The Games (Exhibitionist Athlete Erotic Romance)

Maisy looked forward to the SIG's not only because of the competition but also because this was another possibility to see Blaze again. They're familiar with each other both sexually and non-sexually, so getting to know each other happens off-page. I'm a sucker for reading the first time meeting of two characters -- I love that attraction and the first spark, the getting to know each other and slow or sometimes fast progress of the main characters relationship.

All that was missing here. I feel like in some instances it would have helped to have a bit more insight to that. Particularly because they have a very intense sexual relationship that requires a lot of trust. Though this is only a personal preference and I know some people who would really enjoy this story.

I had high expectations for this when I requested it on NetGalley. The sports aspect wasn't as prominent as I had hoped it would be, but I liked Blaze and Maisy, and liked them more the more I read. Although I would have liked a bit more of the sport, I didn't really miss it. Fire on the Ice was easily on track to be a 4 star read. I really enjoyed how their perceived roles changed when they were alone with each other. You'd think that Blaze is the more dominant one because she's very loud and has a strong personality. Maisy is more quiet and keeps herself hidden.

Once they're alone, though, that completely changes. What I loved about Fire on the Ice was how sex-positive it was. Blaze is bisexual and poly -- she loves sex and she wants a lot of it. There is a small misunderstanding in the story that relates to that -- but I feel like it was handled well by Parker and it showed some of Maisy's insecurities.

Also Blaze called her out on the spot and they resolved it fast. As I said this was fast on track to become a four star read Of Maisy, who is not out to the public. That was the moment that I really did not want the two of them to end up with together. And there is nothing Blaze could possibly do that would ever justify or excuse her decision, so I put the book away. This might not be a no-go for everyone, but for me this was like a roundhouse kick to the stomach and I just couldn't read any more of it.

Feb 03, Maria Rose rated it liked it Shelves: Fire on the Ice is part of Tamsen Parker's Snow and Ice Games series and showcases the world of female skating from the viewpoints of two quite different characters - Blaze, an extroverted speed skater, and Maisy, an introverted figure skater. Where Blaze is all about getting attention, Maisy shies away from the crowds. In the bedroom it's a bit different though, with Maisy delighting in taking control and Blaze happy to follow suit. They both have goals of winning medals at the games, but can t Fire on the Ice is part of Tamsen Parker's Snow and Ice Games series and showcases the world of female skating from the viewpoints of two quite different characters - Blaze, an extroverted speed skater, and Maisy, an introverted figure skater.

They both have goals of winning medals at the games, but can they also take their friends with benefits relationship to another level? The first half of this story reads more like erotica than like a romance. There's a lot of sex, some of it quite inventive but not really any hint of romance between the two characters. On the plus side it's a very sex positive book obviously, and these two aren't shy in private. On the downside, there's little conflict to keep the reader invested in the characters.

The second half of the story is where the real plot begins for me. There are some good scenes with the sports the ladies are involved in that delve into more technical details. As a fan of watching winter Olympics, and skating in particular, these were well done. Also here is where the characters start to show their real selves, with Maisy concerned about public appearances - not because she has a problem being a lesbian but just because that's part of her character, and Blaze quite the opposite.

Blaze makes decisions that cause them some problems, and in the end it's she that has to realize that if she wants to be with Maisy for more than a sexual fling, she'll have to really listen to her concerns. Blaze also prefers poly relationships, something Maisy is prepared to accept even if she isn't poly herself. I have some doubts as to whether the couple would really be happy in the long term because of their differences on that front. Still, we get a happy for now ending for the couple. I think in general, if you're looking for a steamy, easy lesbian read, that's what you'll find here.

A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review. Feb 25, Tara rated it it was amazing Shelves: And while Maisy has dated or slept with far fewer people than Blaze, she also never judges Blaze for her sexual history or for being polyamorous. Thankfully they never happened, and it was clear that Tamsen Parker set out to deliver a romance between women that celebrates sex—and does it ever!

Also, because Blaze and Maisy are always true to themselves while still honoring each other, their happily ever after is just perfect for them, even if it may not be what regular romance readers are used to seeing. Mar 25, rin lorenzo rated it it was ok Shelves: I've received the arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Feb 21, Margrethe Martin rated it it was ok Shelves: And it's really hard to rate this book because if I hadn't been made aware of the black moment issues and wanted to see for myself, I proba content warnings: And it's really hard to rate this book because if I hadn't been made aware of the black moment issues and wanted to see for myself, I probably would have stopped reading much earlier.

Here's the thing, the book never really feels cohesive, part of me wonders if this is an aspect of the editing and the speed with which this series was released. You have the sex scenes in the beginning, some time to talk, the inappropriate black moment, and then whatever came next. None of this seemed to fit together. And it's dueling first person present without much differentiation in the voices. Saying all of this hurts because I really wanted to like this book. I had hopes for this book, instead I had to tap out. I think the sex scenes are fascinating because they seemed so far from sexy.

