“I’ll just listen for 20 minutes before bed.”
That was my biggest lie.
Next thing I knew, it was 2:47 AM, my phone was at 9% battery, and I was emotionally invested in a fictional hockey player named Garrett Graham like he was paying my bills.
And honestly?
I now understand why BookTok won’t shut up about The Deal by Elle Kennedy.
This audiobook is basically:
fake dating + college romance + hockey player + elite banter + unexpected emotional depth + “why am I smiling at my headphones like an idiot?”
And if you want to test the hype yourself…
You can listen to the full audiobook free on Audible with their free trial here:
👉 Start Your Free Audible Trial
(Yes, this may be an affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you—and yes, that helps fund my unhealthy audiobook addiction.)
Quick Summary (Without Spoilers)
Meet Hannah Wells.
Smart, talented, and confident… except when it comes to relationships.
She has a crush on a guy who barely notices she exists, and she wants to change that.
Then enters:
Garrett Graham
Star hockey player. Campus legend. Annoyingly attractive. Confident enough to make you roll your eyes.
And also?
He’s failing a class.
Badly.
Garrett needs Hannah to tutor him so he can stay on the hockey team.
Hannah agrees—but only if Garrett helps make her crush jealous by pretending to date her.
And at this point I was like:
“Oh cool, another fake dating story. I’ve seen this movie 47 times.”
Then Elle Kennedy said:
“Hold my coffee.”
Because what starts as a predictable fake dating romance turns into something way more addictive, funny, and emotional than I expected.
Why This Audiobook Is So Addictive
1. Garrett Graham is dangerously charming
I thought Garrett would be your typical cocky sports romance guy.
You know the type:
Abs. Ego. Minimal personality.
But Garrett is hilarious.
He’s cocky—but in a funny way.
And when his softer side starts showing up?
Game over.
I folded faster than cheap laundry.
2. The banter is ridiculously good
This book has some of the most natural flirting dialogue I’ve heard in romance audiobooks.
Their conversations feel messy, playful, sarcastic, and real.
Not robotic romance dialogue like:
“You are the moon and I am the stars.”
Sir… relax.
Elle Kennedy made these characters sound like actual college students.
3. The audiobook narration makes it better
Narrated by Christian Fox and Lorelei Avalon.
And they absolutely carried this story.
Christian Fox makes Garrett sound confident, funny, and incredibly charming.
Lorelei Avalon gives Hannah emotional depth without making her feel overly dramatic.
Listening Length: 12 hours and 26 minutes
And somehow it flies by.
Perfect for:
gym sessions
commuting
cleaning your room while pretending you’re the main character
avoiding your responsibilities
4. It gets surprisingly emotional
This book isn’t just spicy scenes and hockey games.
Hannah has real trauma from her past.
Garrett has family pressure issues.
And those deeper moments made this story feel more than just another romance novel.
What I Didn’t Love
Let me be honest.
A few scenes feel very “2015 romance novel.”
Some side characters can feel a little underdeveloped.
And if you absolutely hate romance tropes…
this book may annoy you.
But overall?
Very minor issues.
You Should Read This If You Love:
✅ Fake dating
✅ Sports romance
✅ College romance
✅ Book boyfriends
✅ Funny banter
✅ Emotional romance
✅ Fast-paced audiobooks
If you loved books by Ana Huang, Abby Jimenez, or Emily Henry…
You’ll probably love this.
You Should Avoid This If:
❌ You hate college romance stories
❌ You dislike fake dating tropes
❌ You prefer slow literary fiction
❌ You don’t enjoy spicy romance books
And if the phrase “hockey romance” makes you laugh…
Yeah, this might not be your thing.
Final Rating
Story: 9/10
Characters: 9.5/10
Narration: 9/10
Chemistry: 10/10
Overall: 9.2/10
The Deal completely surprised me.
I came for a fun fake dating romance.
I stayed because Garrett Graham somehow became one of my favorite romance male leads.
And I lost sleep because of it.
Totally worth it.