Only One Bed

Love on the Ice #1

by Keira Andrews

Will friends become lovers this Christmas?

Sam
People joke that Etienne and I are boyfriends, but whatever.

Sure, I think about him all the time—he's my best friend. If I've missed him way more than I expected when he left to train with a new skating coach, that’s because he’s so easy to hang with. And yeah, he’s gay, but he’s not into me. Why would he be? I’m straight.

We're not boyfriends.

But now Etienne needs me, so I’m rushing to the mountain village where he's skating in a holiday show. That’s what best friends do.

Etienne
I know Sam will never like me the way I like him.

Never love me the way I love him.

But now that my competitive skating career might be suddenly ending, I need my best friend by my side. Thank god Sam’s spending the holidays with me.

It's okay that he'll never love me back.

It’s okay that there's only one bed in this cozy little cabin.

We’re best friends. Nothing’s going to happen.

Only One Bed is a gay Christmas story from Keira Andrews featuring friends to lovers, forced proximity, bisexual awakening, first times, snowy holiday vibes, and of course a happy ending.

Genres: M M Romance, Friends To Lovers, Romance, Christmas, Holiday, Sports, Contemporary

166 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 2, 2021

About the author

Keira aims for the perfect mix of character, plot, and heat in her M/M romances. She writes everything from swashbuckling pirates to heartwarming holiday escapism. Her fave tropes are enemies to lovers, age gaps, forced proximity, and passionate virgins. Although she loves delicious angst along the way, Keira guarantees happy endings!

Reviews

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2.5 stars*

I love you, Keira Andrews, and thank you so much for sending me a review copy, but Only One Bed just didn't quite work for me.

I can't even state how much I love everything Keira writes, and to add on an only one bed! trope and friends-to-lovers... I was BEYOND ready for this. However, I'm not sure if the novella-length killed it for me, but I felt like the sexual realization moments and growing attraction felt abrupt and underdeveloped.

I think to really convince me about a friends-to-lovers or a sexuality discovery story, there needs to be more backstory that we witness, more tension. Here, we heard that these two had been platonic friends for years, but the sort of hints about attraction were there from the start. I think the story might have been better if they were both gay/bi (at least acknowledging it) from the start (yes, that's me!! suggesting that-omg).

I felt... nothing towards this story, which makes me super sad. I mean, it's Keira and ONLY ONE BED! But, alas, this wasn't meant to be for me. There's always her next book.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

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[☆ Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story, but didn't fall completely head over heels in love with it, like I'd hoped.

At 121 reported pages, I don't know, it felt significantly shorter than that and more like a story that I'd pick up as a super-quick, filler read. More of an appetizer than the entree.

Both 24 y.o. MC's, Etienne and Sam, were extremely likeable and I really enjoyed their friendship.

[My interpretation of professional ice dancer Etienne...]



[My interpretation of Sam...]



However, I was never able to fully embrace their transition into the "more" part of the relationship, for whatever reason, which was probably 100% on me or my reading mood.

Once Sam finally gave in and told Etienne that he wanted to kiss him, the steam arrived pretty hot and heavy, if that interests you.

And I loved how, once Sam opened himself up to being with Etienne, there were zero gay freakouts or hesitation, not even when out in public, which can be pretty rare in bi-awakening stories.

I also really liked Sam's family, who were present for much more of the book than I had expected, and how easily they accepted Sam and Etienne's transition from BFF's to boyfriends.

There was for sure a setup for book 2 in this one, as both Sam's brother, Henry, and his nemesis on the ice were at the winter resort, which I'm looking forward to reading, too.

Overall, I'd rate this one at around 3.5 stars and recommend it to M/M fans that aren't allergic to descriptions of some damn cold-sounding wintery conditions.

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[Keira Andrews]

**FREE at Amazon Dec 18-22 2025!**

This BFFs-to-lovers romance was so much fun to write, and I hope it brings you fluffy, sexy, holiday cheer in a year when we need it more than ever. ❤

Buy or borrow in Kindle Unlimited:

Amz US: https://amzn.to/30w8SGL
Amz Universal: https://readerlinks.com/l/2173099

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam and Etienne have been best friends for more than a decade, and if Etienne has an unrequited crush on Sam, no one has to know ... well, except Bree, his skating partner and other best friend.

Now Sam is coming to spend a week with Etienne over the holidays. The thing is, they have to share a bed. But that's what friends do, right?

Even though the plot is relationship-driven, the story doesn't take place in a vacuum. Etienne is at a crossroads in his skating career. He and Bree hate training with their current coach, and Bree has suffered a bad concussion.

Sam's older brother, Henry, is also a professional figure skater, and you can tell the author knows this sport. There aren't so many details as to be exhausting, but the descriptions are spot on.

Only One Bed is a warm, sexy, friends-to-lovers, bisexual awakening story with a cheerful Christmas vibe. I adored the MCs and secondary characters, especially Sam's grandma, who was a hoot.

I'm really hoping Henry and Theo (Henry's main competitor) get a story.

Also, three cheers for an Asian American MC! Sam is of Japanese heritage, as is my best friend of two decades, so I was particularly pleased by this. We need more Asian representation in romance novels.

[Florence . · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really loved the last Keira Andrews books I have read so I was very excited about this one. it took me 8 days to read this 120 pages book because I just wasn't engaged by it. I never really got into the book or connected with it, which I'm sad to say because I absolutely love friends to lovers, this one just didn't work for me. I didn't like how there weren't that many interactions with the main characters, it was more about their everyday than the romance, which didn't really work for me.

Also, I just want to mention that I'm from Quebec and I'm always a little wary of reading books about characters from Quebec because they always just read like a stereotype and it was definitely the case here, there is more to Quebecers than saying one swear word in French every 5 minutes. It wasn't the worst representation ever and it didn't sound too cliche and I didn't mind it too much, but I wish there was more to him than using one French swear word during the entire book.

It was very sweet though and swoony, which I absolutely love in a Christmas romance, I just wish it grabbed me more.

I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review

[drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

a cute novella, but far from Keira’s best. the story could have used a bit more room to breathe as everything felt rushed and a little messy. Keira Andrews is usually wonderful at dialogue, but it was a bit too goofy and repetitive at times here.

overall, though, it was a decent way to spend a few hours. 3 stars.

[Meags · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

This story was trope-y as all get-out and I enjoyed every minute of it!

The title says it all, as we follow besties, Sam and Etienne, as they spend a few welcomed days together over the Christmas holiday, forced to face some long-suppressed feelings and new heated desires that begin to rise to the surface when they find themselves sharing a cabin with only one bed!

Sam and Etienne were lovely characters and I bought into their friends-to-lovers story with ease and eagerness. The dual POV certainly helped establish their strong connection and shed light on their mutual pining, with Etienne loving Sam from afar since childhood, and Sam only now coming to terms with both his sexuality and his complex feelings for his dearest friend.

The romance was sweet and sufficiently sexy, but I also enjoyed all the ice dancing stuff and family/friend dynamics too. I’ll definitely be back to read the sequel (Kiss and Cry), featuring Sam’s competitive ice-skating brother, Henry, as he falls for his biggest competition and personal nemesis, Theo.

[Elisa Glendenning (on hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @65%

Unfortunately, this is a miss for me. Not only is the writing choppy, I’m so bored and I just don’t care enough to carry on. Sorry 🥴

[Layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.

Pros:
It was very sweet and had a fluffy christmasy feel to it.

The tropes: best friends to lovers Bi-awakening.

The characters: They were lovable and sweet.

The Steam was good too!

Cons:
I felt like it should have been a bit longer to really give it more depth. We needed to see more of the MCs together to strengthen their bond because we didn't really experience their friendship as well.

[Ariana (mostly offline) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, nice and enjoyable, even if more depth would have been appreciated.

All in all, a well written GFY, but somehow nothing to raise my blood pressure.
It seems this is an introduction to Henry's book in many ways.
Which I will read, of course.

[NicoleR.M.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5 stars.
This was just a nice holiday romance novella. If I'm honest, I was a bit disappointed by it. Keira Andrews is usually my to go author for holiday romances - If Only in My Dreams is a yearly favorite re-read, so maybe my expectations were too high. I don't know, but I didn't feel like I would remember this story like I remember that one.
It took a while for me to get into the story, all this talk about reaching the Olympics or not, and the competition, and I could not find myself invested in it. I felt like it was less about the romance itself, but more about the people and things surrounding them.
But it's best friends to lovers, and that is a trope I really enjoy. I love the confusion about how to feel, about the realization that there's more than just friendship. And that's what happens between Sam and Etienne.
But if you ask me, sadly, I don't think I will remember Sam and Etienne like I do Charlie and Gavin from If only in my dreams.

I kindly received an ARC from GayRomanceReviews and this is my honest review

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, cute, cute.
It was short. It was sweet.
It was everything the 'only one bed' scenario that dreams are made of.
The guys were great. The family was great. And the ending was great.
I just wish it was a little bit longer...that would have sealed the deal for me.

