Dance On Ice (Chesterford Coyotes Book 3) by RJ Scott and V.L. Locey

Dance On Ice is the finale for a sweet YA series. A hockey player and figure skater reunite, both ready to face challenges alone and together to get their HEA.

From the blurb:

For the figure skater and the hockey player, their sport demands total devotion, but can falling in love come first?   

My name is Shaun Stanton, and I’m bisexual.

In hockey-obsessed Chesterford Academy, Shaun Stanton stands out as the star player and captain of the Chesterford Coyotes, and his exceptional skills have already attracted the attention of NHL scouts. He lives and breathes hockey, but there’s more to his story. His father wants Shaun to be the star he never was, and their relationship is a complex mix of guidance and intimidation. Worse, while hockey is Shaun’s sanctuary and a key part of who he is, he harbors a secret his dad can never discover: Shaun is gay He’s caught between the future career he’s destined for, and the truth he has to hide. There’s one bright light in his life, the vibrant figure skater who shares the early morning practice ice, a friend he worries about, but has now become something more—Kenji is everything Shaun wants and can’t have.

My name is Kenji Kelly, and I need to be perfect.

Kenji Kelly is a young man who walks two worlds: his family is a beautiful mix of American and Asian cultures. He loves both figure skating and hockey, and he’s a out and proud pansexual teen. While it seems to the world around him he has it all, deep down Kenji has a secret that’s slowly becoming harder to conceal. His life is the ice and his coach does not believe in failure. The one person who knows his hidden secret is Shaun, the captain of the Coyotes and a friend from youth hockey days. Shaun’s gaze towards Kenji, once filled with concern, now seems to hold something deeper, unsettling Kenji but also igniting similar giddy, burgeoning feelings in him. As their feelings for each other become stronger, the secrets both young men carry grow heavier and more distressing with each passing day.

NB: Trigger warning for mention of an eating disorder.

SNiK's Review:

Third in series (Chesterford Coyotes), but can be read as a standalone but might be more fun if read in order. YA. Former best friends. POC representation. Dual POV. Heed content warnings.   

Childhood best friends, Kenji and Shaun grew up together on the ice, with Shaun pursuing hockey and Kenji figure skating. Shaun’s controlling father separated them, and for a while Kenji was homeschooled, but now they are back at the same school sharing the ice again.

I enjoyed the idea that these two friends always had feelings that easily grow into love now that they are a little older, and that when Kenji and Shaun agree to be together there is little hesitation to their commitment. Shaun is devoted to being an informed friend and then boyfriend to support Kenji and their slow slide into a romantic relationship is cute and sweet. This has been a lovely series and I’m sad to see it’s over. I do enjoy YA romances where the characters mature together and I can root for them to have an HEA even at their young age.

Heather's Review:

I have been loving this sweet YA hockey series and Dance on Ice is no exception - from the adorable cover to the best friends to more romance.  What I will say is that this one hit me hard in the feels... and deals with more angst, homophobia and an eating disorder.  All of the drama is well handled and well researched and the slow and sweet way these two come together is just wonderful.

I'm sad that this is the third and final book in the series, but I hope that this isn't the end of writing sweet YA romance for this duo.

Dance On Ice is available in e-book format in wide release.