What do you think?
Rate this book
Lakeshore U #1
Break the Ice
(Alternate cover edition of ASIN B0BNR1MK7Q.)
A brother's best friend sports romance. Lakeshore U, where hockey is religion, and the players are gods. Are you ready to fall in love with a Laker?
When Aurora Hart moves in with her brother and his two teammates, it’s only supposed to be a temporary fix.
Enter Noah Holden.
Cocky. Heartbreaker. With enough game to have every girl on campus falling at his feet.
When Noah’s best friend asks him to look out for his sister, he doesn’t expect to find her so resistant to his charm.
Or find himself so interested in his new housemate.
He’s Lakeshore U’s biggest player.
She’s quirky, shy, and one hundred percent not his type.
Can Noah help Rory let go of the insecurities holding her back from embracing life?
Or will he be unable to break the ice around her heart?
Break the Ice is a 100,000-word standalone novel set in the Lakeshore U series. It contains mature content for readers 18+
A brother's best friend sports romance. Lakeshore U, where hockey is religion, and the players are gods. Are you ready to fall in love with a Laker?
When Aurora Hart moves in with her brother and his two teammates, it’s only supposed to be a temporary fix.
Enter Noah Holden.
Cocky. Heartbreaker. With enough game to have every girl on campus falling at his feet.
When Noah’s best friend asks him to look out for his sister, he doesn’t expect to find her so resistant to his charm.
Or find himself so interested in his new housemate.
He’s Lakeshore U’s biggest player.
She’s quirky, shy, and one hundred percent not his type.
Can Noah help Rory let go of the insecurities holding her back from embracing life?
Or will he be unable to break the ice around her heart?
Break the Ice is a 100,000-word standalone novel set in the Lakeshore U series. It contains mature content for readers 18+
478 pages, ebook
First published March 28, 2023
460 people are currently reading
6455 people want to read
About the author
L.A. Cotton
119 books3,125 followers Reckless Love. Wild Hearts.
L A COTTON is USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty mature young adult and new adult novels, LA COTTON is happiest writing the kind of books she loves to read: addictive stories full of teenage angst, tension, twists and turns.
Home is a small town in the middle of England where she currently juggles being a full-time writer with being a mother/referee to two little people. In her spare time (and when she’s not camped out in front of the laptop) you’ll most likely find LA immersed in a book, escaping the chaos that is life.
L A loves connecting with readers, and you can find her at:
Official Website
www.lacotton.com
Social Media
www.facebook.com/authorlacotton
www.instagram.com/authorlacotton
L A COTTON is USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty mature young adult and new adult novels, LA COTTON is happiest writing the kind of books she loves to read: addictive stories full of teenage angst, tension, twists and turns.
Home is a small town in the middle of England where she currently juggles being a full-time writer with being a mother/referee to two little people. In her spare time (and when she’s not camped out in front of the laptop) you’ll most likely find LA immersed in a book, escaping the chaos that is life.
L A loves connecting with readers, and you can find her at:
Official Website
www.lacotton.com
Social Media
www.facebook.com/authorlacotton
www.instagram.com/authorlacotton
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 543 reviews
April 3, 2023
This book was… a lot.
And it made me mad… a lot.
And gave me second-hand embarrassment… a lot.
It came straight out of early 2010s, complete of mysoginistic comments and a FMC who adds nothing to the story but a woe-is-me tale. No growth, no improvement. Zero chemistry between the main couple.
I get what the author was trying to do: portray a deeply scarred and mentally unwell young girl while she navigated life despite her body image issues and insecurities. But, God, she was every bit the Mary Sue cliche we thought we had gotten rid of almost a decade ago.
Her whole personality is her body weight. She’s an English Lit major - obviously - whose favorite author is Jane Austen - !!!! - and half the book she’s subtly judging the other girls on campus because they are (in her eyes) perfect and much more sexually active than her. I should also note that the only novel mentioned copious amount of times is Pride and Prejudice, of course, because if you are a woman who likes English literature that’s the only acceptable option (a couple more author are just mentioned, but I am pretty sure the writer just typed “XIX century English writers” on Google).
Also, every single insecurity the FMC expressed (and there were A LOT and were mentioned multiple times in every. single. chapter.) disappeared the second the MMC had sex with her which is in itself the worst thing about this book. The heroine psychological issues were so deeply routed, so serious nothing but a professional figure could’ve helped her. In this book, this issue is discarded almost immediately when the conflict is resolved and they end up together.
No, just no.
Look, I love a book about a curvy heroine - because we are not even talking about overweight here, that was made pretty clear in the book. I am curvy and have body image issues, I know how the whole mental process works… but that was just too much. I was so offended by the way this girl was portrayed, having dealt with my own issues for a very long time. If you have to use a curvy girl as your MC just to spend the whole book talking about the fact that she doesn’t fit the “norm” and everyone around treats her based on this fact, just don’t. Seriously, don’t - just write about a fit, slim, perfect girl.
I’m not even going to dwell on the MMC and the other side characters because, honestly, I would have to rate this book 1 stars. I’m just going to say this: the heroine states multiple times that her favorite Austen hero is, luckily, not Mr. Darcy nor her favorite book by the author is P&P. The hero proceeds to plan their entire (very short) first date around Proud and Prejudice as well as his entire romantic plan to seduce her around said Darcy (he calls it “operation Darcy”…). The first things that comes to his mind every time he thinks of her are either her “lucious curves” or her “curvy body” - as if that is the only thing he sees about her, even thought he says he doesn’t care. That is so incredibly wrong on so many levels: if I knew my boyfriend’s fist thought about me was about the very thing I feel insecure of my self esteem would plummet to the ground and never recover.
I’m disappointed because I really liked this author’s first two novellas and had really great hopes for this series, but I’m honestly debating wether to keep reading these books or just let it go completely.
Just so you know I’m not being difficult without a reason, I’m going to leave you with this:
- the term “puck bunny” was used 16 times, each time more derogatory than the one before;
- words like curves and/or curvy were mentioned 26 times;
- Jane Austen (and variations) is mentioned 14 times;
- Mr Darcy (and variations) 17 times.
Lastly, the dialogues: some lines were so cringy, I had to stop reading for a couple hours and debating wether to get back to it or leave it forever. I barely pushed through, but this book gave me the worst kind of hungover where I have to just give up on romance for a couple weeks.
I honestly hate to rate books less than 3 stars, but this book is offensive and plain wrong in so many ways I cannot accept the fact it’s rounding up to 5 stars. I believe in constructive criticism and, hopefully, i will give the second book in this series a chance and notice some improvements.
And it made me mad… a lot.
And gave me second-hand embarrassment… a lot.
It came straight out of early 2010s, complete of mysoginistic comments and a FMC who adds nothing to the story but a woe-is-me tale. No growth, no improvement. Zero chemistry between the main couple.
