Off your game by Susan Renee

Sports romance, he falls hard, happy ending. What's not to like?
But for me, this one fell a bit flat. Some of the statements in it were so farfetched it felt too young for my taste. I should have known from the lucky charms cereal but I thought that does set the tone for the book. Colby doesn't respect women generally yet we are expected to believe he thinks the world of Carissa instantly? The characters need to be more fleshed out to be relatable.

I liked both main characters as a starting point, flawed and charming, but together it just didn't feel realistic, there was no tension or build for me. Chemistry is more than just attraction and we need more build and shared moments.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to arc read this. I absolutely adored it, took me a while to fully read it but I did and I loved it. Loved the storyline, the characters and the spicy. The cereal scene in the beginning was hilarious I loved it!! 8/10

Colby & Carissa
It all begins around an box of lucky charms 😏😅
The media girl meets hockey player
Bantering, laughing, fun, sweet, smexy times 💕 and an amazing team full of crazy and fun players. Sadness, jealousy, end game 🙌🏻🥰

I loved reading this book, I laughed, I cried, and that makes an book for me special.
Definitely a 5 stars 🌟 read for me

This hockey romance brings plenty of humor, sizzling tension, and competitive banter. However, while it delivers on entertainment, it also comes with some frustrating elements.
The story kicks off with a meet-cute that is more aggravating than charming—our hero, a professional hockey player, loses out on his good luck charm (a box of cereal) to a woman who refuses his money or flirtatious offers. This woman, Carissa Smallson, later turns out to be the new marketing rep for his team, setting up the classic “just my luck” scenario. What follows is a mix of workplace tension, reluctant attraction, and personal growth.
There are elements of the book that work well. The banter between the main characters is sharp and entertaining. Carissa is a strong, confident lead who doesn’t let the arrogant hockey player steamroll her. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the author successfully builds tension between them, making their eventual romance feel earned.
However, the male lead, Colly, often comes across as toxic rather than endearingly grumpy. His behavior at times feels immature, and some of the drama surrounding their relationship doesn’t feel genuine or well-developed. Instead of organic obstacles, there are moments that feel forced for the sake of tension, making certain conflicts frustrating rather than engaging.
Overall, this book is an enjoyable, lighthearted read with some standout moments, especially for those who love hockey romances. However, if you’re looking for a male lead with strong character growth and conflicts that feel more authentic, this one may leave you a bit disappointed.

I received an eArc of Off Your Game from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Off Your Game is the first in the Chicago Red Tails series, which follows a fictional hockey team based in Chicago. This is a forbidden office romance between the Red Tails team captain, Colby Nelson, and the new team marketing rep, Carissa Smallson. I was initially charmed by the premise that Colby and Carissa meet late at night at a grocery store when Carissa grabbed the last box of Lucky Charms, Colby's superstitious snack before a big game. But that meet-cute moment is exactly where this book started to show off some of its red flags.

There were some pretty stark moments of misogyny in this book that almost had me putting it down for good. Hockey romances have a certain way they talk about "puck bunnies" that isn't endearing, but this goes way beyond that. The way Colby sometimes talks about women and internally thinks about Carissa--especially during the aforementioned meet-cute--is seriously offputting.

Carissa herself expresses slut-shaming in conversations with Colby, her boss, and her internal thoughts. Plus, Carissa slaps Colby multiple times while they're in the early stages of their romance. Call me crazy, but I just don't think these two are in a good place. So when the inevitable drama happens between our main couple it's hard to care or hope they work it out.

As individual characters, Colby and Carissa have some interesting backstories that aren't fully fleshed out. Their individual trauma only gets trotted out to justify why their behavior towards one another wasn't great or why Carissa is SO forgiving of Colby's questionable treatment. The forbidden nature of their relationship doesn't seem to bother them until the very end when consequences show up dramatically, so the tension between these two characters is mainly them sniping at one another and then love-bombing each other.

There are some redeeming qualities to this book. The smut is well-written and carries a lot of heat. And the author's descriptions of hockey seem more locked in than your average sports romance author, which makes the broader setting feel more grounded.

My overall feelings come down to context. If this were marketed as a bully romance or hinted at some darker themes, I think I'd have been less put off by some of the character choices even if I would never tolerate it in real life. There's also a lot I'll forgive and overlook in a fun and fluffy romance, but this one hit a few too many of my icks to really make me want to keep going with the series.

