About to Bloom

On The Brink #1

by Ash Jackson

Mathéo “Théo” Beaubien is a Chinese French Canadian figure skater, former prodigy turned cautionary tale. After a very public collapse, he flees Toronto’s pressure cooker for his brother’s spare bedroom in Chicago—Avery Beaubien, a rising hockey star for the Chicago Frost. He’s supposed to get his life back on track. Instead, he wears indifference like armour, turns deflection into an art, and keeps everyone at arm’s length.

Derek "Sully" Sullivan is the guy everyone counts on—alternate captain, locker room leader, the steady hand in a crisis. But after a career-threatening injury and a broken engagement, steady is the last thing he feels. It’s his comeback season. He’s supposed to be finding his footing. Instead, he’s losing it to his teammate’s younger brother—a prickly figure skater with a bad attitude and walls a mile high.

Théo isn’t looking to be saved—especially not by his brother’s teammate. Falling for Derek was never part of the plan. But some walls are meant to be climbed and some people are stubborn enough to try.

A MM romance with hurt/comfort, bi awakening, opposites attract, redemption, found family, and love that shows up. Interconnected standalone, dual POV.

Genres: M M Romance, Hockey, Sports, Romance, Sports Romance, Contemporary, Found Family

351 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2026

About the author

Ash Jackson grew up just outside of Chicago’s Chinatown and now calls the suburbs home, where she lives with her high school sweetheart—now husband of over 16 years—and their three endlessly energetic boys. Ash is a lifelong storyteller and romantic at heart.

When she’s not writing, she’s usually baking things her kids won’t eat, knitting yet another scarf that she won’t wear, or binge watching six seasons of a show instead of committing to a three hour movie.

Reviews

[Kati *☆･ﾟ]

edit: i just saw the numerous AI accusations for this book/author and i will clear my rating until i know more about it. no credits for any outside-sources like the cover art should’ve made me suspicious in the first place but i simply didn’t look at the copyright page before diving in.




4**** stars
Derek & Théo


ugh. this was so heartwarming. i genuinely loved reading it. And with Derek being a gentle giant hockey player and Théo being a standoffish but skittish brat, severely broken by his career in figure skating, these two also gave me one of my favorite dynamics to read.

I used to think I was broken beyond repair. Turns out I was just waiting for the right person to help me find the pieces.

what was a bit weird to read were these noticeable repetitions and sometimes even very similar sounding paragraphs. as if the author wrote an argument, then found a place for it and forgot to rewrite the previous one.

but besides that, very recommended. i’m very excited for the second book featuring Nico, Théo’s ex-boyfriend who broke under the pressure and circumstances right alongside him.


*************
On the Brink Series

Book 1 - About to Bloom - 4.0 stars
Book 2 - About to Fall - tbr

[Lily Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look at this cover! First of all that is what drew me in. I had to read the blurb. The blurb was excellent so I decided to take a chance on a new to me author and I am so happy I did!

Love is blooming on the ice and off! Both Mathéo and Derek are broken but they are putting themselves back together. Derek has been betrayed by his fiancé and best friend (this is at the start of the book so I don’t think it’s a spoiler) and Théo had a breakdown after a skating competition which was the result of many things. Théo needs to get away from Toronto so he moves in with his brother in Chicago. His brother Avery is on the Frost, Chicago’s hockey team.

When Derek and Théo meet there is definitely a spark but once Théo agrees to dog sit Derek’s sweet dog Aspen they get to know each other and something starts growing. The parts with Aspen were so fun!

Derek watched Théo practice at the ring in the mornings and he becomes so obsessed with him and his skating. He really fell fast and he was only ever with his ex-fiancé who was a woman. I loved that he had no qualms about his feelings for Théo. That was basically a non-issue.

Théo’s story is hard. He tries to stay aloof and he doubts that he can skate again and then he doubts he can be in a relationship without ruining it. He had such a great support system. The side characters were amazing and added so much to the story! Sabrina is the best best friend, Hana is so amazing, Avery is a supporting and loving brother and the other hockey players were great too! And shoutout to
Théo’s mom and new coach!

I think there are two reasons why I’m giving this 4 stars instead of 5. First was “daddy” being part of the intimate scenes. It took me by surprise and I didn’t think it fits. It’s not a huge part of the story though. The second thing was the last few chapters dragged a bit and when Derek was on the receiving end it was so rushed. Those are my only two reasons I am not giving this 4 stars but it’s so close to 5 stars!

I hope we get more stories in this world! Ash Jackson is a strong writer and I was impressed.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Monikat · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL.THE.STARS
✨✨✨✨✨🪄✨✨✨✨✨

Hello Ash Jackson.
I loved this book. Full in its simplicity. A story I couldn't stop reading. A hurt/comfort story between a beautiful dark cloud and a strong hurt golden retriever. Plus, hockey and ice skating, what's not to love?!!!
A gorgeous healing story!!

*To read again
* To buy the physical copy

[Demi Goddess Solis · Rating 1 out of 5]

sigh-So I read this book. Was it perfect? No. Did I enjoy it? Honestly, yeah. I sat down, wrote a thoughtful little review, patted myself on the back, and moved on with my life.

Then I made the mistake of checking the author on Instagram.

Y'ALL.

AI. SLOP. Everywhere

So now I'm side-eyeing this entire reading experience. Did I bond with a human or did I just emotionally invest in ChatGPT's side project?

