Andy Shaw is a busy sports agent and single dad just trying to keep everything together. In order to get some more time to spend with his kids, he decides to bring on a new agent to help. Danicka Douglas is the agent most skilled and the best fit for the job. However, the more they work together, the more obvious it is that they also fit together in more personal ways. 

They have a good rapport, similar interests, and compatible personalities...and sizzling sexual tension and chemistry. They are totally hot for each other, but he's her boss in a male dominated world so anything between them would be taboo and could have repercussions. She doesn't want to be judged as a woman who would sleep with her way to the top. And Andy can't afford to lose her as an agent.

But things continue to heat up both with them and some external circumstances.  Danicka finds herself a target of some negative attention that seems to be escalating.

Andy is protective, caring, and used to being in control. And this situation is completely out of his control--both personally and with the threats. And Danicka is fearful, paranoid, and stressed and feels the need to go into self protection mode. Raw nerves, budding feelings, tension, and several reasons to not pursue anything cause uneasiness. He wants to protect her and keep her safe. But she is used to being independent and strong, and tends to keep people at arm's length. Neither of them have the control they both need. But the more intense the situation, the more they are pulled closer. And priorities and needs become clearer when the stakes get higher.

This fits in with Beth Ehemann's Cranberry Inn series and Viper's Heart duet because of the side characters, but it is also a bit different. There is more of a suspenseful and dangerous story that adds tension, drama, and stress to their already somewhat complicated coupling due to their careers, family, and personal issues.

I loved Andy. We have seen him in previous books as the guy always keeping everything together and dealing with crises. Now we see him deal with his own. He is bossy, smart, protective, and is also sweet and has a sense of humor. Danicka is stubborn, independent, and used to being a loner. Having so many people care about her is a bit foreign to her. Together they are hot, sweet, and totally adorable. 

I enjoyed getting more with Brody, Viper, and the introduction of Justin, a baseball player. I would like to read more about him as we already learned his back story in this one. I also liked Andy's assistant Ellie, housekeeper Gloria, Danicka's sweet Dad, and Andy's precocious kids Logan and Becca. The scenes with the kids throughout the book made me smile and melted my heart.

I always find myself immersed in Beth Ehemann's books by her easy-flowing writing style and likable characters. This one was a bit different with the suspense story line, but it just added another layer to this long overdo love story for Andy. The who-dunnit aspect and the suspense of what was coming next kept me enthralled right along with the romance and family dynamics. 

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Andy Shaw has a lot on his plate as a single father. When he finds work getting in the way of time with his kids, he decides it is time to bring on a partner to help shoulder the workload. He was not expecting the hottest agent in the sports world to apply, nor did he count on the sparks flying between them.

Danicka Douglas has worked hard for her credibility in such a male dominated field. Her career is important to her, but she knows it is time to move on from her current employment. The opening at Andy’s firm is a perfect fit for her, if she can get past the very unprofessional way the boss makes her feel.

Having already read all the Cranberry Inn and Viper’s Heart books, I was very familiar with Andy’s character and the anticipation for him to find some happy was off the charts. I love his sweet nature, his focus on his kids, and the tight-knit family he has created out of his friendship with Brody.

This was sweeter than Viper’s books, even with the background threat that underlies this plot. The threat absolutely adds tension to the story, but to me it didn’t make the story any grittier than the two people falling in love allowed it to. 

Even the Score was a quick easy read with a suspense aspect that added interest and pull. It was fun to see Andy’s story after having watched his first marriage crumble and the aftermath in the previous series he appeared in. 

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Beth Ehemann lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with her husband and four children. When she's not sitting in front of her computer writing, or on Pinterest, she loves reading, photography, martinis and all things Chicago Cubs. She's represented by Jessica Watterson of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency.