The Mistake (Off-Campus Book 2)
I was so excited for this one ’cause I went absolutely crazy for book #1 (I five starred this bad boy —> The Deal <— my review). Even though it wasn’t overly angsty, nor was it alllll “twisty-turny”, it just hit the spot, ya know? Excellent writing, a heroine I could totally relate too, just enough angst to keep giving me mini stomach aches, and it was SO funny. Or… they were. Because they were perfectly real.
So I knew I was in for more bad-boy hockey player fun, and the insecure/normal-girl romance angst I love, and I just couldn’t wait to do it all over again!
Shane: Loving, “The Mistake,” so far. That Logan, I was crushing on him since, “The Deal.” I can’t wait to get on the train for my afternoon commute so that I can continue being in book bliss!!!
Fabi: The Mistake – first paragraph – ha! So great. This is going to be a doozy of a read. I didn’t even hesitate, I simply put my other books aside and jumped into this one.
Anne: I am always nervous about a second book in a series not living up to expectations but this one exceeded them!
Did it do it for me? Mostly… yes. The writing was on par with the feel of book #1 in regards to seamlessly meeting up with the characters again, their personal plights, and of course, the humor. Our latest heroine was easily relatable and totally goofy (at least… at first), and I felt her huge crush on him, and her shock and awe at his surprise hang-out session…
“Seriously, what guy turns down Die Hard? The only thing that could sweeten this deal is if you offered me some booze.”
“I don’t have any.” She stops to think. “But I’ve got a whole bag of gummy bears hidden in my desk drawer.”
…and make-out session with THE highly coveted “Logan”. Nothing better than being the girl that thinks he’ll never notice her, and then he does…
John Logan is in my dorm room. No, John Logan is on my bed. I am so not prepared for this. In fact, I’m tempted to secretly text Ramona with an SOS and beg for advice, because I have no idea what to do or say.
And then… he doesn’t, ’cause what else did you expect? He’s known all over campus as the “player” (and no, not just the “hockey player”). YESSSS! I love that kind of turmoil.
…before I can blink, he sits up abruptly and says, “I should go.”
I ignore the equal doses of disappointment and irritation that tighten my belly. Seriously? He can’t even stick around for a few minutes of post-hook-up small talk? What a prince.
Grrrrr… stupid guy! 
The typical “yeah… she’s cute, ok… let’s make out!” and then he leaves… and as expected, she doesn’t hear from him again.
And then she does!!! ‘Cause Logan needs to fix something…
It’s funny. Less than a week ago I was bemoaning the lack of excitement in my life, and now look at me— sexy hockey players showing up at my door to excite the hell out of me.
F#@k it. I’m giving myself the award.
*snort* 😛
But… you know. There are misconceptions and apprehensions all around. Logan’s not a total ass, like she thinks he is. And he’s got a lot more going on than just notches on his bed post. His personal life is sort of a mess, and even though he’s being considered and wooed by hockey scouts all over, he’s covering up (and accommodating) a personal secret that has him believing he will never be pro.
…[email protected]#ked up as it sounds, having my best friend believe I didn’t get picked bums me out a helluva lot less than admitting that I’m never going to play for the pros.
My heart ached when I found out what it was, and how deep it went.
Grace just has that awesome feel about her. Great parents (even though they are divorced), there’s just no animosity, and never was, in her life.
bev: One other little thing I like about The Mistake,Grace ‘s parents. I like them but also the way they are portrayed. That there is no shaming in the fact that they basically swapped roles. Usually a mother would take a serious hit for that and she doesn’t. I appreciate that. That it shows that the family is still very healthy and that a mother can still be a good one even in that role, you know.
Kind of nerdy, and cute and still holding that v-card, she’s had a stable, mostly drama-free life. She’s even still best friends with a girl she’s know since kindergarten and they’re roommates and attending the same college! Ahhhhh that sounds like the perfect life!!
However, her life doesn’t remain drama free when her “normal” crush on the campus hottie turns into something more, ticking off some of the mean girls and “puck-bunnies” in the process. Including someone that she’d never expect to hurt her.
“This whole day has been so humiliating,” I mumble.
He sighs . “I guess you saw that Twitter feed.”
Yep. The jerks!!
Like book #1, this one had just enough of “everything” to keep it good. A bit of a slow burn (’cause of that initial make-out session that doesn’t turn into much… at first), some bully-drama, romance angst, and humor to boot!
Fabi: Reading The Mistake – my face hurts, it’s been stuck in a grin for hours.
Jean: I love them all in The Mistake! And there are just too many funny lines to recount. Just got to the Lorris Brangelina line…too, too funny!
Niki: I’m also reading The Mistake and loving it!! So funny!!
Plus all of the personal angst to give it some depth. So many in our crew loved it as much, if not more.
