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Offside (The Barker Triplets #1)

by Juliana Stone (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 1,187 ratings · 127 reviews

When hockey phenom Billie-Jo Barker returns home and decides to play in the local Friday night 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 center of a small town bat...more

ebook, 222 pages

Published September 28th 2012 by Smashwords

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Best Hockey Romance

22nd out of 65 books — 224 voters

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113th out of 226 books — 611 voters

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Nov 30, 2012 Ridley rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Ridley by: author mentioned it on Twitter

Shelves: ebook, 3-star, read-2012, contemporary

This was a strange little book. While I enjoyed reading about a heroine who's a serious hockey player, and the sexual tension was expertly paced, the book was exceedingly over the top. Everything in it is turned up to 11. The sexist backlash over her joining the men's beer league, her dementia-addled father pointing a shotgun at the hero while her grandfather's drawers fall down, the triplet sisters being named Billie-Jo, Bobbi-Jo and Betty-Jo, the prodigal triplet returning just in time to toss...more

13 likes · like · see review

Oct 09, 2012 Mandi Schreiner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

I love a contemporary romance with a hockey hero and Logan Forest is a pretty good hockey player in this book. But when I found very intriguing when I heard about this book, is that Billie Jo, the heroine, is the true hockey star. Billie Jo was so good at hockey, she left her small town and moved to Sweden to play on a professional men’s team that allowed women to play as well. But when she gets a very serious concussion, she comes home, saddened that she is done with professional hockey.

She al...more I love a contemporary romance with a hockey hero and Logan Forest is a pretty good hockey player in this book. But when I found very intriguing when I heard about this book, is that Billie Jo, the heroine, is the true hockey star. Billie Jo was so good at hockey, she left her small town and moved to Sweden to play on a professional men’s team that allowed women to play as well. But when she gets a very serious concussion, she comes home, saddened that she is done with professional hockey.

She also comes home to drama and conflict. Her sister (Billie Jo is part of identical triplets also including Betty Jo and Bobbie Jo – the names are soooo not my favorite). Billie’s sister, Bobbie Jo has changed since she has been gone. She is now super conservative, with an uptight boyfriend. She has also been taking care of their father who appears to be in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. All of this has made Bobbie Jo bitter, and she takes it all out on Billie.

When Billie hears that there is a ‘beer league’ hockey team that plays every Friday night, she wants in. The rules state that it is a no contact league (good for her head injury) and she also notices there is not a rule that says girls can’t play. But when she signs up, the other men are not happy at all. They do not want any girls stepping into their Friday night fun. She does find one ally though. Logan Forest has lived in this small town all his life. He went to school with the Barker triplets. He has a soft spot for Billie and has her back in the league. And she is going to need it because the men in this town are not happy.

I liked both Billie and Logan, although I wish Logan had had more of a bigger presence in this book or a bigger personality. I liked Billie better. She is strong, and stubborn and never gives up on her quest to find happiness after her concussion. The men in this town are really nasty to her. I actually thought it was a little over-dramatic how they seem to all treat her so poorly. Maybe in these small towns this would really happen, but it seemed a little extreme to me. But I liked the way she handled them. I also liked her relationship with her sister Bobbie. It is very strained, but it felt realistic. The resentment Bobbie has of Billie going off to pursue her dreams while she is stuck at home caring for their ailing father came across well. There are also big hints about Bobbie and maybe someone who is not her current boyfriend who may be appearing in a future book.

Logan and Billie have hot sex in this book, but the one big thing I feel was missing was a glimpse more into an actual relationship, rather than just sex. I wanted to see them go a little deeper into their emotions. I feel like that depth was missing. I liked them together, but the ‘love’ announcement seemed to come too quickly for them. I think their physical relationship is done well, but I needed a little more emotional depth. I never felt a strong connection between them.

Otherwise, I liked this one. I like Juliana Stone’s voice and I’m looking forward to the other two Barker triplet stories.

Rating: C+
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Oct 02, 2012 Laura the Highland Hussy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Laura the Highland Hussy by: Ridley

Review posted at Demon Lover's Books & More

4.5
I loved this book. Want to know a little known fact about your Highland Hussy? I played hockey for my university team, on a men’s team (we had no women’s team, so there were 4 of us girls), and I played in House Leagues. Those leagues are super competitive. Not that college hockey isn’t, but it’s a different vibe, so to speak.

In Offside, we see Billie Jo being pushed out of her pro league team in Sweden due to injury and coming home to her small...more Review posted at Demon Lover's Books & More

4.5
I loved this book. Want to know a little known fact about your Highland Hussy? I played hockey for my university team, on a men’s team (we had no women’s team, so there were 4 of us girls), and I played in House Leagues. Those leagues are super competitive. Not that college hockey isn’t, but it’s a different vibe, so to speak.

In Offside, we see Billie Jo being pushed out of her pro league team in Sweden due to injury and coming home to her small town of New Waterford where hockey is god.

Billie has played with these guys her whole life, she’s played pro, you’d think they’d welcome her into their “Friday Night beer league” with open arms and a bunch of “Hell Yeahs!” but realistically, it’s not like that. It’s a men’s league, and they don’t want no wimmenfolk on the ice.

I brought about my own experiences to just lend a bit of credence to the book. Billie is treated abominably. Her car is keyed, her tires slashed, she’s roughed up a lot, and she’s got to deal with jackwagons giving her crap all over town. Not just on the ice. (I had my cute little Neon keyed, sprayed with silly string, shrink wrapped with layers of shaving cream in between each layer. And how did they get the shrink wrap under my car and around the top? Seriously) And this is just what I remember.

The man she’s been in love with since she was a kid is there, and she’s no longer a kid. The only problem in getting close to Logan is that he slept with her sister Betty Jo since high school. Oh, and she’s a triplet, so the fact that she looks exactly like Betty doesn’t make her feel any better. Does Logan want Billie for Billie? Or is he still lusting after Betty, but taking Billie as a substitute?

But they do get close, and they have some pretty steamy times, add to that another Barker sister, Bobbi Jo (whose story I soo can’t wait for), and there’s a lot going on in this small town.

I loved the hockey aspect, and I think that the steamy scenes would make the ice melt.I loved watching Logan fight his love for Billie, and I loved watching Billie try to distance herself from Logan (which obviously didn't work! lol). But how can they fall in love when each has a big secret that could ruin it?

Their secrets are not on par with "The Big Misunderstanding" we so often get in contemporaries. Oh no. This is much more intense, and so much BIGGER. when those bombs are dropped, the whole book became so tense my heart was pounding! But then it was cleared up. It was a bit too fast for me. I think they had a whole lot of drama and I felt cheated at not seeing that play out.

But that notwithstanding, this is still the best contemporary romance I’ve read in a long time. Juliana Stone’s writing is always good, and this lady can write an intense plot! If you want a steamy, sexy contemporary romance, this is for you!

***ARC provided by author
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Feb 22, 2013 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.75 stars

I love a good sports romance. I live in TX so my sports are usually football and baseball, but I can appreciate a hockey jock book. Billie was a great female hockey player who wanted to play with the big boys. Ok.. I get that but HOCKEY? Lets play coed something that won't get you smushed...but I didn't grow up on the tundra loving hockey so who am I to judge?

Billie is sassy, athletic and back in her home town where she meets up again with Logan. Logan restores and customizes motorcyc...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Chris Bails rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a great sport themed read. This story is about Billie, a hockey player, who is being forced to give up what she loves due to an injury. She can still play, but is limited. This is the one thing that she truly has cared about, other than Logan. Logan is the sexy, high school crush that Billie has not been able to get over. Logan is the sexy bad boy that all the women want. His family runs the vet office and his father wanted him to follow, but he decided to open a car-motorcycle shop.
Bi...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Peri Collins rated it 3 of 5 stars

Overall it is a quick read. If you like a contemporary romance with a fiesty heroine, then this is probably one to enjoy on a lazy afternoon or on the beach. There is premarital sex that gets described in some detail, so if that offends skip this story. It is definitely of the more spicy variety.

