Looking for books like Icebreaker by Hannah Grace? Start here.
If you finished Icebreaker and immediately wanted another romance with college hockey, playful banter, found family and plenty of chemistry, you're definitely not alone.
But finding the best books like Icebreaker isn't quite as simple as picking ten romances with hockey players on the cover.
Part of what makes Nate and Anastasia's story so addictive is the combination: two ambitious athletes, forced proximity, a close-knit friend group, a genuinely caring hero, humor, emotional support and plenty of spice.
So instead of filling this list with random hockey romances, I looked for books that recreate different pieces of that Icebreaker magic.
Some keep us in college hockey. Some give us another protective sports-romance hero. A few put figure skating back on the ice. And others deliver the sweet, spicy, found-family feeling that made Maple Hills so much fun in the first place.
What Should You Read After Icebreaker?
If you loved Icebreaker by Hannah Grace, start with The Deal by Elle Kennedy for college hockey and banter, Collide by Bal Khabra for another ambitious heroine paired with a college hockey captain, or Consider Me by Becka Mack if Nate's caring, all-in energy was your favorite part.
For readers who loved Anastasia's figure-skating storyline, Unsteady, Revolve and From Lukov with Love should move straight to the top of your TBR.
Why Readers Love Icebreaker
At first glance, Icebreaker looks like a hockey romance. But that's only part of its appeal.
Anastasia Allen is a competitive figure skater with serious goals of her own, while Nate Hawkins is captain of the Maple Hills hockey team. When circumstances push their two worlds together, the story becomes about much more than sports.
There's the banter and attraction, of course, but there's also friendship, team camaraderie, emotional support and that irresistible contrast between Anastasia's tightly controlled personality and Nate's warm, patient persistence.
If you're looking for romances with that same combination, these are the books I'd put at the top of your list.
Don't miss my Books Like The Deal by Elle Kennedy recommendations for even more sports romance, banter and chemistry.
📚 My Top 10 Books Like Icebreaker
Whether you want more college hockey, another Nate-worthy hero or a romance that keeps figure skating front and center, these are my strongest picks.
1. The Deal by Elle Kennedy
Best for: College hockey • banter • fake dating • emotional depth
If the college-hockey atmosphere was one of your favorite parts of Icebreaker, The Deal is the obvious place to go next. Garrett Graham is a college hockey star whose slipping grades threaten his future on the ice, while Hannah Wells reluctantly agrees to tutor him. Their arrangement begins as a deal and turns into something neither expected.
Garrett and Nate aren't identical heroes, but both stories balance hockey, chemistry, humor and characters dealing with real emotional baggage. You also get the campus setting and close-knit hockey-team dynamic that makes sports romance especially fun.
Why Icebreaker readers may love it: College hockey, a swoony sports hero, strong banter and a romance that develops into something much more meaningful than either character expected.
I have an entire list for this one too: read my Books Like The Deal recommendations here.
2. Collide by Bal Khabra
Best for: College hockey • ambitious heroine • forced proximity • banter
Collide may be one of the closest choices for readers who want another college romance built around a driven heroine and a hockey captain.
Summer Preston has carefully planned her future in sports psychology. Unfortunately, her academic work puts her directly in the path of college hockey captain Aiden Crawford. She isn't impressed by hockey players, he doesn't understand her need to plan everything, and their bickering gradually becomes something much harder to ignore.
Why Icebreaker readers may love it: Summer's ambition gives the heroine her own goals outside the romance, while the college setting, hockey captain, forced interaction and bickering-to-banter chemistry feel very at home beside Maple Hills.
3. Consider Me by Becka Mack
Best for: He falls first • hockey • found family • spice
If Nate Hawkins was the reason you couldn't put Icebreaker down, move Consider Me toward the top of your list.
NHL star Carter Beckett is used to getting attention, but Olivia Parker has absolutely no interest in becoming another woman impressed by a professional hockey player. Carter, however, becomes determined to prove he's interested in far more than a quick fling.
This one moves us from college hockey to the professional league, but keeps several of the things Icebreaker readers love: humor, spice, a strong friend group, found family and a hero who becomes completely invested in his heroine.
Why Icebreaker readers may love it: Come for the hockey and spice; stay for the all-in hero and the time spent watching the relationship actually grow.
