[Review] Cold Day in the Sun - Sara Biren

Summary: Holland Delviss wants to be known for her talent as a hockey player, not a hockey player who happens to be a girl. But when her school team is selected to be featured and televised as part of HockeyFest, her status as the only girl on the boys’ team makes her the lead story. Not everyone is thrilled with Holland’s new fame, but there’s one person who fiercely supports her, and it’s the last person she expects (and definitely the last person she should be falling for): her bossy team captain, Wes. (Pub Date: Mar 12, 2019)

I've been fooled by the sweet cover and the title. This is much more quirky than it might seem.

3.5, rounded up.

Holland hates Wes, co-captain of the hockey boys team, of which she's also part. She also hates him calling her Dutch. Or how he's always onto her. Then it happens she hates other girls with him as well, and that perhaps she doesn't hate him at all. When a big event approaches and the weight of the team's success seems to be all on her, the "girl", Wes's words of encouragement reach to her when she most needs it, and she finds out she may have been to quick to judge him.

I know nothing about hockey and I'm not even interested in sports, but the games were a big differential here. The description was so exciting I did feel like I was playing with Holland.

I should note this wasn't my first book by Biren, but it was so different I wasn't even sure it was the same writer as I read this. The story is more hectic and I confess it was also more fun. But it wasn't only a fun YA romance to read. Additionally, it brought an interesting topic I confess I had never considered—girls in boys' teams. I'm sure the arguments here will be great food for thought.

The romance went well until the last quarter, in which I think it took a dive. Nothing irritating happened, don't worry; it just stopped being interesting. At this point, there was more happening with the hockey plot and all so it didn't matter so much.

This wasn't spectacular but it was obviously above average. I recommend it to all contemporary YA romance fans. Sara Biren is an author I'm keeping my eye out for.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.


Rating: 4 out of 5.