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Outplayed
Her hypothesis is about to meet its match.
As a Psychology major and research enthusiast, Eliana thrives on solving problems. A null result? She runs another test. A broken code? She rewrites it. But when she’s assigned to tutor a particularly difficult student, she realizes some problems can’t be solved with data alone.
On the ice, Jake Keeley is a cocky sports star with an NHL contract on his doorstep. But in his highly academic family, he’s the odd one out. Now, he’s a few fails away from flunking Psychology 101, and being benched for the season — unless he accepts some help.
As Jake’s tutoring sessions disrupt Eliana’s carefully balanced schedule, research, and even her relationship status, she realizes he isn’t another problem to be solved. Jake wants to help. And that might be the biggest challenge of all.
Outplayed is a first person, dual POV hockey romance with forced proximity, fake dating, and opposites attract.
As a Psychology major and research enthusiast, Eliana thrives on solving problems. A null result? She runs another test. A broken code? She rewrites it. But when she’s assigned to tutor a particularly difficult student, she realizes some problems can’t be solved with data alone.
On the ice, Jake Keeley is a cocky sports star with an NHL contract on his doorstep. But in his highly academic family, he’s the odd one out. Now, he’s a few fails away from flunking Psychology 101, and being benched for the season — unless he accepts some help.
As Jake’s tutoring sessions disrupt Eliana’s carefully balanced schedule, research, and even her relationship status, she realizes he isn’t another problem to be solved. Jake wants to help. And that might be the biggest challenge of all.
Outplayed is a first person, dual POV hockey romance with forced proximity, fake dating, and opposites attract.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 18, 2025
129 people are currently reading
1124 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
July 30, 2025
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 5 stars ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
“We may not have a constellation dedicated to us, but one thing was for certain. He was my entire universe. And I was his.”
aww i loved it! jake and eliana complete each other so well, it warms my heart. the way he genuinely cared for her was soo sweet! wdym he bought her groceries, took care of her when she was sick, cooked her food/brought her food when he knew she hadn’t eaten? and that’s not even all! jake fell first AND harder. and eliana, on the other hand, she was a very relatable character with how she puts everyone else and their needs before herself.
the fake dating trope was a bit different in this book. it wasn’t introduced immediately, and i think that’s what i liked most about it. it didn’t feel forced at all compared to some other books! the writing in this book is also something i enjoyed because it was really easy to fly through.
overall, this was a heartwarming and fun read! definitely recommend if you’re looking for a college romance with fake dating, hockey x tutor, forced proximity, and he falls first and harder! can’t wait for more books in the westchester university to come out!
˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to Love Notes PR and Mina Myles for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗
pre-read:
hockey and fake dating? i know i'm going to enjoy this
“We may not have a constellation dedicated to us, but one thing was for certain. He was my entire universe. And I was his.”
aww i loved it! jake and eliana complete each other so well, it warms my heart. the way he genuinely cared for her was soo sweet! wdym he bought her groceries, took care of her when she was sick, cooked her food/brought her food when he knew she hadn’t eaten? and that’s not even all! jake fell first AND harder. and eliana, on the other hand, she was a very relatable character with how she puts everyone else and their needs before herself.
the fake dating trope was a bit different in this book. it wasn’t introduced immediately, and i think that’s what i liked most about it. it didn’t feel forced at all compared to some other books! the writing in this book is also something i enjoyed because it was really easy to fly through.
overall, this was a heartwarming and fun read! definitely recommend if you’re looking for a college romance with fake dating, hockey x tutor, forced proximity, and he falls first and harder! can’t wait for more books in the westchester university to come out!
˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to Love Notes PR and Mina Myles for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗
pre-read:
hockey and fake dating? i know i'm going to enjoy this
July 24, 2025
Book Title: Outplayed (Westchester University Book 1)
Author(s): Mina Myles
Publisher(s): Snowflakes & Shorelines Press
🍿 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: I was immediately drawn into Eliana and Jake’s world and loved that the book alternated between both of their viewpoints. Jake is so much more than your typical hockey player, and Eliana has brains and is a bit cheeky to boot. I loved Mina Myles’s writing as well, and it was easy to fly through this spirited romance.
🤩 𝚃͏𝚑͏𝚎͏ 𝙱͏𝚎͏𝚜͏𝚝͏ 𝙱͏𝚒͏𝚝͏𝚜͏: The banter between Jake and Eliana is top notch, and I loved the way Myles was able to balance humor along with spice, family, and mental health rep. These characters felt so real, and I loved how close BOTH of our MCs were to their family. They weren’t without their problems, and I thought the author did an excellent job painting the picture of flawed but relatable families.
