Off Course

by Julie Cook

For fans of Tessa Bailey comes a steamy debut sports romance following an Olympic downhill skier and the sexy risk-taking ski mountaineer she hires to train her for a new event. But when their chemistry threatens to disrupt her carefully planned life, will she stick with her schedule or let her life veer off course in the name of love?

Kit Schuster has been bombing downhill on skis since she was two-and-a-half, and becoming the most decorated woman on the slopes has made the decade of competing across multiple continents and grueling race schedules worth it. She doesn’t look anywhere but straight ahead of her—on the racecourse and in life. But a younger rival now has her looking over her shoulder. To solidify her place in history, Kit decides to enter in the newest Olympic event of ski mountaineering, giving her eighteen months to prepare for the 2026 Winter Games in Cortina, Italy.

Asher McClendon grew up dangling from rock faces in Yosemite, and he stuns his followers with daring climbs up the world's most remote peaks before skiing down their steep ridges. He lives for the high-stakes thrills that come with ski mountaineering. When he agrees to coach a legendary alpine skier at his home outside Lake Tahoe, he's more intrigued by the paycheck than the woman. That is, until she arrives to stay in his guest cabin.

Far away from the perfectly groomed ski slopes of European resorts, Kit’s routine and laser focus get a major detour—by Asher's training regimen and their growing attraction to each other. Before she realizes it, everything in Kit’s life is veering off course. Faced with an insurmountable hurdle and no ski lift in sight, they must both determine what they’re willing to risk for love—even if it’s their careers.

Genres: Sports Romance, Romance

284 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 4, 2026

Reviews

[RawBookieDough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forced proximity
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Golden retriever MMC
HEA

This does not hit as a debut. This hits like a seasoned author writing her 10th novel. The story flowed well and was so engaging. While the time line of the romance is very quick, it still felt very authentic (it takes place over 1 month excluding epilogues) but it didn’t strike as insta-lust which I appreciate. There is obvious attraction but I still felt it was tactfully done.
I liked the dynamic between the hippie minded outdoorsy MMC and the regimented Olympian FMC. The growth of their mindsets is a great element too while they deal with external struggles, independently and together, between family, friends, grief, and failure. Nothing felt misplaced, un-needed or over extended.

With the Winter Olympics coming up (in the real world!) the timing couldn’t have been better for this read. I found I actually learned a bit of technical terms via this story and feel properly hyped to watch the Winter Olympics now!

[Renee (aredheadwithbedhead) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I might, uh, not, um, get to the summit.” “That is totally okay, if you don’t…get to the summit. But I want it really bad. I want to spend time at all the base camps, to be well and truly ready to push to the top. I’m not taking you to eight thousand meters without getting you to the peak of Everest, Kit.”

What started off as a captivating, light-hearted, opposites attract romance between two professional athletes turned into the most beautiful story about what you are willing to risk for love 🥹 This was such a wonderful debut and I really didn’t want it to end!

Kit Schuster is a driven, regimented and decorated Olympic Alpine Skier who is feeling the pressure of rookies coming for her standing. So she changes course and decides to compete in the brand new event of Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) in the upcoming Olympics in Italy. Determined to train with the best, she spends the next several weeks living alone with Asher McClendon - a laid back, Ski Mountaineering legend who wants nothing more than to shake some life back into her icy demeanour.

Kit and Asher couldn’t be more opposite and when they are forced together in close proximity, alone in the mountains to train for a month, it creates the perfect setting for witty banter and a slow burn romance that hit the mark at every turn. I loved seeing Kit soften her regimented, intense lifestyle as the book went on; revealing more and more of her true self in the company of Asher’s friends and family. Asher’s laid-back personality was infectious, as was the merry band of friends we are introduced to. I LOVED how forthcoming he was about his feelings towards Kit and how their attraction ramped up the more time they spent together.

This book is definitely a sports romance through and through. PERFECT for ski or adventure lovers or new-to-Skimo fans like me who learned so much from Kit & Asher’s training ⛷️ It’s clear that Julie knows the intricacies of this endurance sport like no other and it absolutely read like a love story to the tenacity of these athletes. The latter half of this book really tests the MCs and I was so gripped by the story! Julie’s writing is so engrossing, a true rollercoaster of emotions, and you’ll find yourself turning the pages so fast to see what happens next.

Off Course is a fantastic debut novel that’s perfect for readers who love skiing & the Olympics, who look for sport in “sports romance” and who melt for spicy slow burns that are so worth the wait!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Turner Publishing Company for the ARC 🫶🏻

[JennaOtterReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

trigger warnings and other info at the end of the review

First of all, A HUGE THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND THE PUBLISHER for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!!!

