A Gold Medal in Love

by Alex La Bruyere

USA sports serve a different sort of competition as figure skating’s frosty ice queen meets hockey’s golden retriever.

Imani Gray is known as winter sports’ ice queen, and she’s smart enough to know that moniker has a dual meaning. Her whole life has been one battle after another, but it’s all been leading up to this: the chance for figure-skating gold.

Nothing is going to stand in her way: not the Russian favorite, not the reporters who keep using microaggressions that cause her to tank interviews, and certainly not Blake Floquet, the arrogant masc hockey player who she’s forced to room with at the games.

As her career reaches a peak, she starts to unravel, but there’s one unlikely person who stands ready to catch her, and their dimpled offers to help might just be her saving grace on the way to win it all.

This is an FX kinky sports romcom featuring two messy lesbians.

A Gold Medal in Love is part of the Love On the Podium shared queer romance series.

Genres: Lesbian, Sports, Hockey, Contemporary, Queer, Romance, Fiction

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 9, 2026

About the author

Alex La Bruyere is an acquired taste, according to her wife. From a young age, she was told she’d be a writer someday… although the people who said that probably weren’t expecting it to be this kind of material. She has a Bachelor’s in English, so she’s not only proudly embarrassing her family but her professors by using her degree to pen smut. She believes in hedonism and will absolutely recommend you take the day off to read that book you've been meaning to read. She’s originally from St. Louis, Missouri, but now lives in Orlando, Florida with her furry children, within driving distance of most of her partners. She wants you to live your best smutty life, whether that's through fiction or if it translates to the real world.

Reviews

[Aster · Rating 1 out of 5]

On a line level, this book was incredibly poor. On a content level it didnt have much going for it except weird references to "gold star lesbianism" and weird transphobic undertones (why is your non binary character appalled that the person walking through the door is "male") that I would have preferred not to see by a nonbinary author but it's never out of the question.

[Vita L. Licari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a compelling read. I will admit that I'd put it down to absorb what I just read. I love how Blake was able to "handle" the ice queen Imani. The BDSM scenes were many and hot! All consensual! I really found this book so interesting and worthy of 5 stars!!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ 4🌶

Ice queen should be synonymous with figure skating. Their royal air, the grace, the stature, the beauty on ice all adding to this illusion. Imani, reflects that but also the human aspect of an athlete dealing with self doubt and an eating disorder. Her own self distortion feeding into her self destruction.

Blake is the perfect foil to her. The self assured captain of team usa hockey. an open non binary player with heart of gold. Her dominant personality helping to taper the chaos of Imani's self sabotage.

I liked the way their relationship unfolded, helping each other to come to terms with their own fears and short comings. Each learning the dance of give and take to help support a healthy dynamic over time.

I was given an advanced copy for an honest review.

tropes: bdsm, eating disorder, cinnamon roll, ice queen, forced proximity, and touch of enemies to lovers.

[diamondinthepages · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gold Medal In Love by Alex La Bruyere was so much fun. This sapphic romance set at the Winter Olympics 2026 delivered everything I wanted: great chemistry, strong representation, and a lot of spice.
Blake is a trans/nonbinary hockey player, and Imani is the ice skater with a media “problem”. When they’re forced to be roommates in the Olympic Village, the attraction is instant and undeniable. The forced proximity trope works perfectly here, and watching their relationship unfold under Olympic pressure was a blast.
The representation really shines in this book: trans/nonbinary rep, Black excellence, ADHD, and eating disorder representation are all handled thoughtfully and with care.
And yes, this book is very spicy 🌶️🔥. There’s a ton of kink and BDSM, and it’s done so well: consensual, communicative, affirming, and deeply tied to trust and connection rather than just shock value. Sexy, empowering, and fun as hell.
If you love sapphic sports romance with real heat and great rep, this one is absolutely worth picking up. 🏒⛸️💛

[Ellen Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imani is the perfect ice queen. Harsh, unforgiving, and immovable like a glacier. The world around her will not change her….until the sun hits the perfect angle to begin to melt that frigid landscape.

Then there is Blake. Warm, goofy, and capable of pulling anyone into their gravitational pull like the sun. Don’t let their goofiness fool you, underneath is an individual catching every small detail about the folks around them. Can she melt Imani though?

This book caught me off guard in the best of ways. A slight dabble into some religious play aspect, a healthy dash of BDSM culture with research and knowledge based writing, and then the slam hit of handling a sensitive mental health topic with elegance and tact that is sometimes missed when it comes to romantic stories. I found myself not wanting the book to end, hoping for just one more dip into their world, one more shotgunned beer in victory.

Blake and Imani will win you over and have you questioning just how much Ralph Lauren Olympic merch do you need to purchase for the Games?

A bit of “My Fair Lady” and a bit of “The Taming of the Shrew” with modern touches thoughtfully tied in. Alex’s writing continues to deepen into stories that stick with you when you are grabbing your Team USA socks out of the drawer in the morning and waiting to see the medal count that night.

[brogay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Gold Medal in Love follows figure skater Imani Gray, seen as an “Ice Queen” to the public and American Hockey player Blake Floquet, a golden retriever masc. They’re forced to room together during the Winter Olympics, and neither of them are too thrilled about that idea. Where Blake is loud, confident, Dominant, talkative and charming, Imani is the complete opposite.

Their relationship unfolds over the course of the book, from Blake’s flirty front and Imani’s built up wall, to something that both of them don’t want to give up. Imani suffers from an eating disorder, anxiety, a coach who is insufferable and a mouth that just won’t quit when interviewers ask her stupid questions. Blake, of course, is drawn in by all of this. Their relationship is built on mutual respect, and they come to an agreement where Blake tries to help Imani be better during interviews.

As their relationship develops, Imani has some big decisions to make, about her career and her personal issues and she can’t help but wonder if Blake will be there through it all, or if their two week whirlwind relationship will be all she’ll get from someone she didn’t know she needed.

If you’re a fan of age gaps, D/s dynamics, sports romance and the grumpy x sunshine trope, this one is definitely for you. The story is fast-paced, spicy, incredibly charming and so fun. I had a really, really good time reading this one. Bruyére does an excellent job of making you route for both Imani and Blake. The representation in this is so good as well, from a Black lesbian immigrant with an eating disorder in a very white dominated sport to a non-binary masc lesbian who grew up around the toxicity of a predominantly male sport. It’s a really great book.

[Michelle Muller · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW - just WOW! This book surprised me in all the best ways! We have FMC Imani - figure skater with the perfect ice queen persona - while also holding on to the trauma that comes with preforming at the level she does mixed with the added layer of being a black woman in a white sport - and she has a *wee bit* of a problem with the media. Our other MC is Blake - o did I love Blake. They trans/non binary and they are o so goofy and warm - while also being able to read the people around them - including Imani. They end up being roomies in the Olympic village (loved the nod to funny Olympic moments here). The forced proximity works here so well, their chemistry sizzles almost from the beginning. The spice here is SO GOOD! The BDSM elements well written with plenty of consent and negation that happens between Imani and Blake, and tied to the trust that the two develop. We also get to see both of them in their sports - Blake is a PWHL player on the hockey team (we also get to see their bestie Charlie from A Good Puck again!), but they are older (yes, we get an age gap romance too!) and have learned to navigate their interactions with the media and give Imani some much needed media coping skills. I really appreciated how Blakes ADHD was written, showing their self awareness and coping skills and truly how sensitively Imani's eating disorder is handled - often times I feel that we don't see full circle of something like this come in a story - but Alex did an amazing job giving us closure! Thanks Alex for a chance to ARC read and now I'm RELLY FIRED up for the Olympics!!