💭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: Outplayed was a joy to read, and it was easy for me to speed through it in just a weekend. I do wish Myles would have explained the hockey terms throughout since there are some things people who aren’t familiar with the sport would have no way of knowing, but that doesn’t take away from the storyline or the tension. If you are a sports romance fan, this is a winner, and I highly recommend it!
T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: 🏒🏫👩👧👧🧪🕔
𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌶️🌶️
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Author(s): Mina Myles
Publisher(s): Snowflakes & Shorelines Press
🍿 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: I was immediately drawn into Eliana and Jake’s world and loved that the book alternated between both of their viewpoints. Jake is so much more than your typical hockey player, and Eliana has brains and is a bit cheeky to boot. I loved Mina Myles’s writing as well, and it was easy to fly through this spirited romance.
🤩 𝚃͏𝚑͏𝚎͏ 𝙱͏𝚎͏𝚜͏𝚝͏ 𝙱͏𝚒͏𝚝͏𝚜͏: The banter between Jake and Eliana is top notch, and I loved the way Myles was able to balance humor along with spice, family, and mental health rep. These characters felt so real, and I loved how close BOTH of our MCs were to their family. They weren’t without their problems, and I thought the author did an excellent job painting the picture of flawed but relatable families.
💭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: Outplayed was a joy to read, and it was easy for me to speed through it in just a weekend. I do wish Myles would have explained the hockey terms throughout since there are some things people who aren’t familiar with the sport would have no way of knowing, but that doesn’t take away from the storyline or the tension. If you are a sports romance fan, this is a winner, and I highly recommend it!
T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: 🏒🏫👩👧👧🧪🕔
𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌶️🌶️
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 11, 2025
omg i loved it, rtc!
forced proximity, fake dating, opposite attracts? sign me tf up
forced proximity, fake dating, opposite attracts? sign me tf up
July 18, 2025
One of the easiest 5 star rating I have given so far this year. I loved everything in this book.
In this book we follow Eliana and Jake. Jake is an ice hockey player who is following a PSYCH101 course which he is terrible in and Eliana who is a perfect student with a lot on her plate who happens to be a tutor who can help Jake get his grades up before he gets benched for ice hockey because of his bad grades.
Jake is a perfect MMC. He had a great character decelopment and turns out to be so loving and caring. He would die for Eliana and nothing is too much for him to release some of the burdens she has.
Eliana was such a relatable character with everything she has on her plate, the way she thinks of herself and everything she needs to do and always puts everyone else before herself!
This book was well written, had a beautiful love story in it, had a great character development, the overall plot was thought through and the side characters were also very interesting! I really flew through this book and I 100% would recommend it! I can’t wait to see what the next book is going to be like but I can’t wait to read it.
In this book we follow Eliana and Jake. Jake is an ice hockey player who is following a PSYCH101 course which he is terrible in and Eliana who is a perfect student with a lot on her plate who happens to be a tutor who can help Jake get his grades up before he gets benched for ice hockey because of his bad grades.
Jake is a perfect MMC. He had a great character decelopment and turns out to be so loving and caring. He would die for Eliana and nothing is too much for him to release some of the burdens she has.
Eliana was such a relatable character with everything she has on her plate, the way she thinks of herself and everything she needs to do and always puts everyone else before herself!
This book was well written, had a beautiful love story in it, had a great character development, the overall plot was thought through and the side characters were also very interesting! I really flew through this book and I 100% would recommend it! I can’t wait to see what the next book is going to be like but I can’t wait to read it.
July 9, 2025
✨ARC review✨
I feel pretty neutral about this — the characters were okay, there was little to no plot but the relationship was more or less interesting enough to hold up the story… I had a good enough time reading it but I’m not sure I’d recommend it because it didn’t have anything that really make it special.
Outplayed follows spoiled hockey player Jake and his reluctant tutor Eliana as they navigate the weights of familial pressures and expectations and come to trust each other to help carry some of their burdens. How I feel about the main characters is a huge factor in how I feel about a romance, and this one was 50/50. Eliana felt very dimensional and overall I really liked her. I appreciated that her character was more than an archetype, and I could see traces of her experiences in her personality (being a POC, being a child of immigrants, coming from a single-parent household, financial challenges, etc.). Jake on the other hand… I did not like as much. He felt like a meathead for the first 75% of the book and then because a sickeningly sweet cinnamon roll for the end. Even though we got glimpses of who he was outside of being an entitled jock, none of it felt real. He talked a lot about being the black sheep of his family, but he wasn’t (yes, he felt that way and his perception is his reality, but it was hard for me to sympathize with someone who was being showered with love and support from his parents and siblings at every turn).