[Theodore · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 19%

Derek's first chapter was pretty good. Not too much explicit exposition and showed good emotions. Honestly wished he blew up a bit more at his cheating partner, but that's just a personal pref.

Theo's was similarly decent. Showing his weird relationship with his brother plus his true feelings about moving was good. The blurb for the book has them mixed up though since it mentions Theo first, but the first chapter is actually about Derek, so I kinda got them mixed up there for a second.

Both of their following chapters unfortunately felt a bit too expodump-y. I feel like much of what Derek and Theo told us via internal monologue could've been better shown via action. Derek's insecurity over aging and being replaced could've shown up as he showed more fatigue/anxiety during a game after being benched in favor of Avery. Theo's history with his trainer, Renaud, could've been shown with a potential trainer showing themselves to be part of "Renaud's cult" instead of just having it come out via a random text message. His mental health struggles could've been shown through an aversion to hearing about Adderall or being overly attentive about what he ate (kinda happened, but should've been more emphasized). Literally anything to show these core problems rather than just vomiting it out via internal monologues.

Also wasn't really a fan of how much focus Avery got from both sides. Super weird having a side character get so much backstory. I know he's going to be the link that connects Derek and Theo but I don't think his dynamics with each of them needed to be fleshed out quite so hard since it just made the story seem like it was going to be about Derek and Theo's relationship with him rather than each other.

Who the hell was Hana and why was there a chapter wasted on introducing her when she only had tangential connection to the romance and MCs? Again, SO weird for the story to put focus on side characters and not on either Derek or Theo's personal problems or dynamic.

Derek just telling Theo about something he hadn't told anybody else was almost good, if it had been justified properly. I wasn't a fan of Theo just trauma dumping on this stranger (Derek) when he was supposed to be "keeping everybody at arm's length" as per the blurb, so them using the excuse that they bonded via their problems felt like it was contrived. Should've just used the excuse that it's easier to offload heavy things on strangers that don't have expectations of you to justify things. Them being drunk was kinda OK, but lazy particularly since this was literally their second time meeting and the story hadn't yet established a status quo between the two that needed alcohol to disrupt.

Theo saying he didn't know why he agreed to pet sit was similarly lazy. I absolutely hate it when characters pull the "omg, idk why I just acted completely out of character" schtick because more often than not, it's just the author choosing to make a character break their character without giving an actual reason for it. If someone acts contrary to what they're characterized as, it needs a clear reason for us readers even if it's not immediately obvious to the character themselves. I have absolutely zero idea why Theo offered to pet sit for a stranger that he explicitly said he was trying to avoid other than "because the author wrote it that way" and that's super annoying.

"Theo didn't give his trust away. He made you work for it." Uhh, how exactly did Derek make that value judgement on Theo's character when they'd literally only spoken like three times (and only once where the concept of trust even makes sense AND Theo did actually trust Derek enough to trauma dump)? Absolutely ZERO reason for Derek to think that he knew Theo enough to know that his trust was hard-earned.

I gave up when Derek's dog, Aspen, was apparently "easy to take care of" directly contradicting Derek's earlier statement that Aspen was uncomfortable around strangers. Why even say the dog had anxiety around people it didn't know ("eaten an entire throw pillow when I'd left him with a neighbor for four hours") if it wasn't going to be an issue for Theo (aka guy the dog only met once aka STRANGER).

It's a small thing to DNF on, but after all my small nits AND the "idk why I did that" thing Theo pulled, this book was already on thin ice. That contradiction was just the straw that broke the camel's back for me. 2 stars.

[Hallie Foran · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 33%

I was really liking this book. There was some of the best prose in a romance book I had seen so far. But then a few things tripped me up as it maybe being AI written or proofread by AI. Originally I kept reading because I felt so bad if it wasn’t AI and the author was receiving unnecessary criticism. But then I looked into the Author. She has published 4 books in less than a year, and every profile of her (good reads, Amazon, her website, and her Instagram) has the same headshot, which seems drawn or something? But there is no art credit given. On her Instagram all posts have the same template of a bit of the writing that is highlighted with art with no credit. I would love to operate on a “innocent until proven guilty” basis but it robbed be the wrong way and I felt uncomfortable moving forward. Please make your own decisions. I would love to return to the book if it is proven to be written by a person and I’ll fix this review.

[Kathleen Lanman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just meh. It had the stink of AI all over it.

The bulk of the story was about Theo’s mental health. The relationship felt too quick and easy. Theo is broken and struggling, and Derek has no personality other than nice guy who is perfect and supportive.

Also, if Theo is all but living at Derek’s, spending most nights there, why is Avery clueless about the fact Theo is seeing someone? And since the only person he spends time with is Derek and occasionally Hana, and Theo is openly gay, how hard is it to figure it out? Avery is portrayed as painfully stupid.

Oh, and I really, really hate the “daddy” stuff. This is the kind of thing that makes me hate age gap romance.

[Nate · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
This needs some editing. Sometimes it felt like the characters were repeating themselves again and again. Some descriptions felt unnecessary and out of place. Good story overall though.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good. I liked the plot and the characters.

Derek was a golden retriever sort of character. Loyal, caring, kind. He fell pretty quickly and had no trouble with his bi-awakening. Theo had an awful relationship with skating. It both held him up and brought him down. His story was one of resilience. They were a very cute couple and I’m glad that side of things, at least, was easy for them both.

