Offside by Canadian author Avery Keelan is a charming, sun-soaked contemporary romance filled with heartbreak and discovery.
Bailey James, a journalism student, is blindsided when her long-term boyfriend Luke Morrison dumps her on her 21st birthday. Expecting a romantic dinner, the star forward and captain of the college’s elite hockey team, the Callingwood Bulldogs, humiliates her instead. To make matters worse, Bailey’s brother Derek is on the same team and friends with Luke reluctant to take sides.
Seeing how upset she is, Bailey’s friends take her on a girls’ night out to cheer her up. While at the nightclub, she runs into Chase Carter. He’s the rival team’s golden boy and bad-boy forward from Braxton University. Despite all she has heard about his reputation, they hit it off with some flirty banter.
As Bailey struggles to deal with her breakup, she starts running into Chase more often, and their chemistry becomes undeniable. They start sneaking around to spend as much time with each other as possible, but rumours start to circulate, and people begin to suspect the truth. Will they be able to handle the scrutiny or go their separate ways?
The pacing is smooth, and every scene moves the story forward in a way that keeps you hooked. There are some eye-rolling moments, but I had to remind myself I was young once, and this book is about young college students in a world of social media where everything is always exposed. You are always judged, no matter what you do.
This romance made me laugh, but it also hit with some heartfelt moments. The banter between Bailey and Chase is sharp and fun, making their scenes exciting and realistic. The mix of humour and emotional depth maintains just the right balance. Both characters deal with struggles involving family, friends, social media, and personal goals, which makes their journey to love a bumpy one.
I found Bailey’s character to be a pleaser. As a young woman trying to figure out life, she puts everyone else first, especially her brother. She also has loyalty to the team even after betrayal. I enjoyed her growth, independence, and realisation that she did not need anyone’s approval for her own happiness.
Lukes’s character I didn’t like, he is emotionally manipulative and only considers himself in their relationship, and easily tosses it aside for his career prospects.
This made it easy to like Chase, the quintessential book boyfriend. He’s handsome and charming, although considered a bad-boy, he reveals a much more caring and loyal side, and is willing to stand by Bailey’s side — no matter the consequences.
Offside is a journey from heartache and despair to love and happiness with a lot of fun in between. I recommend those who want a slow burn to read who enjoy hockey romance novels.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club members are reading Offside by Avery Keelan. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
My love of books started at a very young age. My mum has always been a reader and encouraged me to read, buying me endless book from classic fairy tales advancing to the world of Enid Blyton, CS Lewis, Louisa May Alcott, Kathryn Kenny, Carolyn Keene, Francine Pascal. In my adult years the list of authors is endless and every room in my house is filled with books.
One of my favourite novels is Narnia which has always has a special place in my heart. I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1978 and when I was given this book to read it let me escape to another world where I felt like I was in the book with all the characters, it wasfun and exciting to escape from reality and eased the ups and downs of the disease at such a young age.
In books nothing is impossible and there is endless potential and hundreds of places to explore or being taken to places that are only made up from the authors’ great minds, the past and future to navigate, characters lives you step into taking you on an emotional rollercoaster ride or being scared out of your wits. I can experience things that I can’t in real life because they’re not possible or real. It challenges my perspective and mindset expanding my worldview.
I find joy, comfort and peace with books, many people may not get it, but I know bookworms like me truly understand. Reading makes my heart happy.
It took me a little while to get into Offside but once I did we were away.
Bailey is in a relationship with Carter who is very controlling and from what I read he is very much a narcissist. He wants everything his way and does what he can to convince Bailey that any problems in the relationship are her fault. I think many of us have met and know they type.
Bailey ends up meeting Chase who is in the rival hockey team to Carter. Chase comes along with a bad reputation and is the type of guy you want to stay away from. But is he really? She discovers that he is not who many people think he is and he becomes her lifeline.
When her relationship with Carter ends she finds that so does many of her believed friendships. Against everyone’s wishes she turns to Chase.
This is a 500+ page book and is great for those of us that like to spend time with the characters.
Thanks Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read Offside by Avery Keegan.
Bailey is a journalism student who is dumped by her hockey playing boyfriend Luke on her birthday.
On a night out with her friends to cheer her up she meets Chase the bad boy of the opposing hockey team.
Sparks begin to fly and Luke and her so called friends show their true colours when they find out she is seeing Chase.
Chase and Bailey fall hard and we see
how true love will prevail if you work at it.
I loved how the book fast forwarded to a few years later.
This book is a college romance so I’m probably not the demographic for this book but never the less I did enjoy it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Offside is a contemporary romance by author Avery Keelan that does contain mature themes, and content so is a book that is better suited to adults.
We’re introduced to Bailey James who is dumped on her 21st birthday by her self absorbed boyfriend Luke and uncharacteristically goes straight into a rebound fling in her ex’s enemy and beyond drop dead gorgeous Chase Carter.
The infamous Chase plays for her college’s rival hockey team and a renowned troublemaker who loves to stir his enemy. Bailey and Chase hatch a plan to make her ex crazy jealous, but she soon finds herself falling for Chase for real – finding that he is the opposite of everything she thought/believed he was. Instead, she finds he is witty, thoughtful and ever so charming. Bailey finally breaks free of everyone’s expectations – she always did the right thing but now she’s breaking the rules is she risking her heart? The bonus chapters at the end were a perfect addition and answered the questions I had about what happens for Bailey and Chase next.
This is definitely a read for fans of Enemies to Lovers and College romance.
Thanks to Beauty and Lace book club and Pan MacMillan Australia for my copy of Offside
Offside by Avery Keelan is a light, fun and easy to read college romance novel with a touch of spice.
The story follows Bailey James who is dumped by her boyfriend on her 21st birthday. Heartbroken, she soon crosses paths with Chase, a player on the rival hockey team. Watching Bailey grow into a stronger, more confident character was one of the highlights of the book.
While the pacing felt a little drawn out in parts, the story remained entertaining and engaging throughout. With its mix of drama, romance and mature themes, Offside is a great choice for readers who enjoy college hockey romance with plenty of heat. Thank you Beauty and Lace and Pan Macmillan Australia for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Offiside was a different type of book and genre that I usually read, but I kept going…
Bailey was looking forward to a romantic dinner for her 21st Birthday . Little did she know it was going to be the day her boyfriend Luke ends the relationship leaving Bailey heartbroken.
Her friends decide to take her on a girls trip to try and cheer her up. She knows Chase as a boy on the opposite team to her ex boyfriend, both play hockey.
She talks to Chase and they form a relationship, but more of a secret one at first. But rumours start and Bailey and Chase navigate their way through the relationship.
This book was a little young for me but I enjoyed it, seeing relationships through the younger generation of today.
Offside by Avery Keelan is the first book of hers I’ve read, and my first hockey book and it may just have started an obsession for said books!
Bailey James is a sweetheart, but when she’s dumped on her 21st birthday by the colleges hockey captain, she somehow finds herself seeking refuge in the rival hockey teams bad boy Chase Carters arms.
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were great, there was a lot of characters but they all added little extra bits to the storyline.
Bailey was lovely, as you got to know Chase more he was so much more than the bad boy image he showed to the world, the Luke part kept you on your toes wondering what he was going to do next.
It was quite a long book and i did get to the middle and wonder where it was going but it quickly picked up again and had me completely sucked in!
Thanks Beauty and Lace and Pan Macmillan for the copy to read and review.