11 Found Family Books That Will Fill the ‘Off Campus’ Void in Your Life
If you’re anything like me, you’ve spent the past few weeks nonstop thinking about Garrett Graham, Hannah Wells, Allie, Dean, and the rest of the Briar University crew. Revisiting the world of Off-Campus while watching the new show reminded me exactly why I fell in love with the book series in the first place. When I first got into romance novels years ago, it was one of the first series I picked up, and while I came for the romance, I stayed for the friendships and found family.
Since then, found family has become one of my favorite tropes, and it’s something I search for in every new book I start. There’s something so special about reading a story and watching a group of friends, teammates, roommates, or even complete strangers become each other’s support system along the way. If you’re on the hunt for the next group of characters to obsess over, these romance books belong on your TBR.
1. Briar U Series by Elle Kennedy
Elle Kennedy
Everyone says opposites attract. And they must be right, because there’s no logical reason why Summer is so drawn to Colin Fitzgerald. It doesn’t help that he’s buddy-buddy with her brother. And that she just moved in with them. Colin has made it clear he’s not interested, even though the sparks between them are liable to burn the house down. Summer’s not the kind of girl who chases after a man, though, and she’s not about to start. So if her sexy brooding roomie wises up and realizes what he’s missing? He knows where to find her.
If you can’t get enough of the Off Campus world, The Chase should be at the top of your TBR. As the first book in Elle Kennedy’s Briar U series, it returns readers to Briar University with a new group of students and hockey players while still featuring appearances from beloved Off Campus characters. The friendships, romance, and found-family dynamic that made the original series so special are just as strong here. Plus, you’ll get to spend even more time in the Briar universe, so what’s not to love?
2. The Windy City series by Liz Tomforde
Liz Tomforde
Chicago hockey isn’t complete without Zanders—everyone’s favorite player to hate. What he doesn’t like is the new flight attendant on the team’s private plane. But every road trip blurs the lines, and Zanders can’t figure out if there’s more to it. When Stevie’s new job lands her onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL, she starts to second guess everything. Including the promise she made to never hook up with an athlete again…no matter how annoyingly tempting he may be.
Mile High is the first book in Liz Tomforde’s Windy City series, and it’s the one I recommend to almost everyone after they finish Off Campus. Each book in the series follows a different professional athlete and their love story, with Mile High featuring a professional hockey player. The series is full of fan-favorite tropes like fake dating, grumpy sunshine, single dad, and second-chance romance, but it’s the cast of characters and the bonds they form that got me so invested.
3. Happy Place by Emily Henry
Emily Henry
Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—until they broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends. Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week…in front of those who know you best?
One thing Emily Henry does best is capture the complexities of relationships. In Happy Place, the relationships between the friends are just as compelling as the central romance between Harriet and Wyn. It explores the realities of adult friendships and how they can change over time, while also showing the importance of celebrating the people who continue to show up for us through every stage of life.
4. The Addicted Series by Krista & Becca Richie
Krista & Becca Richie
No one would suspect Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own. Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. For three years, the two have pretended to be in a relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. But as they sink beneath the weight of their addictions, they cling harder to their destructive relationship and wonder if a life together, for real, is better than a lie.
If there’s one series that truly embodies the found family trope, it’s the Addicted/Calloway Sister Series. What starts as the story of Lily and Lo in the first installment, Addicted to You, quickly expands into an interconnected series following siblings, best friends, and chosen family members who become impossible not to love and root for. Watching the entire group navigate life’s highs and lows together is just as rewarding as the romances themselves.
5. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Sangu Mandanna
As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic and stay away from other witches—that is, until a message arrives, begging her to travel to the mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world, and when peril comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for….
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches perfectly captures the feeling of finally finding the place where you belong. After spending much of her life on her own, Mika unexpectedly finds connection, acceptance, and a sense of home in the people around her. It’s a cozy, heartwarming story that reminds readers that family can be found in the most unexpected places.
6. Chestnut Springs Series by Elsie Silver
Elsie Silver
Rhett Eaton lives for three things: riding bulls, causing trouble, and doing exactly what he wants. But when a viral outburst threatens his career, his team brings in a professional problem-solver. Enter Summer Hamilton, a polished PR rep who has no interest in rodeos, cowboys, or babysitting overgrown man-children. Too bad she’s stuck with Rhett for the entire season. But somewhere between the fake smiles and late-night heart-to-hearts, the line between enemies and something much more starts to blur.
Flawless is the first book in Elsie Silver’s Chestnut Springs series. Let me set the scene: a charming small town filled with cowboys, rodeo stars, ranchers, and enough drama to keep things interesting. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows each other, and where readers can’t help but become invested in everyone’s story.
7. Wait for It by Mariana Zapata
Mariana Zapata
If anyone ever said being an adult was easy, they hadn’t been one long enough. Diana Casillas can admit it: she doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing half the time. Being a grown-up wasn’t supposed to be so hard. With a new house, two little boys she inherited the most painful possible way, a giant dog, a job she usually loves, more than enough family, and friends, she has almost everything she could ever ask for. Except for a boyfriend. Or a husband. But who needs either one of those?
Wait for It follows Diana as she adjusts to life as the guardian of her two young nephews, whilst building a connection with their new neighbor, Dallas. Unlike many found-family romances that center on friend groups, this story explores what it means to build a family from the ground up. It’s a more emotional take on the trope as Diana, her nephews, and Dallas slowly become an unexpected family of their own.
8. Playing for Keeps Series by Becka Mack
Becka Mack
Carter Beckett is the NHL’s best player—both on and off the ice. Olivia Parker isn’t new to professional hockey players, thanks to her best friend’s boyfriend, but she has no interest in dating one herself—no matter how hot he is. But once Carter meets Olivia, he can’t think of anything else. Too bad for him, Olivia is hellbent on keeping him at arm’s length. Perhaps it’s time for Carter to up his game…after all, nobody said he had to play fair.
Becka Mack’s Playing for Keeps series kicks off with Consider Me, which is the perfect pick for readers who can’t get enough hockey romance. The characters are goofy in the best way, bringing plenty of humor and heart to the story. If you’re looking for a romance that will make you laugh just as much as it makes you swoon, this is it.
9. Skyland Series by Kennedy Ryan
Kennedy Ryan
Their love was supposed to last forever. But when life delivered blow after devastating blow, Yasmen and Josiah Wade found that love alone couldn’t solve or save everything. It couldn’t save their marriage. Yasmen wasn’t prepared for how her life fell apart, but she’s finally starting to find joy again. She and Josiah have found a new rhythm, co-parenting their two kids and running a thriving business together. Yet like magnets, they’re always drawn back to each other, and now they’re beginning to wonder if they’re truly ready to let go of everything they once had.
Before I Let Go is the first book in Kennedy Ryan’s Skyland series, and trust me when I say you’ll want to read the rest after finishing it. Centered around three incredible women, the series tackles heavy topics with honesty and compassion while celebrating friendship, resilience, and love. The support these women show one another through every season of life is what makes the series so memorable.
10. Game Changer by Rachel Reid
Rachel Reid
New York Admirals captain Scott Hunter takes his pregame rituals very seriously. When a particular smoothie precedes Scott’s breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic…and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter. What goes on between them is hot, incredible, and frequent…but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors. Kip is ready to go all in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?
If you’ve spent any time in the romance community, chances are you’ve heard someone mention the show Heated Rivalry. While that fan-favorite romance book comes later in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series, it all begins with Game Changer. Consider this your sign to start at the beginning and watch the relationships between the characters evolve throughout the series.
11. Boys of Tommen Series by Chloe Walsh
Chloe Walsh
Johnny Kavanagh is an all-star rugby player with loads of friends, which means he should be enjoying the many perks of his life. But what people don’t know is that he has been dealing with an injury that could halt the magnificent trajectory of his career. Shannon Lynch has been bullied all her life. But when she arrives at Tommen College for a fresh start, she meets the notorious Johnny Kavanagh on her first day. What follows is a complicated friendship that turns into undeniable chemistry—but it might cost them both.
Binding 13 is one of the most emotional reads on this list. The friendships at the heart of the entire Boys of Tommen series are tested by love, heartbreak, and some of life’s most difficult challenges, yet the characters continue to show up for one another time and time again. Just be sure to keep a box of tissues nearby while reading.
12. A Court of Thorns and Roses Series by Sarah J Maas
Sarah J. Maas
When huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a faerie arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, she adapts to her new home—but her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it.
Ask any ACOTAR fan what keeps them coming back to the series, and there’s a good chance they’ll mention the found family. Throughout the entire series, Feyre discovers that family isn’t always the one you’re born into; sometimes it’s the people who choose you along the way. The relationships between these characters are just as memorable as the romance and fantasy itself.
Whether you’re looking for a close-knit friend group, a team that becomes family, or a community you’ll never want to leave, these series prove that some of the best romance stories are the ones about finding family with people we choose along the way.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Baylie Panattoni, Contributing Writer
Baylie is a Los Angeles-based Contributing Writer for The Everygirl with a passion for entertainment, beauty, and travel. Whether it’s uncovering the newest skincare and makeup essentials, discovering unforgettable travel destinations, or finding the latest romance novel sweeping BookTok, Baylie loves staying on top of trends and sharing them with readers.
Diterbitkan : 2026-06-08 20:47:00
sumber : theeverygirl.com