But I think it needed further editing. There are discussions and actions between characters that felt repeated. Also, if I read the sentence ‘He smelled like……. and something underneath that was just Derek.’ I might go mad! I think it was in there at least five times and it’s not just this author it’s all the time. I think it’s pretty clear that people are going to smell like themselves??

It was still enjoyable, it gave me Yuri on Ice vibes, and I’m hoping book two is about Nico.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was... fine. I'm sitting here not really knowing how to review this book because it left me with so few real feelings. It's not bad by any means, but it was kind of bland and generic. All the colour in this book comes from Theo, an Olympic-hopeful figure skater whose life is in a tailspin, so he moves from Toronto to Chicago to stay with his professional hockey player brother while he sorts himself out. There he meets Derek, alternate captain of his brother's team and all-round super nice guy. Derek has also come out of a rough patch, in which he ended a 10-year relationship with a woman and recovered from serious injury, but then becomes lowkey obsessed with his teammate's brother after meeting him once.

Theo is the black cat to Derek's golden retriever. He is prickly, proud and damaged. And Derek laps that shit up. I feel like Derek is a bit of a paper doll in that he is just like super kind and supportive, and his whole thing is being there for Theo, while having zero personality of his own. I found him profoundly boring. Their chemistry felt forced, and Derek's absolute lack of introspection regarding his sudden attraction to a man felt unrealistic. He was too perfect. He felt like a projection of what all people who feel unlovable want.

This may have worked better as a rom-com, but as it was dealing with some really heavy topics, it actually felt kind bleak and humourless. I don't know, I didn't dislike it, there's nothing offensive about it at all, but it just didn't light up the part of my brain that loves romance. Some fundamental spark was missing. I guess better luck next time.

[Val]

DNF chapter 1
Reason - Derek was in love with his ex girlfriend. She cheated on him with his best friend. I don’t like when an MMC has been in love before.

“I had loved Mackenzie Porter since we were sophomores at Ponderosa High School—a decade of my life wrapped up in one person. She’d been there through all of it. The D-1 scholarship. Getting drafted by the Chicago Frost. We were supposed to get married that summer. Another milestone checked off, another thing we’d do together.”

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

So, this is the story of Derek (28, hockey player) and Theo (21, figure skater). A year ago, Derek caught his fiancee, who he'd been with for a decade, in bed with his best friend and on his way out he tripped and tore his ACL. Theo suffers from mental illness and eating disorder, was training too much, and taking Adderall to keep his energy up, and after one competition he passed out in front of everyone and he had to get 90 days treatment. After that, Theo moved from Toronto to Chicago to stay with his brother Avery for "change in scenery." Derek is Avery's mentor on the hockey team. Also, Theo ends up dog sitting for Derek. And their relationship starts to develop.

This was okay-ish. I was more invested in the story until they started hooking up then I started to lose interest and skimmed a bit.

I really liked Derek. He was genuinely a nice guy. Probably too nice😅 Like this dude spent hours and days watching Theo skating videos, learning figure skating jump classifications, and that's after like the first meeting. I like how he supported Theo and loved him no matter what. I also liked that he didn't fight his attraction to Theo, although he was never into men. I liked that he is not a manwhore cus it's rare to find MMC hockey player who doesn't stick it in everything🙄 But other than being perfect and nice, he really doesn't have any interesting personality.

I didn't like Theo but also didn't hate him. He was standoff-ish and kinda an asshole sometimes to Derek at the beginning. I liked how he finally let Derek see the real him. Though, I didn't fully understand his 3 years on/off relationship with Nico. Theo said that "hookups were as routine as warm ups" but Nico is the only one who's meant something. Then, Theo told us that during their off periods, he hadn't been exactly waiting around and hooked up with others. But then later on, Theo said that he and Nico loved each other. So, if he loved Nico but also hooked up with others during their off periods didn't sit well with me and make me kinda dislike Theo. Also, the fact only 6 month after Theo broke up with Nico and moved to Chicago, he fell in love with Derek, felt rushed and too soon. Thus, I wasn't convinced 100% of their love. Like I wanted the epilogue to say 5 or so years later and see them together, maybe engaged/married or something, for me to truly believe that their relationship and love will last.

I didn't like the Daddy kink. It was repeated too much at some parts. For goodness sake, they are 21 and 28 so it felt weird and icky and not used right.

I found the endearment "snowdrop" unique for sure and the meaning behind it is sweet, but also why the hell would someone use a nickname like that?!😐🤣

There are a lot of repeated sentences throughout the book. Like some are the exact same words, which is strange. Now, when I looked at other reviews, I saw many say that it's AI. I can't confirm or deny, simply because for the life of me, I can never know when a writing is AI🫣

Overall, not the worst read, but also not so great. I wouldn't say I didn't feel any chemistry between the MMCs, but also not the kind of chemistry that smacks you in the face and keeps you invested. Also, I didn't get emotional or anything, like the story didn't elicit any reactions/emotions from me.

[Christine Holter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have found a hockey book to equal my love of Hidden Scars and Poetry on Ice.

About to Bloom by Ash Jackson is about a hockey player and figure skater. They are both damaged and find healing with each other.



There is mental health rep here and it is done beautifully. The writing is excellent and there is even an adorable dog. What’s not to love?!



For those of you who like hockey romances I can’t recommend this one enough.



⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌶️🌶️1/2 this is a delicious slow burn

[Sarah☀️ Somerville]

DNF @ 9% - Not saying this wasn't written by a real person - if it was, it was. But the writing style used is the same as in AI books, and I can't read that.

[Valerie Thouin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was written by AI

[Jessica Kruger · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ai flags.

[Choyang · Rating 5 out of 5]

'About To Bloom' (On The Brink, #1) by Ash Jackson
(Kindle)

August 2026

What an amazing storyline! Oddly, I actually read Book #2 first, not realizing it was part of a series, and I really liked it.

I got a whole other vibe about Théo in that book, not liking him much...except when he came to the hospital to see Nico.

Fast forward to this book:
I am impressed with how the author really dug into a lot of the realities of being in sports and the ongoing pressures of being "a contender".

This tale dives deep into how different people cope, or can't, with intense pressure to perform, in both the physicality of it as well as the mental toll of performing. It helps an athlete (or any of us, really) to have good backup, like a good coach and supportive friends and family.Théo had almost none of that, not really, except an on-again, off-again boyfriend, Nico, who was just as fucked up by the same coach and the same system as Théo was! Even though they cared about each other, they ultimately realized that they were toxic together, especially since that bastard of a cold-hearted coach deliberately pitted them against each other in training and in competitions for the ratings, because all he seemed to care about was them making him look good and winning the Olympics. Théo's mother seemed to care, though, although her anxieties colored their whole relationship in a negative way.

Théo's coach was a ruthless disciplinarian dictator, who also happened to be his uncle, and his father basically "threw him away" when he was 5 years old because he wanted to switch from playing hockey (he hated it) like his father and older brother played, instead wanting to do figure skating; his father called him weak and a sissy. (*rolling eyes*) Homophobic much?

Self-esteem problems morphed into wanting to be perfect, never letting his guard down so no one would hurt him. They did anyway.

Quote, from book:
"Some scars you carry forever. I know that now. They don’t disappear. They don’t stop aching on the hard days. Recovery isn’t a destination—it’s a direction. A choice you make over and over again, even when it’s exhausting, even when the old paths feel easier. But some scars become part of the story. Part of what makes you strong..."

Derek was a good steadying influence on Théo, and he brought passion & joy to Derek, who discovered he wasn't as "straight" as he had thought.

So by the end of this book I liked Théo a lot more than in the sequel to this.

(sigh)

Now I'm feeling that I want to re-read Book 2, with this new perspective.

~~~♠︎~~~《Trigger Warnings》~~~♠︎~~~~
Parental neglect, abuse, homophobia, self-harm, depression, cheating (not the MCs), psychological abuse)
~~~~~~~~~♠︎~♠︎~♠︎~~~~~~~~~

This storyline has some pretty dark themes running throughout it, however I appreciated the author delving into those, along with suggestions for coping solutions, and a light at the end of the tunnel!

When Théo is back in Toronto and out on the ice readying himself for a "comeback" skate, after he was gone for a year, the song he's chosen to skate to is 'Spring Day' by BTS which is a great "coming out of the dark and into the light" renewal song!
(I'm a big fan of BTS)
I could picture his whole routine as if I was in the stadium along with other fans and supporters watching him skate!
(also a big fan of both figure skating & hockey!)

Cool book! Makes one appreciate how much time, effort, blood, sweat & tears goes into the making of a pro athlete!

Two thumbs up! 👍👍

[Karen Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

“So if you’re not playing the part of the martyr, then what is it?”
He held my gaze. “You get up,” he said simply. “That’s what I see. You fall and you get up. Over and over. And you do it alone.” He paused. “I don’t know what happened in Toronto. But whatever it was, you’re still here. Still fighting. That’s not volatile and complicated. That’s strength.”
My eyes stung and my throat felt tight and I had to look away.
“You snuck out this morning,” he said, quieter. “But I wanted you there when I woke up.”
“Derek,” I said. A warning.
“I know,” he said, like he understood exactly what he was risking. “I’m just answering your question.”
I wanted to stop overthinking everything. I gripped the top of the boards with both hands and pulled myself up, the barrier pressing into my waist as I leaned over to close the distance between us.
And then I kissed him.

------------------------------------

Had I fucked it up?
I pressed the heels of my hands against my eyes until I saw stars.
I reached for my phone.
My hands were shaking slightly as I typed. I deleted the message three times before settling on something that didn’t make me sound completely unhinged.
Are you okay?
I watched the screen. No read receipt. No typing bubble. Nothing.
I started typing again.
I’m not trying to save you.
I know that’s what you think this is. Some savior complex. Saint Sully trying to fix the broken figure skater.
But that’s not it.
I paused, trying to find the words. Trying to articulate something I barely understood myself.
You’re like a flower that hasn’t bloomed yet. All those petals folded in tight, protecting something beautiful underneath. I don’t want to force you open. I just want to be there when you’re ready. If you’re ever ready.
I stared at the message. It sounded stupid. Cheesy. Something that would definitely make him cringe. I sent it anyway.
I know you’re scared. I know you think you’re going to cut me with all those sharp edges. But I’m tougher than I look.
And for what it’s worth… tonight was the best night of my life. Even with the part where you ran away.
I set the phone down and stared at the ceiling again.
Aspen wandered in and jumped onto the bed, settling against my side with a heavy sigh. He looked up at me with those piercing blue eyes, reproachful, like he knew exactly whose fault it was that Théo had left.
“I know, buddy,” I murmured, scratching behind his ears. “I’m sorry.”
My phone stayed silent.
I tossed and turned all night.

---------------------------------------

Later, after Derek and Hana had said their goodbyes and Avery had gone to pull the Jeep around, my mom and I stood on the sidewalk outside the restaurant. The autumn air was crisp, carrying the smell of roasted duck from a nearby shop.
“Derek’s lovely,” she said, glancing around casually.
“Yeah, Hana’s great too.”
“Mm.” She adjusted her scarf. “He’s very attentive. Very… considerate.”
“He’s a good guy. Avery really looks up to him.”
“I’m sure Avery does.” She paused. “But I wasn’t talking about Avery.”
My heart stuttered. “Mom—” “You don’t have to tell me anything you’re not ready to share, little bao.” She finally turned to look at me and her eyes were soft. Warm. “I just want you to know that I see you. And whoever makes you happy—whoever helps you heal—I’m grateful for them.”
I couldn’t speak. My throat was too tight.
She reached up and cupped my face in her hands, the way she used to when I was small.
“You deserve good things, Théo,” she said. “Don’t forget that.”
Then Avery pulled up in his ridiculous Jeep, honking the horn, and the moment passed.
But I carried her words with me for the rest of the day, turning them over in my mind like a stone worn smooth by water.
You deserve good things.

--------------------------------------

“He asked me if it gets better,” Théo choked out between sobs. “And I told him it does. But what if I was lying? What if I’m not actually better?
What if I’m just… pretending well enough that people believe me?”
“You’re not pretending.” I pulled back just enough to look at him.
“Théo, look at me. You’re not pretending.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you’re here.” I wiped a tear from his cheek with my thumb.
“Six months ago you would’ve hidden away. Tonight you came to me. You let me see you. That’s not pretending. That’s progress.”
He stared at me, something raw and uncertain in his eyes.
“I almost didn’t come,” he admitted. “I sat on the Blue Line for half an hour telling myself I should just go to Avery’s. That I was being weak. That you didn’t sign up for this.”
“Sign up for what? Being there for you?”
“For the mess.” His voice was barely audible. “For all of this. The baggage. The breakdowns. The ex-boyfriend in the hospital. The—” “Théo.” I cut him off. “I’m not just here for the fun, easy parts. I’m here for all of it. The good days and the bad days and the days where you cry in my bed at 3 a.m. because you’re hurting. That’s what this is. That’s what I want.”
“Why?” The question came out broken, bewildered. Like he genuinely couldn’t understand.
“Because I love you.”
The words hung in the air between us. I hadn’t planned to say them— not like this, not now—but they were true. They’d been true for a while now but I was too scared to speak them into the universe.
Théo went very still.
“You don’t have to say it back,” I added quickly. “I’m not asking for anything. I just… need you to know you’re not a burden. Not to me.”
He didn’t say anything for a long moment. Then he buried his face in my chest and held on like I was the only solid thing in a world that kept shifting under his feet.
“I don’t deserve you,” he mumbled.
“That’s not true.”
“It feels true.”
“Feelings lie sometimes.” I kissed the top of his head. “I’ve got you, snowdrop. I’m not going anywhere.”
We lay there in the darkness, tangled together, Aspen a warm weight at our feet. Gradually, Théo’s breathing evened out. The trembling stopped.
His grip on my shirt loosened as exhaustion finally won.
“Derek?” His voice was sleepy and soft.
“Yeah?”
“I love you too.” A pause. “I’m terrified. But I do.”
My chest expanded with something too big to name.
“Get some sleep,” I whispered. “We’ll figure out the rest in the morning.”
He was asleep within minutes, his breath warm against my collarbone. I stayed awake a while longer, holding him, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest.
He’d come to me. He’d let me in. He’d said it back.
That was enough.
That was everything.

------------------------------------------

No sé cómo expresar lo que mas me gustó de este libro 😄
1 Patinaje artístico
2 todo por lo que pasó Théo de inicio a fin me pareció bien escrito, no se sintió falso. Sentí el respeto de la autora sobre los temas que se topan aquí. Yo no tengo experiencia de primera mano con todo e igual de alguna u otra manera me ví reflejada en Théo
3 La comida me hacía antojar jaja
4 🌶️, me ví reflejada en Derek 🫢
5 'Snowdrop' qué bonito, simboliza: new beginnings, hope, rebirth, and the capacity to triumph over challenges


Ahora lo que no me "cuadra"
1 la dinámica daddy/good boy 🤐 tienen 28 y 21 años osea
2 el POV es dual pero esta historia es de Théo. Ví poquísimo de Derek. No tiene un circulo de apoyo? Ese amigo que le traicionó era su único amigo? Petrov como que le aconseja pero de lejitos no más. El día de la cirugía de implante fue la única vez que le ví en un estado vulnerable y me gusta cuando Théo piensa 'ahora podré cuidarlo' o algo así
3 Hay una cosa con la edición, la palabra Maybe se repite ufff, y también cuando dice como 'smells like x and something that is just him'. También se repiten 2 conversaciones, 'That’s not pretending. That’s progress'. Osea ok, entiendo que continúen hablando del tema pero no suena natural repetir una idea palabra por palabra.
4 algo mas pero no me acuerdo ahora.