[Bookreader87(Amanda) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

Etienne and Sam have been friends since high school. Etienne has had a crush on Sam for years. Sam has been oblivious to it all. That is until one Christmas trip, that leaves them in a small cabin with one bed, that finally opens his eyes.

This book felt like a novel trying to force itself into a short. It wanted to get in so much about figure skating while trying to play out the changing relationship between Sam and Etienne. It really didn't flow well for me. I was also a little confused why so much time was spent talking about Theo and Henry but then I seen there will be a book for them. Henry is Sam’s older brother and Theo is Henry's arch nemesis on the rink. This short seemed more like a set up for that future book which honestly I will read.

Overall a cute short that took me way too long to read lol. It had the friends to lovers aspect going for them...I just didn’t love the execution.

*ARC provided by GRR, this is my honest review.*

[Vanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 friends-to-lovers stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was a sweet holiday romance with two besties finally falling in love during the magical season with a minor backdrop of competitive figure skating/ice dancing. Etienne has been in love with Sam since they were fourteen years old, but its unrequited since Sam is straight . But they are incredibly close and what Sam doesn't realize is that in many ways Etienne and he are meant to be together 💕. So what happens when Etienne invites Sam to Mont-Tremblant for the holidays? Can he hide his true feelings for Sam while they are staying in the same cabin and snuggling together in one bed? And what about Sam? Does he still only have platonic feelings for Etienne? 😍
This is a low-angst, sweet holiday romance with MCs who are young and exploring both in and out of bed 😉 I'm not very knowledgeable in ice skating/ice dancing competitions.., I only ever watch it during the Winter Olympics so I was relieved that this did not go too deep into the competitions. I'm guessing the next one with Henry and Theo will be more focussed on that aspect. I'm still intrigued and will check it when it's out. 😁 But as for this holiday novella is concerned, I loved the sweet MCs and their friends-to-lovers epiphany 💘. Highly recommended!! 👍 👍

[Len Evans Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Awesome Christmas Story from this author

Really liked these two guys a lot, their chemistry was off the charts. Was a wonderful, sweet and adorable read.

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This one was cute! Probably not my favorite of the holiday season but a nice, easy enjoyable read.

I may be most excited about Henry and Theo getting a book! 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Barb ~rede-2-read~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm, this was unexpected. I had hoped for a fun story with lots of witty banter and a slow buildup of the realization that these boys, who've been best friends since early teens, are actually in love with each other. What I got was a quick, short, hop into bed sex romp between two guys who could easily have been preteen girls.

Sorry, Keira Andrews. This isn't your typical work. The boys were very immature--in word and in actions. I remember talking like this when I was 14, and being a girl in the sixties, that's okay. But these two were not raised in the sixties and are not teen girls. IDK. It may be me, but it feel so teeny-boppery. Nothing about their behavior made sense. And I'm definitely not a fan of a story that is 50% sex. The longer I read MM romance, the more fussy I get and this just didn't cut it. And, it didn't feel like a holiday story at all. Gah. The longer I write the more I realize I need to give this two stars and walk away.

[Papie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute and really really sweet. Adorable best friends to lovers and bisexual discovery. I liked the figure skating setup, and I’m curious about Henry and Theo’s book. That being said, it was all too sweet, too easy, too smooth. And therefore not very exciting.

And can we stop with the Quebecois cliché? People don’t just throw Tabarnak (a swear word if you’re not familiar) constantly in conversations, especially not when they are speaking English. I read the word more in this book than I’ve heard it in months here in Montreal.

[⋆｡°✮ Lucy InTheSky ✮°｡⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read

Rounding it down to 3⭐.

I've been re-reading some of the more memorable books from 2022 this year and of course Keira Andrews comes up. She was my total comfort go-to author back then and I haven't read any of her books for a while.

These ice skating books are now finally combined in a series, so even though this is the first one, I'd suggest you read it after Kiss & Cry.

This was one of those very underwhelming 3⭐ novels, because I think Sam and Etienne had enormous potential, this could've been a really hot, sexy love story, but then the dialogues were a bit off and them coming together finally was almost awkward at times - and not sexy awkward. It's the writing that didn't do it for me this time.

I did love the MMCs though, but I think so much was left out in this story that I honestly didn't need so many informations about other skating couples and what they were doing, I wanted Sam and Etienne and their past, their friendship, everything that was leading up to that snowy cabin, where they finally hooked up.

So yes, a bit underwhelming, but it's a nice setting and a sweet read.

Don't expect too much though.

_____________________________________

Original review from 6-August-2022

3.5⭐

This short novel was a missed opportunity. The story is light and sexy and the author should have turned it into a full length book. Etienne and Sam had so much more to offer.

