Rafe “Savage” lives up to his name on the ice and in the bedroom. Forging a legacy as the Rough Riders’ most notorious playboy is easy when the woman he really wants is off limits. Mia’s brother isn’t just Rafe's best friend, he’s also a teammate. With the Cup in sight, Rafe won’t screw with anything that threatens the team’s winning streak. But when Mia comes to town on a mission of her own, one little woman may turn out to be the toughest opponent Rafe’s ever faced.
When it comes to men, Mia is everyone’s best friend. But when it comes to romance, her relationships are destined for failure. With a new job awaiting her on the other side of the country, she’s determined to start fresh. To do that, she needs to let go of this stupid crush once and for all.
Seducing Rafe isn’t just the best option; it’s her only option. Until she discovers he’s been harboring the same feelings. And with his team weeks away from the biggest game of their career, and Mia’s new life waiting, their no strings affair threatens to tear both their worlds apart.
ROUGH RIDER HOCKEY NOVELS QUICK TRICK HOT PUCK DIRTY SCORE WILD ZONE
Skye Jordan turns up the heat with the third book in her Rough Riders Hockey series. We are given Rafe Savage’s story, and who doesn’t love a guy that falls for his best friend’s sister.
The problem with that though, is that Mia Leighton’s brother Tate, is also a Rough Rider and if he gets wind of the fact that the relationship between his best friend and her has stepped into the 'Down & Dirty' category, it could have ramifications for the whole team dynamic, as well as affect their chances of winning the cup this season.
"Does it turn you on to hear me say I want you to fuck me..?"
The story between Rafe and Mia wasn’t a struggle too read, the guy realizing his growing feelings for her, had all but pulled back a year ago, avoiding family gatherings and such, but she coincidentally (not-so-much) ends up at the same hotel as him, with the biggest douche on the Rough Riders team, and after the red mist clears from Rafe’s vision all bets are off in keeping things platonic, once he has divested her of said douche.
"I love that I can make your breath catch like that."
I do feel that the plot was a bit of a merry-go-round for the most part though, and although I could understand Rafe’s reluctance to come clean to Tate about his feelings for Mia, I kind of think the behind-closed-doors nature of their relationship was dragged out for far too long, in that by the time the big blow-out occurred, Mia had almost been reduced to his dirty little secret, for the sake of the Rough Riders playing well. Let’s say that for me, the balance between sex and story was a little off in this one, the previous two books had an emotionally deep story-line going on around the plentiful sexy times occurred around it, and this one erred into the sex over story category for me.
"Touching you is like coming home."
Still a pretty decent read in the scheme of things though, and I am looking forward to seeing who is up next and what sort of story they are given in Wild Zone which is due for release in December.
ARC generously provided by the author, and it was a pleasure to provide the above honest review in exchange.
3.5 Either It Is Real Or Not Stars * * *1/2 It's Live!! When Skye Jordan first came out with her Renegade Series, I was one of the people who could not sing her praises loud enough...The tone, sass, humor and sexual banter was just the best...She took dirty talking to an art form and her men were Guy Guys. The women they fell for were handfuls... each one had her own personality quirks coupled with an inner strength. I loved how each of the stories worked and the smexy times were very unique to Ms. Jordan's writing skill.
As life goes, I missed the start of her latest series, Rough Riders Hockey. I was able to join the series with this entry. The main focus is the classic conflict of Best Friend's Sister and how she should be off limits. To add to the complication, both men are on the same Hockey Team... on the path to go the distance and possibly skate to the Stanley Cup....
This is Big... and nothing can cause any disturbance to the chemistry of the team and their delicate balance.
Now add the fact, Rafe realized about a year ago, his interest in Mia was not brotherly... he had been wanting her and could not even be in the same room with her without thinking of things which caused the need to adjust himself. His fix was to keep his distance from Mia...
He would not hang with her, answer her texts, talk on the phone...or even attend family dinners like he use to...He practically cut her out for the last year. It wasn't what he wanted but it was the only way he thought he could deal.