[Mrss_yoshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok don't make the mistake I made and read this after About to fall.
When reading About to fall I did not like Théo, boy was I wrong.
He is a lost, damaged wandering soul.
And he finds himself with the help of the biggest Greenflag/golden retriever ever.
Derek was just the sweetest man, never took what wasnt offered, was always there, never judged and always loved.
He was what Théo needed and deserved.
Théo was a brat and I loved him for that, Derek loved him for that too.
Usually I'm not a fan of 'daddy' but here it wasn't used much and it wasn't overused.
Just a sweet, spicy and low angst read that I absolutely loved.

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one hit a lil too close to home with the depression aspects. It was adorable and heart wrenching. You felt their emotions and pain, their love for each other and frustrations. I adored Théo’s humor and the way Derek comforted him.
Simple, easy read. 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A year ago, 28 year old Derek Sullivan’s life shattered when Mackenzie, his girlfriend of 10 years, cheated on him. His heart was not the only thing broken, he also lost his best friend Cooper too. In his efforts to unsee what he saw, he tripped over his dog, Aspen, on the stairs while rushing out of his house to escape from what he just witnessed, in his own home . Next, he woke up in hospital suffering from concussion and a badly damaged ACL unable to play for his beloved hockey team, Chicago Frost.

Now recovered and back on the Ice, he’s mentoring Avery who will eventually take over Derek’s spot when the time comes for him to step back. Chicago Frost is a tight knit friendly team so when Avery invites his brother Theo, an Ice Skater, to join the team for after game celebrations, Derek can’t take his eyes off Theo.

Twenty one year old Theo fled Toronto following a huge public humiliation when he collapsed after coming off the ice at an important skating event. The pain that Theo carried with him poured off the page and into me and had me crying for him. He is so locked up inside his head, untrusting of everyone, including his brother Avery. He didn’t stand a chance against the kindness and understanding shown him by Derek after a few such meet ups with team Chicago Frost.

Derek is a gem, a very confused precious diamond, who doesn’t understand the feelings he is experiencing when around Theo, it feels alien to him. Fate intervenes when Derek’s dog-sitter had to cancel the day before he had to leave for an away game. He’d been amazed when Theo stepped up and offered to come stay and look after Aspen.

After that first step events moved quickly. I loved Derek and the way he didn’t panic or deny his growing feelings for a man and I was wishing that Theo would let Derek melt the iceberg deep inside him. Theo’s story will break your heart, from his childhood feelings of neglect to the public downfall. The scars he hides, both internal and external. But he start showing it all to Derek, and Theo is starting to bloom under such delicate care. Derek just won’t let Theo throw him off without putting up a fight.

Progress was slow moving but at least it was happening, then the past catches up to Theo when his previous Coach calls him from Toronto.

I received an ARC copy of ‘About to Bloom’ by Ash Jackson who I hadn’t read before, I’m leaving this review voluntarily. They way she brought these two very diverse men together, like they were made for each other, one an out gay man, the other thinking he was straight. They had such supportive friends, Hana and Avery, Bradley and Kenzo,(Hana’s brother), Let’s not forget the wonderful Sabrina who is Theo’s best friend since they skated together as kids. Every guy needs a platonic friend like her in their corner.

I’m feeling left hanging in the breeze because I think that Avery needs a big awakening and he needs someone like Sabrina to do some a**kicking to wake him up and smell the rose that is the lovely Hana. Now they are a pair that I want to see Bloom next.

TW’S,very important that Trigger Warnings are read because there is a lot here that could be upsetting for those struggling with Mental Health issues, Eating Disorders, Drug Misuse, Self Harming. Take care of yourself first and foremost.

[Joshua Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a genuinely sweet read. The emotional core of the story really worked for me, especially the way it handled anxiety, burnout, eating disorders, perfectionism, and the terrifying vulnerability of letting someone actually care about you. Nico’s internal monologue especially felt painfully real at times in a way that hit harder than I expected.

The romance itself was very soft and comforting. Derek had this steady, grounding energy that balanced Nico’s overthinking perfectly, and I loved how patient he was without feeling unrealistically perfect. Their relationship had a lot of small moments that made it feel intimate instead of overly dramatic. The “I’m terrified. But I do.” scene absolutely got me.

I also really appreciated how emotionally open this book was. The author doesn’t shy away from showing ugly coping mechanisms, intrusive thoughts, or the exhaustion of constantly performing “I’m fine” for everyone around you. Some of Nico’s thoughts about body image and control honestly felt *way* too recognizable.

And despite the heavier themes, the book still had a really cozy vibe underneath it all. Figure skating and hockey romances always have this built in charm already, but this one especially felt warm and easy to sink into. It was emotional, cute, comforting, occasionally funny, and very bingeable.

That said, the main reason this landed at 4 stars instead of 5 for me was because Derek honestly felt like he existed in a vacuum at times. Nico’s emotional world, support system, and struggles were deeply explored, but Derek rarely seemed to have anyone in *his* corner outside of Nico. I kept waiting for more insight into his friendships, family dynamics, or personal support system, and it made the relationship feel slightly unbalanced by the end. It almost read more like one deeply developed POV with a love interest attached rather than two equally fleshed out lives intersecting.

Also shoutout to the line “You’ve just been too busy being a trainwreck to appreciate it,” because that one hit me like a truck.

Overall, a really heartfelt romance with lovable characters, strong emotional moments, and enough tenderness to make me burn through it in basically one sitting. Solid 4 stars from me.

