Elle Kennedy is a Canadian author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense who has become one of the most prominent voices in the new adult genre. A New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Kennedy holds a BA in English from York University in Toronto and began actively pursuing a writing career in her teenage years. Her early career focused on romantic suspense, including the Killer Instincts series and several titles published through Harlequin Enterprises. She earned a RITA nomination in 2010 for her romantic suspense novel Silent Watch.

Kennedy’s breakthrough into new adult romance came with the self-published Off-Campus series, beginning with The Deal in 2015. The series’ success led to several interconnected follow-ups: the Briar U series, which shifts focus to a new generation of students at the same fictional university; the Campus Diaries series, which follows the children of the original Off-Campus characters; and the Avalon Bay series, a small-town romance set outside the college world. Kennedy has also collaborated on the Prep series (under the pen name Erin Watt) with co-author Jen Frederick, further expanding her reach in the new adult market.