Victoria Denault has scored big and totally won my heart with her new hockey series, The San Francisco Thunder.  I loved everything about this book, from the romance to the dynamic secondary characters.  This book came to life and all of the characters had my complete attention.

Jude Braddock is the living, breathing, sex god of the San Francisco Thunder.  Not only does he score big on the ice, he also scores big with the ladies. His bedroom moves are legendary.  His “hockey stick” is an internet sensation.  So how could a man of this caliber have women problems? Very easily, he hasn’t been discreet nor has he been careful with his tryst.  Women are showing up on his doorstep, his phone is ringing all hours of the night, and his sexual escapades are on the internet.  Maybe it’s time to move and become more discreet, The one thing he won’t do is settle down to one woman.  That is until he runs into his sisters ( the sorority) former babysitter, Zoey.  Zoey is the one girl that got away.  This time around he’s going to make sure he catches her and doesn’t ply her with Boones Farm wine.  This time he’s doing the seduction right.

Zoey has just split from her husband.  The divorce procedures have turned quite nasty.  She’s working her tail off trying to establish a new career in real estate while trying to hang onto what is rightfully hers.  When she runs into her childhood friends, the Braddocks, it makes life seem a little better.  Reuniting with old friends is what she needed.  Hooking up with Jude Braddock is a bonus.  First she has to finalize her divorce and get her feet on solid ground.  She also needs to stay away from Boones Farm wine at all cost.

Zoey and Jude are doing more than rekindling an old friendship.  They are falling in love, but it’s going to take a miracle before either one admits it.  Miracles are known to happen.

I absolutely loved every moment in this book, from the snarky sorority sisters to the team dynamics,every character added something exceptionally special to Zoey and Jude’s romance.

I have read every novel Victoria Denault has written.  Score is my favorite book thus far.  Her growth as a writer and character development has excelled by leaps and bounds. I can’t wait to see what comes next in the San Francisco Thunder series.

Jude and Zoey were great together. I love old friends reconnecting stories, and he changed just the right amount from his bad boy ways to make their love story believable on both sides.

Jude has a rep, man whore of the hockey world, and boy do his sisters never let him forget it. Well how could they when his last escapade landed a rather unique pick on social media. With his sister part of the teams PR, he is now trying to clean up his act. 
Then a blast from his past comes in and turns his world upside down or rather right side up. 
Zoey, is trying to make her disaster of a life from completely destroying her soul. A divorce... that is what she to look forward to. Starting over , great! Until she bumps into the girl she used to babysit and oh yeah, sister to Jude the hottie she crushed on way back when.
Two hearts that felt incomplete now reunited, chemistry that leaps from the pages to your soul and heart.
I loved his struggle. I loved his discovery. I loved his heart.
Zoey and Jude will melt the ice with their passion!

It is no secret that I am a huge hockey fan in real life and in the books that I read.  I am always on the lookout for a new hockey romance series and was excited about the Score and it being the start of a brand new series called the San Francisco Thunder.  It was a pretty good start and I must say that I am curious to what direction that Ms. Denault will take it. 

I must say it took me a bit to really get into the story but once I did I found it to be an enjoyable second chance romance.  Jude and Zoey are both characters that are likable and at sometimes frustrating.  You start to cheer them on when they begin to get their second chance at love even when at times you may want to tie them to the goalie net and take slap shots at both of them when they make you insane, you still continue to cheer for them.  The push and pull, the ups and down, the chemistry, all work together to bring Jude and Zoey back together.

Overall Score was good start to a new series and one that I enjoyed.  I am looking forward to reading more from this series and Score is one that I can recommend.

ude Braddock has two Stanley Cups under his belt and can bed any woman he wants and he has up to this point. To say he's the slut of the team would probably be an understatement.... I mean even his "Hockey Stick" is out there on the internet to see. But when Jude runs into Zoey, a girl from his childhood, he all of a sudden has a change of heart.

Zoey is the one that got away. She was the experienced on. The one who he was too embarrassed to tell he was virgin. But since the last time he saw her at 18, he never forgot about her, or wondered what could have been.