[Matthew Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

About to Bloom introduces two athletes rebuilding after personal and professional collapse, but it is not ultimately an equal story of tandem healing. Théo’s recovery forms the novel’s psychological and emotional centre, while Derek’s injury and betrayal largely function to make him uniquely capable of recognising pain and offering safety. That imbalance produces some effective hurt/comfort material, but it also leaves Derek feeling less like an equal co-protagonist than the ideal person Théo needs in order to heal.

Théo Beaubien arrives in Chicago after a very public breakdown within the competitive figure-skating world. His crisis is multifaceted, and the novel reveals much of the history behind it rapidly. The broad circumstances are already public knowledge, while Théo’s internal narration provides the remaining details early rather than building towards one major disclosure. This choice sacrifices narrative suspense, but it allows the book to concentrate on what happens after the catastrophe.

While Théo is no longer abusing stimulants or actively self-harming when he reaches Chicago, he remains anxious, depressed, perfectionistic and deeply troubled in his relationship with food. He continues skating, yet resists professional therapy and refuses to seek a new coach. He is trying to manage his recovery alone and only barely keeping his head above water.

The strongest and most realistic aspect of his recovery is its fragility. Progress does not transform Théo into someone permanently insulated from his former coping mechanisms. After a moment of extreme psychological stress, he searches through a bathroom cabinet for something he can use to harm himself. An incoming call from Derek interrupts him, and Théo chooses to answer rather than send it to voicemail. When Derek asks what he was doing, he tells him. Théo has not failed because the urge returned. He succeeds because, when it does, he makes a different choice.

Derek Sullivan’s introduction suggests that his journey will carry comparable weight. He discovers his fiancée of ten years sleeping with his best friend, flees the house in shock, falls over his dog and suffers an ACL injury that threatens his hockey career. The discovery is horribly visceral, and the combination of romantic betrayal, friendship loss and physical injury initially promises a second substantial recovery arc.

Unfortunately, that promise is never fully realised. By the time Derek meets Théo, his injury is largely resolved. He has not dated since the betrayal, but the novel provides little evidence that it continues to affect his trust or emotional availability. Early references to ageing, becoming replaceable and mentoring Théo’s brother Avery as the player who will eventually take his position are similarly tantalising, then mostly abandoned. There is rich material here. Derek has been replaced within his relationship and is actively helping train his replacement on the ice. The parallel is sitting right there, but the novel never meaningfully interrogates it.

His dependability is deeply appealing, but the novel sometimes treats ordinary decency as extraordinary romantic sainthood. Derek supports the man he is falling in love with through moments of genuine crisis, which is lovely, but it is also what one hopes a caring partner would do. Only a fairly appalling person would learn that the man he is sleeping with is in acute distress and decide it sounds like somebody else’s problem.

The contrast between them is also appealing. Théo is a small, sharp-edged, grumpy figure skater whose public poise conceals substantial damage. Derek is a large, sunny hockey player with the emotional energy of a golden retriever. Stacking those archetypes in this particular configuration gives their interactions immediate charm, especially as Derek becomes fascinated by Théo’s dedication, precision and beauty on the ice.

Some of the early intimacy feels narratively convenient. Théo volunteers to watch Derek’s dog despite supposedly wanting to keep everyone at a distance, largely because the story requires a mechanism to bring them together. Their first major disclosures also verge on mutual trauma-dumping. Yet people sometimes do tell near-strangers far too much, precisely because those strangers have not accumulated expectations of them. The scene is not the most dramatically elegant way to reveal their histories, but it is not psychologically impossible.

Their romance is genuinely low angst. There is no unnecessary third-act breakup, catastrophic misunderstanding or cruel withdrawal designed to generate a climax. That can be refreshing, especially in a novel already carrying substantial mental-health material. It also means the relationship has no particularly definable zenith. Once Derek decides he wants Théo, his role is primarily to remain steady while Théo continues the difficult work of recovery.

The prose is perhaps the strangest part of the reading experience. At its best, it is strikingly vivid. Théo and Derek’s internal narration can be rich, loquacious and filled with genuinely evocative imagery. Several passages communicate distress with such raw specificity that they hurt to read.

The quality, however, is inconsistent. Some dialogue becomes circuitous, particularly in the latter portion, with characters revisiting emotional conversations that feel substantially similar to ones they have already had. The text also repeatedly uses negative parallelism, the familiar “it is not X, it is Y” construction. A phrase such as “that is not failure, that is survival” may be entirely human-crafted, but the device’s ubiquity in AI-generated and AI-polished prose made it difficult to encounter repeatedly without being pulled out of the moment. I often found myself wondering about the editorial process, particularly whether enough had been done to ensure the work felt cohesive in structure, voice, and tone from beginning to end.

Ultimately, the snowdrop motif gives About to Bloom its clearest thematic meaning. Derek’s nickname for Théo refers to a flower that pushes through frozen ground, capturing the resilience he recognises beneath Théo’s carefully maintained defences. The novel may leave Derek comparatively underdeveloped, but his ability to see that surviving, emerging version of Théo remains central to the romance. The title is therefore less a promise of transformation than a recognition that something within Théo is finally beginning to surface.

