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Hot Ice
3 Romance Novellas
Can falling in love melt the hearts of the iciest ice queens?
In Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey, all’s fair in love and roller derby. That’s Riley Fauchet’s motto, until a new job lands her at the same company—and on the same team—as her rival Brooke Landry, the frosty jammer for the Big Easy Bruisers.
In Private Equity by Elle Spencer, Cassidy Bennett spends an unexpected evening at a lesbian nightclub with her notoriously reserved and demanding boss, successful venture capitalist Julia Whitmore. After seeing a different side of Julia, Cassidy can’t seem to shake her desire to know more.
In Closed-Door Policy by Erin Zak, going back to college is never easy, but Caroline Stevens is prepared to work hard and change her life for the better. What she’s not prepared for is Dr. Atlanta Morris, her new professor whose tough demeanor is no match for Caroline’s burgeoning confidence.
Cover Artist: Tammy Sedick
Genres: Contemporary / Romance
Words: 91,000
Can falling in love melt the hearts of the iciest ice queens?
In Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey, all’s fair in love and roller derby. That’s Riley Fauchet’s motto, until a new job lands her at the same company—and on the same team—as her rival Brooke Landry, the frosty jammer for the Big Easy Bruisers.
In Private Equity by Elle Spencer, Cassidy Bennett spends an unexpected evening at a lesbian nightclub with her notoriously reserved and demanding boss, successful venture capitalist Julia Whitmore. After seeing a different side of Julia, Cassidy can’t seem to shake her desire to know more.
In Closed-Door Policy by Erin Zak, going back to college is never easy, but Caroline Stevens is prepared to work hard and change her life for the better. What she’s not prepared for is Dr. Atlanta Morris, her new professor whose tough demeanor is no match for Caroline’s burgeoning confidence.
Cover Artist: Tammy Sedick
Genres: Contemporary / Romance
Words: 91,000
282 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2019
23 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Aurora Rey
35 books289 followersAurora Rey is a college dean by day and a life coach award-winning author of queer romance author the rest of the time, except when she’s cooking, baking, riding the tractor, or pining for goats. She grew up in a small town in south Louisiana, daydreaming about New England. She keeps a special place in her heart for the South, especially the food and the ways women are raised to be strong, even if they're taught not to show it. After a brief dalliance with biochemistry, she completed both a B.A. and an M.A. in English.
She is the author of the Cape End Romance series and several standalone contemporary lesbian romance novels and novellas. She is has been a finalist for the Lambda Literary, RITA®, and Golden Crown Literary Society awards, but loves reader feedback the most. She lives in Ithaca, New York with her dog and whatever wildlife has taken up residence in the pond.
She is the author of the Cape End Romance series and several standalone contemporary lesbian romance novels and novellas. She is has been a finalist for the Lambda Literary, RITA®, and Golden Crown Literary Society awards, but loves reader feedback the most. She lives in Ithaca, New York with her dog and whatever wildlife has taken up residence in the pond.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
November 12, 2019
3 Novellas by 3 great authors! The main theme here is Ice Queen and who doesnt love Ice Queens :)
First you have Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey, which was a very well written novella with 2 attractive MCs fighting their attraction both on a sports team and at the office at the same time! Brooke stood out big time in all of the MCs in the 3 novellas and i really liked her! she annoyed the hell out of me most of the time but still she had CHARACTER :)
Then you have Closed Door Policy by Erin Zak you have an age gap romance between a professor and a student (the age gap in this is somehow flipped so the student is actually the older MC which was very interesting). I really liked Dr. Atlanta in this novella and thought she was too sexy for her own good! The connection between those 2 MCs was the most believable out of the whole lot.
Then finally you have Private Equity by Elle Spencer where the beautiful and very famous Julia Whitmore. i loved Julia's character but i thought this novella was the shortest and i needed a lot more from it! The attraction was a bit forced and rushed but the ending was my favorite. This specific one had a lot of potential to be a kick ass novel!
Overall i found this a very nice read and i really enjoyed it! even though it was all rushed endings and sudden attraction, i still found this read very entertaining!
My rating is a 3.5 rounded up to 4. And i recommend this if you want a break from deep and long reads and want to just relax and enjoy a smooth read that involves sexy Ice Queens and good sex scenes.
"I received an ARC for an honest review."
First you have Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey, which was a very well written novella with 2 attractive MCs fighting their attraction both on a sports team and at the office at the same time! Brooke stood out big time in all of the MCs in the 3 novellas and i really liked her! she annoyed the hell out of me most of the time but still she had CHARACTER :)
Then you have Closed Door Policy by Erin Zak you have an age gap romance between a professor and a student (the age gap in this is somehow flipped so the student is actually the older MC which was very interesting). I really liked Dr. Atlanta in this novella and thought she was too sexy for her own good! The connection between those 2 MCs was the most believable out of the whole lot.
Then finally you have Private Equity by Elle Spencer where the beautiful and very famous Julia Whitmore. i loved Julia's character but i thought this novella was the shortest and i needed a lot more from it! The attraction was a bit forced and rushed but the ending was my favorite. This specific one had a lot of potential to be a kick ass novel!
Overall i found this a very nice read and i really enjoyed it! even though it was all rushed endings and sudden attraction, i still found this read very entertaining!
My rating is a 3.5 rounded up to 4. And i recommend this if you want a break from deep and long reads and want to just relax and enjoy a smooth read that involves sexy Ice Queens and good sex scenes.
"I received an ARC for an honest review."
December 7, 2019
Three spicy short stories.
The novellas each contain an ice queen that needs to be thawed. Thus the title 'Hot Ice.'
Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey
Riley slams into Brooke during a roller derby championship and the move secures her team's victory. It also securely places her at the top of Brooke's hate list. And much to Brooke's dismay, Riley moves to her town and joins her team the following year.
I liked how Brooke was so attracted to Riley despite the massive grudge she had. No matter how nice or charming Riley was, Brooke was dead set on hating her.
A cute enemies to lovers story.
Private Equity by Elle Spencer
Cassidy is the chief assistant to Julia Whitmore, a super rich venture capitalist in Chicago. Cassidy is in love with Julia's 5 year-old daughter and quite possibly in love with Julia, too.
Julia uncharacteristically invites herself out with Cassidy while they are visiting Cassidy's hometown for business. A bit of alcohol later, they find themselves crossing that boss/employee line. Unfortunately for Cassidy, Julia reverts to her cold business-like demeanor.
This story had a lot of heart and quite a bit of depth for so little time. This was the strongest among the three novellas.
Closed Door Policy by Erin Zak
Caroline is a 55 year-old woman who is living with her daughter after a significant incident resulted in her moving and wanting to change careers. She decides to go back to school so that she can teach. Her professor is the beautiful and enigmatic Atlanta Morris, who has a reputation for being a tough professor. Atlanta finds herself crushing on Caroline. And she can't crush on Caroline because she is a student. So she starts treating her like crap and grading her inhumanely.
This story was just OK for me. I couldn't ever get a real handle on who Atlanta was or how old she was? Just that she was younger than Caroline. And I didn't buy into them having feelings for each other, really. I could understand attraction with all the feisty interactions they shared.
Overall, this was a decent selection of romantic novellas.
I recommend to those who like to read romance, short stories, ice queens, roller derby, start-ups, bars, and education.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
The novellas each contain an ice queen that needs to be thawed. Thus the title 'Hot Ice.'
Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey
Riley slams into Brooke during a roller derby championship and the move secures her team's victory. It also securely places her at the top of Brooke's hate list. And much to Brooke's dismay, Riley moves to her town and joins her team the following year.
I liked how Brooke was so attracted to Riley despite the massive grudge she had. No matter how nice or charming Riley was, Brooke was dead set on hating her.
A cute enemies to lovers story.
Private Equity by Elle Spencer
Cassidy is the chief assistant to Julia Whitmore, a super rich venture capitalist in Chicago. Cassidy is in love with Julia's 5 year-old daughter and quite possibly in love with Julia, too.
Julia uncharacteristically invites herself out with Cassidy while they are visiting Cassidy's hometown for business. A bit of alcohol later, they find themselves crossing that boss/employee line. Unfortunately for Cassidy, Julia reverts to her cold business-like demeanor.
This story had a lot of heart and quite a bit of depth for so little time. This was the strongest among the three novellas.
