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Sweet Dreams
On Thin Ice
Book by Jocelyn Saal
- GenresYoung Adult
185 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1983
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 18, 2025
2.5 stars
Surprisingly blah Sweet Dreams. I've been looking forward to this re-read, hoping for a wintery love story, but it's a bit boring.
Ellen has always felt like an ugly ducking compared to her Olympic ice skating sister Paula. Paula is a pair skater with Gene, who Ellen is falling for.
Ellen and Paula's family have devoted their whole life to Paula's career -- even building an ice skating rink in their backyard! Paula decides mid-book to quit pair skating and start her professional/paid career, which devastates Gene.
The main problem is Gene is a drab love interest. You don't learn much about him except that he's built his life around ice skating and is interested in sports medicine. He's also incredibly put off by everyone recognizing him from the Olympics. Ellen is a little more interesting: she's also interested in medicine and wants to be a pediatrician, so she volunteers (unpaid!) at a local daycare every day. Those parts were very cute. It was also sad to realize Ellen has always been put second to Paula's career, and it's not until Paula moves away that Ellen finds herself gaining any attention from her family.
Some cute skiing scenes toward the end put me in a wintery mood, but I just couldn't shake how boring Gene and Ellen were as a couple.
Surprisingly blah Sweet Dreams. I've been looking forward to this re-read, hoping for a wintery love story, but it's a bit boring.
Ellen has always felt like an ugly ducking compared to her Olympic ice skating sister Paula. Paula is a pair skater with Gene, who Ellen is falling for.
Ellen and Paula's family have devoted their whole life to Paula's career -- even building an ice skating rink in their backyard! Paula decides mid-book to quit pair skating and start her professional/paid career, which devastates Gene.
The main problem is Gene is a drab love interest. You don't learn much about him except that he's built his life around ice skating and is interested in sports medicine. He's also incredibly put off by everyone recognizing him from the Olympics. Ellen is a little more interesting: she's also interested in medicine and wants to be a pediatrician, so she volunteers (unpaid!) at a local daycare every day. Those parts were very cute. It was also sad to realize Ellen has always been put second to Paula's career, and it's not until Paula moves away that Ellen finds herself gaining any attention from her family.
Some cute skiing scenes toward the end put me in a wintery mood, but I just couldn't shake how boring Gene and Ellen were as a couple.
February 2, 2023
Okay. Let's just say, my expectations for this book were super low. However this was such a fun and cute book to read, of course it had its flaws and showed its age a bit. And it was a corny teen romance, with a bit of an unrealistic plot. But I must be honest with myself because I had such a good time reading this. I may or may not be starting a Sweet Dreams collection right now.
February 26, 2010
Synopsis (taken from http://sweetdreamsseries.com):
For sixteen years, Ellen has played second fiddle to her beautiful, talented sister, Paula, the skating star. But Ellen has her own interests and goals, so Paula's glory has never bothered her - until now. And it's all because of Gene. Gene is Paula's ice-skating partner, an Olympic champion, and part of the glamorous world that Ellen has only observed. Ellen dreams of Gene's attention, but he and Paula are a prize-winning team. Everyone says they skate as if they were made for each other. Can Ellen hope to win Gene's love, or will she continue to watch him from the sidelines?
For sixteen years, Ellen has played second fiddle to her beautiful, talented sister, Paula, the skating star. But Ellen has her own interests and goals, so Paula's glory has never bothered her - until now. And it's all because of Gene. Gene is Paula's ice-skating partner, an Olympic champion, and part of the glamorous world that Ellen has only observed. Ellen dreams of Gene's attention, but he and Paula are a prize-winning team. Everyone says they skate as if they were made for each other. Can Ellen hope to win Gene's love, or will she continue to watch him from the sidelines?
January 9, 2014
Gee, this was super. And neat. Okay, no it wasn't. Did people really talk that way in 1983? I loved these novels as a young teen, and I loved figure skating as well. So, when I saw this one in the bargain bin I grabbed it. It was fun to see mentions of Dick Button, Peggy Fleming, and Dorothy Hamill. Also Tanglewood and Jacob's Pillow. Totally unrealistic storyline and not much skating. Ah well.
August 18, 2013
Great BOOK
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews