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Offside
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Review of advance copy received from Author
Synopsis:
Sam has been traded every year since he entered the NHL, partly because it’s hard for him to connect with anyone. Landon is his new teammate who also stays to himself. The last thing either of them expected was to find themselves chatting over a hookup app...FOR MONTHS.
❤️ MM Sports Romance
🧡 Professional Hockey
💛 Teammates
💚 Queer Awakening
💙 Secret Identity
💜 Injury Recovery
Highlights:
- Landon calling Sam, Baby
- Their usernames
- They’re both Star Wars nerds
- A surprise piercing
Recommend?
Yes. This is a short, mildly angsty romance that makes up for the yearning with plenty of sweet moments and a touch of spice.
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
"Offside" by Marina Bennett is an MM Hockey romance between teammates Landon and Sam. However, their relationship doesn't start on the ice. It starts on a hookup app while at an away game.
With anonymity and the ability to be themselves, the pair form a fast friendship that soon turns romantic.
But in the real world? Neither of them realize that the man playing at their side, is the same one they're in love with.
Ratings:
Overall: 4/5 Hearts - I really liked this book. Dare I say, I think I liked it a little more than book one. It feels a bit more polished and put together!
Spice Quantity: 2/5 Peppers - I'm guessing that spice takes up about 10-15% of the total page count.
Spice Quality: 4/5 - The spice is really good. For me, the only thing that's preventing it from being a 5 is that most of the spice is solo action with texts, pictures, and video from the partner. Which makes perfect sense for the plot. But I would have preferred less detail/open door scenes during that portion of the plot and had more scenes of the boys physically together at the end.
But that's all personal preference.
Plot: 4/5 -
- Storyline: The storyline was going just about how I expected to until one of the characters figured out the other's identity. At that point, it felt a little convoluted for me. But I'll talk about that in a minute, because I'm dubbing that a character growth moment.
Other than little hiccup, I think the pacing was perfect, giving the reader just enough info at just the right time. The story never felt slow or rushed. I also enjoyed that this little world has been expanded outside of college hockey.
- Characters: Okay, so there's a point in the story where one of the characters realizes who they've been talking to online. They go about handling that situation in the most convoluted way possible that had me going "WTH". But then I remembered that the character is 23 years old and I also did some dumb @ss sh!t at 23. And there's consequences to that bad decision! I'm calling that characterization and growth!
Separately, both characters have different fears/expectations about their life and how they want to live it. I really enjoyed seeing them challenge those feelings and by the end, they've gotten closer to overcoming them. But they're not DONE, even in the epilogue you can see them continuing to progress. So I left the story feeling like both Landon and Sam were organic and real. Like they were two humans trying their best to understand themselves and be proud enough to shout it from the rooftops.
- Writing Style: I liked the writing a lot better in this book versus book 1. It felt smoother and more immersive. Like the words melted into my brain instead of me actually reading them.
That makes me so excited to see more of this author/series and to really appreciate the growth and improvement as time goes on.
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
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September 12, 2026
I loved this so much! It had one of my favourite tropes in anonymous texting! I read both books back to back I love when the author includes previous couples in a new book! This book is about Sam and Landon! Sam is straight and Landon is gay but not out in public! Sam just got traded back to the sharks and Landon has been with the team for 2 years!
They don’t get off to a great start Landon is sort of standoffish but they start messaging each other on this app not knowing who the other one is! Their relationship on the app is so adorable! Landon is so reassuring to Sam who’s figuring things out and everything is very platonic until one day when Sam lets Landon say whatever he wants to him!that’s when Landon discovers Sam has a praise kink! So they are falling for each other on the app and they have plans to meet eventually but everything crashes down for Sam when he goes to see Landon because he got hurt in a game and he sees Landon’s leg tattoo and he knows that’s who he’s been talking too! So of course he panics and he deleted the app for a full month but he has to see Landon suffering and Ash gives him some advice to try and get Landon to fall for Sam but not the Sam on the app but Sam folds and reinstalls the app and Landon takes him back with the condition of meeting in person in 2 months! Landon now has his boyfriend back and Sam as his best friend! So we all know it’s gonna come out obviously but I didn’t expect it to happen like it did! When Sam said Landon’s screen name in front of him! The scream I scrumpt! The resulting fight was so bad and I hated the tension!
They managed to work through everything but it wasn’t easy because Landon couldn’t meld the two together just yet
I loved them both so much! I love that we got to see more of Ash and Thayer!
Ash was so unhinged and I loved that so much! I like that ash and Sam became friends because ash didn’t have anyone in book 1 and Sam really didn’t In this one!
I can’t wait to read the rest of the books!
They don’t get off to a great start Landon is sort of standoffish but they start messaging each other on this app not knowing who the other one is! Their relationship on the app is so adorable! Landon is so reassuring to Sam who’s figuring things out and everything is very platonic until one day when Sam lets Landon say whatever he wants to him!that’s when Landon discovers Sam has a praise kink! So they are falling for each other on the app and they have plans to meet eventually but everything crashes down for Sam when he goes to see Landon because he got hurt in a game and he sees Landon’s leg tattoo and he knows that’s who he’s been talking too! So of course he panics and he deleted the app for a full month but he has to see Landon suffering and Ash gives him some advice to try and get Landon to fall for Sam but not the Sam on the app but Sam folds and reinstalls the app and Landon takes him back with the condition of meeting in person in 2 months! Landon now has his boyfriend back and Sam as his best friend! So we all know it’s gonna come out obviously but I didn’t expect it to happen like it did! When Sam said Landon’s screen name in front of him! The scream I scrumpt! The resulting fight was so bad and I hated the tension!
They managed to work through everything but it wasn’t easy because Landon couldn’t meld the two together just yet
I loved them both so much! I love that we got to see more of Ash and Thayer!
Ash was so unhinged and I loved that so much! I like that ash and Sam became friends because ash didn’t have anyone in book 1 and Sam really didn’t In this one!
I can’t wait to read the rest of the books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
---SUMMARY:
Sam has been traded back to the Sharks: his fifth trade in five years, back to the team where he started. Embarrassing as it is to never have a team to call home, it’s made worse by Sam’s loner nature. Not to mention, he doesn’t have a love life because whenever he’s been with women before, it’s never been anything special. But he is awfully lonely.
Sam ends up living with Ash, one of the team’s goalies, an openly bisexual man who is in a public relationship with a retired player on the team, Thayer. Sam had known Thayer when he played with the sharks before, and was surprised to hear that he was gay and in a relationship with a current player. But none of that matters to Sam; he isn't homophobic. He and Ash start a tentative friendship, which is not easy with Sam being such a loner by nature.
That said, he is awfully curious about how his new roommates realized that they were into guys, and he is lovelorn at the way the two men seem to love each other so much.
Landon is in his second year as a defenseman with the Sharks. He thinks Sam, the new defense player, is hot, but he won’t do anything about that. Only his immediate family knows he is gay and he is not coming out while playing pro sports; it’s just too much attention off his game and on his private life, which he prefers to keep quiet. That said, he too is getting lonely.
One night, both men are on Mixr (the series’ Grindr pseudonym). Thayer had suggested that Sam try it out, but when it came time to choose between straight and bisexual, bi felt more real, even though he had never even thought of being with a guy before. But something about seeing Ash and Thayer’s love was hitting him hard. Somehow, fate has Sam and Landon chatting on Mixr, though they are using fake names, and though Sam is nervous and kind of clueless, he lets himself enjoy the conversation. And the conversations continue and get steamier over time.
Will Landon ever want to meet his chatting partner in person since he feels like he has to stay in the closet while he is in pro hockey?
Will Sam ever find himself comfortable with the attraction he is feeling for a man on top of being a pro athlete and all the collateral trouble that could cause?
And what would happen when they found out that they were actually teammates?
---REVIEW:
This was a quick read: one night, several hours, and I was thrilled with it. I couldn’t put it down, though my eyes were burning! And it made me cry twice. The characters are multi-layered and interesting for such a short read, and the drama that unfolds kept the pages turning for me well into the night. There was medium spice, quite a bit of hurt, and a happily ever after that made me RELIEVED! The first book in this series is the story of Ash and Thayer, and now I need to read that, but this book was just awesome.
This novella is a winner! 5/5
Sam has been traded back to the Sharks: his fifth trade in five years, back to the team where he started. Embarrassing as it is to never have a team to call home, it’s made worse by Sam’s loner nature. Not to mention, he doesn’t have a love life because whenever he’s been with women before, it’s never been anything special. But he is awfully lonely.
Sam ends up living with Ash, one of the team’s goalies, an openly bisexual man who is in a public relationship with a retired player on the team, Thayer. Sam had known Thayer when he played with the sharks before, and was surprised to hear that he was gay and in a relationship with a current player. But none of that matters to Sam; he isn't homophobic. He and Ash start a tentative friendship, which is not easy with Sam being such a loner by nature.
That said, he is awfully curious about how his new roommates realized that they were into guys, and he is lovelorn at the way the two men seem to love each other so much.
Landon is in his second year as a defenseman with the Sharks. He thinks Sam, the new defense player, is hot, but he won’t do anything about that. Only his immediate family knows he is gay and he is not coming out while playing pro sports; it’s just too much attention off his game and on his private life, which he prefers to keep quiet. That said, he too is getting lonely.
One night, both men are on Mixr (the series’ Grindr pseudonym). Thayer had suggested that Sam try it out, but when it came time to choose between straight and bisexual, bi felt more real, even though he had never even thought of being with a guy before. But something about seeing Ash and Thayer’s love was hitting him hard. Somehow, fate has Sam and Landon chatting on Mixr, though they are using fake names, and though Sam is nervous and kind of clueless, he lets himself enjoy the conversation. And the conversations continue and get steamier over time.
