Review: Changes on Ice by Kaje Harper (Changes #3)


Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author via Gay Romance Reviews.

Changes on Ice is the newest addition to Kaje Harper's Changes series. While the first two novels focused on the same three main characters--Will Rice, Casey Barlow, and Scott Edison--this third book features Rusty Dolan and Roger LaCroix, both of whom were notable supporting characters in the second release. Rusty is now nineteen, playing with the Eugene Gryphons in the ECHL as a defenseman, and no longer welcomed by his parents after letting them now he's gay; Cross is thirty and continues to play for the NHL's Portland Rafters, one of the leagues most popular defensemen, and comes from a rather wealthy family. They're tied together by Scott, what with him being Cross's teammate and Rusty's mentor, but the two have also forged their own friendship of sorts. So when an ex of Rusty's becomes overly persistent, Cross offers to pretend to be Rusty's new boyfriend in order to get the other guy off of Rusty's back. Being around each other is turning out to be the best thing ever, but can two such different men find love and their happily ever after?

I've been hoping for Rusty to get his own chance at a happy ending ever since he was introduced in the previous book in the series, and I'm glad that it was with someone like Cross. Now, Cross had piqued my curiosity in book two as well, what with signs that he sure had an interesting back story. These two come off as opposites, especially when it comes to their respective backgrounds, but I love me a slow burn romance, and I appreciated that the author took the time to lay down a foundation for Rusty and Cross. Their romance simmered, then sizzled, before it truly scorched, and the fact that Cross had originally identified as demisexual before coming to the realization that he was asexual and biromantic gave me a deeper appreciation of the journey that he--and later, with Rusty--was on. Now, just like the first two books, this had some suspense to it, albeit it felt a bit more toned down, at least to me, although still enough to give an edge to the overall story. All in all, Changes on Ice was a strong standalone addition to the Changes series. Four stars.

Date Read: 29 July 2025

Learn more about Kaje Harper.

Purchase Changes on Ice on Amazon | Apple Books | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords.

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