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New York Legends #1
Thrown for a Loop
A hockey player and a former figure skater get a second chance at love in this hot sports romance from a USA Today bestselling author, perfect for fans of Hannah Grace, Elle Kennedy, and Grace Reilly.
Zoe Carson, former figure skating queen, needs a fresh start as a hockey skating coach. An NHL gig with the New York Legends is her big chance. Unfortunately, that means facing off against the star player who broke her heart ten years ago.
Chase Merritt knows his game is off, and he’s on the verge of losing sponsors. But he doesn’t need the ice princess from that intense college summer showing up and telling him what he’s doing wrong—even when she’s right.
On the ice, they’re magic. Off the ice, they’re nothing but heat and stubbornness, and everyone on the team is enjoying the show. But when an old video of Zoe and Chase’s figure skating routine goes viral, they’re forced to work together more intimately than ever before. Can the two get it right this time or will the whole world watch them crash and burn?
Zoe Carson, former figure skating queen, needs a fresh start as a hockey skating coach. An NHL gig with the New York Legends is her big chance. Unfortunately, that means facing off against the star player who broke her heart ten years ago.
Chase Merritt knows his game is off, and he’s on the verge of losing sponsors. But he doesn’t need the ice princess from that intense college summer showing up and telling him what he’s doing wrong—even when she’s right.
On the ice, they’re magic. Off the ice, they’re nothing but heat and stubbornness, and everyone on the team is enjoying the show. But when an old video of Zoe and Chase’s figure skating routine goes viral, they’re forced to work together more intimately than ever before. Can the two get it right this time or will the whole world watch them crash and burn?
379 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 4, 2025
About the author
Sarina Bowen
108 books19.9k followers
Sarina Bowen is the 24-time USA Today bestselling and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary fiction, including: The Five Year Lie, the True North series, and the Brooklyn Hockey series. She's the co-author of Him/Us and the WAGs series with Elle Kennedy. And more!
You can find a complete reading order list of Sarina's books on her website. Or see what's coming next from Sarina, and sign up for her newsletter so you don't miss a new book or a deal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,478 reviews
July 26, 2025
4 ⭐️
Thrown for a Loop by Sarina Bowen is a second chance hockey romance with mild The Cutting Edge vibes, forced proximity, great side characters and just a touch of spice. As a hockey fan, this hit the spot and was the perfect palate cleanser between some heavier reads.
Ten years ago, teenage hockey player Chase and figure skater Zoe met at a skating camp and had a brief but intense connection until a mistake by Zoe cost Chase his summer job and more, leaving things on a sour note. Now, Zoe is an Olympic silver medalist turned skating coach for the New York Legends, the same team where Chase is a star player struggling through a tough season. Their unexpected reunion is awkward, to say the least. When an old video of their skating routine resurfaces and goes viral, team management sees a PR opportunity and forces them to perform the routine again, this time for charity.
The story is told in dual timelines—present day and ten years ago. In the first half of the book, flashback chapters alternate with the present, which made it a little harder for me to stay focused on what was happening in the present. However, in the second half, the flashbacks are spaced out more, which made it easier for me to stay connected to the present-day story.
Both Zoe and Chase were likable MCs, and I really liked that you could see how they matured in that decade spent apart. The reason for their ten year gap felt plausible, and there was only one tiny miscommunication that got resolved quickly, so huge kudos for handling those aspects well. This was my first Sarina Bowen novel but most definitely won’t be my last. I’m looking forward to Darcy and Tremaine’s story which will be the next in this new series.
My thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for my eARC. Expected Pub date 11/4/25.
Thrown for a Loop by Sarina Bowen is a second chance hockey romance with mild The Cutting Edge vibes, forced proximity, great side characters and just a touch of spice. As a hockey fan, this hit the spot and was the perfect palate cleanser between some heavier reads.
Ten years ago, teenage hockey player Chase and figure skater Zoe met at a skating camp and had a brief but intense connection until a mistake by Zoe cost Chase his summer job and more, leaving things on a sour note. Now, Zoe is an Olympic silver medalist turned skating coach for the New York Legends, the same team where Chase is a star player struggling through a tough season. Their unexpected reunion is awkward, to say the least. When an old video of their skating routine resurfaces and goes viral, team management sees a PR opportunity and forces them to perform the routine again, this time for charity.
The story is told in dual timelines—present day and ten years ago. In the first half of the book, flashback chapters alternate with the present, which made it a little harder for me to stay focused on what was happening in the present. However, in the second half, the flashbacks are spaced out more, which made it easier for me to stay connected to the present-day story.
Both Zoe and Chase were likable MCs, and I really liked that you could see how they matured in that decade spent apart. The reason for their ten year gap felt plausible, and there was only one tiny miscommunication that got resolved quickly, so huge kudos for handling those aspects well. This was my first Sarina Bowen novel but most definitely won’t be my last. I’m looking forward to Darcy and Tremaine’s story which will be the next in this new series.
My thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for my eARC. Expected Pub date 11/4/25.
October 27, 2025
Needing a fresh start, former figure skating queen Zoe Carson gets a gig as a hockey skating coach for the NHL team the New York Legends. It would be an easy and even an enjoyable job if she didn’t have to come face-to-face with the man who broke her heart ten years ago. But she can handle this inconvenience until she sees the cold fire of anger in his blue eyes whenever he looks at her.
Confused by his anger and the lingering love she still has for him, Zoe tries to keep her distance until a series of unfortunate events, like a brawl at a bar, Chase’s need for help with his skating, and a video of them skating when they were young going viral, force them to be together. They were once magic on and off the ice when they were together, but now their distrust in each other is making them off sync. Can Zoe and Chase put aside their anger and hurt to not only solidify Zoe as a skating coach but also to heal the wounds that have been bleeding all over their lives for a decade?
I am not going to lie, I did not go into this expecting to enjoy it. 😏
I don’t have anything against hockey or romances at all, but perhaps I thought it was going to be slightly cheesy and predictable. Well, most romances are kinda predictable (which is why I enjoy reading them when I want an easy read), but this book was more than just a romance. Sure, it was part of the plot, but it was mainly about Zoe trying to make her mark as a skating coach for the team and realizing she needed to create boundaries with those trying to control her, with a splash of mystery that kept me intrigued to the very end. The romance part was just the cherry on top, which I really appreciate. Not only did I root for Zoe and Chase and their second-chance romance, but I also felt that the ending was well-deserved, given the characters' growth, communication, and eventual resolution. 👏🏼
All that to say, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the terminology and literally everything concerning figure skating and hockey. I feel somewhat smarter now, lol! 😂 I also liked the banter and friendships Zoe created with everyone on and working with the team. It felt real and was more than amusing, putting a stupid smile on my face when the guys would joke around with Chase or defend Zoe. 🤭
This story was just really fun! 🤩 I think I needed it after reading a heartbreaking book, so perhaps it was just right place, right time. Either way, I am so excited that this is going to be a series, which means more hot hockey players and relatable FMCs! Apparently, the next book is about Darcy and Tremaine, so, yes, queen, I am all here for it! 👏🏼😆
I totally recommend this cute and fun hockey romance, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! 🏒⛸
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the free arc! All opinions and statements are my own.
❗Content Warnings❗
Loss of a parent, mentions alcoholic and abusive parent, & blood
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Yes, but mainly mentions it. (🌶🌶/5)
Confused by his anger and the lingering love she still has for him, Zoe tries to keep her distance until a series of unfortunate events, like a brawl at a bar, Chase’s need for help with his skating, and a video of them skating when they were young going viral, force them to be together. They were once magic on and off the ice when they were together, but now their distrust in each other is making them off sync. Can Zoe and Chase put aside their anger and hurt to not only solidify Zoe as a skating coach but also to heal the wounds that have been bleeding all over their lives for a decade?
I am not going to lie, I did not go into this expecting to enjoy it. 😏
I don’t have anything against hockey or romances at all, but perhaps I thought it was going to be slightly cheesy and predictable. Well, most romances are kinda predictable (which is why I enjoy reading them when I want an easy read), but this book was more than just a romance. Sure, it was part of the plot, but it was mainly about Zoe trying to make her mark as a skating coach for the team and realizing she needed to create boundaries with those trying to control her, with a splash of mystery that kept me intrigued to the very end. The romance part was just the cherry on top, which I really appreciate. Not only did I root for Zoe and Chase and their second-chance romance, but I also felt that the ending was well-deserved, given the characters' growth, communication, and eventual resolution. 👏🏼
All that to say, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the terminology and literally everything concerning figure skating and hockey. I feel somewhat smarter now, lol! 😂 I also liked the banter and friendships Zoe created with everyone on and working with the team. It felt real and was more than amusing, putting a stupid smile on my face when the guys would joke around with Chase or defend Zoe. 🤭
This story was just really fun! 🤩 I think I needed it after reading a heartbreaking book, so perhaps it was just right place, right time. Either way, I am so excited that this is going to be a series, which means more hot hockey players and relatable FMCs! Apparently, the next book is about Darcy and Tremaine, so, yes, queen, I am all here for it! 👏🏼😆
I totally recommend this cute and fun hockey romance, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! 🏒⛸
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the free arc! All opinions and statements are my own.