I get what the author was trying to do: portray a deeply scarred and mentally unwell young girl while she navigated life despite her body image issues and insecurities. But, God, she was every bit the Mary Sue cliche we thought we had gotten rid of almost a decade ago.
Her whole personality is her body weight. She’s an English Lit major - obviously - whose favorite author is Jane Austen - !!!! - and half the book she’s subtly judging the other girls on campus because they are (in her eyes) perfect and much more sexually active than her. I should also note that the only novel mentioned copious amount of times is Pride and Prejudice, of course, because if you are a woman who likes English literature that’s the only acceptable option (a couple more author are just mentioned, but I am pretty sure the writer just typed “XIX century English writers” on Google).
Also, every single insecurity the FMC expressed (and there were A LOT and were mentioned multiple times in every. single. chapter.) disappeared the second the MMC had sex with her which is in itself the worst thing about this book. The heroine psychological issues were so deeply routed, so serious nothing but a professional figure could’ve helped her. In this book, this issue is discarded almost immediately when the conflict is resolved and they end up together.
No, just no.
Look, I love a book about a curvy heroine - because we are not even talking about overweight here, that was made pretty clear in the book. I am curvy and have body image issues, I know how the whole mental process works… but that was just too much. I was so offended by the way this girl was portrayed, having dealt with my own issues for a very long time. If you have to use a curvy girl as your MC just to spend the whole book talking about the fact that she doesn’t fit the “norm” and everyone around treats her based on this fact, just don’t. Seriously, don’t - just write about a fit, slim, perfect girl.
I’m not even going to dwell on the MMC and the other side characters because, honestly, I would have to rate this book 1 stars. I’m just going to say this: the heroine states multiple times that her favorite Austen hero is, luckily, not Mr. Darcy nor her favorite book by the author is P&P. The hero proceeds to plan their entire (very short) first date around Proud and Prejudice as well as his entire romantic plan to seduce her around said Darcy (he calls it “operation Darcy”…). The first things that comes to his mind every time he thinks of her are either her “lucious curves” or her “curvy body” - as if that is the only thing he sees about her, even thought he says he doesn’t care. That is so incredibly wrong on so many levels: if I knew my boyfriend’s fist thought about me was about the very thing I feel insecure of my self esteem would plummet to the ground and never recover.
I’m disappointed because I really liked this author’s first two novellas and had really great hopes for this series, but I’m honestly debating wether to keep reading these books or just let it go completely.
Just so you know I’m not being difficult without a reason, I’m going to leave you with this:
- the term “puck bunny” was used 16 times, each time more derogatory than the one before;
- words like curves and/or curvy were mentioned 26 times;
- Jane Austen (and variations) is mentioned 14 times;
- Mr Darcy (and variations) 17 times.
Lastly, the dialogues: some lines were so cringy, I had to stop reading for a couple hours and debating wether to get back to it or leave it forever. I barely pushed through, but this book gave me the worst kind of hungover where I have to just give up on romance for a couple weeks.
I honestly hate to rate books less than 3 stars, but this book is offensive and plain wrong in so many ways I cannot accept the fact it’s rounding up to 5 stars. I believe in constructive criticism and, hopefully, i will give the second book in this series a chance and notice some improvements.
March 28, 2023
Break the Ice is why LA Cotton is my go-to for sweet, swoony, angsty sports romance. LA so effortlessly captures the energy and drama of that first love- the heightened emotion, the excitement, the apprehension, all paired with a dynamic cast of found-family athletes. But this hands down one of my favorites from her. After a lighter first two in the series, LA ramps up the emotional intensity in Break the Ice. The emotional resonance, the relatability, the endearing tenderness, the captivating chemistry- AH, I fell so in love with this couple., I just adored this Lakeshore U story.
Rory- my heart. She's my heart. Her baggage, her insecurities and emotional scar, well, they felt as if they had poured out of my own soul. We’ve all felt not good enough and invisible, we’ve all hidden our pain and heartbreak. And I loved how she found healing and confidence in the arms of the guy she’d last expected to give her the psychological safety and emotional support she needs- her brother’s playboy best friend. Her journey is heartfelt and emotional- and so very relatable.
Noah Holden is the DREAMIEST of book boyfriends! I swooned, I melted, I fell so hard! LA Cotton has delivered her most delectable book boyfriends. This playboy turned SWOONFEST falls so hard for our sweet Rory- even though she’s off limits in so many ways. He’s so patient and supportive with Rory- the right balance of pushing her outside of her shell to being her safe place to be herself, to open her heart. I LOVED how these two truly see and understand each other- connecting deeply so effortlessly. The chemistry has nuances and layers- emotively rich, but also playful and fun. They are so easy to fall for her, to root for- they’re just adorable, and Noah’s protectiveness and tenderness really makes him irresistible.
We have plenty of fun antics with the rest of team, including Rory’s brother and our prior couples, with the supporting cast playing a great role in helping these two make their way through their budding romance and all the college shenanigans. I gobbled this up on audio in one delighted sitting- and Valley U is quickly becoming my new favorite LA Cotton world!
Rory- my heart. She's my heart. Her baggage, her insecurities and emotional scar, well, they felt as if they had poured out of my own soul. We’ve all felt not good enough and invisible, we’ve all hidden our pain and heartbreak. And I loved how she found healing and confidence in the arms of the guy she’d last expected to give her the psychological safety and emotional support she needs- her brother’s playboy best friend. Her journey is heartfelt and emotional- and so very relatable.
Noah Holden is the DREAMIEST of book boyfriends! I swooned, I melted, I fell so hard! LA Cotton has delivered her most delectable book boyfriends. This playboy turned SWOONFEST falls so hard for our sweet Rory- even though she’s off limits in so many ways. He’s so patient and supportive with Rory- the right balance of pushing her outside of her shell to being her safe place to be herself, to open her heart. I LOVED how these two truly see and understand each other- connecting deeply so effortlessly. The chemistry has nuances and layers- emotively rich, but also playful and fun. They are so easy to fall for her, to root for- they’re just adorable, and Noah’s protectiveness and tenderness really makes him irresistible.
We have plenty of fun antics with the rest of team, including Rory’s brother and our prior couples, with the supporting cast playing a great role in helping these two make their way through their budding romance and all the college shenanigans. I gobbled this up on audio in one delighted sitting- and Valley U is quickly becoming my new favorite LA Cotton world!
April 24, 2025
Welp. Prepare for a rant. It's not necessarily a bad book. The writing was decent and I really like the audiobook narration in the duet, where the male narrator voiced men and the female narrator voiced all women. No weird voice acting of the opposite sex. And that's the end of the positives.
