The Old Pair

by Rachel M. Banks

At twelve, Anastasia Leighton has one dream: Olympic gold in partner ice dance. There’s just one problem: she doesn’t have a partner. That is, until James Scott comes crashing into her world. Scrawny, inexperienced, but full of determination, Jamie changes everything for Ana. Against all odds, they soar from underdogs to national darlings.
Their connection is undeniable—both on and off the ice.
But the spotlight has a cruel way of uncovering what was meant to stay hidden. And no bond, no matter how strong, is immune to the strain of fame.
It's been six years since Jamie walked out of her life, taking her heart with him. Now, at twenty-three, Ana returns to the Olympics with a new partner and one last shot at the gold.
So when Jamie arrives at the Games, Ana is forced to face everything she’s buried: the love they lost, the grief of her father’s death, and the mother who still blames her for the ruin of her own skating career.
Jamie has seven days to win Ana back.
Ana’s not sure she can make it through seven minutes with him.
The Old Pair is a sweeping second-chance romance about ambition, heartbreak, and the hardest move of all—forgiveness.

379 pages, Paperback

Reviews

[Madison Allshouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for the ARC copy! This was my first ARC read, and I truly loved it so much!

The Old Pair by Rachel M. Banks
5⭐️
429 pages
Spice level: closed-door
Language: some

⚠️Content warnings from the author: “This book contains mentions of OCD, anxiety, panic attacks, death of a family member, depression, excoriation disorder, also known as skin picking, which can be seen as a form of self-harm, and eating disorder behaviors. Reader’s discretion is advised.”

Tropes:
❄️Second chance
❄️Childhood best friends-to-lovers
❄️Ice skating partners
❄️He falls first and harder
❄️Found family
❄️“It was always you”
❄️Golden Retriever MMC x Black Cat FMC
❄️Mental health rep
❄️Healing and forgiveness

Wow, what a love story!!🫶🏻 I was gripped right from the start! The pacing was really cool; switching back and forth with chapters from the past and present. As a reader, it made me very invested in the characters! The author did a good job of giving you just enough information to keep you engaged without completely spoiling how the main characters got to where there are in the present timeline. I also LOVED that the chapter titles were song titles that corresponded with each chapter! I’m a sucker for tying music to literature😍 (you can find the list on Spotify or at the very back of the book!)

Friends-to-lovers and second chance romances can be hit or miss for me, but Ana and Jamie’s story was definitely a hit!💕 I loved these two star-crossed lovers; their story felt inevitable, and yet I was still nervous about the ending!! Because of the flashback timeline, we got to watch Ana and Jamie grow up together. There were moments where you could see the youth and immaturity in the characters and how they acted out of hurt, and then moments in the present timeline where growth and forgiveness sets them free. Seeing that character progression was satisfying and so sweet to watch!

The ending was just 🥹😭🩷 I loved it SO much! All the angst and struggle paid off and I was left smiling and oh so happy reading the epilogue!🥰 Seeing Ana and Jamie love each other so unconditionally despite the flaws and ugliest parts of themselves was so heartwarming and healing to read❤️‍🩹

“The Old Pair” is a great blend of romance, yearning, and angst - dealing with some heavier topics, while not feeling completely overwhelmed by them. It felt more like the book was truly about Ana and Jamie who happened to be flawed and have their own unique struggles, as opposed to the story revolving too much on their traumas. You could really feel the love the author had for these characters shine through in her writing🥹! If you love romance with the star-crossed feel, unapologetic yearning, sprinkled with some competitive drama; you’ll LOVE this story!🩵❄️

[isabella lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and for the most part it did not disappoint!!

i absolutely DEVOURED this, i had to know what was gonna happen!!! i thought the pacing was great, with the dual timeline (which i always love in a book), switching at the perfect times!

i looooved ana and jamie, both were such complex characters each with their own flaws and struggles which is truly what we need in books, especially with fictional sports people! great representation of mental health too i thought

i loved alex as a character and i always love when side characters are fully fleshed which i thought was done really well in this book!

for the most part it was a really really good balance of ana and jamie’s life and love with the figure skating, however towards the end i wish we could’ve seen more of the skating and especially more of the competing and the medal ceremony at the olympics!! we were following ana’s career and i feel like we were missing a major part of it

on a similar note, i wish the six missing years of ana and alex skating together was accounted for, again felt like a whole chunk of her career was missing and after following her whole journey it’s a shame to miss out on that. would’ve loved to see how their partnership started out with them training together and then also see them competing to see how they got to where they were at the olympics.

