Name: Ice Queen
ISBN: 9781635557213

Gun Brooke

School counselor Aislin Kennedy wants to help standoffish C EO Susanna Garry and her troubled teenage daughter become closer--even if it means risking her own heart in the process.

Ice Queen

Megan Cooper

3.75 -4.00

If you enjoy Brooke's books based in East Quay, you'll be happy to see another installment. Some of the previous books' characters make appearances but the focus is on the two new characters - Aislan and Susanna. 

I've enjoyed Brooke's romances quite a bit - they provide a sweet and emotional storyline with engaging characters - and this definitely is one more that I would add to the list. I vacillate over whether I like the common setting/characters ... it's nice to have re-visit with the women from the last books, but at the same time, it feels a bit contrived to have all these women whose lives intersect. East Quay is starting to rival Rad's Provincetown for the largest lesbian protagonist population. :)

This is a romance based on an ice queen trope - Aislan is the gregarious and charming school counselor who manages to melt the icy reserve of Susana, a buttoned up CEO who's focus is on business and not interpersonal relationships. There's very little external obstacles or angst - other than the requisite baggage each woman brings related to confidence, trust and commitment. I really enjoyed the two characters - there was a nice development of both that wasn't totally dependent on their relationship or romance. There's a great chemistry between the two that ratchets up pretty quickly and there's more than a bit of sizzle in their encounters. 
 
One of the subplots (that actually bring the women together after their chance meeting at a club) revolves around Susanna's daughter's struggles at her school. Rather than hitting the reader over the head, I think Ms Brooke handles the bullying through insinuation and hints - and Cynt is portrayed in a pretty realistic way with not wanting to tell her mother and internalizing the anger and pain. Like Susanna and Aislan, the readers know that there's something going on, but Cynt won't talk about it. 

An enjoyable romance read with great new characters introduced to East Quay's microcosm of lesbian power players and celebrities. I would recommend to anyone that wants a bit of romance to lighten up your lockdown days.

Ice Queen

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