On Thin Ice love interest: Romance Route Comparison - Story

On Thin Ice love interest: Romance Route Comparison

Compare every On Thin Ice love interest, including personality, story role, and route themes for Catherine's romance choices.

2026-09-23
On Thin Ice Wiki Team
Quick Guide
  • On Thin Ice love interest options include Brian, Hodge, Liz, Tate, Dominic, and Leon.
  • Brian and Hodge are brothers whose routes offer sharply different emotional dynamics.
  • Tate and Liz connect directly to Catherine's figure-skating past and future.
  • Dominic and Leon bring more danger, ambition, and morally complicated tension.

On Thin Ice love interest overview

The On Thin Ice love interest cast gives Catherine several contrasting romance paths. Each potential partner is connected to a different part of her life, from figure skating and recovery to business, family secrets, and criminal pressure. The best route depends on the tone you want: gentle support, competitive ambition, dangerous attraction, or a relationship built around shared history.

The available character listing identifies six potential love interests. Catherine's relationships also develop alongside her career collapse, physical pain, family trauma, and attempts to rebuild her identity after the World Championship accident.

Love InterestCore ConnectionRoute ToneBest For
Brian BakerMeets Catherine before therapyGentle, artistic, sympatheticPlayers seeking emotional warmth
Hodge BakerWealthy businessman and Brian's brotherPowerful, guarded, intensePlayers who enjoy family drama
Liz TaylorFigure skater inspired by CatherineCompetitive, personal, determinedPlayers who value shared ambition
Tate MarshallFellow skater and Olympic traineeSupportive, athletic, hopefulPlayers who prefer encouragement
Dominic WarrenHodge's assistant from SeattleReckless, wounded, unpredictablePlayers who enjoy emotional tension
Leon McGrathAmbitious European business ownerStrategic, controlling, dangerousPlayers drawn to high-stakes intrigue

Supportive Routes

Brian and Tate are the clearest choices for encouragement, empathy, and connections to Catherine's recovery.

Competitive Routes

Liz and Tate understand skating from the inside, making their stories closely tied to Catherine's athletic identity.

Dangerous Routes

Hodge, Dominic, and Leon introduce wealth, secrets, risk, and complicated power dynamics.

Route Selection Tip

Choose based on relationship tone rather than appearance alone. Catherine's emotional recovery is central to every romance path.

Love interest personalities and story roles

Each romance option fills a distinct narrative role. Brian is affectionate and artistic, meeting Catherine while she is on her way to see a psychologist. His gift of a drawing immediately establishes a softer connection. Hodge, by contrast, is a rich and influential businessman who first encounters Catherine at a hotel. The later reveal that he is Brian's brother gives both routes additional family tension.

Liz is a hardheaded young skater who knows what she wants. Catherine later learns that her own career inspired Liz to begin skating, giving their relationship a meaningful link to legacy and influence. Tate is also a figure skater and is training for the Olympics. He recognizes Catherine and admires her achievements, while encouraging her to continue skating.

Dominic is Hodge's assistant. His cocky behavior and emotional distance are connected to the death of someone he loved when he was approximately nineteen. Leon owns a large network of car dealerships in Western Europe. He is ambitious, tests people for weaknesses, and often combines apparent sincerity with self-interest.

CharacterPersonality SignalsImportant Story Link
BrianAffectionate, sympathetic, artisticMeets Catherine before a therapy visit
HodgeWealthy, powerful, business-mindedBrian's brother
LizTough, direct, determinedCatherine inspired her skating
TateAdmiring, focused, encouragingTrains for the Olympics
DominicCocky, reckless, emotionally closedWorks as Hodge's assistant
LeonAmbitious, strategic, candidConnected to European business and later danger
Spoiler Notice

The character relationships intersect with Catherine's family history, skating career, and later investigations. Read the On Thin Ice character reference if you are comfortable with major story spoilers.

How to compare the romance routes

The most useful way to compare the routes is to identify the kind of support Catherine needs. Her past includes a career-ending accident, an injured former partner, addiction-related family problems, grief, and chronic pain. A route may feel appealing because of chemistry, but its larger story role can be equally important.

Brian and Tate provide the strongest direct connections to healing through kindness and skating. Liz offers a relationship shaped by Catherine's influence and the pressure of being seen as a role model. Hodge, Dominic, and Leon are more closely tied to power, secrecy, and emotional guardedness.

