Offside English Editon

Offside is the first book in Holly Knotts's The Ice Breakers series, a spicy male/male hockey romance published in January 2026 that launched a fast-growing series. The novel opens with a career-altering moment: a devastating on-ice hit destroys star player Viktor Lindqvist's knee, and the man responsible—Cole Kiernan—becomes overnight the most hated figure in hockey, reviled by fans and players alike. A year later, circumstances force Viktor and Cole into unexpected close proximity, and the animosity between them begins to curdle into something far more complicated, charged, and undeniable. Offside is a classic rivals-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers story built on forced proximity and crackling locker-room tension, with high-heat chemistry that ignites early and refuses to cool. Knotts explores themes of redemption, forgiveness, reputation, and the thin line between hatred and desire, as two men who have every reason to despise each other discover that the person who ruined your career might also be the one person who can help put your broken pieces back together. With a guaranteed happily-ever-after, a focus on the intense physical and emotional dynamic between its leads, and the authentic atmosphere of competitive hockey, Offside established The Ice Breakers as a series for readers who enjoy MM sports romance with fast-burn passion, strong character conflict, and emotional stakes that hit as hard as the game itself.