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fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Fatphobia, Sexual content
Moderate: Stalking
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I appreciate how consumable Elle Kennedy's series are. Even if I'm reading it for the first time, there's some inherent comfort in that.
What threw me with The Deal was the heroine, Taylor's, very clear disordered eating habits that were never addressed. Please be mindful of that if you decide to read this book. I debated rating this book lower than a three because of it but ultimately rounded up because there were still enjoyable components elsewhere in the novel. However, I think this is potentially the weakest of the Briar U series.
So easy to read but kind of a meh 3-star rating.
What threw me with The Deal was the heroine, Taylor's, very clear disordered eating habits that were never addressed. Please be mindful of that if you decide to read this book. I debated rating this book lower than a three because of it but ultimately rounded up because there were still enjoyable components elsewhere in the novel. However, I think this is potentially the weakest of the Briar U series.
So easy to read but kind of a meh 3-star rating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria
Moderate: Misogyny, Vomit, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
TWO third act breakups and the utter miscommunication/non-communication between the two MC’s made me want to tear my hair out and not in a good way. Taylor annoyed me in more ways than one, same with Conor but they both had their redeeming qualities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Classism
Minor: Eating disorder
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
And just like that Briar-u is over.
I loved Connor and Taylor and I think they are two of my favourites in the whole series I just think this book didn't do them justice. I felt like we were already at a disadvantage because we didn't really know Connor and we'd never met Taylor in any of the other books before so it was a little random to me that they got their own book rather than Rupi and Hollis but that's besides the point. All in all the story just felt a little forced and not as natural compared to the others and I don't mean their relationship at all just the plot.
A lot of things happened very quickly where as I feel it would've been better for the growth of the characters to have maybe two big events happen rather than five, and I think it would've fit the story better if a chunk of it happened over summer break where they weren't in college I can't explain it but it feels like it would've fit the character better.
I also wasn't a fan of how many breakups happened but reflecting back it was fitting for their personality types and the baggage each of them were carrying.
I was just slightly disappointed as this is the last book of the whole Off-Campus/Briar U series and it was meh. I have the Graham Effect next to me and ready to read so I hope I enjoy it as I know I usually love Elles book but this ones plot didn't do it for me.
I loved Connor and Taylor and I think they are two of my favourites in the whole series I just think this book didn't do them justice. I felt like we were already at a disadvantage because we didn't really know Connor and we'd never met Taylor in any of the other books before so it was a little random to me that they got their own book rather than Rupi and Hollis but that's besides the point. All in all the story just felt a little forced and not as natural compared to the others and I don't mean their relationship at all just the plot.
A lot of things happened very quickly where as I feel it would've been better for the growth of the characters to have maybe two big events happen rather than five, and I think it would've fit the story better if a chunk of it happened over summer break where they weren't in college I can't explain it but it feels like it would've fit the character better.
I also wasn't a fan of how many breakups happened but reflecting back it was fitting for their personality types and the baggage each of them were carrying.
I was just slightly disappointed as this is the last book of the whole Off-Campus/Briar U series and it was meh. I have the Graham Effect next to me and ready to read so I hope I enjoy it as I know I usually love Elles book but this ones plot didn't do it for me.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Sexual content
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Meh
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Sexual content, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to read this book because my goal last year was to discover new authors. Elle Kennedy was on this list, and I have been loving hockey romances in the past year. I have been waiting for another book as good as The Mistake and having a lad as good as John Logan and damn Conor Edwards is such a golden retriever and I want him and John.
This book has two points of view. The first is Taylor Marsh, she was hoping that college was her chance to get over her ugly-duckling complex and to spread her wings. Instead, she ended up in a sorority full of means and she has a rough time fitting in, so when her sorority sister issue her a dare, she can’t say no. The dare is to seduce the hottest new hockey player in her junior class: Conor Edwards. The second point of view is Conor Edwards, he is a regular at Greek Row parties and in Greek Row sorority beds. He's the one you fall for before you learn that guys like him don’t give girls like Taylor a second glance. But Mr Popular throws in a loop, rather than laughing in Taylor’s face, he does a solid by letting her take him upstairs to pretend they are getting busy and spend the night talking and having a laugh. Taylor doesn’t expect to hear from Conor again, but he wants to keep pretending. Turns out Conor loves games, and he thinks it’s fun to pull the wool over her sorority sisters’ eyes. But resisting his easy charm and surfer-boy hotness is damn near impossible. Though Taylor is realizing there’s much more to Conor’s story than his fan club can see. And the longer the ruse goes on, the greater the danger of it blows up in Taylor’s face.
I don’t know what it is about hockey romances, but they are so addictive. The writing isn’t brilliant, but the storyline and the character are adorable. I wanted to hug Taylor so damn hard throughout this book. I also wanted to smack Conor like dude – you are hot and yes you have trauma but dude help is there and let them help you. I also wanted to smack Taylor – yes you have trauma but don’t push people away and let them help you. These characters had personality, and both had a storyline with issues of their own but also were all about each other – they wanted to help each other with their traumas. Conor with his issues with his stepdad and his struggles with how he got to Briar U and then his ex-best friend being a dick, I just wanted to hug him. Taylor was so broken, and I just wanted to fix her – she is one of the only girls in both series that I relate to especially with the body issues that Taylor had. I love that she confronted Conor and was like you are a grown man, you don’t dip so why are you dipping now. I love Coach Jensen and that he was dating Taylor’s mum, it was just making everything so much funnier. I loved how Conor and Taylor kept growing and that it ended with a bigger issue of revenge porn and that the hockey lads wanted to kill Abigail’s ex-boyfriend and the girls wanted to kill Jules.
I don’t think this book had any weaknesses whatsoever. I wanted it to be longer. I would have loved to see Coach Jensen and Taylor’s mum in the epilogue, and I love that Brenna is now Taylor’s sister and would have loved to see them more together.
These series overall has been very up and down but I'm glad it ended on this high note.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment
Minor: Eating disorder, Lesbophobia
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Vomit, Toxic friendship