I’ve been reading Elle Kennedy’s books set in the fictional Briar U for years. In fact, they were my first introduction to college sport romance. And throughout all this time there have been books that I liked, others that I found completely indifferent, and others that I just didn’t like at all. But this third series had the potential to be my favorite, since I loved The Graham Effect (so much so that I can say that it’s one of my favorite romance books) and I also liked The Dixon Rule quite a bit. If we add to that the fact that this third and final book was going to feature a couple of characters whose story I think was anticipated by all readers of the previous two books, it goes without saying that I had certain expectations. And that’s why it annoys me to say that, unfortunately, it didn’t live up to them.

Will and Becket are two best friends and hockey teammates who like to have threesomes with girls. This has always been about sex only, but when Charlie, a STEM student, enters their lives, they find themselves involved in a polyamorous V relationship. As the three of them face their final year of college, they begin to consider what each of them wants to do with their lives in the future, as well as dealing with their different family conflicts (Charlie deciding to search for her biological family, Will having to deal with his father’s political career, Becket witnessing the disagreements between his parents regarding whether or not to return to Australia).

I was very intrigued by how the author was going to develop this dynamic, and while I liked that it portrayed a healthy relationship between all the parties involved and how they try to make it work realistically, the romance itself seemed very underdeveloped to me. Perhaps this was influenced by the fact that unlike the rest of the books, instead of two points of view the author has introduced three, which makes the number of pages per character more limited. Either way, I feel like we haven’t spent enough time inside each characters’s head, and even less time developing their relationship. We know they spend time together off-page, but we don’t really get to see how they get to know each other, since a good part of their on-page moments are sex scenes (which, by the way, most of them surprisingly made me cringe), so that made me not really see how or why Charlie falls in love with them and vice versa.

Overall, I was bored for most of the book. I was more interested in the individual character development than in the relationship, due to the lack of Charlie’s scenes with the boys that didn’t involve sex. I was also bothered by a couple of aspects, like the whole thing of Becket and his ex-girlfriend (I still don’t understand why he made that up) or certain stereotypes that the author falls into with some characters, especially the Australians. On the other hand, I did like some scenes towards the end, especially the one between Charlie and her family in which several truths come to light, as well as the chapter before the epilogue. But all in all, this was a rather disappointing read.

Returning to an Elle Kennedy romance is always going to feel comforting to me, after reading so much of her backlist last year. She definitely has a way of pulling you into the plot and getting you invested in the characters. A dynamic like the one Will, Beckett & Charlie have is quite rare to pull off well, but Kennedy made it feel very authentic and believable.

One of the strongest elements of THE CHARLIE METHOD is its emphasis on female empowerment. We do get to tap into Charlie’s internal monologue of her shame around her sexual preferences and her desire to feel sexually liberated as a woman. This kind of representation is important, especially as she overcomes these struggles.

However, at times it felt like Kennedy had bitten off more than she could chew here in terms of individual character conflicts. I wished we could have stripped some of this back and done without certain characters completely, so the reader could build even more of a connection to the central characters. I think this ultimately led to the ending feeling quite rushed, and the conflict resolution felt too easy as attention was misplaced.

This was actually the first time I’d read a book from Elle Kennedy’s CAMPUS DIARIES series, and I’m definitely going to go back and read the others!

I absolutely loved this book. It was fun and exciting. Really easy to read and brilliant characters.

I'm enjoying the current trend of polyamorous relationships in mainstream media.
While i enjoyed the overall story, i felt like there was a little too much uneccessary drama for my liking. I do believe it's more a "it's-not-you,-it's-me" type of situation though, because i think im slowly growing out of the new adult college romance phase.

I honestly had no idea what to expect going into The Charlie Method as it includes tropes I don’t typically read, but It definitely surprised me!

The Charlie Method follows our fmc Charlotte Kingston, a sorority girl who’s a perfectionist and determined to keep a clean reputation, but when she meets Beckett and Will, things start to change and Charlotte becomes a little more reckless….

I really liked the characters in this. Charlottes determination was admirable and her storyline was very different to anything I’ve read before. Beckett, our fun-loving mmc was so fun to read about and Will, our other more reserved mmc was so caring and supportive which I absolutely adored.

The dynamic of Charlie’s Beckett and Will’s relationship was interesting and I surprisingly didn’t mind it. It was interesting that they each had their own connections with each other and weren’t put off by that. At times it was annoying as I felt the characters didn’t communicate well with each other which felt unnecessary. As well as this, the plot was lacking and often times not a lot was going on. When there was some sort of conflict it did make it easier to read, but it still felt quite lacklustre. By the end, the book was probably a hundred pages too long and certain conflicts felt forced just to ensure there was something ‘interesting’ still going on.

