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Pine Barrens University #4
The Beautiful Collision
A steamy new college hockey romance featuring forced proximity roommates, secret wagers, and two people who are the life of the party even when they're drowning
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HER REBELLION
Maya Hayes is the wild stallion of Pine Barren University—fierce, untouchable, the party queen who’s completely in control. But when she’s cut off from her wealthy family for defying their expectations, she rebels in her own way.
Throwing parties and pretending everything’s perfect… even when it’s killing her.
HIS PERFORMANCE
Maine Hamilton is the Maine Show—hockey team Alpha, legendary partier, the campus comedian. Yet behind the jokes and the big guy energy, he’s drowning in debt, working sixty-hour weeks, and sending every spare dollar home for his sister’s medical bills.
He’s everyone’s entertainment, but nobody knows the show is coming to an end.
THEIR DANGEROUS ARRANGEMENT
When Maya needs a cheap room and Maine needs rent money, their solution seems become roommates with strict boundaries. No feelings. No complications. Just two people sharing space and absolutely not falling for each other.
But forced proximity has its own rules. Every morning she does yoga in tiny shorts. Every night he does shirtless pull-ups. They share a kitchen, a bathroom, late night confessions, and increasingly heated glances in between their passive-aggressive sticky note war.
And then comes the bet…
Key Forced proximity (one small apartment, big feels, zero chill!)Secret bet (they don’t know they’re both playing each other!)Emotional caretakers finding each other (who saves the saviors?)Class differences (champagne problems meet beer budget!)Fourth in series (but read as standalone!)Steamy ‘open door’ spice level
Get it now!
HER REBELLION
Maya Hayes is the wild stallion of Pine Barren University—fierce, untouchable, the party queen who’s completely in control. But when she’s cut off from her wealthy family for defying their expectations, she rebels in her own way.
Throwing parties and pretending everything’s perfect… even when it’s killing her.
HIS PERFORMANCE
Maine Hamilton is the Maine Show—hockey team Alpha, legendary partier, the campus comedian. Yet behind the jokes and the big guy energy, he’s drowning in debt, working sixty-hour weeks, and sending every spare dollar home for his sister’s medical bills.
He’s everyone’s entertainment, but nobody knows the show is coming to an end.
THEIR DANGEROUS ARRANGEMENT
When Maya needs a cheap room and Maine needs rent money, their solution seems become roommates with strict boundaries. No feelings. No complications. Just two people sharing space and absolutely not falling for each other.
But forced proximity has its own rules. Every morning she does yoga in tiny shorts. Every night he does shirtless pull-ups. They share a kitchen, a bathroom, late night confessions, and increasingly heated glances in between their passive-aggressive sticky note war.
And then comes the bet…
Key Forced proximity (one small apartment, big feels, zero chill!)Secret bet (they don’t know they’re both playing each other!)Emotional caretakers finding each other (who saves the saviors?)Class differences (champagne problems meet beer budget!)Fourth in series (but read as standalone!)Steamy ‘open door’ spice level
Get it now!
394 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 22, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 24, 2026
I Thought My Heart Wouldn’t Survive This
Emotional Damage Report:
Whew. Maine and Maya put me through it. I’m talking full emotional whiplash—heart squeezing, lump-in-the-throat, trying-not-to-cry-but-failing kind of reading. My heart broke so many times that I genuinely started to worry there wouldn’t be a happy ending. This one digs deep and doesn’t let up.
The Couple:
Maine and Maya are everything. Completely different struggles, but somehow exactly what the other needs. Maine carries the weight of the world on his shoulders—being the rock for his family while everything is falling apart, especially with his little sister’s illness. He sacrifices, he hides his pain, and he refuses to let anyone see how much he’s hurting.
Then there’s Maya… and wow. A girl who has so much love to give but comes from a family that doesn’t truly see her worth. But when someone does? She shines. She’s warm, strong, and incredibly resilient. Even when Maine messes up—and he does, spectacularly—she still shows up. She shows him what it means to have someone firmly in your corner, no matter what.
Chemistry Check:
Off the charts. Their connection outside the bedroom is soft, emotional, and deeply understanding. And inside the bedroom? 🔥🔥🔥
It’s that perfect balance of heart and heat that makes you completely invested in them.
What I Loved Most:
The way they just know each other. Even when Maine refuses to ask for help, Maya sees him. Really sees him. And she gives him what he needs anyway. That kind of love? It hits hard.
Final Thoughts:
I loved this story so much. It hurt, it healed, and it stayed with me long after I finished. Maine and Maya are one of those couples that crawl into your heart and refuse to leave.
Looking Ahead:
I am so ready for the next book in this series. If it’s anything like this one, I already know I’m not emotionally prepared—and I’m absolutely here for it.
Emotional Damage Report:
Whew. Maine and Maya put me through it. I’m talking full emotional whiplash—heart squeezing, lump-in-the-throat, trying-not-to-cry-but-failing kind of reading. My heart broke so many times that I genuinely started to worry there wouldn’t be a happy ending. This one digs deep and doesn’t let up.
The Couple:
Maine and Maya are everything. Completely different struggles, but somehow exactly what the other needs. Maine carries the weight of the world on his shoulders—being the rock for his family while everything is falling apart, especially with his little sister’s illness. He sacrifices, he hides his pain, and he refuses to let anyone see how much he’s hurting.
Then there’s Maya… and wow. A girl who has so much love to give but comes from a family that doesn’t truly see her worth. But when someone does? She shines. She’s warm, strong, and incredibly resilient. Even when Maine messes up—and he does, spectacularly—she still shows up. She shows him what it means to have someone firmly in your corner, no matter what.
Chemistry Check:
Off the charts. Their connection outside the bedroom is soft, emotional, and deeply understanding. And inside the bedroom? 🔥🔥🔥
It’s that perfect balance of heart and heat that makes you completely invested in them.
What I Loved Most:
The way they just know each other. Even when Maine refuses to ask for help, Maya sees him. Really sees him. And she gives him what he needs anyway. That kind of love? It hits hard.
Final Thoughts:
I loved this story so much. It hurt, it healed, and it stayed with me long after I finished. Maine and Maya are one of those couples that crawl into your heart and refuse to leave.
Looking Ahead:
I am so ready for the next book in this series. If it’s anything like this one, I already know I’m not emotionally prepared—and I’m absolutely here for it.
June 9, 2026
Maine Hamilton needs help with rent for his flat. He is currently working two jobs, going to school, and playing Hockey with all the training and drowning in debt due to his remaining money paying for his sister, who is sick.
Maya Hayes is a nursing student who lives in her own apartment and gets everything paid for so she can attend university until she charges alcohol for a party she throws to her parents' credit card. So they cut her off and evicted her from her apartment. With help from her friend Sophie and her boyfriend from an earlier book, she moves in with Maine.
Initially, things between the new roommates are normal until things turn passive-aggressive and they do things to annoy each other, until one day when Maine comes home and discovers Maya sobbing on the floor in the kitchen. And as time goes on, they discover that things between them may be more than roommates or friends, but little do they know that they each have bet that the other person will say I love you.
I did feel like Maine could have cancelled the bet at any time by speaking to his hockey friends and working it out. Sometimes, the normal third act communication issue can be annoying, but this time it was that Maya was annoyed at Maine's bet, but she didn't mention her bet till later. She could have mentioned it earlier than she did, so for me, it is a four-star read.
Maya Hayes is a nursing student who lives in her own apartment and gets everything paid for so she can attend university until she charges alcohol for a party she throws to her parents' credit card. So they cut her off and evicted her from her apartment. With help from her friend Sophie and her boyfriend from an earlier book, she moves in with Maine.
Initially, things between the new roommates are normal until things turn passive-aggressive and they do things to annoy each other, until one day when Maine comes home and discovers Maya sobbing on the floor in the kitchen. And as time goes on, they discover that things between them may be more than roommates or friends, but little do they know that they each have bet that the other person will say I love you.
I did feel like Maine could have cancelled the bet at any time by speaking to his hockey friends and working it out. Sometimes, the normal third act communication issue can be annoying, but this time it was that Maya was annoyed at Maine's bet, but she didn't mention her bet till later. She could have mentioned it earlier than she did, so for me, it is a four-star read.
June 17, 2026
Two Broken People Finding Their Way
The Beautiful Collision by Clara West was an emotional story that pulled me in from the start. Maya and Maine may be the popular kids on the surface, but both are carrying pressures that are one step away from completely breaking them.
Maya is struggling with parents who have destroyed her self worth and cut her off financially. Maine is carrying the weight of helping his family with medical bills while feeling invisible in a household focused entirely on his sick sister.
What I loved most was how their connection grew out of desperation and understanding. They saw each other in ways no one else did. The emotional depth and vulnerability made this story feel real, and Clara West told it beautifully.
A heartfelt read with characters I could not help but root for.
The Beautiful Collision by Clara West was an emotional story that pulled me in from the start. Maya and Maine may be the popular kids on the surface, but both are carrying pressures that are one step away from completely breaking them.
Maya is struggling with parents who have destroyed her self worth and cut her off financially. Maine is carrying the weight of helping his family with medical bills while feeling invisible in a household focused entirely on his sick sister.
What I loved most was how their connection grew out of desperation and understanding. They saw each other in ways no one else did. The emotional depth and vulnerability made this story feel real, and Clara West told it beautifully.
A heartfelt read with characters I could not help but root for.
May 30, 2026
So honestly had to pause while reading this book. I was stressed out as soon as it started by seeing him struggle so much and not talk to anyone and then spiral. Once he made the bet I felt icky and had to pause. But then wanted to cry so many other times and was so happy when he finally talked about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2026
oh my.
This book broke me and healed me in more ways than 1. I think I spent the majority of this book crying and I hate to say it but it’s my absolute favorite so far in this series.
This book broke me and healed me in more ways than 1. I think I spent the majority of this book crying and I hate to say it but it’s my absolute favorite so far in this series.
July 24, 2026
so good
Laughing and crying all in the same chapters, such a good one.. Two things, though: Maya didn’t live with him at Christmas.. And Maine was a sophomore when Mike was a junior.. Just needed to get that timeline squared away..
Laughing and crying all in the same chapters, such a good one.. Two things, though: Maya didn’t live with him at Christmas.. And Maine was a sophomore when Mike was a junior.. Just needed to get that timeline squared away..
September 22, 2025
*4.5 stars*
October 30, 2025
Cute story - loved the characters and how it was resolved.
March 1, 2026
This was my favorite one! Even got some tears out of me, I’m glad his family came back around and loved this happy ending! Forget her family!
April 11, 2026
I think this book had so much potential! The start was very rushed but by the end it was one of the best in the series! I loved the #runforchloe storyline that Maya created for Maine and Chloe!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2026
5+ 💫
September 18, 2026
Loved this one! The insults, the banter, the drama, the emotional growth. Loved!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews