writing this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the author for this ARC. It was so much fun!
June 16, 2022
ARC in exchange for an honest review
I loved it, I loved it before and I loved it now.
Ainslie and James are the best!!! I love them with all my heart. Lucy and Jaz are the cutest. Jaz is such a fun ball cant wait for her story 😭
Ainslie saw the skating rink when she was a kid and feel in love with what she saw, a group of people who were dancing gracefully but on wheels. It attracted her so much that she made it her life.
James was in Artistic roller skating just as long as Ainslie and there couldn't have been a much better pairing for each other. Their chemistry was off the charts that everyone could easily see but them. Blind to what they have they continue to be best friends and go on to competing in competitions and win some lose some which is part and parcel of life..
This book was realistic in so many ways, the way it is explained is just so good. It is so easy to picture and play it like a movie, it is just so good!!!!!
Aidan can duck himself. He is the worst worse than the first read.
This book is the perfect mixture of friendship, found family (kind of), best friends to lovers, artistic roller skating and more!!!!
Please read the disclaimer before diving into the book.
I loved it, I loved it before and I loved it now.
Ainslie and James are the best!!! I love them with all my heart. Lucy and Jaz are the cutest. Jaz is such a fun ball cant wait for her story 😭
Ainslie saw the skating rink when she was a kid and feel in love with what she saw, a group of people who were dancing gracefully but on wheels. It attracted her so much that she made it her life.
James was in Artistic roller skating just as long as Ainslie and there couldn't have been a much better pairing for each other. Their chemistry was off the charts that everyone could easily see but them. Blind to what they have they continue to be best friends and go on to competing in competitions and win some lose some which is part and parcel of life..
This book was realistic in so many ways, the way it is explained is just so good. It is so easy to picture and play it like a movie, it is just so good!!!!!
Aidan can duck himself. He is the worst worse than the first read.
This book is the perfect mixture of friendship, found family (kind of), best friends to lovers, artistic roller skating and more!!!!
Please read the disclaimer before diving into the book.
December 3, 2021
Loved this novel! What a brilliant debut. Highly recommended. Do yourself a favour and buy a copy.
August 1, 2022
This is a sweet story about relationships in the highly competitive environment of artistic roller skating, which is a sport I have a new appreciation for, after reading this book.
I felt the characters’ nerves as they completed and felt I could understand the pressure they were under to perform. The narration is consistent and settings are well described. The primary characters are flawed which I find preferable to characters who are too perfect.
If you enjoy well-written stories about relationships and aspiration, you should check this out!
I felt the characters’ nerves as they completed and felt I could understand the pressure they were under to perform. The narration is consistent and settings are well described. The primary characters are flawed which I find preferable to characters who are too perfect.
If you enjoy well-written stories about relationships and aspiration, you should check this out!
June 28, 2022
I completely fell in love with this book. Then when I thought I couldn’t fall in love with it any more. I did! It had everything. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me so so happy. In fact, let me rephrase that. This book was everything. The characters felt so real and James is just such a sweetheart that I found myself falling in love with him through every page! The story is so perfectly written and I couldn’t stop reading. I love how realistic the book was and how I was so drawn into it that I was completely transported! It’s just incredible! When it comes out you have to read it. You have to. Just promise me you will.
July 15, 2022
So, I am going to admit straight up that I just pulled an all nighter because I simply could not put this book down.
For a debut novel, "Roll With It" is right up there with some of the best.
Although this book could be technically categorised as a sport/friends to lovers, it is so much more.
The story telling is complex, detailed and complete. You are not left wondering what happened with any plot features at the end. This author has not shied away from the tough side to toxic relationships which is brilliant and really added another layer to the story and also the characters.
Now, about the characters. Oh my goodness. I am really not sure which one I loved the most. you have your two main characters, Ainslie and James.. but then you have the fabulous support characters, Jaz and Lucy.
Ainslie and James have that constant tension bubbling below the surface that draws you in and keeps you both captivated and hanging. I won't to in to a lot of detail and give away the story, but I will say it is not all smooth sailing and that maybe you should have some tissues ready when you settle in to read this book.
The world would be a much better place if all men were like James! Just sayin.... he is strong, dependable, reliable and not your typical athletic egotistical male.
Ainslie is a sweetheart, and really, how could anyone not love her. She is not just loveable but also a realist, practical and a straight shooter.
This book is definitely worth buying a copy of and setting aside a good few hours to get comfortable, settle in with a glass of wine or a hot chocolate (whatever takes your fancy) and lose yourself while shutting out the rest of the world. I promise you will not be disappointed!
This authors writing is heartfelt, poignant, detailed, authentic and captivating.
The only thing I have to say now, is please tell me Jaz is getting a book too?
For a debut novel, "Roll With It" is right up there with some of the best.
Although this book could be technically categorised as a sport/friends to lovers, it is so much more.
The story telling is complex, detailed and complete. You are not left wondering what happened with any plot features at the end. This author has not shied away from the tough side to toxic relationships which is brilliant and really added another layer to the story and also the characters.