THE LETTERS!!!!!! one of my fave parts, tears were shed

i can tell a lot of research went into this however there were a couple of mistakes/discrepancies with the research with things that i think could be found out and fixed quite easily. for example, they were ice dancers but there were mentions of jumps and spins that are only done by pairs skaters (axels, death spirals etc). similarly there were mentions of the medal being given after the rhythm dance, or it being their first performance but it was their free dance - rhythm is always first and free always second. these could’ve been fixed very easily, and this was the main thing that bothered me!!

while i liked the ending, it did fall a little flat for me and wasn’t as satisfying as it could’ve been. the whole religious bit in the epilogue felt like it came from nowhere??? felt really out of place

overall, i really enjoyed this book, and while i think there’s a lot of fine tuning that could’ve been done i do think this was a great figure skating romance, and the closest thing i’ve found to the favourites, which is what i’ve wanted to find after loving that book so much. definitely wanted a bit more from this though which is why it couldn’t be 5 stars for me. gorgeous book though!!

thank you so much to the author for the arc!! so happy to have been able to read this early (and ahead of winter olympics!!)

[⋆˚࿔ Luiza 𝜗𝜚˚⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

•°. ❝ My life didn't begin until I met you, and it ended when I lost you. ❞ *࿐

✎ᝰ. ★★★★★ ∞ stars
✎ᝰ. 0/5 spice level (closed-door)
✎ᝰ. tropes:
𝜗𝜚 childhood best friends to lovers
𝜗𝜚 second chance romance
𝜗𝜚 he falls first and harder
𝜗𝜚 fake dating
𝜗𝜚 dual timeline
𝜗𝜚 black cat x golden retriever
𝜗𝜚 slow burn
𝜗𝜚 mental health rep

˗ˏˋ ꒰ ✉︎ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

First of all, I would like to thank the author, Rachel M. Banks, for giving me the wonderful opportunity to read this ARC. This is one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it was truly an honor to receive an early copy.

I am in absolute shock that this is a debut novel, as this was one of those six-star reads where every single aspect of the book feels absolutely perfect. I am completely in awe of the writing, the plot, and the character development, as well as the storyline and how beautifully the dual timeline was constructed. It allows us to fully connect with the main characters and their inner conflicts, making the slow burn a hundred times more impactful.

I think anyone who enjoys sports romances, especially ice skating ones, will be obsessed with Ana and Jamie’s story. I loved seeing their connection grow stronger over time, showcasing how real and raw their love is, as well as how it is affected by outside forces such as fear, childhood psychological abuse, and media pressure. Most of all, I loved how the story shows that when two people are meant to be together, they can overcome any obstacle as long as they continue to choose one another.

When it comes to side characters, Alex was my absolute favorite. He is so charismatic, funny, loyal, and truly the best friend anyone could ask for. I sincerely hope we get to see his happy ending in a future book, along with more of Ana and Jamie, because there is never such a thing as too much of them.

The Old Pair is a beautiful story about finding your soulmate when everything seems lost, healing from your past, and becoming the person you were always meant to be. It is a story of pain, loss, grief, trauma, healing, love, friendship, and forgiveness, reminding us that no matter how dark life becomes, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

•°. ❝ Then you came along, and suddenly, it was like the color began to come back. The lights turned back on, and I felt like there was hope again. I wasn't dying anymore. Someone could finally see me. They could see the blood and the mess, and they didn't turn away ❞ *࿐

✎ᝰ. trigger warnings (possible spoilers): OCD, anxiety, panic attacks, death of a family member, depression, self-harm (excoriation disorder/skin picking), and eating disorder

[Oboeyoudidnt · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW⭐️

🙌AMAZING WONDERFUL HEARTFELT ROMANCE WHERE U WILL BAWL UR EYES OUT ONE SECOND AND WISH SO BADLY FOR TWO PEOPLE TO BE TOGETHER❤️

