Off Sides

Darby U Hockey Boys #3

by Andi Jaxon

The captain of the hockey team has a lot of responsibilities but when it’s just us, all he wants is to be my good boy.

Senior year should have been the same as the previous years: football, hook ups, and homework.
But after the season ended, somehow, Joey Carpenter happened.
He’s weaseled his way under my skin. Into my heart.
The strong, intimidating, hockey player melts so beautifully for me and I’m addicted.
He pretends like he doesn’t need anyone, but I see him.
See what he really needs.
The longing to be cared for is there in his eyes.
I desperately want to give it to him.
If I’m being honest with myself, I need to matter.
I need to save him.
Save him from himself.
Save him from his family.
Will I be able to convince him that he deserves to be loved without conditions or will they leave him ragged and broken?

Off SIdes is a one night stand to lovers, hockey, romance with daddy vibes and angst. To check trigger warnings, please check my website.

Genres: M M Romance, Sports, Romance, Hockey, Sports Romance, College, Contemporary

334 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2024

About the author

From Dyslexic kid with a love of Algebra to a published author, no one is more surprised to find me here, than I am. I love to write about tortured pasts and hot sex, a happily ever after that has to be worked for. My stories tend to be a little dark but with some comic relief, typically in the form of sarcasm.

What to know more about me? Follow me on social media or subscribe to my mailing list to receive the latest information on new releases, sales, and more!

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Reviews

[Noa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Everyone needs a person that's safe."

Joey Carpenter.
Captain of the Darby U Hockey Team.
Has everything figured out.
At least that's what he wants everyone to think.
He doesn't want them to know that he's been raising his siblings.
He doesn't want them to know about his Mom.
He doesn't want them to know that he's breaking down.
He just wants to let go. To lose control. For once.
And for one night, he's there.
Nick Whye.
And after that night, he can't seem to stay away.
No matter how much he needs to.

"What is it about this guy that does it for me? Why does the stress and anxiety disappear with him? It's going to be my downfall."

Nick Whye.
Star Football player.
And this football player just has a new obsession.
Joey Carpenter.
After that one night he cannot get him out of his head.
He wants to be close to him.
He needs him.
He wants Joey to need him.
He needs to save him.
From everything but mostly from himself.
But will he be able to be his salvation?

"You know, somewhere in your head, that I've got you."

I received an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review 💚
I have been with the Darby U boys for such a long time. They have brought me so much joy, angst, tears and spice and "Off Sides" is no different!
Nick and Joey are amazing and bring such a comfort to me. Their story is mesmerizing and addicting to read to say the least. Andi Jaxon delivers perfection with this book and I will not be able to stop thinking about it!
And let's just say Cinnamon Rolls are forever changed in my mind and I am not complaining ✨✨

"Our past can shape us, the good and the bad."

Joey Carpenter is the captain of the Darby U hockey team. Motivated golden boy. But behind what everyone sees is someone who is so close to always breaking down. Joey's story was heartbreaking in so many ways. It's the "I grew up too fast" part and it breaks my heart every time. Andi Jaxon brings a whole other part to Joey with this story and I cried so much just from this backstory. The way he says that everyone can break but he can't it's just so sad. I broke down at that line and had to take a moment because everyone deserves to break down. And not to be cliché but if you don't break down then you cannot bring yourself back up (cliché I know but it fits here just saying).
Anyways, his relationship with Nick was heartwarming and hot and spicy and just… wow.
Andi Jaxon served us with so much spice and sugar (IYKYK) in this book I am OBSESSED! As I said it will stay in my mind…

"Somewhere along the way, I stopped living and just started surviving. I don't know what living feels like anymore."

Nick Whye. Football player. Lover of cinnamon rolls. And want to save Joey from himself. Needs him to need him.
Nick brought so much fight to this book in a way I can't explain but loved every minute of it.
I loved to see both Nick and Joey's POVs but Nick's part was just so addicting to read because of his observations of Joey (OBSESSED I tell you).
And the mouth on that boy I swear to you I was fanning myself every couple of chapters because Nick was just too sweet (no pun intended)…
Nick and Joey are one of my favorite couples in this series and their book was just addicting, amazing, and devouring!!

"I don't want this to stop. It feels too important to let go."

This playlist came to me so fast (not even joking). The songs were just there and I loved that for us 😇💚

(Link - https://spotify.link/OlTGt0SOjKb)

