What do you think?
Rate this book
Ice Ice Babygirl
Not yet published
Expected 15 Jan 26Pull the goalie. Lose your heart.
Hockey goalie Robbie Zeiger plans to spend his first weeks of retirement figuring himself out and getting custody of his nephew, Sawyer. He lasts a few days before said kid signs him up to make a fool of himself ice-dancing on national television.
Good thing Robbie’s never taken himself too seriously.
When cast member Stef breaks her collarbone, choreographer and former ice-dancer Finn has reservations about filling in. But Robbie proves game to be half of a same-sex pair, so Finn falls back in love with competing, even if he does smell a setup. His new partner happens to be his sister’s bestie’s “tragically single” uncle? Suspicious.
What’s supposed to be a cool summer on the ice heats up fast. Robbie has no defense against Finn’s charms, especially when he has his hands all over him every day. The no-fraternizing rule means they have to sneak around, but meeting up in hotel rooms like Finn is Robbie’s mistress only fuels their sex drives.
Then Robbie’s personal life implodes and he has to put his feelings for Finn on the back burner. How can they find their balance as a team off the ice if they never get any practice?
Hockey goalie Robbie Zeiger plans to spend his first weeks of retirement figuring himself out and getting custody of his nephew, Sawyer. He lasts a few days before said kid signs him up to make a fool of himself ice-dancing on national television.
Good thing Robbie’s never taken himself too seriously.
When cast member Stef breaks her collarbone, choreographer and former ice-dancer Finn has reservations about filling in. But Robbie proves game to be half of a same-sex pair, so Finn falls back in love with competing, even if he does smell a setup. His new partner happens to be his sister’s bestie’s “tragically single” uncle? Suspicious.
What’s supposed to be a cool summer on the ice heats up fast. Robbie has no defense against Finn’s charms, especially when he has his hands all over him every day. The no-fraternizing rule means they have to sneak around, but meeting up in hotel rooms like Finn is Robbie’s mistress only fuels their sex drives.
Then Robbie’s personal life implodes and he has to put his feelings for Finn on the back burner. How can they find their balance as a team off the ice if they never get any practice?
ebook
Expected publication January 15, 2026
72 people want to read
About the author
Ashlyn Kane
34 books523 followersAshlyn Kane is a thirtysomething writer, editor, procrastinator, and dog mom. She likes cheese, puns, and hockey.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I enjoyed pretty much everything about this book except for the sex scenes!! Feminisation is just not for me and once it gave me the ick there was no recovering and I found myself dreading the next one. If you like feminisation though you'll probably enjoy it much more!
I loved the single dad aspect with Robbie and Sawyer, although I could have done without the grandparents arrival - they were awful enough without needing on-page action. Robbie's dedication to Sawyer was so cool and I also loved how Finn fitted into their family. I would have liked more of Finn and Robbie getting to know each other on page though...
The ice dance contest was fun but Chad felt like one conflict too many when there was already so much else going on.
Sawyer was my favourite character though. I loved how dramatic he was, and his joy at junk food. Plus I just got an Oodie and it is the best sensory experience ever so it was fun to see Sawyer wearing his!
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
I loved the single dad aspect with Robbie and Sawyer, although I could have done without the grandparents arrival - they were awful enough without needing on-page action. Robbie's dedication to Sawyer was so cool and I also loved how Finn fitted into their family. I would have liked more of Finn and Robbie getting to know each other on page though...
The ice dance contest was fun but Chad felt like one conflict too many when there was already so much else going on.
Sawyer was my favourite character though. I loved how dramatic he was, and his joy at junk food. Plus I just got an Oodie and it is the best sensory experience ever so it was fun to see Sawyer wearing his!
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
January 5, 2026
Thank you @ashlynkanebooks and @author.morganjames for letting me read this book early!
I had SUCH a great time with Robbie and Finn. First of all, Robbie gives off immediate Daddy vibes as a guardian to his nephew, and it endeared me to him instantly. He was just SUCH a good caretaker and my heart was sufficiently warmed??? Sawyer was hilarious signing Robbie up for the show where he was paired with Finn and let’s just just say, the chemistry was *instant* between these two.
I felt like the stakes were appropriately high and I *LOVED* the call out of communicating and how important it is. Finn and Robbie had two completely different understandings as to what was going on. Once they talked I was like FINALLY YESSSSS!!
I loved the kids meddling in Robbie and Finn’s love lives. I loved the plot with Sawyer. I loved watching Robbie and Finn discover so much about themselves together. I loved the Pride day and I loved how protective Robbie was. I loved how vulnerable Finn was. I loved them.
The chapter titles had me laughing out loud (wish you weren’t so f*ckin awkward, bud), and the spice had me blushing. I was warm all over in a good way. It was 😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨. This book also contains my favorite spicy microtrope so !!!!
In conclusion, it’s a yes from me. I loved it.
I had SUCH a great time with Robbie and Finn. First of all, Robbie gives off immediate Daddy vibes as a guardian to his nephew, and it endeared me to him instantly. He was just SUCH a good caretaker and my heart was sufficiently warmed??? Sawyer was hilarious signing Robbie up for the show where he was paired with Finn and let’s just just say, the chemistry was *instant* between these two.
I felt like the stakes were appropriately high and I *LOVED* the call out of communicating and how important it is. Finn and Robbie had two completely different understandings as to what was going on. Once they talked I was like FINALLY YESSSSS!!
I loved the kids meddling in Robbie and Finn’s love lives. I loved the plot with Sawyer. I loved watching Robbie and Finn discover so much about themselves together. I loved the Pride day and I loved how protective Robbie was. I loved how vulnerable Finn was. I loved them.
The chapter titles had me laughing out loud (wish you weren’t so f*ckin awkward, bud), and the spice had me blushing. I was warm all over in a good way. It was 😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨. This book also contains my favorite spicy microtrope so !!!!
In conclusion, it’s a yes from me. I loved it.
Review of advance copy
I absolutely love it when books at set in Canada! Bonus points for being in Ontario!!! As a northern Ontario girlie I live for it! Lol
I love all the representation in this book. Robbie being bisexual his nephew being trans and being the most amazing support system for him 🥰
Finn also being bisexual but having to fight against the stereotypes because hes also a figure skater. I loved reading how the kids meddling into Finn and Robbies friendship/friends with benefits was funny. I really enjoyed it.
It was a very good read.
I love all the representation in this book. Robbie being bisexual his nephew being trans and being the most amazing support system for him 🥰
Finn also being bisexual but having to fight against the stereotypes because hes also a figure skater. I loved reading how the kids meddling into Finn and Robbies friendship/friends with benefits was funny. I really enjoyed it.
It was a very good read.
January 13, 2026
ashlyn kane … morgan james .. you did it again !!!! i loved loved this book so much
i love the setting and i loved loved the grease mention and just the storyline overall !!!! robbie is such a sweetheart oh myyyyy (it might be because he’s a goalie and i love goalies) !!
finn, i see you 😝 the chemistry between the two main characters is sooo good, i love them together and even tho there’s conflicts in the story i do feel it’s low angst 🧐 i do feel that we could have had a longer boom but that’s just me being greedy haha i love this book so much
thank you for the arc 🩷🩷
i love the setting and i loved loved the grease mention and just the storyline overall !!!! robbie is such a sweetheart oh myyyyy (it might be because he’s a goalie and i love goalies) !!
finn, i see you 😝 the chemistry between the two main characters is sooo good, i love them together and even tho there’s conflicts in the story i do feel it’s low angst 🧐 i do feel that we could have had a longer boom but that’s just me being greedy haha i love this book so much
thank you for the arc 🩷🩷
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
I loved the idea of the plot about a retired hockey goalie signing up for a reality TV show that pairs hockey players with figure skaters to dance on the ice.
Unfortunately, that also brings me to my biggest gripe with the book - the reality TV show aspect got wayyyyy too little attention. I expected more on-page time to be spent on it, and was disappointed when it was basically just a backdrop. There were a few transscripts, one social media post and reaction, and a few scenes taking place during the filming of the show, but all of those were very short and few and far in between. I wanted more!
