The Off-Campus Series by Elle Kennedy

With Elle Kennedy's books coming out as a series on Amazon Prime, I figured I should read them and find out what the fuss is about. - Lynnie 

The Deal  

The Deal was better than I expected, though I don’t know why. 

The basic premise seems to be this: hot college hockey players who can sleep with any girls they wish, and the girls who claim to want nothing to do with them. But then, suddenly, the players fall hard and fast for said girls and find that they really ARE guys who want to be in committed relationships. Repeat as needed for however many books are written.

I liked all the characters. There was fun banter and they generally acted appropriate for college-aged kids (even if I thought they had way too much disposable income); sometimes, they even acted more mature than college kids might have. But, I enjoyed the found family dynamic of the hockey team and I just thought Hannah and Garrett were delightful. I don’t love how obsessive Garrett’s attention was once he decided that Hannah was the one for him. I never think that’s a great way to model relationships for young folks, but at least they also had him give her some respectful space once in a while. I also thought it was weird how much all of the other characters sexualized Hannah. Was it realistic? Probably, but it was also bizarre and kind of gross.

Anyway, I can see why they are making this into a tv series- I’m sure it will be super popular 

 

The Mistake 

These are easy books to read - like cotton candy for the brain; you just take it in and it dissolves into nothing, before you know it, it's gone.

I liked Logan and Grace a lot in The Mistake, but again this relationship was a bit obsessive and over the top. I did like that, once Logan decided to pursue Grace for real, he put the breaks on and started to take things slowly and be respectful of her and himself and just enjoy their time together so they could really get to know each other.

I also continued to enjoy the friendships between the hockey players themselves and how they support one another. At a time when we bemoan the lack of male friendships, it's nice to see it in a fictionalized world, even if it's written by a woman.

I would have LOVED these books when I was younger. As an (ahem) older reader, I’m less tolerant of all the manufactured drama. Every single character has some sort of trauma or situation that is supposed to tug at your heartstrings or make us feel sorry for them, which is exhausting in its own way.  

  

The Score 

I’m surprised how much I liked Dean and Allie’s story in The Score. Before this book I didn’t really like either of them very much, but I really did like Dean in this book, particularly how enamored he was with Allie. For someone whose life has just always been easy, I just found him delightful; maybe because he’s the only character in these books who doesn’t come from a tragic background or have a potentially tragic future.

This series is just fluff- easy to read, not particularly challenging and grossly unrealistic, but fun. Beautiful people doing sexy things surrounded by best friends. What’s not to like? I totally see the appeal and why they are turning this into a tv series. This will be this generation's 90210 and Melrose Place all wrapped into one, but sexier.

 

The Goal 

The Goal is not my favorite book of the series, but it was fine. I liked Tucker a lot and Sabrina was fine, but again, more sad backgrounds and potentially tragic futures. But no! They will learn to trust one another & make their futures brighter! Rinse and repeat. 

I might have liked it better if I hadn’t read it right after the others in the series, but I did. This is a fun series, but it really is the same story over and over. It makes me laugh that even the person who designed the book cover might feel the same way; poor Tucker doesn't even get to kiss Sabrina on his book cover, he just has to hold her hand and stare longingly at her!

Seriously though, all the guys in this series are weirdly obsessive and I didn't like that at all. Ladies, that is not what you should be looking for in a relationship. It's cute in fiction, but in real life, it's called stalking.