What do you think?
Rate this book
Summer Skate: A Novel
"An angsty, sensual tale complete with fast-paced drama both on and off the ice. Sports romance fans who like things on the soapy side will be thrilled." —Publishers Weekly
A novelist with a rebellious streak and a bad habit of turning men into material. A hockey player with a dark past . . . and a shot at stardom that he just might blow.
A summer vacation that heats up with a forbidden attraction strong enough to burn their neighboring Hamptons houses to the ground.
Summer has begun on the East End of Long Island and bestselling author Jessica Riley finds herself unable to deliver on her highly anticipated second book. Her children are demanding. Her husband is preoccupied. With a deadline looming, she fakes a mental breakdown to get away . . . only to find that the house next door is filled with rowdy hockey players.
One of those players is Carter Hughes, a soon-to-be rookie on the New York Rangers, and in Carter and his friends, Jessica discovers a treasure trove of material for her next book. But she quickly finds herself in over her head, as her connection with Carter spirals out of control and his behavior becomes more erratic. Meanwhile, as Carter mixes with the power scene in the Hamptons, one false move could turn what was supposed to be a summer of training and good times into a game he can’t afford to play.
Sexy and addictive, Summer Skate is the sun on your skin in a string bikini. It’s the sound of skates cutting across the ice of a hockey rink, chasing victory. It’s the thrill of finding How bad do you want it?
A novelist with a rebellious streak and a bad habit of turning men into material. A hockey player with a dark past . . . and a shot at stardom that he just might blow.
A summer vacation that heats up with a forbidden attraction strong enough to burn their neighboring Hamptons houses to the ground.
Summer has begun on the East End of Long Island and bestselling author Jessica Riley finds herself unable to deliver on her highly anticipated second book. Her children are demanding. Her husband is preoccupied. With a deadline looming, she fakes a mental breakdown to get away . . . only to find that the house next door is filled with rowdy hockey players.
One of those players is Carter Hughes, a soon-to-be rookie on the New York Rangers, and in Carter and his friends, Jessica discovers a treasure trove of material for her next book. But she quickly finds herself in over her head, as her connection with Carter spirals out of control and his behavior becomes more erratic. Meanwhile, as Carter mixes with the power scene in the Hamptons, one false move could turn what was supposed to be a summer of training and good times into a game he can’t afford to play.
Sexy and addictive, Summer Skate is the sun on your skin in a string bikini. It’s the sound of skates cutting across the ice of a hockey rink, chasing victory. It’s the thrill of finding How bad do you want it?
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 9, 2025
113 people are currently reading
1691 people want to read
About the author
Sean Avery
9 books38 followersSean Christopher Avery is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. During his career in the National Hockey League (NHL), he played left wing for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers, gaining recognition for his agitating playing style and controversial behaviour both on and off the ice. He is also known for his eclectic interests, having worked in fashion, most notably as an intern at Vogue magazine; as a model; and as a restaurateur. He finished his 12-year career with a total of 90 goals, 247 points and 1,533 penalty minutes in 580 games.
After retiring in 2012, Avery began working at Lipman, an advertising and creative agency in New York City. He was promoted to senior staffer, but the firm closed without notice in September 2013, reportedly due to financial problems, later filing for bankruptcy, and owing Avery $229,167.
Avery's memoir, Ice Capades: A Memoir of Fast Living and Tough Hockey, was published by Blue Rider Press in 2017.
After retiring in 2012, Avery began working at Lipman, an advertising and creative agency in New York City. He was promoted to senior staffer, but the firm closed without notice in September 2013, reportedly due to financial problems, later filing for bankruptcy, and owing Avery $229,167.
Avery's memoir, Ice Capades: A Memoir of Fast Living and Tough Hockey, was published by Blue Rider Press in 2017.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
dnf
May 7, 2025Absolutely not.
September 5, 2025
I’d literally rather clean a hockey change room than read this. 🤡
September 10, 2025
*I had no idea that the male author was problematic prior to reading this book, if I would've known I wouldn't have read it*
Apart from that, I found the book to be highly problematic. It focuses on cheating pretty much for the entirety. The FMC also fakes mental health issues to get time off from her husband and kids. The cheating is never admitted and she just goes back to her family like all is well ? Hmm no that does not work for me. If I knew this centered on cheating I never would've read it either. The characters were immature, the writing was choppy, there was truly no chemistry between Jessica & Carter. The spice was also very awkward. It truly just wasn't the book for me.
Apart from that, I found the book to be highly problematic. It focuses on cheating pretty much for the entirety. The FMC also fakes mental health issues to get time off from her husband and kids. The cheating is never admitted and she just goes back to her family like all is well ? Hmm no that does not work for me. If I knew this centered on cheating I never would've read it either. The characters were immature, the writing was choppy, there was truly no chemistry between Jessica & Carter. The spice was also very awkward. It truly just wasn't the book for me.
September 15, 2025
I cannot stress this enough…this book is bad. I picked it up thinking I was getting a fun hockey romance COWRITTEN by a former NYR hockey player full of tropes. Instead? Cheating. Just… cheating. NO LIKE SERIOUSLY there was very little convincing. And don’t come here looking for plot. There isn’t one. The story stops, starts, disappears, then pops back up like it forgot it was invited. Conflict resolution? Nonexistent. Honestly, was this ghostwritten by a horny teenager? Because that’s the only way I can explain how bad the writing is. The only thing that I did like was the New York Rangers references…but even then, DID the team consent to be in written into this mess?? Someone call legal. I read this over two short airplane rides and laughed the entire time—not with it but at it. Was this a prank?
September 20, 2025
This audiobook was difficult to get through. While I understand the appeal of authors narrating their own work, I generally find that unless it is a memoir, the end result rarely matches the quality of a professional performance, even when the author has acting experience.
Professional narrators bring a unique ability to smooth over clunky dialogue and elevate uneven prose, transforming it into something engaging for the listener. Without that expertise, the reading can feel flat, which was unfortunately the case here. While Sean Avery and Emily Tremaine made the effort, both narrations came across as inexperienced and did not enhance the text.
The writing itself also presented challenges. Certain scenes, particularly one intended to be intimate, read as clinical rather than evocative, which undercut the intended tone and emotional impact.
While I prefer not to be overly negative, I ultimately cannot recommend this audiobook. My assessment is based on the writing and narration alone, not on the author’s public persona, which I was unfamiliar with prior to reading.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Spotify Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me; I never DNF ARCs.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
Professional narrators bring a unique ability to smooth over clunky dialogue and elevate uneven prose, transforming it into something engaging for the listener. Without that expertise, the reading can feel flat, which was unfortunately the case here. While Sean Avery and Emily Tremaine made the effort, both narrations came across as inexperienced and did not enhance the text.
The writing itself also presented challenges. Certain scenes, particularly one intended to be intimate, read as clinical rather than evocative, which undercut the intended tone and emotional impact.
While I prefer not to be overly negative, I ultimately cannot recommend this audiobook. My assessment is based on the writing and narration alone, not on the author’s public persona, which I was unfamiliar with prior to reading.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Spotify Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me; I never DNF ARCs.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
August 11, 2025
This book just elevated the romance genre.
September 11, 2025
This was the worst thing I’ve ever had the misfortune to see with my own eyes.
September 16, 2025
I’m giving this book 5 stars because of how genuinely impressed I was by the storyline.
I bought the book primarily because of my frustration with the hockey romance genre. Being a hockey player, married to a hockey player, I noticed how inauthentic most hockey romance books were. I thought, “why can’t someone consult a hockey player on one of these?!?” Then I saw Aves announce on Instagram that he had co-authored a hockey romance.
I was a fan of Avery’s when he played in L.A. for the kings and listened to his podcast. He’s funny and gritty, so I thought “what the hell, it’s worth a read.”
I have to say, it 100% delivers on the hockey part. I believed in Carter and chuckled at the inside hockey jokes that were, thankfully, not overly explained. I also really liked Jessica. She felt so real and relatable.
Now, was this the best book I have ever read? No. Was it highly entertaining and did I finish it in under 48 hours? Yes. It exceeded my expectations, even though I would have like a little more character development. I very much enjoyed it and hope that a second book or even a series is in the works. Well done.
I bought the book primarily because of my frustration with the hockey romance genre. Being a hockey player, married to a hockey player, I noticed how inauthentic most hockey romance books were. I thought, “why can’t someone consult a hockey player on one of these?!?” Then I saw Aves announce on Instagram that he had co-authored a hockey romance.
I was a fan of Avery’s when he played in L.A. for the kings and listened to his podcast. He’s funny and gritty, so I thought “what the hell, it’s worth a read.”
I have to say, it 100% delivers on the hockey part. I believed in Carter and chuckled at the inside hockey jokes that were, thankfully, not overly explained. I also really liked Jessica. She felt so real and relatable.
Now, was this the best book I have ever read? No. Was it highly entertaining and did I finish it in under 48 hours? Yes. It exceeded my expectations, even though I would have like a little more character development. I very much enjoyed it and hope that a second book or even a series is in the works. Well done.
