1/5 – DNF. Cringe, chaotic, and frustrating

I really wanted to enjoy this, especially since it was my first hockey romance, but I ended up DNFing it around the halfway point. It just wasn’t working for me, I tried to skip ahead to see if anything could hook me but it was hitting the mark.

The premise had potential—a random cereal aisle run-in turning into a workplace romance—but it never really landed. The characters felt flat, and I couldn’t connect with either of them. Colby came off more entitled than endearing (he spirals over Lucky Charms, which... really?), and Carissa didn’t feel fully fleshed out either.

There were too many side characters cluttering the plot, and the dialogue often made me cringe. Some scenes meant to be funny or steamy ended up feeling awkward or forced. The “kind of cheating” moment completely threw me off, and the way women were talked about in this book—words like “tramp” casually thrown around—felt outdated and uncomfortable, especially in 2025.

The writing itself was easy to follow, and I appreciate the effort behind it, but overall the story felt shallow, immature, and not worth finishing. Definitely not for me.

3.5 ⭐️

Off Your Game is book one in the Chicago Red Tails series. It’s an enemies to lovers, hockey romance following team captain Colby and the team social media manager Carissa. After butting heads at a grocery store over Lucky Charms cereal, they instantly form a strong dislike for each other. As they are forced to work together, they slowly both let down their guards and realize their true feelings for each other.

This was such a fast-paced read and I breezed through it in one sitting!

What I loved: I’m a sucker for a good hockey romance, and this one delivered on the vibes. The enemies to lovers angle was solid, with plenty of banter and build-up. Their relationship grew at a good pace and I could really feel the emotion coming through both of them. The hockey team had great chemistry with each other and I loved seeing their interactions with Clarissa.

What didn’t work as well for me: While I enjoyed the overall dynamic, I couldn’t ignore how toxic their relationship was, particularly from Colby. Their very first argument was way too aggressive. Colby yelling at Carissa (who was a stranger at the time) over cereal was more red flag than meet-cute, and unfortunately, that pattern continued. Nearly every disagreement between them involved Colby raising his voice at Clarissa and jumping to conclusions instead of having a regular conversation. I understand that he’s under pressure and has some underlying trauma, but his behaviors were not okay. It became a pattern that took away from the romance. Honestly, Colby needs therapy to work through his trauma.

Without spoilers, the climax of the story really solidified the fact that Colby never fully trusted Carissa, even as they were supposedly growing closer. That lack of trust made it hard for me to root for them as a couple in the long run. I can see them breaking up within a few months.

With the writing style as well, there were a few borderline and fully misogynistic comments within the chapters. One particular instance I remember is the use of the word “tramp” to describe a woman. These instances made me pause for a moment and put a sour taste in my mouth. Normally in instances where I do a half star raring I round up, but due to this I rounded down.

I read this book in a day! It was a very easy, light read with a grumpy-ish hockey player & a sunshine-ish fireball of an FMC. Overall, I enjoyed this book. However, there were a few moments that I went “eek let’s not say that” & I was surprised (& not really happy) with the casual slut shaming. Without it, this book would have been a 5 start for me!

I feel like a hater because there's nothing even wrong with this book it just didn't do it for me.
It was fine. I read it all, I enjoyed it but I'm not rushing back to those characters.
I can't even say what could've been done better because it had all of the characteristics I usually enjoy in my hockey romance but I just didn't vibe with it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Thank you to Page & Vine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Off Your Game in exchange for my honest review!

I am absolutely swooning. If you love hockey (duh), romance (also duh), sassy pr and social media managers, and grumpy hockey players, then this one’s for you. Off Your Game had me hooked from the grocery store meet-cute all the way through the last spicy scene—and yes, the heat level is perfectly placed!

This book is such a fun, fast-paced read (just over 300 pages) filled with flirtiiiiiiing, banter, and some surprisingly emotional depth. I devoured it in a single sitting and loved every minute. Carissa and Colby have electric chemistry, and the dual POV really brings their personalities to life. I laughed, I kicked my feet, and now I desperately need the next book in the series.

* Enemies to Lovers
* Grumpy/Sassy dynamic
* Dual POV
* Hockey Captain x PR Rep
* Grocery Store Meet Cute
* Family Trauma

A delightful, spicy, feel-good read that balances heart and humor perfectly. Put this one on your radar if you’re a fan of Tessa Bailey-style rom-coms!

The captain of the Red Tails hockey team, Colby, and the new PR social media specialist, Carissa, spark up a romance that is MAGICALLY DELICIOUS! Susasn Renee's Off Your Game is heartfelt, romantic, and if you enjoy spice, be prepared to eat this book up like a bowl of cereal. (Too many Lucky Charms pun? Maybe, but I love it.)

Carissa is a bold, bright, and beautiful woman starting a new job for a professional hockey team. She is doing her best to prepare, and the night before her job, she has a craving for her favorite cereal, Lucky Charms. At the store, she grabs the last box and is met by a hot man, Colby, who is offering her top dollar for her box. Their conversation is full of sarcasm and banter. The next day is her first day on the job. She is nervous about meeting everyone, including the team, but she is shocked when she comes face to face with Colby.

Colby and Carissa may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but together, their chemistry will draw readers in. Yes, the attraction is HAWWWTTTT, but it is the deeper connection that struck me. I loved the way Susan Renee wrote their story because it felt so authentic. There are ups and downs, and it does get messy, but love finds a way. I know this was my first time reading Susan Renee, but I can't guarantee that it won't be my last.

I was super excited about the premise of this book, but I didn't end up liking the MMC. I didn't feel that he did much to redeem himself after being an a**hole to the FMC when they first met.

This was such a fun read. Entertaining and full of drama. The meet-cute was perfection, but it did set the stage of the MMC being a total a-hole. Numerous times, I felt like a slap or two might do him some good.

It is a cute romance story that delivers on fun and tension.

I am such a sucker to hockey romance books but this just missed the mark. The story and characters lacked depth and I honestly felt like I was reading a whole lot of nothing throughout. Referring to a part of sex as all aboard the train was probably the biggest ick I’ve read in a book. The third act break up was beyond ridiculous and honestly Colby is a bit stupid for actually believing she would do something like that. Honestly just fell flat for me which is such a shame.

4.75 stars

I loved watching both Colby and Carissa grow as individuals while also overcoming their challenges together.

Colby was hilarious! And the banter between them? To die for! I was constantly cackling, on the couch, in public, wherever I happened to be reading, which, let’s be honest, doesn’t always go down well. (Picture a grown woman giggling like a loon in the middle of a waiting room... yeah, that was me.)

The reason I docked just a smidge off the full 5 stars was because the last few chapters felt a little rushed. Nothing major, I just would’ve loved a bit more time spent on the forgiveness arc, it felt like it wrapped up a little too quickly.

Overall though, I really enjoyed Colby and Carissa’s story and I can’t wait to read more in this series!

Enemies-to-lovers, hockey romance, and one very unlucky cereal box. Are you ready to fall for the rival?

This was a hard DNF (at 41%)

The characters were not lovable, this borders insta love and the plot wasnt enticing. I wasnt enjoying it, and I knew this wasnt go better, so better finish it. The only good thing was the team, they were fun

:(

Absolutely soaked this up!! Spice was perfection, both MC were done so well and apart from the overuse of italics I absolutely loved this hockey romance!!

Nearly everything in this book fell
Short of what I expected. It has great potential and this could be a fun plot. However, the dialogue, the lack of character development, and the rushed plot could have been so much more! I was expecting Tessa Bailey-level character development, but the two main characters were quite annoying. They are in a forbidden workplace romance, but don’t seem to worry or mention that very much until the last 10% of the book.

The chemistry between Colby and Carissa lacked depth. They had the feelings we all want in two mc’s of a romance story, but the actions didn’t match the words and the “need to be with each other” was instantaneous rather than developed over a deep emotional connection.

It was sort of insta-love, sort of enemies to lovers, workplace romance, forced proximity, but also…not?

I struggled with this one, as much as I wanted to like it.

Thank you to Page and Vine and NetGalley for the e-arc. It wasn’t a good fit this time, but I have hopes the next books in the series will be better!