Here's the list of my issues:
1. They acted older than they were. Please show me an 18 yo who's so aware of their trauma.
2. By the way, everyone in this book had trauma and parent issues. Like EVERYONE.
3. Weird sex talk. The FMC admits to her new friends she only slept with one guy and it wasn't that good. And her friend was like: "You need to fix it! You can't live your life without having good sex!" GIRL. You're 18 max 20. Chill.
Also, MMC was like 19 and you'd believe he has the experience of Charlie Sheen.
4. Speaking of Charlie Sheen, the guys on the team had a disgusting rating system of puck bunnies. I was sick and wanted to DNF.
5. Now FMC: girl had such a low self-esteem. I get it. But have some self-respect, bitch. Constantly thinking how he's so amazing and she's nothing and he's so amazing and...amazing. You get the idea.
She hated her body especially her boobs which she told him multiple times. Did he respect it? Noooo! He was telling her all the time she has pornstar tits. Nice, douchebag.
And she whined. So. Much. Noah! Noah... NoOAaahhh... imagine the most annoying voice you can and listen to it 200 times.
6. The ex-drama that luckily happened off the page but we listen about him cheating on her in every chapter. I hoped he would come and apologize or explain but no. We got the full cliche moment where the MMC beat him up for something he said but we didn't hear WHAT he said. 🤦🏻♀️
7. And it ends so abruptly with HFN. I give them until he leaves for NHL. 😑
Here's the list of my issues:
1. They acted older than they were. Please show me an 18 yo who's so aware of their trauma.
2. By the way, everyone in this book had trauma and parent issues. Like EVERYONE.
3. Weird sex talk. The FMC admits to her new friends she only slept with one guy and it wasn't that good. And her friend was like: "You need to fix it! You can't live your life without having good sex!" GIRL. You're 18 max 20. Chill.
Also, MMC was like 19 and you'd believe he has the experience of Charlie Sheen.
4. Speaking of Charlie Sheen, the guys on the team had a disgusting rating system of puck bunnies. I was sick and wanted to DNF.
5. Now FMC: girl had such a low self-esteem. I get it. But have some self-respect, bitch. Constantly thinking how he's so amazing and she's nothing and he's so amazing and...amazing. You get the idea.
She hated her body especially her boobs which she told him multiple times. Did he respect it? Noooo! He was telling her all the time she has pornstar tits. Nice, douchebag.
And she whined. So. Much. Noah! Noah... NoOAaahhh... imagine the most annoying voice you can and listen to it 200 times.
6. The ex-drama that luckily happened off the page but we listen about him cheating on her in every chapter. I hoped he would come and apologize or explain but no. We got the full cliche moment where the MMC beat him up for something he said but we didn't hear WHAT he said. 🤦🏻♀️
7. And it ends so abruptly with HFN. I give them until he leaves for NHL. 😑
March 22, 2023
Break the ice is the first book in this series, but we’ve already had two taster stories and this series is freaking awesome.
Noah, Noah, Noah… hockey player, stud, player. These are all word that describe him. He’s also a guy who wants what he can’t have.
Aurora has low self esteem. She doesn’t feel worthy of love. It’s a good job Noah likes the chase.
I really enjoyed this book. Usually I find low self esteem a turn off but Auroras a loveable character. Watching Noah fall for her was entertaining.
Noah, Noah, Noah… hockey player, stud, player. These are all word that describe him. He’s also a guy who wants what he can’t have.
Aurora has low self esteem. She doesn’t feel worthy of love. It’s a good job Noah likes the chase.
I really enjoyed this book. Usually I find low self esteem a turn off but Auroras a loveable character. Watching Noah fall for her was entertaining.
April 5, 2023
4.5
I really enjoyed this book!! I love that Noah helped Aurora with her self confidence and showed her love. I just wish there was more hockey!!
I really enjoyed this book!! I love that Noah helped Aurora with her self confidence and showed her love. I just wish there was more hockey!!
March 24, 2023
Aurora Hart was the sun that I gravitated to. Ever since she'd arrived in Lakeshore, I'd barely looked twice at another girl. Because all I saw was her.
4.5 stars!
Ahh, Noah Holden. What can I say about Lakeshore's most charming and quietly tortured hockey star? Both Noah and Aurora were hiding behind a façade, putting on a front to keep people from questioning their carefully put-together persona. Even though they were opposites in nearly every way, neither could deny the chemistry and tension building between them as they slowly crept past each other's walls. I absolutely loved watching as Aurora gained confidence in herself as her past just left me heartbroken, while Noah finally allowed himself true happiness. Despite everyone telling them to walk away, they kept getting drawn back to each other. The secondary characters often stole the scenes, and I cannot wait for more books in this series🖤
Tropes: brother's best friend, hockey romance, roommates-with-benefits, charming playboy hero, plus-size bookish heroine, opposites attract, will they/won't they, tortured hero, scarred heroine, band of brothers, found family, STEAMY🔥
*ARC provided by Wildfire Marketing, and I voluntarily reviewed it*
March 29, 2023
***4,5 "Operation Darcy!!!" stars***
"Girls like me didn't get the guy.
They got nothing but a heap of disappointment and regret. And bittersweet heartache."
I wasn't ready for this story!!! Lianne took me by surprise with these two!!! And I loved every single moment in their presence...
This was a very beautiful story full of love and angst... It was a brother's best friend sports romance that had the ablility to get under your skin...
I connected very much with Aurora and her insecurities and Noah was unexpectendly charming!!!
I repeat myself... I just wasn't ready for these two and their incredible story!!!
"I won't survive you, Noah..."
Aurora Hart needs a place to stay for a while and her brother is offering her a room into the house that he is sharing with two of his best friends and teammates...
Aurora wants to keep her distance for all of them, but slowly and steadily they are demanding her attention... It would be nice, if one of them, the womanizer of the campus, wasn't getting on her nerves every single time...
It seems that she is the only woman who doesn't fall on his feet and that is something that Noah Holden isn't used to!!! After all, Rory had swore out on hockey players!!!
"Noah Holden was the kind of guy who would break your heart and skate right over it with a smile and a wink."
Noah Holden is the king of the campus... He likes to party and to have another girl on his bed every other day...
And then Aurora Hart is getting into his life and home and everything are starting to change...
She is not his type at all, but he is drown to her...
Her shyness is appealing and he needs to be around her all the time...
It's a pity that she is off-limits since she is his best friend's little sister!!! And it doens't help the fact that she wants nothing to do with him!!!
But instead of that to be a turn off, it is exactly the oppossite!!!
"I didn't want to admit it, but I had a teeny little thing for Aurora Hart. Of course, the first girl to ever spark that side of me was off-limits."
Honestly, this story is so much more than what you've read above!!!
Aurora has serious issues of self esteem and a ton of demons that are chasing her... My heart was aching for her so much, but I could feel her!!! It is hard to believe in everyone and everything around you when they had hurt you so badly!!!
Noah seemed the easygoing type of guy, but he had his own share of demons...
