This is a spoiler-free review! A list of trigger warnings can be found here.
I finally caved in and read this book -- I have been putting it off for over two years, but it's approaching winter and after a recent re-watch of Spinning Out on Netflix, I figured now is the best time to dive into a figure skating romance. It is also so refreshing to find a romance book with adults in their twenties that is able to be developed and follow that slow-burn build up. People were absolutely not lying when they said this was a slow-burn, and don't be surprised if it takes literally hundreds of pages for anything to happen between the main characters.
Jasmine's family dynamic is very relaxed and they all get along with each other relatively well, and are involved in each other's lives. It was nice to see a supportive family behind her, especially with such a demanding sport taking up her time. I cannot stand her father and nothing that he says or does will ever make up for the way that he talks to her. Her best friend happens to be Ivan's sister, and I really enjoyed the way that she -- even briefly -- would be a voice of wisdom for the both of them.
Ivan sulks so much, I'm surprised he hasn't frozen in place. Meatball is hands down the worst nickname that I have ever heard and I genuinely wished that he cut that out at any time during the book. However, he does have some redeeming qualities that don't completely make him a nuisance, and his banter -- or straight-up arguing -- with Jasmine is entertaining to say the least. He definitely grew on me by the end of the book, and he showed a ton of character development that I was hoping he would gain.
Watching Jasmine and Ivan's skating relationship develop was very cute and satisfying. You see their obvious tension and clear frustration with each other in the beginning, but you also see how other people are rooting for them to be a great pair. Ivan inserts himself a lot into Jasmine's personal life, and I think it added a lot to their relationship and made Jasmine trust him a lot more than she originally did.
If you're a sucker for the she's-sick-and-he-takes-care-of-her trope, you are in for a treat. I was kicking my legs and giggling the entire time and loved every minute of it, especially because it lasts multiple chapters and is not just brushed over. Jasmine and Ivan have a ton of fun banter, but there are some points where I was not loving what Ivan would say to Jasmine. I understand that they had their little feud, but some of the things he said or made comments on felt like they were crossing a line.
Sometimes the writing was giving hardcore Wattpad vibes, dangerously on the side of me wanting to put the book down, especially when I realized that Jasmine was not a 19-year-old, but instead 26-years-old. It took me back on the way the narration was reading, but the writing improved after the first few chapters and you will fall in sync with the way that Jasmine thinks.
I wish that Zapata had included more chapters or at least discussion on certain aspects -- Jasmine's falling out and hatred towards Paul, and her issues with people on social media. A lot of the times that either of these were brought up, it felt brushed over and only talked about for a few pages before the discussion changed or we were in a new chapter.
I would recommend this book to people looking for a true slow burn where the romance does not come into play until you are deep into the book. It's a great combination of plot-driven work with a romance subplot.
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