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Fated Skates: A Novel
She’s chasing gold. He’s chasing forgiveness. The Winter Olympics heat up as two comeback stories collide.
Quinn Albright was America’s figure skating darling until a humiliating Olympic performance splashed her across every headline. Now she’s back, stronger than ever, ready to claim the gold medal on her own terms—no PR fluff, no perfect princess act, just the real, unapologetic Quinn.
But the one distraction she didn’t train for? Bennett Martino. Once the golden boy of speed skating, Bennett’s reputation took a hit he’s still paying for. The chance to host a sporty news magazine show is the perfect redemption arc, and nothing would boost his ratings more than an inside look at Quinn’s comeback. There’s just one issue—she’s the last person who wants him around.
As this year’s Olympic Games commence, past mistakes, shared secrets, and unrelenting chemistry collide. With cameras rolling and the ice melting under their skates, Quinn and Bennett must figure out if they can rewrite their stories—or crash and burn.
Quinn Albright was America’s figure skating darling until a humiliating Olympic performance splashed her across every headline. Now she’s back, stronger than ever, ready to claim the gold medal on her own terms—no PR fluff, no perfect princess act, just the real, unapologetic Quinn.
But the one distraction she didn’t train for? Bennett Martino. Once the golden boy of speed skating, Bennett’s reputation took a hit he’s still paying for. The chance to host a sporty news magazine show is the perfect redemption arc, and nothing would boost his ratings more than an inside look at Quinn’s comeback. There’s just one issue—she’s the last person who wants him around.
As this year’s Olympic Games commence, past mistakes, shared secrets, and unrelenting chemistry collide. With cameras rolling and the ice melting under their skates, Quinn and Bennett must figure out if they can rewrite their stories—or crash and burn.
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Published January 13, 2026
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About the author
Victoria Schade
15 books425 followersVictoria Schade has been a dog trainer and writer for over seventeen years. During that time her dog duties have included working behind the scenes on Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl as the lead animal wrangler, appearing on two seasons of the Animal Planet show Faithful Friends, writing dog training content and appearing in educational videos for NBC/Universal, Pet360, PawCulture and petMD, and writing two dog training books, Bonding With Your Dog and Secrets of a Dog Trainer.
Victoria shares her 1850’s always-in- need-of- renovations home with Millie the Smooth Brussels Griffon (who wants you to know that she is not a skinny pug), Olive the mixed breed dog, the occasional foster pup, and her incredibly tolerant husband, Tom.
Victoria shares her 1850’s always-in- need-of- renovations home with Millie the Smooth Brussels Griffon (who wants you to know that she is not a skinny pug), Olive the mixed breed dog, the occasional foster pup, and her incredibly tolerant husband, Tom.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
જ⁀➴ 3.25 stars
Thank you so much to Avon, Victoria Schade, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Fated Skates will be officially published on January 13th, 2026!
⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°
If you’re an Olympics fan looking to get into the Olympic spirit before the games start next month AND you’re also a big figure skating fan like I am, this may be the book for you! After reading The Favorites by Layne Fargo last year and the book becoming one of my only five-star reads of 2025, I wanted to find another book that sort of had those same vibes (probably just not as drama-packed haha).
Quinn Albright is looking to make a comeback. After a disastrous performance at her first Olympics, resulting in a somewhat viral response from her, staring at the camera to millions of viewers with tears streaming down her face, she's coming back this year to Milan with revenge and her eyes set on one thing: the gold medal. When her mom signs her up to do a TV documentary about her skating career without her permission, she has no choice but to say yes....even if that means working with Bennett "Magic" Martino, the former speed skating Olympic athlete who broke her heart at the Games four years prior.
The figure skating world has always fascinated me. From the outfits and choreography to the amount of hours that get spent on training and even the amount of science and pure physics that goes into the sport in itself, I’ve been wanting to find more figure skating books in the sports romance genre. I also love a good comeback story, and Fated Skates has a wonderful comeback story featuring our Quinn, as she struggles to overcome her disastrous performance in her first Olympics and is trying to land a spot on the podium at this year’s Winter Olympics.
However, I felt like there were massive pieces of the puzzle missing from this story, and I finished the book feeling unsatisfied. It didn’t feel like the story was complete, and I feel like I didn’t get enough closure from the story when I finished. If the book had been only slightly longer, I probably would’ve felt differently, but there were lingering questions I had that never ended up getting answered.
The biggest issue I had with the story was the chemistry–or lack thereof—between Quinn and Ben. While most of the story revolves around Quinn, Ben, and their video crew gathering footage for the documentary, Quinn getting interviewed by Ben, and everyone traveling from place to place to get the footage they need to make the documentary a success, I felt that there wasn't an even balance between that and the tension that's needed to build between Quinn and Ben to make it feel like that angsty, slow-burn tension that's waiting to come to a boil before they admit their feelings for each other. The definition of a "slow burn" in this story was just Quinn and Ben giving each other "heated looks" when they're not filming for the documentary. I feel like if there was a better balance between the scenes where they're getting footage for the documentary and moments between Quinn and Ben, I would've been able to believe their chemistry a bit more. Even with their past history, I wasn't fully sold on their romance.
I know this part is me being a little petty, and I love a good revenge story, but I would've loved to see Quinn stand up to her parents during the story. For the number of times we hear about Quinn's parents, and how narcissistic her mother is, and how absent her father seems to be when it comes to her skating career, I wish that Quinn actually stood up to them for once and called them out.
Going to something I loved about this book, it was the mental health rep. I love how sports romances are bringing up the concept of athlete mental health and what they go through during the training process, especially in gymnastics and figure skating. I'm sure most of us know a lot about the rigorous training processes all sports, but especially figure skating, go through, and sometimes the coaches don't have their athletes' best interests in mind. I love that this book goes into this "darker" side of sports with Quinn and Ben's separate backstories.
I also love a great comeback story, which is what I loved the most about Quinn's character development and story. I love how so many people are expecting her to fail, and she just sits back and comes back with a vengeance. I loved her drive, her determination, and her resilience to come back stronger than before and ready to prove people wrong.
Overall, if you love figure skating, the Olympics, and/or mental health rep in your sports romances, PLEASE read this! Fated Skates has now set me down a course of reading more sports romances with figure skating involved so I can get ready for the Olympics next month!
⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°
Trigger/content warnings: narcissistic parent, mentions of depression and depressive episodes
⋅˚₊‧ ୨ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: ୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅ If you're seeing this on January 1st, happy New Year!🥳🪩🎊🎆 I figured I'd kick the year off with a Winter Olympics-inspired figure skating romance since the Olympics are next month.
Thank you so much to Avon, Victoria Schade, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Fated Skates will be officially published on January 13th, 2026!
Thank you so much to Avon, Victoria Schade, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Fated Skates will be officially published on January 13th, 2026!
"You can do hard things," Ben reassured me. "And when you feel like it's impossible, I'll help prove that it's not."
⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°
If you’re an Olympics fan looking to get into the Olympic spirit before the games start next month AND you’re also a big figure skating fan like I am, this may be the book for you! After reading The Favorites by Layne Fargo last year and the book becoming one of my only five-star reads of 2025, I wanted to find another book that sort of had those same vibes (probably just not as drama-packed haha).
Quinn Albright is looking to make a comeback. After a disastrous performance at her first Olympics, resulting in a somewhat viral response from her, staring at the camera to millions of viewers with tears streaming down her face, she's coming back this year to Milan with revenge and her eyes set on one thing: the gold medal. When her mom signs her up to do a TV documentary about her skating career without her permission, she has no choice but to say yes....even if that means working with Bennett "Magic" Martino, the former speed skating Olympic athlete who broke her heart at the Games four years prior.
The figure skating world has always fascinated me. From the outfits and choreography to the amount of hours that get spent on training and even the amount of science and pure physics that goes into the sport in itself, I’ve been wanting to find more figure skating books in the sports romance genre. I also love a good comeback story, and Fated Skates has a wonderful comeback story featuring our Quinn, as she struggles to overcome her disastrous performance in her first Olympics and is trying to land a spot on the podium at this year’s Winter Olympics.
However, I felt like there were massive pieces of the puzzle missing from this story, and I finished the book feeling unsatisfied. It didn’t feel like the story was complete, and I feel like I didn’t get enough closure from the story when I finished. If the book had been only slightly longer, I probably would’ve felt differently, but there were lingering questions I had that never ended up getting answered.
