The Graham Effect

Campus Diaries #1

by Elle Kennedy

The first book in the Campus Diaries series by New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy.

Gigi Graham has exactly three qualify for the women’s national hockey team, win Olympic gold, and step out of her famous father’s shadow. So far, so good, except for two little things. Fine–a little thing and a big, grumpy thing. She needs to improve her game behind the net, and she needs help from Luke Ryder.

Ryder is six-foot five, built, opinionated, rude…and sexy as hell. But he’s still the enemy.

Briar’s new hockey co-captain has his reasons, though. The men’s team just merged with a rival program, leaving Ryder with an angry roster where everyone hates one another’s guts. To make matters worse, the summer coaching spot he’s angling for with the legendary Garrett Graham is out of reach after he makes the worst possible first impression on his hero. So, really, this compromise with Gigi is win-win. He helps her make the national team, she puts in a good word with her dad.

The only potential snag? This bone-deep, body-numbing, mind-spinning chemistry they’re trying to ignore. It’s a dangerous game they’re playing, but the risks just might be worth it.

‘[Elle Kennedy] does an exceptional job creating equally flawed and endearing characters and conjuring palpable chemistry between the leads. Sparkling dialogue and a solid supporting cast help to keep the pages flying. As romantic as it is spicy, this will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.’ – Publishers Weekly, starred review

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, Hockey, Hockey Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook

510 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 31, 2023

About the author

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

Reviews

[Ali Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did!! New fav Elle Kennedy book!! I LOVE that both of our main characters are hockey players. And I honestly just loved everythingggg about this book. Amazing tension and banter. LOVE Ryder & Gigi so freaking much. I love that this is a kind of long book so you get so invested in the characters and we can have so much plot. I LOVE that we get cameos from all my fav past Elle Kennedy characters.

For a long time, nothing has compared to The Deal & The Score for me. But this is finally one I can add to the ranks. I'd like to crown this book as my third fav Elle Kennedy book after The Deal & The Score. (I also can't believe this is my ninth Elle Kennedy book🤭)

[Sara Carrolli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Off Campus in 2021 so I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy this but I loved it sm more than I thought I was going to!!!!!! I can’t wait for the next book(s)!!!!

[Phuong ✯ · Rating 4 out of 5]

– 4 stars

The last time I’ve enjoyed an Elle Kennedy book was back in 2019, so color me surprised when I finished this book and actually really liked it. 🌚 

Now does anyone have the bonus epilogue between Gigi and Garett and feels like doing charity and send it my way? 🥺👉👈 ETA: someone in my comments was kind to send me a link to the bonus epilogue so here you go bonus epilogue gigiryder wedding

SONG:
The Way – thuy

♡ WHAT I LIKED ♡

“You were totally smiling.”
“You’re just imagining things.” He skates off to grab his water bottle, but not before I hear him chuckle.
“And you laughed!” I cry in delight, gliding after him. “I’m telling everyone.”
“Go ahead. No one will believe you.”

↬ Gigi –Gisele– Graham (h): I was pleasantly surprised by Gigi’s personality. After I’ve read that Gigi plays hockey too, I thought she would be a female version of Garrett Graham, since I feel like most author who write second generation books make the kids just mini versions of the parents one way or another with no other personality trait. I didn’t get that from Gigi at all. Except the fact that she inherited her father’s love and talent for hockey, she is not Garrett nor Hannah’s clone. Gigi has a personality and quirks all on her own. Love how Gigi is slaying on the ice rinks and is one of the best hockey player while she is still a girly girl who is obsessed with butterflies and listen to nature podcast or whatever that is she listens to to calm her down 🤣

↬ Luke –Prom King– Ryder (H): My tall teddy bear 🥺 it takes a while until we get more background information on this guy since he is very tight lipped and doesn’t say a lot lmao. But his background story is actually so sad and I wanted to hugh six year old Ryder so badly 🫂 I’m so happy he finally found a family in the Grahams that he can call his own. He deserves that after what his cunt of a father put him through.

“Yes, and right now, in this moment, you’re down. But that’s okay because I’m here to lift you up.” “Always?” she whispers, peering at me with those big gray eyes.
“Always. You fall, I pick you up. Always.”

↬ Gigiryder’s romance: Their meet cute was so funny and I love it. I really enjoyed gigiryder’s banter and the dynamic they had with Gigi being the talkative one and Ryder being the one who is usally the broody one word type of guy, but their banter was so entertaining! Ryder bringing Gigi these random flowers he stole somewhere, everytime he fucked up and then telling her it’s because some national holiday she is celebrating for sure had me howling 😂 one page their scenes had me giggling and the next I was blushing. It’s always the silent guys that are the boldest 👀

He [Wyatt: Gigi’s twin] scowls at her. “Please don’t force me to play hockey.”
“You’re good at it.” She [Gigi] sounds exasperated.
“Yeah. Do you know how exhausting it is to be good at something you don’t want to do?”
Garrett snickers. “Ungrateful little shit. I give you all my talent, and what do you do with it? You sing songs.”
“Hey, that’s my talent,” Hannah says.
He’s quickly shamefaced. “Sorry, Wellsy. Your talent is way better than mine. Hands down.”

↬ The Graham family: My beloved darlings Garrett and Hannah 🥰 I refuse to acknowledge that my favs are aging, but it was great to see hannahgarrett as parents and still in love after all these years. I love their family scenes so so much!! This book had a good amount of Garrett and Hannah scenes in it. Enough that we get a little glimpse into the Graham dynamics, but not too much where Ryder and Gigi’s story was overshadowed by the side characters. My hubby Garrett stole the show in every scene he was in tho.. he was hilarious. His scenes made me so giddy .. even in his old age he can still get it. 🛐

↬ Side characters: Boy, this book was overflowing with side characters.. I couldn’t keep up and don’t remember even one third of all the side characters in this book. But a huge shoutout to all the OG Off Campus characters who made an appearance. Ryder’s besties weren’t so bad either and I can’t wait to read their books. I like Gigi’s besties too, but I can’t remember any of their names, sorry. 🌚

↬ The humor & drama free: this book was lighthearted and exactly what I needed right now. Elle Kennedy is good with writing these hockey group dynamics where the guys are coming up with the most absurd rituals before games or their group chats are hilarious. These boys antics had me in shambles. 😭 Plus, I loved how drama free gigiryder’s relationship was. One of the few books where there wasn’t a third act breakup. 🙏 

✯ WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

↬ Pacing: Except the first meeting between Ryder and Gigi right at the start, the first 30%-ish of the book was slow af. It was focused on the introduction of 304930 side characters and too much hockey talk that I didn’t give a fuck about. Gigi and Ryder lived their separate lives, but I just wanted more interactions between them. The book with its almost 500 pages was also lengthy at times. I think it could have been cut by 50 pages and still be the same.🧍‍♀️ 

↬ MCs hooking up with other people: A pet peeve of mine is when the MCs met and then still hook up with other people in the book. I don’t care if they fucked the whole school before meeting the MCs, but once they meet their love of their lifes that shit stops. Periodt. 😌 The fact that we still get to see Ryder hooking up with some girl called Carma (yes I’m not lying 💀) and Gigi kissing one of Ryder’s friends is making me icky. Thank god, neither of the scenes were vividly described and mostly written off page, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. 🥴 

CONCLUSION

This book was very enjoyable and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. After one flop after another, Elle Kennedy or her ghostwriter really put their all in this to pay their rent.

