Is The Deal by Elle Kennedy Worth the Hype?

The college hockey captain catches real feelings for his artsy tutor when they were supposed to be fake dating. The Deal by Elle Kennedy is basically catnip in book form. With lovable characters that you will care for and a story you just can’t put down. Addictive reading at its best.

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

What is The Deal by Elle Kennedy about?

Garrett is a college hockey player, and to stay in the game he has to keep his grades at a certain level.  Which he can’t because he’s failing one of his subjects. Hannah just happens to be acing it! So he seeks her help in tutoring him. At first she doesn’t want anything to do with the jock, she’s the artsy type and a singer and has this preconceived idea of what his type is like. But then he finds the one thing she wants that he can help her with and they make …. THE DEAL. 😉

Trigger warnings: The Deal by Elle Kennedy includes rape mentions throughout, a flashback scene related to sexual assault, and domestic abuse.

My Thoughts on The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Here’s my issue with some of the less angsty new adult, usually.  One of the characters usually makes me want to bash their skull in. THE DEAL doesn’t suffer from this. This is a smart new adult about two wonderful characters I quickly fell for and I can almost guarantee you will too! As much as I’ve loved Elle Kennedy’s writing in the past, this was a new genre and I wasn’t too sure what to expect. Leave it to an awesome writer to do the story justice. THE DEAL was my favorite read in quite some time, and definitely in my top 5 of 2015 so far!

Garrett is the ideal book boyfriend material. He’s got the looks, he’s got the muscles, the quick banter and the fun personality. But he’s also caring and tender. Supportive and possessive. Let’s just say I quickly became a puddle at his feet. And Hannah was a great heroine too. She’s overcome so much and she’s pushing through her hang ups and issues just plowing ahead. Facing her fears head on where someone else might’ve cowered.

Their relationship is nothing but fun. I loved every second of it. Even though it’s not all roses and there are some tough and dramatic backstories, on both parts, Hannah and Garrett are so perfect together that it was a breeze to read every second of it. I could’ve read more! Why did it have to end? But I can tell you this, I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next installment!

About the Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy

The Deal is Book 1 in the Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy. This can be read as a standalone novel, but if you continue on in the series, you’ll get books from the rest of the group friend you meet in this one. This is the original starting point if you want the Briar college world experience filled with sports romances and interconnected characters without any cliffhangers.

The Deal by Elle Kennedy adaptation news

The upcoming Prime Video series, Off Campus, is based on Elle Kennedy’s book series and season 1 follows Hannah Wells and Garrett Graham, from The Deal. The show is set to premiere May 13, 2026.

Should you read The Deal by Elle Kennedy?

I’m going out of a limb here to say that if you are a fan of college romances, new adult romance or hockey romance, then this is a must read. It’s a playful read with two characters healing and finding love when they least expected it. And it’s also the perfect start for a binge read.

If you are ready to go into the next one, check out my review of The Mistake by Elle Kennedy, book 2 in the Off Campus series.

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