cait_beneath_the_covers 's review for:

Offside by Avery Keelan

4.25

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Honestly? This was exactly what I wanted it to be: fun, flirty, and way too easy to binge in one sitting. It starts with a breakup, a club,  a truly unfortunate vomit situation, and somehow turns into a full-blown swoony romance with an emotionally repressed hockey player who’s way more obsessed than he lets on.

Chase Carter is giving peak bad boy with a secret heart of gold. He’s cocky, competitive, and fully committed to making her forget her ex. Aaaaand maybe accidentally fall in love along the way. Sharp banter. Delicious tension.

What surprised me most was how much emotional depth this had. Between the messy sibling dynamics, the loyalty pull from her friends, and the whole enemies-to-maybe-we’re-doing-this arc, it hit a lot harder than I expected. It wasn’t just steam (though, let’s be real, the steam steamed). It had stakes and real heart underneath it all.

A few pacing hiccups near the end kept it from being a full 5 stars for me, but it still fully delivered. Definitely in my “would reread for comfort” rotation, and I’m already eyeing the next book in the series.