Release Reviews: The Score: Elle Kennedy
The Score (Off-Campus #3)Elle Kennedy
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Expected January 11, 2015
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 befriends? 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.
Allie Hayes and Dean Di Laurentis seem like opposites. He is the privileged, confident manwhore of their group. She is Hannah's best friend and fresh off the break up of a long term relationship. She's sweet, quirky, emotional, but sassy too. He's cocky, brutally honest, does not do repeats, and usually gets what he wants when he wants it.
They spend one unexpected night together that was not supposed to happen. But once it did, it definitely was not supposed to be more than rebound and a one-night stand(even though she does not do casual sex). But they leave more of a lasting impression on the other then expected. And Dean once again decides what he wants and is not afraid to go after it no matter how uncharacteristic it is for him or how much she tries to stand her ground. Before they know it, they are in a secret fling. But it definitely is not supposed to become important or emotional.
I loved digging deeper with Dean. Underneath his playboy facade was an intelligent, caring man with a good heart. He had been happy living the easy "life of Dean," but the more he sees his friends having real connections and the more times he spends with Allie challenges and surprises him. But Allie makes him really work for it. They had addictive sexual chemistry and surprising compatibility, but their lives were different and a bit complicated. Keeping their secret fling was not so easy and they both had some issues to deal with. But I really loved them together. Watching them slowly build their connection was entertaining and romantic. Allie was sweet and caring, but also protective and had a back bone when needed. And there was more to Dean than we ever knew before. At times they both weren't sure of what they really wanted or needed. Their futures were looming ahead with many decisions to be made and several things factoring into those decisions.
We got to hang with the group from the first two books: Garrett and Hannah, Logan and Grace, Tucker, and football star Beau, and get to know Fitzy, Hollis, Hunter, and Sabrina a bit more. I love these characters and how they both tease and protect each other. We also met Allie's cantankerous Dad and Dean's family including his impulsive sister Summer who I hope we will see again. Tucker's story was teased a bit and I am really looking forward to that.
There were some definite surprises and shocks. There were some emotional situations that totally got to me. But it was also humorous, sexy, sweet, and heartwarming. I loved getting the dual POV, and seeing the characters grow, and the story really did have some good messages built into it. I felt like this installment was a bit quieter and less angsty than the other two books. But there was enough going on to keep me engaged and interested, and it had an emotional punch. I know a lot of people wanted to see Dean end up with his nemesis Sabrina, but honestly I loved him and Allie together. I am looking forward to more in this series.
ARC provided by publisher for an honest review.
Dean Di-Laurentis is a one-night stand kind of guy, and has the reputation to prove it. He too is looking at graduation day as the beginning of the end. Going to law school is expected, as is the facade of the easy going playboy riding on the coattails of his family’s money. But not many see beyond Dean’s reputation and family.
One night that wasn’t supposed to happen between Allie and Dean cause them both to act out of character and develop a secret relationship. I loved watching them as each behaved so outside their norms as they began to realize what was happening between them (and fighting the pull).
The banter between these two was great. I loved all the sarcasm that flowed in their conversations and marked several passages that had me laughing out loud. As I was reading this on an airplane, I got several strange looks, particularly from my husband as he sat next to me.
I loved the changes Dean, in particular, goes through over the course of this story. He is forced to face his past in ways he never expected and learns so much about himself and his interests over the course of the action that he was almost a different person at the end. He is definitely still himself, just a more improved version.
There seemed to be less drama than in previous Off-Campus books. It was overall a fairly smooth read for me. The previous couples are back as teammates and friends, especially Garrett & Hannah and Logan & Grace. I love the way the timeline overlaps some of the action in previous books, but doesn’t need the background from those books to stand on it’s own. After the tease at the end, I can’t wait for The Goal to see more from this group of friends.
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…
Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.
…and it’s going to be oh so good
All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.
Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.
…and it’s going to be oh so good
All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.
Elle Kennedy
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He’s a player in more ways than one…
College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.
Now he’s going to need to up his game…
After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.
A USA Today bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.
Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
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