Recommendations of the Editorial team
Still in the wake of the “Heated Rivalry” hype, Amazon hopes that lightning will strike the ice a second time – with the upcoming Prime Video series “Off Campus.”
Based on the bestselling book series by Elle Kennedy, the series follows hard-working, introverted Hannah Wells as she goes on a fake date with Briar University hockey star Garrett Graham to make another guy jealous. What begins as a harmless game quickly turns into something more – as the blurb promises: “It doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretending isn’t enough. Now all he has to do is convince Hannah that the man she wants looks suspiciously like him.”
Season one of “Off Campus” premieres on May 13th on Prime Video and can be streamed free of charge for Amazon Prime members. Not a Prime member yet? There is a free 30-day trial period to watch “Off Campus” online.
The books in the series
The first book in the Off Campus series, The Deal, was released in 2015 and chronicles Hannah and Garrett’s opposites attract romance. The 400-page novel from Bloom Books is also available as a Kindle version and audio book – read by author Kennedy herself. The audio book for “The Deal” can now be listened to online with a free 30-day trial period at Audible.
What is “Off Campus” about?
Both “Off Campus” and “Heated Rivalry” are set in the world of hockey – including locker rooms – but “Off Campus” is about college athletes rather than professional players. And just as “Heated Rivalry” introduced the fictional Major League Hockey with the fictional teams Montreal Metros and Boston Raiders, “Off Campus” brings the fictional Briar University and the Briar Hawks into the game.
The similarities don’t stop there: both series have brought their hot sex scenes to the forefront. While in “Heated Rivalry” Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) in the locker room shower rooms are a little, shall we say, Stick control Hannah catches Garrett in an unobserved moment in “Off Campus” – when she is cleaning up the men’s locker room and in the process catches an involuntary look at his equipment throws.
While “Heated Rivalry” covers topics like million-dollar contracts, PR campaigns and the business world of professional sports, “Off Campus” delves into perhaps more familiar territory: messy relationships, shattered dreams – all while still having to somehow get through college.
A college soap on Prime Video
According to a Prime Video press release, the new series is described as a “college soap” that “follows an elite hockey team and the women in their lives as they wrestle with love, heartbreak and self-discovery – forming deep friendships and lasting bonds while navigating the complexities of growing up.”
Is “Off Campus” based on a true story?
While “Heated Rivalry” was reportedly inspired by NHL players, Kennedy has stated that “Off Campus” is purely fiction and is not based on anyone she knows personally. The first season is based on “The Deal”, the first volume in Kennedy’s book series – but Prime Video has already ordered a second season and is obviously counting on the series to be a hit with fans and viewers.
The books are titled “The Deal,” “Mistake,” “Score,” “Goal,” and “Legacy.”
What’s interesting is that “Heated Rivalry” was actually that one second volume in Rachel Reid’s “Game Changers” series – however, showrunner Jacob Tierney decided to focus the HBO Max/Crave series on the characters Shane and Ilya from “Heated Rivalry” rather than Scott and Kip from the first “Game Changers” volume.
The new “Off Campus” series, meanwhile, relies on relative newcomers: Ella Bright, Belmont Cameli, Mika Abdalla and Antonio Cipriano. If the reaction to the actors in “Heated Rivalry” is any guide, the Prime Video stars should prepare for a turbulent ride.
