Alora Briarwood is impeccably good at faking a smile. She’s been doing it her entire life as a politician’s daughter. But after taking a year off after high school and gaining the confidence to make her own decisions, she’s finally ready to focus on her music at Happily Ever After University with her service dog, Sunny, at her side.Malik Ravenwell, known for being malicious on and off the ice, has proven he’s right where he belongs—as one of the top forwards in collegiate hockey. He spent this last year locking up his old skeletons and throwing away the key, not willing to let anything or anyone get in the way of his newfound happiness. When Malik strolls into Alora’s dorm room by accident, a fiery confrontation ignites. After all, Malik’s mission in high school was to make Alora’s life a living hell. But she isn’t shying away from his scowl or backing down from his threats anymore. When long-buried and twisted secrets begin to surface, they realize their pasts are far more intertwined than they ever could have imagined. It doesn’t matter how much they hate one another, they’re drawn together as if an invisible string tethers their souls. When the castle crumbles and the facade they once believed fades away, their connection may be the only thing left to save them from succumbing to the ghosts of their past. Sleeping beauty retelling meets college hockey romance.