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Skate It Till You Make It
The festive, fake-dating romcom from the author of LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
💙 Ice hockey romance
💙 Inspiring female athletes
💙 Fake-dating
💙 Friends to lovers
💙 Winter Olympics
When Ari Shumba and Drew Dlamini meet on New Year's Eve, neither one is looking to fall in love.
Ari's the reluctant new captain of Team GB's women's ice hockey team, anxiously preparing for the Winter Olympics. And after dropping out of college to handle a family crisis, Drew's desperately trying to salvage his photography career.
The chemistry is instant, but with both of their lives spinning out of control, they know a relationship would end in disaster. So, as the clock counts down to midnight, they spill their messiest secrets and most alarming red flags, thinking that they'll never see each other again...
Until they accidentally cross paths at the Winter Games.
As toxic exes and fraught family dynamics threaten to sabotage the most important competition of their lives, they hatch an emergency plan to fake date and photograph their way through the Games. After all, there's no risk of falling in love if it is doomed from the start... right?
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PRAISE FOR SKATE IT TILL YOU MAKE
"Ari and Drew heat up the Winter Olympics in this gorgeous fake dating hockey romance. Rufaro deftly (stick)handles the couple's emotional journey with each other, friends, and family to a beautiful, heartwarming, and absolutely satisfying conclusion." - Lily Chu, author of The Stand-In and Drop Dead
"Skate It Till You Make It hit me straight in the heart. Reading about a woman fighting to carve her place in a male-dominated sport-especially in the high-stakes backdrop of the Winter Olympics-was as inspiring as it was exhilarating. Mazarura has crafted a captivating story that's fierce, romantic, and full of hope. It's the perfect read to kick off the Winter Games." - Kanitha P., author of All You Need is Gloves and the Full Throttle series
"Skate It Till You Make It balances fake dating, family drama, and above all, the sizzling tension between Ari and Drew, with effortless charm. A fun, fantastic read." - Grace Reilly, USA Today bestselling author of Wicked Serve
"I savored every delicious page of Skate It Till You Make It. Rufaro Faith Mazarura pulls off a hat-trick in her expert balancing of Ari and Drew's bewitching love story, the lush tension-filled backdrop of the Winter Games, and the question of what it really means to follow your dreams. This is a second gold medal-worthy book from Mazarura." - Pyae Moe Thet War, author of Here For A Good Time
💙 Ice hockey romance
💙 Inspiring female athletes
💙 Fake-dating
💙 Friends to lovers
💙 Winter Olympics
When Ari Shumba and Drew Dlamini meet on New Year's Eve, neither one is looking to fall in love.
Ari's the reluctant new captain of Team GB's women's ice hockey team, anxiously preparing for the Winter Olympics. And after dropping out of college to handle a family crisis, Drew's desperately trying to salvage his photography career.
The chemistry is instant, but with both of their lives spinning out of control, they know a relationship would end in disaster. So, as the clock counts down to midnight, they spill their messiest secrets and most alarming red flags, thinking that they'll never see each other again...
Until they accidentally cross paths at the Winter Games.
As toxic exes and fraught family dynamics threaten to sabotage the most important competition of their lives, they hatch an emergency plan to fake date and photograph their way through the Games. After all, there's no risk of falling in love if it is doomed from the start... right?
--------------
PRAISE FOR SKATE IT TILL YOU MAKE
"Ari and Drew heat up the Winter Olympics in this gorgeous fake dating hockey romance. Rufaro deftly (stick)handles the couple's emotional journey with each other, friends, and family to a beautiful, heartwarming, and absolutely satisfying conclusion." - Lily Chu, author of The Stand-In and Drop Dead
"Skate It Till You Make It hit me straight in the heart. Reading about a woman fighting to carve her place in a male-dominated sport-especially in the high-stakes backdrop of the Winter Olympics-was as inspiring as it was exhilarating. Mazarura has crafted a captivating story that's fierce, romantic, and full of hope. It's the perfect read to kick off the Winter Games." - Kanitha P., author of All You Need is Gloves and the Full Throttle series
"Skate It Till You Make It balances fake dating, family drama, and above all, the sizzling tension between Ari and Drew, with effortless charm. A fun, fantastic read." - Grace Reilly, USA Today bestselling author of Wicked Serve
"I savored every delicious page of Skate It Till You Make It. Rufaro Faith Mazarura pulls off a hat-trick in her expert balancing of Ari and Drew's bewitching love story, the lush tension-filled backdrop of the Winter Games, and the question of what it really means to follow your dreams. This is a second gold medal-worthy book from Mazarura." - Pyae Moe Thet War, author of Here For A Good Time
379 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 3, 2026
423 people are currently reading
14655 people want to read
About the author
Rufaro Faith Mazarura
2 books172 followersRufaro Faith Mazarura is a British Zimbabwean writer who grew up in Birmingham and studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Surrey. She now lives in London and works as a podcast producer, bringing stories to life through audio, and has written and produced podcasts for the BBC, iHeartRadio and Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books. Let The Games Begin is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 517 reviews
February 9, 2026
I thought it was pretty cool that the story takes place during the 2026 Winter Olympics. Great timing. I liked that it features a women's hockey team. I appreciated the discussions about the position of women in sports.
