3,5⭐️

Lire ce roman, c’est un peu comme se glisser sous un plaid par une soirée fraîche, avec une tasse de thé et la douce lumière d’une bougie : c’est réconfortant et ça réchauffe le cœur.

Il s’agit ici du 7e et dernier tome de la saga Maple Falls, une série de romances sur fond de hockey, co-écrite par plusieurs autrices. Les tomes peuvent se lire indépendamment, d’ailleurs je n’ai lu que celui-ci mais je n’ai eu aucun souci à suivre l’histoire. Chaque volume est court (environ 200 pages), ce qui en fait une lecture idéale si vous cherchez quelque chose de léger, dans un univers cosy auquel on aime revenir.

Cela dit, même si tout est mignon et douillet, j’ai trouvé l’ensemble un peu trop "bisounours" pour moi. Tout se termine bien, les méchants deviennent gentils, les héros réussissent tout ce qu’ils entreprennent. C’était peut-être un peu trop lisse à mon goût. De plus, il s’agit d’un insta-love, ce qui n’est pas mon trope préféré … mais si c’est le vôtre, vous allez adorer !

Malgré cela, je recommande ce roman à celles et ceux qui ont envie d’une lecture légère et réconfortante, parfaite pour s’évader le temps de quelques heures.

Pourquoi lire ce roman ?
- Parce que c’est une closed-door romance 🫂
- Pour son ambiance automnale dans une petite ville pleine de charme 🍂
- Parce que Lucian est hockeyeur et Neesha, pâtissière 🧁

this series is quickly becoming its own icing on the cake for me. ive fallen for every single one ive read. and each time i think nah the characters cant win me over more than the last. im proved wrong of course...
this is the kind of book and series where you want to go back and read line all over again. and i did. a fair few times. with all the same toes fizzes each time.
Neesha is trying to keep it all together. shes been having a tough time on all front in life recently. but then enters Lcuian her handsome neighbour who is making her feel things. things she definitely is not going to feel.
but then the offer of a dating coach is opened up. she needs this and he seems willing. all platonic all good. right? right?????...
but hes not playing by the rules her heart can handle.
trouble is there is something about him that will only hurt her if she finds out.
Lucian thinks he can help Neesha. she seems so broken and unbelieving in things someone should never give up on. hes knows he can break the walls she put up down. but then he realises he wants to for very different reasons and he wants to be the one she can do it for.
he knows what he does for a living could ruin everything.
and if she knew how hes feeling will she run scared or dare to stand by him?
Neesha is someone i was rooting for from the start. she is so endearing and you just want to scoop her up and heal all the hurt parts.
but we needn't worry because Lucian wow. hello my beating heart. this man is a man with a heart you dream of. and the way he is there for Neesha is tingly feelings kind of good.
i was nervous for how these two were falling for each other. what was going to happen when the secrets come out? i couldn't stand these two not being together. and this is how much you know this book effected me. in the best ways though. i really cared about both our pair.
a gorgeous addition to this series. and the side characters added more smiles to the scene too.

This was a nice sweet hockey romance, it was good to see Neesha finally get her HEA from reading about her in the other books and I’m so glad it is with a guy like Lucien. They were made for each other, they are each others person. This was an enjoyable read and I’m glad I could read it to finish off the series.

3.5 ⭐️
0 🌶️

📅 Release Date: September 24, 2025

Meet the Couple:
✨ Neesha Gilmore – resilient, determined, and still reeling from the hardest year of her life. Between grieving her mother, saving every penny to open her dream bakery, and trying to survive in a town where her ex parades his new girlfriend around, she has little patience for romance—especially hockey players.
✨ Lucian Lowe – compassionate, patient, swoony… and hiding the fact that he’s a pro hockey player. His secret threatens the fragile trust growing between him and Neesha, but his every action—fixing her broken espresso machine, helping her with cupcakes, planning “practice dates”—shows just how much he cares. He falls first, and he falls hard.
What I loved most were their practice dates and quiet, tender moments. Lucian’s green-flag energy absolutely won me over—his steady pursuit of Neesha felt genuine, respectful, and safe. Their connection reminded me of how those early crushes felt: electric, meaningful, and full of butterflies. 🥹
The small-town atmosphere added an extra layer of charm, from the nosy townsfolk to the hockey team that looks after its own. And the quotes? Absolutely highlight-worthy.
Favorite Lines:
💬 “I know I want Neesha in my life. More than that, I want her to be my life.”
💬 “This is how you know someone is your safe place—when being with them feels like coming home.”
💬 “When someone respects your mind, body, and heart, you realize that’s what love should be.”
Final Thoughts:
If you enjoy Hallmark-style romances with meddling townsfolk, cupcakes as love language, and a MMC who’s a walking green flag (minus one secret), this book is for you. Sweet, hopeful, and brimming with fall vibes, The Icing on the Cake is the kind of romance that reminds you love is about respect, trust, and finding your safe place.

Tropes:
🏒 Second chance
💞 Childhood-friends-to-lovers
📚 Dual POV + flashbacks
🌟 Small town meddling and charm
🥄 Practice dates
⛔ Closed door romance

3 stars.

This is the last part of the series. This works as a standalone, but it is best enjoyed with other parts of the series!

Well, I have liked this series, I've read 5/7 of this series and it is full of autumn coziness and sweet romance in a picturesque small town. And hot ice hockey players, of course!

WHAT I LIKED: This was easy to read, cute and cozy story. Lucian was a great hero!

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: Sometimes I got a bit irritated because Neesha was decided to move away and not to date after her past relationship. I couldn't understand her logic why she was so determined to leave the town. Somehow there were also too much little things that irritated me a bit - Nate buying the lake, Lucian's dad saving the lake thing, the woman writing about Neesha's cupcakes in a magazine... Were all these subplots necessary? I'm not sure.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Pov: dual, 1st person
Heat: kissing only
Pacing: slowburn
Communication: some miscommunication but also healthy communication
Third act: I'd say it was quite smooth sailing
Ending: HEA

Main characters:
* Cinnamon roll hero
* Friends to lovers

What?
* Forced proximity
* Found family
* He falls first
* Sports romance: hockey

Where?
* Small town

Drama?
* Difficult past
* Family drama

Other vibes:
* Fall romance
* ”We’re just friends”

Just finished The Icing on the Cake by Grace Worthington and loved it! A sweet, slow-burn romance with heart, healing, and a hockey player hiding a big secret. If you’re into small town charm, emotional depth, and second chances, this one’s for

This was such a sweet and lighthearted sports romance. So could be a bit too spicy and I loved this one had more heart and sweetness to it! I loved Lucian as a love interest and I really enjoyed the character development over the course of eod the novel. It was fun, sweet, and kept me swooning throughout. Check this one out! You won’t regret it