Collide is written by a Canadian but is set at a US college. It's about an all-American boy next door star athlete heading to Canada to play for the NHL after graduation (Aiden), and an overachieving Canadian-born, mixed-race, psych student who wants to be a sports therapist and hates hockey (Summer). So as you can imagine they're going to be forced into close proximity and Summer is going to have to come to terms with catching feelings for a hockey player.

What's interesting about Summer is that even though she claims to hate hockey, and consequently won't consider hockey players romantically, two of her long-time friends are both teammates of Aiden's. It is a bit of a stretch to believe that the first time they meet in Coach KIlner's office at the start of the book is really the first time they've crossed paths therefore, but one assumes it must be that Summer has just completely avoided ever visiting Tyler or Kian at home (the boys all live in what is dubbed, the Hockey House). Summer and Aiden’s dynamic is great, she’s so grumpy when they’re together at the beginning and he’s just an absolutely adorable man who is so soft for her. Eventually, she comes around and gets soft for his sunshine, but hilarity ensues in the meantime and it's amusing when his friends turn her antics back on her because they want to protect their friend/captain's heart.

The daddy issues abound in this book but they were well handled. It made for an especially interesting dynamic given that Summer's daddy issues were the main reason she was trying so hard not to fall for a hockey player. The whole point of the book is to see how well that works out for her.

Overall this is a really well-done example of a collegiate hockey romance. If you're into Hannah Grace's Maple Hills books or Elle Kennedy's Off-Campus series you'll love this.

I love to support authors of colour especially those that come from a similar background to mine. It made me so happy to see Bal Khabra made her debut in contemporary romance, but more specifically a sports romance!

The inner thoughts of Summer and Aiden felt so accurate to their college ages. I initially didn't vibe with Aiden but he grew on me over time. I think their banter was done really well and it just made the book more fun too. Also - brown girls are finally getting their limelight as romantic leads! We love to see it.

Bal Khabra's got a bright future ahead and I'm so excited to read the second book!

Thank you so much, Penguin Random House Canada for the eARC and the chance to read and review!

This is one of my new fav hockey romance books I enjoyed the characters chemistry and I could eat this entire book so quickly it was one of my fav books for hockey romance

an icebreaker rip off with semi good smut scenes - not worth my time - i wish this was more than it was but alas, another repeat

I REALLY wanted to love this! The beginning was so, so strong. The reason for them to work together, the tension, the charm (especially from Aiden). But I felt like the reasons why Summer didn't want to commit or even open herself up to Aiden, although valid, were at times confusing for me. Her hatred felt situational and at times she reacted from an emotional place in really hurtful ways that made it difficult for me to ship them. I am really excited to see where this series goes!

Thank you so much for my ARC!

Another hockey romance! I am currently gobbling this genre up. I love some Canadian rep and Bal Khabra really pulled that out. I really enjoyed following Aiden and Summer and watching their relationship develop. I love a slow burn/ will they-won't they and this really fit each trope. I'm also a huge fan of how the side characters were set up and hopefully we will get a whole bunch of books in this series (especially Amara and Tyler).

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

I have never had so much fun with a reverse grumpy sunshine book in my entire life. It’s the way this book truly put me in a chokehold from the very start to the finish, I could not put it down and needed to savour every moment between Aiden and Summer. The dynamic between the two honestly had me concerned for my wellbeing because I was unwell, their banter and just playful manner had me frothing at the mouth. Collide is a book that made me love the hockey romance genre once again and I’m so excited to see what else Bal has up her sleeve.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for this arc in exchange for a review. I really enjoyed Summer and Aiden's story, and it was definitely nice to see the psychology aspects in it. Definitely a sports romance I would recommend.

There's something about college hockey books that really draws me in. The moment I saw the cover for this one, I knew I had to read it. Although the author was new to me and I didn't know much about the book, I decided to dive right in. I'm glad I did because it was fantastic. It gave me 'The Deal' vibes, and I absolutely loved Summer, Aiden, and the whole team.

Collide is a college hockey romance filled with banter and steam, featuring a found family dynamic, a "he falls first" trope, and a reverse grumpy x sunshine pairing.

The story follows Aiden, who, after taking the fall for his teammates, is forced to work with Summer on her research project. When they first meet, it's clear they'd both rather do anything but collaborate. However, as they push past their initial resistance, Aiden quickly realizes he loves spending time with Summer, even if they're always arguing. Despite their growing connection, Summer is hesitant to be more than friends, with her past and her focus on her project holding her back. Nevertheless, Aiden makes it clear that he is all in and ready to be with her completely.

It's been a few days and I cannot stop thinking about this!! Looking forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I found this to be such a refreshing take on sports romances and this book really is for the bookish girls who also love psychology! Learning about sports psychology was also extremely interesting and reading this by the pool only added to the experience. "Kicking my feet and giggling like a little girl" experience indeed.

If you liked Icebreaker by Hannah Grace, you need to read Collide, a college hockey romance with black cat/golden retriever vibes and a found family element.

I really enjoyed Summer and Aiden’s love story. It was sweet and I really liked the way their relationship developed. The pacing did feel off at times, I think this book could’ve been a little bit shorter, but overall, it was still a great read!

✨ Publication date: May 7, 2024✨

Collide is the first book in a Hockey romance series (Off Ice) by Canadian author Bal Khabra. I’ve seen reviews compare this to a “copy” of Icebreaker. While there are some similarities, I think most hockey romances tend to have similarities.

Summer Preston has a famous dad who is a hockey legend. She hasn’t spoken to him in ages and has sworn off hockey and hockey players for the foreseeable future. Until her professor assigned her final psychology paper to assess a hockey player….not any hockey player but the captain of the team.

Aiden Crawford is the captain of Dalton’s hockey team. After taking the blame for some shenanigans his team got up to, his coach assigns him some community service and to work with the Psychologist student for her final project.

Aiden doesn’t date, he doesn’t have time for it. He definitely hooks up but hockey is his number one priority so he doesn’t have time for relationships.

Summer is fully aware of hockey players who don’t have room for more than hockey. It’s exactly why she avoids any kind of relationship with her father. As Summer gets to know Aiden she realizes there is more to the cute captain then she thought.

Will Summer get over her no hockey player rule? And can Aiden truly find room for a relationship during hockey season?

I really enjoyed Summer and Aiden’s story. I would have liked more depth of the side characters seeing as there will be future book with them. This is a 4+ star for me!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #balkhabra #collide

"Collide" by Bal Khabra is a captivating story that effortlessly combines romance, mystery, and self-discovery elements. The novel introduces us to Summer, a resilient and relatable protagonist, as she navigates through life's complexities.

The strength of "Collide" lies in its well-crafted characters and the intricate web of emotions they experience. Summer's journey of self-discovery and the evolution of her relationships are portrayed authentically, allowing me to connect with her. The storytelling is engaging, and the author skillfully weaves together various narrative threads to keep me invested.

Including mystery adds an intriguing layer to the plot, keeping me guessing and eager to uncover the secrets beneath the surface. The pacing is well-maintained, ensuring the story unfolds compellingly, holding my attention from start to finish.

Bal Khabra's writing style is vivid and vibrant, creating a vivid backdrop for the characters' experiences. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and resilience, making it a resonant and thought-provoking read.

While "Collide" offers a satisfying and emotionally charged narrative, some may find certain plot elements predictable. Additionally, a few scenes could have benefited from further exploration to deepen the story's impact."Collide" by Bal Khabra is a captivating story that effortlessly combines romance, mystery, and self-discovery elements. The novel introduces us to Summer, a resilient and relatable protagonist, as she navigates through life's complexities.

The strength of "Collide" lies in its well-crafted characters and the intricate web of emotions they experience. Summer's journey of self-discovery and the evolution of her relationships are portrayed authentically, allowing me to connect with her. The storytelling is engaging, and the author skillfully weaves together various narrative threads to keep me invested.

Including mystery adds an intriguing layer to the plot, keeping me guessing and eager to uncover the secrets beneath the surface. The pacing is well-maintained, ensuring the story unfolds compellingly, holding my attention from start to finish.

Bal Khabra's writing style is vivid and vibrant, creating a vivid backdrop for the characters' experiences. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and resilience, making it a resonant and thought-provoking read.

While "Collide" offers a satisfying and emotionally charged narrative, some may find certain plot elements predictable. Additionally, a few scenes could have benefited from further exploration to deepen the story's impact.

Love love this book! I could not put it down I was enthralled from beginning to end. I am Canadian so of course I love a hockey romcom. I was worried given the main characters were in university that I would
Find the issues juvenile but it was quite the opposite! A nice easy read and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

This was one of my most anticipated Romances of 2024 and WOW it did not disappoint.

Aiden Crawford makes consent sexy and we love a respectful king. The banter in this book was also top tier and left me blushing. This romance was everything that I was hoping for. The writing and the pacing were great, which can be rare for sports romances, if I'm honest. If you love sports romances, enemies to lovers, and forced proximity you will love this book. I can't wait for the 2nd book in the series to come out, the sneak peak made me so excited to see more of Eli!!

* I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *

4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is going to be a short review.

Aiden is amazing, and he deserves to be protected.

Summer is insufferable. The end. 😅

No, but seriously, I did really enjoy it. It was a cute college hockey romance. Summer didn't bother me at first, but her character got worse as the story went on. Then she sort of cooled towards the end, thankfully, but I'd be lying if I said she wasn't the worst part of the story. 😅

I just didn't understand why they couldn't just... date? I know the reasons given in the book, but it was so stupid. There was really nothing holding them back, just Summer. She was being very difficult throughout the whole story. She's mean and moody. I get that she has daddy issues regarding hockey and all that, but Aiden is such a sweetheart, and she knew she won him over. It took her a little too long to realize the only thing in their way was her.

The best part about the whole book and who all 4 stars are dedicated to is Aiden. WHAT A CUTIE.🥰🥰 He's truly just so mature and wonderful, the contrast between his and Summer's personalities is so jarring. I spent all book wondering what he saw in her. LOL

The whole Donny situation didn't make sense to me, nor Aiden lol. For such a smart girl, she really put herself in this weird dependent situation with her ex-boyfriend. I saw the outcome of that plot from a mile away.

I don't like epilogues so I skimmed through it, but overall, I enjoyed it and I liked how it ended. I'll be continuing the series for sure. I was hoping it would be Kian's story, but the sneak peek was for Eli's.

This book was so FUN! I absolutely love sports romance and this one was one of the best. Swoonworthy, SPICY romance. I loved Summer and Aiden's relationship - starting with friendship to something more - perfection.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

You just gotta love hockey romance and this one is another good one. The two main characters are very likeable, with lots of banter and cute moments between them as they go from enemies to lovers. The other side characters, especially the other hockey players, add much drama and fun times to the story.

This book had so much potential to be a 5 star read read for me!

Overall, I really liked this book. It was a sweet, fun and sexy hockey romance which can never really go wrong in my books! I adored the MMC and his character arc.

I went into this fully prepared to watch the hockey play boy MMC have to do the growing and maturing in the relationship, but that wasn't the case at all.

Yes, he was a hockey play boy who got around, but he seemed to be the mature one in the relationship. In the beginning I liked her. She was a strong and determined FMC which I appreciated. But the more I learned about her the more I recognized her immaturity and she came off as whiney.

The first moment that really gave me the ick is when the MMC was waiting for her to go on a Ferris wheel and another girl approached him, so completely out of nowhere she turned to the guy she had been talking to and told him to kiss her.

The next thing that rubbed me the wrong way was her relationship with her father. She is absolutely valid in her resentful feelings for him not being around much during her childhood because he was traveling as a professional hockey player. However, the way she handled that relationship was very immature in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC.

A steamy enemies to lovers, forced proximity, college hockey romance debut by a new Canadian author. This book delivered on the SPICE, the banter and the chemistry and is perfect for fans of Elle Kennedy or Grace Reilly. I really enjoyed it and look forward to more in the series soon. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!