🎶 "Bigger Person" - Lauren Spencer Smith
🎶 "One More I Love You" - Alex Warren
🎶 "Time to Pretend" - MGMT
🎶 "I'm Not Okay" - Citizen Soldier
🎶 "Fire Up The Night" - New Medicine
🎶 "To My Knees" - Two Feet
🎶 "FUCK" - SNOW WIFE
🎶 "Silence" - Marshmello, Khalid
🎶 "Boy In The Bubble" - Alec Benjamin
🎶 "Meddle About" - Chase Atlantic
🎶 "I like the way you kiss me" - Artemas
🎶 "Drive You Insane" - Daniel Di Angelo
🎶 "needy" - Ariana Grande
🎶 "Love Situation (911) - Sped Up" - Blanks
🎶 "the apology I'll never receive" - RORY
🎶 "Kiss Me More" - Doja Cat, SZA
🎶 "The Drug In Me Is You" - Falling In Reverse
🎶 "Lose Control" - Teddy Swims
🎶 "Do It For Me" - Rosenfeld
🎶 "Hook Me Up" - The Veronicas
🎶 "FMLYHM" - Seether
🎶 "Cinnamon Girl" - Lana Del Rey
🎶 "Once In A Lifetime" - All Time Low\
🎶 "…Fuck" - Johnny Rain
🎶 "Into It" - Chase Atlantic
🎶 "Ice Cream" - BLACKPINK, Selena Gomez
🎶 "eyes don't lie sped up" - Isabel LaRosa
🎶 "Use Me" - PVRIS, 070 Shake
🎶 "Treat Me Like A Slut" - Kim Petras
🎶 "Lipstick" - Charlie Puth
🎶 "Fill The Void" - The Weeknd, Lily-Rose Depp, Ramsey
🎶 "Beggin'" - Maneskin
🎶 "Whore" - In This Moment
🎶 "Run Boy Run" - Woodkid
🎶 "Way Down We Go" - KALEO
🎶 "Older" - Sasha Alex Sloan
🎶 "I'll Be Good" - Jaymes Young
🎶 "Set Me Free" - Joshua Bassett
🎶 "All The Things She Said" - Poppy
🎶 "Gilded Lily - Slowed + Reverb" - Cults
🎶 "The Exit" - Conan Grey
🎶 "Softcore" - The Neighbourhood
🎶 "I Feel Like I'm Drowning" - Two Feet
🎶 "Please Notice" - Christian Leave
🎶 "Control - Acoustic Guitar Version" - Zoe Wees
🎶 "Good Enough" - Little Mix
🎶 "I miss you, I'm sorry" - Gracie Abrams
🎶 "Look At Me" - Why Don't We
🎶 "Panic Room" - Au/Ra
🎶 "VOID" - Melanie Martinez
🎶 "No Mercy" - Austin Giorgio
🎶 "HUMAN" - elijah, Matty Mullins
🎶 "STAY" - True North, Loveless
🎶 "Human" - Rag'n'Bone Man
🎶 "If You Have My Voodoo Doll, Give Me A Hug" - Loveless
🎶 "BABYDOLL (Speed)" - Ari Abdul
🎶 "Can You Feel My Heart" - Bring Me The Horizon
🎶 "Who's Lovin' You" - Michael Buble
🎶 "Fake Happy" - Paramore
🎶 "Fake Fiction" - Picturesque
🎶 "I Want You To Want Me" - Chase Holfelder
🎶 "Just Pretend" - Bad Omens
🎶 "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" - My Chemical Romance
🎶 "Growing Sideways" - Noah Kahan
🎶 "Rue's I'm Tired" - Labrinth, Zendaya
🎶 "All For Us" - Labrinth, Zendaya
🎶 "All I Wanted" - Paramore
🎶 "Biblical - Acoustic" - Calum Scott
🎶 "Can I Be Him" - James Arthur
🎶 "Touch - Acoustic" - Little Mix
🎶 "Run" - AWOLNATION
🎶 "Family Line" - Conan Gray
🎶 "Exile" - Loveless
🎶 "Shatter" - Maggie Rogers
🎶 "Emotional Punching Bag" - Meg Smith
🎶 "CHRONICALLY CAUTIOUS" - Braden Bales
🎶 "Teach Me How To Love" - Shawn Mendes
🎶 "Mr. Loverman" - Ricky Montgomery
🎶 "I Want It All - Slowed" - Cameron Grey
🎶 "I Want To" - Rosenfeld
🎶 "I Wanna Be Yours" - Arctic Monkeys
🎶 "Degenerates" - A Day To Remember
🎶 "Train Wreck" - James Arthur
🎶 "Need You Now" - Lady A
🎶 "FUCK YOU, GOODBYE" - The Kid LAROI, mgk
🎶 "forget about us" - Clinton Kane
🎶 "I'm yours" - Isabel LaRosa
🎶 "die first" - Nessa Barrett
🎶 "Skeletons" - New Years Day
🎶 "Someday" - OneRepublic

Also, want proof about the 🌶️🌶️ I got you I got you…

"Show me. Show me what's mine while you come."

"I get so hard when you talk like that. Do sweet boys like being used as a fuck toy?"

"You're so hard for me, Joey. Are you getting close? Do you want to come and show me how much you like being at my mercy?"

"Tell me what you would do if I were there with you right now. Drop to your knees so you can worship my cock with your mouth? Stretch out your hole for me to use, over and over, until I'm satisfied?"

🍩 Tropes 🍩

🏒 College Hockey
🏈 Jock x Jock
🏒 Daddy vibes
🏈 Hurt comfort
🏒 One Night Stand
🏈 Angst

Book Edit - https://www.instagram.com/p/C8CuiR4Ir...

