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Love on the Ice
The Next Competitor & Cold War
The Next Competitor: To win gold, figure skater Alex Grady must train harder than the competition. As for a boyfriend, forget it. The Olympics are only every four years--everything else can wait. So it's ridiculous when Alex finds himself checking out his new training mate Matt Savelli. Calm, collected Captain Cardboard is a nice guy, but even if Alex had time to date, Matt's so not his type. Yet beneath Matt's wholesome surface, there's a dirty, sexy man who awakens a desire Alex can't deny . . . Cold War: American figure skater Dev despises his Russian rival. Arrogant, aloof Mikhail is like a machine on the ice--barely ever making a mistake. He's also sexy as hell, which makes him even more infuriating. Dev and his pairs partner have been working their whole lives to become Olympic champions. He needs to keep his head in the game. The very worst thing he could do is have explosive hate sex with Mikhail in the locker room after losing to him yet again before the Olympics. But you know what would be even worse? Discovering that under Mikhail's icy exterior, he's Misha. His sweet smile makes Dev's heart sing, and his forbidden kisses are unbearably tempting. Contains mature themes.
15 pages, Audible Audio
Published April 12, 2022
2 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Keira Andrews
65 books3,055 followersKeira 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!
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 18, 2024
This author seems to be hit or miss for me. Sometimes I really like her work and other times, like this time unfortunately, it just doesn’t bring much. Somehow both of the books are just meh.
September 17, 2024
Free listen on Audible, 3.5 stars rounded up.
Keira Andrews as an author is very hit or miss for me. I’ve loved some of her work, whilst others just don’t hit the spot for me. Book 1 in this duo was good, book 2 was just okay. The audiobook narration was excellent.
The Next Competitor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
American figure skater Alex Grady has followed his trainer who relocated to Toronto, and has no time to make friends (or anything more) with anyone. The Olympics are coming up and he has his heart set on that gold medal. Despite his tendencies to say what’s on his mind with no regard for how it’s perceived, his training mates start asking him to hang out with them, and Alex discovers that Matt Savelli more human than his nickname “Captain Cardboard” gives him credit for.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I don’t know anything about figure skating (aside from that it’s enjoyable to watch) so I was a little lost in all the technical terms, but I thought Alex was a really interesting character to follow, especially since he’s only 20 and has already accomplished so much. I liked seeing his relationships with his training mates and coach evolve, and I liked that there was no drama whatsoever around him being gay. Matt was also really interesting to get to know through Alex (we only get one POV in this story), especially since we learn what’s underneath the surface alongside Alex learning it. There is hurt/comfort (I’m starting to see that that’s a pattern in Keira Andrews’ writing) and a really interesting story about the journey to the olympics and how goals can change as life happens while you’re chasing your dreams.
Cold War: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Dev and Mikhail are enemies on the ice, both chasing the gold medals alongside their figure skating partners, and with one pair being American, the other Russian, of course they’re not exactly friends. That doesn’t stop Dev and Mikhail from having “explosive hate sex” in the locker room after a competition just weeks before the Olympics though.
After finishing The Next Competitor, this book didn’t quite live up to the first one of the pair, in my opinion (so listened to both as one audio file on Audible).
I liked Misha as a character, especially in Part 2 when you get to his POV, and Dev was okay, but I didn’t feel a strong connection to them and their story was a bit too insta-love for me. One minute they hate each other and are arguing in the changing room and the next they’re making out and can’t keep their hands off each other? It seemed a little far-fetched; there wasn’t enough tension/buildup for my taste.
I liked the female figure skating partners and their reaction to the guys being together, and both families were awesome. The ending was okay, sweet, but not the most memorable. An okay story.
Keira Andrews as an author is very hit or miss for me. I’ve loved some of her work, whilst others just don’t hit the spot for me. Book 1 in this duo was good, book 2 was just okay. The audiobook narration was excellent.
The Next Competitor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
American figure skater Alex Grady has followed his trainer who relocated to Toronto, and has no time to make friends (or anything more) with anyone. The Olympics are coming up and he has his heart set on that gold medal. Despite his tendencies to say what’s on his mind with no regard for how it’s perceived, his training mates start asking him to hang out with them, and Alex discovers that Matt Savelli more human than his nickname “Captain Cardboard” gives him credit for.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I don’t know anything about figure skating (aside from that it’s enjoyable to watch) so I was a little lost in all the technical terms, but I thought Alex was a really interesting character to follow, especially since he’s only 20 and has already accomplished so much. I liked seeing his relationships with his training mates and coach evolve, and I liked that there was no drama whatsoever around him being gay. Matt was also really interesting to get to know through Alex (we only get one POV in this story), especially since we learn what’s underneath the surface alongside Alex learning it. There is hurt/comfort (I’m starting to see that that’s a pattern in Keira Andrews’ writing) and a really interesting story about the journey to the olympics and how goals can change as life happens while you’re chasing your dreams.
