Review - "Off The Ice"

Off the Ice, Juniper Falls #1
by Julie Cross
rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
published: 28th February 2017
spoilers? some

Goodreads

Galley provided by publisher

Actual rating 3.5

This was a really cute read and, as a plus, had plenty of hockey being played in it. Off the Ice tells the story of Claire, a music student back in her hometown following her dad's operation, and Tate, a hockey goalie, who gets a starting spot on the team after the starting goalie drops out of the team.

Firstly, I really liked Claire and Tate's relationship, and the development of that relationship. They were both so supportive of the other, and it wasn't just a relationship based on physical aspects. The supporting cast of characters was also great, if at times, maybe underdeveloped (though more so with the characters who didn't appear so much, like Jamie and Tate's mum, which is understandable).

It was also so nice to see that there was no girls hating on other girls. I know this is a low standard to hold a book to, but when the plot has it like in this book, with one girl still in love with the main male character, while he and the main female character are getting together, all too often it seems to turn into girls hating on each other. But it didn't here (they even became friends), and that was lovely.

The book does also include child abuse and parents putting huge amounts of pressure on their child to do a sport. It seems to do well in dealing with that plot line, and what was nice to see was it wasn't thrown in at the end almost like an afterthought. It was set out from the start that the book would include this in it. A lot of books seem to have a tendency to just throw it in there, without any warning, and it feels almost as if they are treating the abuse as just another angsty plot point.

What would have been nice, though, would be if the book had also addressed the hockey team's coach's abusive behaviour. Because that's what it was. He made Tate face slapshots with only a glove, stick, and helmet, and that's incredibly dangerous. But it's kind of shrugged off by the players as "normal" for their coach. Which I could understand, if they don't know any other way, but Claire also sees their practice going on and notes how pressurised it is. And does nothing else. I hope that later books will address this though.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I'm really looking forward to more of this series.