Breaking the Ice

What a delightful read that is perfect for tween readers. Breaking the Ice is a coming-of-age story set at a local ice rink that is about growing up, forgiveness, and overcoming obstacles. The main character Harper is confronted with her fears of getting back on the ice when a new mentorship oppprtunity comes her way. Will she be able to skate again or will it prove to be too much?

This read is fast-paced, short, but very comforting. Even though Wintertime can be a harsh season, Blitt captures the coziness it can also provide. I loved the settings of Harper's backyard ice rink, the cute cocoa shack, and the tight-knit community at the Skatium.

The romance was super sweet and it was nice to see their progression of Harper and Jason's friendship into something more. I also appreciated the way the theme of facing your fears is presented in the story. It's an important reminder for all its readers that it's not always easy to overcome things that have held us back, but to acknowledge them to move forward.

Harper's and Jason's growth is evident through the novel and Blitt's writing shows great character development. Readers will be able to connect to their stories and take their message to heart. This is a great read for the holiday season or during the colder months.

“Breaking the Ice” by Natalie Blitt, previously published as “Cocoa Crush,” is a sweet middle grade story about main character Harper and her fear of getting back to playing hockey after an accident that hurt her best friend and affected her life immensely. She hasn’t veered far from the rink, though, as she works at a snack shack in the Skatium, serving up new flavors of hot chocolate that she regularly tries out.

Before long, Jason, a well-known figure skating champion, comes to town and he and Harper become friendly. They are both chosen to be mentors for a program for kids who love hockey, figure skating, and the like. Harper’s fears threaten to overtake her ability to be a mentor, but she pulls through in the end, finding the ability to press on despite the difficult circumstances that took her off of the ice in the first place. Little by little, she begins hanging out with old friends, and coupled with her family, she considers how getting back to hockey might not be the worst thing in the world—she only has to figure out if it’s worth it to her.

Natalie Blitt has written a warm, engaging, fast-paced read that captures themes of forgiveness, growth, and new experiences.