❗Content Warnings❗
Loss of a parent, mentions alcoholic and abusive parent, & blood
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Yes, but mainly mentions it. (🌶🌶/5)
September 15, 2025
4 stars
This book was so much fun! I love hockey, figure skating, and Sarina Bowen, so I was sure this would be a win for me. And it was! Chase and Zoe meet at a skating camp when they're teens. A chunk of this book takes place back then, but the majority takes place about 10 years later. Chase is a famous hockey player, and Zoe is a skating coach. I loved watching their second chance love story blossom. I enjoyed the slow burn romance and I'm excited to read more from this series.
This book was so much fun! I love hockey, figure skating, and Sarina Bowen, so I was sure this would be a win for me. And it was! Chase and Zoe meet at a skating camp when they're teens. A chunk of this book takes place back then, but the majority takes place about 10 years later. Chase is a famous hockey player, and Zoe is a skating coach. I loved watching their second chance love story blossom. I enjoyed the slow burn romance and I'm excited to read more from this series.
April 12, 2026
3 Stars
I am a huge longtime fan of Olympic figure skating. I was beyond obsessed with Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov and I literally cried when he died. I dutifully watch all figure skating every Olympic season. And I will read any romance and watch any movie related to the topic. Cutting Edge was one of my favorite movies of all time and still is. #toepickforever
So when I saw that this involved a former figure skater and a hockey player, I was like, where has this been all my life?
That said, I enjoyed this well enough. The characters were fine and the plot was fine. I gobbled up the Cutting Edge Easter eggs and enjoyed the read overall.
I thought their past history could have been a little stronger. But that was a minor quibble. Overall, I think my main gripe is that the vibe just leaned a little more New Adult than I was expecting or wanting. But that's a me problem. I recommend this for romance reading figure skating fans for sure.
I am a huge longtime fan of Olympic figure skating. I was beyond obsessed with Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov and I literally cried when he died. I dutifully watch all figure skating every Olympic season. And I will read any romance and watch any movie related to the topic. Cutting Edge was one of my favorite movies of all time and still is. #toepickforever
So when I saw that this involved a former figure skater and a hockey player, I was like, where has this been all my life?
That said, I enjoyed this well enough. The characters were fine and the plot was fine. I gobbled up the Cutting Edge Easter eggs and enjoyed the read overall.
I thought their past history could have been a little stronger. But that was a minor quibble. Overall, I think my main gripe is that the vibe just leaned a little more New Adult than I was expecting or wanting. But that's a me problem. I recommend this for romance reading figure skating fans for sure.
July 14, 2025
Ten years ago, the characters spent a summer at figure skating camp, quickly fell in love, but one mistake on Zoe’s part tore them apart. Chase is now the MVP of the New York Legends hockey team, while Zoe is their new skating coach. It seems he is still holding a grudge, and she realizes the attraction between them hasn’t gone anywhere.
The moment I got the ARC, I dove right in—this is a brand-new hockey romance from Sarina Bowen! The book follows a dual timeline—we get to see how their love first blossomed, how fiercely Zoe’s mother protected her, and how vulnerable but hopelessly in love Chase was back then. In the present day, things are different—Zoe is a confident woman who can stand her ground, while Chase is a grumpy, closed-off guy. It was so satisfying to watch his walls slowly come down as he let her back into his life.
I also really appreciated how much actual hockey and figure skating are in this book—you can tell the author truly knows what she’s talking about!
The past chapters were written in third person, which made switching between timelines a bit tricky. I would’ve preferred those scenes to also be in the characters’ POVs to keep the emotional flow more consistent.
I finished the book in a day and genuinely enjoyed it! I’m super intrigued by Darcy and Tremaine and can’t wait to read their story next!
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓hockey romance
✓second chance
✓dual timeline
✓forced proximity
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The moment I got the ARC, I dove right in—this is a brand-new hockey romance from Sarina Bowen! The book follows a dual timeline—we get to see how their love first blossomed, how fiercely Zoe’s mother protected her, and how vulnerable but hopelessly in love Chase was back then. In the present day, things are different—Zoe is a confident woman who can stand her ground, while Chase is a grumpy, closed-off guy. It was so satisfying to watch his walls slowly come down as he let her back into his life.
I also really appreciated how much actual hockey and figure skating are in this book—you can tell the author truly knows what she’s talking about!
The past chapters were written in third person, which made switching between timelines a bit tricky. I would’ve preferred those scenes to also be in the characters’ POVs to keep the emotional flow more consistent.
I finished the book in a day and genuinely enjoyed it! I’m super intrigued by Darcy and Tremaine and can’t wait to read their story next!
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓hockey romance
✓second chance
✓dual timeline
✓forced proximity
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Did Not Finish
November 16, 2025DNF at 21%
Why are all my November reads so mid💀🫠
Why are all my November reads so mid💀🫠
March 29, 2026
I’ve read, hockey romances. I’ve read figure skating romances. But this is the only book I’ve read where they’re combined tastefully.
I’ve been looking for something fresh and different in the hockey romance sphere and this book absolutely delivers a slow burn finally worthy of my time. The romance of this book was a slowest of slow burns and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The tension was there, thank goodness, and there was chemistry for miles.
I’ve experienced books where the hockey player figure skates and I’ve almost always cringed. 😬 Somehow, Sarina Bowen made the figure skating hockey player work and I applaud her for that.
This book is dual timeline and switches between Chase and Zoe at a figure skating camp 9 years ago and present day, where Zoe is the new head skating coach for Chase’s NHL team. This book is second chance so we get to see Chase and Zoe fall in love 9 years ago and we get to see them fall in love all over again. We also are waiting on bated breath to find out why Chase and Zoe broke up all those years ago. That tension between the characters was electric and was bleeding through the pages.
Before I finished up, I’d like to mention something that happened at the summer skating camp that I thought was very dubious. Chase was the single camp counselor for all the boys and he provided MINORS with lube and condoms so the boys that he was counseling could have gay sex. I mean that’s some diabolical shit right there. 🤦🏻♀️🤨
Anyway four stars ⭐️
I’ve been looking for something fresh and different in the hockey romance sphere and this book absolutely delivers a slow burn finally worthy of my time. The romance of this book was a slowest of slow burns and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The tension was there, thank goodness, and there was chemistry for miles.
I’ve experienced books where the hockey player figure skates and I’ve almost always cringed. 😬 Somehow, Sarina Bowen made the figure skating hockey player work and I applaud her for that.
This book is dual timeline and switches between Chase and Zoe at a figure skating camp 9 years ago and present day, where Zoe is the new head skating coach for Chase’s NHL team. This book is second chance so we get to see Chase and Zoe fall in love 9 years ago and we get to see them fall in love all over again. We also are waiting on bated breath to find out why Chase and Zoe broke up all those years ago. That tension between the characters was electric and was bleeding through the pages.
Before I finished up, I’d like to mention something that happened at the summer skating camp that I thought was very dubious. Chase was the single camp counselor for all the boys and he provided MINORS with lube and condoms so the boys that he was counseling could have gay sex. I mean that’s some diabolical shit right there. 🤦🏻♀️🤨
Anyway four stars ⭐️
October 19, 2025
This one was actually really good. Very easy to read and wasn’t as frustrating as I was thinking it was going to be considering the second chance — and effectively the miscommunication I saw coming a mile away — but the way it unfolded was kinda refreshing but also too good to be true?
The reason it’s not exactly five stars is because the way the miscommunication was resolved felt a little anticlimactic?? Like I needed more drama. Maybe that’s just my chaos loving self being greedy but idk it needed a little more umph iykwim.
Other than that I liked the characters, their roles in the book and surprisingly the past/present time jumps too.
I cannotttt wait for Darcy and Tremaine’s book 🤭🤭🤭
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the ARC! ♥︎
The reason it’s not exactly five stars is because the way the miscommunication was resolved felt a little anticlimactic?? Like I needed more drama. Maybe that’s just my chaos loving self being greedy but idk it needed a little more umph iykwim.
Other than that I liked the characters, their roles in the book and surprisingly the past/present time jumps too.
I cannotttt wait for Darcy and Tremaine’s book 🤭🤭🤭
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the ARC! ♥︎
September 9, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and to Grand Central Publishing as well as the author for providing me with this ARC, in exchange for my honest review.
