What do you think?
Rate this book
The Final Score
A hockey player and a grad student are on thin ice until they meet their match in this sexy romance by USA Today bestselling author Lana Ferguson.
Jack Baker is on top of the world now that he’s back on the rink where he belongs. But the high comes crashing down when he reinjures his arm immediately following his return to the ice, and this time, he might never be able to play again. After a lifetime as the strong, happy hockey guy whose sister needed him, Jack is left questioning everything he knows about himself.
Abigail Thompson feels like she’s hit rock bottom. It’s only been a few months since the massive scandal that finally severed the cord between her and her narcissistic father. And now, in her last weeks of grad school, she’s been kicked out of her building with very short notice. The last thing she wants to do is ask her half-brother for help after what she’s put him through, but it’s looking like his best friend’s spare room might be her only choice.
Jack is flighty, flirty, and a little full of himself—all the things Abby’s learned to avoid in men. However, spending every day together breaks the ice between them, and she starts to realize that Jack might not be who he seems. It’s possible that maybe, just maybe, he might be struggling as much as she is. Soon, confiding in each other leads to falling into bed, and this fling will either play with their hearts—or score them the ultimate goal of love.
Jack Baker is on top of the world now that he’s back on the rink where he belongs. But the high comes crashing down when he reinjures his arm immediately following his return to the ice, and this time, he might never be able to play again. After a lifetime as the strong, happy hockey guy whose sister needed him, Jack is left questioning everything he knows about himself.
Abigail Thompson feels like she’s hit rock bottom. It’s only been a few months since the massive scandal that finally severed the cord between her and her narcissistic father. And now, in her last weeks of grad school, she’s been kicked out of her building with very short notice. The last thing she wants to do is ask her half-brother for help after what she’s put him through, but it’s looking like his best friend’s spare room might be her only choice.
Jack is flighty, flirty, and a little full of himself—all the things Abby’s learned to avoid in men. However, spending every day together breaks the ice between them, and she starts to realize that Jack might not be who he seems. It’s possible that maybe, just maybe, he might be struggling as much as she is. Soon, confiding in each other leads to falling into bed, and this fling will either play with their hearts—or score them the ultimate goal of love.
384 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 643 reviews
July 28, 2026
— 3.5/5 stars
Okay, so I went into this book with ridiculously high expectations. Like... dangerously high. First of all, can we talk about that cover? It is genuinely one of the prettiest covers I've seen in a while. I was absolutely obsessed with it, and that's honestly one of the biggest reasons I requested the ARC. The second reason? I had read one of Lana Ferguson's previous book "Overruled" and I remember loving it. So naturally, I walked into this one thinking, "Yeah, this is about to eat."
Well.
It kinda did.
And I hate saying that because I wanted to love this book more. I really, really did.
First of all, it's a sports romance, and I already have a complicated relationship with sports romances. They either become an all-time favourite or they bore me to absolute tears. Unfortunately, this one landed somewhere in the middle leaning a little too close to disappointment.
My biggest issue? Everything happened way too fucking fast.
These people barely knew each other before they were already acting like they were soulmates. I blinked and suddenly they were sleeping together. I literally had to stop and ask myself, "Wait... didn't this book just start?"
Where was the slow burn? Where was the delicious tension? Where was the energy? Where was the build-up? The yearning? The chemistry that slowly drives you insane? Give me something to scream about.
Because when you market a book as enemies to lovers, I expect actual enemies. I expect arguments, unresolved tension, accidental touches that make everyone lose their minds, banter that has me kicking my feet, and a slow realization that oh shit, I think I'm falling for this idiot.
Instead, Abby had basically decided Jack was a flirty asshole before she even knew him. They weren't enemies, they were strangers with assumptions. The moment she actually spent time with him, she immediately realized he wasn't that bad. And just like that boom. So in loveeeee
It all happened in the span of six freaking weeks.
Six.
Weeks.
You're telling me these people met, fell in love, slept together, sorted out their emotional baggage, and reached happily-ever-after in a month and a half? Babe, I needed this relationship to marinate a little.
Now, don't get me wrong, I actually liked the characters.
Abby felt very human. Her fears and insecurities shaped the way she acted, and I appreciated that she wasn't perfect. There were moments where I genuinely rooted for her. Did she frustrate me sometimes? Absolutely. But she still felt like a real person, and I appreciated that.
Jack, on the other hand? Certified sunshine golden retriever energy. Toothy grin, sarcastic mouth, ridiculously lovable, I totally understand why people would fall for him. I definitely did too... most of the time. But even he had moments where I wanted to shake him and ask, "Are you genuinely this dumb or are you just committed to the bit?" . His dumbassery tested my patience more than once.
I know it sounds like I'm just sitting here complaining and maybe I am a little bit of a professional hater but I promise that's not entirely it. I can clearly see why people would enjoy this book. It's cute, it's easy to read, the banter is genuinely fun, and it never becomes emotionally exhausting. If you're looking for a light hearted rom-com that doesn't ask too much from you, this honestly does the job.
It just didn't give me what I wanted.
I wanted more tension. More pining. More hockey. More slow burn. More reasons to believe these two were actually falling in love instead of speed-running an entire relationship.
So yeah maybe I am being a fucking hater.
But I also know this book simply wasn't written for readers like me.
— Overall, if you love fluffy sports romances with a sunshine golden retriever hero, playful banter, and a relationship that moves at the speed of light, you'll probably have an amazing time with this one. 💌
As for me?
I liked parts of it. I loved both main characters individually. I laughed more than once.
But the romance itself just underdelivered, and I walked away wishing it had slowed the fuck down and let me actually fall in love with the story alongside the characters.
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 3 July, 2026
reading two arcs back to back, who's this?? 🤭🤌🏻
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so I went into this book with ridiculously high expectations. Like... dangerously high. First of all, can we talk about that cover? It is genuinely one of the prettiest covers I've seen in a while. I was absolutely obsessed with it, and that's honestly one of the biggest reasons I requested the ARC. The second reason? I had read one of Lana Ferguson's previous book "Overruled" and I remember loving it. So naturally, I walked into this one thinking, "Yeah, this is about to eat."
Well.
It kinda did.
And I hate saying that because I wanted to love this book more. I really, really did.
First of all, it's a sports romance, and I already have a complicated relationship with sports romances. They either become an all-time favourite or they bore me to absolute tears. Unfortunately, this one landed somewhere in the middle leaning a little too close to disappointment.
My biggest issue? Everything happened way too fucking fast.
These people barely knew each other before they were already acting like they were soulmates. I blinked and suddenly they were sleeping together. I literally had to stop and ask myself, "Wait... didn't this book just start?"
Where was the slow burn? Where was the delicious tension? Where was the energy? Where was the build-up? The yearning? The chemistry that slowly drives you insane? Give me something to scream about.
Because when you market a book as enemies to lovers, I expect actual enemies. I expect arguments, unresolved tension, accidental touches that make everyone lose their minds, banter that has me kicking my feet, and a slow realization that oh shit, I think I'm falling for this idiot.
Instead, Abby had basically decided Jack was a flirty asshole before she even knew him. They weren't enemies, they were strangers with assumptions. The moment she actually spent time with him, she immediately realized he wasn't that bad. And just like that boom. So in loveeeee
It all happened in the span of six freaking weeks.