Cold War: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Dev and Mikhail are enemies on the ice, both chasing the gold medals alongside their figure skating partners, and with one pair being American, the other Russian, of course they’re not exactly friends. That doesn’t stop Dev and Mikhail from having “explosive hate sex” in the locker room after a competition just weeks before the Olympics though.
After finishing The Next Competitor, this book didn’t quite live up to the first one of the pair, in my opinion (so listened to both as one audio file on Audible).
I liked Misha as a character, especially in Part 2 when you get to his POV, and Dev was okay, but I didn’t feel a strong connection to them and their story was a bit too insta-love for me. One minute they hate each other and are arguing in the changing room and the next they’re making out and can’t keep their hands off each other? It seemed a little far-fetched; there wasn’t enough tension/buildup for my taste.
I liked the female figure skating partners and their reaction to the guys being together, and both families were awesome. The ending was okay, sweet, but not the most memorable. An okay story.
May 13, 2025
The Next Competitor:
U.S. figure skater Alex Grady is young, ambitious, and talented; he’s also abrasive, judgemental, and has a reputation for rudeness—his teammates tolerate him but they don’t like him. He’s determined to qualify for the Olympics, which causes an anxious perfectionism and a complete lack of a personal or social life: he’s never had sex, let alone a relationship. His thoughts start to wonder as he gets to know newcomer Matt Savelli, a handsome, hairy-chested couples skater. Matt is decent, personable, and seems to be interested in Alex. When Matt has an unfortunate accident on the ice which derails his couples chances, Alex is supportive and the two start to bond. But Alex runs hot and cold as his anxieties get the better of him, and Matt hasn’t really come to terms with being open about his sexuality. Should the two youths focus on their careers or each other, and if they choose the latter, can they overcome their fears?
Told from Alex’s POV, Keira Andrews has not only captured the intense pressure-cooker atmosphere of elite sport, she’s also created a compelling story of competition and redemption. Alex and Matt are incredibly well-crafted and relatable characters—not perfect, but very human—and both need to learn some valuable lessons. I thoroughly enjoyed their competitive natures, their growth as maturing young adults, and their sizzling chemistry! 🎧 I’ve listened to a lot of Tristan James’ narrations over the years. He does a good job here but he wouldn’t have been my first choice for the audio: his voice and style sound way older than these characters.
Cold War:
Pairs skaters Dev Avira (USA) and Mikhail Reznikov (Russia) have been fierce rivals for most of their careers. Dev can’t stand Mikhail’s disdainful aloofness but he has to respect his continual victories. Things get heated in the locker room when a fight between them turns into a passionate hookup and the two start a clandestine relationship. But the men have a lot to lose if discovered: Dev worries about his career while Misha risks his very freedom.
I loved the two leading characters, their passion, and their supportive skating partners. I really enjoyed the first half of this story: the competitions, the tensions, and the spicy danger of being found out. However, once Dev and Misha both retired from competition, I felt an opportunity was lost to further explore the repressive nature of the Russian regime and the story went off the boil for me. Things still happened but they seemed minor in the scheme of things. 🎧 Tristan James is a very familiar voice in my ear and I really enjoyed his accents, especially the voice he used for the guy with the braces! 😂
U.S. figure skater Alex Grady is young, ambitious, and talented; he’s also abrasive, judgemental, and has a reputation for rudeness—his teammates tolerate him but they don’t like him. He’s determined to qualify for the Olympics, which causes an anxious perfectionism and a complete lack of a personal or social life: he’s never had sex, let alone a relationship. His thoughts start to wonder as he gets to know newcomer Matt Savelli, a handsome, hairy-chested couples skater. Matt is decent, personable, and seems to be interested in Alex. When Matt has an unfortunate accident on the ice which derails his couples chances, Alex is supportive and the two start to bond. But Alex runs hot and cold as his anxieties get the better of him, and Matt hasn’t really come to terms with being open about his sexuality. Should the two youths focus on their careers or each other, and if they choose the latter, can they overcome their fears?