This book was so, so much fun to read! I loved the romance aspects and I really think that the characters fit well together. That being said, the ending felt a little unsatisfactory. I feel like it didn't have as much payoff as it should and it didn't hit as much as I wanted it to.

So much love and respect for the author!! This is SUCH a good romance and almost a 5 star read for me.

_________________book info____________________

Genre(s): Sports, Romance, Fiction
Recommended Age Rating: 16+
Reasons Why: Romance, sex, alcohol
Overall Rating: A--

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the eARC.


This was a fun romance, perfect for someone looking for a theme read for the wintry months or the winter Olympics!  The FMC is a renowned downhill skier who teams up with a professional outdoorsman/adventurer to train for the newly added Olympic sport of ski mountaineering.  The dialogue between the two MCs felt natural, it was interesting to delve into this new sport, and the author wrote a perfect portrait of the (somewhat obnoxious) dirtbag friend. 


It was refreshing to read a story where most of the challenges and rising tension were due to the challenges of training and adventuring in the back country, rather than a frustrating miscommunication trope between the couple.  I did feel like the ending felt a bit rushed, with several personal conflicts being introduced and then quickly resolved (and, indeed, the miscommunication trope does rear its ugly head among family members).


Light trigger warnings that I think should be included:  Disordered eating–The FMC is a professional athlete with a regimented diet, but goes overboard with her approach to and discussion of food.


I received this through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who was mourning the end of the Winter Olympics, this book arrived at the perfect time. I cannot fully explain how much I enjoyed it. I devoured it in a single day and did not want it to end.

The storyline was brilliant. I know some readers felt a little overwhelmed by the technical details, but I actually loved that aspect. It really highlighted the depth of knowledge behind the sports involved and made everything feel authentic and well researched. The attention to detail added to the intensity rather than taking away from it.

If I had one small critique, it would be that the final few chapters felt slightly rushed. I would have happily read another one or two chapters to let those moments breathe a little more. That said, it did not take away from my overall experience.

I absolutely loved the FMC, the MMC, and all of the side characters. Everyone had such distinct, engaging personalities, and I felt genuinely invested in them. The spice was also fantastic, beautifully written and perfectly balanced with the emotional development.

I honestly cannot believe this was a debut novel. It reads like something written by a fully established author. It was also refreshing to read about a winter sport other than ice hockey for a change, although ice hockey will always have my heart.

An easy five stars from me. I simply could not put it down.

[Lauren Fitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley, Turner Publishing Company and author Julie Cook for the e-ARC in exchange for honest review.
Being ski and alps-obsessed, I jumped at the opportunity to read this book as soon as I saw it!

I just loved the portrayal of Kit’s intense ski training/eating/sleeping regime (planned down to minutes within her day) - it really captured the insane commitment and intensity of life as an elite athlete! The balance of Asher’s bought yin to Kit’s yan, being an elite athlete himself who trains hard but has maintained peripheral vision on the other important parts of life that he values.

When Kit stays with Asher to train for a month in her off season for the new Olympic sport of ski mountaineering, I fell in love with Asher and how amenable he was to her strict routine and laser focus. I have NEVER read a MMC with such incredible communication and I’m so here for more!!!

I just loved their slow burn to steamy romance and all the changes, hurdles and challenges along the way.

This is Julie Cook’s debut novel - and I cannot speak highly enough about all the technical knowledge and vocabulary relating to ski racing and mountaineering. I love that the setting takes place in the States near Tahoe, in the Dolomites/Cortina, with places close to my heart like Courchevel and even home (Australia) being linked in!

Off Course is available from August 4, 2026.

[Catherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The premise and beginning of this seemed so promising. I don't usually love rigid FMC's, however, I enjoyed the first couple of chapters. Until the brother said to his sister, "You know that makes your nipples hard." Nope. I have the ick. There is no coming back from this. Brothers who are characterized as great people do not comment on our nipples.

This might be more personal to me, but I wonder if beta readers would have agreed if there were any.

[Caroline Bertaud · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked up Off Course for one reason: romance with the promise of competitive ski mountaineering, newly minted as an Olympic discipline. Now, that sounded like a refreshing premise—high stakes, extreme environments, the psychological grit of elite athletes. Unfortunately, that promise is never fulfilled.

The opening didn’t inspire much confidence. It leaned heavily on insta-attraction, sprinkled in tired clichés (yes, the veiny arms make an appearance almost on page one), and lingered far too long on lengthy explanations about gear that drain all momentum from the opening chapters. Still, I went on.