Now, about the characters. Oh my goodness. I am really not sure which one I loved the most. you have your two main characters, Ainslie and James.. but then you have the fabulous support characters, Jaz and Lucy.
Ainslie and James have that constant tension bubbling below the surface that draws you in and keeps you both captivated and hanging. I won't to in to a lot of detail and give away the story, but I will say it is not all smooth sailing and that maybe you should have some tissues ready when you settle in to read this book.
The world would be a much better place if all men were like James! Just sayin.... he is strong, dependable, reliable and not your typical athletic egotistical male.
Ainslie is a sweetheart, and really, how could anyone not love her. She is not just loveable but also a realist, practical and a straight shooter.
This book is definitely worth buying a copy of and setting aside a good few hours to get comfortable, settle in with a glass of wine or a hot chocolate (whatever takes your fancy) and lose yourself while shutting out the rest of the world. I promise you will not be disappointed!
This authors writing is heartfelt, poignant, detailed, authentic and captivating.
The only thing I have to say now, is please tell me Jaz is getting a book too?
July 13, 2022
One of the things that make “Roll With It” by Alex Ravenscroft so special is something that is often lacking in modern writing. This story feels lived in. The plot isn’t just on the surface. The book feels authentic with characters realized and engaging that even if you don’t care about roller skating or have never laced up in your life, you are invested, and you can’t help but care about them all. There are these beautifully rich relationships that feel effortless to the reader but are a testament to the writing and the story. As an American reader, Ravenscroft also made Australia feel like home to me without losing what makes it unique and culturally significant to the book. I will be honest in saying that, in general, would I probably be invested in artistic roller skating? No. But this book, I cared about. It is wonderfully written, funny, heartfelt, and an all-around enjoyable read.
I was given this as an ARC for an honest review, and I could not be more pleased to say it is a knockout from a debut author.
I was given this as an ARC for an honest review, and I could not be more pleased to say it is a knockout from a debut author.
July 12, 2022
Before reading this, I had no idea that artistic roller skating was a sport, but I found myself looking up the names of the manoeuvers and watching clips so I could visualise them correctly as I read this story.
Ainslie and James were so sweet together, and through every up and down, they had each other, and I just loved that. This was a sweet, feel-good read that had you turning the pages, completely absorbed in the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and I am looking forward to more books in this series.
Ainslie and James were so sweet together, and through every up and down, they had each other, and I just loved that. This was a sweet, feel-good read that had you turning the pages, completely absorbed in the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and I am looking forward to more books in this series.
August 21, 2022
I've just finished this book, could not put it down! Quite literally stayed up all night reading it.
An absolutely sensational debut novel and I cannot wait to read more.
This is a beautiful story of love, friendship, loss and most importantly competitive spirit.
I'm so happy to see the sport I love immortalised in such a wonderful book.
The chemistry between characters and the interpersonal relationships between friends and skating family is amazing.
I am officially team Jameslie forever
Great job to an amazing author, this book was an absolute pleasure to read.
An absolutely sensational debut novel and I cannot wait to read more.
This is a beautiful story of love, friendship, loss and most importantly competitive spirit.
I'm so happy to see the sport I love immortalised in such a wonderful book.
The chemistry between characters and the interpersonal relationships between friends and skating family is amazing.
I am officially team Jameslie forever
Great job to an amazing author, this book was an absolute pleasure to read.
July 13, 2022
This book puts a spin on the old enemies-to-lovers ice skating/dance partner stories that we all know (and love). Set in the world of artistic rollerskating, this is a super cute romance that you can’t help falling in love with.
James and Ainslie have know each other their entire Rollerskating lives. Everyone says they have chemistry but they have always been just friends. That is until Ainslie decides to retire to spend more time with her fiancé Aiden. Suddenly James has to face the idea of life without Ainslie and it makes him question if maybe he likes her more than just friends.
Ravenscroft has developed beautifully complex characters that come with all the strengths and flaws that come with being a competitive athlete. This story could have easily fallen into the realms of cliche but instead uses a couple of surprising twists to make it fresh and interesting.
I really enjoyed this debut novel and look forward to reading more of her work.
James and Ainslie have know each other their entire Rollerskating lives. Everyone says they have chemistry but they have always been just friends. That is until Ainslie decides to retire to spend more time with her fiancé Aiden. Suddenly James has to face the idea of life without Ainslie and it makes him question if maybe he likes her more than just friends.
Ravenscroft has developed beautifully complex characters that come with all the strengths and flaws that come with being a competitive athlete. This story could have easily fallen into the realms of cliche but instead uses a couple of surprising twists to make it fresh and interesting.
I really enjoyed this debut novel and look forward to reading more of her work.
July 22, 2022
Literally THE most wholesome romance I’ve ever read. The characters were so well developed that you got emotionally attached to them and felt sorry for them every time something bad happened. Also love the fact that the book has exposed more people to the sport of artistic roller skating. 5/5 absolutely loved it
August 9, 2022
After hearing so much about this book I couldn’t wait to get started.