Closed Door Policy by Erin Zak
Caroline is a 55 year-old woman who is living with her daughter after a significant incident resulted in her moving and wanting to change careers. She decides to go back to school so that she can teach. Her professor is the beautiful and enigmatic Atlanta Morris, who has a reputation for being a tough professor. Atlanta finds herself crushing on Caroline. And she can't crush on Caroline because she is a student. So she starts treating her like crap and grading her inhumanely.
This story was just OK for me. I couldn't ever get a real handle on who Atlanta was or how old she was? Just that she was younger than Caroline. And I didn't buy into them having feelings for each other, really. I could understand attraction with all the feisty interactions they shared.
Overall, this was a decent selection of romantic novellas.
I recommend to those who like to read romance, short stories, ice queens, roller derby, start-ups, bars, and education.
I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
January 23, 2020
Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey
A month ago I wouldn't really have understood the roller Derby part of the story at all. Fortunately, thanks to ‘Tough Girl in a Jam by Larry Loebell’ I have some knowledge of the sport so the lack of explanation didn't worry me and I could concentrate on the romance. Brooke loves her roller Derby team and her job as an estate agent but struggles to adapt to the new member, Riley, who used to be her rival. Riley doesn't understand how Brooke can be so cold and attractive at the same time.
Enjoyable story but it could have ended a few pages before. I wouldn't normally advocate this but there was a moment before any steamy parts, which felt like the perfect place to stop. The rest seemed a little heavy-handed.
Closed Door Policy Erin Zak
Dr Atlanta Morris has an ice-queen reputation among her students but she is still their favourite lecturer. Caroline Stevens has returned to college in her fifties to get a teaching degree but ends up with Atlanta as her lecturer. She is not Caroline’s idea of a good lecturer.
There is a lovely amount of tension between the two and Caroline is a great character. Where Rey’s story was over-done, this was a little under-done and the tension kind of fizzled out.
Private Equity by Elle Spencer
This was my favourite. Written in first person, Cassidy is ice-queen Julia Whitmore’s personal assistant. On a business trip Julia invites herself to one of Cassidy’s friends birthday party. It’s totally not what she expected.
The best thing about this story is Cassidy’s thoughts about herself, her job and her boss. First person really works in this instance because it keeps Julia as the archetypal ice-queen for as long as possible. Loads of information is packed into a few pages as well as quite a few well-rounded secondary characters.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review
A month ago I wouldn't really have understood the roller Derby part of the story at all. Fortunately, thanks to ‘Tough Girl in a Jam by Larry Loebell’ I have some knowledge of the sport so the lack of explanation didn't worry me and I could concentrate on the romance. Brooke loves her roller Derby team and her job as an estate agent but struggles to adapt to the new member, Riley, who used to be her rival. Riley doesn't understand how Brooke can be so cold and attractive at the same time.
Enjoyable story but it could have ended a few pages before. I wouldn't normally advocate this but there was a moment before any steamy parts, which felt like the perfect place to stop. The rest seemed a little heavy-handed.
Closed Door Policy Erin Zak
Dr Atlanta Morris has an ice-queen reputation among her students but she is still their favourite lecturer. Caroline Stevens has returned to college in her fifties to get a teaching degree but ends up with Atlanta as her lecturer. She is not Caroline’s idea of a good lecturer.
There is a lovely amount of tension between the two and Caroline is a great character. Where Rey’s story was over-done, this was a little under-done and the tension kind of fizzled out.
Private Equity by Elle Spencer
This was my favourite. Written in first person, Cassidy is ice-queen Julia Whitmore’s personal assistant. On a business trip Julia invites herself to one of Cassidy’s friends birthday party. It’s totally not what she expected.
The best thing about this story is Cassidy’s thoughts about herself, her job and her boss. First person really works in this instance because it keeps Julia as the archetypal ice-queen for as long as possible. Loads of information is packed into a few pages as well as quite a few well-rounded secondary characters.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review
December 12, 2019
Who doesn’t love ice queens? As Roslyn Sinclair (who knows her ice queens) wrote, “Any fan of ice queens knows that what makes an ice queen irresistible is when she finally reaches melting point”. To end the year in the best way, Bold Strokes Books gives us three ice queens, in three novellas, by three different authors, and the result is both fun and hot, as should be. I enjoyed all three, for different reasons.
The first novella is Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey. Brooke, aka Femme Fatale, has been holding a huge grudge against Riley, aka Moby Dyke, since last season’s Louisiana Women’s Roller Derby championship, when Riley’s last block against Brooke lost the latter’s team the title. When they end up on the same team for the new season, and working for the same company, Riley tries her best to charm her way back into Brooke’s good books, or at least to a civil relationship.
Brooke is not so much an ice queen as a bruised one. I liked how Riley is such a natural charmer, mostly unaware of how much space she takes but willing to turn the charm down if it helps Brooke feel more comfortable. I like that she doesn’t understand how being so nice could be a “bad” thing but she’s willing to do it anyway. No ego there.
The pace is excellent, Brooke’s change of heart is totally believable, the chemistry between both characters works well, and the novella-length is perfect.
The second novella, Closed-Door Policy by Erin Zak, is an age gap teacher/student romance, but this time, the teacher is a lot younger than the student. Caroline Stevens’ life completely changed after she was shot doing her job as a nurse in Chicago. Her husband left her and she moved to Sedona, Arizona to be closer to her daughter and her family. She enrols in an eight-week college program to get her teaching certificate and apply for a job as a nursing instructor. One of her classes is creative writing, taught by Dr Atlanta Morris, an incredibly talented and bitchy young teacher, who also happens to be supposed to mentor her.
The characters are great, even if I wanted to shake Atlanta more than once. I really liked Caroline’s trio of college students friends, the way they take her in as one of their own despite the age difference. I wish there had been more about the daughter, she seemed fun and I enjoyed the family dynamics.
Caroline’s real attraction to a woman for the first time at 55 goes surprisingly unchallenged (her barely-there doubts are mentioned a few times but never beyond the surface), and I didn’t completely believe that waiting eight weeks was really so difficult when not doing so meant fatally endangering Atlanta’s career. Which also led to a rather rushed ending. It was still fun to read, even so.
My favourite novella of the three is Private Equity by Elle Spencer. Julia is definitely an ice queen but when we meet her, the thawing has already begun, unbeknownst to her chief of staff Cassidy. When Julia, her tough and cold-hearted venture capitalist boss, asks to tag along to her friend Sarah’s birthday party, Cassidy can’t say no. She can’t say no either when Julia pretends to be her girlfriend so that Sarah will stop trying to fix her up with totally inappropriate women. As her closest collaborator, Cassidy has seen sides of Julia most people don’t know, most notably as the mother of a precocious five-year-old daughter, and these glimpses into her more private self make her impossible to resist, even though she’s straight and her boss, and all that.
This novella is so very Elle Spencer. It’s hilarious and moving, well-written, sarcastic and sweet at the same time. While it doesn’t feel rushed, or crammed or anything, this story is one I could absolutely see as a longer novel.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
The first novella is Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey. Brooke, aka Femme Fatale, has been holding a huge grudge against Riley, aka Moby Dyke, since last season’s Louisiana Women’s Roller Derby championship, when Riley’s last block against Brooke lost the latter’s team the title. When they end up on the same team for the new season, and working for the same company, Riley tries her best to charm her way back into Brooke’s good books, or at least to a civil relationship.
Brooke is not so much an ice queen as a bruised one. I liked how Riley is such a natural charmer, mostly unaware of how much space she takes but willing to turn the charm down if it helps Brooke feel more comfortable. I like that she doesn’t understand how being so nice could be a “bad” thing but she’s willing to do it anyway. No ego there.
The pace is excellent, Brooke’s change of heart is totally believable, the chemistry between both characters works well, and the novella-length is perfect.
The second novella, Closed-Door Policy by Erin Zak, is an age gap teacher/student romance, but this time, the teacher is a lot younger than the student. Caroline Stevens’ life completely changed after she was shot doing her job as a nurse in Chicago. Her husband left her and she moved to Sedona, Arizona to be closer to her daughter and her family. She enrols in an eight-week college program to get her teaching certificate and apply for a job as a nursing instructor. One of her classes is creative writing, taught by Dr Atlanta Morris, an incredibly talented and bitchy young teacher, who also happens to be supposed to mentor her.
The characters are great, even if I wanted to shake Atlanta more than once. I really liked Caroline’s trio of college students friends, the way they take her in as one of their own despite the age difference. I wish there had been more about the daughter, she seemed fun and I enjoyed the family dynamics.
