My friend Sarah called me last week asking for a college hockey romance that would make her forget her own life for a few hours. I immediately thought of The Chase—a book that grabbed me from page one and didn't let go until the final chapter. Sometimes the best stories are the ones where everything is working against the characters, where proximity becomes a dangerous game, and where laughter masks something much deeper. This book delivers exactly that kind of energy.
Plot Summary
The Chase by Elle Kennedy is the first book in the Briar U series and follows Summer Heyward-DiLaurentis, a charming transfer student with a hidden learning disability, who unexpectedly finds herself living with four hockey players at Briar University. Chief among them is Colin "Fitzy" Fitzgerald, a brooding, tattooed hockey captain who claims to have no interest in Summer—despite the undeniable chemistry between them. When Summer begins dating Hunter, another roommate, the sexual tension and emotional push-pull between Summer and Fitzy becomes impossible to ignore. Set against the backdrop of college hockey and friendship, this novel explores the blurred line between resistance and desire, self-discovery, and finding love in the most unexpected living arrangements.
Why I Love This Book
I love how perfectly Elle Kennedy executes the grumpy-sunshine dynamic in The Chase. Summer is vibrant, witty, and unapologetically herself despite her insecurities, while Fitzy is all brooding intensity and protective devotion once he lets his walls down. Their banter is razor-sharp, their chemistry is electric, and watching Fitzy's carefully constructed indifference crumble is incredibly satisfying. The forced proximity of sharing a home amplifies every interaction, making even mundane moments feel loaded with tension. Beyond the romance, I appreciated the genuine friendships, the humor that had me laughing out loud, and the way Kennedy addresses Summer's learning disability with both sensitivity and authenticity. This book is addictive in the best way.
Who Will Like This Book
If you love college hockey romance, grumpy-sunshine dynamics, forced proximity, love triangles, or sports romance with serious steam, The Chase is perfect for you. This book features explicit, open-door sexual content that's integral to the romance arc. The spice level is high, and Kennedy doesn't pull punches. It's ideal for readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers or hate-to-love tropes with witty banter, found family vibes, and complex emotions beneath the surface. If you loved Elle Kennedy's Off-Campus series or similar contemporary college romance, this Briar U installment will absolutely satisfy your cravings.
⚠️ Trigger warning:
attempted sexual assault, sexual harassment, rape culture, drug use, alcohol use, profanity, misogyny, explicit sexual content, possessiveness, manipulation, slut-shaming
Tagged As
college hockey romance, grumpy-sunshine, forced proximity, love triangle, enemies to lovers, sports romance, new adult, contemporary, Briar U series, standalone, spicy romance, explicit content, open door, banter-filled, found family, friends to lovers, hockey player romance, tattooed hero, independent heroine, witty heroine, insecure heroine, STEM-challenged, HEA
Steam Level
The Chase is packed with explicit, open-door scenes that are frequently integrated throughout the narrative. The sexual content is essential to the character development and relationship progression. This is not a fade-to-black or closed-door romance—Kennedy writes detailed, steamy scenes that leave nothing to imagination and serve the emotional intensity of the story.
