Off Campus Season 1 Review: Hockey, Heartache, & 8 Episodes Of Binge Worthy Television That Never Failed Us

Season 1 Rating: A

I have loved Elle Kennedy’s books for what feels like forever.

Back in 2015, when I was working for an author, my boss handed me The Deal and said, “You need to read this.” What was supposed to be a productive workday quickly turned into me sitting at my desk for eight hours, absolutely devouring the story.

From the very first page, I was hooked.

The love story between Hannah Wells and Garrett Graham felt epic, but it also felt real. It was messy, emotional, funny, and deeply relatable. Hannah, especially, became a character I saw pieces of myself in. She was smart, guarded, and stronger than she gave herself credit for. She wasn’t just a heroine I loved—she was a heroine I understood.

That is why the announcement that Off Campus was being adapted for television felt like such a big deal.

If you are a reader, you know that book-to-screen adaptations come with equal parts excitement and terror. You want the people who lived so vividly in your imagination to feel the same onscreen. You want the chemistry to be there. You want the friendships to hit. You want all the little moments that made you fall in love with the books to still matter.

And somehow, Off-Campus pulled it off.

In fact, this is one of the best book-to-screen adaptations we’ve seen in a long time.

Does the series make changes? Of course. Every adaptation does. But what matters most is that it keeps the heart of the story intact. The emotional core is still there. The friendships are still there. The swoony moments are still there. And yes, it once again has all of us wondering where exactly we can order a Garrett Graham for ourselves.

Romance as a genre is often dismissed, which has always felt wild to me.

For so many readers, romance is comfort. It is escape. It is hope. It is the reminder that vulnerability is scary, but worth it. These stories give us a place to process emotions, root for happy endings, and believe that love can exist even after life has knocked us around a little.

The Off-Campus books did that for me, and for countless other readers.

They also helped define modern sports romance. Long before hockey romance became the genre’s MVP, Elle Kennedy was out here setting the bar. She created a world that was sexy, heartfelt, hilarious, and emotionally grounded—and readers have been obsessed ever since.

The television adaptation understands exactly why these books matter.

It gives us characters who feel like they could be our best friends. It celebrates friendships that become family, relationships that challenge us to grow, and the courage it takes to let someone truly see you.

Over eight episodes, Off Campus invites us to fall in love all over again—not just with Hannah and Garrett, but with the entire world Elle Kennedy created.

For longtime readers, it feels like seeing an old favorite come to life. For newcomers, it is the kind of show that pulls you in immediately and refuses to let go.

And in a streaming landscape where there is always something new to watch, Off-Campus has become the rare series that feels like mandatory viewing. The kind of show where you clear your schedule, order takeout, and immediately text your friends afterward because you need to scream about what just happened.

That is what makes this adaptation so special.

It doesn’t just retell a story we loved. It honors it.

And that is why Off-Campus is not only one of the best adaptations we’ve seen in years—it is the show no romance fan should miss.

LETS REVIEW WHAT IT IS ABOUT

Released on May 13, 2026, on Prime Video, Season 1 of Off Campus is a 8-episode soapy college drama based on Elle Kennedy’s The Deal, following Hannah Wells (Ella Bright) and hockey star Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli) as they enter a fake dating agreement that turns into a real, intense romance. The show focuses on the “opposites attract” storyline where shy, music-major Hannah tutors Garrett in exchange for him helping her make her crush jealous.

(l-r) Dean Di Laurentis (Stephen Thomas Kalyn), Beau Maxwell (Khobe Clarke), and John Tucker (Jalen Thomas Brooks) in OFF CAMPUS
Photo Credit: Liane Hentscher / Prime
© Amazon Content Services LLC

BEST EPISODE

Choosing a favorite episode of Off-Campus feels a little like being asked to choose a favorite child. Technically, I know I’m supposed to have an answer, but the truth is there wasn’t a single bad episode this season.

Every episode gave us something to love, whether it was a swoony moment, a heartbreaking revelation, or a friendship beat that reminded us why we became so attached to these characters in the first place.

That said, if I had to pick the standout of the season, my vote goes to Episode 4.

And honestly? Episode 4 works so well because of everything that happens in Episode 3.

Episode 3 gives us Hannah’s karaoke performance, which is the moment you can practically see Garrett Graham realizing he is in deep. It’s written all over his face. For maybe the first time, Garrett understands that what he feels for Hannah Wells is something real.

Then Episode 4 flips the script.

This time, we get to watch Hannah begin to lower her guard and acknowledge what Garrett means to her.

And that is why this episode hits so hard.

Yes, these are fictional characters, but they matter to people. For many readers, The Deal was the book that launched a love of romance novels, introduced them to sports romance, or gave them a forever book boyfriend. These characters are tied to real emotions and real memories.