Caroline’s real attraction to a woman for the first time at 55 goes surprisingly unchallenged (her barely-there doubts are mentioned a few times but never beyond the surface), and I didn’t completely believe that waiting eight weeks was really so difficult when not doing so meant fatally endangering Atlanta’s career. Which also led to a rather rushed ending. It was still fun to read, even so.
My favourite novella of the three is Private Equity by Elle Spencer. Julia is definitely an ice queen but when we meet her, the thawing has already begun, unbeknownst to her chief of staff Cassidy. When Julia, her tough and cold-hearted venture capitalist boss, asks to tag along to her friend Sarah’s birthday party, Cassidy can’t say no. She can’t say no either when Julia pretends to be her girlfriend so that Sarah will stop trying to fix her up with totally inappropriate women. As her closest collaborator, Cassidy has seen sides of Julia most people don’t know, most notably as the mother of a precocious five-year-old daughter, and these glimpses into her more private self make her impossible to resist, even though she’s straight and her boss, and all that.
This novella is so very Elle Spencer. It’s hilarious and moving, well-written, sarcastic and sweet at the same time. While it doesn’t feel rushed, or crammed or anything, this story is one I could absolutely see as a longer novel.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 14, 2019
I enjoyed reading this anthology with an Ice Queen theme. I went in knowing I could count on Rey and Zak to entertain but the real surprise for me was Elle Spencer’s Private Equity, my favourite of the bunch.
Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey
I don’t know much about roller derby but it certainly is a butch wonderland. The nicknames of the girls on the team are worth the price of the book alone. So entertaining.
Riley and Brooke go from warring blocker and jammer on opposing teams to warring team mates when Riley moves to New Orleans and joins Brooke’s team. Their attraction is undeniable and Riley does her best to push down the blocks Brooke throws up between them. Let the strategizing and gamesmanship begin. I did think the Hot Ice in this story was the big chip on Brooke’s shoulder. Grow up girl and see what’s right in front of you.
Closed Door Policy by Erin Zak
An age gap romance which flips the ice queen to the younger end of the gap. Easy to admire Caroline and root for her to find some happiness. Much harder to like the contrary Atlanta. From her perspective, I can understand her reticence to get involved with a student she is so clearly smitten with but her behaviour comes off more as immaturity and petulance. In hindsight, it's a good thing the ice queen is generally the older one in a couple. Makes me less likely to want to slap some sense into her. I did enjoy this read and all my emotional responses while reading it.
Private Equity by Elle Spencer
Julia Whitmore is a venture capitalist and Cassidy Bennett is her Chief of Staff. Sounds boring but when told in first person from the love struck Cassidy’s point of view it pops and sizzles. Her inner monologue is funny and endearing. Her attraction to her boss, the untouchable IQ herself makes for some great inner dialogue. The writing was lively and fun. Reminded me of Melissa Brayden and that's always a plus.
ARC received with thanks from publisher via NetGalley
January 9, 2020
I enjoyed these three novellas, they were all well written with likeable characters, even the Icy Queens. The first two stories are 3-star stories for me and the last, Private Equity, a 4.4 star. I really enjoyed that one, it felt smoother and flowed more than the other two and also more lively. I loved the humour of the way Cassidy thought and talked to herself.
The last story makes me rate this book with 4 stars.
The last story makes me rate this book with 4 stars.
December 3, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.
When I first found this book I mostly wanted to read it because I'm a big fan of Erin Zak's writing and her other books, but I ended up really enjoying the other two stories as well.
Ice on Whells was the first thing I've ever read by Aurora Rey and I liked it. It wasn't my favorite though, probably mostly because I'm not a big fan of derby and I didn't understand a lot of the references when reading about it which left me confused a lof of the time. I enjoyed the characters and I always enjoy a good ''ice queen'' in a novel.
I really enjoyed Closed Door by Erin Zak. I always enjoy her writing and her characters. I think it was my favorite story out of the three although I felt like the ending might have been a little rushed. Other than that I really liked it. I really liked both the main characters Atlanta and Caroline, the chemistry between the two was great. I thought the age gap in this story was quite interesting since the teacher was actually younger than the student which is something I've never read before but really intrigued me.
I was a little nervous going into Private Equity by Elle Spencer since I've read one of her other novels previously and it wasn't my favorite. I really enjoyed this one though and I'll definently pick up another one of her books in the future and give her a second chance. I thought the writing was great, the characters, the chemistry between them, the plot, I really enjoyed it all.
This is definently a good book to pick up if you want three quick and fun but still well written and interesting stories. The ice Queen theme is definently a plus since I always enjoy ice queen characters in books.
When I first found this book I mostly wanted to read it because I'm a big fan of Erin Zak's writing and her other books, but I ended up really enjoying the other two stories as well.
Ice on Whells was the first thing I've ever read by Aurora Rey and I liked it. It wasn't my favorite though, probably mostly because I'm not a big fan of derby and I didn't understand a lot of the references when reading about it which left me confused a lof of the time. I enjoyed the characters and I always enjoy a good ''ice queen'' in a novel.
I really enjoyed Closed Door by Erin Zak. I always enjoy her writing and her characters. I think it was my favorite story out of the three although I felt like the ending might have been a little rushed. Other than that I really liked it. I really liked both the main characters Atlanta and Caroline, the chemistry between the two was great. I thought the age gap in this story was quite interesting since the teacher was actually younger than the student which is something I've never read before but really intrigued me.
I was a little nervous going into Private Equity by Elle Spencer since I've read one of her other novels previously and it wasn't my favorite. I really enjoyed this one though and I'll definently pick up another one of her books in the future and give her a second chance. I thought the writing was great, the characters, the chemistry between them, the plot, I really enjoyed it all.
This is definently a good book to pick up if you want three quick and fun but still well written and interesting stories. The ice Queen theme is definently a plus since I always enjoy ice queen characters in books.
December 16, 2019
Ever since the introduction of Miranda Priestly I've had a thing for ice queens. Of course back then 'straight' me chalked everything up to an innocent girl crush and admiration for another bad ass woman. Fast forward a decade and I would lose my train of thought anytime Regina Mills graced my screen.
You can imagine my excitement when I saw the announcement of this book. So guess what happened as soon as it got released? Not a damn thing! I had forgotten all about it. But now that I've finally read it, here's what you need to know.
Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey 3*
Roller derby? Thank god for google otherwise I'd still be scratching my head trying to figure out what a blocker and jammer were. I didn't love this story but I didn't hate it either. The main characters were certainly interesting in that one of them is really outgoing while the other is a lot more reserved. I love a good opposites attract trope, sadly, it was pretty much the only thing I liked about this story.
Closed-Door Policy by Erin Zak by Elle Spencer 2*
This, as you can tell by the rating, is my least favorite of the three stories. I had a hard time believing the relationship between Atlanta and Caroline. Insta-lust was more than present but a real emotional connection was nowhere to be found. Atlanta was such 2-dimensional character solely focused on projecting the image of being a bitch that when she finally did loosen up a little, the change in her character felt jarring.
Private Equity by Elle Spencer 4*
My favorite of the three and one I wish was a full length novel. This story is told from the POV of Cassidy Bennett and is full of her hilarious, often self-deprecating thoughts. Though the beginning of the story felt a little forced, the rest of it had a more natural flow and it even managed to end in a (sort of) epilogue. The humor was a large part of why I liked this story so much but Cassidy's character arc was also really well done. Seriously why is this not a full length novel?
You can imagine my excitement when I saw the announcement of this book. So guess what happened as soon as it got released? Not a damn thing! I had forgotten all about it. But now that I've finally read it, here's what you need to know.
Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey 3*
Roller derby? Thank god for google otherwise I'd still be scratching my head trying to figure out what a blocker and jammer were. I didn't love this story but I didn't hate it either. The main characters were certainly interesting in that one of them is really outgoing while the other is a lot more reserved. I love a good opposites attract trope, sadly, it was pretty much the only thing I liked about this story.
Closed-Door Policy by Erin Zak by Elle Spencer 2*
This, as you can tell by the rating, is my least favorite of the three stories. I had a hard time believing the relationship between Atlanta and Caroline. Insta-lust was more than present but a real emotional connection was nowhere to be found. Atlanta was such 2-dimensional character solely focused on projecting the image of being a bitch that when she finally did loosen up a little, the change in her character felt jarring.
Private Equity by Elle Spencer 4*
My favorite of the three and one I wish was a full length novel. This story is told from the POV of Cassidy Bennett and is full of her hilarious, often self-deprecating thoughts. Though the beginning of the story felt a little forced, the rest of it had a more natural flow and it even managed to end in a (sort of) epilogue. The humor was a large part of why I liked this story so much but Cassidy's character arc was also really well done. Seriously why is this not a full length novel?
December 14, 2019
‘Hot ice’ is a compilation of three lesbian novellas by Bold Strokes Books authors Aurora Rey, Erin Zak and Elle Spencer, all romances with an ice-queen protagonist.
‘Ice on wheels’ by Aurora Rey is a story centered around roller derby. Brooke Landry loves being part of roller derby team ‘Big Easy Bruisers’ and her job as a real state agent. When her disliked rival Riley Fauchet relocates and joins Brooke’s team and her same company, sparks fly and not of the romantic type. As time goes by and both women get to know each other, there is a possibility of friendship or even something deeper, if only Brooke could listen to her heart…
I have to admit that I know nothing about roller derby but readers don’t need any previous knowledge to appreciate the story. Ms. Rey makes the most of the fast and furious sports action and the initial antagonism between the main characters. It’s fun, romantic and sexy. 4 stars.
‘Closed-door policy’ by Erin Zak is an age-gap romance between a young college professor and her mature student. After a life-changing incident, nurse Caroline Stevens got divorced from her long-time husband and decided on a career change. In her early 50s, she’s living with her adult daughter, working as a bartender and going back to college. In a creative writing class, she meets lecturer Dr. Atlanta Morris who is famous for her icy attitude and heavy criticism. Despite a rocky start, Caroline cannot deny being attracted to Atlanta, the first woman she’s sexually interested in her life. But Atlanta doesn’t seem interested in Caroline, or is she?
This is a teacher-student relationship in which, unusually, the student is the older of the two. There is a slow build-up of chemistry between the characters in and outside the classroom and the secondary characters are all distinctive and well-written. The ending is a bit rushed but this is a novella after all. 3.5 stars.
In ‘Private equity’ by Elle Spencer, Cassidy Bennett is chief of staff for successful venture capitalist Julia Whitmore, known for being reserved and fierce. After they spend an unexpected evening at a lesbian nightclub, Cassidy gets to know another side of her aloof boss and she cannot stop desiring more.
This is your typical workplace romance between an ice-queen boss and an easygoing employee. It reminded me of some of Lee Winter’s books because of that larger-than-life personality of Julia and Cassidy’s sweetness. Ms. Spencer knows how to develop their relationship and get their chemistry to off-the-charts levels. Really entertaining and hot. This was my favourite of the three. 4.5 stars.
Overall, a very good compilation of lesbian novellas with the appealing theme of ice-queens. 4 stars average.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
‘Ice on wheels’ by Aurora Rey is a story centered around roller derby. Brooke Landry loves being part of roller derby team ‘Big Easy Bruisers’ and her job as a real state agent. When her disliked rival Riley Fauchet relocates and joins Brooke’s team and her same company, sparks fly and not of the romantic type. As time goes by and both women get to know each other, there is a possibility of friendship or even something deeper, if only Brooke could listen to her heart…
I have to admit that I know nothing about roller derby but readers don’t need any previous knowledge to appreciate the story. Ms. Rey makes the most of the fast and furious sports action and the initial antagonism between the main characters. It’s fun, romantic and sexy. 4 stars.
‘Closed-door policy’ by Erin Zak is an age-gap romance between a young college professor and her mature student. After a life-changing incident, nurse Caroline Stevens got divorced from her long-time husband and decided on a career change. In her early 50s, she’s living with her adult daughter, working as a bartender and going back to college. In a creative writing class, she meets lecturer Dr. Atlanta Morris who is famous for her icy attitude and heavy criticism. Despite a rocky start, Caroline cannot deny being attracted to Atlanta, the first woman she’s sexually interested in her life. But Atlanta doesn’t seem interested in Caroline, or is she?
This is a teacher-student relationship in which, unusually, the student is the older of the two. There is a slow build-up of chemistry between the characters in and outside the classroom and the secondary characters are all distinctive and well-written. The ending is a bit rushed but this is a novella after all. 3.5 stars.
In ‘Private equity’ by Elle Spencer, Cassidy Bennett is chief of staff for successful venture capitalist Julia Whitmore, known for being reserved and fierce. After they spend an unexpected evening at a lesbian nightclub, Cassidy gets to know another side of her aloof boss and she cannot stop desiring more.
This is your typical workplace romance between an ice-queen boss and an easygoing employee. It reminded me of some of Lee Winter’s books because of that larger-than-life personality of Julia and Cassidy’s sweetness. Ms. Spencer knows how to develop their relationship and get their chemistry to off-the-charts levels. Really entertaining and hot. This was my favourite of the three. 4.5 stars.
Overall, a very good compilation of lesbian novellas with the appealing theme of ice-queens. 4 stars average.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
December 16, 2019
Oh, this book is almost too hot to handle.
For Full review click the below:
https://lesreveur.com/2019/12/16/hot-...
For Full review click the below:
https://lesreveur.com/2019/12/16/hot-...
December 21, 2019
Two for three ain’t so bad... I just won’t mention which two of the three.
December 19, 2022
This is a set of three short novels that have as common denominator, not ice queens, as it may seem by the title or the cover, but angry, mean or bad-tempered women. Because this is what the protagonists are. And the truth is that this does not help the stories to be attractive at first.
As always, each story has the personality and style of its author and cannot be valued together because they have nothing more in common than that unfriendly attitude of one main character. I particularly liked more the last one, that of Elle Spencer, then the second best for me was that of Erin Zak and that of Aurora Rey has seemed the least interesting to me.
It is good in this type of books with several stories that there is always something that you will almost certainly like, but if you expect it to be totally perfect, this may not be the best one to choose.
In any case, it is a perfect book to take up and put down without losing much the thread of the stories.
An advanced reading copy has been sent to me by the publisher Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley for my honest review
As always, each story has the personality and style of its author and cannot be valued together because they have nothing more in common than that unfriendly attitude of one main character. I particularly liked more the last one, that of Elle Spencer, then the second best for me was that of Erin Zak and that of Aurora Rey has seemed the least interesting to me.
It is good in this type of books with several stories that there is always something that you will almost certainly like, but if you expect it to be totally perfect, this may not be the best one to choose.
In any case, it is a perfect book to take up and put down without losing much the thread of the stories.
An advanced reading copy has been sent to me by the publisher Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley for my honest review
December 18, 2019
Book 1- 3.5 stars
Book 2- 4.25 stars
Book 3- 4 stars
Book 2- 4.25 stars
Book 3- 4 stars
November 7, 2019
3 Stories by 3 really good authors! The title Hot Ice accurately describes what to expect in each novella. All three novellas had an MC who was an Ice Queen. The Ice Queen I loved the most had to be Brooke from Ice on Wheels. Talk about chilly! She had enough chill factor where she wasn't annoying and enough chill to want to keep reading. If I had to pick a favorite, I would say it would be between Ice on Wheels and Closed-Door Policy. I enjoyed Private Equity, it just took me a while to get use the writing style.
4 solid stars
This ARC was provided by netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.
4 solid stars
This ARC was provided by netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.
December 24, 2019
The read consisted of three stories featuring "ice queens" with various reasons to have their frost on. I will make comments in the reverse order of my favorites. My least favorite, Ice on wheels with Riley and Brooke who start on different teams then end up on the same team. I watched a little roller derby growing up. The sport never really grabbed my attention but the details and strategy of the sport was interesting to read and the player names were wicket wild. Closed door policy featured Professor Atlanta and student Carolina. Atlanta needs to walk the straight and narrow because of previous behavior. Carolina on the other hand, is looking for a change and an opportunity to embrace life. This age gap romance was interesting in providing self-talk that help the reader understand what and why Atlanta and Carolina were doing what they were doing and why. Private equity with Cassidy Bennett, chief of staff working hard to eventually start her own company or so she thinks and venture capitalist Julia Whitmore not looking for anything but the next business deal. This read was most interesting in my opinion because of Julia and how she behaved. I thought she was well written as the rigid and focused boss. Nice romance in all three.
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley with thanks.
ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley with thanks.
January 3, 2020
3.5 ⭐
June 20, 2020
Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey - 2.75 stars
Closed-Door Policy by Erin Zak - 2.5 stars
Private Equity by Elle Spencer - 4 stars
Closed-Door Policy by Erin Zak - 2.5 stars
Private Equity by Elle Spencer - 4 stars
April 11, 2020
I'm rating it at 4.