[Jay H (Hiatus)]

Time of death 40%

I started this book over a month ago and I keep putting it on hold. The smut was pretty hot at the beginning and I found the food play sexy af but as time went on I was just so bored by their dynamic that reading it felt like a chore.


___________
Reading Update:

Do you guys know when an author describes a smut scene and you’re trying to visualize what position they’re in? Well that just happened to me. How the hell did these two have sex in the booth at the club? I guess I’ll never know but it was hot tho 🥵😭 I HATED the first book in this series but hopefully am gonna end up loving this one 🤞🏼

[Megan [At The Cottage] · Rating 1 out of 5]

MM Romance
Instalove Borefest
2 Stars 1 Star ⭐️


Welcome to “why do I do this to myself” part two. A Stealthy Situation by Saxon James was part one in case you were wondering. 😂 I had planned on DNFing this around 56% because I was so bored but I kept picking it back up like the masochist that I am. 🤡 Right now I have this at 2 stars but by the time I’m done writing this it could be at 1, we’ll see how angry I get. I was looking forward to this book because I love characters who have the whole world on their shoulders but meet a person that calms their storm. However, this book felt phoned in like the author put barely any effort into cobbling a coherent story together and after reading her author’s note at the end it appears I was right to think that. The note basically says she didn’t plan on writing a book for this couple but did one due to reader demand and then thanked her beta readers. How do I apply for that job because the lack of epilogue and what happened at the very end should have been caught by someone, anyone. Or hell maybe it was and the author just said “fuck it”, because it made no sense to the plot.

So we have Joey, hockey captain, with the weight of the world on his shoulders. His dad died young, his mom worked 24/7 to support the family financially but Joey raised his siblings. Joey’s mom also blamed everything that went wrong with his siblings on him because reasons 🤷🏻‍♀️ Anyway, this has put a lot of pressure on Joey and he’s caught up in his head, having issues sexually as well as mentally and just about to break down. Then we have Nick, one of the captains of the football team and his parents fostered kids his whole life so he never felt like he had their full attention the way he wanted it. He also had someone taken away from him at a young age and that disappearance has fucked with him and made him have a bit of a savior complex.

These two meet at a nightclub and have a tryst. Both aren’t exactly hiding their sexuality but don’t want to come out their senior year of college either so once they realize they go to the same school they become fuck buddies. At the start, I found the smut pretty hot because there was docking, dirty talk and “daddy/sweet boy” was used during sex however as time went on I was just bored by their dynamic and the food play was not it for me. Yuck. 🤢 Also it was super familiar and I got major dejavu. Did they do that in Hidden Scars? I feel like I’ve read cinnamon roll and donut on the dick before from this author. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Anyway as time goes on shit with Joey’s family gets more intense blah blah and it causes Joey to take a step back but he doesn’t communicate with Nick about what’s going on. Nick then feels abandoned and since he has legit abandonment issues, he goes into a panic. I think had this not been instalove, this book could have had some great hurt/comfort but as it was I just didn’t care enough about either of these guys to feel much about their connection and the smut I had been enjoying ceased to thrill me as time went on.

However, the ending pissed me off and is what is dragging my rating farther into the mud. For Joey’s entire life he has had to do more than he should for his age and it’s affected his mental health, physical well being, studies, friendships, future plans etc etc. While he isn’t sure what he wants to do post college, it was obvious he needed a break to just find himself and be with Nick. They could travel and/or do so many other things that his family kept him from experiencing. Then we also have Nick whose back story was kind of glossed over until the very end but at least it looked like he finally found someone that would choose, cherish and put him first. So, I was shocked AF by the ridiculous ending to this book. There was no epilogue but a scene from graduation instead. Graduation was 6 months later from where the book ended so these two had been together less than a year (8 months?). In that scene, Nick’s family is at graduation and they brought along a couple kids they were fostering that Nick had met during Christmas but Joey had only talked to on the phone. Nick mentions them moving in together and asks Joey if he wants kids because he wants to adopt these siblings and raise them with Joey. SAY WHAT??? Like that’s an awesome idea but why wasn’t this set at least 2-3 years into the future. It was so hard for me to believe Joey would immediately agree to that. It made absolutely no fucking sense that either of them would want to do that right away! And any nice feelings I had left towards this book evaporated when after that convo, it abruptly ended.

This is not the first time I’ve rated an Andi Jaxon book one star, yes I’m lowering it to one star because the ending was that bad, but this is the first time I’ve done it when I didn’t vehemently hate the whole book like with Bully King. The only book I actually like by this author is Hidden Scars but when I read this I absolutely hated both Jeremy and Preston and wonder if I’d even like it if I reread it. I don’t know why I keep picking up this author’s full length books but I’ve always liked this author’s short stories. They’ve been in countless anthologies over the years and I’ve loved all of them except the return to Bully King in the Anti-Valentine anthology. The best one was in the Scout’s Anthology and was about Horses. It was taboo and a bit depraved but years later I still remember it and it’s probably why I keep giving Andi’s books a chance. Fingers crossed 🤞🏻 their next series is completely different than this one because I don’t know how much more I can take and am about to stick this author in perma DNR. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 rounded up

i feel really conflicted with this one because while i loved both Nick and Joey and i thought they were absolutely adorable together this just didnt quite hit the spot for me. so its like i wanna give a high rating bc the boys but i feel like i cant due to the things that lacked for me 😭

the biggest issue i have with this one is the same as blurred lines, i think it lacks in plot when theres so much potential. this series is extremely interconnected almost to a point where i think weve started to lose the individuality that should come with each book.

