You know that feeling when you pick up a sports romance expecting a few lighthearted goals and some locker room banter, but you end up staying awake until 3:00 AM because the emotional weight actually crushed you? That's the vibe with Sweet Collide by Ava Harrison.
It isn't just a hockey book. Honestly, calling it "just" a hockey book feels like a disservice.
Aiden Slate is the hero here, and yeah, he’s the captain of the Redville Saints, he's rich, and he’s arguably the NHL’s biggest star. But he’s also drowning. He’s living with OCD that’s fueled by a childhood spent in a trailer park with a mother who essentially told him he was broken. Enter Cassidy—or "Pip," as he used to know her. She’s the girl who helped him escape that life ten years ago, yet when she storms into his hotel suite a decade later to finally give him a piece of her mind, he doesn’t even recognize her.
The "Sweet Collide" Plot: More Than Just Ice and NDAs
The setup is classic Harrison. Cassidy is struggling—sleeping on a friend's couch, degree in hand but no job in sight. She goes to Aiden’s hotel to confront him about the past. Instead, through a series of chaotic events and a very misplaced NDA, she ends up being mistaken for someone else and eventually enters into a fake dating arrangement with the man who broke her heart by forgetting her.
It's messy.
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Aiden needs a distraction to keep his compulsions in check and his head in the game. He thinks Cassidy is just a stranger who "gets" him. He doesn't realize she's the one person who actually knows the version of him that existed before the fame.
Why Aiden Slate Isn't Your Average Book Boyfriend
Most hockey romances give us the "golden boy" or the "brooding grump." Aiden is a bit of both, but with a layer of vulnerability that feels remarkably real. Ava Harrison doesn't shy away from the reality of mental health. Aiden's "rituals" aren't just quirky character traits; they are survival mechanisms.
The way Cassidy steps in—not to "fix" him, but to provide a safe space where he doesn't have to be perfect—is where the "Sweet" in Sweet Collide really comes from.
Key Tropes That Actually Work
- Second Chance (with a twist): They knew each other as kids, but only one of them remembers.
- Fake Dating: It’s the "forced proximity" we all love, but used here to build emotional intimacy rather than just physical tension.
- He Falls First (Again): Even without knowing who she is, Aiden is gone for her.
- Childhood Trauma Bond: Both characters are running from a past that involves neglectful parents and a desperate need to be "enough."
The Redville Saints Series Context
If you're wondering if you need to read others first, the answer is no. Sweet Collide is the first book in the Saints of Redville series. It sets the stage for the rest of the team. You've got Twisted Collide (Dane's book) and Beautiful Collide (Hudson's book) following it up. While they can be read as standalones, seeing the team dynamics start here makes the later books feel more lived-in.
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The pacing is fast. You’ll fly through the 400-odd pages because the tension between "when will he realize who she is?" and "how can they survive the truth?" is constant.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Book
People see the cover and think it’s going to be all steam and no substance. Wrong.
While there’s definitely spice—Ava Harrison knows how to write a "crawl to me" scene—the heart of the story is about healing. It’s about two people who were told they were "trash" proving to themselves that they deserve the world. If you're looking for a book that handles OCD and trauma with a sensitive touch while still giving you the thrill of a Stanley Cup run, this is it.
It's a heavy read in parts. You might want tissues.
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Final Verdict: Should You Read It?
Basically, if you liked Icebreaker or Pucking Around but wanted something with a bit more "hurt-comfort" and deep-seated history, you’re going to love this.
How to get the most out of Sweet Collide:
- Don't skip the flashbacks: They explain the "Pip" and "Slate" dynamic which makes the ending hit ten times harder.
- Listen to the audiobook: Christian Fox and Stella Hunter narrate it, and their performances bring a lot of depth to Aiden’s internal struggles.
- Check the triggers: It deals with parental neglect and OCD, so keep that in mind if those are sensitive spots for you.
To see how the rest of the team fares, you can move straight into Twisted Collide, which follows Aiden's teammate Dane and the coach's daughter. It keeps the same high-stakes emotional energy but shifts the trope to a "forbidden" romance.