This book didn’t really have a plot but was instead completely driven by the relationship. The sources of conflict in the relationship were valid, but it did feel like Eliana and Jake had the same conversations about these conflicts over and over again, so the book got a little repetitive at times. I’ll also add that this book is described as a fake dating romance, and although there is fake dating, I personally don’t think that’s an accurate description of this book.
If you’re looking for a fast, sweet, character-driven romance with at least one main character that doesn’t feel like the traditional romance main character, this might be a great read for you. Ultimately I was turned off by one of the main characters and found the story to be a bit forgettable, so it’s not a book I will widely recommend and I’m not sure it’s one I’d want to return to.
I feel pretty neutral about this — the characters were okay, there was little to no plot but the relationship was more or less interesting enough to hold up the story… I had a good enough time reading it but I’m not sure I’d recommend it because it didn’t have anything that really make it special.
Outplayed follows spoiled hockey player Jake and his reluctant tutor Eliana as they navigate the weights of familial pressures and expectations and come to trust each other to help carry some of their burdens. How I feel about the main characters is a huge factor in how I feel about a romance, and this one was 50/50. Eliana felt very dimensional and overall I really liked her. I appreciated that her character was more than an archetype, and I could see traces of her experiences in her personality (being a POC, being a child of immigrants, coming from a single-parent household, financial challenges, etc.). Jake on the other hand… I did not like as much. He felt like a meathead for the first 75% of the book and then because a sickeningly sweet cinnamon roll for the end. Even though we got glimpses of who he was outside of being an entitled jock, none of it felt real. He talked a lot about being the black sheep of his family, but he wasn’t (yes, he felt that way and his perception is his reality, but it was hard for me to sympathize with someone who was being showered with love and support from his parents and siblings at every turn).
This book didn’t really have a plot but was instead completely driven by the relationship. The sources of conflict in the relationship were valid, but it did feel like Eliana and Jake had the same conversations about these conflicts over and over again, so the book got a little repetitive at times. I’ll also add that this book is described as a fake dating romance, and although there is fake dating, I personally don’t think that’s an accurate description of this book.
If you’re looking for a fast, sweet, character-driven romance with at least one main character that doesn’t feel like the traditional romance main character, this might be a great read for you. Ultimately I was turned off by one of the main characters and found the story to be a bit forgettable, so it’s not a book I will widely recommend and I’m not sure it’s one I’d want to return to.
July 21, 2025
Thank you to Love Notes for this ARC! The plot of Outplayed and the character descriptions (ok fine, and the cute cover) grabbed my attention from the start! I appreciated Eliana’s perspective as a person of color and thought her calling attention to racism in quote unquote professional spaces was excellent! That said, her workaholic tendencies were called to attention frequently but I didn’t feel that there was as much character development there as there could have been. I also wasn’t a huge fan of Jake from the beginning… some of the things he did rubbed me the wrong way although he did step it up towards the middle of the book. Their relationship moved pretty quickly and I wish it developed a little slower, but that’s a personal preference. I also thought the third act breakup was predictable and not necessarily needed but hey, they still got their happily ever after!
July 10, 2025
Outplayed is a college hockey romance featuring Jake a college hockey player and Eliana his tutor. This enemies to lovers, opposites attract romance was a great read. Both Jake and Eliana’s growth was by far my favourite part, Jake was the typical overconfident hockey player and Eliana was all about her studies, work ethic and people pleasing tendencies. This was an easy read with a great cast of characters. I received a complementary copy from Love Notes PR.
July 15, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ ARC Review:
fake dating ✅
hockey ✅
diverse culture rep ✅
mental health rep ✅
spicy scenes were steamy 🌶️
Such a cute story. MMC falls hard and fast and embodies “if he wanted to, he would”. we love to see a mmc take care of those around him and a fmc learn how to let someone finally take care of her.
first time reading this author, and won’t be my last.
fake dating ✅
hockey ✅
diverse culture rep ✅
mental health rep ✅
spicy scenes were steamy 🌶️
Such a cute story. MMC falls hard and fast and embodies “if he wanted to, he would”. we love to see a mmc take care of those around him and a fmc learn how to let someone finally take care of her.
first time reading this author, and won’t be my last.
July 21, 2025
RTC 4.25 stars , maybe I’ll review this when I get off work 😭😭
🌷┇ ೀ୭ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝
I’m so obsesssd with this orange themed cover omggg!!! This being forced proximity makes me SOOOOO excuted
Thank you to LoveNotes PR for the chance to read and review this!!!!
🌷┇ ೀ୭ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝
I’m so obsesssd with this orange themed cover omggg!!! This being forced proximity makes me SOOOOO excuted
Thank you to LoveNotes PR for the chance to read and review this!!!!
July 26, 2025
2.5⭐️ I try not to be too much of a stickler when it comes to spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors when reading ARCs, as I know it’s not typically the final copy. However I have read one other book by this author and there were several spelling and punctuation errors throughout it. So I fear the many errors I came across in this ARC copy likely made it to the final version of Outplayed as well, which is unfortunate because the number of errors were distracting and often took me out of the story.
While the characters themselves were generally fine, nothing special stood out about them and the plot was essentially nonexistent. The book was very much driven by the development of their relationship. Overall, this book just didn’t do it for me. While I did like the representation of the older sibling struggles, this was probably my last read from this author.
I appreciate the ARC copy from Love Notes PR.
While the characters themselves were generally fine, nothing special stood out about them and the plot was essentially nonexistent. The book was very much driven by the development of their relationship. Overall, this book just didn’t do it for me. While I did like the representation of the older sibling struggles, this was probably my last read from this author.
I appreciate the ARC copy from Love Notes PR.
July 24, 2025
Outplayed by Mina Myles is a charming hockey romance that kicks off the Westchester University series with heart, heat, and a whole lot of academic chaos. Told in dual POV, the story follows Eliana, a psychology major obsessed with research and precision, and Jake Keeley, a cocky hockey star teetering on the edge of academic probation. When Eliana is assigned to tutor Jake, their forced proximity leads to fake dating, emotional detours, and a slow unraveling of their carefully guarded selves.
Eliana’s tightly scheduled life clashes with Jake’s easygoing charm, but beneath the teasing lies real vulnerability. Jake isn’t just a jock—he’s the black sheep in a brainy family, and it’s genuinely touching to see how he supports Eliana when she forgets to care for herself. Their connection deepens through open communication, building trust that feels earned, not rushed.
Still, the banter occasionally felt repetitive, and Eliana’s inner monologues sometimes stretched too long. The pacing dips in a few places but recovers well by the final chapters.
With warm prose, swoony moments, and a cozy college vibe, Outplayed is a satisfying opposites-attract romance. If you love grumpy-sunshine dynamics with a bit of fake dating sprinkled in, you may give this one a try.
Eliana’s tightly scheduled life clashes with Jake’s easygoing charm, but beneath the teasing lies real vulnerability. Jake isn’t just a jock—he’s the black sheep in a brainy family, and it’s genuinely touching to see how he supports Eliana when she forgets to care for herself. Their connection deepens through open communication, building trust that feels earned, not rushed.
Still, the banter occasionally felt repetitive, and Eliana’s inner monologues sometimes stretched too long. The pacing dips in a few places but recovers well by the final chapters.
With warm prose, swoony moments, and a cozy college vibe, Outplayed is a satisfying opposites-attract romance. If you love grumpy-sunshine dynamics with a bit of fake dating sprinkled in, you may give this one a try.
July 7, 2025
⛸️Outplayed-Mina Myles westchester #1
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - ARC provided by author and LN 💗
Where do i even begin!!
~the dedication itself had me hooked right from the beginning, bating my lashes in awe over here 🥹
“to every eldest daughter who had to be a provider, caretaker, and parental figure before she was ever allowed to take care of herself — this is for you. don’t be afraid to put your own needs first. you deserve it. and more.”
i mean HELLO?, already shedding tears and I’m not even on the first page.
📄 back to my very professional Eliana-Esc review, Spoiler free, obviously 💗
~ To begin with i was absolutely so entertained by the tropes when seeing it on LN, i love me a little enemies to lovers moment, though this was more ‘annoyed Big sister’ dealing with another man, rather than an enemies to lovers the tension was to die for 🙊!!
~you didn’t hear it from me Jake is hilarious as-well as cute and hot. the big 3 i say. you MAYYYYY have to “trust the process, ollie. Trust the process” 😔😭 also this man had me giggling and kicking my feet at exactly 3:38 am.
~ this book isn’t much diffrent from a lot of other college university books, however… it’s vibe was so mmm scrumptious and set out so perfectly i ate ever bit of it up, though definitly not the most spicy book there was some scenes that are just.. 🥵🥵🤫 - you didn’t hear it from me! it was cuttteeee!!
(more full RTC since it’s 4am)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - ARC provided by author and LN 💗
Where do i even begin!!
~the dedication itself had me hooked right from the beginning, bating my lashes in awe over here 🥹
“to every eldest daughter who had to be a provider, caretaker, and parental figure before she was ever allowed to take care of herself — this is for you. don’t be afraid to put your own needs first. you deserve it. and more.”
i mean HELLO?, already shedding tears and I’m not even on the first page.
📄 back to my very professional Eliana-Esc review, Spoiler free, obviously 💗
~ To begin with i was absolutely so entertained by the tropes when seeing it on LN, i love me a little enemies to lovers moment, though this was more ‘annoyed Big sister’ dealing with another man, rather than an enemies to lovers the tension was to die for 🙊!!
~you didn’t hear it from me Jake is hilarious as-well as cute and hot. the big 3 i say. you MAYYYYY have to “trust the process, ollie. Trust the process” 😔😭 also this man had me giggling and kicking my feet at exactly 3:38 am.
~ this book isn’t much diffrent from a lot of other college university books, however… it’s vibe was so mmm scrumptious and set out so perfectly i ate ever bit of it up, though definitly not the most spicy book there was some scenes that are just.. 🥵🥵🤫 - you didn’t hear it from me! it was cuttteeee!!
(more full RTC since it’s 4am)
July 13, 2025
ARC Review
What a sweet story!
Jake, a hockey player, needs a tutor to improve his psychology grades. The assigned tutor is Eliana, but they don’t get off to a very good start.
From there, their friendship begins to develop into something more.
I really liked Eliana. She’s a strong girl, but she struggles with anxiety. There were moments when I truly felt sorry for her situation and just wanted to help her.
Jake is absolutely adorable, he helps her, buys her coffee, cooks for her!! I really liked this male character; he’s funny and takes care of her like no one else. One thing I especially liked about him was the relationship he has with his family. It was really beautiful.
One aspect I enjoyed is how they help each other. They’re two people who don’t know how to ask for help, and they teach each other to do it by helping one another.
I thought it was a very beautiful, heartwarming, and entertaining story.
I gave it 3.5 stars.
What a sweet story!
Jake, a hockey player, needs a tutor to improve his psychology grades. The assigned tutor is Eliana, but they don’t get off to a very good start.
From there, their friendship begins to develop into something more.
I really liked Eliana. She’s a strong girl, but she struggles with anxiety. There were moments when I truly felt sorry for her situation and just wanted to help her.
Jake is absolutely adorable, he helps her, buys her coffee, cooks for her!! I really liked this male character; he’s funny and takes care of her like no one else. One thing I especially liked about him was the relationship he has with his family. It was really beautiful.
One aspect I enjoyed is how they help each other. They’re two people who don’t know how to ask for help, and they teach each other to do it by helping one another.
I thought it was a very beautiful, heartwarming, and entertaining story.
I gave it 3.5 stars.
July 14, 2025
Eliana and Jake.
I loved this story from start to finish. I believe Jake's character arc from start to finish is one I will remember for a while. Beyond the suave attitude Jake has layers. Jake is kind, smart, loves making his families food and loves taking care of people. Eliana is the same in some ways. Both of these characters have so much in common and it's was so nice to be a part of their journey from friends to lovers.
Not to mention the fact that they were literally made for each other. This was my 1st book by this author and it will not be my last. I loved the writing style, characters, and the way I was so immersed in the story so early on. I read this in one sitting.
Thank you to Love Note PR and the author for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this story from start to finish. I believe Jake's character arc from start to finish is one I will remember for a while. Beyond the suave attitude Jake has layers. Jake is kind, smart, loves making his families food and loves taking care of people. Eliana is the same in some ways. Both of these characters have so much in common and it's was so nice to be a part of their journey from friends to lovers.
Not to mention the fact that they were literally made for each other. This was my 1st book by this author and it will not be my last. I loved the writing style, characters, and the way I was so immersed in the story so early on. I read this in one sitting.
Thank you to Love Note PR and the author for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up!
”we may not have a constellation dedicated to us, but one thing was for certain. he was my entire universe. and i was his.“
i’ve been looking forward to this book ever since i finished the ice out! jake and eliana were so cute and so, so perfect for each other.
one thing about mina myles is that she knows how to make characters relatable, especially her fmcs. with violet in the ice out and eliana in outplayed, i found myself relating to the fmcs the most, which is one of my favourite things in romance books. even though it’s a fictional romance, there are so many real life things that the characters are facing, which is so helpful for connection and flow in a book. and jake? his mouth was top tier. i loved his character and how respectfully persistent he was with eliana. he took care of her in such a loud (yet still sweet) way that had me swooning.
thank you so much to mina myles and love notes pr for the e-arc! 💌
♥︎ fake dating
♥︎ forced proximity
♥︎ opposites attract
♥︎ hockey player x tutor
♥︎ black cat fmc x cinnadom mmc
”we may not have a constellation dedicated to us, but one thing was for certain. he was my entire universe. and i was his.“
i’ve been looking forward to this book ever since i finished the ice out! jake and eliana were so cute and so, so perfect for each other.
