In the past few months, I’ve read more about collegiate sports than I could have ever imagined, given my total lack of interest in sports. But thanks to Elle Kennedy, Kristin Callihan and Sarina Bowen, I know more about hockey and football than I would like, and I have some sports playing fictional boyfriends. The Score is the third book in Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus series. The series explores the lives and loves of four college hockey players, who share a house – off campus. Elle Kennedy’s series and Kristin Callihan’s Game On series are remarkably similar (one is hockey, the other is football), but both authors write such charming characters and such good smolder, I recommend them both for light reading with funky times. Up until she pooped the bed in The Fifteenth Minute, I would say Elle Kennedy and Kristin Callihan are fun, but Sarina Bowen is necessary. Now the feeling is mostly the same, but there are caveats and reservations.
I like Dean and Allie, but there is a lot of stuff in the book that made me roll my eyes. When we meet Dean in The Deal (book 1), he was mostly naked in the living room and making out with a mostly naked woman. This is apparently his thing, being an exhibitionist man whore. Allie is Hannah’s best friend and roommate. She has just broken up with her off and on boyfriend of three plus years, and is afraid she can’t make it stick. She hides out at the hockey players’ house, gets drunk, has wild sex with Dean and regrets it in the morning, as you do.
But here’s the real plot twist – Dean wants to go again. She says no, but he isn’t interested in anyone else (he gets a lot of offers). There is only one explanation – Allie has a magical vagina. This is one of my least favorite romance tropes. The bad boy who doesn’t want to be in a committed relationship suddenly want MOAR of that magical pussy. I would have even less patience if Allie and Dean weren’t so charming together.
Allie may have a magical vagina, but at least it isn’t a virginal magical vagina. Not everything about Allie quite gelled, but I did like her. She and Dean had good banter and good smolder. She does slut shame herself, which didn’t feel quite real to me, it felt more like an unnecessary obstacle. However, she makes deliberate choices, stands up for herself, and is a genuinely interesting person aside from her magic vagina.
There is drama, redemptive plot moppets (TM Mrs. Julien), and problems solved way too fast. The portrayal of Allie’s post graduation career options are wildly unrealistic (I was in a theater conservatory in college, I know of what I speak). That said, it was a good read. I am looking forward to the next book with the 4th housemate and his apparent relationship with a real bitch. Real bitches are some of my favorite characters.
Nice review, sounds kind of fun…I haven’t read romance novels since before sex was a mystery to me and then I just kind of stopped reading them. I love reading all your reviews to give me some idea of what to read.
Now a funny but probably TMI story. My 3 year old daughter popped into the room the other day and showed me her naked bottom half with a smile, pointed and said, “Look Mommy, it’s my ‘gina…shhh, she’s magic”. So maybe there is such a thing???
I would agree that vaginas are magical indeed. Just not in the romance trope sort of way.
agreed :)
Ooooh the magical vagina. Sigh. I’m pretty sure I have “The Deal” on TBR and so was going to get to this eventually, but I agree with you that this trope sucks.
You should read The Deal. And this book didn’t suck.
“Elle Kennedy and Kristin Callihan are fun, but Sarina Bowen is necessary.”
For clarification, Sarina Bowen is the best? I’m limping into this college romance category because I’m easily swayed by rave reviews from fellow cannonballers. I enjoyed Blond Date but as a rule, feel like a bit of a creeper reading about college students. I’ll be rolling around with the smoulder and smexy times and then catch myself, “Eeewww….she’s younger than our babysitter.” This is my own personal hangup and no reflection of the quality of the writing.
But if I was going to make a stronger effort to get over it, Sarina is the place to start?
Yes, but skip the Fifteenth Minute.
Yes. Read her Ivy Years series, but pretend it stops with The Shameless Hour and create your own headcannon about what happens next.
Ugh! I hate magical vagina. But, I did love The Deal, and have The Mistake waiting in TBR. Based on this review I think I’ll hold out for this one to go on sale right before the fourth book comes out.
Well, I imagine Mrs. Julien will review it too, so you might see what she says.
I read The Deal and thought it was just fine, but could not and still can’t handle an author who has college kids calling each other “babe”. I just can’t move past it. I lived in the land of babes and dudes for years, and still no one ever used that term. Also if a guy called me “babe” in college or now I would have punched him in response.
I actually do know people in their twenties who call each other “babe”, and not even in a super dudely way. Doesn’t make it any less tacky to read it though.
OI
a. I did have a boyfriend in my 20s (my Fabio) and we did indeed call each other “baby”. It started as a joke and stuck.
b. I am intending to review this one and I agree with emmalita’s review. I mostly liked it, despite the magical vagina. It certainly skates around the bad habits Dean has with regards to women. I did go back and read some of the previous book and Dean is more icky in that one as in really vain and piggy.
Every time my email notification pings, I get excited thinking it might be your review. But no pressure. Take your time.
*stares intently in your general direction*
Whenever you get around to it.
*intensifies staring*
I haven’t actually read your review (as I plan to get to the Elle Kennedy books eventually (got the first two on sale just before New Year’s) and don’t want to get spoiled), but just wanted to drop in and say that I’ve now started the Sarina Bowen Ivy Years books.
I also have absolutely no interest in sports of any kind, or care all that much about the lives of college students, but I varying degrees of loved Callihan’s Game On trilogy and really enjoyed The Year We Fell Down. I’ve only just started Bridger and Scarlet’s story and am not sure I’m in a place to handle all the baggage they both have. I suspect I’ll get to the Kennedy books when I’ve blazed through all of them (don’t worry, I’ll skip The Fifteenth Minute like you all advise).
I’m really looking forward to your thoughts on both series. Of course, you started me down this collegiate sportsball path when you introduced me to the Game On series. So there!
Having now devoured the Ivy Years (minus The Fifteenth Minute and I really think I’m going to read that too, well knowing that it’s not up to the greatness of the other books) this week, I’m very ready for Elle Kennedy for my next college sportsball series.
I’m interested to hear what you think of the Fifteenth Minute after all the warnings and caveats. I suspect part of my reaction was due to shock. So please let us know.
I may skip it, I may not. I have really liked all the others and Lianne was a great supporting character in The Shameless Hour.
Having now gone back and re-read all of the reviews you guys posted for The Fifteenth Minute last year, I have decided to skip it and seek out Him instead. But I may take a short break from college sportsball romance for a week or so, and read something entirely different first.