Campus series by @ellekennedy33 . These books revisit a beloved series but this time the story centers on the next generation of students of Briar college. I loved the original series so it was so fun to revisit old characters who turn up in both books but fall in love with new characters. Dixon rule is out later on this month.

This book was cute, fun and hell of a sexy read

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars

I need all of the hockey romances by Elle Kennedy that I can get because I will eat it every time.

The Dixon Rule is the second book in the Campus Diaries series and follow Diana and Shane. The two have never really gotten along after Shane has worked his through some of her cheer squad, leaving their hearts broken despite him making his feelings known towards them that he was not looking for a relationship as he was still hung up over his ex. So when Shane moves into the apartment across hers, Diana is quick to establish some rules. But when Shane's ex shows up at his house and Diana starts getting harassed. by her ex boyfriend, they rely on each other's and agree to a fake date thinking it would solve their problems.

I literally devoured this book, I mean what's not to love? You have the enemies to lovers and the fake dating, two of my favourite tropes, I honestly couldn't get enough. Diana and Shane's relationship was so well developed, their chemistry off the charts. It's also a bonus that I loved both of the characters separately as well. I was laughing so much when Diana kept removing Shane from the chats. Don't mind me as I send Shane a FWB application (IYKYK).

All the side characters provided some great comedic moments and see how they interacted with Shane and Diana is so funny. I also love how Elle Kennedy keeps having her characters from the Off Campus and Briar U series appear throughout the Campus Diaries series, reading more about them makes me happy.

The only things that didn't make me rate The Dixon Rule a five stars was it did feel slow in places here and there, as well as I felt like the whole situation with Percy was wrapped up a little too quickly for my likely.

I can't wait to read to see what's in store for the characters in the rest of the series, hoping that we get a Will & Beckett book soon, because you just know that book will be spicy as hell and I'm here for it, and them. While this book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading book one, The Graham Effect, to avoid any spoilers that you might across in this book. And be sure to check out any potential trigger warnings.

Content Warnings: loss of a parent, stalking, domestic abuse.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'll keep this review short, sweet and sassy just like our FMC Diana Dixon... following on from The Graham Effect we get the story of the bestfriends.

I loved it! Would totally recommend for anyone who love the fake dating, haters to lovers, forced proximity tropes. Shane is beautiful and hilarious, totally falls first.

Just so happy to be back in the Briar universe and to see glimpses of the old favourites too!

Really quick and easy read, at this point if you love any rom-coms with a hint of sport and a lot of spice, you already know you'll enjoy another smash by Elle Kennedy.

Thank you Piatkus (Little Brown) and NetGalley for another great arc!

Thanks to Elle Kennedy, NetGalley, and Little Brown Book UK for the ARC! I received an advance copy of the book and am leaving an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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This is book 2 in the Campus Diaries series, following Diana and Shane. I was so excited for this one, especially after reading the Graham Effect! I was all kinds of interested in Shane's story after seeing him in book 1.

Shane has just moved into the same building, next door actually, to Diana. They have an frenemies relationship and Shane loves to bicker with her and get her all riled up. Diana is just plain annoyed and has had it with his tendency to make his way through the cheerleader squad. They end up in a mutually beneficial fake dating situation. And then the sparks fly and its now friends with benefits.

I really love fake dating stories, it's so much fun to see the progression from, this is fake NBD to oh let's just get it out of our systems to FWB to OMG I LOVE THEM. This was no different. Sparks most definitely fly.

As fun as this one was and holy crap was it HOTT, there was some seriously heavy stuff in this one. Be aware for TW on this one, there is on page intimate partner violence (not by either MMC or FMC). Elle handled it well and it made sense within the story. She had me laughing and then crying.

I really liked this one. Maybe not quite as much as The Graham Effect but it was a very close second. I'm loving this series and can't wait to see who is up for book 3!

This second book in the Campus Diaries series and follows Diane and Shane, the best friends of the main characters in The Graham Effect. Diana feels some animosity towards Shane after seeing how he slept with her cheer teammates last year, leaving some broken hearts even though he had made it clear to them from the beginning that he was not looking for a relationship.

So when Shane moves into the apartment across from hers, Diana decides to establish some rules. But when Shane's ex shows up at his house and Diana starts being harassed by her own ex-boyfriend, they both decide to fake a relationship. And guess what? As they spend time together, they begin to realize that they may be much more compatible than they thought.

I liked this book quite a bit, although not as much as I liked The Graham Effect. Some of the dialogues at the beginning of the novel seemed quite childish to me and, once again, this book didn't have to be over 500 pages. But overall, I had a good time reading it and I quite liked how the romance developed, especially heading into the second half of the book. And well, the fact that this book has one of the spiciest scenes I've ever read was also a plus.

The Dixon Rule even made me cry, which rarely happens to me while reading books, but this one deals with the loss of a loved one and it made me very emotional. Other heavy themes are stalking and domestic violence, so be careful if these are topics that could trigger you.

All in all, this was another enjoyable college sports romance by Elle Kennedy.

The second book in the Campus Diaries series, this book follows Diana and Shane - the best friends of Gigi and Ryder from book one.

Enemies to lovers, fake relationship, friends with benefits.

Diana and Shane have never gotten along - Diana thinks Shane is a player and is annoyed that he's working his way through her cheer squad and Shane thinks Diana is uptight. But they both enjoy the verbal sparring that they get into when they're around each other.

At the beginning of the summer, Shane moves into the apartment next door to Diana and enlists her help to be his fake girlfriend when Shane's ex and her new boyfriend come to spend a night in his apartment. She then enlists his help to do the same thing when her ex boyfriend, Percy, won't leave her alone - even moving into the same apartment complex as her.

They quickly adopt a friends with benefits type situation which leads to them both having feelings for each other but thankfully there is no third act break up.

This book includes some heavy themes of losing a parent and domestic abuse but I felt like it dealt with both quite well. I felt like I could connect well with this book and with both Diana and Shane as characters, they're both really sweet and they really get each other.

Thanks to NetGalley & Little, Brown Book Group UK for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes: fake dating, enemies to lovers, friends with benefits, sports romance.

I looove Elle Kennedy’s books so I knew I was going to enjoy this!!

This book follows the story of Diana and Shane. Both characters are students at Briar University. Diana is a cheerleader and dancer and Shane is a hockey player. The book starts off with Shane becoming Diana’s neighbour and the characters disliking eachother. The banter between these two characters is great.

They pretend to be in a relationship for their own reasons but mainly because of their ex’s. Once they started fake dating I was hooked! This leads to them becoming friends with benefits.

The spice in this book… was spicing 😂

This book had me laughing, crying and just had overall good vibes. It has humour, romance, friendship and spice. The banter between these characters is great. But it does deal with some heartbreaking stuff too - Make sure to check the trigger warnings.

This book is the second book to the Campus Diaries series - This is set in the same world as the Off Campus Series but years later.

There was a chapter that had characters from the Off Campus series and I loved this. It was great to read what they are like so many years later.

The reason this book wasn’t 5 stars for me is because of the ending. Even though I really enjoyed the book, the ending felt a bit rushed. I was disappointed with how the Percy situation was tied up. Also, I feel like the ending of the book didn’t really conclude their story, I would have loved to have known more of their next steps together as a couple.

Overall, I would recommend this book as I loved the characters and their story.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book as I do love Elle Kennedy books, especially the Off Campus series 🥰

Once again Elle Kennedy had me up till 4am sobbing like a baby.


I was both excited about this series Continuations yet upset that it wasn't about more if the OG kids lives.
But after a few chapters I was fully engrossed in diana and shanes story.

This one gave me very The Dare vibes with the feeling of the writing and story and honestly I was here for it.
While a cute and fluffy romance book this has all the feels in.

TW - panic attacks. Physical violence. Stalking behaviour. Agrressive ex boyfriend.

Tropes - enemies to Lovers. Fake dating.

📚BOOK REVIEW 📚

The Dixon Rule @ellekennedy33

Elle Kennedy is quite simply the Queen of Hockey Romance. I have just recently finished the Off Campus series which I devoured and ate up like it was my last meal and I enjoyed reading the Graham Effect. But this book takes it up a notch and has delivered my favourite couple since Dean and Allie Cat.

This book is simply amazing. I Loved it with a capital L! Diana and Shane bounce off the pages with their Sass, witty banter and the spice is off the charts. There are hilarious sections in this book from the meetings held in the building they live in and it's so funny to read because we all know people like this. Some fabulous tropes are explored with neighbours next door, enemies to lovers, fake dating and including some spicy kinks.

I love how the author moves with the times to give us romances that feel true to life but also provide perfect escapism. Some of our favourite characters pop up in this book as well which is always welcome.

Shane and Diana are both confident and big characters so it's great to see how they fit together and challenge one another. Our feisty cheerleader and the hunky hockey player. The other thing I loved was that there was a real vulnerability to these characters and they also deal with some really tough situations.

Elle Kennedy is an autobuy author for me. She can no wrong in my eyes and I'm so thankful to @netgalley and @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for allowing me to read a copy of this ahead of release. I already have my paperback on pre order.

Add to you wishlists and drop everything for this book coming as you don't want to miss it.

#iadoreellekennedy #iloveellekennedy #hockeyromance #dianaandshane #inmyhockeyera #lovingreadingforever #netgalleyreads #ellekennedy #lovedthisbook #spicyromance

I really wanted to like this book, but I couldn’t finish it I think I got about 30% in. Personally it was too long and slow pasted. I felt like the characters had zero chemistry, i will read and i have loved elles other books but I just couldn’t get into it

I could have binged this in one sitting. I loved it, it is that simple. The banter, the snark, the back & forth, the spice, the heart, it was just spot on.

I laughed out loud a lot, attractively snort laughed a couple of times too. I got angry, anxious & was in tears at one point. This was not what I was expecting from this book, it deals with some fairly hard hitting subjects, but I was 100% here for it.

Give this one a shot it you love fake dating, enemies to lovers, hockey player/cheerleader, college romance, very open door 🤭

This is a beautiful case of exactly the right book at the right time scenario & this is my book of the year so far.

4.5 stars

I have enjoyed Elle Kennedy’s books before but haven’t read anything from her in a few years so I was eager when I got the chance to read this one!

Diana and Shane were a great pairing with a well developed chemistry with a good back and forth. The development of the relationship was great.

The books deals with some quite heavy topics - including domestic violence, loss and anxiety/PTSD. There were some great moments of tension and some really emotional events. I think this was done well overall.

Enemies to lovers is always a great trope but the addition of the neighbour dynamic was interesting and provided some funny moments - the constant adding and removal from group chats and the group shunning bringing some lightness and humour.

Diana and Shane’s relationships with their parents also added an interesting perspective on the various dynamics, although I think the development with Diana’s mum was a bit rushed/idealised towards the end.

Overall this was a really great read which I would definitely recommend.

4.5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this! The banter and sparing between Diana and Shane was 10/10, they were hilarious.

📣 dislike to lovers
🏒 fake dating
📣 forced proximity
🏒 cheerleader x hockey player

Diana has a lot on her plate and the last thing she wants is Shane as her new neighbour, but after Diana’s ex won’t leave her alone and Shane wanting his ex back they decide a fake relationship is the best plan, add in a dance competition and a reality tv show addiction and they are spending a lot of together!

My favourite thing about fake dating is the whole ‘this doesn’t feel fake anymore’ and it didn’t disappoint in this book. The way these two were perfect for each other and just wanted to make each others lives easier, better and more fun, I loved it!

I’m not sure we needed so much angst in the last 20ish% but it really didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed this read.

Thank you NetGalley and Elle Kennedy for the ARC.

A quick and fun read

Although sometimes I felt the story lacking at times and I felt like I needed more depth

However saying that I found the characters fun and what I fully expect from an Elle Kennedy book

I was super excited to read this after recently discovering the Off campus series. This book definitely didn’t disappoint. This sport romance follows Diana Dixon and Shane Lindley their best friends appear in the Graham effect Gigi and Ryder. Diana is a cheerleader and Shane is a hockey player they hate each other. They decide to fake date. The book also includes characters from the off campus series and Briar u.
This book is funny but also warm and fuzzy. This book had the perfect amount of spice. Elle deals with tough topic in such as respectful way. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading it again.
Thank you to Elle kennedy ,Little Brown book group and Net Galley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

"The Dixon Rule" by Elle Kennedy left me with mixed feelings. While I anticipated an engaging read, it fell short of my expectations, especially compared to Kennedy's other hockey-themed books. My disappointment stemmed from the lack of hockey action and overall excitement throughout the narrative. I anticipated more from what seemed to be a highly anticipated read, only to find myself longing for more depth and thrill. The climax, condensed into the last 30 minutes of the book, was the only truly gripping part, leaving me wishing for a more evenly paced storyline. Overall, while not a terrible read, "The Dixon Rule" failed to capture my enthusiasm and left me wanting more from the narrative.

Just going to preface this review by saying i absolutely adore Shane Lindley!! This was super fun, spice, hilarious and also quite emotional, a really well rounded book.

So this is part of Campus Diaries series that will focus on the kids of the couples from the Off Campus and Briar U series. While neither Shane or Diana are 2nd gen kids, we still see appearances from the 1 gen which always provides some hilarious scenes!

This book mostly takes place during the summer holiday so it isn't hockey or college heavy, but it does allow the reader to see and experience both Diana and Shane in their personal settings. The banter and chemistry between them is off the charts, with more love to hate and annoy than real hatred. Shane is a real softie, and although Diana thinks he's a real arrogant F-boy, most of what he does is actually rooted in kindness and trying to help others out. Diana also is seen as a tough girl who is super independent and strong, but similar to Shane is just looking for someone she can be vulnerable with.

There was so much fun in this book, between the fake dating (one of my fav tropes), the dance lessons and the reality TV binging, I couldn't stop laughing. All the side characters also provided some great comedic relief, Blake Logan is officially one of my favourite characters, Shane's little sister was adorable and Ryder and Gigi poping up was great.

The spice was off the charts, with some very unexpected scenes compared to what we've experienced as readers in her other books. In co trust to that, the book also handles some really tough themes like domestic violence and grief (the hospital scene absolutely gutted me) really well.

All in all, a great book in the series and in this hockey world, can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the series.

Thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Elle Kennedy did not disappoint with this perfect summer rom com.

If you love the slow burn, fake dating and forced proximity tropes this one is for you!

One of my favourite books from Elle Kennedy so far and highly recommend! Very excited for the next Briar instalment!

REVIEW POST - Book 31 of 2024

The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy

I... don't know what to say. I do not have the right words to sum up this book and all the feelings it made me feel.

I love Elle and the entrie Off Campus/Briar world is my Roman Empire. But this book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions.

Elle, this book! From Coach Jenson to being Coach Jenson, to the cameos of the OG Briar Boys on the ice at one point. The entire scene with the dads and their kids had me HOWLING.

But for the first time ever I sobbed, hard, during an Elle book. You finished me off. I never really cry at books that much, and this one got me. Sandwiched by living Diana's fear along with her. I don't often feel uneasy reading a book, but I had to put it down and take a break. This woman knows how to write emotion.

What Elle Kennedy does goes WAY beyond hockey romance. It rips apart the raw feeling that humans have and deals with it in a way we all know and relate to and still has your ribs hurting from laughing just a few pages later.

This book! Elle, thank you!! And now I have to wait a million years for the next Briar installment.

PS...For the first time ever, I have no favourite quotes to share for an EK book. Because that's how quickly I ate this up and how absorbed I was in this whole story 😅

Thank you Elle Kennedy and Net Galley for this ARC

“𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴”

This book was an absolute blast. Shane and Diana had me swooning, giggling all over the place. I always get such a serotonin boost reading an Elle Kennedy book and I eat them up every single time. They always have the perfect amount of banter and then the spice be spicing in this book. Freaking obsessed with this one.

✨sports romance
✨enemies to lovers
✨fake dating
✨friends with benefits
✨forced proximity

thank you to @netgalley and @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for an e-arc copy of this book!