Jillian: I just finished The Mistake & loved, loved, loved it!! It was such a good 2nd book! I may have loved it even more than The Deal, too!
Anne: I finished “The Mistake” and loved it!! John Logan is swoon worthy! I liked this one a little bit better than “The Deal” which is saying a lot cause that book was awesome! Can’t wait for Dean’s book next! Love this series!
Lisa: Smash read The Deal and The Mistake and looooved them….
Amy: I’m finished with The Mistake (*sigh* LOVED it)
Cheryl: Just finished The Mistake and my only complaint is that it ended, I wanted more Logan and Grace.
Jean: In a book funk after The Mistake…. not sure what to start next…
Tessa: OMG, OMG, OMG, the happy feels. Just finished The Mistake. I even snort laughed at one point, and I honestly rarely do! But the feels! So many smiles.
Did I love it as much as the first one? Well… no, but I’d still recommend it, ’cause it was the full package in terms of new “adult bad-boy romance” (just a little subdued for me). There wasn’t as much oomph all around and I was able to put it down (although not at first). I was IN from the “meet-cute” and the whole first quarter to first half of the book (which gave me the same exhilaration as book #1 did). The insecurities, the mean-girls and the resolution to that. But my level of interest leveled out… a little too much. It was funny, but didn’t have me laughing out loud like I did with “The Deal”.
Er… oh wait. Correction. 😉
bev: Laura, I think I laughed the hardest at Justin’s “What is happening right now?” scene.
Fabi: I finished a few minutes ago Bev. And I totally want a copy of that picture Justin was laughing at.
Anne: Lol! Poor Justin! That scene was amazing! I want that pic too! I loved how Garret was acting like it was a normal ocurrence or something lol!
YESSS!!!! OMG YESSSS!!! I WAS TOTALLY laughing out loud with Justin’s reaction… *giggle*. 
“What is happening right now?” Justin bursts out.
I drop trou , kick my jeans away, and dive onto the plush chair wearing nothing but my black boxer-briefs.
“Quick. Take a picture.”
Justin doesn’t stop shaking his head. Over and over again, and he’s blinking like an owl, as if he can’t fathom what he’s seeing.
Tee hee!!! No. Not just giggling. Definite snorting. 😉
And of course, there was the requisite romance angst, but… for some reason, it just didn’t give me the butterflies that “The Deal” did.
Amy: The Deal and The Mistake were *both* great, but I think The Deal is still my favorite out of the two.
Agreed Amy!! I don’t know if it’s ’cause it was the first one in a long time to give me that “new adult” old-school feel, or if it was just that it was just that much more fun (and funnier) to me, but “The Deal” remains my favorite of the two. 😀
Still though, it was fun hanging out with our new “college family”. They feel SO real to me. I’ll be ready for Dean (he’s next!!) And Tuck, for that matter. 😉 Oh and I just gotta read about Justin. PLEEEEAAASE??? Oh please let the football players be a spinoff. 😉
Good stuff!
4 stars!
P.S. Thank you to the author for the review copy!
You forgot to mention the beard! 🙂 Good review and I totally wanted to know your thoughts on it. That chaise scene, yep. That wasnt even my snorting point. Mine was the poem. Heeheehee. Loved the poem.
Her mom and the whole “giving him your flower” thing…LOL!!!
Oh gosh!! The poem… LOL!!!!
Amy I loved her mom!! And her dad in that one scene… *sob*
Great review, great book. Just wanted her goofy and crushing and him not realizing he is starting a relationship for a bit longer. Just a smidge.
So, Dean I wonder how he will play out. Do you guys think that was his heroine at the party? I had so wanted it to be the new roommate, but yeah don’t see that now.
AGREED bev!! I think that was my issue, romance-angst wise. I loved who she became in the 2nd half, but as a reader I enjoyed her goofiness BIG time in the first half (and her insecurity with HIS interest in her)…
I laughed more at the flower scene than the chaise one, but so many funny moments.
Bev, I was thinking the same thing. They both had so much hostility at the party that you know there is some history with them and that it’s just a matter of time before something erupts between them. *cheeky grin*
I’m 100% with you Maryse on wanting the football players spin off. Please, please, “pleas”, Ms. Kennedy, after we get to know the rest of the hockey players, including Hunter, can we meet the football players? I got a huge kick out of Grace being a football fan.
Cheryl, it would be interesting. You normally do not meet the heroine of the next book as she is hooking up with another guy, lol.
Loved both of Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus books. I’m looking forward to Dean’s story in book 3. He sounds like a boy s**t with all of his ‘puck bunnies’ but there was a clue or two about him in The Mistake….like when Logan asked why he’d never taken a girl into his room.
Im predicting we’ll see him fall hard.
Loved it so much. Waiting patiently for book 3! The anticipation, aye!!!
i felt the same way, Maryse,