Breaking His Ice

Ridgewater U #2

by Klastella

I have one rule: I don’t do relationships. Hookups? Sure. Love? Hell no. Love doesn’t fix anything—it just screws you up. I know. I watched it ruin my family.

As captain of the Ridgewater Warriors, my game plan is simple: keep it casual, stay focused, win games. Repeat. And it’s been working just fine—until Samantha Westbrook showed up.

My best friend’s pesky little sister. The girl who’s had a crush on me since she was ten. Now she’s a freshman at Ridgewater U, and she’s everywhere I go, cockblocking every girl who so much as breathes near me.

I spent years brushing her off, telling her to stay away from me. But when she finally stopped chasing me, it messed with my head more than it should’ve. Turns out, I didn’t like it when she actually listened.

Now I can’t stop looking at her. I can’t stop wanting her.

Sam didn’t just break my ice—she wrecked my whole damn game.


Breaking His Ice is book two in the Ridgewater U series—an interconnected standalone featuring a slow-burn brother’s best friend hockey romance with a hard-won happily ever after.

Genres: Romance, Sports, Hockey, Slow Burn

845 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 17, 2026

About the author

Krista Lastella, also known as KLastella, is an aspiring author who lives in the US with her loving and supportive husband, their happy and very energetic little girl, and their adorable golden retriever named Mochi (sticky rice).

Krista is passionate about crafting stories that either tug at her readers' hearts or drive them mad. With a particular knack for writing angst-filled tales, she thrives on exploring deep, emotional narratives. Though she acknowledges that she still has much to learn, her wide imagination ensures she never runs out of stories to tell.

Her goal is to connect with readers through her unique voice and compelling plots, leaving them eagerly anticipating her next creation.

You can follow Krista on her social media accounts:

Instagram: @klastella06
Facebook Page: klastella06

Reviews

[Pinky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trigger Warnings: Cancer (acute myeloid leukemia), cigarette smoker, drugs, parent death from cancer recounted, harassment (FMC harasses the MMC), drink and drive (MMC has one beer and drives), alcoholic parent, parent life-long injury, parental neglect, abandonment, parent infidelity, injury during hockey, parent with depression, parent gambling, pet deaths recounted, suicide ideation

Women don't need to wait around for the guys they're interested in to make a move. We can do the wooing ourselves.


This is the second book in the Ridgewater U series, starting with Benched by You, which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I preferred Caroline and Zach’s book (MCs of the first book) over Sam's (FMC) and Eli’s (MMC) book. Honestly, this book was disappointing. Unlike Zach, Elijah is an asshole. I wanted to see him suffer and grovel, but IMO, he didn’t suffer enough. I hate when the girl chases the guy, but I thought I wouldn’t mind cuz of the angst. Sam does harass Elijah, and if the roles were reversed, it would be terrible for the girl. But I loved Sam in the first book. Yes, it doesn’t excuse her behaviour, but I expected her to grow a backbone. I didn’t expect Elijah to push Sam away for 50% of the book while tryna hook up with others. It didn’t even feel like he liked her. Elijah whines about girls wanting to have sex with him cuz he is the hockey captain. But he also whines about being cockblocked by Sam. Zach’s book had the perfect level of angst, yearning, comedy, and family moments. I was looking forward to Elijah grovelling to Zach, but that didn’t happen. I didn’t even care for Sam’s friendship with Willow. And this book was so damn long. When I read Benched by You, I didn’t notice the length since I originally read it on Wattpad. When I reread their published book, I loved every second of it. In this, we had so many unnecessary details. Angsty scenes were brushed over. We had random time jumps, and it was hard to keep track of how much time had passed. Elijah’s excessive use of the word “Sweetheart” was cringe. When Zach called Caroline “Sugarplum,” it was cute. I am still excited for Taylor and Kentaro’s story, but this just wasn’t for me. I might get some things wrong, so correct me if anything!

“Because you keep shoving your feelings into my face for years even after I've told you over and over that I'll never love you back.”


Sam has been in love with Elijah her whole life. When she finally starts at Ridgewater University, she chases Elijah. But Elijah finds Sam annoying, and he doesn’t do relationships.

