Collide by Bal Khabra | Book Review

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Title & Author: Collide by Bal Khabra 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Bloomsbury 

Publication date: 16th January 2024

Blurb: 

When Summer Preston's professor issues her with an ultimatum, she finds herself on an unexpected collision course with hockey captain Aiden Crawford.

Summer hates everything about hockey, for good reason, but she isn't going to let that stand in the way of her becoming a sports psychologist.

Aiden loves being the hockey captain, except when his team's reckless mistakes risk jeopardising their entire season. When Coach puts him forward for a research paper as punishment, he has no choice but to accept.

Summer can't stand his blasé approach to life, and Aiden doesn't understand her uptight, scheduled one. They are off to a rocky start, and provoking each other – it turns out – is what they do best.

As sparks fly, neither wants to be the one to give in. Can they get everything they want – including each other?

Review:

I love an ice hockey romance, and this was such a fun and heartwarming read!

Summer Preston, a sports psychology student with an avid hatred of ice hockey, gets pushed by her advisor into working with Aiden Crawford, the captain of the college ice hockey team. Aiden, who has taken the blame for his teammates’ party fiasco, becomes the subject of Summer’s research project. Neither of them are particularly thrilled about it, but sparks start to fly.

What I really enjoyed about this story was the depth beyond the romance. Summer and Aiden aren’t just stereotypes, they’re layered characters with real backstories. I liked learning why Summer avoids hockey and seeing Aiden’s struggles rooted in his past.

The dynamic definitely gives dislike-to-lovers, and while their relationship development was sweet and satisfying, what surprised me most was the humour. The banter didn’t just come from Summer and Aiden’s witty back-and-forth, but also from the whole team, something that always makes me excited for subsequent books.

If you enjoy sports romances with equal parts swoon, banter, and heart, this one is worth picking up!

Wolf.e by Paisley Hope | Book Review

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Title & Author: Wolf.e by Paisley Hope 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Evermore

Publication date: 28th August 2025

Blurb:

Gabriel Wolfe, fallen dark angel and president of the Hounds of Hell motorcycle club, has lived a life shrouded in darkness. Haunted by a traumatic past, chaos is the only way he makes sense of the world.

He craves it to feel stable. Whole.

But everything changes when he meets Brinley Rose Beaumont. With her raven hair and molten eyes, she ignites a fire within him that he never knew existed. Wolfe's meticulously controlled world soon begins to unravel, and he finds himself drawn to Brinley with an intensity that borders on obsession.

Now, Brinley is all he sees. And Wolfe will stop at nothing to make her his.

Review:

I loved this book so much.

Brinley Rose Beaumont is a clean cut girl who was always warned about the motorcycle club in her home city. Following a break up with her long-term boyfriend, she heads back home to fix up her late parents house and decide what to do next.

After bumping into her childhood best friend Layla, she is shocked to discover that Layla is soon to be married to Ax, a member of said motorcycle club. Accompanying Layla to the clubhouse one night, she meets Gabriel Wolfe, president of the club, and Gabriel uncharacteristically takes a liking to her.

This book was everything. The character development for both of them was fantastic. I especially loved Brinley's. I adored the romance that blossomed between them - we love a man who is down bad!

I haven't really read a lot of motorcycle club books but if you like Sons of Anarchy and want a spicy romance in that vein, this is for you.

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey | Book Review

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Title & Author: The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey 

My rating: 3/5

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication date: 16th July 2024

Blurb:

Tallulah is smart, vivacious, and studying to be a marine biologist. She’s also twenty-six and broke. So when Burgess, a battle-scarred hockey veteran and newly single dad, offers her a job as his live-in nanny, she jumps at the opportunity to get paid while living in a super fancy neighborhood and being around Lissa, his cool but introverted tween.

Her tween charge isn’t the only one who could use some help fitting in, though. According to…well, everyone except Burgess, he needs to get back on the dating scene, and adventurous Tallulah is just the girl to show him how. But as boundaries are slowly crossed and Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter, who wants her parents back together, and his insane chemistry with Tallulah, a huge rift is formed, and Tallulah does the “right” thing—breaks her own heart and walks away.

Though Burgess knows it’s for the best—he’s too jaded, with too much baggage—a chance meeting, and a new push from his daughter, forces him to put everything on the line and fight to prove he learned his lessons well and is worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah.

Review:

I adored Fangirl Down and as soon as I heard the little mention of Burgess and Tallulah, I knew their book would be next and I was excited. 

Burgess, a 37 year old ice hockey player has offered Tallulah, the 26 year old best friend of his best friend, a job as his au pair whilst she does her degree. He has joint custody of his twelve year old daughter and needs a little help.

I loved hearing about Tallulah's backstory and it did break my heart. I really felt like I understood her reluctance when it came to working for Burgess. Obviously a relationship develops between the two and not without it's ups and downs.

Burgess is giving typical book boyfriend but I honestly felt like the plot was a little thin in comparison to Fangirl Down. 

I do enjoy an age gap romance and I loved the development between these two. Bring on the next book! 

Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey | Book Review

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Title & Author: Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey 

My rating: 5/5

Publisher: Harper360

Publication date: 13th February 2024

Blurb:

Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs, and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. He curses, she cheers. He scowls, she smiles. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life.

Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. Yet after he throws in the towel, she begins to wonder if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine’s professional and personal life is in shambles, she could really use the cash…

As they travel together, spending days on the green and nights in neighboring hotel rooms, sparks fly. Before long, they’re inseparable, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. This hot man wants to brush her hair, feed her snacks, and take bubble baths together? Is this real life? But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?

Review:

This is one of those books I'd seen everywhere for ages and now that I've read it, I am fuming that I didn't read it sooner. Although maybe the universe planned for me to read it this year because I would understand it more.

Josephine runs her family's golf shop and is a pretty big fan girl of one high-profile golfer, Wells Whitaker. Once upon a time he was at the top of his game but his downfall is currently happening. Josephine's loyalty has never wavered though.

Events ensue and Wells hires Josephine as his caddy for the next tournament. She is the one who has always believed in him, plus, with a hurricane wiping out the golf shop, she needs the money for renovations.

Imagine my surprise to read that Josephine has type 1 diabetes. As the parent of a child who was diagnosed with T1D at the beginning of this year and our lives have been consumed with it, I knew Bailey had lived experience with this and it wasn't just written through research alone. If you don't know anything about T1D and love a romance novel, this book is so factually accurate, it made my heart happy.

What also made my heart happy? The development of Wells' character with Josephine's help and their relationship as a whole. 

Just beautiful and I am getting stuck straight into the rest of the series.