Colby has a very strict pregame superstition: he has to eat a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal. Only he's all out. And when he goes to the store for a box, someone else gets to the last one first and she won't be charmed or bribed into giving it up. Carissa doesn't know much about hockey but is determined to make a good impression in her new job with the Chicago Red Tails. If only one of the players wasn't still upset with her for snagging the last box of Lucky Charms.

Read if you like:
-Hockey Romance
-Workplace Romance
-Forbidden Romance
-Grumpy Sunshine

Off Your Game was cute and fun, but it's attempts at a deeper, emotional storyline fell flat. Colby was adorable and I loved how secretly sweet he was, but he was also a little emotionally immature. And Carissa felt very one dimensional. Not a bad book, just one that could have used another round of developmental edits.

This was a fun, easy hockey romance with solid banter and a great enemies-to-lovers setup—at least at first. The meet-cute over a box of cereal? Hilariously petty. I was into it.

Carissa is sharp, confident, and doesn’t take any crap, which I loved. Colby, though… eh. He had his moments, but sometimes he felt more immature than charmingly grumpy. The chemistry was there, but I wanted more from the emotional side—especially after the third-act breakup. It all wrapped up a little too neatly for my taste (where was the grovel?!).

Still, if you’re into sports romances with feisty leads and flirty tension, it’s a quick, entertaining read. Just don’t expect too much depth.

3.5/5 ⭐️rounded up

This was an enjoyable read. It was cute. The writing was easy. I was invested enough to keep going but something was admittedly missing for me.

I feel like this book was marketed as an enemies to lovers and I wish there would have been a smidge more of that or a smidge more from the characters? I’m not entirely sure. And I also really struggled with the third act break up a bit and how there wasn’t really any groveling or in depth acknowledgement. I expected an apology from the team or something instead of just they lived happily ever after. And while I couldn’t imagine being in her shoes with her parents I felt like there was so much more that could have been done with that story line.

Off your game by Susan Renee

Sports romance, he falls hard, happy ending. What's not to like?
But for me, this one fell a bit flat. Some of the statements in it were so farfetched it felt too young for my taste. I should have known from the lucky charms cereal but I thought that does set the tone for the book. Colby doesn't respect women generally yet we are expected to believe he thinks the world of Carissa instantly? The characters need to be more fleshed out to be relatable.

I liked both main characters as a starting point, flawed and charming, but together it just didn't feel realistic, there was no tension or build for me. Chemistry is more than just attraction and we need more build and shared moments.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to arc read this. I absolutely adored it, took me a while to fully read it but I did and I loved it. Loved the storyline, the characters and the spicy. The cereal scene in the beginning was hilarious I loved it!! 8/10

Colby & Carissa
It all begins around an box of lucky charms 😏😅
The media girl meets hockey player
Bantering, laughing, fun, sweet, smexy times 💕 and an amazing team full of crazy and fun players. Sadness, jealousy, end game 🙌🏻🥰

I loved reading this book, I laughed, I cried, and that makes an book for me special.
Definitely a 5 stars 🌟 read for me

This hockey romance brings plenty of humor, sizzling tension, and competitive banter. However, while it delivers on entertainment, it also comes with some frustrating elements.
The story kicks off with a meet-cute that is more aggravating than charming—our hero, a professional hockey player, loses out on his good luck charm (a box of cereal) to a woman who refuses his money or flirtatious offers. This woman, Carissa Smallson, later turns out to be the new marketing rep for his team, setting up the classic “just my luck” scenario. What follows is a mix of workplace tension, reluctant attraction, and personal growth.
There are elements of the book that work well. The banter between the main characters is sharp and entertaining. Carissa is a strong, confident lead who doesn’t let the arrogant hockey player steamroll her. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the author successfully builds tension between them, making their eventual romance feel earned.
However, the male lead, Colly, often comes across as toxic rather than endearingly grumpy. His behavior at times feels immature, and some of the drama surrounding their relationship doesn’t feel genuine or well-developed. Instead of organic obstacles, there are moments that feel forced for the sake of tension, making certain conflicts frustrating rather than engaging.
Overall, this book is an enjoyable, lighthearted read with some standout moments, especially for those who love hockey romances. However, if you’re looking for a male lead with strong character growth and conflicts that feel more authentic, this one may leave you a bit disappointed.