The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:19):
Welcome to Ready TV Romance. I'm Tori.
I'm Laura. And today, we're discussing the
deal. Welcome to the pod.
Thanks so much for being here. I am so excited to be here.
I've been a fan since day one, even day zero when you just got
started before actually, before you actually started the Ron's

(00:40):
journey. Like I used to live on my DM and
say I'm starting to read some romance and I was like, oh girl,
come to my podcast. Let me give you some
recommendations. No, seriously, I always credit
you and Kelly Reynolds from Boobies and Newbies who who
truly got me into reading because I was a guest on her
podcast. So I had to read a romance book.

(01:02):
And then you and I, the first time we podcasted together, we
did pop cult like romance novelsthat had a pop culture twist.
Yeah. And I just like solidified my
love for this genre. And then the rest is history.
Then he decided to do a podcast,which was so much needed.
And I love the fact that the podcast deals with some of the

(01:23):
popular books. They're actually often are, you
know, they're they're putting inthe place and actually thinking
of them critically and thinking about like pop culture to
adaptation. What does the movie look like?
What does the book look like andall those different things.
And I think that's important. I don't do that often because I
got burned by hype books, but I've been reading romance for
about 10 years. So I got to I got to this point

(01:44):
where I was like, no, I just want to like look for hidden
gems and I'm the mood reading here.
Now I'm reading murder books because, you know, romance.
Sometimes men are trash and I just need to read someone
killing them. That's even better.
Literally. That is so true.
Yeah, I've been burned by Hyperxfor sure.
That's so funny. So you write a sub stack and you

(02:07):
host a podcast. Can you tell us a little bit
about that? So I've been behind the scenes
or behind the mic for the Broad Trainix podcast.
I've been a podcaster for 10 years, but the Broad Trainix
podcast started in 2017. So it's been, I think it's going
to be 8 years in December. I also have a blog where I do
listicles and I share like nicherecommendations from like stock

(02:30):
enrollments to bee treats and whatnot, seasonal
recommendations. And so it has evolved into a
platform where I recommend books.
I if you give me an idea, you'relike, hey, I'm looking for this
mood. I can try to pick you like books
that feel that same fives. And I think that's what I'm
known for. I'm not a reviewer.
I'm more recommender. I don't I try not to yuck on

(02:53):
other people's Yum because it doesn't really matter what my
opinion is. It's like it's you're looking
for and I try to like book matchyou.
It's like it's a bookseller essentially.
So I have the blog, the podcast,and I have a sub stack where I
do share some recommendations. I'm a library person, so I love
love my libraries and I love using them.
I love fostering that. I think right now in this

(03:16):
economy, reading out a budget isimportant.
So I try to look for ways you can save money.
I'm not a book collector. I tend to borrow from the
library. I tend to like get rid of books
and share them with with other people I don't have, even though
that book collection is probablygoing to go to live for
libraries or going to my friends.
What I like to just do is like try to try out different
different genres, different books and try to like match you

(03:39):
On the podcast. I have like guests who comes in
and talk about their interests and their books.
So there might be some guessableliterary fiction, book club
books, mysteries, romance and everything in between.
And from 2020 to from 2019 to 2024 into about 500 authors.
So a lot of your popular authorsthat you prob have seen have

(04:02):
made this your podcast. And yes I didn't agree Rebecca
Yaros but the time was pre 4th 3. 4th.
Wing and it was actually an Instagram live, but because it
doesn't talk about it, 4th wing.I don't want to like bait and
switch, but she's delightful. So.
So any of you pretty much like from Ali Hazelwood, like I I
think most of the most popular authors, they have been on the

(04:23):
show. Emily Henry has not been on the
show and I'm OK with so. But like, you know, like a lot
of the people you're like you probably have seen there might
be an interview from whether they were debut author or they
were like early in their stage or so.
Yeah. I love that.
And yeah, you're really good at matching interests or being
like, oh, I saw you read this and liked it.

(04:44):
You should try this one out. And you are the ideal reader.
Like I, I have been talking a little bit on the pod about just
like the performance of reading because of book talk.
I love that you don't collect. I also don't collect.
I I read on Kindle, but or borrow or library.
But yeah, I really feel like you're doing it right.

(05:06):
Like support your local library.Yeah, I think it's, you know,
it's, it's an evolution because I started 20/17/2016.
I was underemployed and I had nonothing to do.
And so I started reading on my Kindle and I was earning like no
money living your city. And so I started just reading
what Kindle limited and what popular books were sharing on

(05:27):
YouTube. So the deal was one of those
books that I discover at that early stage when I was being
released. And then I actually decided, you
know, because it was like early,this is 27218, I was like, maybe
I can earn some free books. And so I created the platform
and then became kind of like what it will be like an

(05:47):
influencer in that sense and start building a lot of
relationships and access to a lot of the books.
And then, you know, a lot of people claimed, like, I wish I
get paid to read. But to be honest, if you get
paid to read, you're gonna read less.
Yeah, because it's create. Content you have to create the
structure. It's very administrative like.
It's not as easy to say like you're gonna you're gonna be
paid to read. I was like, it's not as cracked

(06:10):
up to me. People publishing don't get paid
to read. That's they do at night.
They do at other places. So I went through the phase
where I was got burned out by the hyped oats and trying to be
like everyone else and it was just not good.
It wasn't fun. Like I went from reading 300
books from because I wanted to to slowly like decreasing number

(06:34):
over and over and over. You know, my reading tastes
change over time. It was just like I had to step
take a step back from it and understanding what works for me
right now may not be able to work for me a year ago or eight
years ago or 10 years ago. And I accepted and embrace it.

(06:55):
Embrace like the opportunity. I think for a long time was like
I'm a romance reader all throughand through because it's time.
Romance reading was not was taboo.
It was in so like before 2020 ish before a book talk romance
reading was not in the forefront.
It was very high and like peoplewere reading literary fiction,
they were reading thrillers. There were more.
It was more socially acceptable.And then now everyone's reading

(07:19):
Romancey and Smudge and they calling it.
And I was like, now it's popularand I was like, well, I don't
wanna do that, you know? And so I think in some ways I
went through the cozy mysteries.I'm like in the mystery ROM com,
not just the thrillers, but mostly mysteries.
I was like, oh, this is like a new genre.
But a lot of my identity not to be so tied into the idea that

(07:40):
I'm a content creator, then I'm gonna go actually book
influencer. Then I'm like, I have to produce
content and it has to be popularto the algorithm.
It's like, I don't know, it's hard, but having a podcast has
been helpful because the podcastyou're solo, you're not tied
into like people don't know yourstats, only you know your stats.
And I think in some ways it's kind of like we're just going to

(08:01):
do what we wanted to do and create.
You want to create self. Totally, I feel the same with
ready to be petty and ready to be romance.
It's like as soon as you start to do things that you think will
like go viral or be sick, be successful in one type of
measurement of success, which islike downloads and views and

(08:22):
stuff like that, it sucks the fun right out of it.
And you're totally right. As soon as you start getting
paid for something, for some reason, it just ruins it.
It's work. It's because it becomes work.
Love and light to my Patreon, they're my everything but it.
It has 100% changed my just vibearound podcasting.

(08:43):
Not not always for the worst, but there's definitely been some
struggles with that. I always podcast based on for
what I want to see for myself yes, I don't care about the
reviews like and I have terriblereviews and I don't like it.
It's just is like that's your opinion.
That's not my opinion. That's not the reason why I do
this. I do this because I wanted to do

(09:04):
it, and when it stopped being fun, I stop doing it.
And then I come back and it's like, it's my toxic boyfriend,
Yeah. Literally.
Literally. But that's such a healthy way of
looking at it, truly. Yeah.
And like I need those reminders constantly.
We're just not, you know, it doesn't really cuz the, and the
money, we don't get the money paid, we're not getting like 1/4

(09:25):
million, $1,000,000 brand deals.We're not celebrities.
We're not, no, we don't get any of those pay.
And so we just have to figure out what is your why and what do
you want and then not and then not judge it.
It's like, and there's a lot of radical acceptance there of not
judging where you are and like compressing each other's

(09:47):
people's places when you're actually you're when you think
is your messy mutual, maybe something else, maybe someone
else is like idea of success andyou just don't know.
And I think it's like accepting that you just have to be this is
where you are right now and it could change at any moment.
And don't get so tied into the identity of what it looks like.

