Keeping The Score is Ford and Andi’s, neighbour’s to lovers journey and it’s book two in the Storm Hockey Series. It’s a well written, entertaining and emotional story about friendships, love, trust and taking on what ever is thrown at you.
Ford is goalie for the Storm and up until now his focus has been his hockey career. He thrives on routine and doesn’t like change but little did he know that his life was about to be turned upside down when an adorable little girl comes into his life after a one night stand. Ford needs help, he knows nothing about babies so maybe his friendly neighbor can give him some pointers……
When Ford turns up on her doorstep panicking there is no way Andi could turn him away and that’s when this story gets real interesting.
Two people not looking for a relationship muddled their way through caring for a little girl who looks at them like they are the sun, the moon and the stars. It’s not long before feelings come into play but will they take a chance on love, will the twists and turns they didn’t see coming make or break them.
I loved everything about this book from the characters to the quirky routines and everything in between. I swooned, I smiled and I shed a tear as I joined Ford and Amelia on their journey.
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley for my honest review.
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Andi and Ford are neighbors and friendly-ish. He is focused only on hockey. Andi is a workaholic. Once he finds a baby outside his door, they become so much more. This is an emotionally.driven story that had me in tears at one point. Together they grow strong. They both fall hard.for little Tilly. The characters are well rounded and have depth. The story is well written and draws you in almost immediately. I love that he has teammates who care abput him and truly want to help. I truly enjoyed this story and will keep it in my library for a reread. 4 super strong stars

Thanks to boldwood books and NetGalley for this arc.

I loved this book! I’m a sucker for the single dad trope.. there’s something so sexy about a gorgeous man caring for a baby. Anyway, this storyline was so good and I loved every minute of it!

*4.5

i’ve never read a surprise baby book where neither of them wanted to be a parent. it was so cute to see them fall in love with tilly. they had really good chemistry and i enjoyed them together. i do wish that they had at least one more date but i still love it.

i received an arc through netgalley.

I love a sports romance!
And while Keeping the Score follows a pretty typical romance plot, it was still enjoyable!
I loved the single dad trope and appreciated Ford’s character development. Especially when he finally realised how much his team means to him!
I also really enjoyed Andi’s development and really liked the dual POV. It was great to be able to understand both sides of the developing relationship.
I also enjoyed the slow burn aspect and the lack of a third act break up!
If you are looking for an easy to read romance with some spice and great character development, Keeping the Score is for you!

Quick Summary: A single dad, sports romance

My Review: Keeping the Score by Kelly Jamieson is a 2025 Boldwood Books release. It is listed as "A SUPER HOT hockey romance with the single dad trope..."

About the Book: "An unexpected game changer…

Ford -->

My brain is hard-wired to hockey.

... I plan everything.

...but I’m out of my depth and losing control.

Andi -->

I have no idea how to look after a baby. But Ford has always come through for me. So now it’s my turn to help.

... I’ve never been attracted to him…until now."

In My Own Words: A surprise baby bundle comes to a single dad and his FWB neighbor. Will their special arrangement be a temporary thing or can it become something more permanent?

Listed Tropes:

Sports romance

Single dad

Friends to lovers

Alpha male

Forced proximity

Slow burn

Spicy


My Final Say: This romance novel had some serious steam. It was playful, sexy, sad, tense, and sweet all rolled into one gigantic sigh. The characters were likable and imperfect. They matched well. Tilly was a doll. Willa, well, her story was heartbreaking, wasn't it? The third act news was devastating. It gutted me. It was the emotional punch I needed. All in all, I really liked this story.

Other: Readers who enjoy books by Marni Mann, Piper Rayne, and Tessa Bailey should like this one.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Boldwood Books), and to NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to review a digital ARC of this title. The words I have voluntarily shared are my own.

Loved Ford & Andi!! Ford & Andi are neighbors who end up getting closer and hooking up when he finds out he’s a Dad because Andi ends up helping him out with the baby. It’s funny, entertaining, sad, has all the feels with wonderful characters. You won’t want to stop reading once you start it & you will laugh out loud. The ending was sad for the baby’s Mom but such a great book!! A definite must read!!

This is a fun, entertaining read. Ford and Andi are strong, intriguing, wounded, caring, tough, relatable, interesting, complex, quirky (he’s a goalie after all), entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. These two are fun to spend time with. I enjoyed their journey as individuals and a couple. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into. While this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. The couples from the previous books in the series are in this one though.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc. Keeping the Score was a fun read! I was pleasantly surprised that the “accidental parents fall in love” trope wasn’t actually an accidental pregnancy between the two main characters. It made it even better that Andi chose to help Ford, rather than being the biological mom. This book also had surprising depth at the end that I wasn’t expecting — so much more than just a hockey romance!

I just finished Keeping the Score by Kelly Jamieson, and I have to say—it really surprised me. It’s a friends-to-lovers romance between neighbors Andi and Ford, and I’ll be honest: at first, I wasn’t totally sold. The setup felt a little far-fetched—Ford, a professional hockey player, has a one-night stand that results in a baby being dropped on his doorstep right before the season starts. Naturally, he turns to Andi for help, and suddenly she’s caring for a child that has nothing to do with her, while her own life and work get disrupted.

