Review: Love on the Tracks by Tamsen Parker
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Title: Love on the Tracks (Fire and Ice Games #1)
Author: Tamsen Parker
Genre: Winter sports, musicians
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My rating: 3.5 Stars
Blurb
Welcome to the Snow and Ice Games where the competition is fierce and the romance is HOT.
Rowan Andrews is the unexpected darling of the Denver Snow and Ice Games. Luge has never captured the American public’s imagination as much as figure skating or even hockey, but her outsized personality and dare-devil ways have got everyone’s eyes glued to the track. Including a certain chart-topping heartthrob.
Zane Rivera is the lead singer of License to Game, the hottest band in the country. When Zane finds out Rowan Andrews has had some complimentary things to say about him, he arranges to meet her while he’s in Denver enjoying the games. And when a photo of him kissing Rowan on the cheek goes viral, they both see the advantages of faking a relationship for the publicity.
After Rowan’s injured in her final race, their relationship starts to feel all too real to Zane. But is this rock star ready to fall in love?
Review
An an avid fan of winter sports (just watching on TV, not participating but still) I was very excited to read this romance featuring a female luger and boy band lead singer in a fake relationship while in reality both have a secret crush on the other.
It's a light, fun story though the characters came off as a bit immature and I would have like some more depth in their arcs.
I appreciate that the author chose to highlight a sport that is not so popular. Rowan is a professional athlete and we get to see how ever-present sports is in her life, how it shapes everything about her. What's more Zane was not only not resentful of her commitment to her professional career but he admired her dedication, he absolutely adored her very muscular and athletic body. There is some light femdom which I found fitting to the characters. There was no shame on his part for enjoying letting her call the shots in bed.
Zane a typical musician in a boy band, he is enjoying his fame and good fortune but also looking forward to the next steps in his career. He didn't stand out as much as she did for me though I liked how supporting, caring and the same non-suffocating and non-alpha he acted with Rowan.
The main conflict felt a bit artificial and we saw her dad undeservedly presented as the villain in their story. It all read a bit too much like your average NA romance but was enjoyable overall.
I didn't appreciate the jab at the Russian athletes at the end, felt it was unnecessary for the story.
It's a nice story, a bit on the sweet side. I liked the way the author presented the world of professional winter sports and I'm looking to reading the next books in the series.
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