The Graham Effect 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.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“Always. You fall, I pick you up. Always.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“The problem with being a woman is that you never know what a NO will get you. Is it going to earn me an understanding nod and an okay, well, have a great night, it was nice talking to you? Or will it get me a you entitled bitch, what, you think you’re too fucking good for me?”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“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.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“I’m not good enough for you,” I whisper against her lips. Alarm fills her eyes. “Ryder—” “I don’t know if I’ll ever be. But I want to try.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“Is this a joke? Do you realize I’m Garrett Graham?”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“And ironically, it’s not my reaction he needs to worry about. He just called me immature and graceless in front of my asshole husband, my asshole brother, and my asshole father. That’s bad enough. But it’s the mama bear he triggered.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“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.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“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.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“You should be prepared,” Owen eventually says, glancing over to grin at me. “For what?” “You’re gonna marry that girl.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“I have successfully managed to turn Briar’s grumpy, bad-boy hockey co-captain into a hold-my-purse boyfriend. I’ve won the world.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“I don’t love change, personally. I prefer stability. Once I feel comfortable with something—a place, a person, a routine—I want it to last forever. I hate that it never does.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“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.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“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.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“Drunk girls give the best compliments.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“Beau Di Laurentis”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“You don’t owe people your forgiveness.” “You forgive for yourself, not for them.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“My heart clenches at the sound of her voice. It’s crazy how much you can miss someone’s voice when you’re no longer hearing it every day.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“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.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“Number three: Every year or so, some dumbass gets the cockamamie idea that the team needs a pet.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“Dean flashes a smile. He’s got those chiseled male model looks that keep getting better with age. I’ve seen pictures of him from his college days and he was smokin’ back then, but I think he looks even better now.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“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.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“That’s harsh.” “You don’t owe people your forgiveness.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“I think maybe I’m just scarred from the misogynistic caveats that come with all the compliments I’ve received over the years. She played really well…for a girl. Her stat lines are impressive…for a woman. Nobody tells a male hockey player that he played amazingly well for a man.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“Dad?” he growls under his breath. “You’re Garrett Graham’s kid?” I can’t help laughing at his indignation. “Not only that, but I’m helping with your shooting drills today.” His eyes narrow. “You play hockey?” I reach over to pat his arm. “Don’t worry, prom king, I’ll go easy on you.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“Nope, nope, nope,” he groans. “You know how I feel when you talk about Connelly’s stupid looks. It triggers my crippling inferiority.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“Does your father-in-law pay you to be his hype man? Or you do it for free to score approval points?”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“You think I’m throwing you a pity fuck?”
“You’re not?”
“No.” There’s a pause. “I need what I need too.” Another pause. “And I want it from you.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“But saying no to men isn’t always an easy task. I’d love to be direct. Confrontational. Look him right in the eye and say NO. The problem with being a woman is that you never know what a NO will get you. Is it going to earn me an understanding nod and an okay, well, have a great night, it was nice talking to you? Or will it get me a you entitled bitch, what, you think you’re too fucking good for me? And I’ve experienced the latter multiple times. The world is scary sometimes. So, no, I’m not going to shoot this guy down directly, at least not in this specific circumstance, where we’re alone and I’m trapped. I’ll vaguely dance around the issue until I’m able to escape this enclosed space and find the safety of a crowd.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect

“I don't get a hello back, or even a normal sentence. His rough voice fills my ear with two inexplicable words.

"Use me.”
― Elle Kennedy, The Graham Effect