Just finished the book and wow... I was so excited and thankful to have received the ARC of this book but tbh I had no expectations of what to expect. This book was anything but linear it was heartfelt in ways I didnt expect, touched on subjects that hit so close to home, and ended with a love that was always meant to be. Gonna start by saying that as a person with a narcissistic parent reading about it was more difficult than I imagined and all the things Ana experienced I resonated so deeply with. The way her anxiety and panic attacks were depicted were so relatable and honestly im glad they were included in the storyline. I loved the time jumps from the past to the present they helped the story feel so rounded like there was never a moment that felt like it was never covered. I really loved how as children Ana and Jamie had so much love and understanding for each other genuinely felt like i was alex at times and being a fan on the sidelines rooting for their relationship. I CRIED SO MANY TIMES IN THIS BOOK!!!! The amount of times I said "this book is actually really sad" so many times and not to mean it as a bad thing! ITS GOOD TO FEEL... But man when Ana would talk about her dad and Jamie would comfort her bro when Ana was in the locker and she said "hi dad" I BAWLED MY EYES OUT😭 there were so many emotional scenes in this book so again this book is anything but linear it has so many raw moments that as a reader u cant help but feel for the characters. So to anyone that wants to read it it READ IT! As an avid romantasy reader its nice to switch it up and this book was such a good breath of fresh air🥺 expect to cry, to feel frustrated by the characters *remember they are teenagers and think about the decisions and ur decision making skills at that age* and be prepared to hope and want for two people to be together so BADLY!!! Its gonna hurt in the beginning but just power through and u will be so happy u stuck around for the end ❤️

[Auliyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. God. The moment I heard this was inspired by (or based on) Valeriy and Vasilisa, I knew I HAD to read it. I honestly never expected to actually get the ARC, so I didn’t even realize I had it until yesterday... (yes I’m not a very optimistic person…) Butt I’m incredibly thankful to the author for giving me the chance to read this, because this book is literally golden.

But to be honest despite how eager I was to start, I was also kind of scared because of the plot and the angst, especially since it kind of reminded me of The Favorites (which, to this day, I still haven’t finished… yes, I’m a coward, I really need to get back to it). But thank God I pushed myself to start, because wow, this was so much different from what I expected.

Yes, it has TONS of angst (which is really not my best moment), along with misunderstandings and all that, but THE YEARNINGG OMFG, Jamie and Ana are exactly the kind of couple I’ve been looking for (minus the separation 💔). Banks did such an amazing job with the “soulmate” trope, it doesn’t feel forced, rushed, or doomed (like The Favorites.. 😔). You can truly feel the genuineness, the care, and the love that emanate from Jamie and Ana, there’s no pride or ego, it’s just them wanting and needing each other so much, because really they’re not just lovers, they’re something more. They’re best friends. They’re soulmates.

And don’t even get me started on Ana’s relationship with her mom. It’s so painfully realistic that if I were in Ana’s place, I wouldn’t know whether to hate her or give her another chance either. And the Scotts, I really need to see more of them with Ana 😭🤧💗 And I would love to read idk some bonus chapters about Ana and Jamie after the Olympics maybeee, because really I am HUNGRY for their moments 😭😭 like I need moreee of them just them.

[Kaitlyn Mahone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author who selected me for an ARC. I literally finished this story within hours. I stayed up way past my bedtime and finished it earlier in the (daytime) morning.
I ate this story up. This debut novel was really great. I loved Banks’s writing style. She made it very easy to follow. I sometimes struggle with the back and forth of a duel timeline, but this was written well. The characters are super relatable and are actually flawed. You empathize/sympathize with these characters and sometimes dislike their choices, but that’s what makes them so enjoyable and relatable. I also love how Banks wrote about true forgiveness. Sometimes truly forgiving somebody can the hardest thing to do, and I struggle with that. So, you can imagine how I felt reading about a character who struggles with forgiveness.
I have never read an ice skating novel before, so this was a super fun change in my reading tastes.
I highly recommend the novel. I absolutely loved it. I loved the characters, the plot, the writing, the banter, the diverse representation, and the ending.
Phenomenal debut novel! 💕

[Amanda Arguijo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of The Old Pair, and this book honestly surprised me in the best way! going in, the premise felt familiar, but the author adds so much emotional depth that it never follows a predictable cadence. the balance between the sport and romance is really well done, and from the start you’re rooting for these characters - you want them to find their way back to each other.

this story is so full of delicious emotional crumbs that kept my heart in my throat. everyone is written with such relatable characteristics that they’re impossible not to love. the dual timeline is especially strong, we move seamlessly between past and present, building the story in a way that makes every chapter feel important. even the miscommunication trope was handled thoughtfully, shaped by timing, pressure, and circumstances.

I was emotionally invested the entire time, piecing together what went wrong, while desperately hoping the characters could finally have the conversations they needed. for a debut, this writing is confident, thoughtful, and immersive. this is absolutely a book I’ll be recommending!

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been seeing this book all over TikTok and have to say I was more than excited to read it. When I saw that there were applications to get an ARC I had to instantly sign up. When I was actually chosen to be an ARC reader I was thrilled.

