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Verdict: A spicy, kinky Olympic romance between an ice-queen figure skater and a golden-retriever nonbinary hockey player, praised for its consent-forward D/s dynamic and its representation — but its eating-disorder storyline is intense, the 18-year-old lead and age gap give some readers pause, and a few found the writing weak.
Best for: Readers who want kink done with care, Olympic sports romance, a Black heroine in a white sport, and nonbinary representation.
Heat level: 4/5 (romance.io: explicit open door, 1 rating)
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.7/5 — a 4.13 Goodreads average across 83 ratings and 3.72 on StoryGraph from 32 reviews)
Tropes: Ice queen and golden retriever, forced proximity (roommates), age gap, D/s, hurt/comfort, Winter Olympics, dual POV.
A Gold Medal in Love is Alex La Bruyere’s February 2026 contemporary sapphic romance from Such a Blanche Publishing, part of the multi-author Love on the Podium series. Figure skater Imani Gray, the “ice queen” of winter sports, arrives at the Olympics chasing gold — and is assigned to room with Blake Floquet, the arrogant, dimpled masc captain of the USA hockey team.
It holds a 4.13 average across 83 Goodreads ratings, with 76% of them four or five stars, 3.72 on StoryGraph from 32 reviews, and 4.2 stars across 59 Amazon ratings. Many of its fans are advance readers of the series; its critics are specific and worth hearing.
What Is A Gold Medal in Love About?
Imani’s whole life has been one fight after another, all leading to this chance at figure-skating gold. Nothing is going to stop her — not the Russian favourite, not the reporters whose microaggressions make her tank interviews, and certainly not the loud, cocky hockey player she has to share a room with.
Blake is warm, goofy and far more observant than they let on. As Imani’s career reaches its peak, she starts to unravel under an eating disorder, anxiety and a harmful coach, and Blake is the one who notices and offers to help — first with the media, then with much more. What begins as a reluctant arrangement becomes a consensual D/s relationship built on trust, and a two-week whirlwind that neither wants to end.
What Makes This Olympic Romance Work
- Kink with consent: Readers repeatedly praise how clearly the BDSM is negotiated and how it is tied to trust and care rather than shock value.
- Blake: A beloved lead — protective, playful and settled in their identity. Many readers’ favourite part.
- Imani’s experience: Readers, including Black readers, found the pressure and microaggressions she faces as a Black woman in figure skating well researched and relatable.
- Olympic setting: The athlete-village details and the dual competitions make it a fun read during the Games.
- Series connections: Blake’s friendship with Charlie from A Good Puck delighted readers of the series.
Book Synopsis
Figure skating’s frosty ice queen meets hockey’s golden retriever. Imani Gray is known as winter sports’ ice queen, and she is smart enough to know that moniker has a dual meaning. Her whole life has been one battle after another, all leading up to the chance for figure-skating gold.
Nothing will stand in her way: not the Russian favourite, not the reporters whose microaggressions cause her to tank interviews, and certainly not Blake Floquet, the arrogant masc hockey player she is forced to room with at the Games. As her career reaches a peak, she starts to unravel — but one unlikely person stands ready to catch her, and their dimpled offers of help might be her saving grace on the way to winning it all.
My Review
This is a book about care as much as kink. Blake’s dominance is protective rather than controlling: they help Imani handle the media, notice what she is not eating, and push her toward professional help without overstepping. Readers found the D/s scenes hot, varied — including a much-discussed scene set in a cathedral — and consistently consensual, and the emotional arc of Imani learning to trust someone and choose recovery gives them weight. The banter and bratting are fun, and the epilogue left readers smiling.
It is not an easy read, though. Imani’s eating disorder is active and written from inside her head, and several readers found it more triggering than they expected; two stopped early because of it and the abusive coach. One reviewer felt the book simplifies eating disorders. The age gap also gave some readers pause: Imani is 18 and Blake about ten years older, and one reader, while noting nothing predatory happens, wished Imani had been older when the D/s dynamic began. Imani herself is abrasive enough that one advance reader never warmed to her.
The sharpest criticism came from a one-star reviewer who found the writing poor at the line level and objected to references to “gold star lesbianism” and a moment they read as having transphobic undertones. That view is in the minority, but it is worth knowing.
My honest note: If you want a sexy, consent-forward kink romance with real emotional stakes, this is one of the more thoughtful in sports romance. Read the content warnings first.
| Element | In A Gold Medal in Love |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Imani Gray & Blake Floquet — figure skater and nonbinary hockey captain |
| Ages | Imani is 18; Blake is in their late twenties |
| Core tropes | Ice queen/golden retriever, roommates, D/s, age gap |
| Setting | The Winter Olympics |
| Heat level | 4/5 on romance.io — explicit open door (1 rating) |
| Series | Love on the Podium (shared multi-author series) |
| Content notes | Eating disorder, anxiety, abusive coach, racism, misgendering, BDSM |
How Spicy Is A Gold Medal in Love?