Mia, his team mate, Tate and their father took Rafe in early in his life. They became his surrogate family... all of them together...so he doesn't want to disappoint their dad or Tate. Everything was Hockey 24/7 with her father, Tate and Rafe... leaving her on the sidelines.
Mia has been working in New York earning her stripes in the fashion industry. She is very talented and has dabbled in making her own clothes for years. This experience has honed her skills and she also has personally grown stronger dealing with all of the challenges of the industry. She had to learn how to fend for herself.
As successful as she has been in her career, unfortunately she has had a history of crappy break ups, going through another one. It seems this last guy nailed it when he told her she wasn't emotionally available... because truthfully... she has always loved Rafe...blocking any real happiness with another guy.
Mia is very aware Rafe has cut her off... no responses to her texts, no meetings with the family. Well, fine. Tate, Rafe and her Dad will just have to get use to her being far away...her profession calls. This time when they are all together... she will make sure she cures her feelings for Rafe once and for all.
Rafe has been a bit of a manwhore...All his teammates have indulged in the Puck Bunny syndrome...and tonight he has this Superfan who won a charity auction to wine and dine him. Rafe thinks this is just what he needs to release his pent up frustrations.
Right....
At least that was the idea until he finds out Mia is in town and he is expected to attend a family dinner... no excuses. He doesn't know how he is going to deal with this... Well, Mia does and plans a scheme to "Wash Rafe Outta Her Hair Once and For All"
This is a story with many confrontations...some early, setting the idea of how difficult the acceptance of Rafe with Mia would be...The other side to the coin is Mia feeling like in every situation with the dynamic of Rafe, her brother and dad...she is never seen for who she is or allowed to be her own grown person... She is never worth the fight to be claimed....Hockey always seem to be first...
There is no denying the chemistry between Rafe and Mia...that is a Skye Jordan Given...so if you have read her past books, you know it is going to get intense, hot and smexy.... I became a bit frustrated by the way opportunities slipped by... when real communication could have been done... and Rafe needed to pull up his big boy boxer briefs and lay it out...
Rafe did redeem himself though and his heart and care for Mia worked.
I have a feeling Tate will be getting the Jordan treatment soon... He better... because this is a guy who needs a strong woman to straighten out his A##.
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Dirty Score was a good read. The storyline was entertaining and kept me turning the pages. The writing was well done and the characters Rafe & Mia were likable, amusing, frustrating and their chemistry was hot!
Overall, Dirty Score is a quick & steamy read and a great addition to the Rough Riders Hockey series. Each book can be read as a standalone and I highly recommend them.
There is something so hot about a hockey player and then throw in the best friend’s little sister story line and I was unable to put this story down!
“Mia was out of bounds. Off-limits. No amount of wanting her would change that fact.”
Rafe hasn’t seen or spoken to Mia in a year. He has put her out of the realm of possibility because his best friend and her brother, Tate, wouldn’t like them together. But that didn’t mean that he couldn’t admire her from afar.
Mia has wanted Tate since they were teenagers. But she has never acted on it. After learning about a big life change, she decides she needs one night with Rafe, damn the consequences.
“And I want you to fuck me like you mean it. Like you want it. Like you love it. I want you to fuck me like you’re hungry for it. Like you can’t get enough. I want you to fuck me so perfectly, I’ll never need you to fuck me again. I want us to fuck and forget.”
The two together are explosive. Their chemistry is off the charts. But will one taste be enough or will it just stoke the fire more? What happens if/when Tate finds out?
“I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you, Mia,” he confessed, his voice ragged.”
I loved this story and I am adoring this entire series. I love when a playboy is tamed by the one. Hockey is one of my favorite genres and Skye sure knows how to write about these hotties. The entire cast of characters is amazing and I adore seeing them in each book. And that cameo appearance by a certain group of renegades was AWESOME! Now we just need Tate to get his HEA! ~ Tiffany, 4.5 stars
Dirty Score (Rough Riders Hockey #3) by Skye Jordan Skye Jordan tallies up another win with DIRTY SCORE the third book in the Rough Riders Series. NHL star Rafe Savage is a lady’s man off the ice. However, only one woman has held his attention, and that woman is off limits. She is his best friend and teammate’s little sister, Mia Leighton, and she is like family. This contemporary sports romance takes place in Washington DC and Los Angeles. It is suitable for new adults and adult audiences.
I absolutely adored this book. I could not put it down. This was Skye Jordan’s first sister-best friend story, and she nailed it.
The characters were likeable and complex. I love the little family Rafe, Mia, Tate Donovan, and Joe built for themselves. Joe was a great guy for treating Rafe and Mia as his own. The four are amazingly close and lucky to have one another. It makes for a complex scenario, and it is understandable why Rafe tried to stay away from Mia. Rafe is a great guy. He is a talented hockey player. I love that Mia centers him and improves his game. He is devoted and loyal to his substitute family. I like his outlook on things, especially his life dreams.
Mia is a wonderful heroine. She is a talented clothing designer. She is sweet and very likable. I love that she calls it like it is with her brother’s teammates, and that she gets along so great with the WAGS. She has some major life-changing situations occur. I respect her for wanting to do things on her own without the help of the boys.
I enjoyed the plot. It was believable and skillfully executed. The hockey scenes were exciting, well written, and easy to visualize. I like how Rafe and Mia finally hooked up. They had fascinating obstacles to overcome throughout the novel. I loved the ending. I would love to hear more of Mia’s and Rafe’s story and hope they come up a lot in future books. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
there was literally no plot and instead all this back and forth and tate was insufferable as fuck and mia couldn’t make up her mind and rafe… was just rafe and the only character i liked. truly.
I admit by book two in this series, I was dying to get Rafe & Tate’s stories. In Rafe’s story – Dirty Score we discover that this womanizing playboy has been carrying a torch for his best friend’s sister. A woman who is 100% off limits. Not just because of his friendship with her brother, but because of the loyalty he feels for her father who took him under his wing all those years ago. Denying himself the one thing he’s truly wanted is about to blow up in his face when Mia comes to town – to finally give herself closure for the feelings she’s had for Rafe and so that she can finally move on.
Another explosive romance from Jordan who gives us not only a brother’s little sister love story – she tops it off with a friends to lovers theme as well. Rafe gave it a good fight, not wanting to give in to his feelings for Mia, but once he did – boy did that boy give it his all. But Mia isn’t being 10% honest with Rafe about her intentions. As he’s finally seeing all they could be, all they could have been all those years – Mia is still planning on moving on to the next step in her career – which would leave this affair in the past and just a bittersweet memory.
It can be difficult to give this type of story its own spin. I mean, there are only so many ways a man can fall for his best friends sister, have said brother discover it and want to rip off the guy’s head... only to give in and realize how happy they are together. But Jordan pulls it off. Tate was a loose cannon with his emotions and I loved how his past relationship issues came into play – it set up his story so perfectly and it allowed us to get this little insight into him before diving into his book (Wild Zone).
I really am enjoying working my way through this series, loving how each book gives you a great story – but makes you crave the next one so badly. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
What a sweet story of unrequited young love. Mia and Rafe have been in love with each other since forever but neither knows how the other feels. Because of their hidden feelings, they have never been able to commit to anyone else either. Both are also entrapped by the loyalty that they feel to Tate and his father Joe.
So Rafe avoids Mia as much as possible and after a year of being ignored, Mia sets out to get him out of her system once and for all, so that she can finally move on with her life. Only that little plan backfires. They discover exactly how perfect and complementary they are together but also how much more complicated their pairing can be for the people that they love the most. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place.
I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from the author for voluntary review consideration
Didn't enjoy Rafa's storyline. He was always attracted to Mia and because he couldn't do anything (as he was practically part of the family from their teenage years) he slept around and he wasn't shy about it. And that skyrocketed when he became a professional hockey player. So Mia was always left heartbroken. At least she had boyfriends, thank God she wasn't celibate....
I also found her brother's reaction over the top. Perhaps because he knew what a manwhore his friend was, he felt overprotective of Mia, but still it seemed he could have created enough damage.