Rachel has given me the chance to be an early reader for my honest opinion so here we go.

The old pair is based on her love for a pair of skaters TikTok obsessed over. Having seen their shorts before I even heard of this book I personally thought wow, what a great romance that would make! And lo and behold here came Rachel, granting our wishes with Ana and Jamie.

Fans of The Favorites book will love this book as well. The dual storyline keeps readers engaged. I found myself with tears in my eyes, grumbling angrily at some of the choices, hating certain characters, rooting for certain situations and more.

Can we get a book about Alex? He will definitely be a fan favorite! Amazing supporting character here. I know that this ARC is not enough for me and I will be getting the special edition book.

Fans of romance, skating and the what could have happened will love this book. DO read the trigger warnings though. Rachel did well covering them.

I highly recommend The Old Pair and look forward to the next book Rachel decides to write!

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

.ೃ࿔*:･ ARC REVIEW .ೃ࿔*:･
4/5 🌟

In this book, we follow the story of James and Anastasia from when they meet at age 12, how their friendship evolves, the figure skating tournaments, and most importantly, their relationship. But there's a problem: they haven't seen each other for six years, and Anastasia isn't ready to forgive James so quickly. First, she has to deal with her own issues and know that James regrets what he did. Will they be able to talk things through and forgive each other?

——————————————————————————

En este libro vamos a ir viendo la historia de James y Anastasia desde que se conocen a los 12 años, como evoluciona su amistad, los torneos de patinaje artistico y lo que es mas importante, su relación. Pero hay un problema, llevan 6 años sin verse y Anastasia no está dispuesta a perdonar a James tan rapido, primero tiene que lidiar con sus problemas y saber que James se arrepiente de lo que hizo, conseguirán hablar las cosas y perdonarse?

[Kirsten Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

arc review!
hello this book was genuinely perfect!! childhood friends to lovers, dual timeline, he fell first and harder, grumpy x sunshine, found family, second chance romance, healing journey! never felt like just a trope dump but had so many good tropes! also can we talk about how every chapter had a song!! the most PERFECT skating romance between two partners and exploring their past and what happened to break their partnership. this story was genuinely so well written and the characters grew throughout the story. the fmc ana had her imperfect moments but grew and matured in so many ways. and the mmc alex is legit a golden retriever. the side characters were perfect and truly added to the story in so many ways. genuinely LOVED this book!!!!!

[Megan Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ ARC Review ✨

This was a beautiful second-chance love story that completely captured my heart. I read it in one day because I truly could not put it down. The Old Pair is a stunning ice skating romance filled with emotion, depth, and so much heart.

The character development is incredible, and the story is layered with longing, growth, and the quiet ache of “what could have been.” It explores heartbreak, loss, betrayal, and the kind of friendship that lingers even when everything changes, as well as that deep, haunting yearning for the life you thought you were going to have.

📖 The Old Pair releases February 20th — and if you love second-chance romances, emotional storytelling, and stories that stay with you long after you finish, this one deserves a spot at the top of your TBR. 💙⛸️

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was very lucky to be chosen as an arc reader for this book and i loved it. it is beautiful and i was completely consumed by it.
we go back and forth between past and present from anas point of view. its not exactly every other chapter but it is linear. i thought that was really fun and it just makes a lot of sense for this story to be told that way.
i felt that all the characters were fleshed out and had their own motivations and reasonings.
there was a lot that made me think of other fictional relationships with was so much fun because none of them are similar really but i was finding bellamy and peeta and gilbert and cardan and it was wonderful, like a culmination of my teenage loves.
i think this was a wonderful debut novel and i cant wait to see where she goes from here!

[jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow did this book have my crying! this was the detention of friend to strangers to lover and i loved every aspect of it 🙂‍↕️. I felt every range of emotion reading this and i love when a book can do that. i really loved how i was able to at times really feel frustrated with our fmc and then a few pages later understand why she did and acted the way she did. i really loved our mmc and how much he loved our fmc. i will say that i didn’t love the reason for their fall out BUTTTTT they were teenagers and i can totally see that being a very realistic conflict for them. overall this book is a must read and i can’t wait for it to be out for everyone to enjoy!!

[Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

ARC review — as always, all opinions are my own.

This was such a cute, heartwarming read. I honestly didn’t expect to connect with these characters as deeply as I did, but they completely surprised me. This was also a big jump from my usual reads since it’s a closed-door romance, and yet I was hooked from the very beginning.

The banter was adorable, the plot was engaging, and overall it was just the cutest story. One of those books that sneaks up on you and leaves you smiling long after you finish. 💕

thank you, Rachel for the ARC!

[Alyson Brummund]

I don’t have words for how much I love this book! It’s just what I needed! The perfect iceskating romance with dual timelines. I honestly have read a better written dual timeline trope. It’s so fresh and engaging. It kept me hooked through the whole book and wasn’t predictable! I am obsessed with Jamie and Ana! I lost count of how much I highlighted! Also Alex was one of my fav characters! Everything was perfection!

[Abby Edmondson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was everything I imagined and more. It was a beautiful story about love, forgiveness, and second chances. I could not put it down. It kept me invested page after page. The chapter titles being songs that the author associated with that chapter was golden. Wonderful closed-door romance with burning tension. I loved the fluency disorder representation. The book does address some sensitive topics, so check the trigger warnings if you are sensitive to certain topics.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author that I was able to read this an a ARC. I had never read an ice skating romance And it didn’t disappoint! Best friends to lovers and second chance romances are some of my fav and Ana and Jamie’s romance was as beautiful as it was heartbreaking at times. What a wonderful ending and such a good depute novel!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this book and I devoured it in less than a day. I really enjoyed Ana & Jamie’s story. I loved the representation of Ana and her struggles with her mental health. I loved that the pace wasn’t slow with it being a dual timeline. Overall, a really lovely story, and I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to read before its release.

[C Lou Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crikey, I think I need a minute to gather my thoughts after absolutely inhaling this book. I’ve sobbed my entire way through it. I’m gobsmacked.

[Veronica LVE · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m going to be completely honest with all of you readers out there {ARC review}

Tropes (Overloaded):
• Second chance
• FMC Olympic Skater X MMC Hockey Player
• Fake dating (TV, broadcast.. pop culture you name it)
• Friends to “what are we” to strangers and to lovers
• Slow burn (way too slow, too repetitive)
• Coming to age
• Comforting ending (HEA)
• NO SPICE


CW in book but if you are sensitive to eating disorders, depression, death, narcissistic abuse. I suggest you check my review before reading so to give you a heads up what you will be diving in.


Things in the book I don’t see anything close to:
��� Religion - hear me out this book will claim depression and yes this book does comfort in the way you also experience in your life but it’s not a clean romance. This book has cursing and S slurs so I would recommend 17+. I wouldn’t recommend YA reading this… it will be a bit too much based on the amount of just content being overly dense.
• The plot - plot is repetitive, it just is the same as for half of the book you will read they were young… most importantly you’ll get annoyed with the word “cameras” like yeah I get it’s a reality tv show but for me I would just get straight to the point and no need to repeat over and over how the media causes problems.
• Spice? - no spice but it’s also not clean romance to be marketed as religious because there is one scene where he just touches under her shirt so it is closed door but I am missing that spice with books I read and this just doesn’t have it.
• MISCOMMUNICATION!!!! - HIGHLY DID NOT ENJOY, worst it’s 6 years already and my heart breaks for Jamie bc why wait 6 years when she did nothing to reach out absolutely You can’t think of something else besides miscommunication bc it did ruined this whole book. You would not see a single character that Ana cared for Jamie.
• Pace - slow but there is too much drama with every single trope you can think of and it clashes with the main trope which is fake dating along with the FMC mom being strict with FMC love life.. while Jamie holds of confronting Ana. But hey I did not enjoy the random tropes it just ruined what was supposed to be the purpose of this book in general. It’s like you try to be different in writing a book but you just end up writing same old trope used too much times and just combine all those into a book.
• Yearning - At almost at the end you’ll be rewarded with Jamie expressing his yearning for many years and to be honest with you he could have done much better if he choose the right choice.
• Romance - Mixed up, how you define “what are we” to fake dating to Jamie confessing… you sure this is a disaster? Yes it was overstimulation to even make it though that part of the book.
• CW - Beware there is topics as Ana’s dad in this book, Ana having a panic attack, toxic relationship with FMC Mom about the ice skating and diets. About that age Ana saw her dad that time and neglect.
• Neurodiverse - I don’t think FMC is neurodiverse to me she just scratches her hand and I think the FMC is just as me like I just won’t talk to anyone and just be isolated and yeah I can relate to some parts of the book about thoughts being alone but some are I’m very confused.