OMMMG I loveeed this book! I couldn't put it down. Chase Merritt and Zoe Carson met at skating camp 10 years ago while they were kids. They had instant connection but Zoe's mom drove them apart. Life goes on and eventually Zoe lands a coaching job at the Legends, New York hockey team, where Chase plays.
Cannot wait to read the rest of series when the books come out. Hopefully they are as great as this one.
OMMMG I loveeed this book! I couldn't put it down. Chase Merritt and Zoe Carson met at skating camp 10 years ago while they were kids. They had instant connection but Zoe's mom drove them apart. Life goes on and eventually Zoe lands a coaching job at the Legends, New York hockey team, where Chase plays.
Cannot wait to read the rest of series when the books come out. Hopefully they are as great as this one.
July 15, 2025
I've only read the Him series by this author, but I saw this arc available and it looked really good so I thought "why not?". Well guys, I really love hockey romance.
Thrown for a Loop is told in a dual timeline, first person with our main character, Zoe, in the present and past in second person. Not gonna lie, that threw me off at first, but I soon got used to it and it didn't bother me much. We follow a hockey player and a skating coach that in the past skated together in a skating camp. The dual timeline made the story addictive, I couldn't put it down because I just needed to know what happened. This was the perfect length, the right amount of angst and spice too.
Is it a little cheesy? Yes. A bit too cliche? Definitely. But sometimes that's all you want.
I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, I'll miss these characters in the meantime.
Thank you Netgalley and Forever for the ARC!
Thrown for a Loop is told in a dual timeline, first person with our main character, Zoe, in the present and past in second person. Not gonna lie, that threw me off at first, but I soon got used to it and it didn't bother me much. We follow a hockey player and a skating coach that in the past skated together in a skating camp. The dual timeline made the story addictive, I couldn't put it down because I just needed to know what happened. This was the perfect length, the right amount of angst and spice too.
Is it a little cheesy? Yes. A bit too cliche? Definitely. But sometimes that's all you want.
I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, I'll miss these characters in the meantime.
Thank you Netgalley and Forever for the ARC!
November 4, 2025
this book was so cute!! i’m always down for a second chance romance, and this one was no different. the dual timeline was SO CUTE. chase was so obsessed with zoe when they first met at a skating camp. the yearning!!!!! the tender, stolen moments!!
the present timeline also gripped me. when zoe joins his nhl team as a new coach, he hates her and she’s trying to make amends. there’s also this subplot of workplace harassment that made me question basically everyone.
🎧 brooke bloomingdale and ryan hudson acted their parts so well!! zoe came across so strong and smart and chase was down bad and yearning. I couldn’t ask for anything more.
the two of them were made for each other and I had such a great time!! thank you forever pub and hachette audio for the gifted copies!
the present timeline also gripped me. when zoe joins his nhl team as a new coach, he hates her and she’s trying to make amends. there’s also this subplot of workplace harassment that made me question basically everyone.
🎧 brooke bloomingdale and ryan hudson acted their parts so well!! zoe came across so strong and smart and chase was down bad and yearning. I couldn’t ask for anything more.
the two of them were made for each other and I had such a great time!! thank you forever pub and hachette audio for the gifted copies!
November 8, 2025
4 Mushroom Free Pizza Stars⭐️
Spicy Rating: 🌶️.5/5
You can just tell when someone has a passion for hockey and ice sports because it comes out in the writing so well. This is what you ARE LOOKING FOR in a hockey romance. After reading a couple of not-so-good ones, picking this up felt so refreshing! I was immediately sucked into the story, in love with these characters and their world, and having the best time seeing them find love again!
This follows Zoe Carson and Chase Merritt. About ten years ago; Zoe, an Olympic medalist figure skater, and Chase, a college hockey player, both were working at a figure skating summer camp. Chase does not really know who Zoe is and did not realise that her mother is actually the owner and main coach of the camp. The two strike up a friendship and eventually a cute little summer romance that leads to both of their hearts getting broken, and he blocked her and never speaks to her again. Now she has become a technical skating coach for Chase's NHL team, the New York Legends, and the two are put in a position where they have to choose to overcome what happened when they were teenagers or keep avoiding it, with the extra complication that neither of them has gotten over each other. Now Chase has a little PR situation he needs to deal with, and somehow someone finds footage of the two of them skating together. This becomes the perfect opportunity to clean his image and make some money for charity by having both of them re-perform their piece from years ago, meaning they have no choice but to spend time together.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
I really like Zoe’s character. She has always been in a situation where her mom and her ex-husband told her how to live, what to eat, what to wear, how to act, and how to be. A typical stereotype of what it is like being a professional athlete when your overbearing mother is your coach. Now she is finally doing something for the first time for herself and is just trying to make the best of a difficult situation. I love how brave she is now as an adult and how open she is to discussing her feelings. She was open and communicative about what happened with her and Chase and is just trying to make things better between them. She really cares about him and who he is, and you can see that care in everything she does. She was just such a commendable character.
Chase is a little cinnamon roll, but he has a very dark past. He came from an abusive parental relationship, and when his mom died, he never really had the best childhood. After what happened with him and Zoe, he clawed himself out of that awful upbringing. He is now successful and completely grumpy, moody and broody. AND he is not happy that Zoe has come back into his life and is messing it up. He still has massive feelings for her and still cares about her, so he struggles with this dynamic how present-day Zoe fits while being deeply hurt by their past.
I really like the way this story was told. In that, we see the two of them fall in love across two timelines. The past scenes are told in third person, primarily focused on Chase’s situation and what he went through, with a little insight into what Zoe is doing. It’s mostly about Chase and how he falls in love with Zoe. The present is told in first person from Zoe’s perspective, as she re-falls in love or adds more fuel to the fire of her attraction to Chase. It’s sweet to see them go through this journey twice and find their way back to each other. It really solidifies the idea of soulmates. In the beginning, it’s the right person at the wrong time, but now it’s the right person at the right time, and they finally have a chance to make it work. They’re adults now; they just need to work through a few things.
Now, I did want a little more of the development of their relationship as adults. They fall back into love very easily.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Hockey Romance
▶ She's his Coach
▶ Second Chance Romance
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Always Been You
▶ Grumpy X Neutral
▶ Dual Timeline
▶ Grey Sweatpants
▶ Nicknames
▶ Brings Her Food and Remembers Her Order
▶ "Mine"
Basically, if my issues weren't there, this would have been a five-star for me. Overall, though, this was a really beautiful romantic second chance story, and AGAIN I love how much you can see Sarina Bowen loves Ice Skating and Hockey by how much love and attention she gave to the descriptions and how she writes about each sport. It's not just "insert any sport in here" type of writing, but ACTUAL HOCKEY AND ICE SKATING!
Thank you to Forever Publishing, NetGalley and Sarina Bowen for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Spicy Rating: 🌶️.5/5
You can just tell when someone has a passion for hockey and ice sports because it comes out in the writing so well. This is what you ARE LOOKING FOR in a hockey romance. After reading a couple of not-so-good ones, picking this up felt so refreshing! I was immediately sucked into the story, in love with these characters and their world, and having the best time seeing them find love again!
“Zoe, I measure every woman I meet against what we had that summer. And they’ve all fallen short. I spent ten years trying to forget you, and I couldn’t do it. Not even for a single day.”𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
This follows Zoe Carson and Chase Merritt. About ten years ago; Zoe, an Olympic medalist figure skater, and Chase, a college hockey player, both were working at a figure skating summer camp. Chase does not really know who Zoe is and did not realise that her mother is actually the owner and main coach of the camp. The two strike up a friendship and eventually a cute little summer romance that leads to both of their hearts getting broken, and he blocked her and never speaks to her again. Now she has become a technical skating coach for Chase's NHL team, the New York Legends, and the two are put in a position where they have to choose to overcome what happened when they were teenagers or keep avoiding it, with the extra complication that neither of them has gotten over each other. Now Chase has a little PR situation he needs to deal with, and somehow someone finds footage of the two of them skating together. This becomes the perfect opportunity to clean his image and make some money for charity by having both of them re-perform their piece from years ago, meaning they have no choice but to spend time together.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
I really like Zoe’s character. She has always been in a situation where her mom and her ex-husband told her how to live, what to eat, what to wear, how to act, and how to be. A typical stereotype of what it is like being a professional athlete when your overbearing mother is your coach. Now she is finally doing something for the first time for herself and is just trying to make the best of a difficult situation. I love how brave she is now as an adult and how open she is to discussing her feelings. She was open and communicative about what happened with her and Chase and is just trying to make things better between them. She really cares about him and who he is, and you can see that care in everything she does. She was just such a commendable character.
Chase is a little cinnamon roll, but he has a very dark past. He came from an abusive parental relationship, and when his mom died, he never really had the best childhood. After what happened with him and Zoe, he clawed himself out of that awful upbringing. He is now successful and completely grumpy, moody and broody. AND he is not happy that Zoe has come back into his life and is messing it up. He still has massive feelings for her and still cares about her, so he struggles with this dynamic how present-day Zoe fits while being deeply hurt by their past.
I really like the way this story was told. In that, we see the two of them fall in love across two timelines. The past scenes are told in third person, primarily focused on Chase’s situation and what he went through, with a little insight into what Zoe is doing. It’s mostly about Chase and how he falls in love with Zoe. The present is told in first person from Zoe’s perspective, as she re-falls in love or adds more fuel to the fire of her attraction to Chase. It’s sweet to see them go through this journey twice and find their way back to each other. It really solidifies the idea of soulmates. In the beginning, it’s the right person at the wrong time, but now it’s the right person at the right time, and they finally have a chance to make it work. They’re adults now; they just need to work through a few things.
Now, I did want a little more of the development of their relationship as adults. They fall back into love very easily.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Hockey Romance
▶ She's his Coach
▶ Second Chance Romance
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Always Been You
▶ Grumpy X Neutral
▶ Dual Timeline
▶ Grey Sweatpants
▶ Nicknames
▶ Brings Her Food and Remembers Her Order
▶ "Mine"
Basically, if my issues weren't there, this would have been a five-star for me. Overall, though, this was a really beautiful romantic second chance story, and AGAIN I love how much you can see Sarina Bowen loves Ice Skating and Hockey by how much love and attention she gave to the descriptions and how she writes about each sport. It's not just "insert any sport in here" type of writing, but ACTUAL HOCKEY AND ICE SKATING!
Thank you to Forever Publishing, NetGalley and Sarina Bowen for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own
November 3, 2025
As soon as I had the chance to read Thrown For A Loop, I took it... and I absolutely loved it. I devoured it, couldn't put it down.
Chase Merritt and Zoe Carson met at a skating camp when they were teens. They started a sweet relationship, but their break up was so devastating they didn't speak ever again. After an incredible career as a figure skater, Zoe has landed a coaching job at the Legends, New York hockey franchise. After so many medals, she has now to win the players trust and to gain their respect, but it won't be easy because Chase is one of them, and he still despise her.
Zoe and Chase are funny, kind, and driven. Their tension and attraction are palpable, but they can't move forward together if they don't clarify what happened in the past first.
I've enjoyed their journey, it was a pleasure to see them get over their misunderstandings and to build a more mature and stronger relationship because they deserve their happily ever after.
Sarina Bowen wrote a new hit with her engaging storytelling, exciting sports scenes, and charming characters. It was a nice touch to tell the present story through Zoe's pov and the past through Chase's one, it set a good flow, also giving more depth to the story and the characters.
I can't wait to continue the series because there are other two players I'm curious about.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for kindly giving me an advanced copy of this book to read.
January 16, 2026
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 3.85 stars
this was cute!!!! second chance remains my fav trope <3
i loved the dual timeline / flashback chapters, i think that's one of my favourite parts of reading a second chance novel!
one scene i really enjoyed and found hilarious was when the video of them skating together at the summer camp went viral!!!
thank you forever for a digital arc through netgalley - all thought are my own
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
this has been on my netgalley shelf for a while, but the audiobook was available so why not? second chance is my favorite tropes of all time - hope this is cute!!!
↪ started nov 24
↪ started nov 25
this was cute!!!! second chance remains my fav trope <3
i loved the dual timeline / flashback chapters, i think that's one of my favourite parts of reading a second chance novel!
one scene i really enjoyed and found hilarious was when the video of them skating together at the summer camp went viral!!!
thank you forever for a digital arc through netgalley - all thought are my own
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
this has been on my netgalley shelf for a while, but the audiobook was available so why not? second chance is my favorite tropes of all time - hope this is cute!!!
↪ started nov 24
↪ started nov 25
October 10, 2025
this unfortunately was a massive loss for me. i really wanted to love this one as second chance is one of my favorite tropes lately & sarina bowen is an auto buy/read author of mine but this book was incredibly surface level and boring if im being completely honest.
i didnt hate everything about it and there were parts i found myself enjoying which is why im leaning towards two stars right now despite my overall feelings of the book. there were times where i really loved our main characters and other times where i felt they were so annoying. same could be said about most of the other characters aside from tremaine and darcy…
the writing of this book felt very chaotic and all over the place, i think the dual timeline really did this book a disservice. while it was nice to get to see some of their past relationship and how they fell for one another i think it definitely could have been done in a few chapters in the beginning and then switch over to current timeline for the rest of the book, it would have possibly made it feel less jarring and weird???
i didnt hate everything about it and there were parts i found myself enjoying which is why im leaning towards two stars right now despite my overall feelings of the book. there were times where i really loved our main characters and other times where i felt they were so annoying. same could be said about most of the other characters aside from tremaine and darcy…
the writing of this book felt very chaotic and all over the place, i think the dual timeline really did this book a disservice. while it was nice to get to see some of their past relationship and how they fell for one another i think it definitely could have been done in a few chapters in the beginning and then switch over to current timeline for the rest of the book, it would have possibly made it feel less jarring and weird???
August 27, 2025
This is a fun and cute little hockey book with a solid storyline and writing. Zoe and Chase first met as coaches at a skating camp years ago. After a contentious ending, they are now back working together, with her as a skating coach and him as a professional hockey player. When their old skating videos resurface, they are brought back together for the good of the team and their reputations.
The setup of this book was interesting. The present-day chapters were told from Zoe’s POV, while the flashbacks were from Chase’s POV. I thought that was a unique choice, but I am not sure it was very effective here. I wished it had been dual POV in both time frames. The flashbacks also stopped halfway through, and I felt the pacing could have been adjusted to carry that structure throughout the entire book.
Overall, it was very cute, but I am especially looking forward to the next book. Those characters caught my eye, and their story seems like it will be even more fun.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the advanced copy!
The setup of this book was interesting. The present-day chapters were told from Zoe’s POV, while the flashbacks were from Chase’s POV. I thought that was a unique choice, but I am not sure it was very effective here. I wished it had been dual POV in both time frames. The flashbacks also stopped halfway through, and I felt the pacing could have been adjusted to carry that structure throughout the entire book.
Overall, it was very cute, but I am especially looking forward to the next book. Those characters caught my eye, and their story seems like it will be even more fun.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the advanced copy!
December 24, 2025
Thrown for a Loop is funny. Cute and funny. It has been a while since I read from Miss Bowen. And this book is such a cute reminder of her previous work.
Characters are funny and relatable. Plot is light. Not too heavy.
4 stars
Characters are funny and relatable. Plot is light. Not too heavy.
4 stars
July 12, 2026
When I decided to be a little more adventurous with my reading this year, I promised myself I'd stop sticking to the same handful of authors. Instead of automatically reaching for my favorites, I've been trying more debut authors and finally giving those writers who've been sitting in my "maybe someday" pile an actual chance.
Sarina Bowen has lived in that "maybe" category for years.
I'd always associated her with her collaborations with Elle Kennedy, especially the Him series. And as someone who absolutely loves hockey romances—and who considers The Deal one of the best sports romances ever written—I was honestly a little nervous about picking up one of Bowen's solo books. There's always that tiny fear that when you separate a writing duo, you'll discover the magic mostly came from the other person.
After finishing Thrown for a Loop, I can confidently say my hesitation was both justified...and unnecessary.
This definitely feels like a Sarina Bowen hockey romance. She clearly knows the sport, the locker-room dynamics feel authentic, and the pacing makes it incredibly easy to fly through. But while it has all the ingredients for an emotional second-chance romance, it never quite hits as hard as I wanted it to.
The premise immediately sold me.
Ten years ago, Zoe Carson and Chase Merritt met at an elite summer skating camp. She was a talented figure skater. He was an ambitious hockey player trying to make a name for himself. They formed a connection that never really got the chance to become something bigger because one mistake tore them apart before they ever had a real shot.
Fast forward a decade; Chase is now the NHL MVP for the New York Legends, but he's quietly struggling. His skating isn't what it used to be, and it's starting to affect his game. Zoe has built a successful career as a professional power skating coach, and naturally, she's hired to fix Chase's skating.
As if working together wasn't awkward enough, an old video of them skating together as teenagers suddenly goes viral. The team's PR department jumps on the opportunity, forcing them into a public reunion and a charity skating performance.
Second chance romance? Forced proximity? Workplace tension? A viral video bringing ex-almost-lovers back together? Honestly, it sounded like it had everything I love.
And for the most part, it does.
One of my favorite things about this book was Zoe. I loved that she wasn't just "the hockey player's love interest." She has her own successful career, she's incredibly competent, and she walks into a room full of millionaire athletes without ever doubting that she belongs there. She knows exactly what she's doing, and everyone—including Chase—has to listen.
Watching her coach Chase was genuinely satisfying. She doesn't let his ego intimidate her, and she isn't impressed just because he's famous. Their dynamic works because she's every bit as confident in her profession as he is in his.
I always appreciate romances where the heroine has her own identity outside of the relationship, and Bowen absolutely nailed that here.
Chase was also a likable hero. He's confident without becoming obnoxious, and underneath all the MVP swagger is someone who's scared his career might be slipping away from him. Seeing an elite athlete realize his body isn't cooperating anymore added a vulnerability that made him easy to root for.
He's still carrying around feelings for Zoe after all these years, even if they're buried underneath frustration and unresolved hurt, and I liked that he wasn't written as some emotionally unavailable alpha who refuses to communicate.
Actually... communication wasn't really Chase's problem. The story's biggest issue was the structure.
This book constantly jumps between the past and the present, and while I normally love dual timelines in second-chance romances, they didn't quite work for me here. Every time the present-day story started building momentum, we'd suddenly jump back ten years. Just when Chase and Zoe would finally start making progress, I'd get pulled into another flashback.
Eventually it started feeling less like the flashbacks were adding emotional depth and more like they were interrupting the story I was actually invested in. Instead of letting the tension steadily build, the book kept hitting the brakes.
The pacing never felt terrible, but it definitely felt uneven.
Another thing that didn't fully work for me was Chase's POV. I never felt like I understood him as deeply as I understood Zoe. We spend so much time inside her head—her guilt, her career, her fears—that Chase ends up feeling slightly underdeveloped in comparison.
Because of that, some of his emotional shifts felt a little too quick. I believed he still loved Zoe, but I wanted to spend more time inside his head so those emotions could really breathe.
And then there's the misunderstanding. Without giving away spoilers, I'll just say this: the book spends a long time building up the event that separated them. A decade of unresolved feelings. Ten years of what-ifs. All this anticipation for what possibly could have happened.
When the truth finally came out...
...I was a little underwhelmed.
It wasn't bad. It just wasn't nearly as dramatic as I'd been expecting after all that buildup. It felt like something that probably could've been solved with one honest conversation if they'd both been a little older and emotionally mature.
Which, yes, is realistic. Teenagers make mistakes. People miscommunicate. But for a romance that's built entirely around that one moment, I wanted the payoff to hit harder. That was probably my biggest disappointment.
I kept waiting for the romance to completely sweep me away emotionally, and it never did. Instead, it stayed... comfortable.
That's probably the best word I'd use to describe this book. Comfortable. Not boring. Not forgettable. Just safe.
One thing Bowen absolutely excels at, though, is creating a believable hockey world. The sports aspect feels authentic throughout the book, and I especially loved how figure skating was incorporated into Chase's training. Instead of hockey simply existing in the background, skating mechanics actually become an important part of both the story and the romance.
The scenes where Zoe teaches Chase edge work, posture, and technique were surprisingly interesting, and they naturally created opportunities for physical closeness without feeling forced. It gave this hockey romance something that felt a little different from the dozens of others I've read.
I also ended up loving the supporting cast. Sometimes they almost stole the show. Eric especially caught my attention, and Darcy brought such fun energy whenever she appeared. By the last third of the book, I found myself getting just as excited whenever they showed up as I was for Chase and Zoe. I'm already curious about where this series goes next because Bowen does a great job introducing future couples without making it feel obvious or distracting.
Even though this particular romance didn't completely win me over, it definitely made me interested enough to keep reading the New York Legends series.
Overall, I'm really glad I finally gave Sarina Bowen a chance.
Thrown for a Loop isn't one of those romances that'll leave you emotionally wrecked or thinking about it for weeks afterward. Instead, it's the kind of book you curl up with on a rainy afternoon, enjoy from beginning to end, and close with a smile.
Will it become one of my favorite hockey romances? Probably not.
But was it an enjoyable introduction to Sarina Bowen's solo work? Absolutely.
I'd call it a solid three-star read. Warm, comforting, easy to binge, and a promising start to a series that I think has the potential to get even better with future books.
Sarina Bowen has lived in that "maybe" category for years.
I'd always associated her with her collaborations with Elle Kennedy, especially the Him series. And as someone who absolutely loves hockey romances—and who considers The Deal one of the best sports romances ever written—I was honestly a little nervous about picking up one of Bowen's solo books. There's always that tiny fear that when you separate a writing duo, you'll discover the magic mostly came from the other person.
After finishing Thrown for a Loop, I can confidently say my hesitation was both justified...and unnecessary.
This definitely feels like a Sarina Bowen hockey romance. She clearly knows the sport, the locker-room dynamics feel authentic, and the pacing makes it incredibly easy to fly through. But while it has all the ingredients for an emotional second-chance romance, it never quite hits as hard as I wanted it to.
The premise immediately sold me.
Ten years ago, Zoe Carson and Chase Merritt met at an elite summer skating camp. She was a talented figure skater. He was an ambitious hockey player trying to make a name for himself. They formed a connection that never really got the chance to become something bigger because one mistake tore them apart before they ever had a real shot.
Fast forward a decade; Chase is now the NHL MVP for the New York Legends, but he's quietly struggling. His skating isn't what it used to be, and it's starting to affect his game. Zoe has built a successful career as a professional power skating coach, and naturally, she's hired to fix Chase's skating.
As if working together wasn't awkward enough, an old video of them skating together as teenagers suddenly goes viral. The team's PR department jumps on the opportunity, forcing them into a public reunion and a charity skating performance.
Second chance romance? Forced proximity? Workplace tension? A viral video bringing ex-almost-lovers back together? Honestly, it sounded like it had everything I love.
And for the most part, it does.
One of my favorite things about this book was Zoe. I loved that she wasn't just "the hockey player's love interest." She has her own successful career, she's incredibly competent, and she walks into a room full of millionaire athletes without ever doubting that she belongs there. She knows exactly what she's doing, and everyone—including Chase—has to listen.
Watching her coach Chase was genuinely satisfying. She doesn't let his ego intimidate her, and she isn't impressed just because he's famous. Their dynamic works because she's every bit as confident in her profession as he is in his.
I always appreciate romances where the heroine has her own identity outside of the relationship, and Bowen absolutely nailed that here.
Chase was also a likable hero. He's confident without becoming obnoxious, and underneath all the MVP swagger is someone who's scared his career might be slipping away from him. Seeing an elite athlete realize his body isn't cooperating anymore added a vulnerability that made him easy to root for.
He's still carrying around feelings for Zoe after all these years, even if they're buried underneath frustration and unresolved hurt, and I liked that he wasn't written as some emotionally unavailable alpha who refuses to communicate.
Actually... communication wasn't really Chase's problem. The story's biggest issue was the structure.
This book constantly jumps between the past and the present, and while I normally love dual timelines in second-chance romances, they didn't quite work for me here. Every time the present-day story started building momentum, we'd suddenly jump back ten years. Just when Chase and Zoe would finally start making progress, I'd get pulled into another flashback.
Eventually it started feeling less like the flashbacks were adding emotional depth and more like they were interrupting the story I was actually invested in. Instead of letting the tension steadily build, the book kept hitting the brakes.
The pacing never felt terrible, but it definitely felt uneven.
Another thing that didn't fully work for me was Chase's POV. I never felt like I understood him as deeply as I understood Zoe. We spend so much time inside her head—her guilt, her career, her fears—that Chase ends up feeling slightly underdeveloped in comparison.
Because of that, some of his emotional shifts felt a little too quick. I believed he still loved Zoe, but I wanted to spend more time inside his head so those emotions could really breathe.
And then there's the misunderstanding. Without giving away spoilers, I'll just say this: the book spends a long time building up the event that separated them. A decade of unresolved feelings. Ten years of what-ifs. All this anticipation for what possibly could have happened.
When the truth finally came out...
...I was a little underwhelmed.
It wasn't bad. It just wasn't nearly as dramatic as I'd been expecting after all that buildup. It felt like something that probably could've been solved with one honest conversation if they'd both been a little older and emotionally mature.
Which, yes, is realistic. Teenagers make mistakes. People miscommunicate. But for a romance that's built entirely around that one moment, I wanted the payoff to hit harder. That was probably my biggest disappointment.
I kept waiting for the romance to completely sweep me away emotionally, and it never did. Instead, it stayed... comfortable.
That's probably the best word I'd use to describe this book. Comfortable. Not boring. Not forgettable. Just safe.
