Books: Offside ~ Juliana Stone

Title: Offside
Author: Juliana Stone
Publisher: Juliana Stone
Published in: 1st October 2012
Number of pages: 222 p.
Series: The Barker Triplets, book #1
Age category: New Adult, Adult
Other books in this series: 
Collide #2
Conceal #3

About Offside

When hockey phenom Billie-Jo Barker returns home, after a serious injury, that had her fired from playing professional hockey. She decides to play in the local Friday night (men's beer) hockey league, all hell breaks loose. Not because Billie's talent is in question, but because Billie is a woman. And though these are modern times, some of the local guys still have a problem letting a girl into their 'men's club.'

Soon, Billie is at the centre of a small town battle of the sexes, with everyone choosing sides. Her sisters, the townsfolk, her friends they are all divided. When she signs up for the league, only one persons offers to take her on his team, the guy she had a crush on since High school. Logan Forest, the man who never noticed her when she was eighteen and the man she now shares the bench with every Friday night.

After the first game, the town shows how they feel about Billie playing hockey in the men's league. Although this is only the top of the ice berg, because at home there is more trouble on the way. Her sister who disapproves of anything Billie does, her father who is suffering from dementia, who half of the time doesn't recognizes her and the big secret she has kept all her life are crashing down all at once on her.

Will she find her way? And will the men she has loved all her life finally put his eye on her?

My opinion:

Oh man, this was hot hot hot, sexy, did I mention hot? I love these books with sexy hockey players, but this one is even more incredible because add to those sexy hockey players a powerhouse woman and you got me hooked! (Big fan of women in control, of women playing men's sports or men's jobs lol) Anyway I like Billie a lot, but can you really still have a crush on the same guy after all those years? On the other hand it is kind of cute!

Oh and Logan, yummy sexy as hell Logan. *sighs* He is an very interesting character. And more complex then he seems at first.

Then there are the struggles at the Barker Family, the sisters fighting with each other, not know one another anymore. And of course Billies who struggles with her career being over, and not knowing what to do with her life. I get Billies Point of view, knowing how it is to be on the ice and never want to get off (I used to do speed skating, I miss it sometimes but I can't image the impact it would have had if I didn't choose to quite).

All this together makes  the story breath taking, full of spirit and drive but also delicious scenes between Logan and Billie. This story is complex because of all the side characters, which caused me to think about them an what drives them.

I am excited about the second book because this will tell the story of Bobbi(-Jo), who is very present in this book, and has lots of spirit, but we don't get to understand her fully and what has happened while Billie was abroad. I think we will also get to know Shane (who is Logan's best friend, and befriends Billie also), the bad boy (just out of prison) in this story.

Music

For all moments spend in the rink.

M83 ~ Midnight City


For our prince on the white horse, uh guy in a sex ice hockey outfit.
Taylor Swift ~ White Horse

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