(10:07):
So my reading has gone has decreased.
I read 60 books this year, mostly audio, mostly at night
because I just need something tofall asleep so I may not listen
to the whole thing because I fall.
I fell asleep and that's OK. It doesn't make me less of an
influencer, it doesn't make me less of a content creator,
doesn't make me less of a reader.

(10:27):
It just makes me like this is human being and I have other
interests and other things I want to live in life.
Absolutely. Yeah, I feel the same.
I was getting down about myself.I've only read, I think 13 books
this year. This was a real read, but I
guess it would be 14 when in thelast five years, six years, I've
read like 100 books a year. And I'm like, I'm not going to

(10:48):
like, meet my goal. It's like, whatever, you went to
Europe for a month, you got backinto the dating game.
So you have social plans and youand you just haven't had the
time to read like, yeah, that's OK.
Next year you can read 150 books.
Like just fucking chill girl. I finally broke up with good

(11:08):
reads actually this year I finally I track it on an air
table. I'm more than happy to share my
air table with you, with your listeners.
I tracked it personally just to keep my information, just for
myself. But I had to break up with that
daily goal. I also broke up with my Kindle
streak. I've been reading Kindle for
2000 days, 2000 days. That's not like one or two days.

(11:29):
It's like 5 years. Yeah.
And I stopped reading on my Kindle.
I was like, no, it feels like a chore.
It feels like it doesn't. It doesn't feel good anymore.
Also, giving myself this space to be like, you know what?
Maybe I can try Physical books again.
I got glasses and I you know what?
Physical books was a delight. I finished reading the new Ali
Hazelwood because the line was really long for the ebook.

(11:51):
So I went to my local store, gotthe book and read it and I was
like, delighted. That's so nice.
That's like, it's like the pleasure.
Of reading a book the pleasure of just like sinning and not
having a purpose to pretty cool.Absolutely.
Not having to do a podcast episode, not having to prep up
for the space, just allowing it just to be.

(12:12):
It's like, holy shit, this is what readers do.
No, literally because I feel like you're right.
So many people feel like OK wellI I read the Alley Hazelwood
book now I should make a tick tock about it.
Yes, and I don't I, I think I posted a picture like an old
school Instagram picture on sub stack and then I just like
repurpose it on Instagram sub stack tends to have the sub

(12:33):
stack note tends to be like my draft draft notes of like what's
going to happen. And I was like, OK, and then
that's it. And it's it's not anything else
like I don't have to make 20,000pieces of content for.
It literally what a radical idea.
And I'm reading it because I want to read it.
I'm not reading it because I just think it should work on

(12:55):
content. I think I've.
Learned that. Content creation is a little bit
different and, and and because Icurate list based on your needs,
I know how to find books or I have access to a lot of more
books than you probably have. Like essentially I'm like a
bookseller. My e-mail is like pretty much
like a bunch of like press and net galley wedges and stuff like

(13:17):
that because I've been doing this for so long.
So I'm like, oh, I can pull in like your romantic, see you like
4th Wing, here's some dragon books that I know are coming
out. Or if you like actually stalker
people, I know how to find the information for you.
So you can curate that list. And I think that's, it's a
different skill set than people think.
Oh, you have to read all the book and like you, bookstores

(13:38):
don't read all the books. Librarians don't read all the
books, but they curate list. And that's the approach that I
take with my platform. Also, this reminds me, after
this episode, I have two friendsthat have asked for specific
book wrecks and I want to paint your brain about it.
OK, OK, let's talk about the deal.
So we're going to be talking about the deal by Elle Kennedy

(14:02):
as a spoiler warning. We're going to not talk about
anything that comes after it because it is a series and a
content warning that we will be briefly discussing.
We will go into too many details, but sexual assault and
domestic violence. This book was published February
24th, 2015. It's my second read.
It's your like 5th read, but no.And it's so funny how we came to

(14:26):
it on the same the same way it'son Kindle Unlimited.
It's just like, I think, free. It wasn't.
It wasn't when I bought it. It was actually I had to spend
my heart and money. Why did?
I. I think it's.
Kind of you actually, it wasn't supposed to be in KU, but book
talk founded and a lot of the authors that you've seen on KU

(14:47):
were not in KU like a lot of Serena Bowen, Al Kennedy, a lot
of them were non KU and the 20/15/2016 when they were the
era KU was kind of like a hiddengem.
Like there was some books there,but not as popular as it was.
And then 2020 happened. People start rediscovering what
2020-2021 Book Talk did was theyrediscovered the book stock I

(15:10):
was reading in 2015 and 2016 or 2012, they were reading the
After series, they were reading the Aquatar, they're reading the
Deal. There were, those are the
popular books. If you look at YouTube in that
era, those were the books where we're talking about it as they
were getting really easy. And so a lot of the authors saw
their market in that place. They were like willing to pay

(15:32):
for it. They're like, you know what
we're going to put you because we just we see the discovery of
Ken Unlimited that book talk didto us and they started adding
that Dicta series is another onethat I had to pay.
I don't know how much I had to pay because that was expensive
because there were ten books andthere were like 599 and at
someone who was not earning enough money to live.
This was like an investment on Dublin St. was another one.

(15:55):
There was like 899. I was like as an E bug.
Totally. It's wild.
Especially, again, like when you're reading a lot like you
and I, it adds up. That's why it's like, yeah,
check out your local library or borrow from your friends.
Should be on the library, but they're actually right now,
they've been on Kindle Limited for like 4 or five years and I
think they're going to remain inKindle Limited because it's a

(16:16):
good business decision until it doesn't become a business
decision. And actually I don't even think
it's you anymore. I think it's just if you have a
Kindle. Like you can just read it for
free on a Kindle because I don'thave KU and I was able to access
it for free on my Kindle. Don't know what that means, but
maybe. They have the maybe they have
the first book for free and thenthe rest are you had to pay,

(16:38):
which is another start that a lot of authors do when they have
a long ordinance series and a backless series.
They have their first book for free just to give you a taster
why the stuff your Kindle works is not.
It doesn't work for daily authors.
It works for authors who have like long backlist of like ten
20-30 bucks because the idea is I feel like that book and you're
going to go buy the rest of the series, which I like a lot of

(16:59):
people are serious completers and they'll just you'll, they'll
make the money. Back from that totally, and
maybe that's why I never read this.
I don't think I read the second book.
I might have read the second, but I don't think I moved on to
the third. And maybe it's because I had to
all of a sudden pay, but I just think like when I started
reading romance novels, this to me kind of like what you're

(17:22):
saying is like the epitome of like a classic 2015 romance
novel. Like this.
Just it has everything that I would expect.
And this was just the ones that I was Downing, like reading all
of these books in one sitting because they are so easy to
read. I will say on my second read I

(17:43):
had forgotten about like Hannah,both Hannah and Garrett have
trauma in their lives that they go into actually a lot of detail
on so I like didn't remember that but otherwise it's an easy
breezy read. It is easy.
It's millennial coded. Think about a millennial going
to college. This is a millennial going to

(18:04):
college. It's very it's very millennial
coded. It has iPods.
It has. Yeah, it.
Has box sets. It talks about Breaking Bad and
watching its show. It talks about college parties
and stuff like that. Because I don't know how Jensy
does, because Jensy is kind of like weird.
It's a foreign concept to me as an older millennial.
I'm 44, so I like, it's just like that point.

(18:26):
This is like a like a like a snapshot of what millennials
talk about nostalgia of what college looks like.
Also, I'm pretty sure that they changed the Breaking Bad
reference to Ted Lasso. Why?
Well, because when I read it on Kindle it they they watch Ted
Lasso together. And fall into the I I listen to

(18:49):
the audiobook. Audiobook has not been updated.
She has not updated that. Yeah, so I think she did.
She did do this. And like, I remember the iPod
stuff and I'm pretty sure it's he goes through her phone.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think she has tried to
update it but but also she updated the technology and the

(19:09):
pop culture references but none of the like bad language or
anything like. No, so I yeah, so I actually I
listened to the audio book this last last three weeks.
I have not seen the updated and that would be horrified when it
was updated because there's something to be said about that
time capsule. There's if you're going to put

(19:30):
pop culture reference, you mightas well just own it and it's
just turned capital totally. That's one of the things like
it's just the technology of the time, but.
Even if you are referencing stuff that is very specific like
Breaking Bad, I'm like even whenthey talk about what she's
wearing and stuff like that. Yes.
Have you seen the outfits that the Romans almost used?
The cargo pins. Yeah, the all the cardigans and