Now for spoilers



Elijah is the captain of the Ridgewater U hockey team. Their team has Zach, his best friend, Luke and Liam (who are twins), Cody, Kentaro, Reese and others. Sam is Zach’s sister, and she has been in love with Elijah/Eli since she was 10. When Sam’s dad had cancer, she and Eli did a fake wedding so that her dad could walk her down the aisle. Sam’s phone screen is a picture from that day. She told women she was engaged to Eli to scare them away. Eli was happy to leave Sam behind and go to university, where he fucked around. Zach tells Eli that Sam is coming; she’s 18 now. I liked that Eli didn’t like Sam at first since she was younger than him (by 2 years, I think). But I didn’t expect him to be an asshole for half the book. Sam runs to Eli, and Eli holds a hand up to prevent Sam from touching him. Sam shows up at Eli’s practices and sketches him. At Eli’s party, Eli made out with a girl, and it seemed like they were gonna fuck. I hate seeing the main characters make out with others. Sam found them and told the girl that Eli was engaged. Eli says he will never feel things for Sam, but Sam says he will, like girl stop. At another party, Sam overhears a girl say she was gonna cheat on her boyfriend with Eli. Sam scares her away, and Eli is pissed. Sam asks for a ride, Eli doesn’t want to, but he drives Sam. She flirts, but he doesn’t entertain it. I don’t get what she likes about Eli. He wasn’t charming, funny, or interesting. Eli doesn’t believe in relationships cuz of his parents. His dad is an alcoholic who is addicted to gambling. He had a lifelong injury from hockey (I think). His mom cheated on his dad, and has a better family now. His dad is dating and trying to start a gym business. Eli is invited to dinner with his parents, who argue over who needs to take Eli on Thanksgiving. It was his mother’s turn, but she had plans with her new family. Eli lies that he has plans with his friends and storms off. Eli didn’t know that Sam and Zach were there. Sam watches Eli at the hockey rink; she is scared he will get hurt. When Eli goes to shower, some girls want to take pictures. Sam yells at them, but Eli thinks Sam was there to do that. Sam says she would never violate his privacy like that. This was the first time she stood up to Eli. Despite that, Sam secretly makes Eli smoothies, and Zach pretends he made it when giving it to Eli, so Eli drinks it. We never see the reveal of that. Zach tells Eli that Sam told two girls off for tryna take pictures of Eli, and Eli feels like shit.

When Sam was 10, she had cancer, and she saw Eli playing hockey. He was a good player, but he looked sad. She wanted to see Eli smile, so she was motivated to keep living. She made Eli laugh with a story about her goldfish dying. In present, Eli hits his head during a game. The hospital says that Eli can’t be left alone. So Sam volunteers to take care of him while Eli protests. At Eli’s place, Eli says that his room is off-limits. He sleeps on the couch, and Sam gives Eli his meds. Eli apologizes for what he did, and Sam says he can give her 3 favours. When Eli goes outside to smoke, Sam goes for a swim. Eli stares at her body and feels attraction. Eli can tell Sam doesn’t like his smoking, so he stops. When Eli is going to work out, Sam asks him to do a movie marathon as her first favour. They used to be friends as kids. After Sam revealed her feelings for him, he pushed her away. Eli asks Sam to watch the game. When their team wins, Eli kisses Sam. The next day, Eli tells Sam to act as if nothing happened. When Eli goes to the club, he is desperate to fuck someone. Sam is dancing, and Eli doesn’t realize he's drawn to her until he does. When Eli notices that men are dancing with Sam, he gets jealous. He tells Sam they should leave, and Sam asks why Eli is acting jealous. Eli says he isn’t and says he hated their kiss.

"That kiss with you was probably the worst I've ever had. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to hurt your feelings—but since you're so determined to know how I felt, here it is.... you were a lousy kisser, Sam. You should probably learn how to do it properly. I'd hate for the next guy you kiss to suffer—or for you to embarrass yourself."

Sam says that she is trying to get drunk enough to forget she ever loved Eli, since it’s painful to love him. At this point, I wanted Sam to kiss somebody else. But anytime someone hits on Sam, she turns them down for Eli. When there is a pool party, Sam is wearing a bikini, and Eli is jealous of other guys checking her out. He tells her to put something else on. Sam teases him, so Eli gives her a hickey on her hip.


Kentaro takes Eli out to eat at a strip club. Taylor works there, a girl who was abused by her ex-boyfriend. Kentaro goes to protect Taylor, but doesn’t wanna admit he likes her. Kentaro tells Eli it’s clear he likes Sam. At another party, Sam asks Eli to dance. We see this scene in book 1, and I really wanted to see this in detail, but it’s brushed over. Sam is hurt, and Adam asks her to dance instead. Adam is the guy who gets the MMC jealous to push the characters together. When Sam dances with Adam, Eli is jealous. We see Eli getting closer to a girl named Izzie. We don’t get details about their relationship. I thought there would be a point where Eli admired Sam for who she is. But his attraction was only related to how hot she was. He couldn’t get her out of his head ever since the kiss, even masturbating to her. Sam starts to get bruises on her body, and it’s cuz her cancer is back. The pacing of the story wasn’t done well. We would brush over various events of Eli hurting Sam. I personally wanted to see their POVs in these scenes instead of quick retellings. When there is a game, Adam and Sam are on the kiss cam. Adam fake-kisses Sam to get Eli jealous. Eli plays aggressively, and Adam reassures Sam that Eli likes her. During a party, Eli avoids Sam to hang with Izzie. Eli finds Sam with Adam and feels jealous, like bruh make up your mind. Zach tells Eli that he noticed Eli tries to get with girls in front of Sam. Eli tells Zach he is tryna hurt Sam, so she gives up on him. I loved Zach for being protective of Sam; he calls her “angel,” which is cute. When Sam tries to talk to Eli to give a gift, Eli walks away. So Zach takes Sam to play beer pong, and he notices Sam is cold. Zach insists she go to the hospital.

