Book Review: The Score by Elle Kennedy! (@ElleKennedy)

The Score (Off-Campus #3)
Author: Elle Kennedy
Publication Date: January 11, 2016
Published: Self-Published

My Rating:

He knows how to score, on and off the ice

Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she's going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di-Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over

Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls…he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world—and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love.

There is probably a good and rational reason why I didn’t give this book 5 stars. Currently, I don’t remember that reason. ANYWAY….

The Score was a total hit! A touchdown, slam dunk, homerun, goal, and any other sports euphemism that I missed. This was filled with humor, sexy times, heart wrenching sadness and uplifting hope. I don’t know how Elle Kennedy manages to keep this series fresh but when I think it is going to be a repeat of the last, she changes it up.

Finally, we get the story of Dean, Garrett and Logan’s man-whore roommate. In this, the first glimpse we get he is about to have a threesome with two eager participants. Cocky, attractive and talented is the recipe for amazingness when it comes to Dean Di-Laurentis. When he is tasked with babysitting Hannah’s recently (hours fresh) single roommate, Allie, he knows there is a hands off policy for her.

That is until you add one cancer movie, some weed and a bottle of tequila, plans change. Allie, inspiring actress isn’t one for casual hook ups. Having just dumped her longtime boyfriend, she isn’t in the market for a fling. With a lot of persuading from Dean after their drunken hook up, she realizes that maybe a fling with the man-whore is just what she needs.

What I loved about The Score was that it wasn’t all about the sexual chemistry that Dean and Allie instantly developed. Those scenes were hotter than hot coals on a summer day, but it was the carefree attitude Dean had and the love Allie showed for her ailing father that tugged at my heart.

Now, things weren’t roses for the whole book. There is a big heart crushing moment that really made me see that this book was different from the others. It felt realer in a way that I hadn’t read in a while. It was also nice to see how Dean differed from Garrett and Logan. He knew he wasn’t going to be some hockey superstar and he didn’t want to.

Loved Dead and Allie’s journey and I even loved the glimpses of the other couples from the series. Now, I have to sit on my hands and rock till the fourth book comes out in September. Slight spoiler, when you get to the end of this one, you’ll know why the fourth needs to hurry up and come out.

Well played, Elle, well played.