Skating and Fake Dating

Love in Maple Falls #4

by Ellie Hall

She’s a disaster with a planner. He’s a perfectionist with a past—and their fake relationship just might be the biggest mess of all.

Bailey
I’m a walking contradiction—professional on the job, a hot mess at home, and working my “I’ve got this” smile until my cheeks ache while hiding my making maple butter and finding a husband. With my perfect sister's recent engagement, I’m desperate to avoid Mom’s pitying looks and matchmaking attempts.

Carson
I used to be hockey’s laid-back southern charmer until a crushing rejection from my high school sweetheart transformed me into a workaholic. When I’m unexpectedly traded to a new team, rumors circulate about whether the gentleman wingman lost his edge. I’ll do whatever it takes to prove them wrong.

Bailey
When our worlds collide after a dessert disaster, we come up with a mutually beneficial solution to our respective a fake relationship. The rules are I get a “successful” boyfriend for family events. He gets a “stable” girlfriend for team image. No feelings, no complications, and a definite expiration date.

Carson
But between posing as a couple at the fall festival, midnight maple butter-making sessions, trying to keep our stories straight, and undeniable chemistry, what started as a convenient lie is beginning to feel inconveniently real. As the clock runs down on our arrangement, we’ll have to walk away when the final buzzer sounds, or take a shot at the love neither of us saw coming.

***

Skating and Fake Dating is a heartwarming hockey romcom featuring Bailey and ‘Bama who are perfect for each other in all the most imperfect ways, plus, small-town charm, family shenanigans, and a guaranteed happily ever after sweeter than homemade maple butter blondies.

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you'll enjoy them best in order.

Fake-Off with Fate by Whitney Dineen
Offside and Off Limits by Kate O’Keefe
Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp
Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall
Goalie and the Girl Next Door by Elsie Woods
Soulmates and Slapshots by Melissa Baldwin
The Icing on the Cake by Grace Worthington

Genres: Romance, Hockey Romance, Sports Romance, Contemporary, Clean Romance, Hockey, Fake Dating

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2025

About the author

Ellie Hall is a USA Today bestselling author. If only that meant she could wear a tiara and get away with it. ;) She loves puppies, books, and the ocean. Writing sweet romance with lots of firsts and fizzy feels gives her joy. Oh, and chocolate chip cookies are her fave. Ellie believes in dreaming big, working hard, and lazy Sunday afternoons spent with her family and dog in gratitude for God’s grace.

♥

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/EllieHallNL
Website: http://www.elliehallauthor.com
Facebook: http://www/facebook.com/elliehallauthor
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/elliehallauthor

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Series and suggested reading order:

The Only Us Sweet Billionaire Series
•these billionaires have everything, but will they find love...?•

1. Only a Date with a Billionaire
2. Only a Kiss with a Billionaire
3. Only a Night with a Billionaire
4. Only Forever with a Billionaire
5. Only Love with a Billionaire
6. Only Christmas with the Billionaire
7. Only New Year with the Billionaire

♥

The Hawkins Family Clean Romance Series

•five brothers, torn apart and the women who help put them back together...•

1. Second Chance in Hawk Ridge Hollow

2. Finding Forever in Hawk Ridge Hollow

3. Resort Getaway with a Bodyguard

4. Going Home to Hawk Ridge Hollow

5. Christmas in Hawk Ridge Hollow

♥

The Blue Bay Beach Reads Romance Series

•a small-town restaurant, a dating dare, and happily ever afters...•

1. Summer with the Marine

2. Summer with the Rock Star

3. Summer with the Billionaire

4. Summer with the Cowboy

5. Summer with the Carpenter

6. Summer with the Doctor

♥

Ritchie Ranch Clean Cowboy Romance Series

•Cowboy hats & kisses with small-town charm•

1. Rustling the Cowboy’s Heart

2. Lassoing the Cowboy’s Heart

3. Trusting the Cowboy’s Heart

4. Kissing the Christmas Cowboy

5. Loving the Cowboy’s Heart

6. Charming the Cowboy’s Heart

7. Saving the Cowboy’s Heart

8. Wrangling the Cowboy’s Heart

♥

Falling into Happily Ever After Rom Com

• Sweet, heartwarming & uplifting romantic comedy

1. An Unwanted Love Story

2. An Unexpected Love Story

3. An Unlikely Love Story

4. An Accidental Love Story

5. An Impossible Love Story

6. An Unconventional Christmas Love Story

♥

Forever Marriage Match

• Five friends have to find true love or else...romcom

1. Dare to Love My Grumpy Boss

2. Dare to Love the Guy Next Door

3. Dare to Love My Fake Husband

4. Dare to Love the Guy I Hate

5. Dare to Love My Best Friend

♥

Home Sweet Home Small Town Romantic Comedy Series

Mr. & Mrs. Fix-It Find Love

Designing Happily Ever After

The DIY Kissing Project

The True Romance Renovation

Extreme Heart Makeover

Building What's Meant to Be

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The Costa Brothers Cozy Christmas Comfort Romance Series

Tommy & Merry and the 12 Days of Christmas

Bruno & Gloria and the 5 Golden Rings

Luca & Ivy and the 4 Calling Birds

Gio & Joy and the 3 French Hens

Paulo & Noella and the 2 Turtle Doves

Nico & Hope and the Partridge in the Pear Tree

♥

The Love List Series

The Swoon List

The Not Love List

The Crush List

The Kiss List

The Naughty or Nice List

♥

Love, Laughs, and Mystery in Coco Key

The Romance Situation

The Romance Fiasco

The Romance Game

The Romance Gambit

The Christmas Romance Wish

♥

On the Hunt for Love

The Grump and the Girl Next Door

The Bitter Heir and the Beauty

The Secret Son and the Sweetheart

The Ex Best Friend and the Fake Fiancé

The Best Friend’s Brother and the Brain

Select titles are available in audiobook, paperback, hardcover, and large print formats. Happy reading!♥

Reviews

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome back to Maple Falls!!! I'm loving all of the books in this series! And Bailey and Carson's story was delightfully funny and swoony! Many of their interactions had me giggling! Carson is a tease and poor Bailey just finds herself in the "perfect" situations for his teasing to ensue. Just stay away from small spaces Bailey! Hee Hee!!!

But Carson has a major soft side for Bailey! I loved watching him stepping up and defending her goodness and her personality, especially when her family started teasing her, to the point of being mean and hurtful. Carson couldn't stand by and not set to rights the way Bailey is treated and you're going to love him for it! And how he helps Bailey feel more confident about her adorable personality!

If you love fake-dating and forced proximity, and just adorable swoonyness, you're going to love this one!!!

Content: Clean. Some kisses but nothing further.

I received a copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

[ellie💌 · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is such a sweet autumnal read!! I loveeee Bailey, she is genuinely so funny without trying and her dynamic with Carson was perfect. Him falling first was perfect too and I adore the way he defends her. This being dual POV was perfect as I loved knowing what was going on in Carson’s head. I sped through this and I didn’t want to put it down! super intrigued to read more by this author!
Thank you NetGalley for the arc🫶🏼🫶🏼

[catherine.therese · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave Skating and Fake Dating three stars, while the small-town charm and fall vibes were nice, I just couldn’t fully connect with Bailey or Carson. Bailey just felt a little too quirky to me. Also their chemistry maybe just didn’t feel believable to me.

pre read: AHHH I GOT APPROVED FOR MY FIRST ARC! I’m so excited thank you to NetGalley and to the author Ellie Hall for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Lissa Ruck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Carson & Bailey's uncertain, caring, laugh out loud, loving, sweet n swoony happily ever after!!

[Angie (mushmysteriesandmore) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story so much. I always love fake dating, and this one was in the title, so I was giddy from the get-go. I have read the earlier books in the Love In Maple Falls series (but you don’t have to, they are all standalone yet interwoven), so I was a little familiar with Carson ‘Bama’ Crane, the gentleman winger for the Icebreakers. He first meets Bailey Porter over squashed blondies, then again in an elevator. When he finds out he’s being transferred from Nebraska to Maple Falls, Bailey is assigned as his Player Assimilation Liaison, and the two end up heading off together. When Bailey needs a successful date for her cousin’s wedding and Carson needs a stable girlfriend to help clean up his image, they end up faking a relationship. Before long, you have to question, is it fake or fate?

I loved the chemistry between Bailey and Carson, they constantly got into one scrape after another with hysterical results. Their interactions with each other were both funny but tender too. Carson definitely fell first, he never failed to defend Bailey against her rotten family (although most of them came around and admitted that they were proud of Bailey, I just despise her sister who was a cow from the beginning to the end.)

We see another amusing bidding war at the Bachelor auction; this has appeared in all of the books so far, each one focusing on the star of that story. Bama’s auction was funny, even though Bailey’s cousins were determined to bankrupt her just to beat her to her own guy. The winning bidder was definitely a worthwhile and deserving one.

[Cassondra Perea · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bailey Porter serves as the Player Assimilation Liaison, commonly referred to as PAL, for the western division of the NHL. As a result, it is her duty to help new and transferred players with anything they may need on or off the ice (ie arranging transportation, making living accommodations, building connections with new teammates, etc). After all, uprooting one’s life to play hockey at the highest level is a major feat. But when Bailey is assigned Carson “Bama” Crane, their past interactions prevent her from properly doing her job. Will the two be able to set aside their differences, or will it highlight Bailey’s shortcomings as a PAL?

Skating and Fake Dating is the fourth book in the multi-author, interconnected series, Love in Maple Falls. Composed of seven standalone novels, each book follows a member of the Ice Breakers as they find love in a small town. While readers have the option to read each book as a one off, they would be doing themselves and the series a disservice.

If one were to judge this book by its cover, they might assume it has just one trope, fake dating. However, that would be wrong. Ellie Hall has filled this story with fan-favorite tropes such as enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, and forced proximity to name a few. The combination lends itself perfectly to witty banter and of course a happily-ever-after!

Humor also plays a large role. The main characters (Bailey and Carson) always seem to find themselves in shenanigans or some sort of precarious situation ( ie trapped in an elevator, handcuffed by a magician, locked in a plane bathroom/ cellar, etc.) What results is unforgettable, laugh-out-loud moments.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Ellie Hall for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Teagan Eaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me grinning, swooning, and completely wrapped up in Bailey and Carson’s story. Ellie Hall balances small-town charm with laugh-out-loud puns, giving this romantic comedy the perfect cozy sparkle.

Bailey and Carson aren’t just characters you root for—they feel like home. Their awkward run-ins in too-small spaces had me giggling, but it was the way they slowly realized that “home” isn’t a place at all—it’s a person—that melted my heart.

Carson may come into the story with a reputation to fix, but his genuine care for Bailey shines through in every interaction. From standing up for her when he barely knew her to supporting her dreams without hesitation, he proves that love doesn’t have to mean sacrifice—it can mean growing together.

The combination of sweet, funny, and heartfelt moments makes Skating and Fake Dating the kind of book you want to curl up with and never put down. It’s romance at its most charming—full of sparks, sincerity, and the reminder that sometimes, the best kind of love comes when you least expect it.

[Jenny x Carolena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skating and Fake Dating is a heartwarming hockey romcom that blends laugh-out-loud awkwardness with swoony sweetness. Bailey, the Ice Breakers’ clumsy but big-hearted assimilation liaison, needs a fake date for a family wedding. Carson “Bama,” the newly traded southern hockey star, needs a girlfriend to fix his reputation. Their deal is simple—fake dating with an expiration date—but from elevator rides to airplane bathroom mishaps, flea markets, and even a time capsule discovery, things quickly spiral into something real. Bailey’s difficult family adds tension and plenty of reasons to cheer for her happiness, while Carson proves to be the perfect balance of charm and sincerity. With hockey vibes, small-town fall coziness, and chemistry that leaps off the page, this book is a sweet and funny must-read for fans of fake dating, clumsy heroines, and hockey heartthrobs.


Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book, and this is my honest and unbiased review.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5* - Rounded up to 5...

Bailey finds herself heading back to her hometown, for her job, to help Carson settle into his new home for his transfer to the new NHL team in Maple Falls. And once they get to Maple Falls, They find themselves in a sticky situation, that ends up with them deciding to Fake Date to help both their situations.

I loved Bailey's family, and how Carson made his way into their hearts. I loved the banter and connection between Bailey and Carson. So many fun scenes, and emotional ones. So many ways that Carson and Bailey show they are falling for each other without realising it themselves. Especially Carson... And how he makes Bailey's dreams come true...

This was a great read! Especially if you love the fake dating trope...

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute fake dating story. I felt so sorry for Bailey for pretty much the first half of the book as she was treated awfully by her family. So much teasing and shaming and it was not good natured. Fortunately Carson stood up for her and with his support, she began to finally believe in herself and realize that she was not a failure and didn't have to do exactly what her family wanted her to do to be living a good life.

It took a while for these two to realize and admit that they were both having real feelings instead of fake ones. I appreciated that Carson brought a balance to Bailey's life and even to her interactions with her entire family.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Nicole Darius · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Ellie Hall and it won't be my last. The book was a perfect fall, cozy, sports romance and broke up my spooky reading vibes. I was able to read this pretty quickly and think it would make for the perfect rainy, fall, snuggle with cocoa reading day. I enjoyed the banter between Bailey and Carson and the fake dating/slow-burn worked well. I like how Bailey and Carson strengthened each other and brought out their best each of them having their own items to work on.

Thank you Netgalley and Ellie Hall for this ARC all opinions are my own.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love Bailey! She’s a bit clumsy and quirky, but she’s so determined and has such a positive attitude, even when her family doesn’t treat her like they should. And Carson was so sweet, even after he declared he didn’t believe in true love anymore (though I think that went out the window after spending a little bit of time with Bailey). Bonus was all the forced proximity scenes; I just love them! This book was a great addition to the Love in Maple Falls series and I can’t wait to read the next one!

[Jacki F · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fast read and a cute story line that pulls you in early. It’s the perfect little fall book to get you into the maple season! I wanted a little more writing in a couple areas to really feel things, one being the fate of Maple Falls and the ending excitement, but it didn’t lessen my enjoyment of this book. Definitely a perfect fall grab when it releases next month! 3.5 ⭐️s!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars
This was a cute, cozy, fall read. It has fake dating, small town, hockey player MMC, artistic FFM, and many other fun troupes that make it enjoyable for most people. This book does have some "insta-love" qualities to it as it is less than 300 pages. I love this whole series, and I like that the books happen during mostly the same timeline as each other and we get to kind of see the love stories of the other characters from the previous books from a different point of view. I also love that even though this series has different authors for the books, that the characters that are MC's in other book have the same personality in this book. it shows that the authors really worked together to collaborate and create a fun, cozy fall romance book.
Thank you to netgalley for providing this arc to me.

[Laramee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good fake dating romance and this one hit all the boxes! A fun Fall hockey romance not to be missed!

I received an ARC from the author and all opinions are my own.

[Natasha Bovee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was cute and I liked the main characters, but the writing seemed chaotic and didn’t always flow nicely. I don’t feel like I usually see this in her other writing. I enjoyed the dynamics with the new Ice Breakers team, but Bailey’s family was awful aside from Nanna. Her mother even said “we tease you because we love you.” No! Teasing is when both parties find the humor in what is being said. What her family does is bully her. They say mean, cutting things that make Bailey self conscious and they demean her accomplishments. They are awful people. I appreciated that Carson stood up for her to them. She deserves better.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one I am think 3.5, just for my personal enjoyment, but it wasn't quite good enough to bump the rating up a star.

Okay, so Carson messed up his career a little, through no true fault of his own...more like his ex's delivery of 'emotional damage.' He gets himself traded to a new team located by a rather small town, the Ice Breakers. The NHL sends him a PAL, Bailey who's job it is to make his transition as smooth as possible. Also, that town....she grew up there.

There's an argument to be made that this could almost be an enemies to lovers romance because Bailey was basically traumatized when she met Carson, and his brand of humor only added to the humiliation of the situation. His brand of humor continues to humiliate her upon this meeting when he critics her clothing choices, her potential tardiness, etc. Fortunately once she and he figure out each other's brand of humor, it's better.

I do love how the author used the quick version of the "forced proximity" trope to get these two into funny little predicaments and justify Carson suddenly showing up to a family wedding. I did not, however, like Bailey's family. What a bunch of bullies who gaslight her with something equivalent to "we only tease you because we love you," bullsh*t. Her sister is downright nasty to her, her mother isn't much better, and the brother we never really see also is portrayed as a real piece of work. Even her aunts get on her. Carson, being a southern gentleman, immediately feels compelled to attempt to parry all the blows they land on her as gentlemanly as possible. But good lord. I know she loves her family, but none of them are great people, minus her Nanna.

The story itself was good, though I don't typically enjoy such short timelines. Fortunately the ending is good, hopeful, but not one ending in a whirlwind marriage, thank god. I have finally met a couple who has had a similar, real-life whirlwind romance, but it still boggles my mind that anyone would do that. My biggest gripe was how often it would circle back to Carson's ex and not give any new information. It was just the same garbage every time. And the dude would NOT let it go and allow himself to fully realize that not all women are like that. All he would have to do to prove to himself that marriage and hockey is compatible is, I don't know, look at aaaaaalllll the happily married NHLers out there. 🙄 The book would have been several pages short I'm sure if we just skipped all the Carolene recap replays.

Bailey, on the other hand, has also had a terrible experience with her ex AND HER COUSIN but stops bringing it up because she realizes that the past is in the past and not all men are horrible pigs. We don't get a lot of replay about her horrible experience, we just get to see her fight the anxiety that has been left behind from said event, which is believable AND less annoying to reread about.

The two of them together...the amount of times they talk about feelings maybe being real and them breaching the rules of their fake relationship you'd think they'd just shut up and actually try their hands at real dating. Instead we hear about that repeatedly and then suffer the stupid stop attempt by Carlson to distance himself because suddenly communication and everything else they have been doing doesn't matter. Sigh.

And that is why I couldn't bump the star rating.

The reason why it gets the 3.5 still is because I really liked these two as individual people and who they are together. Some would argue it's an opposites attract type story, but at the core they are both two real nice people, two people burned by previous partners, two people who want to help/serve their partner, fake dating or not, they try to look out for each as best they can. He may be an athlete, but she's a lady who runs around a farm climbing trees to pick apples and tapping trees for sap. They're both kind of quiet until they need to be loud. Blah blah blah, need I go on?

I enjoy the humorous situations they get into and how they graciously handle each one with humor, jokes, silly puns, etc. And that is why this book gets 3.5 stars.

Conclusion

Though this book had its issues, I enjoyed the main characters and their journey. Nice light fluff read for lunch breaks, grocery store line ups, and end of day winding down.

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carson is being traded to a team in his own town of Maple Falls and when Bailey , in her capacity of transitioning players to their new team has been asked a very peculiar favour from him. This is the premise of this cute story that is dang funny and sweet too….
Nebraska Knights play in The Ice Palace ,it’s been a little stressful day for poor Bailey and that’s the thing because she stress bakes and makes things worse on herself and now she’s late ,or she will be if the person in that elevator who’s doors are closing doesn’t answer her plea. Phew that was close and she manages to not spill her coffee, that would be gross. Not daring to look up and make a gaff ,or worse make the guy laugh at her foul up she doesn’t look up to see who it is ,just goes about her standing in the elevator business. Trying to look cool though she feels far from demure and polished but likely she’ll be admonished anyway like yesterday. That was so not good ,how was she to know how her baked goods would go down causing more than a frown to appear on her new boss’s face. She dreams of opening her own Maple butter place but it’s not meant to be she reflects . Was that a flecks of a muscular arm across her in the elevator? She glances and does a double take Carson ‘Bama’ Crane is riding with her. The IceHockey star ,they’ve met briefly before but he’s got her all unnecessary anyway ,even has her confused and going the wrong way ,only to bump right back into his manly chest .Yes she looked and now she’s copped a feel and it’s real hard not to resist. Now she really is late and this : “Ah, our Player Assimilation Liaison. Glad you could make it,” yes her boss Bernice Meyers really is one of the team ,though her team? Not so much..Then to top off her morning Carson is sat atop of her desk in her small cubicle when she gets away from the meeting. Well she is the Player Assimilation Liaison ( PAL for short) and he just got transferred. The Knight’ head Coach Tom Badaszek
Sends him packing to The Ice Breakers a newly formed NHL team and Bailey along with him. Great! She thinks ,although it doesn’t stink so much as he’s always making the Blondie tag and laughing at her because of the way she fell for him when she tripped through the door her baked Blondies in her hand flying with her. Well it seems that she likes these small spaces with Carson as she’s only gone and notched up the plane loo too . But it’s not what you’re surmising ,it’s not surprising because yup she tripped in there . I swear and it’s funny . This is a great start to a new chapter in both their lives with lots more in store for us to devour reading ,for instance ,her family all want a piece of him but she gets his utmost attention . Swoon 🫠 They even park and she didn’t get to do that because of Ophelia .. No wonder she feels like a failure,she hasn’t exactly had the backing from those who’s supposed to hold her dear! There’s funny moments galore in this and it’s oh so bliss! Fake dating my eye ,he’s proper in love this guy and she doth protest too much too . What’s more I do adore the revisit of these two together. Will they won’t they get their forever . Loved every page as I was soon engaged and reading till late . That’s me at any rate ,I cannot put a good book down and sleep na ha …And…Oh my this fabulous book by the great Ellie Hall ,go take a look . It’s invitingly sunny and funny too ,I loved every last bit of it and so will you. Very well written ,I was already smitten with these characters too .

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skating & Fake Dating by Ellie Hall is the fourth book in the multi-author Love In Maple Falls series. This book is told from a dual POV, following Bailey Porter & Carson Crane. Bailey works for the NHL. Her job is to get the players situated in their new teams/towns after a trade. After Carson aka Bama gets traded to the newest NHL team, The Icebreakers, in her hometown of Maple Falls she gets appointed to help him with the transition. She already knows Carson after a not-so-good interaction where he laughed at her and she ended up covered in icing and is not his biggest fan even if he is very attractive. During their travels to Maple Falls, after multiple mishaps involving airplane bathrooms and handcuffs, they find a common ground. Bailey needs a wedding date and Carson needs a steady girlfriend to help repair his image and it makes for the perfect fake dating opportunity. This story was so fun and super swoony. Their chemistry dynamic between Bailey and Carson was perfect. If you like fake dating and forced proximity with a hockey player MMC and a little bit of a walking disaster FMC you should definitely check this book out.

🍁 Hockey Romance
🍁 Only Kisses
🍁 Fake Dating
🍁 Forced Proximity
🍁 No Third Act Breakup
🍁 He Falls First
🍁 Small Town
🍁 The Banter 😍
🍁 The Swooniest ❤️

Carson has a gleam in his eyes as they rake over me. “Don’t think of it as babysitting. I’ll be a good boy. Promise.”

Yeah, I noticed that tiny detail. From the second she walked into the room, I was like dew on Dixie. That was one of my grandfather’s sayings to mean my gaze was glued to her. Grandaddy always told my grandmother that as long as he had a biscuit, she got half. That was love— the kind I thought I had. The kind that’s as likely for me as falling up a tree. I’d be better off hugging a rose bush.

I like the sound of her name on my lips even more as time stretches somehow, erasing the months of agony as I grappled with everything I’d lost. But before I reach the conclusion of what that might mean and talk myself out of it, a sharp rap sounds on the door, shattering the moment, my mind.

I spot another pair of handcuffs on a nearby table and say, “Are those the trick cuffs?” The magician’s face falls. “And that would make these the real ones?” Bailey asks. Taking charge, I speak simply, but forcefully. “Okay, so get the key, unlock these things, and we’ll get out of here.” He slowly shakes his head. “The key is at home.” “Then go get it or a hacksaw.” Bailey jerks her hand toward her chest, taking mine with it. “You can’t amputate!” “For the cuffs, Bailey.” “Oh, right.”

“I don’t know, Bailey. You don’t seem like the kind of person who can be contained.” Despite her wearing a coordinating business suit and keeping a planner, she seems like she has a creative, quirky streak that uses boxes to make something unique like a little office library for her coworkers to trade their favorite books for everyone to enjoy.

“It’ll be fun.” “Haha. First, a magician. Now a clown. Today is already a laugh riot.” “It can’t get worse than us being nearly trapped in an elevator together, then locked in an airplane bathroom, and now handcuffed.” He has a point, but was it really that bad?

Since arriving at Bailey’s childhood home, I’ve slowly started to understand why she needed backup. I didn’t officially agree to be her date until we took the detour to the overlook. She looked so beautiful against the backlit setting sun. I didn’t want anyone else to dim her light. If I could do anything to help, I promised myself right then and there that I would.

“Bailey, I don’t know what this is between us. But I do know that pretending to be with you today felt more real than anything has in a long time.” “The team expects you to have a stable personal life now. That’s what your agent wanted,” she says as if not just keeping physical distance between us but emotional too.

“Actually,” Carson says, his voice warm but firm, “one of the things I admire most about Bailey is her creativity. She approaches life with a sense of wonder that most people lose as adults.” He looks at me with such genuine affection that for a moment, I forget we’re pretending. My sister blathers on, but her voice fades and I can only hear Carson’s low, Southern rumble filling my ears. It’s just the two of us on that dusty road. “You should see her workspace— it’s immaculately organized and she knows exactly where everything is. She might be five minutes late to a meeting, but that’s because she was making sure every detail was perfect and bringing snacks for everyone. I may be ‘put together,’ as you say, but Bailey brings color to everything she touches, including my life. I was lost before she came along.”

“Sweeter than revenge. Though I haven’t forgotten that you laughed so hard you snorted.” “I did not snort!” I protest.

I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skating and Fake Dating is the fourth story in the Love in Maple Falls hockey-themed romantic comedies series and contains the fake-dating trope. The series is connected to 2024’s popular Love on Thin Ice series, which was also set in Maple Falls, Washington. Both series contain connected stories by various authors; each book can be read as a stand-alone. All stories in both series are closed-door romances that don’t contain any sex, violence, or profanity.

Bailey Porter works for the NHL as a Player Assimilation Liaison, essentially assisting players who are new to the league or transferred to another team. She is assigned one player at a time in the Western region, and lives in different cities for short periods of time. She was devastated when her longtime boyfriend broke up with her and again when her maple butter business failed; being on the road has allowed her to regroup. She’s anxious about her cousin’s upcoming wedding to her ex-boyfriend, where everyone will be pitying her and comparing her to her wildly successful older sister.

Carson Crane has been a professional hockey player for six years and is known as the “southern charmer”. His world came crashing down when his girlfriend of ten years dumped him for someone richer, and he’s been struggling to regain his edge ever since. Unfortunately, he went from being laid back to an intense, critical workaholic who no longer gets along with his teammates. He’s really hurt when he learns that his Nebraska Knights team is trading him to the newly formed Ice Breakers team in Maple Falls, Washington.

Bailey is surprised to learn that her newest assignment is Carson “Bama” Crane’s transition to her hometown in Maple Falls. She’s reluctant to return there and be compared to her successful sister who just got engaged. She and Carson come up with a plan to have a fake relationship to keep her family off her back and improve his image with his new team. Even though they started off on the wrong foot, they believe that their plan is solid. They definitely have chemistry, although they believe they’re not each other’s type. The question is if they will find their way to true love amidst the Porter family’s shenanigans and Carson’s determination to regain his career.

Skating and Fake Dating is a hilarious installment in the Love in Maple Falls small town hockey romcom series. Bailey is a walking contradiction: wearing mismatched outfits and dropping her delicious desserts while otherwise being completely professional. Her internal monologues are comedic gold, and it’s obvious that she suffers from ADHD. Both Bailey and Carson have understandable trust issues with the opposite sex, having been abandoned and betrayed by former partners. While the reader knows that their relationship will become real, the journey is fun to read! The Hallmark Channel should definitely adapt this story to film!

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and the author for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skating and Fake Dating is the fourth book in the Love in Maple Falls series. This is a collection of seven books, each written by a different author, but they all take place in Maple Falls, Washington. Each book is a standalone but you'll probably want to read the full series in order!

This one is a fake dating, small town, hockey romance featuring Bailey Porter and Carson "Bama" Crane.

Bailey works for the NHL as a Player Assimilation Liaison (PAL). She doesn't love it, but having left her small town home of Maple Falls behind, she feels like she has something to prove to her family. Carson, also known as the gentleman wingman, was transferred from Nebraska Knights to Ice Breakers. This occurred after things did not go as planned when he proposed to his high school sweetheart, leaving him heartbroken and reacting poorly. Bailey is assigned as his PAL to help him navigate the transfer.

As Bailey needs to return home to attend her cousin Tori's wedding to her ex, Taggert, she ends up traveling with Carson. Inclement weather leads to their flight being diverted and the two sharing a long drive to Maple Hills. During their journey, the two end up sharing a lot about themselves and they seemingly come to an arrangement where Carson ends up accompanying Bailey to the wedding as her fake boyfriend in order to save face in front of her family. Bailey, in turn, will pretend to be Carson's girlfriend in order to help him improve his public image.

The couple find it very easy to spend time with one another, and over time cannot deny their feelings. Of course, we all know that communication is key, and this duo struggles to find their words to truly express themselves leading to some misunderstandings.

At a glance one might not pair this couple together, but they work together beautifully. It took them some time to recognize their compatibility, but they still questioned it and allowed their doubts to lead them astray. I enjoyed their story. I loved Bailey's quirky character, and how Carson appreciated that aspect of her, and even stood up for her. If you enjoy small town romance, this is a cute one to check out.

If, like me, you plan to read the full series, here are all the books and authors:

Fake-Off with Fate by Whitney Dineen
Offside and Off-Limits by Kate O’Keeffe
Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp
Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall
Goalie and the Girl Next Door by Elsie Woods
Soulmates and Slapshots by Melissa Baldwin
The Icing on the Cake by Grace Worthington

Happy Reading!

[Nicole | Nicole's Bookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skating and Fake Dating is book 4 in the Love In Maple Falls series. It features the gentleman wingman, Carson Crane, and NHL Player Assimilation Liaison and hometown girl, Bailey Porter. Carson and Bailey meet while he’s still with the Knights. When he is traded at the last minute to the Ice Breakers, Bailey is tasked with helping him make the transition to his new team. Fate has a way of bringing them together time and again. They kind of fall backward into a fake dating relationship - Bailey wanting to save face with her family and Carson needing a new image for PR. They agreed no feelings allowed but what happens when they both break the rules?

Carson and Bailey were seriously swoony together. I love the way Carson championed Bailey and stood up for her with her family. He was charming, a true southern gentleman, and easily won over her family. He appreciated Bailey for who she was and found her quirks adorable - “a bit of a ball of chaos but in a cute way.” He loved her creativity and said she brought color to everything around her. I love how he encouraged her and supported her dreams for Sweet Memories Maple Company. He thought he was finished with love but the more time he spends with Bailey, the more he realizes he wants a future with her.

Bailey was fun, quirky, and completely endearing. She was relatable and easy to love. She saw herself as a hot mess but Carson helped her see herself differently. She wasn’t sure she fit into Carson’s world but she didn’t realize how much light she brought to his dark places. He had closed off so much of himself after being rejected by his ex. She helped heal his heart and made him want to risk loving again.

I am obsessed with Carson and Bailey’s story. I stayed up all night, reading it in one sitting. It’s SOOO good. Feet kicking, grinning ear to ear, hiding my face in my pillow good. I couldn’t put it down! The authors have really knocked it out of the park with this series. I think each book is going to have to be my favorite only to love the next one just as much. If you love sweet, charming, feel-good romances with witty banter and flirting that will make your cheeks hurt from grinning, you definitely want to add this to your TBR.

🍁Forced Proximity
🍁Fake Dating
🍁Workplace Romance
🍁Small Town
🍁Swoony Kisses
🍁Closed Door
🍁Dual POV


Thank you Ellie Hall for the ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bailey and Carson's story was so much fun to read. It was deeply emotional at times, but the added humor (and there was plenty of that) added just the right amount of levity to the story.

Bailey works for the NHL, and her job is to help players get situated in their new towns with their teams as seamlessly as possible. She is a little shocked to learn that she will be assisting Carson a/k/a Bama to the Icebreakers team, which just so happens to be in her hometown. The only thing she knows about Carson is that he has laughed at her mishaps, he has commented on her mismatched clothing choices and he calls her Blondie. If first impressions are important, Carson has struck out.

Carson is surprised to learn that Bailey will be accompanying him to his new home. He is even more surprised to learn more about Bailey and what makes her tick. Somewhere along the way, even with all of their mishaps (airplane restroom and handcuffs, just to name a few), they find a common ground. She needs a wedding date and he needs a steady girl on his arm for his image. So the fake dating routine is born.

This got interesting fast as Carson (along with Bailey) are thrown into the lion's den of her family's shenanigans. No wonder this poor girl has low self-esteem. She cannot seem to live up to her family's idea of what she should be, what she should do and who she should be with. He finds himself wanting to protect her which brings me to one of my favorite parts of the book with this quote. ""She approaches life with a sense of wonder that most people lose as adults." Then he takes it one step further, ""She might be five minutes late to a meeting, but that's because she was making sure every detail was perfect and bringing snacks for everyone. I may be 'put together', as you say, but Bailey brings color to everything she touches, including my life. I was lost before she came along."" This was a mic drop moment. He says all of this after her snobby sister, Odette has been tearing Bailey down in front of everyone. I wanted to reach into the book and hug him.

This book was absolutely awesome, and this series is one that no one needs to miss. Once you visit Maple Falls, you will never want to leave.

Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fun small town hockey series Love in Maple Falls which is a collaborative effort by seven different authors. This story Skating and Fake Dating was written by Ellie Hall. I haven't read all the other books but I did read the previous book in this series and was introduced to Bailey Porter and Carson Crane or "Bama as he is called in the Hockey world. He is actually quite rare as a hockey player coming from the south. All of the books in the series work as stand alone stories.

Bailey grew up in Maple Falls but after her business making specialty Maple Butter failed, she took a job working for the NHL as the Player Assimilation Liaison (PAL). Her job is to help hockey players get housing and adjusting to a new area if they are traded. She needs to make a success of her job since her family believes she is a failure. She's already had a few problems like being occasionally late and making a mistake by baking her grandma's Blondie recipe for the Nebraska Knights. When she got corrected by the team nutritionist she got them all over her clothes. So Carson who was playing for that team began to call her Blondie.

Carson has been having a difficult time for awhile since his long time girlfriend rejected his marriage proposal. He went off the rails for awhile and had worked very hard to clean up his act both on and off the rink. So it's really no surprise when he finds out he is being traded to the new team being put together in Maple Falls the Ice Breakers. His manager is insistent that he needs a new public perception so he wants him to get a fake girlfriend.

Bailey and Carson will be spending a lot of time together as she is assigned to be his PAL as he adjusts to his new team in Maple Falls. When he sees the way her family treats her- he offers to act as her fake boyfriend and even go with her to the wedding of her former boyfriend to her cousin. What starts off as just pretend to help both of them out in the things they are facing soon becomes the real thing. What will happen to their relationship when Bailey has to move on to her next assignment?

I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my honest unbiased review.

[Lindsey Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️/ ️🌶️

Book 4 in the Love in Maple Falls series, written by Ellie Hall brings us Skating and Fake Dating. I will welcome any chance to return to Maple Falls, WA and catch up with our Icebreaker players and the woman who captured their hearts. I love Ellie’s writing style and the depth she gives to all her characters. Her books are easy to connect to, but make you feel deep down. The romance may stay surface level, but the emotions root deep down.

Bailey and Carson’s story actually begins before we enter. Having a past, Bailey isn’t too happy to be assigned to Carson as his PAL (Player Assimilation Liaison), but as this is her job, she must help Carson settle in as one of the newest Icebreakers. The tension and banter between these two is top notch from the beginning. It was easy to see their chemistry and know that even when they agreed to fake dating, real attraction already bubbled just below the surface.

Carson is the cheerleader Bailey needed in her life. Constantly reminding her how amazing she is, defending her to her horrible family, and helping her see her own worth, the swoon moments happen hard in this book. I really enjoyed Ellie’s take on this book and not that Bailey is a damsel in distress, just needed a different perspective to be shown to her. This made Bailey’s part of their agreement, help clean up Carson’s image, so much easier than she thought and she becomes more than happy to oblige.

Each book in this series and its parent series brings something magical. Yes, they all have swoon worthy characters, heartwarming moments, and the clean romance that still makes your heart skip a beat, but every author lends a voice that provides something different while still connecting all the stories beautifully. I will never tire of Maple Falls and the magic it brings to everyone who visits.

As always, review any author notes before reading.

What to Expect:
🏒Fake Dating
🍂Hockey Romance
🏒Enemies to Lovers
🍂Opposites Attract
🏒Unavoidable Proximity
🍂Workplace Romance
🏒Small Town Romance
🍂Clean Romance

[cole ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Start/End: 13/09/25 - 14/09/25
Genre: Sports Romance

Summary: Bailey, a player assimilation liaison for the NHL, is tasked with ensuring Carson Crane, gentleman wingman, gets settled in her hometown of Maple Falls. However, the two of them often get stuck in inconvenient situations. A delayed plane and an unplanned stop due to weather complications leads them to a car ride to Maple Falls, conversations flow and an idea of fake dating arises.

My Review: If I thought Mabel was relatable then I obviously hadn't met Bailey yet. Constantly late, yep. Slightly disorganised, mhm. Eccentric and chaotic personality, very accurate. I saw so much of myself in Bailey that I could cry tears of joy. And despite all these qualities that made her 'less than' or 'unsuccessful' or a 'failure' she found someone who truly saw her and made her see that other people's comments and their need to fix people into boxes was just noise and it did not define her. Carson was such a good character and pairing these two together was the perfect choice. I loved the fake dating and how the lines between pretend and reality were slowly blurring throughout the book. He stood up for her and stood by her. And I loved it, I couldn't put the book down. And as much as Carson helped Bailey, she also in return did the same. This exchange was so beautiful to see, that just the presence of someone can bring out the best in us. Also there was healthy communication which is always a win.

Quotes:

'I don't mean to be late; I sometimes just get distracted. There are things to do, people!'

In my family, I'm known as the quiet one...What they don't realise is that my head is loud. If a volume dial has ten levels, my thoughts are usually at eleven, bumping into each other, shouting over each other.


Thank you to NetGalley and Ellie Hall for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Niomi King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I, for one, absolutely adore a hockey romance book, and its release is perfectly timed for a new hockey season. My plan was to make this book last as my between period entertainment for my home teams preseason game this weekend 😅 but it didn't last me the day... Damn it! On the bright side, I can't be mad at a book that i accidentally couldn't stop reading.

Bailey is the funny and sweet hot mess, the sweet heart with the kind of social awkwardness that can only be deemed adorable.
Carson is the broken-hearted guy who thinks he has given up on love but remains the kinda gentleman with the southern charm that all romance girlie's swoon over.

This small town hockey romance takes us to maple falls, now the home town of the new ice hockey team, the ice breakers. The story follows Carson, an NHL player who is traded to the new team after a stint of negative press. Bailey is assigned to Carson as a sort of personal assistant to help get him moved and settled into his new life, which just some happens to be in the same town she grew up in. In order to help with Carsons public image and to avoid the family judgement of Bailey being perpetually single, they agree to fake date, but lines are crossed and rules become blurry as they struggle to come to terms with the fact that neither of them were ever pretending.

I definitely recommend this book, I loved the charming town setting, with the busybody extended family all in a stones throw of each other, and nannas home away from home vibes. 🫠 great humour, romance with no spice, and the cutest HEA.

***Thank you to netgalley and the author Ellie Hall, I adored your addition to this series, thank you for allowing me honour of enjoying this early, I will be on the lookout for your other works. The above review is my honest opinion and has not been influenced in any way.

[Hilma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Southern charm meets hot mess

When ice hockey star Carson has to relocate to another hockey team, Bailey makes everything smooth, but they had a bad start when they first met….

Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall is a great book in the fabulous Love in Maple Falls Series and when I started reading the book I knew it was going to be great. I loved the first book about the Ice Breakers hockey team and the Love in Maple Fall Series is a great addition to the first series Love on Thin Ice.

Bailey can plan perfectly, but she is also a bit of a disaster: she loses things and her family makes her feel small. She does love her job, but making Maple Butter is her greatest hobby. When she has to help southern charmer, Carson moves to Maple Falls and the in that town residing hockey team, she is not used to his teasing and charm, despite having a crush on him. Carson is laid back, loves to tease and he is full of charm. He has come a long way since his fiancé has left him and he wants to make a new start. As Bailey and he spend more time together in Maple Falls, they get into an easy and growing relationship.

This was such a joy to read! I loved it from the very first page. The book is easy to read and sometimes so funny. I loved the banter and relationship between Bailey and Carson, especially as they have to be in in fake relationship: she for her nosy family and he to get better publicity. But we all know, fake dating does not exist. I also loved how Carson stood up for Bailey against her family and some things he said were just really swoony.

Skating and Fake Dating is a wonderful sweet swoony small-town romance in a wonderful fall setting, with a flowing dual POV writing style, a great plot, and two main characters who just belong together.

Highly recommended!

[Jasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨

Another fun, feel-good read in the Love in Maple series!📚🍁
Skating and Fake Dating is book four in this charming romcom collection, and so far I’m loving every book.💕💫

This story follows Bailey, who works for the NHL 🏒 helping players transition to new teams. She's assigned to help Carson, a sweet, perfectionist hockey player 😍 whose career nearly imploded after a rough breakup 💔. Neither of them expected to fall for each other... but when Bailey needs a “successful” date for her cousin’s wedding 💒 and Carson needs a “stable” girlfriend to clean up his image 📸, they agree to a no-strings fake dating arrangement 🤝—with no feelings 😬, no complications 😅, and a definite expiration date⏳

The chemistry between Bailey and Carson is undeniable 🔥 and their banter is genuinely fun 😂
I found myself laughing out loud🤭 at their fake dating antics and swooning 🥹 over their sweet moments. They're absolutely adorable together 🥰 and balance each other out in the best way ⚖️. I loved how Carson saw how smart, kind, capable, and worthy Bailey was 💪💖even when her own family didn’t see it👏 I loved The way he stood up for her against her family💘Instant soft spot!

The writing is strong ✍️, the pacing moves quickly ⏩, and it was great to see familiar faces from previous books pop in again 👋. The cozy small-town vibes 🏡, the hockey backdrop 🥅, and the fake dating trope 💍 made this a delightful read from start to finish 📖✨

If you love cozy small-town romcom fall vibes🍂, sports romance 🏒, and fake dating done right 👫, I definitely recommend picking this one up! 💞

Thank you Ellie Hall, Netgalley, and Xpresso Book Tours, for allowing me to read this book in exchange of my honest review!🧡

[Nathalie Najibi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay sooooo… I’m officially unwell. This book was like someone handed me a steaming cup of peppermint hot chocolate, wrapped me in a blanket, and whispered “here’s your new comfort read, babe.” And then proceeded to throw me onto an ice rink with a fake boyfriend who’s way too good at smirking.

First of all, FAKE DATING. My number one weakness. Like you really expect me to survive a story where they have to pretend to be in love (when everyone, including the reader, knows they’re two seconds away from actually combusting with real feelings)? Absolutely not, I was doomed from page one. The tension? The lingering glances? The “we’re just acting” moments that had me screaming “SURE, JAN.” 👀 Chef’s kiss.

Then you add ICE SKATING. Excuse me?? Do you know how many swoony scenarios you can create on the ice?? Accidental hand holding. Catching someone when they “slip.” Cozying up under twinkle lights after practice. Little snowflakes in their hair while they argue about who’s the better skater. Like hello, that’s basically a one-way ticket to my heart.

The banter was EVERYTHING. Ellie gave us snarky comebacks, soft little jabs, and those moments where one line of teasing suddenly goes way too tender and you’re just sitting there like… oh no. Oh no they’re in love. Oh no I’m in love. The chemistry honestly felt like sparks flying off the page, I had to keep pausing just to squeal.

But what made this book really sparkle is that it wasn’t just fluffy vibes (though trust me, it’s got fluff for DAYS). Underneath the humor and the swoon, there’s this beautiful layer of vulnerability. The way the characters learn to trust, to let someone see the messy parts of themselves? Ugh, my heart melted harder than ice in July.

By the time the “pretend” finally slipped into real, I was literally kicking my feet, giggling, smiling like a fool, and texting my imaginary group chat like “GUYS THEY DID THE THING.” It was that good. The payoff had me glowing.

Final verdict: This book is a cozy rom-com wrapped in sparkles and skates, and Ellie Hall scored a perfect 10/10 routine. If you’re into fake dating, swoony winter vibes, laugh-out-loud banter, and the kind of chemistry that makes you blush? Babe, this is IT. Run, don’t walk, to add this to your TBR.