Zoey is in the middle of a divorce when she runs into her old friends, the Braddocks. Summer in Maine were always a great memory. Especially Jude Braddock. He's no longer a boy but a hot hockey god and there is no denying the chemistry between the two of them is there. But is it ridiculous to think that the playboy would want anything to do with a twenty-eight year old divorcee who is trying to get her life back together?

I loved Zoey, who was strong and when with Jude, bold and fun. It was great to see the 180 on Jude from the playboy to committed man to Zoey. I especially loved how he handled Adam, her soon to be ex-husband.

This was just a great book and a perfect start to the series! Can't wait for more Thunder!

Jude and Zoey's second chance romance was a great read that put a smile on my face and occasionally had me fanning myself too!

As the story opened, there was a lot of history and background being explained that caused me to go back and double check whether Score was truly the first book in the series or not. But once I absorbed it all, the story started to move forward pretty quickly.

Jude is a total manwhore who has been living it up in the NHL. He tried a serious relationship once but failed miserably at it when he cheated on her; then his life-long best friend and team captain started dating her behind his back. When Jude realized he was more upset that Levi lied to him than he was about who he was dating, that spoke volumes to him. He has convinced himself he is incapable of a real relationship but he is also getting tired of the constant parade of easy women too. When he finds out Zoey is in the same city as him, all the old longing he experienced as a teenager comes rushing back full force for the one who got away.

They met years ago in Maine on a family vacation, and he was as into her as a teenage boy could be. She was a bit of a wild child rebelling against her parents, especially her dad who was a pastor that kept moving them around the country every few years. When she met Jude, she was just as interested as he was, but one comically disastrous date went wrong and then they lost touch. Years later, she married a man who was respectable with good job but he turned out to be a total jerk with hidden mean side in addition to his snobby attitude. Now in process of divorce battle, Zoey is thrilled to reconnect with the Braddock sisters and Jude, but she needs to keep it platonic with him to focus on dealing with her increasingly assholish soon to be ex-husband and on building a new career separate from her old life. When Zoey is having a low moment thanks to the machinations of her husband, Jude finds her and gives her a little pep talk to remind her why he was so interested in her in the first place. He would love to have a second chance to finish what they started all those years ago, but he is willing to wait a little longer until she is ready to move on.

Despite the fact he thinks he isn't cut out for a real relationship, Jude demonstrates over and over again that he can be a different man for the right woman- and that woman is Zoey. He is protective and attentive, and his manwhoring ways become a quick thing of the past as he focuses on her and her alone. Of course, his sisters and his teammates are not so quick to let him forget his recent past which leads to a few awkward moments particularly when he realizes his ex and Zoey know each other. Zoey's reaction to those moments cemented my love for her character though. She is accepting of the man he was before they reconnected especially since she had a similar reputation years ago when they first met. She also slowly regains her self-confidence and independence with his support, and he is careful to only step in to help when she absolutely needs it.

The chemistry and heat between them was undeniable when they finally were free to give into each other, and they definitely had some fun! Jude's interfering sisters were a constant source of amusement to me, although I have to admit Dixie got on my nerves with her constant jabs at Jude. Maybe it's an only child thing and I just don't get it, who knows. All in all, I really enjoyed Score and I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

This book ticked off quite a few positives for me:

second chance romance
sports theme
reformed playboy
strong female lead

The chemistry between Jude and Zoey was palpable from the start. You felt it in the prose of the book. It sizzled even when they were pushing at each other. LOVE! These two are going to get on your last nerve at the same time as your heart is singing. You will root for them even when Jude is not such a likeable guy. Because believe me when I say …. there are time you will NOT like him but you will always root for them 🙂

This is my first read by Victoria Denault and I’m pretty impressed. The story was focused with very little angst and a lot of heart. I can’t say the conflict wasn’t predictable and maybe a little unnecessary, but that’s just an opinion on my part. The book is a solid read and I really enjoyed the heck out of it!

Copy provided for blog tour review

I love hockey and I love romance novels but up until the past few months I had never read any hockey romance books but now I find I need more.   

Score is book 1 in the San Fransisco Thunder series by Victoria Denault and when I received my advance reader copy I just couldn't wait to read this book because it sounded interesting.  I am so glad I read this one because I just couldn't put it down.  I ended up reading this book in one day because I was so into this book.   

Score is well written and it is sexy.   

I can't wait to read the next book in this series. 

I give this 5 out of 5.