But honestly, he earned my heart with the way he was trying to help Rory. He was patient and genuine and his heart was so full of her... Aurora unlocked him for good and I loved what I saw inside of him!!!
"They think I'll break your heart."
But noone is worried you'll break mine."
I really love this series!!! And this couple have crawled inside my heart and I fell hard for them!!!
I really loved seeing the two couples that we have already took a taste of in the prequels and I am craving badly the next couple...
I am already very invested on this group and I just want more and more!!!
That's L. A. Cotton's magic!!!
"You're the exception to the rule, Aurora."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
"Girls like me didn't get the guy.
They got nothing but a heap of disappointment and regret. And bittersweet heartache."
I wasn't ready for this story!!! Lianne took me by surprise with these two!!! And I loved every single moment in their presence...
This was a very beautiful story full of love and angst... It was a brother's best friend sports romance that had the ablility to get under your skin...
I connected very much with Aurora and her insecurities and Noah was unexpectendly charming!!!
I repeat myself... I just wasn't ready for these two and their incredible story!!!
"I won't survive you, Noah..."
Aurora Hart needs a place to stay for a while and her brother is offering her a room into the house that he is sharing with two of his best friends and teammates...
Aurora wants to keep her distance for all of them, but slowly and steadily they are demanding her attention... It would be nice, if one of them, the womanizer of the campus, wasn't getting on her nerves every single time...
It seems that she is the only woman who doesn't fall on his feet and that is something that Noah Holden isn't used to!!! After all, Rory had swore out on hockey players!!!
"Noah Holden was the kind of guy who would break your heart and skate right over it with a smile and a wink."
Noah Holden is the king of the campus... He likes to party and to have another girl on his bed every other day...
And then Aurora Hart is getting into his life and home and everything are starting to change...
She is not his type at all, but he is drown to her...
Her shyness is appealing and he needs to be around her all the time...
It's a pity that she is off-limits since she is his best friend's little sister!!! And it doens't help the fact that she wants nothing to do with him!!!
But instead of that to be a turn off, it is exactly the oppossite!!!
"I didn't want to admit it, but I had a teeny little thing for Aurora Hart. Of course, the first girl to ever spark that side of me was off-limits."
Honestly, this story is so much more than what you've read above!!!
Aurora has serious issues of self esteem and a ton of demons that are chasing her... My heart was aching for her so much, but I could feel her!!! It is hard to believe in everyone and everything around you when they had hurt you so badly!!!
Noah seemed the easygoing type of guy, but he had his own share of demons...
But honestly, he earned my heart with the way he was trying to help Rory. He was patient and genuine and his heart was so full of her... Aurora unlocked him for good and I loved what I saw inside of him!!!
"They think I'll break your heart."
But noone is worried you'll break mine."
I really love this series!!! And this couple have crawled inside my heart and I fell hard for them!!!
I really loved seeing the two couples that we have already took a taste of in the prequels and I am craving badly the next couple...
I am already very invested on this group and I just want more and more!!!
That's L. A. Cotton's magic!!!
"You're the exception to the rule, Aurora."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
June 6, 2023
4.5 🏅🏅🏅🏅.🏅
“ ...ᴸᵒᵛᵉ ᵈᵒᵉˢⁿ’ᵗ ᶜᵒˡᵒʳ ⁱⁿˢⁱᵈᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ˡⁱⁿᵉ, ⁱᵗ’ˢ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵃ ᵒⁿᵉ⁻ˢⁱᶻᵉ ᶠⁱᵗˢ ᵃˡˡ. ᴵᵗ’ˢ ʷⁱˡᵈ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵐᵉˢˢʸ, ᵃⁿᵈ ⁱᵗ ᵇʳᵉᵃᵏˢ ᵇᵒᵘⁿᵈᵃʳⁱᵉˢ”
I think the sweet and swoon I expected from this book after reading the previous two, are definitely not what Lianne had planned for us. She Wrecked me. 🥺
I did not expect myself to cry , yet I shed a river and I was in constant state of angst. because this was emotional and EVERYTHING I NEEDED BUT DIDN'T KNOW I WANTED .
To say this series keeps getting better and better is an understatement.
“ ᴬᵘʳᵒʳᵃ ᴴᵃʳᵗ ʷᵃˢ ᵗʰᵉ ˢᵘⁿ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᴵ ᵍʳᵃᵛⁱᵗᵃᵗᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ. ᴱᵛᵉʳ ˢⁱⁿᶜᵉ ˢʰᵉ'ᵈ ᵃʳʳⁱᵛᵉᵈ ⁱⁿ ᴸᵃᵏᵉˢʰᵒʳᵉ, ᴵ'ᵈ ᵇᵃʳᵉˡʸ ˡᵒᵒᵏᵉᵈ ᵗʷⁱᶜᵉ ᵃᵗ ᵃⁿᵒᵗʰᵉʳ ᵍⁱʳˡ. ᴮᵉᶜᵃᵘˢᵉ ᵃˡˡ ᴵ ˢᵃʷ ʷᵃˢ ʰᵉʳ.”
Rory was My soul-sister, her battles and and scars .
Her insecurities. Everything about her I felt in my soul in a way . We love a heroine we could relate to or feel her as if she's our own friend , opening up and her inner thought and struggles were valid and seen.
And Noah, oh 😩😩😩😩 I SWOONED AND MELTED AND I WAS A PUDDLE ON THE FLOOR.
He was the PERFECT BOOK BOYFRIEND, hands down, he was SO LOVING , kind ( shockingly 🤭🤭) and there's soo much more to him than a playboy, so much more .
He was THE epitome of patient and supportive and I fell soooo HARD.
🅃🅁🄾🄿🄴🅂
🏒Brother's best friend/teammate
🏒Forced proximity
🏒Curvy heroine
🏒Opposites attract
🏒Found family
🏒Hockey team shenanigans
🏒🏒 𝔹𝕃𝕌ℝ𝔹 🏒🏒
When Aurora Hart moves in with her brother and his two teammates, it’s only supposed to be a temporary fix.
Enter Noah Holden.
Cocky. Heartbreaker. With enough game to have every girl on campus falling at his feet.
When Noah’s best friend asks him to look out for his sister, he doesn’t expect to find her so resistant to his charm.
Or find himself so interested in his new housemate.
He’s Lakeshore U’s biggest player.
She’s quirky, shy, and one hundred percent not his type.
Can Noah help Rory let go of the insecurities holding her back from embracing life?
Or will he be unable to break the ice around her heart?