One thing Bowen absolutely excels at, though, is creating a believable hockey world. The sports aspect feels authentic throughout the book, and I especially loved how figure skating was incorporated into Chase's training. Instead of hockey simply existing in the background, skating mechanics actually become an important part of both the story and the romance.
The scenes where Zoe teaches Chase edge work, posture, and technique were surprisingly interesting, and they naturally created opportunities for physical closeness without feeling forced. It gave this hockey romance something that felt a little different from the dozens of others I've read.
I also ended up loving the supporting cast. Sometimes they almost stole the show. Eric especially caught my attention, and Darcy brought such fun energy whenever she appeared. By the last third of the book, I found myself getting just as excited whenever they showed up as I was for Chase and Zoe. I'm already curious about where this series goes next because Bowen does a great job introducing future couples without making it feel obvious or distracting.
Even though this particular romance didn't completely win me over, it definitely made me interested enough to keep reading the New York Legends series.
Overall, I'm really glad I finally gave Sarina Bowen a chance.
Thrown for a Loop isn't one of those romances that'll leave you emotionally wrecked or thinking about it for weeks afterward. Instead, it's the kind of book you curl up with on a rainy afternoon, enjoy from beginning to end, and close with a smile.
Will it become one of my favorite hockey romances? Probably not.
But was it an enjoyable introduction to Sarina Bowen's solo work? Absolutely.
I'd call it a solid three-star read. Warm, comforting, easy to binge, and a promising start to a series that I think has the potential to get even better with future books.
November 2, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don’t know why I waited so long to read this ARC because once I finally sat down with it, I read the entire thing in one sitting. I literally could not put it down.
I loved the dual timeline and how seamlessly it moved back and forth between when they first met and the present. The transitions were so smooth. The scenes felt complete before shifting, so nothing ever felt abrupt or jarring. A lot of authors struggle with that balance, but Sarina Bowen absolutely nailed it here.
I adored both characters. They had been through so much, both together and separately, and because they were so young when everything first happened, they didn’t have the words for any of it. Getting to watch them finally open up, talk through their past, and grow together was honestly beautiful.
If you love books where a woman steps into a career typically dominated by men, this one belongs on your TBR immediately. The vibes were the perfect mix of Chelsea Curto and Peyton Corinne. If you enjoy either of their writing styles, you are going to fall absolutely in love with this story.
And I have to say it. I am already obsessed with book two. I figured out who it would be about halfway through, and now I am counting down the days. I am so excited to see where this series goes next.
I don’t know why I waited so long to read this ARC because once I finally sat down with it, I read the entire thing in one sitting. I literally could not put it down.
I loved the dual timeline and how seamlessly it moved back and forth between when they first met and the present. The transitions were so smooth. The scenes felt complete before shifting, so nothing ever felt abrupt or jarring. A lot of authors struggle with that balance, but Sarina Bowen absolutely nailed it here.
I adored both characters. They had been through so much, both together and separately, and because they were so young when everything first happened, they didn’t have the words for any of it. Getting to watch them finally open up, talk through their past, and grow together was honestly beautiful.
If you love books where a woman steps into a career typically dominated by men, this one belongs on your TBR immediately. The vibes were the perfect mix of Chelsea Curto and Peyton Corinne. If you enjoy either of their writing styles, you are going to fall absolutely in love with this story.
And I have to say it. I am already obsessed with book two. I figured out who it would be about halfway through, and now I am counting down the days. I am so excited to see where this series goes next.
June 16, 2026
⭐️
Sarina definitely “threw me for a loop” because I wanted to DNF this so badly (unfortunately, the book is even worse than that joke).
So let me get this straight…Zoe had a one-month summer fling ten years ago, and the moment she signs her divorce papers, she immediately moves to the exact city said fling lives and works in — and somehow lands a job with his professional hockey team? Mhm. Sure. Totally normal behavior. No notes. I can absolutely see why men don’t trust “no strings attached” when this is the follow-up a decade later.
Chase, meanwhile, was exhausting. Why was he so weird and secretive about why he was mad at Zoe? And why was he mad at her at all? He fully admits that blocking her wasn’t her fault — yet continues to punish her for it anyway. This entire angsty hockey player situation dragged on far longer than it ever should have. Once again, a romance novel is kneecapped by the miscommunication trope. If these two had had ONE. SINGULAR. CONVERSATION. — even just about what they were to each other, half this book wouldn’t exist.
Also, every single woman who breathes near Chase gets mistaken for his girlfriend. His personal chef. His teammate’s sister. Literally everyone. And Zoe just…spirals about it. Girl. This man hates you. Please stop acting like my 14-year-old niece.
I also fear the author may have little to no experience with hockey — or possibly the real world.
For starters, it genuinely irked me that no one in the book (besides Zoe) knew the phrase “break a leg.” Sure, not everyone uses it, but no one recognizing it? Come on. And Zoe claiming she’s never seen or heard of a skate blade coming off before? Has she ever watched a hockey game? This is not some once-in-a-century phenomenon.
Speaking of the blade incident: the reveal that Aiden was the one “bullying” Zoe at work was painfully boring. It had zero impact. It would have been so much more interesting if it were Darcy — or literally anyone who mattered. That alone might’ve earned this book a third star.
And I’m sorry, but why were fans absolutely feral over a video of a mediocre hockey player figure skating with someone ten years ago? It was wildly unrealistic that everyone and their dog knew who Zoe was in every city she visited across North America. People didn’t even react this dramatically when Tessa Virtue — an Olympic gold medalist — married Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Be serious.
I was also exhausted by Zoe’s constant credit card debt spiral and her repeated internal monologue of “I need the team to like me so I can get a full-time contract.” No, ma’am. You need to work with more than one player to justify a full-time role. And the relationship she has with the team is not only bizarre — it would be wildly inappropriate and completely unacceptable in the NHL. She would be fired immediately.
Zoe desperately needs a life outside of stalking Chase. Which is why the Legends’ coach saying, “Good job with Chase. But are you going to try to work with the other 22 players on the team?” felt like a personal gift to the reader. THANK YOU. Finally. Someone with common sense.
Sarina definitely “threw me for a loop” because I wanted to DNF this so badly (unfortunately, the book is even worse than that joke).
So let me get this straight…Zoe had a one-month summer fling ten years ago, and the moment she signs her divorce papers, she immediately moves to the exact city said fling lives and works in — and somehow lands a job with his professional hockey team? Mhm. Sure. Totally normal behavior. No notes. I can absolutely see why men don’t trust “no strings attached” when this is the follow-up a decade later.
Chase, meanwhile, was exhausting. Why was he so weird and secretive about why he was mad at Zoe? And why was he mad at her at all? He fully admits that blocking her wasn’t her fault — yet continues to punish her for it anyway. This entire angsty hockey player situation dragged on far longer than it ever should have. Once again, a romance novel is kneecapped by the miscommunication trope. If these two had had ONE. SINGULAR. CONVERSATION. — even just about what they were to each other, half this book wouldn’t exist.
Also, every single woman who breathes near Chase gets mistaken for his girlfriend. His personal chef. His teammate’s sister. Literally everyone. And Zoe just…spirals about it. Girl. This man hates you. Please stop acting like my 14-year-old niece.
I also fear the author may have little to no experience with hockey — or possibly the real world.
For starters, it genuinely irked me that no one in the book (besides Zoe) knew the phrase “break a leg.” Sure, not everyone uses it, but no one recognizing it? Come on. And Zoe claiming she’s never seen or heard of a skate blade coming off before? Has she ever watched a hockey game? This is not some once-in-a-century phenomenon.
Speaking of the blade incident: the reveal that Aiden was the one “bullying” Zoe at work was painfully boring. It had zero impact. It would have been so much more interesting if it were Darcy — or literally anyone who mattered. That alone might’ve earned this book a third star.
And I’m sorry, but why were fans absolutely feral over a video of a mediocre hockey player figure skating with someone ten years ago? It was wildly unrealistic that everyone and their dog knew who Zoe was in every city she visited across North America. People didn’t even react this dramatically when Tessa Virtue — an Olympic gold medalist — married Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Be serious.
I was also exhausted by Zoe’s constant credit card debt spiral and her repeated internal monologue of “I need the team to like me so I can get a full-time contract.” No, ma’am. You need to work with more than one player to justify a full-time role. And the relationship she has with the team is not only bizarre — it would be wildly inappropriate and completely unacceptable in the NHL. She would be fired immediately.
Zoe desperately needs a life outside of stalking Chase. Which is why the Legends’ coach saying, “Good job with Chase. But are you going to try to work with the other 22 players on the team?” felt like a personal gift to the reader. THANK YOU. Finally. Someone with common sense.
April 20, 2026
This one was so cute! I love a good second chance romance and this one had flashbacks to when they were falling in love as teenagers, to now when they are reunited as she's the new skating coach for his hockey team. He definitely hated her for reasons she didn't understand until they hashed things out. The middle was a bit slow, but I had an overall fun time! I just love Sarina's hockey romances!
April 22, 2026
4 stars⭐️: A super fun 2nd chance hockey romance...both MC's were so likeable...fun banter! This was my first Sarina Bowen book and won't be my last. 👍🏻🩵
November 5, 2025
Thrown for a Loop by Sarina Bowen
New York Legends series #1. Contemporary sports romance. Second chance troupe.
Zoe Carson and Chase Merritt met at a skating camp ten years ago. She was on a strict training regime while he was the bad boy from the wrong side of town. The two trained together and played together and fell in love. As with most young relationships, something happens and they go their separate ways.
Zoe is now using her skating experience as a coach for hockey players. She’s hired by the New York Legends team and knows she going to have to clear the air with MVP Chase. He’s avoiding her calls but with her job on the line, she can’t let him ignore her. A truce, a fix, and conversation has the two getting back together. At the same time she’s getting threats from someone that doesn’t want her working with the hockey team. Will her job be over before the end of the season? And what does that mean to their new relationship?
🎧 I was able to alternate between an ecopy and an audiobook version of this story. The alternating POV’s are narrated by Brooke Bloomingdale and Ryan Hudson, both of whom, do a marvelous job of bringing the characters to life. Each is able to do multiple voices as needed as well as bring the angst, the excitement and other emotions to the listener. The story is told in a today and before time frame which is clearly announced with each change. I enjoyed the banter and humor of the takeaways from the referenced movie.
I listened at 1.5 and slightly higher to read along with the book, and to listen at a local conversation speed.
An exciting contrast and merging of a skill. And how smart to use the knowledge of experience combined with physics of the blade and body to crossover for advantages from one sport to another. Fascinating details too on the actual improvements. I learned a few things on top of reading an entertaining romance.
Lively, sweet and sexy, and successful career adventures. Add in a millionaire sports figure and it’s candy.
4.5
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Hachette Audio.
New York Legends series #1. Contemporary sports romance. Second chance troupe.
Zoe Carson and Chase Merritt met at a skating camp ten years ago. She was on a strict training regime while he was the bad boy from the wrong side of town. The two trained together and played together and fell in love. As with most young relationships, something happens and they go their separate ways.
Zoe is now using her skating experience as a coach for hockey players. She’s hired by the New York Legends team and knows she going to have to clear the air with MVP Chase. He’s avoiding her calls but with her job on the line, she can’t let him ignore her. A truce, a fix, and conversation has the two getting back together. At the same time she’s getting threats from someone that doesn’t want her working with the hockey team. Will her job be over before the end of the season? And what does that mean to their new relationship?
🎧 I was able to alternate between an ecopy and an audiobook version of this story. The alternating POV’s are narrated by Brooke Bloomingdale and Ryan Hudson, both of whom, do a marvelous job of bringing the characters to life. Each is able to do multiple voices as needed as well as bring the angst, the excitement and other emotions to the listener. The story is told in a today and before time frame which is clearly announced with each change. I enjoyed the banter and humor of the takeaways from the referenced movie.
I listened at 1.5 and slightly higher to read along with the book, and to listen at a local conversation speed.
An exciting contrast and merging of a skill. And how smart to use the knowledge of experience combined with physics of the blade and body to crossover for advantages from one sport to another. Fascinating details too on the actual improvements. I learned a few things on top of reading an entertaining romance.
Lively, sweet and sexy, and successful career adventures. Add in a millionaire sports figure and it’s candy.
4.5
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Hachette Audio.
November 24, 2025
This book was extremely boring which is crazy considering it had all the necessary ingredients to be generally entertaining. Good? Maybe. Entertaining enough? Yes. But it managed to be both annoying and boring.
I'm sorry, but the "second chance" romance that subjects you to flashbacks EVERY OTHER CHAPTER should be banned from being published. It just makes the present day story seem lazy when all the romantic tension is from flashbacks when the characters are 18...and to that point: it's sort of ridiculous that the love of your life appeared when you were 18 and 10 years later you're still obsessing over it? You've been married AND divorced, but "he wasn't you". IM SORRY!! That's so stupid! Who thinks about their life at 18 this much? You're pushing 30 and are still fixated with your teenage boyfriend? Even worse for them because they literally were just dating during summer camp...so 8 weeks? And you're this hung up at 28-29?
So, to recap: all the romantic tension in this relationship happens during the repeated and forced day by day flashbacks when the characters are 18. In present day, Zoe is way more thirsty for Chase than he is her which makes it worse. She's consistently thinking about how in love with this man she is and he doesn't seem like he gives a single fuck until the 80% mark when suddenly, he's also still in love with her 😑.
With a generous cup full of miscommunication for 0 reason.
The rest of the plot was so irrelevant that this is all I have to comment on, and it's a no from me. 2⭐ for the cover/title combo.
I received an arc from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I'm sorry, but the "second chance" romance that subjects you to flashbacks EVERY OTHER CHAPTER should be banned from being published. It just makes the present day story seem lazy when all the romantic tension is from flashbacks when the characters are 18...and to that point: it's sort of ridiculous that the love of your life appeared when you were 18 and 10 years later you're still obsessing over it? You've been married AND divorced, but "he wasn't you". IM SORRY!! That's so stupid! Who thinks about their life at 18 this much? You're pushing 30 and are still fixated with your teenage boyfriend? Even worse for them because they literally were just dating during summer camp...so 8 weeks? And you're this hung up at 28-29?
So, to recap: all the romantic tension in this relationship happens during the repeated and forced day by day flashbacks when the characters are 18. In present day, Zoe is way more thirsty for Chase than he is her which makes it worse. She's consistently thinking about how in love with this man she is and he doesn't seem like he gives a single fuck until the 80% mark when suddenly, he's also still in love with her 😑.
With a generous cup full of miscommunication for 0 reason.
The rest of the plot was so irrelevant that this is all I have to comment on, and it's a no from me. 2⭐ for the cover/title combo.
I received an arc from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2025
Story 4.25 stars. Narration 5 stars
As usual with any romance by Sarina Bowen, I enjoyed it immensely. She writes great hockey romances and this was no exception. I’ve never been a hockey fan, but I always love her hockey books. You can tell she knows her subject well.
This one involves an ex-figure skater(ex-Olympian as well) and her ex-boyfriend, now a professional hockey player. They spent one summer when they were in their late teens, falling in love only to have it snatched away. Now they meet again probably at least ten years later. It’s a second chance romance and it also tells the story of that summer in increments spaced out throughout the books. A story within a story-something I’m a big fan of usually and it worked.
I enjoyed the characters, and the main male character is written with book boyfriend in mind. He’s just all around good. The heroine’s pretty great as well. Good side characters rounded out the cast. It’s an adult read with some spicy scenes, but not over the top.
I enjoyed the listen and the narration by Brook Bloomington(also known as Brittany Pressley) was stellar as usual.
As usual with any romance by Sarina Bowen, I enjoyed it immensely. She writes great hockey romances and this was no exception. I’ve never been a hockey fan, but I always love her hockey books. You can tell she knows her subject well.
This one involves an ex-figure skater(ex-Olympian as well) and her ex-boyfriend, now a professional hockey player. They spent one summer when they were in their late teens, falling in love only to have it snatched away. Now they meet again probably at least ten years later. It’s a second chance romance and it also tells the story of that summer in increments spaced out throughout the books. A story within a story-something I’m a big fan of usually and it worked.
I enjoyed the characters, and the main male character is written with book boyfriend in mind. He’s just all around good. The heroine’s pretty great as well. Good side characters rounded out the cast. It’s an adult read with some spicy scenes, but not over the top.
I enjoyed the listen and the narration by Brook Bloomington(also known as Brittany Pressley) was stellar as usual.
July 30, 2025
“Remember you? Zoe, I measure every woman I meet against what we had that summer.”
Thrown For a Loop by Sarina Bowen is a second chance romance that follows skating Coach Zoe Carson and hockey winger Chase Merritt.
For me to really be able to enjoy a romance book, I need both pov’s, not just the girls. So getting Chase’s pov for the past chapters just wasn’t enough for me.
Also, I’m a sucker for a good second chance romance especially when it has a dual timeline, but focusing too much on the past makes me loose interest really fast which is what ended up happening. I found myself skimming majority of the past chapters bc most weren’t needed.
I feel like so much was going on that didn’t need to happen. All the miscommunication, the long chapters, etc.
All in all, the cover and synopsis gave me high hopes for a good second chance romance with angst and yearning but got none of that.