I don't know- in the end I think I couldn't relate to the characters lovestory.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Rafe has been BFF's with Mia's brother Tate since they were very young and he's been in lust/love with Mia since they were teenagers but she's family so she's off limits. Mia is in the same situation with Rafe but she has a new career opportunity coming up and she decides she needs to F him out of her system so she can move on, of course that plan backfires and they wind up sneaking around hiding their relationship from the whole team not just her brother which also backfires rather spectacularly. This was cute but probably my least fave of the series so far but book 2 will be hard to top for me.
Skye says at the end of this book that it's her first little sister-best friend story...and I say thank you Skye for taking on this challenge, you scored a hat trick with this one!
Dirty Score is the third book in the Rough Riders Hockey series, this one featuring Rafe Savage and Mia Leighton. Rafe and Mia share a lot of history- her brother is his best friend and teammate, and they all grew up together, they've been family for 20 years. This is cause for a lot of strife and angst, as both Mia and Rafe have strong feelings for the other, but because of their history neither has done anything about it, neither one even knows the other has these same feelings. Until one night Mia, on the cusp of making some huge changes in her life, finally decides enough is enough and makes a play for Rafe. And that's where the challenges begin!
Oh the anxiety and heart clenching started early with this one- 4% in and I could already tell we were in for a roller coaster of emotions. And were we ever. Brother's best friend is one of my absolute favorite tropes, although the frustration and apprehension caused by everyone wanting to do the "right" thing drives me batty sometimes! That may be why I love them so much, too!
Rafe is such a special character. Tate's father basically took him in as a child, making sure he had a wonderful upbringing, including him in on all things hockey with Tate, and that is why he's fought his feelings for Mia all this time. This family was too important to him and he didn't want to do anything that would hurt them. But Mia, Mia was tired of being pushed to the side, forgotten, tired of being an after-thought. Once she and Rafe finally gave in to their feelings they couldn't be stopped- and lord have mercy were these two hot, hot, hot.
But they had their work cut out for them- with time and distance not on their side, with Tate and Joe and the guilt Rafe felt over his relationship with Mia hanging over them, there was a lot to be worked through. I was so glad that there wasn't any external conflict with these two, there were no outside forces, no exes, causing drama- it was just their love that was the root of their heartache...and doesn't that just take the cake! When 2 people love each other so much you just want them to be happy, to work things out, brothers be damned! And thankfully Mia and Rafe loved each other enough to realize what they had together was worth everything they were faced with.
hmmmmmm Rafe....I actually really liked him. I wasn't sure if I would because I kind of shy away from the Hero's who sleep around to "forget" about the pain of not being able to have the one person they want. Just freaking rubs me the wrong way. Anyway...for some reason, Rafe wasn't on my shit list because of that. I genuinely liked him. He was sweet and once he had Mia there was no going back for him. He never looked at another woman & only had eyes for her. He told her constantly how he felt and how much he has always wanted her. He was just an all around really sweet man. Now...Mia on the other hand. I did not enjoy her character. I found her to be immature, selfish & just plain freaking mean sometimes. No matter how many times Rafe would tell her how he felt or even show her with his actions, she would always bring up him fucking other woman on the side if they were to be together, or he would eventually cheat on her. I mean...didn't she grow up with him...didn't she know he was a good man and not a vindictive person. Yes...he did sleep around, but she never saw him cheat on anyone. I just felt like all her issues lied with Tate and she pushed them onto Rafe. I just didn't like her.
This has everything you could want in a story. Friends to lovers relationship, plus hockey and mix in some searing sex scenes and this describes this story. The usual cast of characters are present from the previous books and it is like one big family with disputes etc. It was an unusual family that comprised Tate, Rafe, Mia and Joe. Mia was basically in the middle between Tate and Rafe and their relationship with Tate's father Joe. Everyone walked a fine line so as not to upset the balance. You can see where the conflict is for Rafe, he has know Mia for years and suddenly she is a grown woman.He doesn't want to disrespect and distroy his relationship with Tate and Joe, who has done so much for him and treated him like a true son. What does Rafe do, basically distance himself from Mia and take advantage of all the Puck Bunnies. You can see with Tate's history why he doesn't want to be betrayed. He likes to control the situation and tends to be overprotective of Mia. I really enjoyed reading this story and I hope Tate will get his happy ending soon !
