Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

When a book sells over 2 million copies and hits #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, I pay attention. When it does that after starting as a self-published novel that BookTok resurrected from the dead, I pay very close attention. So I spent the last few days tracking down what the internet is saying about Hannah Grace’s sports romance phenomenon, and here’s what I found.

This book has become one of those divisive titles that readers either devour in one sitting or rage-quit halfway through. The disconnect between the five-star reviews and the one-star takedowns is fascinating—and tells you everything you need to know about modern romance readers.

The Intel

• Book: Icebreaker (Maple Hills #1)
• Author: Hannah Grace
• Published: February 7, 2023 (Simon & Schuster)
• Series Status: Book 1 of planned 4-book series alternating between college and summer settings
• Goodreads: 4.03/5 stars (massive review count)
• Amazon: 4.4/5 stars, #1 NYT Bestseller, over 2 million copies sold
• Audiobook: Narrated by Elizabeth Louise and Tim Paige
• Genre: Sports romance, college romance, enemies-to-lovers

What I Found

I dug through reader discussions on Goodreads, Reddit, and Amazon to figure out why this book has such a polarized reception. Here’s what the discourse reveals.

The BookTok Origin Story Everyone’s Talking About

This book has one of the wildest publication journeys I’ve tracked. Grace originally self-published Icebreaker, then pulled it down after some controversy involving a character name change (Sabrina became Lola—Reddit has the receipts). Then BookTok discovered it, and within two months, Simon & Schuster picked it up for traditional publication.

That’s lightning speed in publishing. It doesn’t happen unless the algorithm gods are smiling on you and thousands of people are rage-buying your book based on 15-second videos.

One Redditor noted: “I had low expectations going into this because I’ve had mixed results reading popular ‘booktok’ books and wow this was such a pleasant surprise.”

Translation: BookTok hype is a coin flip, but when it lands right, it lands.

The Plot: Forced Proximity Done Right (Or Wrong, Depending Who You Ask)

Here’s the setup: Nathan Hawkins is the hockey team captain. Anastasia “Stassie” Allen is a competitive figure skater. A prank damages their ice rink, forcing them to share practice time. Cue the sparks.

The forced proximity trope is romance catnip, and Grace leans into it hard. Readers who love watching athletes banter while secretly pining for each other ate this up. Readers who’ve read Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus series (the gold standard for college hockey romance) found this… derivative.

A Reddit thread titled “Why is Icebreaker by Hannah Grace so hated?” sums it up: “Unfortunately, I had just listened to The Graham Effect and The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy about a week before starting Icebreaker. Those simply are better.”

Fair. But also: most debut novels aren’t as polished as Kennedy’s ninth hockey romance. Context matters.

The Audiobook Experience: A Tale of Two Narrators

Elizabeth Louise narrates Stassie’s POV. Tim Paige handles Nathan’s. Dual narration usually elevates romance audiobooks, but readers had opinions about Paige’s performance.

One Audiobooks.com reviewer wrote: “Tim Paige sounded like a good Nate as well but his impression of a woman is horrendous. Like I get that it’s hard to make your voice higher pitched and feminine when you have a manly voice but it wasn’t just that.”

Ouch. Louise gets consistent praise for her narration, but Paige’s female character voices seem to break immersion for listeners. If you’re considering the audiobook, be warned: your tolerance for that might make or break the experience.

The Cartoon Cover Controversy

That illustrated cover with the cartoonish couple? Readers are calling it misleading. The Reddit post “Another innocent fooled by cartoon covers” captures the frustration: readers expecting a cozy, low-steam romance picked this up and got blindsided by explicit content.

Pro tip: Hannah Grace lists all content warnings on her website. Check before you buy if you’re sensitive to certain themes.

The Comparison Game: When Your Debut Gets Stacked Against the Classics

I tracked conversations across multiple platforms, and the same names kept coming up: Elle Kennedy, Mariana Zapata, Ali Hazelwood. Readers who loved those authors’ work had mixed feelings about Grace.

Here’s the pattern: readers who came to Icebreaker first loved it. Readers who’d already devoured Kennedy’s Off-Campus or Briar U series found Grace’s debut lacking in comparison.

One Redditor put it plainly: “If this is Hannah Grace’s first novel, it’s pretty decent as an author’s first novel. Same thing with Hazelwood. Bride is a drastic improvement over Love Hypothesis.”

That’s actually encouraging. Grace has room to grow, and readers are here for the journey.

My Analysis

This book is a litmus test for your romance tolerance. If you love college sports romance and haven’t read much in the subgenre, Icebreaker will feel fresh and addictive. If you’ve devoured Kennedy, Harlow, and the rest of the hockey romance queens, you’ll spot the tropes from a mile away.

The BookTok resurrection is the real story here. A self-published book getting pulled, revived by social media, and landing a major publishing deal in two months? That’s not luck. That’s a case study in algorithmic marketing meeting genuine reader enthusiasm.

The sales numbers don’t lie. Over 2 million copies sold. #1 NYT bestseller. Love it or hate it, readers are buying this book in droves. The romance community can debate its merits, but the market has spoken.

The series has staying power. Grace has mapped out a 4-book arc alternating between college and summer settings. Readers who connected with the Maple Hills crew will keep coming back. The series structure is smart: you’re not just buying one book, you’re buying into a world.

The audiobook is a gamble. Louise’s narration gets consistent praise, but Paige’s performance is polarizing. If you’re an audiobook-first reader, sample before you commit. Otherwise, stick with the ebook or paperback.

The cartoon cover is doing this book no favors. It signals “cozy romance” when the content is decidedly spicier. Publishers need to rethink illustrated covers if they don’t match the heat level inside.

The Question Nobody’s Asking

Why did BookTok specifically resurrect this book and not the thousands of other self-published sports romances out there?

I think it’s the cover. That cartoon illustration style exploded on social media right when Grace’s book hit. The algorithm favors eye-catching visuals, and that cover is extremely shareable. It looks good in a grid. It pops in a video thumbnail.

The content had to deliver once readers clicked, but the cover got them there. Never underestimate the power of visual marketing in the TikTok era.

The Verdict

Read if: You love college sports romance, enemies-to-lovers banter, and forced proximity tropes. You’re new to hockey romance or looking for something light and bingeable.

Skip if: You’ve read Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus series and expect that level of polish. You hate when books get overhyped on BookTok. You’re looking for groundbreaking originality in your romance.

Start with the paperback if: You want the full experience without narrator bias. The illustrated covers are pretty, and you can always upgrade to the audiobook for book 2 if you’re hooked.

Fair warning: This is book 1 of 4. If you fall for Maple Hills, you’re committing to a series. Budget accordingly.

The Cocktail

For this one, I’m borrowing the Ice Breaker from HaveACocktail.com. It’s a refreshing vodka cocktail with fresh mint and lime—perfect for a book about athletes sharing ice time and melting each other’s defenses.

The mint-and-lime combo is crisp and clean, just like a freshly Zamboni’d rink. The vodka gives it bite. Muddle the mint to release those oils, add lime juice, vodka, and ice, and you’ve got yourself a drink that matches the book’s vibe: sharp, refreshing, and stronger than it looks.

The Bottom Line

Readers are split down the middle on Icebreaker, but the sales numbers tell a different story. Grace’s debut has carved out a massive audience, and the Maple Hills series is just getting started. Whether you think it’s overhyped or underrated depends entirely on what you’ve read before—and that’s actually the most interesting thing about it.

Got intel on a book I should investigate? Send it my way. I’m always looking for the next rabbit hole. But be warned: if you’re pitching me something “everyone’s talking about,” I’m going to verify that claim six ways from Sunday. That’s the job.