Despite the lacking plot though, I enjoyed the friendships in this book although it was minimal. Blake and Charlie’s friendship was so loveable and I’m excited to potentially see more from certain characters…

Overall, this was a fun read, it was just quite difficult to get through at certain points throughout and the characters lack of communication towards the end put me off slightly.

This was a steamy romance that delivered all the tension, chemistry and drama that you would expect from a why-choose story. I loved Charlie’s dynamic with Will and Beckett, which balanced both emotional depth and sizzling moments as they navigated their new relationship together.

The banter was great, the relationships throughout felt natural and the story kept me entertained from start to finish. While some parts felt a bit rushed, the character development and intense romance made up for it. If you love a why-choose trope with a mix of heart and heat, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Review: The Charlie Method by Elle Kennedy
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (3.5 stars)

First off, a huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC! 🙏

Elle Kennedy has been my favorite author for years—her Off Campus series is legendary, and she knows exactly how to write a swoon-worthy romance with perfect character dynamics and banter. She’s the queen of hockey romance, no doubt about it. 🏒💘 So when I started The Charlie Method, I was really excited, but honestly, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at first.

What I loved the most was the chemistry between the characters. Will and Beckett? SWOON-WORTHY. I couldn’t get enough of them! Every time they interacted with Charlie, I found myself smiling like a love-struck fool. Their connection was electric, and the author nailed the flirty banter—seriously, Elle Kennedy has a knack for writing witty, flirty dialogue that never misses. The characters also had a surprising amount of depth, which was a pleasant surprise. Charlie, especially, went through such a beautiful character arc. She starts the book full of self-doubt and worrying about what others think of her, but as the story unfolds, her growth is really rewarding to see. Will and Beckett played huge roles in helping her through that transformation, and their tenderness and support for her were just everything. I adored how sweet and protective they were, always there for her in the most touching ways. Plus, the OG characters showing up with their dad chats was a highlight for me! I could honestly read an entire book just made up of those texts. 📱💬

However, there were a few things that didn’t quite work for me. The fanfic element felt out of place, and I honestly didn’t see what it added to the story. I ended up skipping most of it, as it didn’t really fit the overall vibe of the book. The smut didn’t hit as hard as I expected either, and I’m still getting used to MFM romances. Maybe it’s just me, but it didn’t have the same spark as in Kennedy's other books. The length of the book was another issue. At first, I thought it was dragging a bit, but then the middle picked up, and I couldn’t put it down. The tension and the feelings between the characters deepened, and I was totally hooked. But by the end, everything felt a little rushed, and a few plot points didn’t get revisited or were resolved too quickly. I also struggled with the idea of a long-term future for the characters, even though their relationship felt great in the moment. I couldn’t quite picture them living “happily ever after.” Lastly, the nickname “sugar puff” made me cringe a little. I mean, really? 😬

Overall, I have to say this is one of the lowest ratings I’ve given an Elle Kennedy book, which was a bit disappointing. But she’s still my absolute favorite author, and I know not every book can hit it out of the park for me. While The Charlie Method had some really great moments, there were also a few things that just didn’t land. Still, if you’re a fan of Kennedy’s work, it’s definitely worth checking out—you just might connect with it in a different way than I did. 😊

Okay I will preface this by saying that I have been dying for Will & Beckett's book since I arc read the Graham Effect back in 2023. Was this what I expected? No. Did I enjoy it? Yes.

3.75🌟

The book follows our FMC Charlotte (aka Charlie) who deals with a bit of an identify crisis. She desparately wants to know more about her heritage and her past but does not want to dissapoint her adoptive family. At the same time she is sexually more interested in the kinkier things which leads her to an app where she matches with two guys looking to hook up with a girl.

They start texting and things heat up - pictures are exhanged etc etc - but at some point Charlie realises that she knows these guys >>> Will is her lab partner and she met Beck in her Climate Policy class and they got off on the wrong foot.

Once they all realise they know each other they decide to pursue a situationship anyways - it gets a bit 🥵🔥 along the way, but all three main characters are dealing with their own issues which contributes to them all not revealing their true feelings.

There were a few sub plots going on at the same time - Charlie and her bio brother, Will and his politician dad and the family dynamics around that and also Beck's past with his ex - which made this quite a busy book.

I always enjoy when the characters from the previous series pop up and this was sprinkled in here and there.

Overall I enjoyed the book and I would still recommend it, but here is what I did not like:
❌ I was expecting there to be a relationship between Will & Beck as well, no ⚔️ happened which is fine but the previous books alluded to something happening?
❌ The ending felt open ended. I was not convinced that these guys would make it in the long run. It definitely felt like a happy for now rather than a HEA 🤷🏼‍♀️

Pick this book up if you like:
🏒 MFM (no ⚔️)
🏒 FMC in STEM
🏒 Secret relationship
🏒 Hockey romance
🏒 Spicy text messages 🌶️

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Officially a new member of the Elle Kennedy club!