most of the happy moments we get with n & j we’ve already read at some point through out one of the first two books, while its fun to revisit those things through their eyes and i love revisiting those moments, it leaves me wanting for more because we dont get much new content of the boys doing things on their own or in different scenarios with their friends unless its for spice.

nick and joey had so much potential to be my favorite boys yet. i think had they had more time to grow together through out the book, if we had some more development and plot this would have been an easy 5 for me. i know their story was never supposed to be more outside of an anthology so maybe thats why its shorter and rushed but unfortunately as much as i adored them separately and together as a couple it just really missed the mark for me.

i do plan to get the audio of this one like i have the others and give that a try in the future, maybe it’ll hit differently for me having narrators bring them to life 🥲

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 5 stars ⭐️

♡._ I wish I could be what you need. _.♡

I think I loved Nick and Joey’s story the most. It was achy, but real and emotional, romantic but also hot as fuck. I loved everything about these two.

«Why can’t I ever be enough?»

I really connected with Joey’s hurt — having to grow up so fast, having to be the adult of the family. Not having someone to lean on, not being able to let your guard down.
I’m so happy he found his happy ever after with lovely and supportive Nick.
I loved how they were both a bit imperfect, but still so sweet to each other, how there was no judgement or resentment between them, just love and care.

“Tell Daddy how badly you want him to make you come.”

Queen of daddy issues over here, so you know this level of spiciness ticked all my boxes. The way Joey submitted to Nick, the subtle dominance, the whimpering, and even the sticky food play was all so incredibly hot. I don’t think I can look at a cinnamon roll without thinking of this book.

This moment right here is healing something I didn’t realize was still broken. A hidden scar I didn’t know was still open.
“Yeah. He gives really good dad hugs.”

I managed to not spill any tears right up until this moment, but Nick’s dad hugging Joey just broke me.
Some wounds just never heal, but seeing a fictional character heal from his might just make mine hurt a little less.

Off Sides is my new favorite of the series, and this is one of those couples that I’ll keep with me for a long while.

“You’re worth everything.”

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Death of a parent (cancer, off page)
- Parental neglect and emotional abuse
- Mental health rep
- Anxiety & panic attacks
- Friends with benefits
- Docking 🔥
- Mild degradation kink
- Naughty times w/ a cinnamon roll and a donut 🍩
- Frotting
- Light Daddy kink (no age play)
- One switch scene
- Phone sex
- Road head (parked)
- Face-fucking

[Mug]

dnf @ 53% - this was so insta...not love, but connection?? like they meet and hook up like twice and all the sudden they're both like damn this guy is so different from everyone else, i need him, i can't stay away, like okayyyy???? that's all well and fine, but it wasn't believable for me at all. like ur not pulling it off😭 plus insta love type tropes and me don't really get along. also the back and forth was too much for me. joey would be all like i can't do this and then a week later come back and hook up with nick and immediately after be like ugh i'm sorry we still can't do this🙄 and don't even get me started on joey's mom😤 soooo....annoying + unbelievable = i'm out✌

[Hanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like a thing about this book. That was no exaggeration. I did not like the plot, the characters, the length, the sex. Nothing. I think after the fifth chapter I knew I was not going to like anything about this book.

From the beginning the plot was all over the place, the pacing was weird. So much happened in two days but so little happened for the characters' growth. They had nothing in common, they had no connection, they had no conversation. All they had was rough sex and it was ALL THE TIME. Every chapter almost had sex and it was just uncomfortable at times. It made no sense that they would have sex that many times and after emotional conversations, they would have mutual masturbation scenes.

The conversations they had were so basic and just felt so forced. They were also so repetitive, some of the chapters had the same lines over and over again. It was circles of the same behavior and barely any growth or improvement. Even the "so-so" cute moments were just randomly thrown in and did not last at all. The whole thing felt forced. I couldn't understand the emotional attachment they claimed they had for each other. The plot lines about their backgrounds made little sense at times and just were not put together well at all. It was all oddly written and was tried to put together as a love story when in reality it was all sex and confusion.

I simply do not think this author is for me. Overall, this book was not good and I wish I had not read it.

[Renae Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick and Joey are so darn precious together. I loved getting their story and seeing how sweet they are together and how amazing their dynamic is. These two go on a great journey together that has some bumps along the way, but the end result is so moving and heartfelt that it left me smiling.

Joey is a beautiful soul. He is always caring for others and relegates his happiness to the back burner, which is something he has done for years. His backstory is heartbreaking and makes me so happy that he found Nick. Nick puts Joey's needs first and can offer endless support, affection, and genuine kindness to someone who is barely keeping it together.

Nick is another amazing character and I enjoyed getting his backstory that offered many surprises and helped explain his actions and overall demeanor. He is the perfect complement to Joey's constant need for control and people-pleasing tendencies. Nick calms all the voices in Joey's head while offering a safe place for Joey to finally relinquish all his worries.

Together these two are one heck of a sweet couple. They are adorably cute together while having many emotional moments that make me yearn for their eventual HEA.

Overall I love this series, love this couple, and love getting to see all the familiar faces. Cannot wait to see what happens next.

*** I reviewed a complementary copy of this story.***

[tarrnum ＼(^o^)／ · Rating 2 out of 5]

the daddy kink out of nowhere? also why is there so much sex, i dont feel their connection at all

[Jane aka Coughy019 (Safety info included) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tropes: jock/jock, secret relationship, instalove, hurt/comfort
Feels: 3/5
Steam*: 3/5
Kinks: Docking, food sex, dom/sub, daddy/boy, degradation, edging, kink of being used as a cum dumpster
Angst: medium
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: death of parent, neglectful parent, domestic violence (not between MC's), minor alcoholic/addict character, erectile dysfunction, a scene of extremely dumb unsafe sex, mental health issues

I should say before I start this review, I don't think this book was a good fit for me. Which is kind of silly because I'm a sucker for neediness and comfort, but the way it was done here just did not work for me, there were a lot of things that seemed like dumb decisions plot wise and the unequal dynamic just was unhealthy to me.

Nick is 22 and he's an out bi or pan football player in college. His parents regularly Foster children.

Joey is 25 and gay and a closeted hockey player. He is captain of his team and a late student. They don't explicitly say why, but it seems likely that he didn't feel he could leave home until his younger siblings had? Joey's father died when he was young and his mother retreated as a parent, focused on paying off medical bills. His mother would berate Joey for not looking after his siblings better, faulting him for every time the siblings acted up or out or they had a problem in their household. Joey had a huge sense of responsibility and was mentally and emotionally a mess.

They meet at the beginning in a gay bar. They are instantly attracted to each other. They hook up and it's kinky from the beginning, Nick has a way of reading what Joey needs and giving it to him. So it is a good hook up, their sexualities are compatible, they want a repeat. They don't make plans to see each other again, which is kind of dumb on Nick's part because Nick really wants a repeat. But they meet again because they are both athletes though for different teams at college. When they meet again, Nick offers himself up on a plate for Joey, willing to have him on any terms and be whatever he needs. Which I have to say, makes sense a little bit early on in their relationship, but he does this all the way to the end of the book, and it's an incredibly unequal dynamic between the two of them. It's unhealthy long-term. At some point Joey needs to stand on his own but also be equal partner and meet mixed needs in a give and take way, not just taking.

About their first time having sex... Joey had sex with somebody else that same night. He showed up to the bar after having had unprotected sex with somebody else which wasn't fulfilling to him, he's full of cum dripping out of him but he didn't get off so he wants to find another hookup. Nick finds this out by going to finger him and finding him loose and dripping cum. This icked me out so hard I almost dnf'd, but other reviewers said there was a real special dynamic of sweetness between Nick and Joey so I stuck it out. Being the second person in one night is an ick for me. But I'm not here to yuck anyone's yum or kink shame things that aren't my thing. What I will do is side eye wildly irresponsible unsafe sex though! Especially, because Joey had unprotected sex and his new partner is touching his old partner's cum with no forewarning beforehand, AND Nick and Joey do not use a condom. I don't care that they're both on Prep, you shouldn't be having sex without condoms with multiple strangers in one night. It's not safe. You can't trust strangers and prep does not protect against everything! This was especially stupid because a few pages later, Nick lectures a teammate about unprotected sex and is handing out condoms. You can have condoms on the ready to give to your friends / teammates but not use them yourself? Unsafe sex is dumb you know that yet you just had it multiple times yourself, and with a guy that had already had sex with someone else that night without protection?! A guy who from his inner thoughts we learn has a fetish of being used as a c** dumpster and has had many nights where he has multiple partners and gets off on being used? This is a wildly unsafe situation.

Setting that aside, because it only happened the one time, they weren't with anyone else after they hooked up, so at least they limit their dumb sexual decisions to between the two of them. But the author loses points with me for characters being dumb and wildly irresponsible unsafe sex being glorified.

I am a sucker for a relationship where the characters are glomped onto each other emotionally and touch starved / soaking up affection. I should on paper have like this relationship more than I actually did, because these characters do have that dynamic. And there were some moments where their emotional need for each other made me happy. There were times where they just I needed a hug from their person or they just really needed to talk to their person in order to be soothed. However I feel like their dynamic wasn't what I would have wanted because it was very unbalanced and it never got to a healthy and stable point. And while there''s a lot of talk about their cuddling, I didn't get to really enjoy it and "see it" happening, it felt more like I was being told rather than shown, and I didn't really feel the cuddles deeply the way that other book couples have made me feel. Whenever they are together, they end up having sex. We do see them talking a lot and Nick is always being a calming presence for Joey, being emotional support for him. I wanted to like them more than I actually did like them.

