Name: The Play
ISBN: 9781999549756

Elle Kennedy

A brand-new standalone novel in the New York Times bestselling Briar U series! What I learned after last year’s distractions cost my hockey team our entire season? No more screwing up. No more screwing, period. As the new team captain, I need a new philosophy: hockey and school now, women later. Which means that I, Hunter Davenport, am officially going celibate…no matter how hard that makes things. But there’s nothing in the rulebook that says I can’t be friends with a woman. And I won’t lie—my new classmate Demi Davis is one cool chick. Her smart mouth is hot as hell, and so is the rest of her, but the fact that she’s got a boyfriend eliminates the temptation to touch her. Except three months into our friendship, Demi is single and looking for a rebound. And she’s making a play for me. Avoiding her is impossible. We’re paired up on a yearlong school project, but I’m confident I can resist her. We’d never work, anyway. Our backgrounds are too different, our goals aren’t aligned, and her parents hate my guts. Hooking up is a very bad idea. Now I just have to convince my body—and my heart.

The Play

Caitlin

nanafark

My levels of anxiety reduce drastically when everything is neat and tidy.

“If people are acting shady it’s usually because they’ve done something shady. And the fact that he lost his shit and yelled at you speaks volumes. Guilty people attack. Innocent people don’t.”

I’m really sorry you had to go through all that crap with him,” I say in a quiet voice.

He shrugs. “Whatever. Other people have it worse.”

 “So? My boyfriend cheated—other women might have a husband of thirty years who cheated and six kids at home. Does that diminish my own experience, because someone has it worse? There’s always someone with a shittier life than yours. That doesn’t turn the shit in your life into roses.”

People are in control of their own lives and their own decisions. They’re not powerless victims to some cruel overlord who keeps them trapped in a misery loop.

Nora

Jaclyn

Not as good as the first two but definitely still enjoyable, worth the read. 

Alyssa deRaad

I feel like when I first read this book, I didn't like them but in this re read made me realize I love them djdjjdjd.

They are hilarious and I loved how they build their friendship and then their road to lovers. It was perfect and sobfreaking funny👌🏻. 

My only problem with this was the diversity. In the sense that I don't like they way they were characterized. The 'villains' were all poc y'all wtf. (The only good poc was that one hockey player that won't get their own book), and that's without mentioning that Demi's mom was a nurse but she always at home cooking???and in no place in the story they said she had retired or smth????

I feel like when I first read this book, I didn't like them but in this re read made me realize I love them djdjjdjd.

They are hilarious and I loved how they build their friendship and then their road to lovers. It was perfect and sobfreaking funny👌🏻. 

My only problem with this was the diversity. In the sense that I don't like they way they were characterized. The 'villains' were all poc y'all wtf. (The only good poc was that one hockey player that won't get their own book), and that's without mentioning that Demi's mom was a nurse but she always at home cooking???and in no place in the story they said she had retired or smth????

Selin Igten

wow i can’t believe im saying this but i enjoyed this… it wasn’t amazing and yea it was a bit boring sometimes but it’s definitely her best book
HUNTER I LOVE YOU!!!!

SE IBA A UNA DISCOTECA CON LEGGINS???? 
DESPACITO ERA SALSA???? 
COMPLEJO DE SOFÍA VERGARA???

gülefşan 

BEN SERIYI OKUMAKTAN COK KEYIF ALIYORUM UZGUNUM😭😭😭

trixie

the mf egg 😭😭😭

actual ranking: 4.3/5
subjective: 80
plot: 75
writing/dialogue: 90
worldbuilding: 90
character development: 100
character relationships: 95
toxic relationships?: felt kinda weird about it so i gave it a 50
tokenized characters?: no
world rules abused for plot?: no

A brand-new standalone novel in the New York Times bestselling Briar U series by Elle Kennedy.

lexie

this might be my favorite of all 4 briar u series. i am a puck bunny for hunter. Rupi and Hollis they’re so funny plus Pablo eggscobar. This was more entertaining, funny and interesting novel. hunter davenport is AAAAAAA i love him so much

first and foremost, Hunter was such a sweetheart and i definitely didn’t think that when i first met him in 

 series. i guess what happened in the first book 

 was very important to him and it actually made me so sad when i read it. 

coming to this book now, apart from the fact that Demi and Hunter are super perfect for each other and everything worked out perfectly in the end, and that i love their story very much, i never like reading about long relationships with so much history to end. so although i’m happy for them, i wish Demi wasn’t in this situation before. i just can’t read about these relationships to fail and it breaks my heart.

the plot was very interesting and i’m a bit disappointed with the epilogue because i wanted it to be about them (Hunter and Demi) and not about Hollis. i honestly thought i could get to read about him in a parallel story telling for the final book. 

and guess what? Dean was again the highlight of my day 😍

first and foremost, Hunter was such a sweetheart and i definitely didn’t think that when i first met him in Off-Campus series. i guess what happened in the first book The Chase was very important to him and it actually made me so sad when i read it. 

coming to this book now, apart from the fact that Demi and Hunter are super perfect for each other and everything worked out perfectly in the end, and that i love their story very much, i never like reading about long relationships with so much history to end. so although i’m happy for them, i wish Demi wasn’t in this situation before. i just can’t read about these relationships to fail and it breaks my heart.

the plot was very interesting and i’m a bit disappointed with the epilogue because i wanted it to be about them (Hunter and Demi) and not about Hollis. i honestly thought i could get to read about him in a parallel story telling for the final book. 

and guess what? Dean was again the highlight of my day 😍

It was an amazing read and even though I wasn’t excited about the friends-to-lovers trope, I honestly can’t think of a better trope for them. I loved this entire series and cant wait to read the next!!!

Alma 

Omg i loved that soooo muchhhhhh!!!

It was an amazing read and even though I wasn’t excited about the friends-to-lovers trope, I honestly can’t think of a better trope for them. I loved this entire series and cant wait to read the next!!!



celene

2.7 :/ (side note: im in love w bucky, i think,,, dont mind me being boo boo the fool secretly hoping he would have his own book,,, so yeah goodbye world *peace out* *wOpaw*)

I don’t like the way Demi kinda forced Hunter to break his vow. Hunter was a sweetheart <3

Elena

victoria

This is so boring I even lost interest of reading the last briar u book.... 
So far this is the worst book in the series, I was super excited because Demi is the first mixed and latina protagonist of the saga, but I know I'm so disappointed, Elle Kennedy just throws ALL possible latin stereotypes on this book and Demi is still too annoying, she's a terrible friend, she literally did Hunter losing the promise he was making for months, Hunter rejected her at least three times and she keept insisting and trying to have sex with him. Aside from that, the only other WOC is treated as irritant and the laughingstock of the group and apparently to this book all women's motivations are around sex, no one can be a hockey fan without being obsessed with the players. Embarassing.
The romance takes so long to happen but it's not one of those cool slowburn books, most of the time nothing happens and at the end the author probably didn't know what else to write and started to add random problems to fit the number of pages, in fact, she even tries to talk about suicide and health mental but throws it into the book out of nowhere for no reason. The only thing I liked it was the evolution of Hunter, I like the character since the previous books so it was very interesting.
Plus: The egg is literally the only fun thing on the book.

brianna

“I’m going to stick by her and shower her with assurances that I love her, until she realizes she doesn’t ever need to worry about what I’m doing or who I’m doing it with—because she’s the only one who matters to me.” 
 

mmm im kinda disappointed with this one. ive been looking forward to hunter having his own book since he was introduced in off campus, and this just didnt hit the way i wanted it to. it didnt help that demi’s character was just stereotype after stereotype.. i was doing fine with no rep and it wouldve been better off with a lil white girl instead of harmful rep.

Jasmine

3 Stars
I love the Off Campus series and I also so far have loved the Briar U series, I would even go as far to say it's my favorite sports romance series. So, while I still enjoyed reading this book and even managed to have a few good laughs this did not feel like the same book series that on many occasions had me staying up all night because I literally couldn't put it down. Honestly, it could've just been any generic new adult book in my opinion. Maybe it's just me because I've been finding all year a lot of hits and misses throughout the new adult genre including authors I love. I'm just so surprised it happened with this series too because of my strong attachment to these characters, and how much excitement I get every new book. 

This is by far my least favorite of both these series for several reasons the lack of chemistry, banter, character development, and overall fun I usually experience. Hunter and Demi had their moments but they both felt very flat and underdeveloped to me. Actually everyone felt a little like shadows of their former selves, even my beloved bromances were hardly there (those friendship are what make these books). Some of the most interesting moments for me were in the mock therapy sessions, and those scenes where we got insight into Hunter's family relationship. I wish we got more scenes like those that and less pointless ones.

I was soo excited for hunter’s story! so interesting that he made a vow to stay abstinent for his team, honestly. showed a lot of dedication but then demi really changed the game here for him. the amount of angst with demi and nico, demi and tj and especially with her family dynamics truly hit the mark for me when it comes to angst. I got pretty lost in this story as well, but the ending was a little dissatisfying to me, but maybe that’s cause hunter’s still 19 / 20 in the book so he hasn’t graduated yet. I like demi’s psych background a lot as well, but I will say for some reason it felt out of the blue for me when they had professed their love for each other when they did. might be bc of how much later they got together in the book. overall I still really enjoyed it and when I was going to put it down and go to bed, elle kennedy threw me in for a hook and I couldn’t put it down 🥲

Tara Bounkeovisane

Amelia 

Hunter was the captain of the hockey team. And after an incident that happened he decided to stay away from girls and sex. 

Demi has only been in one relationship. But when something happens she decides she wants a rebound. 

All I have to say was the sexual tension in this book was sensational, holy shit.

Annabella

Damn, this book made me laugh so much and then EK had to a) throw in the gang almost in full ad b) pull THE emotional punch

Zarah Hussain

Elle Geoghegan 

sophia n

* 3.5 stars

kennedy and i are gonna throw hands. i’m so fucking torn with her writing and all these books in this series!!! one second she’ll have a male character saying “i hate living with my three girl roommates i wanna be with my bros bc women are Just Too Much amirite dudes” and then the next second she’ll have THE SAME MALE CHARACTER saying something about toxic masculinity and calling out bad behavior and drinking tons of Respecting Women juice and honestly? i’m not sure what’s going on. the internal monologues seem juxtaposed with the characters actual actions. and i’ll take that, bc the actions are what matter most, but it still sits weird with me. also i don't remember this being a thing in the off-campus series. maybe it was too long ago since i read those, though.

that all being said, i enjoyed hunter WAY more than i expected to. i thought he was gonna be kinda like a discount dean di-laurentis, but he somehow wasn’t, probably because of his shitty family and also his drive and desire was different. also getting to see him in the team captain role was really lovely and funny and great. by the end i found myself really loving him, demi was cute too, but god i really loved hunter lmao.

after being kind of annoyed with rupi and hollis in the last book, they were somehow WORSE in this book. i think they could have been really interesting (i love the idea of them being this wildly dramatic fiery couple that no one else understands bc they’re both ridiculous all the time) but it was so over the top and it just felt kinda mean actually. i don't get it.

one more crit, and possible trigger warning, there's a scene later in the story that played out, that felt … not non-consensual, but just sort of manipulative in a way i didn’t love. could be triggering honestly. i didn't like how it was handled. ALSO there was a scene referencing a suicide attempt that, imo, was poorly researched, and not really respectfully handled. both of these scenes just ... felt sloppy.

the reason why this is getting FOUR STARS (well, 3.5) instead of three is because (1) it made me laugh so hard so many times, pablo eggscobar was so funny and this is the best pure ‘boys being boys’ shit ever, and (2) the friends-to-lovers slow burn aspect was BRILL-I-ANTÉ. i loved eVERY SECOND OF IT. also wow that ex was a fucking piece of work whooo boy.

i'm kind of glad this is the last one out/available for now so i won't even be tempted to read another one for the time being LOL i need a break and i need to be forced to do it

Carolina Mendes

Yes, I’m 100% sure Hunter is every girl’s dream 😍 

I loved this book so freaking much! I was addicted to it from the start and I couldn’t drop it!! I read it in a day and a half that’s how good it was! 👀🥰

Again, I must mention the way Elle approaches important and delicate topics is so well! You can see that she researched about it, explains it and approaches it in a sensitive but real way, you know? I just love how she went all in on this and started to bring more and deeper topics to the table on Briar U. 

The only reason why is not a 5⭐️ for me is because there was a specific topic there that was a little grey about the “right or wrongness” of it. For me, it was wrong so that was an issue in the book that I would’ve liked it was kept in the drafts. Consent shouldn’t be a question, if someone doesn’t want to do it, whatever reason it is, you don’t push it (even if by teasing). Periodt.

Taking that bit out, this book was GOD DAMN entertaining!! I was laughing my ass off with Demi and Hunter, but also Bee, Summer, Rupi and all the crew!! 🤭😂

As usual I love the friendship on here! The hockey team is 😍 how they stood up for each member of the team, specially their captain had my heart melting!

Hunter backstory and the way it affected his decisions but not his character really got into me. I just adored him. And when he realized that he was not like his father and allowed himself to do the very thing that was his passion…bruh… I almost cried! 
The way Demi was there to give him a nudge with the help of one of his besties (G’s cue 🥺🥰) cause she knew him and knew he would regret it… and how Hunter was there for her, in a heartbeat, when she needed him (all the times!) 😭

I loved the developing of their relationship through the friendship first, allowing them to really know and trust each other in a way they probably wouldn’t if it wasn’t like that! How they felt comfortable and accepted each other’s flaws and secrets and push through the obstacles together! 🥺🤍

I also loved Demi’s character too, the way the growth and started standing up for herself and her dreams, even to her parents 🥲

And guys?! HUNTER FREAKIN’ DAVENPORT 😮‍💨🥵🤯😍 so we can finish strong 🤌🏻

I sound like a broken record at this point but THIS WAS SO GOOD!

I have to admit, I was a little hesitant with this book. Hunter is a character we’ve seen plenty of in the other books, yet we didn’t really know him, and the only thing I knew about Demi was some comments I saw in some negative reviews. But the hockey gods are laughing at me. I shouldn’t have doubted Elle Kennedy’s ability of making fall in love with a couple so intensely that I couldn’t put the book down if my life depended on it. What is sleep? Is it something you eat?

Compared to other books, the setup is a little slower, since Hunter and Demi go from strangers to friends to lovers. The buildup was immaculate, and so fun! What I liked most about it was getting to see Demi and Hunter’s friendship bloom, and then see it develop into something more. Also, Hunter’s vow of celibacy was one of those self-imposed obstacles that made for some very entertaining scenes.

Once again, there have been some cameos from the 

 series that made me so happy! I love how they’re all friends and still keeping in touch. I also adore the friend group born within the Briar U series. These people together are so much fun!

P.S. I read the bonus epilogue too and I will consider it the official epilogue, thank you very much!

Maria Elena Vitale Zelaia

I sound like a broken record at this point but THIS WAS SO GOOD!

I have to admit, I was a little hesitant with this book. Hunter is a character we’ve seen plenty of in the other books, yet we didn’t really know him, and the only thing I knew about Demi was some comments I saw in some negative reviews. But the hockey gods are laughing at me. I shouldn’t have doubted Elle Kennedy’s ability of making fall in love with a couple so intensely that I couldn’t put the book down if my life depended on it. What is sleep? Is it something you eat?

Compared to other books, the setup is a little slower, since Hunter and Demi go from strangers to friends to lovers. The buildup was immaculate, and so fun! What I liked most about it was getting to see Demi and Hunter’s friendship bloom, and then see it develop into something more. Also, Hunter’s vow of celibacy was one of those self-imposed obstacles that made for some very entertaining scenes.

Once again, there have been some cameos from the Off-Campus series that made me so happy! I love how they’re all friends and still keeping in touch. I also adore the friend group born within the Briar U series. These people together are so much fun!

P.S. I read the bonus epilogue too and I will consider it the official epilogue, thank you very much!