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Verdict: A tender, low-heat hockey romance between a reclusive retired legend who runs a girls’ camp and the bubbly bisexual pro she hires for the summer — praised for its handling of depression, family homophobia and bi-erasure, but slow in the first half and light on actual hockey.
Best for: Readers who want character-driven sports romance, mental-health representation and closed-door heat.
Heat level: Low (fade to black per I Heart SapphFic; no romance.io rating)
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.5/5 — a 3.64 Goodreads average across 796 ratings and 3.52 on StoryGraph from 363 reviews)
Tropes: Grumpy/sunshine, retired athlete and active player, summer fling, long distance, bisexual heroine, private heroine, slow burn, series starter.
Out on the Ice is Kelly Farmer’s 2020 debut contemporary lesbian romance from Carina Press, the first book in her Out on the Ice series. Caro Cassidy, once one of the best defenders in women’s hockey, now keeps to herself and pours everything into her all-girls hockey camp in Chicago. Amy Schwarzbach, bright as her lavender hair, signs on to coach for ten weeks.
It holds a 3.64 average across 796 Goodreads ratings, with 54% of them four or five stars, 3.52 on StoryGraph from 363 reviews, and 4.5 stars across 231 Amazon ratings.
What Is Out on the Ice About?
Caro competed in three Olympics before hip surgery forced her to retire. Her camp is her life, and she hopes it will be her legacy. She keeps work and personal life strictly separate — a habit rooted in a family that turned away from her after she was outed.
Amy lives life out loud, using her profile in women’s hockey to advocate for the causes she believes in, including bisexual visibility. When Caro offers to help her train for next season, Amy’s starstruck crush becomes real chemistry. As summer ends, neither can let go — but Amy plays in Boston, and Caro cannot risk a public relationship jeopardising the one thing that is truly hers.
What Makes This Hockey Romance Work
- Mental health: One reviewer says Farmer writes neurodivergence and depression with accuracy and gentleness.
- Bi representation: Readers praise the discussion of bi-erasure and Amy’s confidence in who she is.
- Opposites: A private, guarded Caro and a joyful, outspoken Amy balance each other.
- Everyday intimacy: Readers love the mundane conversations and banter that build the relationship — and Doug the dog.
- Realism: Neither heroine is perfect, and their flaws make them feel like whole people.
Book Synopsis
Caro Cassidy used to be a legend — one of the best defence players in women’s hockey. These days she keeps to herself; her all-girls hockey camp is her life. Sure, her new summer hire is charming and magnetic, but Caro keeps work and personal life strictly separate.
Amy Schwarzbach lives life out loud. Ten weeks in Chicago coaching a girls’ training camp is the perfect chance to mentor the next generation before she goes back to Boston. When the reticent head coach offers to help her get in shape for next season, her crush on Caro blossoms into real chemistry — but neither can afford for this fling to become something more.
My Review
This is a romance about two people learning to let love in, with hockey as the setting rather than the plot. Caro’s depression and her history with a homophobic family give the book weight, and Amy’s bisexuality is central rather than incidental. Readers who love it say it feels real: the characters grow closer through small conversations and teasing, and the heavier themes are handled with care. The second half, where the angst and serious moments land, is where several reviewers say it comes alive.
The complaints are consistent. Many readers found the first half slow, and sports fans wanted more hockey: games are often skipped or summarised. Some found the bi education heavy-handed or felt lectured, and one found the religious homophobia cartoonish. Others struggled to tell the two heroines apart, felt the tone lurch from jaunty to dark, or found it faded after the 60% mark.
My honest note: If you want a thoughtful, low-heat romance with good representation, it is worth your time. If you want on-ice action and spice, look elsewhere.
| Element | In Out on the Ice |
|---|---|
| Central relationship | Caro Cassidy (retired defence star, camp owner) & Amy Schwarzbach (pro player, summer coach) |
| Core tropes | Grumpy/sunshine, summer fling, long distance |
| Setting | An all-girls hockey camp in Chicago; Boston |
| Heat level | Low — fade to black |
| Length | 361 pages (Kindle); 10 h 28 min audiobook |
| Series | Out on the Ice #1 |
| Content notes | Homophobia, biphobia, depression, outing (past), suicidal ideation (minor) |
How Spicy Is Out on the Ice?
Not very. I Heart SapphFic lists it as fade to black, and readers describe it as low heat and not super steamy. Romance.io has no steam rating yet.
StoryGraph lists author-approved content warnings for biphobia, homophobia and mental illness (moderate) and suicidal ideation (minor). Readers also flag outing, religious bigotry and a toxic family.
Who Should Read This Book?
You’ll likely love it if: you want a character-driven hockey romance with thoughtful representation and closed-door heat. It is on our sapphic hockey romance list.
You may want to skip it if: you want lots of hockey, spice, or a quick start.
In short: A gentle, earnest debut that rewards patience.
What Readers Are Actually Saying (September 2026)
On Goodreads the split is 19% five stars, 35% four, 36% three, 6% two and 2% one. On StoryGraph, 73% tag it emotional and 62% lighthearted, and 87% said the character development was strong. The audiobook, narrated by Chelsea Stephens, runs 10 hours and 28 minutes, and one reader who revisited it on audio liked it even more.
Prefer audio? Listen to Out on the Ice on Libro.fm — the audiobook shop that supports independent bookstores.
Why readers love it (according to the discourse): The mental-health representation first. Second, the bi representation. Third, the realistic relationship. Fourth, Doug the dog.
What readers argue about and complain about: A slow first half, above everything. Second, too little hockey. Third, heavy-handed messaging. Fourth, a tonal shift.
The comparison worth making first: If you like Farmer’s style, Calling the Shots is the third book in the series. For a warmer, funnier retired-rivals romance, try Unadulterated Something.
Frequently Asked Questions
How spicy is Out on the Ice?
Low. Readers describe it as not very steamy, and I Heart SapphFic lists it as fade to black. Romance.io has no steam rating yet.
Is there much hockey in Out on the Ice?
Less than you might expect. Most of the on-ice time is coaching at the girls’ camp, and Amy’s pro games are mostly alluded to rather than shown.
Does Out on the Ice have bisexual representation?
Yes. Amy is an out and proud bisexual, and readers praise the book’s discussion of bi-erasure — though a couple found it heavy-handed.
Is Out on the Ice on Kindle Unlimited?
Not at the time of writing — the Kindle edition was listed for purchase at $6.99. The audiobook is narrated by Chelsea Stephens.
Is Out on the Ice part of a series?
Yes. It is book 1 of Kelly Farmer’s Out on the Ice series, followed by Unexpected Goals and Calling the Shots.
If You Loved Out on the Ice, Read These Next
Try Calling the Shots for more of Farmer’s series, Unadulterated Something for retired hockey stars coaching together, or Love Pucked for a spicier coach/player romance. For more, browse our sapphic hockey romance list, the sapphic sports romance hub, or the full Book Reviews archive.
The Bottom Line
Out on the Ice sets out to be a tender, funny romance about letting love in, and it succeeds best in its honest portrayal of depression, family rejection and bisexuality. What holds it back is a slow start and less hockey than the premise promises. For readers who want substance over spice, it is worth it. Check Out on the Ice on Amazon →
The Eikna Overall Ranking
On the Eikna scale, Out on the Ice ranks as a solid, thoughtful debut — strong on representation, slow on pacing.
The Evidence Scorecard
Overall ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ 3.64 average across 796 Goodreads ratings
- ✓ 54% of Goodreads ratings are four or five stars
- ✓ 3.52 on StoryGraph from 363 reviews
- ✓ 4.5 stars across 231 Amazon ratings
Romance ★★★★☆ 3.5/5
- ✓ Real chemistry
- ✓ Built through small moments
- ✓ Slow to start
- ✓ Lacking feels early for one
Characters ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ 87% say strong development
- ✓ Flawed and human
- ✓ Hard to tell apart for one
- ✓ Doug the dog
Writing ★★★☆☆ 3.3/5
- ✓ Gentle, accurate on mental health
- ✓ Good banter
- ✓ First half drags
- ✓ Lecturing for some
Emotional Impact ★★★★☆ 3.8/5
- ✓ Tagged emotional by 73%
- ✓ Depression and family rejection
- ✓ Tonal shift for one
- ✓ Hopeful
Heat Level — not rated
- ✓ Fade to black per I Heart SapphFic
- ✓ Low heat, per readers
- ✓ No romance.io rating
- ✓ Closed-door option
Ending — not rated
- ✓ Not verified in sources we read
- ✓ Second half stronger
- ✓ Faded after 60% for one
- ✓ Series continues
Re-read Value ★★★☆☆ 3.4/5
- ✓ Better on audio for one reader
- ✓ Series to follow
- ✓ Not on Kindle Unlimited
- ✓ 361 pages
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