one thing about mina myles is that she knows how to make characters relatable, especially her fmcs. with violet in the ice out and eliana in outplayed, i found myself relating to the fmcs the most, which is one of my favourite things in romance books. even though it’s a fictional romance, there are so many real life things that the characters are facing, which is so helpful for connection and flow in a book. and jake? his mouth was top tier. i loved his character and how respectfully persistent he was with eliana. he took care of her in such a loud (yet still sweet) way that had me swooning.
thank you so much to mina myles and love notes pr for the e-arc! 💌
♥︎ fake dating
♥︎ forced proximity
♥︎ opposites attract
♥︎ hockey player x tutor
♥︎ black cat fmc x cinnadom mmc
July 18, 2025
3.5 stars ✨
This was a sweet enjoyable romance from author, Mina Myles. The writing style and the storyline kept me engaged all the way through. I found it very refreshing to read a romance where there was no miscommunication, but in fact, open honest communication by both main characters. And there was no third act breakup!!!!! It was just an easy flowing organic building of a relationship between two people that in any normal circumstances wouldn’t have met, but when placed in circumstances outside their comfort zone they connect. There is some open door spice which worked well for the story and the connection between the two characters and I found the side characters brought some fun and laughs to the book.
Thank you to author Mina Myles and Love Notes PR for opportunity to read and review this e-arc and provide my own thoughts.
This was a sweet enjoyable romance from author, Mina Myles. The writing style and the storyline kept me engaged all the way through. I found it very refreshing to read a romance where there was no miscommunication, but in fact, open honest communication by both main characters. And there was no third act breakup!!!!! It was just an easy flowing organic building of a relationship between two people that in any normal circumstances wouldn’t have met, but when placed in circumstances outside their comfort zone they connect. There is some open door spice which worked well for the story and the connection between the two characters and I found the side characters brought some fun and laughs to the book.
Thank you to author Mina Myles and Love Notes PR for opportunity to read and review this e-arc and provide my own thoughts.
July 21, 2025
This was such a cute hockey romance! I am a sucker for tutor x Hockey player.
I genuinely loved the characters in this book, including the side characters. I can't wait to see if and who will be in the future books!
I truly related so much to our FMC. There were so many moments where I truly found myself having to pause because things were so true for me. I loved this character. They were so fun and relatable, at least for me.
I will say, a couple of times I struggled to follow the plot, or even minor details. That could have just been a me thing. All in all, though, the main plot was easy to follow and simple, while still having enough layers to add some complexity.
I am looking forward to future books in this series.
Thank you so much to Love Notes PR and the author for this ARC!
I genuinely loved the characters in this book, including the side characters. I can't wait to see if and who will be in the future books!
I truly related so much to our FMC. There were so many moments where I truly found myself having to pause because things were so true for me. I loved this character. They were so fun and relatable, at least for me.
I will say, a couple of times I struggled to follow the plot, or even minor details. That could have just been a me thing. All in all, though, the main plot was easy to follow and simple, while still having enough layers to add some complexity.
I am looking forward to future books in this series.
Thank you so much to Love Notes PR and the author for this ARC!
July 24, 2025
thank you love notes pr for the arc! 💌 ok if you’re an eldest daughter this book will be so therapeutic for you and make you feel so seen!! this was such a sweet and healing love story, filled with big emotions and big challenges. hockey took a backseat compared to your typical hockey romance which worked great and made it so the relationship took more of the focus. I love Jake’s family dynamic and how Ellie fit so well, and vice versa! I think they challenged yet complimented each other well. & being an eldest daughter I could relate to some but not all of Ellie’s struggles. Her internal dialogue was so similar to mine haha. would recommend this book!! & I need to go read violet and masons book 👀
July 28, 2025
thank you LoveNotesPR for the arc (even though the book is out now already i just got to it)
such a fun flirty read with a fake dating/ tutor trope! I love that Eliana didn’t give a damn about Jake and wasn’t boy crazy droning on in thought that he was so gorgeous or anything. She’s a people pleaser and can’t say no to helping people out even with her plate stacked way too high. (i see myself in Eliana from the weight on her shoulders to the 1D obsession and Law & Order SVU 🙂↕️) and Jake was a flirty hockey player that wasn’t overly obnoxious and truly just wanted to belong in his family of genius researchers. he was such a fun character overall with a good humor and loving care for Eliana making sure she prioritized herself or at least helped her be cared for in some capacity. their growth and relationship was fun to read. i honestly flew through this book. kicking feet giggling the whole time. LOVE ‘EM
such a fun flirty read with a fake dating/ tutor trope! I love that Eliana didn’t give a damn about Jake and wasn’t boy crazy droning on in thought that he was so gorgeous or anything. She’s a people pleaser and can’t say no to helping people out even with her plate stacked way too high. (i see myself in Eliana from the weight on her shoulders to the 1D obsession and Law & Order SVU 🙂↕️) and Jake was a flirty hockey player that wasn’t overly obnoxious and truly just wanted to belong in his family of genius researchers. he was such a fun character overall with a good humor and loving care for Eliana making sure she prioritized herself or at least helped her be cared for in some capacity. their growth and relationship was fun to read. i honestly flew through this book. kicking feet giggling the whole time. LOVE ‘EM
July 25, 2025
To start off- my review is VERY delayed. I finished this book at least one week ago, but I had some very interesting life events happen between then and now...
