Off Trail Love: A Sweet Rivals to Lovers Romantic Comedy

Sunkissed Summer

by Taylor Epperson

I need a fresh start, a clear perspective.

Hiking has always given me that. I know that this hike up Longs Peak is going to help me know what to do next. It’s the perfect plan.

What I didn’t plan on? Jack Donovan.

The ultimate prankster who disguises himself as the perfect student (at least he did in high school.)

He was also the first boy who broke my heart, not that anyone but my college friends knows that.

When he first approached me at the airport, I thought it was simply so he could rub it in my face how perfect his life is—he still has a job after all, unlike me. But no, he’s part of my hiking group.

How am I supposed to have a clear head when he’s around? How am I supposed to figure out my life and plan out my next career steps if I’m worried about which pranks Jack is going to pull? Because while most people know him as the perfect, straight-A student, I know him better than that. And I kind of hate him for ruining the end of high school.

So what if it’s been six years? Instead of my relaxing, mind-clearing hike, it’s game on. And this time, I’m going to win. Even if it means throwing out all of my well-set plans.

Off Trail Love is a sweet romantic comedy with rivals to lovers, only one tent, and swoony kisses. It’s part of the Sunkissed Summer Novellas series. Read about all the college roommates finding

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Off Trail Love by Taylor Epperson

Genres: Romance, Second Chance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Romantic Comedy, Fiction, Novella

93 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 11, 2024

About the author

Taylor Epperson writes sweet romances that are sure to make you laugh and swoon!

Reviews

[s.a.v · Rating 4 out of 5]

off trail love - taylor epperson

сюжет: Меггі та Джек - знайомі з дитинства, між ними навіть пробігла іскра кохання на випускному. проте, не сталось так, як гадалось і тепер ці двоє - вороги. та через декілька років, вони майже випадково опиняються в одному поході в гори...

жанр: любовний роман, новела

тропи:

✨від ненависті до кохання;
✨розповідь від двох осіб;
✨похід в гори;
✨"війна" пранків;
✨поцілунок в стилі "я ненавиджу тебе";
✨close door.

мої враження: як для новели - дуже добре. мило і смішно. жарти тут, звісно, були топ 😄 навіть не знаю, чи вийшла б такою милою повноцінна книга. але тут все було на рівні. головний герой - ну таке вже сонечко, як він тільки не називав ту головну героїню 😋
досить хороша історія, яку можна швидко прочитати і насолодитись класними жартами і героями.

4/5

[Megan (messybun.bookishfun) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute, made me want to go on a hike (not something I do… so I made - and ate - trail mix instead). Unrequited love ❤️ high school crush
Close proximity ❤️ single “tent”
Job changes ❤️ big moves in life
“Mountain peak moments”

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fact that this was 93 pages might say something
4.5/5

[Summer Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love how cozy and sweet Taylor's books are, and this little novella was just that. Who doesn't love a second chance romance that makes you swoon. And as always, the banter between the main characters was wonderful. Jack and Maggie got to have their second chance and I'm glad I got to experience it 🥰

[Kim Golding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m absolutely loving these Sunkissed Summer novellas! They are short and sweet and oh-so-cute!!

Off Trail Love is the adorable story of Maggie and Jack aka Jack FREAKING Donovan! These two have a history of friendship and pranks starting in high school. Currently. they are both down on their luck and in need of a recharge. Unbeknownst to them, they both end up on the same hiking trip trying to escape their unhappy lives. Maggie is carrying some hurt from the past and Jack has no idea why. Can a hike, some pranks, old nicknames, and some communication heal old wounds?

Jack and Maggie are so cute! I loved all of Jack’s nicknames for Maggie and their pranks (past and present) were great! I always love a good second chance/friends to more story. The push and pull and banter always reel me in and this story totally did that for me!

[McKinsey Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO CUTE.

Maggie and Jack, childhood crushes with the misunderstanding, grow up to be prank artists thrown together for a hike where they find love off trail.

Taylor Epperson is a fav and as always, well done.

[Brittany Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW 💕 Such a short and sweet second chance love story with dual POV. I LOVE dual pov so I was really excited when I was chosen to be part of Taylor’s ARC team! These two characters are super cute and the fact that they love a fun and innocent prank war? OBSESSED! The only thing I wasn’t a big fan of is the miscommunication trope, but I quickly got over it once I saw how adorable Jack was!!

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kisses only

This book is just based on miscommunication. The MCs go from being friends in high school (with a crush on other but didn’t date) then not communicating in 6 years to suddenly discussing marriage? It seemed quite quick I didn’t like that the misunderstanding/cruel prank wasn’t resolved. Why would his friends do that? Why would the girl call out of the blue? Why would she text about a hook up when that never happened? It seemed like a lot of stuff was put in just to make the drama happen without being stuff that would occur naturally.

[Tooba haque (free 🍉) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, sweet, and fast-paced—this book is so much fun! I absolutely loved both characters, Maggie and Jack Jack (Jack freaking Donovan). Jack fans, don't come at me—this is not from me but about our cute MC, Mag. I enjoyed every aspect of their banter and the flirtatious war (which I haven't enjoyed before—it was adorable). I literally smiled so hard at the intensity and randomness of their pranks that my cheeks hurt.
But TBH I must complain that it ended too quickly. I wanted more of their pranks, and my villain side wishes their patch-up had taken a bit longer (just a little). They were best friends in high school when suddenly Mag cut Jack off and hated him so much that she never wanted to see him again. Fast forward six years, and they meet on a hiking trip. You can guess where it goes from there—friends to enemies to friends again (or just friends?). I can’t spoil everything!
I finished it in one sitting and missed my snacks so much because Off Trail Love is a book you want to read in your comfy surroundings, away from unnecessary distractions (my friends should note this..jk), with chai/coffee and snacks, of course.
Highly recommended! Want to read your way out of a slump? Pick this up!

[Holly Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Taylor’s writing. It’s cozy and sweet and easy to read. And this little novella was so good! And I love a little second chance that never quite got a full first chance! Maggie and Jack were friends in high school, only friends with hidden feelings!! And now they’ve stumbled across each other on a trip that is a turning point for both of them! AND we get the tiniest sneak peak into Taylor’s new series which is very exciting!!

Maggie and Jack were sweet! Their little pranks were clearly an important part of the relationship, and it was cute to see them so easily pick it back up! Even though for Maggie it was about revenge and for Jack it was about getting her back! I do enjoy a little one sided enemies to lovers! And they were both able to come to some real big life decisions on their trip that they both desperately needed to make!! Hopefully we get to see them again!

Thank you to Taylor Epperson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I’m so grateful to be part of her ARC team 🫶🏻🫶🏻

[Randi Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Off Trail Love is the sixth book in the Sunkissed Summer Novellas series. This is a multi-author series with interconnected characters but can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone as well.

This was such a cute read! Maggie and Jack both had crushes on each other in high school, but after a misunderstanding, ended up as enemies--- at least on her side! He had no idea what had happened until they both end up on the same hike six years later... giving them the perfect opportunity to figure things out! This was a super quick read (easily read in just one sitting) but was packed full of so much good stuff. Hate kisses? Yes, please! And the prank war? I couldn't get enough of it. These two had a really fun chemistry between them that I couldn't help but enjoy. Their story had me smiling throughout and was a truly perfect way to finish out this wonderful summer series.

Off Trail Love is a closed-door romance with kisses only and no language.

**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Brittany Rolph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novella! This is the second book I've read from Taylor, and I am already a huge fan. Her style of writing is beautiful, and I love how all of her books dive into deeper subjects.

This little novella is SO sweet. It follows Maggie & Jack, who were close growing up, but also had a bit of a rivalry going on. They LOVED pranking each other, but fell out of touch after Jack broke Maggie’s heart.

Six years later they happen to end up on the same hiking trip, and Maggie is NOT happy about it and Jack seems to be clueless as to what he did to hurt her, and he wants to fix that. Old feelings come back quickly & even though Maggie tries to keep her distance — that becomes difficult fast.

I loved this whole book! I gave it 4.5 stars. I loved watching Maggie & Jack come to terms with the past, and open up to each other & really start to trust. I enjoyed the stories of each of them finding their way again as well, after both struggled in their careers. It was a story not only of love, but of discovering who you are & what you want — and going for it!

[Brie Riss · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC BOOK REVIEW 📖: OFF TRAIL LOVE by Taylor Epperson

Rating: 4⭐️/5
Format: ebook

Thank you Taylor for allowing me the opportunity to read your ARC in exchange for my honest review and for letting me be a member of your ARC team! Off Trail Love is one of six books in the Sunkissed Summer Novellas series.

Synopsis: In high school, Maggie and Jack had big crushes on one another but never told the other how they felt. They masked their feelings by being close friends who loved playing pranks on each other. That is until Jack broke Maggie’s heart. Flash forward six years and they both find themselves on the same hiking trip. Will Maggie be able to keep her distance from Jack and not let her feelings interfere?

Thoughts: I enjoyed this novella! It is such a quick and easy read- I could have read it in one sitting had my schedule allowed. I took off a point because at times Maggie was a little too intense for me, but I loved the banter between her and Jack.