P.S. I hope Tucker and Sabrina’s kids will get books too!! I love them already! One is a supermodel and influencer and the other is a lawyer. The Tucker girls already being badass bitches.. I love to see it. 💅

┍━━━━━━━━»•» «•«━┑
OFF CAMPUS DIARIES SERIES

#1 The Graham Effect – 4 stars
#2 The Dixon Rule – tbr
┕━»•» «•«━━━━━━━━┙

[brooke (hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

➸ 4 stars

“always. you fall, i pick you up. always.”

elle kennedy’s ghostwriter:



i honestly hated the off-campus series (except hannahgarrett’s book) so i was a bit reluctant to read this as i never really gravitate towards “next generation” books, but i’m so glad i picked this up bc i surprisingly really enjoyed this story!! i actually stayed up to 4am reading this bc i simply couldn’t put this book down.. who would’ve ever thought i would ever say something positive about an elle kennedy book 😭

— this book follows gigi graham, the daughter of the legendary hockey player garrett graham. we follow along as she tries to make a name for herself — she has her heart set on qualifying for the women’s national hockey team (Team USA) but her challenges playing behind the net threaten to squash her dreams. in order to improve her game behind the net she sparks a deal with luke ryder, the broody, silent hockey player who is the new co-captain for the men’s briar u hockey team. in exchange for a few sessions to help improve her game, gigi agrees to put in a good word for him with her dad so he can get the summer coaching program he desperately wants with his idol, garrett graham — which is a big mission because garrett doesn’t think he is a good leader because of his past behaviour and thinks he has a bad attitude.

➷ i loved gigi’s character a lot. she was loveable right from the start to the very end. she loves to play hockey and she is determined to achieve her goals by working hard and not taking advantage of the family name. she has her own ambitions and wants to be taken serious. i loved when she finally opened up more and realised it was okay to be vulnerable, that it’s okay to not be “happy” and “cheery” all the time, and it’s okay to not be perfect. ryder helped her so much with her growth and vice versa as gigi helped him come out of his shell as he finally opens up about his childhood trauma.

➷ IM SO SOFT FOR RYDER!! i love him. omg no but honestly, that man can do no wrong. it’s always the silent men who are the absolute filthiest. this man had me blushing non stop. i melted when he picked a bouquet of daisies for gigi as a form of apology to her omg. i’d do anything for him, im serious. when we learnt about his backstory I SOBBED HARD. i can’t imagine having to go through all that pain at 6 years old and having to witness something so traumatic. i literally wanted to reach through my book and give him biggest fkn hug 🫂

“you feel this too, don’t you?” his eyes are on mine. dark blue and bottomless. “yeah. i feel it.”

— the relationship aspect between ryder and gigi was executed really well. their relationship is healthy and very mature. it is based on healthy communication and they both have mutual respect for one another. there is no third-act breakup in this book which i loved!! their relationship started off really slow, and it gradually builds up as they start spending more time w each other and feelings start to blossom. the chemistry and banter between them is chefs kiss. but yes it did get very cliché and everything did move fast at the end.

"i know i have my flaws but i need to level up to be with this woman. she forces me to be better. i want to be better for her. i want to be her hero."

➷ the found family aspect really warmed my heart. the relationship between ryder and hannah fr had me crying.. no but seriously there was one scene that had me in TEARS. she stepped up to be that mother figure for ryder and i just adored her even more for that!! wellsy, you will always be loved by me. i wish we got more mother/daughter convos and bonding between gigi and hannah tho. there was a lot of telling instead of showing.

my only qualms with this book is that it’s WAY too long and i hated that there was OM drama (gigi’s ex bf) it dragged on for way too long, like majority of the book omg. and also kind of spoiler?? but not really. why does she make out with ryder’s best friend?? 🤡 uh anyways, that was honestly unnecessary. also i hated how ryder hooks up w some girl early on in the book?? he’s not a hook up kind of guy so that just felt weird to be incorporated here.

overall, i really enjoyed this book. i cant wait to see how this series progresses. i was hoping this series would follow all of the next gen kids but i don’t think it does?? i’d love a book on tucker and sabrina’s kid, alex tho. she’s a supermodel so her book would actually EAT!! like imagine all the men falling at her feet.

[Marianna Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so sad this is over I want to read about Gigi and Ryder and the grahams forever and ever!!! This book so fun and tugged at my heart strings and gave me everything I wanted and more form a next gen book! I giggled and kicked my feet the whole time. Sucked in from the first page. EK ATE AND LEFT NO CRUMBS!

ZADDY GARRETT!!! I cannot get over it. He was perfection, everything I expected from him as a dad and so much more, god I loved it so much. His relationship with Gigi was everything and seeing him and Hannah again made my heart so happy.

Okay now… LUKE. RYDER. I need him biblically. I love me a grumpy, broody hockey player who only opens his heart for one person. My weakness. Don’t even get me started on that mouth… Honestly out of all the couples EK has written, Ryder and Gigi are absolutely my favorites. Bold statement I know. Their chemistry was just immaculate and there wasn’t any petty miscommunication or breakups.

And the found family of course was incredible, loved the side characters and can’t wait to learn more about them!

[Clace · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!

“Always. You fall, I pick you up. Always.”

That Epilogue>>>> I loved it so much! that whole scene had my heart bursting out. I love second gen series because all the ones that I have read if you compare them to their predecessors they are so much better and I think a major reason for that would the improvement in the authors writing style. Like for me LOG by RK is superior to RES and I am pretty sure Dirty Heirs will be superior to Dirty Air as well and while I loved the Off-Campus because the deal will always have a special place in my heart, Garrett and Hannah were the two characters who were with me at my most stressful times and I just have so much love for that book and all the characters in that series so when you read a book that's based on their kids with the whole OG cast making appearances and EK's iconic banter and such easy flow of writing you are bound to love this.

