Listen. I saw the page count and immediately judged. But then Chase Carter walked in with his cocky grin and golden retriever heart, and suddenly I was 200 pages deep and emotionally invested.

This book is cute, it’s spicy, and it’s giving he falls first. Chase Carter was perfection and treats Bailey like she’s the whole damn Stanley Cup and I adore it. I loved Bailey and I feel like a lot of women (unfortunately) can relate to her story. She’s smart, driven, knows her hockey, and can absolutely do better than loser Luke. He’s giving “Aaron from Bring It On” or the forgettable ex from “Legally Blonde” and he deserves way worse.

The middle chunk of the book was a little long for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love a happy couple, but it started to feel like I was third-wheeling on someone else’s very long, very cozy relationship. I am left wanting a bit more clarity on their family lives and would have loved to see or get more closure on some pieces I thought were major but overall this was a fun and addicting read.

There is something so special about this book. When I don't know what to read and nothing sounds good, I open this book. I can get lost in this book every single time I read it.

Bailey James is committed to school, the school newspaper and her hockey captain boyfriend. On her 21st birthday, she gets dumped by said boyfriend. Her friends take her out and she finds the perfect rebound, her ex's biggest rival. The story that follows is addictive and captivating.

Chase Carter has never been in, and hasn't wanted to be in, a relationship ever, but after meeting Bailey James, he can't get her out of his head. He becomes determined to do everything he can to win her over.

This story is swoon-inducing, spicy, steamy, and just simply addictive.

This is book 1 of the rules of the game series which is Bailey and Chase's story. After getting dumped by her cheating hockey player boyfriend on her 21st birthday, Bailey's friends take her out to a club where she meets hockey player Chase Carter who is also her ex's biggest rival. Bailey gets really drunk and throws up on his shoes lol so Chase takes her to his place to sleep it off since it's closer than hers. From that point they form a friendship and pretend to fake date because Bailey's ex is stalking her. Things get stressful for Bailey trying to navigate her ex's friends and her new relationship with Chase.

I loved Bailey and Chase together. I loved their witty banter, their chemistry and their blossoming relationship that went from friendship to more than fake dating. I loved how protective Chase was of Bailey. Their relationship is put to the test several times over the course of this book but they come out stronger in the end.

This is my first book by this author and won't be my last. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
Thank you to Tor Publishing and Bramble Romance and NetGalley for an eArc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
4.5-5⭐
Spice:
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

After being dumped by the star of her college’s hockey team – and all of their friends – Bailey does the only thing she can think of. She gets drunk and hits on their biggest rival, Chase Carter. A known womanizer, Chase was not expecting to catch feelings for Bailey and he doesn’t want to take advantage of a woman in distress, so instead he proposes a fake-dating scheme designed to piss off her ex and help his hockey team in the process.

Why Kirsten likes it
I think we all know where this delicious romance is going, and it goes there well. The chemistry between the characters is yummy, their friends-to-lovers journey feels authentic, I loved watching Bailey find herself and new friends. But the book is a touch too long… not a touch – it’s over 500 pages and I just don’t think that’s necessary in a romance. I couldn’t lug my physical copy around, so I mostly consumed this on audio, and the narrators are great! #gifted by Bramble

This was a cute and fun hockey romance, I really loved Chase and Bailey. I love an enemies to lovers, add in ex boyfriend rival? Yes please! This did feel a little long, but other than that I enjoyed it!

I give this one 3.5 stars. Very close to a 4-star book for me.
Bailey and Chase go to different colleges. They go to rival colleges as far as hockey is concerned.
Bailey's brother plays for one team, and Chase plays for the other team.
It just so happens that Bailey has a breakup and ends up finding an unexpected friend in Chase. Despite knowing it isn't a great idea for them to become anything more than friends, they keep ending up finding one another. Their romance... ahhhh.. loved it. So sweet. Chase was so swoony and romantic.
Chase's character was so lovable. He was such a great guy for Bailey.
You are going to enjoy their journey.
The characters in the book are decently developed and relatable.
The plot was well structured, and the pace was okay - I would have been a bit happier had it been sped up a bit.
The last quarter of the book could have been cut, and it still would have been a good book. I probably would give this 4 stars without that last bit of drama.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
I liked Avery Keelan's writing, and this will not be the last book I read!
Add this to your summer TBR!
Happy Reading!

I enjoyed reading this hockey romance. The main characters were easy to like and their chemistry was great. I loved the ex’s rival trope so much in this one. The banter and drama was done really well and I love me some Chase Carter now!

