Hockey romance, strong female lead, swoon worthy male lead
Review:
I read this entire series in 2016 and have been comparing every other sports romance to it since, so I figured it was time for a reread. Elle Kennedy has the incredible ability to create worlds and characters that you just can’t help but fall in love with and Hannah and Garrett’s story is the perfect place to start.
Garrett freakin' Graham is the easiest character to fall in love with. He starts off as a player, but is always respectfully honest with his hookups. Watching his friendship grow with Hannah and break him out of his normal comfort zone of keeping girls at arm's length was endearing, hilarious and just adorable.
Everyone almost exclusively talks about Garrett, but the other half of this dynamic duo can’t be ignored. Hannah is such a strong female lead. She knows who she is and what she will and won’t accept from people. She’s been through something terrible (check TW’s) that made her extremely cautious, but watching her open up to Garrett and let someone in was beautifully written.
Both of their pasts were heartbreaking, but their ability to lean on each other is what made them such a strong couple. There were so many moments, both big and small, that felt like Garrett and Hannah were putting each other's broken pieces back together little by little and I loved the warmth that enveloped us as the readers as we watched them become whole again. I will forever swoon over both Garrett on his own and over them as a couple.
This was my first venture into sports romances and it instantly skyrocketed that genre to my favorite. As someone big into sports, I love the technical aspects and how hockey is such a driving force in Garrett’s life. My favorite part of sports romances though is the complexities of team comradery and I love how that fed into all of Garrett’s friendships. If you are looking to get into this genre, The Deal (or any Elle Kennedy book) should be your first choice, but beware this series will ruin every other sports romance for you.
Favorite Quote:
“I never expected her. 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.”
Rating:
5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️