Single Sundays: It’s a Love/Skate Relationship by Carli J Corson

Single Sundays: While this blog may be focused on reviewing book series as a whole, we can’t forget about the good ole’ standalone novel! On Sundays, I will review a novel that is considered to be a standalone novel. Here is this week’s offering:

Synopsis for It’s a Love/Skate Relationship (from Goodreads):

Charlie Porter is a force to be reckoned with, both on and off the hockey rink. When she accidentally starts a brawl after a game, she’s suspended from school, meaning no hockey this season—and no chance to play in front of college scouts.

Alexa Goldstein’s pairs skating partner was hurt in the fight, and with only four months until their next competition, pickings for a replacement are slim. So she strikes a deal with Charlie—skate with her at the competition well enough to place, and her Olympian mother will use her formidable connections to get Charlie in front of scouts at D-1 schools, even without her team.

It seems impossible, and not just because Charlie has never figure skated before. Where Charlie is powerful, Alexa is elegant; where Charlie is quick to blow up, Alexa is cold as ice. But as the frostiness between them starts to thaw, they begin to wonder if they’ve found a partner for more than just skating.

Author: Carli J Corson
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Sports, Romance, Coming of Age, LGBT
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Date: January 28, 2025
Source & Format: Public Library–Audiobook

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I found this book completely randomly when browsing the audiobook selection at my library. I though the title was cheeky and the synopsis sounded like a cute coming of age premise that had me onboard. I love a good sports romance as well so it was checking a lot of boxes for me!

The Plot:

I thought the overall pacing of this book was really good. It balanced Charlie’s coming of age story well with the romance and other dramatic elements along the way so it never felt dull.

I liked was that while the story had many realistic elements, it also has some “in an ideal world elements” as well. Like how easy it was to get the rules to change for same sex pairings in figure skating etc. Things that should be common place but aren’t.

The Characters:

I enjoyed Charlie’s self confidence and awareness journey. You can really see how she grows as a person throughout the novel. Her story reminds me why it is important for young people (and really people of any age) to join sports (or a group activity) in order to grow as a person. Being a part of something allows you to see the bigger picture of the world outside of yourself.

Alexa grew on me more as well as we got to know her. That’s one element I really loved about her story: you fall in love with her character as Charlie learns more about her and sees past her first assumptions.

The Romance:

This was a great “enemies-to-more” romance. Like these two really don’t like each other at the start of the novel at all. I actually had to double-check the synopsis to make sure I didn’t have the wrong romantic pairing! And that’s why I loved their romance because it was a great slow burning fall that was such a joy to read!