WOW!!!!!!How steamy is this book.If you don't like reading INTENSE sports romances, then this is definitely not the book for you.If you like a hot, tortured hero and a sassy, independent heroine, then this is the book for you!Rafe was just perfect. He had hardcore loyalties and a moral code that prevented him from publicly going after the one person he had wanted for half of his life. But when a certain bargain opened that door wiiiiide, he couldn't help but step through.Mia was awesome. She had her life figured out and was going after what she wanted, but she knew that something was still, and would always be, missing.This is the 3rd book in the series, but I haven't read the others (YET) and that proved to be no problem for enjoying this standalone.I FLEW through this book...couldn't put it down, and I'm seeing that as a pattern with the Skye books I've read so far. BIG FAN!!!(I received a copy of this book in consideration of an honest review)
I like the series but Dirty Score didn't work for me. Mia and Rafe danced around each other for years and when they finally make commitment to be with each other they are torn apart again. And again. And again The couple's relationship was a yo-yo for the entire book. I was getting whiplash with the constant back and forth.
I also wasn't a fan of Tate, her brother and Rafe's best friend. He was mean spirited and wasn't very understanding. I felt he needed anger management.
While we are left with a HEA , we left up in the air with how the couple will be moving forward.
I'm kind of a sucker for the big brother's best friend/ little sister romance troupe and I'll admit it's because of the whole "forbidden" aspect because I've never been one to play by all the rules. Skye Jordan does it up big time in Dirty Score because not only does the best friend want the little sister, she wants him back and to make things even more interesting her big brother's father has been a father figure to ALL of them making it almost taboo, but what a lovely taboo. Secrets, secrets and more secrets, scintillating, seductive, and sexy all describe Dirty Score, but in reality it is two people who have loved each other from afar for far too long finally giving into their passion and how to make what works for them work for the other people they love most in the world.
Life has been good to Rafe Savage and the fact that his hockey team is headed to the playoffs just makes it even sweeter, but knowing he will soon have to face his best friend's sister, Mia, and explain his absence and lack of communication for the last year makes him jumpy. He knows he can't act on his feelings for Mia without ruining his friendship with Tate Donovan or Tate's father, Joe but he is tired of denying his feelings. Mia is in D.C. for a short while before relocating to Hollywood news she has to break to her big brother and Rafe, the man she's never been able to get out of her head. When she sees a chance to have Rafe for one night, she seizes it; she just has no idea how that one night will rock her world in more ways than one.
I loved everything about this book; the friends to lovers aspect between Rafe and Mia, the best friends who are more like brothers dealing not only with a run for the Stanley Cup but the rift between them, the parental unit trying his best to be there for all three of his "kids" while praying he can keep them all family, and the big decisions they all face as their lives are forever changed. Surprisingly for everything going on in this book there wasn't a lot of angst (for which I am thankful) and there were a whole lot of good and fun times and some smoldering sexy ones as well.
I will say this; I feel that Rafe was very restrained in the way he dealt with Tate and that Tate needs some help to deal with the anger stemming off of him. I loved that Rafe realized he was going to support Mia's choices no matter what and while he wants her with him, he knew he had to let her make her own decisions. I hope at some point papa "Joe" finds someone who finds him as special as his three "kids" do and that Mia finally understood that Rafe acted the way he did because he loved her but didn't think he could have her. One more thing The Renegades team makes a cameo appearance and that seriously made my day, I loved that Ms. Jordan was able to work them into this story.
So many great feelings, a bit of anger which given the nature of the story I expected, a whole lot of surprises, what seems to be some great things coming in the future, but most of all a lot of love and all of that together made Dirty Score one amazingly fantastic story and one I can't wait to read again!
The Rough Riders Hockey team is back heating up the ice. Dirty Score by Skye Jordan is the third book in the highly addicting hockey series. I could not wait to dive in and watch another bad boy player melt.
Rafe Savage is the Rough Riders most notorious player. He's a legend on the ice as well as in the bedroom. The puck bunnies are lined up to be Rafe's next dirty score.
