The Deal

Elle Kennedy has stormed onto my radar in a huge way with this book. There was a lot of hype surrounding it and I was worried either I'd be impressed or let down especially since I'd never read anything by her before. But that's definitely going to change. I couldn't help but fall in love with the characters and their story. I think part of the reason this book won me and others so completely is how it's the perfect mix of romance and realism.

I absolutely loved Hannah. Right from the beginning you can tell she's vulnerable yet resilient. She's coming out of a fog from something in her past and I couldn't help but cheer her on. I loved how committed she was to her friends and making something of herself. She's been let down before and it's not going to happen again, at least not on her watch. I admired her so much for her positive and forward bound attitude. She's so much stronger than she looks and wiser beyond her young age.

Garrett was a surprise. He might be an unrepentant player, but he's serious about his hockey and apparently his studies too. He's no dumb jock. Nor is he the spoiled son of a hockey star. He works hard for what he wants. I loved being in his head. He was so funny and swoon worthy at the same time. I loved how he saw Hannah. He even saw beyond what she was portraying to everyone else. Usually it's the girl who clues into her feelings first, but it was Garrett who realized he was onto something special and important. I loved how supportive of Hannah he was. I also loved his strong sense of right and wrong.

Hannah and Garrett together work perfectly. Both of them individually are wonderful, but put them together and it's amazing how potent their chemistry is. I loved seeing them tackle the hurdles and challenges that came their way. They stumbled at times, but quickly realized what they had was essential to their happiness. There are a number of serious issues that come up in the duration of the book in relation to both Hannah and Garrett. I'd like to give props to Elle Kennedy for handling them properly and with the deference they deserve. My heart broke for both Hannah and Garrett and the pain they experienced. I wanted to reach into the pages and do some serious damage to the people who hurt them and then failed them.

You might be thinking this book doesn't sound that different from any other college athlete story. You'd be wrong. There's something about the characters and the story that will stick you long after you finish reading. I'm a little frustrated at how inadequate my words feel describing this book. I was hooked from the first page and have re-read this book once already. Having met Hannah, Garrett, and their friends, I'm ecstatic Logan and hopefully the others will be getting their own stories. Not only am I anxious for more Hannah and Garrett, I'm looking forward to seeing how Elle Kennedy surprises me with a new story and twists. I have no doubt she'll make it spectacular and worth the wait.

There were so many parts of this book that had me smiling or laughing out loud. I loved the story - garret and Hannah were adorable. What's not to love about a love story, a dreamy muscled jock and hot hot sex! You must read this book!

I read the book in about 3 or 4 days. It wasn’t terrible, but wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read. Definitely a good book and I’ve recommended it to my friends. More rom-com than SMUT. 😝