Route ThemeStrongest MatchesWhat to Expect
Emotional comfortBrian, TateReassurance and recognition of Catherine's struggles
Skating identityLiz, TateTraining, competition, and Catherine's athletic legacy
Family conflictBrian, HodgeSibling tension and contrasting personalities
Emotional wallsDominic, HodgeCharacters who conceal vulnerability
Power and ambitionHodge, LeonWealth, influence, testing, and difficult choices
Risk and intrigueDominic, LeonConnections to dangerous events and uncertain motives
1

Choose the relationship tone

Decide whether you want warmth, competition, family drama, or a more dangerous connection before prioritizing romance scenes.

2

Track Catherine's personal needs

Pay attention to whether the route supports her recovery, skating goals, independence, or desire for protection.

3

Watch character connections

Brian and Hodge share a family link, while Liz and Tate connect directly to skating. These links affect the surrounding story.

4

Review later-story consequences

Leon and Hodge become especially important to the Season 3 investigation, while other routes emphasize Catherine's personal development.

Best Comparison Method

There is no single best romance route. Compare emotional compatibility, story relevance, and the kind of conflict you want Catherine to face.

Supporting characters who affect romance

Romance choices do not exist in isolation. Catherine's relationships are shaped by the people around her, especially those connected to the rink, Sirius, her family, and her past. Andrew becomes a trusted figure at the skating rink and offers Catherine comfort. Elena coaches Tate and may later be matched with Andrew, creating an additional relationship thread.

Tom remains important because he was Catherine's former boyfriend and skating partner. He disappeared after the accident, and his return to the skating world through Nina adds pressure to Catherine's old wounds. Charlie works closely with Hodge and is described as the employee Hodge trusts most, making him relevant to Hodge's social circle.

Supporting CharacterConnectionRomance Relevance
AndrewTrusted rink employeeGives Catherine comfort and stability
ElenaTate's skating coachConnects Catherine to Tate's training circle
TomEx-boyfriend and former partnerRepresents Catherine's painful skating past
NinaTom's current skating partnerComplicates the former partnership history
CharlieHodge's trusted employeeProvides insight into Hodge's business world
NaomiCatherine's friend and coworkerOffers friendship, gossip, and daily support

The wider cast also includes Catherine's parents, Isabelle and Robert. Isabelle's death from cancer deeply affects Catherine, while Robert's gambling addiction and abandonment contribute to her family trauma. These details matter when judging whether a romance feels comforting, challenging, or potentially exploitative.

Before Committing to a Route:

  • Identify the relationship tone you prefer
  • Check the character's connection to skating or Catherine's past
  • Consider whether family or business conflicts appeal to you
  • Review spoiler warnings before reading later character details
  • Keep track of scenes that reflect Catherine's recovery
Character Context

Andrew, Tom, Elena, Charlie, and Naomi are not listed as potential love interests, but their relationships with Catherine can shape how each romance feels.

On Thin Ice love interest FAQ

The romance cast is designed around contrast rather than a single ideal partner. Brian and Tate are closely associated with support and skating, Liz offers a personal connection to Catherine's influence, and Hodge, Dominic, and Leon bring more complicated risks.

QuestionShort Answer
Who is connected to Catherine's skating career?Liz and Tate have the strongest direct skating connections.
Which love interests are related?Brian and Hodge are brothers.
Which routes involve business or power?Hodge and Leon are the clearest examples.
Who has a personal history of emotional loss?Dominic is described as becoming emotionally closed after a loved one's death.

Q: How many potential love interests are listed in On Thin Ice?

The character reference lists six potential love interests: Brian Baker, Hodge Baker, Liz Taylor, Tate Marshall, Dominic Warren, and Leon McGrath.

Q: Which On Thin Ice love interest is connected to figure skating?

Liz Taylor and Tate Marshall are both directly connected to figure skating. Liz was inspired by Catherine, while Tate trains at the rink and is preparing for the Olympics.

Q: Are Brian and Hodge connected to each other?

Yes. Brian and Hodge are brothers, but their personalities and relationships with Catherine are presented very differently.

Q: Which romance route is best for a specific playthrough?

The best choice depends on your preferred tone. Choose Brian or Tate for supportive dynamics, Liz for skating-focused development, and Hodge, Dominic, or Leon for more intense conflict and intrigue.

Final Recommendation

Use the character themes as a guide, then follow the route whose emotional conflict best matches the story you want to experience.