Grab your popcorn, book lovers! The moment we’ve been waiting for is finally here.
Amazon Prime Video just came out with a new show based on Elle Kennedy’s famous ‘Off Campus’ books. It started streaming on May 13, 2026, and everyone online is talking about it!
We’ve read the first book, The Deal, so many times. Because we love it so much, we were super excited but also a little nervous when we heard Amazon was making it into a TV show. We all know that book-to-movie adaptations can sometimes be really bad. We couldn’t help but worry: Would the actors actually have good chemistry?
Well, we just watched all eight episodes of Season 1 back-to-back, and we are here to tell you the truth.
Spoiler alert: If you don’t have Amazon Prime yet, you’ll want to get it right now!
Welcome to Briar University: What the Hype is All About
If you are completely new to the Off Campus world, here is what you need to know. The show takes place at Briar University. It is all about a top college hockey team and the amazing women who change their lives. The show is set up just like the books, a bit like a modern, sporty Bridgerton. This means each season focuses on one main couple while showing their big group of close friends.
Season 1 uses the best ideas in romance stories: fake dating and opposites attract. We follow Hannah Wells (played by Ella Bright), a smart music student who really hates hockey. Then there is Garrett Graham (played by Belmont Cameli), the popular star captain of the hockey team.
Their deal is super simple and fun. Hannah wants to make her crush jealous, and Garrett needs to fix his grades so he can keep playing hockey. So, they make a trade: Hannah helps Garrett study, and Garrett pretends to be her boyfriend.
But if you’ve ever read a romance story, you know how this goes: pretending to be in love usually turns into the real thing pretty fast! Even if you aren’t big on romance, their scenes together will definitely give you butterflies.
The Actors’ Chemistry: Is It as Good as the Book?
Let’s talk about the most important thing first. The romantic energy between Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli is amazing!
When making a show from a book that people love so much, you need actors who can tell funny jokes but also show real, deep feelings. Belmont Cameli does this perfectly as Garrett in the Off campus series. He acts exactly like the confident, friendly hockey star from the book. But he is at his best in the quiet scenes when Garrett shows how much his past family problems hurt him. He is not just a cool sports player; he is warm and kind, which makes you love him even more.
At the same time, Ella Bright is wonderful as Hannah. She plays a strong, independent character who balances out Garrett’s wild charm. The way they talk and joke with each other feels completely natural and really funny. When they finally stop pretending and actually fall in love, all that waiting pays off in a big way! The show’s creator, Louisa Levy, promised that the Off Campus cast would bring a mature, passionate story to life and trust me, they did exactly that.
More Than a Love Story: The Great Friendships at Briar U
While the main love story is what gets you interested, the other characters are what make the show truly amazing. The friendship between the hockey players is perfect!
The show does a great job introducing the rest of the main group: Logan, Dean, and Tucker. The scenes where they hang out in the locker room, joke around at their house, and celebrate Thanksgiving together feel like real college life. You can easily see that these guys are best friends who always have each other’s backs. This makes the sports drama feel even more important.
The friendships between the girls are just as strong. Watching Hannah make close female friends gives the show a realistic feel, making it much more than just a simple romance story.
The Production: The Sights and Sounds of Briar U
The show also looks amazing! It was filmed in Vancouver, Canada, and the cameras perfectly catch both the cosy, rainy feel of the college campus and the fast, exciting action on the ice rink. The hockey games look real and move quickly, showing that the creators cared just as much about the sports as they did about the romance.
The music in the show is also worth mentioning. Since Hannah studies music, it plays a big part in her story and helps her connect with Garrett. The show uses a great mix of indie-pop songs, quiet guitar music, and high-energy tracks. These songs are perfect for everything from late-night studying to wild college parties.
Is It Worth the Binge?
Without a doubt, yes! Off Campus is a huge win for both big fans of the books and anyone who just loves a good romance story. It perfectly captures the funny moments, the romance, and the close friendships that made the books so famous.
Amazon Prime Video was so sure people would love this show that they already promised a Season 2 before Season 1 even started! Even better news? The creators just announced that Season 2 will be all about Dean and Allie’s love story.
If you want a show with funny jokes, amazing romantic energy, great friends, and lots of hockey action, this is it. Go to Prime Video, clear your schedule, and get ready to love this show!
My Final Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars!