More time is spent in other plot points surrounding Robbie's nephew, Sawyer and the battle for custody. Except that plot also mostly happened off-page? We mostly get to see the emotional reactions from Sawyer and Robbie. I really enjoyed that plotline, but here, too, I found myself wanting more depth. At the same time, I appreciated that there wasn't a lot of time spent on the bigoted grandparents who also wanted custody.
Speaking of bigots, there seemed to be a bit of a setup for an antagonist in the form of a homophobic hockey player contestant in the show, but that entire plot went absolutely nowhere, which had me very confused.
Generally, I found the book lacked a bit of depth. It rarely lingered in any of its emotions, scenes, or plot, and as such was very fast-paced. It meant I absolutey sped through the book and read it in almost a single sitting, and I had a great time with it as I devoured it, but in retrospect I wanted a bit more from it.
The romance also unfortunately did not work for me at all. I did like Robbie and Finn together a lot, and I liked their banted and interactions, but every single sex and romantic scene went from 0 to 100 so quickly I got whiplash. I was genuinely thrown by how suddenly their attraction sparked and went into full on lusting for each other. The sex scenes were well written, but here, too, it got really kinky way too quickly. The feminization kink was tagged appropriately, and they really went for it. The lack of proper negotiation is acknowledged on-page, though not really worked through. The equivalent of the third-act-breakup was handled fine and generally pretty drama free, except the conclusion once again went WAY too quickly emotionally for me.
For all my griping, I had a great time with this. I enjoyed the setup and the characters, and the family dynamics in particular. I loooooved how Robbie showed up for his trans nephew and stood up and fought for him. The pace of the romance, however, did not work for me at all, and while I enjoyed the fast pace, I wanted more depth from almost all aspects of the book.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Unfortunately, that also brings me to my biggest gripe with the book - the reality TV show aspect got wayyyyy too little attention. I expected more on-page time to be spent on it, and was disappointed when it was basically just a backdrop. There were a few transscripts, one social media post and reaction, and a few scenes taking place during the filming of the show, but all of those were very short and few and far in between. I wanted more!
More time is spent in other plot points surrounding Robbie's nephew, Sawyer and the battle for custody. Except that plot also mostly happened off-page? We mostly get to see the emotional reactions from Sawyer and Robbie. I really enjoyed that plotline, but here, too, I found myself wanting more depth. At the same time, I appreciated that there wasn't a lot of time spent on the bigoted grandparents who also wanted custody.
Speaking of bigots, there seemed to be a bit of a setup for an antagonist in the form of a homophobic hockey player contestant in the show, but that entire plot went absolutely nowhere, which had me very confused.
Generally, I found the book lacked a bit of depth. It rarely lingered in any of its emotions, scenes, or plot, and as such was very fast-paced. It meant I absolutey sped through the book and read it in almost a single sitting, and I had a great time with it as I devoured it, but in retrospect I wanted a bit more from it.
The romance also unfortunately did not work for me at all. I did like Robbie and Finn together a lot, and I liked their banted and interactions, but every single sex and romantic scene went from 0 to 100 so quickly I got whiplash. I was genuinely thrown by how suddenly their attraction sparked and went into full on lusting for each other. The sex scenes were well written, but here, too, it got really kinky way too quickly. The feminization kink was tagged appropriately, and they really went for it. The lack of proper negotiation is acknowledged on-page, though not really worked through. The equivalent of the third-act-breakup was handled fine and generally pretty drama free, except the conclusion once again went WAY too quickly emotionally for me.
For all my griping, I had a great time with this. I enjoyed the setup and the characters, and the family dynamics in particular. I loooooved how Robbie showed up for his trans nephew and stood up and fought for him. The pace of the romance, however, did not work for me at all, and while I enjoyed the fast pace, I wanted more depth from almost all aspects of the book.
I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
As a reader who has known it was time to jump into Ashlyn/Morgan's books for a while now, this was an interesting spot to start 😂
The book follows Robbie, a retired goalie who gets identity crimes committed against him in the form of his nephew slash semi-adopted child Sawyer pretending to be Robbie's manager to get him signed up for an ice dancing version of Dancing with the Stars, as a part of a matchmaking plot to get him to fall in love with his best friend's older brother, Finn, only to find out that his assigned partner is injured, and he's now going to be in the competition's first ever same-sex pairing with the older brother. Convoluted? Yep! Possibly illegal? You betcha! Weirdly effective? Can't argue with results!
I really enjoyed Robbie and Finn both individually as a pair, they were super cute together and balanced each other well both in competition and as a couple. I do wish we'd gotten to spend a little more time with them together just being able to be. Robbie especially had a LOT going on, and never let himself get too weighed down by all the struggles of securing his and Sawyer's lives. Every time they were together, it was either practicing/competing in the show, chaperoning the teenagers, or having fun feminization kink sex. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the kink going in because I've seen it done well and I've seen it lean too hard into it and become overkill, and this was a bit in the middle of treading the line of too insistent on itself, but still handled well in that it was kept rooted as a sexytimes kink, and not something they started trying to apply to non-sexual moments. Also as a reality TV junkie, I would've liked to spend a little more time with the show and see how it's structured, this leaned a little too hard on the expectation that any reader is going to know how a competition show functions by now, which is fair but I still want to spend more time in the process, it was a huge draw of the book.
Finally, I liked all of the controversies in a vacuum, but I think the book could've done without one of them. We had the forbidden romance of it all (although it was only forbidden by contract and the one enforcing the contract was Finn's best friend, so it never really felt all that forbidden), the homophobic competitor of it all (aptly named Chad lmao), and the even more homophobic grandparents demanding access and custody of Sawyer of it all (the most necessary plotline of the three, imo). And like all of these could belong in this book, but I think the book was a little too short to adequately support all three.
With all of this said, I had an absolute blast with this one, it exceeded my expectations, and I can promise it isn't going to be the last of their books that I read.
I received an ARC of this title from Gay Romance Reviews, in exchange for a fair review.
The book follows Robbie, a retired goalie who gets identity crimes committed against him in the form of his nephew slash semi-adopted child Sawyer pretending to be Robbie's manager to get him signed up for an ice dancing version of Dancing with the Stars, as a part of a matchmaking plot to get him to fall in love with his best friend's older brother, Finn, only to find out that his assigned partner is injured, and he's now going to be in the competition's first ever same-sex pairing with the older brother. Convoluted? Yep! Possibly illegal? You betcha! Weirdly effective? Can't argue with results!
I really enjoyed Robbie and Finn both individually as a pair, they were super cute together and balanced each other well both in competition and as a couple. I do wish we'd gotten to spend a little more time with them together just being able to be. Robbie especially had a LOT going on, and never let himself get too weighed down by all the struggles of securing his and Sawyer's lives. Every time they were together, it was either practicing/competing in the show, chaperoning the teenagers, or having fun feminization kink sex. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the kink going in because I've seen it done well and I've seen it lean too hard into it and become overkill, and this was a bit in the middle of treading the line of too insistent on itself, but still handled well in that it was kept rooted as a sexytimes kink, and not something they started trying to apply to non-sexual moments. Also as a reality TV junkie, I would've liked to spend a little more time with the show and see how it's structured, this leaned a little too hard on the expectation that any reader is going to know how a competition show functions by now, which is fair but I still want to spend more time in the process, it was a huge draw of the book.
Finally, I liked all of the controversies in a vacuum, but I think the book could've done without one of them. We had the forbidden romance of it all (although it was only forbidden by contract and the one enforcing the contract was Finn's best friend, so it never really felt all that forbidden), the homophobic competitor of it all (aptly named Chad lmao), and the even more homophobic grandparents demanding access and custody of Sawyer of it all (the most necessary plotline of the three, imo). And like all of these could belong in this book, but I think the book was a little too short to adequately support all three.
With all of this said, I had an absolute blast with this one, it exceeded my expectations, and I can promise it isn't going to be the last of their books that I read.
I received an ARC of this title from Gay Romance Reviews, in exchange for a fair review.
Review of advance copy
ARC Review
*mild spoilers ahead*
I was really excited about this book because I loved the Hockey Ever After series by the same authors. So, going in, my expectations were pretty high. And while I did enjoy the story in general, I have to admit I’m a little conflicted.
Here’s the thing: the premise and plot are solid, really well executed. I loved the overall theme, the family dynamics, and how each character felt fully developed. At first glance, everything works. But the connection between the main guys? That’s where it fell apart for me.
The infatuation comes out of nowhere. This isn’t even a fast burn, it’s straight up instant combustion. One moment, they’re friends and dance partners, sharing a nice rapport but nothing that screams real attraction, and the next, they’re head over heels and planning secret hook ups. It felt rushed and unearned, like the emotional connection just wasn’t there.
Then the smut hits, and to be honest, it feels like you’re reading a completely different book. The sudden feminization/sexual worker role play? Totally out of left field. There were zero hints that either character had that kink, and even though Robbie admits they should’ve talked about it beforehand, it still feels jarring and disconnected from the rest of the story. Now, in general, I really enjoy feminization in MM romance when it fits the context. But here? It didn’t feel organic. It almost pulled me out of the story because it didn’t match the tone.
Which is frustrating because, like I said, once Robbie and Finn are together, it works . Their dynamic feels sweet and believable at that point. It’s just the journey to get there that puzzles me, the lack of buildup and the sudden closeness.
Honestly, without the spice, I probably would’ve rated th is book higher than three stars. But the abrupt shift and the disconnected sex scenes really took away from the experience for me.
On the bright side, the side characters are charming and fun, and they add a lot of warmth to the story. The antagonistic grandparents, though? Way too “cartoon villain” for my taste, kind of over the top and cliché. And the TV show/contest subplot felt unnecessary and underdeveloped, like it was thrown in for drama without much payoff.
So, like I said, I’m conflicted because this is a story that, on the surface, is super enjoyable, but the shortcomings are big enough that it left me scratching my head at some points.
*mild spoilers ahead*
I was really excited about this book because I loved the Hockey Ever After series by the same authors. So, going in, my expectations were pretty high. And while I did enjoy the story in general, I have to admit I’m a little conflicted.
Here’s the thing: the premise and plot are solid, really well executed. I loved the overall theme, the family dynamics, and how each character felt fully developed. At first glance, everything works. But the connection between the main guys? That’s where it fell apart for me.
The infatuation comes out of nowhere. This isn’t even a fast burn, it’s straight up instant combustion. One moment, they’re friends and dance partners, sharing a nice rapport but nothing that screams real attraction, and the next, they’re head over heels and planning secret hook ups. It felt rushed and unearned, like the emotional connection just wasn’t there.
Then the smut hits, and to be honest, it feels like you’re reading a completely different book. The sudden feminization/sexual worker role play? Totally out of left field. There were zero hints that either character had that kink, and even though Robbie admits they should’ve talked about it beforehand, it still feels jarring and disconnected from the rest of the story. Now, in general, I really enjoy feminization in MM romance when it fits the context. But here? It didn’t feel organic. It almost pulled me out of the story because it didn’t match the tone.
Which is frustrating because, like I said, once Robbie and Finn are together, it works . Their dynamic feels sweet and believable at that point. It’s just the journey to get there that puzzles me, the lack of buildup and the sudden closeness.
Honestly, without the spice, I probably would’ve rated th is book higher than three stars. But the abrupt shift and the disconnected sex scenes really took away from the experience for me.
On the bright side, the side characters are charming and fun, and they add a lot of warmth to the story. The antagonistic grandparents, though? Way too “cartoon villain” for my taste, kind of over the top and cliché. And the TV show/contest subplot felt unnecessary and underdeveloped, like it was thrown in for drama without much payoff.
So, like I said, I’m conflicted because this is a story that, on the surface, is super enjoyable, but the shortcomings are big enough that it left me scratching my head at some points.
January 10, 2026
I received an advanced copy of Ice Ice Babygirl from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review!
3.25 ⭐️ I enjoyed this. The back and forth banter was entertaining, cute and kind of hilarious! There was rep ALL OVER THE PLACE!! Trans, Bi, Gay, Lesbian, Drag, Age (older 35-40 year old MC’s). It was super refreshing!
There’s one scene where Finn and Robbie are getting hair and makeup done before they go out to film some b-roll footage for the Ice Dancing competition. After that scene, I had a HARD time picturing them as anything other than Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy (Will Ferrell and Jon Heder) from Blades of Glory. And if you’ve seen that movie, it obviously ruined the sexy vibes Finn and Robbie had going for them 😂 Don’t worry, once they started on 10 Things I hate about you, I automatically saw them as Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger ice dancing queens ❤️ So, just keep in mind… it gets better!
Finn is a bisexual former world champion ice dancer turned choreographer for a televised ice dancing competition where professional ice skaters are paired with hockey players. (LOVED THE CONCEPT! I would totally watch this if it was a real thing!)
Robbie is a bisexual 40 year old recently retired NHL goalie. Raising his trans nephew, who secretly enters him into the ice dancing competition.
The relationship between Finn and Robbie was so fun to watch play out!
“Finn, you have heart feelings, not just penis feelings!”
It was this fun flirty rom-com vibe for half of the book and then all of a sudden it’s “are you being a good boy for me, sweetheart?” “You wanna be my babygirl” “naughty girl”. It’s not the feminization that bothered me, I actually really enjoyed that part — it’s just that it literally came of out of nowhere. There was no real transition. It was almost like their personalities changed mid book which made the relationship not flow as well. Overall, though, I enjoyed it. O thought the ending was really good. It was a quick fun read!
*I have to say, I’m in the same boat as Finn, 10 Things I Hate About You is probably what made my younger self realize she was bi too 😂 *
As Vanilla Ice would say, Alright stop, collaborate and listen - go grab this book for a refreshing lil palate cleanser!
Word to your mother.
3.25 ⭐️ I enjoyed this. The back and forth banter was entertaining, cute and kind of hilarious! There was rep ALL OVER THE PLACE!! Trans, Bi, Gay, Lesbian, Drag, Age (older 35-40 year old MC’s). It was super refreshing!
There’s one scene where Finn and Robbie are getting hair and makeup done before they go out to film some b-roll footage for the Ice Dancing competition. After that scene, I had a HARD time picturing them as anything other than Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy (Will Ferrell and Jon Heder) from Blades of Glory. And if you’ve seen that movie, it obviously ruined the sexy vibes Finn and Robbie had going for them 😂 Don’t worry, once they started on 10 Things I hate about you, I automatically saw them as Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger ice dancing queens ❤️ So, just keep in mind… it gets better!
Finn is a bisexual former world champion ice dancer turned choreographer for a televised ice dancing competition where professional ice skaters are paired with hockey players. (LOVED THE CONCEPT! I would totally watch this if it was a real thing!)
Robbie is a bisexual 40 year old recently retired NHL goalie. Raising his trans nephew, who secretly enters him into the ice dancing competition.
The relationship between Finn and Robbie was so fun to watch play out!
“Finn, you have heart feelings, not just penis feelings!”
It was this fun flirty rom-com vibe for half of the book and then all of a sudden it’s “are you being a good boy for me, sweetheart?” “You wanna be my babygirl” “naughty girl”. It’s not the feminization that bothered me, I actually really enjoyed that part — it’s just that it literally came of out of nowhere. There was no real transition. It was almost like their personalities changed mid book which made the relationship not flow as well. Overall, though, I enjoyed it. O thought the ending was really good. It was a quick fun read!
*I have to say, I’m in the same boat as Finn, 10 Things I Hate About You is probably what made my younger self realize she was bi too 😂 *
As Vanilla Ice would say, Alright stop, collaborate and listen - go grab this book for a refreshing lil palate cleanser!
Word to your mother.
Review of advance copy
You can always count on Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James for two things: snappy dialogue and hot sex. Take those as a given, then relax and enjoy the ride.
Dramatis Personae
Robbie, a retired NHL goalie, at loose ends; bi
Finn, a retired professional ice dancer and a choreographer; also bi: how convenient
Holly, a reality show host; Finn’s best friend
Sawyer, Robbie’s 14-year-old nephew
Imogen, Sawyer’s best friend
Various parents and others
The Setup:
Sawyer, in early development for a career as a professional shit-stirrer, has forged Robbie’s signature on a reality-show contract. The show in question pairs ice dancers with hockey players à la Dancing with the Stars; Robbie was originally going to be paired with a woman, but she’s got a broken collarbone so Finn is dragooned into replacing her, Robbie has no objections to being paired with a man, and we’re off.
