Review: The Deal by Elle Kennedy
A book that has been on my TBR for a while is The Deal by Elle Kennedy! I love New Adult college romances and this is definitely a new favorite I’m adding to my list. It is the first book in the Off Campus series, which is a series of sports romances. It can be read as a standalone BUT I couldn’t put it down and I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the series!
Snyopsis: “She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…
Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.
…and it’s going to be oh so good
All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.” —From the Author
What I Liked:
The Characters—I loved Hannah and Graham, plus all of the side characters! Hannah is a music major so a lot of the things she talks about were similar to my college experience. Also, all the heart eyes for Graham. I love a protective hockey player.
The “Extra” Storylines—TW for sexual assault & rape/domestic & child abuse—Hannah is a survivor of sexual assault and I really loved seeing how she reclaimed her body and pleasure. It’s a side we don’t get to see a lot and I think it’s really important for people to see that survivors are more than their trauma. Additionally, Garrett is a survivor of an abusive home and his journey of understanding that he is not his abuser is another aspect that I think survivors and people need to see.
The Steam—It’s a slow burn that is oh so worth it. I haven’t read a good slow burn like this in a while!
What Didn’t Work:
Outdated Phrases—This book was published in 2015 and there were a couple of phrases used callously that we know are harmful today.
TW/CW: Sexual assault, rape, drugging, spousal abuse, child abuse
Character Authenticity: 5/5 Steam Rating: 3/5 Overall Rating: 4.5/5