The Score

The Seattle Strike #3

by Leonor Soliz

A fake marriage to my best friend is a temporary measure.

My dad dreams of walking me down the aisle. With his health now at risk, who better than Leon "Bear" Karlsen to step up and be my pretend husband? All we have to do is act like we're suddenly in love.

Me, a cynic who swore off dating years ago, and my childhood friend, a tattooed pro football player with the highest romantic standards known to humankind.

Now we kiss, share a bedroom, and deal with accidental encounters in the shower. Until we make a deal. Friendship above all, but we'll have fun in bed. For a while.

Bear may call me his wife in front of his teammates, but he's seeking the kind of romance my jaded heart can't provide.

I'm his best friend. I can't keep him tied to me. I would rather break my own heart than risk losing what we have.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Sports Romance, Sports, Football, Marriage Of Convenience, Latinx

435 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 10, 2026

About the author

Leonor wrote her first Meet Cute at eight years old and never really stopped. Her stories are cozy and fun: low conflict, slow burn books that will make you swoon... and will reward you with great spice. With a healthy dose of humor, these stories guarantee a happily ever after to her plus size and multicultural characters.

Leonor is a Latina living in Canada, working as a therapist during the day and fitting as much writing to her life as she can. She’s also a multicrafter, trying her hand at watercolor, jewelry, sewing, and anything else that strikes her fancy. She makes her own covers!

Learn more about Leonor at leonorsoliz.com/links.

Reviews

[Berry ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Leonor Soliz and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.25 / 5 ⭐️
2 / 5 🌶️

UGHHHHH that was so cute.

Friends to lovers, Fake marriage, AND he falls first!? Leonor Soliz knew the way to my heart.

I found this to be such a charming, easy read. Pen and Bear (Leon) were such a relatable, heartwarming couple and I just loved reading their story so much.

Pen is our FMC. Jaded, a bit cynical when it comes to dating, yet endlessly caring.
And her best friend is none other than Bear (Leon Karlssen), a football player, hopeless romantic, teddy bear, and overall emotionally intelligent man.

When Pen learns that her father has fallen ill.. she decides to finally make his dream of seeing her walk down the aisle come true. How? By coming up with a plan to marry her best friend of many years. And he, being the tender hearted man he is, happily obliges her.

There were many many moments in this book where I swooned because these two were just so... sweet. Bear's attentiveness, yearning, and devotion made him a top-tier book boyfriend for me.

I did feel that this was very low-stakes, and while I did hope for some more drama/action to happen, I'm very happy with the way The Score turned out. It was just such a cozy, cute, feel-good read. And while I haven't yet read the other books in this series, I didn't feel lost or confused at all!

I do plan on reading the first two, as this one fully convinced me that I have been missing out hehe.

♡ pre-read ♡

i NEED to get into more sports romances! So excited to begin this one! I eat friends to lovers for breakfast hehe.

[storieswithlizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

These characters completely stole my heart. The way the author describes intimacy especially something as simple as a kiss was breathtaking. It felt raw and emotional, so vivid that I could feel exactly what the characters were experiencing, and more than once it brought tears to my eyes.

Pen and Bear are childhood friends who, after twenty years of shared history and circumstances beyond their control, find themselves in a marriage of convenience. What follows is a deeply emotional journey of self-discovery, trust, loyalty, and love. The yearning between them is powerful sometimes almost painful to read in the best way.

The found family dynamic is a standout. The friend group and Pen’s family embracing Bear felt incredibly real and often laugh-out-loud funny. The banter is witty and playful, adding warmth and balance to the emotional depth of the story.

For me, this wasn’t a five-star read simply because the slow burn was very slow. While I appreciated the emotional buildup, there were moments where the pacing felt a bit too drawn out for my personal taste.

That said, the payoff is tender, earned, and emotionally satisfying. This was my first book by this author, and I definitely plan to read more. If you love modern marriage-of-convenience romances with best friends, relatable characters, beautiful writing, heart-stopping moments, humor, and a sports romance backdrop, this one is absolutely worth checking out.

Thank you to the author, Lenor Soliz, for an advanced copy for my honest opinion.