At first, it felt like Ford was leaning too heavily on Andi, and I found myself frustrated on her behalf. But what really turned things around for me was the second half. Ford goes through some serious character growth. He steps up in a real way—not just as a dad to baby Tilly, but as a partner to Andi. Their relationship evolves beautifully, and by the end, you really believe in their love story, especially as they both go from not wanting kids to forming this sweet, unexpected little family.

So yeah, I went from “this man is the worst” to “ugh fine, I love them.” 10/10 emotional whiplash, would recommend.

HEA BOOK.
Neighbours who are friends. Professional hockey player is suddenly landed with his baby he didn't know existed.
Emotional and actual support with baby from neighbour that develops in to more.
Issues from growing up and past relationships.

Ford lives and breathes hockey. He trains and plans everything around hockey. His life is thrown for a loop when he finds a baby outside his door - his daughter. And the only person he knows who can help is his neighbor, Andi.
Ford and Andi have been neighbors and friends for a long time. Ford was a huge support for Andi when she was going through her divorce, and they share a comfortable and easygoing friendship.
But all that changes when Andi starts helping Ford take care of his daughter, and they start developing feelings for each other.
It was hilarious and endearing how Ford and Andi struggled to take care of the baby. I loved how supportive they are of each other, in not just taking care of the baby but also in each others growth as an individual. I also loved the bond Ford and his team shared and how they all jumped in to help.
Overall I found this to be a heartwarming, and entertaining read.

4.5 ⭐️’s ARC Review—I went into this read thinking it was the hockey player gets the girl and everything in between. WOW! This story is emotional, heartfelt, spicy, all the feels. Andi is recently divorced from her cheating husband and her neighbor, Ford, is a talented playboy of a hockey player set in his ways. They get a curveball thrown at them and have to pivot in a lot of ways including their outlook on their relationship.

🥅 Found Family

🥅 Friends to Lovers

🥅 Surprise!

🥅 Bittersweet love story

TW-elements of grief (so have your tissues handy) that are beautifully written

If you’re looking for a hockey romance with more emotion, spice, character growth and plot depth, definitely read Keeping the Score. You won’t be disappointed. 💛

I love a good hockey romance and this one didn't let me down! Ford, a professional hockey player, has his whole life turned upside down when his infant daughter is left on his doorstep. As he tries to figure out how to handle this new responsibility, he asks his neighbor for help. Andi is newly single ... and you can imagine the fun that happens from there. Such a great story!

Ford’s life is hockey; he is a goalie. Audi is his neighbor, newly divorced and they treasure their friendship. Ford is shocked to come home one afternoon to a one-night stand at his door with a 4-month-old baby girl. Willa says she needs to help with her parents who have been in an accident, leaving Matilda with Ford when he has no idea how to even hold her. He enlists Audi’s help, and both learn how to parent. I love the effort both Ford and Audi put into tending to Tilly. I love how his hockey teammates supported Ford. This book is about love, making changes, doing your best, and communicating. Great book.

The story centers on Ford, a disciplined and routine-driven professional hockey goalie whose life is upended when a newborn baby—his daughter—is unexpectedly left at his doorstep. Overwhelmed and unprepared for fatherhood, Ford turns to his neighbor and friend, Andi, for assistance. Andi, recently divorced and exploring her independence, agrees to help, leading them into a situation filled with late-night feedings, shared responsibilities, and evolving feelings.

As they navigate the challenges of unexpected parenthood, their friendship deepens, and romantic tension builds, culminating in a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance. The narrative also delves into themes of grief, vulnerability, and personal growth, adding layers of emotional complexity to the story. This story has lots of feels—laughter, grief, insecurity, angst, but (obviously) most importantly love
The scenes and dialogue between the main characters and with baby Matilda are lively, funny, and endearing

Keeping the Score is a great story. It made me, laugh, cry and sigh all in the same chapter. Throughout the whole book I kept thinking, "boy I love this book." Ford is a Pro hockey goalie, but he's not the stereotypical hockey player that I think of. He's a really good guy. Andi is not new to the hockey world. Her ex is a hockey player. He is what I think of though when I think of about most pro athletes.

LOVING this hockey series. It was so interesting to get into the head of a goalie - they are always portrayed as a little odd but this book highlighted how even with all the plans and schedules you have to be able to adapt as life goes on. I loved the relationship with Andi - it felt real.

I have enjoyed reading Ms Jamieson’s work for quite awhile and this story isn’t any different. It does have a slower start than most as Ford and Andi were friends and neighbors. Also, Andi was married to an athlete who cheated on her, even though he was a professional baseball player. Ford and Andi’s relationship started changing when Ford found himself to be a father to an infant daughter, whose mother dropped her off unexpectedly. As Ford and Andi learn how to take care of a baby, they grow closer. But, will they be able to get past their fear of relationships and Ford’s phobias?

If you love hockey romance then you won't want to miss this this story about overcoming fears, anxiety, and defying the odds.

Ford Archibald is determined to have his best season ever but when he finds out that he's a father and the mother has left town his life will be changed forever.

Andi is ready for a fresh start but suddenly finds herself helping her sexy neighbor care for his new child. Will their feelings blossom into something more permanent or will their attraction be cast aside due to the recent delivery?

While this is the second book in the series it can be read as a standalone. I can't wait for the next installment and look forward to more hockey fun and shenanigans.