(19:54):
like, yeah, skinny jeans and stuff like that.
Like it, it just, it will alwaysdate your book.
So I think and it also like. I don't like those like stand in
time like I like when it's datedbecause that adds to the setting
and the plot. It's a It's a future historical
novel, like. Totally, totally, totally
embrace it. L Kennedy So we open up at Briar

(20:17):
University, which is a school inMassachusetts, and our main
character is Hannah and she is amusic major.
She's a great singer and a pianist and she plays the guitar
and she has this big crush on this football player, Justin
Cole, But of course it's one sided because she is too scared

(20:40):
to talk to him. Yes, like a good trauma girl.
She's like I have a cry. I have a quite a crush.
Like this was me. Like, I was like thinking about,
I was like, this was just so me in university, just like loving
yearning from afar. Hannah's a smarty pants.
She's doing really well in the class, even though the

(21:01):
instructor is new and people arefailing the midterm.
So Hannah notes in one of the classes when they get their
midterm grades back that the very cocky, very nonchalant,
very confident boy Garrett Graham, star of the hockey team,

(21:23):
is looking worried. And she asks him after class
what's wrong and he doesn't answer.
And when she goes to leave. This is so classic ROM com.
I cannot wait to see this depicted in the movie.
But she drops all her stuff and he looks at her paper and sees
that she got an A. And he's like, you need to tutor

(21:45):
me. If I don't pick up my grades,
I'm going to be kicked off the hockey team.
And this is important because he's the captain, so if he's
like the top guy, he needs to bethe hockey team.
Hockey is everything for him. It's everything because his dad
is an NHL or so. He has also a lot of pressure
from his family and like his scholarship and stuff like that

(22:07):
to play hockey. And I work at a university and
the amount of pressure, pressurethat varsity athletes have to
keep the grade point average that they need when they are
traveling to away games and at practice every day and stuff
like that is insane. It's truly, truly insane.
I used to tutor and D1, a coupleD1 schools in New York and in

(22:31):
the States. I, I that was like my psychic
from the job, like when I was instudent and grad student.
So I did it at Maryland and I did it at Syracuse.
They have like this beautiful athletic centers like these are
beautiful top of the line services and stuff.
But there was also like, you know, they needed people to
actually like teach the studentslike actually like what they

(22:51):
needed to the lessons they needed to do so they can
actually get their grades because they don't have time.
They really, which I understand these guys are in an Ivy League
school. They're how to get a Drew point.
They're going to practice and itseems like they have all the
time in the world. I know I was like you party a
lot and. This like these like time

(23:12):
management skills. They, they, they, they have a
lot of sex there. No, I know they're like playing
video games and stuff like that.They're doing a lot.
I know, I know. And they all live together, or a
few of them live with Garrett, which also I feel like would be
such a major distraction from your studies.

(23:34):
Garrett's really persistent to try and get Hannah to tutor him,
but she declines because she is really busy with her own studies
and she is working to sing a duet for the winter showcase.
Yes, cuz it's a scholarship and she actually needs some money.
So she also works. She also has a job, so she

(23:57):
actually has A and she doesn't have a car.
So she's like she's juggling it all and she's living in the dorm
room with her best friend Allie,who's an actor.
So they're all like the theater kids and stuff like that and.
It's so High School Musical, thetheater kids, and then the.
Sports guys. Yeah, the jocks, you know, and,

(24:17):
and the reason why Garrett took this class is because the
professor before they passed away was it's kind of like jocks
for rocks or something like that.
Like, I don't know if like like there's always like that very
easy class. You can just pass it like just.
And the class was philosophy andit was like pretty much like, I
believe in philosophy kind of deal.
And you'll get an A. And then they got a new

(24:38):
professor and was like, no, actually wants you to.
Learn. Something yeah, understand to
think critically, critical thinking, you know, and Gary's
like what what am I doing? You know, why does professor
died? I don't know if he died or
retired something, but yeah, that's the reason why he's in
this class. So, yeah, he's also like having

(24:59):
like a little bit of a pity party.
But I get it. If you thought it was going to
be a slam dunk and now you actually have to put like, pen
to paper, it's a lot to a lot tohandle.
And like you said, Hannah has a roommate, Ali, and she wants to
take her out to a party. But Hannah doesn't like parties
and she doesn't drink either, and that's because she was

(25:21):
sexually assaulted at a party. Someone slipped something in her
drink. So she has really clear
boundaries about partying and drinking.
Ali convinces her because Justinmight be there and they might
have a chance to have a little moment.
Yay. Which is really fun.

(25:42):
So she does end up going to the party.
She ends up dancing with a random guy.
So like we see that she's like, I think that they were trying to
show that she wasn't this like like she can hang, she can she
can go to a party, she can socialize, she can like flirt
and stuff like that. Because I do feel like I really
liked in the book, because I do feel like sometimes they do like

(26:04):
he's the jock and he like he parties.
It very like to all the boys I loved before with Peter and
Laura Jean and it's like Laura Jean can't even have like a
normal conversation with people.And so I did like in this book
that like they are showing that Hannah is is social and stuff
like that. She just is choosing to really,

(26:26):
you know, work study and had this really bad experience that
kind of doesn't allow her to do a lot of partying and stuff like
that. But she is still like a social
girl that can hang. She's also so girl, I think it's
I like I understood like she's also like she's headed to a
career just so like thankless, she's like a singer.
It's not as guarantee as like ifyou're going to finance or

(26:48):
you're going to be a lawyer, you're going to be like, you
know, So there's the expectationthat she actually has to work
really hard so she can breakthrough the industry.
Totally. And she says I will also say
this, that she says like, I knowit wasn't my fault, yeah, even
if I was drinking and stuff likethat.
But she just feels like this is like a protective method for her

(27:10):
to stay safe, which is so relatable.
Garrett approaches her at the party because he is out too.
And he is like, OK, I really like need you to tutor me.
And he realizes that Hannah's not paying attention to him
because she's looking for Justin.
And so he offered. She's like, OK, I'm just going
to go. She's going to take a cab.

(27:32):
He offers to drive her home. And then he's like, OK, like, I
can tell that you like Justin. And like, why do you like this?
Like, this guy? Like, he kind of has, like,
nothing going for him, but he's like, OK, I can actually use
this as leverage If I propose that she tutors me, I can
pretend to fake date her so she seems more desirable to Justin.

(27:54):
And the makeup exam is in a weekand there's a big party that I
know Justin will be at in a week.
So like it's go time like like 2000s ROM com the perfect the
perfect setup for romance to. Happen I will like have you ever
been have you ever been asked tobe in a fake date 'cause I feel

(28:15):
like I've never met someone who can do me in a fake dating
situation refer to convenience and what marriage convenience
is. I can expect it in America for
you for your health insurance. I've seen those but a fake like
a fake dating situation like. OK, I've covered.
I must have covered some other fake dating book on the pod

(28:35):
because I've definitely talked about this with another guest of
like this is straight up never happened.
Like. I've never met anyone but this
has happened. Also it does the jealousy thing
in this sense work? Like I actually, if I was being
strategic, I would actually justlike get to know what he likes

(28:59):
and then no, you guys. You know, Long Island, let's
think about Long Island. This is so my little sense of
living in there in this island, just doing all these different
things. It does work when there's
actually another guy. Like guys do feel their
territories, like why are you paying attention?
Like this is an example of I don't like this.
I don't like Austin, I like ace.I don't care about them.

(29:21):
But this whole background for when the woods Shelley was
happening and like how he had tolike lived out because she was a
couple. But somebody else said that part
jealousy. I see it in around men because,
you know, whatever they're mostly like permitted, you know,
not as complex to understand thenew ones.
They're simple. You know they're fake.
Dating, you know they're simple creatures.

(29:42):
So, so, so it is so that part I see it, but the fake dating I'm
like, I don't like, you know, you're going to catch feelings.
I know, but they don't think that.
They never think that because she thinks at this point she's
like, he's so cocky. He's he's not my type.
He's such a loser. But I was like, girl, the
writing's on the wall because ifyou like the football player,

(30:04):
why wouldn't you like the hockeyplayer?
Like it's like same, same. Like there's literally there's
no really difference in between these two guys.
But we get the first signs of jealousy when after a big hockey
game of Garrett's Logan, one of his roommates asks him about
Hannah. Like, oh, it like, are you guys
hooking up? Like, I see you guys hanging

(30:25):
out. She's your tutor.
Like, are you guys banging on the side?
And he's like, he gets jealous and he's like, she's off limits.
Like she's like he's like, well,not really, but like, yeah,
because it's kind of like it kind of like low key is like he
fell first. He did, he fell for she did not.
It was like he became obsessed with her.

