Netflix has confirmed an adaptation of a hugely popular series of romance novels that have drawn comparisons to Off Campus and Heated Rivalry. The streaming giant is embracing the hockey romance trend once more with a brand-new adaptation of a 'masterpiece' romance series.
Netflix Announces 'Icebreaker' Series
The streaming giant has confirmed that an adaptation of Hannah Grace's hugely popular Maple Hills series, which kicked off with 2022's Icebreaker, is officially underway. Its official X account revealed this week: 'Sharpen your skates! ICEBREAKER, a new series based on the New York Times best-selling novel by Hannah Grace, is coming to Netflix. A competitive figure skater and a college hockey captain develop an unexpected partnership when a facilities mishap forces them to share the same rink.'
This sizzling series follows figure skater Anastasia Allen, whose pursuit of Olympic glory is disrupted by hockey player Nate Hawkins. But will their enforced closeness destroy their chances of turning professional or spark an ice-melting romance?
Creative Team and Casting
Amanda Lasher, renowned for her contributions to Gossip Girl, is spearheading the series as showrunner, with casting announcements still to come. Lasher told Tudum: 'I have been a fan of steamy YA since the seventh grade, reading Judy Blume stealthily hidden behind a textbook. I love this genre, and it's been a joy working with Jade, the team at Unwell, and Netflix to bring Hannah Grace's beloved Icebreaker novel to the screen.'
Reader Reception
The novels have garnered glowing praise from readers, including this Goodreads user who enthused: 'The writing was IMMACULATE. I can go on and on about how beautifully written this masterpiece was. The diversity in this book was amazing to see! There was not a SINGLE dry page. Not one. I drank every damn page like it was my only source of water.'
Copycat Accusations
Nevertheless, despite the overwhelmingly positive reception to the source material, some have voiced reservations that the series is merely capitalising on the success of other popular hockey romance adaptations, amongst them Prime Video's Off Campus, Canadian drama Heated Rivalry and even Netflix's own series Finding Her Edge. One X user pondered: 'So this is going to be another Heated Rivalry doppelgänger?' 'Trying so hard to copy heated rivalry's flow but it's not working,' another shared. Someone else quipped: 'Tell me youre insecure from offcampus success without telling me youre insecure from offcampus success.' Elsewhere, a Redditor raged: 'After Heated Rivalry got its flowers, every greedy exec now want a piece of the bouquet, but without actually wanting to explore what made it good.' And another added: 'This is 100% because both Heated Rivalry and Off Campus were huge successes and Netflix wants in on the action. I will be watching because I did have so much fun with these books.'
Will Icebreaker be earning a spot on your streaming watchlist, or is this one hockey romance too many? Netflix's Icebreaker does not yet have a release date.