The biggest issue I had with the story was the chemistry–or lack thereof—between Quinn and Ben. While most of the story revolves around Quinn, Ben, and their video crew gathering footage for the documentary, Quinn getting interviewed by Ben, and everyone traveling from place to place to get the footage they need to make the documentary a success, I felt that there wasn't an even balance between that and the tension that's needed to build between Quinn and Ben to make it feel like that angsty, slow-burn tension that's waiting to come to a boil before they admit their feelings for each other. The definition of a "slow burn" in this story was just Quinn and Ben giving each other "heated looks" when they're not filming for the documentary. I feel like if there was a better balance between the scenes where they're getting footage for the documentary and moments between Quinn and Ben, I would've been able to believe their chemistry a bit more. Even with their past history, I wasn't fully sold on their romance.
I know this part is me being a little petty, and I love a good revenge story, but I would've loved to see Quinn stand up to her parents during the story. For the number of times we hear about Quinn's parents, and how narcissistic her mother is, and how absent her father seems to be when it comes to her skating career, I wish that Quinn actually stood up to them for once and called them out.
Going to something I loved about this book, it was the mental health rep. I love how sports romances are bringing up the concept of athlete mental health and what they go through during the training process, especially in gymnastics and figure skating. I'm sure most of us know a lot about the rigorous training processes all sports, but especially figure skating, go through, and sometimes the coaches don't have their athletes' best interests in mind. I love that this book goes into this "darker" side of sports with Quinn and Ben's separate backstories.
I also love a great comeback story, which is what I loved the most about Quinn's character development and story. I love how so many people are expecting her to fail, and she just sits back and comes back with a vengeance. I loved her drive, her determination, and her resilience to come back stronger than before and ready to prove people wrong.
Overall, if you love figure skating, the Olympics, and/or mental health rep in your sports romances, PLEASE read this! Fated Skates has now set me down a course of reading more sports romances with figure skating involved so I can get ready for the Olympics next month!
⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°⋆❆.⛸️ ⋆𐙚❅🦌*°
Trigger/content warnings: narcissistic parent, mentions of depression and depressive episodes
⋅˚₊‧ ୨ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: ୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅ If you're seeing this on January 1st, happy New Year!🥳🪩🎊🎆 I figured I'd kick the year off with a Winter Olympics-inspired figure skating romance since the Olympics are next month.
Thank you so much to Avon, Victoria Schade, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Fated Skates will be officially published on January 13th, 2026!
January 17, 2026
After a humiliating Olympic performance years prior, Quinn Albright is going back to compete to prove to not only the world but herself and those who hurt her that she is stronger than ever and is ready to win gold. Distractions are the last thing she needs, but when a sports news magazine wants to get the inside scoop on Quinn’s comeback, she realizes that the one distraction she’s not ready for is the host, Bennett Martino, who has his own past that he needs to come back from. Although Quinn doesn’t want to be anywhere near Bennett due to shared secrets and a past that still pains her heart, the more time they spend together, the more she can’t deny the chemistry they have together or ignore the butterflies in her stomach every time she sees his handsome face.
I think it’s safe to say that I have found a new obsession: romances on ice. Whether it’s figure skating, regular skating, or hockey, I’m all here for it–take all my money, I don’t care, I love it. So I was excited for this book because it sounds good, and the cover is so cute. 🥰 However…it was kinda a letdown.
You know how it says that “she can’t deny the chemistry they have together” up there at the top? Yeah. Everyone else in the book saw it except for Quinn and me because, honey, that is what we call attraction, not chemistry. Let me be fair. There were times when Quinn and Ben were cute together. It was really sweet how he looked out for her and all that. But I didn’t swoon over their romance, and I’m not even going to blame the slow-burn because I actually think it was necessary with how much Quinn distrusts Ben. They just lacked the spark in their relationship that I’ve seen in other books. I honestly don’t know what it is, but whatever it was, I can tell that it was not there. That was a bit disappointing. Maybe it was because Quinn was too angry and Ben was too enthusiastic to make things right? I don’t know at this point. 😅
The other thing that was disappointing was the plot and the pacing of the story. It felt too long, imo, because even though it took me a day or so to finish this, it felt like it took me a week. Like, there were chapters that I didn’t think were needed, or certain scenes would span into another chapter, which felt kinda unnecessary. And what didn’t help was that the plot barely kept me interested. The only thing I was invested in was her competing in the Olympics. Everything else didn’t matter much to me, except Quinn and Ben’s well-being, which I will get to in a second. The story dragged, and I was also dragged along for the ride. I almost DNF’d it several times, but I’m glad I persevered.
Okay, now that I've got the negatives out of the way, I’m going to talk about the positives. I liked the characters, especially the side characters, like Quinn’s friends. None of them annoyed me (except for Quinn’s mom, but that’s a whole other can of worms I don’t want to get into), so that is always a plus. 😂
I also really liked the mental health rep in the book because athletes go through A LOT to get where they are. It made me so, so sad to hear about the mental and emotional struggles Quinn and Ben went through. 😭 It made me realize that, yeah, athletes are human, not gods. They go through struggles, too, just like the rest of us. ❤
And, of course, I loved the skating aspect of the story because it’s just so freaking cool! 😍 I could never, ever skate because, heck, I can barely walk without falling over, imagine me on slippery ice with only a sliver of metal holding me up! 😂 Yeah, I think I’d have to write my will first before I even think about trying to skate.
All in all, this book was okay. It wasn’t my favorite, but I still had a good time, and I recommend it if you are looking for a slow burn, age gap, second chance, and forced proximity romance! ☺
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.
❗Content Warnings❗
Mentions misogyny, an eating disorder, and depression.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Yes (🌶🌶🌶/5)
I think it’s safe to say that I have found a new obsession: romances on ice. Whether it’s figure skating, regular skating, or hockey, I’m all here for it–take all my money, I don’t care, I love it. So I was excited for this book because it sounds good, and the cover is so cute. 🥰 However…it was kinda a letdown.
You know how it says that “she can’t deny the chemistry they have together” up there at the top? Yeah. Everyone else in the book saw it except for Quinn and me because, honey, that is what we call attraction, not chemistry. Let me be fair. There were times when Quinn and Ben were cute together. It was really sweet how he looked out for her and all that. But I didn’t swoon over their romance, and I’m not even going to blame the slow-burn because I actually think it was necessary with how much Quinn distrusts Ben. They just lacked the spark in their relationship that I’ve seen in other books. I honestly don’t know what it is, but whatever it was, I can tell that it was not there. That was a bit disappointing. Maybe it was because Quinn was too angry and Ben was too enthusiastic to make things right? I don’t know at this point. 😅
The other thing that was disappointing was the plot and the pacing of the story. It felt too long, imo, because even though it took me a day or so to finish this, it felt like it took me a week. Like, there were chapters that I didn’t think were needed, or certain scenes would span into another chapter, which felt kinda unnecessary. And what didn’t help was that the plot barely kept me interested. The only thing I was invested in was her competing in the Olympics. Everything else didn’t matter much to me, except Quinn and Ben’s well-being, which I will get to in a second. The story dragged, and I was also dragged along for the ride. I almost DNF’d it several times, but I’m glad I persevered.
Okay, now that I've got the negatives out of the way, I’m going to talk about the positives. I liked the characters, especially the side characters, like Quinn’s friends. None of them annoyed me (except for Quinn’s mom, but that’s a whole other can of worms I don’t want to get into), so that is always a plus. 😂
I also really liked the mental health rep in the book because athletes go through A LOT to get where they are. It made me so, so sad to hear about the mental and emotional struggles Quinn and Ben went through. 😭 It made me realize that, yeah, athletes are human, not gods. They go through struggles, too, just like the rest of us. ❤
And, of course, I loved the skating aspect of the story because it’s just so freaking cool! 😍 I could never, ever skate because, heck, I can barely walk without falling over, imagine me on slippery ice with only a sliver of metal holding me up! 😂 Yeah, I think I’d have to write my will first before I even think about trying to skate.
All in all, this book was okay. It wasn’t my favorite, but I still had a good time, and I recommend it if you are looking for a slow burn, age gap, second chance, and forced proximity romance! ☺
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.