I think most people had two problems with this book the ending and the MC's hooking up with other people in the first 100ish pages and for the ending I don't think I minded it because I had the special edition which has an epilogue and it was everything to me<3 and I just didn't care about the other point tbh because I knew who the real endgame were.

“His rough voice fills my ear with two inexplicable words. “Use me.”

Starting off with Gigi 'Gisele' Graham I have never read about an FMC who is this perfect like I loved her so much. She was so realistic and so easy to like because she did not do anything to frustrate me, she was the most likeable character that Elle Kennedy has ever written. She was a badass and idk how to describe it she was a mini version of Garrett but not like him at all at the same time and AHH I understood how frustrating it was for everyone to think that she got where she was in the hockey world because of her last name and I loved despite it bothering she never did anything about changing it because she knew how much it would hurt her dad and she loved her dad so much! Also, I loved Gigi's hockey side because it was so wild and carefree, I know many people don't care about the hockey scenes but come on its a sports romance I want a decent amount of sports and I wished that we got more of Gigi's hockey matches.

“You don’t owe people your forgiveness.” “You forgive for yourself, not for them.”

Luke 'Prom King' Ryder. I wanted to give him the biggest hug because he deserves it and honestly listening to his backstory hurt so much because I cant never ever imagine what I would do in his situation. It must've been so hard. At first I thought that he was typical Hockey player and I didnt mind it tbh because the banter that we were getting and the scenes were amazing. I loved loved loved how much he admired and respected Garrett and his relationship with his friends were amazing. There were so many scenes that I wanted to highlight but I didn't want to annotate my copy. I liked that he got a troubled past that added more depth to his story and I connected more to him and honestly I loved how well it was handled that he wasn't immediately open and how it took time for him to share and how much comfort he found in Gigi and her family. There is no way for me to hate him.

“I always pictured myself walking you down the aisle.”

Graham and Stan. This was the Father-Daughter duo that I needed, every interaction that we got of him. We didn't even get Garretts pov but we still got to see how much he loved her and 😭😭😭 Garrett being in the 'fling or forever' group chat with Gigi and Diana had me laughing so much. GOD, I LOVE HIM. I also liked that we got to see a conflict between them it made their relationship more genuine and the make up for it all was very cute! Also, loved the nickname Stan and how it casually made its way through the whole household.

“Thanks for having me, Mrs. Graham.” “Oh, call me Hannah, please,” she insists. Her husband offers a deceptively pleasant smile. “And you can call me Mr. Graham.”

Hannah and Ryder Ryder finally getting the love of a mother from Hannah! I loved loved loved how these two interacted, their moments together were so wholesome, especially the near end scene where Ryder breaks down in front of Hannah and she hugs him and tells him that she's there for him and the scene where he helps her cook. Loved it. I also liked Garrett and Ryders relationship as well. I loved how he was cold to him but slowly warmed up and that scene where the world gets to know what happened in the worlds championship and Garrett helps him escape the journalist <3

“Like hell I can’t,” I growl. And then I give him another firm shove, forcibly moving him out of my way. “That’s my wife out there.”

Ryder and Gigi I loved the aspect of forbidden romance mixed with forced proximity and add a little bit of friends with benefits to the mix. It was handled so well, I loved how well balanced their relationship was between smut and the normal cute moments. The training scenes was needed because the moments between these were the cutest and I love how these two actually communicated and omg the smut was so hot 🥵🥵

“Damn it. Now I know why my mom can never stay mad at him. It’s because he goes around saying things like that.”

Wellsy and Graham The HANNAHGARRETT moments were everything. Hannah being a famous singer with Grammy wins was so deserved and Garrett being the most successful player retiring and having a show with Jake Connelly was also so perfect BUT nothing beats how amazing the scenes between Hannah and Garrett were. The fact that he still calls her Wellsy AHHHHHHHHHH I want to be them. Pls god make me them.

Gigi with her Uncle and Aunts That one diner scene where Dean and Logan meet Gigi to give Gigi keys to Logan's Ice rink and Dean brings 50 condoms was so hilarious. I wanted more of them!! Every mention, every cameo was goood , so well written and it fit so well. Was just missing Grace and Tucker.

The banter = moments I liked:

“Garrett snickers. “Ungrateful little shit. I give you all my talent, and what do you do with it? You sing songs.” “Hey, that’s my talent,” Hannah says. "Sorry Wellsy”
.
“Better skedaddle, Gisele, before you piss off Garrett Graham.” I skate over to Ryder, playing dumb. “Garrett who?” “Are you shitting me right now? You don’t know who Garrett Graham is?” “Is he famous or something?” Ryder stares at me. “He’s hockey royalty. This is his camp.” “Oh. Yeah. I only follow figure skaters.
.
“Nope, nope, nope,” he groans. “You know how I feel when you talk about Connelly’s stupid looks. It triggers my crippling inferiority.” 😭😭 not Garrett being jealous of jake.
.
“I would like to congratulate each and every one of you for ruining my Saturday plans with my granddaughter. She’s ten years old and recently developed an affinity for tiger sharks, and she cried when I told her I couldn’t take her to the aquarium today. Everyone, give yourselves a round of applause for making a ten-year-old girl cry.” the fact that Coach Jensen called every one of his teammates kids 'Grandsons' and Granddaughters'🥺🥺
.
“But that’s the most cliché thing I’ve ever heard in my life. I got married in Vegas.”🤣🤣🤣
.
“One corner of his mouth tips up.
'Gisele,' he mocks.
'Prom king,' I mock back.
With a soft chuckle, he spares me one last look before striding off.”
.
“Whenever her mother checks in on me, it unleashes a flood of warmth in my chest. It’s a totally foreign sensation.”🥺🥺
.
“Is this a joke? Do you realize I’m Garrett Graham?”😭😭😭 not Gigi making him a shirt with this on it.