“Zach, I swear to God, if you make a scene about the temperature at this party, I will tell everyone about the time you cried watching A Walk to Remember."
He gasps. "You promised that would stay between us!”

Sam feels dizzy and tries to go to Zach’s room, but he’s with Caroline. Eli’s room is the only one unlocked. She leaves his gift there and passes out on his bed. When Eli finds her, he screams at her. Sam is crying and unstable, and while I get why Eli was mad, I feel bad for Sam. She apologizes, and he says he told her not to go into his room. Zach and Caroline take Sam away. Sam goes to the hospital without Zach, and her cancer is back for the third time. It is acute myeloid leukemia, the same one that killed her dad. First, she got it as a kid, then again a couple of years later. Sam doesn’t want her family to go through this again. So she lies to Zach about being fine. During Thanksgiving, we don’t see the convo Sam had with Zach, where Zach tells her to give up on Eli. We don’t even see Eli’s POV when he tells Zach that he hopes Sam is really sick; it was a quick retelling instead. Zach punches Eli cuz what the fuck. I wanted to see this scene in detail. I was hoping Eli would have to prove to Zach that he is good for Sam. But that conflict was resolved so easily that it pissed me off. Normally, the best friend’s sister trope doesn’t have proper reasoning for why the brother doesn’t trust his bestie with his sister. But in this, Zach rooted for them to get together until Eli said he hoped Sam was sick and stayed away. Zach says he punched Eli to Sam cuz of what Eli said, and Sam defends him. She’s aware that he hates her harassing him.

“I'm not excusing him," I say quickly. "I'm just saying... I understand why he snapped."
"And I understand why my fist snapped into his face," Zach shoots back instantly.

Sam was supposed to get a transplant, but her dad died when he tried to get one. So she does another treatment. We see Sam suffering after chemo appointments, eventually telling Willow, her friend. Eli finds Sam’s gift in his room, and it is a painting of a worn-out family photo he has in his wallet from when he was a kid. Sam painted it from memory, and Eli feels bad. Sam thinks she needs to give up on Eli since her cancer might kill her. She doesn’t want Eli to be heartbroken if he falls for her. Eli volunteers with kids, and Sam finds him braiding a girl’s hair. She tells Eli that she will give up on him if he goes on one date with her in Duluth, using her favour. Eli is shocked, but he texts her saying he will come. But you know what pissed me off? Sam waits out in the cold for TWO FUCKING HOURS until Eli shows up. He doesn’t even fucking apologize. It was cuz he was debating on bailing, like what the fuck?

The first thing he says to Sam is
“Let's be clear," he cuts in, voice low but sharp. "This date—" he makes air quotes around the word, turning it into something ridiculous, "—is just pretend. This is just today. Tomorrow, you don't text me. You don't call.”

Sam has a list of things she wants to do. Eli doesn’t show any enthusiasm; he’s just annoyed. How the fuck do I ship them when Eli shows no interest in Sam? Throughout the date, Eli refuses to participate. When they go to skate, he skates ahead of Sam while she struggles.

So Sam finally decides to give up. This was Eli’s plan all along: act disinterested until Sam calls the date short. But when he gets what he wants, he’s like, sorry for being a jerk, let’s continue the date. Instead of having a backbone, Sam is happy. Eli starts being nice to Sam and helps her skate, and it feels so fake. Then Eli says that she’s breathtakingly beautiful, and shyly says it would be something a fake boyfriend would say. Sam wishes she had a family with Eli, imagining what their kids would be like. Suddenly, the guy who doesn’t do relationships or family is envisioning a life with Sam, with a dog named Pancake. It came outta nowhere. When the date ends, they are stuck cuz of a storm. Of course, the hotel only has one room. They agree to share it, and when Eli goes into the hot tub, Sam joins him. Sam begs Eli to take her virginity, and Eli says he can’t cuz of Zach, but then he has sex with her. He starts calling her “Sweetheart.” They don’t use a condom, and Sam says I love you but Eli doesn’t say it back. When they’re done, Sam is crying since this is the end with Eli, and she is slowly dying. Eli wants to try this for real with Sam and cuddles her. He wants to tell her in the morning despite hearing her cry. When Eli wakes up, Sam is gone. Sam leaves a letter telling Eli that he deserves to find happiness and thanks him for the stupid ass date. Eli tries calling and texting Sam, but she blocked him, like he wanted. When Eli gets back, Sam is ignoring him. This was supposed to be the grovel, but I didn’t find it angsty since Sam was still yearning for Eli. Caroline liked Zach, but she still had a backbone. Sam was only avoiding Eli since she didn’t want him hurt over her death. So Eli waits outside Sam’s classroom, and Willow distracts him so Sam can leave. Sam found it cute that he copied her harassment methods. This is why none of this was satisfying. Eli says they made love, and Sam calls him out.

“I distinctly remember you telling me my feelings suffocated you," she tilts her head in a mock saccharine smile. "And now you're suffocated with my absence too? Seriously, Elijah, you're the most contradictory person I've ever met. Why don't you just go home and leave me alone?”

Then Sam starts to hang out with Kobe, a sports player. Eli tells his friends what happened. Liam says that Eli spent so much time pushing Sam away that he needs to grovel. They tell Eli to make up with Zach so that Zach can help. I was disappointed at how quickly Zach forgave Eli, agreeing to help Eli. Eli gets Sam 15 lavender plants since it’s her favourite. Sam returns it, but one plant is missing. This is what I mean about the grovel not being satisfying. Eli volunteers to model in Sam’s art class. He wears his boxers, and Sam is forced to look at him. This was annoying since she was blushing, and he was smug. He finds Sam working in her studio. He has food and finds the missing lavender plant. Then he says he loves Sam, and it was so random. He models, and since Sam and Eli are horny, they fuck. Then Sam ignores Eli, so he takes her to the washroom. They fuck since Sam acted like she forgot about their night. Sam is tired of pushing Eli away and says they can talk later. Eli is going to his dad’s place to help with the gym, who just drinks and doesn’t help. Sam collapses, and everyone finds out she has cancer. Eli broke his phone, so he doesn’t know yet. When Eli is back, his friends say Sam has cancer. Sam might not survive, and she tells her mom she wants to protect Eli from heartbreak. But Eli overhears and says he wants her for however long her can have her. I only cried when Zach and Caroline found Sam. So Sam and Eli have sex on the hospital bed since she wants to feel wanted. Then Eli promises to never leave her side. But when she is doing treatment, Eli walks away since he can’t handle hearing Sam in pain. Eli says he quit smoking for Sam, and I knew that his smoking was part of a grand gesture for him to show that he sacrificed something for her, but I didn’t care. I don’t even remember him being a smoker in the previous book.

Sam’s journey with cancer was sad to read, but the story dragged. I wanted Sam to push Eli away because she knew she was dying and didn’t see a point in hurting herself over Eli. Not because she was protecting Eli. Eli does suffer when he sees Sam in pain, but they’re in love, so it wasn’t angsty to me. Sam needs a transplant since the treatment isn’t working, but no donor matches. When Sam’s hair starts falling, Eli shaves his head with Sam. Then we see he has hair in his eyes, but he has a buzzcut? So inconsistency in the writing. Since Eli wants to make Sam happy, he takes her out and proposes cuz of Zach. I know Sam didn’t have much time left, but this was going too fast. Eli’s parents try to stop the wedding, but Eli says he loves Sam. Eli tells Sam that he didn’t want her in his room since he kept the letters Sam wrote to him. Sam wrote those letters when Eli was away since she missed him. This doesn’t make any sense since he showed no interest in Sam in the beginning. The doctor says they can do the transplant cuz they found a match. Sam signed a Do Not Resuscitate form, and Eli says he wants as much time with Sam as possible, so Sam cancels it. Eli doesn’t wanna leave Sam for a hockey game, but he does. Then we find out Sam died, but it was Eli’s dream; this was stupid, and he was scared to wake up. In reality, Sam is alive and recovered from the surgery. 3 years later, she is pregnant, and they have a dog named Pancake. Eli has to go to a game, so Willow stays with Sam and her water breaks. Eli and Zach were sad Sam couldn’t make it to the game, which was in the epilogue of book one. Sam gave birth, and Eli made it back. They named the baby “Henry,” after her dad, and that’s it. Not a fan of this, but I have hopes for Kentaro

Stay safe folks!

[Amee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can guarantee I’ll be in the minority on this review, and I don’t usually leave reviews with potential to spoil, I try for a less is more review when I can, but I just gotta rant so bad right now, I’m gonna try and mind my p’s and q’s. First and foremost the plot as written could not support an over 800 page count unless you’re inundated with mundane day to day life activities. “I wake up and brush my teeth.” Or, “I run to the cafeteria for lunch…” and we get pages upon pages of the cafe, her art studio, the hockey rink… yet none of those pages move the story any closer to the angst and drama we should have been guaranteed with the setup Lastella teed us up to in book one for these two. We just kinda get stuck in the boring details that if you read book one in this series, you already know Sam is dealing with a serious health scare, so mundane details aren’t needed. She’s got the BIG c to contend with, what book she’s checking out of the library isn’t important. These details are a distraction from the meat and bones of their love story. This was something that went on throughout, I just ended up skipping ahead paragraph by page,until I had dialog or some momentum forward. Then add insult to injury and we get a Bobby Ewing ending from Dallas back in the 80’s that just sealed the rating for me. I’m so sad, I was looking forward to their story and I feel jilted.