**4.5 Stars**

I can always count on Victoria Denault to give me temporary hockey fix until her next book comes out, Score did not disappoint but I'm craving more from this new series. Jude and Ruby are one of my  ew favorite couples Victoria has given us. One thing I really loved about this was it was a hockey romance PLUS  second chance romance. 

Jude is known as the Thunders hockey team play boy after a scandal that lands him as the center of social media entertainment. What makes him even more of a hassle for the PR of the team is, his sister is in the department and reminds his daily of his screw up. When Jude decides he will let his sister continue to hold their sorority convention at his house, he lands himself back in the center of the Puck Bunny door bell dining session. The only good thing that comes out of the sorority of his sisters is running into the one that got away, the only female he can't ever seem to forget- Zoey. Is there a chance they can finally get together? Will she be the one to change him to a one woman man or will his past interfere and screw it all up?

Zoey's life is a disaster. Her soon to be ex husband is making her life miserable, her living situation isn't ideal and she has to try and rebuild her career. After a stop in a coffee shop one morning she runs into someone she used to babysit in Maine, so what she is doing here in San Francisco, the bigger question is her sexy as all get out brother Jude here? Can Jude help her get out of her messy situation and help fix her broken heart? Or will his past get in the way?

Everything about Jude and Zoey's story was sweet and it's what I needed. Watching these two together was just what my hockey and second chance romance loving heart needed. I loved watching them grow together and heal each other. They were able to fill the void that the other person had and make them be better. I seriously can't wait for more in this series. Ever book I book up by Victoria becomes my  new favorite and Score was no different.

Hockey star Jude Braddock's seemingly never ending list of no strings conquest does not make him a good relationship prospect.  The normally bold and fearless Zoey Quinlin has been dealing with a blow to her self-esteem thanks to her less then civil divorce developments. When the past has never truly been let go can a smooth talking Lothario and a gorgeous former free spirit find a way to reunite in the future even as they muddle through the present?

Victoria Denault pulled out all her emotional guns in the start of her new San Francisco Thunder series, Score.  It is always interesting to see a couple with a past struggle with their preconceived notions of each other while trying to take into account the changes that took place while apart.  This author skillfully brought about the rediscovery of her characters initial appeal to the other even as she introduced new aspects to their relationship. Well placed moments of humor offset with some serious bouts of dread and misery gave this work a nice flow and moved this story rapidly. The history that Jude and Zoey shared contributed to their barely contained smolder and lit up the pages when contact was made. Reading Victoria Denault is a joy because she not only understands her characters but is able to articulate their every move and thought with a natural ease and honest insight that sucks readers into their dynamic from the get go.

Victoria Denault writes excellent hockey romances, and Score is no exception. Jude and Zoey shared a mutual teenage crush during summers spent in Maine, but lost touch and have not seen each other in years. Now, they’re both in San Francisco. He’s a professional hockey player, and she’s a real estate agent. When they reconnect as adults, their crush is quickly revived, but both have some relationship baggage that doesn’t make this a straightforward love affair.

Jude has failed at relationships and hasn’t been able to stay in a committed one. He’s had a lot of one night stands, and no one expects him to be able to change - he’s not even sure he can change. Zoey was recently blindsided by divorce and is still reeling from the blow and dealing with a jerk of an ex.

I really loved both Jude and Zoey. Jude is a playboy, but he is never made out to be TOO much of a player. He’s sexy and nice, and he’s adorable and hilarious when he interacts with his three younger sisters, who make a wonderful addition to Score. He pursues Zoey with a swoon-worthy fervor, and he is incredibly sweet to her as she deals with her ex. Score is fun and romantic and an all-around great read. - Keeper Shelf Book Blog

Put together my two favorite tropes- second chance and sports romance- and I'm in! Score had all the things I adore- it was sweet, funny, swoony, and sexy. I'm not always a fan of the reformed playboy, but I found Jude to be completely endearing. I also loved his sisters- the "sorority" as he called them- they were a hoot, Dixie especially. I felt terrible for Zoey and her terrible ex-husband and really found myself pulling for her and a happy ending. Score is a great start to a new series and I'm looking forward to reading more.

I thought this was just going to be fun. A distraction, a blast from the past, a final shot at a long-lost conquest. But I didn’t conquer anything. I surrendered. 

