Offside Attraction

Canadian Played #6

by Cynthia Gunderson

I’ve always been into number one.

The Great One. 1’s on the Enneagram. Beyonce’s first solo album.

And relationships? “One night only” seems to be my preferred status. I’m sure a therapist would have opinions, but I boil it down to my schedule is slammed as a pharma rep, and I get bored easily.

And I might only be attracted to F-boys.

So, imagine my momentary psychotic break when I come face-to-face with the one hockey player I broke my unofficial rule for. While being treated in urgent care.

Our TWO no-name hookups were months ago, and I had zero idea he was the captain of Pucks Deep, our rival hockey team. The guy all the Snowballs players have a deep-seated grudge against.

Now, all of it is back to bite me because I just found out Jordan has a connection to one of Alberta’s hardest-to-reach hospitals. To make things worse? The practice arena for Pucks Deep is under renovation, and their team is forced onto the same ice as the Snowballs.

In order to meet my sales goals, I need to get my addiction treatment drug on the formulary at Jordan’s hospital.

But that means fraternizing with the enemy.
While somehow keeping it a secret from my Snowball family.

I’m the number one sales rep in the province, and the Snowballs are MY number one team. I need Jordan’s help to keep the first title. But if anyone finds out about us? He might knock me out of the running for the second…

One-click and start reading now if you

Secret relationship ✨vibes ✨Grumpy/Sunshine ❤️Cinnamon Roll 🥐Found family 😍Hockey rivalry 🏒High sizzle, closed-door romance 🔥Witty banter 😂The Canadian Played series is comprised of interconnected standalone closed-door romances set in Calgary, AB, Canada. All feature a satisfying HEA, recurring past and future characters, and can be read in any order (and trust us, you're going to want to read them all).

Genres: Sports, Audiobook, Romance, Hockey, Contemporary, Sports Romance

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 3, 2024

Reviews

[Erin Cross · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book! This is my first read of anything by Cynthia Gunderson - but I don't think it'll be my last! I was happy to see this was part of a series. Absolutely could be read as a stand alone, I did it and felt like I wasn't missing any key information doing so.

Rhonda is a busy girl that's said no to relationships. Jordan is a busy man with lots of different people he tries to be the steady ship for. When these 2 cross paths and cross paths again (especially the last time because who doesn't love when fate brings you together over a peanut allergy) they can't help but get to know each other.

But she's friends with the hockey team that rivals his and there's some deep rooted drama that goes back to his early 20's with the opposing captain. What will they do when they like each other more than just friends or a casual fling?

I knocked off a start because there were some things about this book I didn't like, and they're personal nitpicks like the names of the hockey teams or some of the responses/language feeling a bit young for the characters but overall, loved the storyline and was really rooting for our main characters!

Also - thank you BookSirens for offering me a free copy of this book for my review!

[Brooke Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely loved Rhonda’s story of personal discovery and healing! I also loved how Jordan made sure to be mindful of her history!
There were a couple of pretty obvious typos towards the very end of the book but nothing major to effect my review ❤️

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Nothing overly exciting, but a cute, closed door hockey romance. It is number 6 in the Canadian Played series, which i am enjoying them. There are a lot of found family and Sunday dinners. It's forbidden because of team rivals. He is not a snowball.

[Tina Heitner · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️
You know me, once I see a hockey romance book I’m automatically drawn to it! I liked this cute slow burn forbidden romance book. Several spicy parts! They both have childhood and family drama they both have to overcome. But in the end they figure out what works best for them even if it’s not in the norm. I really like Jordan- add him to my book boyfriend list!

-shout out to BookSirens for sending me a complimentary copy of this book! ❤️

[Adeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who absolutely adores hockey romances and sweet, slow burn love stories, this book hit me right in the feels. From the moment I saw it was a sports romance with a forbidden edge, I knew I had to read it.
But I’ll be honest—when I found out it was written in third person POV, I was hesitant. I usually stick to first person in romance(because I love being inside the characters’ heads, feeling everything alongside them). But surprisingly, this story still pulled me in completely🩷
The emotional depth and the way the author crafted both Rhonda and Jordan’s perspectives made it easy to connect and fall for them.

Rhonda’s journey was beautifully handled—watching her work through past trauma and embrace healing was touching. And Jordan? My heart melted at how patient and considerate he was, always making sure he respected her boundaries and history🥹
The tension, the build-up, the feels are everything I love in romance books🫠🫠

Overall, it was a lovely book and definitely not gonna be my last from Cynthia.

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

[Lilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0✨
I listened to "offside attraction" as an audiobook and that is probably the only reason I pulled through! It was not bad, the storyline had potential, but the writing was a little choppy in my opinion and what also bothered me was the age of the characters. Why make them in their mid Thirty's when they act like mid-twentys at most? That bothered me because if there is one thing I don't like it's immature characters. Anyways, yes, I guess you could say it was a slowburn since they first exchange more than five words over an hour into the book, that didn't make it any better though. Not bad if you're looking for an easy audiobook, but I won't pick up another book in this series.

[Chanel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oké dit was echt niet mijn boek.. Deel 1 vond ik al meh en heel simpel. Maar ik dacht ik ga deel 6 proberen want die lijkt mij leuk en de cover is gewoon super leuk. De hele serie heeft echt leuke covers maar helaas zegt dat niks over het verhaal.

Ik vond het verhaal niet altijd even kloppen. Daarnaast was het begin echt leuk maar daarna was het simpel en vaag.. Nee dit is niet mijn boek of serie dus helaas niet meer verder.

[Natiley Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review

*Offside Attraction* is a delightful mix of hockey rivalry and unexpected romance. Cynthia Gunderson crafts a relatable protagonist who juggles her role as a pharma rep with a “one night only” approach to love. Rhondas chemistry with Jordan, the rival captain, is electric, and their witty banter adds charm to the story.

The tension between professional ambition and personal desires keeps the plot engaging, making readers root for their secret relationship. I loved the closed-door romance, which emphasizes emotional connection over explicitness.

If you enjoy relatable characters and a satisfying happily-ever-after, this book is a must-read. It’s a fantastic addition to the Canadian Played series, and I can’t wait for more! Highly recommended!

[Terica Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever been reading a book and as you’re reading you already wish you could experience the book for the first time again?
I giggled.
I kicked my feet.
I loved the banter
It’s third person dual POV and no third act break up!
I absolutely love a he falls first and harder story! This book spoke to my 90s baby and now entering soft girl era heart.
Loved every minute of it. It gave all the happy giddy feels! 10/10.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute story! It was a quick read and definitely satisfied my craving for a sweet romance. Fmc is feisty and independent woman learning to open up and trust again over the length of the book. Mmc is sweet and patient with fmc and allowing her time to slowly build her emotions for him beyond just physical attraction. The meet cute was a little awkward and unrealistic for my liking, but the secret fling had me drooling. The hockey references and overall storyline were enough for me to feel like I was reading a romance with plot, more than just a fluff. Very fun read! I am definitely interested in delving into this world with the other books in the series.

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

[Pau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved Jordan so much! And the dynamic of the teams being a big family is always something special for me❤️

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story, the sports elements, relationship building and romance are all well blended. It also has it's steamy and comical moments with doses of realistic heartfelt situations. Sweet romance with depth, he's a great catch and is patient enough with her to work through the feelings as they find, embrace and make room for love. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lisa J Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story of Jordan and Rhonda. Loved this forbidden slow burn romance - mix some Hockey in, you have a great 5 star read. Brought the others in the series, you've got me hooked now, Cynthia.

[Ann Witherspoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoy this Canadian author.

[PollyAnna Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhonda and Jordan

First of all, I got carried away a couple months ago and preordered two copies of OFFSIDE ATTRACTION. One through Amazon and the other with Cynthia herself. Lol. Clearly I thoroughly enjoy Cindy's books especially this CANADIAN PLAYED series! Hopefully I'll be more in control of myself and not repurchase copies of the next book that I've already preordered! Lol.

Rhonda is an interesting MC because she knows sex, but love is out of the question. Until it is part of the question. With Jordan. And it's sweet, precious, and romantic: "I want to know your name." *sa-woon*

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s was good, everything you’d expect. Um I dunno but I gotta stop w/these books it’s getting embarrassing

[Stacy Hamlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Childhood and family trauma comes out in this slow-burn romance. I'm a sucker for hockey romances, but this one made my heart melt. Jordan is patient and knows exactly what Rhonda needs. Both main characters are working through stuff on their own, but when they get together it is straight fire.

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

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this pairing, and that we got to see the rival hockey team here! Lots of fun, good characters, love this cute little Canadian romances.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series started off a little shaky but each book was getting better and better!!

[Tenneal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading the cutest story! 🥰 Rhonda and Jordan are just the sweetest couple. I couldn't put the book down! Seriously, you need to check it out. 📖 #WeekendReads #CuteStory

[Hoorasa Nikookar · Rating 4 out of 5]

melted…

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just my second book by the author. The blurb indicated Rhonda was friends with the Snowballs hockey team and Jordan was with their rival the Deep Pucks. The only couple I knew was mentioned once. There are a significant number of secondary characters that Rhonda and Jordan interact with and it took me while to have a grasp on them.

I really enjoyed the second half of the story, but really struggled with the first half. The two main characters kept running into each other and hooking up which was fine, but there was little character development or engagement to feel like I was getting to know them. A good portion of the dynamics aren’t really explained or delved into so I struggled.

Once these two start talking and sharing, the story gets interesting and entertaining. It would have been nice to see Jordan’s relationship with his childhood friend resolved since it seemed to be at the crux of so much animosity between the two teams. The issue Rhonda had with her sister didn’t fit with the story and then was resolved by a text Rhonda sent off page. Why even include it if it wasn’t going to be addressed?

Overall this is about 3.5 stars read for me.

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

[Jacquelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Offside Attraction’ was entertaining. The energetic plot involved a couple of no-name hook-ups, going on a blind date, having an allergic reaction, meeting up with the hook-up at an urgent care facility, hilarity, meeting with medical personnel, a change in plans due to renovating the hockey facility, recounting adversity, inadvertently texting a male figure, coming to the rescue, flirting with the waiter, thinking about the nurse/hockey player, doing a solid, getting to know each other, having a tough talk with the opposition, hanging with the friends for the holidays, and falling in love. Moreover, Jordan and Rhonda, the protagonists, were made for each other and gushed with chemistry. Additionally, I liked the author’s vivid descriptions including imagery, figurative language, and exhilarating word choices that created an upbeat tone, such as “The bids flew fast and furious, paddles shooting up like popcorn kernels in a hot pan,” and “When he was with her, it was like the record he’d been listening to had been flipped over to secret, alternate tracks.” Overall, I liked the amusing narrative.
I received a copy for free and am voluntarily giving my honest review.

[Vilma]

A not so meet cute, one night stand, then two, then three nights…

Rhonda and Jordan have a decidedly non meet cute. She bangs on the wrong hotel room door, proceeds to use his bathroom, and then jumps his bones (closed door romance). No names, just one night.

Sees him again in an unlikely place, and they engage again. Third times the charm but she refuses to call it a relationship or commit to him.

Both Rhonda and Jordan have complicated relationship issues, hers are commitment based and his are always being a fixer, or as his sister says, he’s a collector of misfits.

I liked the story, although there were way too many hockey references that meant didn’t squat to me and I honestly didn’t want to stop reading to google them, so that took a bit away from the story for me.

But overall, I did like the couple, their chemistry, their mixed signals, and their eventual happy ending.

[Lisa Benison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Secret Fling Turns to More? Along With Drama, Growth and Major Feels

Rhonda and Jordan are both single, have busy careers and a lot going on in their lives, and while their approaches and outlooks are completely opposite their attraction to each other is off the charts. All of these factors made for a fun read, and watching Jordan's laid back "cinnamon roll" helpful handling of Jordan's issues both large and small as well as their witty banter and texts made the book hard to put down. They both have huge hearts and mean well, so are likable overall making the reader want their HEA. All of the characters are well developed and although the book is part of a series and many do repeat, it is not necessary to read all of the books or to read them in order - Enjoy!

I was sent an ARC by the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Anna B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this book and thought it was good, but could have been better. The Storyline was focused too much on the hookup factor in the relationship at the beginning and less on the development of the characters themselves. Thankfully, there were no graphic scenes.

I would have liked to see deeper into what made them tick and why some of their choices were made. It was disappointing to see the broken relationship with Sean through a conversation and not have more of the emotion behind it.

I did like in the end when Jordan wanted to reset and do things right with Rhonda by setting aside the hookups for a real relationship by dating her and showing she was worth so much more.

Having said this, will I read other books in this series? Yes I will. Cynthia is a talented writer and I look forward to her next book.

[Teon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series was my introduction to the hot hockey player trope. Now I have way too many. I was so excited to be an ARC reader for a Cynthia Gunderson book! I felt like I won a prize! Now to the story—Rhonda is a woman w/ commitment issues. She solves this by strictly adhering to her “one hook up and done” policy. Jordan is a hockey player who doesn’t have to look very hard to find company and pleasure. As they continue to cross paths, they are long passed their routine one night stand. This book is several deep into the series and all the previous couples have chapters about events in their lives. I think you should read them in order to understand a lot of this book. I’m so excited be able to share my honest thoughts and feelings about this book. I even bought the audiobook because C. Gunderson does her own narration and I love hearing it the way she wants you to hear it!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has really intriguing characters. Rhonda’s an independent career woman, chasing a promotion and working as a pharmaceutical representative. She has a strong, opinionated personality and doesn’t want a relationship. Rhonda never expects to see Jordan again after a hookup. Jordan plays hockey for a Canadian provincial team, while also working as a nurse. The story has subplots related to Rhonda’s company’s newest product, Jordan’s addicted sister and his team’s competitiveness. Despite their mutual attraction, both characters have to resolve issues. The dual points of view are very engaging, so this book is hard to put down. This is a complex and interesting romance story. I received a copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I liked this book! It is the 6th in a series but this can be read as a stand alone and was the first I have read in this series. This book gives a fabulous view of non NHL ice hockey, which is something I haven't read before. The spice is also different to what I have read in the past - not really being closed door or fade to black - but is just really vague. It was a nice change. The only thing is that there were a couple of plot loose strings around the main character's family that I was disappointed weren't tied up before the end of the book. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

Big thanks to Book Sirens and Cynthia Gunderson for a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhonda is in pharmaceutical sales. She supports the Snowball hockey team. With men, it is just one night only until she spends a night with Jordan. He is captain of the Pucks Deep hockey team, a hated rival of the Snowballs. Jordan is a nurse, and I loved the surprise when Rhonda ended up in his ER. I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom as she learned to enjoy Jordan, not just thinking of what she needed to do to return his favors. Rhonda represents a drug that is proven to be successful for addicts. I liked the way she managed to get the drug into the hospital where Jordan worked. Great characters and wonderful story.