(30:47):
He obviously the motivation was to test, but then he realized it
was like she's a cool chick. She's actually doesn't take shit
for us and all these different things.
And I think he fell for her first before she did for him.
I think he had to win her over. So he had to he had to do the
elaborate dates for her and he actually did a lot of work for
her. Actually, he.
Did it's very cute. So like the, the problems I have

(31:09):
with this book, which I'll talk in grapes and Grumbles, but like
I just when it's dual POV, a lotof the times I don't like the
guy's POV 'cause it's just like her perky ass, like, like her
tits look good in this low cut shirt.
And I just like, I fucking hate it.
But he's honestly so sweet. Like, he's so sweet that I just
looked, looked over all of that stuff like, yeah.

(31:30):
Yeah, so they, so they, they study, they she go he actually,
no, he actually goes to the restaurant where she works and
annoys her to get the stuff. So he's like, he's persistent.
He was like a dog with and he's like, I need this girl.
Like he had that vision of like,you're mine.
Which which makes sense for the type of guy he is with like

(31:51):
hockey and stuff like that, likeand, and just being cocky.
And he's probably not used to someone saying no to him.
So I think all of this tracks. They end up like having like
really easy chemistry and like really a good time hanging out.
So much so that after a study session at Garrett's house, they
end up watching TV together. Breaking Bad or Ted Lasso?

(32:14):
Who's to say? I would say Breaking Bad makes
more sense. They spend well, tell us
something more sense because theepisodes are shorter but
bringing back they watched the first season in the first night.
Yeah, which is like low key and Zane, but also Ted Lasso hadn't
come out in 2015. No, I did not.
I did not see till last until 2020. 20.

(32:35):
One, so Breaking Bad was like, like it was either going to be
Sex and the City, Mad Men or Breaking Bad.
Those are the shows we were going to be watching at that
time. He's not going to watch the
city. So it's either Mad Men or
Breaking Bad. And unless she picked Breaking
Bad because it's just much more interesting with crystal meth,
you know? Totally, totally.
And he is, like, surprised that he is having so much fun with

(32:58):
her. And it's really late.
And Garrett's had two beers. And he's like, no, I'm fine.
Like, I had them quite a while ago.
I can still drive you home. But she's like, no, this is
like, a rule I have. And so she decides to crash at
his place. And of course, he would never
let her sleep on the couch because he has rowdy roommates.

(33:21):
And I hated this part, too, because he was like, yeah, what
about if one comes home and, like, gropes you?
And it's like A, that's crazy tosay and B, I'm like, why would
you be friends with guys that see a random girl passed out on
your couch and gropes them like Garrett?
But. Then I can't think about his
roommates. We got Dean who's sex and every

(33:41):
surface except his back. The kid clearly that's all he
does was like have naked ladies and it's like just on top of
each other. You know, he's an employer like,
you know, like pretty much. Then we got Logan, who he
suspects, look, he suspects thatlikes Hannah, like he has a
crush on Hannah. So he's going to maybe try his

(34:02):
thing. And obviously these are college
kids who have no for a full frontal lobe form.
So they're probably very impulsive.
They're just like they. No, don't give them a pass.
But I'm just like waiting. Like you're explaining the
contact. What he's what he's meant to be

(34:24):
like, you know, I don't know. And then what's his name?
I don't know, like the the otherone, the Tucker.
I I, I this this book. I was so mad about it.
But Tucker is like, you know, the mom and stuff like that.
So I I wouldn't see Tucker, but I think he just felt threatened
by these other two guys. That's his friends.

(34:44):
That's are the friends that theymight bring in because they're
friends with other other hockey players.
And I know Dean was friends withboth from the football team.
And so we got all these different things together, so.
That is true. So he's like, of course you have
to sleep in my bed with me and. It's just one.
Bed, it's just one bed and they end up sleeping together.

(35:05):
And then of course Garrett wakesup and he's like, I've never had
like a better sleep. Like I'm so warm and soft and
cuddly and stuff like that because they are cuddling.
And then of course he has a boner.
And this is so funny because again, OK, like I hate that this
is my type because it's actuallyso embarrassing.

(35:25):
Like it's actually so fucking humiliating to like guys that
are like this. But like when he was like, oh,
it's just like my half job. And then she's like EW, like and
he's just like, what? I'm like a guy and I'm sorry,
but like, like I'm like squealing like I'm, I'm kicking
my feet like a fucking loser. Like I hate this about myself,

(35:49):
but I just like, I love it. I love it.
I love it. I love.
It it is I just again, we don't yuck on other people's young we
do not like just embrace erratically accepted as.
Like he, like he's such a himbo.Like I like it so much.
You know what? It is it.
He's like a golden retriever himthough, like he's not he's
that's my. Type and a hockey player, Yes.

(36:13):
Oh my God, I'm Canadian. It's in my DNA, yes.
Yes, I am per weekend, so it's not my DNA.
Justin approaches Hannah in class and she's like, hey, like
I saw you at the party. I liked talking to you, but I
heard that you left with Garrettand like, so I'm like, OK, I

(36:34):
guess this is actually working. He seems interested in her, but
Garrett obviously interrupts theconversation and she's like,
what are you doing? Like this is my chance.
And he's like, you got to play it cool till the party.
Like you can't blow your load onthe first conversation.
You have to reel them in. And honestly, not bad advice.

(36:59):
No, that's why I don't date because I don't have the
patience. No literally This is why I suck
at dating because I just, I wouldn't think of this stuff.
I just show up authentically andthat just doesn't work like I
was. Like do I need to like play the
game like hey, the hey, the player, like the game, like I

(37:20):
don't care about the game enough.
Like I I don't give a again, I don't give a fuck what you think
like it just maybe this is so some in the 40s.
I don't give a fuck like. I do think no, that's fine.
I do think as you get older, youstop like this is very
strategically dating is very like first year university.

(37:42):
Yeah, yeah. And we can see that now that
we're not doing that. But like maybe I should take
notes work for that? Like maybe you should go back.
We're like, maybe this isn't work, but I don't know.
I just like if it if it happens,great.
If it doesn't happen again, I don't care enough to to adapt
myself to what you think you want me to hear.

(38:04):
Like I think it's so exhausting like just to pretend just to
reel yourself in for someone that may or may not care or
value it. And because guess what?
He might ghost you. He might just ignore you.
He might just like dump you on attacks like it doesn't really
matter. And then like basic respond
because these men don't have basic like level respond.

(38:26):
And what I always think is like,if you're playing it so cool
before this party to reel him inagain, like not not bad advice
because I think guys are dumb and like they need they need
that like chase, I guess. I don't know.
I feel like I'm very, very stereotyping men in this
episode. But like, I always think if you

(38:48):
play it cool and then all of a sudden you get the guy and then
you are your normal self and that's maybe a little bit not
cool, yes, he's going to realizethat.
Like, I don't know, like it's not like you like hoodwinked him
forever. Like if you go back to your
normal self, he's going to maybenot like that, I don't know.

(39:10):
I think it's just interesting because like, I watch Love
Island. I'm like, I'm not obsessed, but
it's like it's been ongoing. But like this season is a good
example of like, you know, the different levels of like
relationship stuff like the intensity of people and how men
interact with those. And the men are trash.
Like men this season are trash, most of them.
But the way they interact with her and like, OK, Molly is too

(39:32):
intense for me. She calls me babe.
And it's like this whole thing and I was like, she's just
that's how she expresses herselfor the other one's like, you
know, is like too aloof. She doesn't want to do physical
contact, but I need to have physical contact.
I'm like, it's exhausting to hear to hear the men like go
with nauseam of like what they like.

(39:52):
It's it's damn if you do, damn if you don't, it doesn't really
matter. So you disappoint.
You just might as well just likelive your truth, have your
girlfriends have your safe spacewhere you can just be yourself
and just enjoy your time and. Just have them as they say in
sex and the city the big have your have them as like extra
stuff because your friends are your soul mates like you know.

(40:13):
Could not, could not agree more.Because they'll just.
They'll never get it. They'll just.
They'll never. Get it.
They'll just never get it. Yeah, so.
So one night Hannah goes to Garrett's house to study because
they had a study session planned.
And Dean's like, oh, don't go upstairs because she usually
just like, lets herself up and she's like, hey, like, whatever.

(40:35):
She goes up there. He's hooking up with another
girl and he, they're like, she'sfull on naked.
But they're, they haven't, they're not like, it's not like
penetration. And he runs after her because
she screams and runs away. And he's like, I'm so sorry.

(40:56):
And she's like, yeah, like you, you knew that I was coming over
at 7, like all this stuff. But while he is apologizing
she's like Oh my God He's like hot without his shirt on.
She's getting jealousy. This is this is her first sign
of jealousy. She's to be out with somebody

(41:19):
else. He's not waiting for me.
That's so real. So they reschedule for another
night and this again just shows because Garrett, I feel like
obviously he if he didn't care about Hannah, he would just be
like, I'll call you later, like I'll text you later.
I'm like whatever but he like. Is not Yeah he like fully?
Rips this girl off his body and it's like.

(41:41):
Like scrap. Yeah, he literally was like, no,
we're done, we're done. We're or because Garrett also is
a guy who doesn't have relationships because they all
don't do relationships if you know, so he doesn't he's just
one and done or keeps him around.
So they got, they catch feelingsand then they're just like.
So annoying. He's so gross.

(42:01):
The next they end up getting together to do the tutoring
session and you know all is right in their world.
He makes some comments about like her looking good and
touches her hair and like her face a little bit.
And she like is clamming up. And he's like, OK, well the
party is coming up. If I touch you, like if we are

(42:24):
supposed to be together or hooking up or whatever and I
touch you and you freak out, this is again, very Peter and
Laura Jean. Like you need to have me as your
background on your phone becauseit's going to look suss if I
touch you and you are like beingweird.
And so he's like, we need to practice.

(42:46):
I think we should kiss. And she's like, I like, I don't
want to do this. And then but then she like,
concedes and then when they go in for a kiss, he like, looks
nervous, but he also looks turned on.
And she's like, hey, just wait. Is he like, taking this
seriously? So she's getting confused,

(43:09):
obviously, about what is going on here.
He got mixed spies. He was with some other girl
tonight before. Right now he's with this and he
might look confused, like, what does this mean for her?
But this is the this is truly one of the craziest things that
happens. And this is so embarrassing.
I'm like, I'm like, just fuckingchill, girl.

(43:31):
Chill. Because Dean interrupts them
making out. They like the kiss isn't chased.
Like they start making out and then instead of just being like,
Oh my God, we got carried away, like close proximity.
Ha ha. I should go.
She's like, Garrett is helping me brush up on my make out

(43:54):
skills and then Dean's like K and then he's like, well, I
could help you or whatever. And then she's like, OK, well,
now I have to like go along withthis lie.
So she kisses Dean, but she also, I will say so that's
embarrassing as fuck because I'mlike, you could have just played
this off like, Oh my God, what are we doing?

(44:15):
And leave the room. She kisses him and she's like,
okay, but it's not like as good as it is kissing Garrett.
So she also is kind of like Oh my God I'm getting confused.
Yes, because you know when the right romantic partner in a
book, everything's the most bestever.
Of course, of course. It's like, you know, and there's

(44:37):
nothing compares to that, just like the other girl didn't
compare to Hannah in many ways. And that's why he just run
after, you know, run after Hannah.
So the feelings are are happening.
They're cooking it up. It's really cute.
So we get to the party and she'slike lying to people because

(44:57):
again, it's just, I guess peopleare just confused by their
relationship, friendship, whatever.
So she lies to Allie and just said she lost a bet.
So she has to go to this party with him.
And of course, this has to happen again.
I cannot wait for the scene in the movie.
But she's wearing like a sweater.

(45:18):
And he's like, you can't wear that.
Like, you have to wear somethingsexier and stuff like that.
And then they get to the party and Garrett's like, hey, like,
you never drink. Like, what's up with that?
Like, you like, this is like the, you know, fifth time that
we've come across alcohol and you've declined every time.
So like, what's up? And she's just like, well, I'm

(45:39):
like, worried, what about if someone slipped something in my
cup? And he's like, has that, like,
happened to you before? And she was, she's like just
kind of vaguely. It's like, yeah.
And then he's like, you know, I would never like let that happen
to you, right? And so this is like really cute
because it really shows the protective caring.

(46:00):
Side of Garrett, yeah, I love the scene.
I love the fact that he's like, you know, I'm different from the
other guys, you know, and it shows.
That's a space. But also like, give her like the
little care that Garrett actually takes care of her when
he doesn't need to. It speaks volumes for him
because there are other scenes where he does take more care.

(46:23):
I know he's so cute. Like he's so fucking cute.
Kendall, which is one of Garrett's ex flings, kind of
like confronts him at the party and then Hannah intervenes.
But then Hannah gets to talk to Justin for a little bit and then
Garrett gets jealous. So it's just this kind of like
back and forth with them and their jealousy.

(46:44):
But Garrett writes the midterm and Justin asks Hannah out on a
date. So she's like, hey, this is
like, this is working. I like he wrote the midterm and
I've got a date with Justin on Sunday.
But they're like hanging out outside of their tutoring
because it's like the midterm's done, babe.

(47:05):
Technically you could stop hanging out, but Garrett invites
her out to a bar and she's really noticing like this is
really cute too, because she's like, and he's the captain.
She's like, oh, people like wantto talk to me and like know,
know who I am and stuff like that.
And I think she likes the feeling of, I don't know, just
the, the security of that. Yeah, I think it just helped her

(47:28):
kind of like come at herself andlike get to know a new different
group of friends because she wasstruggling with her singer
songwriting group, the people that she was hanging out with
during the day. And it's kind of like nice.
When you're in college, you willlike have different group
friends, like whether friends orwhether it's actually like
friends in like a sports or other areas, clubs and
everything. Like it gets you kind of like a

(47:49):
different friend group, so. Yeah, and we we find out he aces
the exam. He.
Does she did a good job? She did a good job.
He stepped up his game. There's actually a question that
he he gets asked. It's like, would you something
about the Nazis? And it, it was really telling.
I was like, oh, these are these guys are not going to be MAGA.

(48:12):
The way he answered the Nazi question, I was like, we're safe
here. We're safe.
That's are allowed here. That's so true.
That's so true. There's a Nazi question, Yeah.
And it was like, you forgive. There's like, fuck that.
And I was like in 2025, that's agreat sign.

(48:32):
That's a really good sign. The bar is in hell and that is a
great sign. Yes, that is so funny.
Yeah. So 10 years later actually.
It may, yeah. It's still relevant, yes.
They paused the background checkif you know.
So he's like, hey, we gotta celebrate.

(48:52):
So they're at this bar and she gets drunk.
She does karaoke, they dance. But at the song that they danced
to, he gets a little bit sad. So he takes a moment and leaves
for a few minutes. And at the same time, Hannah
bumps into her ex. By the time Garrett has come
back, Hannah's gone way more drunk.

(49:14):
So he's like, hey, like, let's go back to my place.
And he puts her to bed in his bed.
But the party that they're having like an afters at his
house. And so he gets drunk and then he
stumbles into bed and they startto hook up, but they like pass
out. And like, I put this in my

(49:35):
grapes and grumbles too, is like, I don't really like the
way that Elle Kennedy writes hislike, train of thought here
because it's like he's basicallylike, I want to hook up with
her, but I know that we're both really drunk, so we shouldn't.
But the only thing that's reallystopping him is like his whiskey
Dick. And so like so I just like, I
wish he was a little more gentlemanly and more like

(49:57):
consensual ish here. But they do stop and then they
just fall asleep, which is really nice.
Yeah, yeah. It just feels a little bit too
based on her trauma stuff. It just, it was too, it's too,
too close to comfort. It's too close to comfort.
But I will say it's probably unfortunately authentic because

(50:20):
if he didn't have thoughts like this, it probably this book
easily becomes a fairy tale. I feel like yes.
Yes. And I think that's where we are.
You know, but the next morning she's like, no, what?
I've made-up my mind. I wanna have sex with you.
And she's like, I feel really, she doesn't say this per SE, but
she's like, I feel really safe with you.

(50:41):
Since the incident, I haven't been able, like, I have dated,
but I haven't been able to orgasm with the people I've
dated. And she just feels like this
could happen for her with Garrett, which is like, so
fucking cute. And she goes into a little bit
more detail about what happened to her.

(51:03):
And so he's like, OK, tonight isthe night.
Like, we'll have sex. And so this is like my favorite
scene because it isn't so sexualand it's like a hot scene, but
it is so tender and precious andcute that it just, it gets me
every single time I read it. But she they start hooking up

(51:26):
and like kind of trying to have sex, but he can tell that she's
really stressed out and it's notgoing to work for her.
And we know women cannot orgasm at all.
If you are like stressed, distracted.
It just like I read it in a book.
There's a, there's that book that's really popular, like is

(51:46):
it she comes first or something like that.
But it's about women's orgasms or people with vaginas having
orgasms. And it just really talks about
how if there are, it's like, I, I can't remember the analogy
that they use, but it's something that it's like, I
don't know, it's basically like you're driving along.
And if there are things like stress, it's a speed bump and

(52:10):
eventually it will just halt. But he talks her through it all
and they pause for a second and then he's like, OK, maybe
jumping to sex is too big of a hurdle.
Why don't you make yourself cum and masturbate in front of me

(52:32):
and like, we'll let's take it from there, Which I also I'm
always like, that's like way more intimate than.
Having sex and like, oh, I had to show, yeah, I like, open up
myself. Like, hello.
Like what is going? It's a very intimate act with
someone that you may trust. Like she had to trust him enough

(52:52):
to be like actually open herselfup for somebody else to watch
and then for her to actually notjust to watch, but to let go of
like herself, like let go of theof the mindset because it's so
anxious to be in that place. It's so relatable.
It's so fucking relatable, actually.

(53:12):
Like I kind of feel like I need help right now.
Like I just feel like. And I also just think like this
comes and goes. Yeah, yeah.
I just really feel like this comes and goes.
Like I, I've, I've felt like this at certain points of my
life. It's so funny, you know, when
you're just like, or again, maybe this is just me, you're

(53:33):
just like, am I ever going to have sex again?
Am I ever going to have that question?
Am I going to have this space? Am I going to want it?
And it's not, you know, I come from trauma.
I come from actually like CSA and all these different things.
And it's not a fun thing to talkabout and not to think about it
and not to accept it. But I it's imprinted and the

(53:55):
way, you know, I trust other people and like the like your
nerve pathways are like so messed up.
So you kind of have to retrain them and how for a long time I
didn't think love existence. I was like, no, no, my, I had to
do therapy. I did EMDR and it created new
pathways and I was like, Oh no, no, how unconditional love.

(54:16):
Like I actually do have this in this world, even without a
partner, because we've been taught to believe that a partner
is going to be the only unconditional love, but your
friends are loving your, your community can be in the space.
You can have it from all the other aspects of it.
And so it's like essentially training your brain to be like,
no, I can trust this person or Ican trust that I can actually

(54:38):
let go because an orgasm is essentially total act of
surrender. And it's a fighter, fighter
freeze. And it's like, what are we going
to do? Aren't just mine doesn't want to
surrender because we don't know what they're known.
It's going to look like absolutely they do it.
And I think that's, it's just that place of like mindful
acceptance of like, this is where I can, I feel trust you to

(55:01):
do this to this space. And he did so much care.
He went to someone and asked about like how to approach the
situation and the way she actually was like, we're gonna
have sex. He's like, no, no, we're gonna
watch Breaking Bad. And then I'm gonna foreplay to
do this. And then he's like, OK, this is
too much. I'm gonna do, I'm gonna break it
down to him and stuff further, which explains like he's very

(55:24):
mature in that area for his age.100% and so thoughtful and so
cute about it. And for him, it was a really
rewarding experience. It's too because I think that
when he talked about his sexual history, it's mostly, yeah,
these one night stands. And he was like, this was like,
so sensual and, like, rewarding.It's so rewarding when you can

(55:45):
get your partner off and stuff like that.
And like, he masturbated in front of her.
So it was like this, this equal power, like this just very
intimate moment like it. It had the intimacy that
sometimes casual sex just doesn't give you the emotional
intimacy. And I love it.
It was so good. It's it's one, it's crazy

(56:07):
because this book, to be honest,this book, like I really like
this book, but like if I had to list my top like 50 books I've
ever read, I don't even think itcracks my 50, but for some
reason this sex scene, it really, really, really does it
for me, I think. It's, it's just, it's the level
of care that aches and it's like, it's obviously a fairy

(56:29):
tale in some ways because it's like, like I'm like I'm the
first try. Yeah, no, you know, you're
right, you're right, you're right.
Because if this is real life, they do that.
She still doesn't come. And then they try like 6 other
times. Yeah, yeah, You know, so that's
why her ex-boyfriend broke off with her, because she couldn't

(56:50):
get orgasm. And maybe she doesn't want to
fake it, you know, like. She's a better woman than I am,
let me tell you that. They have sex again.
It's the. Best sex?
Ever. It's the best sex that they've
ever have. AB and it's Halloween and they
both bail on their plans and they hang out together, which is

(57:12):
very cute. And she again opens up more
about what happened to her with the sexual assault.
She's going to his hockey games.And at one of them, his dad is
there. And we don't actually know much
about his family, but we learn that his father was abusive
growing up and he blames him. Garrett blames Phil for the for

(57:39):
his mother's death because she died of lung cancer.
But he was like physically abusive to her.
And so he really harbors negative feelings, obviously
towards her. His dad, his dad is the NHL
player. A lot of pressure, a lot of, I
think the guys look up to him. So he, like, doesn't share that

(58:02):
the dad's a bad guy to his friends.
Garrett's dad is like, I have a new girlfriend and I want you to
come home and spend Thanksgivingwith us.
And earlier in the book, Hannah's mom had told Hannah
that they're having money troubles and she can't afford to

(58:23):
fly her out. So they decide to go to
Thanksgiving at Garrett's house together.
But we get a little bit of like I actually love this because
again, it subverted the like they they do end up having a
third act breakup. But like, I feel like this kind

(58:44):
of subverted the form, the formula because Garrett's
roommate actually ends up like they here in the through the
Grapevine that Hannah has her date with Justin's Dale.
And so they tell Garrett. And so Garrett approaches her
and they get into a fight and islike, you're still going out,

(59:04):
like what's happening? Because we're having like, we're
doing the thing and you you still harbor feelings for this
guy. And she's like, oh, no, like I
cancelled that. Like, like, let's give this a
go. So they like make it official,
which I thought was really cute.Like, I like that there wasn't
so many obstacles for them to face before they, like, actually

(59:26):
just got together officially. Yeah.
They're. Closed off.
They're closed off, They're closed off.
No one's turning their heads. No, it's turning their heads
like close off. Are you close off SO?
Funny. And if that.
Is the new. Language.
And if people don't watch Love Island, that is a Love Island
reference. It's a Love Island reference.
Love Island isn't great for dating.

(59:48):
It's not, you know, if people don't get married like, you
know, we, they do get married afterwards.
But it's the whole point. It's not marriage is, you know,
it's they're open. They're open for new religion,
new people coming in and dating around.
It's a dating show. That's really what comes down to
it totally. So post OP means that they're
they might be exclusive. They're just like they're not

(01:00:08):
open for new people coming in. Exactly.
So Garrett and Hannah are closedoff and they go to Thanksgiving.
They win the prize. Yeah, they'll they'll win the
100K at the end, truly. They go to Thanksgiving.
Garrett meets his father's new girlfriend and realizes over the

(01:00:28):
course of the dinner, like through how she talks about like
his strict schedule and like making dinner perfect.
And Garrett like, moves at one point and she like kind of
flinches. So he realizes that his dad is
abusing his girlfriend like his mom.

(01:00:50):
And so Garrett obviously confronts his dad and leaves the
house. He's so upset.
And Hannah's there really to console him.
But Phil at this point, like she, he's actively, he ends up
like trying to blackmail her, but like he's like actively
trying to dissuade Hannah from dating Garrett, which what what

(01:01:13):
is his issue with Hannah? Because it's like, why does he
even care? It's a distraction.
Because he won. Yeah.
Yeah, Garrett to. Be the next the number one draft
for the NHL. So he needs to have the stats
and I don't know, I think, oh, there was a fight.
That was a reason there was something that happened that he
got suspended. And then Phil was like, she's
taking away his number one draft, you know, oh.

(01:01:35):
Yes, yes, you're right. Because at one of the games,
thank you. At one of the games, one of the
guys that testified against Hannah shows up at the game,
Garrett gets into a fight with him, he gets suspended.
So this is like his worst fears because he was trying to avoid
suspension with his midterm, like getting his midterm marks

(01:01:57):
up. But he's doing it for Hannah, so
he's doing it for love. He's doing it for love.
So they end up leaving Thanksgiving.
They have sex in his Jeep. He was like, but he was like,
I've had sex with girls in my car before, but this time I'm
like making love in my car. It's.

(01:02:18):
So cringe. It's so cringe.
And first of all, the gym doesn't sound like that
comfortable to. Sex Hey car sex.
I am a car sex biggest OP. I've only had car sex.
I'm really laying it all out there.
And it's all good. We're all just like I told them.
I almost joined a call like. I I've only had car sex twice.

(01:02:45):
Both times I hated it. I just want to put it out there.
It's not comfortable. It's not comfortable.
One time I was in a minivan and you think because of the space
that you think that that would be better.
It isn't no. And then the other time was just
straight up in a in the back seat of a car and like truly,
you can really only, which isn'tthe worst thing, but I really

(01:03:05):
feel like you can only be on top.
Like I feel like that's the onlydecision.
It doesn't. It doesn't sound comfortable at
all. Again, in the 40s we care about
company and blacks hurt like ourlike our bones hurt like no.
Totally, totally. And like, also, I feel like

(01:03:26):
people get a thrill and like, I get that you could get a thrill
from like, someone seeing you orsomething like that.
But I'm like, it's not. It doesn't feel sexy like that.
Like, it just really doesn't. It's cringe.
It's really grungy. It's really grungy.
OK, so double s down on his dissuading Hannah from dating

(01:03:50):
Garrett. He goes to her workplace and
he's like, I'll cut off all of Garrett's funds and pretend like
ruin his college life and his potential hockey crew if you
don't break up with him. So obviously she's like, OK, I
feel like I have no choice but to break up with him.

(01:04:10):
So she does. And she's like, I want to date
other people. And he's like, I don't believe
you. But like, obviously, like, I'm
really upset about this. Yes.
And then they're both heartbroken and it's Christmas
break. She calls him and I'm like, oh
girl, you're not. You're not taking this seriously

(01:04:34):
at all. Like you're just like.
I just thrashed you but I can't help you 'cause I don't want you
to be a number one and it's so crap.
It's so funny, it's so relatable.
It's like, it's so like I have to sacrifice myself for your
future. It's.
So funny. It's so like movie, romance,

(01:04:58):
movie, and they get back from Christmas break and Hannah kind
of notices that all these, all the guys that she usually talks
to are like avoiding her. Yes, even how these were
friends. Yeah, boyfriend Sean is avoiding
her and it's like that is so funny.

(01:05:20):
So she's like, hey, obviously Garrett like told them to like
back off, even though Kay like these are one of these things
that like in the book, I thoughtthis was cute, but in real life
I'd be like, I'd be like, you are a fucking like
overprotective freak if someone did this to me.
It's a red flag. It's a huge red flag.

(01:05:42):
But in the book, like I acceptedas like, oh, it's just totally
fine. You know, it's like how many
like especially dark worlds, like there's so many dark, like
so many like red flags. I love mafia Romanson.
Me too, that's like my favorite sub genre.
Half to the capture. I love Orange Birch.
I love like obsessive, really great.

(01:06:04):
Like I love that he murders on the side and he comes.
It's like the biggest red flag that you can imagine.
And yet I'm like, I am here for it.
Totally. And like it just works in a bug
even though it would never. Work fairy tale.
This is my fairy tale. I just want it to be as dark as
possible. I get it.

(01:06:24):
I fucking get it. But this whole debacle ends up
like Hannah confronts him and islike, you're being a Dick.
I think she goes to the bathroom, she goes to the
shower. It wasn't in the hockey showers
that she goes to, like in the hockey locker room and they're
all naked. Yeah, is okay.
A Cinderella story. That's day-to-day, so gosh.

(01:06:47):
But OK, I trust. You when Hillary Dove Sam
Montgomery approaches Austin Ames, Chad Michael Murray in the
locker room and everyone's like like whistling and she calls him
out and then everyone is like gobsmacked.
But they have, yes, an open discussion about like, I don't

(01:07:10):
appreciate you being so overprotective, but I, I do see
it's because you care about me. And then she reveals that why he
why she broke up with him was because his dad threatened her.
And he's like, I've spoken to mygrandparents, they'll provide me

(01:07:31):
the trust fund. Yes, because he's a Nepal trust
fund baby and the trust fund wasgoing to happen.
I think his birthday is the 31st.
So he was January 1st of that year he was going to get the
trust fund money. So he was like, I'm already sad
because his dad says he cannot, he did not get financially, he
cannot get anything. But she she didn't know that he

(01:07:52):
was going to get the trust fund like a windfall the next day and
it was all going to be OK. It was all going to be OK and
justice. The cherry on top is that they
make up and Garrett goes to leadthe hockey team to a victory.
In Frozen 4, like I do not know that the that's how they call it

(01:08:13):
because I, I follow basketball since Final four, but in hockey
it's Frozen 4. It's the top four teams that
practice that, that compete for the championship.
But he takes them all the way home.
He they win. Worse, of course.
Of course. Every every college hockey book
always wins in Frozen 4, of course you know.
OK. And yeah, that's it for the deal

(01:08:35):
that is such. It's such a fun It's our first
hockey romance that we've covered on ready to be romance.
But know what I fucking love? I love you know this about me.
I love a hockey romance. I love a college romance like
this. Just hits all my boxes.
Yes, I feel like I did recommendthis book to you like years ago.

(01:08:57):
I might have. I have to look back at the
episode. I'll release the episode, the
original episode. Really, I may really said so
people can listen to it, but I feel like I did recommend this
book because it was like it's such a like for me, it's it's a
comfort read. It's a it's one of the first
first hockey Romans that I read and I found it to be so
enjoyable and so comforting. The way it is.

(01:09:19):
It is cringe. It is definitely red flags
galore, but it it just worked. It just worked so well.
OK, let's wrap up with our roundtable discussion.
So our Internet investigation, this is our cursory proves of
the Internet of Things you need to know.
Not too much on the book other than it had a little book talk

(01:09:40):
moment and it most of it is talking about the upcoming
movie, which we can talk about in our sequel Scoop.
I wonder why these are unanswered questions for the
listeners. I don't know because I don't
think I've read on. I think I've I might have read
the mistake, but I don't think Ihave what ends up.

(01:10:00):
I want to know so bad what ends up happening with the dad.
That doesn't doesn't matter that.
Doesn't matter, that just fades.That just fades away.
OK, well I'm gonna read on. Honestly, this has re sparked my
love for this book. Excited.
OK, our gripes and grumbles. These are nitpicky palms we have
with the book. I feel like we've talked a lot

(01:10:21):
about this, but like, yeah, I didn't like the scene where he
was like scared that he was gonna do something inappropriate
just 'cause I, I like, I don't know, maybe it's just the way we
are, but I'm like, I just, I've never had thoughts like that,
that I'm like worried about myself doing something.
But I guess again, if you have those thoughts but you're not

(01:10:42):
acting on them, you're doing theright thing.
Yeah, I think that's like comingup for like he also has this
fear, like he's gonna be like his dad, who, yes, maybe he has
a fear he wants to like, he's gonna be like his dad and.
That's why he was so upset afterhe beat that guy up, because he
was like, Oh my God, I do have this anger inside of me.

(01:11:03):
Yeah, so so you know, so we still motivation, but it's so
cringe. It's so cringe and the language
that he uses, again, it's like, I'm just like, do guys actually
think like that? Like the dual POV, Whenever I
read them, I'm like, do guys actually think like that?
But it's like but then. Again, did you watch book talk
or TikTok like the the men's side TikTok?

(01:11:25):
Yeah, they do. They really do.
Like, I hate to say this, it's like, yes, that's that's I think
we I think we hope in our Romansnovels that our men are actual
and self actualized and then have gone to therapy.
But how many men have gotten themselves one of these and not
going to the couch and talking to a therapist and chalk what

(01:11:49):
they're feelings? So, you know, and it is true,
they get their microphone, they get it, they they think they're
they're the shit and they have apodcast process their shit.
So yes, it's, it's expected, youknow.
It's so bad, just like some of the things that he was saying,
like it's just so crunchy. No, I think it's just like we

(01:12:09):
just, we hope. We hope for better.
But we got. We got, we got this.
We got this, yes. We got a team, a version of
like, you know, a Gucci bag. Exactly, exactly.
OK, our side character spotlight.
This is our nomination for an unforgettable supporting
character who deserves their due.
Because sometimes the best characters aren't the main

(01:12:31):
event. Honestly, I know you were kind
of talking shit on him earlier, but like, I'm ready for Dean's
book. I know Dean Dean actually has a
really fun story. It's it's definitely
heartbreaking. I just thought it's it's not He
does go to a dirty, but he's fun.
He's a fun player. I personally love Logan Story
better so because there's a lot of grobbling that happens and I

(01:12:55):
love a good grobbling. And me too.
That's just a good grobbling happening.
So I really like Logan's story, but I think Dean is the one that
is he's the fan favorite, like the fact that he's had sleeps
with anyone, anyone. He's good looking and he's just
like, you know, he's the life ofthe party.
He's also like the friends for everyone.
He's friends from Beau, who's inthe football team.

(01:13:15):
He's friends with other people. He's not just separated to like
I'm a hockey player. He's like life of the party.
So he's he's going to be the fanof February and then his story
is like, it's just a fun story. It's so funny what happens to
him. So it's just, yeah, like there's
a fun bathroom. There's a fun bathroom scene
that happens. To him OK, yes love OK, well

(01:13:38):
I'll let you know when I check it out OK finally our sequel
scoop. This is the 10 any upcoming
sequel seasons and the general reception the series continues
on for 5 bucks it's the off campus series and then we have
the briar you and then the campus Diaries spin offs.
But this is the most exciting thing.
I think I said movie earlier in the.

(01:14:01):
I think it's a series. Right, Yeah, I think I said
movie earlier in the episode, but it is a TV show coming to
Amazon Prime who are just killing it in the YA slash
romance genre with Maxton Hall in the summer.
I turned pretty and like a million other things, but what's
really exciting and we've talkedabout this is that they filmed

(01:14:22):
it in Vancouver and if people don't know, I live on Vancouver
Island. So I have been so thrilled that
I'll get to see, you know, background actors that are from
the area and like landmarks and stuff like that.
So season one will cover the deal.

(01:14:43):
So I'm assuming they'll do the deal than the mistake, etcetera,
etcetera. And Louisa Levy is the
showrunner slash producer and wehave the cast.
Ella Bright is playing Hannah Belmont, Camelli is playing
Garrett, Micah Abdallah is playing Ali, Antoine Tipriano is

(01:15:05):
Logan, Jalen Thomas Brooks is Tucker, Josh Houston is Justin
and Stephen Kalin is Dean Or Steven.
Steven Kalin is Dean, which is so interesting when you are
casting for a show like this because you have to make a
really good cast because it's like, for example, Logan and

(01:15:27):
Tucker and Dean are eventually going to be the main characters,
so you have to stack your supporting cast, not just your.
Yeah, 2 leads. Yeah, I'm actually excited for
this, I guess someone who is, you know, worried about
adaptation, but they've been doing such a great job with
adaptations and like it's actually like kind of like fun
to see your scenes, like the things you can imagine and be

(01:15:48):
like, Oh my gosh, they're like 2.
I feel like the the person who the character who the cast over
Hannah meets the Hannah's description.
Like it was like, oh, this is how I envision Hannah.
Like it makes perfect sense for her to play Hannah and.
Belmont Camelli. People might know Ella Bright
from the crown. Belmont Camelli was in the Save
by the Belle reboot. So cute.

(01:16:11):
And know what? It's funny exactly how I
pictured Barrett. And I like that.
I like that Dean has like a, it's not too blonde guy because
I don't like blonde men. And I'm like, oh, it's just
like, it's a, it's a subtle blonde.
It's subtle. In my head, Dean has dark hair

(01:16:32):
like it does not have blonde hair.
All my all my leads. If it's blonde I just
immediately switch that to brunette.
Yeah, so we just, we just do color painting.
I like let's just Photoshop the same.
Seriously. So yeah, I'm really, really
excited for this because you're right, the adaptations have been
so good. I feel like actually the boom in

(01:16:52):
romance novels and book talk haslegitimized.
Like, I think people are like, oh, we actually have to take
this seriously. Whereas I feel like back in the
day, like you said, it was embarrassing to read romance
even though we were all doing it.
It was just hidden. And now that people are like,
oh, money is here and millions of people like this, maybe we

(01:17:15):
will make something that people will actually want to watch.
OK. And then I'm going to read the
tagline and then we can really wrap up or like the excerpt.
The synopsis, a college set romantic drama based on the best
selling book series Off campus, follows the unlikely romance
between a Rye hockey hating music major and Briar
University's Playboy Star Center.

(01:17:38):
The series depicts the elite icehockey team.
So funny when they say ice hockey because you just would
never say that in Canada. And the women in their lives as
they grapple with love, heartbreak and self discovery,
forging forging deep friendshipsand enduring bonds while
navigating the complexities thatcome with transitioning into

(01:17:58):
adulthood. I think the other thing that I'm
really interested in in this is I can't remember when I was
thinking this it it wasn't Tell me lies because that's just a
stand alone book, but it was wasit Gossip Girl?
It was another book series that turned into ATV show that when

(01:18:18):
they try to focus, maybe it was the summer I turn pretty, I
don't know, whatever. Regardless, sometimes it's hard
if they try to focus on one bookand then but then it's like, but
they have to build up the supporting characters because
they are going, oh, Bridgeton, it was definitely I was.
Gonna say Bridgeton because Bridgeton is summer turn pretty.
It's like the same. The books are the trilogy's.

(01:18:40):
It's the same storyline, but Bridgeton have to have this.
Each book is based on the siblings, so they have to say,
billing stories a little bit earlier.
Like we need to know about Penelope earlier than you
probably would have in the books, and you needed to know
about Francesca's first marriagebefore we get to go to the next
her book and stuff like that. So the stories start together.

(01:19:03):
Exactly. And sometimes they do that well
and sometimes I don't think thatthey do that well.
So I'm very intrigued about how they're going to do this because
you don't want to get too much into their story because that
needs to be the the crux of the next season.
But then you don't want to shaftthem because then we have no buy
in for their story. So I'm very curious to see how

(01:19:28):
this goes because sometimes theyfill it in.
Like with Benedict, I felt like like his throuple relationship
and stuff like that felt like they were just adding that in
because they needed to somethingfor him to do while we were
waiting for his season. And so I like I feel like
sometimes they do it really goodand sometimes like I I think

(01:19:50):
they did Penelope really good, really well when we saw her with
all her writing and stuff. So while we waited for her
season. So I'm very excited to see what
they do with this one. Yeah, I'm excited to see how
they do because there's like a build up for a different things.
There's certain related. I can see this actually being
much more easier to mail becausethere's there's different

(01:20:12):
storylines that happen throughout the four books.
So you kind of like get the space.
I'm curious to see how they dealwith Tucker and and maybe it
stays with the the whole world because then we get the next
generation and we get the specifics.
So maybe it's a long running series, which we hope, but I
think there's enough storylines that are just like they'll
crossover among series obviouslythat that doesn't really matter

(01:20:34):
because they don't care about that.
But there are other things that actually will work in that
college setting. And also I'm assuming they're
going to have a little supporting actors and other
minor B like B plot twit lines are like just going to keep
going for the story a little to add more more things.
Totally. That makes sense.
I'm very, very excited for that.Me too.

(01:20:56):
OK, this was so much fun. I'm glad that we could read this
classic book. Yes.
Can you tell the listeners wherethey can find you and anything
else you want to plug? So you can find me at
whattrenextblock.com. All my links are there.
The podcast is on Spotify, iTunes and all the major podcast
players, including YouTube and and you can sign up to my sub

(01:21:18):
sack, but just go to watch for nextblog.com.
It has all the links. It has some discount codes if
you're looking forward to reading on a budget and whatnot.
So I got you come over. Thank you, thank you, thank you
for indulging me for a long timeto talk about this bug.
No, I love it. I could talk about it forever.
Like I could honestly do anotherhour.

(01:21:42):
And that's the story of the deal.
Thank you so much for listening and thank you to Laura for
joining me on today's show. Feel like I'm limping to summer
vacation, something I had planned to end in May to go on a
little bit of a hiatus. It is July heading into mid-july
and I am here. But that is OK.
I'm having fun. I'm doing things on my own

(01:22:05):
timeline and everything is good.I like say to myself in the
mirror. I hope you enjoyed today's
episode. Follow me on socials at Ready TV
Romance. I'm posting a lot of BTS content
of them filming at Briar University and tons of fun stuff
as we're getting so much more romance novel movie adaptations,

(01:22:26):
TV adaptations, just like there's just tons of stuff going
on. So follow me on social is at
Readytv Romance and subscribe and leave it rating a review for
the pod. It helps me know that I am on
track. You can suggest a book or leave
a voicemail with a question via the links in the episode show
notes. Our next episode is deep End.

(01:22:46):
Until then, happy reading for ready to be romanced.
I'm Tori. Goodbye.

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