I'm not entirely sure how Score came to be my first read from Victoria Denault, but let me start by assuring you it will not be my last. After all, I am a sucker for a good hockey romance, and for an excellent second chance romance, and this one has those two things stitched up. It has the right mix of swoon, sex, humor and heartache—never too light, never too angsty. 

Ahh, those feel good moments had my face and my heart smiling, while those rocky moments had my brow furrowing and my blood pumping. Which made this book so very easy to get lost in. 

And get lost, I did. In Zoey, whose sometimes wavering strength felt very human. In Jude—to quote Zoey, Oh, Mylanta—who is reformed playboy perfection; a good guy underneath a messy outer shell. And in The Sorority... 

While Jude and Zoey brought the heat and the heart, Jude’s sisters brought the fun and funny to Score. And it was awesome. I can't wait to see these three again in upcoming books (Dixie and Eli, YES YES YES), because every page with their sisterly teasing was a favorite of mine. 

If it's not yet clear, I loved this book, but if I have one complaint, it’s that Score occasionally read like a follow-up to another book, especially early on. As my first book by this author, I did a quick sweep of her other titles to see if, perhaps, I’d missed something, but it doesn't seem so (please, correct me if I'm wrong!). However, the feeling of missing something lessens as the book progresses, and by the end, I couldn't get enough the dynamics between all of these characters. 

Or enough of this series—which is just one of the reasons why I'm certain that Score is just the first of many books penned by Ms. Denault that I'll be reading, starting with book two, which can't come soon enough. 

“It’s been a decade, an entire decade, Zoey, and yet you’re still like a bomb that detonates inside me every time our eyes connect.”

~ 4.5 Sunset STARS ~

I received a copy via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review 

I am absolutely infatuated with Victoria's gorgeous hockey players and am always ready and willing to jump back in bed with another one of her muscled, hard playing heroes and the feisty, independent women that they fall in love with. There is never anything better than starting a new fresh series with lots of characters to get to know and Victoria not only has us falling head over heels for her couple but also gives us a trio of women, Jude's sisters, that had me rolling on the floor laughing at their sibling antics. It wasn't long before I was wrapped up in all these character's angst and desire and begging for more! 

Jude Braddock is a delicious player in more ways than one. He not only has sexual innuendos that could cause any women's libido to go up in flames. He has a heart that shows through in everything he does for Zoey...even if he can't get his head out of his ass long enough to realize that he is in love and not just lust. I absolutely adored Jude and his risque selfies, naughty text, and killer bod. I couldn't help but love every minute with this smooth talking hero, especially when he called Zoey “sunset”...sigh! He has the perfect combination of “rough around the edges” and is all heart when it comes to his family and Zoey. He charmed me in every way!  

Zoey Quinlin is an independent woman that finds herself in an enstranged, crumbling marriage that is leading to a very messy divorce and has turned her whole life upside down. Just when she thinks life can't get anymore chaotic, in walks the most sexy man from her past and her heart and desire are sent in a tail spin. If only it wasn't the worst timing...or is it? Zoey captured my heart and admiration with her struggles, character, and fortitude to pick up the pieces of her life and start anew. We could all learn something from a character who redefines herself and keeps going when the world comes crashing down around her.  

Victoria Denault delivers a funny, heartfelt, steam up your glasses start to a new series that is sure to have all of her readers coming back for more! I highly recommend Score for a book that will introduce a whole new team of hockey players to drool over and fall for. Victoria always gives her fans what they are looking for whether it is on the ice or in the bedroom. So pull up a chair ladies and get ready to get down and dirty with the San Francisco Thunder hockey players that are sure to rock your world!

4.5 Stars

Everyone knows how much I love Victoria's Hometown Players series (#TeamDevin), so when I found out she was doing a spin-off hockey series I was ecstatic!!

Let me start this review by talking about Jude. Honestly, he's not a very likeable guy at first. He's a cheater and kind of a pig when he talks about women. It seems as though his number one goal, outside of winning at hockey, is to sleep with as many women as possible. He doesn't do relationships. He tried once, and failed miserably, even losing his best friend along the way. Then suddenly Zoey, the girl he fell for in high school, but never sealed the deal with, is in the picture again.