Romance.io lists it at 4 of 5, “explicit open door,” from a single rating, with tags including BDSM, spanking and praise kink. Readers call it very spicy, with many consensual BDSM scenes; one described a dabble into religious play. If you do not enjoy kink, this is not the book for you.
On content, the eating disorder is the biggest consideration. Romance.io readers also flag mental illness, self-harm, fatphobia, racism, misogyny and abuse, and reviewers mention misgendering and a harmful coach.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you enjoy consensual D/s romance, protective golden-retriever love interests, Olympic settings and nonbinary and Black representation. It is on our sapphic hockey romance list.
You may want to skip it if: eating disorders are a trigger, age gaps with an 18-year-old bother you, or you do not read kink.
In short: Hot, caring and heavy — a kink romance with a real heart.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
This is a new release from a small press, with a readership built largely through the Love on the Podium series and advance readers; a web search surfaced no Reddit threads. On Goodreads the split is 40% five stars, 36% four, 19% three, 2% two and 1% one. On StoryGraph, 66% tag it emotional and 77% say the character development is strong. I could not find an audiobook.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): The consent-forward kink first. Second, Blake. Third, the representation. Fourth, the Olympic setting.
What readers argue about and complain about: The eating-disorder content, above everything. Second, the age gap with an 18-year-old. Third, Imani’s abrasiveness. Fourth, line-level writing for a minority.
The comparison worth making first: If you want a hockey player falling for a figure skater without the kink, It’s a Love/Skate Relationship is a gentler YA take.
Frequently Asked Questions
How spicy is A Gold Medal in Love?
Very. It is a kinky romance with a D/s dynamic and plenty of BDSM on page, all negotiated and consensual. Romance.io lists it at 4 of 5, explicit open door, from a single rating, and reader reviews agree it is scorching.
How old are Imani and Blake?
Imani is 18, and Blake is roughly ten years older, in their late twenties. The age gap is a point of discussion for some readers, especially because the D/s dynamic begins while Imani is 18.
What are the content warnings for A Gold Medal in Love?
An active eating disorder written from inside the character’s head, anxiety, a harmful coach, racism and microaggressions, misgendering, and BDSM. Romance.io readers also flag self-harm, fatphobia, misogyny and abuse. Please check them before reading.
Is A Gold Medal in Love part of a series?
Yes. It belongs to Love on the Podium, a shared multi-author series of Winter Olympics romances. Blake’s best friend Charlie is the lead of A Good Puck by Rochelle Wolf, but each book stands alone.
Is A Gold Medal in Love on Kindle Unlimited?
Yes, at the time of writing the Kindle edition is available on Kindle Unlimited.
If You Loved A Gold Medal in Love, Read These Next
Try It’s a Love/Skate Relationship for another hockey-and-figure-skating pairing, or browse our books like Heated Rivalry list for more steamy hockey romance. For more, see our sapphic hockey romance and neurodivergent sapphic romance lists, or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
A Gold Medal in Love sets out to be a kinky Olympic romcom with real emotional weight, and for most readers it delivers: Blake is unforgettable, the kink is negotiated with care, and Imani’s journey matters. What holds it back is how heavy and potentially triggering that journey is, an age gap that gives some readers pause, and prose that did not land for everyone. For readers who want this kind of story, it is worth it. Check A Gold Medal in Love on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, A Gold Medal in Love ranks as a good, very spicy sports romance — caring kink and strong representation, held back by heavy content and divisive elements.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 3.7/5
- ✓ 4.13 average across 83 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 76% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.72 on StoryGraph from 32 reviews
- ✓ 4.2 stars across 59 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★★☆ 3.9/5
- ✓ Roommates to lovers
- ✓ Built on trust
- ✓ Whirlwind timeline
- ✓ Age gap divisive
Characters ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Blake beloved
- ✓ Imani grows
- ✓ Imani abrasive for some
- ✓ Series crossover cast
Writing ★★★☆☆ 3.3/5
- ✓ Fun banter
- ✓ Researched representation
- ✓ Poor line-level for one critic
- ✓ Minor editing issues
Emotional Impact ★★★★☆ 4/5
- ✓ Eating-disorder recovery
- ✓ Racism and microaggressions
- ✓ Heavy for some
- ✓ Simplified for one reader
Heat Level ★★★★☆ 4/5
- ✓ Romance.io 4/5, explicit
- ✓ Many BDSM scenes
- ✓ Consent negotiated on page
- ✓ Religious-play scene
Ending ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Epilogue left readers smiling
- ✓ Big career decisions faced
- ✓ Leaves readers wanting more
- ✓ HEA vs HFN not specified
Re-read Value ★★★☆☆ 3.4/5
- ✓ On Kindle Unlimited
- ✓ Short at 224 pages
- ✓ Heavy content
- ✓ No audiobook found
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