I didn't find this book very realistic. And their relationship felt really rushed at the end. They've been in an uncertain place in their relationship the whole book, they weren't stable and secure in their relationship. And they weren't in a healthy place or a reciprocal place. Nick still considers Joey to be a flight risk in their relationship at the 96% point. At that same point, he is making mental plans to adopt a set of 3-year-old twins who came from a bad home situation, and wanting to adopt them with Joey. It's kind of crazy that Nick wants to be a parent of 3-year-old twins when he himself is 22 years old. But add to that that he isn't in a confident point in his relationship with Joey, and Joey is not in a good mental state and has been a parental figure ever since his dad died, and Joey has been struggling with the pressure of being responsible for other people ever since then and clearly you shouldn't be adding more responsibility to someone who's never had a breath of freedom before. This plot doesn't fit with what would be healthy for this couple or fair to those kids. Being a parent right now seems like the last thing that Joey needs. So this just felt like a dumb plot decision on the author's part.


Some notable moments:

"“Put some pants on, I don’t want Neal to see what’s mine.” He says it so casually, like it’s obvious, that I smile. I’m his. He’s mine. I pull up my underwear and grab him, pulling him between my thighs while I sit on his bed. “You want me to be yours?” My voice only wobbles a little at the question."

"She saw us in the parking lot. I can feel how wide my eyes are but I can’t do anything about it. I’m going to vomit. It’s a good thing we’re moving because I can never look at this woman in the face again. “I mean, really, a parking lot?” Nick starts to cackle. It’s not long before he’s doubled over, leaning on his knees, wheezing from laughing so hard, while I’m having an existential crisis."


*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.

**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.

[♡ cal ♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was just sad and depressing. Nothing swoony. Nothing that got me excited. Of Joey braving his way through the abuse his family put him through? I wanna puke. Of Joey, again I know, constantly ghosting Nick? I wanna puke so bad. There was this big ass gloomy cloud encompassing this story and I wish I didn’t read it.

[Dana | Rainbow Romance Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

After an unforgettable one-night-stand in a club, Joey and Nick find themselves living in the same college dorm, and and decide to start a casual relationship with each other. It soon turns out that Nick is exactly what Joey needs, and things blossom from there.

I thought that this was a cute story, and both of the main characters were likeable. I particularly liked how Joey's sexual dysfunction was portrayed, and how sensitively Nick dealt with that. They complimented each other well, and despite some bumps along the way, there was a lot of patience and care between them.

For me personally, I felt like the insta-love in this story didn't make sense, and I would have liked to see more relationship development. It felt as though the book happened over a very short period of time, so the ending felt a bit too extreme for where the characters were in their relationship. There was also hardly any character description, which is really the bare minimum when you're writing a story!

The unprotected sex with strangers (who are also filled with the cum of other strangers) also bothered me to the point that it was hard to enjoy those scenes. PrEP doesn’t protect against all STDs, and there was no acknowledgement of this risk. Yet the same character throws a condom at someone else later on and tells them not to be an idiot?! Make it make sense.

Overall, this book was enjoyable, but I probably wouldn't read it again, and it didn't feel as fleshed-out as the other Darby U books.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Book Binge: Reviews by Melissa DaSilva · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I am so happy with how this story came out! I read the first part of the story in the Worthy Anthology and I knew I wanted more of their story. I was so excited to see we were getting it!

I couldn’t imagine either of these MCs upbringing. Especially Joey and how much his family relies on him but in an abusive way in that makes sense. I was so happy with how it worked out for him! And Nick, just wanting someone to need him. The way he was with little Troy was 😍!! Loved it!

Hidden Scars is still my fav in this series but this story is a very close second. It’s less angsty than HS but still has a lot of hurt/comfort. Loved how Nick was there for Joey. Their HEA was super cute! If you are a fan of this author and loved Hidden Scars then I highly recommend this story.

[Lb [worlds longest slump] · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 53%

I fear Andi Jaxon is just not for me (Hidden Scars being a fluke cause I loved that book) because the writing in book 2 and 3 of this series is just so supremely boring.

I suppose this is a personal preference too but why do we keep trying to make super young Daddies happen? What 22yo is pulling off being a Daddy?! Maybe it's because I have never once met someone that young with enough life experience and maturity to be an actual Daddy (since, to me, the whole Daddy dynamic is rooted in sooooo much emotional intelligence, maturity, understanding and trust).
I feel like it's just a kink/buzzword that people like to throw around without understanding it/doing it properly and I just don't get it.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75**** stars

The last time someone meant something to me, it didn’t end well. This guy is either going to be the best or worst thing to ever happen to me. I’m equally afraid of both.

I’m glad I gave it a chance. ♡

**************
Darby U Hockey Boys Series

Book 1 - Hidden Scars 4.75 stars
Book 2 - Blurred Lines - dropped
Book 3 - Off Sides - 3.75 stars

[Tori · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is literally like one long run on sentence and sucked ass

[Tea]

dnf 35% in

I don’t want to talk about it🤚🏻

IT TOOK ME A MONTH TO GO THROUGH WITH DNF’ING THIS SHIT💀

———————————

This book can not come soon enough!!
My love for this series and characters😭😭

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!! I was so excited when I found out Joey and Nick were getting their own book, and it definitely surpassed my expectations! These boys have both been through some really tough times, and they deserved their HEA. This book had me laughing, crying, and swooning it was definitely an emotional roller coaster.