Zoey is starting over again. Leaving one heartbreak for another isn't ideal, but a few stolen moments with Jude and how is she supposed to resist?!? Their chemistry was off the charts and even when Jude was being an arrogant jerk about his intentions with her, you could clearly feel the connection between them. Struggling from the  fall-out from their last relationships, starting one with each other isn't the wisest decision, but what a great time they'll have making a mistake, over and over again. 

This book was frustrating, but sexy, with just the right amount of angst and the sweet signature romance I've come to expect from Victoria Denault. Reforming a bad boy can be a daunting task but it's one this author handles with ease. You'll be swooning over Jude by the end of this book and begging for more from the secondary characters ASAP.

What an awesome start to another fantastic series and I can't wait for more!!

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review

Oh here's a new hockey series and I couldn't be more thrilled! Jude is a hockey player for the San Francisco Thunder. He's a player and hates relationships. Apparently he loves hook ups a bit to much since he has randoms showing up at his doorstep in the middle of the night. Jude has 3 fun and sassy sisters that love to egg him on. Dixie lives close by and also works for the San Francisco Thunder. When Dixie runs into an old childhood friend who used to babysit her one day, they make plans to get together. It just so happens Zoey was friends with Jude also and needs some friends since she's going through a bitter divorce currently. When Jude shows up at the girls lunch as a surprise to see Zoey, he can't help but talk to her and try to help her when things go sour in her personal life. Will he become a fast friends again with Zoey or will there be instant chemistry.

Have I mentioned how much I love Ms. Denault's stories? She perfects these characters that we're helpless and can't help falling in love with. Can I imagine a Jude of my own because even though he can act like a dog, I wouldn't mind a little of him on the side! What I loved about this story is the uniqueness of the situation, without going into any details, just know that Ms. Denault has crafted up quite the story with a lot of messiness. Not to worry, she weaves it all perfectly together to give us that everlasting love we wait for because that's what she does best. 5 perfectly crafted stars for another story I was head over heels for.

***ARC Provided by Forever via NetGalley***

There were a lot of things about this title that I really enjoyed.  I liked Zoey and Jude together, and I liked that this relationship felt different for both of them, that they both stated that they had never had another relationship like this.  That is what you want in a romance, to know that the characters are all in, and you believe that.

I like that Jude was reformed, or working on being reformed, and that you see that his actions and the way they have led people to perceive him, have started to bother him.  Little glimpses like this let you, as a a reader, believe that he really is changing for himself, and that is allowing him to let Zoey in and make her more than he has ever had with another woman.

The writing, the pacing, the characters and the dialog were strong, and I really enjoyed most of this book.  Unfortunately, I had issue with where Zoey was in the divorce with her soon-to-be-ex.  I get it, separated, they are both ready to move on...but then he decides to be difficult (which you totally see coming) and it makes the new relationship one that is developing in the shadow of the old one.  This didn't totally ruin the story for me, but it did make it less enjoyable than it would have been without this.  There was enough, I think, in the idea of a newly divorced woman dating a reformed playboy to make it work without the addition of this.

Overall, I did enjoy this and I am looking forward to the next title in the series.

I love me some hot hockey hunks, whether it be the NHL playing on the TV or some fictional players in my books. When I want to escape reality for a little bit and just wind down, hockey will always be my first go to.  So when I can pick up a great book that has a great hockey hunk and a great story, I am one happy girl.  From the moment I picked up this author’s first hockey hunk romance, I fell in love with her writing and since then, she has become a one click author for me.  Also, many books later, she has yet to disappoint.

Jude always had a crush on Zoey, his sister’s babysitter and many years ago things came close to happening between these two young teenagers.  Now ten years later their paths cross again and the attraction is still there.  But Jude is no longer the seventeen year old virgin, he’s anything but.  Now he is an assistant captain of the San Francisco Thunder NHL team and when it comes to women he’s known to love ‘em and leave’em.  But that all changes when Zoey walks back into his life.  

I truly can’t put my finger on what it is exactly that I love about this author’s writing but every time I pick up her latest book, she sucks me in instantly every time.  I love everything about her books from her hockey hunks to her storylines, to the dynamics she builds between her characters as well as the cast of supporting characters she creates.  When it comes to hockey romances, I have to say Victoria Denault is one of my favorite authors to read.