[Song Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dual POV, semi slow burn, age gap, beautiful representation of kink and consent. Also very realistic portrayal of an eating disorder, which was hard to read, not in a triggering way for me. It was still difficult because you get to love the character and what she is going through so quickly. Especially being a black woman myself, I sympathized with how hard she was pushing herself to be the best. But not so difficult that it distracted from my enjoyment of the story. However, if reading about someone struggling with an eating disorder is something that could trigger you, certainly be cautious.

Blake is adorable, sensitive, and caring. Imani is so relatable in her drive and ambition, and the constant obstacles and microaggressions she dealt with as a black woman dominating an Olympic field. If the author isn't black, they definitely did their research and/or had sensitivity readers.

Also, after reading Charlie’s story in ‘A Good Puck’ by Rochelle Wolf, it was cool to see Blake's story and see the other side of the hockey game. It seems this ‘Love on the Podium’ series has some crossover characters which I always appreciate. If you like sports romances definitely give this book (and the series) a shot!

[Heather MMRomanceReviewed]

A Gold Medal in Love is a F/X story of strangers to roommates to lovers with so many layers! Opposites attract, instant attraction, D/s exploration, competition stress, eating disorders and more... For me, the best part was watching Imani grow into herself as a confident woman, from facing the media to realizing who she is and what she wants. Blake is definitely the dominant, protective and observant non-binary hockey player who is the perfect foil for a young woman of colour who has been relying on the wrong people and who needs to see that things can work in a different way.

I also love how messy and fun their interactions could get, how much the consent and communication mattered and how the epilogue left me with a huge grin on my face too!

I also loved how enmeshed this story was with A Good Puck and how Charlie's story enmeshed with their bestie Blake's.

I can't believe that we're in the midst of the Olympics now and that there is only one more Love on the Podium book to read!

[Elodie’s Library ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love on the podium : A gold medal in love 🌈

I have been having so much fun reading these books !! 🫶🏻

A Gold Medal In Love is taking us to another level on this Olympic Romance series !! I am not used to reading this type of kink in my books so that was new haha

Blake are such a golden retriever and Imani is the queen of black cat energy at this point haha

I love how Blake are in full protection mode when it comes to Imani, I love how they’re not fucking around and how they want to get her professional help without overstepping and making sure she knows that it comes from a place of love.

I literally finished Yuri on Ice last week, so I loved going back to a figure skating character!

I absolutely loved Imani’s bratty side, that line from the church had me cackling hahaha

If you’re looking for more Olympic themed romance this series is definitely for you !! These queer characters are everything!! 🌈🫶🏻

[Joana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn. I think that's pretty much the word to describe this book.

It portrayed so many things in such a beautiful way. Consent, ED, fears, expectations, misgendering, racism. Although I'm not a black woman, I could read deeply into Imani's feelings and understand her every word. Her eating disorder was so carefully written and I'm thankful for the writer to be able to do so.

And Blake... there's no words for Blake. They're just the perfect person to have by your side at any time. Literally.

There was a moment I found myself thinking their relationship was moving fast, but then I realized I wanted them to move even faster. If that made sense

I savoured every single scene of theirs and in the end I was left wanting more of Blake and Imani.

The type of book I couldn't stop reading every time I picked it up, always wanting to know what their next move together would be. I'll be thinking about them for a while!

[Kaisbooknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the focus this story has on emotional development, how a dom/sub dynamic plays into the encouragement to be better for yourself, and choosing to heal despite the challenges you face. While the BDSM and kink in this book is scorching hot, the way Blake cares for Imani and encourages her to treat her anorexia brings the perfect emotional balance to this story. I love both characters so much, and they were a joy to read about.

I will say that there is a somewhat controversial age gap in this book. While Imani is 18, Blake is about 10 years older than her. While nothing predatory or abusive happens, the fact that Imani was 18 when the BDSM dynamic started felt a little off to me. I would have preferred if Imani was a little bit older at the beginning of the story. A huge thank you to the author for this ARC!