Will Landon ever want to meet his chatting partner in person since he feels like he has to stay in the closet while he is in pro hockey?
Will Sam ever find himself comfortable with the attraction he is feeling for a man on top of being a pro athlete and all the collateral trouble that could cause?
And what would happen when they found out that they were actually teammates?
---REVIEW:
This was a quick read: one night, several hours, and I was thrilled with it. I couldn’t put it down, though my eyes were burning! And it made me cry twice. The characters are multi-layered and interesting for such a short read, and the drama that unfolds kept the pages turning for me well into the night. There was medium spice, quite a bit of hurt, and a happily ever after that made me RELIEVED! The first book in this series is the story of Ash and Thayer, and now I need to read that, but this book was just awesome.
This novella is a winner! 5/5
Review of advance copy received from Author
OMG, this was so cute. I’ll be honest., slow burn is not usually my jam. But I actually really enjoyed watching these two get to know each other through messaging. Watching them form their emotional connection before they found a physical connection. The way they fell for each other in all those text messages was beautifully written. I also really enjoyed the way they navigated through reality crashing through their anonymous bubble. It was messy and heartbreaking, but the emotional payout was absolutely worth it. This was genuinely just such a sweet read. 🩷
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.75/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
If you haven't read The Penalty series yet, do yourself a favour and go read Goalie Interference, then jump straight into this one next. The books are interconnected even though they are standalones, and are definitely best read in order.
Sam and Landon are so freaking cute together and their love story is a little unconventional at first. You can expect a queer-awakening, demi-rep, online dating app, a lot of nerdy Star Wars references and some great banter.
Sam is my wittle baby that I want to protect from the world for ever and ever. He is not great at making friends, definitely struggles with social anxiety and finds sexual attraction a mystery (at first). Luckily he makes friend with Ash (and Thayer by association) and discovers a great app called Mixr that allows him to make a connection with a really sweet guy called BaskarKnight.
Turns out Sam is actually falling for his hockey teammate Landon. What?? No one saw this coming right?!
Landon is the guy who keeps everyone at a distance and despite knowing he's been gay his whole life, he's never dated another man and only had meaningless sex with strangers he met on Mixr. Everything changes when he meets MetalMonkey and he realises this might be the first meaningful connection he makes with another man.
What ensues is a lot of flirting, falling in love without having never met the person on the other side of the app, and then the inevitable moment when everything comes crashing down on you when you realise who the love of your life really is.
Would I have made the same choices as Sam comes THE time? Probably not, but I'm also 15 years older than him and I understand what being young and inexperienced and overwhelmed feels like.
And you might yell "Sam this is a bad idea!" at the book, but rest assured that in the end everything works out, and our boys get their HEA.
The (minor) reasons why I didn't rate this a full 5-star:
I felt the first 2 or 3 chapters didn't have the pace of her previous book and I struggled a little bit to connect with the MCs at first, but from chapter 3 onwards I was hooked. So if you feel the same at first when you pick up this book, give it a chance anyway and you won't regret it.
And the epilogue kinda left a bit to be desired but I'm sure we'll get to see Sam and Landon again in the next books of the series.
I had the chance to chat with the author while reading her book and drop my live reactions on our chat, which was a lot of fun. Thanks Marina for entertaining my crazy commentary 😆
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.75/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
If you haven't read The Penalty series yet, do yourself a favour and go read Goalie Interference, then jump straight into this one next. The books are interconnected even though they are standalones, and are definitely best read in order.
Sam and Landon are so freaking cute together and their love story is a little unconventional at first. You can expect a queer-awakening, demi-rep, online dating app, a lot of nerdy Star Wars references and some great banter.
Sam is my wittle baby that I want to protect from the world for ever and ever. He is not great at making friends, definitely struggles with social anxiety and finds sexual attraction a mystery (at first). Luckily he makes friend with Ash (and Thayer by association) and discovers a great app called Mixr that allows him to make a connection with a really sweet guy called BaskarKnight.
Turns out Sam is actually falling for his hockey teammate Landon. What?? No one saw this coming right?!
Landon is the guy who keeps everyone at a distance and despite knowing he's been gay his whole life, he's never dated another man and only had meaningless sex with strangers he met on Mixr. Everything changes when he meets MetalMonkey and he realises this might be the first meaningful connection he makes with another man.
What ensues is a lot of flirting, falling in love without having never met the person on the other side of the app, and then the inevitable moment when everything comes crashing down on you when you realise who the love of your life really is.
Would I have made the same choices as Sam comes THE time? Probably not, but I'm also 15 years older than him and I understand what being young and inexperienced and overwhelmed feels like.
And you might yell "Sam this is a bad idea!" at the book, but rest assured that in the end everything works out, and our boys get their HEA.