Six.
Weeks.
You're telling me these people met, fell in love, slept together, sorted out their emotional baggage, and reached happily-ever-after in a month and a half? Babe, I needed this relationship to marinate a little.
Now, don't get me wrong, I actually liked the characters.
Abby felt very human. Her fears and insecurities shaped the way she acted, and I appreciated that she wasn't perfect. There were moments where I genuinely rooted for her. Did she frustrate me sometimes? Absolutely. But she still felt like a real person, and I appreciated that.
Jack, on the other hand? Certified sunshine golden retriever energy. Toothy grin, sarcastic mouth, ridiculously lovable, I totally understand why people would fall for him. I definitely did too... most of the time. But even he had moments where I wanted to shake him and ask, "Are you genuinely this dumb or are you just committed to the bit?" . His dumbassery tested my patience more than once.
I know it sounds like I'm just sitting here complaining and maybe I am a little bit of a professional hater but I promise that's not entirely it. I can clearly see why people would enjoy this book. It's cute, it's easy to read, the banter is genuinely fun, and it never becomes emotionally exhausting. If you're looking for a light hearted rom-com that doesn't ask too much from you, this honestly does the job.
It just didn't give me what I wanted.
I wanted more tension. More pining. More hockey. More slow burn. More reasons to believe these two were actually falling in love instead of speed-running an entire relationship.
So yeah maybe I am being a fucking hater.
But I also know this book simply wasn't written for readers like me.
— Overall, if you love fluffy sports romances with a sunshine golden retriever hero, playful banter, and a relationship that moves at the speed of light, you'll probably have an amazing time with this one. 💌
As for me?
I liked parts of it. I loved both main characters individually. I laughed more than once.
But the romance itself just underdelivered, and I walked away wishing it had slowed the fuck down and let me actually fall in love with the story alongside the characters.
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈
౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 3 July, 2026
reading two arcs back to back, who's this?? 🤭🤌🏻
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 2, 2026
the characters were cute, the plot was enjoyable, and the writing was great.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
lana ferguson is one of my favorite romance authors; she’s just such a fun and quirky writer, but my favorite book of hers will forever be the fake mate✨
i cannot believe that i'm seeing lana ferguson on tour in july!! i cannot wait to meet her and hear her discuss the final score!! and possibly hear about her upcoming projects💖
the final score is a standalone hockey romance novel but follows jack and abby, two characters that appeared in the game changer, and are also siblings to the couple dee and ian from the first book.
this was a fun and sexy romance novel and perfect for those that enjoy forced proximity, enemies to roommates to lovers, and especially having those smutty scenes early🙂↕️✨
lana ferguson is one of my favorite romance authors; she’s just such a fun and quirky writer, but my favorite book of hers will forever be the fake mate✨
i cannot believe that i'm seeing lana ferguson on tour in july!! i cannot wait to meet her and hear her discuss the final score!! and possibly hear about her upcoming projects💖
the final score is a standalone hockey romance novel but follows jack and abby, two characters that appeared in the game changer, and are also siblings to the couple dee and ian from the first book.
this was a fun and sexy romance novel and perfect for those that enjoy forced proximity, enemies to roommates to lovers, and especially having those smutty scenes early🙂↕️✨
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“𝑨𝒃𝒃𝒚, 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖—” 𝑰 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒖𝒑 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒆𝒔, 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒂𝒛𝒆. “𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒏𝒐.”
3.5 🌟
I LOVE LANA FERGUSON!!! so I'll start by saying that I still enjoyed this book a lot and would definitely recommend it as a spicy, fluffy palette cleanser. Abby and Jack find themselves in a forced proximity roommate situation where what starts as friendship and vulnerability turns into something more.
I enjoyed the way some elements from Book 1 (The Game Changer) carried over into this one on a smaller scale. If you haven't read that book, I definitely recommend it before this one to fully understand their situation, especially since Jack is the brother of that book's FMC. Either way, it was hella fun ❤️🔥
But at the same time, that's just it...it was fun. Yes, we got some mental health topics woven into the story, but besides that, I found it a bit stagnant. Another hockey romance with forced proximity and roommates turning into something more... I think I found it predictable, which is why I recommend it as a palette cleanser 🫣
Please take my review for what it is: a good time. I still love Lana and will read anything she publishes including her to-do list 😂💕!!!
tropes
💓 hockey romance
💓 forced proximity
💓 roommates
💓 best friend's sister
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ❀*･ if Lana Ferguson writes it i'm gonna read it
thank you so much Berkley for my eARC!
3.5 🌟
I LOVE LANA FERGUSON!!! so I'll start by saying that I still enjoyed this book a lot and would definitely recommend it as a spicy, fluffy palette cleanser. Abby and Jack find themselves in a forced proximity roommate situation where what starts as friendship and vulnerability turns into something more.
I enjoyed the way some elements from Book 1 (The Game Changer) carried over into this one on a smaller scale. If you haven't read that book, I definitely recommend it before this one to fully understand their situation, especially since Jack is the brother of that book's FMC. Either way, it was hella fun ❤️🔥
But at the same time, that's just it...it was fun. Yes, we got some mental health topics woven into the story, but besides that, I found it a bit stagnant. Another hockey romance with forced proximity and roommates turning into something more... I think I found it predictable, which is why I recommend it as a palette cleanser 🫣
Please take my review for what it is: a good time. I still love Lana and will read anything she publishes including her to-do list 😂💕!!!
tropes
💓 hockey romance
💓 forced proximity
💓 roommates
💓 best friend's sister
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ❀*･ if Lana Ferguson writes it i'm gonna read it
thank you so much Berkley for my eARC!
July 10, 2026
⌞ 𝟒.𝟐𝟓 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔 ⌝ ★★★★1/4
Before I start, I would like a moment of appreciation for the drop dead gorgeous cuteness cover!
Okay, now for the review. First, I'm absolutely with Elena Armas on this: Jack is so dreamy 🤭 He was the perfect mix of sarcastically funny and tooth rotting sweet. He's the kind of guy I would want to shove up against a wall and kiss or cuddle on the couch with. He's really the best of both worlds. OH and he has dimples.
In addition, I also loved the trope. Brother's best friend. But what makes it even funnier, is that Jack's sister got together with his best friend in the previous book. So in a way it was like payback. 🙃
Now, let's talk plot structure. Abby and Jack got together far too soon in my opinion. I didn't feel like there was enough time to really build the tension and sexual frustration before they got together. I also wish that they didn't keep their relationship a secret for so long. Besides that, the third act breakup worked well together with the resolution. I also liked the take on athletic injuries and how that affects you mentally as well as physically.
Ultimately, I had some issues with the overall plot structure, but Lana Ferguson's writing definitely saved the day. Her writing is so easy to get lost in. It flows so well and has her signature charm that I adore so much.
Before I start, I would like a moment of appreciation for the drop dead gorgeous cuteness cover!
Okay, now for the review. First, I'm absolutely with Elena Armas on this: Jack is so dreamy 🤭 He was the perfect mix of sarcastically funny and tooth rotting sweet. He's the kind of guy I would want to shove up against a wall and kiss or cuddle on the couch with. He's really the best of both worlds. OH and he has dimples.
In addition, I also loved the trope. Brother's best friend. But what makes it even funnier, is that Jack's sister got together with his best friend in the previous book. So in a way it was like payback. 🙃
Now, let's talk plot structure. Abby and Jack got together far too soon in my opinion. I didn't feel like there was enough time to really build the tension and sexual frustration before they got together. I also wish that they didn't keep their relationship a secret for so long. Besides that, the third act breakup worked well together with the resolution. I also liked the take on athletic injuries and how that affects you mentally as well as physically.
Ultimately, I had some issues with the overall plot structure, but Lana Ferguson's writing definitely saved the day. Her writing is so easy to get lost in. It flows so well and has her signature charm that I adore so much.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 ☆
”There’s a myriad of things Abby has never got to experience when it comes to being loved, and I want to make sure she gets to have every single one.”
i loved Jack before, but he quickly became one of my new favorite mmc’s.. his humor, his ability to make anyone’s day better, his vulnerability, the way he just wants to feel needed? we love a layered man. the forced proximity with him and Abby becoming roommates and how determined he was to pursue her, all while giving her the space she needed added a perfect push/ pull.
Abby was the more cynical in their dynamic, but her and Jack both had the same struggle of wanting their choices to be respected by their friends and family. i think Abby was very emotionally intelligent and had the exact advice Jack needed to hear & he’s the only one who really understood her and helped her loosen up.
it’s a Lana Ferguson book.. so of course their sexual chemistry was jumping off the page (the FaceTime scene in particular? throw me a life jacket cause i need help). this just hit all the beats that i’d want in a romance book, i loved these two together so much!!
➳ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Berkley Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
”There’s a myriad of things Abby has never got to experience when it comes to being loved, and I want to make sure she gets to have every single one.”
i loved Jack before, but he quickly became one of my new favorite mmc’s.. his humor, his ability to make anyone’s day better, his vulnerability, the way he just wants to feel needed? we love a layered man. the forced proximity with him and Abby becoming roommates and how determined he was to pursue her, all while giving her the space she needed added a perfect push/ pull.
Abby was the more cynical in their dynamic, but her and Jack both had the same struggle of wanting their choices to be respected by their friends and family. i think Abby was very emotionally intelligent and had the exact advice Jack needed to hear & he’s the only one who really understood her and helped her loosen up.
it’s a Lana Ferguson book.. so of course their sexual chemistry was jumping off the page (the FaceTime scene in particular? throw me a life jacket cause i need help). this just hit all the beats that i’d want in a romance book, i loved these two together so much!!
➳ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Berkley Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
July 8, 2026
The Final Score is a sweet and swoony romance following Abby, a grad school student struggling to find balance in her life, and Jack, a star hockey player who is determined to play another season on ice even with an injured arm. This was such a fun read! I loved how Jack and Abby came together, their roommates to lovers dynamic unraveled perfectly. The two were just so good for one another. It was so sweet how Jack melted for Abby and was able to be vulnerable for her while coming out of his player persona. Not to mention all their abundant chemistry and banter, I could not get over all the little inside jokes; they were just so fun and good together. Aside from the romance, this charming story was filled with heartwarming moments, plenty of steam, and all the swoony moments one could want. I cannot recommend it enough!
~All the thanks to Berkley Romance for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
~All the thanks to Berkley Romance for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Want to Read
January 3, 2026I can't with the bare dogs on the cover but its going on my tbr anyways
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✨🏒 The Final Score 🏒✨
Lana Ferguson will always be an auto buy author for me. She just knows how to write a romance 🥰😍💖
This hockey romance was so cute! I devoured this in one sitting because it was that good. And Jack? I really freaking loved him. Easily one of my favorite MMCs.
I am going to need the audiobook asap when it releases!
💖 What to Expect
• Hockey player MMC
• Grad student FMC
• Forced proximity
• Hurt x comfort
• Friends to lovers
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: July 7, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Lana Ferguson will always be an auto buy author for me. She just knows how to write a romance 🥰😍💖
This hockey romance was so cute! I devoured this in one sitting because it was that good. And Jack? I really freaking loved him. Easily one of my favorite MMCs.
I am going to need the audiobook asap when it releases!
💖 What to Expect
• Hockey player MMC
• Grad student FMC
• Forced proximity
• Hurt x comfort
• Friends to lovers
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: July 7, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
January 29, 2026
Who, what, when, where, why.
Who cares.
What is different.
When is it over.
Where is the plot.
Why did I request this.
This is a prime example of a book that gives us nothing new or notable. These two had no chemistry and instead of building on that we just got spice. Jack was just recycling lines I’ve read too many times before and Abby’s entire personality was her daddy issues.
It felt like an endless loop: problem, vent sesh with Abby playing therapist, hookup, repeat. I speed read this just to be done.
Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.
Who cares.
What is different.
When is it over.
Where is the plot.
Why did I request this.
This is a prime example of a book that gives us nothing new or notable. These two had no chemistry and instead of building on that we just got spice. Jack was just recycling lines I’ve read too many times before and Abby’s entire personality was her daddy issues.
It felt like an endless loop: problem, vent sesh with Abby playing therapist, hookup, repeat. I speed read this just to be done.
Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.
August 5, 2026
I’ve been a Lana Ferguson fan for so long so I’ so grateful to Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC 🩷🤍🖤
August 5, 2026
2.5 ⭐️I wanted to like this, but the list of things I was annoyed with just kept growing beyond my appreciation for it being a light and fluffy read.
The grumpy x sunshine teasing banter/dialogue felt so forced to make up for the lack of emotional development between Jack and Abby. They have individual trauma that they kind of support each other through (-her way more so than him), but their connection was on the shallow side. The whole book takes place in SIX WEEKS, after all, and then the epilogue is only six months later.
Soooo much of this book tied in to what happened in The Game Changer that it being labeled a standalone is puzzling. For example, I have NO memory of the specifics of what Abby’s dad did to her and since it was not really re-explained, he was just this figure in her life constantly calling/texting to harass her. It was confusing to feel like a conflict/villain was being built up without any details.
Summary:
Abby Thompson feels like she has hit rock bottom. The dust may finally be settling after the scandal that severed ties between her and her narcissistic father, but a burst pipe in her apartment has her crashing on the couch of Ian and Delila, her half brother and the girlfriend he is very much in love with… if you know what I mean🙉😖. She never would’ve believed her saving grace would come in the form of a spare room offered by Ian’s best friend (who also happens to be Delila’s brother), Jack Baker. Accepting it begrudgingly in an attempt to finish her last weeks of grad school for psychiatry strong, she was surprised to find there was more to him beyond the facade of his flirty personality and inability to take anything seriously. Navigating his own rock bottom after re-injuring his arm immediately upon his return to the ice playing professional hockey with Ian, he is spiraling after getting the news that his injury is way more serious than he first thought. Continuing to play might mean he never plays again and is forced into an unwanted early retirement. Who is he if he isn’t the strong, happy hockey guy whose sister needs him?! Their heart-to-hearts over nachos and pancakes bring them closer and closer and soon enough they are sharing more than secrets!
Spoilers ahead…
In the acknowledgements, Lana Ferguson said Jack is probably her favorite MMC she has written and… I could not disagree more. He is a manchild and I found him kind of insufferable, honestly.
