Netflix has ordered a series adaptation of Icebreaker, the bestselling hockey romance novel by author Hannah Grace, the streamer announced at the BANFF World Media Festival.
The college romance series follows competitive figure skater Anastasia Allen, whose pursuit of Olympic gold is disrupted when she is forced to share a rink with hockey player Nate Hawkins, an aspiring professional athlete.
The story explores the growing attraction between the two as they balance personal ambition and romance.
The series is based on Grace's viral novel of the same name, which has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and gained a significant following on BookTok.
Amanda Lasher, whose credits include Gossip Girl and Togetherness, will serve as showrunner.
“I have been a fan of steamy YA since the seventh grade, reading Judy Blume stealthily hidden behind a textbook,” Lasher said in a statement. “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 ”
Jade Bartlett, known for her work on Road House, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Miller's Girl, joins Lasher as co-writer.
The project is executive produced by Unwell Productions, with Alex Cooper, Matt Kaplan and Mina Lefevre serving as executive producers. Lasher and Bartlett will also write and executive produce the series.
The announcement was made by Jinny Howe, Netflix's head of scripted series for the United States and Canada, during the BANFF World Media Festival.
“Netflix has a long history of turning beloved romance novels into massive global hits. We know our members can’t get enough of these stories, which makes Icebreaker the perfect next chapter for us,” Howe said.
“By supercharging the hockey sports-romance genre, Icebreaker has ignited a passionate fandom and helped redefine the landscape of contemporary romance. We are thrilled to partner with Jade Bartlett, Amanda Lasher, and the team at Unwell Productions to bring this irresistible love story to life,” he added.
Icebreaker is the first installment in Grace's three-book Maple Hill series. The novel spent 70 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, has sold nearly 5 million copies worldwide, and has been translated into 24 languages and distributed across 34 territories.