Book Club Night Kit

The Deal / The Mistake / The Score / The Goal / The Legacy

Elle Kennedy

Cozy night

Five swoony, funny, big-hearted romances set among the hockey players of fictional Briar University. They're the literary version of a weighted blanket, and perfect for a night of snacks and happy sighs.

Come Home to Briar: A Cozy Book Club Night

Grab your comfiest sweater and join us for chowder, cocoa, and happy sighs over Elle Kennedy's Off-Campus series. Blankets provided, swooning encouraged.

Reading level: Easy

Best for: Clubs that love romance, laughter, and heartfelt chats, and are fine with steamy content.

Discussion

Warm-up

1.If you could pull up a chair in one of the Briar hockey guys' messy shared living room for a night, which book's gang would you want to hang out with, and what would you bring?
2.Which moment in the series made you laugh out loud or grin at the page, and where were you curled up when you read it?

Digging in

1.These characters show up for each other like family. Who in your own life is your version of the group that barges in with pizza when you need it?
2.Plenty of the couples start out guarded or prickly with each other. What did it feel like to watch someone slowly let their walls down, and has anyone ever been patient with you like that?
3.Several characters carry pressure from parents, reputations, or expectations about who they should be. Did any of that feel familiar, and which character did you most want to give a hug?
4.The series makes small gestures feel huge, like a song, a text, or showing up at the right moment. What's the smallest romantic or kind gesture that has ever meant the world to you?

Going deep

1.By the end of your favorite book in the series, which character had healed or grown in a way that stayed with you, and why did that change feel so comforting to watch?
2.Coming back to the same friend group across several books can feel like coming home. How did your feelings about the whole Briar crew change from the first book to the last, and what will you miss most?

On the table & to sip

To eat

New England Clam Chowder in Bread Bowls

A nod to the Massachusetts setting. It's hearty and warming, the kind of meal you'd want after a cold night at the rink. Store-bought bread bowls keep it easy.

Game-Night Chili with a Toppings Bar

Big-batch comfort food for a house full of hungry hockey players. Make it ahead in a slow cooker so the host can relax.

Warm Apple Cider Donuts

A New England fall classic, sweet and cinnamon-dusted, just right for a college-town autumn. Warm bakery donuts in the oven if you don't want to fry.

To sip

Rinkside Hot Cocoa Bar (no alcohol)

Rich hot chocolate with marshmallows, whipped cream, and peppermint, like something you'd sip in the stands while watching the Briar boys skate.

Spiked Maple Apple Cider

Mulled cider sweetened with maple syrup, with a splash of bourbon for guests who want it. Serve it in mugs for that crisp fall evening feeling.

Irish Coffee Nightcap

A Boston-friendly warm drink for the last, most heartfelt part of the conversation.