Know the scene in Off Campus when Hannah is late to Garrett’s big game and he is anxiously pacing? Then she comes in and instead of snapping at her for not being there or being reachable, he checks that she is okay??? Jack Baker COULD NEVER. As we know from their third-act-breakup, Jack took all his anger out on her despite her literally pointing it out to him while it was happening.
Jack is like a teenage boy in a man’s body with all his dick jokes, sexual innuendos, and inability to be guided into a logical decision about his injury by both medical professionals AND his trusted people until HE decides he’s finally ready. He was such a baby about it and there was an immaturity to him that was very off-putting.
I don’t see them working long-term, but then again…. he needs an in-house therapist and she needs someone to spoil her, so maybe they’re the perfect match.
I was ABSOLUTELY FURIOUS Abby apologized to him for walking out after their argument/breakup. It put them on equal ground after the argument and that ground WAS NOT EQUAL. She was right to walk out after being spoken to like that and after cutting ties with her dad, I would’ve liked to see her keep some of that backbone.
Abby being hit by a bike also sped up the resolution of the third-act-breakup and cheapened it. It gave Jack such an easy path to forgiveness with the ‘I thought I lost you, I’m so sorry’ and the use of that near-death experience trope ruined the ending for me. It could’ve been stronger if he actually had to man up and apologize without her injury to lean on.
The grumpy x sunshine teasing banter/dialogue felt so forced to make up for the lack of emotional development between Jack and Abby. They have individual trauma that they kind of support each other through (-her way more so than him), but their connection was on the shallow side. The whole book takes place in SIX WEEKS, after all, and then the epilogue is only six months later.
Soooo much of this book tied in to what happened in The Game Changer that it being labeled a standalone is puzzling. For example, I have NO memory of the specifics of what Abby’s dad did to her and since it was not really re-explained, he was just this figure in her life constantly calling/texting to harass her. It was confusing to feel like a conflict/villain was being built up without any details.
Summary:
Abby Thompson feels like she has hit rock bottom. The dust may finally be settling after the scandal that severed ties between her and her narcissistic father, but a burst pipe in her apartment has her crashing on the couch of Ian and Delila, her half brother and the girlfriend he is very much in love with… if you know what I mean🙉😖. She never would’ve believed her saving grace would come in the form of a spare room offered by Ian’s best friend (who also happens to be Delila’s brother), Jack Baker. Accepting it begrudgingly in an attempt to finish her last weeks of grad school for psychiatry strong, she was surprised to find there was more to him beyond the facade of his flirty personality and inability to take anything seriously. Navigating his own rock bottom after re-injuring his arm immediately upon his return to the ice playing professional hockey with Ian, he is spiraling after getting the news that his injury is way more serious than he first thought. Continuing to play might mean he never plays again and is forced into an unwanted early retirement. Who is he if he isn’t the strong, happy hockey guy whose sister needs him?! Their heart-to-hearts over nachos and pancakes bring them closer and closer and soon enough they are sharing more than secrets!
Spoilers ahead…
In the acknowledgements, Lana Ferguson said Jack is probably her favorite MMC she has written and… I could not disagree more. He is a manchild and I found him kind of insufferable, honestly.
Know the scene in Off Campus when Hannah is late to Garrett’s big game and he is anxiously pacing? Then she comes in and instead of snapping at her for not being there or being reachable, he checks that she is okay??? Jack Baker COULD NEVER. As we know from their third-act-breakup, Jack took all his anger out on her despite her literally pointing it out to him while it was happening.
Jack is like a teenage boy in a man’s body with all his dick jokes, sexual innuendos, and inability to be guided into a logical decision about his injury by both medical professionals AND his trusted people until HE decides he’s finally ready. He was such a baby about it and there was an immaturity to him that was very off-putting.
I don’t see them working long-term, but then again…. he needs an in-house therapist and she needs someone to spoil her, so maybe they’re the perfect match.
I was ABSOLUTELY FURIOUS Abby apologized to him for walking out after their argument/breakup. It put them on equal ground after the argument and that ground WAS NOT EQUAL. She was right to walk out after being spoken to like that and after cutting ties with her dad, I would’ve liked to see her keep some of that backbone.
Abby being hit by a bike also sped up the resolution of the third-act-breakup and cheapened it. It gave Jack such an easy path to forgiveness with the ‘I thought I lost you, I’m so sorry’ and the use of that near-death experience trope ruined the ending for me. It could’ve been stronger if he actually had to man up and apologize without her injury to lean on.
Currently Reading
July 24, 2026My track record with loving Lana Ferguson books is about 50/50… Hoping this one is a winner! 🤞🏻
August 6, 2026
Hmm.. this was quick and fluffy and a bit heavier than I first thought but something just didn’t click for me. I can’t really put my finger on it but I didn’t get that feeling I’m looking for while reading hockey romance 🏒
I liked the support between our mc’s but that’s about it, maybe I found it a bit forced? 🤔
I liked the support between our mc’s but that’s about it, maybe I found it a bit forced? 🤔
August 2, 2026
Lana Ferguson never disappoints 🏒🥞💗
July 11, 2026
Most sports romances treat the sport as wallpaper. A jersey, a rink, a big win somewhere near the end. This one opens with a man being told he might never play again, and then it makes you sit in that room while he smiles about it anyway.
That opening image, a twelve-year-old boy learning that a held smile makes your cheeks ache, is the thesis of The Final Score by Lana Ferguson. Everything after it is the slow business of prying that smile off her hero's face.
Face-Off: The Setup, Without Giving the Game Away
Jack Baker plays for the Boston Druids, and he has just clawed his way back onto the ice after an injury he brought on himself doing something spectacularly dumb. The comeback lasts about as long as it takes to say the word. He goes down again, harder, and this time the doctors talk about surgery and permanence. Jack, the strong one for his little sister since their parents died, has no idea who he is without the skates.
Abigail Thompson is finishing a psychology grad program, pulling coffee shop shifts, deleting texts from a father who treats her existence as a public relations problem. When flooding forces her out of her Back Bay studio, the only spare room going belongs to her half brother's best friend. That would be Jack. The flirt. The loudmouth. Exactly the species of man she has trained herself to avoid.
You already know what proximity is going to do here. That is the contract you sign with a book like this. The pleasure is in watching two people who are both quietly falling apart decide, almost against their will, to hold each other up.
The Players
Jack Baker Is the Best Thing on This Roster
Ferguson has said in her acknowledgments that Jack is her favorite hero she has written, and you can feel it on nearly every page. He is a chronic people pleaser with a beta blocker in his bedside drawer and a panic attack waiting behind the grin. He is also very funny, in a way that never feels like the author reaching for a joke. He calls a charcuterie board a "shark coochie board" and refuses to be corrected. He makes nachos as a coping mechanism.
What lifts him above the usual golden retriever hockey hero is how unglamorous his anxiety is allowed to be. He tears his bedroom apart hunting for a pill. He shakes on the floor while Abby counts his breathing. He says something cruel to the one person who has been gentle with him, because the fear has nowhere else to go, and the book does not let him off the hook for it. Romance heroes are usually granted a tidy, decorative sadness. Jack gets a messy one, and no kiss cures it.