It didn’t disappoint.
I throughly enjoyed this book from cover to cover.
Cant wait to read any future books by Alex Ravenscroft.
It didn’t disappoint.
I throughly enjoyed this book from cover to cover.
Cant wait to read any future books by Alex Ravenscroft.
December 12, 2022
I really enjoyed this novel. There are not too many works of fiction set in the world of artistic roller skating. I am a former ice figure skater who also dabbled in roller, so I really appreciated the setting.
One does not have to be a skating expert to enjoy this novel. Readers will learn about the sport as they follow the story and the characters. The characters are very well developed as are their relationships. Even the secondary characters are well developed. The female lead, Ainsley is initially involved in a toxic relationship and everyone can see it but her. Meanwhile, her pairs partner has been in love with her for years. What happens is obvious, but that does not take anything at all away from how the story develops.
Midway through the book, there were several fairly graphic sex scenes. These seemed inconsistent with the first half of the story. Graphic sex was completely absent in previous relationship scenes. It just felt like the author wanted to throw in some raciness. Inconsistent is the best way I can describe it. It felt out of place, cheap, and unnecessary. I liked these characters for their personalities. I really did not want to read about their privates and what they did in bed.
I liked and cared about these characters and look forward to reading another installment in this series. This is a very strong debut novel.
One does not have to be a skating expert to enjoy this novel. Readers will learn about the sport as they follow the story and the characters. The characters are very well developed as are their relationships. Even the secondary characters are well developed. The female lead, Ainsley is initially involved in a toxic relationship and everyone can see it but her. Meanwhile, her pairs partner has been in love with her for years. What happens is obvious, but that does not take anything at all away from how the story develops.
Midway through the book, there were several fairly graphic sex scenes. These seemed inconsistent with the first half of the story. Graphic sex was completely absent in previous relationship scenes. It just felt like the author wanted to throw in some raciness. Inconsistent is the best way I can describe it. It felt out of place, cheap, and unnecessary. I liked these characters for their personalities. I really did not want to read about their privates and what they did in bed.
I liked and cared about these characters and look forward to reading another installment in this series. This is a very strong debut novel.
June 13, 2022
🛼 Quick Synopsis: Ainslie and James have been artistic roller skating partners for 20 years. They currently are one of Australia’s pair skating teams preparing to compete to hopefully make it Worlds after placing 4th place in 2019. Ainslie’s current boyfriend Aiden is less then supportive of her skating and her skating partner. With rumors of Ainslie and James’s chemistry on the rink being more then just friendship it keeps tensions high between Ainslie and Aiden. With Aiden pressuring Ainslie to retire and make it her finale year Ainslie is unsure of what she wants. With so many big changes happening in both Ainslie and Jame’s life will it impact their chances at skating and placing in the Worlds Competition and impact their relationship on and off the rink?
🛼Contemporary Romance, Friends to lovers, Sports Romance, Slow Burn, LGBTQ+ Representation
🛼 Liked: This is the authors debut novel and I truly enjoyed how this sports romance was different then others I have read recently. The slow burn was very realistic and had me cheering on the characters involved the whole read. The side characters are also highly developed and enjoyable. For being a sweet romance there was also some very 🌶🌶🌶 scenes.
🛼Disliked: N/A
5 out of 5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🛼Contemporary Romance, Friends to lovers, Sports Romance, Slow Burn, LGBTQ+ Representation
🛼 Liked: This is the authors debut novel and I truly enjoyed how this sports romance was different then others I have read recently. The slow burn was very realistic and had me cheering on the characters involved the whole read. The side characters are also highly developed and enjoyable. For being a sweet romance there was also some very 🌶🌶🌶 scenes.
🛼Disliked: N/A
5 out of 5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 14, 2022
Seeing as I wrote it, I think I owe it to myself to give it a totally unbiased five stars :D
But in all seriousness, I'm so proud of this book. It's been a long, long time coming and this is hopefully the first of many. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it (well, more actually ... )
But in all seriousness, I'm so proud of this book. It's been a long, long time coming and this is hopefully the first of many. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it (well, more actually ... )
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September 21, 2022
Dnf @50%
This is a friends to lovers book and it always takes me so long to click with characters in that line of trope and it just didn't keep my interest. I believe I've been reading this since May (if i recall well) and its September bro and it was an arc but here we are.😭😭I'm bored and just can't be bothered to see(read) how the main characters finally get together.
This is a friends to lovers book and it always takes me so long to click with characters in that line of trope and it just didn't keep my interest. I believe I've been reading this since May (if i recall well) and its September bro and it was an arc but here we are.😭😭I'm bored and just can't be bothered to see(read) how the main characters finally get together.
January 14, 2023
Really well written, and the plot wasn't obvious which I loved! Definitely made me want to watch artistic roller skating now!
January 5, 2023
Holy moly where do I even start? This book was incredible. I’m in love with the story line and the fact that it features artistic roller skating. I love Ainslie and James’ story so much that I feel that I could just read on and on and on. This book is highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews