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Melting The Ice Prince
David Talhoone's whole life revolves around taking care of his special needs older brother, Sammy. Untrusting, he protects his heart with an icy and cool demeanor, earning him the nickname Ice Prince at work. It's a description David's proud of, until the day his boss's son walks through the door.
Nick Masterson takes one look at the cool beauty with fire in his eyes and has to have him. But after being brutally rejected, he makes a bet that he'll be able to melt David's shell and win his heart without managing to give away his own in the process. But Nick didn't count on the man beneath the icy mask being everything he'd ever wanted in a partner.
Can a relationship based on lies last once the truth finally comes out?
Nick Masterson takes one look at the cool beauty with fire in his eyes and has to have him. But after being brutally rejected, he makes a bet that he'll be able to melt David's shell and win his heart without managing to give away his own in the process. But Nick didn't count on the man beneath the icy mask being everything he'd ever wanted in a partner.
Can a relationship based on lies last once the truth finally comes out?
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 16, 2013
3 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Amylea Lyn
13 books148 followersAmylea Lyn is a little odd, a lot weird, and just plain strange. At least that's what everyone tells her. She lives in Nevada, filling her laptop with too many stories to count and trying to ignore the yells of her football-obsessed siblings in the background. Most days, Amylea can be found sitting in her favorite chair after work, bugging those around her for fun tidbits to make her stories more interesting. When she's not writing, Amylea spends her time daydreaming her fantasies while talking to herself without realizing it, experimenting with different baked dishes that she force feeds her brothers, and plotting ways to get back at her psychotic cat. All in all, she likes to think of herself as pretty normal... even if it's only by her own standards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 19, 2013
1.5
Not a book for me unfortunately. I found the dialogue a bit stilted and the storyline didn't work. I did like David's caring nature but I found the progression of his and Nick's relationship awkward with too much melodrama.
My one big concern was Sammy, who was a great character, but when I read he was autistic it didn't mesh with what I know of the characteristics. His openness and willing to communicate and interact with people was fun to read but not something I equate with a person with autism. That could just be my lack of knowledge about the subject though but it threw me out of the story and felt inauthentic. I had a hard time finishing the story.
Not a book for me unfortunately. I found the dialogue a bit stilted and the storyline didn't work. I did like David's caring nature but I found the progression of his and Nick's relationship awkward with too much melodrama.
My one big concern was Sammy, who was a great character, but when I read he was autistic it didn't mesh with what I know of the characteristics. His openness and willing to communicate and interact with people was fun to read but not something I equate with a person with autism. That could just be my lack of knowledge about the subject though but it threw me out of the story and felt inauthentic. I had a hard time finishing the story.
April 5, 2013
David is known as the ice price, which is sort of ridiculous, he is just a very good secretary to the owner and CEO of a huge corperation.
It's his job to cut out all the unnecessary BS and people wanting to take up valuable time, I thought the Ice Prince title he held at work a little strange, anyway, Nick, the boss's son comes back after a year away.
Their first meeting didn't go well and there is some antagonism between them, but as Nick worms his way into David's life he sees what a great man David is and starts to see what an arrogant, conceited, spoiled asshat he is, at least I hope he did.
David is the sole provider and caretaker of his brother Sammy. I loved Sammy, he has Aspergers and requires a lot of love and understanding from David, but really, he feels much more like a joy and a privilege than a burden to David, and I was very glad the author went out of her way to not make it appear as if David is suffering under the pressures of having Sammy with him.
Nick and David start seeing each other and David is happy and grateful and Nick is too. But and here the predictability comes in, at the beginning of the book something happens that you just know is going to come back and bite Nick in the ass.
Now, I don't want to give too much away, and I agree that although Nick changed a lot in the book and dear Dad really did mean well, Nick started out with very very very ulterior motives and they were not anything nice and certainly nothing to be proud of, so for that reason alone I needed a whole boat load of groveling and there wasn't ANY.
And really his one gesture was nice, but really IMO too little too late and I was really mad at David for just giving in.
A few calls that weren't returned and all Nick could do was that?
Well, I liked the majority of this story, the turn of events with the neighbor wasn't a surprise, I sort of figured that would happen, but the lack of any real effort on Nick's part took a lot of my enjoyment that I had up until the end.
So for the first 95% 4* and a generous 2* for the ending.
It's his job to cut out all the unnecessary BS and people wanting to take up valuable time, I thought the Ice Prince title he held at work a little strange, anyway, Nick, the boss's son comes back after a year away.
Their first meeting didn't go well and there is some antagonism between them, but as Nick worms his way into David's life he sees what a great man David is and starts to see what an arrogant, conceited, spoiled asshat he is, at least I hope he did.
David is the sole provider and caretaker of his brother Sammy. I loved Sammy, he has Aspergers and requires a lot of love and understanding from David, but really, he feels much more like a joy and a privilege than a burden to David, and I was very glad the author went out of her way to not make it appear as if David is suffering under the pressures of having Sammy with him.
Nick and David start seeing each other and David is happy and grateful and Nick is too. But and here the predictability comes in, at the beginning of the book something happens that you just know is going to come back and bite Nick in the ass.
Now, I don't want to give too much away, and I agree that although Nick changed a lot in the book and dear Dad really did mean well, Nick started out with very very very ulterior motives and they were not anything nice and certainly nothing to be proud of, so for that reason alone I needed a whole boat load of groveling and there wasn't ANY.
And really his one gesture was nice, but really IMO too little too late and I was really mad at David for just giving in.
A few calls that weren't returned and all Nick could do was that?
Well, I liked the majority of this story, the turn of events with the neighbor wasn't a surprise, I sort of figured that would happen, but the lack of any real effort on Nick's part took a lot of my enjoyment that I had up until the end.
So for the first 95% 4* and a generous 2* for the ending.
April 15, 2019
A very sweet read🎀
September 16, 2014
**3.5 Heart Melting Stars**
Any book that can make me cry, is a winner for me! Loved this endearing and at times, angst read!
Any book that can make me cry, is a winner for me! Loved this endearing and at times, angst read!
April 16, 2013
This is badly written, trashy m/m category romance. No, wait. Let me rephrase that. This is a badly written, trashy hetero category romance in disguise. A thin one. A see-through raincoat, maybe. Single-use.
The writing is… eh. It has some issues. Clumsy and heavy-handed. I’ve seen much worse, but even so it’s a little distracting at times. It accomplished getting the story told, but no more than that.
Ah, Nick. Such a jerk. I feel like I am reading a 90s het romance again.
Striking a bet to seduce an innocent. Check. Being prepared to wreck an existing relationship to achieve this. Check. Arrogant and full of himself. Check. Determined to break a guy’s heart and utterly destroy him just because he did not immediately give in to being picked up? Check.
I would feel sorry for Nick over the betrayal he suffered in his past but I get the feeling for him it was more of a blow to the ego than anything else. Little Nicky clearly does not take it well when he’s not number one.
He’s also apparently somewhat lazy. Okay, it’s cool to have all that money (his father’s) so that he was able to take a year off to tend his broken ego. Now that he’s back, his father wants him to work for him (again). What does Nick do? He accepts temporarily as the means to getting close to his victim. So what the hell else was he going to spend his time doing, anyway?
Then we have David. *sigh* Honestly, David is a girl. It becomes especially transparent once they are about to have sex. His thoughts and actions. They all scream virginal category romance heroine at a volume impossible to ignore. Complete with the thoughts of, “Love? Can it be? But I barely like him. I hardly know him.” Just because they are about to have sex.
And the sex, well… Thanks for giving us your measurements in inches. I really needed to know. And it still feels like a woman being deflowered.
I think the rest of this needs to go into spoiler tags, even though I doubt anyone could be surprised by any of this. Ever.
Okay, closing this one out with a structural note.
Very off-putting are the ill-placed time skips. It’s okay to have them (except for those that skip the actual confrontations and reduce them to summary), but each time we go through a lot of stuff before we’re told what happened in between. So during that other stuff the irritation rises along with the implication that no one did anything about anything that was important before the skip.
Towards the end this gets worse . WTF?
This book is readable. It might even be enjoyable if you don’t care for any of the above. I’m increasingly strict with what I read and perhaps that’s not always fair in context of what the book is trying to accomplish.
Anyway, I’m not put off enough yet to skip the author entirely. With fearless abandon I shall throw myself into another work of hers. *heroic stance, cape flowing*
Fun fact: Did you know gay romance novels were apparently a thing for women to read seventeen years ago? Or so the implication in this book goes anyway. *shrug*
The writing is… eh. It has some issues. Clumsy and heavy-handed. I’ve seen much worse, but even so it’s a little distracting at times. It accomplished getting the story told, but no more than that.
Ah, Nick. Such a jerk. I feel like I am reading a 90s het romance again.
Striking a bet to seduce an innocent. Check. Being prepared to wreck an existing relationship to achieve this. Check. Arrogant and full of himself. Check. Determined to break a guy’s heart and utterly destroy him just because he did not immediately give in to being picked up? Check.
I would feel sorry for Nick over the betrayal he suffered in his past but I get the feeling for him it was more of a blow to the ego than anything else. Little Nicky clearly does not take it well when he’s not number one.
He’s also apparently somewhat lazy. Okay, it’s cool to have all that money (his father’s) so that he was able to take a year off to tend his broken ego. Now that he’s back, his father wants him to work for him (again). What does Nick do? He accepts temporarily as the means to getting close to his victim. So what the hell else was he going to spend his time doing, anyway?
Then we have David. *sigh* Honestly, David is a girl. It becomes especially transparent once they are about to have sex. His thoughts and actions. They all scream virginal category romance heroine at a volume impossible to ignore. Complete with the thoughts of, “Love? Can it be? But I barely like him. I hardly know him.” Just because they are about to have sex.
And the sex, well… Thanks for giving us your measurements in inches. I really needed to know. And it still feels like a woman being deflowered.
I think the rest of this needs to go into spoiler tags, even though I doubt anyone could be surprised by any of this. Ever.
Okay, closing this one out with a structural note.
Very off-putting are the ill-placed time skips. It’s okay to have them (except for those that skip the actual confrontations and reduce them to summary), but each time we go through a lot of stuff before we’re told what happened in between. So during that other stuff the irritation rises along with the implication that no one did anything about anything that was important before the skip.
Towards the end this gets worse . WTF?
This book is readable. It might even be enjoyable if you don’t care for any of the above. I’m increasingly strict with what I read and perhaps that’s not always fair in context of what the book is trying to accomplish.
Anyway, I’m not put off enough yet to skip the author entirely. With fearless abandon I shall throw myself into another work of hers. *heroic stance, cape flowing*
Fun fact: Did you know gay romance novels were apparently a thing for women to read seventeen years ago? Or so the implication in this book goes anyway. *shrug*
May 21, 2016
Full disclosure - my sister is an Autistic adult & I am her caretaker. I say this upfront because this colored my reaction to this book. I decided to give it a go because the subject matter is one I can fully relate to from my personal experience. That said the character of Sammy was nothing like my sister up to the point where I kept wondering, "Is he supposed to really have Aspergers or is this lack of research?" I know that everyone is different, no two people on the spectrum are going to act the same way but as I read on his diagnosis felt more and more off to me. So much so that it took me out of the story several times. In my experiences no one with autism would willingly bear hug a total stranger. My sister is a very sweet, happy -hearted individual but she hates being touched. I've known many people on the spectrum who are also like this. It's not that they don't show affection in their own way but a bear hug is generally something that would take time to lead up to. (I had no trouble accepting Sammy would hug his brother, I just questioned him hugging Nick upon first meeting him.)
I also felt a bit of research regarding the hospital procedures would have benefited the story greatly. I found it a bit too easy to have the nurses readily give information to someone who was not a relative and flowers in ICU would not have been allowed under any circumstances.
I wanted to love this book and there are things I did enjoy about it. While it's rather formula and cliched it does have some enjoyable characters (despite the fact Sammy didn't seem to fall onto the spectrum he is a very lovable character) and it did engage me to keep reading on but the above mentioned issues as well as aspects of telling and not showing prevent me from giving it a better rating.
I also felt a bit of research regarding the hospital procedures would have benefited the story greatly. I found it a bit too easy to have the nurses readily give information to someone who was not a relative and flowers in ICU would not have been allowed under any circumstances.
I wanted to love this book and there are things I did enjoy about it. While it's rather formula and cliched it does have some enjoyable characters (despite the fact Sammy didn't seem to fall onto the spectrum he is a very lovable character) and it did engage me to keep reading on but the above mentioned issues as well as aspects of telling and not showing prevent me from giving it a better rating.
April 4, 2013
This was a very nice read. Sammy was the highlight of the story and David's reaction to the betrayal was a good one, too. I enjoyed the whole thing very much, up til the final 20% - there it simply got too much. Therefore 4 stars.
March 16, 2013
4 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
David is responsible for his special needs older brother, Sammy, he has done everything he can to protect them both after their horrible childhood and that includes ensuring nobody can hurt them emotionally, his icy persona keeps people at bay until his bosses son, Nick, walks through his office door. Nick has been burnt by love in the past, now he is a ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ man, but when David rejects his advances out of hand he accepts a bet to melt David’s icy shell, but getting to know David and his brother Sammy convinces him to take a chance on love again, but the bet is hanging in the background. Can Nick make David believe in his love when the truth comes out?
This is a lovely novel that will touch your heart with its emotionally punches and its simple sweetness. David adores his older brother, Sammy, even though he has to look after him, after a horrendous childhood with their father, David took guardianship of Sammy and has never looked back, Sammy’s gentle childlike sweetness more than makes up for any hardship they have faced. Holding people at bay is a way to protect both of them, but Nick works his way into their lives and into David’s heart and shatters David’s trust. Nick pursued David on a bet, after being shattered by his ex’s betrayal Nick didn’t think anything of it, until he got to know the kind, sweet, sexy man beneath the icy persona and knows that he has to come clean about the bet, but he leaves it too late.
Oh if ever there were characters that you wanted to take home and mother, then David and Sammy are it, David is a wonderful character who always puts his brother first, opening his heart to Nick was hard for him, but when he does he embraces what they have together. Nick is callus when he first meets David, but as he gets to know the real David his heart is unprotected and he can’t help falling in love. Even though this is a romance story Sammy is still one of the main characters and you can’t help but fall in love with his childlike delight and wonder, we also take their neighbour Ms Petty to heart.
I loved how this story was paced although the ending felt a bit rushed, the storyline is really good and the characters are wonderful, there are many emotions that role around in this story and you are there every step of the way. I would love to see all these characters again in the future
I have to recommend this story to those that love simple romances, adorable characters, trusting again, hot sex, betrayal, forgiveness and a very happy ending.
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
David is responsible for his special needs older brother, Sammy, he has done everything he can to protect them both after their horrible childhood and that includes ensuring nobody can hurt them emotionally, his icy persona keeps people at bay until his bosses son, Nick, walks through his office door. Nick has been burnt by love in the past, now he is a ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ man, but when David rejects his advances out of hand he accepts a bet to melt David’s icy shell, but getting to know David and his brother Sammy convinces him to take a chance on love again, but the bet is hanging in the background. Can Nick make David believe in his love when the truth comes out?
This is a lovely novel that will touch your heart with its emotionally punches and its simple sweetness. David adores his older brother, Sammy, even though he has to look after him, after a horrendous childhood with their father, David took guardianship of Sammy and has never looked back, Sammy’s gentle childlike sweetness more than makes up for any hardship they have faced. Holding people at bay is a way to protect both of them, but Nick works his way into their lives and into David’s heart and shatters David’s trust. Nick pursued David on a bet, after being shattered by his ex’s betrayal Nick didn’t think anything of it, until he got to know the kind, sweet, sexy man beneath the icy persona and knows that he has to come clean about the bet, but he leaves it too late.
Oh if ever there were characters that you wanted to take home and mother, then David and Sammy are it, David is a wonderful character who always puts his brother first, opening his heart to Nick was hard for him, but when he does he embraces what they have together. Nick is callus when he first meets David, but as he gets to know the real David his heart is unprotected and he can’t help falling in love. Even though this is a romance story Sammy is still one of the main characters and you can’t help but fall in love with his childlike delight and wonder, we also take their neighbour Ms Petty to heart.
I loved how this story was paced although the ending felt a bit rushed, the storyline is really good and the characters are wonderful, there are many emotions that role around in this story and you are there every step of the way. I would love to see all these characters again in the future
I have to recommend this story to those that love simple romances, adorable characters, trusting again, hot sex, betrayal, forgiveness and a very happy ending.
March 17, 2013
A sweet, heartwarming book that I especially enjoyed because of a secondary autistic character named Sammy, Melting the Ice Prince suffered the same problem for me as the recently reviewed book Blue Line: The author skipped over the first several weeks of the MC's relationship and instead gave us a summary. We are told instead of shown that the two are falling in love. This just isn't nearly as satisfying in the end and I found myself disconnected emotionally during the story's climax. I really enjoyed everything else! The MCs were great, secondary characters perfect and adorable, storyline exciting, sex scenes hot, but glossing over such a big plot point was like leaving a big hole in the book.
If you can use your imagination enough to fill in the blanks for those few weeks, then by all means, I can recommend this book. It is delightful. But it didn't work for me because the connection just wasn't there. A bit more effort on the author's part and this book could have been a 5+ star gem, and that's just so disappointing.
If you can use your imagination enough to fill in the blanks for those few weeks, then by all means, I can recommend this book. It is delightful. But it didn't work for me because the connection just wasn't there. A bit more effort on the author's part and this book could have been a 5+ star gem, and that's just so disappointing.
April 9, 2013
Pretty predictable. I also wasn't sure how much research the author had done into Asperger's Syndrome. I've known a few high functioning Aspie and Autistic children and the descriptions here didn't seem to ring true. It actually sounded more like she was describing someone with Down's Syndrome. I could be wrong but it's something that threw me out of the story a few times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2013
Because David has had problems in his life and also has had to take care of his older brother who has autism, he develops an icy cool persona to keep people at a distance. His defenses begin to crumble when he meets Nick who happens to be the son of his boss. They’re initially hostile with each other so Nick has an idea to get revenge. He enters a bet with his dad to win David’s affection and melt his icy façade.
Initially, and even after some thought, this seemed like a ridiculous bet for grown men to make, especially as Nick’s dad was very happy with how David was handling things at work. We get an explanation later on why he made this bet but I still thought it was very silly behavior though It did do the job of bringing the two men together.
Nick does eventually break down David’s walls and the story proceeds along fairly predictable lines. It makes up for its lack of originality by being a heartwarming story. David’s brother Sammy is sweet in this. My problem is that Sammy is supposed to be a high functioning autistic person & I don’t think his behavior fit that diagnosis. He’s just cute & cuddly instead. The story also has him staying with an 82 year old babysitter. A person with Sammy’s abilities would need a lot more than that. They would need an active environment, a school or even a job. The portrayal of Sammy felt off & I think with a little more research this could have improved.
There were other things I also felt needed more research. For example Nick comes to the hospital with daffodils. When they’re leaving the hospital he says pointing to the flowers “Make sure those get to her room please.” The nurse nods her head yes and gets the patient ready to go to ICU. The problem is in the real world flowers are not allowed in ICU as it’s a sterile environment for critically ill patients. The second mistake is how the doctor willingly gives out medical information to people who aren’t relatives or authorized in any way. This would never happen because of HIPAA rules. From my own experience they absolutely do not bend those rules. This stuff just drove me crazy because it could have easily been corrected if you had for instance, had the character have a power of attorney.
For me, these are jarring mistakes but some people overlook things like this as long as the romance portion is good. In this case it’s a sweet story with a slight bit of hurt/comfort. The characters are pretty sympathetic as well. I like that we get both point of views in the story. I did wish that we did get more of the romance between Nick & David because the story is filled with a lot of distractions. Not enough time is given to develop the relationship between them & we’re left to imagine a lot of it because there’s more telling than showing. I also think Nick’s instant willingness to commit to a lifetime of taking care of someone with special needs was very unrealistic. He should have at least struggled with the idea. I see this story as a series of missed opportunities. But if you have a willingness to suspend disbelief and you want to relax into a simple love story then this might be for you.
Reviewed at Hearts on Fire
Initially, and even after some thought, this seemed like a ridiculous bet for grown men to make, especially as Nick’s dad was very happy with how David was handling things at work. We get an explanation later on why he made this bet but I still thought it was very silly behavior though It did do the job of bringing the two men together.
Nick does eventually break down David’s walls and the story proceeds along fairly predictable lines. It makes up for its lack of originality by being a heartwarming story. David’s brother Sammy is sweet in this. My problem is that Sammy is supposed to be a high functioning autistic person & I don’t think his behavior fit that diagnosis. He’s just cute & cuddly instead. The story also has him staying with an 82 year old babysitter. A person with Sammy’s abilities would need a lot more than that. They would need an active environment, a school or even a job. The portrayal of Sammy felt off & I think with a little more research this could have improved.
There were other things I also felt needed more research. For example Nick comes to the hospital with daffodils. When they’re leaving the hospital he says pointing to the flowers “Make sure those get to her room please.” The nurse nods her head yes and gets the patient ready to go to ICU. The problem is in the real world flowers are not allowed in ICU as it’s a sterile environment for critically ill patients. The second mistake is how the doctor willingly gives out medical information to people who aren’t relatives or authorized in any way. This would never happen because of HIPAA rules. From my own experience they absolutely do not bend those rules. This stuff just drove me crazy because it could have easily been corrected if you had for instance, had the character have a power of attorney.
For me, these are jarring mistakes but some people overlook things like this as long as the romance portion is good. In this case it’s a sweet story with a slight bit of hurt/comfort. The characters are pretty sympathetic as well. I like that we get both point of views in the story. I did wish that we did get more of the romance between Nick & David because the story is filled with a lot of distractions. Not enough time is given to develop the relationship between them & we’re left to imagine a lot of it because there’s more telling than showing. I also think Nick’s instant willingness to commit to a lifetime of taking care of someone with special needs was very unrealistic. He should have at least struggled with the idea. I see this story as a series of missed opportunities. But if you have a willingness to suspend disbelief and you want to relax into a simple love story then this might be for you.
Reviewed at Hearts on Fire
March 20, 2013
Wold have given it a four but the Aspergers diagnosis was just kinda off behavior wise. That got to me a lot because I am studying for my licensing exams and have been reading about disorders until my eyes bleed.
October 14, 2015
This is oldie for me back when Silver Publishing was opened. This is the kind story that goes from 0 to 100 real quick in the love department. You aren't missing anything if you haven't read it, but easy book to read while killing time.
March 24, 2013
I loved Sammy! That.Is.All.! Okay I enjoyed everyone else but Sammy stole my heart!
April 19, 2013
3 Stars. Review originally Published Here:
http://joyfullyjay.com/2013/04/review...
David Talhoone is known as the “Ice Prince” around the office. He’s the personal assistant to the CEO of the company and his icy demeanor keeps unwanted visitors away and his boss productive. He’s not only cold in the office, but outside of it as well. He is the caretaker for his older, autistic brother, and Sammy is his main priority. David doesn’t have time or the desire to let his guard down and bring someone else into his life, other than his wonderful elderly neighbor who cares for Sammy while he’s at work.
When Nick Masterson pays a visit to his father’s office, he meets his assistant, David, and things start off on the wrong foot. David assumes Nick is just another nosy employee and his icy demeanor doesn’t go over well with the boss’ son. Nick’s been away for a year while he tries to get over a horrible break-up, and now that he’s back, his father wants him in the office, helping him run the business. As they’re discussing Nick’s intentions, the discussion turns to David. They’re both betting men, so Nick and his father agree to a wager: Nick has three months to break the Ice Prince and become his lover. If he loses, he has to work for his dad. If he wins, he gets access to his father’s yacht for the summer. It’s all in good fun, right?
Pretty quickly, Nick realizes that this is going to be more than a bet for him. He instantly feels an attraction toward David and, when he is suddenly thrust into the midst of David’s crazy life, his feelings only get stronger. After only two weeks together, things have moved really fast for these two and Nick knows he needs to tell David about the bet or risk losing him forever.
This story had some real potential, but unfortunately it was plagued by a predictable and inconsistent plot. Let’s start with the good. The characters were easy to love. The family feeling between David, Sammy, and their neighbor, Ms. Petty, was heartwarming. Sammy in particular was a sweet, charming, utterly lovable character. And Nick, while initially pursuing David for all the wrong reasons, is a wonderful support to the two brothers and a perfect partner for David.
The plot was the major issue here for me. The idea itself is kind of ridiculous. A bet to see if Nick can seduce the Ice Prince? Not only is it wholly inappropriate for David’s boss and boss’ son to wager this bet, it just seems like such an unbelievable thing to agree to between two consenting adults. It seems like the plot moves forward entirely in this manner — one implausible or too convenient situation after another. I don’t want to give away any of the plot, but a major example of this is a conversation that David overhears in which he only hears the words that give him the wrong impression of the conversation and doesn’t hear any of the others that would clear up the confusion. As if there was some sort of loud/soft dial being turned up and down during the entire conversation. Sure, it helped the major conflict come to a head, but it just wasn’t plausible.
There were also several inconsistencies in the book that helped keep things moving ahead, regardless of its authenticity. For instance, David complains, after a forced separation, that Nick does not try to contact him, and this is the thing that hurts him most of all. Whereas just a few pages before, it was made clear that Nick tried calling David several times and finally had to give up when his phone number was deliberately disconnected. There are flexible hospital rules and regulations when it was necessary for the plot, and, while I don’t want to get into this too in-depth, Sammy’s autism did not seem well-researched or accurately portrayed. As I have a son with the disorder that Sammy has, Asperger’s Syndrome, not much of his behavior was consistent with what I know of the disorder. These are just a few of things that didn’t really match up well for me throughout the book.
The plot is unoriginal and formulaic and almost seemed to be following instructions from a “How to Write a Romance Novel” manual. Don’t get me wrong. This book is easy to read and mostly harmless. Everything was just too convenient and too unbelievable, which made for a bit of a boring read. Unfortunately, I can’t give it my recommendation.
http://joyfullyjay.com/2013/04/review...
David Talhoone is known as the “Ice Prince” around the office. He’s the personal assistant to the CEO of the company and his icy demeanor keeps unwanted visitors away and his boss productive. He’s not only cold in the office, but outside of it as well. He is the caretaker for his older, autistic brother, and Sammy is his main priority. David doesn’t have time or the desire to let his guard down and bring someone else into his life, other than his wonderful elderly neighbor who cares for Sammy while he’s at work.
When Nick Masterson pays a visit to his father’s office, he meets his assistant, David, and things start off on the wrong foot. David assumes Nick is just another nosy employee and his icy demeanor doesn’t go over well with the boss’ son. Nick’s been away for a year while he tries to get over a horrible break-up, and now that he’s back, his father wants him in the office, helping him run the business. As they’re discussing Nick’s intentions, the discussion turns to David. They’re both betting men, so Nick and his father agree to a wager: Nick has three months to break the Ice Prince and become his lover. If he loses, he has to work for his dad. If he wins, he gets access to his father’s yacht for the summer. It’s all in good fun, right?
Pretty quickly, Nick realizes that this is going to be more than a bet for him. He instantly feels an attraction toward David and, when he is suddenly thrust into the midst of David’s crazy life, his feelings only get stronger. After only two weeks together, things have moved really fast for these two and Nick knows he needs to tell David about the bet or risk losing him forever.
This story had some real potential, but unfortunately it was plagued by a predictable and inconsistent plot. Let’s start with the good. The characters were easy to love. The family feeling between David, Sammy, and their neighbor, Ms. Petty, was heartwarming. Sammy in particular was a sweet, charming, utterly lovable character. And Nick, while initially pursuing David for all the wrong reasons, is a wonderful support to the two brothers and a perfect partner for David.
The plot was the major issue here for me. The idea itself is kind of ridiculous. A bet to see if Nick can seduce the Ice Prince? Not only is it wholly inappropriate for David’s boss and boss’ son to wager this bet, it just seems like such an unbelievable thing to agree to between two consenting adults. It seems like the plot moves forward entirely in this manner — one implausible or too convenient situation after another. I don’t want to give away any of the plot, but a major example of this is a conversation that David overhears in which he only hears the words that give him the wrong impression of the conversation and doesn’t hear any of the others that would clear up the confusion. As if there was some sort of loud/soft dial being turned up and down during the entire conversation. Sure, it helped the major conflict come to a head, but it just wasn’t plausible.
There were also several inconsistencies in the book that helped keep things moving ahead, regardless of its authenticity. For instance, David complains, after a forced separation, that Nick does not try to contact him, and this is the thing that hurts him most of all. Whereas just a few pages before, it was made clear that Nick tried calling David several times and finally had to give up when his phone number was deliberately disconnected. There are flexible hospital rules and regulations when it was necessary for the plot, and, while I don’t want to get into this too in-depth, Sammy’s autism did not seem well-researched or accurately portrayed. As I have a son with the disorder that Sammy has, Asperger’s Syndrome, not much of his behavior was consistent with what I know of the disorder. These are just a few of things that didn’t really match up well for me throughout the book.
The plot is unoriginal and formulaic and almost seemed to be following instructions from a “How to Write a Romance Novel” manual. Don’t get me wrong. This book is easy to read and mostly harmless. Everything was just too convenient and too unbelievable, which made for a bit of a boring read. Unfortunately, I can’t give it my recommendation.
April 1, 2013
David Calhoun has the nickname of Ice-prince at his office because he doesn't let anyone close. He is very good at his job. He is taking care of his autistic older brother and doesn't have time for a relationship and any he has would have to include Sammy ( not in an intimate way). He meets Nick his bosses son and is filled with lust but the two men hit it off wrong from the beginning. Will Nick and David be the ones to melt the ice around the others heart? I recommend you read this one to see.
This is such a sweet heart-warming story of a man willing to sacrifice his own needs for his autistic brother. The characters in this story are so well developed they feel real. David, Sammy their neighbor, David’s boss and Nick seem so lifelike you get a chance to know each one without too much info dropped all at once. The story moves at a nice steady pace. Though you figure it out right away Boy meets boy, they fall in love there is a secret that will blow it all to heck .. It’s still a great story. I highly recommend it. It has some amazing twists, and some really cute parts involving the Autistic brother. This is one of those you want to curl up with your favorite blanket , favorite beverage and be swept away into a sweet loving romance sure to make you sigh.
Recommendations: If you like men devoted to family, Challenges, bets, sweet loving romance, sweet twists, and some nice hot mansex, this one is definitely for you.
This is such a sweet heart-warming story of a man willing to sacrifice his own needs for his autistic brother. The characters in this story are so well developed they feel real. David, Sammy their neighbor, David’s boss and Nick seem so lifelike you get a chance to know each one without too much info dropped all at once. The story moves at a nice steady pace. Though you figure it out right away Boy meets boy, they fall in love there is a secret that will blow it all to heck .. It’s still a great story. I highly recommend it. It has some amazing twists, and some really cute parts involving the Autistic brother. This is one of those you want to curl up with your favorite blanket , favorite beverage and be swept away into a sweet loving romance sure to make you sigh.
Recommendations: If you like men devoted to family, Challenges, bets, sweet loving romance, sweet twists, and some nice hot mansex, this one is definitely for you.
December 27, 2013
"Melting the Ice Prince" could've earned another star or perhaps a star-and-a-half for the uninspired plot, characters, and dialogue. The story held my attention or would have if the author had done some research on autism-spectrum disorders before she claimed Sammy had Asperger's. The autism spectrum is broad, but neither personal experience nor research has convinced me that Sammy would fall anywhere on it. I'm not sure the author considered the effects of a "massive stroke," either, but I'd have let it slide if autism spectrum disorders hadn't felt more like a cheap plot device than a well-considered choice. While I'm sure Amylea Lyn is well-intentioned, I think even the best intentions can spread misinformation and there's more than enough as it is. That said, "Melting the Ice Prince" is a decent formula romance if you can overlook the inaccuracies. Unfortunately, I couldn't.
May 15, 2013
Amylea Lynn has written a wonderful story about David, his brother Sammy, and Nick. David has been looking after his older brother Sammy since his mother left them with their abusive, alcoholic father when David was nine and Sammy was twelve. Because of the abuse,
David has hidden his heart behind a wall of ice to protect himself and Sammy from any more pain. David also struggles to work, pay the bills, and take care of Sammy. The blurb covers most of the basic details, but you'll have to read this lovely story for yourself to really appreciate the depth of it.
Trish's complete 4 1/2 sweet pea review appears at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
David has hidden his heart behind a wall of ice to protect himself and Sammy from any more pain. David also struggles to work, pay the bills, and take care of Sammy. The blurb covers most of the basic details, but you'll have to read this lovely story for yourself to really appreciate the depth of it.
Trish's complete 4 1/2 sweet pea review appears at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
April 6, 2013
David has earned his Ice Prince reputation by always seeming calm and stand-off. His boss challenges his son Nick to get David to go out. Nick loves a challenge but suddenly he loves David more but now he's trapped between the challenge and the reality. When a conversation is overheard things blow completely out of the water. It was fun to see the new challenge of making up to David. Loved all the special little extra twists that the story added as well. I always enjoy a story where the minor characters are well fleshed out as well.
March 18, 2013
This novel was light and sweet with a heart warming end. The author described the earlier stage of their relationship but left it to the imagination of the readers to fill in between that time to when David found out about the bet. Well, even so, I still liked how the story ended up and how it made me feel sad, angry and happy as I progressed though the story. Sammy was just too adorable and the story would not have been complete without him :) I wanted a big finish but the author opted for a simple HEA ending. This book left me with a smile on my face. I really enjoyed it.
March 27, 2013
I really, really liked this. I adored Sammy, I thought he was so sweet.
I thought the characters were good...obviously, I kinda saw what was going to happen when things blew up in Nick's face, but I enjoyed reading about them. Also, the ending was just so sweet. I just wish that the first couple of weeks they spent together went into more detail, rather than just summing everything up in a couple paragraphs.
All in all, really enjoyed this. I've liked the last few things I've read from this author, so I'm looking forward to what she comes up with next.
I thought the characters were good...obviously, I kinda saw what was going to happen when things blew up in Nick's face, but I enjoyed reading about them. Also, the ending was just so sweet. I just wish that the first couple of weeks they spent together went into more detail, rather than just summing everything up in a couple paragraphs.
All in all, really enjoyed this. I've liked the last few things I've read from this author, so I'm looking forward to what she comes up with next.
May 25, 2013
Honestly, my standards are always ground-low because I know how little TRULY talented authors write romance. Here I sit, though, struggling to recall being more offended by a book. Can't think of a time. This author knows jack about autism. Not one gotdamn bit about ASD. Yet, she's making money off of ignorance easily cured. I've not a shred of respect for this ignorant person. Someone should burn her laptop.
March 23, 2013
I really liked it :)and I shed tears a few times during this book and tried really hard not to ruin my makeup :)
Love Sammy! He was the most adorable man :)
The ending .. I was not ready to leave Nick and David I just wanted more:(
Love Sammy! He was the most adorable man :)
The ending .. I was not ready to leave Nick and David I just wanted more:(
April 10, 2013
The only character I enjoyed was Sammy. Nick and David- underdeveloped. Story was rushed. Almost insta love. And the angst?? The BIG MISUNDERSTANDING??? Never really cleared up or explained....I just...no.
The two stars are for Sammy.
The two stars are for Sammy.
April 2, 2013
3.5*
March 16, 2013
Enjoyable. Although the ending felt rushed.
March 20, 2013
started off slow but picked up--I loved Sammy!
March 22, 2013
I loved this book. Sammy was my favorite character I've seen in a long kind.
March 29, 2013
4** Just for Sammy!!
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