_
Now I'll be reading "on thin ice" soon and see what Mason has in store for us , because N# 13 does it better. 😏😌
L. A. Cotton
“ ...ᴸᵒᵛᵉ ᵈᵒᵉˢⁿ’ᵗ ᶜᵒˡᵒʳ ⁱⁿˢⁱᵈᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ˡⁱⁿᵉ, ⁱᵗ’ˢ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵃ ᵒⁿᵉ⁻ˢⁱᶻᵉ ᶠⁱᵗˢ ᵃˡˡ. ᴵᵗ’ˢ ʷⁱˡᵈ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵐᵉˢˢʸ, ᵃⁿᵈ ⁱᵗ ᵇʳᵉᵃᵏˢ ᵇᵒᵘⁿᵈᵃʳⁱᵉˢ”
I think the sweet and swoon I expected from this book after reading the previous two, are definitely not what Lianne had planned for us. She Wrecked me. 🥺
I did not expect myself to cry , yet I shed a river and I was in constant state of angst. because this was emotional and EVERYTHING I NEEDED BUT DIDN'T KNOW I WANTED .
To say this series keeps getting better and better is an understatement.
“ ᴬᵘʳᵒʳᵃ ᴴᵃʳᵗ ʷᵃˢ ᵗʰᵉ ˢᵘⁿ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ᴵ ᵍʳᵃᵛⁱᵗᵃᵗᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ. ᴱᵛᵉʳ ˢⁱⁿᶜᵉ ˢʰᵉ'ᵈ ᵃʳʳⁱᵛᵉᵈ ⁱⁿ ᴸᵃᵏᵉˢʰᵒʳᵉ, ᴵ'ᵈ ᵇᵃʳᵉˡʸ ˡᵒᵒᵏᵉᵈ ᵗʷⁱᶜᵉ ᵃᵗ ᵃⁿᵒᵗʰᵉʳ ᵍⁱʳˡ. ᴮᵉᶜᵃᵘˢᵉ ᵃˡˡ ᴵ ˢᵃʷ ʷᵃˢ ʰᵉʳ.”
Rory was My soul-sister, her battles and and scars .
Her insecurities. Everything about her I felt in my soul in a way . We love a heroine we could relate to or feel her as if she's our own friend , opening up and her inner thought and struggles were valid and seen.
And Noah, oh 😩😩😩😩 I SWOONED AND MELTED AND I WAS A PUDDLE ON THE FLOOR.
He was the PERFECT BOOK BOYFRIEND, hands down, he was SO LOVING , kind ( shockingly 🤭🤭) and there's soo much more to him than a playboy, so much more .
He was THE epitome of patient and supportive and I fell soooo HARD.
🅃🅁🄾🄿🄴🅂
🏒Brother's best friend/teammate
🏒Forced proximity
🏒Curvy heroine
🏒Opposites attract
🏒Found family
🏒Hockey team shenanigans
🏒🏒 𝔹𝕃𝕌ℝ𝔹 🏒🏒
When Aurora Hart moves in with her brother and his two teammates, it’s only supposed to be a temporary fix.
Enter Noah Holden.
Cocky. Heartbreaker. With enough game to have every girl on campus falling at his feet.
When Noah’s best friend asks him to look out for his sister, he doesn’t expect to find her so resistant to his charm.
Or find himself so interested in his new housemate.
He’s Lakeshore U’s biggest player.
She’s quirky, shy, and one hundred percent not his type.
Can Noah help Rory let go of the insecurities holding her back from embracing life?
Or will he be unable to break the ice around her heart?
_
Now I'll be reading "on thin ice" soon and see what Mason has in store for us , because N# 13 does it better. 😏😌
L. A. Cotton
January 23, 2024
I havs not stopped thinking about these two since I finished this book! I can tell you now that Noah Holden will live rent free in my head for a lonnngggggg time. Rent. Free. These two are just amazing together and it is so worth the ride. There are some sensitive subjects with one of the main characters, Rory, but as usual Lianne writes them beautifully.
Rory transfers over to Lakeshore U and this is where her brother Austin is based. Austin is on the hockey team. She loathes hockey and has just come out of a bad relationship. There is a problem with her housing so she has to move in with him for a while. Enter Noah Holden. The playboy and now her room mate.
Noah, oh sweet Noah 😍 He is up there with Jase in my top Lianne book boyfriends. I love it when the guy falls hard and so ass over heels in love. And boy did Noah fall hard, even though he tried not too!
This is one emotional ride and Noah is just what Rory needed. I also loved her relationship with Connor. He is absolutely hilarious and took her under his wing as a little sister. But boy did I want to slap Austin round the head! If he gets a book I hope we get to see some more of his relationship with Rory. An amazing book that had angst, lol moments, love, steam and was a page turner. I'm so looking forward to the next book in the series! ❤️
Rory transfers over to Lakeshore U and this is where her brother Austin is based. Austin is on the hockey team. She loathes hockey and has just come out of a bad relationship. There is a problem with her housing so she has to move in with him for a while. Enter Noah Holden. The playboy and now her room mate.
Noah, oh sweet Noah 😍 He is up there with Jase in my top Lianne book boyfriends. I love it when the guy falls hard and so ass over heels in love. And boy did Noah fall hard, even though he tried not too!
This is one emotional ride and Noah is just what Rory needed. I also loved her relationship with Connor. He is absolutely hilarious and took her under his wing as a little sister. But boy did I want to slap Austin round the head! If he gets a book I hope we get to see some more of his relationship with Rory. An amazing book that had angst, lol moments, love, steam and was a page turner. I'm so looking forward to the next book in the series! ❤️
March 29, 2023
I don’t even know where to begin.
This story had left me with a mix of so many emotions I can’t even put together a complete sentence.
Aurora and Noah’s story is gonna bring you on a rollercoaster of emotions you won’t be able to handle.
I won’t spoiler anything but get ready for a passionate and emotional ride!
* ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW *
This story had left me with a mix of so many emotions I can’t even put together a complete sentence.
Aurora and Noah’s story is gonna bring you on a rollercoaster of emotions you won’t be able to handle.
I won’t spoiler anything but get ready for a passionate and emotional ride!
* ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW *
March 30, 2024
4.25 ⭐️
⛸️ I really enjoyed this one! Noah needed to stop saying the wrong thing all the time but him and Rory were both dealing with some really messed up childhoods.
I love a good hockey romance! The spice was nice and Noah was definitely a man obsessed! 💖 I will definitely be continuing on with this series!
Full review to come!
⛸️ I really enjoyed this one! Noah needed to stop saying the wrong thing all the time but him and Rory were both dealing with some really messed up childhoods.
I love a good hockey romance! The spice was nice and Noah was definitely a man obsessed! 💖 I will definitely be continuing on with this series!
Full review to come!
December 10, 2024
C'était bien mais la fin je suis déçue de la vitesse des évènements.
Et la meuf a aucune conversation elle a dit mille fois en réponse a une phrase même insignifiante : "Noah..." genre ma soeur parle plus enfin.
Et la meuf a aucune conversation elle a dit mille fois en réponse a une phrase même insignifiante : "Noah..." genre ma soeur parle plus enfin.