120 pages not used well, that was my first thought.

🔵 Best friends to lovers
🟣 Pining, a secret crush
🟡 Bi-awakening
🟢 Only one bed duuh
🟠 Good chemistry, bad dialogues
🌶️ Some smut, quite good; t/b

I loved Sam and Etienne. They were best friends since they were 14 years old, Etienne being gay and quickly falling for Sam, while Sam was straight and had no idea about Etienne's feelings.

Etienne is a competitive ice skater - as is Sam's brother Henry from Kiss & Cry - and Etienne has been training in the USA for the past couple of years, where he's miserable, but still best friends with Sam, who lives back home in Canada.

When they meet again while Etienne is trying for the Olympics, it's been a while since they've seen each other and this time Sam is more aware of his growing feelings and attraction for Etienne. Both being a bit shy and awkward, they admit to wanting each other and



The chemistry was sooo good, but the rest wasn't. Just a few days in a cabin, no build-up, nothing after they moved in together in Canada, so basically - nothing.

Too many side characters and not enough of Sam and Etienne.


Disappointed.

[Jennifer☠Pher☠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, if I'm being honest here, I spent a lot of the story trying to remember Etienne and Bree's story from another book and looking forward to Henry and Theo's story.

I just didn't really feel all that much between Etienne and Sam. I felt their friendship for sure but the switch from that to lovers just wasn't there for me.

I still liked the book. I too love figure skating and love stories about it.

So, cute but I didn't fall in love with it.

[alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

[2.5] most likely a case of misplaced expectations, but i had a hard time getting into the swing of things with all the drama about not being able to qualify for the olympics, injuries, etc. when i was expecting a story more focused on Sam and Etienne?

that scene toward the end with Bree was really sweet though.

ah well, you win some, you lose some. at least we can cheer on おばあちゃん👵🏼😂

[Eugenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute & Sweet

Here’s a recap:

Skater has been in love with straight best friend forever
Straight best friend is straight
Everyone thinks they are in love
Straight best friend has not so straight thoughts about his gay bestie
Not so straight best friend kisses bestie
They screw
They’re in love
The end

Add in some family stuff
Some skating stuff
And you have the gist of this novella
It was nothing to write home about

My rec? I was just OK. If you’re in the mood for sweet and “just OK,” go for it.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up

This was... fine.

I had a feeling going into it that this one would feel a bit phoned-in, and it did. Everything from the world's laziest title (I mean, come on!), to the fairly generic plot, to the fact that this was clearly serving as an intro to what I am presuming will be a full-length novel following one of the MC's brother. It was fine, but utterly forgettable, and while I did appreciate the representation here, everything else felt a bit bland.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️

It’s okay that he’ll never love me back. It’s okay that there’s only one bed in this cozy little cabin. We’re best friends. Nothing’s going to happen.

‘Cause nothing ever happens when there’s only one bed.
Very cute novella. Lots of pining, first time fumbling, laughter and love.
A bit too fast-paced, but still sweet.

I think Etienne loves me.
I think I love Etienne.

CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Friends to lovers
- Queer awakening
- Pining
- Only one bed
- Forced proximity
- Strict top/bottom on page

[ML · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 solid stars ⭐️ for this one.


I know this is a novella so the story has to be a bit accelerated. BUT there was a lot of filler too. I wanted the MCs to be together longer. I wanted less of Sam’s family in it. I know this novella is only a set up to the next book with Theo and Henry BUT Sam and Etienne deserved more time together.

They were sweet and I’m glad they found love with one another.

[Leta Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this sweet, short, fluffy, easy, heart-warming book! Perfect for cozy holiday reading!

[magic_of_darkness_and_books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick Holiday read.
Best friends to lovers, close proximity, bi-awakening, and first times.

I enjoyed it for a quick read, but needed a bit more depth to the story.

[Aimora · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars of sugary BFF to lovers.

[Lily Loves 📚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, light story of best friends to lovers. Unlike other Keira Andrews books this one felt incomplete in a way. It’s a novella and it also introduces us to Henry & Theo who will have their own story. I wish there was more build up between Etienne & Sam though.

Etienne & Sam were very sweet together, I loved their chemistry. I would have loved a longer story with more of them spending time together before figuring it out that they both want to be together. Hopefully we’ll see more of them in Henry’s story.

ARC provided via Gay Romance Reviews

[Lelyana's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so adorable. When you thought that your best friend of forever was not into you and one day you're just realized that you both actually had been dating for years.
Full review soon.