❗Content Warnings❗
Mentions misogyny, an eating disorder, and depression.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Yes (🌶🌶🌶/5)
January 26, 2026
a cute and cozy comeback story that touches on heavier topics of mental health and the pressure of being an olympic athlete.
4 years ago quinn messed up on her figure skating routine at the olympics. ben, a gold medalist speed skater, comforts quinn and she decides to take a break away from her controlling coach and mother.
quinn is back and ready to compete in the olympics again with a new outlook on skating, her health, and her relationship with her mom. ben ghosted her all those years ago and is now tv host assigned to do a story on her in order to get his dream job.
i really wish this book had been dual POV. you get quinn’s POV and her thoughts about ben and what she thinks he’s been up to for the past four years but i would’ve liked more background from him! i also would have liked him to be a little more apologetic or given a better explanation after all this time especially since quinn reached out to him multiple times with no response. the topic was totally forgotten after the initial reunion.
ben’s actions after they reunite are 10/10 though. he is so intuitive and protective of quinn!!
thank you netgalley for the arc!
4 years ago quinn messed up on her figure skating routine at the olympics. ben, a gold medalist speed skater, comforts quinn and she decides to take a break away from her controlling coach and mother.
quinn is back and ready to compete in the olympics again with a new outlook on skating, her health, and her relationship with her mom. ben ghosted her all those years ago and is now tv host assigned to do a story on her in order to get his dream job.
i really wish this book had been dual POV. you get quinn’s POV and her thoughts about ben and what she thinks he’s been up to for the past four years but i would’ve liked more background from him! i also would have liked him to be a little more apologetic or given a better explanation after all this time especially since quinn reached out to him multiple times with no response. the topic was totally forgotten after the initial reunion.
ben’s actions after they reunite are 10/10 though. he is so intuitive and protective of quinn!!
thank you netgalley for the arc!
Read
December 5, 2025DNF at 46 percent. Ya'll I tried. At almost halfway through, we were still dealing with heated glances. Absolutely zero forward motion for romance or even touches/kisses. You're killing me, smalls!!
I think of a lot of time was spent describing the skating/interview schedule at different times. Like what is valuable storytelling real estate being taken up by something so boring?
Not for me.
I think of a lot of time was spent describing the skating/interview schedule at different times. Like what is valuable storytelling real estate being taken up by something so boring?
Not for me.
January 16, 2026
#Review: *Fated Skates* - Victoria Schade - ARC [18+]
4.5/5✨
2.5/5🌶️
Quinn and Bennet had a sort of complicated history and when he has to be around her for an extended time because of an interview, things were about to get a bit more tensioned.
Quinn was a talented figure skater who aimed for the shiniest medal at the next Olympics. But a past event left her a bit broken and now she was trying to come back even stronger and with a slightly different attitude. Bennet was a former speed skater and now he was on a new path, trying to score a new gig as a host for a sports magazine and trying to leave his complicated past behind. Being in Quinn's presence might bring some more tension between them and the lines might get blurred. How will their story end?
I just loved this story! I liked that we got to see that vulnerable side of Quinn, who was only showing to other people the strong and unbreakable self. Behind all that she was struggling with herself, thinking that she might not be talented enough to be on top again. Bennett's presence might have been something good for her, because she had the chance to live a bit outside everything that meant skating and that just might be the right solution for her. I enjoyed so much those little moments between Quinn and Bennett, having a pretty slow burn here.
I'm such a huge sports romance lover and this story was even more captivating because of their secret romance. Quinn and Bennett were the cutest thing ever and I simply adored their connection.
Many thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for accepting me for this e-ARC!
✨Tropes
▫️Second Chance Romance
▫️Age Gap (24/33)
▫️Mental Health
▫️Forced Proximity
▫️Sports Romance
▫️Figure Skating
4.5/5✨
2.5/5🌶️
Quinn and Bennet had a sort of complicated history and when he has to be around her for an extended time because of an interview, things were about to get a bit more tensioned.
Quinn was a talented figure skater who aimed for the shiniest medal at the next Olympics. But a past event left her a bit broken and now she was trying to come back even stronger and with a slightly different attitude. Bennet was a former speed skater and now he was on a new path, trying to score a new gig as a host for a sports magazine and trying to leave his complicated past behind. Being in Quinn's presence might bring some more tension between them and the lines might get blurred. How will their story end?
I just loved this story! I liked that we got to see that vulnerable side of Quinn, who was only showing to other people the strong and unbreakable self. Behind all that she was struggling with herself, thinking that she might not be talented enough to be on top again. Bennett's presence might have been something good for her, because she had the chance to live a bit outside everything that meant skating and that just might be the right solution for her. I enjoyed so much those little moments between Quinn and Bennett, having a pretty slow burn here.
I'm such a huge sports romance lover and this story was even more captivating because of their secret romance. Quinn and Bennett were the cutest thing ever and I simply adored their connection.
Many thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for accepting me for this e-ARC!
✨Tropes
▫️Second Chance Romance
▫️Age Gap (24/33)
▫️Mental Health
▫️Forced Proximity
▫️Sports Romance
▫️Figure Skating
January 20, 2026
*** thank you NetGalley & Avon Books + Harper for this eARC ***
---
i strongly believe that you may have to have watched at least one figure skating routine/ competition to become as emotional as i became while reading this. watching FS and fangirling over skaters of all genders and countries has been a huge thing for me ever since i was a kid. i began watching in 1992 and also went over my head to go and see competitions like the worlds in 2010 live (turin).
aaanyway i am getting ahead of myself and it might seem that i am conditioning the read somehow. i am not. i am just stating that you might get very emotional if you were or are a fan. for me it was the perfect reason to persuade me to watch this year's olympics, as i lost touch with FS for a couple of years after not being able to keep up with the changes in the rating system.
i read that some people could not see the chemistry between the two main characters. i disagree. i think it was not only well-paced, but also reflecting the kind of person the fmc is. to be honest, i liked queen's voice 99% of the time. she is an athlete who has gone through rough times and is learning to cope with stuff that used to have a very different on her; she is also a poster person for mental recovery and working on self-empowerment and self-esteem. from this pov, i believe the book is very important in the current landscape, where sportspeople have only recently started to openly speak about the difficult aspects of their training & career.
i also appreciated the mmc, even if i have to confess i kept waiting for him not to be how he seemed to. shame on me. in the end i understood where he was coming from, and even if i do not follow speed skating i grasped a couple of interesting concepts of what is also important in that sports branch.
---
all in all, this was a 4-star read for me, and not offering 5 has nothing to do with the quality of the book, but with the fact that i felt it could have encompassed a tad more drama. not that it was not enough, mind you, and not that i don't appreciate a positive take, on the contrary. but i thought there will be a huge crack there, and for me it did not happen. thought some people might see it otherwise, and i am looking forward to their opinion.
---
i strongly believe that you may have to have watched at least one figure skating routine/ competition to become as emotional as i became while reading this. watching FS and fangirling over skaters of all genders and countries has been a huge thing for me ever since i was a kid. i began watching in 1992 and also went over my head to go and see competitions like the worlds in 2010 live (turin).
aaanyway i am getting ahead of myself and it might seem that i am conditioning the read somehow. i am not. i am just stating that you might get very emotional if you were or are a fan. for me it was the perfect reason to persuade me to watch this year's olympics, as i lost touch with FS for a couple of years after not being able to keep up with the changes in the rating system.
i read that some people could not see the chemistry between the two main characters. i disagree. i think it was not only well-paced, but also reflecting the kind of person the fmc is. to be honest, i liked queen's voice 99% of the time. she is an athlete who has gone through rough times and is learning to cope with stuff that used to have a very different on her; she is also a poster person for mental recovery and working on self-empowerment and self-esteem. from this pov, i believe the book is very important in the current landscape, where sportspeople have only recently started to openly speak about the difficult aspects of their training & career.
i also appreciated the mmc, even if i have to confess i kept waiting for him not to be how he seemed to. shame on me. in the end i understood where he was coming from, and even if i do not follow speed skating i grasped a couple of interesting concepts of what is also important in that sports branch.
