Score by Victoria Denault is a story about a second chance at love. But no journey is easy. In Score the feels are all over the place and the story will pull you right in. 

Jude Braddock is not into long-term relationships. He is a Hockey god and is loved by fans and the ladies. A never-ending string of ladies, but he would not have had it any other way, until now. Jude was cocky and arrogant, but could be caring as well. 

Zoey is coming out of bad marriage and the last thing she needs is to get involved with another man. Especially one with the history Jude has. Even if they were once friends. But Zoey brought out the protector in him. 

Zoey and Jude knew each other as teenagers. Once upon a time they had a disastrous date. Jude was young and nervous. Needless to say, things did not go as he wanted. Now Zoey and Jude have reconnected. But Zoey is coming out of a marriage that left her sad and insecure. And her ex is not making it easy for her. 

Zoey and Jude had undeniable chemistry, even as Zoey tried to ignore it. But I also enjoyed the secondary characters and Jude’s interaction with his sisters. I loved their banter. 

I enjoyed this story. It was a great balance of romance, chemistry, angst and a touch of humor. It was a bit of a slow burn, but it added to the overall story. I am looking forward to reading more from the San Francisco Thunder team. 

~ Liz

5 Stars


Score is the first book in the new San Francisco Thunder series by Victoria Denault.  I love this sports romance.  It’s serious in that it tells the story of two people with real pasts and struggles and it’s entertaining with the way they are reintroduced after years apart.  The supporting characters are well rounded and I can’t wait for more from these individuals.

Zoey is going through a divorce and is struggling with her self-esteem and confidence.  The reason we think her husband is leaving has left her feeling less of a woman because she hasn’t fulfilled her part of their marriage.  He blames her and you see the light in her slowly diminishing each time he reminds her.  He slowly tries to break her each time he he does something to make her life harder.  
Zoey is reunited with her teenage crush who happens to be one of the star players for the San Francisco Thunder hockey team.  It seems life might be looking up.

Jude has his own issues going on.  His family is his priority and his longtime childhood friend has just betrayed him.  He has a public image that has just been tainted and now needs to take a step back and stay our of the spotlight.  Jude knows he’s not a one-woman man regardless of the one that got away. 

Jude’s sisters, the sorority were awesome in this story.  I need more especially from Dixie.  I loved Zoey’s brother, Morgan’s character.  These siblings are protective and supportive.  I really like the dynamic of the characters in Ms. Denault’s story.  They all blend well and even our hero Jude, with his faults, is forgiving. 

I enjoyed the anticipation of this couple in finally connecting and the teasing, flirting and dirty talking were so arousing.  Victoria Denault brought her A game with Score and am ready for more from this series.

A big man on and off the ice, Jude knows how to score. He knows what he wants and goes after it full speed ahead. Zoey is the girl that sent his teenage hormones into overdrive with her wild girl ways. Now an adult, Zoey's spirited image has been toned down by life's hard knocks and one broken heart too many. With a divorce in her review mirror and a "no bad boy" rule leading her forward, Zoey is finding her way again. Enter bad boy hockey star, Jude Braddock. Tempting, cocky and up to no good, Jude has one goal. Awaken the bad girl she's determined to hide and show her what she's been missing. I'm not a sports enthusiast and the bad boy shtick's been done before but Ms. Denault adds in a little extra heart and sex appeal and scores a goal with Score.

4.5 Stars

This is book one in a new San Francisco Thunder series by Victoria Denault. This is also a  second chance sports romance. I have read this author before, so she is not new to me. I so very much loved this book. I mean everything about it. It drew me in and didn't let me go. The writing, the people the sport, especially the sport. The story is a bit slow moving in the beginning with a slow torturous burn but  I loved it, and it doesn't ruin the pace. It is setting everything up. They both have the past and need to find their footing. There is just a bit of everything in this book. It’s the right combination of drama, angst, sexy times, friendship, and humor. It is laugh out loud humor. I never knew what was going to come from Zoey's mind

Jude and Zoey know each other from their youth. She used to babysit his three younger sisters on their vacations on the Maine, shore. A feisty little bunch of girls. I loved Jude’s name for them….sorority. Both crushed on each other. Now we fast forward and the book opens with Zoey leaving her house because she and her husband are getting a divorce. She can’t give him the one thing he wants. He’s an ass. Zoey is afraid to let anyone in after that. She is afraid they will leave her as well. 

Jude is still reeling from a bad press rap. There are pictures circulating that he denies. He and his girlfriend broke up. I blame him, he cheated and was an ass.  So he decides that when his best friend from his youth and now a fellow teammate he acts out.  Oh, let’s be honest he’s a manwhore. He is arrogant and beautiful and tattooed and is sexy. He can have any woman he wants. Then when he hears his sisters speaking he figures out it’s his old crush and he will do anything to get in her pants. Then when he least expects it the script changes. He finds himself wanting to be everything she needs, right down to her protector. He finds her breaking down a bit in the hotel after her ass of an ex-cuts of her joint credit card. He said he wouldn't fight the divorce, then in a complete 180 he is tying it up and won’t honor the prenup that he's had her sign, giving her the house.  Zoey isn’t the same girl Jude grew up with, but he finds himself wanting to help her get that back. 

These two, when together they have undeniable chemistry. She is still married and won’t act upon it. Doesn’t mean it isn’t there or that she can hide from it. His dirty talking mouth draws that out of Zoey. She doesn’t curse. The secondary characters are great. I loved Dixie and Levi (the best friend). The sorority was an awesome bunch of girls and I loved Jude’s parents. Can’t wait to read the next book which is Dixie and Eli the new rookie goalie. Sign me up, please!

I love this author, I've read all her books and jumped at the chance of reading this book, I wasn't disappointed. I devoured this book in a few hours, it's my favorite book by this author so far! It's a sweet, sexy, funny, second chance romance read. I loved Jude, he's unapologetic about his manwhore ways and doesn't really care what people think about him. I loved how he was in a relationship and didn't even realize! Zoey, although going through a rough divorce, doesn't let that stop her from giving Jude a chance and being open to another relationship. I loved how she never Judged him about his past and was willing to find the girl he once knew that was buried inside. While reading this book, I fell in love with the characters while they were falling in love with each other, I was totally invested in them as a couple and couldn't wait for them to seal the deal! This is an amazing start to a new series, I can't wait for the next book.

Title: Score
Series: San Francisco Thunder #1
Author: Victoria Denault
Publisher: Forever
Reviewer: Mollien
Release Date: May 9, 2017
Genre(s): Contemporary Sports Romance
Page Count: 368 pages
Heat Level: 3 flames out of 5
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Blurb:


Jude Braddock. Hockey god. That's how everyone sees him now. But when they were teenagers, Zoey knew him as the kid who didn't have enough nerve to make a move on their one and only disastrous date. Seems he doesn't have that problem anymore, though. According to the rumors, he's with a different woman every night. After a rough divorce, the last thing Zoey needs is more heartbreak. But Jude's cocky, playful attitude is mighty hard to resist.

Jude knows he isn't built for long-term relationships. But he's getting sick of women pounding on his door in the middle of the night looking for a rematch. When Zoey comes back into his life, it's like fate has given him a second chance. He'll do anything to make her happy again. Is this what love looks like? He has no idea. All he knows for sure is that this time, he's playing for keeps.




Review:
This is the first book in the new series, San Francisco Thunder, by Victoria Denault. This series is about different members of a fictional, Stanley Cup winning hockey franchise. This first book is a second chance romance where the two main characters reconnect after being separated during their teenage years. Now they are all grown up and both have past experiences that make getting back together a challenge. In the plot of this story, Jude Braddock is one of the star players. His life is facing some real challenges. A betrayal involving his best friend and ex-girlfriend. A loved father who has a terminal disease. A loving sister who gets to interfere in his life on and off the ice. One night stand hook-ups that bang on his door at all hours disturbing him and his neighbors. However, the most challenging part right now is Zoey. The girl that used to babysit his younger sisters during their summers at the shore. He had a crush on the wild teenager when life was simple. Zoey is starting a new chapter in her life. One that doesn’t involve her ex-husband who decided he didn’t want to be married to her anymore because she may not be able to conceive children. Fine, whatever, but now he is holding up the divorce because he wants to break the prenuptial that would give Zoey the house that she loves so much. When Jude comes back into her life, she is not sure if she wants to put her heart on the line again, especially with a man who may or may not have a private part of his body plastered all over the internet. The chemistry goes from a warm simmer to a rapid boil as this story progresses. This bad boy hockey player is the best. His love of his family and the way he treats Zoey make him a perfect book boyfriend. This book moves along very quickly, so be warned you will have that feeling of the end of book sadness when you reach the final page. Loved the ending, my only problem is that we have to wait awhile for the second book of this series. The author did not only a wonderful job developing the main characters of this story, but has given enough teasers to make you wonder who will be the main character of the next book. 

PLOT: 4 Stars
CHEMISTRY: 5 Stars
PACING: 5 Stars
ENDING: 5 Stars
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5 Stars

Review Copy of Score provided by the Forever I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club

I loved this second chance sports romance! There was the perfect amount of swoon, angst, humor, and sexy times. This is the first book in the author's San Francisco Thunder series and is told from the points of views of both the hero and heroine, Jude and Zoey.

I will be completely honest. The reformed manwhore is my least favorite hero. I don't expect my heroes to be saints or anything, but having close to or over a thousand sexual partners is a tough pill to swallow for me. I just always have a harder time believing that the hero could be faithful and monogamous to our heroine. Score is so wonderfully written though that it actually works amazingly well in this story. I may not love that part of Jude's past, but I really liked Jude. Yes, he's cocky, arrogant, and sometimes a prick, but he can also be generous, thoughtful, tender, and sweet. His chemistry with Zoey is undeniable and that hopefullness of reconnecting with her over a decade later is both steamy and endearing. I loved watching these two get to know each other again as adults and bring out in the other, the people they hope to be. Of course, there are a few bumps in the road, but you will be so invested in these two that you will be rooting for them to get their happily ever after.

One thing that I especially loved about this book were the secondary characters, especially Dixie and the entire sorority, and all the witty and hilarious banter. Seriously, I love Victoria Denault's writing and sense of humor. There were times I was laughing so hard at what was going through our chracter's minds and flying out of their mouths! (ahem, restless d*ck syndrome!) I was so excited to find out that the second book will be Dixie and the mysterious Eli's and can't wait to continue on with the series! You definitely don't want to miss this one!

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*

This is a fantastic beginning to a new series by Victoria Denault!! I really loved Jude & Zoey! They are both such awesome characters and I felt fully invested in their lives shortly after meeting them. That's the sign if really good writing. The supporting characters were also delightful and I look forward to getting to know them all better as this series progresses. 
This is such a sweet and sexy story of how the right person can make all the difference in love and life. The chemistry between Jude & Zoey is undeniable and molten hot!! Their sexy times are super hot, hot, hot!!! This is really a second chance for them since they knew each other when they were younger and had a connection but were never able to fully see that through back then. It brings a bigger sense of want, need and desire to the table once they do reconnect again. 
This story has one of my favorite epilogues in a long time! I absolutely loved it!!

Jude Braddock is well known for his skills on the ice and off, and while he's pretty proud of his off ice achievements, he isn't too thrilled with his previous opponents banging on his front door wanting a round two. He's not a man built for commitments, and is quite vocal about that fact, making sure each puck bunny he takes home knows the drill, but for some reason they seem to keep forgetting that important little detail. There has only ever been one woman to peak his interest, but he was young and dumb and he let her slip away... but fortunately for him fate is giving him a second chance. The minute Zoey walks back into his life he knows that this is his chance to finally finish what they started so many years ago, but it's not going to be easy because she is going through a nasty divorce, and a relationship is definitely the last thing on her mind. Good thing Jude is the master of persuasion!

No matter where life has taken her, Zoey, has always carried a little piece of Jude with her, when she was young he was her everything, then her family moved away, and she lost him. But with the help of the internet, she has watched him follow his hockey dream, and conquer every challenge put in front of him, including a long line of puck bunnies... sometimes secretly wishing she was in that line! But then she met the guy that she thought was "the one", and she gave up on that little secret wish. But when the life plan she made with her husband doesn't go as they planned, he decides their marriage is over and she is left brokenhearted and alone. Good thing fate is on her side, and puts her on the same path as her hockey playing ex. Seeing Jude again is something she never thought would happen, but now that he is back in her life she isn't ready to let him go just yet... they have unfinished business after all!

I think I was pretty much sold on this one, just after seeing the cover, not only because the story was centered around a hockey player, but also because of who was at the helm. Every time I have settled down with one of  Ms. Denault's reads I have been very impressed by what I have found, and I have to say Score is another winner for this very talented author. I truly enjoyed reading Jude and Zoey's story, it was, by my definition, the perfect romance story; it made me laugh, awakened my emotions, had me blushing a few times, and left me with a permanent smile on my face! If you like your fairy tales a little on the spicy side and equipped with a smooth (sometimes dirty) talking hockey player, then I HIGHLY recommend you meet Jude, he is sure to score a special place in your heart and leave you highly satisfied!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.

On the edge of your seat read.  You will find yourself turning the pages fast to find out what happens.  The author does an excellent job with the characters and the plot.  Anyone can relate to story and will hate seeing it end.  A book you will want to read again.

This is the first book I have read by Victoria denault and I was impressed.  From the first page to the last, this story has great flow and it grabbed me and never let me go.  It has wonderfully written dialogue, a delicious storyo, the characters feel genuine and the interactions between them are fun and flirty. I loved every minute of this charming and fun story which is told from alternating POV’s, so I always knew what the characters are thinking and feeling.

Jude Braddock is a professional hockey player with the San Francisco Thunder. Everything in Jude's professional life is going well and he is excited his team has won the Stanley Cup, but things in his personal life are not going as well.  

Zoey Quinlin’s life is in turmoil after undergoing a messy divorce. She is starting over with a new job in residential real estate and her ex husband enjoys giving her a difficult time. She misses the carefree person she used to be.  She would like to have some fun after her marriage ends and she decides Jude is the perfect person to do that with.  

Jude and Zoey knew each other when they were teenagers and haven't seen each other in eleven years. Jude is a womanizer and assumes he isn't meant for long term relationships, until he sees Zoey again.  I enjoyed watching their relationship build slowly and realistically. I liked Jude and Zoey together.  They have fun and trust each other and also have lots of chemistry. Jude stole my heart.  He  is sweet and vulnerable and he wants to be a better guy for Zoey but he also worries he may hurt her. I love the way Jude grows into the man he is meant to be.  He helps Zoey feel more confident and Zoey helps Jude feel better about himself, too. 

Jude's three sisters are hilarious and add a lot of humor to the story.  He and his sisters are always bantering back and forth. They love to give Jude a hard time, they constantly tease him and don't let his head get too big. SCORE is a mix of sexiness, sweetness and laughter.

This book was absolutely wonderful Going in I was not in love with where the characters are in their life but lemme tell you, by the time I hit 48% I m rooting so hard for Zoey and Jude.

Jude, at the start of this book is the older brother to 3 sisters. He is a Hockey star but really feels he cannot do a committed relationship as he cheated on his last girl friend. She got him back by dating and falling in love with his best friend and teammate. Since then he has had lots of one night stands and now they know where he lives and they keep coming back for more.

Zoey, is in midst of a nasty divorce. Her older, rich husband dumped her when she was told she had an angry uterus.

One day Zoey runs into Daisy who is Jude's sister and they were old friends, as was Jude and Zoey. At 17 Zoey was very sexual and Jude a virgin and she left town before he could lose his virginity to her. So when Daisy and Jude see Zoey again well he cannot resist finally having sex with her.

The thing is even while Zoey is married she wants to be single before they have sex and so they spend alot of time together and I loved that. The best part of the story is where they are flirty friends. And when they finally get together, the books pages will burn your kindle. This story is super HOT but it is also sweet, romantic and wonderful.

I fell hard for Jude and I loved Zoey as well. These rekindle their old romance and it was so wonderful. I loved how into Zoey, Jude gets and how he really is there for her day in and out. I cannot wait for the next story.

➳Second chances at finding the one and only are beyond rare to find, but Victoria Denault introduces not only the impossible but also the rare opportunity to falling in love with her characters such as Jude and Zoey…

➳Knowing each other from the early years of childhood, Jude and Zoey have once again rekindled in this new epic love story. Not only is the ability of finding love for the second time, and somewhat never loosing it is a message sent by Victoria, but she has also brought her comfort topic of hockey to the mix. Jude is a pro-hockey player that is well known for not only his play time in the ice rink, but also his <i>play time</i> outside of it with the ladies. He is watched from the paparazzi, to the annoying and loving pests of his sisters. It had gotten to a point that he had to use one of his sister’s to prevent from women to come to his house and stalk him down. 

➳Zoey, trying to find her path after also trying to finalize her divorce papers, finds herself in a pickle that not only stimulates more the idea of getting divorce more appealing to her, but she also finds that Jude has never forgotten about her. With a second chance at love, she first sees it as a rebound way to move forward with her life. However, Jude has other ideas after finding his rekindle with Zoey. At first, he wants to just explore her body and see how well they connect physically, but he has seemed to find a way to feel her not only physically, but also emotionally. Time in the hockey rink is soon forgotten, as his thoughts only revolve around the hazel haired beauty of Zoey. 

➳Obstacles are brought upon them both, making it harder to interact. Somehow though, they find ways to connect and be together. Zoey and Jude bring a whole new meaning to a seance chance love story, and Victoria has brought a new illumination to my eyes towards her writing. I hope that she can step outside her comfort zone of writing something beyond the point of hockey. Overall, I enjoyed this story much more than what I was expecting. I highly recommend this read for any who are looking for a sports romance as this novel, will take you away to a totally different world filled with angst, second chances, but most of all the idea of never forgetting those who have been there for you since the start.

Denault hockey romance, where the hero and heroine are both rough around the edges - sign me up.

Hot damn, so much tension, intrigue, passion, and missed connections. I loved when two long lost loves, okay more like teenage lust, finally fall for each other. Haha, what keeps them from hooking up with each other is hilarious, both times. One hell of a hockey romance.

Zoey & Jude have a past.  One he would like to move on from.  He wants to at least seal the deal this time.  Their attraction is obvious.  The only thing that Zoey wants is sex.

Jude knows that the divorce was hard on Zoey.  Her ex has tried to hurt her at every turn.  Jude has no desire to be in the same cloth as that jerk.  He wants to take care of Zoey.  His past keeps her guessing also.  Is there hope for a future?

This was a great start to the new San Francisco Thunder series.  I cannot wait for the next book!  These characters were fun to read.  The sexy times we hot!  


***This ARC copy was given in exchange for en honest review, by Netgalley and its publisher.

Who knew the king of dick pics would come to rue the day his private parts headlined in social media? Jude enjoyed his lifestyle and high attention diet of hot and cold running puck bunnies. What happens, though, when a woman from his past--the one who got away--returns in a big way? Is he man enough to change his lifestyle for her? Find out in this furiously hot romance with all the trimmings.

Getting divorced was hard enough for Zoey, but the humiliation she feels when her credit card's declined in front of her old crush. Yikes! Her soon to be ex is a total a$$ but that didn't make it any easier explaining to Jude. What had happened to the husband who'd put her up at the Four Seasons and told her to stay as long as necessary while they worked out their amicable divorce.

Jude was tired of getting crap publicity because of some bad behavior in his past. Having his sister working PR for the team doesn't help--he's getting it at the office and at home. He's also still bothered by his friend and teammate Levi's behavior. It's guy code that you don't date your friend's ex girlfriend. If you decide to do it, however, don't be a douche and do it behind his back.

It also doesn't help that he cheated on his ex and that's why they broke up.

So when he sees Zoey and realizes she's available, he's leery about her hearing about his less than honourable behaviour. He really wants to pick up where they left off, literally!

Can Zoey get past the fact that her husband pawned her off because she couldn't get pregnant fast enough for him? That he'd more than likely cheated on her? A fast and sexy fling with Jude would do wonders for her flagging self esteem, but falling in love with him would make her a fool after all he'd done.

I loved this book--obviously. If you like romances with heat and swagger, grab hold of this. It's great!

I loved Victoria Denault's Hometown Player's series, so I was ecstatic to learn she was writing a new series!!  The San Francisco Thunder series also centers around professional hockey (which I adore), so I had a gut feeling Ms. Denault would once again knock it out of the park--spoiler alert: she totally did!!!

Jude Braddock seems to have it all- he's a professional hockey player, has an awesome family, amazing looks and he's single (and loving it)!  Until he starts to feel maybe he wants to find "the one" instead of a new girl every night!!  

Zoey has most definitely not had luck on her side lately.  Between starting as low man Realtor at a new company and getting divorced from her spiteful ex, her spirits haven't been the highest.  Then randomly she runs into an old friend Dixie who just so happens to be the younger sister of Jude Braddock.  The same Jude Braddock who Zoey had a crush on when they were teens!!  Dixie invites Zoey to brunch and thinking that's just the perfect pick-me-up, Zoey readily accepts!!  From that point on, I was glued to my kindle to read what Victoria Denault had planned for these two!!

I loved this second chance romance!!  Jude and Zoey had fabulous chemistry right off the bat, which is the reason I was hooked!!  I also loved the supporting characters and I'm keeping my fingers crossed we get their stories in future installments!!  Score is a 4.5 star book that every sports romance fan needs to read, scratch that, everyone romance fan needs to read this gem--you won't regret it!!  As with all of Victoria Denault's novels, as soon as I finish one, I am already looking forward to the next!!!

excellent read.

I enjoyed book, I am a follower of Ms. Denault, and I absolutely love hockey, but am not a puck bunny!  The only thing that  I do not like, is the manwhore thing, why, why, must we almost always have this, but anyway, you do end up liking Jude.  The relationship developed between Zoey and Jude was nice, I always love to read about past crushes, who eventually get a chance because they belong together.  Jude realized something was missing from him life, and Zoey was it.  I loved his sisters they were hilarious, especially Dixie, can't wait to read her story next.

I liked this book.. it was funny and hot in the appropriate moments and sad in the right ones too! I loved Jude's tenacity around zoey and how zoey was overall during the entire book!