The activities were not those you'd typically see and were very detailed, but there was no emotional connection to them, except maybe the fisting scene. But while sexually compatible, Blaze and Maisy barely have time to get to know each other outside of sex. And I'm reluctant to assign this an erotic romance label because there was so little romance. We have just come off of a very good scene where Blaze does a lot of emotional work for Maisy in terms of confirming that Maisy is enough for her while battling Maisy's issues with the fact that Blaze is polyamorous.

And then every ounce of respect I had for Blaze vanished with what she does next. The thing that comes next is a spoiler for the plot, but I also feel like if you identify as queer in any capacity, you need to know what comes next.

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This is not something I could ever forgive a person for doing. The fact is that Maisy isn't out to the world and any queer person knows that this is something that belongs to you. It's your choice to say the words, to hold someone's hand, to kiss in public. And Blaze ignores that. She blatantly acts against what she knows Maisy wants and forces a kiss for a publicity stunt just so that Blaze can remain relevant in the news.

And then, she never really apologizes. This is the sort of thing I would never speak to a person over again. I would block Blaze's number and skate amazingly as a final fuck you.

And I am genuinely surprised by how few people have noticed and commented on this glaring issue. So, I was curious and went back and skimmed to the finish. I fully believe that the problem with the black moment was something that got muddy in the process. The bones are there for a different interpretation in that maybe Maisy wasn't closeted as much in the outline. Because even Maisy's reaction in the end doesn't fit because she isn't concerned that she was outed, she's concerned that her personal life is now a headline.

However, Blaze's apology is weak. And she treats the whole thing in such a flippant manner except in her internal dialogue that there's no way I believe that they have more than a short-lived HFN. Words can't come close to describing what a load of garbage this book is i won't even waste my time trying to list all the faults of this book it would be much easier to list what went right which is that it ended. I wish is was possible to give this thing masquerading as a romance novel no stars but alas it is impossible another disappointment where this book is concerned epicfail. Apr 03, Cande rated it really liked it Shelves: Blake is a speed skater, Maisy is a figure skater.

And they both enjoy sex a lot. Yes, the first chapters of the book are full of sex. And it is sexy, hot and fun. I like romance stories that start with casual sex and slowly develops into a relationship. It works so well with Blake and Maisy because they are different and want Rep: It works so well with Blake and Maisy because they are different and want different things; Blake isn't comfortable in the spotlight and wants a monogamous relationship, Maisy loves the attention and is polyamorous.

So yeah, it works great that their relationship grows slowly as they work on. Although Blaze does say some harmful things, mostly misconceptions about polyamorous relationships and internalized misogyny, she recognizes them as a mistake and tries to do better. The relationship grew on me because they actually talk to be on the same page. They don't have to sacrifice their interest, identities or personalities to be together. And they make such a beautiful couple, too.

A copy was received through Netgalley in exchange an honest review. Jan 22, Rafa Brewster rated it really liked it. The author has a knack for creating distinct characters with relatable and often hilarious voices. The sex scenes were plentiful, creative and all in all, most excellent. My favorite thing about the book was how sex-positive both characters were. Blaze was unapologetically promiscuous AND a well-known attention seeker, and even though Mai 3.

Blaze was unapologetically promiscuous AND a well-known attention seeker, and even though Maisey was a quiet, prudish character, she was highly adventurous behind closed doors. You could see the conflict between them coming a mile away but I did like the issues that were raised as they each worked through their differences.

It was an entertaining and sexy read with just the right amount of sweetness. ARC courtesy of Netgalley in exchange for fair and honest review. Tamsen Parker writes insanely hot sex of all kinds.

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Seriously ff mm mf, she does it all and she does it exquisitely. Maisy is a Canadian figure skater and Blaze is a speed skater and on the surface they could not be more different but when it comes to the bedroom, their tastes are insanely hot. The issue here is Maisy is monogamous whereas Blaze is poly, Maisy wants Blaze to be faithful to her at least for the duration of the games and they have the hottest most mind blowing and possibly the most graphic sapphic sex I have ever read in a romance novel.

Will their relationship make it? Will they be able to get over their differences? Thank to netgalley for the ARC Blaze knew only one person saw her for who she really was. The person she kept private and not the flamboyant one portrayed in the press. Maisy Harper was not all she appeared to be. The quiet and reserved woman changed once the door as closed. Two sides that matched one another providing the support and rekindling a relationship that threatened to burn them up in flames.

As they both try again at a relationship and winning a medal will it be enough to keep them together? Jan 22, Pippa rated it really liked it Shelves: Blaze loves living life at a fast pace. She is in the top ranks as a speed skater for the USA, and her sex life is just as charged. Identifying openly as bisexual and polyamorous, nothing is off limits. Maisy is a Canadian figure skater, always in the top ten but never in the medals. Controlled by parents, coaches and the team managers, she has mastered the quiet acquiescence required to slip through life without standing out.

Only Blaze knows this is a ruse. After a drunken night at the last Snow Blaze loves living life at a fast pace. After a drunken night at the last Snow and Ice Games, Blaze and Maisy commiserated their losses with days of sexual escapades. It has stuck in their minds and both are relishing the thought of getting together again at the current SIG competition.