I liked the first one, it was Ice on Wheels, the characters were interesting and I learned a little about roller derby which is nice and the characters had good interactions, it was a little frustrating to see how Brooke was sometimes but it was still a great story.
The second one was Closed Door Policy, I had a little bit of a hard time with this one I don't know why I just didn't connect that much with the characters, Caroline has an interesting story but Atlanta even if I loved that name I couldn't get attached to the characters.
The last one which is also my favorite was In Private Equity, it differed from the other two as we had only the pov from Cassidy but still both characters were interesting in the ways they could see through the appearances of each other and read each other's feeling well mostly Julia about Cassidy but still. Ooh and Lily that baby girl 😍 I can only wish to be a parent as good as Cassidy was to Lily even when she wasn't yet with Julia.
Ice on Wheels: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Closed Door Policy: ⭐⭐⭐
In Private Equity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I liked the first one, it was Ice on Wheels, the characters were interesting and I learned a little about roller derby which is nice and the characters had good interactions, it was a little frustrating to see how Brooke was sometimes but it was still a great story.
The second one was Closed Door Policy, I had a little bit of a hard time with this one I don't know why I just didn't connect that much with the characters, Caroline has an interesting story but Atlanta even if I loved that name I couldn't get attached to the characters.
The last one which is also my favorite was In Private Equity, it differed from the other two as we had only the pov from Cassidy but still both characters were interesting in the ways they could see through the appearances of each other and read each other's feeling well mostly Julia about Cassidy but still. Ooh and Lily that baby girl 😍 I can only wish to be a parent as good as Cassidy was to Lily even when she wasn't yet with Julia.
Ice on Wheels: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Closed Door Policy: ⭐⭐⭐
In Private Equity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
December 15, 2019
I find that when I’m given three books in one, there is always one you love, and at least one you dislike. Not this time. All three authors have given me a book/books I really enjoyed.
Ice on Wheels, Aurora Rey. Brooke Landry takes life seriously, even playing with her Roller Derby team ‘Big Easy Bruisers’. They were so close to taking the state championship she could taste it but first she had to go one more round with the ‘Cajun Queens’ who used their star blocker Riley Fauchet to take Brooke down making sure that they were the winners, not the BEB’s. Problem is Brooke thought it wasn’t a fair hit. She doesn’t take losing all that well. Then just before the new season begins she finds that her arch enemy, Riley has now joined her team. Having to practice and play with Riley is bad enough but the topper is when she finds out that Riley is also starting to work for the same company is just too much. Brooke is uptight while Riley is easy going. Now Brroke has no choice but to get along with Riley but can she?
Closed Door Policy, Erin Zak. Caroline Stevens has had enough. She’s worked as a nurse for a number of years but after an incident she’s decided she needs to find another job. Then to top off that life changing decision her husband decides it’s the perfect time to ask for a divorce. It’s clear it’s time for Caroline to try something different. She moves in with her daughter’s family taking over the basement apartment they just happens to have. New city, new home, now she just needs to find a better job than the one she now has, working as a bartender. She would like to continue working in health care but not as a nurse but teaching others who were studying to become health care workers like herself but to do so she need a teaching degree. Dr. Atlanta Morris, along with a few of her colleagues starts giving classes enabling students to receive their teaching degree in only a few months. Problem is she’s also expected to be a mentor in the program, something she doesn't want to do. She loves teaching and her students love her but the idea of actually mentoring is a whole other matter. It’s decided she will only have to mentor two students and of course one of those students just happens to be the student that Atlanta can’t seem to stop dreaming about, Caroline. Teacher and student both have a few lessons to learn about themselves and each other.
Private Equity, Elle Spencer. Cassidy Bennett works at WhitCap, a private equity firm owned by the one and only Julia P. Whitmore. Her job as Julia’s assistant means she works just as hard as her boss, putting in long hours and traveling with the boss. Problem is that even though Julia is a hard task master she’s also showing Cassidy everything she knows when it comes to running a business, she also finds herself dreaming about how much she’d like to be more to Julia than just her assistant. She's in love with Julia and Julia’s five year old daughter, Lily but seeing as Julia’s straight and obviously she’s not, there doesn’t seem to be a future for them. Cassidy hasn’t seen her parents since they informed her she wasn’t wanted as long as she continued life as a lesbian. Now she’s with Julia and Lily in her hometown, Seattle and while she still doesn’t want her parents in her life she still has a chance to meet up with some old friends. And that means joining them at a lesbian bar to celebrate her friends birthday. Who would have thought Julia would like to come along with her. How was that going to work? Both Cassidy and Julia are in for a few surprises while in Seattle.
Here you have three great reads all in one book. I do have a favorite but I won’t tell. Three authors, three great reads. Very enjoyable,.
ARC via NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books
Ice on Wheels, Aurora Rey. Brooke Landry takes life seriously, even playing with her Roller Derby team ‘Big Easy Bruisers’. They were so close to taking the state championship she could taste it but first she had to go one more round with the ‘Cajun Queens’ who used their star blocker Riley Fauchet to take Brooke down making sure that they were the winners, not the BEB’s. Problem is Brooke thought it wasn’t a fair hit. She doesn’t take losing all that well. Then just before the new season begins she finds that her arch enemy, Riley has now joined her team. Having to practice and play with Riley is bad enough but the topper is when she finds out that Riley is also starting to work for the same company is just too much. Brooke is uptight while Riley is easy going. Now Brroke has no choice but to get along with Riley but can she?
Closed Door Policy, Erin Zak. Caroline Stevens has had enough. She’s worked as a nurse for a number of years but after an incident she’s decided she needs to find another job. Then to top off that life changing decision her husband decides it’s the perfect time to ask for a divorce. It’s clear it’s time for Caroline to try something different. She moves in with her daughter’s family taking over the basement apartment they just happens to have. New city, new home, now she just needs to find a better job than the one she now has, working as a bartender. She would like to continue working in health care but not as a nurse but teaching others who were studying to become health care workers like herself but to do so she need a teaching degree. Dr. Atlanta Morris, along with a few of her colleagues starts giving classes enabling students to receive their teaching degree in only a few months. Problem is she’s also expected to be a mentor in the program, something she doesn't want to do. She loves teaching and her students love her but the idea of actually mentoring is a whole other matter. It’s decided she will only have to mentor two students and of course one of those students just happens to be the student that Atlanta can’t seem to stop dreaming about, Caroline. Teacher and student both have a few lessons to learn about themselves and each other.
Private Equity, Elle Spencer. Cassidy Bennett works at WhitCap, a private equity firm owned by the one and only Julia P. Whitmore. Her job as Julia’s assistant means she works just as hard as her boss, putting in long hours and traveling with the boss. Problem is that even though Julia is a hard task master she’s also showing Cassidy everything she knows when it comes to running a business, she also finds herself dreaming about how much she’d like to be more to Julia than just her assistant. She's in love with Julia and Julia’s five year old daughter, Lily but seeing as Julia’s straight and obviously she’s not, there doesn’t seem to be a future for them. Cassidy hasn’t seen her parents since they informed her she wasn’t wanted as long as she continued life as a lesbian. Now she’s with Julia and Lily in her hometown, Seattle and while she still doesn’t want her parents in her life she still has a chance to meet up with some old friends. And that means joining them at a lesbian bar to celebrate her friends birthday. Who would have thought Julia would like to come along with her. How was that going to work? Both Cassidy and Julia are in for a few surprises while in Seattle.
Here you have three great reads all in one book. I do have a favorite but I won’t tell. Three authors, three great reads. Very enjoyable,.
ARC via NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books
November 14, 2019
Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
In “Ice on Wheels” by Aurora Rey I found Brooke to be annoying. It was such a small little thing to get angry over, and it happened 4 months before. It’s sports, sometimes you lose and sometimes you win. Holding a grudge against someone who beat you fair and square in a competition is childish. Get over it!
I would not describe Brooke as an Ice Queen, more as a childish, jealous and bitchy woman not being able to let go and move on. Her friends saw it as a crush, I saw it as being childish cause Riley bested her and took the “spotlight” when she showed up at practice and work.
And I don’t get the 180 in Brooke’s attitude. One minute she’s bitching to her friend about Riley, the next she wants to know Riley’s life story and plays games with her. I do not see the attraction, from either side. It just happened without any real build up in my opinion. There was no chemistry between the MCs.
I don’t feel connected to this story and I barely managed to finish it. I would have given this 2 stars if I read it on its own.
“Closed Door Policy” by Erin Zak. I’ve read 2 Erin Zak books before, one I really loved and one I felt was just okay.
Already from the first page I can tell that I’ll love this book. I really loved MC Caroline and her family. I caught myself smiling like an idiot several times. I really loved 55 yo Caroline’s friendship with the 20-something Kate,Kelli and Michael. I liked the difference in ages of all the characters. I really loved Caroline, she’s light and fun. Really loved the build up between the two MCs Atlanta and Caroline. I also loved that not everyone in the story was lesbian/gay. It annoys me when the MCs (obviously) and every single of their friends is gay, so this was refreshing to read. I love that there isn’t really any panic and thoughts like “omg I have feelings for a woman, I’ve always been with men, does this mean that I’m gay now?!”.
Only thing I found annoying is that they could have waited. It’s always nerve wrecking when people do stuff they can get fired for.
But I really loved this short story and would have loved this as a whole book with more build up and more romance. But all in all I would have given this a solid 4 stars on its own.
“Private Equity” by Elle Spencer. I’ve read 2 Elle Spencer books and I loved them both, especially “Casting Lacy”. I usually love the way she writes, and they way she builds up the chemistry and the characters. The emotion and angst that she puts into her stories.
It took me a little while to get used to the writing style in this book, but once I did I really liked the story. I liked the relationship between MC Julia and Cassidy, and the relationship between Cassidy and Julia’s daughter Lily. Sadly there wasn’t much time to get a real build up and depth to the characters. But it was a cute story, I just wish it was a lot longer :) I would give this a 3 on account of the length and not much of a build up :)
All in all I would rated this as a solid 3 :)
In “Ice on Wheels” by Aurora Rey I found Brooke to be annoying. It was such a small little thing to get angry over, and it happened 4 months before. It’s sports, sometimes you lose and sometimes you win. Holding a grudge against someone who beat you fair and square in a competition is childish. Get over it!
I would not describe Brooke as an Ice Queen, more as a childish, jealous and bitchy woman not being able to let go and move on. Her friends saw it as a crush, I saw it as being childish cause Riley bested her and took the “spotlight” when she showed up at practice and work.
And I don’t get the 180 in Brooke’s attitude. One minute she’s bitching to her friend about Riley, the next she wants to know Riley’s life story and plays games with her. I do not see the attraction, from either side. It just happened without any real build up in my opinion. There was no chemistry between the MCs.
I don’t feel connected to this story and I barely managed to finish it. I would have given this 2 stars if I read it on its own.
“Closed Door Policy” by Erin Zak. I’ve read 2 Erin Zak books before, one I really loved and one I felt was just okay.
Already from the first page I can tell that I’ll love this book. I really loved MC Caroline and her family. I caught myself smiling like an idiot several times. I really loved 55 yo Caroline’s friendship with the 20-something Kate,Kelli and Michael. I liked the difference in ages of all the characters. I really loved Caroline, she’s light and fun. Really loved the build up between the two MCs Atlanta and Caroline. I also loved that not everyone in the story was lesbian/gay. It annoys me when the MCs (obviously) and every single of their friends is gay, so this was refreshing to read. I love that there isn’t really any panic and thoughts like “omg I have feelings for a woman, I’ve always been with men, does this mean that I’m gay now?!”.
Only thing I found annoying is that they could have waited. It’s always nerve wrecking when people do stuff they can get fired for.
But I really loved this short story and would have loved this as a whole book with more build up and more romance. But all in all I would have given this a solid 4 stars on its own.
“Private Equity” by Elle Spencer. I’ve read 2 Elle Spencer books and I loved them both, especially “Casting Lacy”. I usually love the way she writes, and they way she builds up the chemistry and the characters. The emotion and angst that she puts into her stories.
It took me a little while to get used to the writing style in this book, but once I did I really liked the story. I liked the relationship between MC Julia and Cassidy, and the relationship between Cassidy and Julia’s daughter Lily. Sadly there wasn’t much time to get a real build up and depth to the characters. But it was a cute story, I just wish it was a lot longer :) I would give this a 3 on account of the length and not much of a build up :)
All in all I would rated this as a solid 3 :)
December 16, 2019
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a compilation of novellas by three authors I like, so choosing it as an ARC was a no brainer.
The first story is by Aurora Rey and features MCs Brooke and Riley who are in opposing roller derby teams and then become team mates, they also end up working together. Both characters are likeable, but Brooke does not like Riley for most of the story, and watching Riley work around this was pretty fun. I enjoyed the roller derby stuff too, it’s not a sport I’ve ever read about in lesfic before. I wouldn’t have minded a longer version of this. 3.5 stars
The second story is Close Door Policy by Erin Zak, and was the weakest of the three. It features MC Atlanta, a tenured professor about to teach an extension course and Caroline, who used to be a nurse and is now trying to get a teaching certificate. The premise was interesting in that though this is teacher/student the student is older. Atlanta had a issue with a student relationship previously and is therefore a bitch to Caroline to try and hide her attraction. This doesn’t work at all because everyone but Caroline knows about it. They also don’t need to hold out very long to make this an non-issue once they admit feelings for each other (2 weeks) but still can’t manage it. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. It’s hardly likely with what was on the line, that two grown ass women wouldn’t be able to hold off on the sexy times for two freaking weeks. Anyway, I didn’t like most of their relationship, so I didn’t care whether they got together or not. 2.5 stars
The final book is Private Equity by Elle Spencer, and it was easily my favourite. It features Julia, who is a corporate big wig and her chief of staff Cassidy. They’re in Seattle (with Julia’s 5year old daughter Lily) to do work on some business deals. I loved both characters and how their relationship unfolded. Lily was a delight and I loved her interactions with Cassidy, the side story with Cassidy’s parents was also interesting. I really wish this had been a full length novel, I’d have liked to see what Spencer did with those storylines with more time. 4 stars.
Overall, I liked two of these quite a bit, and would have read the longer version of both. The other not so much. Probably 3.75 overall, rounded up.
This is a compilation of novellas by three authors I like, so choosing it as an ARC was a no brainer.
The first story is by Aurora Rey and features MCs Brooke and Riley who are in opposing roller derby teams and then become team mates, they also end up working together. Both characters are likeable, but Brooke does not like Riley for most of the story, and watching Riley work around this was pretty fun. I enjoyed the roller derby stuff too, it’s not a sport I’ve ever read about in lesfic before. I wouldn’t have minded a longer version of this. 3.5 stars
The second story is Close Door Policy by Erin Zak, and was the weakest of the three. It features MC Atlanta, a tenured professor about to teach an extension course and Caroline, who used to be a nurse and is now trying to get a teaching certificate. The premise was interesting in that though this is teacher/student the student is older. Atlanta had a issue with a student relationship previously and is therefore a bitch to Caroline to try and hide her attraction. This doesn’t work at all because everyone but Caroline knows about it. They also don’t need to hold out very long to make this an non-issue once they admit feelings for each other (2 weeks) but still can’t manage it. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. It’s hardly likely with what was on the line, that two grown ass women wouldn’t be able to hold off on the sexy times for two freaking weeks. Anyway, I didn’t like most of their relationship, so I didn’t care whether they got together or not. 2.5 stars
The final book is Private Equity by Elle Spencer, and it was easily my favourite. It features Julia, who is a corporate big wig and her chief of staff Cassidy. They’re in Seattle (with Julia’s 5year old daughter Lily) to do work on some business deals. I loved both characters and how their relationship unfolded. Lily was a delight and I loved her interactions with Cassidy, the side story with Cassidy’s parents was also interesting. I really wish this had been a full length novel, I’d have liked to see what Spencer did with those storylines with more time. 4 stars.
Overall, I liked two of these quite a bit, and would have read the longer version of both. The other not so much. Probably 3.75 overall, rounded up.
December 27, 2019
This was not as hot as I thought it was going to be. I was expecting tension, foreplay, teasing, and steamy sex. Don't get me wrong the storytelling was great, these authors have a way of telling a story and drawing you in but I felt the sex and was lacking.
Ice on Wheels wasn't bad but I had a hard time keeping my focus solely on the story. I also was disappointed at the lack of character description. I feel if I knew what the characters looked like, sounded like, how they wore their clothes, the gait in their walk, dimples, winks, etc, it would have helped build up that sexual tension for me, as a reader. I also think the author missed an opportunity in that shower scene. It felt too clinical or juvenile, like two buddies taking a shower, and not two women who'd been lusting after one another. The sex felt rehearsed. Honestly, passionate sex should be bumping into the wall, tripping over furniture, knocking things over until both hit and tumble onto any flat surface. Just my opinion.
Private Equity was a little more entertaining for my liking. I wouldn't label it as a firm femme-femme because Atlanta was a whole 'nother creature altogether. She kinda had a wild child vibe to her and I found that extremely attractive. I liked that Caroline was in her fifties and still had spunk, spark, and fight left in her after experiencing trauma then a divorce. I felt a stronger connection with these women and the build up was stronger to the finale. The sex was sweet but not hot.
Closed-Door Policy had me laughing in various parts of the story. This was my favourite one. Being inside Cassidy's head was sometimes a riot and I found her endearing almost. Julia was a mystery at first but then the layers were peeled back and surprisingly pleased to find out that she wasn't a complete, uptight, frigid "straight" ice queen. Again, the sex was sweet but not hot in my eyes.
Sweet as Ice, maybe?
Ice on Wheels wasn't bad but I had a hard time keeping my focus solely on the story. I also was disappointed at the lack of character description. I feel if I knew what the characters looked like, sounded like, how they wore their clothes, the gait in their walk, dimples, winks, etc, it would have helped build up that sexual tension for me, as a reader. I also think the author missed an opportunity in that shower scene. It felt too clinical or juvenile, like two buddies taking a shower, and not two women who'd been lusting after one another. The sex felt rehearsed. Honestly, passionate sex should be bumping into the wall, tripping over furniture, knocking things over until both hit and tumble onto any flat surface. Just my opinion.
Private Equity was a little more entertaining for my liking. I wouldn't label it as a firm femme-femme because Atlanta was a whole 'nother creature altogether. She kinda had a wild child vibe to her and I found that extremely attractive. I liked that Caroline was in her fifties and still had spunk, spark, and fight left in her after experiencing trauma then a divorce. I felt a stronger connection with these women and the build up was stronger to the finale. The sex was sweet but not hot.
Closed-Door Policy had me laughing in various parts of the story. This was my favourite one. Being inside Cassidy's head was sometimes a riot and I found her endearing almost. Julia was a mystery at first but then the layers were peeled back and surprisingly pleased to find out that she wasn't a complete, uptight, frigid "straight" ice queen. Again, the sex was sweet but not hot in my eyes.
Sweet as Ice, maybe?
January 2, 2020
YUMMY!
This book is a set of three FANTASTIC short stories about Ice Queens by three AMAZING authors!
Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey is the wonderful tale of roller derby queens. Last year in the championship match, Brook was blocked by Riley causing her team to lose. This year Riley is not only a member of her team but a coworker too! Brook is still holding a grudge and is far from pleasant to the newcomer. How are they ever going to resolve their issues and why is Brook so affected by Riley?
Private Equity by Elle Spencer is my favourite of the three. Cassidy works for the successful Julia who is a smart, beautiful and terrifying woman who demands a lot of not only herself but everyone who works for her. One night Julia tags along with Cassidy to a gay bar for a friends birthday party. Julia is surprisingly at ease and even poses as Cassidy’s girlfriend to keep an unexpected blind date at bay… If only it wasn’t pretend…
Finally in Closed-Door Policy, Erin Zak write the great story about an older woman who goes back to school and has the misfourtune, or is it pleasure of having the notoriously off putting Dr Atlanta as an instructor. Atlanta is determined not to like Caroline, and Caroline cannot figure out what she has done to make the sexy teacher so dismissive of her. She also can’t believe that she is crushing on the woman as well…
I LOVED this book so much! Each story is so well written, so engaging, interesting and steamy. Each one grabs you and keeps you invested as the tales unfold. I can’t wait to read it again!!!!
This book is a set of three FANTASTIC short stories about Ice Queens by three AMAZING authors!
Ice on Wheels by Aurora Rey is the wonderful tale of roller derby queens. Last year in the championship match, Brook was blocked by Riley causing her team to lose. This year Riley is not only a member of her team but a coworker too! Brook is still holding a grudge and is far from pleasant to the newcomer. How are they ever going to resolve their issues and why is Brook so affected by Riley?
Private Equity by Elle Spencer is my favourite of the three. Cassidy works for the successful Julia who is a smart, beautiful and terrifying woman who demands a lot of not only herself but everyone who works for her. One night Julia tags along with Cassidy to a gay bar for a friends birthday party. Julia is surprisingly at ease and even poses as Cassidy’s girlfriend to keep an unexpected blind date at bay… If only it wasn’t pretend…
Finally in Closed-Door Policy, Erin Zak write the great story about an older woman who goes back to school and has the misfourtune, or is it pleasure of having the notoriously off putting Dr Atlanta as an instructor. Atlanta is determined not to like Caroline, and Caroline cannot figure out what she has done to make the sexy teacher so dismissive of her. She also can’t believe that she is crushing on the woman as well…
I LOVED this book so much! Each story is so well written, so engaging, interesting and steamy. Each one grabs you and keeps you invested as the tales unfold. I can’t wait to read it again!!!!
December 28, 2019
A great read. Hot Ice is a compilation of three lesbian novellas by Aurora Rey, Erin Zak and Elle Spencer, all romances.
Each story is short enough to get through easily and quickly.
If I recommend this book? absolutly!
Each story is short enough to get through easily and quickly.
If I recommend this book? absolutly!
February 18, 2020
Aurora Rey: trivial and boring 1 star
Erin Zak: Not good enough 3 stars
Elle Spencer: Excellent and great read, wonderful story. A pity is just a novella. 5 stars
Erin Zak: Not good enough 3 stars
Elle Spencer: Excellent and great read, wonderful story. A pity is just a novella. 5 stars
August 15, 2020
This trilogy of ice queen romance novellas has its high points. All three have forbidden relationships to an extent – dating your teacher, boss, or coworker. Rey starts it off with an interesting butch femme romance between two roller derby skaters, one of whom is determined to dislike the other. I enjoyed learning more about roller derby. Zak wrote an intriguing romance, but I thought the professor was unprofessional. Other than that, I did enjoy the dilemma the two protagonists had and their gradually thawing relationship. Spencer’s novella ended the trilogy. It had a nice bit of humor to it and was fun to read. Julia was a woman with many surprises up her sleeve.
April 17, 2020
Closed-Door Policy by Erin Zak was the favourite out of the 3
May 3, 2020
Detailed score:
Ice On Wheels - Aurora Rey: 3.25
Closed Door Policy - Erin Zak: 2.75
Private Equity - Elle Spencer: 4.0
Average: 3.33
Overall: I am a massive massive ice queen fan so was excited to see an anthology filled with them! Only to be disappointed. With retrospect I can see why - part of the joy of ice queen characters is understanding why they are ice queeny and why the other protagonists characteristics / actions thaw their ice queeny heart. But this takes time to build - time that these shorter stories don’t have. Without this build, I have to agree with reviewer @Rosi that these weren’t ice queens, they were bitchy (sometimes just plain nasty) bad tempered women’. Private Equity was closest to an IQ (and therefore no surprise the one I liked the most) but there still seemed more moodiness than ice thawing.
Some brief specific comments
Ice on Wheels: I didn’t really like either character and didn’t have enough time in this short book to change my mind. Too much derby for the non derby fan. Didn’t understand what the pull was between the two characters apart from finding each other hot. Brooke was meant to be the ice queen but she read to me as more young and emotionally immature.
Closed Door Policy: I’ve loved some of Zak’s previous work so was surprised I disliked this one. I think maybe she tried to do a novel length character build and plot in a short story and it just didn’t work. I found the pacing all over the shop - it really took me out of it. Too much time spent on the character backstory and not enough on the build of them coming together. Plus the ice queen seemed just plain old mean to me. Redeemed slightly by its attempt at character depth but I didn’t like this one at all
Private Equity: For me this is the only one worth reading of the three. Classic Crush on the ice queeny, brilliant boss trope but done well. Only one with an actual ice queen although still a bit moody than I’d like. But overall this one gave me the ice queeny feels and would have liked a bit more of it.
Overall: I think I saw ice queens and therefore had higher expectations of this book than I normally would of an anthology. With only 1 of 3 in my ‘would read again’ list it’s hard to recommend this. Go and read some of the authors’ other books instead!!
