The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy
Blurb (on back of book): Gigi Graham has exactly three goals: qualify for the women’s national hockey team, win Olympic gold, and step out of her famous father’s shadow. So far, so good, except for two little things. Fine–a little thing and a big, grumpy thing. She needs to improve her game behind the net, and she needs help from Luke Ryder.
Ryder is six-foot five, built, opinionated, rude…and sexy as hell. But he’s still the enemy.
Briar’s new hockey co-captain has his reasons, though. The men’s team just merged with a rival program, leaving Ryder with an angry roster where everyone hates one another’s guts. To make matters worse, the summer coaching spot he’s angling for with the legendary Garrett Graham is out of reach after he makes the worst possible first impression on his hero. So, really, this compromise with Gigi is win-win. He helps her make the national team, she puts in a good word
with her dad.
The only potential snag? This bone-deep, body-numbing, mind-spinning chemistry they’re trying to ignore. It’s a dangerous game they’re playing, but the risks just might be worth it.
MY OPINION: ***
I'm kind of over hockey romances but I thought I'd give this one a shot since I read the entire Off Campus series and the Briar U series already. This book follows Garrett Graham's and Hannah's daughter, Gigi, and her own hockey career.
It was very refreshing to read a hockey romance where the girl also plays hockey. I am sick of reading about 6'6 hockey men and their blonde (ew) long (ew) hair and arrogant personalities. Yes, we get one of those in this book in the form of Luke Ryder but Gigi herself was also a stubborn, talented, ambitious hockey player and it was fun to read from that perspective. We weren't just reading from the POV of a borderline "puck bunny," which is a disgusting term but apt in most of these hockey romances.
It was a very cliche book. I am going to be so honest with you guys and tell you I do not remember what happened. I just finished a really good hockey romance and am almost done with the second hockey romance in the same series so this book has flown right out of my mind. I literally forgot I even read it. I remember I finished it in in one night so that's fun. I always love a quick and fun romance book where you can forget about reality for a couple of hours.
There was a lot of typical jealousy trope garbage that went on in this book to the point where even I was bored of the same old storylines. I am getting tired of the same old plotlines and I think it is once again time for a romance hiatus (maybe). It was fun to see the Off Campus/Briar U guys all grown up.
Compared to some of the other Elle Kennedy books I've read, this was way more entertaining, I will admit. I actually really liked Ryder a lot and his character development definitely shines throughout the book. He, like most male protagonists of these kinds of novels, has parental issues but I liked seeing him work through it gradually with the help of Gigi and Gigi's family. I loved seeing Hannah play a motherly role for Ryder and watching the found family trope come to fruition.
This was one of the healthier relationships I've seen in romance novels and I was pleasantly surprised by how good the communication was between these two. I was expecting the traumatic third act breakup as a result of miscommunication but they served. I would recommend this book to readers looking for a fast-paced, fun, easy to fly through hockey romance.
Main Character: Ryder, Gigi
Sidekick(s): Friends, family, etc
Villain(s): Drama, misunderstandings, parents, etc
Romance Elements: This book was centered on a romance storyline.
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