The Score (Off-Campus, #3)

by Elle Kennedy

[stacey_is_sassy]

Can a manwhore recover from manwhoritis?

I started The Score on my birthday. Happy Birthday to me!!!! The sucky thing about my birthday is that it’s a week before Christmas. I’m celebrating with my friends and family with a little voice inside my head saying “would these people hurry up and eat their cake…The Score is waiting”. Now I did say I was celebrating, which did involve wine. So by the time the friends did leave, the night time rituals had been done and I’m finally ready to crack The Score open…I’m tuckered out. I think I got two pages read. It’s OK, I woke up early and got reading straight away…then another birthday party intruded…and a Christmas party…and another Christmas party. The Score was being neglected, but it was definitely not forgotten. All of these things slowed down my progress. I’d managed to get to 77%, loving it, needing it and wanting it, when it all came to an abrupt stop. I GOT FOOD POISONING!!! I’m literally dying and my first thoughts in recovery…”My birthday present…The Score…Why…Why…Why did this have to happen to me?” A little melodramatic, but I was really llloooppyy.

Oh well, can’t help the loopy, but I HAVE FINALLY FINISHED IT!!! It took a week, but I’m so glad I did wait. That last part packed a punch and I needed to be whole and hearty to Deal with it and all The Mistakes that could have cost Dean The Score. Maybe I’m not over the loopy just yet ;)

The story starts out with Allie breaking up with her long time boyfriend Sean. She loved him…or so she thought, but would someone who loves you want to change you? Sean’s plans for their future did not include her following her dreams to become an actress. His plans were for them both to return to HIS hometown, where HE would join HIS father in business and SHE would become the little homemaker. Pffft…tell him his dreaming. Luckily she woke up to herself and realised their dreams were different. Unfortunately, she’s used to being in relationships and loves the comfort of having a partner. She must remind herself to stay strong against his Sweet Attacks, because she’s fallen for them before. Her best way to avoid an attack, is to avoid him. Easier said than done and she must bring in Hannah, her best friend, to help guard and reinforce her barriers. Hannah’s solution is for Allie to stay at her boyfriend Garrett’s house. All those ice hockey heroes can protect her.

Dean Di Laurentis, Manwhore Extraordinaire is having a "sandwich". He’s the filling and the two blonde chicks are the bread. Now this is not Dean’s first "sandwich", but it sure is putting this Friday night in his “best night ever” folder. Things are heating up when the doorbell rings. His plans get shot to smithereens when babysitting duties are forced upon him. His buddy’s girlfriend’s friend needs a place to hide out…and there goes his "sandwich".

From the very beginning Dean’s character surprised me. We know him as the manwhore who gets off getting off with numerous women on the couch in the lounge room. But the guy had absolutely no hesitation on chucking out the "sandwich" and going hungry. Dean was a very different character to the one I’d imagined. It didn’t take me long to jump in the “Dean is Awesome” fan group.

Allie’s NOT looking for a relationship and who would be silly enough to think that Dean would be relationship material? She wants to concentrate on her career in acting, and look after her father who has an incurable disease. But Dean has magical boy bits and she can’t resist. Soon they come to a mutual understanding that they’ll hook up for awhile. They spend time together outside of the bedroom and Allie can’t help but join the “Dean is Awesome” fan group. Funny thing is, Dean can’t help but start an “Allie Rocks My World” fan group too.

The journey for Allie and Dean is far from smooth. Besides their relationship, there are things with their career paths, families, friends and lifestyles that need to be dealt with. They’re young and still don’t have all of the necessary experience to handle everything thrown at them, but I was impressed that they learnt from their mistakes and managed to move on from them. They don’t take the easy route and they also accept the consequences of their decisions. What seemed like an easy life for Dean, soon becomes hard. At first he struggles, but when push comes to shove, his intelligence, upbringing and education help him to work through the difficulties.

I really enjoyed this story and loved seeing the maturity blossom in both Allie and Dean. Can a manwhore recover from manwhoritis? In Dean’s case, I’m not sure he was sick from it. I do think that he had an opportunity to enjoy his good looks and privileged life to the absolute full and took it. He didn’t plan for it to be his life and with his upbringing and loving family as a great example of what life was all about, knew there were more important things in his future.

Elle Kennedy, The Score was another win for me. I cannot wait to see what comes from Tuck’s announcement. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy….

I received a complimentary copy of this story via the author for an honest review.

To buy The Score from Amazon - http://amzn.to/1klc7W8

I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -