The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy
Rating: 5/5 ★
Read: 4/21/24 – 5/4/24
was so excited to start this book. However, at first, I was a little disappointed that it was not about another kid from the original Off Campus couples. That said, this book was a TREAT!
We follow Diana, Gigi Graham’s best friend. She is a cheerleader at Briar U and just got out of a terrible relationship. She is super independent and ambitious. Meanwhile, Shane, one of Ryder’s teammates, ends up moving next door to her, and, to her surprise, Diana hates him. She thinks he is some kind of player who does not know how to treat a girl with respect. Therefore, Diana makes a list of rules that Shane needs to follow as her new neighbor and wants nothing to do with him. Coincidentally, Diana needs a fake boyfriend, and Shane needs to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. To solve both of their problems, they decide to fake date.
This book was SO much fun to read! As they fake date, they start to spend more time together and really get to know each other on a deeper level. One of my favorite things to see them do together was watch a dating reality show that resembled Love Island. It was so fun to see how invested Shane got and how much he enjoyed watching new episodes with Diana! Moments like this made me really start rooting for them.
On top of their relationship, I truly enjoyed the friendship and family aspect. Just like Off Campus, there is a really tight-knit friend group. I loved seeing little glimpses of this new generation of Briar U hockey players, Diana and her friends, and even the two combined. In fact, I felt like I was a part of their friend group. Moreover, there are a few people that I am hoping get their own books! Along with their friendships, we also got to see their relationship with their families. Both Shane and Diana have really close relationships with their families, and I loved being able to see that side of them and have them meet their significant other.
The banter, spice, and relationship development made me squeal, and I couldn’t stop reading. I think fake dating is one of my favorite tropes because I love when each character has that realization that their feelings are real and they actually want to be together. It makes my heart so happy! That said, be warned—the last hundred pages made me shed a tear or two. Overall, this book was so much fun to read, and I did not want it to end. Diana and Shane are definitely one of the most fun couples I have ever read about! I hope we get to see more glimpses of them throughout the Campus Diariesseries. I can’t wait for the next book in this universe!
Read this if you like:
– fake dating
– frenemies to lovers
– friends with benefits
– “they’re neighbors”