I really loved Zoey’s character.  She is in a bad spot in her life with a pending divorce and basically starting over her career, but I loved that she was strong and independent and the fact that she was determined to turn her life around and get it back to be in a better place, with or without a man.

Jude comes off as your typical jock.  He’s sexy and he knows it, a little too much, he’s cocky but he’s also a charmer so you can’t help but love him, cockiness and all.  But when we see him with Zoey or thinking about Zoey, we see the real Jude.  The sweet caring person he truly is.  I also loved seeing him with his family, especially with his Dad as well as with the kids at the hospital.  That was the real Jude, the one I fell absolutely in love with.

As always, this author gives us not only great lead characters but some really fabulous supporting characters and I must say that Jude’s sister had me chuckling so many times.  We got to see more of Dixie than his other two sister and I loved the dynamic that the author built between these two siblings.  I also loved the cast of characters she included as Jude’s teammates and characters they were.  

Overall this was another fabulous read from this author that never seems to disappoint me.  This one was a great mix of fun and flirty with just the right amount of hot and sexy.  And I must say when these two came together, it was HOT. I honestly feel that between the really fabulous lead characters this author creates then add in her great supporting characters and a really engaging storyline,  this author truly has a great mix every time that keeps me totally engaged in her stories from start to finish and then leaves me immediately wanting her next story, which I am so excited for and can’t wait to get Dixie and Eli’s story coming next.

Victoria Denault’s SCORE is the perfect start and name to the San Francisco Thunder Series.  Hockey star, Jude Braddock, is given a second chance with his childhood crush, Zoey Quinlin.  This contemporary sports romance is suitable for adult audiences.  I love Victoria Denault’s Hometown Players series.  I was thrilled when I discovered she was coming out with another hockey romance series.  I was not disappointed. I loved this book.  

The characters are skillfully developed and likeable.  Jude and Zoey had both crushed on each other in their youth in Maine. Zoey’s family moved, and they lost touch.  She was the one that got away.  Eleven years later, they run into each other on the other side of the country in San Francisco where they both now live.  Zoey is going through a divorce, and Jude is going through women like they are going out of style.  Both characters grow through this story, especially Jude, whose social life majorly transforms.  

My heart went out to Zoey.  Her ex-husband, Adam, was a piece of work.  I love how Jude always defended Zoey around him.  Jude’s situation with his best friend and team captain, Levi, was interesting.  I can understand why things were strained between them.  Different life circumstances altered their dispositions. I appreciated how Zoey and Jude brought back the positive aspect of their personalities.

I love Jude’s relationship with his family.  It cracks me up that he calls his three sisters the sorority.  I love that Zoey babysat his sisters, and that were so defensive of her.  

I enjoyed the plot.  Zoey and Jude have some interesting obstacles to overcome.  The ending was perfect and felt well concluded.  I’m looking forward to Jude’s sister Dixie’s and Eli’s story in the next novel in the series, Slammed.  I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Hockey hottie? Check!

Second chance? Check!

It is no secret that I am a sucker for a hockey player story, but throw in a blast from the past/second chance romance and you had me at hello.

I am not always a fan of the reformed manwhore story, however Score definitely had a different feel to it than that. His history with Zoey is a big part of that feel. The way Ms Denault has written his story is another big part.

Oh Zoey, how I adore you. Through the crappy hand that you are being dealt, you are all dignity and class - unlike others involved.

I adored seeing both sides of Jude - the cocky, arrogant, sometimes a d!ck hockey player, and the sweet, kind, thoughtful man behind it all. We all know that there is more behind the public persona, and this showed it wonderfully.

I loved the push and pull between Jude and Zoey, but more than anything I LOVED the way Jude was with Zoey as she is dealing with the a$$hat that is her soon to be ex husband. This is when I felt he really shined. Don't get me wrong, he was still all about getting her, but he was so much more.

Another thing that Ms Denault does well is the secondary characters. Each and every book has some fantastic characters that I just need to know more about - this time it is Jude's sisters, escpecially Dixie. I hope we get more and more of her as the series proceeds.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting swept away with Jude and Zoey, and now I can't wait to see where the series takes us next.

** will go live on Amazon on release day, and on blog during blog tour **