4. Offside by Avery Keelan
Best for: College hockey • protective hero • ex's rival • spice
Bailey James isn't looking for another complicated relationship after getting dumped. Choosing her ex-boyfriend's hockey rival as a rebound sounds like the perfect revenge plan—until Chase Carter turns out to be much sweeter and more protective than his reputation suggests.
Like Icebreaker, this gives you a college setting, plenty of hockey, chemistry and a hero whose softer side becomes one of the biggest reasons to keep turning pages.
Why Icebreaker readers may love it: If Nate's combination of confident athlete and unexpectedly caring boyfriend worked for you, Chase brings a similar “soft for her” appeal—with plenty of spice along the way.
5. Unsteady by Peyton Corinne
Best for: Hockey + figure skating • college romance • emotional healing
Readers who loved having both hockey and figure skating in Icebreaker should take a close look at Unsteady.
Waterfell University hockey captain Rhys Koteskiy is struggling to return to the ice after an injury leaves him dealing with panic attacks. Figure skater Sadie Brown is carrying more responsibilities than anyone around her realizes. When she sees Rhys struggling, an unexpected understanding begins between them.
This is a more emotionally intense read than Icebreaker, so don't pick it expecting exactly the same lighthearted tone.
Why Icebreaker readers may love it: The college setting, hockey captain and figure-skater pairing are an unusually close match, while the emotional storyline gives the romance considerably more weight.
6. Revolve by Bal Khabra
Best for: Figure skater + hockey player • college setting • emotional recovery
Want another romance that puts a figure skater and hockey player on the same ice? Revolve is one of the most natural follow-up reads.
Former Olympic figure skater Sierra Romanova is trying to reclaim her confidence on the rink after an accident. Hockey player Dylan Donovan has problems of his own after reckless behavior puts his future in the sport at risk.
The combination of college life, hockey and figure skating makes this especially appealing if the two-athlete dynamic was what first drew you to Nate and Anastasia.
Why Icebreaker readers may love it: This is one of the closest premise matches on the list, while still giving the characters and their struggles a story of their own.
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7. From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
Best for: Figure skating • rivals • forced partnership • very slow burn
If Anastasia's dedication to figure skating was more important to you than the hockey, this is the recommendation I wouldn't skip.
Jasmine Santos has devoted years of her life to competitive figure skating, but her window to achieve everything she's worked for is beginning to close. Then an opportunity involving longtime rival Ivan Lukov gives her another chance.
This is a much slower burn than Icebreaker, but the athletic ambition and skating are much more central to the story.
Why Icebreaker readers may love it: Read this when Anastasia the athlete—not simply Anastasia and Nate as a couple—was one of your favorite parts of Icebreaker.
8. Behind the Net by Stephanie Archer
Best for: Protective hockey hero • forced proximity • grumpy/sunshine • spice
Pippa Hartley becomes the live-in assistant to professional hockey player Jamie Streicher—the same intimidating goalie she once had a crush on in high school.
Jamie may initially come across as grumpy and demanding, but underneath that exterior is a surprisingly sweet and protective hero who encourages Pippa to reclaim the dreams she had put aside.
Why Icebreaker readers may love it: Jamie isn't Nate, but readers who loved seeing a powerful athlete become supportive, protective and completely invested in the heroine should find plenty to enjoy here.
9. Mile High by Liz Tomforde
Best for: Professional hockey • banter • workplace proximity • spice
Ready to graduate from college hockey to the NHL? Mile High follows Chicago hockey star Evan Zanders and Stevie, the new flight attendant working aboard his team's private plane.
Zanders has carefully built a cocky public image, while Stevie has no intention of becoming another woman impressed by a professional athlete. Their constant proximity on team road trips makes ignoring each other increasingly difficult.
Why Icebreaker readers may love it: The setting is more adult and professional, but you'll still get hockey, sharp banter, heat and a sports hero who becomes far more emotionally invested than he expected.
10. Wildfire by Hannah Grace
Best for: More Maple Hills • forced proximity • found family • Hannah Grace fans
Sometimes what you really want after Icebreaker isn't another hockey romance at all—you just aren't ready to leave Hannah Grace's Maple Hills world.
Wildfire follows Maple Hills students Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts after a one-night stand unexpectedly turns into a summer spent working together as camp counselors. There's just one complication: relationships between staff are against the rules.
The rink may be gone, but the familiar world, friendships, forced proximity and mix of heat and heart make this the natural choice for readers who simply want more Hannah Grace.
Why Icebreaker readers may love it: Same Maple Hills universe, another emotionally complicated couple and more of Hannah Grace's blend of romance, friendship and found family.
A Few More Books to Consider After Icebreaker
Still building your sports-romance TBR? These aren't quite as close a match as my top ten, but each recreates something Icebreaker readers may be looking for:
- Daydream by Hannah Grace — return to Maple Hills for another romance in the same familiar universe.
- Pucking Around by Emily Rath — for readers specifically looking for hockey, found family and considerably more heat. Keep in mind that this is a why-choose/poly romance, so the relationship structure is very different from Icebreaker.
- Blind Side by Kandi Steiner — college football rather than hockey, but worth considering if the campus sports-romance atmosphere is what you're chasing.
- The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams — a sweeter, lower-spice sports romance for readers who want friendship, humor and an athlete hero more than they need hockey.
Which Icebreaker Read-Alike Should You Choose?
| If You Loved... | Try... |
|---|---|
| College hockey + banter | The Deal or Collide |
| Nate Hawkins | Consider Me or Offside |
| Hockey + figure skating | Unsteady or Revolve |
| Anastasia's skating career | From Lukov with Love |
| Protective hockey heroes | Behind the Net |
| Hockey + spice, but more adult | Mile High |
| The Maple Hills world | Wildfire |
More Hannah Grace on Forever Book Lover
Want to see Hannah Grace in a completely different setting? Read my review of Holiday Ever After by Hannah Grace , a cozy holiday romance that trades the hockey rink for small-town Christmas charm.
Finding Your Next Book After Icebreaker
The best book to read after Icebreaker really depends on what made you fall for Nate and Anastasia in the first place.
If it was the college hockey and banter, start with The Deal or Collide. If Nate Hawkins set your new standard for sports-romance heroes, try Consider Me or Offside. And if you loved seeing figure skating share the spotlight with hockey, Unsteady and Revolve are especially strong choices.
For me, that's what makes a good read-alike list useful. The next book doesn't have to duplicate Icebreaker. It just needs to capture the part of the story you aren't quite ready to let go.
💬 Join the Conversation
What did you love most about Icebreaker—Nate Hawkins, the hockey, Anastasia's figure skating, the found family or the spice?
And if you've already found a book that gave you the same feeling, tell me in the comments. I'm always looking for another romance to add to my TBR.
Frequently Asked Questions About Books Like Icebreaker
What books are most similar to Icebreaker by Hannah Grace?
Some of the closest books to Icebreaker are Collide by Bal Khabra, The Deal by Elle Kennedy, Unsteady by Peyton Corinne and Revolve by Bal Khabra. Each combines multiple elements readers associate with Icebreaker, including college life, hockey, ambitious characters, forced proximity or figure skating.
What should I read if I loved Nate Hawkins?
Try Consider Me by Becka Mack, Offside by Avery Keelan or Behind the Net by Stephanie Archer. Each features a hockey hero whose caring or protective side becomes an important part of the romance.
What should I read after Icebreaker if I loved the figure skating?
Start with From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata if you want figure skating to play an especially important role. Unsteady by Peyton Corinne and Revolve by Bal Khabra are also strong choices because they bring figure skating and hockey together.
Are there more books in the Maple Hills series after Icebreaker?
Yes. Wildfire and Daydream continue Hannah Grace's Maple Hills series with new couples. If what you miss most is the Maple Hills world and Hannah Grace's writing style, staying in the series is an easy next choice.
What books like Icebreaker have college hockey?
For more college hockey romance, try The Deal by Elle Kennedy, Collide by Bal Khabra, Offside by Avery Keelan and Unsteady by Peyton Corinne.
What books like Icebreaker are spicy?
Readers looking for another combination of sports romance and open-door chemistry may enjoy Consider Me, Offside, Behind the Net and Mile High. Heat levels and relationship dynamics vary, so choose according to the particular part of Icebreaker you want to recreate.
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