How he initially treats his depression, his poor coping strategies (alcohol, lots and lots of alcohol) and the long time it takes for him to slowly accept, acknowledge and find more positive coping strategies gives credit to how hard it is to live with depression and the very real challenge that many people face. It is all true to his character, to the way he sees the world. Everything that Mickey feels (or doesn’t feel, in some cases) reads so authentically. Okay, positive is maybe not the right word but it is done so well and with such finesse. I don’t think I’ve ever read such a depression-positive book. It made it Mickey’s story and I loved the time we got to know him and see inside his head. I adored that this book was told through the single perspective of Mickey James, rather than using duel perspectives. And when he starts to fall for that rival, despite also arguing and fighting non stop with him, Mickey will have to chose – destiny or a chance at a future he might finally, actually care about. But when his draft ranking rival is placed on the same team, Mickey knows he will have to work harder than ever to prove he is worth all the hype. He just has to survive his first year of college before he is drafted as the top pick and then he will have fulfilled that destiny. Ever since he was born, it’s been ordained that he will follow in his father and grandfather’s skates.

Mickey James the Third is ice hockey royalty. Icebreaker is a mix of YA and new adult, with our main characters in their first year of college but with less sexually explicit content that what one might expect from a new adult novel. I think I start every sports book review with a statement about how much I love sport fiction. Icebreaker is an addictive sports fiction novel, about LGBT+ identity in sports, mental health, family and romance.

Icebreaker by A.L. Graziadei