The Subplot:
Robbie has essentially been parenting Sawyer for years, because Sawyer’s mother is dead and his father, while nontoxic, seems to have more or less fallen apart in widowerhood and is neglectful at best. Robbie does not, however, have legal guardianship of Sawyer, and this is a problem because Sawyer is trans and his grandparents, who are every flavor of queerphobic but especially transphobic, eventually seek custody.
Ice Ice Babygirl is a romance, so it’s no spoiler to say that the grandparents get a satisfying comeuppance and that all’s well for Sawyer, Robbie, and Finn.
The Sex:
On gut instinct Robbie throws in some light feminization and bossiness the first time he and Finn have sex, matters proceed from there, and oh my goodness. I’m indifferent to feminization kink but, as mentioned above, Kane and James can be counted on for hot sex scenes and this book is no exception. Feminization kink, I understand you now.
The Quarter Star I’m Deducting:
Is for a few misused words (“nonplussed” means “taken aback”! please, people, I’m begging here), for the authors’ occasional delivery of political lectures (vs letting the politics just emerge from the action), and for the maybe-just-slightly implausible miscommunication scenario (for the avoidance of doubt, however, there’s no third-act breakup).
[ETA: After I posted this review I suddenly remembered a scene in which someone is urged to buy a doorbell camera, in order to avoid unwanted visitors {she said vaguely}. PEOPLE!!! What happened to just putting a peephole in the door and thereby avoiding some iota of participation in the surveillance economy & the surveillance state? Well? WELL????]
The Verdict:
Gosh, this was a lot of fun. [And put a peephole in your front door if you want to see who's out there, FFS. Did you know that some of these internet-enabled devices will cooperate with the agents of the fascist state without your consent? Not to mention how their normalization contributes to a culture of suspicion and hostility toward strangers.]
Dramatis Personae
Robbie, a retired NHL goalie, at loose ends; bi
Finn, a retired professional ice dancer and a choreographer; also bi: how convenient
Holly, a reality show host; Finn’s best friend
Sawyer, Robbie’s 14-year-old nephew
Imogen, Sawyer’s best friend
Various parents and others
The Setup:
Sawyer, in early development for a career as a professional shit-stirrer, has forged Robbie’s signature on a reality-show contract. The show in question pairs ice dancers with hockey players à la Dancing with the Stars; Robbie was originally going to be paired with a woman, but she’s got a broken collarbone so Finn is dragooned into replacing her, Robbie has no objections to being paired with a man, and we’re off.
The Subplot:
Robbie has essentially been parenting Sawyer for years, because Sawyer’s mother is dead and his father, while nontoxic, seems to have more or less fallen apart in widowerhood and is neglectful at best. Robbie does not, however, have legal guardianship of Sawyer, and this is a problem because Sawyer is trans and his grandparents, who are every flavor of queerphobic but especially transphobic, eventually seek custody.
Ice Ice Babygirl is a romance, so it’s no spoiler to say that the grandparents get a satisfying comeuppance and that all’s well for Sawyer, Robbie, and Finn.
The Sex:
On gut instinct Robbie throws in some light feminization and bossiness the first time he and Finn have sex, matters proceed from there, and oh my goodness. I’m indifferent to feminization kink but, as mentioned above, Kane and James can be counted on for hot sex scenes and this book is no exception. Feminization kink, I understand you now.
The Quarter Star I’m Deducting:
Is for a few misused words (“nonplussed” means “taken aback”! please, people, I’m begging here), for the authors’ occasional delivery of political lectures (vs letting the politics just emerge from the action), and for the maybe-just-slightly implausible miscommunication scenario (for the avoidance of doubt, however, there’s no third-act breakup).
[ETA: After I posted this review I suddenly remembered a scene in which someone is urged to buy a doorbell camera, in order to avoid unwanted visitors {she said vaguely}. PEOPLE!!! What happened to just putting a peephole in the door and thereby avoiding some iota of participation in the surveillance economy & the surveillance state? Well? WELL????]
The Verdict:
Gosh, this was a lot of fun. [And put a peephole in your front door if you want to see who's out there, FFS. Did you know that some of these internet-enabled devices will cooperate with the agents of the fascist state without your consent? Not to mention how their normalization contributes to a culture of suspicion and hostility toward strangers.]
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ice Ice Babygirl is the story of freshly retired goalie Robbie Zeiger, who is unknowingly signed up for reality TV, and choreographer Finn Graham, who’s unwillingly dragged back into competition by a series of unscripted events. Cast as Dance Your Ice Off’s first-ever same-sex duo, Robbie spins into Finn’s orbit like a quadruple Axel colliding with Halley’s Comet—courtesy of two meddling Gen Alpha masterminds: Robbie’s chaos gremlin of a son, Sawyer, and Finn’s younger sister, Imogen. Truly elite rom-com matchmaker besties.
The chemistry between these MCs is scorching from the jump. The problem? Robbie’s straight… right? The real villains here—aside from a giga-Chad antagonist and some truly abysmal parental figures—are miscommunication, assumptions, and the slow dismantling of toxic masculinity. Robbie and Finn very much skate into a relationship ass-first at speed and define it later, much to the stress of everyone who actually cares about these two lovable idiots.
Just when our heroes find a rhythm, life pulls an Uno reverse. Robbie has to reckon with his brother’s life choices, throwing a wrench into both his post–reality TV plans with Sawyer and his future with Finn. The dialogue zips, the spice is saucy (fair warning for feminization kink—though with a title like Ice Ice Babygirl, expect the unexpected), and at its core, this is a story about love finding a way through fear, pride, and chronic communication failures.
Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James excel at writing epic slice-of-life romance layered with dad jokes, deep feelings, found family, and the messy process of unlearning toxic family dynamics. Their work consistently reflects a thoughtful, compassionate understanding of the human condition—and Ice Ice Babygirl is no exception.
Below is an illustration I made for Week 1 Swing Dance.
The chemistry between these MCs is scorching from the jump. The problem? Robbie’s straight… right? The real villains here—aside from a giga-Chad antagonist and some truly abysmal parental figures—are miscommunication, assumptions, and the slow dismantling of toxic masculinity. Robbie and Finn very much skate into a relationship ass-first at speed and define it later, much to the stress of everyone who actually cares about these two lovable idiots.
Just when our heroes find a rhythm, life pulls an Uno reverse. Robbie has to reckon with his brother’s life choices, throwing a wrench into both his post–reality TV plans with Sawyer and his future with Finn. The dialogue zips, the spice is saucy (fair warning for feminization kink—though with a title like Ice Ice Babygirl, expect the unexpected), and at its core, this is a story about love finding a way through fear, pride, and chronic communication failures.
Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James excel at writing epic slice-of-life romance layered with dad jokes, deep feelings, found family, and the messy process of unlearning toxic family dynamics. Their work consistently reflects a thoughtful, compassionate understanding of the human condition—and Ice Ice Babygirl is no exception.
Below is an illustration I made for Week 1 Swing Dance.
Review of advance copy
*ARC Review* Thank you to Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James for sending me a copy!
Intro:
This book is an MM romance between Robbie, a retired hockey goalie and Finn, an ice dancer, who both compete together on a reality TV show.
Tropes/Highlights:
-Dual Third Person POV
-MM
-Open Door Spice
-Found Family
-Goalie/Ice Dancer
-Bi & Trans Rep
-Babygirl/Princess Kink
-HEA
Likes:
-So much Banter, this book was really funny
-Supportive side characters & scheming teenagers
-Lots of drama
-Such sweet MCs
-Robbie can be a bumbling idiot sometimes, but he means well
-Robbie is such a great dad
-Skating scenes were entertaining
-The cover is adorable, I can't stop looking at them
Quotes:
-"Jesus God, was this kid gentle parenting him?"
-" I think it's very team-spirited of me to avoid breaking his neck with my ass"
-"You have feelings! Heart feelings! Not just penis feelings!"
