Book Review: Off the Mark by Kathryn Nolan

This book hit my Kindle and I dove right in. There is not one thing I didn’t love about Off the Mark. I love a story that makes me feel and this one totally did. I can’t begin to say enough good things.

Off the Mark by Kathryn Nolan

Fake dating my hottest friend was not my smartest move…

The cocky ex-baseball player—and flirty playboy—is the one man I’d never fall for. Which is why I stupidly thought he’d make the perfect fake boyfriend.

As the reigning queen of the dirt bike racing circuit, my only goal is to win this next championship race. Except I’ve got a bit of a…reputation problem. While my fans love my tattooed, bad girl image, my fancy new sponsor hates it. And after a recent media fiasco, I’m on the brink of losing everything just when my family needs my help the most.

So I asked Rowan O’Callaghan to fake date me to rehab my image for the cameras.

We’ve known each other since I was just his favorite bartender and he was the charming baseball god who swaggered into my bar to seduce every woman in sight. And left a trail of broken hearts in his wake.

Not me, though. I always knew better than to be tempted by his wicked grin and massive shoulders. Until now—when I suddenly have the huge, hunky flirt pretending to worship the very ground I walk on. Every fake kiss, every filthy promise he whispers in my ear, is starting to feel real.

But it turns out that falling for my fake boyfriend is my biggest mistake yet.

5 out of 5 stars

This was EVERYTHING! I loved every second of Off the Mark. The depth of the characters, their history together, all the fun sexy banter, and all the emotion and feelings filled me completely. Exceptional read!

I loved Charlie and Rowan so much. She was a tough, kick-ass woman with a huge heart. I loved her strength and devotion. I felt for her as I learned about her past and the struggles she was facing. Rowan had my heart right from the start. He was such a player but so incredibly sweet. His dedication to his family, friends, and neighborhood was inspiring. Charlie and Rowan together? Stick a fork in me, I was done (in the best way!). I enjoyed how the need for a fake relationship reconnected them. I loved learning about their history, what held them back in the past, as well as what they were going through in the present day. There was a good amount of tension that was filled with want and need and I could feel the longing between them. There was a wonderful mix of sweet moments, vulnerable ones, and entertaining ones too. They had the best playful, flirty banter that I adored. When their true feelings finally break through, it was raw and emotional. There was a fantastic slow burn as everything unfolded. As for the sexy times… let me just say WOW! Yes, it was super-hot but it was so much more because it felt intimate and real and I could feel their connection. My heart was pretty much exploding all over the place throughout the story.

There were so many outstanding characters mixed in and they made Charlie and Rowan’s world even brighter. I loved the feeling of hope their family and friends exuded, lifting them up. The relationship Rowan has with his grandmother was so beautiful, she was a true gem. The friendship that Rowan had with Dean was so special and filled me up, those two are so fun together but they have this incredible bond that was touching. I loved Tabitha and her bright personality and how she embraced Charlie. If you haven't read On the Ropes yet (Dean and Tabitha’s story), I highly recommend it.

There were just so many amazing moments and so much goodness in this. The build and development of them coming together was so well executed. The story unfolded at the perfect pace and I felt so pulled in, a part of their world. I laughed my way through, got choked up, and cheered for them. This is one of those stories where the stars aligned for me and it was perfect because it made me feel all the things. I liked it from the start, then I loved it, and by the end, it became one of my favorite books of the year. A must-read!

Complimentary copy received from That's What She Said Publishing.