Offside Bride by Gigi Blume: Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

This marriage sham might work if they didn’t want to kill each other…

Maggie: Getting hitched to the guy who walked out on me in the middle of a hookup wasn’t on my bingo card, but here we are.

Sawyer O’Malley is bad news. He told me so. But when you sneak off with a guy like Sawyer at your best friend’s wedding, bad feels kind of good.

Until he ghosts you.

I made a point to avoid him after that. But somehow I find myself in the middle of his viral social media screw-up.

Do I care if he got himself into a pickle and needs a wife? No.

I don’t do second chances.

But my credit is shot and I need a place to crash until I get back on my feet. Plus I'd have the chance to get payback by puck-blocking hockey's worst playboy.

I’m doing the women of Toronto a favor.

Who says a girl can’t have a little fun while leveling the score?

What could possibly go wrong?

Spoiler alert: Everything.

Sawyer: My wife is loud, bossy, scrappy, opinionated, a fire-eating pain in my butt… and I would tear the whole world apart for her.

Maggie hates me for slamming on the breaks before we took it too far—when I was just trying to protect her. How can I tell her that without causing World War Three? Because loving Maggie is a contact sport. I have a feeling she’s out to get me. And I find that surprisingly hot.

Sparring with my wife is all the danger I need. But when her pet parrot gets kidnapped by the mob, it’s gloves off and I go in full Liam Neeson mode.

I didn’t want to get her involved in my mess. But now that she’s mine, winning Maggie’s heart is worth a penalty shot.

Tropes:

🏒 Marriage of Convenience

🏒 Brunch Daddy MMC

🏒 Queen Energy FMC

🏒 He falls first

🏒 Spite Kisses

🏒 One bed

🏒 Hands off my wife

🏒 Explosive chemistry

🏒 He’s on his knees for her

🏒 No third-act breakup

The Author

Gigi is a USA TODAY bestselling author and hopeless musical theatre nerd who has perfected the art of lollygagging.

Former professional wedding singer, Gigi lives in Southern California with her personal chef (AKA husband) and two weird and awesome teenagers who take after her more than she’s comfortable with. Quoting movies and pop culture with her kids is one of her favorite pastimes. A Hufflepuff and die-hard Whovian, she’s convinced magic is really a thing, still believes in Santa Claus, and finds miracles everywhere.

When Gigi's not writing about swoony book boyfriends and the women that bring them to their knees, she likes to belt out showtunes, embarrass her kids, and get distracted by her dog.

LOVE ROMANTIC COMEDY?

Join Gigi Blume's rollicking band of romance enthusiasts and get weekly updates on new releases, bonus features, and recommended reading that won't make your grandmother blush.

gigiblume.com/free-novella

Stalk me here:

Instagram @gigiblume

Facebook @gigiblume

Book Review

Offside Bride is the second book in the Toronto Titans Hockey Romance series. While these characters may be familiar if you've read the previous book, I do think this could be enjoyed as a standalone as well. 

Oh my goodness...this book! Right from the very start, I found myself unable to put this one down. I loved that rather than giving us the buildup and explanation as to WHY these two people who clearly despised one another were entering a marriage of convenience as we would in most books, we just jump right in at the wedding. We do go back and get the whole story that led up to that point, but I loved being thrown right into it like that... it absolutely drew me into their story and kept me there throughout the whole thing. The chemistry between these two was absolutely explosive--- you really didn't know if they were going to kiss each other or kill each other (or perhaps both), and I absolutely couldn't get enough of it. There were so many moments that had me laughing out loud and swooning in equal measure. Hockey + marriage of convenience + a hilarious parrot that gets kidnapped by the mafia!? It's the combination I didn't know I needed, and I loved every single moment. I've never read a Gigi Blume book that I didn't enjoy, but this one is certainly a new favorite.

Offside Bride is a closed-door romance but does have implied intimacy between a married couple and many heated kisses as well as innuendo and mild language throughout. As such, it may not be for all readers. 

You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/3N1cZze