Sadly, those are the only positives I can think of. The word "women" above is a stretch, because this totally reads like a YA. The main character is twenty-one and the other characters are around her age, but they act like teenagers with teenage problems. If not for the announcements at the beginning of each chapter and the final game at the end of the book, I wouldn't be able to tell that there's hockey in the story and that they are at the Olympics. Maybe that's on me, since I've read tons of hockey stories, but my expectations were different.
The book is unnecessarily long and drags at places. As I mentioned, we don't get to see any matches on page, except for the last one. What we do get to see is: Ari having a lot of time for going on dates and taking photos, her ex stalking her and popping up wherever she is – even though he also takes part in the Olympics as a snowboarder, Ari's teammates acting like teenagers at a sleepover, Ari and Drew both dealing with some family drama – Ari's mum literally calls her a couple of times because she is angry with Ari's sister who wants to go to their father's wedding, and Ari finally deals with the problem in a group call. While she is at the Olympics!
As for the romance part and the fake dating situation, I found it lukewarm. No one can convince me that they are older than 17. The conflict is based on keeping secrets and miscommunication. I feel the writing is overall quite juvenile and the characters are underdeveloped. There's no depth of emotion. Drew has the same reaction to everything that happens, which is almost no reaction. When he finds out about Ari and his sister, he does nothing and just lets it blow up in their faces. All conflicts are resolved in a very superficial and convenient way in the end.
The audio version was all right.
Read for the Goodreads Winter Challenge (Black Heritage)
Sadly, those are the only positives I can think of. The word "women" above is a stretch, because this totally reads like a YA. The main character is twenty-one and the other characters are around her age, but they act like teenagers with teenage problems. If not for the announcements at the beginning of each chapter and the final game at the end of the book, I wouldn't be able to tell that there's hockey in the story and that they are at the Olympics. Maybe that's on me, since I've read tons of hockey stories, but my expectations were different.
The book is unnecessarily long and drags at places. As I mentioned, we don't get to see any matches on page, except for the last one. What we do get to see is: Ari having a lot of time for going on dates and taking photos, her ex stalking her and popping up wherever she is – even though he also takes part in the Olympics as a snowboarder, Ari's teammates acting like teenagers at a sleepover, Ari and Drew both dealing with some family drama – Ari's mum literally calls her a couple of times because she is angry with Ari's sister who wants to go to their father's wedding, and Ari finally deals with the problem in a group call. While she is at the Olympics!
As for the romance part and the fake dating situation, I found it lukewarm. No one can convince me that they are older than 17. The conflict is based on keeping secrets and miscommunication. I feel the writing is overall quite juvenile and the characters are underdeveloped. There's no depth of emotion. Drew has the same reaction to everything that happens, which is almost no reaction. When he finds out about Ari and his sister, he does nothing and just lets it blow up in their faces. All conflicts are resolved in a very superficial and convenient way in the end.
The audio version was all right.
Read for the Goodreads Winter Challenge (Black Heritage)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2026
🏒 Bookish Thoughts
The perfect book to read during the Winter Olympics! It leaned a little cheesy at times and read slightly YA, but I still enjoyed it. And I will never turn down a fake dating romance.
I loved our FMC Ari and how determined she was. I do wish she had found her backbone a little sooner with her teammates and her family, but I was proud of her when she finally stepped into her power. She and Drew worked well together overall. I was not as big of a fan of Drew, though. He was a terrible communicator and a little too wishy washy for me.
✨ Favorite Quote
" I don't need to date a hot hockey player. I am a hot hockey player," said Ari with a wicked smile.
💙 What to Expect
• Fake dating
• Women’s ice hockey
• Winter Games
• Family drama
• Low angst romance
_ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5 stars
📅 Pub Date: February 3, 2026
📝 Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.
The perfect book to read during the Winter Olympics! It leaned a little cheesy at times and read slightly YA, but I still enjoyed it. And I will never turn down a fake dating romance.
I loved our FMC Ari and how determined she was. I do wish she had found her backbone a little sooner with her teammates and her family, but I was proud of her when she finally stepped into her power. She and Drew worked well together overall. I was not as big of a fan of Drew, though. He was a terrible communicator and a little too wishy washy for me.
✨ Favorite Quote
" I don't need to date a hot hockey player. I am a hot hockey player," said Ari with a wicked smile.
💙 What to Expect
• Fake dating
• Women’s ice hockey
• Winter Games
• Family drama
• Low angst romance
_ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 5 stars
📅 Pub Date: February 3, 2026
📝 Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.
December 22, 2025
I absolutely DEVOURED Ari and Drew’s story. Set in the 2026 Olympics, Ari is a hockey player for GB and Drew lands himself a photojournalist gig at the games after a legendary NYE party.
Ari and Drew on their own are facing challenging family dymanics, pressure to have it all together, and people in their lives that are hard to manage. But, after meeting at the NYE party & bumping into each other at the Games, they enter a fake relationship that spirals into a real, raw, and sweet relationship in the end.
I absolutely loved the closed-door aspect of this book, as hockey romance is known in general for it’s sex appeal. But, without the explicitly written scenes? This book still holds a sparkle and a sweetness to it that I absolutely enjoyed.
I also appreciated that the characters were young (21-22) and were going throigh the life crises that are normal around that time as it made their story all the more believable. Similarly, with both main characters being Black, the commentary on the expectations of Black women in sports dominated by white women was really something that I appreciated in this book more than anything. It felt as if this book was tackling so many ideas and prevalent topics but it did so in such a seamless way.
All in all, I adored this story, the characters, and the outcomes, and I think anyone who likes a good hockey romance will feel the same!
Ari and Drew on their own are facing challenging family dymanics, pressure to have it all together, and people in their lives that are hard to manage. But, after meeting at the NYE party & bumping into each other at the Games, they enter a fake relationship that spirals into a real, raw, and sweet relationship in the end.
I absolutely loved the closed-door aspect of this book, as hockey romance is known in general for it’s sex appeal. But, without the explicitly written scenes? This book still holds a sparkle and a sweetness to it that I absolutely enjoyed.
I also appreciated that the characters were young (21-22) and were going throigh the life crises that are normal around that time as it made their story all the more believable. Similarly, with both main characters being Black, the commentary on the expectations of Black women in sports dominated by white women was really something that I appreciated in this book more than anything. It felt as if this book was tackling so many ideas and prevalent topics but it did so in such a seamless way.
All in all, I adored this story, the characters, and the outcomes, and I think anyone who likes a good hockey romance will feel the same!
February 5, 2026
#gifted 🎧MacmillanAudio
☺️ I loved it! A must add to your romance playlist. All the good stuff executed beautifully. 🌿| the growth✨the yearning✨the banter. Ugh so good✨
❄️Fake Dating
🩵Forbidden Love
🏒Ice Hockey Romance
💪🏾 Women Athletes
⛸️Winter Olympics
☺️ I loved it! A must add to your romance playlist. All the good stuff executed beautifully. 🌿| the growth✨the yearning✨the banter. Ugh so good✨
❄️Fake Dating
🩵Forbidden Love
🏒Ice Hockey Romance
💪🏾 Women Athletes
⛸️Winter Olympics
February 7, 2026
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of Skate It Till You Make It by Rufaro Faith Mazarura.
This was a perfect book to read in the lead-up to the 2026 Winter Olympics. I was initially attracted to both the cover and the blurb. I love hockey and I enjoy romance books and this one featured the Winter Olympics and people of color - a female Black British ice hockey player, no less! What a timely story!
Ari Shumba is a player on Great Britain's women’s hockey team, a team that has strived and finally made it to the Olympics. They know they’re not a powerhouse like some of the other teams (Canada, United States, Sweden, etc.), but they are motivated to succeed. When their captain is badly injured and cannot play, Ari is shocked to be named Captain.
The other main character is an American photographer, Drew Diamini, who is stunned at his good luck (and a family connection) to be at the Olympics too. He’s trying to prove himself.
Ari and Drew meet at a party in London on New Year’s Eve and hit it off but go their separate ways, figuring they will never see each other again. But of course, they do. At the Olympics. Ari is trying to avoid her ex, also on the Great Britain Olympic team (snowboarding), and asks Drew to be her fake boyfriend. Complications ensue, of course.
Both Ari and Drew have interesting backstories and family issues, which added depth to the book. I enjoyed all the details of the Olympic village atmosphere and how Ari dealt with the issue of the women’s team getting less training time on the ice than the men’s team. I also liked that the ending was a Happy For Now ending, because both of these people had to figure out how to move forward with their careers plus their geographical challenge.
The audiobook was well narrated by a new-to-me narrator, Lillie-Pearl Wildman. She did a nice job with both the female and male roles.
NOTE: I have no idea why the author decided to set this book in St. Moritz, Switzerland instead of northern Italy, where the actual 2026 Games are happening.
This was a perfect book to read in the lead-up to the 2026 Winter Olympics. I was initially attracted to both the cover and the blurb. I love hockey and I enjoy romance books and this one featured the Winter Olympics and people of color - a female Black British ice hockey player, no less! What a timely story!
Ari Shumba is a player on Great Britain's women’s hockey team, a team that has strived and finally made it to the Olympics. They know they’re not a powerhouse like some of the other teams (Canada, United States, Sweden, etc.), but they are motivated to succeed. When their captain is badly injured and cannot play, Ari is shocked to be named Captain.
The other main character is an American photographer, Drew Diamini, who is stunned at his good luck (and a family connection) to be at the Olympics too. He’s trying to prove himself.
Ari and Drew meet at a party in London on New Year’s Eve and hit it off but go their separate ways, figuring they will never see each other again. But of course, they do. At the Olympics. Ari is trying to avoid her ex, also on the Great Britain Olympic team (snowboarding), and asks Drew to be her fake boyfriend. Complications ensue, of course.
Both Ari and Drew have interesting backstories and family issues, which added depth to the book. I enjoyed all the details of the Olympic village atmosphere and how Ari dealt with the issue of the women’s team getting less training time on the ice than the men’s team. I also liked that the ending was a Happy For Now ending, because both of these people had to figure out how to move forward with their careers plus their geographical challenge.
The audiobook was well narrated by a new-to-me narrator, Lillie-Pearl Wildman. She did a nice job with both the female and male roles.