October 2, 2025
If I wanted to read a hockey romance book from a NHL player’s perspective, have a likable player like idk, Marc-Andre Fleury write it
September 12, 2025
2½ Audiobook review — Mixed Feelings, but a Quick Read
I have to say, the narrators did a great job in this audiobook, their performances really helped carry the story and made it more engaging than it might have been otherwise.
Trigger warning for cheating, I didn’t mind the cheating trope in it, which can be hit or miss for some readers. The story itself was just okay, not bad, but IDK, not particularly strong. I also have mixed feelings about the ending; I’m still not sure how I feel about where it left things.
I did appreciate that it was a quick read, which made it easy to get through even when the plot didn’t totally hook me. Not a favorite, but listening to it was not a total miss either.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.
I have to say, the narrators did a great job in this audiobook, their performances really helped carry the story and made it more engaging than it might have been otherwise.
Trigger warning for cheating, I didn’t mind the cheating trope in it, which can be hit or miss for some readers. The story itself was just okay, not bad, but IDK, not particularly strong. I also have mixed feelings about the ending; I’m still not sure how I feel about where it left things.
I did appreciate that it was a quick read, which made it easy to get through even when the plot didn’t totally hook me. Not a favorite, but listening to it was not a total miss either.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.
September 6, 2025
This was kind of an unhinged, forbidden, dual POV, summer romance between a struggling author and a rookie hockey player who find themselves next door neighbors in the Hamptons. There's an undeniable attraction and despite their best efforts, they can't help giving in to temptation. Good on audio, this was a popcorn romance read that was okay on audio but I found the writing lacking, especially the parts from Carter's POV, which felt like staccato rapid fire thoughts. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 28, 2025
I can’t express how much I regret spending time to read this book.
January 15, 2026
A really easy read for the first book of 2026! The writing was horrendous at first but got better as you read on. Or maybe the story just got better? Not sure what I’m supposed to get from the ending, but overall I’d say I liked it - I mean I always wanted to read ahead. I have to say the buildup before the smut was perfect though😃
September 10, 2025
Hockey players are the sexiest athletes and I will die on this hill. But I digress..
“Maybe there is something to being tied to someone. To the consequences if you leave. Maybe I do believe in marriage after all. Maybe it’s not nonsense. Maybe it’s just..hard.”
This was a 🥵 and steamy cougar-esque lust story. The audiobook, with dual narrators, was an entertaining and quick listen. The characters aren’t particularly deep but this is not that type of story. It’s more a guilty pleasure listen. Enjoy!
Thank you to @imseanavery, @lesliecohenauthor, @spotify, and @tlcbooktours for the gifted audiobook.
“Maybe there is something to being tied to someone. To the consequences if you leave. Maybe I do believe in marriage after all. Maybe it’s not nonsense. Maybe it’s just..hard.”
This was a 🥵 and steamy cougar-esque lust story. The audiobook, with dual narrators, was an entertaining and quick listen. The characters aren’t particularly deep but this is not that type of story. It’s more a guilty pleasure listen. Enjoy!
Thank you to @imseanavery, @lesliecohenauthor, @spotify, and @tlcbooktours for the gifted audiobook.
October 25, 2025
Sean Avery, what the fuck was this?
I only read this book because I heard a fragment of a podcast where Avery said that he was informed that hockey romance is a money making genre and that hockey romances are “written by women who don’t know anything about hockey”. I knew it was going to be horrendous but I read it anyway.
Sure enough, it’s a horrible book.
It is so obviously written by a man that you cannot overlook it. A man who wants to hit everybody, is aggressive and almost kills someone in the first chapter. A man who has a full house of women but he only wants the married one. The woman has kids and not even a bad husband, but she is ready to give that up for a much younger hockey player. Every other female character in this book wants him.
Yes, exactly what we women want in a romance book!!!
Moreover, I did not learn anything about hockey from this book. Not a single hockey game. What’s the point of a hockey romance if you’re not playing hockey? The only thing I learned is that hockey players use a lot of drugs all the time and can get any household chores done only if they’re rolling on ecstasy.
Just trust me and don’t read it.
I only read this book because I heard a fragment of a podcast where Avery said that he was informed that hockey romance is a money making genre and that hockey romances are “written by women who don’t know anything about hockey”. I knew it was going to be horrendous but I read it anyway.
Sure enough, it’s a horrible book.
It is so obviously written by a man that you cannot overlook it. A man who wants to hit everybody, is aggressive and almost kills someone in the first chapter. A man who has a full house of women but he only wants the married one. The woman has kids and not even a bad husband, but she is ready to give that up for a much younger hockey player. Every other female character in this book wants him.