This was an erotic romance that had some believable interactions and a nice setup. I liked how the characters interacted; there was a good sense of build up even though they got together fairly early in the book. It does also give Parker an opportunity to really explore the sexuality of the characters, and she does this with gusto. The sex scenes are explicit and hot, and there are plenty of them.

However, one of the characters was honest about the fact that she was bisexual and polyamorous, and the other is more comfortable being monogamous, so it was interesting to see how the characters managed that. Knowing several polyamorous friends, I loved seeing that reflected in a book.

Even in lesbian fiction, most of our romance books reflect the idea of two people forming a monogamous bond. While that is a common partnering arrangements in most cultures, it is lovely to see another version that is also honest and respectful of the characters. This is the fourth book in a series by Parker. I have now bought a number of her other books. Advanced reading copy provided by NetGalley for an honest review. Jan 31, Natalie rated it really liked it Shelves: Again, the strength of these books is the character voice. Maisy and Blaze are vastly different people.

Maisy's more conservative and shy and Blaze is soo the opposite. Blaze unapologetically loves the spotlight and has made a career out of it, she's also not shy when it comes to her sex life. I loved both characters. How they were so oooh i liked this one. How they were so different in general but oh so compatible in the bedroom. Those sex scenes, damn. The sports aspect was also pretty intriguing even though i know zero about these winter sports.

Well i've watched figure skating before but Blaze's sport, the speed skating i knew nada about and googled after but it sounded so hardcore! I loved how we get a sense of how these women push their bodies as athletes. Apart from the character personalities shining through in the text, throughout the books i've read in the series so far, the psychology of athletes we get to see as well, was also something i enjoyed.

So i enjoyed Maisy and Blaze a lot and am waiting on the last book in the series. Feb 06, Sarah rated it really liked it. I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads. This is a fun and delightfully smutty romp. There is a surprising amount of character and relationship development in this book. The story starts with a hook-up but romance follows. Ultimately, I really enjoyed both Blaze and Maisy and the skating competitions add excitement to the story. This is an easy, sexy read with two likeable and insatiable leads.

Feb 02, Ruthie Taylor rated it liked it. To be honest this starts out firmly in the lust, chemistry and passion genre, but as time moves on and the competition heats up, there are some good twists and turns in the story. There are some good sports themed issues raised, such as commitment, passion, injury and media interest.

It was fun to get behind the scenes, and see how competitors at such a big event spend their free time no real surprise! And certainly Maisy's decision, fuelled by Blaze's comments, is significant in showing how much she is affected by their connection. Maisy's insecurities, and the degree view on sex that she and Blaze have causes some painful moments, but somehow Ms Parker gets them all straightened out.

It works for them, and that is all that one can ask of any relationship, is it not? Jun 01, Xan West added it Shelves: Overall, I have mixed feelings about this book. Read my full review on my blog. Content Warnings view spoiler [Controlling and queer hating parents. MC outs the other MC to the public via the media without her perm Overall, I have mixed feelings about this book.

MC outs the other MC to the public via the media without her permission. Bi antagonism and slut shaming, that gets challenged. On the page sex including oral sex, strap-on sex.

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Mar 17, nick rated it liked it Shelves: This installment read very differently from the others to me because of how much focus was on the sex, especially in the first half. They were both interesting personalities, especially with how different they were from each other. Blaze is more no-bullshit and Maisy is quiet and shy. So, I would have liked to see why exactly these two contrasting people connected so deeply and I didn't feel like we saw that here. Feb 21, Kim rated it liked it Shelves: I liked these characters, but wish we got to see their emotional journey more.

Most of the book is their sexual one. I also would have liked to see Maisey deal with her parental situation more fully. They were such assholes. I secretly was hoping Blaze would ream them out. And for as much as Blaze opens up, we never see Maisey tell her about the situation between her and her parents. And that too goes back to wishing we saw more of their emotional journey. Feb 26, emma rated it liked it Shelves: Man, I was just so disappointed by this book.

My best events are later—the ones that require stamina, not short bursts of speed. Her body is her currency and she uses it to trade for what she wants. As a fellow athlete, I get it. Like, ew, who does that? Maisy teaches Blaze that external validation, while nice, isn't as necessary as validation from yourself and those who love you. My main problem is that this felt like two separate books. The first half of the book was like a 2, the second half a 4, so averaging this out to a 3. Overall, enjoyable, but oddly paced.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Feb 13, WycEd Reader rated it really liked it Shelves: Check out our Fire on the Ice post on Wicked Reads. To be honest, this starts out firmly in the lust, chemistry, and passion genre, but as time moves on and the competition heats up, there are some good twists and turns in the story. There are some good sports-themed issues raised, such as commitment, passion, injury, a Check out our Fire on the Ice post on Wicked Reads. For one thing, it requires contestants […]. Is he playing the Game, or being played?

When wife Izzie forces his secret into the open, Oscar says his only real condition for her to sleep with […]. She teased strangers, and took them to cruel, tantalizing places. But she never went all the way. The game ended when Brian and Anna got married, and that was that.

When the gorgeous, charming, […]. Dan was resigned to a Christmas alone. He told himself it was fine, that experiencing the holidays through the smiles of others was enough. But on Christmas Eve, the prospect of life by himself without the magic of the season was crushing.