Overall I would definitely recommend this book!!
___
This book is the best book that Elle Kennedy has ever written (I've heard) so hopes are high and I'm so excited to meet Hannah and Garrett again 😌🕺🏻

[Valerie &#x16a06;♡&#x16a06; · Rating 4 out of 5]

3/16/2023- I think she wrote another briar book because she got an eviction notice

11/5- finished it, what the hell was all that weird & incestous shit being said about Alex 😭 I wish the 2nd book wouldn’t be about Diana, I wanted to keep the off campus offspring going 🙄 and I’d be pissed if my child got married so soon in Vegas, what was the decision girl 😭 SWEAR IT NEVER WENT INTO DETAIL ABOUT THE WEDDING, there was only a joke and then “my wife” at the end of the next chapter, thought I skipped some context


Also I really wanted to learn more about Jamie, hello she’s the OG? AND COACH JENSEN SAYING “daughters” and mentioning “granddaughter” early in the book had me cheesing cuz he’s including Taylor as his daughter and Taylor and Conor’s daughter as his granddaughter🥹🥹 iykyk

[deniz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆

rtc later













~~~~

br with my gorgeous lawyer buket
can’t wait to meet the off campus kids and i missed my husband
y’all damn know we’ll be eating up every single crumb of Garrett content🏒🤏🏼

[chan ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

good googly moogly this shit was LONG. the book was too long.

the romance was fine. the chemistry & sex scenes were hot. but the actual plot line execution was a little bland and the amount of extra shit in the book was just too much. so many side characters i felt like i was reading icebreaker.

part of what made the original off campus series so good was how each book felt perfectly executed. plots were tight, romances hot, and page length reasonable. i'd like to say i'm hopeful for future books in the series but i own The Dixon Rule and that hoe is thick too. so idk. eh.

[buket · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ Gigi has a great day every day, but Ryder only has a great day if Gigi looks at him 😌

🏒 hockey player gf x 🏒 hockey player bf
🫂great side characters, friends and family members😌
❤️‍🩹 no third act
🧿no owd/omd but scenes with other people🫣
👨‍👩‍👦no epilogue but obvious hea😋

Gigi “Gisele” Graham has one goal in life and it’s making Olympics so she can finally step out of her father’s shadow. being Garrett Graham’s daughter isn’t easy😜 and Luke “Prom King” Ryder has one goal and it’s impressing Garrett Graham so he can join his hockey camp 🥅 obviously they need each other’s help 💅

look i admit i was reading this because i missed my off campus babies and wasn’t expecting much from gigiryder🫢 but they delivered everything and more🩷

ok so first of all the things that bothered me;;;;;;
😠Ryder hooking up with someone at the very beginning. not important but was that necessary?
😡Gigi kissing Beckett. also not important and i do enjoyed jealousy but was that necessary?
🤬i’m putting this one on spoilers but it’s the main reason why i gave 4 stars after Ryder and Gigi decide they’re dating(finally) the very next day she’s almost assaulted in the elevator😠after Ryder rescues her she hugs her ex bf because they don’t want anyone to know their relationship?????? 🙄like why didn’t elle made this scene where they reveal their relationship because if i had a traumatic experience i would prefer getting comforted by my bf😡😡😡so this irritated me so much

things i loved;;;;;;
🥺 ryder&hannah relationship. her being the mother figure for him and them talking daily😭
😍garrett graham. jake connelly. wellsy. john logan. dean di laurentis. alex tucker. wyatt graham. basically all the cameos from off campus😜
🥰ryder&gigi. i can’t explain how much i love them. they’re everything to me🥺 they healed each other and me💅

🫀 “I came to kiss you.”
My mouth falls open. I stare at him for a moment. “You…drove all the way here to kiss me.”
“Yes.”


🫀 “Don’t judge him. You get me flowers all the time.”
“Twice,” I growl. “That doesn’t count as all the time.”
“It’s two times more flower-giving than I would ever expect from you.”



🫀 He grins at me. “That’s sweet of you to say.”
“Aw, you used the word sweet in a sentence.”
I start stroking him, bringing a flash of heat to his eyes.
“I think maybe you need to put that smart mouth to better use,” he suggests.
“Really. Because I like using it to make fun of you.”
“You might like sucking me off better.”



🫀 I’m not a spiritual man, but in my sex-loosened brain, I suddenly wonder if somewhere, somehow, maybe someone designed us to fit this well together.



🫀 I know I have my flaws. But I need to level up to be with this woman. She forces me to be better.
I want to be better for her.
I want to be her hero.




the best part was buddy reading this with my love deniz 🩷 even though i finished earlier because couldn’t stop reading 🫣🥺

~~~~~~
br with my lovely deniz 🌝💗
BACK TO OUR OFF CAMPUS ERA🤭
my most anticipated read this year🤞🏼

~~~~
“It’s really not. Blame my father. He’s the one who named me. Mom was in charge of my brother’s name and she picked a normal one.”
.
“You sound like my mom. She’s been watching this firefighter show on TV, and now all she talks about is fire safety. Dad thinks it’s ‘cute.’”

🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 honestly i don't care much about gigi and ryder but waiting this book for the little things about hannah&garrett

~~~~~
OKAY BUT I JUST READ THE SYNOPSIS!!!!! GIGI GRAHAM BEING A HOCKEY PLAYER????😭😭 i need to read about my favorite dilf right this second. this book better not be a disappointment 😡🔪

march 16
i don't even know what this is about but i'll be reading because off-campus is my guilty pleasure 😭

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE SHOWER SCENE OMG IM DECEASED x.x
Elle Kennedy proves, once again, that she is the Queen of College Hockey Romance!!

I can’t say much this far in advance for ~reasons~…BUT I ADORED GIGI AND RYDER SO MUCH!! They were such perfection and i adored the heck outta them! They were an annoyance-to-love FWB romance and their banter was adorable and hilarious.

Gigi gave as good as she got from the guys—hell, half the time she out-bro’d the bros!! Literally loved her sass. And I’m such a swoon over Ryder, my messy-haired 6’3” GRUMPY AF hockey boy!!!

Gigi & Ryder’s relationship was SO HEALTHY!! Their communication was A+ and we stan that and their growth as a couple (yup, no miscommunication trope here my loves)!!

There was just enough spice and I was living for the tension that built! (Spice 3/5)

Beckett is one my fave side character! A mini Dean over here who was priceless AF. Sebastian was a close second, he gets loyal bro of the year.

I also loved the cameos of all the other Briar couples!! My Dean & Jake & Graham girlies are gonna squeal!! I won’t say anything else.

Also, it goes without saying that Elle, hands down, writes some of the most legit male POVs out there.

I can’t say yet who book 2 follows…but i do know who it is…and I’m so here for them!!!

It’s been a hot minute since a college sport romance really grabbed me, and this right here is such an easy and spicy 5 star!!

[nina ★ ⸝⸝ · Rating 4 out of 5]

「 ★ ★ ★ ★ 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 」

a hockey player lives and breathes hockey. we dedicate our lives to the sport.

i was served a five course meal and i DEVOURED it. love love love. there was no way i could stop myself and here i am again, adding a new book to my list of obsessions awkward silence

color me surprised by how much i liked the book while i didn‘t go into it with any expectations. was there a plot in the book? definitely not. however the storylines were well-connected, making it an easy and quick read.

“always. you fall, i pick you up. always.”

it‘s not just the main characters i fell in love with but the found family aspect and the friend groups in the book. the relationship between hannah and ryder made me shed so many tears, she made him feel like home.

╰┈➤ ❝ [ “all i was trying to say is, you’re family now. i know i’m not your real mom, but i think i did pretty well with my own kids.” ] ❞

gigi and ryder have such a mature and wholesome relationship. they respect each other and everything develops slowly and gradually. I‘M SOFT FOR HIM TOO. luke ryder the man that you are, making me giggle and twirl my hair like a little girl.

༘⋆｡˚ my fav quotes ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

˚➶ ｡˚ ☁️ “nothing about you is lacking. ever. you’re perfect, exactly the way you are. Even with all your flaws. like needing to be the best. and your taste in music.”

˚➶ ｡˚ ☁️ “i know i have my flaws. but i need to level up to be with this woman. she forces me to be better. i want to be better for her. i want to be her hero. emotion clogs my throat.“

˚➶ ｡˚ ☁️ “what’s your obsession with making people laugh?” “not people. only you.“

˚➶ ｡˚ ☁️ “i wrap my arm around her waist and gently lower her onto her back. one hand cupping her cheek, i gaze at her gorgeous face. my heart’s always in my throat when i’m with her. when i think about her.“

[☾⋆charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

heres a book i wrote for elle kennedy
girl goes to party
boy see's her
she's sexy bcs she is gerrets child
he wants to fuck her
they fuck
they keep on fucking everywhere
they fuck again
they confess love out of nowhere
they fuck
the get married
they fuck
they have children
they fuck
they die
they fuck one last time in the death bed
see! its so easy to write an elle kenndy book, just use diff names<3
thank me later<3

[vee! · Rating 4 out of 5]

— 4 stars ✰

“you feel this too, don’t you?”
his eyes are on mine. “yeah. i feel it.”

gigi graham. luke ryder. two hockey players, one deal.

the irony in that… highkey didn’t expect to like this book as much as i did & the word “obsessed” is an understatement of how i’m feeling right now. reading this book felt like coming back home from a vacation, i was living off the off campus/briar u crumbs along with the garretthannah content.

the graham effect is about gigi graham and luke ryder. after a couple of.. incidents, they made a pact to help each other out. while gigi needed some help with her techniques on the ice, ryder needed someone to put a good word for him with the infamous garrett graham. forced proximity, forbidden-ish love, grumpy sunshine type of situation. everything your heart desires, i promise.

“i came to kiss you.”
“you…drove all the way here to kiss me.”
“yes.”

— gigi was just so cool. honestly. i loved how she wasn’t the typical softie (nothing against softies, i love them too) but a tough hockey player who wasn’t playing around when it came to her goals. she had her own will, didn’t shy away from a challenge, a good flirt with a witty humor. she is so mature and knows what she wants. she knows what she deserves. she knows how to get it. her determination about all that is what makes it so enjoyable to read about her character. tho i really enjoyed reading about her girly side too, dragging ryder with her to see butterflies and making him listen to the podcasts that calm her down lmao

— luke i’m-not-a-talker ryder. he is the definition of grumpy. reading about his past and finding out why he is so reserved is truly heartbreaking. so you have to understand why i was beaming the entire time when gigi was able to made him smile. i am utterly obsessed with their banter and can’t get enough of her teasing him. the taunting and bickering was everything to me, it felt like a slow burn but somehow wasn’t a slow burn at the same time?? can’t even explain it but the pacing was perfect. utterly perfect. the way he slowly opened up to her, actually communicated with her & wanted to be the best version of of himself for her. he right there, hubby material if you’re asking me.

“you know, i liked it better when you didn’t talk at all.”
that actually gets me a smile.
damn it. it’s my fault. i’m the one who made him smile.
and now i’m graced with that stupid smile,
and it’s a killer one.

i must say that this book truly took me by surprise. i really was not able to guess what the third act might be about & i could’ve sworn it was gonna be a break up but thank god (or thank elle) it wasn’t. there’s nothing worse than a miscommunication or the “i’m not good enough for you” trope as the third act so THANK YOU for sparing me that unnecessary pain 🫡🫡

— i loved the found family trope in this book as well. seeing ryder being taken in by the garret’s was so beautiful to read about, considering what happened with his family in the past. he was so lonely and i just wanted to hug him the entire time (even tho i know he wouldn’t let me).

— wait i was forgetting something. THE FRIENDS??? can we talk about mya, diana, camila… can we talk about shane, will, beckett… jeez. i just know we will get so many more books because ain’t no way elle kennedy gave us those characters but wont write a book about them. i know that the next book in the series will be about shane & diana but god what would i do to hold a book about beckett and will in my hands… right here right now. the crumbs i was living off? starving me is. FAMISHED me is.

spoiler warning

there was one thing that bothered me tho, i feel like she was too easy on case.. somewhat. he was comforting her in public while ryder had to watch them still being cozy-ish? i know she wanted to be with ryder, i know she wanted his hug & not case’s but i also know that ryder would’ve gotten a shit ton of load if it was him with his ex. also, what’s up with ryder checking out alex and gigi being okay with that 🤨🤨 and gigi making out with beckett was high key unnecessary as well. kinda reminded me of the hannah dean situation lol

[bookswithjb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book met my expectations for sure. Entering this universe and having my absolute favorite characters back was the most heart-warming feeling possible. Garrett and Hannah as parents is everything I needed to fill my heart. And having Dean and Logan in a scene as Gigi’s uncles? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

The off-campus series will always be a series that I will never forget. I think about these characters more than you care to know. It is really because they feel like family to me. They are my best friends and we are all one big happy family.

Gigi Graham is the IT GIRL! I mean obviously. Garrett and Hannah made her. But seriously I adored her character and resonated with her so much. I loved her growth and I loved that Ryder brought out the best in her.

Now Ryderrrr. Don’t even get me started!!! I fell in love with him SO FAST. He is seriously everything and more and definitely a top book boyfriend. I haven’t stopped thinking about him since the moment I picked up this book. As much as a grumpy, broken, keep-to-myself MMC that he was to everyone else, he never was that to Gigi. He never failed to show up for her. He never failed to show and tell her how much he cared for her. Whether it was bringing daisies to her house or expressing his feelings and his past that he never talked about with anyone. His love was present in his every move and he made me melt over and over again. I loved more than anything that there was no miscommunication trope between them. They are perfect for one another. I wholeheartedly fell for them. I was kicking my feet SCREAMINGGG at this book.

I loved this book so much and it has easily become a new favorite. This felt like reliving a favorite memory. Like I was reading my favorite universe again for the first time, and nothing can beat that!

[EmBibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

Seeing Garrett and Hannah as parents is making me feel old! I mean the first time I read the off campus series I was in high school and now they’re parents to grownup adults? Dude, I feel old.

“Always. You fall, i pick you up. Always.”

Gigi was what I wished for but never thought I would get!! She’s amazing. I loved her personality and her humor so much. Sweet Ryder was amazing! Those two were so adorable and fun together. I totally loved their dynamics and banter. All those silly national holidays moments? The “use me” scenes?? those two totally exceeded my expectations. And the fact that their relationship was drama free with no third act breakup?? Yes please.

“Yeah. Do you know how exhausting it is to be good at something you don’t want to do?”
Garrett snickers. “Ungrateful little shit. I give you all my talent, and what do you do with it? You sing songs.”
“Hey, that’s my talent,” Hannah says.
He’s quickly shamefaced. “Sorry, Wellsy. Your talent is way better than mine. Hands down.”

The hokey team dynamic is something that Elle Kennedy have always done so well. I could give her that. Whether her book was good or not so good, she always managed to write the best hokey team moments! They were always the most enjoyable entertaining parts in all of her books.

“before you get involved with any dude, make sure he’s not the slut of the group. And if he is, get him tested. Because there’s always one slutty boy in every crew.”

I already regret what I’m about to ask, but curiosity wins. “Who was the slut in yours?”
“Tucker,” is the instant reply.
I take another sip from my coffee mug, eyeing him over the rim. “Tucker,” I echo doubtfully.
“Of course.” Dean blinks innocently. “Dude knocked up a woman on a one-night stand. Can’t get more promiscuous than that.”

Lol, he didn’t!! Seeing the old characters made me feel so nostalgic and again…so old. I love those guys so much.

Chad Jensen is such an icon.

“What’s your obsession with making people laugh?”
“Not people. Only you.”

At last, I need to voice this scenario out loud, Imagine if after Alex and Owen hooked up, she ended up being pregnant? How would poor Tucker react?? Whatever, I need both of their kids books. A fashion icon and a lawyer? I’m proud!

[Yentihw · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once they got married, I was out.

[Paige &#x1f4ab; · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way this book had be laughing out loud in public! After having mixed feelings about the off-campus books, I was apprehensive starting this, but I was left pleasantly surprised. The writing was so much better, although it may not be a fair comparison given how long ago off-campus was written, as the dialogue doesn't translate so well now.

The campus-diaries series is wholesome, full of witty banter and angsty tension. Of course I loved the romance between Gigi and Ryder, but the book offered so much more than that. I loved seeing glimpses of the OG's - there was appearances by many of the fan faves. The only thing I felt it was lacking was more interactions between Hannah and Garrett together. Yes, I know it's not their book and we got a decent amount of moments with them individually with Gigi but I missed them so much! When Ryder is first introduced to them I loved how Hannah corrected him and told him to call her by her first name and Garrett quickly said "and you can call me Mr Graham" 🤭 I never got over my issue trying to picture them in their 40's - Garrett with forever be a young hottie in my mind.

The side characters were great, I loved the banter between them all and I didn't feel bored for a moment. Will, Diana, Shane and Beckett are so much fun - even if we don't get a legacy book for each OC child, I will be satisfied following this friend group because of the found family!

Gigi is a strong FMC and I like that she acknowledged her nepotism but still tried to pave her own way. Watching her boss around Garrett was so much fun. Ryder? I mean... I have a disposition to broken and broody men so of course I fell hard for him. The tension between these two?! When he said "use me" to Gigi 🥵 These two had me blushing with their chemistry. There was a lot of sweet moments between them as well and I loved Ryder's moment with Hannah 🥺

This book is on the longer side for a contemporary romance and it could have been slightly shorter, however there was interesting side plots going on in the background so I didn't mind all that much. And the best part? No third act!

I can't wait to continue this series and I hope that Alex gets her own book 🤩

Quotes

“Nobody likes failure, G. But I maintain that this isn’t failure. This is just one moment in time.” “A moment in time,” she echoes weakly. “Yes, and right now, in this moment, you’re down. But that’s okay because I’m here to lift you up.” “Always?” she whispers, peering at me with those big gray eyes. “Always. You fall, I pick you up. Always.”

“But you’re hot when you smile. And it makes you look more approachable.” I blanch. “Baby, I don’t want people approaching me. That sounds awful.”

“Damn it. Now I know why my mom can never stay mad at him. It’s because he goes around saying things like that.”

⎯⎯ ୨ Pre-review: ୧ ⎯⎯

daddy garrett, I'm coming for you 🫡

[Iqra · Rating 4 out of 5]

ೃ⁀➷ 4.5 stars *ੈ✩‧₊˚

Ahhh this was such a pleasant surprise for me bc I genuinely went in thinking it’d be a nice book to fill the time but colour me impressed bc gigiryder delivered a five course meal. No joke, they’ve consumed my every thought.

It was so effortless and easy to read. It’s got no plot whatsoever idk it was more of a story on the development of their relationship and working thru their personal struggles. Despite not having a plot, there was still a structure to their relationship and it was executed really well imo.

The way they were so mfing adorable and cute together got me weak in the knees. They had that genuine attraction and affection for each other.

Gigi was an all round great character. She had the hardness that the sport she plays brings out in her but she also has the softness outside of it. She doesn’t have too much of a regimented mindset which I actually adored about her. It made me laugh when she would listen to those naturescape audios and torment Ryder w them lmao I loved it.

What I rlly liked about her was that she was mature about what she wanted and how she wanted it. Gigi knew what she deserved and wasn’t afraid to demand it. This is what really made me fall in love w her bc im so used to seeing fmcs come out of a relationship and then behaving as if they’ve never navigated feelings in their life lmao. It was refreshing reading this book for sure.

Luke Ryder had no right ✋ no RIGHT to be this adorable. It’s unacceptable. He knew what he was doing and ugh I loveeee that he wasn’t some mental case who doesn’t think things through or is impulsive. He’s a headstrong guy who doesn’t need to speak much to get his point across. That right there is the definition of sexy.

It was fucking hilarious when he’d be like “why are you still speaking” 😭🤣 lmao the way I cackled every time.

The natural way he develops feelings for Gigi had me looking like this the entire time 🥹🥹🥹 I was giggling and kicking my feet after everything he would say to her. Man was so whipped.

AND HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HANNAH ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 my heart 😭 he found the mother he never had pls I wanted to fall to the ground and bawl right there w him.

The only two things stopping me from giving the full five stars are that

1) it could’ve been cut down by a LOT. There was a shit ton of filler I litch couldn’t gaf about lmao. The hockey spiel that went on got my eyes glazing overr the page haha I’m sorryyy. Like I get they have their own lives and friends but pls can we pay more attention to the romance and hannahgarrett 😭

The second one is kinda a spoiler?? Idk but if u don’t wanna be spoiled don’t read the second point…
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-
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2) I just didn’t appreciate the on screen om/ow interactions in the book. I’m usually not that pressed about it but idk this one dragged it for too long into the story — I was invested in the characters and their inevitable romance but seeing her kiss his friend killed me a little inside 😭

Wait and that part when he was checking out Alex plsss why was that needed?!!!! And when it was mentioned that Alex was all up in ryders business like I beg ur FINEST pardon?! 🤨🤨🤨

-
-
-
…Spoiler over


also! I rlly loved that case wasn’t the reason for a breakup between them or some stupid shit like that. The relief I felt when it was drama free 🙏

Anyway I didn’t realise I had this much to say on them oop but I’m glad I read it bc it was so funnn and it felt like a warm hug from ur fav person 🤧💗

𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
For everyone wondering about the off campus cameos, they really deliver on the hannahgarrett crumbs! You’ll get to see them a lot and some of the other guys and their kids too.

𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:

“You know, most people would compliment me on the fact that I won that shootout,” I point out.
“Is that what you need from people? To be told what a good girl you are?”

“Use your words, Ryder.”

“Did you actually bring me flowers?”
“Yes,” he mutters.”
~🤭🤭🤭

“Tell me something, Gigi.” He slants his head. “Are you an organ harvester? Because you’ve stolen my heart.”
Dead silence crashes over the room.
Then I keel over with laughter.”
~I’m screaminggg 💀💀💀

“Use me.”
~(S)CREAMINGGGG

“When Gigi’s fingers stiffen, I slowly loosen each one, pressing her palm flat my chest.”

“I notice the bright red flowers in the planters near the main desk, and when the security guy isn’t looking, I nonchalantly pluck one of the scarlet blooms and keep walking. Then I search on my phone, grinning to myself.”
~got my heart doing backflips

“Now, the idea of never seeing her smile at me again feels like someone ripping my heart out of my chest.”

“I have successfully managed to turn Briar’s grumpy, bad-boy hockey cocaptain into a hold-my-purse boyfriend.
I’ve won the world.”

“Always. You fall, I pick you up. Always.”

[annie]

1 whole month and still haven't picked it up yet ugh 😭 F STUDIES

[Kezia Duah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Garrett and Hannah had babies?? 🥹🥹My babies had babies.

I liked the start and pacing of this story until around the end when everything felt rushed. I liked the characters individually but couldn’t connect to the relationships. Still, I had fun reading this!

[abby · Rating 2 out of 5]

The whole synopsis of this book is about Gigi making the olympic team and Ryder working with her dad yet both things are brushed over so quickly. Their entire relationship is centered on sex and does not truly build at all. There’s no building on Ryder’s backstory when it could’ve and should’ve been a bigger factor, which makes it not impactful. Gigi works a lot to come out of her father’s shadow and never even does that. The ending is so rushed I’m convinced the author didn’t know how to end it and just hastily threw it together. The nostalgia of focusing on the characters from the first series was what it was banking on bringing readers in and it’s obvious this was just a cash grab.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

“You fall, I pick you up. Always.”

I am such a fan of ‘The Off Campus’ series and I was so excited to read this book. Second generation books can be so much fun, and this one was fantastic. Elle Kennedy does new adult sports romance so well.

The Graham Effect is about Hannah and Garrett Graham’s daughter, Gigi who is a college hockey player. She’s one of the very best female college players, but that’s to be expected as her father is the best of the best. Then there is Luke Ryder. Ryder is also a top hockey player in college, but doesn’t have the best reputation with his attitude.

Gigi and Ryder didn’t have the best first impression of each other, with time and getting to know each other better, everything changes. I love these two together so much. Reading this book made me so happy. I loved getting to know Ryder better, and seeing Gigi with her family and her ‘uncles’ (my boy Logan especially!) was so great.

If you’re a fan of ‘The Off Campus’ series, this book is a must read. I’m so excited this is going to be a series because I can’t wait to read more. What a great start!

[astarion's bhaal babe (wingspan matters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy read this with the aelin to my rowan and had the time of my life.

This book was pure fire, but Garrett Graham, the Ultimate Daddy™ stole the show.

[Lacey (laceybooklovers) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elle Kennedy is one of the few authors who can instantly put a grin on my face as soon as I start reading her books 🫶🏼

I had the BEST time with Gigi & Ryder in THE GRAHAM EFFECT!! You have no idea how hyped I was for the Off-Campus 2nd gen, and Elle delivered flawlessly. It gave me all the fun, humor, and steam I was looking for, and then some! Gigi absolutely lives up to and stands out from her parents. I fell in love with her, and Ryder is a new favorite grumpy hero for me. Their romance is charming and delightful and I already can’t wait to read more of the Campus Diaries series 🤩 If you’re an Off-Campus fan, don’t worry, there are some good cameos of our old favs. I loved it!

[lauren‎♡₊˚ &#x1f9a2;・₊✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5💫

I loved this way more than I thought I would!! Elle Kennedy’s writing improved so much from the off campus series.

Gigi and Ryder are absolutely perfect for each other. I loved their relationship and their growth together so much. Gigi was so wholesome. The butterflies and the nature discs🥹 stop ily you are so cute

The besties in this book will never replace my OG besties, but I loved them nonetheless.

⛸️🌷💍🦋

[maya ⋆⭒˚｡⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

‎‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. about my first impression ‎

the time has come. it’s finally here (a moment of silence, please, respect my grief): my very first walk of shame (book edition). my first “but i won’t go back to him i promise” (book edition). my not so first “as if, you wouldn’t catch me dead with someone like that” (book edition). awkward smile. but in my defense, was i going to read this book when the news of it’s release came out? no - like not if you pay me thousands and thousands of dollars kind of no bc the legacy was really my last straw with elle kennedy. let’s make a quick debrief here for a hot second: what tf was that? that book was so bad but so bad 🥴 the plot? mid at best. the characters? they were freaky friday’d or developed a serious case of dementia bc their original personalities? gone. so to say i was disappointed with that book is just me trying to be nice and polite with the author cause i got PTSD from that shit show. however everyone was saying such nice things about her new book - like seriously they were showering her with praises - that i had to see with my own eyes. was it all true? or was my - definitely not first, nor last - catfish (book edition)? well, buckle up, besties, cause they didn’t screw me over this time.