-"There's a surprising amount of jizz in heaven"
-"I will fight for you until my dying day, even if I have to fight against you"
-"If the two of you are going to be this stupid, it's everyone's problem"
-"God, you're just as bad as we are. A little drama queen. No wonder I love you so much"
This is the first book I have read from these authors and I knew at about 20% through, that I was going to love it. This story is so cute and has so many different aspects going on that meld together into the perfect romance. This story has sweet character moments, tension, passion, humor, spice, family drama, found family and more. If you are looking for a unique sports romance with fun, playful vibes and gentle, loving characters, then this is the perfect book for you. I highly recommend giving it a read!
Intro:
This book is an MM romance between Robbie, a retired hockey goalie and Finn, an ice dancer, who both compete together on a reality TV show.
Tropes/Highlights:
-Dual Third Person POV
-MM
-Open Door Spice
-Found Family
-Goalie/Ice Dancer
-Bi & Trans Rep
-Babygirl/Princess Kink
-HEA
Likes:
-So much Banter, this book was really funny
-Supportive side characters & scheming teenagers
-Lots of drama
-Such sweet MCs
-Robbie can be a bumbling idiot sometimes, but he means well
-Robbie is such a great dad
-Skating scenes were entertaining
-The cover is adorable, I can't stop looking at them
Quotes:
-"Jesus God, was this kid gentle parenting him?"
-" I think it's very team-spirited of me to avoid breaking his neck with my ass"
-"You have feelings! Heart feelings! Not just penis feelings!"
-"There's a surprising amount of jizz in heaven"
-"I will fight for you until my dying day, even if I have to fight against you"
-"If the two of you are going to be this stupid, it's everyone's problem"
-"God, you're just as bad as we are. A little drama queen. No wonder I love you so much"
This is the first book I have read from these authors and I knew at about 20% through, that I was going to love it. This story is so cute and has so many different aspects going on that meld together into the perfect romance. This story has sweet character moments, tension, passion, humor, spice, family drama, found family and more. If you are looking for a unique sports romance with fun, playful vibes and gentle, loving characters, then this is the perfect book for you. I highly recommend giving it a read!
Review of advance copy
“You like when I play with your tits, babygirl?”
Retired goalie Robbie and choreographer turned reality show competitor Finn team up as the first ever same-sex pair on Dance Your Ice Off, a reality competition show. The two discover that not only are they connected '6 degrees of Kevin Bacon' style by Robbie's nephew and Finn's sister, they also have pretty instantaneous chemistry with each other. But the show doesn't allow contestants to fraternize, and Robbie's personal life is complicated enough without publicly coming out as bisexual.
When he had Finn breathless, weak-kneed, and whisker-burned, he swiped his thumbs up from Finn’s hipbones to the bottom of his rib cage, so soft it made Finn shiver—and Finn was still being kissed within an inch of his life, clinging to Robbie like he was a raft in a storm.
This book has a lot of elements that I enjoy reading [hockey, reality tv concept, MCs brought together by cute kids and circumstance, feminization] so theoretically it should have worked for me. Unfortunately the writing was semi-meandering, with lots of extraneous details about plot items that detracted from the MCs relationship. There was so much going on in the book, from the MCs' families to Finn's career opportunities, to the fate of the reality show, to annoying co-competitors on the show, and Sawyer's (Robbie's nephew) custody and his feelings about who should be his parent. At times it felt like the book was more about Sawyer than either Robbie or Finn. They were also the most boring part of the book. Something about the balance was off, in my opinion. I guess the two MCs fell in love based on vibes, because they barely had any time together. Overall, between the ADHD plot and odd writing style, I did not enjoy it. I hate not being able to enthusiastically recommend a Canadian author, but this was absolutely not for me.
Rating: 3 stars
Angst: 2/5
Steam: 2.5/5
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy
**I received an electronic ARC through Gay Romance Reviews.**
Co-authors Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James turn their attention to the ice rink with Ice Ice Babygirl. Retired hockey goalie Robbie Zeiger has just received news that his nephew signed him up for a Dancing With the Stars-type ice dancing show. It's for a good cause, so he doesn't mind, but he wasn't anticipating a staff injury that leads to him being part of the first same-gender Ice dancing pair on the show. Finn Graham was a competitive ice dancer before an injury led to his early retirement and role as choreographer for the show. He has to get back in the game to partner Robbie, but wasn't expecting his hockey partner to be so kind and attentive. And Robbie's nephew is best friends with Finn's stepsister. Suddenly Finn and Robbie are going to be seeing each other quite a lot. But there is the tricky thing with the non-fraternization clause for the show.
This story was cute and lighthearted. Finn and Robbie mostly communicate well aside from when the plot demands that they don't. Robbie's care for his nephew as his would-be guardian is great to see, particularly given that Robbie's nephew is a trans teen. The external complication of a custody battle wasn't necessarily something that I felt added to the overall story beyond compiling reasons to keep a queer relationship hidden temporarily. The sexual content was spice and kink forward which seemed to be a bit of a tonal shift from the rest of the book, though everything continued to come from a place of care and sweetness.
Overall, this was a fun time that I would recommend to anyone who is interested after reading the synopsis.
Co-authors Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James turn their attention to the ice rink with Ice Ice Babygirl. Retired hockey goalie Robbie Zeiger has just received news that his nephew signed him up for a Dancing With the Stars-type ice dancing show. It's for a good cause, so he doesn't mind, but he wasn't anticipating a staff injury that leads to him being part of the first same-gender Ice dancing pair on the show. Finn Graham was a competitive ice dancer before an injury led to his early retirement and role as choreographer for the show. He has to get back in the game to partner Robbie, but wasn't expecting his hockey partner to be so kind and attentive. And Robbie's nephew is best friends with Finn's stepsister. Suddenly Finn and Robbie are going to be seeing each other quite a lot. But there is the tricky thing with the non-fraternization clause for the show.
This story was cute and lighthearted. Finn and Robbie mostly communicate well aside from when the plot demands that they don't. Robbie's care for his nephew as his would-be guardian is great to see, particularly given that Robbie's nephew is a trans teen. The external complication of a custody battle wasn't necessarily something that I felt added to the overall story beyond compiling reasons to keep a queer relationship hidden temporarily. The sexual content was spice and kink forward which seemed to be a bit of a tonal shift from the rest of the book, though everything continued to come from a place of care and sweetness.
Overall, this was a fun time that I would recommend to anyone who is interested after reading the synopsis.
Review of advance copy received from Author
First time reading a book by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James, starting the year off right. I love discovering new to me authors. I began by having a laugh at the grammar disclaimer and as a fellow Canadian I enjoyed some of the wee timbits, I mean tidbits through out.
There was so much going on and it felt like real life...the best thing could be happening and wham struck by the worst case scenario, but you need to keep going. Responsibilities.
Robbie, NHL goalie, just easing into retirement and balancing raising his nephew. To being tossed into a reality TV show with Finn, a retired ice dancer. Goalie trying to master crossovers, and appreciating the hard work his dance belt is putting in. I really enjoyed the transcript writing for the Ice Dance competition of the show.
Robbie never let his nephew Sawyer down.
The meddling teenagers, I mean Sawyer's teenage angst and snark, it was spot on. The groans at the dad jokes. This book was funny. Robbie is such a great papa bear.
Romance, and spice aplenty, to go with self-discovery, and plenty of chaos.
‘Figure skater asks me to stand on his thighs’ was not on my bingo card for this adventure.”
This is no Blades of Glory,
“You’re so bad for my impulse control. First I call you babygirl—”
MM rom-com
Found Family
Bi & Trans rep
Goalie & Ice Dancer
Reality Competition
Feminization Kink
Open Door Spice
And you know your limits, so read the author's content warnings.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
There was so much going on and it felt like real life...the best thing could be happening and wham struck by the worst case scenario, but you need to keep going. Responsibilities.
Robbie, NHL goalie, just easing into retirement and balancing raising his nephew. To being tossed into a reality TV show with Finn, a retired ice dancer. Goalie trying to master crossovers, and appreciating the hard work his dance belt is putting in. I really enjoyed the transcript writing for the Ice Dance competition of the show.
Robbie never let his nephew Sawyer down.