I got this on a day when it was free on Amazon for Kindle. It is part of a trilogy featuring the love stories of female triplets. The featured sister is a former Olympic medalist who lost her place on a...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Tonileg rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, romance, second-chances

I don't like sports in an entertainment function, I do like the health benefits and the camaraderie, but I can't stand to sit in the sidelines and just watch other people do sport with one exception.
I do love watching Hockey. I have a hard time putting words to the feeling, but needless to say I do enjoy a hockey romance story.
This is a contemporary hockey romance about a forced early retirement of Bille-Jo (the youngest of the famous Barker triplets) she is almost 25 and has to reevaluate her l...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Vanessa theJeepDiva rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, ebook, romance, request

I love these books that are centered around small town folk and how they react to different situations. The situation in New Waterford is Billie Jo. She has returned home after seven years. Those seven years were spent in Sweden where she was one of four women playing pro hockey. She knows she’s good at hockey. She even has the Olympic medals to prove it. The guys on the Friday night league she has joined do not care how good she is. They want her gone, she’s a girl and they don’t want her on th...more I love these books that are centered around small town folk and how they react to different situations. The situation in New Waterford is Billie Jo. She has returned home after seven years. Those seven years were spent in Sweden where she was one of four women playing pro hockey. She knows she’s good at hockey. She even has the Olympic medals to prove it. The guys on the Friday night league she has joined do not care how good she is. They want her gone, she’s a girl and they don’t want her on their all male league.

Dealing with the hockey guys is just a minor problem. She has a beyond complex relationship with her sisters Bobbi Jo and Betty Jo. Her father is ill. Her grandfather is getting too old to take care of his son (her father) and the one man she has always had the hots for still sees her as a kid. She has a mountain of problems that continually grows and she still has yet to figure out what she wants to do with her life now that she has returned home.

Logan Forest may not intentionally be causing trouble in Billie Jo’s life, but he is. He is also drawing unwanted attention to her. Logan is one of New Waterford’s most wanted single men. He has never settled down. He does not see a need to when he has not found the perfect woman for him. Now he is spending a lot of time with one of the troublesome Barker triplets who he is starting to notice is more than just the kid he has always saw her as.

I just adored this book. The triplets and their family dynamics are hilarious. Billie Jo is the mild one. I cannot wait to see what her two sisters have in store for their books. Billie Jo was an awesome lead female to read. She is strong and courageous. She knows she wants to still play hockey and is determined not to let some narrow minded men stop her. Finally getting the man of her dreams is the icing on her rink.

On a small side note I read this on September 19th, which is International Talk like a Pirate Day. The hockey team that Billie Jo and Logan play for are called the Angry Pirate’s, be patient I promise I am going somewhere with this. Go to Urban Dictionary.com to find out why this is giggle worthy. Oh yeah, she was so surrounded by a bunch of typical beer drinking men.
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Mar 01, 2013 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-kindle, athletes-hockey, bad-boys, betrayal, fiesty-heroine, humorous, series, tattoos, states-conneticut

Billie-Jo Barker left home a hockey phenom, only to return at the age of twenty-four injured and unable to play in the pros again. Lost and drifting, Billie-Jo sees that the local town has joined a hockey league, she wants in especially since it is no contact, but the men in the small town of Waterford don't want to play with a girl, especially one who can kick their ass on the rink. Adversity has never been a problem for Billie-Jo and she can run with the punches, but factor in Logan Forest and...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Britt rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, romance, battle-of-the-books, bb-jan-2013

3.5 stars

I really wasn't expecting much from this book. I picked it up as a freebie, the plot seemed cliche and the cover seemed cheesy.

It wasn't the most wonderful book I have ever read but it was slightly better than my expectations of it (which were rather quite low).

