Title: The Mistake
Author: Elle Kennedy
Series: Off-Campus #2
Genre: Romance
Subgenres: New Adult Romance, Sports/Hockey Romance, College Romance, Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 4.5 / 5
Spice: 4/5
Tropes
- Hockey Romance
- College Romance
- Opposites Attract
- Reformed Playboy
- Good Girl x Bad Boy
- Emotional Growth Arc
- Friends to Lovers Elements
- He Falls First
- Protective Hero
- Found Family
- Learning to Trust Again
Content Warnings
Readers may want to check content warnings for:
- Parental neglect
- Emotional abuse
- Family dysfunction
- Toxic family relationships
- Grief and loss
- Anxiety
- Alcohol consumption
- Sexual content
- Strong language
Content warnings may not be comprehensive and may vary by reader sensitivity.
My Thoughts:
After loving Garrett and Hannah’s story in The Deal, I was excited to continue my Off-Campus reread with Logan’s book and honestly, I ended up appreciating Logan far more during this reread than I did the first time around.
At first glance, Logan appears to be the stereotypical cocky hockey player who always gets what he wants, he’s pining his little heart away for Hannah, making his relationship with his best friend awkward af. But beneath the cockiness and overconfident 21 year old is a young man carrying an enormous amount of emotional weight. His family situation adds surprising depth to his character and gives context to many of his poor decisions throughout the story.
Grace was a refreshing heroine to read. To me I found that she isn’t trying to “fix” Logan, but she also isn’t willing to accept less than she deserves. Reading about her maintain boundaries with Logan and him subsequently learning all about accountability created some of the strongest emotional moments in the book.
This reread reminded me why the Off-Campus series became such a staple of sports romance. I wrote it in my review of The Deal, but I will say it again. Elle Kennedy can write contemporary romance novels that can withstand the test of time and still be relevant and heartwarming for this aging millennial. Overall I would say that the balance between humor, friendship, emotional growth, and chemistry continues to work years after publication.
What Worked for Me:
- Logan’s Character Development
One of the strongest aspects of the novel is Logan’s growth and development from an immature, overconfident young college adult to a much more mature young adult who learns how to accept accountability. Sure, he makes mistakes, some pretty significant ones if I am being honest, but he spends the rest of the story actively trying to become a better person rather than simply expecting forgiveness. As Joey Tribani once said in FRIENDS, “GROWTH.”
- The Friend Group
The Off-Campus boys continue to be one of my favorite fictional friend groups. Their banter, loyalty, and ability to call each other out create some of the funniest and most memorable scenes. It gives found family trope vibes and I am a sucker for found family.
- Grace’s Boundaries
Grace refuses to settle for half-hearted effort. To use some genZ lingo, we stan a queen with boundaries! I mean I think that makes sense. My aging millennial mind has no idea what hip trendy slang is to use but it sounds right to me. I appreciated that her storyline wasn’t centered around rescuing Logan but rather protecting her own emotional well-being. Since this was published in 2015 as well, I really love that Elle Kennedy was ahead of her time when writing this.
- Emotional Depth
While this book is lighter than some modern hockey romances (i.e. dark hockey romance like those by Rina Kent or C.R. Jane), the underlying family dynamics and future uncertainty add meaningful emotional layers.
- Chemistry & Spice
The chemistry between Logan and Grace is undeniable. Their interactions feel playful, natural, and believable, making romance easy to invest in. This book does well at balancing the emotional connection and hot spicy physical attraction. The spice did not overshadow any of the character development nor relationship growth between Logan and Grace.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
- The Central Conflict
Some readers may find the main misunderstanding frustrating. I certainly did. If I am honest, I remembered about 4 chapters into the read that this is my least of favorite of the 5 Off-Campus books in the series. In my opinion much of the conflict stemmed from poor communication (which is common in your early twenty’s, I guess) and impulsive choices that could have been avoided. I had to keep reminding myself that they are early twenty’s millennials, just like I was in 2015, I would have made similar rash decisions and I had poor communication skills especially with those of the opposing sex. It did not detract from the story for me and it definitely should not stop anyone from reading this book.