NOTE: I have no idea why the author decided to set this book in St. Moritz, Switzerland instead of northern Italy, where the actual 2026 Games are happening.
February 7, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book. Skate It Till You Make It is such a cute and heartwarming love story set during the 2026 Olympics. The author does a wonderful job making you feel like you’re right there with the athletes, offering an inside look at what happens both on and off the ice. The characters are relatable, and their love story is absolutely adorable. This was a fun, cozy read that I couldn’t help but smile through—highly recommend it as a Valentine’s Day read! ❤️❤️❤️
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I thought this book was a clear step up from the author's debut, so I'm glad I picked this up! I felt like everything was fleshed out more and I found it easier to connect emotionally. I had a good time reading this, and it often put a smile on my face. I've been reading a lot of hockey romance, and it was super fun to read one about a Black female athlete. I found myself rooting a lot for the team to do well in the winter Olympics, even with Ari's teammates acting very immaturely for a large part of the story.
January 25, 2026
This was a firmly fine sports romance. If you read a lot of them, you'll be bored.
I found the plot and characters to be fine, if not a little boring. We had your basic fake dating plot (that didn't need to exist) combined with your normal family trauma drama sub plot. I thought them being at the Olympics was a little far fetched especially considering this was centered around England?
Thought Drew having that much access to the Olympic village as a photographer for the British National team instead of for the American one .....was interesting.
The romance is also a clean one, if that matters. I mean, idk. this book was fine. Nothing negative to say. I was just extremely whelmed.
I received an arc from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I found the plot and characters to be fine, if not a little boring. We had your basic fake dating plot (that didn't need to exist) combined with your normal family trauma drama sub plot. I thought them being at the Olympics was a little far fetched especially considering this was centered around England?
Thought Drew having that much access to the Olympic village as a photographer for the British National team instead of for the American one .....was interesting.
The romance is also a clean one, if that matters. I mean, idk. this book was fine. Nothing negative to say. I was just extremely whelmed.
I received an arc from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2026
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC!
This book is coming out at the PERFECT time for the Winter Olympics. This follows a women’s hockey team captain and a photographer on a fake dating scheme at the Winter Olympics. There’s intertwined family dynamics at play, there’s lying, there’s love.
I really liked our MMC being interested in our FMC from the beginning and agreeing to fake date to help get her out of a hard situation with an ex. I didn’t love his constant lying - though I recognize he was in quite the pickle!!
Both had a lot of family trauma too (one was a huge trigger for me) and I still ended up really enjoying this story. I really liked how she dealt with the men’s hockey team getting more support. But My favorite part was how the womens hockey team came together.
Read this if you love - fake dating, complicated family dynamics, women’s hockey, badass women, Olympic setting!!
This book is coming out at the PERFECT time for the Winter Olympics. This follows a women’s hockey team captain and a photographer on a fake dating scheme at the Winter Olympics. There’s intertwined family dynamics at play, there’s lying, there’s love.
I really liked our MMC being interested in our FMC from the beginning and agreeing to fake date to help get her out of a hard situation with an ex. I didn’t love his constant lying - though I recognize he was in quite the pickle!!
Both had a lot of family trauma too (one was a huge trigger for me) and I still ended up really enjoying this story. I really liked how she dealt with the men’s hockey team getting more support. But My favorite part was how the womens hockey team came together.
Read this if you love - fake dating, complicated family dynamics, women’s hockey, badass women, Olympic setting!!
February 14, 2026
TLDR: "we skated across the court." If that nonsense doesn't tell you everything you need to know...brother, get ready.
I am really endeavoring to be less of a bitch but this pissed me clean off. If you are going to write a sports romance, you need to watch at least one game and you need to read a glossary of terms at the absolute bare minimum. I think Mazarura learned about hockey four days before publishing. I think this book used to be about soccer and she changed it to hockey so she could release it for the Winter Olympics. More below, because let me also get into the meat of this book.
In short, give Ari a gun and give Drew A SPIIIINEEEEEE.
Literally everyone in this woman's life trampled all over her, and that includes her "friends" who told her to her face that she was a bad captain, as if a leadership figure is all you need to be good at ice hockey and their struggles were entirely her fault. Whatever. Drew on the other hand was infuriating to read bc he could not nut up to save his life! If the villain hadn't villained his way all over this plot, I think Ari would have died of old age before Drew told her the truth.
The fake dating was whatever. It was mostly unnecessary--most of their dates were for their own enjoyment and didn't have anything to do with either of their other motivations, but again, whatever. This is the least of this book's problems.
The 2 stars--and you'll thank me for them--are for setting and pacing. I took many points off the prose score because of the many sins committed against ice hockey:
1. Referring to an accident between players as a "tackle". You do not tackle in hockey. You check. If you watched A game, you would hear this term. If you even sniffed a list of hockey vocab, you would know this word. This came up a half dozen times or more.
2. "Ice puck." Less egregious, but...what?
3. Intermission occurs when the "break horn" blows and appears to last 2 minutes, while they all stand around at the benches. No mention of returning to the locker room, which would have provided a much better scene set-up for all the yapping the characters do. Hello?