This is my first book of Elle’s that I have read and I am now sold! I have heard so many good things about her books and I now finally understand.

The Charlie Method is a steamy, open door romance with an excellent story line, full of character stories and development that will have you engrossed. I found the writing style so easy to read, meaning it didn’t take much brain power to get through the book, which I loved! Especially after reading a few heavy fantasy books recently. The first chapter in this book had me imagining ‘Legally Blonde’ which was so much fun, with the sorority.

The Charlie Method follows the pov of our 3 main characters (MFM), meaning we have multiple povs. I loved Charlie’s storyline with her family and following her journey of finding out about her background. Beckett’s storyline was heart-wrenching but I loved seeing him go from this character that was this big, annoying ego to the kindest soul that I now melt over. Will had his own unique story too and I loved how they all found themselves through each other.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the ARC.

This is my new favourite Elle Kennedy book! This book was just full of spice and I loved every second of it.

I’m obsessed with Charlie, Will and Beckett! Their instant chemistry and attraction was off the charts. I couldn’t help but falling in love with each character individually and together. Charlie was so much fun! She was so smart, confident and knew what she wanted. I don’t even know where to start with Will and Beckett, they literally have my heart. Both of them are just perfection. They were so obsessed with Charlie and couldn’t get enough of her. I just loved how each of them had their own side stories as well as their story together. Each of them was working through something and I enjoyed having that side of them and not just them together as a group.

I loved seeing all the guys from the Briar series and Blake (Logan’s Daughter) throughout this story. I’m just utterly obsessed with this book and the entire series!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for allowing me to read this arc!

Although this was once again the fun Elle Kennedy read I expected, it was slightly too long. There were many things that could have been cut. I felt that some of the characters were lacking depth. I did like the polyamorous relationship though. That was something new and well done!

The Charlie Method
By Elle Kennedy

⭐⭐⭐

I requested this arc via Netgalley because I'd heard good things about this author. I have not read the other books in the Campus Diaries series nor any books by Elle previously. I found that this was able to be read as a standalone.

This was also my first Hockey romance (I know!) and my first MFM.

An interesting storyline, that did not end in the way I expected. It explores themes such as family dynamics, adoption and friendship whilst also challenging societal norms about what a relationship should or should not be.

There was a fair amount of spice but it didn't detract from the story. An overall enjoyable read.

A couple of side notes: the formatting of this arc was a little weird on my kindle, big gaps in random places and things like that. I also felt like the 'fan fic' and 'dad chat' chapters ruined the flow of the story and didn't add to it in a positive way.

I loved this one!! I didn't think I could love Beckett more than I already did but he is one of my fave EK mmc's like this woman can write a reformed playboy cheeky blonde SO WELL! He was so precious and funny and he was such a good friend and I love how he cared for everyone around him and seeing his past with his ex made so much sense about some of his behaviour and why he was anti love/relationships but I loved watching him accept everything and falling in love with was so cute

I also love Will so much and loved getting to know him so much he is such a lover boy and such a cutie. Loved seeing how things between him and Charlie started and the friends to lovers was so cute

Charlie's was such a good fmc and she fit both boys so well I loved all their dynamic. I liked Charlie's background with being adopted and trying to hunt her family down with her brother that was good too even tho I didn't really like the brothers jealousy but I guess that also made it more real.

Now as much as I loved this it's defo my least fave in the series some of the things in it were a little unnecessary and some filler to make it longer even tho personally I don't think hockey romances need to be over 400 pages but that's just me. It also made me sad finishing this cos I loved the friend group of hockey boys so much yet this one ended with the 3 of them moving away to Australia and leaving everyone behind like what?? I was so sad like yes it was a cute happy ending for the 3 of them but I didn't like the fact they left cos I love the found family part of these books so much.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC

THE DAD CHAT!!! OMG I loved it haha. Elle Kennedy really brought out the spice with this one. I mean a poly romance? Sold! I had a blast reading it and really enjoyed the book. No more need to be said. Just read it!

This was a really fun MFM/why choose romance with likeable characters and an interesting side-plot, but it did feel like the relationship was mainly based on a physical connection and I just didn't feel the emotional side to it which meant the HEA did not feel realistic.

Seeing the off campus/briar u men in the dad chat was definitely a highlight though 😂

The Charlie Method - Elle Kennedy - ARC/ALC

I absolutely loved these three! I felt like the personalities really complimented one another, this one had a lot less drama than I expected considering it was MFM!

Beckett was so much more complex than I’d expected after reading about him in the previous two books, I loved how him and Will were oppositions but also had so many similarities! The fact the Beckett could read Will so well was sweet, it also helped that he was Australian because we like to switch it up!

I felt so bad for Will and how strained his relationship with his Dad was, and how that strain trickled into his every day life, I loved that he showed growth and acceptance towards himself, and could admit to himself when he knew he fully hadn’t and took he took the time to make that right!

I thought Charlie was so so fun and interesting, I loved the double life that she lived, how she was prim and proper Charlotte and then Will and Beckett’s Charlie too! Her adoption story and the search for any biological relationships was so heartbreaking especially when she finally got to meet Harrison and how she took all that guilt on herself.

This was such a fun read and I can’t wait to see what comes next for Elle!

Also I am 100% sure that I would read The virgin and the Blade, and thoroughly enjoy it!!

Elle Kennedy delivers yet again with her newest romance – “The Charlie Method”.
This book follows Charlie on her self-discovery journey in both her family life and love life. This MFM love story had a great mix of humour, heat and emotion. There were many layers to this story which made for an engaging read.
Charlie, as the female lead, is a refreshing character. She is type A to a fault with a wild side she keeps tightly under wraps. I loved Charlie’s character – she was engaging, fun and so deeply relatable in her pursuit of keeping everything in her life on track.
The romance in this story was a slow-burn but it paid off tenfold. Being an MFM story I was prepared for the spice to hit but it was so steamy I had to fan myself at times. The banter between Charlie and her love interests, Will and Beckett, was brilliant – something Elle Kennedy executes flawlessly in every book she writes. The support and love Charlie is shown throughout the book was beautiful, the boys truly knowing how to give her everything she needs.
As usual, Elle Kennedy delivers in her typical style of smooth pacing, realistic dialogue and humour that will have you laughing out loud throughout. She simply never misses.
Beyond the romance element of the story we see Charlie reaching out to her biological family after being adopted from Korea as a baby. This added a whole other level of emotion to the story and kept me turning the pages, as desperate for an answer as Charlie was. This storyline was handled sensitively and was engaging throughout.
However, I did find myself left wanting a little more development from our MMC’s. I feel as thoroughly developed as Charlie was, Beckett and Will were slightly less so. However, this is not to say we don’t get a full understanding of their backgrounds and characters, I just personally felt like I wanted a little more from them.
Overall, this was another smash from Elle Kennedy and holds the usual appeal of her books. Lovers of sports romance will absolutely devour this latest instalment in the Campus Diaries series. While it leans on some familiar tropes, the sharp writing and interesting plot will make a great addition to any romance lover’s shelf.

4.25⭐️
2 🌶️

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Little Brown book group UK for the opportunity to ARC read this book.

The Charlie method is the 3rd instalment in the campus diaries series and it did not disappoint! Elle Kennedy can do no wrong in my eyes, I love her writing and she is the QUEEN of hockey romance.

This story follows Charlotte, Will and Beckett as they navigate the dynamic of a MFM relationship whilst finishing up their final year in college along with an abundance of family drama.

The DAD chat absolutely made this book for me! Nothing will compare to my off campus boys but I love having the crossover and pop up in these books. Also Coach Hollis did not disappoint🤣🤣🤣

Also nothing is funnier than the FANFIC in this, it truly had me in hysterics!

"Subtlety was never my strength," he said, his voice low and rich. "Conquest, however, is. And I've got TWELVE inches of steel to back up that claim." - The virgin and the Blade

Hahahahha!!! 🤣🤣

I'm now off to reread all my Elle Kennedy favourites.

Absolutely love this series , the first two books were brill, and the charlie method didn’t disappoint at all !
I went into it blind and was surprised in the direction that elle took it ! I loved it just as much as the other books, great characters, great story line , brilliant plot!

Back in 2022, the sports romance was something new to me and it was 📚The Deal by Elle Kennedy which made hockey romance in ink my favourite type of sports romance and the Off Campus Series holds a special place in my heart 💗

When this title released, I didn't waste a second and downloaded this asap 😍❤️🤌 and was it the decision!? OH DAMN YESSSSSSSS 😁❤️💯

This is a MFM romance which was again a new type of romance to me and did I like it! YESSSS I DID..!!

This is the third installment in Campus Diaries series, which has the second generation from her old series. So, ofcourse we get to see our favourite old characters but a little bit older version and the characters have the same wittiness and spark as these are written by Elle!! What do you expect 🥰❤️ they again looted off my heart!

This one was such a easy breezy quick read with brilliant characters as lead. Our Charlie opps Charlotte was mesmerizing and amazing in her own way. She has two versions and you need to read to know which is what!
Plus our boys 🤌🤌🤌🤌 hockey players yet both have their distinctive features which I loved but the best part was both had the soft side for our Charlie ❤️

I had a great time reading this one.