Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Kiss and Cry
AUTHOR: Keira Andrews
PUBLISHER: KA Books
LENGTH: 264 pages
RELEASE DATE: January 6, 2022
BLURB:
Will figure skating enemies become lovers?
Henry
Everything comes easily for Theo Sullivan, whether it’s jumps or figure skating world titles. Everyone loves him—judges, fans, coaches.
I hate him.
Now he’s invaded my training center, and I have to see him every day as we prepare for the Olympics. I’m going to win gold if it’s the last thing I do. I’m going to beat him.
But the strangest thing is happening. I’m peeking under his happy-go-lucky exterior and discovering there’s more to Theo than I imagined.
This is a mistake. I can’t trust him.
I can’t be falling in love.
Theo
My mom’s convinced training with Henry Sakaguchi will distract me heading into the Olympics. No way—Henry’s epically boring and cold. He might as well be carved from ice.
But when I need help, he’s there. He tries to keep me at arm’s length, but it’s no use. He’s too kind. Too generous. He’s caring and gorgeous and hot, and I’ve never wanted anyone like this.
I might want Henry more than a gold medal.
Am I falling in love?
Kiss and Cry by Keira Andrews is a steamy gay sports romance featuring grumpy/sunshine opposites attracting, secretly soft-hearted boys, hurt/comfort, and of course a happy ending.
REVIEW:
Gorgeous men who are Olympic bound superstar ice skaters…what’s not to love!
Henry Sakaguchi has worked hard his entire life for one goal…being the best men’s figure skater in the world! He has worked his butt off for that goal and is one of the most dedicated, disciplined and focused skater you will ever find. But now his coaches are telling him that his arch rival, Theo Sullivan, is coming to train at his facility with his coaches! Yes, Theo’s coach has been diagnosed pancreatic cancer and asked a personal favor that he train up with them. So obviously Henry, who is professional and polite, can’t say no. But Theo drives him up a freaking wall! He has so much natural ability and just glides on that, not taking practice too seriously. Now how is he going to focus on his routines so he can finally beat the man that he hates with a passion and has managed to keep him on the second place podium the last two years!
Although this started off a bit slow for me I started to love both scarred men. Henry, for the one mistake in trust he made that has haunted him for almost four years and made him even more leery and standoffish to other people. It was his defense mechanism against being hurt by people he should be able to trust in his sport’s circle. And Theo, for his demanding and belligerent bully of a sport stage mother. That woman was the bane of his existence! How she thought it was in her right to speak for him or to call his coaches and demand that they do something her way was beyond comprehension. The man was twenty-five years old and living on his own. She had absolutely no right to badger him or his coaching staff about things like training schedules, costumes or food restrictions. Yes, he was a tad bit lazy with his training routine. And yes, he would indulge in foods and alcohol that weren’t the best for him but he was a grown man and had the right to mess up if he wanted to once in a while…or maybe more often than not. He was the one that would pay for his cheat days. And his coaches were the ones to point it out not his mother with her rink spies. That’s what he paid them for!
I was beyond thrilled when both men learned the true other man. The one they don’t show to most people. They may have been polar opposites. Henry being extremely introverted and cautious. Theo being a gregarious extrovert who didn’t seem to know what a quiet moment was. However I believe their personalities both covered the deep insecurities and hurts that they had lived with.
I think one of my favorite moments was when Theo finally grew a pair and publicly confronted his mother. His love for Henry shone even brighter at that moment.
This books seems to be a spin-off of the Cold War series and the Only One Bed book. You get glimpses of the couples from all these books and Henry is Sam’s brother. I haven’t read any of these yet but plan to now. It didn’t seem to make a difference in the story however.
After the slow start I really go into and enjoyed this book and then didn’t want to set it down. The start was a bit cold like Henry but warmed up like he did when he let down his guard and let Theo in. This was a fun figure skating themed book with some steamy/sexy moments!
RATING: 
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