Before long, the snow-covered world and the thrill of mountaineering fade into the background as the story channels most of its energy into a romance bordering on erotica. The pacing doesn’t benefit from the frequent detours into meticulously detailed food restrictions and routines either, the repetition becoming hard to ignore (yes, the diet is strict, message received). After a while, these passages read more like filler than meaningful character or plot development. Not to mention that the imbalance in detail is increasingly frustrating. Pages are devoted to meal menus and discipline while Asher’s supposedly extraordinary mountaineering experiences are brushed past in a couple of lines like an afterthought. Adventures in Chamonix, Denali, even Antarctica, that should immerse the reader are reduced to mere mentions, creating a persistent sense of distance and missed opportunity.

And the love story? Let’s just say the phrase “I love you” works overtime (twenty-one times, but who’s counting), a reliance on telling rather than showing. Declarations of love arrive long before the characters know anything meaningful about each other. It’s not the speed of the romance that strains credibility—readers can accept whirlwind love—but the lack of emotional groundwork. We’re told the characters share a profound connection, yet rarely shown the specific moments that would make it believable. I mean, come one, Kit herself admits, “He can’t love me — he doesn’t know me,” which is always an interesting moment: when the protagonist starts voicing the reader’s concerns, something has probably gone structurally astray. Because no, you can’t reduce a relationship to attraction and lust. Readers don’t want the autopsy. We want the heartbeat. And when Kit says that it’s “one step away from Stockholm syndrome.” Ha, OMG! This is intellectually clever, granted, but isn’t it, like, emotionally distancing?

Even the big dramatic beats feel preloaded. Avalanche? Of course there’s an avalanche. Rescue taking “hours”? Convenient, if not entirely convincing for such a well-serviced Alpine area. By then, surprise is no longer part of the experience.

I kept reading — truly, I did — because I was waiting for the skiing and Olympic storyline to finally take center stage. After all, how cool is it to read about a brand-new Olympic event before it even happens? But that long-awaited thread is relegated to a brief, oddly muted epilogue, as if the novel suddenly remembered its own premise at the finish line.

In the end, this is a story we’ve all read a thousand times — only many versions have done it with more depth, more tension, and far greater emotional credibility. What could have been an adrenaline-charged, immersive novel settles instead for a very conventional romance with a scenic backdrop. Not terrible — just profoundly forgettable.

[Kelsey reviews•books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this debut novel with high hopes, and while it wasn’t quite for me, I can see why others might enjoy it.

▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★.75 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
Thank you to NetGalley and Turner Publishing Group for the advanced reader e-copy in exchange for my honest review. This book comes out August 4, 2026.
─────────────────────────

○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○

– FMC: Katerina “Kit” Schuster (aka “snaily” or “killer”). A 28-year-old Olympic medalist training for a new mountaineering event. A bit brash, sometimes selfish, but a hard worker.
– MMC: Asher McClendon (aka “schatz”). A 34-year-old mountain man who loves travelling and spending time off the grid.
– Location: California (and briefly other locations)
– POV: Dual first-person
– Spice: 4-6 open-door explicitly spicy scenes
– Tropes: sports romance (FMC is a skier), forced proximity, strangers to lovers, insta-lust, insta-love, black cat FMC, golden retriever MMC, opposites attract, found family
– Content warning: estranged parents, avalanche (MCs not in direct peril), death of side character
– Representation: Olympic medalist FMC, LGBTQIA+ side characters

─────────────────────────

↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12

Now Playing: Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

╰┈➤ ❝Ain't no mountain high enough; Ain't no valley low enough; Ain't no river wide enough; To keep me from gettin' to you, babe❞

─────────────────────────

★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★

➼ Writing style that leans more toward an unfiltered, sometimes crass tone
➼ Black cat FMCs in sports, like in All to Play For by Josie Juniper

─────────────────────────

⍟»This or That«⍟

Character Driven——✧—————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn————✧———————Slow Burn
Sweet————————✧———Spicy
Light/Fluffy——————✧—————Heavy/Emotional

─────────────────────────

🎯 My Thoughts:

I liked the author’s choice to tell the story from both Kit and Asher’s perspectives—it made it easier to understand where each of them was coming from and how their relationship developed. The ski mountaineering angle was also interesting and felt well researched, especially in how it highlighted the intensity and pressure of competing at that level.

That said, I had a hard time fully getting into the story. The writing style didn’t quite work for me, and some of the dialogue and descriptions felt a bit awkward or took me out of it. I also didn’t really feel the chemistry between the characters, and the romance seemed to move a little too quickly without enough buildup. On top of that, the amount of technical terminology made it harder for me to stay engaged at times.

I did like the overall idea and the contrast between the characters’ lives and perspectives, but the execution didn’t completely land for me. Still, I can see this working better for readers who enjoy more detail-heavy sports romances and immediate attraction and lust.

•♥Consider following me on Instagram @kelseyreviewsbooks for more visual content and bookish discussions.♥•

[Justina R · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️
Off Course by Julie Cook wasn't the one for me!

Probably a combination of the instalove and one dimensional qualities of the characters, it just didn't keep my interest.
Kit was very annoying and repetitive, especially with her diet. We get it, dairy is bad...
Asher was okay, I liked that he was very open in his communication with Kit and that he let her be in control a lot of the time, but that was basically it for him.
We learn very little about them throughout the book - like Kit hasn't spoken to her parents in years and we don't really find out why until almost the last chapter. By which point, I didn't care anymore.

I love a sex scene as much as the next guy, but the sex in this book was weird and seemed almost out of place at times?
Tell me why they're on a mountaintop in Italy in a little tent where there could be an avalanche at any moment, licking Nutella off each other's bodies? When in the next chapter 5 people are dead?
Why is Kit appologizing for not being able to have sex with Asher on a mountaintop (shes dehydrated) when they should be worried about not falling to their deaths. Even the training parts... it seemed so out of character for Kit to be turning down whole workouts and training things to have sex...(sex doesn't burn that may calories) the emphasis on physical attraction was too much for my average self...
I wanted to read this book because of the mountaineering aspect and the winter Olympics... they barely even do either of those things. I just wanted more from that side of things.
One thing I did like was the found family situation for Kit. Shes been alone in her sport for so long (it seems her doing) but in this book she kind of figures out there is more to life than skiing. She is welcomed so graciously by Asher's mom and friends.

The writing is also very juvenile and while I liked that the MCs were older, 28 and 34, they came off incredibly immature... especially Kit. Something about the 1000s of "I love you"s, it starts to lose its meaning.

I'm sure there will be many who will love this, it just didn't work for me.

Thank you netgalley and Turner Publishing for the E-ARC for an honest review!

[Lu's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC!

Kit Schuster, an Olympic downhill skier who’s the best in her league, lives by the bip of her watch. Trying to stay ahead of her competition, she’ll seek Asher, an excellent climber, to train her in ski mountaineering. They will live and train together for as long as their arrangement lasts. They are opposites in everything except discipline, and as they get closer, Kit will question if a life dictated by a watch is really what she wants for herself.
Let me start this review by saying that I am the biggest ignorant when it comes to ski and all it’s variants, but the author wrote everything in such an informative and entertaining way that I understood everything and closed the book admiring those who dedicate their lives to such sports as climbing, skiing and also, all of those people that make it possible.
The romance between Kit and Asher was adorable. To read about these very serious characters develop a crush that turned them into two highschoolers was so fun! I liked that what made them look so different (their different approaches to life, one more relaxed and prone to enjoy each moment, another more structured and always with a plan with every second accounted for), made them actually perfect for each other. Asher showed Kit that life was more than just duty and work. Kit showed Asher that sometimes life needs more seriousness and planning to function. However, besides the romance, I adored how the mere fact of knowing Asher catapulted Kit into a journey to discover herself and embrace her life as a person and not only as an athlete. The quiets ways in which Asher help her seek stuff she might like (like music, food, etc) instead of what she was told to like, was my favorite detail.
Last but not least, the writing in this was really good, especially considering the amount of information about sports that it contained. Everything (from the romance, to Kit’s journey and the sport events) felt really well developed and entertaining.

[justcallme_linaa_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

*service presse numérique (ARC)*
4/5⭐️

Off Course by Julie Cook

This was such a refreshing sports romance.

First, I loved that the FMC is the elite athlete. Kit is an Olympic downhill skier who decides to train for a brand-new Olympic event: ski mountaineering. She is disciplined, intense, and very focused. Her whole life is planned around training, food, sleep, and performance. You can really feel the pressure she lives under.

Asher is the opposite. He is a risk-taking ski mountaineer who grew up climbing and skiing extreme mountains. He is more relaxed, open, and emotionally available. I loved the contrast between them.

The forced proximity works so well. Kit stays in Asher’s guest cabin to train, and they spend almost all their time together : workouts, recovery, cooking, mountain trips. Their relationship grows naturally through these small daily moments.

