Wow. I think this one may have been my favorite. I swear, I’m going to dissect why I think that is, but first I just need to acknowledge how much I love romance (for the 100th time).
So, y’all know why I love the romance genre so much and it’s not because of smut. I actually am not the biggest fan of smut—it just feels like way too much information sometimes and it pales in comparison to the actual draw of romance books: attention. We spend way too much time on our phones, either doing mindless activities or working towards an end. Don’t get me wrong, I’m totally fine with people who shun romance or love or fun in their life (I can change him, honey) but I think even the people that claim to love friendship and being focused on others and the beauty of the world don’t do it as well as book characters. Book characters just care and that’s so rare in the real world.
But, why do I love the way romance characters care? Well, because of how they care. When they fall in love with their person, it’s the most beautiful thing—reading about the way they see this person feels like invading the most sacred and beautiful part of humanity. You know the person they are in love with doesn’t actually have eyes that sparkle or pull the character in or burn with desire and something deeper, but you aren’t focusing on the person described, your focusing on the person describing. That’s what I love about romance books: getting to watch how a person sees the one their in love with and what love feels like for both people.
Okay, enough with the tangent and trying to make you guys understand my obsession (“spent my whole life trying to put it into words,” Swift, Taylor, ‘Clean,’ 1989, October 27, 2014)—onto the book review!
I said this book was my favorite of the series and I have some elaboration on that. I think, generally speaking, The Deal was super high on the list because it checked all the boxes—to die for characters, the smut scenes, the traumatic pasts, the things they love about each other, the healthy way they heal, and even the “point of tension” or Garrett’s dad threatening Hannah. Also, THE FREAKING NICKNAME!!!! Kill me and call me a hockey stick because I would let Garrett Graham manhandle me.
But, I also have tons of reasons why The Mistake was a favorite, and now I’m like 100% sure I would die for the The Score. So, Elle Kennedy, you’ve succeeded in making me fall in love with every single one of your books in the Off-Campus series (except for a certain one we’ll get to later). In The Mistake, like I stated in it’s book review, I loved how normal and totally basic Grace was (no hate), because Logan viewed her as the most amazing person ever. It always makes me kick my feet when a book guy just looks at his gf and marvels over how gorgeous and awesome she is (*butterflies!!*).
In The Score, things were a bit different. I loved the book because of the leadup that Dean’s character had. He, as well as Allie, had been in the series since book one, so I liked getting to see his manwh0re ways knowing he’d turn into a complete goner for his girl. Can confirm, I was not disappointed. He was totally smitten with this girl and didn’t touch anyone else after they slept together for the first time—completely reformed. Allie, I wasn’t too hot on. She’s okay, but I think I’ve been spoiled by how cool and weird Hannah was and how sweet yet independent Grace was. So, compared to them, not my fave book girl in the series.
The Score, as you’ve probably picked up on, follows Dean, another hockey player in the friend group with Logan and Garrett, as well as Hannah’s bestie Allie, who we met in the first book. They’ve known about each other for a while and have met before, but never spent much time alone or getting to know each other until Allie spends a weekend at the guys’ house. Then, things get hot and heavy and they end up sleeping together while also falling in love while also keeping everything secret from Hannah and Garrett.
Yeah, I think when I lay it out, The Mistake, aka Lograce, is my fave of the series, but Hannett and Deanallie are close runner’s up. I just loved the series in general…though I do have a confession. I know there’s a fourth book, focusing on the fourth friend Tucker but, hear me out, I got distracted. Here me out, I swear! Okay, I’ve had the Twisted series on my TBR for ages and I’ve also been seeing it on my FYP, so, superstitious person that I am, I finally decided to go for it. I’m currently only on the first book, but I have so much to tell you guys—stay tuned for my book review in a little bit!! Anyway, I feel so bad for cheating on Ms. Kennedy but Ms. Huang was calling so I promise to pick Off-Campus Book 4 up after I’m done with Twisted Love. Pinky promise!
Genre: romance, smut, fiction, Y/A
Age: 15/16+
Rating: 7/10