[Laura B · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Score is a contemporary romance featuring a full figure woman, Pen, and her childhood best friend, 'Bear', a pro football player whose an offensive lineman (needless to say, he’s a big guy too).

Pen’s father has a critical medical condition in which the treatment only gives him a 50/50 chance of survival. According to Pen, he dreams of walking her down the aisle. There has to be some pretext as to why Pen and Bear should get married, and since they grew up together and are best friends, this excuse is as good as any other.

If you sense my sarcasm, you’d be accurate. I have read a lot of marriage of convenience stories (they're my favorite), and this seems lame. Now, had they used a real reason such as Pen’s and Bear’s parents wanted to see them married, and they made a pact regarding marriage as teenagers, that would make sense. But to use her father’s ‘dream’ of a 2minute walk down the aisle is just lazy writing.

The other thing that was somewhat annoying about this book was the repetitiveness. We get it, they were friends and don’t want to end the friendship if things go bad! We get she’s jaded and doesn’t believe in romance! No need to mention it 3times/page. Ugh.

As far as plot holes go burying a time capsule where you’re not supposed to dig it back up until marriage and the letter Pen writes to Bear resolves him of the marriage pact doesn’t make sense. How do you resolve him of the pact when he can’t read it until marriage?

Pen was not likeable, and I love full figured heroines. It’s nice to read a book where the FMC isn’t resembling a fashion model, and this story does do a good job of showing how she didn’t conform to the unreachable standards of what’s beautiful in American culture. I just didn’t think she was approachable at all, nor did I appreciate her overall personality.

Another thing I want to nitpick about is I don’t think the author did enough to describe nor show the burnout Pen felt from her work. Yes, it is very typical of social workers to get burnt out, but I would have loved to hear about her job as a social worker within the legal system, and what led her to reach the decision to finally resign from her job. IMHO, it was just glossed over. Such a shame. It probably would have made Pen more likeable.

Looking back, it surprises me that I actually finished this book, because thinking back the story irritated me for various reasons. I don’t know what this says about me, but I’m giving Leonor Soliz another shot with Yours, Forever because I want to read another marriage of convenience romance about a full figure heroine, and I’m hoping this one will be better. However, if it does not inspire me to finish by 25%. I’m giving it up. It’s not worth the time to finish anything that comes close to irritating.

2½**

[Morgan Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of The Score, and truth be told it was my first one! I am an avid reader of many genres and I have to say I really loved this book. The main characters (Pen & Bear) have a friendship for the ages that I think a lot of people romanticize, and seeing it come together on the page was such a fun combination of cozy, spicy and steamy I made it through the whole book in one evening/morning. In today’s world, a cozy/spicy sports-adjacent romance with a lovely ending? Sign me up every time 💕

[mackenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was so cutie!! i love a marriage of convenience trope when it's done right, and this one was done well for sure. the whole premise is that her dad wants to walk her down the aisle, but is having a surgery that could end badly, so she and her good friend decide to have a wedding. this could've been executed better i think, and i didn't love the third act conflict nor did i connect to either of the characters much, but it was bingeable and mindless and cute!

pre read:
i switched to the audiobook of alchemised because i’m lowkey struggling and i’m in a bingeing mood so let’s knock out some arcs 🙂‍↕️

thank you to netgalley + the publisher for an arc! all opinions are my own.

[JoAnna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pen and Leon (aka Bear) have been friends since they met at 10 years old. They quickly become best friends, and keep their relationship in the friend zone for almost twenty years. At age 29, Pen is a burnt out social worker whose calling is helping people, while Leon is a professional football player whose calling is protecting and caring for his best friend. When Pen's father has a health scare, Leon and Pen decide to honor the marriage pact they made as teens so that Pen's father will have the chance to walk her down the aisle. The marriage is real, but they plan on keeping it platonic.

I absolutely adored this sweet friends to lovers romance. Their love story is an agonizingly slow burn (in the *best* way), without a lot of drama or conflict, but with plenty of spice. We get to enjoy these two friends discovering and exploring their hidden feelings for each other while flashbacks shed light on their past together.

This was my first book by this author, and I will absolutely be reading more!

[Becky Q. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet sports romance! It follows two childhood best friends, Pen and Bear, who agree to a fake marriage to fulfill her dad's dream of walking her down the aisle. I loved the friendship and banter in this book, and I think because they were childhood best friends, the deep emotional connection between them felt really believable. I loved watching these characters confront their fears and figure out what they truly want from life and from each other. I also jumped into this series at this point (book 3) and this worked really well as a standalone! It also made me really want to go back and read the first two and continue with the rest of the series if there's more! This author really knows how to write characters that are so loveable!!! Even for readers who don't care much about sports, the strong character relationship, found family, and satisfying emotional payoff make this a cozy, comforting romance that is soooo superly easy to get lost in.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute, low stakes romance that gives a new definition to friends to lovers! Not only were Pen and Bear childhood best friends, they remained the best of friends into their adulthood. With the other right by their side they’ve celebrating huge accomplishments and comforted each other through breakups.

Bear would do absolutely anything to protect Pen and her family and that’s how they end up in a fake marriage. And while their friends know the marriage is fake, no one quite believes it — because Pen and Bear have always acted like more than friends.

Pen and Bear start redefining their friendship and marriage and things get spiiiiccccyyyy. But that physical connection begins to blur the lines of their arrangement.

I loved how throughout the book Pen was steadfast in what she wanted and confident in her body. And Bear! Bear worshipped the ground Pen walked on from day 1 - he’d do whatever it takes to keep a smile on Pen’s face even if that included a sexy to-do list with risky fantasies.

This was a super cute read - great for fans of sports romance (football), found family and a cinnamon roll MMC.

[Deepa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was sweet but a little serious too. Bear is more of my kindred soul here. My opinion is I like Pen. But I was at odds with some of her thoughts. I think this brought up that don’t know if opposite sex best friendships are as wonderful we often see them depicted.

I empathize with Pen’s feelings about dating. She spent a lot time anticipating a day where should have to give up her best friend to “other wife.” I felt that she had some feelings about herself that need more healing.

I love seeing an author talk about how being pursued by friends isn’t always flattering. Bear is cautious about expressing long held feelings because he doesn’t want Pen to feel betrayed by him. He doesn’t want her to think that their friendship was a means to an end. It’s not glamorous but I like the seeing how personally Pen processes dating. And lastly, I love how good communication can actually do a lot of good.

On Bear: I love that he’s the romantic. It’s always women who love LOVE but why the hell not. Also like we never keep space for men to be open about themselves this way. I also love this for the message : just because he has hopes and idealizations doesn’t mean he only sees life and people one way. I love his arc so much.

(I also want to thank Leonor Soliz for an arc in exchange for honest review. )

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leonor outdid herself. These two are complete idiots not seeing whats in from of them but omg each little attention they give each other as "friends" is what fantasies are made of. This friends to lovers, pinning, bucket list, marriage of convenience is chefs kiss and its for the simple things, the small things and that unbelievable build up.... again she out did herself !!!

[Mikayla Bensman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to receive an ARC of The Score. This book had me hooked right away and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters and the friendship storyline. The author did a great job building the characters but also building their love story but also keeping their friendship strong. I loved this book and I can’t wait to read the other books in the series.

[KG Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to ARC reads the third installment of The Seattle Strike series.

2.5⭐️’s.
The Score was my first read by Leonor Soliz. This book is a cozy read, and can be read as an interconnected stand alone. I was able to read this book without having read the first two installments.

Pen, our FMC, has given up on finding love. Leon (Bear), our MMC and Pen’s best friend, is the polar opposite. He can’t wait to find his true love.

Leon is literally the boy next door. He’s been Pen’s best friend for nearly two decades. Our friends start their journey to lovers when Pen’s dad is diagnosed with a condition that gives him a 50/50 chance of survival. This diagnosis prompts Pen to marry her best friend- so her dad can finally walk her down the aisle.

I liked Bear, but he was too much of a doormat. He sacrificed so much of himself to love Pen on her terms. He was so willing to catch himself on fire, just to keep her warm. There’s cinnamon roll and then there’s Bear.

I could not stand Pen. I didn’t like her for the entire story. I think the writer tried to paint her as an academic by her explaining all of these emotions as chemical reactions, hormones, etc. I also had a hard time accepting the fact that a 25 year old with a handful of bad experiences wrote love off for an entire lifetime. It would be easier to accept her trail of thought if she was like this with every other part of her life; but she wasn’t.

The story also dragged on. The first half of the book was both of them rationalizing this insane behavior. Him having intense feelings and keeping them to himself. Her having the same feelings and writing them off as “oxytocin” hits. I could have had about 30% less of that, and more insight into their previous relationships. Their friendships. I think I would have liked some more character building. I just couldn’t relate.

I wanted to like this a lot more. As a plus size female- I would have like to explore more of the emotions, feelings, and conversations about that. I would have liked to learn more about their parents that were there, but not there. I would have liked to learn more of the found family for Leon in his football team.

Was this a cute book? Sure. Will I read anymore- likely not. I couldn’t relate to either of the characters, and they both had their cringeworthy moments. If you like fluffy romance with a guaranteed HEA- you’ll like this book.

The Score features the following tropes:
📚Found Family
📚Friends to Lovers
📚One Bed
📚Fake Marriage

[Julissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this installment of the Seattle Strike series, we have the childhood-best-friends-to-lovers trope featuring a cynical FMC, a hopeless romantic/yearning MMC, and a “fake” marriage. The family circumstances behind the arrangement had me braced for a gut-wrenching story, but you know what? We love a story that leaves us wondering if it’s going to break our heart. There’s a simmering “will-they-won’t-they” tension about potentially ruining the friendship, and the slow-burn made me want to shake some sense into both of them. Even when it felt like they were in different places in their readiness to cross the platonic line, you could feel the deep care they’ve always had for each other. Overall, this has the sweetness and warmth LS always provides.

On a broader note, I always appreciate that LS naturally weaves in body diversity without making it a central plot point. She also takes this approach in how she presents mental health topics. I know she’s a therapist IRL, so she gets it, and writes about the field in a thoughtful and realistic way. Plus, the Latinx representation adds additional depth!

Now available on KU (as of 2/10/26).

Thanks to Leonor Soliz & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy! All opinions are my own.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC.

My first ARC and it was very enjoyable.

I have not read anything by this author previously and I did enjoy her writing style.

The Score focuses on best friends Penelope and Leon (Bear) and their two decade long friendship. Following a scary health crisis for Pen's Dad, the friends decide to marry in order to fulfil his wish of walking Pen down the aisle.

The click from friends to lovers was written well and the build up was perfect. I struggled with elements of the main characters; Pen irritated me with her insistence on them being "just friends" and Leon's character was somewhat cringy with his obsession with fanfic and romance books/films.

There was a big emphasis on Pen having sworn off romance and it seemed a bit OTT considering she hadnt been in that many long term relationships.

All that being said, I really enjoyed the bromance element of the book, with the male group of friends being so supportive of Leon. I found the romance and spice to be written very well and overall, the story was very cute.

If you want an easy feel good, friends to lovers romance then this is the book for you.

[Kimberlyyyreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Leonor Soliz for the e-arc!

Bear and Pen friendship is so incredibly precious, this is for the girlies that love a slow burn in a friends to lovers <333

One of the my favorite things about this book is how slow the romance is, you literally watch both Pen and Bear foster their love for each other through one of the beautiful forms of love aka marriage.

Bear is someone who is attentive and is in it for the LONG GAMEEEEE. He is so incredibly romantic that as a fellow romance enthusiast I was very happy to see him win! That man is truly one of a kind.

I def felt for Pen, I feel for her as someone who had a parent with chronic illness, seeing someone love her so incredibly loudly and show up for her in the ways it counts was beautiful. Bear is literally her soulmate. I'm so glad that we finally got to see BearPen endgame!

Leonor really wrote something special with this one! Once again I stand before every person, and demand you all to pick up The Seattle Strike series as soon as possible.

The way that Seattle won the Superbowl this year right before the release of The Score practically confirms that Leonor is our lucky star!

[gi_reads30 · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost THANKS to Leonor for an e-ARC of The Score in exchange of an honest review.

I've adored Leonor's books previously, and her new sport romance series has been a treat, The Score being her newest release. Friends to lovers (Bear and Pen) entangled in a marriage of convenience where EVERYONE except them can see how in love they are. Cozy romance that can make you swoon and feel the tension. THE TENSION in this book between the character was amazing! I adored Bear so much and Pen was a great lovely lead.

My issue with the story is that it became kinda repetitive. I understand their fears, risking their friendship without truly knowing what the other felt. I get it, but it comes to a point that if you are already being intimate, you need to address it. I mean you have been friends for 2 decades, communication IS KEY.!!!!!!! Apart from that, the "conflict" is kindaaaaaaaaaa annoying but it did led to a wonderful love confession. Dare I say my favorite from Leonor so far!

Can't wait for the next book!!! Thanks again for the e-ARC.

[☆Laura☆]

Pen y Leon se conocen desde niños y nunca han dejado de ser mejores amigos. Él es un jugador de fútbol americano famoso, enorme y protector, y ella trabaja ayudando a personas en situaciones legales complicadas hasta el punto del agotamiento total. Cuando la salud del papá de Pen se vuelve incierta y el miedo al futuro se instala, Leon aparece como siempre lo ha hecho, ofreciendo apoyo sin condiciones y soluciones prácticas aunque sean una locura.

Lo que comienza como un plan para ayudar a su familia y darle estabilidad a Pen termina poniendo a prueba todo lo que creen saber de su relación. Fingir algo que no es real se vuelve cada vez más complicado cuando la cercanía, los recuerdos y el cariño de años empiezan a sentirse distintos.




Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Eva Ruiten · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 2.75 ⭐️

I went into The Score by Leonor Soliz quite excited because I love the best friends to lovers trope. It’s one of my absolute favourites and this one definitely delivers on that front. There’s something so comforting about watching a friendship slowly shift into something more, I really enjoyed being part of it. And Bear… I loved Bear, so much.

That said, I did struggle a bit to get through the first part of the book. The constant circling back to the “I’ve given up on romance” mindset from Pen started to feel repetitive after a while, and I got a little stuck for a while. Overall, it was a cute, easy read and I don’t regret picking it up!

Tropes:
💜 Childhood friends to lovers
💜 Fake dating
💜 Marriage of convenience

[Marisol M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Score by Leonor Soliz ❤️ Ah, what can I say? I loved it, obviously. I love how cozy and low stakes her romances are. It’s a comforting and safe feeling knowing for certain that once the main couple starts the path towards a relationship that it will work out without a doubt. I need that feeling and comfort every once in a while especially with how chaotic life has been recently. Thank you Leonor for being a safe place to land time after time. Bear and Pen 💞 These two intrigued me from the beginning and their story did not disappoint. Was I a little frustrated at times? Yes, only because of how perfect these two were for each other but their love was always present at every stage of them knowing one another and that made up for it. I am a friends to lovers lover and childhood friends to lovers? Even better. I will say I am definitely looking forward to the audio because Bear 🤭🫠 Thank you to Leonor for the eARC these thoughts are all my own.

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ 2🌶
I received an ARC copy of The Score from the author in exchange for my honest review. I liked this one well enough, but I wasn't a fan of the female main character. I think it's because of her view point of romance. The way she always seemed to explain everything away as chemical responses. As a hopeless romantic myself, this rubbed me the wrong way. I like how she accepted the love she had for Bear in the end. I loved Bear. This one was a lot slower, but that's okay. Overall, it was a decent read. I liked it. If you like, fake marriage, childhood friends to lovers, sports romance, I would give this one a try.

[Michelle Antunez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally get it when the booktok girls talk about their book boyfriends. Before this I had never read someone that could really be it but Leon Karlssen is it. Leonor Soliz just writes the most emotionally intelligent men. It gives me hope that they exist in real life.

Friends to lovers is my absolute favorite trope. Sometimes its overdone, or not done well. She did it perfectly. She mixed it friends to lovers with marriage of Convenience and it was the perfect amount of swoon.

Thank you Leonor for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, as always all words are my own.

[Abby G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished the book and the last 40 minutes had me stressing so much in the best way.

Leon and Pen are adorable fools. I say this with so much love. I’m obsessed with their love. It’s so funny that literally EVERYONE knew but them.

My boy Leon is the king of yearning. Half the time I was screaming “Please Pen out him out of his misery” but also I loved all the tension.