Abby Thompson Is a Harder Sell, and That Is the Point
Abby is prickly, guarded, and openly contemptuous of Jack for the first stretch of the book. Readers who need to like a heroine on sight may struggle. Stay put. She is the daughter a famous man had in secret and then resented for existing, and Ferguson traces that damage with real care. The scenes where Abby drinks tea with the woman her father cheated on to have her are among the strangest and best in the novel.
Her arc is the quieter one. Jack has to learn he is more than a job. Abby has to learn that being loved is a skill nobody ever bothered to teach her, and that letting someone spoil you is not the same as owing them.
Ferguson's Voice: Banter, Heat, and the Occasional Over-Explanation
The dual first-person present tense is standard issue for the genre, and Ferguson handles it lightly. Jack's chapters are loose and chaotic. Abby's are drier, tighter, full of the small internal negotiations of a woman who has decided that wanting things is dangerous.
Dialogue is the engine. Ferguson writes bickering that sounds like two people enjoying themselves rather than two people being written at, and the drift from insult to flirtation to something tender happens so gradually you only clock it in hindsight. The heat, when it arrives, is explicit, frequent, and in character. Jack talks. Abby discovers she likes being talked to. There is a hiking trail scene that will either delight you or send you looking for a different book, and I suspect you already know which one you are.
Where the prose strains is in the interiority. Both narrators explain their own psychology back to us, and because Abby is training to be a therapist, the book hands her lines that read like a workbook rather than a woman. Several emotional beats land twice, once as scene and once as summary. The second pass is rarely needed.
Reading It as a Companion Novel
This follows The Game Changer, and it runs on a nice bit of symmetry. That book gave us Ian and Delilah, where Ian was the best friend falling for Jack's sister. Now Jack is the best friend falling for Ian's sister, and he milks the irony for everything it is worth, to Ian's visible distress.
You can read The Final Score by Lana Ferguson as a standalone. The backstory gets re-laid and the emotional stakes are self-contained. That said, the group scenes carry a warmth you will only half feel without the first book.
What Works
Jack Baker, unreservedly. Anxious, generous, mouthy, and written with unusual tenderness.
Mental health treated as ordinary. Medication is normal. Therapy is normal. Nobody is healed by orgasm.
Dialogue that is actually funny rather than functionally funny.
Stakes that hurt. A career ending is treated as a real loss, not a speed bump before the epilogue.
A found family that feels lived in, particularly Aunt Bea and the odd, tender friendship between Abby and her brother's mother.
An ending that resolves the injury question honestly instead of miracle-curing it.
Where the Puck Misses the Net
The middle sags. Once the two of them settle into a rhythm, the book coasts for several chapters on domestic sweetness and bedroom scenes with very little forward pressure.
The third-act rupture is visible from a long way off, and it resolves along entirely familiar lines.
Abby's father is a villain with no interior. He functions as a pressure system, never as a person.
The hockey is thin. For a novel named after a score, there is startlingly little of the game rendered with any specificity. Come for the men, not the sport.
The emotional over-explanation noted above, which flattens a few scenes that had already done their work.
Who Should Read This
Best suited for
Readers who like their hockey romance heavy on feelings, high on heat, and low on actual line changes. Fans of brother's best friend, forced proximity, one-roof tension, and heroes who cry.
Probably skip if
You need a slow burn, a clean read, a heroine who is warm from page one, or a book that actually cares about the sport in its title.
Final Buzzer
The Final Score by Lana Ferguson is not a flawless book. It sprawls in the middle, it under-uses its own sport, and it explains a few things it had already shown beautifully. But it does the hardest thing a romance can do, which is make you believe that two damaged people are actually good for each other rather than simply drawn to each other.
Jack Baker will stay with me. The book around him is uneven. The man at the center of it is not.
That opening image, a twelve-year-old boy learning that a held smile makes your cheeks ache, is the thesis of The Final Score by Lana Ferguson. Everything after it is the slow business of prying that smile off her hero's face.
Face-Off: The Setup, Without Giving the Game Away
Jack Baker plays for the Boston Druids, and he has just clawed his way back onto the ice after an injury he brought on himself doing something spectacularly dumb. The comeback lasts about as long as it takes to say the word. He goes down again, harder, and this time the doctors talk about surgery and permanence. Jack, the strong one for his little sister since their parents died, has no idea who he is without the skates.
Abigail Thompson is finishing a psychology grad program, pulling coffee shop shifts, deleting texts from a father who treats her existence as a public relations problem. When flooding forces her out of her Back Bay studio, the only spare room going belongs to her half brother's best friend. That would be Jack. The flirt. The loudmouth. Exactly the species of man she has trained herself to avoid.
You already know what proximity is going to do here. That is the contract you sign with a book like this. The pleasure is in watching two people who are both quietly falling apart decide, almost against their will, to hold each other up.
The Players
Jack Baker Is the Best Thing on This Roster
Ferguson has said in her acknowledgments that Jack is her favorite hero she has written, and you can feel it on nearly every page. He is a chronic people pleaser with a beta blocker in his bedside drawer and a panic attack waiting behind the grin. He is also very funny, in a way that never feels like the author reaching for a joke. He calls a charcuterie board a "shark coochie board" and refuses to be corrected. He makes nachos as a coping mechanism.
What lifts him above the usual golden retriever hockey hero is how unglamorous his anxiety is allowed to be. He tears his bedroom apart hunting for a pill. He shakes on the floor while Abby counts his breathing. He says something cruel to the one person who has been gentle with him, because the fear has nowhere else to go, and the book does not let him off the hook for it. Romance heroes are usually granted a tidy, decorative sadness. Jack gets a messy one, and no kiss cures it.
Abby Thompson Is a Harder Sell, and That Is the Point
Abby is prickly, guarded, and openly contemptuous of Jack for the first stretch of the book. Readers who need to like a heroine on sight may struggle. Stay put. She is the daughter a famous man had in secret and then resented for existing, and Ferguson traces that damage with real care. The scenes where Abby drinks tea with the woman her father cheated on to have her are among the strangest and best in the novel.
Her arc is the quieter one. Jack has to learn he is more than a job. Abby has to learn that being loved is a skill nobody ever bothered to teach her, and that letting someone spoil you is not the same as owing them.
Ferguson's Voice: Banter, Heat, and the Occasional Over-Explanation
The dual first-person present tense is standard issue for the genre, and Ferguson handles it lightly. Jack's chapters are loose and chaotic. Abby's are drier, tighter, full of the small internal negotiations of a woman who has decided that wanting things is dangerous.
Dialogue is the engine. Ferguson writes bickering that sounds like two people enjoying themselves rather than two people being written at, and the drift from insult to flirtation to something tender happens so gradually you only clock it in hindsight. The heat, when it arrives, is explicit, frequent, and in character. Jack talks. Abby discovers she likes being talked to. There is a hiking trail scene that will either delight you or send you looking for a different book, and I suspect you already know which one you are.
Where the prose strains is in the interiority. Both narrators explain their own psychology back to us, and because Abby is training to be a therapist, the book hands her lines that read like a workbook rather than a woman. Several emotional beats land twice, once as scene and once as summary. The second pass is rarely needed.