I really appreciated that most of the tension comes from sport and ambition, not stupid miscommunication. The challenges feel real: competition, fear of failure, career pressure, and the risks of extreme sports.

The skiing details are very present. Sometimes it feels technical, but it also makes the story authentic. You can tell the author knows what she’s writing about.

Their chemistry is strong, and the romance is steamy but still emotional. Asher communicates his feelings clearly, which I loved. No toxic behavior, no games : just two ambitious people trying to figure out love and career at the same time.

My only small issue is that the ending felt a little rushed. Some conflicts are introduced and solved quite quickly.

Overall, this is a great debut. If you love winter sports, the Olympics, forced proximity, and strong female athletes, this is for you.

With all my love,
Ur Lina ❄️

[Virginia Easthome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Off Course blew me away - I devoured this book in 24 hours (and stayed up late on vacation, knowing my kids would be up at 6 am - if that's not convincing, I don't know what is!).

Olympic downhill skier Kat Schuster is 28, and chasing another Olympic gold. She decides to add new sport ski mountaineering to her skill-set (semi-influenced by a younger skier chasing her records). She hires Asher McClendon, 34, ski mountaineer and extreme sports athlete, to help her train. Thus begins an intense month of forced proximity - she's staying in his guest cabin, and they're in the gym or up on the mountain all day long. Both addicted to their sports and adrenaline, they approach skiing from different places - for Asher it's community and being immersed in nature, and for Kat- it's control and speed. Asher helps Kat envision a life outside of professional skiing, and Kat helps Asher see a future beyond the next trip. They complement each other so well - and the intensity of extreme sports works so well with the insta-love/attraction at play here - they just GET how each other goes all in on everything in life, despite fears. Their banter is fantastic, and the relationships with their friends and family members are so believable and endearing. The intimacy is also great - it goes from hand brushes and longing glances to a knock-your-hat-off first kiss (and more).

If you love extreme sports (who else watched those documentaries and dreamed about summiting Everest?...or at least Base Camp), forced proximity (only one tent), family + found family, two athletes figuring out life outside and beyond sporting and training, add this one to your TBR asap!

*Opinions are my own. Thanks to Turner Publishing via NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning debut with great writing and so much detail on skiing that I feel educated.

It's really well-written, both in terms of the language itself, and the general structure of everything. These characters live and breathe different types of skiing and it shows in their way of thinking or speaking, which is a level of detail I'm jealous of being able to write. And everything is so well-described it feels like a textbook sometimes, in a good way. The whole premise is also very fresh and executed flawlessly.

I had no trouble sympathizing with the characters and enjoying how different they were. Kit's craving for normalcy was heart-breaking at times, and Asher's openness and communication skills were disarmingly adorable. I need more people who just say the things they're feeling right as they feel them.

I liked the whole cast of side-characters, but especially the fact that the parents weren't some villains, as they so often are in books, instead being shown as people who can make mistakes as well and ultimately just want what's best for their children.

The 'smaller' things I enjoyed were Kit's thoughts when they finally got to the hardest part of her training (nothing made her more human in my eyes than those), the conflict near the end (both sides are perfectly valid and understandable to me), and the second epilogue (especially the Quinn-related stuff).

Overall, if you're looking for something fresh in the sports romance world - Julie Cook's got you.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for letting me read the ARC!

[MC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher Turner Publishing Company/ Keylight Books and to NetGalley for the early copy of the book. All opinions expressed are my own and given freely.

This book’s ending was like being wrapped in a big hug due to the found family and lessons learned. While the focus was on training for ski mountaineering, the story showed growth of the people as individuals, especially for the FMC Kit in learning to lead a more full life vs. her hyper fixation with staying the most decorated Olympic female downhill skier. 

The romantic relationship moved quickly, which was insta-love adjacent, a trope that I don’t usually enjoy too much. However, a slow burn wouldn’t have aligned as well with the rest of the story.

This was clearly a sports romance, and while I expected the training, skiing, and climbing to be integral, the details were more prominent than I would have guessed. Despite having a lot of descriptions and terminology,  the author made it understandable and accessible for someone without familiarity. It made the pace feel a little slower at times for me, but I can see others appreciating the immersion. As a mood reader, I suspect that it would have resonated with me more if I had read it closer to the Winter Olympics.

Rating : 3.75 (rounded up to a 4)
Romantic Spice: Open door (several scenes)
Series status: Standalone
Point of View: Alternating 1st Person

[Mon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley

This book couldn't have come at a better time with the Winter Olympics having started already. As a skier I was immediately drawn to the synopsis and the start of the book had me hooked. I didn't appreciate Kit at the beginning, but she grew on me. I liked how she was willing to throw herself in a completely new sport to challenge herself, although her motivations were not the best. Archer is a nice character, a great friend and I really loved his relationship with his family, they were all great. Absolutely love the cover.

What didn't work for me was the insta-lust and basically insta-love the two main character had and in general the lack of depth given to things that I thought could be very interesting, like Archer's travels around the world. I also would have dialed back on the technical terms for each sport and maybe given more attention to Kit's experiencing the sports. I also would have liked to read more about Kit's struggles with her family and how she overcame that.
Regarding Kit and Archer's relationship, I usually enjoy spicy scenes in books, but this time something didn't work for me, I found myself skipping ahead. Maybe it was just the speed at which everything happened.

Overall it was an easy read, perfect for this month and I'm glad I got the chance to know Kit and Archer. I think it would be a perfect book for people that don't mind characters falling in love very quickly.

[Sometimes I Get Distracted · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

-Sports Romance
-Forced Proximity
-Trainer/Trainee


Thank you so much to Turner Publishing Company, Keylight Books, NetGalley and the author for this eARC!

This was such a cute sports romance and the perfect cozy pick for winter. I actually read it during the 2026 Winter Olympics, so it was extra fun to be following similar sports in real time while diving into the story.

I loved the forced proximity between Kit and Asher, and the trainer/trainee dynamic felt fresh and engaging. I’m also a sucker for dual POV, so getting both of their perspectives made the romance even more fun to sink into.

The opposites attract energy worked so well here, and Kit and Asher’s banter was a highlight for me (loved the nickname Snaily!). I also really enjoyed the look into Olympic level training and the years of work it takes to reach the top. A few details got a bit technical at times if you’re not familiar with competitive skiing, but it still added authenticity to the story.

Kit’s character growth was especially satisfying to watch, and I loved seeing her navigate and eventually find her place within Asher’s family dynamic. His whole cast of side characters was a delight and added so much warmth to the story.

Overall, this was a really satisfying debut from Julie Cook!

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Off Course by Julie Cook

Honestly, I don’t know if any review I write can do justice for how much I enjoyed this story and my delight in getting to know Kit and Asher.

Kit – Olympic Downhill Skier has hired Asher – professional Ski Mountaineer to help prepare her to qualify in a new Winter Olympic event. Training closely together the two begin to see more in each other and can’t fight their chemistry.

Side characters were all great. Realistic depiction of what elite athletes’ routines can be like. Loved Asher’s ability to always share what he was feeling with Kit. Ashers more laid-back look at the world (and what they go through in Italy) help Kit eventually realise that maybe everything in life doesn’t need to be so regimented.

Living in sunny Australia I don’t know a lot about winter sports (or snow I have seen it once) but Off Course shared the right amount of technical information without bogging down the story. I liked that it also explored the real dangers with the more adventurous and remote aspects of ski mountaineering.

An outstanding debut from Julie Cook

Black Cat vs Golden Retriever, Winter Vibes, Forced proximity, He falls first, Cute Nickname, Only one tent, Dual POV

Thanks to NetGalley, Turner Publishing Company and Julie Cook for the ARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know those books that make you want to book a flight, pick up a new hobby, and fall in love all at the same time? Yeah... this was one of those.

As Julie Cook's debut novel, I wasn't quite sure what to expect—but this story completely won me over.

Kit is an Olympic downhill skier who thrives on structure, schedules, and shaving milliseconds off her race times. Feelings? Not exactly part of the training plan.
Then there's Asher: Golden retriever energy. Professional athlete. Emotionally intelligent. Supportive & Patient.

Basically, the human equivalent of a green flag.

As Kit and Asher train together, they're forced to navigate more than just dangerous slopes. Between family drama, personal struggles, unexpected challenges, and undeniable chemistry, both characters learn that life doesn't always follow the route you've mapped out—and maybe that's not such a bad thing.

✨ What to Expect:
⛷️ Professional athlete MCs
❄️ Forced proximity
💨 Falling faster than their ski race times
🏔️ Adventure around every corner
👨‍👩‍👧 Found family
🔥 Great chemistry
😂 Banter that actually made me smile

If you're looking for a fun, adventurous romance with heart, humor, and a hero you'd happily let carry your emotional baggage, I'd definitely recommend adding this one to your TBR.

📖 Releases 8.4.26

Happy reading! ❄️💙

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this romance! In this book we follow Kit, a celebrated Olympian training for a new event. Asher agrees to become her trainer. The two get to know each other through training and living at Asher's place. Kit is very schedule driven, detail oriented, and routined. Asher is quite the athlete himself so while he is more flexible, he is understanding of Kit's quirks.

