4/5 stars

i’ve spent twelve books, countless semesters, and countless years at briar u. i’ve read ‘the deal’ a concerning amount of times, and spent even more time thinking of these characters. it’s surreal to me to think this is the end of an era, but i’d like to think we’re going to return to briar u with a different sport (dare i say football). all in all, i’m just going to trust elle kennedy to work her magic.

the charlie method was a new adventure for the elle kennedy stan’s, and i can say with certainty that ive never read anything quite like this one. i was presently surprised with how much i truly loved this book and it has absolutely taken me out of my reading slump.

tropes:
- college hockey romance
- why choose (mfm)?*
- interconnected series
- found family
- secret relationship
- sorority stem major fmc
- adopted fmc who wants to learn about her heritage/family
- slow burn
nickname: sugar puff and baby

i really enjoyed this book because it didn’t just follow what the readers would expect. while this was my first why choose book, i felt like i believed their dynamic which i think would be hard to do if it was your first time writing this trope. elle kennedy excelled at not just writing why choose but making me BELIEVE in the why choose relationship, and i couldn’t imagine this story going any other way.

i also appreciated that it didn’t follow the regular story line with a predictable third act breakup or even conflict. kennedy really took her time to develop these characters, their relationships, and their story, and i absolutely loved every second of it, and how it ended!!

my only quarrel with the book is that there were a lot of tensions that built up and i felt like they were not completely resolved/just resolved quickly. the things with her ex and brother for example. but overall i am still happy at how it ended, and with the results we got, i am happy to put aside those questions i have because i honestly forgot about them when i initially finished the book!

with that in mind…. elle kennedy you’ve done it again!!! i cannot wait to see what else you have in store for us.

thank you to lori at getredprbooks for this arc copy of the charlie method. this a completely honest review regardless of my early access to this fantastic book.

*i used the term why choose as this is my first experience with a relationship with 3 people in an adult romance book. some consider it a MFM relationship so i’ve used both terms. please correct me if i am wrong!*

To quote my husband who had to listen to me talk about this book, “no woman wants two husbands.” He’s not wrong except apparently Charlie is good with two boy friends.

The book was fine and if you like throuples you will like this. It was spicy. I really enjoyed each of the couples backstory. I think I’m just old and related more to Beckett’s dad who didn’t understand how this relationship was going to work. I too didn’t understand how it was going to work after college.

I am looking forward to Blake’s book but I’m also nervous because now I’m just not sure about Isaac.

Charlotte Kingston has two identities. For her parents, she’s the quintessential college senior, studying STEM and a member of her Mom’s sorority. But her alter ego, Charlie, is a risk taker looking for fun and the regular hookup. When she meets two guys on an online dating site who are interested in a threesome, she jumps at the chance. But no one is more surprised than Charlie when it turns out they are non other than her schoolmates and hockey team heroes, Will and Beckett.

I can’t lie, I was kind of hoping for a Beckett/Will HEA but the next best thing is BW + Charlie. I love how each book in the series is wholly unique while also having the interconnected qualities we have grown to expect from these different Briar U series. The chemistry was smoking hot between these three, and those who love the doors off the hinges steam, will go crazy for this book.

And yet, there is a really unique emotional component that I enjoyed so much too - Charlie coming to terms with her feelings around being adopted and finding a missing family member. The push and pull Charlie feels between not only the duality of her family, but also her identity, resonated with me and I found myself completely intrigued with the chapters featuring her family, most notably Harrison.

🎧 The duet narrated audio was a lot of fun, especially when it came to hearing Beckett’s Australian accent (narrated by Sean Masters). Co-narrators Teddy Hamilton and Persephone Lee also did a fantastic job. All in all, It was fun, flirty and highly entertaining. While I don’t always enjoy steam on audio, the narrators voices were so spot on, it didn’t distract me as much as it usually does.

It’s always sad to see a series end, but I think Charlie, Will and Beckett’s story is a fantastic way to close out this chapter.

Read if you like:
▪️new adult
▪️sports romance
▪️why choose
▪️forced proximity
▪️MFM romance
▪️adoption rep
▪️college setting

Thank you Elle Kennedy, Bloom Books, Get Red PR, and Dreamscape for the gifted copies.

"They’re my people. My home."

Charlotte is living a double life. She has the pressure of being a role model student and sorority sister. Charlotte is adopted and strives to be the perfect daughter. But, she also has another side that not many see. Charlie strives to let loose and live on the wild side. Charlie is on a dating app and starts chatting with two anonymous guys. They tell her that they like to share.

Will and Beckett. I love both of the guys and like Charlie I'm not sure I could choose between them. Who doesn't want two hottie hockey players fawning over you and worshipping you in the bedroom? Charlie is living the dream. The guys are so protective over Charlie. Will is the boy next door and is loyal to his friends especially his best friend Beckett. Beckett has had some major heartbreak in his past and doesn't open up easily.

“He can’t get enough of you. Neither of us can.”

“I have two boyfriends, and I’m in love with them both.”

“Let us hear you, baby girl.”

I devoured this book and my only regret is that I'm done reading it. I loved all of the cameos of characters from previous books. The Dad Chat had me laughing. IYKYK. This is a big book but I could have easily read more of their story. I love this authors writing and can't wait to see what she has coming next.

I truly will never get enough of the Briar U world! Charlie, Beck, and Will’s love story was just as amazing as I’d hoped!

THOUGHTS 💭
🧬 Charlotte leads a double life; she’s the perfect STEM student sorority woman by day and a sexy love-em-and-leave-em woman by night.
🧬 I smirked, laughed, smiled, and guffawed throughout this whole book - it was funny and sweet and sad and made me feel all the things.
🧬 I loved seeing the cameos of past Briar U characters! Coach Jensen, a surprise new assistant coach, and the Dad Chat group were absolute 🔥.
🧬 I loved the peek into Charlotte’s life as an adoptee; we watched her struggle with looking for blood-related family, talking to her adopted family about learning where she comes from, etc. and I truly felt for her.
🧬 These characters have so many layers - each chapter uncovers some new piece and makes you fall in love with them even more. There were unexpected parts of these characters that make your heart break for them.

Thank you so much to Elle Kennedy and Get Red PR for the ARC of this amazing book!

Thank you @ellekennedy33 @getredprbooks @read_bloom @netgalley for the ARC! This has been the perfect binge during snow days! ❄️

This series has captured my heart! Will and Beck are fantastic. Their contrasting personalities create a perfect balance that just works. Charlie has quickly become one of my favorite female characters. I adore her vibrant personality and love her quirks—it's just so relatable! Watching her blend her perfectionist tendencies with a dash of sass and rebellion was awesome.

I can't even count how many times I found myself laughing out loud. It was such a fun ride! There were moments when I felt like choking a few characters. We love the balance. 👏🏻

The unconventional dynamics of their relationships was the main thing that pulled me in. There was so much passion, yet also a deep sense of vulnerability. Each of them is navigating personal challenges, career aspirations, family ties, and more. Themes like adoption, reconnecting with biological families, having politically influential parents, and making significant career moves across the globe were all intricately woven into the narrative. It definitely kept my attention! I would rate this a solid 4 stars!

Everything about this book took me by surprise, and I'm still processing it. One thing that remains consistent in Elle's storytelling across every book in this series is that there is more to these characters than what meets the eye. Will, Beckett, and Charlie each had the type of depth that made you want the best for them as individuals, and it made me happy to see the boys become an emotional support system for Charlie beyond the initial confines of their relationship. I found the side storylines with Will and Charlie's backstories to be an interesting way to show us more about them than what we see on the surface.

Two highlights for me were the cameos of past characters, and the spice we got as Will, Beckett, and Charlie got to know each other more! This may have been Elle's spiciest book, in my opinion. If you love Briar U and all the characters we've gotten to know through the years, you'll really enjoy this one!

wow!!! this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025.

charlie’s character hit me so close to home. I did not expect to love these characters so deeply. charlie’s people pleasing tendencies and the need to change herself to adjust to the environment just reminds me so much of the struggle i’ve dealt with getting over that.

the relationship between the characters just felt really natural and not forced.

“i must’ve been a good boy in another life for this wild, gorgeous, perfect woman to look at me this way”


I was totally enamored with these characters it felt like I was apart of this world.

this had a perfect mix of emotional and sentimental but also wit and humorous moments.


♡ hockey romance
♡ mfm
♡ family conflict
♡ hidden identity
♡ movie nights

In a shock to no one who follows me, I’m back with another hockey romance review. This is my first Elle Kennedy book since reading the Off-Campus series, and it made me realize I need to keep reading the rest of her backlist!

What I loved: Charlie is one of my favorite FMCs I’ve read in awhile. I really related to her nerdiness, drive for success, and struggle with anxiety and needing to give off a perfect image. I was in a sorority in college and Kennedy accurately depicted the good and bad I felt about that experience. I also loved the Easter eggs & apperances of the now-grown Off-Campus characters. Kennedy does a great job writing a diverse range of scenes from humorous, to spicy, and also emotional. Will & Beckett were amazing book boyfriends and also dealt with their own share of family drama.

What I didn’t love (POTENTIAL SPOILERS): I loved the book overall, but these are my minor grievances. The scene where Will & Beckett took Charlie to “safely” do ecstasy at a rave is ridiculous. They are giving her rules to be safe but then giving her drugs? I wish there had been more follow up with her relationship with her biological brother, she kind of resolved things with him but then we don’t hear anything else about how their relationship developed. And finally, the relationship between Will, Beckett, and Charlie just seemed too perfect. They don’t really have conflict, and Charlie & Beckett just accept Will back into their dynamic after being together alone for six months with no issues.

If you want a fun, spicy hockey romance that explores a MFM relationship dynamic, with a heavy dose of family drama, then definitely read this one!

Thank you to Get Red PR and Bloom Books for providing me with a copy of this book. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.

3.75 ★
i want to start off and say i am so grateful and very appreciated that i got to read the ARC for this. i quite literally yelled when i did.
it did take me a while to finish but that is life of a mood reader so i do apologized.i loved all the characters charlie, will, and beckett. this book is very spicy and i don't mind that. my first mfm trope read and i don't think its for me with that being said i did enjoy the book, elle never misses. i love her storytelling. I do love the way their relationship progressed and how they all communicated with each other. Charlie is me low-key, always worried about other peoples opinion and never feeling good enough for her family so I related to her to that extent. Will's backstory with his father, ugh I hate his father, that's all I say. And then we have Beckett... and omg the little plot twist with his backstory ??? sobbed. that was insane.

4.5 stars rounded up

First off, thank you so much to @ellekennedy33, @read_bloom, and @getredprbooks for this gifted ARC copy of The Charlie Method as well as this cute art print and beanie! I've been following Elle Kennedy's hockey romances since The Deal and I love seeing the OG characters in the Campus Diaries series. The Dad Chat 😂😍 IYKYK

"𝘚𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘶𝘧𝘧. 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵.. 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘥."
"𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶."
"𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵."
"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴!"
"𝘐 𝘧*𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥."

I really enjoyed Charlie, Will, and Beckett's story! I loved seeing the two sides to Charlie and how the boys helped soothe her and bring her two halves together. I liked learning more about Will and Beckett. Especially Beckett. He was my favorite of the two. Probably because he was damaged and I got to see more character growth from him vs Will. Not to mention, his backstory made me cry 😅 The spice wasn't overly spicy and I felt like it balanced the plot well. This is probably the first why choose romance I've read where I felt that the FMC loved both MMCs equally which was refreshing. Overall, I loved this book and I can't wait for more legacy stories in the future!

I have been looking forward to this book ever since Elle announced it. This storyline was one of my favorites from her. I loved how she told this story. The dialogue made the characters come alive. The secondary characters served purpose.

Honestly, there are a handful of authors that I love to read because I am always in awe with how they tell the story and Elle is one of them. Just how an idea forms and then develops into a book that then becomes extremely hard to put down, and when you do finish the story you are still thinking about it hours later.

Reading Elle Kennedy will always be an immediate yes for me. Her books never fail to make me giddy and excited while reading. And then when she announced this was going to be an MFM - SOLD!

I loved the way she showed the ✨sharing✨ parts of the relationship between all of the MCs. There was never any jealousy or bad feelings towards any of them. It was interesting to see them all fall into such a comfortable routine with each other. It felt very raw and real. Their emotions and feelings and thoughts were always addressed on where they stood and I think Elle did an amazing job bringing light to Poly relationships with this.

I LOVED that Charlie was this multi-layered FMC. She had this perfectionist, proper side to her but then she also was this rebellious wild child who liked to test the boundaries. Her character was really amazing for those who may struggle with the feelings she had being adopted and a POC. I think was another area where Elle did amazing addressing certain issues and teaching readers about them.

Honestly, this book was incredible and I loved being able to read another series at Briar U. These books will never get old, and I will say one thing. Elle - me and the rest of the world are BEGGING you for a Blake Logan and Isaac Grant book. Please and Thank you! LOL

Thank you to GetReadPR and Elle Kennedy for the early copy of this book. I could not be more grateful to you.

🧪STEM Major FMC
💙Hockey Player MMCs
🧪MFM
💙Interracial Romance
🧪Spicy DM's
💙Cute Nicknames

I will be shouting from the rooftops about this book until the end of time! This was by far, hands down, no question my favorite Elle Kennedy book to date! This book had everything you could ever want and more! More romance, more spice, more angst, more heartfelt conversations, more historical fanfiction (which is a legit selling point!!!!). I am in love with Charlie Kingston, she is everything I want to be and her growth in the book is incredible. Her story really resonated with me as sh was struggling with who she wanted to be and who she felt she had to be, I think everyone has probably felt this way at some point and they can connect with Charlie’s struggle. As a fellow STEM girly, reading about her method is hilarious, we love incorporating statistics into decision making! Both Beckett and Will have incredibly interesting backstories and we really get to see them beyond the hockey players they are introduced as. Seriously this book is on track to be my favorite read of 2025 it was EVERYTHING! The spice was immaculate and intense and a lot and it was a 4 chili spice (I don’t think I would enjoy a 5 chili spice, this was the line but it was incorporated so well!). It was an easy 5 star read and I really can’t recommend it enough!

4.75 stars!!!!

🔥 warning: very hot 🔥

i am in love with two VERY hot men !!!!!!! elle kennedy can do no wrong (TRULY) because i have never read something so hot but also so emotional that also felt so completely natural. i loved charlie's story & how her relationship developed with will and beck. i was laughing. i was sweating. i was having a GREAT time. beyond just a fun spicy hockey romance (which we all know i love!!) this book had a really beautiful element of finding yourself and being confident in who you are, having the courage to be bold, to go after what you want and forget what other people are saying. i could read anything by elle & inhale it, so it's no surprise that that's exactly what i did with the charlie method.

thank you GetRedPR, Bloom Books & Netgalley for the arc! this is my honest review.

*arc read* thank you @getredprbooks for giving me the opportunity to read this book!!

that being said i’m dnfing this book. IM SORRY, I WISHED I LIKED IT BUT I DIDNT.. this was my most anticipated read of the year, but this is my least favorite elle kennedy book. I wasn’t hooked since the beginning, and usually i’m hooked in the beginning of an Elle Kennedy book. However, this one wasn’t my cup of tea. I feel like there was so unnecessary things like filler chapters, and the fanfic chapters?? i literally skipped those chapters and I was annoyed. Mind you, the romance was romancing for me. I loved Will and Beckett’s bond and friendship. But I didn’t really connect with Charlie.. I just didn’t really care enough. And I love Elle Kennedy’s characters they’re so fun. The sad part is that i was more invested in Blake’s story and I feel like we’re getting snippets of her book maybe..? I HOPE ITS SOON. (I NEED TO SEE ISAAC GRANT GROVELING FOR HER) Also love that we got to see Mike Hollis!! which i’ve always had said deserved a book but it’s okay 😭😭 I loved how there was a dad chat LMAOO. So yeah, i’m so sad I didn’t like it.

DNF’D: 58%

I absolutely loved this book so much. Being back in the campus diaries brought so many emotions. Finishing a series is always so bittersweet and finishing this book was not any different.

Whenever I read a poly book I’m always scared because I tend to root for one guy or have a favorite guy but Elle did such a good job. I loved Will and Beckett so much and I was always rooting for them . One thing I loved about this book was that the guys were so secure in the relationship that they never felt jealous of each other when it came to spending alone time with Charlie.

Charlie omg she deserves to be protected so much . I absolutely loved her so much and found her so relatable. I honestly related to Charlie so much in always caring about what people think about me and overthinking a lot of things.
I also loved Charlie’s drive. She knows what she wants and she takes it .

This book has so much banter it had me screaming , laughing and crying. Just when i promised myself I wouldn’t cry Elle throws in a plot twist that had me bawling my eyes out.

Ofc I also loved seeing the OG characters from off campus and briar U . The dad chat was hilarious and just so wholesome to see all my favorite guys again!!

Thank you so much to getredpr and Elle Kennedy for the e-arc 💗

I’m absolutely speechless over how incredible this MFM hockey romance is. I knew I’d love whatever was in store for Will and Beckett, but this totally exceeded my expectations. It hit all the marks!

I felt every ounce of tension and emotion this book brought, and I loved every minute of it. It was the whole package: banter, spice, smart and well-rounded characters, undeniable chemistry, and so much emotion. Honestly, it was everything I didn’t even know I needed. I was completely invested in these characters, individual struggles, subplots…everything. I want to say so much, but I don’t want to spoil anything!

I’m sad to say goodbye to this series. 😥 It was so great being back at Briar U, and the Dad Chat with Garrett, Logan, Dean, Tucker, and the crew—plus a few special guests—had me laughing out loud! 😂

I had the opportunity to read this book as an e-arc, thank you Get Red PR.

I have been ANXIOUSLY awaiting this book. I absolutely adore The Graham Effect, swooned over The Dixon Rule and when it was announced that The Charlie Method would be MFM I was all on board.

I finished this book about a week ago and have been letting it simmer before writing my review. Because I am truthfully torn. Let's start with the things I love.

Charlie is absolutely amazing and so relatable! The way she was written, and her backstory, lended so well to the vibe she brought as a character. The pressure she feels to be perfect, the desire to break the mold of who she thinks she should be, the feelings of something being wrong with her because she doesn't "fit", I think there is a part of Charlie that any girl can relate to.

Will & Beckett are just, chef's kiss. The way that they are patient with her, show up for her, don't pressure her....top notch. These men are the definition the woman is the center of their world, and they make sure she knows. And these guys can dirty talk in a way that is just top notch.

The pacing of the story is good, it's not instalove, and it's not insta-we have this all figured out. Elle does a fantastic job of showing them going through the hard and putting in the work to figure out how the three of them can/will work together, and I love that she has written a story that shows they have to figure out who they are not just together but individually.

Now, the reason I chose to let my review simmer for a few days is that I needed to seperate how I felt about the storytelling and the vibes, and the characters....from the thing in the book that was personally triggering for me. Having done so, I can say I enjoyed the book, and I loved the ending because it didn't come easy. This is a book I will be recommending to friends.

As I tell anybody with any books I reccomend, please read the Trigger Warnings.

What better way to end a series with a MFM story!!!! Loooorrrrrdddd! Was this a hot one for sure! Elle Kennedy as a writer is GOD!! She knows how to write them and the fact that this was told in a 3 point POV with 3 totally different characters she did an amazing job!!!

Story follows College senior Charlotte Kingston is living two lives―and she's nailing both of them. By day, she's the perfect sorority girl, a STEM student in biomedical engineering, and the adopted daughter of an overachiever family. At night, she's Charlie: a risk-taking daredevil looking for fun who finds herself chatting on a dating app with two anonymous hotties.

I couldn’t get enough of Will and Beckett they were amazing and so hot!!!! Together they make a perfect duo alongside Charlie.