Reading It as a Companion Novel
This follows The Game Changer, and it runs on a nice bit of symmetry. That book gave us Ian and Delilah, where Ian was the best friend falling for Jack's sister. Now Jack is the best friend falling for Ian's sister, and he milks the irony for everything it is worth, to Ian's visible distress.
You can read The Final Score by Lana Ferguson as a standalone. The backstory gets re-laid and the emotional stakes are self-contained. That said, the group scenes carry a warmth you will only half feel without the first book.
What Works
Jack Baker, unreservedly. Anxious, generous, mouthy, and written with unusual tenderness.
Mental health treated as ordinary. Medication is normal. Therapy is normal. Nobody is healed by orgasm.
Dialogue that is actually funny rather than functionally funny.
Stakes that hurt. A career ending is treated as a real loss, not a speed bump before the epilogue.
A found family that feels lived in, particularly Aunt Bea and the odd, tender friendship between Abby and her brother's mother.
An ending that resolves the injury question honestly instead of miracle-curing it.
Where the Puck Misses the Net
The middle sags. Once the two of them settle into a rhythm, the book coasts for several chapters on domestic sweetness and bedroom scenes with very little forward pressure.
The third-act rupture is visible from a long way off, and it resolves along entirely familiar lines.
Abby's father is a villain with no interior. He functions as a pressure system, never as a person.
The hockey is thin. For a novel named after a score, there is startlingly little of the game rendered with any specificity. Come for the men, not the sport.
The emotional over-explanation noted above, which flattens a few scenes that had already done their work.
Who Should Read This
Best suited for
Readers who like their hockey romance heavy on feelings, high on heat, and low on actual line changes. Fans of brother's best friend, forced proximity, one-roof tension, and heroes who cry.
Probably skip if
You need a slow burn, a clean read, a heroine who is warm from page one, or a book that actually cares about the sport in its title.
Final Buzzer
The Final Score by Lana Ferguson is not a flawless book. It sprawls in the middle, it under-uses its own sport, and it explains a few things it had already shown beautifully. But it does the hardest thing a romance can do, which is make you believe that two damaged people are actually good for each other rather than simply drawn to each other.
Jack Baker will stay with me. The book around him is uneven. The man at the center of it is not.
July 20, 2026
I liked the Fake Mate and under Loch and Key but this, just no.
August 1, 2026
1.5 / 5 ⭐
3 / 5 🌶️
First Person, Dual POV 👀
Spicy chapters: 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 31 🔥
Jack (MMC) and Abby (FMC)
What a disappointment, this book was a nothing burger, and here is why:
I will start by saying that both MC's are incredibly immature and childish 😩. I am a fan of some of Lana Ferguson's novels, but lately imo her books have been less than mediocre 😮💨. Both Jack and Abby felt two dimensional and with 0 depth. Abby entire personality is having daddy issues, and their chemistry is completely superficial and physical.
There's literally no obstacle for the MC's not to get together, which made the tension between them pointless and underwhelming 🙄.
Abby antagonizes Jack for no reason whatsoever, and even has his name on her phone under "idiot", which is extremely rude. And why did Abby antagonize Jack? because he's charismatic, funny and has the reputation of an f*ck boy...🤷♀️🤨.
Jack, a professional and hot hockey player in his prime, keeps saying/thinking like "Abby is too good for me", and why exactly is that? Because she's studying to become a psychologist or whatever? To me, Abby doesn't have a lot going for her. She's judgemental, grumpy and not very nice or empathetic. She is as boring and bland as they come. Abby's role in this book is of a therapist and horizontal tango partner to Jack, and that's about it. At least Jack is somewhat funny, even if he doesn't seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed and stubbornly doesn't look after his own health (even getting angry at the people who try to help him... 😒).
As a silver lining, the spicy scenes are HOT🔥👌 .
If you are expecting to read something new and original, perhaps look elsewhere.
Happy reading 📚
3 / 5 🌶️
First Person, Dual POV 👀
Spicy chapters: 14, 17, 20, 22, 24, 31 🔥
Jack (MMC) and Abby (FMC)
What a disappointment, this book was a nothing burger, and here is why:
I will start by saying that both MC's are incredibly immature and childish 😩. I am a fan of some of Lana Ferguson's novels, but lately imo her books have been less than mediocre 😮💨. Both Jack and Abby felt two dimensional and with 0 depth. Abby entire personality is having daddy issues, and their chemistry is completely superficial and physical.
There's literally no obstacle for the MC's not to get together, which made the tension between them pointless and underwhelming 🙄.
Abby antagonizes Jack for no reason whatsoever, and even has his name on her phone under "idiot", which is extremely rude. And why did Abby antagonize Jack? because he's charismatic, funny and has the reputation of an f*ck boy...🤷♀️🤨.
Jack, a professional and hot hockey player in his prime, keeps saying/thinking like "Abby is too good for me", and why exactly is that? Because she's studying to become a psychologist or whatever? To me, Abby doesn't have a lot going for her. She's judgemental, grumpy and not very nice or empathetic. She is as boring and bland as they come. Abby's role in this book is of a therapist and horizontal tango partner to Jack, and that's about it. At least Jack is somewhat funny, even if he doesn't seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed and stubbornly doesn't look after his own health (even getting angry at the people who try to help him... 😒).
As a silver lining, the spicy scenes are HOT🔥👌 .
If you are expecting to read something new and original, perhaps look elsewhere.
Happy reading 📚
August 7, 2026
This was so cute!!!! I'm so happy I liked this one almost as much as I liked the first one!!!
I feel like Jack just pulled the reverse card in Uno "Oh you are dating my sister? Well I'm dating yours" 👀
And I love how chill and funny they are about that, I absolutely dislike when there is drama related with this trope.
How can I describe Jack? And absolutely marshmallow and Abby was also a marshmallow behind all those layers that she used to hide herself. I genuinely loved this two characters.
And me loving these two characters it would be weird not also loving their love story. Just the right amount of everything, cuteness, the spice and those emotional moments that makes us really connected with their stories. And the funny parts of course.
Just another good romance book by Lana Ferguson I love how she writes about completely different type of romance but still getting them right 🫶
I had a rough start with the first book I read by her but it just keeps getting better and better so can't complain
I feel like Jack just pulled the reverse card in Uno "Oh you are dating my sister? Well I'm dating yours" 👀
And I love how chill and funny they are about that, I absolutely dislike when there is drama related with this trope.
How can I describe Jack? And absolutely marshmallow and Abby was also a marshmallow behind all those layers that she used to hide herself. I genuinely loved this two characters.
And me loving these two characters it would be weird not also loving their love story. Just the right amount of everything, cuteness, the spice and those emotional moments that makes us really connected with their stories. And the funny parts of course.
Just another good romance book by Lana Ferguson I love how she writes about completely different type of romance but still getting them right 🫶
I had a rough start with the first book I read by her but it just keeps getting better and better so can't complain
July 9, 2026
I love a good forced proximity romance and when you throw in a brother’s teammate storyline? You just know the payoff is going to be worth it!
This has everything I love in a Lana Ferguson book: banter, laugh out loud moments, plenty of spice, and those heartfelt scenes that balance it all perfectly.
This has everything I love in a Lana Ferguson book: banter, laugh out loud moments, plenty of spice, and those heartfelt scenes that balance it all perfectly.