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this ride of watching Imani (the perpetual ice skater Ice Queen who was just misunderstood) figure life out with Blake (the golden retriever energy hockey player who has a darker side but also the most loving energy). Forced new roommate situation turned friendship turned real spicy MORE. Seeing the relationship grow and change was fantastic. Add in the pressure of competing in the Olympics? So good.

I got this book early due to having an ARC copy and was not compensated for this review.

[Karyn Defoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an ARC copy of this book! As an Olympics fan, women’s hockey fan, and figure skating fan I had a really good time with this book.

There is a connection to another book in the on the podium series! That was really fun because I had no idea until I got there.

The author did a great job of discussing real issues while also making the story enjoyable and smutty. I appreciated the consent negotiations of the BDSM elements of the book weren’t glossed over and were clear.

Content warning for eating disorders.

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received Advance Copy from the Author

I wanted to enjoy this one a lot more than I did. Blake was a fun, relatable character, but Imani was so genuinely unlikeable for me, I found myself actually annoyed by her for most of the book. I understand why she is the way she is, but I absolutely hated her and had no investment in her happiness. Maybe that's just on me. From an editing standpoint, it was pretty good, just a few things that stood out to me that another pass would probably correct.

[Raven and Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book deals with some very heavy topics so be warned and check your triggers please. It is handled well and with grace and is worth a read. Imani and Blake do not have any easy time of it but Blake is there every step of the way to give Imani the grounding and support she so desperately needs. It was also great to see more of Blake. They are a larger than life person and I love how settled they are in their identity.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This my second sapphic book in this multi author series and I am here for it! The Olympics never looked so good! ;)

I loved Blake so much! I loved how they acted, how they talked, how they interacted with others. I loved their support and openness. Amani took just a tad longer to really appreciate but I enjoyed her as the ice queen and even more as she melted and burned.

I recommend these stories and if you can, get that bonus short because it is scorching…

[Robin Kenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olympic Gold is up for grabs in Hockey and Figure Skating!

Alex La Bruyere has tapped into such a delicious duo of ice sports in this competitive story of love with two women who have and are dealing with personal issues complicating their lives. It is sensitively written and actually quite real. Showing the world that it takes hard work to beat emotional and physical ills.

[Christine Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a phenomenal story I loved the main characters their chemistry shined throughout, their journey was hard in parts with very difficult issues but their connection got stronger and they navigated it all together a must-read congratulations

[Belinda Zamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imani and Blake are complete opposites.
A forced roommate situation has them getting to know one another better.
As a friendship develops between them, romance also blossoms.
I loved the snarky banter and while there's some heavy issues, they're dealt with in a healthy, realistic
manner.

[Ashley Sette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The spice, the banter, the bratting! As usual a wonderful blend of cozy kink and real world problems that had my heart pounding for more than one reason. Blake and Imani

[Sami · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! it's so good! this dynamic is so different that you see it was so entertaining I couldn't put it down.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far, it's just not my year for sapphic books, but I will not give up! This one is good enough, just once again I didn't jive with the writing. That's on me! I will persevere.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best sapphic read of 2026

Could not put the book down. I read it in 8 hours. The imagery is so profound you can almost feel like you are there.

[Kaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Liz]

DNF at 18% - I struggled with the bad coach relationship, the disordered eating, and feeling the FMC’s character.

[Jessica H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had more of a slow burn than I expected from something with D/s dynamics in it.
Blake and Imani have chemistry for days, which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, I realized that their kind of relationship dynamics are not for me. And that's totally okay. Sometimes you have to read something beyond what you normally read to get that it's not for you.

While I am not the target audience for this book, you will really enjoy it if you like D/s dynamics, a Dom who deeply cares about their sub, and a very bratty sub.

TW: Anorexia

*I received this book as an ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.*