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Cover of The Deal (Off-Campus, #1)

The Deal (Off-Campus, #1)

by Elle Kennedy

🌶️🌶️mild·Off-Campus #1·✓ Series Complete
4.5 on MoodReads (2 ratings)4.2 on Goodreads (1,039,646)

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Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

The gold standard of college sports romance—witty banter that crackles, a hero who earns every inch of trust, and a heroine whose strength is quiet but fierce. Hannah and Garrett set the template that every hockey romance since has tried to replicate.

Synopsis

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.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

The Deal is comfort food with real emotional teeth. The fake-dating setup is textbook, but Elle Kennedy handles Hannah's trauma without exploitation or rush—her agency stays centered throughout. Garrett's slow realization that he's completely gone for this girl is the kind of swoon that rewires your standards. Hockey romance that actually earns its feelings.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.20 ★ (1039.6k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

360 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2015

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Contemporary Romance

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Dual POV

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Dual Narration (unspecified)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Lorelei Avalon, Christian Fox

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
fake datingbet/wager romanceopposites attractonly one bedsports romancecollege romancehe falls first
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

steamyromantichopefulhumorousplayful

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

wittybanter-heavyconversationalengagingpunchy

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

fast

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

moderate

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

low

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

comfort read vibespage turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

snarky/sarcasticsurvivor

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

golden retrieversecretly soft

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

banterslow burnhe falls firstprotective love interesthurt/comfort

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
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Spice Level 2

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

playful / teasing

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

dirty talk (sweet/playful)teasing controltensionpraise kink

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

None
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (3)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
sexual assault (past, off-page)parental abuse (MMC father)trauma recovery
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World & Setting

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World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

contemporary

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

Briar University, Massachusetts (fictional college campus)

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

humans only

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

mental health rep

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

romantic fulfillmenttension finally satisfiedbook boyfriend/girlfriend acquired

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

autumn

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

lazy Sundayvacationbeach trippalate cleanser read

Off-Campus

The Deal (Off-Campus, #1)

#1 The Deal (Off-Campus, #1)

The Mistake (Off-Campus, #2)

#2 The Mistake (Off-Campus, #2)

The Score

#3 The Score

The Goal (Off-Campus, #4)

#4 The Goal (Off-Campus, #4)

this page is just the start

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Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️mild
PagesHow long the commitment is.360
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2015
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.20 ★ (1039.6k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Off-Campus #1
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