The (minor) reasons why I didn't rate this a full 5-star:
I felt the first 2 or 3 chapters didn't have the pace of her previous book and I struggled a little bit to connect with the MCs at first, but from chapter 3 onwards I was hooked. So if you feel the same at first when you pick up this book, give it a chance anyway and you won't regret it.
And the epilogue kinda left a bit to be desired but I'm sure we'll get to see Sam and Landon again in the next books of the series.
I had the chance to chat with the author while reading her book and drop my live reactions on our chat, which was a lot of fun. Thanks Marina for entertaining my crazy commentary 😆
October 2, 2026
✨️ARC REVIEW ✨️
I loved the whole anonymous-messaging setup in this one! 😍 Sam and Landon are teammates who don’t exactly see eye to eye in real life, so when they unknowingly match on Mixr, neither of them has any idea that the person they’re flirting with is the guy standing right beside them every day. And honestly… watching that slowly unravel was SO much fun. 😂
Sam and Landon completely stole this book for me. Their relationship starts with all those anonymous messages, teasing, flirting and late-night conversations, and I loved how they gradually became comfortable with each other without all the pressure that comes with knowing exactly who they were talking to.
I especially loved seeing their relationship develop from something casual and anonymous into something genuinely meaningful. There’s plenty of yearning, awkwardness and please just realise who you're talking to already! moments 😂, but underneath all of that is a really sweet emotional connection.
Landon was absolutely adorable, and his little “Baby” moments with Sam? 🫠 I was DONE. And Sam’s journey of figuring himself out and understanding what he wants added another layer that made their romance feel much more personal.
I also loved all the little things that made them them—the nerdy Star Wars conversations, the teasing, the growing trust and that feeling of slowly becoming each other’s safe place. 🥹
I loved watching them grow and develop feelings for each other as Sam and Landon, not just Metal and Knight.
Looking forward to what's next.
I loved the whole anonymous-messaging setup in this one! 😍 Sam and Landon are teammates who don’t exactly see eye to eye in real life, so when they unknowingly match on Mixr, neither of them has any idea that the person they’re flirting with is the guy standing right beside them every day. And honestly… watching that slowly unravel was SO much fun. 😂
Sam and Landon completely stole this book for me. Their relationship starts with all those anonymous messages, teasing, flirting and late-night conversations, and I loved how they gradually became comfortable with each other without all the pressure that comes with knowing exactly who they were talking to.
I especially loved seeing their relationship develop from something casual and anonymous into something genuinely meaningful. There’s plenty of yearning, awkwardness and please just realise who you're talking to already! moments 😂, but underneath all of that is a really sweet emotional connection.
Landon was absolutely adorable, and his little “Baby” moments with Sam? 🫠 I was DONE. And Sam’s journey of figuring himself out and understanding what he wants added another layer that made their romance feel much more personal.
I also loved all the little things that made them them—the nerdy Star Wars conversations, the teasing, the growing trust and that feeling of slowly becoming each other’s safe place. 🥹
I loved watching them grow and develop feelings for each other as Sam and Landon, not just Metal and Knight.
Looking forward to what's next.
September 13, 2026
Thanks to the author, Marina Bennett, for providing an ARC.
This took me by surprise. Truth be told, for a good 50% I expected it to be another 3 star read, and so it was until we got past that middle portion and inching closer and closer to the end and the resolution fo the overall conflict at hand (and basically reading unfold twice, at that, something that I also didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did) that it struck me that I spent the entire day reading this and couldn't put it down at all. It executed the premise in a way that felt appropriate for our characters and their overall personalities, as well as it tackle the whole "to come or not to come out" conversation as it relates to professional sports and one such as hockey at that.
However, this book needed another fifty to a hundred pages. There are things that could've been fleshes out a lot more in order to add considerable depth to the relationship of our protagonists in all of the phases that they went through, and it all ends rather abruptly and almost confusingly.
Regardless, this is a very fun and easy read to recommend! If you like the "will they/won't they" dynamic and seeing how long a pretense can go on (and extend!) until it all goes crashing down, this is definitely a book for you!
This took me by surprise. Truth be told, for a good 50% I expected it to be another 3 star read, and so it was until we got past that middle portion and inching closer and closer to the end and the resolution fo the overall conflict at hand (and basically reading unfold twice, at that, something that I also didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did) that it struck me that I spent the entire day reading this and couldn't put it down at all. It executed the premise in a way that felt appropriate for our characters and their overall personalities, as well as it tackle the whole "to come or not to come out" conversation as it relates to professional sports and one such as hockey at that.
However, this book needed another fifty to a hundred pages. There are things that could've been fleshes out a lot more in order to add considerable depth to the relationship of our protagonists in all of the phases that they went through, and it all ends rather abruptly and almost confusingly.