*Thank you to Forever Publishing, and to the author, Sarina Bowen, for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*
Thrown For a Loop by Sarina Bowen is a second chance romance that follows skating Coach Zoe Carson and hockey winger Chase Merritt.
For me to really be able to enjoy a romance book, I need both pov’s, not just the girls. So getting Chase’s pov for the past chapters just wasn’t enough for me.
Also, I’m a sucker for a good second chance romance especially when it has a dual timeline, but focusing too much on the past makes me loose interest really fast which is what ended up happening. I found myself skimming majority of the past chapters bc most weren’t needed.
I feel like so much was going on that didn’t need to happen. All the miscommunication, the long chapters, etc.
All in all, the cover and synopsis gave me high hopes for a good second chance romance with angst and yearning but got none of that.
*Thank you to Forever Publishing, and to the author, Sarina Bowen, for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*
November 4, 2025
I love that Zoe, as a former figure skater, was hired to teach the hockey players how to adjust how they skate to make them better players. It’s a unique twist to the hockey trope and made for a fun read.
Chase was awesome. Once he and Zoe got over their past, I knew I’d love him for her. I’m not always a fan of going back in time in a book, but I’ll admit I enjoyed reading how these two first fell in love.
Overall, a fun read with great main characters and fun side-characters.
Chase was awesome. Once he and Zoe got over their past, I knew I’d love him for her. I’m not always a fan of going back in time in a book, but I’ll admit I enjoyed reading how these two first fell in love.
Overall, a fun read with great main characters and fun side-characters.
August 10, 2025
4⭐️
A new hockey series from Sarina Bowen? I jumped on this SO fast. I loved her Brooklyn/Brooklyn Bruisers series and I'm really hoping we get to see some of the Legend's guys get their turn in the spotlight!
Zoe Carson, former Olympic ice dancer, is starting her new job as a skating coach for the New York Legends hockey team. The only problem? Her ex Chase Merritt, who she hasn't seen or spoken to in ten years, plays for said team. The two of them worked at a figure skating camp when they were teenagers, and fell fast and hard for each other. We get a series of flashback chapters of their time at the camp, interspersed with the current timeline.
I don't think the flashback chapters worked that well? We had short chapters in the beginning with frequent flashbacks- so it felt like every time the current timeline was actually getting somewhere plot-wise, you were thrown back to the camp. It was just kind of jarring. I think it also delayed getting to know Zoe and Chase in the now- they barely even spend time together as adults in the first half of the book.
When I first read the synopsis I won't lie, I thought the plot sounded too cheesy for me. But it actually worked and made sense in this world. Chase has had some bad PR lately and when an old video of him and Zoe ice skating at camp resurfaces and goes viral, the Legends team jumps on the opportunity. They ask Zoe and Chase to recreate the routine at an upcoming charity event, and Zoe agrees because she's desperate to make a good impression and get a full-time job. I thought it added some fun to the hockey-filled world, and can't wait to see what SB comes up with for Darcy and Tremaine!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A new hockey series from Sarina Bowen? I jumped on this SO fast. I loved her Brooklyn/Brooklyn Bruisers series and I'm really hoping we get to see some of the Legend's guys get their turn in the spotlight!
Zoe Carson, former Olympic ice dancer, is starting her new job as a skating coach for the New York Legends hockey team. The only problem? Her ex Chase Merritt, who she hasn't seen or spoken to in ten years, plays for said team. The two of them worked at a figure skating camp when they were teenagers, and fell fast and hard for each other. We get a series of flashback chapters of their time at the camp, interspersed with the current timeline.
I don't think the flashback chapters worked that well? We had short chapters in the beginning with frequent flashbacks- so it felt like every time the current timeline was actually getting somewhere plot-wise, you were thrown back to the camp. It was just kind of jarring. I think it also delayed getting to know Zoe and Chase in the now- they barely even spend time together as adults in the first half of the book.
When I first read the synopsis I won't lie, I thought the plot sounded too cheesy for me. But it actually worked and made sense in this world. Chase has had some bad PR lately and when an old video of him and Zoe ice skating at camp resurfaces and goes viral, the Legends team jumps on the opportunity. They ask Zoe and Chase to recreate the routine at an upcoming charity event, and Zoe agrees because she's desperate to make a good impression and get a full-time job. I thought it added some fun to the hockey-filled world, and can't wait to see what SB comes up with for Darcy and Tremaine!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2025
4.5. This was such a cute read! In this book, Zoe and Chase reunite 10 years after their teenage summer fling. Once promising skaters (Zoe as a figure skater, Chase as a hockey player), they are now in new phases of their life -- Chase is a star hockey player on an NHL team while Zoe has retired after going to the Olympics and is now a skating coach for Chase's team. They didn't end their summer of love on a good note, so there's immediate tension when they meet again. The story is told through alternating POV and alternates between present day and flashbacks, adding a nice variety to the read and tension to the plot as you slowly find out what happened in their past.
I will be the first to admit that second chance romance is perhaps my least favorite trope, and author Bowen did an incredible job in making the trope feel fresh and--most importantly for me--not frustrating. Yes, the breakup was based on a miscommunication at the time, but there are nuances to the miscommunication and as adults, the miscommunication is not a belabored plot point (if you can't tell, this is what most bothers me about second chance romances). Instead, I found their teenage romance to be adorably precious and their adult selves to be interesting, well-rounded, and mature as they approached each other again.
I do think there were a few heavier topics that the book introduced that could have been addressed more completely and instead felt a little rushed in the wrap-up (mainly, the issues surrounding Zoe's mom and Chase's dad).
Still, I was glued to this book until I got to the end. I really enjoyed this and I'm already chomping at the bit for the second book in the series (no spoilers, but I can't wait for those characters to get together!)
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the advanced digital copy!
I will be the first to admit that second chance romance is perhaps my least favorite trope, and author Bowen did an incredible job in making the trope feel fresh and--most importantly for me--not frustrating. Yes, the breakup was based on a miscommunication at the time, but there are nuances to the miscommunication and as adults, the miscommunication is not a belabored plot point (if you can't tell, this is what most bothers me about second chance romances). Instead, I found their teenage romance to be adorably precious and their adult selves to be interesting, well-rounded, and mature as they approached each other again.
I do think there were a few heavier topics that the book introduced that could have been addressed more completely and instead felt a little rushed in the wrap-up (mainly, the issues surrounding Zoe's mom and Chase's dad).
Still, I was glued to this book until I got to the end. I really enjoyed this and I'm already chomping at the bit for the second book in the series (no spoilers, but I can't wait for those characters to get together!)
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the advanced digital copy!
November 17, 2025
Zoe and Chase's story is filled with perfect banter and lots and lots of figure skating and hockey action. My problem with most contemporary rom is that the “issues” the characters have to work out are petty little things blown way out of proportion. This book does not fall into that trap and is instead genuinely relatable. So if you want a sports romcom that involves realistic, lovable characters just doing their GD best out there, I cannot think of a better book!
Some of my favorite parts were the little moments packed with humor, like drunk emailing:
“Patience! I have to respond first. Here--check my spelling.” I’m a little nervous about emailing anyone while drunk, so I hand her my phone.
“Zoe, all you wrote is ‘thanks.’”
“Can’t be too careful.” I shrug.
My only (small) complaint is the ending, when I think the plot and characters suddenly became a bit cringey. I mean who actually says “I thought we were in our honesty era” not once, but twice (yikes). And the campers showing up to the fundraiser is just too ridiculous for me personally.
Overall, this book was a delightful read and fulfilled my longing for an adult romcom matching the vibes of Disney’s Ice Princess. I received a free copy of the audiobook narrated by Brooke Bloomingdale and Ryan Hudson from Hachette Audio in exchange for my honest review (thank you!), and both narrators did a fantastic job! I highly recommend the audiobook :)
Some of my favorite parts were the little moments packed with humor, like drunk emailing:
“Patience! I have to respond first. Here--check my spelling.” I’m a little nervous about emailing anyone while drunk, so I hand her my phone.
“Zoe, all you wrote is ‘thanks.’”
“Can’t be too careful.” I shrug.
My only (small) complaint is the ending, when I think the plot and characters suddenly became a bit cringey. I mean who actually says “I thought we were in our honesty era” not once, but twice (yikes). And the campers showing up to the fundraiser is just too ridiculous for me personally.
Overall, this book was a delightful read and fulfilled my longing for an adult romcom matching the vibes of Disney’s Ice Princess. I received a free copy of the audiobook narrated by Brooke Bloomingdale and Ryan Hudson from Hachette Audio in exchange for my honest review (thank you!), and both narrators did a fantastic job! I highly recommend the audiobook :)
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