I really enjoy Mandy Baggott books and realised it had been way too long so I picked up this one as it was from back in 2019. I have read a fair few crime and thrillers so I needed something a little more light hearted. Samantha Smith is a pretty neurotic, socially challenged and complex character but for some reason one I liked a lot almost from the get go. She works as a box-office assistant for the Civic Hall and takes her job very seriously (like she does with most of her life). 

The Civic Centre is hosting a show with the celebrity lead skater Jimmy Lloyd. Of course Samantha's interests only seem to stretch as far as her beloved job so when their is the threat of the Centre closing she goes to pieces. The other character in this story other than Sam and Jimmy is Sam's sister Cleo. Cleo is everything that Sam isn't and is actually a decent balancing character for the book. 

This isn't one of my absolute favoruites by this author but was certainly a really good book that I thoroughloy enjoyed. It's light-hearted and funny and such an easy read. I have yet to be dissapointed by any of Mandy Baggott's and this is no exception.

“Sometimes in life you get given this amazing opportunity to try and make something good happen out of something bad. And, even if it doesn’t work, you’ll know you had the courage to stand for something you believe in and you’ll know you have it everything you had to give.”

Samantha Smith liked order and predictability in every area of her life. She worked at the same place for years, wore the same outfits, ate the same meals, and never ventured outside of her comfort zone. She was very different from her sister, Cleo and every other girl she ever met.

That was until she met Jimmy Lloyd, professional figure skater and lead performer in the latest show at Civic Hall. Her panic attacks and quarks didn’t run him off, in fact they drew him in and she found herself trying things she never would have before. 

In One Night on Ice, both Jimmy and Sams’ lives get turned upside down in the span of a few weeks. Sam has to fight to save the Hall from being closed, and Jimmy has to fight to protect his reputation, and his place in the show. Throw in some crazy co workers, some blindfolded figure skating and a stray cat named Gobby and Jimmy and Sam have their work cut out for them. 

I have read a few other books by Mandy Baggot and always enjoy them. The characters are never perfect, but you find something enduring and lovable about them anyways. They are such a fun, quick read, and One Night on Ice was no different.

Thank you Netgalley and Aria for the eARC to read and provide and honest review.

I normally love books with a Winter theme and although this was a lighthearted read I felt that it was a little farfetched at times hence only giving it 3 stars. I feel that the panic attacks could have been described more effectively and although I liked the main character Samantha and the happy ending, the book felt a little flat in comparison to the countless others that I've read over the past few years.

Sam works at a civic hall in London and is very shy and routine driven,  sounds like she it's on the autism scale, so when the gorgeous ice skater Jimmy is the main attraction at the civic hall she is taken right out of her comfort zone.   Jimmy from the start sees something in Sam and sees past her embarrassing panic attacks, where she laughs hysterically, and wants to help her and give her confidence especially when her beloved civic hall is under the threat of closure,  but can he really be interested in someone like her?

A lovely story quite slow burning but great to see the way Sam gradually grows in confidence and forces herself out if her comfort zone, no thanks to her egotistical selfish sister Chloe who thinks Sam is fantasizing and making up stories about Jimmy

A heart capturing read that comes to life in front of your eyes. Fantastically written, laugh out loud and so romantic. A perfect addition to Mandy Baggot's repertoire!

A cute chick-lit about two unlikely people who meet and fall in love. The ending is super cheesy but I liked how everything worked out perfectly for Sam and Jimmy. 

My main problem with the novel was the characters. Cleo was mean, insensitive, self-centered and overall an unlikeable person. Cleo had a Yorkshire Terrier killed because it bit her and she claimed it was vicious. This was just the final icing on the cake for Cleo’s cold-heartedness. I liked reading about Sams transformation as she develops more confidence and self-worth but her panic disorder didn’t feel real. I’m not an expert on panic disorder by any means but she to recover far too quickly after one. 

There were some comedic moments that brought a smile to my face. Not a full-fledged chuckle or smirk, just a partial smile. 

Thank you to Netgalley for this novel.

Aww, Samantha is such a timid little mouse that I just wanted to scoop her up and give her a cuddle. She really suffers with anxiety and is a sweet little soul who really finds is hard to cope with everyday life, unless she's in her comfort zone. But when Jimmy and other events conspire to yank her out of the familiar and the safe, instead of falling apart, she finds grit and determination that she didn't know she had.

I was rooting for her every step of the way, and really, really hoping she'd get her happy ever after.

A sweet, funny, poignant story that you won't want to put down.

this is defintely a christmas book which is totally rad and i read it around christmas so it made sense for me. i'm glad i read it.

Dreams do come true!
I am a huge Mandy Baggot fan and this book didn't disappoint. It tells the story of Samantha Smith who works in an old fashioned theatre/civic centre in London and her foibles and obsession with routines.
She comes across as an introvert who keeps herself to herself and lives for her job but is whisked off her feet by a handsome visiting ice skater.
Their romance progresses slowly with several cracks in the ice along the way keeping the reader with everything crossed hoping they get together in the end.
There are some lovely descriptions of the civic centre and the auditorium that conjure up a nostalgic feeling of actually being at the performances every night, with several laugh-out-loud moments and lots of romance.
A feel good easy to read tale.

This book was a brilliant read and one that is perfect to escape for a few hours and loose yourself.
Characters that fall out of the pages of the book and make you fell apart of the story, the setting comes alive  and captured is well with words.
A great read. that I would highly recommend.

I have to be honest, I really didn't like this book. I found the characters extremely difficult to relate to and although at the beginning Samantha seemed quirky, towards the end it was just neurotic. There was some good humour at parts though and I did like the cover.

I loved this book! It was light, easy reading with a strong storyline  but sometimes this is just what you need.
Samantha works at the Civic Hall as ticket seller and general help. A character full of issues!
When the civic Hall puts on a ice skating show we meet Jimmy Lloyd a famous skater, again with issues! 
The book concerns their story and how they help each other, as well as Samantha having to battle to save the Civic Hall. The story was very humorous at times and extremely enjoyable- pure escapism! 
Thank you to Netgalley, Aria and Mandy Baggot for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Dnf

Just could not work up the courage to continue.

Liked the cover, though. I'll stare at that some more.

I like this one, but I had a hard time connecting with the characters, so it dragged out a little for me. Overall though it wasn't bad, but I didn't LOVE it either.

I really enjoyed this book. Samantha suffers with anxiety issues and she leads a very sheltered life, with her job at the Civic Hall. When they are hosting the ice show she meets the lead skater and unusually feels an instant attraction. They develop a friendship whilst dealing with the threatened closure of the Hall. I loved their relationship and the way he drew her out of her shell and gained her confidence.
I grew to love the Hall and was willing it to be saved. I also enjoyed the ice show- especially with the return of Dancing on Ice this week. I could just picture the routines under the show lights and imagine the atmosphere in the audience. 
A great book that just wouldn't let me put it down. I just had to keep reading.

One Night On Ice by Mandy Baggot is a solid three and half star read that will have you chuckling and smiling at some parts and shaking your heads at others. While this book was a quick and easy winter read I didn't necessarily enjoy some of the subplots and the characters. It seemed like the author was going for quirky but jumped right to neurotic and zany, which got on my nerves. I'll definitely have to try another Mandy Baggot book before making my final decision on her writing style.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me an arc for an honest review

What a lovely book!!!! It's a cozy, funny and romantic book. Mandy Baggot is such a good chick lit writer! I am so happy to have discovered her books in 2019! "one night on ice" is a lovely story about a very shy and full of anxiety woman who is working in a civic hall and who will gain more self-confidence with a little help of a beautiful and very kind iceskater. This book is a page-turner. I couldn't stop reading! Just a little warning, even though this book takes place in winter and has many reference of ice skating and icerink, this is not a book that is taking place during Christmas time.
I gave this book a 4 stars out of 5. I can only recommend this book to all of you chick lit fans!!!! You will love it!

For a winter read (or during any season really), this is not one that I necessarily would recommend--to anyone. From the beginning, I had difficulty with the story but especially with the characters. Both of the main characters (but mostly Sam) were irritating. Frustratingly irritating. Initially, I thought Sam's character quirks were made to be realistic but as the story progressed she became more and more neurotic. 

Nothing about the story was exceptional and if anything, the writing, the plot, and the characters were all less than average.

For a shorter novel, it took me quite a while to get through and it became more of a chore than a good reading experience.

***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

A sweet romance between two quite different people but who complemented each other. 

Samantha, who suffered from anxiety, was a box office assistant in the Civic Center. Jimmy, a professional skater, with his own personal problems, had come to skate there. There was a spark between them. When the Civic Center was to shut, both hatched a plan to save it. 

Having read a few books by author Mandy Baggot, I knew I would enjoy the journey she took me on. The initial part was a bit slow, and it took me some time to get into the swing of the story. Then I could skate easily down the pages. 

The characters were real and dealing with authentic problems. The author made the heavy issues easy to read and understand. The romance was fun, I liked the big story behind it. Samantha was well developed from shy insecure to someone walking with her head held high. I saw myself in her. 

Overall, it was a sweet read on a lazy Sunday evening.

Samantha lives for her work – and at her work in the local Civic hall.  From remembering the magical times with her parents and sister there seeing shows, to the current discounted meals and quite frankly, 3rd tier acts they now book – the Ice Show promises to bring the center back to it’s former glory, if only momentarily.  The assistant to the ‘manager, Samantha is suffering from a severe dearth of self-confidence and a drastic need to function within a very small box and routine. Compared to her older and much more ‘out there’ sister, she’s that quiet and reliable shadow in the background – solidly plugging along to a specific goal.  Uncomfortable with new people, confrontation, standing up for herself – you name it: she’s the logical one who manages orders, smooths ruffled feathers and is always there.  

But with a ‘wonderful’ idea that his ‘girls’ skate during intermission with programs and ice-cream, Samantha grudgingly accepts, even as she’s not skated for years. With the ice show on, they’ve snatched practice time and the star of the show, Jimmy, is not only handsome, but he wants Samantha to skate more – so much so that ‘after hours’ he’s convinced her to skate with him to ‘help him out’ with seeing if teaching is what he wants to do after retiring from shows.  But, with an alcohol problem in his past, and a current partner who wants to sabotage him – he’s got lots going on – all of which make him even more scary to Sam. But -  she’s discovering that she’s falling for him – something that with his encouragement and solid backing of her taking over the managerial position has brought a new bounce to her step. 

Baggot manages to make even the most timid of characters speak to readers and bring us inside their heads. She’s easy to like – even if you wish she’s be less timid, and far less judgmental where Jimmy is concerned – but perhaps a bit more strident with her sister. Who is off the chain selfish and dramatic – and you see that Sam just uses her sister’s drama to be the ‘quiet one’. With her caring for Gobolino the stray, her coming alive on the ice as her confidence grows with each solid skate – the sweetness here can’t be denied. Even when everything appears to go utterly pear-shaped and the signs are all negative.  With lots of help, a ton of heart and a wonderful recognition of Samantha’s finding her own two feet and voice, the story gives plenty to laugh about, cheer for and enjoy. 

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my ow responsibility. 

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aA8/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>