Monday 16 March 2015

The Deal by Elle Kennedy - Review

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.

Oh my God. This book was just the book I needed to get back in a reading mood. See, sometimes I go through a phase where I just can't be bothered to read at all but this book was exactly the book I needed to make me enthusiastic, not only about books, but about New Adult (NA). These past few months I've read some kick-ass NA books (The Hook-Up by Kristen Callihan guys is a MUST READ!), and usually I skip over NA as I find them tiresome and dramatic. There supposed to be about 18-22 year olds, but most of them read as if they're still suck in high school, so these few books have been a refreshing change. 

So anyway, on with the review.

The feels this book brought on in me. I definitely fell in love with this book, and definitely the characters. Hannah was an awesome heroine. This book dealt with some sensitive issues, but the way Kennedy handled them was just beautiful and magnificent. I commend her.

Hannah just wanted to get through college and stay as far away from her home as possible. Being one of the few to actually pass her Philosophical Ethics midterm, Garrett starts harassing Hannah to tutor him. The sparks just flew off the pages from these two - the sexual chemistry was electrifying! I have never felt such heat from two characters! The banter, the snark everything about these two was amazing.

'Garrett's eyes narrow as if he's read my mind. "I'm not going to try anything, Wellsy. It's just a ride home."
"Go back to the party, Garrett. Your frat bothers are probably wondering where you are."
"Trust me, they don't give a shit where I am. They're only interested in finding a tipsy chick to stick their dicks in."
I gag. "God. You are disgusting, you know that?"
"Nope, just honest. Besides, it's not like I said I'm looking to do that. I don't need to get a woman drunk for her to sleep with me. They come to sober and willing."
"Congratulations." I yelp when he snatches the phone out of my hand. "Hey!"
To my amazement, he turns the camera toward his face and snaps a picture.
"What are you doing?"
"There," he says, handing the phone back. "Feel free to text that sexy face to your entire contact list and inform them I'm driving you home. That way if you show up dead tomorrow everyone will know who did it. And if you want, you can keep your finger on the emergency call button the whole time in case you need to call the cops."He heaves out an exasperated breath. "Can I please take you home now?"
...
"All right," I concede. "You can take me home. But this doesn't mean I'm tutoring you."
His smile is the epitome of smug. "We'll discuss it in the car."

These guys were just hilarious and had me literally laughing my head off. I loved Hannah. She was an incredibly strong character, despite her past, and was just totally kick-ass! Why can't all authors create such strong, likeable, and relatable characters. She didn't whine, bitch, play games. She was who she was. That's it.

Now Garrett, my sweet sweet Garrett. How thee stole thy heart. He was just beautiful. An asshole at times sure - but you all know how much I love the asshole, sweet guys. This guy didn't even need to try to steal my heart, I carved it out myself and handed it to him on a silver platter. That's how much I adore and love and yes even lust after this incredible guy. How he was with Hannah just had me swooning. 

"Hey, come on, don't cry," he begs. "It breaks my fucking heart to hear you cry."
But I can't stop. I gulp for air and shudder in his arms, and he strokes my hair and makes rough, soothing noises that only make me cry harder.
"I'm broken."
My voice is muffled in his neck, but I hear his voice loud and clear as he says, "You're not broken, baby. I promise."

***

'When he speaks, it's so nonsensical I'm genuinely caught off-guard. "I thought your name started with an M."
"You thought my name was Mannah?"
Garrett snickers. "No, I thought your name was Mona, or Molly, or Mackenzie. Anything with an M."
I don't know whether to be insulted or amused. "Okay..."
"For almost two months, Hannah. I went two months without knowing your name."
"Well, we didn't know each other."
"You knew my name."
I sigh. "Everyone knows your name."
"How did I go so long without noticing you, damn it? Why did it take seeing a stupid A on your midterm to make me notice?"
He sounds so genuinely upset that I scoot closer and kiss him. "It doesn't matter. You know me now."

...

Garrett props himself up on one elbow, his biceps flexing against my shoulder. "I also know that I like you," he says gruffly.
A laugh shudders out. "I like you too."
"I'm serious. I really fucking like you."

There tutoring sessions, turning into Breaking Bad marathons, and then to friendship was just the most amazing thing I have ever seen. It was funny and natural - there was no rush, just a nice ease into things. It was refreshing.

These two didn't have a good start in life, but they were both okay and had managed to move past it. And together these guys were just perfect. Sure, there was a bit of a little drama in this book, but it wasn't that horrible angsty-drama that we see in many other books, so I didn't mind it.

That locker room scene near the end of the book had me grinning like a lunatic. It was simply hilarious, and Garrett was just his adorable self.

This book is kick-ass guys. A job well done Elle Kennedy. I commend you for being such an awesome author. I seriously cannot wait for Logan's book!




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