---
all in all, this was a 4-star read for me, and not offering 5 has nothing to do with the quality of the book, but with the fact that i felt it could have encompassed a tad more drama. not that it was not enough, mind you, and not that i don't appreciate a positive take, on the contrary. but i thought there will be a huge crack there, and for me it did not happen. thought some people might see it otherwise, and i am looking forward to their opinion.
January 23, 2026
i have been eating up second chance romances so i knew i wanted to read this immediately. now can we discuss the banter!!!! my favorite part of a romance and these two had some great banter 🙂↕️
as characters, ben and quinn felt so real because they had their own demons they were fighting. quinn was dealing with the pressure of her performance from her mom and ex coach and ben’s being depression, which i can relate to. i really enjoyed their growth as individuals as well as their relationship. the way she was there for him during his rough patch no matter how much he pushed her away. i just wanted to hug them both 💗
quinn is back ready to claim the gold medal after a humiliating olympic performance. she cut off all distractions with returning to the ice, which includes ben. in hopes to have a redemption arc after his took a hit, he hopes to get the chance to host a sporty news magazine show (which his interest everyone?!?? quinn’s comeback🤭). annnnd does quinn want him around? nope 🙂↔️
tropes: second chance, age gap, forced proximity, slow burn, sports romance, only one sled, olympics, mental health rep
⛸️💞🎥🥇🌨️
as characters, ben and quinn felt so real because they had their own demons they were fighting. quinn was dealing with the pressure of her performance from her mom and ex coach and ben’s being depression, which i can relate to. i really enjoyed their growth as individuals as well as their relationship. the way she was there for him during his rough patch no matter how much he pushed her away. i just wanted to hug them both 💗
quinn is back ready to claim the gold medal after a humiliating olympic performance. she cut off all distractions with returning to the ice, which includes ben. in hopes to have a redemption arc after his took a hit, he hopes to get the chance to host a sporty news magazine show (which his interest everyone?!?? quinn’s comeback🤭). annnnd does quinn want him around? nope 🙂↔️
tropes: second chance, age gap, forced proximity, slow burn, sports romance, only one sled, olympics, mental health rep
⛸️💞🎥🥇🌨️
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 ☆ | This was my first read by Victoria Schade and while I wasn't blown away by the story, I still did really enjoy it. I know that one of her other books called Pick Me is about pickleball, and while I know absolutely nothing about the sport, I'd still love to read it.
𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 :
▸ I do typically love age gaps in books. But a thing that just kind of put me off a little bit was the fact that Quinn was 20 and Ben was 29. While she is an adult, I just felt that it was a bit young. And when they got together at the end of the book, she was 24 and he 33 so that was definitely better imo. I enjoyed their romance and the slow burn, even though at times it felt like we were being told what happened and not showed. I also wish there was more of them together, more specifically near the end of the book.
▸ I also can't quite say for sure what I didn't love about the ending, but it felt a little..bland. Like I feel like so much more could've been done to end the book off and none of that happened. To me personally, it was just a bit unsatisfactory.
▸ I think this book did a great job showing the challenges athletes go through and I loved the mental health representation in this. And while I think Ben could've done better than ghost Quinn when he was struggling mentally, all turned out well in the end. I also loved that Quinn set boundaries with her mother and didn't let her dictate everything anymore.
▸ Also something that gave me a bit of an ick was that he kissed her feet right before a steamy scene. Like not in a fetish way or anything but like, still..just a bit weird to me.
I even took a screenshot of that part and sent it to my sister 😭
Like it really wasn't in a fetish-y or weird way at all, I think its just because I'm so used to seeing people talk about feet in a weird/obsessed way that makes it seem weird on page.
𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 :
I truly think it's a me problem for not loving the book and not the book itself as all the sporty romance books I've been reading recently just aren't really as good as I expect them to be. And while I didn't personally love this one, I'd still recommend it, especially to those who regularly read, and enjoy, sports/skating romances.
▪ Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to have an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 :
▸ I do typically love age gaps in books. But a thing that just kind of put me off a little bit was the fact that Quinn was 20 and Ben was 29. While she is an adult, I just felt that it was a bit young. And when they got together at the end of the book, she was 24 and he 33 so that was definitely better imo. I enjoyed their romance and the slow burn, even though at times it felt like we were being told what happened and not showed. I also wish there was more of them together, more specifically near the end of the book.
▸ I also can't quite say for sure what I didn't love about the ending, but it felt a little..bland. Like I feel like so much more could've been done to end the book off and none of that happened. To me personally, it was just a bit unsatisfactory.
▸ I think this book did a great job showing the challenges athletes go through and I loved the mental health representation in this. And while I think Ben could've done better than ghost Quinn when he was struggling mentally, all turned out well in the end. I also loved that Quinn set boundaries with her mother and didn't let her dictate everything anymore.
▸ Also something that gave me a bit of an ick was that he kissed her feet right before a steamy scene. Like not in a fetish way or anything but like, still..just a bit weird to me.
I even took a screenshot of that part and sent it to my sister 😭
Like it really wasn't in a fetish-y or weird way at all, I think its just because I'm so used to seeing people talk about feet in a weird/obsessed way that makes it seem weird on page.
𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 :
I truly think it's a me problem for not loving the book and not the book itself as all the sporty romance books I've been reading recently just aren't really as good as I expect them to be. And while I didn't personally love this one, I'd still recommend it, especially to those who regularly read, and enjoy, sports/skating romances.
▪ Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to have an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
January 25, 2026
Overall, I'd give this book 3.5 stars. It was cute, made some really good points, but it lacked depth and Quinn and Ben lacked chemistry. I really liked Quinn's 180 from her first Olympic experience to her upcoming second chance at the Olympics. The topics this book covered about the trials and mindsets of Olympic level athletes were really well done. The chemistry between Quinn and Ben was lacking for me, I liked a lot of the things that Ben did to help showcase Quinn in the best light, but I felt like I knew very little about Ben.
*Second chance
*Olympic figure skater/Journalist
*Forced proximity
*Quinn's POV
Format: audiobook
Thank you NetGalley, Victoria Schade, and Harper Audio for the ALC!
*Second chance
*Olympic figure skater/Journalist
*Forced proximity
*Quinn's POV
Format: audiobook
Thank you NetGalley, Victoria Schade, and Harper Audio for the ALC!
January 27, 2026
Rating: 4.25⭐️
what’s not to love? slow burn, second chance, forced proximity and the stress of training for the olympics and a lot of mental health rep!
this was a great listen and I’m always impressed when one narrator can give all characters a distinct voice as sometimes I struggle with one narrator audios!
what’s not to love? slow burn, second chance, forced proximity and the stress of training for the olympics and a lot of mental health rep!
this was a great listen and I’m always impressed when one narrator can give all characters a distinct voice as sometimes I struggle with one narrator audios!
November 22, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
I loved this, it was a sweet and funny second chance, slow burn romance, and I stayed up way too late to finish. The relationship between Quinn and Ben was so well done, the support and trust that grows between them while they both are facing their own comebacks from past traumas felt incredibly relatable. And so much yearning. The author does an amazing job with the topics of depression, being mentally and physically healthy and how much pressure athletes face during and after their careers. Victoria Schade handles these topics with sensitivity and respect, and wove them into Quinn and Ben’s romance making their connection stronger. After previously reading Pick Me, Schade is quickly becoming an automatic read for me.
I loved this, it was a sweet and funny second chance, slow burn romance, and I stayed up way too late to finish. The relationship between Quinn and Ben was so well done, the support and trust that grows between them while they both are facing their own comebacks from past traumas felt incredibly relatable. And so much yearning. The author does an amazing job with the topics of depression, being mentally and physically healthy and how much pressure athletes face during and after their careers. Victoria Schade handles these topics with sensitivity and respect, and wove them into Quinn and Ben’s romance making their connection stronger. After previously reading Pick Me, Schade is quickly becoming an automatic read for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was… just okay. And when I say just okay, I mean honest, not lukewarm.
I started it genuinely excited. The vibes were right. The cover? Gorgeous. The synopsis? Totally my thing. From the beginning I was like, okay, let’s see how this unfolds. Slow burn? Fine. I like slow burns. I’m patient. No problem. But somewhere along the way, something just didn’t click.
