Super sweet!

Emotional, endearing, and humorous. A really fun story with a great cast of characters.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Off Your Game by Susan Renee — out today! — is a light and cute hockey romance that's perfect for when you want an easy, feel-good read. The chemistry between the characters was definitely a highlight — full of flirty banter, sweet moments, and a spark that kept things fun. While the story didn’t completely sweep me away, I still really enjoyed the playful dynamic between the leads and the cozy, sportsy vibe throughout. If you're in the mood for a charming romance with a little heat (and some hockey magic), this one is worth a try!

I love sports and hockey romance books, this was not the first one I’ve read. While this book had some good moments, overall it was not the best. It often had immature moments and vocabulary that I felt like weren’t necessary.

OML I had such high hopes for this. It started off so fantastic and their meeting was so cute and funny. But then it just declined and we didn’t continue to delve into the main characters further.

At 36% the strangest thing happens ok. So they’ve just suddenly become besties and are practically in love after just having a huge fight and he goes “”And now Im famished”. I pay her gorgeous ass a few times”. Ew never again.

Bro is literally the biggest man whore ever.

Now she wants to have him sleep in her bed. Dude you just met.

Doing my best not to gag rn. It’s like the writing is trying to tell me about the chemistry but the characters are not very convincing.

Oh don’t worry guys now they’re are going over how to date first 🤦‍♀️

They’re already fighting again.

Yuck.

This poor girl just wants a hug and he’s like 😈 I can give you more than a hug 😈

I’m so sorry, bumfuzzle?

Well we wrapped it all up in 2 chapters. Quite possibly one of the most disappointing sports romances I have read unfortunately.

A meet cute or rather fight at a grocery store over the last box of Lucky Charms is how a grumpy hockey player and his new team's PR girl meet and possibly fall in love. Colby is the captain of his hockey team that has one ritual: eat Lucky Charms before his games... but he ran out so when he goes to get it a woman takes it and despite him offering to take her out and sleep with her for it, she refuses. Turns out she is the new PR woman for their team and they immediately get off on the wrong foot. Carissa is determined to make her new job work, despite getting on the bad side of the team's captain... yet the more time they spend together the tension is beginning to feel a lot like falling in love. I wish I could like this better because who doesn't love a ridiculous meet cute however they both gave me the ick. Colby is just so up his own arse and Carissa is no better, they both act like teens and its just frustrating. Their relationship just felt toxic and I just did not vibe with it one bit. As a lover of hockey romances, this one just was not for me. I didn't care for the romance or the characters. I do think if you like hockey romances you should just give it a try to see if you'd like it better than I did.

Release Date: April 29, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | Page & Vine for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book is your typical hockey romance. I did enjoy the characters and I did laugh out loud a couple times. I do think a lot of people really enjoy this however, nothing really stood out for me.

This was fun. The banter was hilarious and spectacular honestly, it kept the book going because at points it was a little cringey. It was easy to read, had some spice and overall a pretty solid book.

I enjoyed reading Off Your Game by Susan Renee. I enjoy Hockey Romance books, and this one was no different. I really like Colby and Carrissa together. I laughed so hard while reading this book. I love books that make me laugh. I thought the bickering between Colby and Carrissa was funny. I couldn't put it down.

I thought the world-building and characters were amazing and relatable. I can't wait to read book two.

Thank you to the author for this ARC.
From the first chapter, I was cracking up! The witty banter between the two MCs in this book was amazing. Carissa was such a fun FMC, but I found myself getting frustrated with Colby so often. I honestly felt like she deserved better than him. That reason, i gave this 4 stars. Overall it was a good time and I'll read more in the series.

⛸️⛸️⛸️⛸️/5

I have never read this author before but I can definitely say this won’t be my last book by them!

This book had some things I really enjoyed and some others I wasn’t a huge fan of. But nonetheless it was a quick and fun read.

I enjoyed the slight forbidden element of their relationship. I was on edge watching them navigate those hardships and waiting for the other shoe to drop. But at the same time, they really could’ve handled the entire situation better and been more adult about it.

I did not like their meet cute, but it did set the stage for their feelings in the beginning and the tension and banter that came with that meeting. But I liked their tender moments the most. I liked that they were the only people they’d open up to about deeply personal stuff and it really created that depth to their connection. With that being said, their relationship was toxic ever since they met. And while I never support that, I did find it drama filled and enjoyable to read.

I did love the hockey aspect of this story though. I feel like sometimes we get hockey romances that don’t involve the sport at all, and so it was nice to actually read about the game, the rules, the lifestyle, and all of that on top of the romance.

Overall it was a quick and easy read with some good moments, despite it not being perfect!

Lots of laughs. Lots of high, hot tension… and also a ton of sobbing along the way.

Clarissa and Colby have the chemistry I seek in romance books, and by golly the author understood the assignment. This hockey romance has it all— a healthy amount of tension along with drama that I didn’t see happening and then the tragic bits along the way. Colby may have turned out to be a little broken, but I swear Clarissa pieced him together slowly but surely when she landed that job with the hockey team.

All of the side characters were great and honestly I can’t wait to start reading the next book. 10/10 read for me.

This book was so fun and entertaining. I was hooked from the beginning. Carissa and Colby's meet cute was so different from everything I have read in the past but it made sense for them. I loved seeing how these characters grew throughout the book. I highly recommend if you are looking for a quick sports romance book. Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

Hockey romance is where it’s at these days. This spocy, sweet read will fill the gap whilst you wait for the next Becka Mack, Stephanie Archer or Gracey Reilly.

I really enjoyed this book. I enjoy sports romances in general, and hockey romances are always fun, so this book is right up my alley. I started out a little dubious about whether this is a romance novel because the cover doesn't say romance to me, but it is most certainly a romance novel.

The story has great romantic tension, there's a villain we don't really meet until the last chapters of the book, and the characters have heat. They're attracted to one another almost from the start of the book, even though they start out enemies over a box of cereal!

I have to say, at the beginning of this book, I was doubtful that I would like Colby. He starts out kind of mean, but when he comes around what you see about him is that he's protecting himself. He's vulnerable and doesn't necessarily want to want Carissa.

Carissa is strong and likeable from the start. I liked her and her best friend from the beginning pages to the end. There are some great scenes with her, particularly at the end when she's covered in water.

The pace of the story is a little bit strange because even though there's a villain, and she's mentioned a few times, we don't see her until almost the end of the story. To me, that feels a little bit rushed. But, the story plays itself out completely with no loose ends.

The book also doesn't have an epilogue, which I suppose isn't required but is something I always look forward to. I want to see what happened to the characters a few months (or years) later. I want to know things worked out for them and they're living their happily ever after. This book is missing that element.

Overall, I really enjoyed Off Your Game and would definitely recommend it to other hockey romance readers. It was fun, light in most places, and the characters had great chemistry.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Sharp banter, spicy chemistry, and all the hockey swoons

Off Your Game by Susan Renee is everything I want in a rom-com: hilarious meet-disaster (cereal aisle chaos for the win), delicious enemies-to-lovers tension, and a hockey captain who’s one bad attitude away from falling hard.

Carissa is the kind of heroine you want to be best friends with—sharp, bold, and absolutely unbothered by our grumpy golden boy’s charm (at least at first). The banter between her and the captain? Pure serotonin. The slow burn? Worth every second. And the chemistry? Let’s just say, this book could melt the ice at the arena.

Susan Renee nails the pacing, the spice, and the heart, making this a total standout for fans of Tessa Bailey and Helena Hunting. If you're into sports romance with laugh-out-loud moments and characters that crash into each other in all the best ways, this one's a winner.

Clear your schedule—you won't want to put this down. 🏒🔥❤️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc!!
This book had me from the first sentence. I loved the found family with the guys on the team and the banter between everyone was hilarious. It was an easy, light read that took me no time at all. The meet cute was perfect and set the stage for the story perfectly. I enjoyed this book and will definitely be looking forward to the next book in the series!!!

This book is a fun, fast and flirty read! It was so easy to fall in love with these characters. From the initial meet cute at the grocery store, it was clear these two would have explosive chemistry, and their witty banter really made their personalities shine through. I love a feisty & fierce female! I could absolutely see myself being friends with Carissa in real life. While Colby started out as a real grump, watching him thaw out over time was a treat, and the swoonworthy man who melted at Carissa’s feet was well worth the wait! 🥵

🏒 Hockey romance
♥️ Forbidden
🏒 Forced proximity
♥️ Workplace romance
🏒 Grumpy x sunshine
♥️ Enemies to lovers
🏒 Meet cute at the grocery store

Off Your Game is a feel-good read that strikes a wonderful balance between heartfelt emotion, delightful humor, and delicious spice. If you enjoy hockey romances filled with heart and passion, this is a must read!

I absolutely cannot wait for the next book and to experience Milo’s story!

4.25 ⭐️ Thank you to Susan Renee and Page & Vine books for the #gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book gives off enemies to lovers energy from the word, Go! Don’t mess with a hockey player and his lucky charms. Watching their banter back and forth was definitely a page turner. The turning point in the book will make your jaw drop. Absolutely loved the whole hearted love each one of them brought out in the other.

I really enjoyed this read, and honestly, I couldn't put it down.

It broke my heart to hear the full story of Colby and his Lucky Charms tradition, I just wish it had come into play a little bit more later in the book.

This story led me on a roller coaster ride of emotions, the end was a bit lacking but I still enjoyed it and it was a satisfying end.

Honestly the enemies to lovers part is written better compared to a lot of other works I've read and that makes me happy.

Off Your Game is funny, spicy and fast paced and I really enjoyed the first 40% of it and then I sadly started having issues with it.

The plot started out really interesting and I thought it was going to be a cute insta lust/love kind of book but the last 20% ruined that completely and it felt a bit unnecessary the stuff that happened, in my opinion. Because it was so short you don’t get properly introduced to the characters and therefore I couldn’t connect with them. I think 100 more pages would have solved a lot of those issues.