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Yeah, I’m a team captain. I play an aggressive, full-contact sport, but I like when he makes decisions for me. I don’t want to think anymore. It’s dangerous in my head. My body reacts to him like it never has before, and I’m already desperate to see what else he can do to me."

Off Sides is book 3 in the Darby U Hockey Boys series by Andi Jaxon and this is Nick and Joey's story. We first met the boys briefly in Hidden Scars and then again in novella form, in the Worthy: A Pride Anthology. Now, finally, they get themselves a full lenth story.

Recall, Nick is the confident star player of the Darby U football team and Joey is the Darby U hockey captain, strong on the field but oh, so submissive in the bedroom. I loved how accepting Nick was of Joey's insecurities and their steamy times together were as hot as you would expect with an AJ read. You'll never look at a cinnamon roll in the same way again!

"He’s so needy for me. What the hell kind of partners has he been with that couldn’t figure him out? Did they not care, or did he just not tell them what he needed?"

What to Expect:

❥ Dual POV
❥ MM sports romance
❥ One night stand turns into more
❥ Hurt/comfort
❥ Daddy vibes
❥ Steamy times
❥ Angsty themes
❥ HEA

4 stars

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am Joey

No, seriously, I have never connected with someone so much in a long while. Not everything, but certainly a lot of him. The anxiety, the grief, the needy side for his person... Yeah, I totally get him and love that he has Nick who sees it all and is there for him while battling his own demons, too.
This story was touching and sweet, and I can imagine their HEA and future, too, which is heartwarming and gives me all the happy feels!

[⋆｡°✮ Lucy InTheSky ✮°｡⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Why am I so weak around you?” The words are mumbled into my shirt, but I hear them. “Because it’s safe to. You know, somewhere in your head, that I’ve got you.”

The book was surprisingly good up until about 80% of the book where it plummeted down to 3.75⭐ for me, so I'm rounding it down.

This series is interconnected so you'll want to read other books prior, the side characters here are from other books and pretty annoying, to be honest. I could do without.

🔵 College, Darby U (hockey and American football)
🟢 Both MMCs bisexual, not out
🟡 Both captains of their teams
🟠 Both seniors
🔵 Secret hook-up to boyfriends
🟡 Family drama
🟣 Age gap 22/25
🟢 Light daddy kink (doesn't fit)
🌶️ Good smut, a lot of it; hurt comfort; both vers

Joey and Nick meet in a gay bar where they have sex - they don't really care about STDs though, apparently, which is funny considering they're both captains of their teams and handing out condoms to other straight players, but who cares, right?

Anyway, they realise they both live in the same dorm, so they start hooking up in kind-of secret (everyone knew about it), they have this good hurt/comfort dynamic and the sex was pretty good. The chemistry was there, I loved how Nick really took care of Joey and his daddy issues 😄, it really didn't fit, but it was light, sexy and I liked it.

"Why am I so fucked up over this guy? Usually, my little obsessions burn out in a week or so and it’s on to the next thing, but Joey dug his hooks into me and won’t let go. Except he did. He cut the lines holding me to him but left the hooks he implanted in my heart so I’m adrift without him."



Joey had a difficult family dynamic. His home situation was terrible and I was really interested in how it'll all work out, so it was a bit of a disappointment that the whole drama was very hard on Joey and then it resolved itself in about a page or two.
I did like Matt, Joey's younger brother, so I'm guessing we'll be getting his story and my guess is he'll be paired up with Josh, Joey's ex best friend.

The thing that really took 2 stars down for me was where Joey and Nick were headed as a couple. Their story was building up pretty good, they were both seniors, both graduated, none of them ever had a real job yet, they were hardly out and had a fresh relationship and then suddenly Nick gets an idea to adopt 2 kids.

Really? These guys hardly finished college! You honestly think they were talking about what good dads they'd be so - let's just adopt two kids and get it over with? What?



Let them live a little, come on now. Maybe, I don't know, get a job? How about being together for at least 6 months so they can start making more serious decisions as a couple?

Completely unrealistic.

The story went from pretty good to ridiculous, that's why I can't be that excited about it. But it was a good one until that ending.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this one at first. The prologue already set up some things with Joey and I knew off the bat, I was going to hate his mom throughout.

Joey and Nick have instant chemistry that is off the charts. It is definitely instalove for sure. I really thought this one would work for me because I loved both of these guys.

However, it started to tank for me about halfway through. Everything seemed to be the same. These two would have sex, Joey would freak out and leave Nick high and dry, then Joey would come crawling back because he needed to get off and then he would run off again. This happened pretty much the entire book, but after so long it just gets annoying.

The other issue for me is that we spent so much time on this back and forth, that the ending was rushed. And honestly, it was just too over the top. It didn't work for me.

[Miss S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You’re not like anyone else,”
“And that scares the shit out of me.”