March 28, 2023
Noah Holden. Lakeshore U’s resident playboy and star right winger.
Gahhhh, I loved Noah Holden so much. Why is it always so fun to watch the playboys be bought to their knees by their woman?
Love doesn’t color inside the lines, Rory. It’s not a one-size-fits-all. It’s wild and messy, and it breaks boundaries.
If you love sports romances, with amazing friend groups, real life, relatable issues and sizzling heat then you should look no further then Break The Ice.
La Cotton is bringing it with this new hockey series, full of swoony new book boyfriends ripe for the taking and Noah Holden is right up there at the top of that list!
Gahhhh, I loved Noah Holden so much. Why is it always so fun to watch the playboys be bought to their knees by their woman?
Love doesn’t color inside the lines, Rory. It’s not a one-size-fits-all. It’s wild and messy, and it breaks boundaries.
If you love sports romances, with amazing friend groups, real life, relatable issues and sizzling heat then you should look no further then Break The Ice.
La Cotton is bringing it with this new hockey series, full of swoony new book boyfriends ripe for the taking and Noah Holden is right up there at the top of that list!
April 27, 2023
Not one page went by where there was not a single misogynistic comment. Not. One. Page.
June 5, 2023
“Noah Holden was the kind of guy who would break your heart and skate right over it with a smile and a wink.”
Aurora Hart. Little sister to hockey player Austin Hart. Her dorm isn’t quite ready so she’s temporarily staying with her brother and his friends. One being Noah Holden. The campus player. He’s gorgeous. Funny. Witty. And everyone Aurora isn’t.
Aurora’s insecurities her mother ingrained in her own daughter is ALOT. Aurora is aloof, standoffish, quiet, stays in the shadows. Her mom has her believing that she’s chubby. That her stretch marks need to hidden. So, Aurora hides herself in baggy clothing and restricts her food intake.
*Check the trigger warnings*
This is a slow burn. Once Noah realizes his fun banter with Aurora is turning into something more, they hide what they have from everyone. And Noah does everything he can to undo what her mother made her believe about herself.
“Because he knew. He knew how to coax me out of my head, how to make me ignore my overcritical, self-deprecating inner critic. He knew exactly what to say, how to touch me, how to make me feel like the most beautiful girl he’d ever laid eyes on.”
HEA
M\F
Fun side characters !
Aurora Hart. Little sister to hockey player Austin Hart. Her dorm isn’t quite ready so she’s temporarily staying with her brother and his friends. One being Noah Holden. The campus player. He’s gorgeous. Funny. Witty. And everyone Aurora isn’t.
Aurora’s insecurities her mother ingrained in her own daughter is ALOT. Aurora is aloof, standoffish, quiet, stays in the shadows. Her mom has her believing that she’s chubby. That her stretch marks need to hidden. So, Aurora hides herself in baggy clothing and restricts her food intake.
*Check the trigger warnings*
This is a slow burn. Once Noah realizes his fun banter with Aurora is turning into something more, they hide what they have from everyone. And Noah does everything he can to undo what her mother made her believe about herself.
“Because he knew. He knew how to coax me out of my head, how to make me ignore my overcritical, self-deprecating inner critic. He knew exactly what to say, how to touch me, how to make me feel like the most beautiful girl he’d ever laid eyes on.”
HEA
M\F
Fun side characters !
April 14, 2023
This heartwarming and steamy romance novel follows Aurora, or Rory, as she moves in with her brother and his hockey player friends. Rory hesitates to get involved with another hockey player, but her brother's best friend, Noah, shows her unwavering support and love. Despite their differences and personal baggage, Rory and Noah find healing and happiness in each other's arms. The story also delves into college life and the strong bond of found family among the characters. The book features beloved tropes like brother's best friend, hockey romance, and opposites attract and is filled with memorable characters and emotional moments. This is a must-read if you're a sports romance fan with lots of chemistry and emotion!
Want to read
April 7, 2024💥Free 7 April 2024
March 20, 2023
What a treat.
Noah had me swooning so much. He tried hard but fell hard! And Rory, oh she’s so sweet and scared from her past, that takes a lot for her to trust. And watching these two interact was such a blast! And Conner - what a sweetie loved the relationship he built with Rory. The girls were the sweetest with Rory too.
I adored this. Think I say this every time, but this is my fav of the series ❤️
Noah had me swooning so much. He tried hard but fell hard! And Rory, oh she’s so sweet and scared from her past, that takes a lot for her to trust. And watching these two interact was such a blast! And Conner - what a sweetie loved the relationship he built with Rory. The girls were the sweetest with Rory too.
I adored this. Think I say this every time, but this is my fav of the series ❤️
April 8, 2023
2.5 Stars. I’m not sure this book was really for me. Maybe NA isn’t for me anymore. I don’t know.
This is Aurora and Noah’s story.
I did like the fact that unlike the Next Gen Rixon Raiders it wasn’t just dialogue without descriptions. This book did have that.
I couldn’t really connect to the FMC. I do understand that she had body issues, but the fact that it took up most of the story until 85% was a bit much for me. The MMC was just okay… Nothing spectacular. I couldn’t feel him much either.
The next book is Mason’s story and I feel like I might like that one more.
This is Aurora and Noah’s story.
I did like the fact that unlike the Next Gen Rixon Raiders it wasn’t just dialogue without descriptions. This book did have that.
I couldn’t really connect to the FMC. I do understand that she had body issues, but the fact that it took up most of the story until 85% was a bit much for me. The MMC was just okay… Nothing spectacular. I couldn’t feel him much either.
The next book is Mason’s story and I feel like I might like that one more.
May 19, 2023
Soooo....I loved the story. The banter, the proximity, ugh it was amazing! The spice was epic when it hit. WHEN HE WROTE HIS NAME ON HER 💦💦💦The fmc? Ugh. I understood her issues, dealing with quite a few of them myself, but she legit made it her whole personality, and I couldn't get past it. Noah saved the book and I loved him so much, but Rory just seemed whiny and immature to me 😬
March 20, 2023
Aurora - or Rory - is Austin’s little sister and needs some place to stay for a bit, and moves into her brothers house with his 2 teammates.
Noah is one of the teammates, and takes a liking to Rory, even tho he shouldn’t, as she’s the little sister, and she’s off limits, right?!
Rory got hurt by her ex, also a hockey player, and is reluctant being in close vicinity with hockey players. Her roommates learn this pretty soon. She got hurt badly, and not only by her friends, no also by family. Her mom is something extra no one needs in their life. She has no close relationship to her brother as well, and they slowly - very slowly- resolve the issue.
Noah has his own issues he needs to wrap his head around, and finds solace in talking to Rory about this. As does she, about everything that happened in her life.
Both most definitely need each other to slowly heal and get on with their life’s.