For me, Episode 4 stands out because of Hannah.

One of the things I loved most about both the book and the adaptation is that Hannah’s healing is never portrayed as a straight line. She doesn’t wake up one day magically “fixed.” Healing is messy. It takes time. There are setbacks. There are good days and bad days.

That is what makes her journey feel so honest.

In Episode 4, we see Hannah start to trust herself again. She becomes more comfortable in her own skin and begins to believe something incredibly important:

She is enough.

As someone who will always be a sucker for character growth, this episode delivers in every possible way. Hannah grows. Garrett grows. Their relationship deepens. And the emotional payoff is perfection.

From the now-iconic orgasm scene to drunk Shakespeare to an ending that leaves you kicking your feet and screaming into a pillow, Episode 4 is Off-Campus at its absolute best.

It is funny, vulnerable, romantic, and deeply meaningful.

And that ending?

Yeah, I’m still not over it.

THOUGHTS ON EACH CHARACTER

I do not think I could ever be a casting director, and honestly, that job deserves way more respect than it gets.

There is something almost magical about taking characters that readers have spent years imagining in their heads and finding actors who not only look the part, but actually embody the heart of who those characters are.

When the cast for Off Campus was first announced, I will admit that I had questions. Like many readers, some of the names were unfamiliar to me, and my immediate reaction was a cautious, “Okay… let’s see where this goes.”

Consider me officially humbled.

The casting directors were absolutely doing the Lord’s work.

Garrett Graham

Belmont Cameli is phenomenal as Garrett Graham.

What I loved most about his performance is how layered it feels. Belmont doesn’t play Garrett as just the charming hockey captain and resident golden boy. He shows us all the different versions of Garrett: the confident athlete, the loyal friend, the son carrying more than he lets on, and the young man who unexpectedly falls hard for Hannah.

Each side of Garrett feels distinct. His body language shifts. His demeanor softens or sharpens depending on who he is with. And yet, at every turn, Belmont keeps the core of the character intact.

That is not an easy thing to do.

Garrett has always been more than the cocky hockey player trope. He is funny, vulnerable, protective, and full of heart. Belmont Cameli captures all of that and makes Garrett feel like the character readers fell in love with years ago.

In other words, the casting team understood the assignment.

And for those of us who have spent over a decade imagining Garrett Graham in our heads, that is about the highest compliment I can give.

HANNAH WELLS

Ella Bright is an absolute delight, and quite frankly, we should all protect her at all costs.

She is so wonderfully cast as Hannah Wells that it is hard to imagine anyone else in the role now.

If you have been part of the Off-Campus fandom for a while, you probably remember the days when Steph Bohrer was who many readers pictured as Hannah. Even Elle Kennedy once mentioned that Steph closely matched how she envisioned the character.

So yes, there were definitely expectations.

But after watching the series, I can say without hesitation that the casting team absolutely nailed it.

Ella Bright brings such a natural warmth to the role. There is a lightness to her performance that makes Hannah instantly lovable, but she also captures the layers beneath the surface. Hannah is funny and talented, but she is also carrying pain that she does not always know how to articulate.

And that is what makes this performance so special.

Hannah’s story is not an easy one to tell. It requires an actor who can balance strength and vulnerability, someone who can show the quiet ways trauma lingers while also allowing us to see Hannah reclaim her confidence piece by piece.

Ella does exactly that.

She gives us a Hannah who is not perfect, but who is incredibly real. She is guarded, resilient, and still trying to convince herself that she is okay even when she is struggling.

Most importantly, Ella makes Hannah entirely her own.

That is no small feat when you are stepping into the shoes of a character who means so much to so many readers. Hannah Wells is more than a fictional heroine; for many fans, she is a character who made them feel seen.

Ella Bright understood that responsibility, and her performance honors everything that made readers fall in love with Hannah in the first place.

It is heartfelt, nuanced, and full of the kind of authenticity that makes you forget you are watching an adaptation at all.

In short: she didn’t just play Hannah Wells.

She became her.

ALLIE HAYES

And then there is Mika Abdalla, who absolutely steals every scene she is in.

First of all, if you have watched the series, you already know that I will never hear a Jennifer Lopez song or look at the green dress the same way again. That moment is permanently embedded in my brain, and honestly, I am not mad about it.

Mika brings such an effortless charisma to Allie Hayes. Even when Allie is spiraling or questioning her choices, she radiates main-character energy. She is confident, funny, and the kind of friend everyone wishes they had—the ride-or-die bestie who will hype you up, call you out, and show up when it matters most.

What makes Allie so compelling, though, is the contradiction at the center of her character.

On the surface, she seems completely self-assured. She is the girl who walks into a room and owns it. But underneath that confidence is someone who, like so many of us, is still figuring out her worth.