- Logan’s Early Behavior
While his character growth is excellent, Logan can be difficult to root for during the beginning of the book. I cringe during the first half of the book while reading because he is a right and proper dick at some points. It is and was really hard to root for the HEA with Logan when you read how much of a dickhead he was. I think that readers who struggle with immature heroes may need patience before his redemption arc fully develops. Hence why this was the difficult read for me. Patience and ADHD do not always mix.
- Some Dated Elements
As with many New Adult romances from the early 2010s, certain conversations and attitudes feel slightly dated compared to current romance trends. If you are a millennial, you will relate and understand, it might even bring out some nostalgia for you but current early twenty’s adults might find it a tad outdated. It certainly should not stop you from reading this book or this series at all.
My Things for You to Consider Before Reading:
- This is a New Adult romance and focuses heavily on college-aged characters. I am 36 years old now during this re-read, so I did have to stop and reflect about who I was in my twenties versus now.
- The story contains open-door spice and explicit sexual content. It was hot, it was spicy. Read at your own risk and check the content warnings.
- Character growth is a major theme, meaning both protagonists make mistakes along the way. You will either love or hate it, but at least you know.
- Readers who enjoy emotionally perfect heroes from page one may struggle with Logan’s journey. Prepare to cringe and be a tad bit angry at the guy.
- It can technically be read as a standalone, I would say that reading The Deal first provides valuable context and enhances the experience. I recommend reading the first one as Hannah and Garrett are in this book and you should know the backstory.
Neurodivergent Thoughts:
As an AuDHD reader, Logan’s storyline resonated with me in unexpected ways during this reread. It is hard to expand completely without spoilers but after some reflection I related to some aspects of his journey more than I expected.
Much of Logan’s behavior is driven by overwhelm, avoidance, and fear about the future, which seems to be the main themes existing in mine and a lot of other neurodivergent lives. While his choices aren’t always good ones (I personally made a lot of mistakes in my early twenties too), I found myself recognizing the anxiety beneath many of his actions. When you’re carrying stress that feels impossible to escape, it’s easy to focus on short-term distractions rather than confronting the real issue.
Grace’s insistence on direct communication stood out to me. She was wiser beyond her years than you would expect someone of her age to be, it was extremely impressive. I wish I had been that smart at her age. Additionally, as someone who appreciates clarity, I found her boundaries refreshing and inspiring, reminding me boundaries can be excellent ways to help with AuDHD in my day-to-day life. She says what she means, communicates her expectations, and expects and accepts accountability, this is a dynamic that felt incredibly satisfying.
I appreciated that both characters are allowed to grow without being portrayed as broken. I had the writings that lean more towards implication that someone is “broken.” People don’t break, they’re just different. Logan and Grace were allowed to learn, adapt, and mature throughout the story, which made their relationship and personal growth feel earned rather than magically fixed.
Final Thoughts:
The Mistake delivers exactly what many readers look for in a hockey romance which is in my opinion strong chemistry, lovable supporting characters, plenty of humor, emotional growth and development with a satisfying redemption arc.
While Logan’s journey may require some patience early on, his development becomes one of the novel’s greatest strengths. I promise, please just keep reading, he gets way better. Combined with Grace’s confidence and self-respect, the result is a romance that feels both entertaining and emotionally rewarding.
If you enjoy hockey romances, flawed heroes who genuinely grow, college romance drama, and found-family friend groups, The Mistake is a worthy continuation of the Off-Campus series.
Final Rating: 4.5/5
Spice Level: 4/5
Book Review Disclaimer:
This review reflects my personal reading experience and opinions. Every reader connects with books differently, and your experience may vary. Ratings, spice levels, and content warning interpretations are subjective and based on my individual perspective. This review contains no spoilers beyond information commonly found in the book’s synopsis and promotional materials. I am writing and posting this review voluntarily, I received no incentive or compensation to do so.
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