Final thoughts:

I didn’t enjoy reading this as much as the last book I read that was about yearing but even if these books were a different story based on a career and turns into a fight of flight with feelings involved… it’s a disaster no matter what you say with books overly written without slurs or cursing. I have to admit I thought this book was religious and I learned after reading last chapter it was inspirational but not like a great one just non religious I guess?. This book was dragged way too long for this drama, I didn’t care about the plot anymore bc I got bored as it went on and on problems could have been solved but I guess we all need to read the same thing again.

I did cry eventually but it was rage bait! 3 times I cried like you can’t do this to me then read something else, and maybe I’m just overly sensitive to MMC moving on but that’s a trigger for me like you just can’t do this. Not after Sam was here which i don’t recommend reading bc it’s too sad and it’s ridiculous to just ruin a good story and just not unique enough.

Yes it was about the tiktok skate couple that I got hooked to read but in my opinion it’s another love story that actually should have just had that email.

[Begum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just finished The Old Pair, and I got so much to talk about! But first, I want to thank Rachel M. Banks for giving me the opportunity to be an ARC reader, as I felt truly lucky and grateful to have this amazing book as my first ARC copy ever. So, without further ado, I want to share my opinion on this masterpiece.

At no point does this book feel like a debut novel. It feels more like this is her tenth book or more. The writing style, the character building, plot building, and the execution of the whole book were so well done.

Usually in romance books that includes some sort of sport, it is heavily based on sports as well, and the terminology, the language, the character interactions feel too much sporty. But this book isn’t one of them. Even though Rachel Banks didn’t have prior experience in pair skating, she gathered information and has done research well, but that doesn’t overwhelm the reader in any way. It flows smoothly with the characters and still focuses on the character development and their lives more than just the pair skating itself. The book reflects the burdens of fame and athletic lifestyle effectively without suffocating the reader with a ton of new words and information. The only critic I could make (as a non-pair skater), was that the last competition scene where it was Ana’s dream to skate for, could’ve been explored more, reflecting her emotions and motions of that specific moment. But aside from that, everything else regarding the pairing of skating and romance elements were executed in the best way possible, in my humble opinion.

Character development was immense in this book. Rachel Banks put trigger warnings and topics that people might feel sensitive to in the beginning of the book, so I highly suggest reading the trigger warnings first. Even though the topics and what the female main character Ana went through were heavy, it never feels like Ana is reverting. She shows clear growth and maturity as the ages go by, and she never annoys the reader by making some dumb decisions after all the growth. You follow her journey from past to the present, and it all feels linear, not regressing. What she goes through is heartbreaking with her mom, but it never feels too whiny or emotional to make you stop reading or stop rooting for her. And oh my god, my dear Jamie, he handles her so kindly and thoughtfully. He never gives you a reason to dislike him. Miscommunication in this book doesn’t even feel like miscommunication, it is written so well that you agree with what has happened on both sides, and you keep your compassion for these characters instead of feeling fury towards them. So, you can go into this book, trusting the process, without the fear of a ridiculous, not meaningful third-act breakup and miscommunication.

To sum up my thoughts, this book is one of those romance/contemporary fiction books that is worth reading if you like childhood best friends to lovers, with a hint of resentment that resolves as the characters grow and forgive. The dynamics, the character development, the plot—it won’t disappoint you. Do not expect to find a mystery book inside about what happened to their relationship, it is pretty much foreseeable, but not in a boring way. You still root for these characters that you want to keep reading, and you’ll feel proud of them in the end.

I wish Rachel Banks the best of luck in this chapter of her life, publishing her first book! She deserves the best in her career, and I hope more people can meet Ana and Jamie and love them as much as I did.

[Isabelle Gorton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 10 stars (If goodreads had a 10 star rating)
*Arc Read - honest review

Tropes:
- Second chance romance
- Best friends to lovers
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Duel timeline

Favourite quote:
"but great loves didn't always mean forever loves."

I am in awe, I cannot express how much I just devoured The Old Pair! I am in love with everything about the book, the yearning, the lesson on forgiveness, the love. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your ARC team.

I have never highlighted so many sentences from a book in my life. There were so many sentences filled with yearning and love. The Old Pair showed how just because you love someone doesn't mean that you are the right person for them at the time. This novel showed that we all make mistakes, we all hold onto anger, but if we are willing to make the effort and find forgiveness that we can learn to stop getting in our own way.

Ana and Jamie were such relatable characters. Neither were perfect, they each had their flaws, and their insecurities that they had to work through. Their character development throughout the novel was amazingly written.

I cannot wait to have the special edition physical copy in my hands. I just know that the illustrations and attention to detail are going to leave me in further awe of Rachel's talent.