Beautiful Disaster
Jamie McGuire
Like The Deal, it follows a college student pulled into a relationship with a guarded, reckless man. The attraction is intense, the dialogue is sharp, and the new-adult setting feels just as immediate.
12 books to read next
Books Like The Deal
If you loved The Deal by Elle Kennedy
Readers who love The Deal usually come for the slow-building tension between two young adults who agree to a set of rules and then find those rules harder to keep than expected. The story is fast, flirtatious and funny, with a lot of banter, a campus setting, and a steady pace of close, emotional scenes. It is a romance first, with a warm, often cheeky voice and a clear sense of who the characters are beneath the bravado.
Same campus heat and tension
The Love Hypothesis
Ali Hazelwood
An academic setting, a fake-relationship premise and a witty, self-aware heroine make this a natural next step. Readers who enjoyed the playful, rule-testing chemistry in The Deal will find the same appealing push and pull.
Attachments
Rainbow Rowell
Its emails between two colleagues build romance through humour, honesty and gradual revelation. Fans of The Deal's easy banter and warm, slightly messy young characters will enjoy its tender, funny tone.
Sharp banter and slow burn
The Hating Game
Sally Thorne
Two rivals trade barbs at work while the tension quietly builds. Like The Deal, the wit is quick and the romance grows through constant sparring that reveals more than either character intends.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown
Talia Hibbert
A witty, confident heroine and a hero who gently challenges her carefully built routines make for a lively, very funny romance. Readers who liked the humour and emotional honesty in The Deal will feel at home.
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
The original sparring-couple romance, with two proud people misreading each other until they can't ignore the truth. Its sharp dialogue and slow-building attraction echo the best parts of The Deal.
Deals and arrangements
The Kiss Quotient
Helen Hoang
A heroine who approaches romance like a problem to solve hires a companion to teach her, which sets up a structured arrangement full of tenderness. Readers drawn to the rules and reluctant closeness of The Deal will enjoy it.
The Wedding Date
Jasmine Guillory
A pretend-couple arrangement at a wedding turns into something real, with warm humour and a grown-up sense of consequence. Fans of The Deal's agreement-turned-feelings setup will find its pacing and chemistry satisfying.
The Unhoneymooners
Christina Lauren
Two mismatched people pretend to be a happy couple on a Hawaiian honeymoon, a premise built on a deal that quickly unravels. Its playful bickering and sexy tension will appeal to readers who enjoyed The Deal.
Lighter reads and deeper emotion
Beach Read
Emily Henry
Two writers with opposite styles challenge each other over one summer, mixing witty rapport with real emotional weight. Readers who enjoyed the humour and heart of The Deal will appreciate its balance of comedy and feeling.
Red, White & Royal Blue
Casey McQuiston
A witty, romantic story about two people who start out as rivals and gradually reveal their true feelings. Its banter, big personalities and warm humour suit fans of The Deal's lively young characters.
Ugly Love
Colleen Hoover
A relationship that starts with a clear, self-protective boundary and grows much more complicated. It is intense and emotional, and it will suit readers who liked the heat and emotional stakes in The Deal.
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