This month was not my most impressive. 7 books. 2,326 pages. An average of 75 pages a day. But I did get an entire series read. So that’s pretty good!
The Deal by Elle Kennedy (330 pages). Yes, this is the Off Campus book series that the Off Campus TV series is based on. You knew I’d read it at some point, seeing as I really enjoyed the TV series! Hannah Wells is a junior music major at Briar U. She works hard at school and at her job. She also has some baggage that keeps her from really letting loose. Garrett Graham is also a junior and the captain of the hockey team, which makes him a god on campus. But Garrett needs Hannah’s help to pass a class. So they make a deal- she’ll tutor him in exchange for him helping her land her crush. But you know what happens when two attractive college kids start spending a LOT of time acting like they are dating- true love! One big change- Hannah’s crush is a football player in the book. In the show, they make him a fellow music major (and a combination of a few other characters). And a lot of events that happen in the show aren’t in the book at all. The show also changed Hannah’s body type (book girls are always super tiny and tv Hannah actually has a realistic curvy figure). But I liked the changes. And I’m ready to keep going with the books! I finished in 4 days.
The Mistake by Elle Kennedy (283 pages). Book 2 of the Off Campus series. This one focuses on John Logan, one of Garrett’s roommates and teammates. Logan is madly in love with Hannah, who, as we know, is madly in a loving relationship with Garrett. One Friday night, Logan shows up at the wrong dorm room for a party and meets freshman Grace Ivers. There’s something about Grace that makes Logan finally realize that he doesn’t want Hannah, he wants a relationship. After some misunderstandings and some familial difficulties to overcome, Logan and Grace find their way to their happy ever after. Logan is more of a side character in the tv show. So I throughly enjoyed learning more about him! I finished in 2 days.
The Score by Elle Kennedy (459 pages). Book 3 of the series. This one is about Dean Heyward-Di Laurentis, one of Garrett and Logan’s roommates and teammates, and Allie Hayes, Hannah’s roommate and best friend. It’s senior year. And Allie finally breaks up with her long time boyfriend because he mocks her career dreams of being an actress. Then she drunkenly hooks up with Dean, a guy who is only into one night stands. But their chemistry cannot be denied. And they begin a secret hookup relationship. That leads to a full fledged relationship. And they learn that they are better together. Dean and Allie were the secondary storyline in the show. So I felt like o already knew a lot of their early relationship. I finished in 4 days.
The Goal by Elle Kennedy (333 pages). Book 4 of the series. This one focuses on John Tucker, the fourth roommate and teammate. Tucker was also more of a side character in the show (but I think he was my favorite roommate). Biggest difference from the show? Show Tucker is mixed. Book Tucker is a ginger! Sabrina James has one plan for her life- to get into Harvard Law and get away from her home life. So she works hard- both in class at Briar and at the two jobs she holds down, all while commuting the hour each way from Boston to Briar. But then a one night stand with Tucker changes her mind about hockey players. And changes both of their lives. Because Sabrina gets pregnant. Tucker does everything he can to prove to her that he will be by her side, no matter what. This was definitely a more serious book than the others- an unplanned pregnancy senior year of college and a newborn during your 1L year at Harvard is brutal. But I loved this couple! I finished in 4 days.
The Legacy by Elle Kennedy (381 pages). Book 5 of the series. This was 4 novellas to catch up with our 4 couples, three years later. The Pact was about Logan and Grace. Logan is playing for the Bruins. Grace is in her senior year at Briar. Between her academic schedule and his hockey schedule, they feel like they never get enough time together. So when Logan has a few days off, they jump at the chance to ring in the new year at an AirB&B in Vermont. But someone forgot to check the weather and the get stuck in a blizzard! The Proposal was about Dean and Allie. Dean loves his job teaching at coaching at a private school in New York. Allie is finishing a successful three year TV show. But Dean has gotten the bug- with Tuck and Sabrina getting married, Dean wants that too. Like, now. Allie isn’t in any rush. After all- they love each other and live together. Why get engaged? The Honeymoon was about Tucker and Sabrina. Now newlyweds with a 3 year old daughter, they are finally getting a chance to take their honeymoon, one month after their wedding. But the first half of their trip is mishap after mishap- jellyfish stings, stray coconuts, sunburn, a jail cell. But after making friends with the nextdoor neighbors, their trip turns around and new opportunities are presented to them. The Legacy was about Garrett and Hannah. Hannah has yet to tell Garrett about her unplanned pregnancy. Namely because she knows his worries about parenthood that stem from his fractured relationship with his abusive father, hockey great Phil Graham. So Garrett needs to decide how to create his own legacy that has nothing to do with his father’s. I really enjoyed checking up with everyone 3 years after the other books ended. I finished in 3 days.
Twenty Years Later by Charlie Donlea (236 pages). 2 months before the events of 9/11, rookie homicide cop Walt Jenkins responds to a murder- popular novelist Cameron Young has been found naked and hanging from his balcony. By the morning of 9/11, the accused, the mistress Victoria Ford, is meeting with her defense attorney in Manhattan. Victoria is able to make one phone call, begging her sister to prove her innocence. 20 years later, advances in DNA coding meant that Victoria Ford was finally identified as one of the victims of 9/11. Television anchor Avery Mason stumbles upon this story and head to New York to investigate. Little does she know that the FBI is investigating her at the same time. Because Avery is the daughter of Garth Montgomery, the Thief of Manhattan. A man who’s been in hiding since he was arrested and made bail. And a man who has reached out to his daughter for help fleeing the country. As Avery investigates, she gets help from Walt. And their investigations uncover the truth behind a botched investigation. Y’all- the twists! I loved it! I finished in 6 days (but don’t let that be a reflection of the book. It was because I was super busy over the weekend and didn’t have time to read!)
His & Hers by Alice Feeney (304 pages). I watched the TV series on Netflix at the beginning of the year. Which means I remember next to nothing about it! One big difference from the jump- the book is set in England, the show is set in Georgia. Anna Andrews is a divorcee with a successful career as a news anchor in London. A career that has just been ripped away by the return of a former colleague. Jack Harper is a detective chief inspector in Surrey. And he is Anna’s ex husband. When a murder happens in his small town, Anna arrives as the news correspondent. Unready to face the memories of growing up here. And when it comes out that Jack was intimately involved with the murder victim, all signs point to him as the murderer. Then a second murder happens. And a third. And memories of one horrible night involving all of the victims make Anna worried that she might be the next victim. I finished in 5 days.
This month’s favorite was……Twenty Years Later (partially because I couldn’t pick which of the Off Campus was my favorite!)
