A new book adaptation arrived to streaming as Prime Video releases ‘Off Campus.’
As the streaming giant released ‘Off Campus’ on May 13, the series stepped onto the ice with the heavy expectations of a massive fan base that has historically turned hockey-romance titles into cultural touchstones as seen with ‘Heated Rivalry’.
‘Off Campus’ is based on Elle Kennedy’s first college hockey romance series by the same name published in 2015. The first season is based on the first book in the series titled, ‘The Deal.’
The show follows captain of the hockey team, Garrett Graham, played by actor Belmont Cameli, and music major, Hannah Wells, played by actress Ella Bright. The audience follows the protagonists — meeting out of coincidence and necessity — as the two go from fake dating, to friends and eventually to something more.
Closer Look into the Adaptation
One of the biggest concerns regarding the adaptation was how faithful the show was to its source material, especially given the books are around 350 pages and would be expanded to fit an eight-episode series.
While the first book focused solely on Garrett and Hannah’s story, the show chose to widen its storytelling and create more of an ensemble cast of characters — with smaller plot lines woven into each episode — effectively changing the timeline.
Most notably, Allie and Dean — Hannah’s best friend and Garrett’s teammate — become the secondary plotline throughout this season and build tension for the second, combining their story with Hannah and Garrett’s, when it originally happened in the third book, “The Score.”
The biggest change from book to screen happens when, in the third act of the book, the protagonists break up.
In the book, Garrett’s abusive father manipulates and threatens Hannah into ending their relationship.
The show takes a different approach. After Garrett fights on the ice, he fears he is turning into his dad and breaks up with Hannah as a way to protect her.
In both instances, the couple end up back together and Garrett learns to cope with the trauma caused by his father.
Despite these differences, ‘Off Campus’ largely succeeds in understanding what made Kennedy’s novels resonate with readers in the first place.
The adaptation embraces familiar romance tropes without mocking them, allowing the fake-dating storyline, emotional vulnerability and college-athlete fantasy to remain at the center of the narrative.
While not every change from the source material lands perfectly, the series delivers enough chemistry, humor and emotional tension to satisfy many fans who have waited years to see “The Deal” leave the page and make its way onto the screen.
