Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - The Graham Effect

Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy

108 reviews

clemfandango69's review against another edition

funny slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Elle Kennedy’s books really seem to have this undercurrent of misogyny to them, most often reflected in the way male characters, including the MMCs, talk about women. Despite DNF’ing a few of her titles, I gave this one a shot because she’s so prolific in the hockey-romance space, and I keep hoping I’ll find one by her that I like. But unfortunately and unsurprisingly, that same issue persisted in this book. (Speaking of her other books, there are frequent nods to those characters in this, which I personally find tedious. I don’t know who this man is. He could be walking down the street, and I wouldn’t know a thing. Sorry to this man.)

The writing is fine. There were some comedic gems here and there, and the sex scenes were solid. I liked that the FMC is also a hockey player, and she had a couple decent feminist-lite takes. But fuck man, why take the sexism and misogyny of the worst men in the real world into romantic fiction?! Why make the bar subterranean even in fantasy?

In addition to that gripe, this book started off s l o w l y. If nearly 200 pages have passed and your two leads haven’t even kissed yet, you better have built some intense sexual tension or you need to tighten that shit up. This needed editing.

Also, I REALLY hated how the FMC continued to call the MMC by his first name despite him explicitly telling her not to and explaining why it was triggering for him. She really took some kind of trauma-ignorant, charmed-life, nepo-baby approach, wanting the MMC to ~*reclaim*~ his first name, whether he wanted to or not. Even though he had already embraced going by his last name as a way to honor his mom. It annoyed me every time she did it. UGH.

Anyway, lesson learned. Elle Kennedy’s books still give me the ick.

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joanalebres's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

We get to see Hannah Wells and Garett Graham from The Deal (Off-Campus Series) as parents!

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abidavisf's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Oh, I just love The Graham Effect. It is truly Elle Kennedy’s best work. The first time I read it, I hadn’t read any other Elle Kennedy book so coming back for a re-read now that I know Hannah and Garrett was truly delightful.

Gigi is a ray of sunlight on a gloomy day. She is kind, hard-working and knows herself so well. She is everything I hope my future daughter will be.

I would love to wrap Ryder in cotton wool. Witnessing his journey from closed off recluse to a committed and loving partner was so beautiful. His heart is so full of love and it’s wonderful to see him share it, not just with Gigi, but with his teammates.

My heart yearns for more intel on the rest of Hannah and Garrett’s friends and their families, but the glimpses I did get were gorgeous.

Now to The Dixon Rule!

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britwalsh16's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I didn’t think it could get better the The Dare. & then I read this book!!! While, The Dare hit home for me. I just fucking enjoyed this book like crazy!!! Seeing Hannah & Garrett as parents is priceless! & then all the little breadcrumbs about all the other characters & their kids were the BEST PART!!!

Fucking Dean giving Gigi a huge box of condoms was hilarious!! And such a Dean thing to do!!

I love all they are all so close & Gigi grew up with them all as Aunts & Uncles & their kids as cousins! This has gotta be one of the best found family series I’ve ever read!!
But also, I just fucking loved Gigi & Ryder!!! They way they were there for eachother & supported one another! 🥰

Also how they first got together… Use Me… Fuck Yes!! Haha 😂

This book gives you all the laughs, but then also gives you heart & the struggles of life. I really could not get enough!!! 💜💜💜

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lillianslittlelife's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny 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

4.0

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vickie0326's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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alinagpfrt's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad tense medium-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

5.0

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nmann's review against another edition

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hopeful medium-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

4.0

For the hockey fans out there, this one's a winner. The author clearly knows their stuff – the details of the hockey world were spot-on, making this a truly immersive experience.

This book surprised me in the best way possible. It wasn't just about the game (though that part was fantastic), it also packed a surprising emotional punch. It was funny, heartwarming, and left me with all the warm fuzzies.

Let's talk characters: Gigi is fantastic. She's ambitious, independent, and works her tail off to prove herself, not relying on her famous dad's name. Loved that! Luke's backstory is definitely a tear-jerker, and his journey throughout the book is inspiring. He is also just a good example of a non-problematic male character. I also loved how Gigi mom stepped up for Luke, and the found-family aspect of it.

The romance was also a win. It's a slow burn with tons of chemistry, and these two characters communicate very maturely. There were some steamier moments that weren't quite my thing (hence the one star deduction – it's a personal preference, not the book's fault!), but overall, it was a fantastic love story.

Oh, and bonus points for the audiobook! Having dual narrators really brought the characters to life.

So, if you're looking for a fun, heartwarming read with a healthy dose of hockey and romance, this book is a sure goal!

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glutenfreemaggie's review against another edition

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3.0

I was really enjoying this book until the ending which felt so rushed and unrealistic in some ways. If you’re looking for spice this is great for that, though there’s practically none in the last quarter of the book.

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karyzi's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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