July 21, 2026
I don’t often DNF a book but 20% in and this one just felt impossible to get through
June 5, 2026
I DECIDED I WAS TOO NICE BELOW. AFTER FURTHER PROCESSING: 3 stars bc literally any time there was a spice scene my face did this: 😬🥴
—————————————————————————————
I am leaning toward a 3.5⭐️
it was a very fun listen, I was giggling left and right! sometimes you just need an unserious read!!!
—————————————————————————————
I am leaning toward a 3.5⭐️
it was a very fun listen, I was giggling left and right! sometimes you just need an unserious read!!!
July 7, 2026
4.25/5 ⭐️
1.5/5 🌶️
Lana Ferguson has firmly cemented herself as an auto-buy author for me because she consistently delivers fun, steamy rom-coms with just the right amount of heart. The Final Score had all of that, but what really stood out was the emotional depth behind Jack and Abby’s story.
Both Jack and Abby are carrying around difficult childhoods that have shaped who they are. Those shared experiences become the foundation of their relationship, but they’re also the biggest reason neither of them is willing to fully let the other in. I loved watching their walls slowly come down as they realized they weren’t as alone as they thought.
There’s plenty of external conflict, too. Abby is finishing grad school and preparing to become a child psychologist, but she’s forced to confront the same kinds of childhood trauma she’ll eventually help her own patients navigate. Jack, meanwhile, is facing what could be a career-ending hockey injury and has to figure out who he is if hockey is no longer part of his identity. Their individual journeys felt just as important as their romance.
I also enjoyed the family dynamic. Since Abby’s half-brother and Jack’s sister are in a serious relationship headed toward marriage, these two are constantly thrown together, making the forced proximity feel natural instead of contrived.
The romance was sweet, the chemistry was fantastic, and the emotional growth made the happily-ever-after feel well earned. If you enjoy sports romances with humor, heart, and characters who have to heal before they can truly love, The Final Score is a must read.
Thanks to Lana, Berkeley, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
1.5/5 🌶️
Lana Ferguson has firmly cemented herself as an auto-buy author for me because she consistently delivers fun, steamy rom-coms with just the right amount of heart. The Final Score had all of that, but what really stood out was the emotional depth behind Jack and Abby’s story.
Both Jack and Abby are carrying around difficult childhoods that have shaped who they are. Those shared experiences become the foundation of their relationship, but they’re also the biggest reason neither of them is willing to fully let the other in. I loved watching their walls slowly come down as they realized they weren’t as alone as they thought.
There’s plenty of external conflict, too. Abby is finishing grad school and preparing to become a child psychologist, but she’s forced to confront the same kinds of childhood trauma she’ll eventually help her own patients navigate. Jack, meanwhile, is facing what could be a career-ending hockey injury and has to figure out who he is if hockey is no longer part of his identity. Their individual journeys felt just as important as their romance.
I also enjoyed the family dynamic. Since Abby’s half-brother and Jack’s sister are in a serious relationship headed toward marriage, these two are constantly thrown together, making the forced proximity feel natural instead of contrived.
The romance was sweet, the chemistry was fantastic, and the emotional growth made the happily-ever-after feel well earned. If you enjoy sports romances with humor, heart, and characters who have to heal before they can truly love, The Final Score is a must read.
Thanks to Lana, Berkeley, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2026
4.5 ★
I have been waiting for this book to come out for so long. Every teaser that Lana posts has been torture! I’m beyond grateful to Netgalley and Berkley for entrusting me with an ARC! Truly a dream come true!
This was exactly what I needed it to be. I loved Jack’s character so much in The Game Changer and getting to know him on a deeper level in his own book was so special. He’s the funny social butterfly who is always down for a good time. But what people don’t realize is that he’s so much more than that. He has his own struggles and anxieties getting to explore that side of him meant so much to me. As someone who has only recently been dealing with medicated anxiety, I understand Jack’s feelings on a deeper personal level. I thought it was so incredibly important to show all those sides of him. Lana did a terrific job of not shying away from the difficult parts of life and I’m so grateful for it.
and Abby! oh sweet amazing baddie Abby! Like Jack, she also puts on a mask to hide her own pain and insecurities. Instead of playful banter, she comes across as grumpy and tough. But beneath that hard exterior, she’s got a heart of gold.
Jack and Abby were truly such a perfect match. And their chemistry?? off the charts!! Lana, truly some of your best spicy work!
I cannot emphasize enough what it means to be able to read this book early!
Thank you again to Netgalley and Berkley! and of course thank you Lana for blessing us with another amazing read!
Everyone be sure to check out The Final Score out on July 7th!!!
I have been waiting for this book to come out for so long. Every teaser that Lana posts has been torture! I’m beyond grateful to Netgalley and Berkley for entrusting me with an ARC! Truly a dream come true!
This was exactly what I needed it to be. I loved Jack’s character so much in The Game Changer and getting to know him on a deeper level in his own book was so special. He’s the funny social butterfly who is always down for a good time. But what people don’t realize is that he’s so much more than that. He has his own struggles and anxieties getting to explore that side of him meant so much to me. As someone who has only recently been dealing with medicated anxiety, I understand Jack’s feelings on a deeper personal level. I thought it was so incredibly important to show all those sides of him. Lana did a terrific job of not shying away from the difficult parts of life and I’m so grateful for it.
and Abby! oh sweet amazing baddie Abby! Like Jack, she also puts on a mask to hide her own pain and insecurities. Instead of playful banter, she comes across as grumpy and tough. But beneath that hard exterior, she’s got a heart of gold.
Jack and Abby were truly such a perfect match. And their chemistry?? off the charts!! Lana, truly some of your best spicy work!
I cannot emphasize enough what it means to be able to read this book early!
Thank you again to Netgalley and Berkley! and of course thank you Lana for blessing us with another amazing read!
Everyone be sure to check out The Final Score out on July 7th!!!
July 22, 2026
I really loved Jack and Abby. I feel like they were both so emotionally mature and realized they both had issues they needed to deal with, but were aware of them and didn't try to mask them with one another or numb their pain with doing stupid things. Jack is one hit away from losing his hockey career and Abby is just trying to finish school. When a water main breaks in her apt and she has no where to go, Jack offers her a spot at his house. She thinks she knows him, but his persona is so different than the real him.
She thinks she could never fall for him, but little by little she finds herself seeing the real him and she likes what she sees. He never wanted to fall for his best friend's sister, but turnabout is fair play after his BFF fell for his. He is so much more than he lets on, and she can't help being drawn to him.
I thought their relationship grew so naturally and I loved to see it. I also loved that he wasn't what she thought he was and how genuine he was and how he fell for Abby. I liked the talk about mental health all through the book with Abby's major. Seeing people be aware of their issues is a breath of fresh air.
She thinks she could never fall for him, but little by little she finds herself seeing the real him and she likes what she sees. He never wanted to fall for his best friend's sister, but turnabout is fair play after his BFF fell for his. He is so much more than he lets on, and she can't help being drawn to him.
I thought their relationship grew so naturally and I loved to see it. I also loved that he wasn't what she thought he was and how genuine he was and how he fell for Abby. I liked the talk about mental health all through the book with Abby's major. Seeing people be aware of their issues is a breath of fresh air.
July 13, 2026
The final score by Lana Ferguson
ARC from Berkeley
-the details he notices , the way he sees and describes boyyy you likeeee her
-in the beginning i don’t know i couldn’t connect
-their little moments are so cute 🥰
-the spiceee 👀🤭🤪
-her dad can catch these hands
-they both are going through so much but I love that they find a comfort in each other
-just keep swimming 🥹
-them fighting their feelings is hilarious JUST DATE ALREADYYY
-JACKKKK 🤪
-I love them together and the healing ❤️🩹
-this was a cute romance not my fav and took me a little to get into but still sweet
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
ARC from Berkeley
-the details he notices , the way he sees and describes boyyy you likeeee her
-in the beginning i don’t know i couldn’t connect
-their little moments are so cute 🥰
-the spiceee 👀🤭🤪
-her dad can catch these hands
-they both are going through so much but I love that they find a comfort in each other
-just keep swimming 🥹
-them fighting their feelings is hilarious JUST DATE ALREADYYY
-JACKKKK 🤪
-I love them together and the healing ❤️🩹
-this was a cute romance not my fav and took me a little to get into but still sweet
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
July 18, 2026
Are you wondering if the Goodreads dates are correct and I finished this audiobook in 48 hours? The answer is 100% I did and I have no shame 😂
Lana Ferguson serves up a spicy and hot hockey sports romance in "The Final Score" that is dual POV and dual narration, with Samantha Summers and Nicholas Goroff bringing so much heat together I sometimes had to check to make sure my headphones weren't on fire 😂🔥😘 This is your warning that this is an open door and very spicy romance (🔥🔥🔥🔥/5)
This is a classic brother's best friend / forced proximity trope and Lana absolutely delivered. The building tension and pining, especially by the MMC was just 💋👨🍳 Lana's dialogue and quirky humor in her novels just make her books so much fun to read. I swear I was grinning like a fool listening to this audiobook
Thank you PRH Audio for the ALC
Lana Ferguson serves up a spicy and hot hockey sports romance in "The Final Score" that is dual POV and dual narration, with Samantha Summers and Nicholas Goroff bringing so much heat together I sometimes had to check to make sure my headphones weren't on fire 😂🔥😘 This is your warning that this is an open door and very spicy romance (🔥🔥🔥🔥/5)
This is a classic brother's best friend / forced proximity trope and Lana absolutely delivered. The building tension and pining, especially by the MMC was just 💋👨🍳 Lana's dialogue and quirky humor in her novels just make her books so much fun to read. I swear I was grinning like a fool listening to this audiobook
Thank you PRH Audio for the ALC
May 1, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Final Score is a warm, funny, and surprisingly emotionally layered hockey romance that kept me turning pages well past my bedtime. Lana Ferguson has a gift for writing characters who feel genuinely real, and Jack and Abby are two of her best.
Jack is the golden retriever you can't help but fall for — quick with a joke, endlessly energetic, but underneath all of that sunshine he's quietly falling apart. A career-threatening reinjury forces him to confront who he is beyond hockey, and watching him slowly allow someone to see that vulnerability is where this book really shines. Abby, our grumpy black cat FMC, has her own walls built sky-high thanks to a complicated family history, and her dry wit paired with Jack's chaos made for some genuinely laugh-out-loud banter.
What sets this one apart from a lot of sports romances is the emotional depth Ferguson brings to both leads. The mental health rep, especially around anxiety and self-worth, felt honest and handled with real care, not just used as plot decoration. The forced proximity/roommates setup was well-executed, letting their connection build organically rather than feeling rushed.
My only note is that the pacing in the early-to-middle section leans into the physical relationship a little quickly, and I would have loved slightly more slow-burn tension before they got there. A bit more yearning would have made an already great romance even more satisfying.
Overall, this is a really solid, emotionally resonant read that earns its romance. If you enjoy grumpy/sunshine dynamics, forced proximity, and heroes who fall first and fall hard, this one is absolutely worth your time. I'll be recommending it all summer.
The Final Score is a warm, funny, and surprisingly emotionally layered hockey romance that kept me turning pages well past my bedtime. Lana Ferguson has a gift for writing characters who feel genuinely real, and Jack and Abby are two of her best.
Jack is the golden retriever you can't help but fall for — quick with a joke, endlessly energetic, but underneath all of that sunshine he's quietly falling apart. A career-threatening reinjury forces him to confront who he is beyond hockey, and watching him slowly allow someone to see that vulnerability is where this book really shines. Abby, our grumpy black cat FMC, has her own walls built sky-high thanks to a complicated family history, and her dry wit paired with Jack's chaos made for some genuinely laugh-out-loud banter.
What sets this one apart from a lot of sports romances is the emotional depth Ferguson brings to both leads. The mental health rep, especially around anxiety and self-worth, felt honest and handled with real care, not just used as plot decoration. The forced proximity/roommates setup was well-executed, letting their connection build organically rather than feeling rushed.
My only note is that the pacing in the early-to-middle section leans into the physical relationship a little quickly, and I would have loved slightly more slow-burn tension before they got there. A bit more yearning would have made an already great romance even more satisfying.
Overall, this is a really solid, emotionally resonant read that earns its romance. If you enjoy grumpy/sunshine dynamics, forced proximity, and heroes who fall first and fall hard, this one is absolutely worth your time. I'll be recommending it all summer.
July 11, 2026
“I know a manic episode when I see one. I guess it just never occurred to me that Jack could experience something like that. Learning that he even has medication for such episodes was a real eye-opener.”
Girlllllllll. I'm sorry, but maybe I would've liked this better if I weren't a psychiatry resident. But PLEASE. A simple Google search!! "What is a manic episode?" You're telling me no one caught this?? I thought authors were supposed to do at least a little research before writing about medical conditions. Or is that only Abby Jimenez who does that?? If you're going to write about it, at least write about it accurately!!
This man had the equivalent of an anxiety attack and then took PRN propranolol afterward. Manic episode my ass. I was ready to DNF right there. I was full-on cackling imagining prescribing propranolol to one of my bipolar patients for mania.
I've loved every Lana book up until this one, but this was bland, boring, and a huge disappointment. The FMC was immature as hell, neither the FMC nor MMC had much of a personality, and I felt absolutely zero chemistry between them.
A waste of a book :-(
Girlllllllll. I'm sorry, but maybe I would've liked this better if I weren't a psychiatry resident. But PLEASE. A simple Google search!! "What is a manic episode?" You're telling me no one caught this?? I thought authors were supposed to do at least a little research before writing about medical conditions. Or is that only Abby Jimenez who does that?? If you're going to write about it, at least write about it accurately!!
This man had the equivalent of an anxiety attack and then took PRN propranolol afterward. Manic episode my ass. I was ready to DNF right there. I was full-on cackling imagining prescribing propranolol to one of my bipolar patients for mania.
I've loved every Lana book up until this one, but this was bland, boring, and a huge disappointment. The FMC was immature as hell, neither the FMC nor MMC had much of a personality, and I felt absolutely zero chemistry between them.
A waste of a book :-(
July 19, 2026
Cute read! Loved that Jack was the sunshine and Abby was grump. The spice was steamy!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 643 reviews