4. Ari and Sienna are both centers, but are on the ice at the same time. Ok.
5. Ari and Sienna both score all the goals, and they score lots of them. Sienna at one point scores "a whole series." Did she get a hat trick? Did she get a dick trick? Idk. Seems a bit excessive.
6. The one that took me from irritated to genuinely enraged: at the end of the book, they skate "across the court." WHAT?????? And then someone finds a bottle of champagne, and they pop it. Still on the "court." WHAAAAATTTT????? Not even in the Stanley Cup Final are they popping bottles on the ice WHAT DO YOU MEEEAAANNNNN
If you watch hockey, do not read. Do not even sniff.
I am really endeavoring to be less of a bitch but this pissed me clean off. If you are going to write a sports romance, you need to watch at least one game and you need to read a glossary of terms at the absolute bare minimum. I think Mazarura learned about hockey four days before publishing. I think this book used to be about soccer and she changed it to hockey so she could release it for the Winter Olympics. More below, because let me also get into the meat of this book.
In short, give Ari a gun and give Drew A SPIIIINEEEEEE.
Literally everyone in this woman's life trampled all over her, and that includes her "friends" who told her to her face that she was a bad captain, as if a leadership figure is all you need to be good at ice hockey and their struggles were entirely her fault. Whatever. Drew on the other hand was infuriating to read bc he could not nut up to save his life! If the villain hadn't villained his way all over this plot, I think Ari would have died of old age before Drew told her the truth.
The fake dating was whatever. It was mostly unnecessary--most of their dates were for their own enjoyment and didn't have anything to do with either of their other motivations, but again, whatever. This is the least of this book's problems.
The 2 stars--and you'll thank me for them--are for setting and pacing. I took many points off the prose score because of the many sins committed against ice hockey:
1. Referring to an accident between players as a "tackle". You do not tackle in hockey. You check. If you watched A game, you would hear this term. If you even sniffed a list of hockey vocab, you would know this word. This came up a half dozen times or more.
2. "Ice puck." Less egregious, but...what?
3. Intermission occurs when the "break horn" blows and appears to last 2 minutes, while they all stand around at the benches. No mention of returning to the locker room, which would have provided a much better scene set-up for all the yapping the characters do. Hello?
4. Ari and Sienna are both centers, but are on the ice at the same time. Ok.
5. Ari and Sienna both score all the goals, and they score lots of them. Sienna at one point scores "a whole series." Did she get a hat trick? Did she get a dick trick? Idk. Seems a bit excessive.
6. The one that took me from irritated to genuinely enraged: at the end of the book, they skate "across the court." WHAT?????? And then someone finds a bottle of champagne, and they pop it. Still on the "court." WHAAAAATTTT????? Not even in the Stanley Cup Final are they popping bottles on the ice WHAT DO YOU MEEEAAANNNNN
If you watch hockey, do not read. Do not even sniff.
January 9, 2026
Such a sweet fake dating romance 🙂↕️💕 Not too spicy but very heartwarming bc of the fake dating and personal growth between the main characters Ari and Drew. I liked that they both had to overcome their issues with their families/friends and become more internally honest with what they want for their futures. Another thing I really liked about this was the Winter Olympics setting/plot point. I can’t recall a lot of black romances that have ever been centered around winter sports, but it was so refreshing reading that from the MCs povs. I ate this audiobook up too tbh. It think it would make for a nice vacation read/listen.
February 27, 2026
This was so much fun and a delight to read. I adored both Ari and Drew as individual characters and as a couple. Their fake dating ruse was rom-com movie worthy and the high stakes of the Winter Olympics made for a great backdrop. I really enjoy reading Rufaro Faith Mazarura's writing. It's comfortable and easy to read, whilst still giving enough depth to not feel hollow. Overall, this was a super sweet and wintery fake dating romance and I already can't wait to read whatever Mazarura writes next.
what to expect:
-fake dating
- ice hockey player x photographer
- nye kiss
- women's ice hockey
- winter olympics
- complex family dynamics
what to expect:
-fake dating
- ice hockey player x photographer
- nye kiss
- women's ice hockey
- winter olympics
- complex family dynamics
February 19, 2026
Holy Taylor Swift references, Batman!
February 9, 2026
I was excited about a book featuring the Winter Olympics, skating and my homecountry.
Unfortunately this was so infuriating to read. First of all, I don’t understand why the author chose to set the story in St. Moritz - hosting Winter Olympics there makes no sense in the way she did it, for the lack of space to build athlete acommodations alone.
I don’t pretend to know a lot about ice hockey, as I am a figure skater. But aside from the fact that there was barely any talk of sports itself, I found several things that were just plain wrong. She talked about ice dancers “landing” spins and how they jumped - you do spins and not land them, and ice dancers do not jump at all. Also just small things like them ordering fondue, raclette, Älpermagronen and Rösti at one single dinner - you just don’t do that here. Fondue or raclette are usually a whole-table- kind of deal. And who dips asparagus in Fondue??
If you’re gonna write a story about a sport, the Winter Olympics and set it in a certain country, then I do expect you to do some research about it.
Aside from that the romance was just really boring. All the characters felt like they are teenagers and not high profile athletes. There was a lot of repetition of the protagonists thoughts, background info etc, so the book could have been way shorter.
I was really glad to be done with the book.
Unfortunately this was so infuriating to read. First of all, I don’t understand why the author chose to set the story in St. Moritz - hosting Winter Olympics there makes no sense in the way she did it, for the lack of space to build athlete acommodations alone.
I don’t pretend to know a lot about ice hockey, as I am a figure skater. But aside from the fact that there was barely any talk of sports itself, I found several things that were just plain wrong. She talked about ice dancers “landing” spins and how they jumped - you do spins and not land them, and ice dancers do not jump at all. Also just small things like them ordering fondue, raclette, Älpermagronen and Rösti at one single dinner - you just don’t do that here. Fondue or raclette are usually a whole-table- kind of deal. And who dips asparagus in Fondue??
If you’re gonna write a story about a sport, the Winter Olympics and set it in a certain country, then I do expect you to do some research about it.
Aside from that the romance was just really boring. All the characters felt like they are teenagers and not high profile athletes. There was a lot of repetition of the protagonists thoughts, background info etc, so the book could have been way shorter.
I was really glad to be done with the book.
Did not finish
February 24, 2026I was so excited for a fake dating hockey romance set at the Winter Olympics. I fired up the kindle, put women's hockey on the Peacock app and snuggled up with a dog on the couch.
Unfortunately, I had to quit this book because the hockey parts were just egregious and I kept yelling back at the book. Ice puck? Jerseys? The captain does all the game planning and strategy? There are alternate captains and a whole coaching staff and a video team and a team psychologist to do the work that Ari puts on herself.
But the thing that bugged me the most is that in this book Team GB barely qualified for the tournament—for the first time ever. Yet Ari tells her family not to come until the quarterfinals, like it is a given they'll advance without their star player. What? You made the Olympics. Let your family watch you play. Gah!!
Unfortunately, I had to quit this book because the hockey parts were just egregious and I kept yelling back at the book. Ice puck? Jerseys? The captain does all the game planning and strategy? There are alternate captains and a whole coaching staff and a video team and a team psychologist to do the work that Ari puts on herself.
But the thing that bugged me the most is that in this book Team GB barely qualified for the tournament—for the first time ever. Yet Ari tells her family not to come until the quarterfinals, like it is a given they'll advance without their star player. What? You made the Olympics. Let your family watch you play. Gah!!
February 9, 2026
This was my first time reading Rufaro Faith Mazarura, and I enjoyed it so much! It felt fitting to read this during the Olympic Games, and the dual narrative was just so much fun. I cannot wait to see what the author writes next!
March 5, 2026
Rating: 3.75
I listened to the audiobook of this one and really enjoyed it. I liked the narrator and thought they did a great job with bringing this book to life. Their pace was good and easy to listen to. The plot of the book was good. I liked the fake dating and that these two were essentially strangers. I do wish the MMC would have just communicated the big plot reveal to earlier in the book, but then again, where would the drama be without it. Overall, this was a great sports romance and perfect for those who enjoy the Olympics.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted audiobook.
I listened to the audiobook of this one and really enjoyed it. I liked the narrator and thought they did a great job with bringing this book to life. Their pace was good and easy to listen to. The plot of the book was good. I liked the fake dating and that these two were essentially strangers. I do wish the MMC would have just communicated the big plot reveal to earlier in the book, but then again, where would the drama be without it. Overall, this was a great sports romance and perfect for those who enjoy the Olympics.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted audiobook.
March 12, 2026
This was a cute very easy read, but it follows the exact storyline of every “let’s fake date” story
February 23, 2026
4.75 ⭐
The perfect winter Olympics read that cemented Rufaro as one of my favorite romance authors!! I loved all the nods to different sports and Olympic traditions and she's such a genius to time the release with the actual Olympics.
I was only held back from a perfect 5 due to quite a few editing errors that weren't just typos but actually confused the subject of the sentence or seemed to prematurely cut off. But overall I loved the mix of sports stakes with real life drama and realistic characters, and of course fake dating!!!
The perfect winter Olympics read that cemented Rufaro as one of my favorite romance authors!! I loved all the nods to different sports and Olympic traditions and she's such a genius to time the release with the actual Olympics.
I was only held back from a perfect 5 due to quite a few editing errors that weren't just typos but actually confused the subject of the sentence or seemed to prematurely cut off. But overall I loved the mix of sports stakes with real life drama and realistic characters, and of course fake dating!!!
March 3, 2026
Super cute !
January 5, 2026
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for my #gifted ALC.
She’s an athlete, he’s an artist, and they both attend the Winter Olympics, which naturally leads to fake dating. This one was super cute and very on theme for the upcoming Olympics. I had fun with it, but I would’ve appreciated a little more depth and a little less miscommunication.
I really loved Ari and Drew’s chemistry and banter, but I could’ve done with a bit more honesty from Drew. Like, I get it, I really do, but all of these secrets are definitely going to blow up in your face, sir. As for Ari, she’s a Black hockey player, which of course comes with its own set of challenges. Those were mentioned occasionally but never truly explored, and I would’ve loved to see more of that… or honestly, have it left out altogether if it wasn’t going to be fully addressed.
But ya know what? I really enjoyed our "villian" Tanny. She is a super complex side character who absolutely stole my attention. I would love to explore her story more, so this is my formal request for her to get her own book.