For starters, I was preparing for one of the biggest exams of my life: my PhD candidacy exam. I wanted to read a bit as a way to relax/a study break, but I also needed to cram as much information in my brain as possible that I couldn't find a time to sit down and review!
As of Tuesday, I officially became a PhD candidate🥳 Which is crazy to think about. And Mina is one of my favorite authors because she is a PhD student, just like myself! I can 100% relate to her writing, because she writes just how I feel (anxious and on edge because I love my research and dedicating time to my lab, but also scared out of my freaking mind😂).
Outplayed was a such an amazing book- seriously, you need to pick it up ASAP. It combined fake dating, tutor x student, and forced proximity - I mean, you honestly can't get much better than that!! But my favorite part was that we got to follow along with story that was played in parallel from Mina Myles' other book, The Ice Out (which was also one of my favorite hockey romances🥰). It was such a cool perspective that we don't really get to see from other books!
I'm a Mina Myles fan for LIFE, and I can't wait to see which romance we get to follow next😉
For starters, I was preparing for one of the biggest exams of my life: my PhD candidacy exam. I wanted to read a bit as a way to relax/a study break, but I also needed to cram as much information in my brain as possible that I couldn't find a time to sit down and review!
As of Tuesday, I officially became a PhD candidate🥳 Which is crazy to think about. And Mina is one of my favorite authors because she is a PhD student, just like myself! I can 100% relate to her writing, because she writes just how I feel (anxious and on edge because I love my research and dedicating time to my lab, but also scared out of my freaking mind😂).
Outplayed was a such an amazing book- seriously, you need to pick it up ASAP. It combined fake dating, tutor x student, and forced proximity - I mean, you honestly can't get much better than that!! But my favorite part was that we got to follow along with story that was played in parallel from Mina Myles' other book, The Ice Out (which was also one of my favorite hockey romances🥰). It was such a cool perspective that we don't really get to see from other books!
I'm a Mina Myles fan for LIFE, and I can't wait to see which romance we get to follow next😉
July 25, 2025
Thank you Love Notes PR for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own
This is a spinoff from Mina Myles book The Ice Out. Although a spinoff, this could easily be read as a standalone!
Eliana loves solving problems and being someone people can rely on. Currently her calendar is packed and she’s taken a break from tutoring. That is, until she is tasked with tutoring the cocky hockey player. He needs all the help he can get and Eliana is the best there is.
Jake Keeley is steps away from a major NHL contract. But when he starts to struggle in intro to psych, his playing time is in jeopardy. When his new assistant coach and his TA suggest he gets a tutor, Jake is hesitant, but he’ll do whatever he can to stay on the ice.
Read if you like:
• hockey player x tutor
• forced proximity
• opposites attract
• I can do it myself FMC x let me help you MMC
This is a spinoff from Mina Myles book The Ice Out. Although a spinoff, this could easily be read as a standalone!
Eliana loves solving problems and being someone people can rely on. Currently her calendar is packed and she’s taken a break from tutoring. That is, until she is tasked with tutoring the cocky hockey player. He needs all the help he can get and Eliana is the best there is.
Jake Keeley is steps away from a major NHL contract. But when he starts to struggle in intro to psych, his playing time is in jeopardy. When his new assistant coach and his TA suggest he gets a tutor, Jake is hesitant, but he’ll do whatever he can to stay on the ice.
Read if you like:
• hockey player x tutor
• forced proximity
• opposites attract
• I can do it myself FMC x let me help you MMC
August 4, 2025
This was such a delightful read. My first by this author and look forward to reading more.
I enjoyed our MMCs, Ellie and Jake. Ellie an overachieving psychology student/tutor and Jake college hockey player who needs Ellie’s help before getting benched. Ellie’s inner dialogue was so relatable made her feel genuine. Jake, cocky at first, but sometimes guys can put off this persona until you get to know them and peel back their layers, as we find out with Jake. Their bantering was the cutest and had me giggling throughout. Such an adorable dynamic between the two and enjoyed both of their POVs throughout. This was an easy, enjoyable read with heartfelt sweet moments.