The story was pretty cliche. Billie is a woman trying to play in a man league in a very small and sexist town. Logan is the only one willing to give her a break. Sparks fly, some extremely hot sex follows and all of a sudden emo...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Cocktails and Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenges, contemporary-romance, author-provided

In case you aren't aware....I'm a HUGE hockey fan. So with my boyfriend lockout from displaying his gracefulness for me I have to turn to hockey romances to get my fix. Juliana Stone gave me what I was looking for.

Billie Jo Barker was forced from playing the game she loves by a concussion and a league unwilling to stand behind one of the only female players. When she discovers a Friday night league starting in her hometown, she runs to sign up. She doesn't care what anyone says about her playing...more In case you aren't aware....I'm a HUGE hockey fan. So with my boyfriend lockout from displaying his gracefulness for me I have to turn to hockey romances to get my fix. Juliana Stone gave me what I was looking for.

Billie Jo Barker was forced from playing the game she loves by a concussion and a league unwilling to stand behind one of the only female players. When she discovers a Friday night league starting in her hometown, she runs to sign up. She doesn't care what anyone says about her playing as long as it means she back on the ice...the one place she feels at home. What ensues is a town divided and a woman caught between being what others expect and who she really wants to be.

I loved Billie Jo. She was a woman who learned to be just as tough as a man in the competitive world of hockey. That toughness worked out well for her when she was on the ice thousands of miles away from her family. But what we found was a very lonely woman who, despite loving hockey to the very depths of her soul, was made an outcast by it. Despite her tough exterior, Billie Jo was a woman who longed to be loved and wanted for who she was. The one person she found who truly did like her for who she was, hockey and all, was Logan Forest...the man she had a crush on when she was a teenager.

Logan was an interesting man. He balked at following in the family's footstep and became an engineer designing motorcycles and cars rather than a veterinarian. And when it came to Billie Jo Barker, he had her back each and every time she truly needed it, despite what his head was telling him. He saw past the pads, fancy stick handling and hot shot goal making to the woman Billie Jo was.

Juliana Stone's contemporary romance is a wonderfully entertaining and, at times, heart-wrenching read. She's created a cast of outstanding characters that leap off the pages at you with their big mouths and big egos. You'll either love them or hate them, but they will keep you riveted and desperately wanting the next Barker triplet story.(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was surprised and amazed at how intimately I became entranced in this story. OFFSIDE is not just about a gal wanting to play hockey with the boys or proving herself as capable as any of them, if not more. No. It's about family, it's about loyalty, it's about the relationship between sisters, friends, and teammates. This is Billie's story but Bobbi is the third triplet and feels as if she's been handed the short end of the stick while her sisters, Billie and Betty, have skated free to live thei...more

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Dec 06, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-barker-triplets

Ah-fricken-mazing. Completely unputdownable. I loved this!!! Offside is the story of Billie, a recently retired (due to injury) professional ice hockey player. After taking a serious hit resulting in concussion her contract in Sweden is paid out and she moves back to her home town. When an opportunity to play hockey, in an all men's league comes up, she jumps at it--despite knowing the backlash she'd receive. All she wants to do is play. It also doesn't hurt that she gets to play on Logan's team...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Dione Sage rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, drama, romance, contemporary

