Scan barcode
biaaaa's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-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
3.75
Did I stayed up until 3am to finish this book?!? Yes, yes I did.
The begining is a little bit slow, the characters meet pretty early on but then proceed to live their separated lifes for like 30% of the book. Which I didn't really liked, especially because we spent that time either meeting a bunch of irrelevant side characters whose names I can't even remember, or talking about hockey Which I couldn't care less about.
Once Gigi and Ryder started to interact a bit more I started to be more invested, and once they actually hooked up I started really loving them!!! But the ending was a bit too much for me...
I will admit that Garrett calling Hannah Wellsy and seeing Beau DiLaurentis made me way too emotional š„¹
I will probably read the other book and I really hope that theres one for Becket and Will!!!
The begining is a little bit slow, the characters meet pretty early on but then proceed to live their separated lifes for like 30% of the book. Which I didn't really liked, especially because we spent that time either meeting a bunch of irrelevant side characters whose names I can't even remember, or talking about hockey Which I couldn't care less about.
Once Gigi and Ryder started to interact a bit more I started to be more invested, and once they actually hooked up I started really loving them!!! But the ending was a bit too much for me...
I will admit that Garrett calling Hannah Wellsy and seeing Beau DiLaurentis made me way too emotional š„¹
I will probably read the other book and I really hope that theres one for Becket and Will!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Gun violence
smartcookiesca's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Infidelity, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
lindsaymc74's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
WOW WOW WOW. I have always said I will read anything and everything Elle Kennedy by this book was PHENOMENAL. I would definitely reread it in the future. Ryder and Gigi just become more and more loveable as the book goes on
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
feistygarlicroll's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, and Death of parent
annick's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Gigi and Ryder
Entertaining palette cleanser. A mix of rivalry-adjacent banter, plot, sport, intimacy, emotions and š¶ļø.
Iāll happily read more from this writerās ice hockey college romances.
I disliked some of the writing choices, including the uneven pacing of dialogue and of plotting. Some of the sex scenes dragged, and others didnāt stick the landing. The exhibitionism was appealing but it felt tokenistic rather than sincere. Plot wise, I was frustrated by not seeing a challenge to fairleeās bias and handling of the team USA roster.
Entertaining palette cleanser. A mix of rivalry-adjacent banter, plot, sport, intimacy, emotions and š¶ļø.
Iāll happily read more from this writerās ice hockey college romances.
I disliked some of the writing choices, including the uneven pacing of dialogue and of plotting. Some of the sex scenes dragged, and others didnāt stick the landing. The exhibitionism was appealing but it felt tokenistic rather than sincere. Plot wise, I was frustrated by not seeing a challenge to fairleeās bias and handling of the team USA roster.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Domestic abuse, Violence, and Murder
abbeyrode's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Murder
annatl4's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
this felt like a more thought out version of icebreaker. i havenāt read something this quickly in so long. i loved ryder and i enjoyed gigi. i love when a book can make me laugh out loud and the boys in this story really did that. i thought the pacing was great up until the last few chapters where it felt a bit rushed. i had to dock points for the corny marriage plot point. it felt thrown in and rushed. some of Kennedyās metaphors and similes were really cringey but easy to look passed. i loved ryders character development and gigis commitment to him. mourning the fact that i finished it so quick, thinking of starting some of the other briar U stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Murder
Minor: Infidelity
abidavisf's review against another edition
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 Kennedyās best work. The first time I read it, I hadnāt 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 itās 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 Garrettās friends and their families, but the glimpses I did get were gorgeous.
Now to The Dixon Rule!
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 itās 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 Garrettās friends and their families, but the glimpses I did get were gorgeous.
Now to The Dixon Rule!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
britwalsh16's review against another edition
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 didnāt 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 Iāve ever read!!
But also, I just fucking loved Gigi & Ryder!!! They way they were there for eachother & supported one another! š„°
Also how they first got togetherā¦ Use Meā¦ Fuck Yes!! Haha š
This book gives you all the laughs, but then also gives you heart & the struggles of life. I really could not get enough!!! ššš
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 Iāve ever read!!
But also, I just fucking loved Gigi & Ryder!!! They way they were there for eachother & supported one another! š„°
This book gives you all the laughs, but then also gives you heart & the struggles of life. I really could not get enough!!! ššš
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Minor: Blood and Alcohol
nmann's review against another edition
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 ā 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 ā 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!
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Murder