TITLE: THE DEAL
AUTHOR: ELLE KENNEDY
RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 24TH, 2015
PAGES: 358
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.
Thirty minutes before my shift ends, I find Garrett Graham in one of my booths.
Seriously.
Does this guy ever give up?
I have no desire to go over there and serve him, but I don’t have much of a choice. Lisa,
the other waitress on duty, is busy tending to a group of faculty members at a table across the room, and my boss Della is behind the baby-blue Formica counter dishing out slices of pecan pie to three freshman girls sitting on the tall swivel stools.
I set my jaw and march up to Garrett, making my displeasure obvious as I meet his
twinkling gray eyes. He runs a hand through his cropped dark hair and flashes a lopsided grin.
“Hey there, Hannah. Fancy meeting you here.”
“Yeah, fancy,” I mutter, yanking my order pad out of my apron pocket. “What can I get
“A tutor.”
“Sorry, that’s not on the menu.” I smile sweetly. “We serve really good pecan pie,
though.”
“You know what I did last night?” he says without acknowledging the sarcasm.
“Yep. You were text stalking me.”
He rolls his eyes. “Before that, I mean.”
I pretend to think it over. “Um…you hooked up with a cheerleader? No, you hooked up
with the girls’ hockey team. No, wait, they’re probably not ditzy enough for you. I stick with my original guess—cheerleader.”
“Sorority sister, actually,” he says smugly. “But I’m talking about what I did before that.”
He raises one dark eyebrow. “But I’m very intrigued by your interest in my sex life. I can give you details about that another time if you want.”
“I don’t.”
“Another time,” he echoes in a dismissive tone, folding his hands on the blue-and-white-
checkered tablecloth.
He’s got big hands with long fingers, short nails, and knuckles that are slightly red and
cracked. I wonder if he’s been in a fight recently, but then I realize the busted-up knuckles are probably a hockey player thing.
“I was at study group yesterday,” he informs me. “There were eight other people there,
and you know what the highest mark in the group was?” He blurts out the answer before I can hazard a guess. “C-plus. And our combined average was a D. How am I supposed to pass this makeup if I’m studying with people who are as dumb as I am? I need you, Wellsy.”
Wellsy? Is that a nickname? And how on earth does he know that my last name is Wells?
I never told—argh. Damn sign-up sheet.
Garrett notices my surprised look and cocks his brows again. “I learned a lot about you in study group. Got your number, your full name, even found out where you work.”
“Congratulations, you really are a stalker.”
“Nope, just thorough. I like to know what I’m up against.”
“Jesus Harold Christ! I’m not tutoring you, okay? Go bug somebody else.” I point at the
menu in front of him. “Are you ordering? Because if not, then please go away and let me do my job in peace.”
“Jesus Harold Christ?” Garrett snickers before picking up the laminated menu and giving it a cursory glance. “I’ll have a turkey club.” He sets the menu down, then reaches for it again.
“And a bacon double cheeseburger. Just the burger, no fries. Actually, I changed my mind—yes to the fries. Oh, and a side order of onion rings.”
My jaw almost hits the floor. “You’re seriously going to eat all that?”
He grins. “Of course. I’m a growing boy.”
Boy? Nuh-uh. I’m only noticing it now—probably because I’ve been too distracted by
how insufferable he is—but Garrett Graham is all man. There’s nothing boyish about him, not his chiseled good looks or his tall frame or that ripped chest of his, which suddenly flashes to mind as I remember the picture he sent me.
“I’ll also take a slice of that pecan pie and a Dr. Pepper to drink. Oh, and some tutoring.”
“Not on the menu,” I say cheerfully. “But the rest is coming right up.”
Before he can argue, I abandon his booth and head to the back counter to place his order with Julio, our night cook. A nanosecond later, Lisa rushes over and addresses me in a hushed
“Oh my God. You know who that is, right?”
“Yep.”
“It’s Garrett Graham.”
“I know,” I answer dryly. “That’s why I said yep.”
Lisa looks outraged. “What is wrong with you? Why aren’t you freaking out right now?
Garrett Graham is sitting in your booth. He talked to you.”
“Holy shit, he did? I mean, his lips were moving, but I didn’t realize he was talking.”
I roll my eyes and walk over to the drink station to pour Garrett’s drink. I don’t look his
way, but I can feel those smoky gray eyes following my every movement. He’s probably sending
t
elepathic orders for me to tutor him. Well, too bad for him. There’s no way I’m wasting the little spare time I have on a college hockey player who thinks he’s a rock star.Lisa trails after me, oblivious to my sarcasm and still gushing about Graham. “He’s so
gorgeous. Like unbelievably gorgeous.” Her voice lowers to a whisper. “And I hear he’s
amazing in bed.”
I snort. “He probably started that rumor himself.”
“No, Samantha Richardson told me. She hooked up with him last year at the Theta
kegger. Said it was the best sex of her life.”
I have no response, because I couldn’t care less about the sex life of some girl I don’t
even know. Instead, I shrug and hold out the Dr. Pepper. “You know what? Why don’t you take his booth?”
The way Lisa gasps, you’d think I just handed her a check for five million dollars. “Are
you sure?”
“Yep. He’s all yours.”
“Oh my God.” She takes a step forward as if she’s going to hug me, but then her gaze
darts to Garrett and she appears to have second thoughts about broadcasting her terribly unwarranted joy. “I owe you so big for this, Han.”
I want to tell her that she’s actually doing me the favor, but she’s already dashing toward
the booth to wait on her prince. I watch in amusement as Garrett’s expression clouds over at
Lisa’s approach. He picks up the glass she sets in front of him, then meets my gaze and slants his
As if to say, you’re not getting rid of me that easily.
This book is pure joy!!! I am on a complete “book high” right now and I never want to come down.
I adore Garret Graham HARD!!!! He was a very unexpected hero. They were silly and adorkable and the chemistry was incredible.
"We're
friends now." "I heard that" Garret pipes up. "And there's
no 'kinda' about it. We're best friends, Nelly. Don't let Wellsy tell you
otherwise."
"Are you taking a growth hormones or something? There's no way that huge man monster is fitting inside me!"
And that pretty much sums up their antics.
Of course it isn't all hearts and flowers. Both characters have pasts that they need to get over and a certain someone's father throws in a huge speed bump. That doesn't stop Garret from being his awesome self and them getting their HEA. This book ends on a “close out” of their book, but there is room left for a continuation for the next couple *cough* Logan *cough* ((PS, if I were a fictional man, I would be Logan))
Seriously, this book makes me happy. Glad I got the honor of an ARC. This is my first Elle Kennedy book and she has become an auto-author for me
*****5
stripper-tits stars*****"Are you taking a growth hormones or something? There's no way that huge man monster is fitting inside me!"
And that pretty much sums up their antics.
Of course it isn't all hearts and flowers. Both characters have pasts that they need to get over and a certain someone's father throws in a huge speed bump. That doesn't stop Garret from being his awesome self and them getting their HEA. This book ends on a “close out” of their book, but there is room left for a continuation for the next couple *cough* Logan *cough* ((PS, if I were a fictional man, I would be Logan))
Seriously, this book makes me happy. Glad I got the honor of an ARC. This is my first Elle Kennedy book and she has become an auto-author for me
Aaaahhhh I loved, loved, LOVED this book so much!
I was in a major nothing-appeals-to-me funk, starting a lot of books but putting them aside, because I just couldn't get into them. Well, thank God a friend and fellow blogger was all, "Hey, do a review with me for a book! The heroine reminds me of you!"
Of course that got me curious and as I started the book, met the heroine, yup, I've realized that I had met my literary soul-mate. My friends know it's hard for me to like a heroine, much less absolutely adore her and have a major girl-crush on her. Well, Ms. Kennedy managed to make me fall arse-over-stripper-tits in love with Hannah, "I want to murder him in his sleep, A. No, I want to murder him when he's awake so he can see the joy on my face when I do it."
And don't get me started on Garrett. Ye gods!
This book turned out to be perfect. It made me laugh, made me swoon and some parts - or characters - pissed me off and I really didn't want the book to end. I'm also anxiously awaiting for MORE.
There was a scene that made me laugh-out-loud - shower scene is all I'm saying - so really, do read this book if you haven't already.
5 "penis-shaped" stars for one of the best books I've read this year. Garrett's on my BBF list and Hannah's at the top of my Girl-Crush list.
***I thank the author from the bottom of my heart for the copy provided in exchange of honest review for Diva Discussions Book Club***
I was in a major nothing-appeals-to-me funk, starting a lot of books but putting them aside, because I just couldn't get into them. Well, thank God a friend and fellow blogger was all, "Hey, do a review with me for a book! The heroine reminds me of you!"
Of course that got me curious and as I started the book, met the heroine, yup, I've realized that I had met my literary soul-mate. My friends know it's hard for me to like a heroine, much less absolutely adore her and have a major girl-crush on her. Well, Ms. Kennedy managed to make me fall arse-over-stripper-tits in love with Hannah, "I want to murder him in his sleep, A. No, I want to murder him when he's awake so he can see the joy on my face when I do it."
And don't get me started on Garrett. Ye gods!
This book turned out to be perfect. It made me laugh, made me swoon and some parts - or characters - pissed me off and I really didn't want the book to end. I'm also anxiously awaiting for MORE.
There was a scene that made me laugh-out-loud - shower scene is all I'm saying - so really, do read this book if you haven't already.
5 "penis-shaped" stars for one of the best books I've read this year. Garrett's on my BBF list and Hannah's at the top of my Girl-Crush list.
***I thank the author from the bottom of my heart for the copy provided in exchange of honest review for Diva Discussions Book Club***
***Copy provided in exchange for an
honest review through Diva Discussions Book Club***
4.5 Stars - When I first started this I wasn’t sure I would like it. I kind of struggled with the first 25%. It had to do with Hannah’s introduction, her reaction left me feeling cold. But once I got a little further into the story I couldn’t put it down. The storyline wasn’t very original as far as the N/A genre goes but it didn’t need to be. Garrett and Hannah made this book so much fun. They were funny and adorable. Garrett especially stole the show. The banter between both of them was hilarious and had me smiling through of the book.
“Just out of curiosity,” she says, “after you wake up in the morning, do you admire yourself in the mirror for one hour or two?” “Two,” I reply cheerfully. “Do you high five yourself?” “Of course not.” I smirk. “I kiss each of my biceps and then point to the ceiling and thank the big man upstairs for creating such a perfect male specimen.”
The story is funny, sweet, romantic, and had heart. Hannah and Garrett are both a bit broken. They don’t really realize the extent of this until they become friends. I really loved the fact that Hannah and Garrett became friends first. They learned a lot about each other, including the pieces of each other that made them damaged, all before hooking up. The attraction was a slow burn so it felt real and natural. When they finally got to that point my heart raced a little bit. I was excited for them to come together, it was sexy and sweet. Even the roadblock that hits their relationship towards the end doesn’t last long. This is due to the fact that when Garrett Graham falls he falls hard. He is stubborn and awesome and won’t give up on Hannah. This was a fun read and if you love college romances you will love this. I am excited for the next book The Mistake, I am hoping it is Logan's story.
Final Note: I have about four Elle Kennedy books in my kindle. Sadly they have been buried under my never ending tbr list. If they have any of the fun banter in them that The Deal has I can’t wait to read them.
The Deal by Elle Kennedy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is one of those really sweet and saucy new adult books that makes us ladies swoon. It completely met that bar, but I was surprised by some of the deep subject matter too. While it has all those romance and young love in college vibes, it also is a story of overcoming trauma.
Garrett is the big man on campus, but I wouldn't call him typical. He's maybe a little full of himself, but the most genuine guy ever. Hannah is a little different also. She's focused without being a snob and reserved while still being fun. Both characters behaved pretty maturely which I super appreciate, no over drama or cheating. Both are good people with demons in their pasts, and when they hook up sparks fly.
I will certainly read the next book in the series. I would like to know more about this group of friends. This story left me feeling happy and made me smile while reading.
I look like this.
4—4.5 stars
***Copy given in exchange for an honest review***
View all my reviews
4.5 Stars - When I first started this I wasn’t sure I would like it. I kind of struggled with the first 25%. It had to do with Hannah’s introduction, her reaction left me feeling cold. But once I got a little further into the story I couldn’t put it down. The storyline wasn’t very original as far as the N/A genre goes but it didn’t need to be. Garrett and Hannah made this book so much fun. They were funny and adorable. Garrett especially stole the show. The banter between both of them was hilarious and had me smiling through of the book.
“Just out of curiosity,” she says, “after you wake up in the morning, do you admire yourself in the mirror for one hour or two?” “Two,” I reply cheerfully. “Do you high five yourself?” “Of course not.” I smirk. “I kiss each of my biceps and then point to the ceiling and thank the big man upstairs for creating such a perfect male specimen.”
The story is funny, sweet, romantic, and had heart. Hannah and Garrett are both a bit broken. They don’t really realize the extent of this until they become friends. I really loved the fact that Hannah and Garrett became friends first. They learned a lot about each other, including the pieces of each other that made them damaged, all before hooking up. The attraction was a slow burn so it felt real and natural. When they finally got to that point my heart raced a little bit. I was excited for them to come together, it was sexy and sweet. Even the roadblock that hits their relationship towards the end doesn’t last long. This is due to the fact that when Garrett Graham falls he falls hard. He is stubborn and awesome and won’t give up on Hannah. This was a fun read and if you love college romances you will love this. I am excited for the next book The Mistake, I am hoping it is Logan's story.
Final Note: I have about four Elle Kennedy books in my kindle. Sadly they have been buried under my never ending tbr list. If they have any of the fun banter in them that The Deal has I can’t wait to read them.
The Deal by Elle KennedyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is one of those really sweet and saucy new adult books that makes us ladies swoon. It completely met that bar, but I was surprised by some of the deep subject matter too. While it has all those romance and young love in college vibes, it also is a story of overcoming trauma.
Garrett is the big man on campus, but I wouldn't call him typical. He's maybe a little full of himself, but the most genuine guy ever. Hannah is a little different also. She's focused without being a snob and reserved while still being fun. Both characters behaved pretty maturely which I super appreciate, no over drama or cheating. Both are good people with demons in their pasts, and when they hook up sparks fly.
Sometimes people sneak up on you and suddenly you don't know how you ever lived without them. How you went about your day and hung out with your friends and fucked other people without having this one important person in your life.
I will certainly read the next book in the series. I would like to know more about this group of friends. This story left me feeling happy and made me smile while reading.
I look like this.
4—4.5 stars
***Copy given in exchange for an honest review***
View all my reviews
A USA Today bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. 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.
Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
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