Offside is the first book in the Barker Triplets series by Juliana Stone. This contemporary romance author is new to me. This is the first book that I have read of hers and I thought it was good. The story is focused on one of the Barker triplets, Billie-Jo. After her professional hockey career overseas came to a heartbreaking end she returns to her small town home where she was raised. She is left with the heartache of never playing as a pro-hockey player, the painful reality that her family fa...more Offside is the first book in the Barker Triplets series by Juliana Stone. This contemporary romance author is new to me. This is the first book that I have read of hers and I thought it was good. The story is focused on one of the Barker triplets, Billie-Jo. After her professional hockey career overseas came to a heartbreaking end she returns to her small town home where she was raised. She is left with the heartache of never playing as a pro-hockey player, the painful reality that her family faces and boredom…so she signs up to play in a local hockey league. The only problem is it seems this is an unofficial men’s league. Billie Jo being very much female decides not to let that stand in her way. This starts rumors and conflicts all over her small hometown. However things aren’t all bad because Billie finds herself playing on the same team as Logan Forest. She has had a crush on Logan since she was young and he didn’t know she even existed since she wasn’t the wild Barker triplet or the sexy Barker triplet. She has always been the athletic – hockey loving triplet that didn’t draw much attention from the local boys. Now she has everyone’s attention it seems, including Logan's. Logan and Billie can’t seem to resist each other but the past and present secrets collide and this situation may have been doomed from the start.
First off, the characters are great. Billie Jo Barker is the perfect balance of tough and feminine in my opinion. She is a strong female lead which is always a bonus but with a tender side to her. I also LOVED Logan. He is sweet and tough as well and protective of Billie but still stubborn.
Secondly, this story emerged so evenly and developed at a good pace that nothing really seemed rushed or forced.
In my opinion this book is a fun read. It is set for adults though due to the sexual scenarios in the storyline. But the story is still a cute and easy read. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series because I want to know what will happen with Billie’s sister Bobbie and Logan’s best friend Shane!
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Apr 23, 2013 Irene rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: athletes, chick-lit-contemp-challenge-2013, chick-lit-romance, freebie-read, favorites

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 ve...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Daniela rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-ebook

Story about a female hockey player who is shaking up the town by joining the local men's hockey league. They are all rattled even Logan who Billie in in love with since forever.Good story, good writing, author is well versed in hockey jargon. I enjoyed the twist that it was a female hockey player. There were some serious themes in the story. One is her father suffers with dementia and the author touches on the heartache of dealing with that. The other is all the serious incidents that happens to...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Billie-Jo Barker has come home after an injury cut short her hockey career in Sweden, all she ever wanted to do was play hockey so she is not sure what she wants to do with her life. Unfortunately she comes home to an angry sister, a father that is slowly losing his battle with Alzheimer's and Logan a man she has loved all her life who still thinks of her as a kid.

While getting her skates sharpened, Billie-Jo hears about a Friday night hockey league and decides this might help with her feelings...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Shelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read

Suffering from one too many concussions while playing overseas, twenty-five year old hockey player Billie-Jo Barker decides to return home to both recover and decide what she’s going to do with the rest of her life. When she gets back home, she runs into no other than Logan Forest, her childhood crush who she’s still carrying a bit of a torch for.

Billie is restless because for the first time she neither has a schedule to train by nor a game in her foreseeable future. Along with that she’s quite...more Suffering from one too many concussions while playing overseas, twenty-five year old hockey player Billie-Jo Barker decides to return home to both recover and decide what she’s going to do with the rest of her life. When she gets back home, she runs into no other than Logan Forest, her childhood crush who she’s still carrying a bit of a torch for.

Billie is restless because for the first time she neither has a schedule to train by nor a game in her foreseeable future. Along with that she’s quite unsure of her future because not only can she no longer competitively play the sport that she loves but she doesn’t know how to do anything but play hockey. To solve part of her quandry, Billie joins the local hockey league. Fortunately for her, there are no rules that say males only so she decides to give it a go.

Also on the team is Logan, who’s quite the successful businessman and resident hotmaleness. Logan and Billie have a little bit of history in that Billie was totally and completely in love with Logan but he only had eyes for Betty-Jo, one of the Barker triplets. After seeing each other again, sharing a hockey bench and after-the-game drinks Billie and Logan form a hot and heavy ‘don’t tell anyone’ affair. But Billie has a long held secret that she’s keeping from Logan that will seriously rock their budding relationship.

While trying to stay safe on the ice, Billie’s dealing with her father’s early stages of dementia, her other sister Bobbi-Jo’s hostile attitude, Shane – recent parolee and ex-boyfriend of Bobbi, Gerald – Bobbi’s fiancee, Betty’s total asshat attitude, and a serious (downright criminal) case of hazing.