She’s an athlete, he’s an artist, and they both attend the Winter Olympics, which naturally leads to fake dating. This one was super cute and very on theme for the upcoming Olympics. I had fun with it, but I would’ve appreciated a little more depth and a little less miscommunication.
I really loved Ari and Drew’s chemistry and banter, but I could’ve done with a bit more honesty from Drew. Like, I get it, I really do, but all of these secrets are definitely going to blow up in your face, sir. As for Ari, she’s a Black hockey player, which of course comes with its own set of challenges. Those were mentioned occasionally but never truly explored, and I would’ve loved to see more of that… or honestly, have it left out altogether if it wasn’t going to be fully addressed.
But ya know what? I really enjoyed our "villian" Tanny. She is a super complex side character who absolutely stole my attention. I would love to explore her story more, so this is my formal request for her to get her own book.
January 27, 2026
I really enjoyed this audiobook!
Two strangers meet at a New Year’s Eve party that turned into a shared kiss that would change the trajectory between the two in unexpected ways.
Ari (FMC) was headed to the Olympics as the underdog that was also trying to avoid her toxic ex-boyfriend. Drew (MMC) was taking a risk by dropping out of college and trying to take his shot at being a photographer at the Olympics. As fate has it they run into each other again. Ari was confronted by her ex and she saw Drew just in time to make him the fall guy. She tells her ex that Drew is her boyfriend. After the lie was told and bargains where made they decided they would agree to be a couple to help her avoid her ex and allow him to take photos of her and the team..
As any strangers to lover/fake relationship the truth comes out in more than one why.
Slow burn | Amazing banter | Strangers to lovers | | Fake relationship | Reverse Ice hockey romance
10|10 recommend
4.5 stars
Two strangers meet at a New Year’s Eve party that turned into a shared kiss that would change the trajectory between the two in unexpected ways.
Ari (FMC) was headed to the Olympics as the underdog that was also trying to avoid her toxic ex-boyfriend. Drew (MMC) was taking a risk by dropping out of college and trying to take his shot at being a photographer at the Olympics. As fate has it they run into each other again. Ari was confronted by her ex and she saw Drew just in time to make him the fall guy. She tells her ex that Drew is her boyfriend. After the lie was told and bargains where made they decided they would agree to be a couple to help her avoid her ex and allow him to take photos of her and the team..
As any strangers to lover/fake relationship the truth comes out in more than one why.
Slow burn | Amazing banter | Strangers to lovers | | Fake relationship | Reverse Ice hockey romance
10|10 recommend
4.5 stars
January 23, 2026
Lillie-Pearl Wildman did a great job with the narration of this book! Ari and Drew have a meet-cute at a NYE party and sparks fly! They don’t see it going anywhere, but it’s such a happy coincidence that they run into each other at the Winter Olympics. Ari is thrust into a Captaincy that she is extremely hesitant to be happy for, and Drew is struggling in all areas but is happy to be photographing this event. Let me tell you they have a common thread and when that was revealed I was HOOKED. Drew helps shield her from her problematic ex, and Ari helps get him into hard-to-get-into areas of the Olympics. This audiobook was so good and I loved hearing their story/connection unfold. This is the perfect book to get you ready for the 2026 games coming up. Thank you Macmillan Audio for this gifted audiobook.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Adorable Olympic story about a female hockey player from Great Britain and an aspiring photographer from the US. I loved the fact that it was set in the current time. While 3rd person POV is not my favorite, it was well written and enjoyable.
I would actually give this audiobook 3.5 stars. Lillie-Pearl Wildman is a new to me narrator and did a good job.
Rufaro Faith Mazarura is a new to me author.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC.
I would actually give this audiobook 3.5 stars. Lillie-Pearl Wildman is a new to me narrator and did a good job.
Rufaro Faith Mazarura is a new to me author.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC.
February 14, 2026
Definitely not for me. Cheesy.
January 20, 2026
This book is probably better if you don't know much about hockey. I definitely had to suspend some disbelief that the British Ice Hockey Teams (both mens and womens) qualified for the Olympics, and there were some other awkwardly phrased narratives around the hockey that altogether just distracted me a bit too much from the cute romance. Definitely recommend to people who don't know that much about hockey and are looking for a cute romance centered around the Olympics though!
December 24, 2025
skate it till you make it • arc book review
🛍️ release date - february 3, 2026
⭐️ rating - 3/5
All of my Winter Olympics lovers stand up 😤❄️⛸️
This was a cute closed-door romance!! Forbidden romance and fake dating are my favorite tropes, so I was truly in my prime for most of this book. There were definitely spots that were slower than others and moments where I wanted to shake the main characters for not talking about their issues instead of pretending they didn’t exist.
I definitely think this could’ve benefitting from a dual narration or, at the very least, someone who has an American accent to take over for the mmc’s sections.
Thanks to @macmillan.audio for the early audio copy 🫶🏼
🛍️ release date - february 3, 2026
⭐️ rating - 3/5
All of my Winter Olympics lovers stand up 😤❄️⛸️
This was a cute closed-door romance!! Forbidden romance and fake dating are my favorite tropes, so I was truly in my prime for most of this book. There were definitely spots that were slower than others and moments where I wanted to shake the main characters for not talking about their issues instead of pretending they didn’t exist.