3.5/5
I enjoyed our MMCs, Ellie and Jake. Ellie an overachieving psychology student/tutor and Jake college hockey player who needs Ellie’s help before getting benched. Ellie’s inner dialogue was so relatable made her feel genuine. Jake, cocky at first, but sometimes guys can put off this persona until you get to know them and peel back their layers, as we find out with Jake. Their bantering was the cutest and had me giggling throughout. Such an adorable dynamic between the two and enjoyed both of their POVs throughout. This was an easy, enjoyable read with heartfelt sweet moments.
3.5/5
July 19, 2025
this was a cute, easy read with a college hockey + tutor vibe that i usually love 🧡 eliana felt layered & relatable with everything on her plate, while jake took me a bit to warm up to ( he was giving typical jock energy for most of it 😅 ) BUTTT i loved how he turned into a cinnamon roll by the end.
the romance was definitely the main focus, with some fake dating sprinkled in, however it did feel a little repetitive with the conflicts at some points.
if you’re in the mood for a quick, character-driven romance with college vibes & a sweet hero arc, this would be a fun one to pick up 🏒✨
a cozy, fluffy read when you need something light 📚💛
the romance was definitely the main focus, with some fake dating sprinkled in, however it did feel a little repetitive with the conflicts at some points.
if you’re in the mood for a quick, character-driven romance with college vibes & a sweet hero arc, this would be a fun one to pick up 🏒✨
a cozy, fluffy read when you need something light 📚💛
July 22, 2025
This is my first book from Mina Myles and it was a great read. Loved reading Jake and Eliana’s story come to life. ‘Cocky’ hockey player needs a tutor and Eliana drew the short stick on that one. Didn’t love Jake’s character at first but man oh man that changed real fast. I think you’ll enjoy their story as much as I did! Add this hockey romance (with some fake dating ☺️) to your TBR!
Can’t wait for the next one in this series, lots of good nuggets along the way so here’s to hoping we get Oliver’s story next 💜
Can’t wait for the next one in this series, lots of good nuggets along the way so here’s to hoping we get Oliver’s story next 💜
July 18, 2025
Thank you so much Mina Myles and Love Notes PR for sending me an ARC of Outplayed! I was lucky enough to get a copy of The Ice Out as an ARC last year and loved it so much and while you don’t need to read it to read or understand but you do get a peak at Jake and Eliana because it’s about Mason Jake’s coach and Violet Eliana’s mentor who set up Eliana to be Jake’s tutor. But you know from the beginning that there is more going on between them and oh boy is it good!
If you love black cat/golden retriever. Read it. If you love academic/athlete. Read it. If you like me have seen that scene from Shoresy where he is telling that girl that he just wants to be good to her. Then boy howdy do I have the book for you!
Jake is the sweetest once you get past the cocky athlete vibes he gives off at first. And Eliana is so strong! She takes on too much and she knows it and tries to be better to herself but it’s hard and she doesn’t want to let anyone down. But she does have the best support system.
I can’t recommend this enough! It was such a good read!
If you love black cat/golden retriever. Read it. If you love academic/athlete. Read it. If you like me have seen that scene from Shoresy where he is telling that girl that he just wants to be good to her. Then boy howdy do I have the book for you!
Jake is the sweetest once you get past the cocky athlete vibes he gives off at first. And Eliana is so strong! She takes on too much and she knows it and tries to be better to herself but it’s hard and she doesn’t want to let anyone down. But she does have the best support system.
I can’t recommend this enough! It was such a good read!
July 25, 2025
Gosh these two were so cute!! I absolutely loved going through their back and forth. The build up to finally speaking their feelings was absolutely heart melting. Haven't loved college romances lately but this was great! I'd definitely read more! I can't wait to read more from this author!
Read
September 26, 2025DNF at 10%
I just couldn’t take the MMC’s audacity any longer. My first impression of Jake wasn’t great — he seemed self-aware on the inside but came across as a cocky asshole on the outside. I didn’t understand him, and I didn’t want to keep trying.
I just couldn’t take the MMC’s audacity any longer. My first impression of Jake wasn’t great — he seemed self-aware on the inside but came across as a cocky asshole on the outside. I didn’t understand him, and I didn’t want to keep trying.
February 2, 2026
This book was a fine read, nothing stood out to me. Eliana and Jake were a cute couple and I enjoyed reading it, just felt like a quick read where we didn’t get too much information about the main characters! I think Ollie and Sienna are gonna get a book, so I may read that one.
July 18, 2025
This was such a cutesy romcom vibe and I’m here for it! I really liked the FMC she genuinely seemed like such a caring person, and she reminded me of myself in some ways!
July 22, 2025
blonde mmc's never disappoint ;P
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