❥ Dual POV ❥ MM Romance
❥ Hockey Jock/Football Jock
❥ One Night Stand
❥ Hurt/Comfort
❥ Daddy Vibes
❥ Questionable Use of Pastries

Off Sides is hereby my favorite of the Darby U Hockey Boys books. Joey’s story really had me in my feels, and my heart was breaking for him. I really loved how his character grew throughout the book, and I loved that his siblings were included in the growth. That made my heart happy. And Nicky… I totally adored him! He was so sweet and supportive, a real caretaker… a real “daddy“?

I loved the story, I loved the backgrounds of Joey and Nicky, and how they were dealing with everything, I loved how they were with each other, supporting each other, I loved the friendship they had outside their own relationship, their families - even the troubled parts because it made me cry, I loved pushing my boundaries with the dirty talk and Nicky's thing for pastries, and I knew it was a 5 star read when I sat with a big smile as I read the last page.

Off Sides is a fast read that gives you all the things, the angst, the swoons, the spice and the big smile when our broken boys get everything they deserve and more

I don’t want to fuck up whatever this is because nothing has ever felt as right as Nick. No other man, no woman, just Nick.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Read the full review on my blog here.

[Amanda S · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want a proper review , I would say this book was very angsty, which I normally enjoy, but the plot development felt a little lacking. There was almost too much push/pull between the two main characters.

If you want my vibes based review, using the word “daddy” to describe a 22 year old is a jump scare.

[Miki_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

RTC
Initial thoughts: Joey and Nick are cute but I don't think this translated very well from anthology to a full length novel. It was really disjointed at points and certain things really didn't fit. However I feel this way with a lot of Andi's books so I'm gonna sit on this for a bit.

[Milo (if lost, return to hot fictional character) · Rating 3 out of 5]

was it bad? not at all.

was it all over the place? yeah.

enjoyed it but wouldn’t reread, it’s alright

3,5/5

[Mariah Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m actually so sad this book and series is over.

[ellora · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

nick and joey deserve the world 💚

[areadsbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

obsessed with these two

did I jump into this without reading any of the previous books? YES. I know, probably stupid but I do not regret it because it’s now made me want to devour the previous two which were already on my tbr so they are instantly being moved up.

Joey & Nick were something so special, I really loved the way their relationship developed and that instant connection didn’t feel pressured or forced at any point!

From the book dedication, I knew from the get go I was going to feel a type of way about one of the MCs because being the oldest sibling myself, it resonated with me immediately and deeply, knowing how hard it can be to be forced to grow up from such a young age, that’s exactly what our sweetheart Joey had to do for his siblings. Joey was written so beautifully, a guy who really had to step up and be there for his family, being a brother, friend and parent meant he never had a chance to live his own life and it was heartbreaking to read at times. He had some deep baggage and issues to work through and it was a blessing he met Nick who instinctively knew what Joey needed.

I adored Nick from the beginning! he was confident, charming, sarcastic, flirty and gave off Daddy vibes from the beginning.. lmao. Yes I was swooooooning because I am a total sucker confident, sure of himself type of guy. Nick took control from the get go, in turn this made our sweetheart Joey feel safe enough to hand over the reins to this beautiful man and well, I can say it was absolute FIRE when he did.

The intensity and passion between these two was uhhhmazing, so many scenes I was squirming and kicking my feet loving the exchange of power between these two big, gorgeous jocks. For me there is always something about a submissive jock that makes me F E R A L.

An obedient little good boy? Say less. I’m done. obsessed.


Everything about these two were perfection, the banter, the jokes, the use of pastries in a very interesting scene(s).. IYKYK. the emotional connections and just being there for each-other when they were stuck in their family dramas or previous trauma, it was a perfect example of self development, growth, self discovery and learning to share the load sometimes isn’t a bad thing.
A beautiful, beautiful read.

5 ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

[KnittingMamaBear-Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

***3 "i expected more" stars
also, 3 "could have been 4" 🌶️ - 1 removed for ABSURD use of dessert as a sex prop, because i have some sense of class and draw a line at using a doughnut / any sweet rollup of any kind as a masturbatory implement.

JK about class.
But not about the doughnut.

Also, there were a lot of references to Hidden Scars, and while reading, i was slowly remembering how nonsensical the entire Preston's father cutting him up storyline was, and now that i have read about Joey's mom (who is also written as a preposterously unrealistic excuse for a parent) i am starting to think the whole series is absurd in a way that the parents are only written to give the boys some kind of dramatic backstory, but because it's so OTT, you could have just said Joey was fucked up and a commitment-phobe and called it a day, and that would have probably been more believable.

Their (Nick's and Joey's) push pull was silly, and stunted, and relationships like this do not exist in real life. Neither do their roommates, who were at best caricatures of human people. The dirty talk and the first spicy scenes were hot, but it fizzled out for me big time when Joey starts running away every time after he gets to finish. The only imo excellently executed detail in this whole ordeal was Joey's ED struggle especially the description of its mechanism - which was close to spot on at least based on my own personal second hand experience.

I don't know guys, the more i think about it the more i don't want to give this 3 stars.
This should have been better.