I made it to around 55% and realized the story felt stuck in a loop. Not much was moving forward, the plot wasn’t really advancing, and I never fully connected with the characters. I tried. I really did. But there was no spark, no emotional grip—just that quiet reader fatigue that tells you, this one isn’t for you. And that’s the part that stings, because I wanted to love this book. Everything about it suggested I would. But sometimes the chemistry just isn’t there, even when all the ingredients are right. That said, I know there will be readers who do connect with this story, who find something special here that I couldn’t. I truly hope they enjoy it more than I did.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. It wasn’t my book, but I’m still grateful for the chance. 📖✨
I started it genuinely excited. The vibes were right. The cover? Gorgeous. The synopsis? Totally my thing. From the beginning I was like, okay, let’s see how this unfolds. Slow burn? Fine. I like slow burns. I’m patient. No problem. But somewhere along the way, something just didn’t click.
I made it to around 55% and realized the story felt stuck in a loop. Not much was moving forward, the plot wasn’t really advancing, and I never fully connected with the characters. I tried. I really did. But there was no spark, no emotional grip—just that quiet reader fatigue that tells you, this one isn’t for you. And that’s the part that stings, because I wanted to love this book. Everything about it suggested I would. But sometimes the chemistry just isn’t there, even when all the ingredients are right. That said, I know there will be readers who do connect with this story, who find something special here that I couldn’t. I truly hope they enjoy it more than I did.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. It wasn’t my book, but I’m still grateful for the chance. 📖✨
November 23, 2025
Olympic figure skater Quinn is making her comeback and preparing for the upcoming Games. She gets offered an incredible opportunity for exposure… with one complication: the interviewer is Ben, the man who left her high and dry after the last Olympics.
I read this right after Pick Me, so I went in excited — Victoria’s debut was absolute perfection. This one was great too, but I did hit a few bumps. The biggest issue for me was the age gap dynamic. Their first interactions happen when Quinn is 20 and Ben is 29, and as a 29-year-old myself, it’s hard to justify Ben’s choices. Men do often mature slower than women, but that feels like a poor excuse here, especially given the power imbalance and the position he was in. It added a layer of ick I couldn’t really shake.
Despite the ick from the early age-gap dynamic, I just couldn’t stop reading. The story is genuinely mesmerizing, and the burn is achingly slow in the best way. Victoria’s writing has some kind of gravitational pull — even when I was side-eyeing Ben, I was fully locked in. I actually ended up really enjoying the romance and Ben’s character despite my initial reaction. I do think that early dynamic could’ve been written a bit cleaner, but the story absolutely redeems itself by the end.
Quinn was my favorite part — she has depth, drive, and the kind of complicated relationship with a hypercritical mother that many of us recognize. As someone with a critical mother myself (nowhere near as intense as Quinn’s), I related to her early-twenties journey of learning to respond instead of react. Those moments felt especially grounded and real.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I read this right after Pick Me, so I went in excited — Victoria’s debut was absolute perfection. This one was great too, but I did hit a few bumps. The biggest issue for me was the age gap dynamic. Their first interactions happen when Quinn is 20 and Ben is 29, and as a 29-year-old myself, it’s hard to justify Ben’s choices. Men do often mature slower than women, but that feels like a poor excuse here, especially given the power imbalance and the position he was in. It added a layer of ick I couldn’t really shake.
Despite the ick from the early age-gap dynamic, I just couldn’t stop reading. The story is genuinely mesmerizing, and the burn is achingly slow in the best way. Victoria’s writing has some kind of gravitational pull — even when I was side-eyeing Ben, I was fully locked in. I actually ended up really enjoying the romance and Ben’s character despite my initial reaction. I do think that early dynamic could’ve been written a bit cleaner, but the story absolutely redeems itself by the end.
Quinn was my favorite part — she has depth, drive, and the kind of complicated relationship with a hypercritical mother that many of us recognize. As someone with a critical mother myself (nowhere near as intense as Quinn’s), I related to her early-twenties journey of learning to respond instead of react. Those moments felt especially grounded and real.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2025
After being blown away by Victoria Schade's novel Pick Me, I was incredibly excited when I heard she had a new age gap, Olympic athlete romance. Fated Skates was endearing on the surface, with journeys of resilience and self-love crafting deeper messages in the narrative. While it didn't completely and utterly capture me like Pick Me did, I still found Fated Skates to be a fun read that I was eager to get back to each time I put it down.
I really liked that we got to see so many of the small details (costumes, dance, choreography, etc.) leading up to Quinn's second Olympics. It added a layer of whimsy to the story and was a nice twist on the more tried and true college sports romances dominating the genre. Along with this, seeing her learn how to manage the pressure and expectations society, and herself, were placing on her was really inspiring. We all have aspirations in our life, and have experienced stress, self-doubt, and fear when what we want might not work out. There's something for everyone to take away from Quinn's journey, and I found this piece to be quite profound.
What didn't quite work for me was the love story between Quinn and Ben, and the time jumps throughout the narrative. I really wish we could have more details and/or scenes about their history and present romance. Unfortunately, to me, it seemed more like we were told they were in love instead of actually seeing that on the page. This made their relationship seem more surface level to me, and didn't craft an emotionally satisfying relationship that I could be invested in.
All in all, I did enjoy Fated Skates. It was fresh, fun, and I loved having such a strong, dynamic female main character who didn't need a man to save her, but found the joy in having a supportive teammate. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! Expected publication is January 13, 2026.
I really liked that we got to see so many of the small details (costumes, dance, choreography, etc.) leading up to Quinn's second Olympics. It added a layer of whimsy to the story and was a nice twist on the more tried and true college sports romances dominating the genre. Along with this, seeing her learn how to manage the pressure and expectations society, and herself, were placing on her was really inspiring. We all have aspirations in our life, and have experienced stress, self-doubt, and fear when what we want might not work out. There's something for everyone to take away from Quinn's journey, and I found this piece to be quite profound.
What didn't quite work for me was the love story between Quinn and Ben, and the time jumps throughout the narrative. I really wish we could have more details and/or scenes about their history and present romance. Unfortunately, to me, it seemed more like we were told they were in love instead of actually seeing that on the page. This made their relationship seem more surface level to me, and didn't craft an emotionally satisfying relationship that I could be invested in.
All in all, I did enjoy Fated Skates. It was fresh, fun, and I loved having such a strong, dynamic female main character who didn't need a man to save her, but found the joy in having a supportive teammate. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! Expected publication is January 13, 2026.
January 12, 2026
I read this in one sitting and loved every second of it. The perfect Olympic, skating romance. Could it be a case of reading the right book at the right time?? Maybe. But the pacing was flawless, both main characters were self aware and lovable, there were no annoying miscommunications, and the tension was sooooo good. My first 5 start of the year, thank you!!!
December 8, 2025
Ok this was really cute. It didn’t quite hit me with the same punch as the author’s pickleball book, Pick Me, but was still charming. And I loved that it didn’t shy away from mental health struggles. Thanks to Avon for the ARC.
January 19, 2026
DNFFFFF age gap ick!!
January 11, 2026
"She’s chasing gold. He’s chasing forgiveness. The Winter Olympics heat up as two comeback stories collide."
Quinn is a figure skater. Four years ago, she missed out on the gold medal at the Olympics, alongside her abusive coach and mom. She connected with Ben, who won the gold in speed skating. The two had a great weekend together. After returning home from the Olympics, Ben ghosted her. Now, four years later and in advance of another Olympics trip, Quinn is being interviewed for a high-profile sports article.... by none other than Ben. Back within each other's orbits, the chemistry of the past is brought back to life!
The story was so sweet and fun! This is a quick read and I was kicking my feet and rooting for Quinn and Ben the whole time!
Check this one out if you like these tropes:
second chance
yearning
age gap
sports
mental health rep
Quinn is a figure skater. Four years ago, she missed out on the gold medal at the Olympics, alongside her abusive coach and mom. She connected with Ben, who won the gold in speed skating. The two had a great weekend together. After returning home from the Olympics, Ben ghosted her. Now, four years later and in advance of another Olympics trip, Quinn is being interviewed for a high-profile sports article.... by none other than Ben. Back within each other's orbits, the chemistry of the past is brought back to life!
The story was so sweet and fun! This is a quick read and I was kicking my feet and rooting for Quinn and Ben the whole time!
Check this one out if you like these tropes:
second chance
yearning
age gap
sports
mental health rep
January 31, 2026
I've never really paid any attention to the Olympics. With one exception.
My house was a Figure Skating house. We watched religiously, we had our favorites, we laughed, cheered, cried for Yamaguchi, Lapinski, Hamilton, Kwan, Boitano and others. We couldn't get enough of it.
So in a way, this book felt a bit like reclaiming my childhood, watching the games with my parents.
I can only commend Schade for her attention to detail and her commitment to taking us along on a skater's journey to the Olympics. The behind-the-scenes bits really made me feel like I was riding shotgun alongside Quinn. It's obvious Schade knows her stuff at an intimate level, or at the very least, has done an immense amount of research.
I also really get behind underdog/comeback stories. What's not to love about watching a character overcome a massive failure?
My biggest issue with this story is that I didn't really feel anything for Bennett. And I certainly didn't feel the chemistry between him and Quinn.
There were bright spots - the way he seems to know her triggers and has this uncanny ability to navigate around said triggers and boundaries with regards to the interviews and camera stuff for the upcoming documentary piece being done on her is fantastic. It shows us that not only is he personally aware of how the media can wear an athlete out, but that he's sensitive to her emotions and feelings.
But that's about where any personality for Bennett stopped for me.
Everything else was just - everybody in the world thinks this man is smoking hot. That got very old, very quickly as he was repeatedly treated like a piece of meat.
And when it came to the romance things were...lackluster is perhaps the nicest word I can find to use. Because I felt nothing.
There just wasn't enough time spent building the tension and relationship outside of the documentary scenes for me. MAYBE this could have been helped if we'd had his POV. Because we do spend a lot of time in Quinn's head where she bounces around from ogling Bennett to being leery of him for a solid 2/3s of the story.
It was actually so shocking at the end, when they confess their love for each other, that it jarred me out of the story altogether. Because it felt like it came out of nowhere.
Because let's face it - they had ONE semi-deep conversation that evolved into heavy petting the night of her disastrous performance several years before, and then only a few days/weeks in the present where the majority of their time is spent filming a documentary to develop these feelings. And it's just not enough to get me there.
There are a few other things that niggled - I would have given ANYTHING to see Quinn put her mother in her place. That woman got on my last nerve with her selfishness and the way she constantly put Quinn down. I was expecting part of Quinn's journey to include standing up to a woman who abused her own daughter for years.
But nope. Nada. That was disappointing.
Finally, while I adored the mental health representation in this story, I don't really feel like Schade took it far enough. Both Bennett and Quinn therapize each other on and off throughout the book (which could be argued isn't healthy), there are some darker thoughts and themes that don't really get resolved or addressed by the end of the story.
Particularly with Bennett - who describes his depressive episodes as a "black dog", all we're really left with is the two of them promising to help each other through those times. And that's great, but I think we all know it's never that simple. I would have loved to see one or both of them end up in therapy - because for various reasons, I think they both need it.
All in all an interesting, nostalgic read, but it just didn't 'wow' me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
My house was a Figure Skating house. We watched religiously, we had our favorites, we laughed, cheered, cried for Yamaguchi, Lapinski, Hamilton, Kwan, Boitano and others. We couldn't get enough of it.
So in a way, this book felt a bit like reclaiming my childhood, watching the games with my parents.
I can only commend Schade for her attention to detail and her commitment to taking us along on a skater's journey to the Olympics. The behind-the-scenes bits really made me feel like I was riding shotgun alongside Quinn. It's obvious Schade knows her stuff at an intimate level, or at the very least, has done an immense amount of research.
I also really get behind underdog/comeback stories. What's not to love about watching a character overcome a massive failure?
My biggest issue with this story is that I didn't really feel anything for Bennett. And I certainly didn't feel the chemistry between him and Quinn.
There were bright spots - the way he seems to know her triggers and has this uncanny ability to navigate around said triggers and boundaries with regards to the interviews and camera stuff for the upcoming documentary piece being done on her is fantastic. It shows us that not only is he personally aware of how the media can wear an athlete out, but that he's sensitive to her emotions and feelings.
But that's about where any personality for Bennett stopped for me.
Everything else was just - everybody in the world thinks this man is smoking hot. That got very old, very quickly as he was repeatedly treated like a piece of meat.
And when it came to the romance things were...lackluster is perhaps the nicest word I can find to use. Because I felt nothing.
There just wasn't enough time spent building the tension and relationship outside of the documentary scenes for me. MAYBE this could have been helped if we'd had his POV. Because we do spend a lot of time in Quinn's head where she bounces around from ogling Bennett to being leery of him for a solid 2/3s of the story.
It was actually so shocking at the end, when they confess their love for each other, that it jarred me out of the story altogether. Because it felt like it came out of nowhere.
Because let's face it - they had ONE semi-deep conversation that evolved into heavy petting the night of her disastrous performance several years before, and then only a few days/weeks in the present where the majority of their time is spent filming a documentary to develop these feelings. And it's just not enough to get me there.
There are a few other things that niggled - I would have given ANYTHING to see Quinn put her mother in her place. That woman got on my last nerve with her selfishness and the way she constantly put Quinn down. I was expecting part of Quinn's journey to include standing up to a woman who abused her own daughter for years.
But nope. Nada. That was disappointing.
Finally, while I adored the mental health representation in this story, I don't really feel like Schade took it far enough. Both Bennett and Quinn therapize each other on and off throughout the book (which could be argued isn't healthy), there are some darker thoughts and themes that don't really get resolved or addressed by the end of the story.
Particularly with Bennett - who describes his depressive episodes as a "black dog", all we're really left with is the two of them promising to help each other through those times. And that's great, but I think we all know it's never that simple. I would have loved to see one or both of them end up in therapy - because for various reasons, I think they both need it.
All in all an interesting, nostalgic read, but it just didn't 'wow' me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2026
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
One thing about me, I love the Olympics. So when I saw “Olympic Athlete Romance” I immediately requested this book. It’s between a gold medal winning speed skater and figure skater who fell from grace at the last games. It’s a second chance for her at love and at gold.
I liked it, mainly for the setting and premise. The writing and structure didn’t really work for me sadly.
Synopsis:
“Quinn Albright was America’s figure skating darling until a humiliating Olympic performance splashed her across every headline. Now she’s back, stronger than ever, ready to claim the gold medal on her own terms—no PR fluff, no perfect princess act, just the real, unapologetic Quinn.But the one distraction she didn’t train for? Bennett Martino. Once the golden boy of speed skating, Bennett’s reputation took a hit he’s still paying for. The chance to host a sporty news magazine show is the perfect redemption arc, and nothing would boost his ratings more than an inside look at Quinn’s comeback. There’s just one issue—she’s the last person who wants him around.As this year’s Olympic Games commence, past mistakes, shared secrets, and unrelenting chemistry collide. With cameras rolling and the ice melting under their skates, Quinn and Bennett must figure out if they can rewrite their stories—or crash and burn.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Olympic Setting—I love the Olympics so I was really excited to read a book centered on Olympic athletes! I wish we spent more time in the actual games.
The Characters—I liked Quinn and Ben a lot. I like what they had to go through individually and together.
No 3rd Act Break Up—I am not anti-3rd act break, I actually think they’re really important! But the way this story unfolded, a non-3rd act break up structure made sense!
What Didn’t Work for Me:
The Pacing—How it all unfolded really didn’t work for my brain. I felt like things really dragged and made it hard for me to get into the story.
The Chemistry/How the Romance Came to Be—I didn’t feel it. It was a second chance trope but I didn’t feel the stakes as to why it didn’t work originally and why they couldn’t fight it anymore this time.
Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 3
Content Warnings:
eating disorder (in the past), strained parent/child relationship
One thing about me, I love the Olympics. So when I saw “Olympic Athlete Romance” I immediately requested this book. It’s between a gold medal winning speed skater and figure skater who fell from grace at the last games. It’s a second chance for her at love and at gold.
I liked it, mainly for the setting and premise. The writing and structure didn’t really work for me sadly.
