Save Your Breath by Kandi Steiner is out now and, having received an ARC, I can say it's a must-read for any sports romance lovers.
One of my favourite authors is Kandi Steiner. Kandi has written a mix of standalones and series over the years.
Her most recent book, Save Your Breath, is the fourth book in the Kings of the Ice series. I absolutely love Kandi's books and I was lucky enough to receive an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of Save Your Breath.
The book is out now, it was released on Thursday 20th March. I absolutely it loved reading Save Your Breath and wanted to share my thoughts with you all.
It is a sports romance, so it's not for everyone, but if you are a reader and you do enjoy romance books, then I'd highly recommend it.
Review of Save Your Breath by Kandi Steiner
Genre: Sports romance
Tropes:
Childhood friends to lovers
Fake engagement
Slow burn
Hockey player x Popstar
Forced proximity
Unrequited love (or so they think)
Overall Rating: 5 Stars
Synopsis
Save Your Breath is book four in the Kings of the Ice series. It is an interconnected standalone in that the characters do cross over, but it can be read on its own.
The synopsis of the book is:
"THIS JUST IN: HOCKEY BAD BOY AND POP STAR EXTRAORDINAIRE ENGAGED!
That was the headline we'd wanted. If only I’d known the cost to get it.
Aleksander Suter has been my best friend since high school—and the only man who’s ever been able to truly get under my skin. With his reputation for trouble and a smirk that could melt ice, he’s also the NHL’s favourite bad boy.
When my publicist’s plan to fix my image collides with his need to clean up his own, we find ourselves in a fake engagement that feels too real from the start.
Now, I’m releasing my new album, putting on a show for the paparazzi I usually try to dodge, and falling too fast for a man who never falls for anyone. Every stolen glance, every heated touch blurs the lines between us until I’m wondering where the lies end and the truth begins.
And when a hurricane traps us together in his high-rise condo, all my carefully built walls collapse, and resisting the pull between us becomes a losing game.
Suddenly, the stakes are higher than just headlines, and the risks feel more personal than ever.
But as our past resurfaces and old feelings reignite, I realize the biggest risk isn’t losing my career—it’s losing my heart to the one person I thought would never be mine."
I love sports romance books, so it was no surprise to me that I absolutely loved Save Your Breath by Kandi Steiner. This book was a five-star read for me and this year, I promised myself I would limit my five-star ratings.
Aleks and Mia's story is packed full of emotion and as a reader, I felt I went on their journey with them. Yes, Aleks is a famous hockey player and Mia is an international pop star, but they are also two childhood best friends, struggling to deal with their emotions for each other and trying to figure out life.
This made them so relatable and made the story much more enjoyable. The main trope is, of course, fake engagement. I love it when a couple in a book has to pretend to be together, but because Mia and Aleks were already friends, it made it even better.
The dual POV perfected this book because it really helped build the suspense by providing both the protagonist's perspective and the angst! Save Your Breath is a slow burn full of angst and I am here for it.
It was so good waiting for Mia and Aleks to finally give in and admit how they felt. There is a little bit of miscommunication, and whilst I wouldn't normally like that trope because it can get frustrating, I loved this book.
Now onto characters. Aleksander Suter is a famous hockey player, who isn't exactly known for being friendly. He's known as the bad boy of the NHL. Having dreamed of being a hockey player, he moved from Switzerland to America and lived with Mia's family. Life hasn't exactly been kind to Aleks, but he is such a kind soul.
There were times in this book when Aleks' emotions were really strong and I loved how we saw him as this strong, masculine hockey player, but also as a vulnerable man. He is charming, he can get what he wants, and he isn't afraid to use his looks or status. But he also cares and is afraid of losing those he cares for.
The same goes for Mia. She is an international pop star, who has been wronged by her ex and his friend in the media. With an upcoming album scheduled for release, Mia wants to prove that she's not hung up on her ex-boyfriend. But the plan of being fake engaged to Aleks soon turns real for Mia as it brings up memories from their childhood.
She is a talented pop star with a huge fanbase, but she's also just an ordinary girl who fell in love with her best friend. I really liked Mia's character and watching her evolve throughout the book. She is funny and sarcastic, but also the kind of friend everyone would want.
Mia and Aleks together worked perfectly and I really enjoyed their dynamic. The flirtation, the teasing, the banter, the spice... all of it was superb. Plus, the side characters, which included couples from previous books, and the couple of book five, were so fun to read about.
Kandi Steiner has created a fantastic world within the Kings of the Ice series and I love it! It was a hard decision to put this book down and work because I just wanted to delve back into Aleks and Mia's story.
So, thank you Kandi for the ARC.
Intrigued?
If my review has got you thinking about giving Save Your Breath a read, I highly recommend it. I would say, though, that I've found reading the other books in the series enhances the reading experience, so if you haven't met the other couples in the Kings of the Ice series, do go and check them out.
You can find Save Your Breath by Kandi Steiner on Amazon here.
Until next time...