All that’s missing is Otis Day & the Knights

So, I got this message from Mrs. Julien, she who calls herself Prolixity, “Miss Katie, would you like to borrow a book?” My curiosity was immediately piqued. Obviously. My reply was instant, “Of course!” That is how I came to read The Deal by Elle Kennedy. It also came with this ringing endorsement, “[emmalita] and I enjoyed it very much.” How could I NOT read it at this point?

Disclaimer: I didn’t truly understand what this New Adult business was all about. It just seemed to me like a new marketing gimmick. I get it now – it’s intended for that market that is college aged. They’re away at school, make their own decisions about most things, but still worry about things like having fake id’s to go to a bar or making their parents so angry about something that they’ll stop paying for school and apartment.

This book is a really well written example of that genre. It is very evocative of place and time of life, and put me back in the dorm in 1995 in no time.

Hannah and Garrett are in the same boat – they both signed up for an ethics class because it’s always been an easy A. She’s a music major and needs to concentrate on readying for a vocal performance at the end of the semester that could lead to fantastic opportunities. He’s the captain of the hockey team and can’t play if he’s failing a class. SURPRISE! New professor, and it’s no longer an easy A. In fact, 70% of the class has a C or lower.

Garrett notices Hannah has aced the test and pesters her to tutor him. Literally. She keeps telling him no, he keeps showing up at places she’s going to be to try and convince her to change her mind.

That’s the meet cute. Oh, and did I mention he’s evidently the cutest thing ever and with his status as team captain, BMOC? He’s not used to hearing no from young ladies.

Here’s the deal (ha! See what I did there?): The plotting of The Deal is utterly predictable. You’ll see what’s going to happen next coming from a mile away. What makes this one enjoyable is the nuanced characterization and the author’s ability to remind you what that time of life was like. Or, if you’ve never been to college, this would give you a fairly accurate representation of it.

Just kidding. But, if you’ve got a free afternoon/evening and are looking for an enjoyable romance with a bit of nostalgia, this would be a good choice.