And honestly? That feels incredibly relatable.

Mika captures that balance flawlessly.

Her version of Allie is the girl we all want to be: fun, fearless, and unapologetically herself. But she also reveals the vulnerability beneath the bravado. Allie starts to realize that she has been settling—for a relationship, for expectations, and for a version of her life that no longer fits.

What I love most is that her journey never feels as though it’s telling you what to do – instead its presenting what she would do and leaving it there, raw AF for your to make your choices with

Allie is not here to shake you by the shoulders, slap you silly, and tell you how to live your life. She simply shows, by example, what can happen when you stop settling, the fear that comes with change, and how to start choosing what you truly want.

We all second-guess ourselves. We all make mistakes and all have moments when we wonder if we are doing any of this “adulting” thing correctly.

Allie reminds us that you can be a little messy, make questionable decisions, and still be on a path that will lead you to where you want to be.

Most importantly, she reminds us to have fun along the way.

Allie Hayes has always been a fan favorite, and bringing a beloved character like that to life is no easy task.

But Mika Abdalla understood the assignment completely.

She didn’t just play Allie.

She became the Allie so many readers already loved, while adding her own spark and making the character feel even more unforgettable.

JOHN LOGAN

Antonio Cipriano as John Logan was one of the season’s biggest surprises in the best possible way.

I already knew Antonio could sing. Anyone familiar with his work knows the man has incredible vocal talent. But what this series doesn’t highlight how he can sing and instead takes its time and really highlights is just how strong he is as an actor.

Now, in the interest of honesty, there was one thing that distracted me at first: the beard. I spent an embarrassing amount of time wondering if it was real or if someone in hair and makeup was working overtime with lip liner. But once I got past that—and I did eventually get past that—it became impossible not to appreciate what Antonio brought to Logan.

Because he absolutely understood the assignment.

Logan is one of those characters who can be easy to underestimate. On the surface, he is charming, loyal, and the kind of guy you know you can count on. But beneath that is someone carrying a lot of hurt, expectations, dreams, and a pretty sizable chip on his shoulder.

Antonio captures all of that.

He makes Logan feel dependable and grounded, while also letting us see the vulnerability simmering just beneath the surface. And yes, it was painfully obvious that Logan had a massive crush on Hannah. There were multiple moments where I wanted to jump through the screen and say, “Sir, please get it together.”

I mean, that’s the PG version of what I would say, as you know, algorithms.

Thankfully, his sister seemed more than willing to do that for me.

What I loved most about Antonio’s performance is how subtle it is. Logan is a natural leader. It shows up in the way he carries himself, in the way he looks out for the people he loves, and in the quiet moments where you can see exactly what Logan is feeling without him saying a word.

Over the course of the season, Antonio gives us Logan’s loyalty, stubbornness, talent, and yearning in a way that feels incredibly authentic.

And that is what makes his portrayal so memorable.

Antonio Cipriano does not just portray Logan—he makes it feel as though the role was written specifically for him.

JOHN TUCKER

I’ll be honest: in the books, Tucker was never a character I felt particularly strongly about. I didn’t dislike him, but I also wasn’t racing to put him at the top of my favorites list. He was just… Tucker.

And then Jalen Thomas Brooks came along and completely changed my opinion.

Jalen makes Tucker absolutely adorable.

He brings such an easy warmth to the role that it is impossible not to be charmed by him. Tucker is sweet, loyal, and just a little bit of a mama’s boy—and I mean that in the most affectionate way possible. There is something incredibly comforting about his presence, like he would be the friend who shows up with food, gives great hugs, and somehow always knows exactly what to say.

In other words, he is boyfriend material.

He’s the type of guy you’d bring home to meet the parents.

Jalen’s performance took a character I had previously felt indifferent toward and made me genuinely excited to see more of him. That is no small feat, as I am not one that can easily change their mind

He is more than the guy who cooks. He is someone with his own story, his own heart, and his own emotional depth, and I would love to see future seasons dig further into that.

Jalen Thomas Brooks has already proven how talented he is on The Pitt, and Off Campus only reinforces what a compelling performer he is.

This season gave us a glimpse of what he can do, and if the series continues, I have a feeling Tucker is going to become a fan favorite for a whole new group of viewers.

I did not expect Tucker to win me over, but thanks to Jalen Thomas Brooks, he absolutely did.

Dean Di Laurentis

Stephen Kalyn as Dean Di Laurentis? Absolute drool worthy perfection.

Let’s be honest: Dean in the books spends a good amount of time being, well, kind of a jerk. The same can be said for the version we meet onscreen. He is cocky, shameless, and fully committed to his playboy reputation.

And yet, from the moment Stephen Kalyn appears on screen, you cannot look away.

He never lets Dean become a one-note character. Beneath all the ego, there is a vulnerability that is impossible to ignore. You find yourself watching him and wondering what happened to make him guard his heart so carefully.

And if you are anything like me, you also find yourself wanting to wrap him in a blanket, hold him, and tell him everything is going to be okay. He doesn’t have to fall into everyones vag.

Stephen plays Dean with the perfect balance of confidence and emotional depth. On the surface, Dean acts like he does not care about anything beyond his next sexual encounter. But underneath that carefully curated image is a man who wants what so many of us want: to believe in love and to feel worthy of it.

That is where Allie Hayes comes in.

Allie challenges Dean in ways he never expected. She makes him look beyond the persona he has built for himself and ask what he actually wants. More importantly, she inspires him to become a better version of himself.

And Stephen Kalyn captures every step of that journey.

He gives us the flirtation, the charm, and the humor, but he also gives us the longing. The quiet moments where you can see Dean realizing that what he feels is real are some of the most effective parts of his performance and also some of the most beautiful.

Dean has always been a fan favorite, and bringing him to life was no easy task.

But Stephen Kalyn absolutely understood that and knew what to do.

I genuinely cannot imagine a better Dean Di Laurentis.

Logan (Antonio Cipriano), Garrett (Belmont Cameli), Dean (Stephen Thomas Kalyn), and Tucker (Jalen Thomas Brooks) in OFF CAMPUS
Photo: Liane Hentscher/ Prime
© AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC

THE CHANGE IN THAT RELATIONSHIP

One of the changes I was most unsure about going into the adaptation was the decision to bring Dean Di Laurentis and Allie Hayes together earlier than they do in the books.

As a longtime fan, I thought I might be protective of their timeline. Book readers know how easy it is to get nervous when an adaptation starts moving pieces around.

But I have to say it: I loved this change.

First of all, Allie deserves so much better than Sean, and I think we can all agree that Sean is absolute trash.

Introducing Dean and Allie earlier was a bold move, but I have come w From the moment they shared the screen, they had that undeniable main-character energy. Their banter was sharp, their chemistry was effortless, and watching them dance around what they were feeling was equal parts delightful and frustrating.

You could see the connection immediately, even if they were both hilariously oblivious to what was happening right in front of them.

What I appreciated most, though, was how the show made their dynamic feel fresh.

In the books, Dean and Allie definitely put readers through it. Onscreen, there is still tension and uncertainty, but their relationship feels a little more vulnerable. Neither of them is as confident as they pretend to be, and that makes their connection feel even more authentic.

By introducing them earlier, the series gives us a stronger foundation for what is to come. It lets viewers become invested in their connection now, while also building anticipation for the deeper story still ahead.

And if this season is any indication, we are in for something really special when their time fully arrives.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

When the adaptation of The Deal was first announced, I was terrified.

And I do mean terrified.

As a longtime fan of Elle Kennedy and the Off Campus books, I had all the usual fears that come with seeing a beloved story make the jump from page to screen. What if they got it wrong? What if the characters didn’t feel like themselves? What if one of my favorite book fandoms was reduced to a disappointing adaptation that missed the point entirely?

Thankfully, I could not have been more wrong.

This show is really, really good.

In fact, Off Campus is one of the best book-to-screen adaptations we have seen in a long time.

I went into the series cautiously optimistic, but still bracing myself for disappointment. Instead, Prime Video delivered a show that clearly understands what made these books resonate with readers in the first place.

The season starts strong and somehow manages to maintain that momentum all the way through the finale.

That is not easy to do.

Capturing lightning in a bottle requires more than just a built-in fanbase. You need strong writing, thoughtful casting, an author who is invested in the process, and a creative team that understands the story. Most importantly, you need to give viewers a reason to care.

Off Campus does exactly that.

From the very first episode, the series invites you into this world and makes you emotionally invested in the characters, their relationships, and the messy, complicated ways they grow together.

Because at its heart, Off Campus is not just a hockey story.

Yes, there are hockey players and locker-room banter and enough sports romance energy to keep us all thriving. But the real story is about growing up. It is about learning to trust, following your passions, healing from past wounds, and discovering the people who become your chosen family.

Hannah Wells and Garrett Graham’s relationship is especially compelling because both of them are carrying emotional baggage. Their love story is not about one person saving the other. It is about two people finding comfort, strength, and healing together.

And that is what makes their story resonate. It is what makes it so powerful.

Off Campus delivers all the swoon, humor, and chemistry fans were hoping for, but it also offers something deeper. It reminds us that the best love stories are not just about falling for someone else.

They are about becoming the versions of themselves. The cast came together in a way that allowed the viewer to care.

And I love that.

I am thankful for that.

All 8 episodes of Off Campus are streaming now on Prime Video.