Between the smokin’ hot between the sheets moments between Billie and Logan, it all makes for a fun and very entertaining read. I’m exicted to see who’s story is going to be the next one out. I’m thinking Betty-Jo because I have no idea who her HEA will be with. But I know when Shane’s turn comes it’s going to be just as good or maybe even more awesome – because shhhh don’t tell anyone but he’s a badboy and you know how those badboys can make a girl lose her right mind.

Happy Reading Folks!

Rating: B

*** ARC provided for review

Review posted at www.RedHotBooks.com
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Nov 29, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, free-ebooks, contemporary, read-in-2012

Oh, guys. OH, GUYS! I liked this one. It took two things I don't normally enjoy (contemporary non-paranormal romance and sports) and it made them both fun and interesting. Win!

There were times where I felt SO BAD for Billie. She has all this stuff that she's trying to deal with and ... and ... and her family is sort of kooky -- in a good way, in a bad way, and in an OMG!WTF! sort of way. So she has all this stuff on her plate and Logan is driving her crazy and the menfolk in the town don't want...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Danielle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: review

Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

I have been on a complete contemporary kick lately and Offside definitely did not disappoint. I really liked this book and I definitely can't wait to get my hands on more contemporaries from Juliana Stone. I loved the characters she created and the town they all live in. I'll be honest, I'm not the biggest hockey fan and I honestly don't know much about the sport except for what I've seen watching The Mighty Ducks movies, but I didn't feel los...more Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick

I have been on a complete contemporary kick lately and Offside definitely did not disappoint. I really liked this book and I definitely can't wait to get my hands on more contemporaries from Juliana Stone. I loved the characters she created and the town they all live in. I'll be honest, I'm not the biggest hockey fan and I honestly don't know much about the sport except for what I've seen watching The Mighty Ducks movies, but I didn't feel lost or overwhelmed at all. I really enjoyed this book and it definitely got me wanting to watch some hockey.

I think what I loved most about this book is that it features a girl hockey player. Now I'm not sure if there are really any pro girl hockey players out there but I don't care. Billie-Jo Barker was a hockey phenom until she got a bad concussion while playing. Now she's back home and itching to play hockey again so she decides to join the local hockey league. The only problem is because she's a woman no one wants to play with her. Everyone treats her like she's a freak for even trying to play a "mans game." They call her names, trash her car and pretty much just treat her like crap when all she wants to do is play the game she loves. Logan Forrest is one of the only people that stick up for her. Everyone is freaking out about her playing in the league and refusing to play with her so Logan decides to put her on his team. He knows that Billie can stick up for herself and is a damn good hockey player. Who cares that she's a woman?

Billie has been in love with Logan for years and even spent one glorious night with him years ago, though Logan believes he was Betty-Jo. When they start to get closer and start flirting with one another Billie is worried that he is only attracted to her because she reminds him of her sister.

Logan has never forgotten the night he spent with Betty-Jo or how she treated him afterwards. He's vowed to not get involved with another Barker sister but the more time he spends with Billie the harder he's finding it to keep his hands off of her.

I really enjoyed both Logan and Billie. My only issue is that I feel like I didn't see them together enough. I would have liked to have seen more of their relationship play out on the pages rather than behind the scenes. While I loved these two together it just felt like something was missing.

Billie-Jo was a great character and I like that we were able to a good sense of who she is. She comes off as this really tough put together chick but there is so much more than that. She's very vulnerable and is dealing with so much. She and her sisters don't get along, her father has dementia and she's just trying to figure out what to do with her life now that she can't play professional hockey. I loved that we were able to see this side of her.

All in all this was a great start to a new series. I definitely can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the books in this series. I am in love with Shane and I can't wait to find out what happened to him and Billie's sister Bobbi.