The meddling teenagers, I mean Sawyer's teenage angst and snark, it was spot on. The groans at the dad jokes. This book was funny. Robbie is such a great papa bear.
Romance, and spice aplenty, to go with self-discovery, and plenty of chaos.
‘Figure skater asks me to stand on his thighs’ was not on my bingo card for this adventure.”
This is no Blades of Glory,
“You’re so bad for my impulse control. First I call you babygirl—”
MM rom-com
Found Family
Bi & Trans rep
Goalie & Ice Dancer
Reality Competition
Feminization Kink
Open Door Spice
And you know your limits, so read the author's content warnings.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy
What a delightful story!
My first by either Author I was entertained the whole way through and thoroughly enjoyed reading all about Finn and Robbie and their journey to a HEA.
Robbie is a retired hockey player. His nephew is sneaky sneaky and signs him up for an ice dancing reality TV show - if this is not already a real thing, it should be. Finn works on said Ice dancing reality show as a choreographer, but when one of the professional ice dancers gets injured he has to step up and partner with Robbie in the shows first ever same sex pairing.
Sparks flare on and off the ice and it isn't long before these two are crossing professional boundaries and feelings start to seep in. It was cute, it was sweet, mostly, but Robbie also has a bit of a mouth on him and likes a bit of dirty talk in the bedroom... 😄
In addition to the reality TV show, Robbie is also balancing becoming a parent to his nephew since his father is a bit of a drop kick and finds himself in prison. There's a bit of a battle with the grandparents who are also turds but Robbie steps up, as does Finn, who is more than willing to put his body and face on the line to protect his new found family. Heroic Finn was the best kind of Finn and he had me swooning throughout that whole scene. IYKYK.
Give this a whirl if your a fan of ice dancing, reality TV, sneaking around and hotel hookups, strong found family vibes, a guy that will do anything to support his nephew, and grease (the movie) lol.
Check triggers, as usual, and then strap yourself in and enjoy mate.
** Please note, I received an ARC review copy from GRR for my full and honest review. This is my honest review of this book. **
My first by either Author I was entertained the whole way through and thoroughly enjoyed reading all about Finn and Robbie and their journey to a HEA.
Robbie is a retired hockey player. His nephew is sneaky sneaky and signs him up for an ice dancing reality TV show - if this is not already a real thing, it should be. Finn works on said Ice dancing reality show as a choreographer, but when one of the professional ice dancers gets injured he has to step up and partner with Robbie in the shows first ever same sex pairing.
Sparks flare on and off the ice and it isn't long before these two are crossing professional boundaries and feelings start to seep in. It was cute, it was sweet, mostly, but Robbie also has a bit of a mouth on him and likes a bit of dirty talk in the bedroom... 😄
In addition to the reality TV show, Robbie is also balancing becoming a parent to his nephew since his father is a bit of a drop kick and finds himself in prison. There's a bit of a battle with the grandparents who are also turds but Robbie steps up, as does Finn, who is more than willing to put his body and face on the line to protect his new found family. Heroic Finn was the best kind of Finn and he had me swooning throughout that whole scene. IYKYK.
Give this a whirl if your a fan of ice dancing, reality TV, sneaking around and hotel hookups, strong found family vibes, a guy that will do anything to support his nephew, and grease (the movie) lol.
Check triggers, as usual, and then strap yourself in and enjoy mate.
** Please note, I received an ARC review copy from GRR for my full and honest review. This is my honest review of this book. **
Review of advance copy
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
***this has FEMINIZATION, so if that's NOT your thing, you might want to choose a different romance that will add joy to your reading experience!***
Ahhhhhh I adored this soooo sooooo much! It was funny, and charming, and so sexy sexy, and from the first sentence I fell hard and fast for Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James' energy! The narrative was fun, upbeat, playful, and charismatic, and I especially loved that this repped the GTA!
Robbie and Finn were supreme darlings and I loved them for each other. But also, because the sexy stuff made me fluttery and feverish on the inside, Ice Ice Babygirl was an easy, super HOT hit for me!
I think I've probably read like a handful of MM that features feminization, and STG every single time Robbie got spicy I lost my eyebrows to the top of my head and nearly passed out from the sizzle. So yeah, I most certainly blushed a trillion times harder than the thousand MM romances I'd read prior to this one, and I'm celebrating how easy it was to lose that battle!
I
Love
That for me!
So I'm really happy that Ice Ice Babygirl was an awesome, sexy, sweet read for me, and I can't wait to read whatever else Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James releases next because I'm sure I'll love every single sentence of it!
***this has FEMINIZATION, so if that's NOT your thing, you might want to choose a different romance that will add joy to your reading experience!***
Ahhhhhh I adored this soooo sooooo much! It was funny, and charming, and so sexy sexy, and from the first sentence I fell hard and fast for Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James' energy! The narrative was fun, upbeat, playful, and charismatic, and I especially loved that this repped the GTA!
Robbie and Finn were supreme darlings and I loved them for each other. But also, because the sexy stuff made me fluttery and feverish on the inside, Ice Ice Babygirl was an easy, super HOT hit for me!
I think I've probably read like a handful of MM that features feminization, and STG every single time Robbie got spicy I lost my eyebrows to the top of my head and nearly passed out from the sizzle. So yeah, I most certainly blushed a trillion times harder than the thousand MM romances I'd read prior to this one, and I'm celebrating how easy it was to lose that battle!
I
Love
That for me!
So I'm really happy that Ice Ice Babygirl was an awesome, sexy, sweet read for me, and I can't wait to read whatever else Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James releases next because I'm sure I'll love every single sentence of it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
When I signed up for the ARC through the GRR website for the ARC read, I had such a good feeling about the story. I really liked the cover, the description, but still, afterwards, I had a hard time actually starting it.
And now that I’ve read it, I have mixed feelings. The story was good, the characters are likable—except for Chad and the grandparents—but somehow something was missing.
What I liked:
• The chemistry between Robbie and Finn, the fact that Finn realized almost from the beginning that he was attracted to Robbie.
• Sawyer and Imogen.
• The teasing from the teens toward the adults.
What I didn’t like: the feminization… I don’t have a problem with it if it’s well communicated between the characters and fits their personalities. But here the communication happened afterward, and I get it, they got carried away, but normally before doing something like that, you’d talk about it. Also, it felt really out of character for both of them, even though Finn said he had always wanted it. Hmm…
The show got very little focus, and Chad and the “troglodytes” got too much. Also, I would have liked if we could have followed the grandparents vs. Robbie + Sawyer story through the pages.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad book, the basic concept was super, but I’m not sure I’d read it again.
The ARC copy was provided by GRR, and this is my honest opinion.
And now that I’ve read it, I have mixed feelings. The story was good, the characters are likable—except for Chad and the grandparents—but somehow something was missing.
What I liked:
• The chemistry between Robbie and Finn, the fact that Finn realized almost from the beginning that he was attracted to Robbie.
• Sawyer and Imogen.
• The teasing from the teens toward the adults.
What I didn’t like: the feminization… I don’t have a problem with it if it’s well communicated between the characters and fits their personalities. But here the communication happened afterward, and I get it, they got carried away, but normally before doing something like that, you’d talk about it. Also, it felt really out of character for both of them, even though Finn said he had always wanted it. Hmm…
The show got very little focus, and Chad and the “troglodytes” got too much. Also, I would have liked if we could have followed the grandparents vs. Robbie + Sawyer story through the pages.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad book, the basic concept was super, but I’m not sure I’d read it again.
The ARC copy was provided by GRR, and this is my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5⭐️
A mature story but filled with the goofball energy I’ve seen before in other books from these authors, and I’m here for it every time.
There are some serious topics within the story, but the angst is balanced well with humour and endearing relationships between both the MCs and with Sawyer and Imogen. It felt very grown-up despite the humour. The issues brought up were serious, and the writing made each character feel very real, even the teenagers.
Robbie comes across as down-to-earth, funny, and mature. Finn is flirty and fun. Stuck at a career crossroads and unsure of whether or not Robbie wants the same thing he does out of their relationship.
