The DealAuthor: Elle Kennedy
Series: Off-Campus #1
Publication Date: February 24, 2015
Format: eBook
Pages: 358
Source: Purchased
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.
Now this is a book that makes the NA genre look good. The author did a wonderful job at balancing everything and ditching a lot of the angst. I know the cover kind of puts off that super sexualized NA vibe, but it’s actually kind of funny and fitting once you read the book.
I love Garrett and Hannah. They’re opposites and she wants nothing to do with tutoring him, but he proposes a deal that will land her the guy she wants. Garrett is the cocky type, but it’s in that enduring humorous way. I got such a kick out of how indifferent she was with him and his attempt at charming her in order to get his way.
There’s actually a lot of depth to both of them. They both have some serious issues they’ve dealt with that are still affecting them, but it’s done incredibly well. It doesn’t pull the story down, instead it shows their growth as individuals and as friend.
I’m so happy with the way their relationship progressed. They were tutor and student who grew into friends, and then more. It isn’t like they were harboring secret crushes from the beginning and made things awkward and all angsty. They developed a genuine friendship first without the sexual attraction in the way, which offered a lot of very entertaining situations.
I enjoyed the secondary characters as well, but mostly Garrett’s hockey buddies. More specifically Dean. Dude has no shame! I hope we eventually get a book for him.
The Deal turned out to be quite a delight that deserves all the attention it has received.
sound like a great book, I would love to read it 😀 lovely review
I was apprehensive about this book. I LOVE Elle Kennedy but I’m not too fond of the NA sub-genre. I’m so glad you addressed the angst level in the book. I do like angst in my romance but not high school or soap opera levels. I think I’ll give this one a try when I can. Thanks for the review!
This already on my waiting list, and now I’m getting totally crazy about getting this book!! It sounds like everything I enjoy in a NA story.
Great review, if it weren’t already on my list I’d have added it just now 🙂
I hat when covers make me think I am getting a different type of book. Happy it turned out well though.
I’ll admit that both the cover and synopsis are both huge turn-offs for me, but your review is making me want to pick this up! I love stories where the main characters first become friends before all the kissy stuff happens. 😉 Lovely review, Christy!
Everybody seems to love this book, including my co-bloggers, so I have with already on my tbr-list, jut waiting for the right mood to read it. Glad you enjoyed it too, Christy!
MUST READ THIS CHRISTY!!! I’ve heard nothing but good things and I really, really want to meet Garrett and Hannah. They have the type of relationship I know is going to make me smile. And I know I’m going to want a book for Dean too 😉
I almost bought this and didn’t. Now I need to go buy it from Amazon dang you!
I was turned off by the cover but it actually sounds cute 🙂
I love a good friends-to-lovers story. Being tutor-student makes for some fun situations.
Oh you have me sold christy already. I’m on a NA romance binge at the mo. I know from experience that most of them have something in common either the characters or the plot line, but this sounds so much more than that. It sort of reminds me of The DUFF from the description which has me very intrigued but mix that up with sex and seduction and you have me. Thanks for putting this on my radar. 🙂
I thought the same thing as you about this book! I think I’m a bit easier on NA than you are but that cover totally belittles how much STORY there is to this book! I actually think I bought this one b/c I saw you bought it a while back 😉
I’m glad you mentioned the cover thing because I instantly dismissed this book because of it. I’m not really into the highly sexualized NA books. But it sounds like this has more depth than it looks like.
This sounds like exactly the type of book I’d love. And that cover is sexxxxxy.
This book sounds really good! I love the NA genre!
Ohh hockey players are hot! Yes, please!
Okay, you’re probably the fifth positive review I’ve seen of this book, now I HAVE TO check it out for myself and see what the hype is all about. I like the sound of the premise though xD Your review has me more excited now <3
I am going to pick this novel up tonight, wish me luck! I hope I enjoy it as much as you and everyone else has 🙂
This is the second review I’ve seen for this book and both times have been overwhelmingly positive! I’m glad to see that this is one of those NA reads that give NA a better image ^_^
YAY! I’m so glad you loved this book so much, Christy! I loved it too and I can’t wait for more books by the author. And yes, Dean obviously needs to have his own book! LOL! 😀
I loved the relationship development between Hannah and Garreth too! These two were hot together! <3
Great review!
Finally a NA without all the drama and angst and sex. I like the sound of the relationship in this one.
She’s so full of awesome. I’ve got this one on my list 😀
I’m a big fan of the NA genre and this sounds really good. Great review!
Ooh this was recommended on an Amazon forum I visit from time to time, glad to know that this really is NA done right! I’m not a big fan of the headless torso covers but reviews like this make me get over my first impression lol. Will check this out Christy! Awesome review, I like that both characters start of as blossoming friends before the romance. 🙂
I love this book soooo much! But unfortunately, when I read this book, I wasn’t able to write a review immediately and picked up other books instead, so now I kind of felt disconnected to write a review for it. That means I gotta re-read it again, but I’m not complaining. Teehee. Glad you loved this book! I love me some Garrett. 😀
Hehehe!! Now this sounds like my kind of read! I like how Hannah didn’t really like Garrett to begin with… makes some good sexual tension, I bet!!
“Now this is a book that makes the NA genre look good.” <— THIS!!!!
I'm so happy you enjoyed this! I adored Garrett, he's so hilarious! Definitely can't wait the rest of the hockey boys to have their stories.
I want to read this one! I like the fact that the two main characters grew a friendship, before anything else. I’m glad that this story had great character depth, and wasn’t full of angst. While I enjoy stories with Angst, I like to alternate them with fun and humorous reads 🙂