Review & Blog Tour: On The Ice by Amy Aislin (Review, Guest Post and Giveaway)



Thanks for joining me today on the fourth stop of my blog tour for my newest m/m romance novel, On the Ice, and thank you to Bayou Book Junkie for having me!

I’m a pantser, not a plotter, so when it came time to write On the Ice, I did so without an outline. I had a basic idea of what was going to happen—Alex was demisexual from the beginning, for example, and Mitch was always going to be the smart-mouthed college kid who falls hard for Alex. But the characters and story developed as I went.

When I got the feedback from my editor, she had some changes she wanted to see to make the book stronger. Some were easy, like “Alex sounds a bit too much like Mitch here.” And some were a little more complex and involved threading something new into the entire story. So I created a plot board so I could see the overall picture and try to figure out what needed to change and where and how that would affect continuity later in the story. Check it out below.

The middle section of this presentation board is the actual plot board, divided into chapters. The yellow stickies are Mitch’s point of view, the blue Alex’s, and the purple are text exchanges between them. After I got the feedback from my editor, the board was covered in the smaller pink stickies you see. Those summarized changes needed in a particular scene.

On the left, the small, yellow stickies are headings. The blue stickies underneath them have a list of Alex’s and Mitch’s teammates and coaches. The green stickies are character descriptions. Mostly physical descriptions with some personalities thrown in.

And on the right, that random small, blue sticky? That’s just how I kept track of what page I ended my editing session on. I’d write it on there before shutting down for the day.

I hope you enjoyed this insight into my writing strategy for On the Ice. Pick up the book at Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, or B&N. Follow me on the rest of my blog tour.

May 9: Love Bytes
May 11: The Novel Approach
May 15: Joyfully Jay
May 17: Bayou Book Junkie
May 19: MM Good Book Reviews

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win an On the Ice prize pack, including a signed paperback, a notebook, a one of a kind professional art print, NHL mini chocolate pucks, and real Canadian maple syrup.

Universal Buy Link

Length: 87,100 words approx.

Cover Design: Lee Hyat Design

Blurb

For college sophomore Mitch Greyson, determination and persistence are the name of the game if he wants to make it as a professional hockey player. A busy schedule of practices, games, classes, homework, two part-time jobsóand now, working with a tutor to help him pass the class heís failing so that he can keep his scholarshipóshouldnít leave him with enough time to flirt with the NHL player in town. But that doesnít stop him.

Placed on the injured reserve list until his broken arm heals, NHL defenseman Alex Dean is using the time off to be with his ailing grandfather and get a head start on the book heís been commissioned to write. He doesnít expect to get roped into a tutoring gig, especially not for cocky, smart-ass Mitch.

But Alex soon discovers that thereís more to Mitch than meets the eye...and he really likes what he sees. Only Alex doesnít dare risk his NHL career by coming out, and a relationship between them would jeopardize Mitchís chances with the organization too.

It looks impossible. Then again, the best things usually do...

5 Stars

Mitch is a college sophomore, trying to juggle school and hockey along with two jobs. Cut off by his mother after he refuses to attend business school and prepare to join the family business, Mitch is just trying to survive. He meets pro-hockey player, Alex when Alex sits on a panel at his school. Mitch is instantly attracted to Alex and tries to turn on the charm, but Alex is demisexual, so it doesn’t work, but while he may not be sexually attracted to Mitch, something about him draws Alex in, but Alex wants, no, needs, to get to know the real Mitch, not the arrogant, obnoxious flirt Mitch puts out there for everyone else.

I wasn’t too sure about Mitch at first. He was a bit, well okay, a lot obnoxious and pushy, something I can’t stand, but when you peel away the layers, and really get to know Mitch, his situation is heartbreaking. I was exhausted just reading his routine of practice, school and work, then to try to fit in a relationship, well, I just wasn’t sure where he’d find another spare second.

I loved Alex, as well. He was sweet, caring and confident. I loved that he was so comfortable in who he was. I didn’t know a lot about demisexuals before this story. I’d only read a couple of books featuring a demisexual, but I found Alex’s story to be very informative, without being boringly educational, I learned a lot reading it and I think I understand it much more now.

The story was well-written and while it maybe dragged just a bit in the middle, I was never bored and I ate up the pages of this book. I wanted a conclusion, and while I got an amazing ending, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Mitch and Alex. They had awesome chemistry and I loved the slow progression of their relationship, it was very natural. It definitely wasn’t rushed and not only did they get to know each other, but they were well-developed, so I got to know them, too.

There were some great secondary characters as well. A few of Alex and Mitch’s teammates were awesome and I absolutely adored Mitch’s best friend and roommate, Cody and am really hoping his story is next. I also loved Alex’s mom, she was such an amazing woman and a great support system for both Alex and Mitch.

This was an enjoyable story and I can’t wait for the next book in the series. Very recommendable!

*copy provided by author/publisher for my reading pleasure, a review was not a requirement*

May 8 - Xtreme Delusions, We Three Queens, Bookaholic & Kindle, MM Midnight Cafe
May 10 - Love Bytes, Mean Girls Luv Books, Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books, Kimmer's Erotic Book Banter, United Indie Book Blog, Megan's Media Melange, Urban Smoothie Read, Mainely Stories
May 11 - The Novel Approach
May 12 - My Fiction Nook, Katie's Book Corner, Dreams & Screams Bookaholics, Love Unchained Book Reviews
May 14 - Drops Of Ink, Unquietly Me, Cupcakes & Bookshelves, Wicked Faerie's Tales & Reviews, Making It Happen, Wicked Reads
May 15 - Joyfully Jay
May 16 - Valerie Ullmer, Queerly Reads, Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings, Sarandipity, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
May 17 - Bayou Book Junkie
May 19 - MM Good Book Reviews

Amy started writing on a rainy day in fourth grade when her class was forced to stay inside for recess. Tales of adventures with her classmates quickly morphed into tales of adventures with the characters in her head. Based in the suburbs of Toronto, Amy is a marketer/fundraiser at a large environmental non-profit in Toronto by day, and a writer by night. Book enthusiast, animal lover and (very) amateur photographer, her interests are many and varied, including travelling, astronomy, ecology, and baking. She binge watches too much anime, and loves musical theater, Julie Andrews, the Backstreet Boys, and her hometown of Oakville, Ontario.

Connect with Amy:
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QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/amy-aislin/
Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/amyaislin

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