Colby and Carissa story is so cute... coworker type troupe... both have a past that they need to deal with, but when confronted by their feelings, they will learn together.
Both come from way different lifestyles, and I absolutely love it.

Off your game is an enemies to lovers hockey romance between Carissa and Colby. I liked their meet-cute in the supermarket, whilst Colby was searching for his lucky charms. The last box in fact, which had already been claimed by our FMC, Clarissa. Definitely an unusual and quirky meet-cute, however the fact the whole ‘lucky charms’ thing continued for like 2-3 chapters became incredibly grating and the novelty wore off very quickly. Plus, a grown man holding resentment towards another person because they got the last damn box of cereal…? Really, dude? No.

I really enjoyed the romantic suspense between Colby and Clarissa, and the build up was great. Clarissa becomes a marketing representative for Colbys team after their supermarket situation, and the two meet again, obviously under awkward circumstances. As their story unravels, they do begin to bond over the things they have in common, which is enjoyable for the reader to experience.

There were so many aspects of this I didn’t like, including a borderline cheating moment. Absolutely not my bag but others may like it. This kept me from rating this any higher than 2 stars unfortunately.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

A love a great sports related romance! As a Florida girl, ice hockey is not a key sport so getting to read about some hunky and genuinely nice players is always fun treat.

"Off Your Game" was a fun, quick romantic read and the start of Susan Renee's Chicago Red Tails (the hockey team's name) series. The series is kicked off with Colby Nelson, Team Captain, defensive player. Colby is dealing with a slump. He isn't on his game and unfortunately his first encounter with Carissa "Smalls" Smallson doesn't help it.

"Off Your Game" is a bit of push and pull as Colby and Carissa fight their attraction, fight their friendship...basically just fight....only to fight about how they need to make up (can she be nice to him, will he accept it, what's his motive, etc).

A great 3/3.5 star read for me that kept me engaged, had me laughing at parts but what kept it from a 4 was a slightly disappointing end.

Thank you to Susan Renee and Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun, spicy hockey romance! There was a good mix of banter, tension, and emotional depth for both Colby and Carissa. The setup was a brooding hockey captain, desperate for his lucky charms, meets his match in a woman who refuses to give up the last box. Then she turns out to be his team’s new marketing director. Grumpy sunshine meets workplace romance!

Colby carries guilt over his brother’s death, while Carissa is battling financial struggles thanks to her parents stealing her identity. Their chemistry is intense, their board game nights adorable, and their relationship growth is a fun journey to go on. There is a third-act breakup, but their reunion does not take too long to come through.

The side characters bring humor and heart, and the team dynamic adds to the charm. Overall, this was an engaging, emotional, and steamy read. I can’t wait to see the rest of the team get their stories!

characters could have had a bit more depth to them. overall an enjoyable read however there were areas that felt a bit cringey and a bit over the top with swear words. This is a spicy, romantic, funny, and cut story though and I would generally recommend it. It's a definitely more humorous when you think about loathing someone over a box of cereal, if you think about this to seriously it is a bit insane haha.

If someone enjoys hockey romances, a tough MMC who is rude to the FMC as enemies to lovers, forbidden romance vibes. Then this is a book i would recommend them giving a shot.

This could've have been four stars to me at the most, and I am tempted to rate it lower than 3 honestly. Ofcourse I love cliches, but lately only when plotted right. this one lost me when the shit show went down and he believed the lies, the news. when right before then, I know the beotch will frig her up. Honestly, if he reacted better, this might be salvageable to me, but throwing her debt into her face. that is someone who keep tabs and will surely play that card again later. i know this is fiction and HEA is around the corner when that happen, but the author playing the passing out game, and then it all being ok. i did not like that one bit. i hope the author went another way, there are strings of ways they could get that. He could easily made it and contacted her father early on too, why'd have everything got to be resolved in a few pages in the end. but, anyways it all happened like a bad cliche.

thanks netgalley and publisher for the e-ARC.

I received this book as an ARC. WOW! I loved the grumpy-sunshine/firecracker dynamic between the main characters. It was such a fun read! I couldn’t put it down! I am so excited to read more by this author!

A really cute hockey romance, with an enemies to lovers trope & a wee bit of a secret romance.

Colby & Carissa begin before they even know it's happening- it all starts in a grocery store over some Lucky Charms. Does Colby explain why he needs them? No. Is he a total asshole about getting the box? Absolutely.

I think one of the hardest parts for me to get over was how RUDE Colby was and I just felt so sad for Carissa for her to continue to feel like anything is really ever her fault. If you can make it past the worst first impressions- the book does open up to a really nice romance.

By the end, I felt like the climax and falling action of the story felt a bit rushed and disingenuous? Somehow after they have built trust on each other, the conflict just didn't add up and it made the MCs turn on each other so quickly it gave me whiplash.

This was a cute easy read that did a great job of pulling me in and wanting more. Definitely excited there is more to this series. This book was both funny and spicy and Carissa and Colby were an enjoyable couple to follow along with.

Loved Colby and Carissa’s story. It’s hysterical that their first meeting was a fight over the last box of Lucky Charms.

Colby’s story is heartbreaking. Carissa is doing her best to climb out of a hole that her parents put her in. Together they have an incredible banter and spark.

The team of guys is definitely a highlight in this book. I enjoyed the unique quirks of each character. I thoroughly look forward to each of their books.

Thank you to netgalley and susan renee for giving me the e-arc of this book.

I love me a good hockey romance, and i really enjoyed both the main mmc - colby and the fmc - carissa.

I loved the story it gave, and the romance between them both, it was a nice fluffy romance which i always enjoy and welcome.

The tension between them, i was like yes give me more i need to see what happens what is he gonna do.

A very cute enemies to lovers story about Carissa and Colby. Both have major trust issues and some past baggage to deal with. Their first encounter is hysterical, and sets the tone for the remainder of their relationship. Lots of laughs, some emotional moments, some nice steamy scenes, and of course some cute hockey players. Overall, a great sports romance!! Looking forward to more in this series.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Carissa and Colby’s story left me with all the nice warm fuzzy feelings, in the end. The beginning starts with them not liking each other, at all, and actively avoiding or showing some kind of disinterest. Then things take a turn for the better and life is sunshine and rainbows until major events change everything. At this point I was clutching my chest wanting everything to go back to the way it was before sh*t hit the fan, but authors hate having no drama, so that didn’t happen… for a while at least. In the end, I was happy and was looking forward to the future this couple was forming so quickly!

I love a good hockey romance / workplace romance that pulls on all the heartstrings. Even if it hurts in the moment, that’s how I know it’s going to be good! Susan did a great job with Off Your Game and I loved getting to see the change in Colby and Carissa as they got more vulnerable with each other.

First I would like to thank the publishing company for giving me this ARC.
This was such an enjoyable experience reading this book. The story of Colby and Carissa was funny, sexy, spicy, and I couldn’t put it down.

Colby is the captain of the Chicago Red Tails hockey team, and lately he can’t seem to get the puck in the net. They’ve lost the last four games and tonight’s loss was because he didn’t get his bowl of Lucky Charms before the game! One thing for sure, he needs to get to the grocery stat and buy some. Except once he gets there, a beautiful woman has the last box in her hands. So he tells her that his sick child wants Lucky Charms to help him feel better. Of course she doesn’t fall for the lie, and Colby offers her money for it, lots of money. She won’t give in and tells him to go to another grocery store to get some. They end up in a verbal fight and Colby leaves empty handed.

Carissa can’t believe that guy in the grocery store, what a jerk! She needs her Lucky Charms before she starts her new job for the Chicago Red Tails.
Carissa is the new marketing liaison for the hockey players. She doesn’t know a thing about hockey and hopes she can keep that secret for a while. As her boss shows her around, the last stop is an introduction to the players. They’re all very welcoming until they get to the last player, Colby, the Lucky Charms jerk! Colby continues to be a jerk to her but Carissa is convinced she’ll eventually will win him over.

The story of these two characters, is so enjoyable that I could not put this book down!

A cute sports romance that delivers all the fun and charm we love in a hockey romance. It’s full of playful banter and irresistible chemistry that makes this an enjoyable read.

I really liked Carissa as a main character, she was relatable, witty, and had the biggest heart. However, I did struggle a bit with Colby. While there were moments where I could see his appeal, the way he handled the third-act breakup felt a little off to me. His turn against Carissa seemed too quick and harsh, making it difficult for me to fully get behind him.

That said, my favorite part of the book was the undeniable chemistry between Carissa and Colby. The tension between them was electric, and their interactions were absolute perfection. You could feel the connection between them in every scene, and it was impossible not to be swept up in their love story.