A romantic college tale where the world of art collides with the life of hockey.
This is a delightful, romantic, and humorous story of two young souls from vastly different worlds who cross paths at the exact moment they need it most. Both characters carry their own scars from the past—wounds that prove to be not a dead end in their journeys, but merely hurdles they manage to overcome together.
I read this book years ago when it first hit the bookstore shelves, and since then, I have devoured it several times. I must admit that I returned to it mainly because of the television series based on it. While romance isn’t typically my go-to genre, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It maintained a sense of lightness and warmth throughout, despite dealing with heavy themes. The characters felt relatable and unburdened, bringing a carefree college humor that was truly refreshing. We had the chance to experience the plot from the perspectives of both main characters, something that female readers, in particular, deeply appreciated.
Let’s take a look at our characters. I absolutely loved how Hannah and Garrett started off as good friends, with love blossoming naturally from that bond. The entire progression felt completely effortless. Both Hannah and Garrett pleasantly surprised me, as did the author’s approach to their pasts. This was especially true for Hannah, who came to understand that the sexual assault was not her fault at all—something that, unfortunately, many victims blame themselves for, or that society unfairly attributes to them. Hannah was strong; she accepted what had happened to her. It took her several years to heal, but she fought through it and ultimately succeeded. She faced her trauma head-on, choosing instead to focus her life on the people and things that truly matter, and to rediscover happiness. The topic of sexual assault is by no means an easy one, and not every author can handle it with the grace that Elle Kennedy did. She also beautifully highlighted that Hannah’s fear and emotional block could not be overcome by her strength alone; she needed a strong, loving partner to stand by her side. Hannah’s character was incredibly endearing, witty, and determined.
Garrett embodied the quintessential athlete. Handsome, tall, and built, with a spectacular career ahead of him, yet he, too, had to fight his way through several hurdles in life. There was the societal expectation of perfection, through which he had to prove himself worthy of being the son of his successful and renowned father. At the same time, he had to grapple with the secret of the abuse inflicted upon him by the very person who was supposed to protect him throughout his life. Just like with Hannah, this is by no means an easy topic, but the author handled it beautifully and brought it closer to the readers.
As for his relationship with Wellsy, I loved how it continuously shifted and evolved. It started with simply enjoying each other’s company, moved through jealousy, until he finally realized that having a girlfriend wasn’t as bad as he had thought all along. She was the one who made him realize he could picture a girlfriend by his side—one who wouldn’t just feel like an obligation or an anchor. But as the man himself put it, having a girlfriend is completely awesome: when he’s tired, he can go to her, she laughs at all his dumb jokes, he can vent to her after a long day, and he can have sex whenever he wants. He wasn’t looking for a relationship just for the sake of it; he desired a relationship because he found the one person with whom it actually made sense. Let’s be honest, that’s exactly why Garrett was so endearing to us. He was the one who realized his feelings for her first. And that is something women truly love.
Both carry a complicated past, yet throughout the book, they face and overcome it together. They crossed the threshold of intimacy not only behind closed bedroom doors, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Hannah was finally able to fully give herself to a relationship. Granted, she had a few relationships behind her, so the concept of a partner wasn’t as daunting to her as it was to Garrett. For her, it was easier mostly because she knew what a relationship looked like from home. Her parents are a beautiful example. She knew what a partnership looked like, and she understood why people long for such a bond. Garrett, on the other hand, comes from a highly dysfunctional family, meaning that crossing this boundary required immense courage on his part.
In conclusion, the book was a thoroughly enjoyable read; the characters resonated with me for multiple reasons, and the fact that the edition I currently own is pink is just the icing on the cake. The main characters evolved beautifully throughout the plot, and we got the expected happy ending. The supporting characters were witty and managed to win over many a reader’s heart, which holds wonderful potential for future books and couples