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I loved Sam and all her antics keeping women away from Eli. I also loved that you got to see Eli’s point of view and when he started having feelings for Sam and then having the tables turned on him pursuing Sam using her playbook. It also was heartbreaking in moments that I cried for Sam. It was emotional, funny and I thought a great read. Looking forward to more books from this author.

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Parental abandonment & neglect
Parental infidelity
Parent with alcoholism, gambling issues & depression
Suicidal ideation
Alcohol consumption & abuse
Drug use & smoking
Sports injury
Death of a parent from cancer (acute myeloid leukemia)
Animal death mentioned (pet)

[Taylor Loewe · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 recommend but bring tissues.

Thought starting the last 300 pages at 11pm would be fine and I’d just read a couple chapters before bed and the next thing I know, it’s 2am, I’m sobbing so hard my husband is waking up checking what’s wrong. 10/10 recommend but bring some tissues. Catches you in the feels.

Such beautiful writing. Could’ve been broken into 2 parts but I’m grateful it wasn’t. It flowed so beautifully. There isn’t unnecessary fluff in the book to make it longer, everything was there to build the story and characters and really develop them. Our MMC changes so much or does he just stop hiding himself? It’s beautiful, it’s devastating, it’s everything. Just don’t start the last bit right before bed. You’ll hate yourself in the morning.

[Renée Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional, Captivating, and Unforgettable

Breaking His Ice by Krista Lastella is an emotional roller coaster that completely pulls you into the lives of Samantha Westbrook and Elijah Devereaux, the hockey captain of Ridgewood University.

From the very beginning, I was hooked. Elijah starts off in complete denial of his feelings, insisting that Samantha is nothing more than his best friend Zach’s little sister. That internal conflict adds such a compelling layer to the story, making their connection even more intense as it slowly unfolds.

Lastella does an incredible job of bringing her characters to life—you don’t just read their story, you feel it. Samantha’s warmth and strength perfectly complement Elijah’s guarded and intense personality, creating a connection that is both powerful and believable.

This book takes you through every emotion. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll cheer them on, and at times your heart will ache right along with them. The writing is engaging, the chemistry is undeniable, and the emotional depth makes this story truly stand out.

If you love romance novels that are heartfelt, character-driven, and full of emotional highs and lows, this is definitely a must-read.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will say I was skeptical going into this book purely based upon its length. I was doubtful that a college hockey romance could keep my attention for 845 plus pages… boy was I wrong. The author did a fantastic job with this one… almost too fantastic because I’m currently icing my eyes from crying so much.

I expected myself to dislike Sam’s character, based upon her unhealthy pining after Eli in the previous book but was surprised when that wasn’t the case. While Sam has an unhealthy obsession with Eli, she’s at least brutally honest about it, she doesn’t try to pretend to be something she’s not. I also loved reading Eli fighting his feelings for her, like he couldn’t quite accept that she was pulling feelings and emotions out of him.

Reason for 4 stars was because I was not expecting this to be a sad story. It caught me by surprise and it gutted me. I’m so glad that there was still a HEA because, for a moment, I was absolutely crushed. The author got me hook, line and sinker here. Just goes to show how well written it was that I became so emotionally tied to the story, to the characters.

I

[Ida Strid · Rating 5 out of 5]

get ready for heartbreak

I totally loved this book. It was beautiful, funny and absolutely heartbreaking.
The yearning and longing and later on groveling.
Although at the beginning I was a little annoyed at both Sam and Eli but it quickly disappeared and I became invested in their story.
And I didn’t anticipated the heartbreak towards the end and I almost couldn’t finish because I was afraid to know how it would end.
I was a little bit worried about the page-count but it absolutely didn’t feel that long.
I would totally recommend this book! And can’t wait for the rest in the series.

[Karla Suarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must-Read Romance! Spoiler Free Review

I absolutely had to share my thoughts on this book! I’ve been eagerly anticipating it ever since finishing the first in the series, Benched by You. I was already deeply invested in Sam and Elijah’s story, and the way that first book ended left me desperate for more.

When I found out this next book would focus on Sam’s story, I did everything I could to get my hands on an ARC—because there was no way I could wait until release day. I was lucky enough to receive one and devoured it in under two days!

This book has everything a great romance should: laughter, heartbreak, growth, and so many emotions in between. I laughed, I cried, and not once did I find myself bored—even at 666 pages, I honestly wished it were longer. You won’t be disappointed, but be prepared to feel everything. The story deals with some heavy, sensitive topics that could be triggering for some, so keep that in mind.

If you want a romance that will make you laugh, cry, and think, this is it. I highly recommend it—but have tissues ready!

Spoiler Review
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OMG, I loved this book! I thought it would pick up right after Sam’s hospital stay, but I was pleasantly surprised that it started with her college journey alongside Elijah. That decision made the story even better because we really get to see their relationship evolve.