Told from Alex’s POV, Keira Andrews has not only captured the intense pressure-cooker atmosphere of elite sport, she’s also created a compelling story of competition and redemption. Alex and Matt are incredibly well-crafted and relatable characters—not perfect, but very human—and both need to learn some valuable lessons. I thoroughly enjoyed their competitive natures, their growth as maturing young adults, and their sizzling chemistry! 🎧 I’ve listened to a lot of Tristan James’ narrations over the years. He does a good job here but he wouldn’t have been my first choice for the audio: his voice and style sound way older than these characters.
Cold War:
Pairs skaters Dev Avira (USA) and Mikhail Reznikov (Russia) have been fierce rivals for most of their careers. Dev can’t stand Mikhail’s disdainful aloofness but he has to respect his continual victories. Things get heated in the locker room when a fight between them turns into a passionate hookup and the two start a clandestine relationship. But the men have a lot to lose if discovered: Dev worries about his career while Misha risks his very freedom.
I loved the two leading characters, their passion, and their supportive skating partners. I really enjoyed the first half of this story: the competitions, the tensions, and the spicy danger of being found out. However, once Dev and Misha both retired from competition, I felt an opportunity was lost to further explore the repressive nature of the Russian regime and the story went off the boil for me. Things still happened but they seemed minor in the scheme of things. 🎧 Tristan James is a very familiar voice in my ear and I really enjoyed his accents, especially the voice he used for the guy with the braces! 😂
March 29, 2024
When you love both figure skating and hot men… (an audio review)
I’m a huge Keira Andrews fan and she can do no wrong, as far as I’m concerned. I used to be a figure skater, back in the day, managing to land a loop. Once. Still, a full rotation was something to be proud of. Then my family pulled me out of skating. I wasn’t going to be a champion, and the lessons were damn expensive. I never forgot, though, the amazing feeling of gliding across the smooth surface of fresh ice. And would love to put on the blades one more time for the sake of remembering the dream.
But I digress. Clearly Keira knows her stuff. She understands skating in a way that makes it accessible to the average reader. For those in the know, though, there’s that added layer. Also, she doesn’t sugar coat things. This sport is so expensive – as are most, especially at the elite level. Getting to the top of the podium is damn near impossible, and having the resources to compete is half the battle.
Then there’s the competitive aspect of the sport, which Keira nails perfectly. I loved how Alex and Matt had a love-hate relationship that exploded into very, very, very hot sex. Through the roller coaster of competition, they fought the attraction right up until the moment they realized they couldn’t live without each other. I really enjoyed the story.
As for Dev and Mikhail…even more competition. The story was written before the Ukraine war, so I had to set that aside and just focus on Mikhail – Mischa, as Dev gets to know him as. They’re both pairs’ skaters and they both have a chance to be the best. But only one man – with his partner – can. Right? Well, you have to read the story to find out and I have to say I loved my happy ending.
Tristan James is a fantastic narrator and I thought he did a great job with both these audios. He’s a favorite of mine and I hope to see him do more of Keira’s stories in the future.
I’m a huge Keira Andrews fan and she can do no wrong, as far as I’m concerned. I used to be a figure skater, back in the day, managing to land a loop. Once. Still, a full rotation was something to be proud of. Then my family pulled me out of skating. I wasn’t going to be a champion, and the lessons were damn expensive. I never forgot, though, the amazing feeling of gliding across the smooth surface of fresh ice. And would love to put on the blades one more time for the sake of remembering the dream.
But I digress. Clearly Keira knows her stuff. She understands skating in a way that makes it accessible to the average reader. For those in the know, though, there’s that added layer. Also, she doesn’t sugar coat things. This sport is so expensive – as are most, especially at the elite level. Getting to the top of the podium is damn near impossible, and having the resources to compete is half the battle.
Then there’s the competitive aspect of the sport, which Keira nails perfectly. I loved how Alex and Matt had a love-hate relationship that exploded into very, very, very hot sex. Through the roller coaster of competition, they fought the attraction right up until the moment they realized they couldn’t live without each other. I really enjoyed the story.
As for Dev and Mikhail…even more competition. The story was written before the Ukraine war, so I had to set that aside and just focus on Mikhail – Mischa, as Dev gets to know him as. They’re both pairs’ skaters and they both have a chance to be the best. But only one man – with his partner – can. Right? Well, you have to read the story to find out and I have to say I loved my happy ending.
Tristan James is a fantastic narrator and I thought he did a great job with both these audios. He’s a favorite of mine and I hope to see him do more of Keira’s stories in the future.
dnf
August 29, 2025DNF’d at 44%
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews