Cold Day in the Sun: A Novel

I basically gobbled this book up then promptly went online and ordered Sara Biren's other book!I love feel-good, cheesy, cute romances that also have a strong message behind them and a super cool, feisty heroine to boot!Holland is the only girl on an all-boys hockey team, and she's good. Real good. She's earned her spot, and knows she's indispensable as a player on the team. That, however, has not stopped people from judging her, and her coach and the team for allowing a girl to take a "boy's" spot on the team, that a boy is more deserving of her spot, that having a female on the team is distracting to the other players and so on and so forth. She grew up having to prove herself constantly, which gave her a really tough exterior and reputation amongst her family and friends, especially as everyone was waiting for her to slip up.That 'slip up' comes in the form of a really cute, decent, intelligent and supportive new captain. Wes, a new transfer and captain of the team does not cut Holland any slack. He gave her a nickname just like every other guy on the team, Dutch, and he is tough on her. He calls her out when she makes mistakes, embarrasses her, tells her off, and is pretty much the worst person ever as far as Holland is concerned. She cannot stand him. And yet...And yet...And yet...off the ice, Wes can't keep his eyes off her. He gives her way too much attention and is always trying to strike up a conversation with her. Holland, being paranoid and protective, keeps taking it the wrong way. She gets defensive and rude and wants nothing to do with him. And yet...And yet...And yet...she can't seem to stay away. But she can't be with the captain of the team! What will people say? They will judge her, she would prove them all right, and then her reputation will be in tatters.I loved the chemistry between those two characters. I loved the support Holland had from her family and her brothers and her friends. I loved how the team stood together and were there for her through it all. I loved how supportive Wes was, how understanding and considerate. He was a really great captain, but also a good friend.I loved Holland, I loved her fierce character and it pissed me off that she was put in this position where she constantly had to prove herself, doubt herself, and live up to unreasonable expectations.Such a great, well-rounded book, that ticked pretty much everything a YA romance needs to have.

I adored Sara's debut, THE LAST THING YOU SAID, and I ~hoped~ her follow-up, COLD DAY IN THE SUN, would be equally fantastic. Wow, was it ever. I absolutely adored this YA hockey novel full of amazing music references, yummy food mentions, and steamy kisses. It puts its own spin on two of my favorite tropes (hate-to-love and secret romance) and its ending is incredibly satisfying, but open-ended enough to feel realistic. Holland is an amazing protagonist--a hockey badass with a passion for the Foo Fighters, blogging, and her family. Love interest and hockey team captain Wes is super sweet, but also he swears all the time and accepts nothing but the best from the players on his team, including Holland. COLD DAY IN THE SUN was nearly impossible to put down; I think fans of YA romance will LOVE this book. <333

"Let's be honest. At the moment, I've got bigger things to worry about than a straw stuck up a sea turtle's nose."I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.Cold Day in the Sun takes place during the winter, but it really warmed my heart! It was impossible not to smile while reading this book, and I really loved Holland's story. She was a fierce female character who wasn't afraid to speak her mind. When someone told her she had balls, she was quick to tell them that a person doesn't need balls to do something brave. I loved her personality, and that she was willing to fight for what she wanted.Yes! Yes! Yes! Holland had an awesome family, I enjoyed all of their interactions. Hunter wasn't around as much, but his comments on her blog, and his brief appearance, really spoke volumes about their relationship. Carter was a typical big brother, and didn't want anyone to mess with his sister, but he also knew she could fight her own battles. Jesse was hilarious. I'm pretty sure he's referred to as a "diva" at one point. Her mom and dad, even her grandparents, are around and supportive. It was amazing and lovely!Then there's Wes. Sweet, beautiful, infuriating Wes. He doesn't treat Holland any differently on the ice, and he pushes and challenges her like he would any of the other players. I was a little annoyed when Holland didn't see this (she thought he was picking on her for being a girl), so her reactions were a little extreme. She wanted to be treated like everyone else, but got upset when she was. Off the ice, Wes was attentive and intuitive. He's understanding and thoughtful, a wonderful big brother, and he wasn't afraid to tell people how he felt. I really loved his relationship with Holland and how it progressed over time.There was so much to love about this book, and I think it's the little things that I enjoyed the most. Wes encourages Holland to try eating spicy foods, and tells her it's just like training for a new sport. You have to practice, which she does, and those were some of my favorite moments. The way Wes reacts when Holland bites her lip, and the way he talks about her to other people -- always kind and proud of her accomplishments. Holland's blog and her obsession with music (that Wes happily shares), and their shared text messages that are more music videos than words. Also, Holland loves to eat, and I love that she loves food.All of the secondary characters were fun and meaningful, and I wouldn't mind another book with this setting! I want to know more about everyone. As I got to the last page, I read it and immediately wanted more. It was a perfect ending for this story, and I'm still smiling as I write this, but I definitely could have enjoyed a few more chapters! Thank you, Sara Biren. You've kept a smile on my face for days. It was ducking adorable. 😉Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on March 12, 2019.

I LOVE THIS BOOK! The strong female lead is both hard as nails and sugar soft as she falls in love and challenges the status quo. This book means a lot to me personally as the only girl in a family of all boys who has always worked to separate herself from what was expected of her to do what feel true. If you love deftly written romance, great dialog and an emotional, gripping story, you will love this book.

I really liked most of this book. This probably would have been a four star read had it not ended in such a rush. After so much emphasis was placed on hockeyfest I wanted to see the outcome. I understand it was important that she started, but I just felt without getting the end result of the game (and preferably the article she was supposed to be writing)this book lacked the closure I was looking for.

I love a good romance and this book did not disappoint! The characters are well developed and realistic and the story is compelling.

A character sufficiently complex and flawed to be engaging and believable with some wise-cracking dialogue to keep me interested and invested in the story.