This book centers around Kit's growth. She has done this for so long that she is realizing that there is much more to life than training. She assumes that the rest will come when she retires from skiing but starts desiring more when getting to know Asher. The two then go on their main training event in Italy where they are faced with the dangers of mountaineering. Kit must decide her path.

I loved the combination of romance and skiing. It was a great break from a typical small town romance. While I did not know much about the technicalities of skiing, the author does a wonderful job of explaining the details while not losing the reader.

The bond between Asher and Kit kept me coming back for more. Asher welcoming Kit into his family was so sweet and touching. I appreciated the vulnerability in Kit's chapters so we were not left assuming or guessing. I enjoyed watching them grow together.

[Rebecca Corbett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an enjoyable read and a very solid debut!

There are so many sport romances available to us readers, but never have I ever read one about ski mountaineering. This book filled the void the Winter Olympics left for me and taught me everything I never knew I needed to know about a sport I only recently learned existed. I really appreciated learning new things while reading a cozy romance – best of both worlds!

I loved the dynamic of Kit and Asher. For two professional athletes, they had very different perspectives and outlooks and brought out the best in one another. They had a deep respect for each other, which was beautiful to read. I loved how Asher helped Kit to loosen up a little while also pushing her into a whole new world of sport and training.

Finally, I loved the found family element of the book as Kit got to know Asher’s family and friends and felt accepted in a way she never had before. The banter was such fun. Can we have more stories from some of these side characters? I want more!

Many thanks to Net Galley, the publishers and the author for the chance to review this ARC.

[Angelina | Bookstagramwithange · Rating 5 out of 5]

📖 BOOK REVIEW ✨ Thank you to Author, @juliecookwritesbooks for sending me an advanced reader’s copy of her novel “OFF COURSE” releasing August 4th, 2026 in exchange for an honest review. This is a five star read, ya’ll! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Kit is a downhill skier who recognizes she wants to train harder when a rival starts hitting world records, so she can compete in the Winter Games in Italy. 🇮🇹 She agrees to stay at her trainers cabin, only for them to find out they have a growing attraction towards one another.

If you’re already missing the Winter Olympics and want to be taken back to the scene, this is for you! Off Course is a sports, forced proximity romance that delivers. 👏🏽 It has emotional depth to its characters and some pretty good steam. Highly recommend romance readers to read this when it releases this Summer! It was fun. I understand other readers felt like it had too much detail. I appreciated a lot of the details because it painted a picture of where they are and provided information about their sport and what it takes to be a good athlete.

I can’t wait for your pub day, Julie! So excited for more readers to get their hands on it! 📚

[Kayla Schmitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ This not a bad book by any means just not for me. The blurb especially with the recent Winter Olympics sounded like a fun sweet romance. While it was a sweet book, I felt the chemistry between Kit and Asher was a miss for me. It was too much insta-lust. If they had more time to build in their relationship, I would have bought into.

I did enjoy Kit as a character. She is a strong driven FMC who has worked so hard to be a world class skier. Kit had a lot of growth throughout the book and it was nice to see her jump out of her strict routine to enjoy life.

Asher is a nice MMC. Nothing memorable but a sweet guy. He is the complete opposite of Kit so this is perfect if you love opposites attract tropes. I enjoyed how he respected Kit’s insane routine and went with the flow.

Overall, a sweet book but just not for me. Some of the spice was a little cringey to me and there were A LOT of puns lol. If you love a good pun, you will enjoy the plethora in this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Keylight Books for the ARC!

[Tiffany Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley, all opinions are my own!

I was really looking forward to reading this book, especially since it’s set around the time of the Winter Olympics. Ski mountaineering seemed so exciting, and I found it fascinating to learn about how athletes train for these events. It was a completely new sport to me, which even inspired me to dive deep on TikTok. I definitely gained a new level of respect for anyone who competes in the Winter Olympics.

Unfortunately, the story as a whole fell a bit flat for me. Whenever I put it down, I struggled to pick it up. While I understand that the focus on meal restrictions and intense training routines was important to the storyline, it sometimes felt overemphasized. I would have loved more depth in the relationship between Kit and Asher, as their dynamic had so much potential.

There were definitely some good moments, but overall, something just didn’t fully click for me. I really had to push myself to get to the end.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Off Course, a debut novel from Julie Cook, follows Olympic downhill skier Kit Schuster and Asher McClendon, a ski mountaineer hired by Kit's brother/manager to help train Kit for a new Olympic event. Fans of Tessa Bailey, Elizabeth O'Roark, love, and the outdoors should definitely check this one out! I don't fit all of those categories, as I am indoorsy rather than outdoorsy, but that didn't keep me from enjoying Kit and Asher's story.

I liked Kit and Asher as characters and their chemistry together. It felt believable that they would be immediately interested in each other, though perhaps less certain that it'd be more than a fling and that they'd be able to make it work (except, of course, we are in the wonderful world of romance, so we KNOW they will make it work—but HOW). It's always fun to spend time in a world outside your own, and I definitely enjoyed this trip to Colorado, Italy, and the world of Olympic skiing. 

Thank you to Turner Publishing Company | Keylight Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie Cook is new to me and I picked this early copy up on a whim based on a friend's review. Black cat female downhill skier training in a new grueling sport with an emotionally evolved, easygoing mountaineering pro was forced proximity perfection. It's got rom com relief with a good dose of tender emotional vulnerability. Asher's family and Kit's best friend are warm fuzzy supporting characters. I really appreciated the childhood trauma Kit worked through and how learning about this builds empathy, understanding and even insight for me about myself! I learned so much about the sport and it was an excellent continuation as I nurse a winter Olympics hangover. Finally as someone who was born in Colorado and is married to someone who loves these kinds of outdoor "dirtbag" sports, it felt authentic and real. I loved it and wish I could stay in their world longer!

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book!

[Alexandra Vlaming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Off Course was a lot of fun, with an endearing romance, and an unexpected amount of depth. The story follows Kat as she learns ski mountaineering from Asher, trying to make the team for the events first Olympic Games.

I had a lot of fun with this story, I am a recreational mountaineer, and so it was fun to see my sport represented in my favorite genre. I was really happy to see how accurate the portrayal was, Julie Cook clearly did her research. The main characters were both incredibly compelling, Kat and Asher both fit each other so well, so seeing her feelings for him grow was really sweet.

The story is more than just a sports romance (even if its the best sport), there is a lot of depth, as Kat works through some of her past trauma, and Asher grapples with a family that has shifted as folks get older. All in all, this was a joy to read, please make sure to pick it up! Thank you to NetGalley and Keylight Books for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Zenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️
I think this book had a lot of potential, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite work for me. I didn’t feel much chemistry between the main characters, and at times, some of the descriptions, dialogue, and even the spicy scenes felt a bit awkward or out of place.

I wanted more emotional depth from both main characters because they sometimes felt a little one dimensional to me. I was also hoping for more banter and yearning to help build their relationship. I’m usually okay with insta-love, but I wish their relationship had more time to develop.

Overall, I liked the idea of a sports romance with forced proximity and black cat x golden retriever energy. Even though this one didn’t fully land for me, I’m sure many readers will love it. Reading is subjective, and what didn’t work for me might work perfectly for someone else.

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for honest review.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kit Schuster es la esquiadora más exitosa de su generación y está acostumbrada a ganar sin levantar la voz ni mirar a nadie a los lados. Cuando la presión mediática y la aparición de una rival más joven empiezan a cuestionar su lugar en la cima, Kit acepta un entrenamiento poco convencional que la saca de su rutina y de su zona segura. En Lake Tahoe conoce a Asher McClendon, un montañista experimentado que vive lejos del ruido, de los rankings y de la necesidad de demostrar algo. Lo que empieza como un acuerdo estrictamente profesional se convierte en una convivencia intensa donde Kit debe enfrentarse no solo a nuevos retos físicos, sino a todo lo que ha dejado de lado por vivir enfocada en ganar. En la montaña, bajar no siempre es lo más difícil y a veces perder el control es la única forma de encontrarse.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ski queen meets mountain man, can he help her in her bid to win Olympic gold and slalom into her heart.

Enjoyed this debut novel, I liked that the story was told from both points of view, so you could feel the attraction burning from both sides and understand the motivation of both Asher and Kit. There were a few laughs along the way but most of the story was based on a drive to achieve a goal and rigid schedules/restrictions to get there. I enjoyed the contrast in there outlooks and family situation.

Maybe it’s an American thing ( I’m an Aussie) but I had the ick when Asher asked his toddler niece if she wanted to ride his head, it felt too close to riding his face ( sexually) I’d say a shoulder ride.

I wouldn’t call this unputdownable but I enjoyed the overall story and was happy with the way it ended. Thought it was cute that the canoe scene reflected Asher’s parent’s story.

Thank you Netgallery and Turner Publishing Company for the opportunity to read and review this book.