The Score

Beth Bolden's world of American football is absolutely fascinating. Her writing style is engaging and feels like the welcoming embrace of a long-lost friend - a warm and gentle touch so rare and so much more precious that you never want to live without it. I watched in amazement the rebuilt of the Condors - the struggles, the loses, the wins and the creation of not just a team, but a family. The third book though was an unexpected surprise.There was so much anger, so much emotional tension and internal turmoil, it was heart- breaking to read. I didn't expect Carter Maxwell's HEA will be so hard won that I'll actually feel just relief that the challenge was over, not joy.
Carter was a very interesting character and his personality could definitely be viewed and analysed from different perspectives. From the first time I saw him on page he reminded me of a supernova - burning hot and bright so fast, there was no question a burnout was coming. But I didn't blame him nor saw him as problematic or as the proverbial black sheep like obviously all others around him. The pressure for him to be molded into acceptable for the team form and his temper to be rained in, reached a critical point in his story. He was one of that square pegs that society just had to push in a round hole and not only push them in but made them all look one and the same without exception. It was inevitable for Carter to cave in, change his agent and seek therapy. Therapy to help him fit in an acceptable mold, help him rain his thunderous mood swings and most than anything - help him get rid off using s*x as a high voltage stress relief factor. It would have been all good and dandy, if his brilliant agent hasn't sent him a blinding temptation in such a bite provoking size package - Ian Parker. And for the first time in his life Carter had to learn first hand the true meaning of restraint and boundaries. The undeniable attraction between him and Ian was not only there from the start but it was a catalyst for explosion of epic proportions and life lessons long overdue to be learned. But the path of learning wasn't only for Carter. It was for Ian too - that no matter the training of self restraint, keeping a distance and carefully laid out plans in advance, when the heart talks, you better listen.