Thank you Leonor Soliz for the incredible opportunity to read this ARC.

[Teodora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was such a beautiful and sweet read. This book has one of my favorite tropes, which is friends to lovers. Pen and Leon embody this trope perfectly. I enjoyed reading how they were clueless at the beginning and how they changed along with their relationship. Their wedding was wonderfully written, it was so magical to read. I don't have any dislikes about this book, everything was so well put together, it gets five stars from me.

[Diana Bobe Gately · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of The Score by Leonor Solíz.
I have read her previous Seattle Strike stories. And I have to say this one is my favorite!!!!!

Pen and Bear have been best friends for 20 years. Always insisting that it was nothing more than friendship. Even their close friends have been saying it was more than friendship for years. Pen is the cynical one. Bear is the romantic. They feel it balances them out.
But when they enter a marriage of convenience to help Pen’s Dad- they have to contend with living closer than any platonic friendship ever is.

I have been yelling at these 2 throughout the previous books whenever they say- “Oh, we’re just friends.” Oh, come on!!!!

This book has all my favorite things:
- best friends
- found family
- hot steamy deliciousness
- and ROMANCE!!!!!

I was rooting for them from the start. I love a MMC who is the romantic.

I can not wait for the next one.

[Jennifer Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got to read this as an Arc. I read book 2 as an arc as well. This is friends to lovers story. I loved Bear but man I was getting frustrated for and with them both. This is a curvy fmc which I love. Sports romance. Hispanic rep. Just a really sweet story.

[ame18 · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute sports romance

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Score was such a fun, feel-good read with surprising emotional depth. A friends-to-lovers romance with a clever twist on the marriage of convenience trope? Say less.

Bear is an absolute top-tier man. The devotion. The quiet yearning. I was genuinely jealous of Pen the entire book. And let’s be honest—the mouth on that man? Elite.

What I loved most was how layered this story felt. Yes, it’s playful and sexy and full of banter, but it also digs into friendship, chosen family, and the fear of wanting something so badly you’re scared to reach for it. The bucket list element added such a fun touch.

Overall, The Score delivered laughs, longing, spice, and emotion in equal measure. A cozy yet meaningful romance that left me smiling long after the final page.

Tropes:
🔥Best Friends to Lovers
💍 Fake Marriage
🏈 Footballer
🤍 Found Family
📝 Bucket List

Highly recommend if you love pining MMCs and romances that balance fun with feeling.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Netgally

[Cozy Sabie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I've always seen you in my future. That every time I imagine what's to come, it's you I see. If soulmates are real, you must be mine."

GENRE: Romance
RATING: 4.75/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc
Tropes: Childhood Best Friends to Lovers, Fake Wedding, Everyone knows but them

Overall Impression: There is something about friends to lovers that always gets my heart and this was no exception🥺

Blog, Newsletter & Book Clubs 🍄 Insta 🍄 Tiktok 🍄 Youtube 🍄 Threads

Review:
The Score was filled with yearning, one that has built over the years between Pen and Bear. It focuses on this push between wanting to preserve the friendship or taking the risks and discovering their feelings and entering a relationship. I was rooting for both Pen and Bear, who both had my heart from the start of the book to the end of it.

I love friends to lovers, whether it starts as adults or it's a childhood friendship to lovers and I think The Score brought a lot of depth into this trope by exploring the fear and how shifting from one to the other will change their relationship. This is done throughout the story in the best of ways and in a way that just makes both Pen and Bear think about themselves and allows them to grow (as a person and together, as they start to accept their feelings for each other)

AND THE YEARNING!!! The way Bear just yearned, oh my god. Like you could tell this is very much "everyone knows but them" because it is so obviously Bear yearns for Pen and Pen loves Bear but doesn't let herself show it AND YOU JUST WANT TO YELL AT THEM TO GET TOGETHER (in the nicest of ways obviously)

Essentially, this is a story of accepting risks and embracing who you are so that you can accept what you deserve. Pen struggles with this because she had a lot of bad experience that caused her to give up on love and honestly? I see why and I'm just glad she had Bear to help and support her. The entire story of getting to meet her family, seeing them accept Bear and going through the journey of Pen's dad and his health scare was emotional and wholesome. It showed that Pen and Bear had their own community and family (in Bear's case, it's Pen's family that are were always there as well)

I am so excited to read more of Leonor Soliz's work and I cant wait to read about the friend groups we met in this book as I just started here with The Score and I definitely cannot wait for more!

Thank you to the Author and Netgalley for the Arc copy!

[Hannah Hartridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

(Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!)

Okay, so coming off my Heated Rivalry obsession, I went into The Score fully expecting to dive headfirst into another sports romance… except the “romance” part took its sweet, sweet time showing up. This one is a very slow burn—like, glacial slow. Childhood friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, friends with benefits… all the ingredients were there, but the pacing had me tapping the page like “hello? chemistry? are you coming or…?”

What really stood out is how clearly Soliz draws the emotional mismatch between Leon and Penelope. Leon is out there wanting a full‑blown fairytale romance, while Penelope has basically declared romance dead but is still perfectly happy to enjoy the benefits of their arrangement. And honestly? That dynamic was fascinating, even when it made me want to shake them both.

The first 60% of the story is them insisting—over and over—that nothing will ruin their friendship… while simultaneously getting married to give Penelope’s father hope during a really tough medical situation. They swear they won’t let their physical chemistry complicate things, and then immediately proceed to complicate everything. Their first kiss as a “fake” married couple basically lights the fuse, and from there they’re both trying to hide their very real feelings behind “biological needs.” Spoiler: it does not work.

The chemistry is there. The humor is there. The foundation for real love is absolutely there. But wow, did they drag it out. I love a slow burn, but this one tested my patience. There were moments I genuinely hesitated to turn the next page because it felt like we were circling the same emotional drain.

That said, even though friends‑to‑lovers isn’t usually my go‑to trope, I still enjoyed the fire between them and the emotional payoff once they finally stopped running from what was obvious to literally everyone else. If the pacing had been tighter, this would’ve landed even stronger for me—but that’s just my personal preference.

A heartfelt, chemistry‑rich romance with a frustratingly slow fuse. If you love friends‑to‑lovers with a heavy dose of yearning and emotional messiness, this one might be right up your alley

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

* I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review *
✨ Romance Comfort-Read Alert ✨

This review comes from a reader who loves:
🛑 No cheating / no OW-OM drama
💞 Low angst (together > apart)
🚫💔 No third-act breakup — I’m tired and I want them happy
👑 Strong FMC
💪 Take-charge MMC
🔥 Reformed playboy > current manwhore, but never manwhore is preferred
💬 Miscommunication allowed if resolved like adults
🏡 HEA ALWAYS

I read for joy, vibes, and emotional safety. If you’re here for chaos and pain… we might not be reading the same book 😌📚 I also tend not to rework the summary into reviews because chances are you’ve already read it to get to the book review part of the show.

Sorry, my heart isn't available right now because Bear is holding it. He is such a sweet romantic cinnamon roll and he's always loved Pen.

Pen and Bear are childhood friends, best friends, who have kept it in the friendzone for all that time. Pen's dad has a health scare and Bear is there for her. So much so, that they get married so Pen's daddy can walk her down the aisle (swoon).

Pen, bless her, is burnt to a burnt-to-a-crisp social worker. She is so giving and sweet. Bear is a precious protector, and he's big with tattoos, so my ideal man (wait...so is my husband....guess i'm sensing a trend :) )

This is a very sweet friends-to-lovers story. It is a bit slow, but arguably in a good way. When I love characters and the story, I always get impatient and want it to move along faster, but that is an impatient ADHDer problem.

Another thing I loved about this was LOW DRAMA. Life is too stressful as it is, so I like to escape. I never like a third-act conflict, it always seems like such a cop out, and I get annoyed with them. I personally feel like why spend all this time building up their relationship/connection to try to rip it out.

I did feel like it was a bit....I don't know, choppy, maybe? Also, Pen is like mid to late 20s, so giving up on love seems a bit premature.

All in all a good read! Def recommend

🔐💞👑💪🚫💬🏡
(Safe • Low Angst • Strong FMC • Take-Charge MMC • No Cheating • HEA)