Hearts on Thin Ice

Kennedy’s adult debut (after the YA novel What Goes Up) follows Nick Sorenson, a professional hockey player hoping to return to the game after a devastating plane crash injured him and killed his five closest friends. Nick thinks he’s ready to return to the ice, but his bleak and bare apartment suggests otherwise. When his coach orders him to make his apartment into a home, Nick asks up-and-coming interior designer Alyssa Compton for help. Alyssa is excited about the opportunity, but Nick’s stubborn reluctance proves more challenging than expected. As the two work together, however, he begins to open up; soon, cracks in his gruff exterior make way for healing and support for them both. Narrators Scarlett Everdeen and Nick Mondelli ably embody both characters’ perspectives. Everdeen’s eager, funny demeanor pairs well with Mondelli’s tone, which, though rough and tortured, hints at the vulnerability beneath.