Read if you love:
Rivals to lovers
Dual pov
Romcom
Nicknames 😍

Favorite Quote:
“But sometimes, with a god friend, no matter how long you’ve been apart, it always feels easy.”

[Briana Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review ✨

First I would like to say a big thank you to Taylor for letting me be apart of this ARC Team!

Rate: 4/5⭐️
Spice: 0/5🌶️

What to expect when reading Off Trail Love;
-Novella
-Prank Wars
-RomCom
-Dual POV

Oh how I love RomComs

What do you do when you need a break/ a fresh start? You go hiking! At least that’s was our FMC and MMC do. Maggie kind of had life blow up on her and nothing like the great out doors to figure things out while Jack is overworked and forced to go on a vacation. When these two bump into each other the past is still there lingering between the two. The good, the bad and then pranks. Will the pranks go too far? Will they be able to overcome the past?

This was such a fun Novella. It’s apart of the Sunkissed Summer Novella series and I can’t wait to read the other!

Fav Line:”I don’t want to be your enemy”

Make sure you get the book when it releases on July 11st🩵

[C.P. Cabaniss · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read and I really enjoyed it. It had a good cast of characters that I was curious about but didn’t feel overwhelmed by in so few pages. This can be difficult to balance, but it worked well here.

I was not crazy about Maggie. Her reaction to Jack was too strong for someone who claimed to have gotten over what happened in the past. Their previous relationship came across a bit cloudy. Sometimes it seemed like they were great friends in high school and other times it seemed like they hadn’t been around each other very much. Either way, I thought her reaction was too extreme and immature.

This is a dual point of view story, which I enjoyed. The voices of the two characters were not very distinct, but I still liked hearing both sides.

I liked the setting and the descriptions of hiking. I’ve not been to Colorado, so it was fun to hear about places that I am not familiar with.

Overall an enjoyable story that is fun and quick to read.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: Off Trail Love by: Taylor Epperson

“Stupid man always ruining my well-laid-out plan. Jack Freaking Donovan is slipping back into the cracks of my heart and I’m just watching it happen.”

Are you ready for a second chance sweet romance? This book is for you! Maggie and Jack are childhood friends turned enemies…but Jack has no clue why. They haven’t spoken since high school and end up at the same hiking trip…a shock to both! They’ve always had a prankster relationship and no matter how mad Maggie is, she can’t stop herself from jumping into old ways. Will Jack find out why their friendship came to a screeching halt? Will Maggie find a way to move forward?

I loved this story and its fun flashbacks to the past. It’s a quick read at just over a 100 pages. Perfect for a summer read!!!

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read many books lately with the hiking trip theme that seems to be very popular right now, and I love the foundation a hiking trip can provide. Jack was the sweetest at caring for Maggie, his nicknames for her were adorable, and he was focused on winning her heart. Maggie was obviously carrying some hurt and I wish that she would have been more honest with Jack earlier on. Some of the events that created the hurt between them seemed a little unrealistic and over the top. I did really like the side characters!

The miscommunication trope isn’t my favorite, and I think that caused me to struggle to cheer them on, like I normally do when reading romcoms. I also feel like the miscommunication eclipsed the fun and playful aspect that prank wars usually have in novels. If those are your jam, you may like this one more than me! It's a quick read (90ish pages), so worth a shot.

[Clean readers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 ✨

Clean level: 🫧

Genre: Contemporary Romance

This sis a very cute, short and sweet read. The emotions of the characters were understandable and easily solvable which is perfect for the length of this book.

It part of a series where all the book are quick reads, but the romance and emotion are all still there. This book delivered on its end. The MMC was so sweet, he only ever wanted her attention and he knew just what to do to turn her smile his way.

Perfect summer read for the in between of tougher books or if you just need a little pick me up.

Content:
* Kiss only
* Ex-best friend to lovers
* No foul language
* Misunderstandings

This review is in exchange for ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Ashley Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

🥾 Rivals to Lovers
🌲 Dual POV
🥾 Hate kisses

Maggie is at a crossroads in her life, she’s not sure what to do next. What better time to go to the mountains, her favorite place to think.

Jack is stressed at work, so much so that his boss/dad sends him to go to the mountains on a hike with his tour guide cousin.

Insert nosy old lady on the plane next to Maggie who points out the attractive man a few rows up, who else could it be but Jack?

Pranks ensue like they did years ago as the former high school rivals hike the same trail to clear their minds.

Such a cute, closed door novella from Taylor, one you can read in an afternoon!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Off Trail Love was a sweet and hilarious novella. I read this in one afternoon, it was a short and easy read. Still, the story was very detailed and characters were well developed. Maggie and Jack were adorable! This story will have you laughing at all the pranks they pull on each other! The nicknames and banter was one of my favorite parts! I loved Jack and how he was not about to miss out on his second chance with Maggie. The romance was closed door and never went past kissing. I loved this novella! Highly recommend for those who love rivals to lovers and second chance tropes!

I volunteered to read an ARC copy of the book and all thoughts are my own.

[Tati Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a huge fan of Novellas fan but will read anything Taylor writes. Her writing is so captivating that even her grocery list could move me. That being said, I absolutely adored Maggie and Jack and their unique love story. Using prank wars as a form of flirtation might be my new favorite trope. The Dynamic between Jack and Maggie reminded me of Mia and Nicholas from Princess Diaries, with plenty of tension and undeniable chemisty. This novella
Was like a delicious appetizer, leaving me hungry for book one of the Starlight Spring Series. Here’s to hoping for more Jack and Maggie in the future.

[Debbie Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this novella as an ARC from the author, who is the daughter of a friend of mine from school. I’ve read her other 3 books and have enjoyed the sweet, clean romances.

Here Maggie and Jack run into each several years after high school. They both secretly had a crush on each other, but something went wrong the night of graduation, and for the life of him, Jack doesn’t understand why Maggie now hates him so much. And Maggie can’t believe she is stuck on this small group hike with him. Will they be able to work through the past hurts and renew their friendship…or maybe something more perhaps?

[Tiffany W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read from these Sunkissed Summer novellas! Off Trail Love is a really cute second chance romance for Maggie and Jack.

So Maggie and Jack went to high school
together and had a fun friendship where they pranked each other, while they both secretly had feelings but didn’t share it with each other, until the night of gradation something happens that Maggie thinks will change everything but when she shows up it breaks her heart.

Fast forward.. they haven’t seen each other for six years.. and they not only end up on the same flight, but also the same hiking trip. Jack is public enemy number 2 on Maggie’s list and Jack has no idea why.

I loved these two and Jack and his flirting is the absolute best!! I loved them slipping up and calling each other by their old nicknames, and their pranks on the hike/dinner.. I can’t wait to finish reading the rest of this series!

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plot: Jack and Maggie used to be best friends, until he broke her heart. After years apart, they end up in the same hiking group states away from their home town. Will their time away make things awkward? Will they become friends again? Will Maggie tell Jack what hurt her all those years ago?

What I liked: I liked that Jack kept trying to make things eight, even when he didn’t know what he did wrong

What I didn’t like: I didn’t like that Maggie was so rude about things. I also didn’t like how fast this was. Nothing felt like a natural progression for me

Swearing: none

Physical intimacy level: closed door

Star rating: 2 stars

Trope: best friend, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, nature, second chance Romance

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book packed quite the story inside! It was the cutest short closed door romance!

From beginning to end, the story moved very quickly! Surprisingly there was still room for filling out the backstory as well as a really great epilogue!
The main characters were adorable, I loved reading through their banter.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It’s a great addition to your TBR list for a quick sweet read between longer novels!

[Wendy Droke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This quick summer novella is fun, well written, and a neat way to finish out the sunkissed summer novella series. All of the books are standalones, this follows Maggie and her hike to the top of a mountain with her childhood crush turned enemy. I enjoyed the prank war stories from high school as well as the return to pranks while on their adventure. I reviewed an early copy, this book is super fun. Add it to your summer reading list today!

[Ashley Sills · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick read perfect for a lake day. It was entertaining and light-hearted while also touching on some deeper themes, which I loved. I found myself wishing for more from the “prank war”, and the miscommunication trope is never my favorite, but overall I thought Maggie and Jack’s second-chance romance was adorable — and it made me want to go hike a mountain.

Also, Doris is a stellar side character and you should absolutely read the bonus scene if you can. 🤭

[Arceli · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Off Trail Love" by Taylor Epperson is a charming rivals-to-lovers romantic comedy. Seeking clarity, the protagonist's hike up Longs Peak is disrupted by Jack, a prankster from her past who once broke her heart. Their unexpected reunion on the trail leads to humorous and heartfelt moments, making this a delightful read.

[Kaitlin M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute, super sweet second-chance childhood friends turned enemies/rivals to lovers via forced proximity on a hiking trip. Maggie and Jack were so sweet and I’d love to read a prequel about their high school prank war history!

Content:
Mild kisses only
Language: a few uses of crap
No innuendo (thank you!)

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute novella! So sweet and perfect :) Maggie infuriated me at times but that just means her character was really well written! I loooooved the friendship between her and Jack. It felt genuine and I could tell they truly were such good friends in their childhood. I would love a whole book on them.