[Jine · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book I’ve read by this author and I am so so impressed! This story was so so good! We have Derek who walked in on his girlfriend sleeping with his best friend and he falls and tears his acl
Theo a figure skater is the brother of his teammate who escaped Toronto when it all became too much for him
He offers to dogsit for Derek and a friendship blooms but not in a easy way
Theo is very guarded about his secrets his mental health and about his career but Derek someone who has never been with a man is persistent he watches him practice he gives him space and the most important thing he’s there
Theo needs someone to see beyond the broken beyond the scars and when Derek kisses every one of those little scars I melted
Theo let Derek see the things that he thought was broken about him and Derek didn’t flinch once
This story was just absolutely beautiful it had everything truly it has the spice which was so good but it had the vulnerability between them
Healing each other Theo letting down the walls and letting Derek be the anchor he needed
Oh and the nickname? Snowdrop! Are you kidding me! It was just perfection truly

[Ana Georgieva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful story of love and healing!

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up

I’m an absolute sucker for a hurt/comfort done right and, boy, was this done right! Théo’s character, the broken, sharp-edged boy, was so compelling! I was rooting for him from the start. I love it when the tender, sweet, caring one (Derek is a treasure) finally breaks through to the black cat’s heart and gets to have him. Théo was an absolute ice prince we got to see melt with love.

There might have been some inconsistencies, some repetitions in the writing, but then there were other bits so beautifully written it was impossible not to highlight so I’d go back and experience again. And the story progression was so compelling. I kept picking this up at any spare moment. Truly beautiful! Part of me hope we get a second book to cover the Olympics journey. Perhaps we could see Derek become captain! There’s so much more potential for these two I feel! Excited to see what On The Brink Book 2 brings <3

[Fernanda Parente · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book from this author and I love it.
Derek is a hockey player wit some years in the game and a mentor for the younger players like Théo's brother.
Théo left figure skating and Toronto because the pressure was too big and ends up in his older brother spare room.
Derek had the perfect life until a broken relationship and a serious injury left him to almost start over again
When Derek and Théo met for the first time, Théo's indifference left Derek curious
But Derek is not a man that gives up and when his pet sitter has to stop, Théo volunteers to take care of Derek's dog when Derek is away for the hockey games.
The chemistry between them is amazing and I can't wait to follow more from this author
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Vikka's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect pairing

One of my favorite booktok besties @Tiff 📚Reads & Rambles📚 recommended this book to me (& everyone) & gosh was she right!
This is a black cat/golden retriever pairing which is one of my favorites. The thing I love about this broken boy, Théo, with his claws & teeth, he does the work himself on his healing journey and happens to fall in love. Derek is a big 'ol golden retriever NHL hockey player on his own healing journey. Together they heal and also grow emotionally, in their rigorous careers & as a couple.
I have to say it’s been a long time since I've had this many highlights in a book. The writing was excellent and so moving.
An easy 5-stars from me.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNFed this one because there are one too many signs of AI for me. Also Daddy kink, so no.

There are a lot of repeated phrases written in exactly the same way. And the whole “He did this. I did that,” bluntness that seems to be a hallmark of computer-generated text. Devoid of emotion and very punchy.

If this was written by an actual person, I’ll eat my socks.

[D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one, even though I definitely had some issues with the writing style.

First, the inner monologues and narrations bothered me A LOT in the beginning. I'm not a fan of too much narration in general, and this book has plenty of it. There were so many thoughts, feelings, and descriptions that sometimes I felt like things were being explained more than they needed to be. I definitely would have preferred less of it.

BUT surprisingly, once Derek and Théo got together, it didn't bother me as much. By then, I was much more invested in their relationship and wanted to see where things would go.

And honestly, I understand why the author needed the story to be this long. There was a lot for Théo to work through, and it wasn't just his own struggles. His past with Nico had left both of them hurting in different ways, and Nico was struggling badly too. The book took its time showing how their past affected them and how Théo slowly learned to deal with his trauma, guilt, and everything he'd been carrying.

So while I didn't 100% love all the narration, I could appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish with it. I just think I would have enjoyed it more if some of it had been trimmed down.

And Derek... I absolutely loved him. ❤️ He was so patient, understanding, and steadfast with Théo. Théo had walls HIGH enough to reach the fucking sky, and Derek never tried to bulldoze his way through them. He gave Théo time and space while still being there for him. I really loved that about him.

I'm usually not a fan of MCs having an ex, but Nico was different. He wasn't there just to create drama. Both he and Théo suffered a lot, and I actually felt for Nico. He genuinely seems like a good guy who was struggling with his own demons. I'm definitely curious about his story now... although I'm absolutely NOT emotionally prepared for his book yet.

Overall, this was an emotional and sometimes heavy read, but I really enjoyed the romance and especially watching Théo slowly heal and learn to trust again. I just wish there had been less inner monologue and unnecessary narration because, for me, the book could have been tighter without losing the emotional depth.

[Abigail Villanueva · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ Théo has been through so much trauma for only being in his early 20’s and learning how to cope with it all, while Derek now lives a quiet life and seems to always do the right thing despite his own traumatic experiences with past love. They balance each other out and help each other discover the good that can come after heartbreak and devastation (along with a daddy kink 🫢)

I absolutely loved Théo’s character, and the two of them together was enjoyable to read, but I felt like Derek’s character development was lacking. I learned so much about Théo and really nothing about Derek aside from the event that happened at the start of the story. Also, I felt like Nico’s role in this story was overdone and took away from the romance brewing between the actual main characters.

More things I loved was the mental health representation, the balance of romance + hockey + figure skating without any of them being overdone, and the joy that is Hana, Avery, & Sabrina.




(Lastly, and this is completely just my own opinion, I absolutely hated Derek’s nickname for Théo. The first time I read it, it just catapulted me out of the story.)