e-ARC Review: THE DEAL by Elle Kennedy

 

Title: The Deal (Off-Campus #1)
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Genre: Contemporary, romance, new adult
Source: eARC provided by the author via Nina Bocci PR
Buy Links: Amazon US | B & N | Kobo

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.

 

Why did I want to read this book?

It’s no secret that I’ve become a really big fan of Elle Kennedy. I am absolutely loving her Killer Instincts series and I absolutely adored her Brazen, After Hours series. So when I learned that she’s decided to do self-publishing with the first in her New Adult series, I was beyond excited.

 

What worked for me?

Garett and Hannah were just ADORABLE, as individual characters as well as every single time they were together. I loved their banters, their chemistry, their humor, their self-respect as well as their respect for other people.

Hannah is a smart-ass but I love that about her. She’s gone through a lot but she’s tough as nails and gosh, that’s a very admirable trait to have in your heroine, right? But there’s still that vulnerable side to her that helps readers relate easier to her.

Garrett, on the other hand, oh my. He is such a sweetheart. If you ever need to meet a guy who’s persistence turns him into someone even sexier, then you’ve got Garrett’s number. I love that even though he’s big on campus, being the captain of the hockey team, he’s such a nice and decent guy. Yes, he can be, on occasion, seemed like he has airs but he’s actually pretty humble and down-to-earth. And he respects people, even those that don’t deserve them sometimes.

And Garrett’s best friends! Omg! I think we already know who the stars of the next books will be. Their interaction were so funny and amazing. I can’t wait for them to get their own stories.

 

What did not work for me?

Nothing, really. I only felt there were a couple of times where the story lagged, but only a little. And I know that I will be in the minority, or the only one I guess, to have this feeling. This book was still amazing by the way.

 

My over-all take on it?

This was a great start to a whole new series. Congratulations to Elle Kennedy for the success of her first foray into self-publishing. You guys are going to love Garrett and Hannah. Watch out for those amazing banter, an even more amazing chemistry, and just the incredible love story of these two.

 

My rating:

 

 

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the author/publisher in exchange  for an honest review. Yes, these are my honest and personal thoughts on this book.

 

 

A USA Today bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a BA in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

Elle loves to hear from her readers. Visit her website http://www.ellekennedy.com or sign up for her newsletter to receive updates about upcoming books and exclusive excerpts. You can also find her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter (@ElleKennedy).

Connect with Elle Kennedy:

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More Elle Kennedy on Girl meets Books:

Midnight Action (Killer Instincts #5)
One Night of Sin (After Hours #1)
One Night of Scandal (After Hours #2)
One Night of Trouble (After Hours #3)