𝑊𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑙𝑦, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑢𝑠.
“𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝐴𝑢𝑟𝑜𝑟𝑎 𝑉𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑒 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑛𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑚𝑒.”
This book is sweet, and touches deep into your heart - in mine it did - and I really wanted to jump inside the book sometimes and slap everyone upside their head!
Also, I laughed a lot, because little Rory definitely has some sass! Lol.
But also, this book will break your heart, but LA Cotton will put it back together. Slowly tho, I might add!
Can’t wait to read more in this series!
I kindly received an arc from the author and voluntarily left a review
Noah is one of the teammates, and takes a liking to Rory, even tho he shouldn’t, as she’s the little sister, and she’s off limits, right?!
Rory got hurt by her ex, also a hockey player, and is reluctant being in close vicinity with hockey players. Her roommates learn this pretty soon. She got hurt badly, and not only by her friends, no also by family. Her mom is something extra no one needs in their life. She has no close relationship to her brother as well, and they slowly - very slowly- resolve the issue.
Noah has his own issues he needs to wrap his head around, and finds solace in talking to Rory about this. As does she, about everything that happened in her life.
Both most definitely need each other to slowly heal and get on with their life’s.
𝑊𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑙𝑦, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑢𝑠.
“𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝐴𝑢𝑟𝑜𝑟𝑎 𝑉𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑒 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑛𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑚𝑒.”
This book is sweet, and touches deep into your heart - in mine it did - and I really wanted to jump inside the book sometimes and slap everyone upside their head!
Also, I laughed a lot, because little Rory definitely has some sass! Lol.
But also, this book will break your heart, but LA Cotton will put it back together. Slowly tho, I might add!
Can’t wait to read more in this series!
I kindly received an arc from the author and voluntarily left a review
April 28, 2023
Break the Ice is part of L.A. Cotton’s Lakeshore U series and this was such a fun hockey romance! This is a brother’s best friend, roommate setup as well, which I just love the forced proximity that creates.
Aurora was recently heartbroken and is looking for a fresh start when the story starts. So she ends up temporarily moving in with her hockey player-brother Austin and a couple of his teammates. One of them being Noah, who definitely has a bit of a playboy image! Noah and Aurora end up connecting and confiding in one another, he starts calling her “Shortcake” and even saves her from a bad date! They both have complications with their families as well, Noah’s dad was abusive when he was growing up and Aurora’s mother has always been hard on her about her body image/weight.
I liked the way they were both there for one another and of course the tension of sneaking around because he’s her brother’s teammate and friend, was just so delicious! The duet narration audio was soo good, I mean Teddy Hamilton and Stella Hunter…just a dream to listen to! This was a fun intro to the series for me and I’d definitely read more, I’m always down for more hockey romances!
CW: weight/body image, disorder eating, physical abuse
Thank you to Forever and Always PR for an audio ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
Aurora was recently heartbroken and is looking for a fresh start when the story starts. So she ends up temporarily moving in with her hockey player-brother Austin and a couple of his teammates. One of them being Noah, who definitely has a bit of a playboy image! Noah and Aurora end up connecting and confiding in one another, he starts calling her “Shortcake” and even saves her from a bad date! They both have complications with their families as well, Noah’s dad was abusive when he was growing up and Aurora’s mother has always been hard on her about her body image/weight.
I liked the way they were both there for one another and of course the tension of sneaking around because he’s her brother’s teammate and friend, was just so delicious! The duet narration audio was soo good, I mean Teddy Hamilton and Stella Hunter…just a dream to listen to! This was a fun intro to the series for me and I’d definitely read more, I’m always down for more hockey romances!
CW: weight/body image, disorder eating, physical abuse
Thank you to Forever and Always PR for an audio ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
April 25, 2023
I didn’t think this author could top her Raiders books but these Lakers are giving them a run for their money. These hockey boys are in a whole other league. The Rixon boys hold a special place in my heart but man, these Lakeshore U guys don’t hold back. The first two books slayed but Noah’s book was out of this world A-EFFING-MAZING!! Noah and Rory’s story is everything you’d want in a brother’s best friend, new adult, sports romance. This is everything you would want and expect from LA Cotton. This is a must read.
Audio:
Yes! Yes! Yes!! Teddy Hamilton and Stella Hunter did these characters Justice. Their outstanding performance as Noah and Rory was phenomenal. This brother’s best friend, close-proximity, college sports romance was epic! The banter, the chemistry, the characters on top of la cotton’s story-telling… all of it was perfection! I am in awe of the author’s ability to make me fall hard for her characters as well as these amazing narrators bring them to life. This was such a great audiobook to get lost in!
Audio:
Yes! Yes! Yes!! Teddy Hamilton and Stella Hunter did these characters Justice. Their outstanding performance as Noah and Rory was phenomenal. This brother’s best friend, close-proximity, college sports romance was epic! The banter, the chemistry, the characters on top of la cotton’s story-telling… all of it was perfection! I am in awe of the author’s ability to make me fall hard for her characters as well as these amazing narrators bring them to life. This was such a great audiobook to get lost in!
August 3, 2023
Would I recommend it? I don’t really know.
This book… it’s good but at the same time it’s not. The writing and vibe is really 2012-2015ish. I hope you guys get that reference. And although I and maybe some others can relate to the fmc, damn it, I wanted to slap her so many times. All the characters felt like they were in high school instead of college and even though it’s a hockey romance we didn’t ACTUALLY see any hockey.
It’s cute. I’ll give it that and it’s perfect to read in one day. It could get you out of a slump and again, it’s cute.
This book… it’s good but at the same time it’s not. The writing and vibe is really 2012-2015ish. I hope you guys get that reference. And although I and maybe some others can relate to the fmc, damn it, I wanted to slap her so many times. All the characters felt like they were in high school instead of college and even though it’s a hockey romance we didn’t ACTUALLY see any hockey.
It’s cute. I’ll give it that and it’s perfect to read in one day. It could get you out of a slump and again, it’s cute.
April 5, 2023
It's overall a good story with a great potential that never blossom. It felt like the outline of a story in need of a lot of editing. There is not a real development of the female protagonist and the dialogues are a bit cringe. Shoutout to Connor, he's the best one out of all the characters.
January 17, 2024
A new favorite. It almost made me cry a few times and I loved every second of Aurora and Noah's story.
Lakeshore U, where hockey is religion, and the players are gods. Are you ready to fall in love with a Laker? Aurora moves in with her brother and his two teammates in University until her apartment is been fixed. She's shy and loves reading so she imagined she would be in her room reading all the time. But that's until she gets to know Noah and her life starts to change. Noah's a heartbreaker and a player, so when his best friend asks him to look out for his sister he doesn't expect to be interested in her. But Aurora is off-limits and it can't happen, right?