Ice On Wheels - Aurora Rey: 3.25
Closed Door Policy - Erin Zak: 2.75
Private Equity - Elle Spencer: 4.0
Average: 3.33
Overall: I am a massive massive ice queen fan so was excited to see an anthology filled with them! Only to be disappointed. With retrospect I can see why - part of the joy of ice queen characters is understanding why they are ice queeny and why the other protagonists characteristics / actions thaw their ice queeny heart. But this takes time to build - time that these shorter stories don’t have. Without this build, I have to agree with reviewer @Rosi that these weren’t ice queens, they were bitchy (sometimes just plain nasty) bad tempered women’. Private Equity was closest to an IQ (and therefore no surprise the one I liked the most) but there still seemed more moodiness than ice thawing.
Some brief specific comments
Ice on Wheels: I didn’t really like either character and didn’t have enough time in this short book to change my mind. Too much derby for the non derby fan. Didn’t understand what the pull was between the two characters apart from finding each other hot. Brooke was meant to be the ice queen but she read to me as more young and emotionally immature.
Closed Door Policy: I’ve loved some of Zak’s previous work so was surprised I disliked this one. I think maybe she tried to do a novel length character build and plot in a short story and it just didn’t work. I found the pacing all over the shop - it really took me out of it. Too much time spent on the character backstory and not enough on the build of them coming together. Plus the ice queen seemed just plain old mean to me. Redeemed slightly by its attempt at character depth but I didn’t like this one at all
Private Equity: For me this is the only one worth reading of the three. Classic Crush on the ice queeny, brilliant boss trope but done well. Only one with an actual ice queen although still a bit moody than I’d like. But overall this one gave me the ice queeny feels and would have liked a bit more of it.
Overall: I think I saw ice queens and therefore had higher expectations of this book than I normally would of an anthology. With only 1 of 3 in my ‘would read again’ list it’s hard to recommend this. Go and read some of the authors’ other books instead!!
December 12, 2019
3.5 STARS ROUNDED UP TO 4 STARS
I RECEIVED AN ARC COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY AND VOLUNTARILY LEAVING MY REVIEW.
THIS IS THREE BOOKS (NOVELLAS) BY THREE DIFFERENT AUTHORS. AURORA REY, ELLE SPENCER & ERIN ZAK.
ICE ON WHEELS BY AURORA REY
RILEY IS AN ESTATE AGENT AND ALSO PLAYS ROLLER DERBY AND BROOKE IS ALSO AN ESTATE AGENT AND PLAYS ROLLER DERBY.
BOTH END UP PLAYING ON THE SAME ROLLER DERBY TEAM AND ALSO END UP WORKING IN THE SAME OFFICE WHEN RILEY RELOCATES TO BE NEARER HER SISTER AND KIDS.
RILEY IS A SWEETHEART FROM THE BEGINNING. BROOKE, I HAVE TO SAY I NEVER TOOK TO HER AT ALL. SHE ACTED LIKED A SPOILT BRAT. EVERYTHING HAD TO GO HER WAY OR NO WAY. SHE COULDN'T TAKE A BEATING AND MOVE ON SHE HAD TO KEEP HOLDING A GRUDGE OVER SOMETHING DONE AT ONE OF THE DERBY GAMES. I DIDN'T FEEL ANY CHEMISTRY FROM ANY OF THEM. I HAVE TO SAY THAT ON THIS OCCASION THIS WOULD BE MY LEAST FAVOURITE OF THE THREE.
PRIVATE EQUITY BY ELLE SPENCER
CASSIDY AND JULIA WERE BOTH GREAT CHARACTERS. I LOVED THEM BOTH FROM THE BEGINNING. CASSIDY HAVING A CRUSH ON HER BOSS FOR MONTHS AND HER LOVING JULIA'S DAUGHTER, LILY. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS STORY AND ONLY WISH IT WAS A FULL LENGTH NOVEL.
CLOSED DOOR POLICY BY ERIN ZAK
CAROLINE IS A MATURE STUDENT AND ATLANTA IS A PROFESSOR.
CAROLINE IS A REGISTERED NURSE BY TRADE BUT LOST EVERYTHING AFTER AN INCIDENT AT WORK. SHE RELOCATED AND MOVED IN WITH HER DAUGHTER. SHE IS TAKING CLASSES AT THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY AND ATLANTA, WHO IS HER PROFESSOR MAKES LIFE DIFFICULT FOR HER AS SHE HAS FEELINGS FOR HER STUDENT BUT DOESN'T WANT HER TO KNOW. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE READ THIS TYPE OF BOOK WHERE THE STUDENT HAS BEEN OLDER THAN THE PROFESSOR/TEACHER.
ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A GOOD READ AND IF YOU ENJOY READING ABOUT ICE QUEENS, THEN THIS BOOK COULD BE FOR YOU.
I RECEIVED AN ARC COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY AND VOLUNTARILY LEAVING MY REVIEW.
THIS IS THREE BOOKS (NOVELLAS) BY THREE DIFFERENT AUTHORS. AURORA REY, ELLE SPENCER & ERIN ZAK.
ICE ON WHEELS BY AURORA REY
RILEY IS AN ESTATE AGENT AND ALSO PLAYS ROLLER DERBY AND BROOKE IS ALSO AN ESTATE AGENT AND PLAYS ROLLER DERBY.
BOTH END UP PLAYING ON THE SAME ROLLER DERBY TEAM AND ALSO END UP WORKING IN THE SAME OFFICE WHEN RILEY RELOCATES TO BE NEARER HER SISTER AND KIDS.
RILEY IS A SWEETHEART FROM THE BEGINNING. BROOKE, I HAVE TO SAY I NEVER TOOK TO HER AT ALL. SHE ACTED LIKED A SPOILT BRAT. EVERYTHING HAD TO GO HER WAY OR NO WAY. SHE COULDN'T TAKE A BEATING AND MOVE ON SHE HAD TO KEEP HOLDING A GRUDGE OVER SOMETHING DONE AT ONE OF THE DERBY GAMES. I DIDN'T FEEL ANY CHEMISTRY FROM ANY OF THEM. I HAVE TO SAY THAT ON THIS OCCASION THIS WOULD BE MY LEAST FAVOURITE OF THE THREE.
PRIVATE EQUITY BY ELLE SPENCER
CASSIDY AND JULIA WERE BOTH GREAT CHARACTERS. I LOVED THEM BOTH FROM THE BEGINNING. CASSIDY HAVING A CRUSH ON HER BOSS FOR MONTHS AND HER LOVING JULIA'S DAUGHTER, LILY. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS STORY AND ONLY WISH IT WAS A FULL LENGTH NOVEL.
CLOSED DOOR POLICY BY ERIN ZAK
CAROLINE IS A MATURE STUDENT AND ATLANTA IS A PROFESSOR.
CAROLINE IS A REGISTERED NURSE BY TRADE BUT LOST EVERYTHING AFTER AN INCIDENT AT WORK. SHE RELOCATED AND MOVED IN WITH HER DAUGHTER. SHE IS TAKING CLASSES AT THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY AND ATLANTA, WHO IS HER PROFESSOR MAKES LIFE DIFFICULT FOR HER AS SHE HAS FEELINGS FOR HER STUDENT BUT DOESN'T WANT HER TO KNOW. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE READ THIS TYPE OF BOOK WHERE THE STUDENT HAS BEEN OLDER THAN THE PROFESSOR/TEACHER.
ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A GOOD READ AND IF YOU ENJOY READING ABOUT ICE QUEENS, THEN THIS BOOK COULD BE FOR YOU.
December 11, 2019
I love a good ice-queen story, and this book gave us three for one! Aurora Rey's Ice on Wheels had our two leading ladies Brooke and Riley not only literally clashing on the rink but also professionally. I loved the chemistry between these two and thankfully it was hot enough to melt the ice between them.
Erin Zak's Closed Door Policy was probably my favourite of the three and I could have done with a full length novel of this story. I loved Caroline's young friends, they were hilarious. I loved the slow burn of Caroline and Atlanta's high-risk relationship, their chemistry was sizzling as well.
Elle Spencer's Private Equity was my least favourite but still enjoyable. I found it hard to connect to the characters but still found the premise of their relationship interesting.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Erin Zak's Closed Door Policy was probably my favourite of the three and I could have done with a full length novel of this story. I loved Caroline's young friends, they were hilarious. I loved the slow burn of Caroline and Atlanta's high-risk relationship, their chemistry was sizzling as well.
Elle Spencer's Private Equity was my least favourite but still enjoyable. I found it hard to connect to the characters but still found the premise of their relationship interesting.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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