Synopsis:
“Quinn Albright was America’s figure skating darling until a humiliating Olympic performance splashed her across every headline. Now she’s back, stronger than ever, ready to claim the gold medal on her own terms—no PR fluff, no perfect princess act, just the real, unapologetic Quinn.But the one distraction she didn’t train for? Bennett Martino. Once the golden boy of speed skating, Bennett’s reputation took a hit he’s still paying for. The chance to host a sporty news magazine show is the perfect redemption arc, and nothing would boost his ratings more than an inside look at Quinn’s comeback. There’s just one issue—she’s the last person who wants him around.As this year’s Olympic Games commence, past mistakes, shared secrets, and unrelenting chemistry collide. With cameras rolling and the ice melting under their skates, Quinn and Bennett must figure out if they can rewrite their stories—or crash and burn.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Olympic Setting—I love the Olympics so I was really excited to read a book centered on Olympic athletes! I wish we spent more time in the actual games.
The Characters—I liked Quinn and Ben a lot. I like what they had to go through individually and together.
No 3rd Act Break Up—I am not anti-3rd act break, I actually think they’re really important! But the way this story unfolded, a non-3rd act break up structure made sense!
What Didn’t Work for Me:
The Pacing—How it all unfolded really didn’t work for my brain. I felt like things really dragged and made it hard for me to get into the story.
The Chemistry/How the Romance Came to Be—I didn’t feel it. It was a second chance trope but I didn’t feel the stakes as to why it didn’t work originally and why they couldn’t fight it anymore this time.
Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 3
Content Warnings:
eating disorder (in the past), strained parent/child relationship
January 31, 2026
From the very first chapter “The swan had transformed into a dragon” I knew this book was going to take me on a ride. I was curious about what would happen between Ben and Quinn in Switzerland, and I couldn’t put the book down. I started with the prologue yesterday, unsure if I was feeling it, but by this morning, I had finished it in one sitting. Figure skating and ice hockey are my jam, and the details and descriptions in this book are incredible, even if it didn’t have the usual smut I’m used to.
Quinn’s journey to the Olympics is breathtaking. She’s finally in Milan, feeling amazing after her first Olympics were marred by injuries and setbacks, and watching her land all her jumps and even add a little extra spice at the end of her routine was thrilling. She came first in her short program, though she had to stay LC (low contact) with Ben until the games were over. And then, of course, she became the Olympic gold medalist absolutely smashing it.
The romance between Ben and Quinn is just as compelling as the skating. From Ben’s beautiful dedication program to Quinn, to their kisses, their first “I love you,” and Quinn telling Ben, “I’m your motherfucking life preserver,” it’s impossible not to root for them. By the end, Ben and Quinn are finally together, and the epilogue drives it home beautifully: “A new agreement the one that actually counted meant forever.”
Behind the scenes, the tension is just as gripping. Ben faces job insecurity, worries the “black dog” of depression might return, and deals with Olympic bureaucracy, from being benched for interviews to credential changes, while Quinn navigates harsh questions about her past accident and age. All of it adds depth and realism to the story, balancing the romance and skating action perfectly.
Overall, Fated Skates is a thrilling, heartfelt story about perseverance, love, and chasing dreams on and off the ice. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves sports romance with emotional stakes and unforgettable characters.
Quinn’s journey to the Olympics is breathtaking. She’s finally in Milan, feeling amazing after her first Olympics were marred by injuries and setbacks, and watching her land all her jumps and even add a little extra spice at the end of her routine was thrilling. She came first in her short program, though she had to stay LC (low contact) with Ben until the games were over. And then, of course, she became the Olympic gold medalist absolutely smashing it.
The romance between Ben and Quinn is just as compelling as the skating. From Ben’s beautiful dedication program to Quinn, to their kisses, their first “I love you,” and Quinn telling Ben, “I’m your motherfucking life preserver,” it’s impossible not to root for them. By the end, Ben and Quinn are finally together, and the epilogue drives it home beautifully: “A new agreement the one that actually counted meant forever.”
Behind the scenes, the tension is just as gripping. Ben faces job insecurity, worries the “black dog” of depression might return, and deals with Olympic bureaucracy, from being benched for interviews to credential changes, while Quinn navigates harsh questions about her past accident and age. All of it adds depth and realism to the story, balancing the romance and skating action perfectly.
Overall, Fated Skates is a thrilling, heartfelt story about perseverance, love, and chasing dreams on and off the ice. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves sports romance with emotional stakes and unforgettable characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2026
I love Olympic years, so give me all the Olympic romance novels to really embrace the fanfare. Especially one where the sport involved feels so authentically portrayed and thoroughly researched and/or experienced.
The figure skating elements of this book were incredibly well done. The technical aspects, the subjectiveness of judging, how “tradition” and deviating from it can be a challenge at best and detrimental at worst. It was all there. The feeling and emotions of Quinn’s time skating were also excellent. I could feel the adrenaline and the drive in her on the ice, particularly once the Games had begun.
I was so thoroughly Team Quinn from start to finish. I want to cheer her on, shelter her from her toxic past, and back her up anytime she fought for her present and future. She was a really great character and I was such a fan.
I have to admit, I was not the biggest fan of Ben for quite some time. I thought he came across as a bit arrogant and cavalier, and entitled to Quinn’s time and story for the sake of cementing his post-athletic career. As more of his own past and behind the scenes present was revealed I became more endeared to him and his efforts. I was still left feeling like I didn’t get the full conversation I wanted between him and Quinn about their past, but if my girl Quinn was satisfied with it and felt resolved, I trust her.
I really enjoy Victoria Schade’s work and will definitely continue to read her books. Thank you to Avon a for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The figure skating elements of this book were incredibly well done. The technical aspects, the subjectiveness of judging, how “tradition” and deviating from it can be a challenge at best and detrimental at worst. It was all there. The feeling and emotions of Quinn’s time skating were also excellent. I could feel the adrenaline and the drive in her on the ice, particularly once the Games had begun.
I was so thoroughly Team Quinn from start to finish. I want to cheer her on, shelter her from her toxic past, and back her up anytime she fought for her present and future. She was a really great character and I was such a fan.
I have to admit, I was not the biggest fan of Ben for quite some time. I thought he came across as a bit arrogant and cavalier, and entitled to Quinn’s time and story for the sake of cementing his post-athletic career. As more of his own past and behind the scenes present was revealed I became more endeared to him and his efforts. I was still left feeling like I didn’t get the full conversation I wanted between him and Quinn about their past, but if my girl Quinn was satisfied with it and felt resolved, I trust her.
I really enjoy Victoria Schade’s work and will definitely continue to read her books. Thank you to Avon a for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2025
Fated Skates takes us to the Winter Olympics, following figure skater Quinn four years after her first ill-fated performance. She had a brief ‘entanglement’ with speed skater Ben afterward, only for him to ghost her until the lead up to the most recent Winter Olympics, when she had once again qualified for the team. Ben is now vying to make network sports correspondent and has pitched an interview with Quinn for his big break. A big snowstorm trapping them together at an inn spells forced proximity and makes them confront the feelings they both tried to leave four years ago.
Quinn is a sweet, if somewhat naive character who has to learn to believe in herself again after her big Olympic disappointment. Ben is unsure of himself in his new role and leans on Quinn for reassurance. Both characters were somewhat one-dimensional throughout the book, and Ben showed only minimal insight into his prior behavior or growth as a human. I enjoyed it, but would have enjoyed more inner work from the characters rather than descriptions of the setting. I feel like I knew more about Quinn’s mom’s (former momager’s) internal motivations than Ben’s in the book. Overall, this was a lighthearted sports romance with low stakes that would be perfect for reading along with the Olympics.
Overall: 3.5
Spice: 1.5
Momagers: -700
Thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and the author for this gifted eARC.
Quinn is a sweet, if somewhat naive character who has to learn to believe in herself again after her big Olympic disappointment. Ben is unsure of himself in his new role and leans on Quinn for reassurance. Both characters were somewhat one-dimensional throughout the book, and Ben showed only minimal insight into his prior behavior or growth as a human. I enjoyed it, but would have enjoyed more inner work from the characters rather than descriptions of the setting. I feel like I knew more about Quinn’s mom’s (former momager’s) internal motivations than Ben’s in the book. Overall, this was a lighthearted sports romance with low stakes that would be perfect for reading along with the Olympics.
Overall: 3.5
Spice: 1.5
Momagers: -700
Thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and the author for this gifted eARC.