Regardless, this is a very fun and easy read to recommend! If you like the "will they/won't they" dynamic and seeing how long a pretense can go on (and extend!) until it all goes crashing down, this is definitely a book for you!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ugh Lando and Sammy are just the ABSOLUTE CUTEST
What could go wrong when you unknowingly match with your teammate on a hookup app? Well a lot when you realize he IS your teammate, but theres also so many beautiful moments of you falling in love with each other!
Lando loved and cared for his Sammy so much before he even knew who he was, watching the giant vampire (as Sam would describe him haha) hockey player unknowingly help his teammate discover his sexuality and slowly fall in love was SO beautiful.
Sam is just a bundle of socially anxious nerves after being traded back to the team that drafted him, but baby boy is just the sweetest! He wants so much to make a good impression on Lando, which turns into him hitting him in the face with a puck as a first impression haha. Watching him discover his identity slowly was so perfect cause for some people it doesn't happen overnight, and the way Lando took time to get to know Sam before anything sexual happened 🤌🏻 i love them so much!
If you love
🏒 teammates falling in love
📱 demi representation
🏒 secret identities (anonymous messaging app)
📱 secret relationship
And
🏒self discovery
Then pick up Offside by Marina Bennett October 26th!
For the best reading experience read Ash and Thays story in Goalie Interference
What could go wrong when you unknowingly match with your teammate on a hookup app? Well a lot when you realize he IS your teammate, but theres also so many beautiful moments of you falling in love with each other!
Lando loved and cared for his Sammy so much before he even knew who he was, watching the giant vampire (as Sam would describe him haha) hockey player unknowingly help his teammate discover his sexuality and slowly fall in love was SO beautiful.
Sam is just a bundle of socially anxious nerves after being traded back to the team that drafted him, but baby boy is just the sweetest! He wants so much to make a good impression on Lando, which turns into him hitting him in the face with a puck as a first impression haha. Watching him discover his identity slowly was so perfect cause for some people it doesn't happen overnight, and the way Lando took time to get to know Sam before anything sexual happened 🤌🏻 i love them so much!
If you love
🏒 teammates falling in love
📱 demi representation
🏒 secret identities (anonymous messaging app)
📱 secret relationship
And
🏒self discovery
Then pick up Offside by Marina Bennett October 26th!
For the best reading experience read Ash and Thays story in Goalie Interference
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.75⭐️
Landon and Sam are new teammates, and don’t get along great on the ice. It takes a lot for them to warm up to each other. Meanwhile, both are anonymously texting someone on the Mixr app, and catching feelings for a guy they don’t even really know.
This book has:
-hidden identities (anon apps)
-secret relationship
-first times and self discovery
-hockey teammates
-Demi rep
I definitely enjoyed this book even more than the first, and the hidden identity aspect of it made it tense! The majority of the book has both of these guys completely not knowing who they’re talking to online, which just makes it all the more interesting. If you love a good hidden identity and anonymous texting/relationship, kind of book, then you’re really going to eat this one up.
Compared to the first book, I feel like there were some improvements with the pacing of the story, but I still feel like these books could be better if the relationship and characters were hash out a little bit more.
If you want some quick and easy hockey romance books, then definitely don’t miss out on this One.
Landon and Sam are new teammates, and don’t get along great on the ice. It takes a lot for them to warm up to each other. Meanwhile, both are anonymously texting someone on the Mixr app, and catching feelings for a guy they don’t even really know.
This book has:
-hidden identities (anon apps)
-secret relationship
-first times and self discovery
-hockey teammates
-Demi rep
I definitely enjoyed this book even more than the first, and the hidden identity aspect of it made it tense! The majority of the book has both of these guys completely not knowing who they’re talking to online, which just makes it all the more interesting. If you love a good hidden identity and anonymous texting/relationship, kind of book, then you’re really going to eat this one up.
Compared to the first book, I feel like there were some improvements with the pacing of the story, but I still feel like these books could be better if the relationship and characters were hash out a little bit more.
If you want some quick and easy hockey romance books, then definitely don’t miss out on this One.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Omg this book is sooo good I just finished reading it right now and I can’t stop giggling and screaming about it,”this is one best hockey romance I’ve read this year…. I just want to scream and use my voice right now …… Sam is so adorable ☺️ gosh I love everything about this book
It was written beautifully and the relationship between Sam and Landon was amazing 🤩 Sam be so scared after finding out that knight was Landon was really something else
I was laughing and feeling bad for him at the same time 😀 He didn’t want to lose him as metal and wanted him to like him as Sam.” OMG And Landon oh he’s just an angel with a grumpy attitude 😂 i love him so much , He
Couldn’t even stay mad for a minute
I really loved reading this
Thank you so much Marina Bennett for making me experience this amazing work of yours 🫶❤️
It was written beautifully and the relationship between Sam and Landon was amazing 🤩 Sam be so scared after finding out that knight was Landon was really something else
I was laughing and feeling bad for him at the same time 😀 He didn’t want to lose him as metal and wanted him to like him as Sam.” OMG And Landon oh he’s just an angel with a grumpy attitude 😂 i love him so much , He
Couldn’t even stay mad for a minute
I really loved reading this
Thank you so much Marina Bennett for making me experience this amazing work of yours 🫶❤️
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC REVIEW
Well, this was just such a cute, fun read with a little bit of angst thrown in!
