Has anyone noticed that reading is sort of a trend now?Â
Maybe we have BookTok to thank for that. Regardless, it’s about time reading gets the credit it deserves. Especially steamy romance novels.Â
I love a good rom com, but there’s nothing quite like a romance novel. The experience is entirely different – reading rather than watching. There’s so much room for your own imagination to fill in the blanks. The author may describe a character in one way, but who’s going to stop you from imagining your crush in place of the love interest? Or yourself as the protagonist?Â
Romance is my genre – I have recommendations for days – and at the very top of my list is Elle Kennedy’s hockey series.Â
The Deal (Off Campus Book #1)
This is honestly my favorite of all the books. Garrett Graham is an absolute dream. Hannah & Garrett’s story starts with him begging her to be his tutor (yes, it’s the tutor trope). Incredibly talented music major Hannah wants nothing to do with the hockey legend, but his persuasive skills are beyond even her. The two enter an arrangement, which includes some fake dating to grab the attention of Hannah’s crush. I won’t give too much away, but you can probably fill in the gaps. But don’t let the overdone plot deter you – this is the best tutor/fake dating book I’ve ever read. There is so much depth to both Hannah and Garrett’s stories, and their connection goes unmatched. Their love story is fun, messy, and everything else that makes for the perfect romance novel. You’ll fall in love with them just as I did – that’s a promise.Â
The Mistake (Off Campus Book #2)
This book is Logan and Grace’s love story. I love how this story starts – Logan, Garrett’s best friend, is in love with someone he can’t have. Grace is a freshman, always falling in the shadow of her best friend. When the two accidentally collide, everything changes for them. Logan’s character is the cute, goofy, but just-as–hot-as-Garrett sidekick, and Grace is the nervous, shy, innocent college freshman who finds herself throughout the story. They’re an unlikely pair, which makes it all the sweeter. He finally gets the happily ever after he deserves – and so does she.Â
The Score (Off Campus Book #3)Â
This book shifts back to Hannah’s story a little bit: the main character is Allie, her best friend. Allie had been in a relationship pretty much her whole life. She always loved the security of having someone to be with. Now, when her current relationship implodes, she finds herself in a dangerous (but far too tempting) situation with the school’s most famous player, Dean – who also happens to be Garrett’s roommate and teammate. Allie swore she’d never get involved with someone like Dean, but when she does, there’s no going back.Â
The Goal (Off Campus Book #4)Â
Last but certainly not least of the hockey boys/Garrett’s roommates, we have Tucker. He’s the country boy: sweet, smooth, and a complete gentleman. Enter his polar opposite: Sabrina James. She’s fiery, confident, and independent. She has her whole life planned out and works harder than any twenty-something-year-old should. She has a very strict plan for her life – one that does not include Tucker. When the two are suddenly about to become parents, everything she’s worked for is harder to reach. But as she lets Tucker and their baby infiltrate her life, she comes to realize her goals have shifted – for the better.Â
The Legacy (Off Campus Book #5)Â
This is an addition to Off-Campus that I think every book series should have: a 3-year-later check in featuring all four of your favorite couples! I love how this dips into their real lives together post-graduation. It shows how their dynamics shift after they’re forced to move on from their college lifestyles. It’s the kind of happy endings that make you sure they’ll last far beyond the pages of the book.Â
The Chase (Briar U Book #1)Â
In the Off-Campus series, the characters from these books are referenced often. They’re on the same hockey team as Garrett and the others, but younger. This first book follows Summer DiLaurentis, Dean’s sister, and Colin Fitzgerald, Tucker’s best friend. Colin is a burly hockey player on the outside and a nerdy gamer on the inside. Summer is the “it” girl – everyone wants her, except Fitzy. She’s loud and wild and he’s just… not. When Summer moves in, everything starts to change. Fitz’s best friend is crushing on her, and Summer’s brother looms in the background. And yet, he realizes he likes her – a lot. Can these two overcome their messy situation?Â
The Risk (Briar U Book #2)
This book steers a little bit away from the Briar U campus. Brenna is the daughter of Briar’s hockey coach, who’s featured in most of the books. Jake Connely is the sexy Harvard superstar – and Briar U’s biggest rival. This enemies-to-lovers trope is to die for – Jake Connely is too good to be true. Even Brenna, Briar’s official baddie, can’t resist him. Their love story includes some fake dating and lots of bickering – but most of all, the kind of relationship that they both never knew they were looking for.Â
The Play (Briar U Book #3)
This is my favorite of the Briar U series. Hunter Davenport has a complete glow-up in this book. In the first one, he’s the clingy roommate who gets pissed at Summer for not returning his feelings. In the next book, he’s the relentless player who’s been with every girl on campus. Now, after getting a broken wrist last season when he (accidentally) slept with a Harvard player’s girlfriend, he’s sworn to celibacy. Hunter is never making those kinds of mistakes again. He’s the Briar captain now, and he’s determined to be the best damn captain they’ve ever had. But then comes Demi. The two become friends and Hunter can’t help but notice how cool she is – he’s never hung out with a girl like this before. But when she starts looking for a one-night stand to get over her boyfriend – and specifically wants it to be with Hunter – he finds it harder and harder to resist. Will he?Â
The Dare (Briar U Book #4)
And finally, we have Taylor and Conor! Conor is like Dean – he’s Briar’s renowned player. He’s known for his sexual conquests, whereas sorority girl Taylor is known for her lack thereof. The two collide when Taylor’s dared to take him upstairs. To her surprise, he follows her, but the two just sit and talk. She takes a liking to him, and him to her. But when Taylor’s insecurities start to take over, Conor must work harder to prove to her how much he genuinely likes her. Their relationship is sweet and real.
Elle Kennedy did such an amazing job with these novels. Truly, they’re so addictive. I enjoyed every single one of them and have even read a few twice. The couples have these intense connections that you can’t help but envy. I recommend these books every chance I get.
If you’re ready to join in on the reading trend, this is a great place to start. These books will have you laughing, crying, and then obsessively looking up your school’s hockey team.Â
After all, it’s hard to beat hockey book boyfriends.Â