Publisher: Self-published
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: eARC from author
Reviewer: MinnChica
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.
*Blurb from Goodreads*
**Disclaimer: I work with Elle Kennedy for my day job. Although she pays me to do administrative stuff for her, she doesn’t pay me to like her books. I just do…. Now that we have that out of the way.**
Hannah is the smart girl in college that has some issues in her past that she is still struggling to deal with at times. She desperately wants to get her crush’s attention, but worries about how she will deal with romance once she has his attention. Tutoring the hockey team’s star athlete is not her idea of a good time, but he’s willing to help her get her crush, and for that Hannah’s willing to take a chance.
Garrett desperately needs to pass his class, or else he won’t be able to play. Getting Hannah to tutor him is the best way to pass, and helping her get her crush’s eye won’t be a difficult price to pay. That is until Garrett realizes that Hannah is a wonderful and incredible woman that he desperately wants to keep for himself, regardless of the original bet they made.
Guys, I seriously can’t even tell you how much I loved this book. It was so so so good! Kennedy does such an incredible job bringing Hannah and Garrett to life. I love them both, I loved their romance, I just absolutely loved everything about this damn book. Seriously, I could end the review there and just tell you all to go buy it. You WILL thank me later!
Hannah went through a very traumatic event in high school, and I loved the way she handled it. She went to a shrink, she dealt with it, and while she was mostly healed emotionally, she still struggled with intimacy. I loved the way her entire situation was handled throughout the book, especially when it came time for Garrett to teach her a thing or two about sex. It was both fun and sexy and so incredible sweet.
Garrett was cocky and so full of himself, and while he came across as a stereotypical athlete at times, he also had this incredible depth. He was sensitive, smart, dedicated to his studies, and had some serious issues of his own to deal with from the past. I loved everything about Garrett and wish I could keep him as my own boyfriend! 🙂
The romance between Hannah and Garrett was perfect. It was the best buildup from strangers to friends to lovers to so much more. They were absolutely perfect in the way they complimented each other, and the romance couldn’t have been any better. Even their little drama was wonderfully handled, I can’t say enough good things!
All in all, I loved this book. It combined some of my favorite elements: sports hero, NA college campus setting, and so many feels I can’t even express them all. This is a must read!!
I give The Deal an A