My Collide Off The Ice Book Review - No Spoilers

Plot Summary

Collide Off The Ice by Bal Khabra is the first book in the Off the Ice series, set in the high-stakes, emotionally charged world of college hockey. The story centers on Summer Preston, a psychology student who’s laser-focused on her future. When an ultimatum from her advisor threatens her grad school dreams, she’s forced to pick a research project tied to the hockey team—a sport she passionately hates for personal reasons. Enter Aiden Crawford, cocky captain of the college team, who’d rather do almost anything than be part of Summer’s project. After his team’s reckless mistake puts their season in jeopardy, Aiden’s coach volunteers him as her test subject. Neither wants to work with the other, but their fiery clashes and sarcastic banter soon reveal a chemistry neither expected. As academic goals, team drama, and unresolved hurt crash together, both Summer and Aiden have to decide how much they’re willing to risk for their own dreams—and for each other.

Why I Love This Book

What I love most about this book is the banter—it’s sharp, fresh, and honestly had me laughing out loud. Summer and Aiden feel real in a way that’s rare for this trope; their personalities are strong, flawed, and sometimes incredibly stubborn. Aiden’s golden retriever energy and selfless loyalty really won me over, especially how he always makes space for Summer’s messiness. There’s a real slow-burn tension at work here, with delicious “enemies to lovers” chemistry and a twist on the grumpy x sunshine dynamic—it’s her grumpiness up against his relentless optimism. The found-family vibe with Aiden’s teammates and Summer’s support system adds so much warmth, and I love that the side characters get memorable, meaningful moments. The pacing is steady and the story delivers plenty of steamy, open-door scenes that never feel gratuitous. There are setbacks and drama, but they come from decisions and flaws that make sense for these characters. When the payoff comes, it’s sweet, funny, and satisfying enough to make the slow build totally worth it.

Who Will Like This Book

If you’re craving a college hockey romance with an “opposites attract” edge, you’ll enjoy this. Fans of witty dialogue, grumpy/sunshine pairings (with a twist), and slow-burn-to-steamy romance will feel right at home. If you loved books like Icebreaker or enjoy seeing a golden retriever hero fall hard, this is for you. The side characters and found family feel make the world even richer. If you get frustrated by heroines who sabotage their own happiness or don’t enjoy a bit of relationship drama, you may find Summer a challenge—she’s stubborn and prickly by design.

⚠️ Trigger warning: Contains explicit sexual content, relationship drama, college partying, and references to family trauma. Always check the content warnings if you have triggers or sensitivities.

Tagged As

hockey romance, college romance, grumpy x sunshine, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, forced proximity, found family, golden retriever hero, strong heroine, sassy heroine, witty banter, open-door romance, slow burn, steamy romance, sports romance, series, new adult, mature themes, angsty, humor, emotional growth, indie romance, kindle unlimited

Steam Level

The book is definitely steamy, with frequent, open-door scenes and a lot of sexual tension. The chemistry builds slowly then really pays off—expect explicit content and plenty of heat.