‎‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. about the characters ‎

gigi graham. gisele, the people princess. our insanely talented hockey player who wants to play at the olympics game (always dreaming small, right? i get it, my reading goal was 150 book in the beginning of the year - who tf did i think i was? we’ll never know - anyway). our crazy overachiever who needs to work on her game behind the net (i have no idea of what i just said - please don’t ask about it in the comments). and last but no least: our huge people pleaser - to an annoying level sometimes (like just be a raging bitch for once) - that always tries to be the bigger person (can’t relate though), even when she gets cheated on (let’s hear a round of applauses for how mature she is). but we love her though - even with her weird nature podcast and her odd butterfly obsession.

luke ryder. our prom king, who never actually went to prom and doesn’t seem like someone who would want to go to one (but here we are). our supposedly hot tempered co-captain of the hockey team that is actually a brooding introvert (get behind me, i’ll protect you). our second selective mute of the year (now don’t you go worrying, tristan caine, he still used more words than you). our world class shrugger that we found out to be a hugger by the middle of the book. let me warn you that there’s no escaping from this: you’ll love him wholeheartedly - the way he understand and encourages gigi? precious. the way he steals brings her flowers on random days (“happy desert day, baby, check out these lovely daisies i picked up from the campus garden”)? so lovable and sweet (jokes aside, he really is all that). and the way they both love to make each other laugh? truly adorable.

‎‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. about the romance ‎

no words. no buts. their development is phenomenal, really (for a new adult romance book please let’s no get the wrong idea here). the way ryder learns to communicate with gigi throughout the book is soooooooo cute and heartwarming and you can see how it’s an enormous step for him, how he used to struggle to talk about his feelings and share his thoughts with her, especially as someone who grew up in a rough environment as a child. and the way gigi begins to allow herself to feel her various emotions - even the ugly ones - instead of hiding them in order to be the bigger person all the time is really amazing to witness it. they are constantly helping each other out and having these deep honest conversations that helps them grow into this mature and healthy couple. you can’t help it, you end up feeling very proud of them by the end of the book. plus the best thing about their relationship is that it’s unique in it’s own way - it doesn’t bear any resemblance or whatsoever with kennedy’s previous couples.

‎‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. about my final thoughts ‎

color me surprised but i adored reading this, i’m serious, don’t laugh, have some manners, please! 🥺 it was such a light and funny and witty and cute reading you all - if you’re in a reading slump, you should really give this book a chance. gigi and ryder truly are this really endearing and beautiful couple and most importantly: there’s no third act breakup! no miscommunication bitching! no supposed cheating! you heard it right, girlie pop, there’s no need to wash your ears, and i have to scream out loud that i loved that she tried to separate this series from the off campus one. L - O - V - E - D. i really don’t know if this a controversial opinion or not but i was so terrified of this book being filled with “surprise” appearances of her beloved previous characters. don’t get me wrong now cause i adore our original core eight and truly loved to see small easter eggs of them out there but this isn’t “off campus: the sequel (we’re old edition)”, this is supposed to be about new characters with new stories and new friends (your cousins don’t count, get out) in her cutesy hockey world because i won’t sign for another rina kent situation where every fcking single child gets a book - like i know we love to catch a glimpse of their future, but we need to get a grip and know when to stop, this isn’t grey’s anatomy, i don’t want twenty seasons. so the fact that her next book is going to be about their respective best friends diana and shane: top tier. sign me up. count me in. i’ll be there.

‎‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. about my favorite quotes ‎

”you’re a very good player too.” “i didn’t say you were very good. i said you were phenomenal.” “and i said you’re very good.” he snickers under his breath.

”you looking forward to our secret session tomorrow?” “why do you have to make it sound so dirty?” he tips his head. “i’m not doing that at all. i this this might be a you problem.”

”all right, enough chatter. drop the puck, bitch.” he snorts. “did you really just call me bitch?”

”but first…” his face is close to mine. he’s so good-looking it makes my breath catch again. “can i kiss you?”

”oh shit. i don’t know if i have condoms.” he peers at me, pensive. “can i use one from your box of five hundred?” “fuck off.” i start to laugh. he grins.

”i’m always going to be honest with you. i don’t know how to be anything else.” “i know and i love that about you.”

she releases that melodic, feminine laugh, and i pretend it doesn’t affect me when the truth is, everything about her does.

i wrap my arm around her waist and gently lower her onto her back. one hand cupping her cheek, i gaze at her gorgeous face. my heart’s always in my throat when i’m with her. when i think about her.

‎‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. pre-review ‎‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

back to my roots yup yup you heard it right ✊🏼 and i have to be honest with all of you first: i swore to myself that i wasn’t going to read this book after that gigantic disaster called the legacy 🥴 however (gather around now 🤭) i’ve read so but so many positive reviews that i just couldn’t resist the temptation and caved in 😮‍💨

i know what you must be thinking ”but maya you promised you would read the books you’ve already bought” shush it, my silly child, you should just go back to sleep rn since it’s bed time! 🛌🧸

[logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ★!!! the nostalgia omg. i was admittedly a little skeptical going in to this one, next gen series can be so hit or miss but this was genuinely such a good time! gigi is totally her own person and character, but she is definitely her father’s daughter and i was so here for it. her dedication to the sport, her friendliness and easy confidence feel so reminiscent of all the reasons i fell in love with garrett graham. ryder is broody and a bit of a mystery, but equally dedicated to hockey and his future. gigi & ryder have some animosity in the beginning, along with some reluctant mutual attraction that they ultimately decide to….. benefit from. i really loved the development and pace of their relationship. and no third act break up or forced conflict god bless!!! it did get a little long at the end, but didn’t bother me tooo much. all the side characters were so fun, i felt like there were definitely some parallels to the off campus boys hehe.

while there are plenty of garrett & hannah moments, those moments didn’t over shadow gigi’s story, the balance was perfect. plus jake connelly cameos!! and the dean and logan lunch!!! i die. had so much fun being back at briar u!!

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️

TBH it's 2 not 3 stars but why I gave it 3 just because I love Garret and Jake so much and the character's appearance especially my baby Hanna. Let's get back to the MC's I loved the first chapter it got me interested in their story but it was only the first chapter I lost interest within 70 or 150 pages I didn't see them together at all their relationship was being forced I didn't get the tension, the spark, the chemistry between them yk. And why it was like 500 pages just why!!? It would have been better if it was 300 the story was too long, and there were unimportant points that could have been summarized in a shorter pages.

[Lauren Sydni · Rating 3 out of 5]

RANDOM. IDK.