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One Night on Ice
Two very different people. One magical city. A chance to fall in love.
When routine-driven box office assistant, Samantha Smith, meets the stars of Skating on Broadway her life is turned upside down.
Immediately attracted to lead skater, Jimmy Lloyd, Samantha does her best to deny her feelings. But when all you can do is burst out laughing and hyperventilate every time you're under pressure, keeping things under wraps is a hard task.
When the future of her beloved Civic Hall is threatened, Samantha must rise to the challenge to ensure its survival. Constantly scrutinised and criticised by her zany sister Cleo and her brogue-wearing boyfriend Jeremy, can Samantha save her job, save the Civic Hall and stop her panic attacks just long enough to give away her heart?
Previously published as Breaking the Ice.
Praise for One Night on Ice:'Written with great humour that makes you laugh out loud'
'This love story will affect you emotionally so be warned!'
'An entertaining, feel good and easy to read novel'
'Loved this book. Great story with a happy ending. An easy read which you don't want to put down'
'I was entertained by the book from beginning to end and when I finished reading it, I felt the same satisfied feeling I have after watching a good film'
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 18, 2013
94 people are currently reading
417 people want to read
About the author
Mandy Baggot
54 books756 followersMandy Baggot is an international bestselling and award-winning romance writer represented by Tanera Simons of Greenstone Literary.
Mandy is best-known for her laugh-out-loud romantic comedies featuring strong heroines, gorgeous heroes and always that happy-ever-after!
The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK's Festival of Romance, her novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy's books have so far been translated into Bulgarian, Czech, German, Hungarian and Italian.
Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, wine, cheese, Netflix, country music and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1's Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Most recently, Mandy took part in BBC1's Ready Steady Cook with Greek celebrity chef, Akis Petretzikis.
Mandy is a member of the Society of Authors and splits her time between Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK and Corfu, Greece.
Visit Mandy's website at www.mandybaggot.com
Mandy is best-known for her laugh-out-loud romantic comedies featuring strong heroines, gorgeous heroes and always that happy-ever-after!
The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK's Festival of Romance, her novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy's books have so far been translated into Bulgarian, Czech, German, Hungarian and Italian.
Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, wine, cheese, Netflix, country music and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1's Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Most recently, Mandy took part in BBC1's Ready Steady Cook with Greek celebrity chef, Akis Petretzikis.
Mandy is a member of the Society of Authors and splits her time between Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK and Corfu, Greece.
Visit Mandy's website at www.mandybaggot.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
December 29, 2019
For a winter read (or during any season really), this is not one that I necessarily would recommend--to anyone. From the beginning, I had difficulty with the story but especially with the characters. Both of the main characters (but mostly Sam) were irritating. Frustratingly irritating. Initially, I thought Sam's character quirks were made to be realistic but as the story progressed she became more and more neurotic.
Nothing about the story was exceptional and if anything, the writing, the plot, and the characters were all less than average.
For a shorter novel, it took me quite a while to get through and it became more of a chore than a good reading experience.
***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
Nothing about the story was exceptional and if anything, the writing, the plot, and the characters were all less than average.
For a shorter novel, it took me quite a while to get through and it became more of a chore than a good reading experience.
***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
November 24, 2019
One night on Ice by Mandy Baggot has been published previously under a different name. I wasn’t aware of this until I read someone else’s review.
Samantha is a box office assistant at the local Civic Hall. She is dedicated at her job, but her boss treats her like a dog’s body and is a leach. She spends all day running all over the place. She is very insecure and suffers from Anxiety and is so completely different to her sister Cleo who she lives with. Until an Ice show starts at the Civic hall where she meets the lead skater Jimmy Lloyd. He turns her life upside down and turns her from the shy girl into a confident one. He makes her do things that she wouldn’t normally do. She slowly falls in love with him. But her sister thinks that she is with a guy called Darren because her sister wouldn’t believe her if she told the truth.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. I have always loved Mandy Baggot books when they come out. One night on ice is a slow burner of a story and I found at first hard to connect to begin with. So, slow I thought of giving up. But I am I am glad that I kept on as it was an ok read. Not the best from this author. I felt it didn’t have that ‘spark’ that Mandy’s books usually have. 3 stars from me.
Samantha is a box office assistant at the local Civic Hall. She is dedicated at her job, but her boss treats her like a dog’s body and is a leach. She spends all day running all over the place. She is very insecure and suffers from Anxiety and is so completely different to her sister Cleo who she lives with. Until an Ice show starts at the Civic hall where she meets the lead skater Jimmy Lloyd. He turns her life upside down and turns her from the shy girl into a confident one. He makes her do things that she wouldn’t normally do. She slowly falls in love with him. But her sister thinks that she is with a guy called Darren because her sister wouldn’t believe her if she told the truth.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. I have always loved Mandy Baggot books when they come out. One night on ice is a slow burner of a story and I found at first hard to connect to begin with. So, slow I thought of giving up. But I am I am glad that I kept on as it was an ok read. Not the best from this author. I felt it didn’t have that ‘spark’ that Mandy’s books usually have. 3 stars from me.
January 1, 2020
What a lovely book!!!! It's a cozy, funny and romantic book. Mandy Baggot is such a good chick lit writer! I am so happy to have discovered her books in 2019! "one night on ice" is a lovely story about a very shy and full of anxiety woman who is working in a civic hall and who will gain more self-confidence with a little help of a beautiful and very kind iceskater. This book is a page-turner. I couldn't stop reading! Just a little warning, even though this book takes place in winter and has many reference of ice skating and icerink, this is not a book that is taking place during Christmas time.
I gave this book a 4 stars out of 5. I can only recommend this book to all of you chick lit fans!!!! You will love it!
I gave this book a 4 stars out of 5. I can only recommend this book to all of you chick lit fans!!!! You will love it!
December 17, 2010
When routine driven box office assistant Samantha Smith meets the stars of ‘Skating on Broadway’ her life is turned upside down. Immediately attracted to lead skater Jimmy Lloyd, Samantha does her best to deny her feelings. But when all you can do is burst out laughing and hyperventilate every time you’re under pressure, keeping things under wraps is a hard task. When the future of her beloved Civic Hall is threatened Samantha must rise to the challenge to ensure its survival. Constantly scrutinised and criticised by her zany sister Cleo and her brogue wearing boyfriend Jeremy, can Samantha save her job, save the Civic Hall and stop her panic attacks just long enough to give away her heart?
Earlier this year I received Excess All Areas by Mandy herself to review for the site, but I never found the time to read it. Not to mention, the cover was a bit bland and I’m not the biggest fan of self-published novels. However, when I received a copy of Mandy’s newest book Breaking The Ice, I read the first couple of pages and it interested me so because I had nothing else to read, I decided to give it a go. It wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read, but at no point did it make me want to give up!
Breaking The Ice isn’t a particularly unique Chick Lit novel but it is a book you can easily get lost in. It has some lovely characters, characters you really feel for, and the story line doesn’t feel contrived despite the fact that I found Samantha’s panic attacks a bit much sometimes. It’s a tale oft-told: girl meets (famous) boy, she feels he’s out of her league, she barely has a life and lives for her work and ends up having to save her job or something similar and that is Breaking The Ice in a nutshell. It does exactly what it says on the tin and it was all I wanted at that moment in my reading time!
But, it has to be said, it is fairly obvious the book is self-published. It seemed a bit long and it could have done with being sent to a freelance copy-editor as words were mis-spelled (yeh instead of yeah, nan instead of naan etc), every single spoken sentence ended in a full stop rather than a comma (for example: ‘”I love you.” Samantha said’ rather than ‘”I love you,” Samantha said’) and I did find that insanely annoying. Surely, every writer knows to put a comma after a quotation marks when adding “xx said” to a sentence. Whenever a time was mentioned, there was no AM or PM which is again another easy error that should have been corrected.
I would have liked to have seen more characterisation too, as I found Samantha and Jimmy were a little 2D and although I liked the developing relationship between the two, I did wonder why Jimmy would be interested in someone who was, to be honest, a bit of a wimp. Yet for all of the bad things I’ve said I can see potential in the book, it just needed streamlining and it needed to be looked over by a copy-editor. If you’re going to self-published then you do actually have to invest in your book if you want it to stand out because otherwise people will think it’s a pile of trash that was only published because the author wanted the glory of seeing a finished copy of her book. So yes, I did enjoy Breaking The Ice but it could have been a much better novel with a little bit of TLC before it became an actual book.
Earlier this year I received Excess All Areas by Mandy herself to review for the site, but I never found the time to read it. Not to mention, the cover was a bit bland and I’m not the biggest fan of self-published novels. However, when I received a copy of Mandy’s newest book Breaking The Ice, I read the first couple of pages and it interested me so because I had nothing else to read, I decided to give it a go. It wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read, but at no point did it make me want to give up!
Breaking The Ice isn’t a particularly unique Chick Lit novel but it is a book you can easily get lost in. It has some lovely characters, characters you really feel for, and the story line doesn’t feel contrived despite the fact that I found Samantha’s panic attacks a bit much sometimes. It’s a tale oft-told: girl meets (famous) boy, she feels he’s out of her league, she barely has a life and lives for her work and ends up having to save her job or something similar and that is Breaking The Ice in a nutshell. It does exactly what it says on the tin and it was all I wanted at that moment in my reading time!
But, it has to be said, it is fairly obvious the book is self-published. It seemed a bit long and it could have done with being sent to a freelance copy-editor as words were mis-spelled (yeh instead of yeah, nan instead of naan etc), every single spoken sentence ended in a full stop rather than a comma (for example: ‘”I love you.” Samantha said’ rather than ‘”I love you,” Samantha said’) and I did find that insanely annoying. Surely, every writer knows to put a comma after a quotation marks when adding “xx said” to a sentence. Whenever a time was mentioned, there was no AM or PM which is again another easy error that should have been corrected.
I would have liked to have seen more characterisation too, as I found Samantha and Jimmy were a little 2D and although I liked the developing relationship between the two, I did wonder why Jimmy would be interested in someone who was, to be honest, a bit of a wimp. Yet for all of the bad things I’ve said I can see potential in the book, it just needed streamlining and it needed to be looked over by a copy-editor. If you’re going to self-published then you do actually have to invest in your book if you want it to stand out because otherwise people will think it’s a pile of trash that was only published because the author wanted the glory of seeing a finished copy of her book. So yes, I did enjoy Breaking The Ice but it could have been a much better novel with a little bit of TLC before it became an actual book.
December 29, 2019
A sweet romance between two quite different people but who complemented each other.
Samantha, who suffered from anxiety, was a box office assistant in the Civic Center. Jimmy, a professional skater, with his own personal problems, had come to skate there. There was a spark between them. When the Civic Center was to shut, both hatched a plan to save it.
Having read a few books by author Mandy Baggot, I knew I would enjoy the journey she took me on. The initial part was a bit slow, and it took me some time to get into the swing of the story. Then I could skate easily down the pages.
The characters were real and dealing with authentic problems. The author made the heavy issues easy to read and understand. The romance was fun, I liked the big story behind it. Samantha was well developed from shy insecure to someone walking with her head held high. I saw myself in her.
Overall, it was a sweet read on a lazy Sunday evening.
Samantha, who suffered from anxiety, was a box office assistant in the Civic Center. Jimmy, a professional skater, with his own personal problems, had come to skate there. There was a spark between them. When the Civic Center was to shut, both hatched a plan to save it.
Having read a few books by author Mandy Baggot, I knew I would enjoy the journey she took me on. The initial part was a bit slow, and it took me some time to get into the swing of the story. Then I could skate easily down the pages.
The characters were real and dealing with authentic problems. The author made the heavy issues easy to read and understand. The romance was fun, I liked the big story behind it. Samantha was well developed from shy insecure to someone walking with her head held high. I saw myself in her.
Overall, it was a sweet read on a lazy Sunday evening.
November 18, 2019
I received an ARC via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
My understanding is this book was previously published under a different name.
I know this didn't get the greatest reviews, but I really liked this story. There were a few times when I wanted to DNF the book strictly because of Cleo. I didn't like her character at all and I think that is because she reminded me of my older brother and how he can treat me. It bothered me how often Cleo was so mean to Sam and degrading.
Other than Cleo, I loved the book. Sam was a great well rounded character. She changed over the course of the book. She grew and learned that she was enough and a great person. Jimmy Lloyd was so sweet and cute.
All in all, I thought this was a great read.
My understanding is this book was previously published under a different name.
I know this didn't get the greatest reviews, but I really liked this story. There were a few times when I wanted to DNF the book strictly because of Cleo. I didn't like her character at all and I think that is because she reminded me of my older brother and how he can treat me. It bothered me how often Cleo was so mean to Sam and degrading.
Other than Cleo, I loved the book. Sam was a great well rounded character. She changed over the course of the book. She grew and learned that she was enough and a great person. Jimmy Lloyd was so sweet and cute.
All in all, I thought this was a great read.
November 9, 2019
One Night On Ice by Mandy Baggot a four-star read that will make you smile. This is a funny read, there are some great chuckles to be had while reading this story the authors sense of humour really comes through in the pages. The characters will all make you smile and make you believe them, they have depth to them and will make you care about their stories, I didn’t like the main character for a little while, but as the story went on and I got to see more I really came around. This is a good story overall and one you won’t want to miss.
November 16, 2019
Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Sam is stuck in her ways and routine until the famous ice skater Jimmy Lloyd is the main star in an ice show at the civic hall where she works. Jimmy turns her world upside down and pushes her to do things that she would normally shy from doing.
Sam is stuck in her ways and routine until the famous ice skater Jimmy Lloyd is the main star in an ice show at the civic hall where she works. Jimmy turns her world upside down and pushes her to do things that she would normally shy from doing.
November 22, 2021
Samantha Smith works at Civic Hall. Her job is her life. She does not go out, she has no desire to meet a man and she lives with her sister. She also has panic attacks every time she feels she is under pressure which has her hyperventilating and laughing in a high pitched, hysterical way. When the ice show is booked for Civic Hall, she meets the star of Skating on Broadway, Jimmy Lloyd. She is immediately attracted to him, but refuses to accept those feelings. As she and Jimmy get to know each other, he asks her to be his guinea pig by allowing him to teach her how to skate. He wants to retire from the show circuit and become a coach. Of course the more time they spend together, the closer they become. All is not rosy, as the council is considering closing and selling Civic Hall. Samantha doesn't know what she will do if that happens.
This was a fun romance, but it also dealt with some serious issues. I loved both Jimmy's and Samantha's characters, but I can't say the same about some of the others. Samantha's sister, Cleo, is not very nice to her. She doesn't believe things she tells her, she bullies her somewhat and doesn't give her credit for what she does or has accomplished. Her workmates and boss take advantage of her easygoing nature and dedication to the Hall. I loved the addition of Gobby cat, the stray Samantha fed at work. It showed her compassion and caring nature. The characters were real and dealing with authentic problems, such as anxiety, addiction, jealousy and finding one's place. The romance was fun, and I enjoyed seeing it develop. Of course this story is not without angst, but you will have to read it to find out about that. I had one issue with this book and that was how quickly Samantha came to grips with her anxiety and reactions to it. I read this with my Christmas reads and felt that it could be read anytime. Besides the ice skating, there wasn't a lot of seasonal content. A sweet romance that I enjoyed.
This was a fun romance, but it also dealt with some serious issues. I loved both Jimmy's and Samantha's characters, but I can't say the same about some of the others. Samantha's sister, Cleo, is not very nice to her. She doesn't believe things she tells her, she bullies her somewhat and doesn't give her credit for what she does or has accomplished. Her workmates and boss take advantage of her easygoing nature and dedication to the Hall. I loved the addition of Gobby cat, the stray Samantha fed at work. It showed her compassion and caring nature. The characters were real and dealing with authentic problems, such as anxiety, addiction, jealousy and finding one's place. The romance was fun, and I enjoyed seeing it develop. Of course this story is not without angst, but you will have to read it to find out about that. I had one issue with this book and that was how quickly Samantha came to grips with her anxiety and reactions to it. I read this with my Christmas reads and felt that it could be read anytime. Besides the ice skating, there wasn't a lot of seasonal content. A sweet romance that I enjoyed.
February 23, 2021
I listened to this on audiobook.
I’ve had the previously published version of this Breaking the Ice on my kindle for some time, but never getting around to reading it, so when it got republished with a new name and I had the option to listen to it on audiobook, I decided the time had come for me to read this book.
So firstly, I would like to say that I am a huge fan of Mandy Baggot’s books and have read/listened to quite a few of her later/newer books which were amazing, loved them all. With that said, and now having read One Night on the Ice, it was easy to see that this book was most definitely not on par with all her other books, but this being one of her earlier works, I guess it does show how far the author Mandy has come with her writing/storytelling.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy this story as I very much did. The only issue I had with the book was the characters, mainly Samantha and Cleo, they both got on my nerves and pretty irritating and not very believable at times at all. I mean I get that Samantha has confidence issues/nerves in a major big way, but why, there was no back ground story/reason to explain why she was like that. So for me her behaviour/personality was a bit OTT at times.
Despite that though, I still enjoyed the story which was entertaining, full of drama and a few laugh out loud moments too.
I’ve had the previously published version of this Breaking the Ice on my kindle for some time, but never getting around to reading it, so when it got republished with a new name and I had the option to listen to it on audiobook, I decided the time had come for me to read this book.
So firstly, I would like to say that I am a huge fan of Mandy Baggot’s books and have read/listened to quite a few of her later/newer books which were amazing, loved them all. With that said, and now having read One Night on the Ice, it was easy to see that this book was most definitely not on par with all her other books, but this being one of her earlier works, I guess it does show how far the author Mandy has come with her writing/storytelling.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy this story as I very much did. The only issue I had with the book was the characters, mainly Samantha and Cleo, they both got on my nerves and pretty irritating and not very believable at times at all. I mean I get that Samantha has confidence issues/nerves in a major big way, but why, there was no back ground story/reason to explain why she was like that. So for me her behaviour/personality was a bit OTT at times.
Despite that though, I still enjoyed the story which was entertaining, full of drama and a few laugh out loud moments too.
January 11, 2022
[Thanks Netgalley for the ebook. This review is my honest opinion but just another opinion, you should read this book and judge it by yourself]
Madre mía, qué coñazo de libro. Obviamente, mi opinión es minoritaria, viendo que el libro no tiene mal rating, pero de verdad que yo no le he visto nada que lo haga atractivo, ha sido un suplicio leerlo de principio a fin. No he conectado nada en absoluto con la protagonista, por la que podía tener cierta simpatía por sus ataques de pánico, pero que me ha acabado pareciendo una boba egoísta. Su hermana, peor, insoportable por completo.
Lo mejor es el maromo, que es un amor, pero no tiene espacio para brillar, la relación amorosa está en un segundo plano y lo que más importa es la protagonista y su amor por el edificio en el que trabaja (ya van dos libros que me dan en Netgalley con un edificio que tiene más protagonismo que el maromo, qué ojo tengo).
Por supuesto, no hay guarrerismos en página y el amor entre la pareja protagonista es mñe.
Nada, que no ha habido feeling entre este libro y yo. A otra cosa, mariposa.
Madre mía, qué coñazo de libro. Obviamente, mi opinión es minoritaria, viendo que el libro no tiene mal rating, pero de verdad que yo no le he visto nada que lo haga atractivo, ha sido un suplicio leerlo de principio a fin. No he conectado nada en absoluto con la protagonista, por la que podía tener cierta simpatía por sus ataques de pánico, pero que me ha acabado pareciendo una boba egoísta. Su hermana, peor, insoportable por completo.
Lo mejor es el maromo, que es un amor, pero no tiene espacio para brillar, la relación amorosa está en un segundo plano y lo que más importa es la protagonista y su amor por el edificio en el que trabaja (ya van dos libros que me dan en Netgalley con un edificio que tiene más protagonismo que el maromo, qué ojo tengo).
Por supuesto, no hay guarrerismos en página y el amor entre la pareja protagonista es mñe.
Nada, que no ha habido feeling entre este libro y yo. A otra cosa, mariposa.
February 10, 2011
Breaking the Ice
Mandy Baggot
I won this book in an email competition and I’m glad that I did!
Seeing past the spelling and punctuation, the story flows and the lead characters are easy to identify with. Their humanity comes across quite early on in the story. Samantha is a wonderful character and although she controls her life to the nth plus one degree there are times during crises when we get to see the real ‘Sam’ when her strength comes shining through. Having been a panic attack sufferer I can easily understand the triggers for Samantha and the irrationality they bring with them. It was refreshing to see this topic and for readers to see that Samantha is still able to live a life and soldier on regardless. Her down-to-earth character and vulnerability makes her likeable and her loyalty is an inspiration! Sister Chloe comes across as her alter ego but I do wonder what depths are hidden in her personality – after all, Jeremy appears to be a ‘stayer’!
The storyline is believable - the star of the ice show, Jimmy, is an ex-alcoholic who is learning new ways to look at life, the Civic Hall manager, Dave, who is a sleaze and doesn’t care about anyone but himself, a council that is more focussed on budget cuts than history and community - and not forgetting the stray cat, Gobby, who makes extra work for everyone.
I loved the way Baggot used ice skating as a bridge which can almost be seen as meditation in action. We all need one place where we can let go of life and what is expected of us and for Samantha it is on the ice.
If you follow @mandybagott on Twitter or follow her blog (http://mandybaggot.webs.com/) you will know what a sense of humour she has – this came through strongly in Breaking the Ice. At times I had to stop reading to have a chuckle to myself.
This love story will effect you emotionally so be warned! The laughter and the tears have me concluding it was time well spent and served it’s purpose. I feel like I have been on a journey alongside the characters and that life is certainly a brighter place.
Mandy Baggot
I won this book in an email competition and I’m glad that I did!
Seeing past the spelling and punctuation, the story flows and the lead characters are easy to identify with. Their humanity comes across quite early on in the story. Samantha is a wonderful character and although she controls her life to the nth plus one degree there are times during crises when we get to see the real ‘Sam’ when her strength comes shining through. Having been a panic attack sufferer I can easily understand the triggers for Samantha and the irrationality they bring with them. It was refreshing to see this topic and for readers to see that Samantha is still able to live a life and soldier on regardless. Her down-to-earth character and vulnerability makes her likeable and her loyalty is an inspiration! Sister Chloe comes across as her alter ego but I do wonder what depths are hidden in her personality – after all, Jeremy appears to be a ‘stayer’!
The storyline is believable - the star of the ice show, Jimmy, is an ex-alcoholic who is learning new ways to look at life, the Civic Hall manager, Dave, who is a sleaze and doesn’t care about anyone but himself, a council that is more focussed on budget cuts than history and community - and not forgetting the stray cat, Gobby, who makes extra work for everyone.
I loved the way Baggot used ice skating as a bridge which can almost be seen as meditation in action. We all need one place where we can let go of life and what is expected of us and for Samantha it is on the ice.
If you follow @mandybagott on Twitter or follow her blog (http://mandybaggot.webs.com/) you will know what a sense of humour she has – this came through strongly in Breaking the Ice. At times I had to stop reading to have a chuckle to myself.
This love story will effect you emotionally so be warned! The laughter and the tears have me concluding it was time well spent and served it’s purpose. I feel like I have been on a journey alongside the characters and that life is certainly a brighter place.
March 2, 2012
Breaking the Ice by Mandy Baggot
Samantha Smith is a shy, self-conscious, single girl who likes the settled routine that her job selling programmes and ice-cream in an old fashioned theatre provides. It made Samantha feel safe and secure. Samantha lives with her sister Cleo who is the exact opposite of Samantha, she is confident and outgoing. Samantha does not go anywhere or do anything but work, mainly preferring her own company or that of a stray cat called Gobbolino.
When the theatre puts on a production of a show called Skating on Broadway. Jimmy Lloyd a former gold winning ice dancer and now a celebrity is the principle skater in the show, he is very friendly towards Samantha, and when Samantha’s boss wants his employees to get really involved with the spirit of the show, and provides them all with ice skates, so that they can do their usual job of selling programmes and ice-cream in the interval, gliding around the edge of the ice to some well chosen intermission music Samantha is horrified and Jimmy steps in and offers to help Samantha practice.
When the local council announces its plans that they are thinking about shutting down the theatre, Samantha feels like her world is falling apart. How will she find another job that she feels comfortable in and make her feel like she fitted?
Jimmy again steps in to help, he tells Samantha that they could work together and come up with an action plan about why the theatre should be kept open and present it to the council.
Can Samantha step out from her comfort zone, and confront her fears and take on the ice and the council and save the theatre from closure?
Will she make things even more complicated in her life when she develops a crush on handsome Jimmy?
Written with great humour that makes you laugh out loud. You can’t help but like the character of the much timid Samantha and want to give her a gentle push forward, hoping that she will fall into the arms of Jimmy. Breaking the Ice is a fantastic light read.
Samantha Smith is a shy, self-conscious, single girl who likes the settled routine that her job selling programmes and ice-cream in an old fashioned theatre provides. It made Samantha feel safe and secure. Samantha lives with her sister Cleo who is the exact opposite of Samantha, she is confident and outgoing. Samantha does not go anywhere or do anything but work, mainly preferring her own company or that of a stray cat called Gobbolino.
When the theatre puts on a production of a show called Skating on Broadway. Jimmy Lloyd a former gold winning ice dancer and now a celebrity is the principle skater in the show, he is very friendly towards Samantha, and when Samantha’s boss wants his employees to get really involved with the spirit of the show, and provides them all with ice skates, so that they can do their usual job of selling programmes and ice-cream in the interval, gliding around the edge of the ice to some well chosen intermission music Samantha is horrified and Jimmy steps in and offers to help Samantha practice.
When the local council announces its plans that they are thinking about shutting down the theatre, Samantha feels like her world is falling apart. How will she find another job that she feels comfortable in and make her feel like she fitted?
Jimmy again steps in to help, he tells Samantha that they could work together and come up with an action plan about why the theatre should be kept open and present it to the council.
Can Samantha step out from her comfort zone, and confront her fears and take on the ice and the council and save the theatre from closure?
Will she make things even more complicated in her life when she develops a crush on handsome Jimmy?
Written with great humour that makes you laugh out loud. You can’t help but like the character of the much timid Samantha and want to give her a gentle push forward, hoping that she will fall into the arms of Jimmy. Breaking the Ice is a fantastic light read.
October 22, 2019
This book wasn’t really my cup of tea. I’ve enjoyed others by the author, but this one didn’t hit the spot.
It took me a long time to warm up to Samantha, to start with she seems a bit shallow. Once I got to know her a little more, I realised that actually she’s just insecure and suffers from anxiety. I liked her a lot better after that. One of the good points about this book is the fact that both Samantha and Jimmy have their own struggles, and falling in love doesn’t magically fix them, they work at them.
However, I really didn’t like Cleo, she’s shallow, and consistently unkind and undermining to her sister. She thinks all people who have to go to the job centre are benefit cheats (except her of course). And then she’s skiving off work with her colleague so they can have sex. Her attitude to others just really stinks.
I did thoroughly enjoy the scene where Cleo finds out that Samantha really was dating Jimmy Lloyd, that was excellent.
Although not to my taste, this would be a good book for someone looking for a reasonably lighthearted romance.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a long time to warm up to Samantha, to start with she seems a bit shallow. Once I got to know her a little more, I realised that actually she’s just insecure and suffers from anxiety. I liked her a lot better after that. One of the good points about this book is the fact that both Samantha and Jimmy have their own struggles, and falling in love doesn’t magically fix them, they work at them.
However, I really didn’t like Cleo, she’s shallow, and consistently unkind and undermining to her sister. She thinks all people who have to go to the job centre are benefit cheats (except her of course). And then she’s skiving off work with her colleague so they can have sex. Her attitude to others just really stinks.
I did thoroughly enjoy the scene where Cleo finds out that Samantha really was dating Jimmy Lloyd, that was excellent.
Although not to my taste, this would be a good book for someone looking for a reasonably lighthearted romance.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 12, 2013
Breaking the Ice is the story of Samantha Smith, a girl with a dull life and a multitude of problems, whose life changes when the Ice skaters come to town!
I really love ice skating and even though I'm not great at it, in my head I am one of those graceful, twirling girls that can be spun around and lifted about - I wish! So I was hoping there would be lots of sequins and pazazz and although there were a few technical skate moves tossed in, I wish there had been more (blame dancing on ice!)
I did enjoy the blossoming romance between Samantha and Jimmy, and the way they both changed each other's lives and 'fixed' one another, and the battle to save Civic Hall- which led to a few hysterically laugh out loud moments.
The reason for the lack of The fifth star was because I did find Samantha quite irritating at times, the girl needed a good shake! And I also found the ending just a little predictable. But on the whole it was a very enjoyable book!
I really love ice skating and even though I'm not great at it, in my head I am one of those graceful, twirling girls that can be spun around and lifted about - I wish! So I was hoping there would be lots of sequins and pazazz and although there were a few technical skate moves tossed in, I wish there had been more (blame dancing on ice!)
I did enjoy the blossoming romance between Samantha and Jimmy, and the way they both changed each other's lives and 'fixed' one another, and the battle to save Civic Hall- which led to a few hysterically laugh out loud moments.
The reason for the lack of The fifth star was because I did find Samantha quite irritating at times, the girl needed a good shake! And I also found the ending just a little predictable. But on the whole it was a very enjoyable book!
December 17, 2019
A lovely feel good read set in the town's local theatre where you get to meet the wonderful Samantha who adores working at the theatre.
This is a book that will make you laugh and break your heart in equal measures. Samantha is very ordered and can find communicating with men in particular really difficult. When the new ice act comes to town, the male lead skater is drop dead gorgeous and sends her into a total tail spin.
A book that I loved reading as just wanted to see if Samantha could make her dreams come true both at work and personally.
This is a book that will make you laugh and break your heart in equal measures. Samantha is very ordered and can find communicating with men in particular really difficult. When the new ice act comes to town, the male lead skater is drop dead gorgeous and sends her into a total tail spin.
A book that I loved reading as just wanted to see if Samantha could make her dreams come true both at work and personally.
December 10, 2019
This book was so much more than I thought it would be. while it did have some very cute romantic moments there were still some heavy topics discussed. If you're looking for a quick, fast read with some romance and a little bit of real-life this is a good read for you! I know I enjoyed my time reading it.
January 30, 2013
I loved this book! I laughed out loud at times and I especially loved when the usually timid Samantha started standing up for herself. I'm gutted it's finished, infact I am about to go and add some more Mandy Baggot books to my Kindle even though I have loads of unread books.
March 9, 2020
This is a charming story about Samantha a skating star called Jimmy and its set in the historic Woolaston Civic Hall. I really enjoyed this book, it was entertaining from the first page, I totally recommend that you read it.
July 31, 2011
I have been reading a lot of books recently by self-published authors. Over the last few years I have read many reviews on self published authors which have put me off of reading them. I decided it was time to see for myself what I thought of some of their works. I read 2-3 books a week so I have decided for each week in July and August I am going to read one self published book. I have already read Working it Out by Nicola May and Bagpipes and Bullshot by Janice Horton ( both of these reviews you can find on the blog) both of these I thoroughly enjoyed. My next review is of Breaking the Ice by Mandy Baggot.
Plot
When routine driven box office assistant Samantha Smith meets the stars of 'Skating on Broadway' her life is turned upside down. Immediately attracted to lead skater Jimmy Lloyd, Samantha does her best to deny her feelings. But when all you can do is burst out laughing and hyperventilate every time you're under pressure, keeping things under wraps is a hard task. When the future of her beloved Civic Hall is threatened Samantha must rise to the challenge to ensure its survival. Constantly scrutinised and criticised by her zany sister Cleo and her brogue wearing boyfriend Jeremy, can Samantha save her job, save the Civic Hall and stop her panic attacks just long enough to give away her heart?
My Opinion
I chose to read this book at just the right time. The storyline of Breaking The Ice is very light making it an easy read. Although there wasn’t much depth to the storyline this is made up with the detailed characters in this book. Samantha and Jimmy’s characters are what truly make this book an enjoyable read. Samantha comes across as a very gentle character having lived a very sheltered life, it felt as though Samantha was trying to live her life through her sister. We see Samantha build her trust in Jimmy and start to try new things and we can feel how nervous she is often with a panic attack looming and we just hope that she doesn’t get hurt.
We don’t get to see much of Jimmy’s back ground other than the snippets from magazine articles relating to his time in Rehab. It took me a while to trust Jimmy as I couldn’t see what his intentions towards Sam were. After a few chapters in I started to enjoy his character and realised he didn’t have an ulterior motive he was just trying to change his way of life.
This is the ideal book to read in between books as it is an easy and reasonably quick read not to challenging, ideal for sitting in the garden on a Sunday. The only thing I think lets the book down a little is the cover of the book. I don’t think the cover of the book is appealing and it doesn’t give the book the justice it deserves.
I like that Baggot has taken a typical chic lit style scenario with the famous guy falls in love with the plain Jane girl but has then weaved this is in to a different storyline featuring the ice skating which was a topic I have not read about before and which I enjoyed. Baggot also brings in an unexpected light hearted humour to the book which usually occurred when Samantha is coming out of her comfort zone!
After reading Breaking the Ice I would defiantly pick up another Mandy Baggot book and I would also recommend her romantic novel to anyone needing a quick and easy read.
Review also on my book blog http://reabookreview.blogspot.com
Plot
When routine driven box office assistant Samantha Smith meets the stars of 'Skating on Broadway' her life is turned upside down. Immediately attracted to lead skater Jimmy Lloyd, Samantha does her best to deny her feelings. But when all you can do is burst out laughing and hyperventilate every time you're under pressure, keeping things under wraps is a hard task. When the future of her beloved Civic Hall is threatened Samantha must rise to the challenge to ensure its survival. Constantly scrutinised and criticised by her zany sister Cleo and her brogue wearing boyfriend Jeremy, can Samantha save her job, save the Civic Hall and stop her panic attacks just long enough to give away her heart?
My Opinion
I chose to read this book at just the right time. The storyline of Breaking The Ice is very light making it an easy read. Although there wasn’t much depth to the storyline this is made up with the detailed characters in this book. Samantha and Jimmy’s characters are what truly make this book an enjoyable read. Samantha comes across as a very gentle character having lived a very sheltered life, it felt as though Samantha was trying to live her life through her sister. We see Samantha build her trust in Jimmy and start to try new things and we can feel how nervous she is often with a panic attack looming and we just hope that she doesn’t get hurt.
We don’t get to see much of Jimmy’s back ground other than the snippets from magazine articles relating to his time in Rehab. It took me a while to trust Jimmy as I couldn’t see what his intentions towards Sam were. After a few chapters in I started to enjoy his character and realised he didn’t have an ulterior motive he was just trying to change his way of life.
This is the ideal book to read in between books as it is an easy and reasonably quick read not to challenging, ideal for sitting in the garden on a Sunday. The only thing I think lets the book down a little is the cover of the book. I don’t think the cover of the book is appealing and it doesn’t give the book the justice it deserves.
I like that Baggot has taken a typical chic lit style scenario with the famous guy falls in love with the plain Jane girl but has then weaved this is in to a different storyline featuring the ice skating which was a topic I have not read about before and which I enjoyed. Baggot also brings in an unexpected light hearted humour to the book which usually occurred when Samantha is coming out of her comfort zone!
After reading Breaking the Ice I would defiantly pick up another Mandy Baggot book and I would also recommend her romantic novel to anyone needing a quick and easy read.
Review also on my book blog http://reabookreview.blogspot.com
December 19, 2019
Samantha lives for her work – and at her work in the local Civic hall. From remembering the magical times with her parents and sister there seeing shows, to the current discounted meals and quite frankly, 3rd tier acts they now book – the Ice Show promises to bring the center back to it’s former glory, if only momentarily. The assistant to the ‘manager, Samantha is suffering from a severe dearth of self-confidence and a drastic need to function within a very small box and routine. Compared to her older and much more ‘out there’ sister, she’s that quiet and reliable shadow in the background – solidly plugging along to a specific goal. Uncomfortable with new people, confrontation, standing up for herself – you name it: she’s the logical one who manages orders, smooths ruffled feathers and is always there.
But with a ‘wonderful’ idea that his ‘girls’ skate during intermission with programs and ice-cream, Samantha grudgingly accepts, even as she’s not skated for years. With the ice show on, they’ve snatched practice time and the star of the show, Jimmy, is not only handsome, but he wants Samantha to skate more – so much so that ‘after hours’ he’s convinced her to skate with him to ‘help him out’ with seeing if teaching is what he wants to do after retiring from shows. But, with an alcohol problem in his past, and a current partner who wants to sabotage him – he’s got lots going on – all of which make him even more scary to Sam. But - she’s discovering that she’s falling for him – something that with his encouragement and solid backing of her taking over the managerial position has brought a new bounce to her step.
Baggot manages to make even the most timid of characters speak to readers and bring us inside their heads. She’s easy to like – even if you wish she’s be less timid, and far less judgmental where Jimmy is concerned – but perhaps a bit more strident with her sister. Who is off the chain selfish and dramatic – and you see that Sam just uses her sister’s drama to be the ‘quiet one’. With her caring for Gobolino the stray, her coming alive on the ice as her confidence grows with each solid skate – the sweetness here can’t be denied. Even when everything appears to go utterly pear-shaped and the signs are all negative. With lots of help, a ton of heart and a wonderful recognition of Samantha’s finding her own two feet and voice, the story gives plenty to laugh about, cheer for and enjoy.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my ow responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
But with a ‘wonderful’ idea that his ‘girls’ skate during intermission with programs and ice-cream, Samantha grudgingly accepts, even as she’s not skated for years. With the ice show on, they’ve snatched practice time and the star of the show, Jimmy, is not only handsome, but he wants Samantha to skate more – so much so that ‘after hours’ he’s convinced her to skate with him to ‘help him out’ with seeing if teaching is what he wants to do after retiring from shows. But, with an alcohol problem in his past, and a current partner who wants to sabotage him – he’s got lots going on – all of which make him even more scary to Sam. But - she’s discovering that she’s falling for him – something that with his encouragement and solid backing of her taking over the managerial position has brought a new bounce to her step.
Baggot manages to make even the most timid of characters speak to readers and bring us inside their heads. She’s easy to like – even if you wish she’s be less timid, and far less judgmental where Jimmy is concerned – but perhaps a bit more strident with her sister. Who is off the chain selfish and dramatic – and you see that Sam just uses her sister’s drama to be the ‘quiet one’. With her caring for Gobolino the stray, her coming alive on the ice as her confidence grows with each solid skate – the sweetness here can’t be denied. Even when everything appears to go utterly pear-shaped and the signs are all negative. With lots of help, a ton of heart and a wonderful recognition of Samantha’s finding her own two feet and voice, the story gives plenty to laugh about, cheer for and enjoy.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my ow responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
July 23, 2016
Perhaps after only a chapter or two I realised I was enchanted by this story, and it was a wonderfully easy to read book that kept me interested the whole way through. My only regret is that I bought it 4 years before starting to read it, when I really should have started it moments after purchasing.
Samantha Smith is not your typical female lead, she is a nervous wreck, lacking in confidence and has a tendency to have panic attacks. She works for the local civic centre, that she adores, and takes on many roles there from box office sales, to usherette to health and safety, stock manager and ice cream seller. The book starts with her trying to work out what went wrong and why she has 4000 tubs of an ice-cream flavour that isn't overly popular to try and sell instead of her regular order!
The latest show to be held at the civic centre, features sexy ice-dancer Jimmy Lloyd, and slowly he tries to get to know Samantha, and always seems to be on hand and unfazed by any of her borderline crazy behaviour.
And there really is some crazy actions, many of which lead to me almost laughing out loud, and there is a scene involving a meeting that will stick in my mind for a while. Somehow I found Samantha to be quite endearing, unlike her sister Cleo who she lives with. Cleo tends to get through men quite fast, until Jeremy arrives on the scene. However I hated the way Cleo spoke to her sister at times, it was patronizing and down right mean at points.
There is something about the civic centre at the heart of the book that got under my skin, and I was enjoying seeing how Jimmy was around Samantha, including teaching her to skate to a really high level.
At this point I may have to repeat what I have said in previous reviews of Mandy Baggot's books, but I can't stress enough how much I enjoy this talented author, and I'm delighted to say that although this is the earliest of her books that I have now read, its just a good quality, and just as enjoyable as her later releases.
Samantha Smith is not your typical female lead, she is a nervous wreck, lacking in confidence and has a tendency to have panic attacks. She works for the local civic centre, that she adores, and takes on many roles there from box office sales, to usherette to health and safety, stock manager and ice cream seller. The book starts with her trying to work out what went wrong and why she has 4000 tubs of an ice-cream flavour that isn't overly popular to try and sell instead of her regular order!
The latest show to be held at the civic centre, features sexy ice-dancer Jimmy Lloyd, and slowly he tries to get to know Samantha, and always seems to be on hand and unfazed by any of her borderline crazy behaviour.
And there really is some crazy actions, many of which lead to me almost laughing out loud, and there is a scene involving a meeting that will stick in my mind for a while. Somehow I found Samantha to be quite endearing, unlike her sister Cleo who she lives with. Cleo tends to get through men quite fast, until Jeremy arrives on the scene. However I hated the way Cleo spoke to her sister at times, it was patronizing and down right mean at points.
There is something about the civic centre at the heart of the book that got under my skin, and I was enjoying seeing how Jimmy was around Samantha, including teaching her to skate to a really high level.
At this point I may have to repeat what I have said in previous reviews of Mandy Baggot's books, but I can't stress enough how much I enjoy this talented author, and I'm delighted to say that although this is the earliest of her books that I have now read, its just a good quality, and just as enjoyable as her later releases.
January 11, 2014
Oh my goodness there is so much in this book I can identify with am so glad I read this book. Samantha is the younger of two sisters one very outgoing(Cleo) who is so confident nothing seems to scare her, she seems a little embarrassed by her shy, book loving, old classic film loving sister(Samantha) who doesn't go in for latest fashion in clothes, or the latest nightclub or have to visit restaurant instead she's happy in her job in the Old Civic Hall selling tickets & being the person who seems to know all the local history much better the manager of the hall.
Life for Samantha is running along quite nicely for her, she has her routines her job & who wouldn't want love but she doesn't see herself as others do, she's been bullied because she's shy which just makes social things outside the confines of her job so scary, then in her little theatre along comes an infamous ice skater to put a show on at first she can't believe it people that well known don't come to their hall but no Jimmy Lloyd, much talked about Canadian ice skater, womaniser & alcoholic is there to put on a skating show.
Samantha has no idea who he is until she tells her celebrity loving, fashion loving, outgoing sister tells her who he is & that he's been in rehab for drink & drugs. Then one day she goes into work early & sees him practising all alone out on the ice & it reminds her of her love of ice discos when she was 15. The first time she meets him it doesn't go to well but over the next few days she starts to see a different side to him than the one the papers show, can he really be that bad, how can somebody who is like that be interested in little towns like theirs. I'm not putting any spoilers in all I will say is that this book really makes you wonder how badly some real life celebrities, sportsmen/women, athletes have been portrayed in the attention seeking, sensationalising media & how nice they could be in real life. Can't wait to read my next Mandy Baggot book :)
Life for Samantha is running along quite nicely for her, she has her routines her job & who wouldn't want love but she doesn't see herself as others do, she's been bullied because she's shy which just makes social things outside the confines of her job so scary, then in her little theatre along comes an infamous ice skater to put a show on at first she can't believe it people that well known don't come to their hall but no Jimmy Lloyd, much talked about Canadian ice skater, womaniser & alcoholic is there to put on a skating show.
Samantha has no idea who he is until she tells her celebrity loving, fashion loving, outgoing sister tells her who he is & that he's been in rehab for drink & drugs. Then one day she goes into work early & sees him practising all alone out on the ice & it reminds her of her love of ice discos when she was 15. The first time she meets him it doesn't go to well but over the next few days she starts to see a different side to him than the one the papers show, can he really be that bad, how can somebody who is like that be interested in little towns like theirs. I'm not putting any spoilers in all I will say is that this book really makes you wonder how badly some real life celebrities, sportsmen/women, athletes have been portrayed in the attention seeking, sensationalising media & how nice they could be in real life. Can't wait to read my next Mandy Baggot book :)
April 10, 2014
This was a fun, comfortable read. The story unfolded at a nice pace and there wasn't any part of it that felt rushed or forced and I can honestly say that at no point whilst reading was I bored. I read this book in two sittings, most of it in just a few short hours. That's how easy and comfortable it was to fall into Samantha's world.
I think this is one of the first times I have read a book where I didn't really like the main character. When the book first started I quite liked her, but quite quickly she really started to grate on me. I found myself wondering how someone who seemed to suffer from quite severe anxiety in stressful situations ever really managed to function in a customer service position. As Samantha's confidence grew I started to warm to her, but there was a few things she did that were completely out of character that I felt affected the readability, I had to re-read to make sure I had actually read it right. Cleo, Samantha's sister, was awful. On just about every level. She was self-centered and selfish and at times she was downright mean to her sister and just when I thought Samantha was growing a backbone she let her sister treat her like crap. Again. It kind of made me realise why Samantha was the way she was... when this was the support she had at home.. and probably why I started to feel sympathetic towards her again.
There where a few moments in the book that I found predictable but it didn't spoil the overall enjoyment for me.
I think this is one of the first times I have read a book where I didn't really like the main character. When the book first started I quite liked her, but quite quickly she really started to grate on me. I found myself wondering how someone who seemed to suffer from quite severe anxiety in stressful situations ever really managed to function in a customer service position. As Samantha's confidence grew I started to warm to her, but there was a few things she did that were completely out of character that I felt affected the readability, I had to re-read to make sure I had actually read it right. Cleo, Samantha's sister, was awful. On just about every level. She was self-centered and selfish and at times she was downright mean to her sister and just when I thought Samantha was growing a backbone she let her sister treat her like crap. Again. It kind of made me realise why Samantha was the way she was... when this was the support she had at home.. and probably why I started to feel sympathetic towards her again.
There where a few moments in the book that I found predictable but it didn't spoil the overall enjoyment for me.
January 22, 2012
Breaking the Ice revolves around Samantha Smith and her dedication to her job as a box office assistant and general dogsbody at the Civic Centre. When the centre hosts a major event, Skating on Broadway, Samantha gets to meet skating heartthrob Jimmy Lloyd and, against her normally cautious self – and denying it every step of the way – falls for him. Jimmy has issues of his own but appears to fall for her too, being able to look past her reticence and nervousness.
When the Civic Centre is under threat from closure, Sam comes into her own and this was when I started to really enjoy the story; there are some humorous moments when this worm turns! When Jimmy leaves and heads back to America, there are a few will-he won’t-he return moments but all is nicely wrapped up at the end with a tear-jerking spot or two.
All in all, this is a good story; on the plus side, it’s not just a romance and we see the main character grow from nervous wreck to someone with backbone. The downside, for me at least, was the avoidance of the word ‘said’ when writing dialogue. Throughout, they spoke, remarked, exclaimed, responded, informed etc and it began to stand out. But becoming too aware of this could just be me!
When the Civic Centre is under threat from closure, Sam comes into her own and this was when I started to really enjoy the story; there are some humorous moments when this worm turns! When Jimmy leaves and heads back to America, there are a few will-he won’t-he return moments but all is nicely wrapped up at the end with a tear-jerking spot or two.
All in all, this is a good story; on the plus side, it’s not just a romance and we see the main character grow from nervous wreck to someone with backbone. The downside, for me at least, was the avoidance of the word ‘said’ when writing dialogue. Throughout, they spoke, remarked, exclaimed, responded, informed etc and it began to stand out. But becoming too aware of this could just be me!
October 2, 2013
Having never read any of Mandy's books before, I had no idea what to expect, however having been an FB pal for some time, I knew it had to be extraordinary, just like the author! And I wasn't at all disappointed. If you're a fan of chick lit, then Breaking The Ice offers all the usual chick lit fanfare - a hopelessly flawed main character and a sexy man to take her mind off things. Add to that a somewhat sex-obsessed zany sister and a boss who is plain old weird, you've got a story that'll keep you awake all night.
Not once was I bored or tempted to put the book down. In fact, quite the opposite, I found my Kindle hard to pry from my hands whilst reading - not even to get some much needed shut eye.
If I had to be critical about anything, I'd say I found Samantha, the main character, a little bit irritating at times due to her tendency to over panic, but once I realised she was just painfully shy and, let's face it, a bit weird, I came to accept her just the way she is.
I'm definitely keen to read more by Mandy Baggot. In fact, I've already got some of her books waiting patiently for me on my Kindle ;)
Not once was I bored or tempted to put the book down. In fact, quite the opposite, I found my Kindle hard to pry from my hands whilst reading - not even to get some much needed shut eye.
If I had to be critical about anything, I'd say I found Samantha, the main character, a little bit irritating at times due to her tendency to over panic, but once I realised she was just painfully shy and, let's face it, a bit weird, I came to accept her just the way she is.
I'm definitely keen to read more by Mandy Baggot. In fact, I've already got some of her books waiting patiently for me on my Kindle ;)
November 2, 2019
I always know I will enjoy anything by Mandy Baggott and this did not disappoint at all. I loved the setting and the premise of the book, in fact it made me wish I could ice skate (that’d never happen, my balance is rubbish day to day!) even if to meet someone dishy to skate with!
Samantha/Sam is an awkward character and I must admit it took me a while to warm to her; I can’t put my finger on what it was as she’s perfectly nice, hardworking, kind and considerate. I did want the best for her and was so pleased that Jimmy arrived and saw her for who she really could be.
There are some fabulous characters, funny moments and some really endearing parts that warmed my cold, unromantic heart. I laughed out loud so many times, but then I was smiling soppily at others. Mandy has such a wonderful skill in combining the trials and tribulations of a romance with such comedic scenes.
I definitely recommend this classic Mandy Baggott read, if you’re already a fan or if you haven’t had the delight of any of Mandy’s books yet this is one for you.
Samantha/Sam is an awkward character and I must admit it took me a while to warm to her; I can’t put my finger on what it was as she’s perfectly nice, hardworking, kind and considerate. I did want the best for her and was so pleased that Jimmy arrived and saw her for who she really could be.
There are some fabulous characters, funny moments and some really endearing parts that warmed my cold, unromantic heart. I laughed out loud so many times, but then I was smiling soppily at others. Mandy has such a wonderful skill in combining the trials and tribulations of a romance with such comedic scenes.
I definitely recommend this classic Mandy Baggott read, if you’re already a fan or if you haven’t had the delight of any of Mandy’s books yet this is one for you.
January 6, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. Samantha suffers with anxiety issues and she leads a very sheltered life, with her job at the Civic Hall. When they are hosting the ice show she meets the lead skater and unusually feels an instant attraction. They develop a friendship whilst dealing with the threatened closure of the Hall. I loved their relationship and the way he drew her out of her shell and gained her confidence.
I grew to love the Hall and was willing it to be saved. I also enjoyed the ice show- especially with the return of Dancing on Ice this week. I could just picture the routines under the show lights and imagine the atmosphere in the audience.
A great book that just wouldn't let me put it down. I just had to keep reading.
I grew to love the Hall and was willing it to be saved. I also enjoyed the ice show- especially with the return of Dancing on Ice this week. I could just picture the routines under the show lights and imagine the atmosphere in the audience.
A great book that just wouldn't let me put it down. I just had to keep reading.
August 4, 2012
The hero of this book is mouth wateringly warm, even if he is on ice. The heroine is a bit scatty actually. And although it did add to the humour, and I would empathise with her, at times I did get annoyed with her too.
As a self-published book, this story could have done with a better edit. There were some grammatical errors and the avoidance of the word 'said', plus too much dialogue tagging in places, which slowed the pace down. This is the reason I've given it three stars. However, as I got more into the book, the author has a fun voice, shares witty humour, and I did really enjoy the tone of the story.
As a self-published book, this story could have done with a better edit. There were some grammatical errors and the avoidance of the word 'said', plus too much dialogue tagging in places, which slowed the pace down. This is the reason I've given it three stars. However, as I got more into the book, the author has a fun voice, shares witty humour, and I did really enjoy the tone of the story.
November 16, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This is one of my new favourite Christmas chick lit books! Samantha and Jimmy are likeable and realistic characters that you want to follow- you need to know what happens to them. There is a cheer and a warmth in the story that you don't often find in holiday books these days; it has heart and soul, it isn't just checking Christmas boxes off. I enjoyed the theatre storyline, it added needed "meat" to the book, and made you even more invested. Mandy Baggot has done a wonderful job with One Night on Ice, and I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a lovely holiday story.
This is one of my new favourite Christmas chick lit books! Samantha and Jimmy are likeable and realistic characters that you want to follow- you need to know what happens to them. There is a cheer and a warmth in the story that you don't often find in holiday books these days; it has heart and soul, it isn't just checking Christmas boxes off. I enjoyed the theatre storyline, it added needed "meat" to the book, and made you even more invested. Mandy Baggot has done a wonderful job with One Night on Ice, and I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a lovely holiday story.
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