In the bedroom, Robbie changes completely and has Finn incapable of normal speech. Their dynamic was a surprise given what we had learned about them up until that point, but it just added to the fun. Any issues in the story are resolved quickly and we aren’t left with a ton of questions. Their relationship did also develop at speed but I found it didn’t bother me at all. When the heart knows what it wants why wait eh 🤷🏻♀️😆
I thought it was a funny and entertaining read, and I’m glad I got to read it in advance.
………………………………………………………….
I got an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest review.
A mature story but filled with the goofball energy I’ve seen before in other books from these authors, and I’m here for it every time.
There are some serious topics within the story, but the angst is balanced well with humour and endearing relationships between both the MCs and with Sawyer and Imogen. It felt very grown-up despite the humour. The issues brought up were serious, and the writing made each character feel very real, even the teenagers.
Robbie comes across as down-to-earth, funny, and mature. Finn is flirty and fun. Stuck at a career crossroads and unsure of whether or not Robbie wants the same thing he does out of their relationship.
In the bedroom, Robbie changes completely and has Finn incapable of normal speech. Their dynamic was a surprise given what we had learned about them up until that point, but it just added to the fun. Any issues in the story are resolved quickly and we aren’t left with a ton of questions. Their relationship did also develop at speed but I found it didn’t bother me at all. When the heart knows what it wants why wait eh 🤷🏻♀️😆
I thought it was a funny and entertaining read, and I’m glad I got to read it in advance.
………………………………………………………….
I got an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Another delightful read from Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James! I loved the setup of the Battle of the Blades (CBC deep cut?) style show, and Finn and Robbie were well developed in their personalities and ambitions. Sawyer was a delight to read, and brought a very true-to-life teenager vibe. The story moves quickly, and in typical Ashlyn & Morgan fashion, big misunderstandings are addressed quickly and properly (and not drawn out, which can happen in this genre).
I'd say that . Every side character was a delight, and Ashlyn and Morgan never fail to make characters who are merely on a few pages capture my attention (). My only other comment here is that
Thank you to Ashlyn and Morgan for the ARC.
I'd say that . Every side character was a delight, and Ashlyn and Morgan never fail to make characters who are merely on a few pages capture my attention (). My only other comment here is that
Thank you to Ashlyn and Morgan for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love these MCs! Robbie is a delight. He's funny with such a dad sense of humor. He's a weirdo and so comfortable with himself. He's an amazing dad to Sawyer, too. I love Finn, too. He's confident and kind. He's a great teacher and great with kids. Both are huge family men, which I love.
I enjoyed the setting of the reality tv competition and the meddling of the teens to get them there. I thought the ice dancing was fun and unique and gave them a reason to be forced together. their relationship was fun and the progression made sense. I love that both men were already comfortable with their sexualities and the pride parade was so fun!
The extra stress with the custody battle and the job changes added to the can't-put-this-down energy. I thought the feminization came a little out of nowhere and the storyline with Chad didn't really advance anything, but that's honestly the only very small complaints. Overall, the story was addicting. The spice was spicy. The characters were great. and I had a good time.
Notes: 2.5/5 spice levels, ice dancer/hockey player (goalie), reality tv, forced proximity, single guardian, trans rep (side character)
I enjoyed the setting of the reality tv competition and the meddling of the teens to get them there. I thought the ice dancing was fun and unique and gave them a reason to be forced together. their relationship was fun and the progression made sense. I love that both men were already comfortable with their sexualities and the pride parade was so fun!
The extra stress with the custody battle and the job changes added to the can't-put-this-down energy. I thought the feminization came a little out of nowhere and the storyline with Chad didn't really advance anything, but that's honestly the only very small complaints. Overall, the story was addicting. The spice was spicy. The characters were great. and I had a good time.
Notes: 2.5/5 spice levels, ice dancer/hockey player (goalie), reality tv, forced proximity, single guardian, trans rep (side character)
Review of advance copy
Super cute, sweet romance. This was my final read for 2025, and it was a really nice way to end the year. Retired hockey player, Robbie gets volunteered to compete in an ice dancing version of Dancing with the Stars. His partner ends up being Finn, who usually does choreography for the show, but steps in when Robbie's original lady partner breaks an arm. This sets Robbie and Finn up as the first same sex couple to compete on the show.
Sparks fly immediately between them during show performances, and custody issues with Robbie's nephew. I found the whole thing super interesting, even when it wasn't focusing on the romance.
I'd have given this 5 stars, but I didn't care for the sex talk when they were in bed. 'Babygirl' is right there in the title, though, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Lots of calling Finn 'girl' and 'babygirl' and 'princess', and the referring to 'boy parts' with 'lady part names' - kind of a turn off for me - I did end up skimming most of the spice. Even so, I really loved everything else about this book.
Sparks fly immediately between them during show performances, and custody issues with Robbie's nephew. I found the whole thing super interesting, even when it wasn't focusing on the romance.
I'd have given this 5 stars, but I didn't care for the sex talk when they were in bed. 'Babygirl' is right there in the title, though, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Lots of calling Finn 'girl' and 'babygirl' and 'princess', and the referring to 'boy parts' with 'lady part names' - kind of a turn off for me - I did end up skimming most of the spice. Even so, I really loved everything else about this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Standalone. Close proximity. Mature characters. Feminization. Found family. Dual POV.
Agreeing to be on the ice dancing reality show for charity was not on Robbie’s bucket list, but his retirement from hockey has left him with time to spare and a nephew to humor. Finn is paired with Robbie for the competition, not realizing right away that Finn’s sister and Robbie’s nephew had hoped they would meet.
I really enjoyed the strong sense of family both Finn and Robbie had, in different ways, but both are loyal to those important to them and make time to keep those relationships strong. The chemistry between them was instant and they clicked so well together, both in banter and in the bedroom. There are outside obstacles to overcome, but within the relationship Finn and Robbie are building there isn’t, which I really appreciated especially once they were on the same page as to being together long term. I feel like the song “Holding Out for a Hero” (mentioned in the book) embodies this story’s themes well and Robbie fit the bill. 4.5 rounded up
Agreeing to be on the ice dancing reality show for charity was not on Robbie’s bucket list, but his retirement from hockey has left him with time to spare and a nephew to humor. Finn is paired with Robbie for the competition, not realizing right away that Finn’s sister and Robbie’s nephew had hoped they would meet.
I really enjoyed the strong sense of family both Finn and Robbie had, in different ways, but both are loyal to those important to them and make time to keep those relationships strong. The chemistry between them was instant and they clicked so well together, both in banter and in the bedroom. There are outside obstacles to overcome, but within the relationship Finn and Robbie are building there isn’t, which I really appreciated especially once they were on the same page as to being together long term. I feel like the song “Holding Out for a Hero” (mentioned in the book) embodies this story’s themes well and Robbie fit the bill. 4.5 rounded up
Review of advance copy received from Author
Big thank you to the authors for this ARC for the first book from their new Silly Love Songs Press.
The vibe:
Very found family, wholesome supporting cast vibes. Retired Hockey goalie and semi retired ice dancer get paired up to be a same sex couple on Ice Dancing with the Stars* (*not its name in the book but its vibe). Also side plots of family issues, transphobia and homophobia too.
Pros:
- Loved the cast, loved the relationships between them all
- Various plots that were well intertwined and dealt with, with respect and grace
- Learnt a lot about Ice dancing which is very cool
- Love the Toronto setting
Cons:
- Would have loved to have seen more of the hockey team and Robbie’s friends from that world
- I personally felt like the step from friends to more between Robbie and Finn was super quick and out of the blue
- Random nitpick but I wanted to know what happened to Sawyer’s mother
The vibe:
Very found family, wholesome supporting cast vibes. Retired Hockey goalie and semi retired ice dancer get paired up to be a same sex couple on Ice Dancing with the Stars* (*not its name in the book but its vibe). Also side plots of family issues, transphobia and homophobia too.