I definitely think this could’ve benefitting from a dual narration or, at the very least, someone who has an American accent to take over for the mmc’s sections.
Thanks to @macmillan.audio for the early audio copy 🫶🏼
February 14, 2026
Thank you Macmillan Audio for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
Tis the season for Winter Olympic Romances! I was really excited to see a hockey romance with a female hockey player and I had a great time reading this book. I liked the audio production and it was the perfect book to have playing while the 2026 Winter Olympics got under way.
Overall, I really liked it. It’s a book that takes it’s time and doesn’t rush through anything, making it a perfect book to read via audio.
Synopsis:
“Ari Shumba never expected to make it to the Winter Games, let alone be the one to lead Great Britain’s
women’s ice hockey team through the most important competition of their lives. When her teammate's
unexpected injury catapults her to the role of captain, Ari reluctantly shoulders the responsibility while
trying to navigate family drama and dodge her toxic ex.
Drew Dlamini has always feared taking risks. After breaking up with his girlfriend and dropping out of
college to handle a family crisis, he’s desperate for a fresh start. When he finds himself in London for the
holidays, he rekindles his dream of becoming a professional photographer.
When Ari and Drew meet at a New Year’s Eve party, neither of them is looking for love. Though their
chemistry is instant, they live on opposite sides of the Atlantic, so they spend the night revealing their
glaring red flags, thinking they’ll never see each other again. But when they unexpectedly cross paths in
the snowy Swiss Alps two months later, their feelings for each other rise to the surface.
As the competition heats up, the combination of complicated exes, overinvolved families, and stress-
inducing teammates convinces them that the perfect solution to their problems is to fake-date their way
through the Games. After all, there’s no risk of falling in love if it is doomed from the start . . . right?” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Setting—The Olympic Village is such a fun place to set a book. There’s drama, intrigue, and constant tension.
The Tropes—Fake Dating! Such a great trope in the context of a sports romance. And there was so much at risk when it came to their fake relationship as well.
The Stakes—Fake dating your sister’s hockey rival and the person responsible for a huge injury? DRAMA.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
The Pacing—The first couple chapters took a long time to get the story started. They were important, but I wish they could have been condescended a bit more to get the action of the story moving.
Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5
Content Warnings:
Emotional abuse, toxic relationship (past), dementia, sexism
Tis the season for Winter Olympic Romances! I was really excited to see a hockey romance with a female hockey player and I had a great time reading this book. I liked the audio production and it was the perfect book to have playing while the 2026 Winter Olympics got under way.
Overall, I really liked it. It’s a book that takes it’s time and doesn’t rush through anything, making it a perfect book to read via audio.
Synopsis:
“Ari Shumba never expected to make it to the Winter Games, let alone be the one to lead Great Britain’s
women’s ice hockey team through the most important competition of their lives. When her teammate's
unexpected injury catapults her to the role of captain, Ari reluctantly shoulders the responsibility while
trying to navigate family drama and dodge her toxic ex.
Drew Dlamini has always feared taking risks. After breaking up with his girlfriend and dropping out of
college to handle a family crisis, he’s desperate for a fresh start. When he finds himself in London for the
holidays, he rekindles his dream of becoming a professional photographer.
When Ari and Drew meet at a New Year’s Eve party, neither of them is looking for love. Though their
chemistry is instant, they live on opposite sides of the Atlantic, so they spend the night revealing their
glaring red flags, thinking they’ll never see each other again. But when they unexpectedly cross paths in
the snowy Swiss Alps two months later, their feelings for each other rise to the surface.
As the competition heats up, the combination of complicated exes, overinvolved families, and stress-
inducing teammates convinces them that the perfect solution to their problems is to fake-date their way
through the Games. After all, there’s no risk of falling in love if it is doomed from the start . . . right?” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Setting—The Olympic Village is such a fun place to set a book. There’s drama, intrigue, and constant tension.
The Tropes—Fake Dating! Such a great trope in the context of a sports romance. And there was so much at risk when it came to their fake relationship as well.
The Stakes—Fake dating your sister’s hockey rival and the person responsible for a huge injury? DRAMA.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
The Pacing—The first couple chapters took a long time to get the story started. They were important, but I wish they could have been condescended a bit more to get the action of the story moving.
Character Authenticity: 3/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5
Content Warnings:
Emotional abuse, toxic relationship (past), dementia, sexism
January 27, 2026
This was a cute fake dating hockey Winter Olympics books! Ari & Drew were definitely really cute! I did love that Ari took ownership to step-up and show that she was team captain regardless of how the others felt. To make sure that the game/showmanship stayed at the forefront of their minds. It was great to see Drew has decided to venture into different area (photography) as he’s returned home to the states. To figure out what he wanted to do next. It’s no surprise that Drew & Ari definitely took many risks! I loved that this book showed Women in a male-dominated sport. I did hate that Ari shouldered everyone’s feelings, thoughts and was deemed the “fixer” of her family especially.
This was an ALC for me! So thank you Macmillan for it!
This was an ALC for me! So thank you Macmillan for it!
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