At first, I was frustrated with Elijah’s cold and distant behavior—I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to like him. But seeing how much he cared for Sam during her cancer treatment completely changed my mind. His growth throughout the story was incredible; he owned up to his mistakes and became someone truly worthy of her.

And that twist at the end? I was a sobbing mess. My heart shattered, and I was in absolute denial, but wow—it was powerful and beautifully done.

Even though I received an ARC, I’ll definitely be buying my own copy to support the author. This book deserves all the love—it’s easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

[Jennifer Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

If cancer is a trigger please don't read this. I was sobbing at the end. I threatened to throw my kindle multiple times as well. Overall, it was amazing!🥹
She had loved and chased him since she was 10 years old (she's 20 now), but when he finally realized he loved her back she stopped chasing him and starts pushing him away.

[Genna Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

heartbreakingly beautiful

Oh my god I got ripped apart reading this, then put back together in the best possible. Love Sam what a beautiful character, hated Elijah then loved him more… I knew some of the story line in this book would break me from ready Zach and Caroline but I did not see that coming.. naughty author I was heartbroken. Some grammatical errors but doesn’t take away anything away from the story. Highly recommend. A must read for an ugly cry and beautiful HEA.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolute favourite book this year! The best I've read in a really long time! I laughed and I cried, boy did I cry!

I often wondered how Elijah was going to redeem himself in my eyes because he was an ass sometimes. Yes, Sam's antics were annoying so some of it was deserved tbh...but I felt it for my girl. My heart broke for her, especially on that date. Ugh!😭

I'm glad it all worked out in the end.❤️❤️❤️

[Lacee Kietzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

excuse me 🥹

This was…. Heart wrenching. In the best way. Gosh you just feel EVERYTHING. There were times where I just HATED Eli. FELT for Sam.. that she could hold it together through every rejection.. and then 🥹🥹🥹🥹
This book was thick and wordy but I felt everything. I was sobbing, I was laughing.. it was just so good.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rollercoaster of Emotions

After reading book 1 and waiting months for this book, the roller coaster of emotions, the actual tears and having to stop reading as this was triggering for me but I’m soooooo happy for the HEA. This author blows my mind. Excellent.

Author you had me going through every emotion it felt so real the sweet relief I felt. I don’t know how I would feel if there was no HEA. Thank you

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

FANTASTIC ❤️

Im so wrecked right now! This story brought out every emotion…… happiness, laughter, devastation and tears! This book has it all. I will give no spoilers. Just read it! I will definitely recommend ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Lawrence Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Tearjerker Story

This book was so good although after crying for almost 4 hours of reading I didn’t know if I could make it after chapter 57, but so glad I did!!! Love Sam and Eli!!

[Dawn Brandenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blown away MUST READ BOOK!

If you want to read a book that will take you on a ride of a lifetime this is it. Once you think you know how the story will go you get hit in the heart with something else. There are so many things I wasn't expecting ro happen. I couldn't put this book down even when I tried. Get ready for an emotional roller-coaster that will shatter you then piece your heart back together again over and over. Hands down a must read!!!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow💕

This story! My heart was shattered and stitched back together in all in a matter of minutes. I can't say I loved it all. There were times that I wanted to punch Eli and there were times I wanted to throttle Sam. I'm not sure there is an emotion that I didn't feel! Loved it!

[Jamie White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully done

I have been waiting for this book since finishing book one. It was worth the wait and I read it within 24 hours. Eli and Sam are written so well and while there is a part that cracked my soul a bit to read, the entire story is chef’s kiss.

[doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Benched By You & this book is no different. I enjoyed seeing both Sam's & Eli's perspective throughout the story. Also enjoyed the snippets of characters from the first book.

This author knows how to make you feel all the feels. This book will make you feel happy, then sad, then mad, then slightly embarrassed, then you'll feel them all over again.

While reading Benched By You first isn't necessarily needed, I highly recommend that you do. K Lastella is now an instant read for me & I cannot wait for the rest of this series to drop 💜

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this story! After stumbling across Benched by You, I couldn’t put it down and patiently waited for Sam and Elijah’s story. It did not disappoint. Wit and humor to the tears and anger. This one had me running through all the emotions. I can not wait for book 3. This series is becoming one of my favorites!

[Mrs Rachel Sande · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional Read

This book had all the feels and while it was a long one I didn’t really notice as we were on such an emotional rollercoaster

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

THAT WAS MEAN

Okay great book but also what the author did was dirty. SOOOOO dirty. On a different level of messed up.

[kelly f · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was so excited to read this book! After reading the first in the series I couldn’t wait for Eli and Sam’s turn. I read this in a few hours, couldn’t put it down. I loved Sam! She’s annoyingly cute and funny. Eli 😒 well let’s just say he wasn’t my favourite person for at least half this book. The way he treated Sam made me angry for her! He did however grovel and in the end I was happy they got their HEA. Took a while to get there and parts of it broke me. I’ve not cried reading a book for a while and this had me in tears! Can’t wait for book 3.

[dr leilo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved the first book and this one was just as good!!
The last few chapters genuinely had me sob.

[Angela Webber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book broke me, but put me back together again. It was so gut wrenching that I was SOBBING at 3am. It was a rollercoaster of emotions. The first half, Eli pissed me off. And Sam… the cringe I crunged 😭. Eli was so mean to Sam, and she just wouldn’t stop gunning for him. It was brutal 🫣.

Honestly, I didn’t expect the second half of the book to hit me as hard as it did. Once Eli started chasing her and their roles reversed, I was so excited to see how it would go. But then… I don’t want to spoil it. So all I’ll say is that I was crying. So hard that I could barely breathe through it. My heart broke so hard… but then it was put back together again ❤️‍🩹.

This author wrote such a beautiful love story. She has a way with her words that tugs at the heartstrings. Also her grovel/redemption game is on point. She knows how to make us despise the MMC… but then makes us love him by completely redeeming him by the end. She did this with Benched By You, too. And I liked that one just as much as this one. Actually, I think I loved this one even more. So, I’m definitely excited to read the next Ridgewater U book! Especially Kentaro’s 👀.

[Kerri Cartier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still reeling from this story. It is rare for a book to pull at my heartstrings this hard, but I found myself caught in my feelings—and caught crying—multiple times throughout the day. I honestly couldn't put it down and finished the entire thing in less than 24 hours.

​Sam and Eli’s journey is beautifully written and deeply moving. This is only the second time I’ve ever felt the need to message an author directly just to say "thank you" for a story; that’s how much this book meant to me.

​While this is the second book in the series, I highly recommend reading the first book beforehand to get the full impact of the world and the characters. If you’re looking for a story that is as evocative as it is engaging, this is it.

[Livy · Rating 5 out of 5]

‼️POSSIBLY SPOILERS FROM REVIEW, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED‼️

So to start with this review, THANK YOU K. LASTELLA FOR CHOOSING ME ONE OF YOUR EARLY READERS (LATE REVIEW POST Because few months has been hectic, so I did not manage to post my review early) this book really gave me a rollercoaster of emotions. It made me smile, laugh, give me butterflies, and cry. The author pulled a good one for this book.

For me, I actually devoured the book in 1 day. When I was reading it, I got to glimpse how their past shapes their character, Sam's dedication to Eli, how Eli swears off to love, and especially how they met each other. To be honest, the start felt rushed on how Eli reacted quickly and suddenly pushed away Sam when they were at "The Pond" (well for me, I don't know about the other readers but I understand there has to be a start). Eli may have been harsh to her where Sam was actually protecting him all along from being photographed but gladly in the end he understands it is his fault and there's no excuse for his behaviour despite their past, gladly he still apologized after once he got his head straight. I understand Eli on some terms especially when Sam is following him around. I love Sam but you gotta have to chill but I have to admit it, I kinda laugh when she blocks Eli on every turn but still looks out for him in other scenes.

As I read throughout the book the progress gets to build up well and then the Duluth date. Oh boy, before that Duluth Date there's a lot of Eli trying to push Sam away but still looks out for her (At that point, I kept saying to Eli why can't you just get your feelings straight. Yes, I sound like Zach at this point). Now back to the Duluth date, my heart flutters when Eli finally takes the date seriously especially on the skating. My baby Sam got to feel how to be loved even though it is just for one day.

After what happened in Duluth, that's where Eli gets his feelings straight. When he finally confessed his feelings.... welp Sam rejected him to protect him. Oh how the tables were turned, it's time for Eli to grovel. That's where I got the most laugh where Eli gives her chocolate, sour patch (if I'm correct), coffee and lavender only for Sam to reject in return. How Eli showed up when Khol was with her. Of course especially where he became a model for her class because Sam kept ignoring him. Everything that Sam did for years to get his attention now, it is his turn to do it.

Settling that aside, my heart broke when Sam's cancer is back. I understand that she only wants to live normally like others after beating cancer twice already. Sam tries to ignore the fact she has cancer because she's afraid it gets real oh my heart. Gladly, she told Willow later on about her cancer but oh how I wished she told her family sooner about it. I understand that Sam wants to protect Eli from getting his heart broken in the end. After the family found out about her cancer, I'm glad they are looking out for her and she doesn't get to go through it alone. It was heartwarming and heartwrenching for me when Sam and her mother got to talk about how it is not up to Sam to choose for Eli to push him away, when Eli wants to stay by her side despite her cancer.

I got a glimpse of how Eli is new to all of this, the hospital and how chemotherapy makes Sam miserable but Eli was still there for her with the help of Zach who has been through this before. Then the wedding oh the sudden proposal and wedding, how Sam is finally living her dream where she still doesn't know how long she has left to live after refusing another round of chemo. Eli did a really good job on planning all of that with the help of the team. Then there were Eli's parents where they tried to talk Eli out of it where both of them weren't there for him, then Eli cut them off for it. I understand that Eli cuts ties with them especially the years of how he felt of them constantly fighting dragging the past and being left alone no one to support him after the divorce. Aside from that, Eli and Sam got married and went aide by side together. Then the transplant news came when Sam had to do it all over again to get better for her, Eli and her family.

I have to say you got me good author, I was actually crying already then suddenly realised what was happening. As like.... Wait how can I say this we catch a glimpse if Sam didn't make it or make it. Oh how they deserve the ending they always wanted 🥹

Welp that's all for me, I went full emotional rollercoaster on this book 🥰😭. Kuddos to the author for making this book "Breaking His Ice". I can't wait for Kentaro and Taylor's book next and I'll be waiting for it 😉

[Amanda Crossland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roller Coaster of Emotions

Well, I knew this book would have some heavy stuff, since the 1st book in this standalone series pretty much spelled it out.
It’s pretty much happening at the same time the first book happens with the other two characters in this world. So we got to read Caroline and Zach’s love unfold with an epilogue, in this one, we got to see Zach’s sisters and his best friends love life unfold in real time. Basically 4 points of view but each pair in their own book.
We know in the first book, it described Sam getting sick, and was in remission. This one had a heavy focus of Cancer with the main character. I don’t remember reading a forewarning about how deep into it with the main character dying from it, alone. I didn’t realize I needed to search it out before starting the book. Turns out, it was a dream from her man after they married. I think it just destroyed my wish they got a happily ever after in this book. Then the author, like, took it back? Decided against killing her off, and played it off as a dream. The death scene was chapters long. Including a chapter for how he dealt with her death a week after. All in the same font and sized print. Nothing to indicate it was a dream, or a memory from the past or vision of the future. Usually a book has some kind of font change to show it wasn’t present and active moment. So a new chapter basically her waking him up and he realizes she’s alive. Just kinda turned me off. The whole book leading up to it, the main characters point of views I read, endeared me to each character. Made me understand what they were feeling when I was reading them as side characters in the first book. The emotions just flowed on the page and in a very natural way. It grabbed me. I do almost wish that we got more of a reaction to her finding out she had cancer and that he couldn’t live without her. I hoped she would put him through his paces a bit more because of how bad he treated her the last 10 years but, the story needed to go on. I just feel like there should have been more of an epiphany when he realized she just wanted a happy memory with him. She had asked him for one date (which turned into an overnight at a hotel due to a snow storm) and would never look or bother him again afterwards. So she would have at least one memory being with him, him pretending to love her for that one date. She painted a picture of his happiest family portrait from when he was young. He knew she only seen it once, so learning how artistic she was, and how caring she was. He agreed after seeing his birthday present from her, and yet he still acted like a complete jerk for the first several hours. He carries that picture around everywhere and there’s lots of wear and tear. So it was a really thoughtful gift, He didn’t clue in then and there, that on his birthday, she really did fall asleep because she was SICK! Actually sick, and he accused her of faking and pushing boundaries. This was the start of her cancerous symptoms. I wish he acknowledged this to her. Thanked her for the thoughtful gift, but he didn’t. So those are the only reasons why I took a star off the rating. It was a pretty decent read besides a few missed avenues that could have enriched their stories more.

[oopurpuroo L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breaking His Ice is the kind of story that stays with you long after the final page is turned. It is an emotional journey where the tears flow freely, no matter how hard you try to hold them back. The author has a rare gift for capturing the deepest inner feelings of her characters with breathtaking precision.
The heart of this story lies in the dynamic between Sam and Eli. Sam is an incredible protagonist—bright, courageous, and unwavering. For ten years, she offered her love with a bravery that is rare to see, even when met with Eli’s stubborn resistance. Eli, on the other hand, is a complex man haunted by the "baggage" of his past. Trapped by the shadow of his parents' unhappy marriage, he views love as a weakness that might "ruin" him, unaware that his feelings for Sam have already taken deep root.
The most beautiful moments are found in their "love languages." I was particularly moved by how Sam uses her artistic talent to express her devotion, and how Eli—despite his own doubts—strains to meet her in that creative space through the scrapbook. It’s a testament to how love bridges the gap between two very different souls.
As someone who works in cancer research, I was deeply impressed by the author’s portrayal of illness. The narrative captures the nuances of pain and hopelessness—not just for the patient, but for the entire support system—with startling accuracy. It honors the survivors and the fighters, reminding us that your strength defines you.
This isn’t just a simple romance; it is a universal story about resilience. Whether you are an athlete, a patient, or someone simply navigating the "ups and downs" of life, you will find a piece of yourself in these pages. It is a beautiful reminder to cherish those we love and those who love us in return.
I couldn’t put this book down and am already reaching for the next installment in the series. Thank you to the author for sharing this beautiful, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful masterpiece with me!