The Mistake

Finished in a day. Cute story.

This book is so well written. Just like the first!! Can’t wait to keep reading!!

After completely falling in love with The Deal, I immediately picked up The Mistake because I just wasn’t ready to leave Briar U. I was excited to get John Logan’s story, and I can honestly say Elle Kennedy did an incredible job making me fall in love with another hockey player.

Going into this book, Logan seems like the typical college hockey star who’s more interested in puck bunnies than relationships. He also spends the beginning of the story convinced he’s in love with Hannah, Garrett’s girlfriend. But as the story unfolds, you realize he isn’t actually in love with Hannah—he envies what she and Garrett have. He wants that kind of love, stability, and connection for himself.

Then comes Grace Ivers.

Grace is sweet, funny, confident in her own way, and exactly what Logan never knew he needed. Watching their relationship grow was one of my favorite parts of this book. And after one careless mistake threatens to ruin everything, Logan has to work harder than ever to prove he’s worthy of a second chance. I loved that his grand gestures weren’t just for show—they reflected how much he had grown as a person.

What really surprised me was how emotional Logan’s story became. Beneath the confident, charming hockey player is a young man carrying an incredible amount of guilt. As graduation approaches and his dream of playing in the NHL becomes a reality, he’s forced to choose between following the future he’s worked his entire life for or staying behind because of the struggles his family faces back home. His relationship with his brother Jeff and the burden he carries because of his father’s alcoholism made this story so much deeper than I expected.

One of my biggest takeaways from this book was realizing that you can’t put your own life on hold trying to save someone who isn’t ready to save themselves. You can love people with your whole heart, but you can’t make their choices for them. Sometimes chasing your dreams isn’t selfish—it’s necessary.

I also loved seeing more of Garrett, Hannah, Tucker, and Dean throughout the story. Their friendships continue to be one of my favorite parts of this series because they make Briar feel like home.

My only small critique was Ramona. While I understand why Grace needed a best friend, I personally felt Ramona was a little too involved in the storyline at times, and there were moments where I wanted the focus to stay on Logan and Grace instead.

Overall, The Mistake gave me exactly what I wanted—a heartfelt sports romance with incredible character growth, plenty of humor, undeniable chemistry, and a reminder that the right person is worth growing into your best self for. Logan’s journey from carefree college hockey player to someone willing to fight for the people and future he loves made this such a rewarding read.

While I still think The Deal has my heart (for now 😉), The Mistake is another fantastic addition to the Off-Campus series, and I’m officially hooked. I can’t wait to continue with Dean’s story next!