This is probably one of my favorite hockey romances. The characters were relatable and I had the best time reading this!

Offside by Avery Keelan is a captivating hockey romance that truly stands out in the genre. Here are some key points that highlight why this book deserves a solid 4.5 stars. The chemistry between Bailey and Chase is electric. Their journey from rivals to lovers is filled with humor and heartfelt moments, making their relationship feel authentic and relatable. The storyline effectively combines elements of rivalry, personal growth, and romance. The internal struggles faced by both characters add depth, allowing readers to connect with their experiences. Keelan's writing shines through the clever dialogue and playful exchanges between the characters. This not only keeps the reader entertained but also enhances the romantic tension. The book addresses important themes such as consent and the importance of healthy relationships. Bailey's journey of self-discovery and empowerment is particularly inspiring. Despite minor pacing issues, Offside is a fun, fast-paced read that will appeal to fans of sports romance. The combination of humor, drama, and steamy moments makes it a must-read for anyone looking for a delightful escape.
In conclusion, Offside is a fantastic addition to the hockey romance genre, showcasing Avery Keelan's talent for creating memorable characters and engaging stories. Highly recommended for fans of contemporary romance!

Rounded to 3.5

Offside gave me a charming, hockey romance that was fun to follow, even if it did feel a bit like an overtime game…….longer than necessary.

The story centers around Bailey , a volleyball player from a family of great athletes and Chase, a college hockey player with a really traumatic and dark past. I love their connection and the past that it read like a forbidden romance-brothers rivalry kept me in my toes! The way chase loved was so intense and it made me want to forget how annoyed I was at the lenght of the novel.

That said, the book could’ve been trimmed down quite a bit. Some scenes felt like filler, and the pacing slowed in parts that didn’t add much to the main plot. It’s one of those books where less would’ve been more.

If you love college sports romance and emotional healing, this one’s worth checking out…just be prepared for a long ride.

I adored this read! I don’t know how to describe this book but the best way to put it is that it was refreshingly different from other sports romances I’ve read. Chase and Bailey were everything! Their witty banter, the way they supported each other, their sweet texts and the way he showed up for her to help her out, no questions asked … yes!There were definitely times where I thought the story did drag on a bit and there were some characters who I think deserved a little more payback as well as pining BUT the story came together really well and I was hooked from beginning to end.

This book has joined my short list of 5⭐️ reads for the year! Chase is the ultimate book boyfriend and I absolutely fell head over heels for him! Avery writes a great male lead, and Chase was the perfect combination of reformed bad boy with still a little bit of roughness. Plus there is hockey, so what’s not to love.

The FMC was also great, and I adored Bailey from the beginning. I loved seeing her fall for someone that appreciates her like Chase did. And they had a wonderful meet-cute that had me hooked from the moment they started bantered with each other. The spark between the two of them was 💋 perfect, and their chemistry jumped off the page. I couldn’t put this book down because of how much a felt their connection.

Also the spice was great in this one as well, and literally had me melting at points 🫠🫠 because I love a dirty talking boy.

This was my first book from Avery Keelan but I am already waiting on the next one in this series!

I loved this book! From the very beginning, I was absolutely obsessed with Chase’s pining for Bailey!!! Give me all the slow-burn, emotionally tortured, quietly-in-love male leads 😭🤭

The chemistry between them was everything, and I really appreciated that the plot didn’t feel like your typical hockey romance. There was more depth, more tension, and a storyline that actually kept me so in the book!

The perfect balance of drama, romance, and emotional payoff. This book is for those who love a sports romance with a little more substance, and a MMC who’s been head over heels with a girl who’s dating a jerk lol.

Offside by Avery Keelan is a swoony rivals to friends to lovers contemporary college hockey romance. What a mouthful huh? I was initially so pumped to pick up this book because it’s been too long since I have read a sports romance. I thought that the long length of the book implied that there would be a slow burn and a romance that actually takes time to develop. I am so glad to say — that assumption proved correct. While at times this book felt a little overlong, it certainly delivered on my expectations!

Offside opens with main character Bailey James going out for a fancy birthday dinner with her boyfriend Lucas, captain of her college’s hockey team. She is optimistic about where their future will take them, particularly because Lucas plans to play professionally for the NHL. Unfortunately for Bailey, he dumps her. ON HER BIRTHDAY! She’s upset so she calls up the girls from the school newspaper that she enjoys writing with. They take her out to the new nightclub.

At the club she happens to get drunk and meets Chase Carter, star player for the hockey team of the rival school. She goes home with him, thinking if she sleeps with him it’ll be good revenge on her ex-boyfriend. Oh and Chase is very antagonistic on the ice, trying to goad the other team into penalties. As it turns out, he doesn’t sleep with her. Over time, they develop a friendship but there are certainly feelings and attraction there. As you can predict, they end up getting together. However, it is a long road to build trust. Plus, there’s some curveballs thrown their way and a few obstacles, including jealous exes.

Okay, so for my personal taste, this book was definitely spicy but for me, the perfect amount of spicy. It doesn’t come out of nowhere. It actually feels natural to the relationship that is developed over the story. I liked that it was slow and took time. I liked that I could actually feel chemistry between the two main characters before they did the deed. For me, that is primary — that the relationship make sense and that it actually build up and develop, not oh hey we just met and every other page is a spicy scene, I think that’s boring.

The book is long. It clocks in at over 500 pages. We see the relationship between Bailey and Chase take place over the school year. The two actually do homework and Bailey spends a lot of time on her extracurricular which is helping her build toward a future career. Scholarships and internships are discussed. We also get bonus scenes at the end of their future. I thought the pacing was pretty good for such a long book. It did take me longer than normal to finish but in all fairness, I had a lot of life stuff going on. I thought this was easy to pick up and get back into when I needed to take breaks. Offside by Avery Keelan is exactly what I want in a contemporary romance and I am excited to check out the sequel which apparently is on Kindle Unlimited – Shutout.

Another hockey romance? Yes please!

I really enjoyed this book for the most part. I’m honestly lost between rating it 3 or 4 stars. My one gripe about it is that it was just a tad bit too long. 😩 While I love books with epilogues, this one just overdid it. It didn’t help the prominent story took forever to get to the plot and then rushed it at the end. With the amount of pages, I think it could have been a little more smooth. I absolutely loved the first 60% of this book though.

The relationship between Bailey and Chase was so beautiful. I really thought he was going to be a downright player but he was the sweetest when it came to Bailey. So patient and just loved taking care of her. 🥹 They had me a little stressed in the end before the epilogues but I’m happy things smoothed out for them. The spice level of their relationship was a good 4 🌶️ out of 5.

Overall a fun read! Thank you Netgalley, Bramble and Avery Keelan for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Offside is a solid, enjoyable sports rom-com that brings together all the right ingredients: enemies to lovers, good banter, a well-handled scandal, and a slow-burn romance. While I liked the book overall, I didn’t fall completely in love with it.

One of the highlights for me was the character work. I absolutely loved Bailey. She is strong, relatable, and easy to root for. But Chase really stole the show. That said, I could’ve done without the classic trope of the possessive, overprotective athlete boyfriend. It’s a familiar dynamic in sports romance, but I found myself wishing for a bit more nuance in that aspect of their relationship.

The enemies to lovers setup was fun and believable, but the pacing left me wanting. There were large stretches that felt like I was just watching their day-to-day lives unfold without those moments adding much to the overarching plot. I think the story would’ve benefitted from a little tightening to keep the momentum up. For instance, the scandal that drives the latter half of the book was compelling—I just wish we had gotten to it sooner.

The spice level was great without overpowering the character development, and the emotional arcs landed well. It’s definitely a good pick for fans of sports romance who enjoy a mix of drama, humor, and heart with their hockey.

Would I recommend it? Yes. It’s a fun, sexy read with lovable leads, even if I wish it had moved just a bit faster.

I enjoyed this hockey romance book. I liked the relationship that developed between Chase and Bailey. I liked that Bailey got to find real friends through this book. I had a fun time reading.

This book was really interesting! I enjoyed the plot and the characters, and I would absolutely recommend it to others!

I ended up not finishing the book because it really was not keeping my interesting. I am not giving it a rating because I feel like it would be better suited for someone beginning their sports romance journey

There are many great aspects to this book that I enjoyed. Bailey is actually a huge fan of hockey and knows so much about the sport and players stats that’s really impressive. The book is really sex-positive with encouragement to try new things so both parties have pleasure. <spoiler>The plot with the revenge porn was interesting and I’m glad it had its own spin, but it happened rather fast, was convenient for a 3rd act breakup, and resolved quickly too. </spoiler> I like that Chase was protective, but it did get to be too much. I believe there were too many tropes or plot points trying to be hit in a single book that they just fell flat. This book needed 150-200 pages cut to be a more compelling read. Bailey doesn’t have much personality besides being a journalism major, being insecure, and liking hockey. The insecurity went too far - it just wasn’t realistic. While it was sex positive, going from not getting pleasure with one partner to nearly instantaneous pleasure with another - again not realistic and while the attempt was there, it ended up being disappointing. I can’t even fully express how stupid the team rivalry was - no two schools within 20(?) minutes of each other are so insane that their student bodies don’t mix. Or that they would be call “traitors” for being friendly with the other team. Then we have just how mean all the Bulldogs are. So stupid. Then Luke was just too much especially since there was already the plot point with Shiv’s ex. There were so many unresolved issues that could’ve been focused on <spoiler> (Chase being traumatized by his dads death and apparently Bailey’s dad died prior to one of the epilogue chapters?) </spoiler> rather than just throwing all the plot points on the board. The constant nicknames (James, baby) felt excessive and for all of this and the intensity of their feelings to hit in a matter of 3ish months? This book was trying to do too much and it fell flat. There is so much potential but it needs to have really serious editing to cut back and make the actual plot and characters shine. 2.75⭐️, 3🌶

This is the first book I've read by Avery Keelan, and I am completely obsessed with these characters.

Chase and Bailey are amazing. Chase is the perfect book boyfriend: a reformed playboy who loves to spend his money on the heroine. I love how much he cares for her, and oh my god, he is both adorable and hot at the same time. The perfect mix.

Bailey is another incredible character. As the story progresses, she realizes her loyalty has been misplaced. I loved how well she got along with Chase's friends and how they formed a new group. She really needs people who appreciate her for who she is.

I loved the friendship they built and how their chemistry became undeniable. Those little moments of tension before they finally got together were wonderful.

I also appreciated their communication (except for the final conflict, but I understand why it happened). I loved that this willingness to communicate mainly came from Chase. The way he understood Bailey, especially considering the trauma she carried from her previous relationship, was heartwarming.

felt like there was so much going on and nothing at all at the same exact time. wish i liked it more but it wasn't for me, unfortunately.

This one surprised me—in a good way. Offside brings the heat of a hockey romance but grounds it in real emotional stakes. It’s not just about a swoony lead in skates (though yes, there’s that). It’s about second chances, old wounds, and what happens when the person who broke your heart ends up back in your orbit.

The chemistry is undeniable, but it’s the slow unraveling of the past that gives this story its weight. Both characters feel fully formed, with messy histories and believable motivations. The banter is fun, the attraction is obvious, but there’s also a lot of push-pull that never feels forced. That tension is earned.

The pacing dragged slightly around the midpoint, where some emotional beats started to repeat, but it recovers fast. Once the backstory fully surfaces, the emotional impact hits hard—and it makes the payoff feel worth the slow burn.

If you're into hockey romances that aren't just surface-level fluff, this one delivers. It has heart, heat, and just the right amount of emotional baggage.

"Offside" by Avery Keelan kicks off the "Rules of the Game" series with a college hockey romance that, while hitting some familiar notes, ultimately lands in the "just okay" territory for me. It’s a quick, easy read if you're in the mood for predictable comfort, but it doesn't quite stand out from the crowded field of sports romance.

The premise is certainly engaging: Bailey, fresh off a birthday breakup, finds herself entangled with Chase Carter, her ex's rival. This setup immediately promises the "ex's rival" and "cocky hockey hero" tropes, which the book delivers on. Chase is the quintessential "boy obsessed" male lead, and his protective nature is a definite highlight, making for some sweet and swoon-worthy moments. The development of their relationship, particularly in the early stages, has its charm, and the banter can be enjoyable.

However, the execution felt a bit stretched. At times, the pacing dragged, and I found myself wishing for more significant plot developments or deeper emotional exploration. Bailey, unfortunately, felt a little underdeveloped. While her initial situation is relatable, her character didn't quite evolve enough to truly hook me, leading to some moments where the narrative felt unexciting. The story leans heavily into well-worn clichés, which isn't necessarily a bad thing for a romance, but here it often meant the plot felt predictable without offering much in the way of fresh twists or emotional resonance.

Overall, "Offside" is a decent read for fans of college sports romance looking for something light and undemanding. It has its moments, particularly with Chase's character, but it doesn't quite score a winning goal, settling instead for a middle-of-the-road performance.

If you're a fan of sports romance with just the right amount of angst, slow-burn tension, and swoon-worthy moments, Offside by Avery Keelan is a must-read. This story perfectly captures the exhilaration of young love tangled up in complicated emotions, second chances, and the magnetic pull of opposites attracting.

Keelan delivers a narrative that’s both emotionally charged and incredibly fun. The dynamic between the main characters is electric from the very first page. Bailey is fierce, independent, and a little guarded, while Chase, the hockey golden boy, is charming, persistent, and surprisingly vulnerable. Their history adds a delicious layer of tension that keeps you rooting for them to figure it out.

What sets Offside apart is how it balances the heat and heart. The chemistry is undeniable, but it’s the emotional depth and character growth that truly shine. Keelan doesn’t shy away from exploring themes like trust, forgiveness, and identity in a way that feels authentic to the college setting.

Hockey fans will love the action on the ice, but even readers unfamiliar with the sport will be pulled in by the layered relationships, witty banter, and emotional payoff.

They are my favorite people now, and I can’t stop thinking about them. I love them so much I love the characters, and hate it certain ones 👀 IYKYK. I really love the way Avery writes is very addicting. I can wait to read more of her.

I love them so much, having this book being trad pub its amazing and it makes me want to throw up because my babies are out here and they are being loved the way the deserved to be loved

This is a really good read for fans of Icebreaker! I found it a little long, but I really enjoyed the chemistry and loved the slow burn at the beginning.