Member Reviews
I could not finish this book, I have loved others of Elle Kennedy but this just was not to the same standard of her others.
The voice and language just felt much too casual and almost unfinished. i did not belief any of the characters and they did not feel fully developed.
The concept felt fun, and whilst I was excited to see where the story went, I couldn't get past the language and style. I'm not sure what has changed in this novel between her others.
There are definitely better fake dating books on the scene.
Pure steam from these two.. once they finally got into the spice! Their electric animosity from the banter really hyped up their enemies to lovers trope fest.
I absolutely adored this book from the get go! I loved Shane and Diana and the growth they made together. Diana is such a strong female character but I loved that she learnt she could be a little softer around Shane.
The spice was written well as with all of Elle’s book imo. The scene with Will🥵. Hoping him and Beckett get an intertwined story at some point!
I feel like the DV situation was written well. I honestly wasn’t expecting anything like that in this book but it did add to the story being that Diana learnt that she doesn’t always have to be strong and do everything on her own. She can ask for help.
The end with Shane broke me. Having just lost my Nan (who was like my mum) quickly to cancer I was bawling. I had a feeling it would be some sort of illness with the tension between his parents, but I wasn’t expecting that.
You know it’s a good book when it makes you feel all the emotions. I was laughing, I was crying, I was hot under the collar, I was angry. Another fab read!
The Dixon Rule is the second book in the next generation of Off Campus series and follows Diana and Shane who were introduced to us in the previous books as friends of the main characters in The Graham Effect. This is another example of a fun, entertaining sports romance done brilliantly by Elle Kennedy. The characters have great chemistry and banter which leads to really enjoyable relationship development throughout the book. They also get more serious in places with some heavier topics involved in the plot. I feel this book had a good balance to keep it a light, fun read but with a decent amount of emotion and angst involved in places.
Overall a really enjoyable read and I look forward to reading the next in this brilliant series.
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.
Still not a romance girlie but I enjoyed my second Elle Kennedy book even more than the first one. This was a breath of fresh air, an easy, fast-paced, engaging read with witty banter and I loved how the main character's relationship developed. I found both characters relatable (although really not sure why Diana was so mean in the beginning???) and the little cameos of the already established characters from book one; I enjoyed this a lot and finished it within 3 days - although it felt long for a romance it was super fast paced and I wasn't bored for a minute.
Would recommend for any romance lover or someone who is looking for a cute and enjoyable pallette cleanser
Another great book from Elle Kennedy. I love how easy her writing is and the witty banter between characters is always spot on.
The first half of this story did drag for me. It felt overly long in places and some scenes felt unnecessary. I did enjoy the second half much more and obviously loved the cameos from the Off Campus lot!
The story became unexpectedly dark towards the end which was a bit of a surprise (cancer scene and extreme DA descriptions). This definitely needs adding to a content warning at the beginning of the book as it could be extremely triggering to some readers and not what you would expect from the cover / Elle Kennedy’s previous books.
The second book in the next generation of the Off Campus couples does not actually focus on any of the couple’s children which was a shame. I understand keeping it fresh and new with the characters being introduced but there is something very reminiscent of seeing how old couples progressed and how their children feature as near adults.
Diana Dixon lives in an apartment she inherited from her aunt. She’s independent and knows what she wants in her life.
Shane Lindley is moving into the same apartment block as Diana. The pair share some mutual friends and know each other briefly. Shane is known as a bit of a player, especially with other women in Diana’s cheerleading group. When the two have some issues with their respective ex’s, they held one another. Diana has an ex that, initially, begins as not respecting their breakup and the following boundaries but he becomes increasingly more aggressive and obsessive. Shane has never quite gotten over his ex and when she shows up with her new boyfriend, his only way of coping is to also pretend to have a girlfriend and get through their time together.
The pair definitely has chemistry, but I did not feel as attached to the characters as I did in the first book. Diana’s story of stalking, assault and all the consequences surrounding the ordeal was such a huge part of not just her life but in the book, it felt like it wasn’t acknowledged entirely. From the blurb, I had no idea the book involved stalking and an abusive storyline. I think such a profound issue should have been mentioned just to prepare readers. Obviously, Kennedy can write fantastic romance and that isn’t amiss in The Dixon Rules but it did not feel as deep or evolved as her previous work.
I look forward to more books in the series, hopefully featuring glimpses of previous couples in the Off Campus/Briar U universe!
📚Book Review📚
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I want to thank NetGalley for approving me for an ARC of this book. Special thank you to @bex_boys_and_books and @archerofpages for the buddy read.
💞Enemies to Lovers
🥰Fake Dating
😂Banter
😭Emotional
I don't have the words to express how much I loved this book. I was on a rollercoaster of emotions, laughing, crying and swooning from one minute to the next. If you are a fan of Emily Henry and Elsie Silver, you must check this out! I'm off to devour Elle Kennedy's backlist!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book brought back my old school Elle Kennedy feels!
It's fun, angsty, sweet and spicy in th3 best way! The characters are fun and delightful and I love the way their romance developed.
I also loved having such a cool friend group back. Loved it!
Some of this was a lot heavier than I was expecting, and I'm super unsure about the treatment of it. I don't want to spoil so I won't go into detail but I was left feeling uneasy.
Outside of that, this has all of the great qualities we've come to expect from Elle Kennedy. Our leads have genuinely interesting dynamics and tension you could cut with a knife. It's witty, sexy, emotional - the right ingredients for this kind of story. I've seen some people not love Diana but I loved how biting she is. Plus fake dating trope which is always the dream.
I loved this, the fake dating trope is one of my favourites, it’s so funny and cute, but this also covers sensitive topics , they are done with care and don’t feel out of place , I’m not a big fan of sports romance, I don’t dislike but they’re not my first choice but I may have to start reading more because I loved this so much
After loving the Graham effect I was looking forward to the Dixon rule! I really liked Shane and Diana’s characters, the dancing training and shows was a really fun aspect as well as the forced proximity and the HOA meetings! I did think the whole Lynsey thing was dragged out too much and I did think the last 10% was way too traumatic out of the blue but overall I did enjoy this one and will carry on with the series!
The Dixon Rule delivers nostalgic Off Campus vibes, a hockey-fake-dating romance with a dash of ballroom, and a light escapist read.
It's been a while since I read the Off Campus series, but I remember really enjoying them as a light escape. The Dixon Rule didn't quite live up to the OG experience for me - it felt a bit too drawn out and repetitive in places, and the characters felt a bit younger than the original series. However this is likely much more about me than the book itself - it's so nice to think that Elle Kennedy can bring out series like this to capture new audiences, and that the OG series is there for them to discover.
Overall I enjoyed both Shane and Diana, and their chemistry. Shane's emotional growth was enjoyable to read, and I loved Diana's resilience and confidence. There were sections of the book that moved with a great pace, and I love how they gently supported each other through rough times.
It was really fun to see the cameo's by OG players, and their changed perspectives now they are grown adults with kids and careers. For me this was a fun read, and a 3.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.
Diana is practicing for a dance competition, working two jobs, and dealing with her ex who just won’t leave her alone. She definitely doesn’t need more chaos in her life, but that’s when Shane enters the picture, becoming her new neighbor. She knows him already because he has hooked up with most of the cheerleading team, and as the team’s captain, she just can’t stand him. He's a loud hockey player, but what Diana doesn’t know is that he’s realized he’s a relationship guy and can’t keep up with meaningless flings. When his ex comes back, he pretends he’s with Diana to make her jealous, but what happens when the line between real and fake blurs?
It’s no secret that Elle Kennedy is one of my favorite authors, and I believe she writes the best sports romance books. This one proves it and has become one of my favorites by her! It was lovely to reconnect with all the characters we met in The Graham Effect, and I can’t wait to read more! Especially Will’s book, because we’re getting that, right Elle? I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil it, but if you’ve read this one, you know WHAT BOOK I’m talking about.
Don’t let it fool you, this one was such an emotional read at times. I found myself bawling because it hit close to home; Shane experienced something that I have experienced in the exact same way, and it was really painful to read. It also dealt with some heavy issues, so you should check the trigger warnings. Let’s talk about one of my favorite aspects of the story: THE BANTER! It’s one of the things I love most in a book, and in this one, it was PERFECTION! Thanks, Elle, for spoiling us. Now I am anxiously waiting for the next one
➳ 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 ✩
⤿ a spoiler free arc review
₊˚⊹ ᰔ “I told them I had a girlfriend.'
I start to laugh. 'This is the greatest day of my life.'
'Oh, it gets better, Dixon. I told them it was you.'
this was my first hockey book from elle kennedy but my second overall, and i am honestly so glad that i didn’t give up on this author after “girl abroad”. i’m actually so surprised that i enjoyed this as much as i did because spice isn’t really my thing but i had heard such amazing things about her works that i knew i had to try another book of hers at least once.
💌 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽:
⤿ dual pov
⤿ summer romcom
⤿ cheerleader x hockey player
⤿ fake dating
⤿ forced proximity (neighbours)
⤿ enemies to frenemies with benefits
⤿ (reversed) grumpy x sunshine
⤿ no third act breakup
⤿ mental health/anxiety rep
⤿ slow burn
⤿ he falls first
⤿ 9 inches (yes this is a trope, yes i double checked, and yes she is okay)
⤿ lots of references to the og series
౨ৎ • 𝓹𝓵𝓸𝓽: diana dixon is already juggling two jobs, rehearsing for a ballroom dance competition and dealing with an idiot of an ex-boyfriend when f-boy shane lindley moves into the apartment next door, who just so happens to have slept with half her cheer squad. but after his ex comes back into the picture and he pretends to have a girlfriend to make her jealous, diana steps into the role of the (very fake) new girlfriend, to solve her own ex issues too. but after the lines between fake and real begin to blur and their fake-dating situation becomes very friends-with-benefits-esque, will the two begin a new (very real) relationship?
it definitely wasn’t the best romance i had ever read but it was really enjoyable. it also wasn’t the best written - i found myself feeling very bored in the first few chapters but it got so much better. i also didn’t love how the last few chapters felt very rushed with some of the plot elements, but the relationship between shane and diana was amazing so i can’t complain too much.
౨ৎ • 𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼: a great book to get you out of a slump
౨ৎ • 𝓽𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼: (some minor spoilers) domestic abuse, cancer, anxiety, assault, stalking, death of a parent, mention of cancer, gaslighting, stalking, physical abuse from ex-boyfriend and parental death
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!
Kennedy never fails for me now, I didn’t think this series would live up to the original Off Campus series but wow was I wrong. The first book I loved because come on, the Garretts are OG. This book however, it had EVERYTHING! The relationship between the MCs was so fun to read, their banter was great and had me howling in places. When the book got serious in places it was really well written and brought me to tears a few times. Honestly this was such a good book, Elle Kennedy has landed another 5 star read for me
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc
I think I may be officially getting too old for college age books, certain things took me out but that’s a me thing.
I felt like there were wayyyy too many plot points going on here, especially the last 10% - all very rushed and needing maximum angst for some reason. Was quite jarring with the rest of the book.
Didn’t do it for me as much as the previous one unfortunately.
Immediately, this story started on a low ebb for me with main characters that were both kinda awful. Diana was judgemental, took no prisoners and haughty. Shane was plain arrogant and annoying. I never bought into the whole 'look what's underneath, I'm really a good guy who wants a relationship' schtick.
It was a challenge to push through and I don't think this series is for me, on balance. I don't vibe with NA age group at all these days.
Thank you to the publisher for the eARC.
Hold onto your seat because this book doesn't just tell a story, it takes you on a wild journey! From the moment I cracked it open, I was strapped in for an exhilarating ride that I just couldn't put down.
The characters? Oh, they're more than just characters - they're like old friends you can't help but root for. And the way their relationship unfolds? It's like watching a slow-motion train wreck turn into a beautiful symphony. From enemies to friends to fake dating, every twist and turn had me on the edge of my seat.
But what really blew me away was the way the author seamlessly wove in characters from the previous book. It was like a reunion with old friends, and it added such depth and richness to the story.
And let's talk about those exes. They're like the villains you love to hate, but also kind of sympathize with. Every encounter had me feeling a whirlwind of emotions - from frustration to heartache to sheer joy.
In short, this book is a masterclass in storytelling. It's funny, it's heartbreaking, and it's oh-so-addictive. So do yourself a favor and buckle up, because once you start, you won't be able to stop.
This story was a whirlwind of emotions. From enemies to lovers, Diana and Shane's relationship had me hooked from the start. Despite their initial animosity, their banter and chemistry were undeniable.
I appreciated Diana's independence and Shane's gentleness, making their dynamic so enjoyable to read. The fake dating scheme added an extra layer of fun to the story, and I loved how their relationship grow throughout the story in an unexpected way. Their texts were so hilarious at times. I could have done without the unnecessary of her ex’ drama. That chapter where she last sees him had me enraged because it took a bit until I understand what really happened. I can also admit that I loved this book so much more compared with the first in the series. It felt much more Elle Kennedy from her earlier years.
Overall, "The Dixon Rule" is a captivating romance with heartwarming moments and steamy scenes that kept me entertained throughout. Elle Kennedy has once again delivered a delightful addition to the Campus Diaries series.
Very grateful to the publisher @ for his copy, opinions are my own.