** ARC copy provided by Author**(less)

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May 21, 2013 Phyllis rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a fun, sexy sports romance with a twist. The professional athlete isn't the hero, it is the heroine. Billie Jo has lived and breathed hockey all of her life. She was playing on a professional team in Sweden when a concussion ended her career. Already devastated by the loss of her career, Billie Jo isn't overwhelmed by her father's early onset dementia and the bitter jealousy of her sister, Bobbi. The only bright spot in her life is playing hockey on the local men's league. Despite hostil...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Jess rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for_review, contemporary, sports_romance

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: 3.5/5

After a career ending injury playing hockey overseas sends Billie home, she can’t give up the game she loves with all her heart. She can’t afford another concussion, but when she sees the chance to play again in a no-contact men’s league, she signs up; much to the entire town’s dismay. The men in town, save for the hero and a few others, and most of the woman have a very extreme reaction to Billie playing with the men. Her car is trashed...more Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: 3.5/5

After a career ending injury playing hockey overseas sends Billie home, she can’t give up the game she loves with all her heart. She can’t afford another concussion, but when she sees the chance to play again in a no-contact men’s league, she signs up; much to the entire town’s dismay. The men in town, save for the hero and a few others, and most of the woman have a very extreme reaction to Billie playing with the men. Her car is trashed, she’s called names, is humiliated in front of the town, you name it and she had to deal with it, including getting it from her own sister. It certainly made me feel for Billie, there’s no way you can’t feel for her, but the reaction seemed really over the top by everyone in town.

With the town in an uproar, Logan puts Billie on his team, he’s one of the few guys in her corner. Billie more than holds her own against the men, in fact she sticks it to them on the ice, which doesn’t help her situation one bit. But it’s a game that she can’t sit back and watch, it’s in her blood and she has to be out on the ice. With her professional career over, a father who’s suffering from dementia and having to deal with the attitude of one of her triplet sisters who stayed at home to take care of their dad and is bitter about it, Billie needs to figure out what to do with her life, beyond playing Friday night hockey. She also needs to figure out what to do with the feelings she’s had for Logan ever since they were teens.

Billie was a character that I ended up just feeling for. She shows moments of vulnerability, when she’s the target of sexist behavior and having anger from her sister directed at her. She fights back tears more times than I could count and I liked that mix of her being a badass on the ice, but emotional about this in her personal life off the ice. She has kept one big whopper of a lie from Logan for many years and it provided the relationship angst these two had to work through to move beyond the past and into their future. I felt like the ending rushed a little bit though with regards to this. We’re told that Logan and Billie talked everything through and came out on the other side together. I’d have loved to have had that conversation on page. It would have added more intimacy to their relationship and more emotion. The sexiness of them together was very understated, which was fine, but I felt like more romance on page would have helped sell them as a couple. They’re enjoyable to read about, I just needed a little more.

Billie has a love/hate/love relationship with her sisters, Bobbie and Betty. Bobbie is dating a nice, but boring guy, and the man she used to love, Shane, is back in town after being released from prison. I initially hated Bobbie’s guts for the way she talked to Billie, but she grew on me a little and I want to know about her past with Shane and see how he shakes up her life now that he’s back in town and still obviously dealing with his own feelings for her. And Betty…how do I say this nicely…Betty is a flat out bitch in this book. She’s a model who shows up at the end of the story with her career in the toilet and seems to take great pleasure in making the people around her uncomfortable and as miserable as she is. I’m probably most interested in her story because I need to know if she can soften up at all, or at this point, I’d like to at least see her get what’s coming to her after her actions at the end of Offside.

This was a cute, fun read. I enjoy sports themed books and liked seeing a lead athlete role go to the heroine for a change. Billie is beyond likable, she’s tough and sweet and I only wanted good things for her, including getting the man she’s loved for years. Logan came across as a solid hero, one who had Billie’s back when not many people did. I hope we get some updates in the next Barker sister’s book on Logan and Billie, just to see their story continue. (less)

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Mar 22, 2013 Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: character-badboy, character-goes-home, character-heartbreaker, character-injured, kindle-book, characters-reunited-love, sports

There are two types of books that will make me drop whatever I'm reading to pick it up: friends/enemies to lovers and romances involving sports. That's my excuse for reading this book the night I got it on Amazon. Not going to lie, I did a tiny squeel when I saw it in Amazon's top 100 free ebooks. It was a very happy squeel and I finished the book two hours later.

Offside is the story of Billie-Jo and Logan. I loved Billie-Jo as a character. She's a former hockey player (woot!) that is forced to...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Valancy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, 2013, sports-romance, hero-inked, steamy-hot

So this book has a conflict in it (as do most books) so I read through the book to see how the conflict would be resolved. I know why the heroine did what she did BUT I wanted to read how she would explain it to the hero. The explanation could have been a very intense, romantic scene.

But at the end the heroine just says to the hero "I don’t know how to explain what I did or why” and the final chapter before the epilogue ends with "He took her back to his place—after politely declining Thanksgivi...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Chanpreet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Holy smokes this book was hot! I love the premise behind the book and there were some twists I did not see coming! Another huge bonus for me is the fact that Billie-Jo is a female athlete. Not just any athlete, but one who has played in the Olympics and as a pro on the world stage. I loved her chemistry with Logan, especially the way she got his attention. I also really liked the glimpses into how a woman playing in an all men's league could result in trouble.

I do wish the book had been longer...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Dena rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-books-read, kindle-already-read, new-release-2012

This book is about 3 women who are triplets and have some stuff going on. The father is sick and each child is dealing with it in their own way. This story is about Billie and she is the athletic one who is obsessed about hockey. She has been in love with Logan for years and he is just now noticing her. Basically Logan was chasing the other sister and thought he slept with her but instead slept with Billie. I believe she wanted him so badly she was willing to forfeit anything. The family dynamic...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Dana Alma rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm currently on this contemporary romance kick, and who better to feed my addiction than Juliana Stone. Stone packs real drama in the first book in the Barker trilogy with three spicy sisters that happen to be triplets. Their lives are far from pretty, these women have spunk and grab the reader's attention as their lives unravel. Offside was a wonderful introduction to the Barker triplets. Steamy scenes are sure to titillate readers as they are swept up into the life and love story of Bille and...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Amy The Book Diaries rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-my-kindle

www.the-book-diaries.blogspot.com

This was a cute romance story. The thing I like most is reading about women who are not afraid to go or do what they want. In this story, Billie is/was a pro hockey player who got hurt and had to retire. Coming back home all she wants to do is play hockey in the mens league but being the insecure jerks they are, they shun her and try to push her out. Well Billie doesn't take no as an answer and despite all the awful things they do and say to her, she keeps on goi...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 13, 2013 Rhonda rated it 5 of 5 stars

What an amazing beginning to a very promising series! I got this book for free on Amazon and now, can’t wait to read the next book in the series. Juliana Stone is a new to me author, but I will soon be reading more of her work. She really pulls you into the characters. I was a jock in high school and could totally relate to how Billie felt. Basketball was my life. Ms. Stone had you feeling all the emotions she felt and had you wanting what she wanted as well. I couldn’t wait to see how this stor...more

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About Juliana Stone

Juliana Stone’s love of the written word and 80s rock, have inspired her in more ways than one. She writes contemporary romance, paranormal romance and will debut a young adult novel in 2014. She spends her days navigating a busy life that includes, a husband, kids, a dog and a cat.

More about Juliana Stone...

Books by Juliana Stone

His Darkest Hunger (Jaguar Warriors, #1)

His Darkest Embrace (Jaguar Warriors, #2)

The Summer He Came Home (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake, #1)

His Darkest Salvation (Jaguar Warriors, #3)

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Quotes from Offside

“Logan ran a hand through his hair as he tried to calm his racing heart. He wanted her on the most basic level that a man could want a woman, but it was so much more than that. It wasn’t just about sex and the need to be inside her so badly it hurt—it was all the other stuff to. The need to matter. The need to be selfless.
The need to love.” — 5 people liked it

“They had an audience. A furry, purring little thing who flicked a crooked tail back and forth while holding out a paw to be licked. A cat with one eye. An eye for porn.” — 1 person liked it

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Offside (The Barker Triplets #1)

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