I love a bit of longing and pining, so this was absolutely perfect for me. I loved Sam and Landon so much, and I have to say, I really do have a thing for the caretaking sub-genre. Give me one character looking after the other and I am SOLD!
Did I enjoy Sam being absolutely silly and keeping things from Landon? No. 😂 Did I enjoy the drama it created? Yes. Yes, I did. The miscommunication worked really well for this story, and I enjoyed watching them work through everything and figure things out.
Definitely recommend this one if you're looking for something cute, fun and angsty with plenty of pining and caretaking!
And now I'm off to download the first book in the series because, somehow, I haven't actually read it yet! 👀
Well, this was just such a cute, fun read with a little bit of angst thrown in!
I love a bit of longing and pining, so this was absolutely perfect for me. I loved Sam and Landon so much, and I have to say, I really do have a thing for the caretaking sub-genre. Give me one character looking after the other and I am SOLD!
Did I enjoy Sam being absolutely silly and keeping things from Landon? No. 😂 Did I enjoy the drama it created? Yes. Yes, I did. The miscommunication worked really well for this story, and I enjoyed watching them work through everything and figure things out.
Definitely recommend this one if you're looking for something cute, fun and angsty with plenty of pining and caretaking!
And now I'm off to download the first book in the series because, somehow, I haven't actually read it yet! 👀
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 ⭐️
Landon and Sam were so adorable! I love a good anonymous texting/secret identity, let's just say some of those scenes were def 🌶🤭
I love a good teammates to lovers trope! And the secret identity and when they figure out it's one another, just loved all of it!
Loved the Ash and Thayer cameos! I really do love those two so much so seeing them together more was so great! (They really were my fav, sorry Lan and Sam lol)
I love the friendship between Sam and Ash. Those convos were great 😂
The scene when Sam had to talk to Ash right away but it was a bad time 🤭
Loved the Star Wars mentions! The hot takes were great. As a fan, I loved it! Yes, I'm a complete nerd too lol
I really did love this one! Releases 10/26!
Def go check this one yet when it releases! And go check out the first one, Goalie Interference if you haven't yet cuz that one was amazing as well!
🥰🥰🥰
Landon and Sam were so adorable! I love a good anonymous texting/secret identity, let's just say some of those scenes were def 🌶🤭
I love a good teammates to lovers trope! And the secret identity and when they figure out it's one another, just loved all of it!
Loved the Ash and Thayer cameos! I really do love those two so much so seeing them together more was so great! (They really were my fav, sorry Lan and Sam lol)
I love the friendship between Sam and Ash. Those convos were great 😂
The scene when Sam had to talk to Ash right away but it was a bad time 🤭
Loved the Star Wars mentions! The hot takes were great. As a fan, I loved it! Yes, I'm a complete nerd too lol
I really did love this one! Releases 10/26!
Def go check this one yet when it releases! And go check out the first one, Goalie Interference if you haven't yet cuz that one was amazing as well!
🥰🥰🥰
September 24, 2026
This book was like Cinderella Story with the two communicating via their phones and not knowing who each other was in real life and I loved that storyline. I was constantly guessing how they were going to figure it out and I was way off.
The two characters had me smiling throughout with their flirting and banter. Sam/Metal wore his heart on his sleeve being vulnerable and honest and Landon/Knight couldn’t have been more trusting and supportive. I do wish they had figured things out earlier in the book so we had more time in the story with them being together but their online chemistry was on fire and perfect.
I think this can be read as a standalone without reading Goalie Interference first even though those characters show up, I didn’t think their whole story was needed to introduce them before this book as enough of their backstory was explained.
The two characters had me smiling throughout with their flirting and banter. Sam/Metal wore his heart on his sleeve being vulnerable and honest and Landon/Knight couldn’t have been more trusting and supportive. I do wish they had figured things out earlier in the book so we had more time in the story with them being together but their online chemistry was on fire and perfect.
I think this can be read as a standalone without reading Goalie Interference first even though those characters show up, I didn’t think their whole story was needed to introduce them before this book as enough of their backstory was explained.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Mix sports romance with a bit of the movie You’ve Got Mail and that’s kind of the vibes of this amazingly sweet book. Landon and Sam are just the perfect nerdy couple. Honestly couple goals, they just don’t know it because they’ve been anonymously messaging each other on a hook up app.
Sam is baby, and he likes being called baby, he’s confused about his sexuality, he’s worried about being traded again to another hockey team and he just wants to find his person.
Landon is gay, but doesn’t want to be out, and is also looking for his person. Oh and when they find each other and start connecting over nerdy things online it’s just so sweet and perfect. They are both each others safe space, and it’s beautiful to watch them figure things out and be happy together.
Also great to see Ash and Thayer again!
Sam is baby, and he likes being called baby, he’s confused about his sexuality, he’s worried about being traded again to another hockey team and he just wants to find his person.
Landon is gay, but doesn’t want to be out, and is also looking for his person. Oh and when they find each other and start connecting over nerdy things online it’s just so sweet and perfect. They are both each others safe space, and it’s beautiful to watch them figure things out and be happy together.
Also great to see Ash and Thayer again!
October 1, 2026
Absolutely adorable, warm & fuzzy book about two teammates falling in love anonymously. I loved the grumpy/sunshine aspect of Landon & Sam. Sam is a fairly optimistic person but after being traded to a new team for every year for the past five years, it's nice that Bennett allowed him to also show him dealing with that while still remaining as upbeat as he could.
The cameos from the previous couple were very fun and well written. We get just enough to remind us of how much fun that book was without overshadowing the new couple's story.
The only thing I would ask for differently is I really wanted more in person interaction between Landon and Sam BEFORE one of them knew the other's identity. Granted, with the length of the book it does makes sense that the timeline would shorten a bit but I just thought those scenes were so funny and interesting!
The cameos from the previous couple were very fun and well written. We get just enough to remind us of how much fun that book was without overshadowing the new couple's story.
The only thing I would ask for differently is I really wanted more in person interaction between Landon and Sam BEFORE one of them knew the other's identity. Granted, with the length of the book it does makes sense that the timeline would shorten a bit but I just thought those scenes were so funny and interesting!
September 13, 2026
⭐️⭐️.5
This one just wasn’t for me. It wasn’t a bad story and the concept was good but something was off for me.
I didn’t really like either MC. Sam was a liar who made all of the wrong choices. Landon was just kind of a pushover weenie with no backbone. Neither of them attempted to use their critical thinking skills and not having strong social skills doesn’t mean you’re a dummy head who can’t determine right from wrong. Also multiple break ups in a romance novella wasn’t something I enjoyed. The book was too short for that kind of drama.
The character art on the authors instagram is killer though. I really wanted to like this one based off of the art but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.
This one just wasn’t for me. It wasn’t a bad story and the concept was good but something was off for me.
I didn’t really like either MC. Sam was a liar who made all of the wrong choices. Landon was just kind of a pushover weenie with no backbone. Neither of them attempted to use their critical thinking skills and not having strong social skills doesn’t mean you’re a dummy head who can’t determine right from wrong. Also multiple break ups in a romance novella wasn’t something I enjoyed. The book was too short for that kind of drama.
The character art on the authors instagram is killer though. I really wanted to like this one based off of the art but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I read the first book of this series and just loved it, so of course I wanted to read the second one. I'm so happy and honored that I got a chance to read this one early. It's the cutest book ever! I just fell in love with the characters. Those two sweet lonely clueless nerds. A slow burn but hot when you get there. I felt that the author wrote the demi rep very very well and the feelings about coming out of the closet. It had tugged at my heart strings reading their pov about their loneliness. How each of them felt about connecting to someone. Agghh love it! Overall this was a great novella and I highly recommend reading this one! Pick it up. Add it to your TBR. You'll love this series.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved the chance to see an advanced reader copy of this fun little hockey romance!
It was an easy but angsty read that I binged in two sittings--a rarity for me!
This story has just the right amount of will-they-or-won't-they tension, cluelessly lovesick dopey boys (Sam and Landon), and a clever plot.
The story skips forward in a couple spots where I wished there was a bigger look at what the life of a young professional hockey player might look like, but it didn't take away from my need to keep reading to the very end!
This was a great weekend read that I really loved. I hope Sam and Landon's story continues in the future!
It was an easy but angsty read that I binged in two sittings--a rarity for me!
This story has just the right amount of will-they-or-won't-they tension, cluelessly lovesick dopey boys (Sam and Landon), and a clever plot.
The story skips forward in a couple spots where I wished there was a bigger look at what the life of a young professional hockey player might look like, but it didn't take away from my need to keep reading to the very end!
This was a great weekend read that I really loved. I hope Sam and Landon's story continues in the future!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you for the ARC, Marina! I couldn't put this book down. I love anonymous messaging, add in hockey teammates and I'm sat. It was more angsty than the first book for sure, the two separations hurt, but they made sense even if I wanted to shake Sam several times. I loved Landon though, such a grumpy beautiful man. I also appreciated the demi rep on Sam's side. I wish we got more spice once they properly got together and an epilogue farther in the future, but overall it was a fun story and it was nice to see Ash and Thay again.
September 10, 2026
Oh how I LOVE Lando and Sam 🥹
I couldn’t put this book down! The anonymous messaging was so good. Best I’ve read in a book. It was so sweet and you really got to fall in love with these characters at the same time. I can’t believe they never knew they were talking to each other! I love that Sam was able to discover and accept his sexual preferences. I wish there was a little more time once they finally got together in person, but overall I think it worked well for the story.
Also love how much Ash and Thay were in this! Ash is a true friend and I’m so glad he has that now.
I couldn’t put this book down! The anonymous messaging was so good. Best I’ve read in a book. It was so sweet and you really got to fall in love with these characters at the same time. I can’t believe they never knew they were talking to each other! I love that Sam was able to discover and accept his sexual preferences. I wish there was a little more time once they finally got together in person, but overall I think it worked well for the story.
Also love how much Ash and Thay were in this! Ash is a true friend and I’m so glad he has that now.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am a sucker for a secret identity but TWO of them?! Be still my swooning heart!
I loved reading these two men, who had isolated themselves from connection with others despite wanting that exact thing, slowly fall for each other was lovely.
I liked that once Lando found out who Metal was that he didn’t automatically forgive him. That he was rightly angry that Sam had kept from him knowing who he was even if it was for a genuine reason. It made the moment they finally got together all the more exciting and worth it.
I loved reading these two men, who had isolated themselves from connection with others despite wanting that exact thing, slowly fall for each other was lovely.
I liked that once Lando found out who Metal was that he didn’t automatically forgive him. That he was rightly angry that Sam had kept from him knowing who he was even if it was for a genuine reason. It made the moment they finally got together all the more exciting and worth it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review!
I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this early! This is the first book I’ve read by Marina and I had a great time. I loved the banter that Landon and Sam had throughout the story and I enjoyed the moments where you could see their friendship and relationship grow. I do think since the book was a bit short that it felt slightly rushed and underdeveloped—I would’ve liked to have seen more of their relationship towards the end, but I still had a fun time nonetheless!
I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this early! This is the first book I’ve read by Marina and I had a great time. I loved the banter that Landon and Sam had throughout the story and I enjoyed the moments where you could see their friendship and relationship grow. I do think since the book was a bit short that it felt slightly rushed and underdeveloped—I would’ve liked to have seen more of their relationship towards the end, but I still had a fun time nonetheless!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoyed Landon and Sam 😮💨
I loved the banter and the anonymous messaging, and I really liked how the author showed that you can genuinely fall in love with someone through texts, without knowing them in person first. 💕 I also really appreciated the demisexuality representation and Sam’s journey of discovering and accepting himself.
I just wish we’d gotten a little more of them together in person—the ending felt a bit rushed. Still, such a sweet and fun read!
I loved the banter and the anonymous messaging, and I really liked how the author showed that you can genuinely fall in love with someone through texts, without knowing them in person first. 💕 I also really appreciated the demisexuality representation and Sam’s journey of discovering and accepting himself.
I just wish we’d gotten a little more of them together in person—the ending felt a bit rushed. Still, such a sweet and fun read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you Marina Bennett for this ARC
This story was a new kind of romance story and I was hooked from the very first chapter.
Even though the story was short it didn't feel rushed.
I absolutely loved Sam and how he got more comfortable with his self throughout the story.
His relationship with Landon was perfect in every way.
I also really liked the side characters in this story and how they supported the main characters.
an absolutely 5 star read for me
This story was a new kind of romance story and I was hooked from the very first chapter.
Even though the story was short it didn't feel rushed.
I absolutely loved Sam and how he got more comfortable with his self throughout the story.
His relationship with Landon was perfect in every way.
I also really liked the side characters in this story and how they supported the main characters.
an absolutely 5 star read for me
Review of advance copy received from Author
Oh my gosh! I love it. You can feel the heat and the tensions between these men. I love how they meet through a dating app only to for them both to be on the same team. Especially how Sam and Landon didn't get along in the beginning in person but would be sexting on the app. That got me giggling. But Sam is a good way to describe Demisexual. Given how Sam was throughout the book. I am grateful to have gotten the arc and I can't wait for release day for others to love these characters.
September 28, 2026
Firstly I want to thank Marina for the ARC.
I LOVED this book with my whole heart.
Idiots to lovers like how their boy brains didn’t just put two and two together is diabolical but I ate up every single word!
I LOVED this book with my whole heart.
Idiots to lovers like how their boy brains didn’t just put two and two together is diabolical but I ate up every single word!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely devoured this book. To watch the characters fall in love not once but twice was so sweet. I love the Demi rep as I myself am Demi.
Review of advance copy received from Author
So cute! Love Sammy 🥹
Review of advance copy received from Author
Cute, steamy, and I couldn't put it down. Yep, I just kept on reading — so invested.
Forbidden MM hockey
teammates = obsessed!!! 5/5 recommend
Forbidden MM hockey
teammates = obsessed!!! 5/5 recommend
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5/5 rounded up
written tbc
written tbc
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