December 19, 2025
As a former competitive figure skater, I always pick up sports romances that feature my favorite sport. I always have high expectations when it comes to the author's research regarding the sport and how they depict it. Fated Skates has the best figure skating as a competitive sport representation I've seen in a fictional romance book thus far! I want to applaud Schade's handling of how mental a sport figure skating is, along with the physical elements. These athletes are competing against not only other talented skaters, but their own mental state. The pressure is incredibly intense, especially when paired with coaches or other parties attempting to control and overreach when it comes to food consumption, music choice, and costumes. I felt my own experience growing up in the world of lady's single figure skating. The romance was decent, but I didn't appreciate Ben's handling of his own mental illness and ghosting Quinn. It never felt like he truly owned up to his wrongs, but I loved seeing Quinn find her own peace and being willing to fit for Ben through his depression. Overall, Fated Skates is a well done sports romance that I think most people will enjoy. And thank you, Schade, for putting out Fated Skates with an FMC who felt like what the sport could've been for me and so many others if things were different.
Thank you to Avon, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!
Thank you to Avon, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!
January 25, 2026
i’m sooooooo sad about this one!
First & Foremost, i love the cover. It’s gorgeous, and even though we all want to say we don’t judge by its cover… if i see a cute as heck cover, im picking it up! lol
I really love a figure skating book AND i really love an Olympics book, so i was really excited for this!
I loved the idea of it not being two current athletes falling in love, and i also really enjoyed the “follow the athlete as they lead up to comoetition” story line! It was a different take on an Olympics book, and i liked the freshness of it!
Unfortunately, i felt like the two MCs were a bit flat. I didn’t get much emotions from their characters and they just felt pretty flat. I didn’t feel much from them, so i wasn’t very invested in their love story.
I really enjoyed the audiobook. The narrator did a good job at keeping me more engaged at times where i was a tiny bit bored or losing interest.
Overall, i’d definitely recommend this as a quick read and palate cleanser. It’s short, sweet, quick & fun just wasn’t anything groundbreaking in my opinion.
First & Foremost, i love the cover. It’s gorgeous, and even though we all want to say we don’t judge by its cover… if i see a cute as heck cover, im picking it up! lol
I really love a figure skating book AND i really love an Olympics book, so i was really excited for this!
I loved the idea of it not being two current athletes falling in love, and i also really enjoyed the “follow the athlete as they lead up to comoetition” story line! It was a different take on an Olympics book, and i liked the freshness of it!
Unfortunately, i felt like the two MCs were a bit flat. I didn’t get much emotions from their characters and they just felt pretty flat. I didn’t feel much from them, so i wasn’t very invested in their love story.
I really enjoyed the audiobook. The narrator did a good job at keeping me more engaged at times where i was a tiny bit bored or losing interest.
Overall, i’d definitely recommend this as a quick read and palate cleanser. It’s short, sweet, quick & fun just wasn’t anything groundbreaking in my opinion.
January 27, 2026
Fated Skates is an amazing story about Quinn Albright a figure skater who is determined to come back stronger than ever after her first Olympics. She works hard every day and faces her fears with courage. When Bennett Martino comes back into her life it brings old feelings and challenges. At first they try to stay away from each other but as the Olympics go on they learn to trust and support one another. Quinn is strong and brave but also real with her struggles. Bennett is trying to fix his past mistakes and be better. I loved how both characters had their own battles and how they helped each other grow. Their connection felt natural and real. The Olympic setting made the story exciting and I felt like I was right there on the ice with them. This book is full of emotion romance and determination and I could not put it down. The only thing I would have liked to be a little different is having Ben’s point of view as well. It would have been nice to know how he was feeling and what he was thinking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for the audio ARC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Audiobook Review: Fated Skates by Victoria Schade
This one was such a feel-good listen for me! As someone who has loved the Olympics since I was little, a romance set in the world of Olympic figure skating was basically guaranteed to win me over and it absolutely did.
The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. The emotion, the tension, and those softer character moments all really came through in the performance, which made the skating world and the romance feel even more immersive.
Quinn and Bennett were such a great pair. I loved both of their characters individually, but especially how they were together. Their chemistry felt natural, and I was fully invested in their journeys on and off the ice. The mix of ambition, pressure, and heart made their story really engaging.
Overall, this book just made me happy. If you love figure skating, Olympic vibes, and a solid romance with characters you can root for, this is definitely one to pick up especially on audio.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Audiobook Review: Fated Skates by Victoria Schade
This one was such a feel-good listen for me! As someone who has loved the Olympics since I was little, a romance set in the world of Olympic figure skating was basically guaranteed to win me over and it absolutely did.
The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. The emotion, the tension, and those softer character moments all really came through in the performance, which made the skating world and the romance feel even more immersive.
Quinn and Bennett were such a great pair. I loved both of their characters individually, but especially how they were together. Their chemistry felt natural, and I was fully invested in their journeys on and off the ice. The mix of ambition, pressure, and heart made their story really engaging.
Overall, this book just made me happy. If you love figure skating, Olympic vibes, and a solid romance with characters you can root for, this is definitely one to pick up especially on audio.
December 30, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of this one; all thoughts are my own.
📖 Book Review 📖 I absolutely spent my childhood dreaming of falling in love while competing for the gold in figure skating at the Olympics. Life had other plans for me and that is totally fine by me, especially if I get to enjoy books like Victoria Schade’s latest novel! She may have made herself known with her adorable cozy canine stories, but it took no time at all for Schade to master the art of sports romance - and just in time for the Winter Olympics!
Quinn Albright is giving it her all for her last chance at gold with the last person she expected by her side, former flame and speed skater Bennett Martino. The stakes are high professionally and personally and Fated Skates is the perfect pre-game to get pumped for the games starting in February!
📖 Book Review 📖 I absolutely spent my childhood dreaming of falling in love while competing for the gold in figure skating at the Olympics. Life had other plans for me and that is totally fine by me, especially if I get to enjoy books like Victoria Schade’s latest novel! She may have made herself known with her adorable cozy canine stories, but it took no time at all for Schade to master the art of sports romance - and just in time for the Winter Olympics!
Quinn Albright is giving it her all for her last chance at gold with the last person she expected by her side, former flame and speed skater Bennett Martino. The stakes are high professionally and personally and Fated Skates is the perfect pre-game to get pumped for the games starting in February!
February 1, 2026
“I wasn’t about to be forced into admitting that I still conjured up memories of our night together in my fantasies. That every spot he’d touched on my body had left a brand on my skin.”
This was such a sweet, fun sports romance! I loved Quinn’s drive and determination and how she put her mental health ahead of skating. I really enjoyed how protective she was towards the younger skaters and wanted to help make sure their health and happiness were prioritized as well. I enjoyed the banter between her and Ben and how he respected her boundaries. Quinn was attempting a comeback after a disappointing performance at the previous Olympics and it made me sad for her that the people who should have most protected her didn’t. I loved that she seemed to have a better support system this time around. The only thing that would have improved the story for me was if it had been dual point of view. I’d have really loved to get Ben’s perspective.
This was such a sweet, fun sports romance! I loved Quinn’s drive and determination and how she put her mental health ahead of skating. I really enjoyed how protective she was towards the younger skaters and wanted to help make sure their health and happiness were prioritized as well. I enjoyed the banter between her and Ben and how he respected her boundaries. Quinn was attempting a comeback after a disappointing performance at the previous Olympics and it made me sad for her that the people who should have most protected her didn’t. I loved that she seemed to have a better support system this time around. The only thing that would have improved the story for me was if it had been dual point of view. I’d have really loved to get Ben’s perspective.
February 1, 2026
This was a great romance right in time for the Olympics. There really is something about watching and dreaming of the Olympics and this book also helps expose the difficulties the athletes face. This is not just another formulaic romance it helps give a voice to the mental health struggles of being an athlete in the spotlight that we may not notice. I loved this second chance romance for Quinn and Ben and how they supported each other to bring out the best in one another. I enjoyed the audiobook and thought the narrators for Quinn and Ben were spot on. I also enjoyed the side characters brought the story together. I would be interested in more Olympic inspired stories.
Thank you HarperAudio Adult/Avon A and Netgalley for this ALC, all opinions are my own.
Thank you HarperAudio Adult/Avon A and Netgalley for this ALC, all opinions are my own.
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