This is the first book in the Lakeshore U series. There are two prequel novellas and you could read this out of order (I have, I've read a couple before this one) and it'll make sense cause they all follow different couples but you will read spoilers of the previous books in some of them.
I started this series with an audiobook of the second one that I got from Forever Romance PR and I enjoyed so much that I bought and read the first novella and then I got the audiobook for the third one too and I was sold by that moment. It's such a good hockey romance new adult series.
I really loved it. I couldn't stop thinking about it. It hooked me from the beginning. The forbidden romance, the bookish stuff, the characters... It was so good. It was so good that this one made to my favorites list. I adored Noah and Aurora's relationship and I also loved Connor and how he treated Aurora like a sister, it was endearing. I also like how there are also serious issues in some of this books and it's not just a romance, there is so much more.
I can't wait to read the prequel novella Ice Burn and I'm super intrigued by Cold as Ice!
Lakeshore U, where hockey is religion, and the players are gods. Are you ready to fall in love with a Laker? Aurora moves in with her brother and his two teammates in University until her apartment is been fixed. She's shy and loves reading so she imagined she would be in her room reading all the time. But that's until she gets to know Noah and her life starts to change. Noah's a heartbreaker and a player, so when his best friend asks him to look out for his sister he doesn't expect to be interested in her. But Aurora is off-limits and it can't happen, right?
This is the first book in the Lakeshore U series. There are two prequel novellas and you could read this out of order (I have, I've read a couple before this one) and it'll make sense cause they all follow different couples but you will read spoilers of the previous books in some of them.
I started this series with an audiobook of the second one that I got from Forever Romance PR and I enjoyed so much that I bought and read the first novella and then I got the audiobook for the third one too and I was sold by that moment. It's such a good hockey romance new adult series.
I really loved it. I couldn't stop thinking about it. It hooked me from the beginning. The forbidden romance, the bookish stuff, the characters... It was so good. It was so good that this one made to my favorites list. I adored Noah and Aurora's relationship and I also loved Connor and how he treated Aurora like a sister, it was endearing. I also like how there are also serious issues in some of this books and it's not just a romance, there is so much more.
I can't wait to read the prequel novella Ice Burn and I'm super intrigued by Cold as Ice!
March 28, 2023
"But it could also go right. It could be beautiful and exhilarating and wonderful. If only you were brave enough to take the leap of faith and trust your heart. "
Rory thought this would be a new start. A way to forget her past.
To rebuild the bonds with her brother and escape her mother.
Sounded easy in her head.
However, Fate has other plans and tosses Rory right into the lion's den. Her insecurities and past experiences are once again front and center This time though she isn't going to be the victim.
I'm going to have to agree with Harper, Rory
Noah ....oh Noah...
Why do you guys always make such drastic decisions, ones that affect both parties without talking to the other party first?
Yes, I know you did what you thought was best - And I know those who gave input into the decision were also thinking it was best - But truly
She is a lot stronger than you all give her credit for
I absolutely adored this couple. Noah was drawn to Rory immediately and vice versa. Their back-and-forth banter alone was a strong signal of their attraction. Cotton did a superb job of crafting the characters and how they supported or dealt with their esteem issues and their past. I really liked that when it came to Noah's past he chose the path that worked for HIM (no spoilers but this might have drawn a couple of tears from me)
This is a full-length New Adult Romance that has just the right blend of Angst, Friendship, and Personal Growth, wrapped up in a wonderful HEA
It states first in the series but there are two previous books available that have this circle of friends - you don't need to read them but you will want to
Rory thought this would be a new start. A way to forget her past.
To rebuild the bonds with her brother and escape her mother.
Sounded easy in her head.
However, Fate has other plans and tosses Rory right into the lion's den. Her insecurities and past experiences are once again front and center This time though she isn't going to be the victim.
I'm going to have to agree with Harper, Rory
Noah ....oh Noah...
Why do you guys always make such drastic decisions, ones that affect both parties without talking to the other party first?
Yes, I know you did what you thought was best - And I know those who gave input into the decision were also thinking it was best - But truly
She is a lot stronger than you all give her credit for
I absolutely adored this couple. Noah was drawn to Rory immediately and vice versa. Their back-and-forth banter alone was a strong signal of their attraction. Cotton did a superb job of crafting the characters and how they supported or dealt with their esteem issues and their past. I really liked that when it came to Noah's past he chose the path that worked for HIM (no spoilers but this might have drawn a couple of tears from me)
This is a full-length New Adult Romance that has just the right blend of Angst, Friendship, and Personal Growth, wrapped up in a wonderful HEA
It states first in the series but there are two previous books available that have this circle of friends - you don't need to read them but you will want to
August 7, 2024
💖💖
Noah and Rory, are perfections.
Noah is all about hockey, hockey is his only priority. He’s known for being a player and sleeping with everyone but only once, he’s not the relationship type and he will never fall like his buddies have.
Aurora has a lot of trauma, she’s kept it all bottled up which doesn’t really help her. But she’s so used to hiding herself that she knows how to fake everything. Having body issues has always kept her away from everyone but that’s until Noah’s brings her out the shadows.( not only Noah but all her amazing new friends )
Noah’s a bit rude at the start but he finds himself drawn to Rory, he’s able to be himself and everything seems to come natural with her. When things become more serious they both know that it could only end in disaster. Will their issues and insecurities let this real bond break down before it even started.
I cried a bit much reading this. I related to this a bit and hit home. And I could talk about it and go on and on, which is the reason I love these type of books it makes you open up and see things in a different view 💖
Noah and Rory, are perfections.
Noah is all about hockey, hockey is his only priority. He’s known for being a player and sleeping with everyone but only once, he’s not the relationship type and he will never fall like his buddies have.
Aurora has a lot of trauma, she’s kept it all bottled up which doesn’t really help her. But she’s so used to hiding herself that she knows how to fake everything. Having body issues has always kept her away from everyone but that’s until Noah’s brings her out the shadows.( not only Noah but all her amazing new friends )
Noah’s a bit rude at the start but he finds himself drawn to Rory, he’s able to be himself and everything seems to come natural with her. When things become more serious they both know that it could only end in disaster. Will their issues and insecurities let this real bond break down before it even started.
I cried a bit much reading this. I related to this a bit and hit home. And I could talk about it and go on and on, which is the reason I love these type of books it makes you open up and see things in a different view 💖
Read
July 14, 2023i hate myself for dnf'ing this book but I can't get myself to pick this up again. I absolutely LOVED the first 2 books in this series and wil highly recommend them, but I HATE the FMC in this book. Im around 200 pages into this book and all she talks about is the fact that she's not as pretty as other girls and how she's not as skinny as other girls. And i'm insecure too I get it, but I don't want a reminder every time I read a chapter in her pov. with that said, I love the MMC's chapters tho.
DNF at 35%
DNF at 35%
Displaying 1 - 30 of 543 reviews