I enjoyed this for the most part, a 3 star rating from me means it was a good book. But about 50% of the way through the book, I had to pause and double check that it really still had 45% left...it dragged for the second half and it felt like it could have been much shorter and a LOT fewer sex scenes. Don't get me wrong, I love a spicy book, but this was a little too much imho.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolutely Addictive – A Must-Read Hockey Romance!

Offside by Avery Keelan completely blew me away! From the very first page, I was hooked by the chemistry between the main characters and the emotional depth woven into the story. Keelan masterfully blends steamy romance with real character growth, making this more than just a typical sports romance—it’s heartfelt, angsty, and full of swoon-worthy moments.

The dynamic between the leads is electric, with just the right amount of tension, banter, and vulnerability. The hockey backdrop feels authentic without overshadowing the romance, and the pacing kept me up way too late flipping pages. I appreciated how Keelan handled emotional themes with care, adding layers that made the characters feel real and relatable.

If you’re a fan of second chances, a little bit of drama, and a whole lot of heat, Offside is an absolute gem. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

I wanted to like this book so badly – it has all the elements that would normally have me obsessing over this book.

Here is what I loved:
Hockey romance – I really appreciated the writing, getting into more details of hockey and I greatly appreciated that.
Ex’s biggest rival – not a trope I have read very often but absolutely loved. I also really appreciate that Chase is the “enforcer” of the team. I feel like hockey romances don’t often feature that dynamic and I love his energy.
After a horribly toxic, cheating, manipulative ex – finding love, confidence, and trust in another man. Also the exploration of her sexuality. It was extremely healing and beautiful.

I felt myself skipping over multiple chapters – I felt so guilty for doing so because I’ve never done this with a book but there was just so much writing, but I think this book could have easily been cut in half. There was so much filler that was not necessary.

4.5⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this arc copy.
I’m still in love with this story. This is one I think about constantly and will continue to come back to time and time again. Every time Chase shows up I am tuned in. I am fully invested every time.
Chase Carter… swoon. Listen this was very long. And it didn’t necessarily need to be. That with the use of literally literally all the time made it not 5⭐️s for me. A top book of the month for sure though.
I’m in love with all of the characters and cannot wait to read anything and everything Keelan deigns to give me!!

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

I’m always down for a hockey romance, so I have alot of opinions on what makes a good one. This book has it all! It has banter, drama, hockey, slow burn, undeniable chemistry, intrigue and spice. I loved that the MCs go to rival colleges and the connection they share is chef kiss!

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Bailey’s hockey captain boyfriend just dumped her on her 21st birthday, what a jerk! To make it worse her roommates also date hockey players and her brother is on the team so.. she has no escape. Her whole college world just ended, but good riddance to Tyler. Now she can focus on her passion, journalism.

So when her roommates ditch her after a game to hang with the team, her non hockey friends swoop in to save the day. They go to a club in the rival colleges team’s territory, and she happens to bump into the enemies star player: Chase.

Chase has worked his whole life to secure a spot in the NHL, but he’s on thin ice with his coach. His “reputation” isn’t the best due to scandals and his grades are tanking. So when a gorgeous girl throws up on his shoes at a club, what can a guy do? Obviously he had to take her home. Wait till he finds out she’s his biggest rival’s ex.

But that won’t be the last time their paths cross and somehow there is this pull bringing them together. What shouldn’t make sense just does. Chase literally hates everyone and does not do relationships, but with Bailey it’s just different in the best way.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“Like I’ve always said—we’re endgame.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Frenemies to Lovers
* Forbidden Love
* Opposites Attract
* He’s Her Ex’s Biggest Hockey Rival
* College Hockey Player x Sports Journalism Major
* Boy Obsessed
* She’s Loyal to a Fault
* Dumped on Her 21st Birthday
* Slow Burn, Swoony, Banter-filled
* Dual POV w/ Spice

💙🏒♥️💋💙🏒♥️💋 💙🏒♥️💋💙

4 Stars Offside by Avery Keelan is perfect for fans of Elle Kennedy's Off Campus and Briar U series! It's a college hockey romance and such a fun read!

After Bailey James's ex-boyfriend, Luke, dumps her on her 21st birthday, she rebounds into the arms of the last man she would've expected: Chase Carter. Chase is an infamous womanizer from the Boyd University Falcons, the rivals of the hockey team that Luke and Bailey's brother, Derek, play for. Though Bailey doesn't want to like him, she's surprised to find that Chase isn't who she expected him to be. Sure, he's a massive flirt, highly competitive, and unmatched on the ice, but he's also sweet and willing to follow Bailey's lead. As things progress between Bailey and Chase, Luke makes it clear that he won't leave Bailey alone and won't let Chase get away with "stealing" her. With a potential scandal on the horizon, things feel tenuous between the new couple. Will they be able to weather the storm?

I loved Bailey and Chase and how natural their relationship felt. They sort of fell together despite her preconceived notions about who Chase was, which he quickly dispelled. Their relationship never felt forced and I adored how much Chase respected her need to take it slow, often checking in with her and emphasizing consent as their relationship progressed into more. The novel was a bit longer than I expected and the pace could've picked up in the first half of the book, but things moved quickly in the second half. I loved all of the bonus epilogues at the end and seeing Bailey and Chase (plus Ward and Shiv) in the future!

Thank you Avery Keelan and Tor Publishing for the ARC!

while usually a hockey romance can do no wrong for me this one didn’t do it for me. it felt as though there was no plot while also having too much of a plot?? like one conflict after the other popped up and then the fmc kinda got over it way too easily??

while the couple did have some cute moments, this couple didn’t make me wish i was their life if that makes sense

*review also appears on goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7672462191 and fable: Check out this review on Fable
https://fable.co/review/5acc9c91-5331-4e6c-85bd-a513a85ab999/share

Offside by Avery Keelan is a compelling, slow-burn hockey romance that combines emotional depth with undeniable chemistry. The story follows a second-chance trope that feels both raw and authentic, pulling readers into the complicated lives of the main characters as they navigate past mistakes, personal growth, and unresolved feelings. Keelan writes with emotional nuance, capturing the tension of heartbreak and the sweetness of rekindled love. With well-developed characters, steamy moments, and a solid sports backdrop, Offside is a satisfying read for fans of angsty, heartfelt romance.

This is such a cutie hockey romance! Bailey gets dumped on her bday and in an attempt to drown out the pain she gets way too drunk and pukes on her ex’s hockey rival, Chase. Chase seeks her out next game and we get a bit of fake dating (for show) with the playboy falling for the good girl. He’s soooo sweet to her, swoon!

I read this book back when it was published on Wattpad and loved it. Since then, I have devoured every single book Avery has published. She writes some of the best hockey romance books ever! I read this book again when she published (indie) this as a book and ATE it up again. It has been so amazing to watch Avery grow as a writer. I am re-reading this again as it's now being re-released (trad), and all the minor changes since the very first time I read this have been so good!

Chase and Bailey were so cute together. I love it when the typical player/hot shot athlete falls in love and falls hard for the girl. This is a very easy and fun read to follow along with. They have really great banter, and I loved watching them become friends and then eventually lovers. Both characters, I felt, grew a lot. Bailey struggled financially and letting people in, and watching her grow with Chase was everything! Chase is literally just a secret cinnamon roll<3

Read if you like:
-Ex-boyfriend's rival
-Good girl x bad boy
-College Hockey romance
-Reformed Playboy

Thank you Tor Publishing Group for the copy of this book.
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Read if you like: sports romance, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance
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When Bailey is dumped on her 21st birthday, she starts seeing her exes rival, Carter Chase, who plays for her schools rival hockey team. Thus ensues a fun hockey rivalry romance.
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This was a fun hockey romance that while it did feel long at times, I liked how Bailey and Carter's romance developed and how they had to learn to trust each other. Overall, a cute romance!

I love hockey rom coms, I college rom coms. I learned by reading this one that I do not love college hockey rom coms. Mainly for the simple fact the guys are indeed to immature in this one. Consdiering the fact that hockey can and do get drafted by NHL in real life as young as 17 and 18.

Offside by Avery Keelan was a surprisingly good read. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the story pulled me in quickly. It’s a mix of sports, romance, and a bit of drama that felt pretty fresh. The characters felt real, especially the way the author captured the highs and lows of being part of a team.

What I liked most was how the book showed the pressure on and off the field, plus the personal struggles the main characters face. The romance didn’t feel rushed or forced, which made it easy to get invested in their story. Also, the dialogue was natural and kept things moving without getting cheesy.

If you’re looking for a sports romance that’s more than just clichés, Offside is worth a shot. It’s an easy read with some heart, and it kept me turning pages more than I expected.