Yes, exactly what we women want in a romance book!!!
Moreover, I did not learn anything about hockey from this book. Not a single hockey game. What’s the point of a hockey romance if you’re not playing hockey? The only thing I learned is that hockey players use a lot of drugs all the time and can get any household chores done only if they’re rolling on ecstasy.
Just trust me and don’t read it.
September 7, 2025
ARC review
2 stars.
Jessica is an author, MARRIED with 2 kids, struggling to write her next book. She escapes to the Hamptons to finish her book, only to find her neighbours are a group of rowdy hockey players. Carter is one of said players, who has just signed with the New York Rangers. Tl;dr they have an affair.
This book was co-written and I think it really shows. There were parts which were quite funny and endearing, others felt disjointed and straight up random. It was also quite repetitive, especially for a book less than 300 pages.
At the start, Jessica talks about herself like she’s SO much older than the boys (she’s 35 and they boys must be about 22/23) but then she does a complete 180 and behaves so immature for the whole rest of the book.
Jessica and Carter had no chemistry, I guess their romance was meant to be “taboo” but if just felt really icky.
The first chapter reveals Carter to be aggressive, manipulative and frankly a bit crazed, and these character traits just never come up again? I kept thinking what happened in chapter 1 was going to come up again and it never does.
I requested this book because I was intrigued by a hockey romance co written by an actual hockey player and I guess I would say it met my expectations…. Which were pretty low.
Knowing what I now know about one of the authors, I really question the motives behind some of the plot points, and really this book as a whole.
Thanks to NetGalley and BenBella for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
2 stars.
Jessica is an author, MARRIED with 2 kids, struggling to write her next book. She escapes to the Hamptons to finish her book, only to find her neighbours are a group of rowdy hockey players. Carter is one of said players, who has just signed with the New York Rangers. Tl;dr they have an affair.
This book was co-written and I think it really shows. There were parts which were quite funny and endearing, others felt disjointed and straight up random. It was also quite repetitive, especially for a book less than 300 pages.
At the start, Jessica talks about herself like she’s SO much older than the boys (she’s 35 and they boys must be about 22/23) but then she does a complete 180 and behaves so immature for the whole rest of the book.
Jessica and Carter had no chemistry, I guess their romance was meant to be “taboo” but if just felt really icky.
The first chapter reveals Carter to be aggressive, manipulative and frankly a bit crazed, and these character traits just never come up again? I kept thinking what happened in chapter 1 was going to come up again and it never does.
I requested this book because I was intrigued by a hockey romance co written by an actual hockey player and I guess I would say it met my expectations…. Which were pretty low.
Knowing what I now know about one of the authors, I really question the motives behind some of the plot points, and really this book as a whole.
Thanks to NetGalley and BenBella for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
January 11, 2026
Okay so Tyler wanted me to read this book because Sean Avery used to play in the NHL…. He might need to return to the NHL instead of writing
September 21, 2025
If you can’t read a romance novel with an athlete as an MMC (especially hockey players!) then don’t bother with this genre, it will never be for you. I was super curious to see what Sean Avery had to offer and I was not disappointed. So many of these types of books are college based or the FMC is in her twenties. Having Jessica in that story made it all the more relatable as an over 45 year old woman going through this time of life. I loved that she gave into her curiosity and I loved that it wasn’t a happy ending where the dirty athlete turns good and it’s happy ever after. Good for Sean and Leslie for crafting a
Fictional story that I could get lost in after a long day in an arena. I can’t wait to see what’s next !
Fictional story that I could get lost in after a long day in an arena. I can’t wait to see what’s next !
January 19, 2026
Please I know a self-insert fic when I see one. My jaw was on the floor multiple times due to the name-dropping (Matt Rempe, Somewhere Nowhere???). It’s not really your fault Sean Avery it’s honestly good you know how to read BUT Leslie Cohen you are a woman and also an author so you should know better. Please never write a scene that involves anything romantic ever again.
December 28, 2025
ok.. I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!!!
it is rated so low but truthfully i loved it. however, am i toxic because i was cheering on this relationship? lol
if there is no second book i think i’ll forever be sad how it ended and just having unanswered questions. overall, low rated book but i personally could not put it down 🥲
well done sean avery 👏🏼
it is rated so low but truthfully i loved it. however, am i toxic because i was cheering on this relationship? lol
if there is no second book i think i’ll forever be sad how it ended and just having unanswered questions. overall, low rated book but i personally could not put it down 🥲
well done sean avery 👏🏼
August 29, 2025
This was such a fun book. Hamptons, hockey players, and sexy romance? I’m in.
October 16, 2025
Heard sean promote this on chiclets and had to give it a try. Idk why this book was rated so low. It’s no different than any other sports romance, I feel like it’s just girls being haters bc they dislike sean Avery. (To be clear-im a certified rangers hater 😂 go Avs)
I will say, as someone who is a huge hockey fan and whose favorite genre is sports romcoms, it was so refreshing to read a hockey book that’s actually realistic.
And to everyone bitching that she was having an affair, who cares? It’s a STORY. Ya irl that’s super shitty but it’s a made up story. You know what’s also shitty irl? The dark romance books y’all eat up, I don’t hear you voicing complains on the toxic relationships those girls have. (Don’t get me wrong I eat that shit up too lol)
Have fun, relax, and enjoy the book. I liked it, 4/5 stars bc I needs a few tweaks.
I will say, as someone who is a huge hockey fan and whose favorite genre is sports romcoms, it was so refreshing to read a hockey book that’s actually realistic.
And to everyone bitching that she was having an affair, who cares? It’s a STORY. Ya irl that’s super shitty but it’s a made up story. You know what’s also shitty irl? The dark romance books y’all eat up, I don’t hear you voicing complains on the toxic relationships those girls have. (Don’t get me wrong I eat that shit up too lol)
Have fun, relax, and enjoy the book. I liked it, 4/5 stars bc I needs a few tweaks.
September 12, 2025
Jessica Riley, a mother of two young children an a writer is sent to the Hamptons for a month so that she can finish the book that her publishers desperately wants. While there with no distractions from her husband and kids , Jessica just can't get into the writting vibe. The neighbors next door are young and loud having parties every night. When Jessica is fed up with the noise , she decides to go next door and confront them. That's when she meets Carter Hughes, who has just been drafted by the New York Rangers. From that moment on Carter is obessed with Jessica and will do anything to be with her. This book is not only spicy but had me laugh out loud from Jessica's point of view and her side comments. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for letting me listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook.
October 22, 2025
I read this as an ARC
I DNFed this book after a couple of chapters and I thank the reading gods for that choice after hearing the plot. I've never read more self-centered characters. Why have children if you literally hate them? I love hockey romance and was excited to hear a former player was writing a book, until I learned who it was. I wish I could give this book zero or negative stars.
Bad writing
Problematic author
About the Rangers (barf)
Centers on cheating
I DNFed this book after a couple of chapters and I thank the reading gods for that choice after hearing the plot. I've never read more self-centered characters. Why have children if you literally hate them? I love hockey romance and was excited to hear a former player was writing a book, until I learned who it was. I wish I could give this book zero or negative stars.
Bad writing
Problematic author
About the Rangers (barf)
Centers on cheating
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2025
I heard about this book on a podcast and was intrigued, so I decided to give it a go. Carter Hughes is basically a fictional version of Sean Avery so I found the character a little predictable.
Jessica kind of had no substance and she and Carter didn’t really have much chemistry except the sexual kind.
I still really enjoyed the book, though, and if the rumor about a sequel is true I’m going to read it.
Jessica kind of had no substance and she and Carter didn’t really have much chemistry except the sexual kind.
I still really enjoyed the book, though, and if the rumor about a sequel is true I’m going to read it.
October 20, 2025
Two stars. Ouch. I just wasn’t a fan of the cheating FMC who went back to her married life and never spoke about her affairs. Also, this book significantly lacked emotion. It had so much potential and was a let down.
November 23, 2025
Audiobooked this and it was nooooot good. Did not finish.
February 1, 2026
I feel like 2.5 would have been more accurate but I rounded up. Was it a quality storyline? Not really. Did it keep me reading? Yes.
February 15, 2026
I read this for the Sean Avery factor, and I actually enjoyed the MMC’s chapters more because they seemed so much more honest & believable compared to the FMC’s. Her voice wasn’t realistic, she seemed to absolutely hate her kids, & was an indecisive spaz. I just couldn’t connect with her character, and the chemistry fell flat for me.
Though if Sean Avery writes another book, I’ll definitely give it a go!
Though if Sean Avery writes another book, I’ll definitely give it a go!
September 14, 2025
Okay so I was really excited about this because all I saw was “past hockey player writes hockey romance”. Naturally, as a hockey fan, I was geeked. Then I clicked on Sean’s Instagram and realized he’s THAT Sean…. Not a big fan, he’s actually problematic. But I wanted to listen to the book to see if he could redeem himself. It was a no. I had zero idea this was a cheating book, and it felt so gross the whole time. Neither Jessica nor Carter had anything actually good about their characters, so maybe they deserve each other. This one wasn’t for me at ALL.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews