3.5 stars
I started the book and thought it wouldn't be more than 2, but the chemistry and performance progress really changed that!

I read the Graham effect and wasn't a huge fan, but I decided to give the Dixon Rule a chance, and I think this was so much better. I think much of the success is due to the narrators because they positively affected this writing.
The relationship between Shane & Diana and how they developed a friendship while navigating their lust and feelings for each other.
I really disliked Lindsay and hated Diana's ex-boyfriend - f*** them and their abusiveness. I felt so sad about that twist but I did guess it pretty early on.

I think I may actually continue this series, but in audiobook form.

Diana and Shane are adorable! This one is such a fun audiobook. The banter is superb, and both Diana and Shane are fantastic characters.

There are some unexpected twists, blending emotional, funny, and sweet moments in with some seriously steamy scenes!

It’s captivating, entertaining, and easy to listen to. The dialog flows smoothly and I particularly enjoyed the hilarious text threads and the home owners association meetings.

The narration was great, both narrators were cast really well.

A great summer romance listen.

This was my 11th read of the Briar U universe and my 1st audiobook experience.

Both were AMAZING!

The Book:

At first when I read the summary I was upset we were getting this random couple instead of another of the original gangs kids story (Jamie for example). But my god my mind was changed as soon as I started reading about Diana and Shane.

I love the sense of reverse grumpy sunshine/golden retriever MMC and the ‘it was never fake to me’ trope.

As a child to a parent who’s dying of cancer, I did sob for a solid 6 chapters IYKYK. But the fact that there wasn’t any unnecessary drama between Shane and Diana during that time was refreshing. They were able to just support one another instead of having a 3rd act breakup.

The Audiobook:

I never imagined I would enjoy audiobooks, because I read quite fast and having to go at someone else’s reading pace would have been very frustrating. But I loved the two readers of The Dixon Rule. Both were EXACTLY how I imagined the characters sounding too.

Physically I’m in Australia going to my big girl job but mentally I’m a student at Briar University 📘

I absolutely love this universe! This one didn't disappoint! any Elle Kennedy book is a 5 star!

Publisher's summary
“I told them I had a girlfriend.”
I start to laugh. “This is the greatest day of my life.”
“Oh, it gets better, Dixon. I told them it was you.”
Diana Dixon has a lot going on this summer. She’s rehearsing for a ballroom dance competition, juggling two jobs, and dealing with an ex-boyfriend who can’t take the hint it’s over. Yet despite all that, she still has plenty of time and energy to tell Shane Lindley to screw off.
Shane just moved into her apartment building and seems dedicated to sleeping his way through her entire cheerleading squad. Sure, he’s a tall, gorgeous hockey player, but he’s messing with her turf. This calls for some ground rules: no parties in her apartment, leave her teammates alone, and—most importantly—leave her alone.
What Diana doesn’t realize is that Shane’s sick of hookups and tired of being on the rebound after his long-term girlfriend called it quits. He wants a relationship. And when his ex comes back into the picture, he pretends he has one to make her jealous…and who better to play the girlfriend role than his sassy new neighbor?
Despite Diana’s reluctance to break her rule, a fake relationship is the perfect solution for her own ex issues, and soon she can’t deny something is sizzling between her and Shane. Something hot and completely unexpected.
And it might just be getting a little too real.

Thanks to NetGalley & Elle Kennedy Inc. for the ALC of this book!

The Dixon Rule
By: Elle Kennedy
Narrated by: Erin Mallon, Corvin King
Series: Campus Diaries, Book 2
Publisher: Elle Kennedy Inc.
Release date: 05-14-24

I received an ALC (Advanced Listener Copy) of this audiobook from NetGalley | Dreamscape Select | Elle Kennedy Inc.

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🎧

I loved book one, so when I saw that we were getting book two, I was all over it.
From the first book, we meet Shane as Ryder's best friend. But we don't really get to know him at all, just that he likes the cheerleaders. That doesn't really change much, and one of the reasons Diana has so much animosity toward Shane in this book is that he keeps sleeping with her cheer teammates.

It's a new year, new him, or so he says. He moves into an apartment across from hers, but she isn't too kind about it and sets up some rules.

It's a good story with lots of chemistry and lots of spice.
We have the fake dating turned into benefits that's always fun.

For me, the ex-stuff was like a side plot. Near the end, we are meant to feel like it was a significant thing, but for half the book, it wasn't even thought about.
Then the HOA thing was so there, then not there. It was weird.

The narration was the best part of this book. I adore Erin's narration. Corvin is new to me, but I will be seeking him out in the future.

Elle Kennedy has done it yet again. This book was sexy yet emotional in all of the best ways. So often, I read books where only one main character truly has something that they are working through and the other main character helps them through it, so I LOVED that Diana and Shane both had things that they leaned on each other for. I can’t wait to see who is up next, but I definitely have high hopes for who it is!

So when I read the Graham Effect I knew that Diana and Shane would be an electric pairing if they got a book. Their banter was so funny and tense and them falling in love unintentionally while being fake dating friends with benefits was awesome. Not only that these two go through some heavy things during this book and the way they are there for each other and step up when the other person doesn’t feel they need it, is perfection. I know people hate when you compare couples, but I think if you like the base notes of Allie and Dean (The Score // Off-Campus #3) then you will ADORE these two.

The voice actors truly brought this story to life. Diana goes through a heavy situation, (see TW) that is all too common, and Erin Mallon brought tears to my eyes when she narrated Diana’s mental and emotional state during snd afterward. She also brought out her strength and her fun side so easily. It truly felt like listening to a friend run down her life. Corvin King did the best reformed “not cut out to be an f-boy” narration ever. He showed true emotion and vulnerability during the heavier parts and also kept Shane fun.

If you enjoy college sports romance books that are steamy and fun, but have some heavy themes and emotions, then you will enjoy The Dixon Rule.

I AM VERY EMOTIONAL.

* college hockey romance
* fake dating
* forced proximity
* frenemies to lovers
* lots of steam!!
* quirky neighbors
* definitely some traumatic events (TWs at the bottom)
* dual POV

Dang Elle... why you gotta wreck us with only 15% of the book left!! Tears were streaming down my face!!

Ok that aside, I just love being back at Briar U with the next generation of Off Campus / Briar U kids!! Love Shane and Diana!! Diana and Shane end up living next to each other in an apartment building and what starts out as playful flirting (with some great banter!!) and fake dating, turns into a deep connection that quickly blurs the line between and fake and real. These two had some serious chemistry and I loved the depth that both of these characters had!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for an ALC of this audiobook - all opinions are my own!

TW: loss of a love one, physical abuse

🎧Song Pairing: Cool Girl - Tove Lo (because Diana Dixon is cool AF)

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

Diana and Shane!!!! Ahhhh *Home Alone scream* how friggin sexy and cute were these two?!

This is a spicy one and you guys….I LIKED IT!! 😂😂 it was hot!!!!!

I felt all the feels in this one but most importantly FEMALE RAGE!!! 🤬

Read if you like:
💃🏼To cha cha
🥅Sexy hockey players
🩷Bad ass females
😉Forced Proximity
🔥Fake dating

⚠️domestic violence

The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy is a Great Spicy Romance with lots of great banter. This is the 2nd book in the series and just as good as the first.
This book is Diana & Shane’s story, an enemies to frenemies with benefits to Lovers. Would highly recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Elle can do no wrong! I appreciated the great narration of this title. It was a fun story to listen to. I liked the spice and the banter! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio!

Elle Kennedy never fails me! Another great one by Elle! I enjoyed the spicy burn and I loved this live story! This one extra spicy!!

Diana Dixon can't believe that one of the new owners in her condo is Shane Lindley. The puckboy has been making her life hell since his breakup from his longtime girlfriend. Apparently, his new purpose in life is to go through the Briar U cheerleaders roster and get to know them... biblically! They bicker, banter, and fight and Diana just can't stand him.

When his ex decides to visit and shows up with her new boyfriend, Shane blurts out that he has a girlfriend - Diana. Now, he needs her to go with the charade. On her side, Diana is dealing with an ex who just won't take the hint and parading the big, burly hockey player as her boyfriend might be the solution to her problem. The only problem is that they are faking it so well it's feeling like it's real...

I absolutely loved this one! Though this couple is not a second generation as we expected, they are so fun! The banter, the super hot kitchen and balcony encounters, the dance rehearsals, the fake dating, the friends with benefits application... it all sent me back to Off Campus/Briar U vibes. 

Narrated dual style by Erin Mallon and Corvin King, who were the perfect casting choices for Diana and Shane. Erin gives us a spunky, feisty yet vulnerable Diana. Corbin has a voice tailored for the flirty, sexy and unexpectedly soft Shane. It was my first time listening to him and I fell in love with his voice on the spot!

I'm so glad to be back at Briar U, but I loved the condo and its crazy residents! HOA meetings have never been so fun! Or their group chats! 

You also get a wonderful big brother, ballroom dancing, beautiful friendships, a hockey wedding, Dixon's' rules  and an HEA to melt your heart. LOVED IT!

Thanks, NetGalley and Dreamscape select for the ALC.

Representation: Shane is half-black

Content notes: abusive relationship with physical violence on page, death of a loved one , terminal illness

I'm a new fan of Elle Kennedy but after reading The Graham Effect and adoring it, I knew I had to get my hands on The Dixon Rule. I think I might have loved Shane and Diana even more than Gigi and Ryder!

There was so much to love about this book and the relationship between Diana and Shane. Their banter and roasting of each other was verbal foreplay and the steamy scenes were fantastic. Kennedy wrote the fake dating trope very well into this book. The story has some pretty heavy elements, including an page domestic violence and one of the characters parents being diagnosed with cancer. Readers should proceed with that awareness.

I alternated between the ebook and audio. The audio is narrated by Corvin King and Erin Mallon who did such a great job bringing all the characters to life. I've always loved Erin Mallon but Corvin King was new to me. His voice is raspier but he really brought Shane to life.

I voluntarily read and listened to early copies of this book. All opinions are my own!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advance audiobook copy of The Dixon Rule, in exchange for an honest review.

'The Dixon Rule' by Elle Kennedy is the second installment in the Campus Diaries Series, but it stands strong as a captivating standalone novel. This steamy and entertaining read will leave you craving for more.

The story revolves around Diana Dixon, a driven dance student and waitress, whose life is thrown into disarray when Shane Lindley, a handsome and charismatic hockey player, moves into her building. Sparks fly between them, but Diana is determined to keep her distance and focus on her goals.

However, when Shane's ex-girlfriend reappears, he proposes a fake relationship with Diana to make her jealous. Initially hesitant, Diana sees the benefits in this arrangement, especially when it comes to dealing with her own lingering ex.

As they navigate their pretend romance, the chemistry between Diana and Shane becomes undeniable. The slow burn tension builds with every stolen kiss and heated encounter. Elle Kennedy expertly weaves together the tropes of fake relationship, enemies to lovers, and forced proximity, creating a plot that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

The spice factor in 'The Dixon Rule' is off the charts. Kennedy does not shy away from explicit scenes, which are both passionate and sensual. The steamy moments between Diana and Shane will leave you flushed and craving for more.

Beyond the romance, 'The Dixon Rule' also explores themes of self-discovery and personal growth. Diana learns to embrace her own desires and ambitions, while Shane faces his past mistakes and works to become a better man.

Elle Kennedy's writing is both engaging and humorous. She creates relatable and flawed characters that readers can root for. The dialogue is sharp and witty, adding to the overall enjoyment of the reading experience.

Overall, 'The Dixon Rule' is a highly recommended read for fans of college romances, steamy love stories, and well-crafted characters. Elle Kennedy has delivered a spicy and captivating tale that will leave you breathless and eager for more.

Hold onto your seat because this book doesn't just tell a story, it takes you on a wild journey! From the moment I cracked it open, I was strapped in for an exhilarating ride that I just couldn't put down.

The characters? Oh, they're more than just characters - they're like old friends you can't help but root for. And the way their relationship unfolds? It's like watching a slow-motion train wreck turn into a beautiful symphony. From enemies to friends to fake dating, every twist and turn had me on the edge of my seat.

But what really blew me away was the way the author seamlessly wove in characters from the previous book. It was like a reunion with old friends, and it added such depth and richness to the story.

And let's talk about those exes. They're like the villains you love to hate, but also kind of sympathize with. Every encounter had me feeling a whirlwind of emotions - from frustration to heartache to sheer joy.

In short, this book is a masterclass in storytelling. It's funny, it's heartbreaking, and it's oh-so-addictive. So do yourself a favor and buckle up, because once you start, you won't be able to stop.

The way this book made me feel all the emotions in the book!! I went from giggling, to feeling the spice, to crying. It was just a wild ride and a great experience!! This is for sure my favorite Elle Kennedy couple 🥹

Tropes in the book:

- Hockey player MMC 🏒
- Dancer FMC 💃🏻
- Enemies to lovers
- Fake dating 💕
-Close proximity
-College
- FWB 🥵
- Dual POV
- Super spicy scenes 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️🔥🥵

TW:
-parent death
-domestic abuse

Book summary:
Diana and Shane, a hot hockey player and a fiery cheerleader, go from rivals to real romance once they become neighbors. They support each other through tough times, build trust, and discover their strengths. The characters are really well-developed, and you can see their growth throughout the story. It was great to have cameos from previous book characters🥺

Narration:
The narrators, Corvin King and Erin Mallon, did a brilliant job bringing the story to life. Their narration was phenomenal and it added the required feeling for all scenes!


I LOVED this book!! And if you are into spicy hockey romances this one is for you!! Elle Kennedy is the queen of sport romances 💕

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC, I truly enjoyed the audiobook!

This book absolutely hit the spot. It’s steamy, emotional and full of banter. The characters worked well together and the audio version is everything you want it to be. Absolutely one of my faves this year! I have it in audio, ebook and paperback, that’s how much love I have for it.

The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy is a sizzling and humorous romance set against the backdrop of college life. Diana Dixon, juggling multiple jobs and preparing for a dance competition, finds her life further complicated by her new neighbor, Shane Lindley, a charming hockey player with a notorious reputation. When Shane proposes a fake relationship to ward off his ex, Diana reluctantly agrees, setting the stage for unexpected chemistry and genuine feelings to develop. The authors’s signature wit and steamy scenes make this an addictive series!
The audio version is exceptional, featuring excellent narrators who bring the characters and story to life with their engaging performances.

The narrators for Elle Kennedy’s books are always so great!

This one was light on the hockey and heavy on the romance, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It read like a soap opera in a good way and was a fun, quick, spicy read.

Thanks to Dreamscape and NetGalley for the ALC.