Maple Hills

Maple Hills is Hannah Grace's wildly popular contemporary romance series set at the fictional Maple Hills University, where hockey players navigate both ice and relationships. The series became a BookTok sensation for its perfect execution of beloved tropes - grumpy-sunshine pairings, forced proximity, athletes falling hard, and steamy romance balanced with genuine emotional development. Each book follows a different couple whilst building an interconnected community of friends, teammates, and relationships that reward readers who follow the entire series.

Books in the Maple Hills series

Icebreaker (2022) introduces Anastasia Allen, a figure skater whose team loses their rink access due to the hockey team's schedule dominance. She's forced to share early-morning ice time with Nathan Hawkins, the hockey team's captain - grumpy, intense, and supposedly a player. Their enemies-to-lovers dynamic ignites as forced proximity transforms antagonism into attraction. Nathan's not the careless jock Anastasia assumed but rather a responsible captain dealing with team drama, academic pressure, and a carefully guarded heart. The novel balances sports competition, academic stress, and developing romance whilst establishing the Maple Hills hockey team dynamic.

Wildfire (2023) follows Russ Callaghan, Nathan's best friend and teammate, and Aurora Roberts, a woman escaping an abusive relationship who moves in next door. Their roommate-situation-turned-romance explores healing from trauma, chosen family, and how patience and understanding build trust. Russ is the ultimate cinnamon roll hero - sweet, protective, and willing to wait for Aurora to heal at her own pace. The book handles domestic violence aftermath sensitively whilst delivering the steamy, swoon-worthy romance readers expect.

Daydream (2024) shifts to Henry Turner, the hockey team's playboy, and Halle Jacobs, an Olympic hopeful gymnast dealing with career-threatening injury. Their fake-dating arrangement (to help Henry improve his reputation and help Halle ignore her ex) predictably becomes real. The novel explores identity beyond sports, what happens when careers end unexpectedly, and how vulnerability strengthens rather than weakens relationships.

Future books are expected continuing the Maple Hills universe with other teammates and characters.

The series is characterized by college/university setting, hockey players as heroes, different couples per book, grumpy-sunshine dynamics, forced proximity, steamy romance, dual POV, BookTok phenomenon, found family amongst teammates, and interconnected stories where previous couples appear.

Common themes include balancing athletics and academics, healing from past trauma, found family and chosen bonds, vulnerability as strength, grumpy heroes with soft hearts, sports as identity and its loss, consent and communication, and college romance navigating real pressures.

Grace's prose is accessible and contemporary, capturing college-age voices authentically. The banter sparkles, the hockey details feel researched (Grace comes from a hockey family), and the romance balances explicit scenes with emotional development. The sports elements ground the stories - practices, games, team dynamics - making the athlete characters feel authentic rather than athletes in name only.

What distinguishes Maple Hills from countless other sports romance series is Grace's character work. Her heroes are differentiated - Nathan's grumpy leadership, Russ's golden retriever energy, Henry's playboy facade hiding insecurity - rather than interchangeable hockey players. The heroines have their own goals, struggles, and identities beyond romantic interests.

The found family amongst the hockey team creates warmth extending beyond individual couples. Teammates support each other, call each other out, and create community that makes Maple Hills feel lived-in rather than merely backdrop for romance.

The series' BookTok success stems from perfect trope execution, quotable moments, and emotional payoffs. Readers know exactly what they're getting - steamy sports romance with heart - and Grace delivers consistently.

The interconnected nature rewards series readers with cameos and updates on previous couples whilst ensuring each book works as standalone romance with complete arc.

The series appeals to readers seeking college romance, hockey romance, grumpy-sunshine pairings, found family, and steamy New Adult fiction with substance.