Icebreaker Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary (2024)

Overview

As Hannah Grace’s debut novel, Icebreaker is the first in a planned series based on the fictional University of California, Maple Hills (UCMH). Originally published on the self-publishing platform Wattpad, Icebreaker was eventually picked up by Atria Books and published as a paperback in 2022. Grace’s novel is a hockey romance, which is a subgenre of the new adult romance genre. The story follows the developing relationship between hockey player Nathan Hawkins and figure skater Anastasia Allen, two likely enemies who navigate their respective athletic and college careers while falling in love. It also features many sexually explicit scenes and is considered “spicy” even among fans of the romance genre. Often compared to other sports romance novels like Elle Kennedy’sOff-Campusseries, Icebreaker became a favorite among romance fans on the social media platform TikTok, and Grace continues to post bonus chapters of the novel on her website.

This guide refers to the 2022 Atria Books paperback.

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Content Warning: The protagonist of Icebreaker, Anastasia Allen, deals with anxiety, disordered eating, and an abusive relationship with her skating partner.

Plot Summary

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Anastasia Allen is a figure skater at the University of California, Maple Hills and is training to become an Olympic athlete along with her friend and skating partner, Aaron Carlisle. She lives with Aaron and her best friend Lola and fends off anxiety by seeing a therapist, avoiding romantic relationships, and controlling her life with a day planner. Nathan Hawkins is the captain of the college hockey team and will join the National Hockey League (NHL) when he graduates. He lives with his teammates, Henry and Jaiden (JJ), and his best friend Robbie. When the hockey team’s ice rink is destroyed by pranksters, the athletic director forces the figure skaters to share their rink, a situation that inevitably leads to a meeting between Nathan and Anastasia. Anastasia hates hockey players and especially dislikes Nathan after he lies to her and claims that his team was not involved in the prank. Although she fends off his attempts at friendship, they keep running into each other both at the ice rink and elsewhere, because their respective friends Lola and Robbie start dating.

At one of Nathan’s parties, their antagonistic relationship turns into a sexual encounter, after which Anastasia flees the scene and avoids Nathan for a week. However, they cannot avoid each other, and they end up having more intense sexual encounters, including one incident in a crowded Uber. Over time, their relationship changes from enemies to friends who have casual sex. Meanwhile, Aaron becomes increasingly possessive of Anastasia. On Halloween, Aaron hurts his wrist playing football with his University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) friends and lies about it, blaming Nathan. Coach Faulkner threatens to cancel the season, and Nathan decides to take the blame for something he didn’t do, sacrificing his own reputation for the good of the team. As punishment, Nathan is banned from the hockey team until Aaron is cleared to skate.

Anastasia doesn’t know whether to trust Nathan or Aaron, and she doesn’t speak to Nathan for two weeks. During that time, she realizes that she has feelings for him. Her therapist recommends that she tell Nathan her feelings, set boundaries with her parents, and protect herself when dealing with Aaron. After two weeks, Anastasia and Aaron qualify at sectionals, but Aaron re-injures himself when he drops Anastasia on the ice; the injury sidelines both him and Nathan for another eight weeks. When Nathan checks on Anastasia after her fall, they confess their feelings for each other. Nathan offers to be Anastasia’s practice skating partner and helps her to rebuild her confidence after Aaron dropped her. When Aaron becomes jealous of this new arrangement, Anastasia moves in with Nathan, and they get to know each other better as friends. They make a pact not to have sex as long as they are skating partners, and Nathan helps Anastasia to overcome her fear of being picked up again.

It doesn’t take long for them to break their pact. They soon become physically intimate again, and they start to refer to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend. When the hockey team throws a Christmas party, Aaron shows up drunk and insults Anastasia, so Henry beats him up. Nathan comforts Anastasia afterward, and they reaffirm their relationship. Nathan’s roommates tell Anastasia that they like her living there, too, and Lola agrees that they need to talk about making new living arrangements after winter break. Anastasia takes Nathan to Seattle to meet her parents, and then Nathan takes Anastasia to his home in Colorado. While there, Anastasia falls through the ice in Nathan’s backyard, and Nathan saves her. They confess their love to each other. Nathan’s sister and father arrive early from vacation, and Anastasia meets them, making friends with his sister.

After winter break, Aaron is finally cleared to skate, and Nathan returns to the hockey team. Anastasia decides to attend therapy sessions with Aaron and move back in with him to prepare for nationals. Nathan disagrees with her decision because he worries about her and doesn’t trust Aaron. This conflict leads to multiple arguments. Eventually, Nathan apologizes to Anastasia for his lack of trust, and their relationship is stronger than ever. Anastasia and Aaron skate well at nationals, but during their first routine, Aaron kisses Anastasia against her will. Nathan punches Aaron, and Anastasia quits before the national competition concludes. She moves back in with Nathan. Aaron eventually transfers to UCLA, and the hockey team wins the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship. Two years later, Anastasia wins a gold medal in women’s singles, and Nathan wins the Stanley Cup with the Vancouver NHL team. They live in Seattle with their golden retriever Bunny, and Anastasia becomes pregnant. During a vacation in Mexico, Nathan proposes marriage, and she says yes.

Icebreaker Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary (2024)

FAQs

Is Icebreaker book LGBT? ›

Icebreaker is an addictive sports fiction novel, about LGBT+ identity in sports, mental health, family and romance.

Who hurt Aaron in Icebreaker summary? ›

When the hockey team throws a Christmas party, Aaron shows up drunk and insults Anastasia, so Henry beats him up. Nathan comforts Anastasia afterward, and they reaffirm their relationship.

Is Icebreaker worth reading? ›

Spice, sports romance, heavy topics, healthy relationships and more — Icebreaker has it all. I personally cannot wait for the sequel to make its appearance on my kindle. Love love loved!! This book honestly rates more as a 4.5 than a 5 but since we can't do halves I'm giving it a 5 on here!

Can a 14 year old read Icebreaker? ›

Children should not read this book unless they are over 15, as it does contain a few graphic scenes that may worry them. Overall, it is a great fluffy read for the holidays for teens.

Is the Icebreaker book spicy? ›

There is a LOT of spice in this book, and I would probably rate it 18+. :) Jules Henry first please!!

Does Henry like Anastasia in Icebreaker? ›

Henry had a huge platonic crush on Anastasia after the ice skating team were forced to share their rink with the hockey. He is the first hockey player who befriended with Anastasia due to his sweet and innocent personality.

Do Russ and Aurora end up together? ›

Aurora is Russ' wife. They first met at a party, and had a passionate one-night stand. After they meet again at the camp, Russ acts too distant with her, making her very sad. He apologized for this to her and started behaving better, eventually developing feelings for Aurora.

Who is Lola dating in Icebreaker? ›

The hockey team's arena gets vandalized, and they have to share with the figure skaters, which causes problems, and there is an icebreaker that they all have to meet each other. Lola starts dating Robbie, who is Nate's BF and roommates, and Stas starts hooking up with Nate.

Is Icebreaker a slow burn book? ›

You'll have to take my word on this and read Icebreaker, it's truly far greater than I could ever describe it. If you're looking for a contemporary romance with all the slow burn drama, this is the book for you!

Why is Icebreaker 18+? ›

Parents need to know that Icebreaker, by Hannah Grace, is a light college romance with a lot of very graphic, detailed descriptions of sex between main characters.

How old is Anastasia Allen in Icebreaker? ›

In Icebreaker, Anastasia Allen is confirmed to be 21 years old but Nathan's age is not. We know he is a senior, so he is likely the same age or a year older than Anastasia.

Is Icebreaker enemies to lovers? ›

This was both an amazing enemies to lovers hockey romance with lots of banter, and a great contemporary about a main character who deals with depression and anxiety.

Who is the love interest in Icebreaker? ›

Debut. You Anastasia "Stassie" Rebecca Hawkins (née Allen) is the main female protagonist on Icebreaker and a minor character in Wildfire. She is the love interest of Nathan Hawkins.

Is Icebreaker a romance? ›

This is more than just a fluffy, spicy rom com. It's a book about friendship, found family, love, finding and accepting yourself, and finding the person who accepts you for just the way you are. PS he falls first and the spice is so hot.

Does Aaron have a crush on Anastasia? ›

He was jealous of both Anastasia's relationships with Ryan and later Nathan because he had a crush on her, but he doesn't know how to show it properly. Because of this, he is often verbally abusive to her, which at the end makes her leave his apartment.

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