Pros:
- Loved the cast, loved the relationships between them all
- Various plots that were well intertwined and dealt with, with respect and grace
- Learnt a lot about Ice dancing which is very cool
- Love the Toronto setting
Cons:
- Would have loved to have seen more of the hockey team and Robbie’s friends from that world
- I personally felt like the step from friends to more between Robbie and Finn was super quick and out of the blue
- Random nitpick but I wanted to know what happened to Sawyer’s mother
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Robbie (ex-NHL goaltender) and Finn (ex-Olympic ice dancer) are paired on a Dancing on Ice-style reality show that pairs ice hockey players with ice dancers. Sawyer is Robbie’s fourteen year old, trans nephew. Sawyer’s best friend is Imogen, Finn’s sister. The kids are up to some match-making.
The story starts as a sweet romance, so when Robbie and Finn first have sex the level of smut is quite jarring. I’m really not a fan of the ‘babygirl’ feminisation thing in MM. I read a lot of MM to get away from the kind of language that gets used by men about women and sex, so I don’t really want it in my MM reading.
There’s a sub-plot about custody and parental/grandparental rights, which was arguably the best bit of the story.
If I could have just had the romance (and family drama) that would have been fine, but the smut was not for me. My rating is purely based on that and so if it’s your kind of thing, give it a go.
Thanks to Ashlyn and Morgan for the ARC.
The story starts as a sweet romance, so when Robbie and Finn first have sex the level of smut is quite jarring. I’m really not a fan of the ‘babygirl’ feminisation thing in MM. I read a lot of MM to get away from the kind of language that gets used by men about women and sex, so I don’t really want it in my MM reading.
There’s a sub-plot about custody and parental/grandparental rights, which was arguably the best bit of the story.
If I could have just had the romance (and family drama) that would have been fine, but the smut was not for me. My rating is purely based on that and so if it’s your kind of thing, give it a go.
Thanks to Ashlyn and Morgan for the ARC.
Review of advance copy
The premise for this book is pure gold, and it has so many delightful elements: reality tv, ice dancing, hockey players, matchmaking teenagers with good hearts and endless snark, supportive friends and family of the bio and chosen variety. (Also some textbook villain family, because why not). That said, the whole is at times somehow less engaging than the sum of its parts here: Robbie and Finn are the least interesting characters in the cast and it can be difficult to pin down their the emotional chemistry— although to be fair the physical chemistry is there in spades (gentle note on their particular brand of spice: it’s their thing, and they’re super into it, so it’s not a background thing). Overall, I loved the idea of this story, liked most elements in practice, and will definitely be there if Sawyer and Imogen ever start a podcast.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
December 27, 2025
Ice Ice Babygirl is a really fun book right from the start. The premise is that Robbie's nephew Sawyer signed him up to compete in a ice dancing reality show competition and he ends up paired with Finn, who is coincidentally the older brother of Sawyer's best friend. Robbie, who is a recently retired NHL goalie, decides to just go with it. He and Finn are both very good natured and kind, and they really enjoy each other's company. One thing I've found about these authors is that somehow any time they write kids in the stories, those kids never end up being annoying. IDK how they do that because lots of authors try and fail lol. Altogether, I had a blast, though the book also deals with serious issues too (transphobia, homophobia, absentee parent, etc.). Robbie and Finn's bedroom dynamic wasn't my cup of tea, but in general I really liked how they worked together.
(I received a free advanced review copy from the authors.)
(I received a free advanced review copy from the authors.)
Review of advance copy received from Author
⛸️Ice Ice Babygirl by @ashlynkanebooks & @author.morganjames
4/5⭐️
4/5🔥
⛸️ As a retired NHL goalie, Robbie plans to spend his retirement figuring himself out, but his teenage nephew, who's more like a son to him than a nephew, has other plans and signs him up for an ice dancing reality TV that pairs hockey players with ice dancers, à la Dancing with the Stars (kinda). But when his assigned partner breaks her collarbone, the producers are forced to pair him up with Finn, the show's choreographer.
I loved the premise of the book; it felt so refreshing and original. The chemistry between Finn and Robbie was out of this world and was very clear from their very first meetings. It just made sense that they would spiral into a whirlwind of emotions and lust (and OMG if it was hot.) Again, in the spicy scenes, the chemistry between them bled through the pages, making very very captivating sex scenes. I also loved that both Finn and Robbie were both a older brother/father figure for the teenagers in their lives. And speaking of which, I lived for the chaotic energy that Sawyer and Imogen brought with them.
⛸️ (retired) hockey player x ice dancer
⛸️ ice dance partners
⛸️ forced proximity
⛸️ secret relationship
⛸️🔥 forced feminisation
I received an ARC copy from the authors in exchange for my honest review.
4/5⭐️
4/5🔥
⛸️ As a retired NHL goalie, Robbie plans to spend his retirement figuring himself out, but his teenage nephew, who's more like a son to him than a nephew, has other plans and signs him up for an ice dancing reality TV that pairs hockey players with ice dancers, à la Dancing with the Stars (kinda). But when his assigned partner breaks her collarbone, the producers are forced to pair him up with Finn, the show's choreographer.
I loved the premise of the book; it felt so refreshing and original. The chemistry between Finn and Robbie was out of this world and was very clear from their very first meetings. It just made sense that they would spiral into a whirlwind of emotions and lust (and OMG if it was hot.) Again, in the spicy scenes, the chemistry between them bled through the pages, making very very captivating sex scenes. I also loved that both Finn and Robbie were both a older brother/father figure for the teenagers in their lives. And speaking of which, I lived for the chaotic energy that Sawyer and Imogen brought with them.
⛸️ (retired) hockey player x ice dancer
⛸️ ice dance partners
⛸️ forced proximity
⛸️ secret relationship
⛸️🔥 forced feminisation
I received an ARC copy from the authors in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Omg! No seriously! It's the first day of the year! You can't give me my top read of the year on day 1, there's rules!
I cannot actually describe how quickly I fell into this book! Robbie, Finn, Sawyer and Imogen dream teamed chosen family and love above all else.
Sure there was some scheming on Imogen and Sawyer's part, but what else do you expect from 14 year olds?
I need to include some highlights so stop here if you need no spoilers
'Could you still sell children to wandering knights and the like?'
'Jesus God, was this kid gentle parenting him?'
"You have feelings! Heart feelings! Not just penis feelings!"
"Please. Imogen and I practically gift wrapped him for you and you still almost fucked it up."
I cannot actually describe how quickly I fell into this book! Robbie, Finn, Sawyer and Imogen dream teamed chosen family and love above all else.
Sure there was some scheming on Imogen and Sawyer's part, but what else do you expect from 14 year olds?
I need to include some highlights so stop here if you need no spoilers
'Could you still sell children to wandering knights and the like?'
'Jesus God, was this kid gentle parenting him?'
"You have feelings! Heart feelings! Not just penis feelings!"
"Please. Imogen and I practically gift wrapped him for you and you still almost fucked it up."
Review of advance copy received from Author
Man, how I smiled thru this book! I loved that the characters just fell into each other and embraced it. They were so realized already, but still grew together. The banter was excellent, the supporting characters were delightful, and the happy ending was so healing! I always love found families, especially by these authors, and this family went to bat hard for each other. Happy sigh. After this dark, shitty year, I can only hope all Sawyers have their Robbies.
Thanks always to the authors for the ARC! It never fails to be the highlight of my week to indulge in one of their books. Merry Christmas to meeee
Thanks always to the authors for the ARC! It never fails to be the highlight of my week to indulge in one of their books. Merry Christmas to meeee
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to GRR and the author for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.
4.5 stars
THIS was peak comedy. I don't think a book has made me laugh so much in a long time and I ate it up. The romance was adorable. The plot was so fun. Sawyer and Imogen were sweet angel babies who did nothing wrong ever in their entire lives (side eye) but they added such good comedic relief. There were difficult topics discussed, such as custody battles and homophobia, etc. But I feel that this book handled it well. I truly loved Robbie and Finn's story and I cannot wait for people to get their grabby hands on this book upon its release.
4.5 stars
THIS was peak comedy. I don't think a book has made me laugh so much in a long time and I ate it up. The romance was adorable. The plot was so fun. Sawyer and Imogen were sweet angel babies who did nothing wrong ever in their entire lives (side eye) but they added such good comedic relief. There were difficult topics discussed, such as custody battles and homophobia, etc. But I feel that this book handled it well. I truly loved Robbie and Finn's story and I cannot wait for people to get their grabby hands on this book upon its release.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews