From Lukov with Love

[A quick note: This gem was on my radar for a few months after seeing it on a friend’s Bookstagram. I’ve been seeking out more ice skating themed books because I started lessons and this one was perfect. Even better: its on Kindle Unlimited! So I decided to read it digitally and not buy a physical copy. It turned out to be everything I want in a romance.]

“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲, 𝐨𝐫… 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭.” —Mariana Zapatista

When figure skaters Jasmine and Ivan pair up, they are forced to put aside their differences and work together if they want to win gold. This story is packed with snark, figure skating, and romance. Fair warning, a massive book hangover will follow! This one was impossible to put down. I plowed through it in two days, putting aside a lot of stuff I should have gotten done so that I could see what happened next. And when it was over, I felt a little lost. I didn’t want to pick up another book afterward.

This romance is the perfect example of “enemies-to-lovers” because unlike some slightly tamer versions of this trope, nothing’s held back. Jasmine and Ivan are enemies through and through, right down to the cut-throat insults they throw back and forth during practices. These aren’t tame insults. From “Your costume is ugly,” to “You missed puberty,” these two aren’t afraid to get harsh. That’s before they’re stuck partnering up. After that, they’re forced to work through their differences and work together to become a good pair. Of course, both of them discover that there’s more to the other than meet’s the eye. They also discover that maybe there’s a reason they’ve been throwing insults back and forth: because unlike all the other skaters, these two can both dish it and take it.

I enjoyed the character growth of Jasmine’s character. She isn’t much for filters, so she says what she means and holds nothing back. She’s certainly not a “miss prissy” by any means. That hasn’t boded well for her figure skating career, but why should she change who she is to please others? She’s unapologetic and true to herself. However, she does come to some shocking realizations that begin to change her, such as how she treats her family and those around her. By the end of the book, she’s constantly trying to be “better” which translates to being the bigger person and not lashing out. There’s plenty of internal conflict with her character in the latter half of the book.

Overall, I loved this one. It was recommended to me by a few people on Bookstagram and I put it off for months. I’m sad it’s over. It was the perfect stand alone romance. Highly recommended for anyone who loves enemies to lovers and sports romances. 𝐌𝐘 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝟓/𝟓⭐️