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A review by hilivingston7
The Deal by Elle Kennedy
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
I ate this romance up in one sitting. It was so cute. Love the fake dating and was kicking and screaming during the “make out” practice. It handled some heavy topics and balanced taking the topics seriously but not dragging the mood down too much.
Pros-
-Avoided the “were faking it and we both have developed feelings but are lying to ourselves” denial trope
-when he learns about her r*pe, he is so empathetic and patient in trying to help her reclaim sex
-lots of spice
-really brought me back to college
Cons-
-is a little 2015y on use of slut shaming throughout the book
-the hockey team has yuck moments & makes me uncomfy at times (he tells her to sleep in his bed because his friends may ‘accidentally’ grope her if they come back drunk and find her on a couch 🤮 🚩)
-at the beginning when he’s trying to convince her to tutor him, I don’t love how many times she’s said no
Pros-
-Avoided the “were faking it and we both have developed feelings but are lying to ourselves” denial trope
-when he learns about her r*pe, he is so empathetic and patient in trying to help her reclaim sex
-lots of spice
-really brought me back to college
Cons-
-is a little 2015y on use of slut shaming throughout the book
-the hockey team has yuck moments & makes me uncomfy at times (he tells her to sleep in his bed because his friends may ‘accidentally’ grope her if they come back drunk and find her on a couch 🤮 🚩)
-at the beginning when he’s trying to convince her to tutor him, I don’t love how many times she’s said no
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Death of parent