Rafe embraces his reputation with the ladies. It's not because he'a an egotistical sex god. It's because he is in love with a woman he can never touch. He's in love with his best friend and teammates little sister. A woman he grew up with. Her family embraced him as a kid and made them one of theirs. He cannot betray the only people that ever cared for him.
Mia has lived in the shadows amongst the men in her life. Her older brother and Rafe have been the center of attention all of her life. Their hockey lessons, academic status, and hockey careers have been the forefront of her stepfather, Joe's, attention. It's not that she wasn't loved fiercely by these three men, she was put on a pedestal by them. Now she has a phenomenal opportunity in her career that could change her future. This opportunity is across the country in Hollywood, California. She is going to have to leave D.C. and the people she has loved the most. Before she leaves D.C. she fully intends on taking something else that she has always wanted. She is going to have one night with Rafe Savage.
The old saying of " be careful what you wish for" applies to Mia. Her wish of one night with Rafe came true. It was not enough. Rate wants more but he wants it on his terms. She wants her career and that doesn't include Rafe. Also keeping their relationship a secret from her father and brother doesn't bode well. It will destroy their entire family structure. It could easily destroy the Rough Riders chance in the play offs.
Rafe is determined to keep Mia by his side. Mia is determined to be independent. These two were meant to be together. It's going to take a Dirty Score and some dirty fights to keep their relationship burning.
Skye Jordan wrote another fantastic book for the Rough Riders Hockey series. I loved the forbidden best friend's little sister relationship. It was red hot, fun, and full of great characters. The Rough Riders Hockey series has scored big with me. I can't wait to see who melts the ice next.
So this is the third book in the Rough Riders series and they just keep getting better!! I gotta say I’m enjoying the guys on this team and let me just say they are hockey hotties! I also love the best friend’s little sister forbidden love stories, so this one was right up my alley. This is Rafe and Mia’s story. And in this case, not only is Mia’s brother Tate, Rafe’s best friend, but also his teammate and Rafe has also been like a part of their family for 20 years. This makes it even more clear to him that he needs to squelch any feelings he has for Mia. Only that is getting harder since he has had a thing for her for a very long time. So needless to say they have been doing this dance for a long time now.
But one night Mia shows up and decides to take charge of what and who she wants and that is Rafe. She is planning on moving to California for a new job anyway and just wanted to do this first so she could hopefully finally move on. She has always been in love with him but knows she can only hope for this one night. She tells him she wants to get him out of her system and then forget. Hot and sexy times ensue but it is so much deeper and more intense than that. They are definitely making love. Their chemistry is undeniable and it is obvious by the intensity and emotions at play that they are in love with each other. He tells her he wants to remember the moment for the rest of his life. Swoon!
Being with Mia sets Rafe’s game on fire! He is scoring both on and off the ice and playing incredible hockey. One night was not enough so they see each other on the sly for a bit but that is not what Mia wants and Rafe isn’t quite ready to face Tate or their father Joe. This causes a few problems for them. Tate confronts Rafe with his fists once he is sure what is going on.
This causes all sorts of problems but mainly Mia just wants to get away from the controlling men in her life. She leaves for Cali without saying goodbye. I was so happy when Rafe went after her and surprises her in California. He wants to make it work with her in Cali for her job and him in DC and traveling with the team. I was not expecting what happened but just loved that he did that. After all, twenty years is a long time to be in love with someone, time to make it official already.
Another great read in this series by Skye Jordan. Looking forward to Wild Zone next!
Rafe Savage has been in love with his best friend/teammate’s sister forever, but one of the unwritten bro codes prevents him from acting on it. Mia Leighton has landed a coveted job, but before she can move on she needs to get the one man she can’t have out of her system. What begins as a one and done ends up being anything but.
Lucky for us neither Mia nor Rafe find it easy to move on, because they are one of the hottest couples Skye Jordan has given us…to date. I’m pretty sure I’ve said that with each Rough Rider book, but the author keeps upping the heat level. I, for one, am enjoying every panty-melting, deliciously naughty second. If this keeps up, book four should be positively incendiary.
I love the Rough Rider characters more with each new release, and Dirty Score was no exception. Mia is the kind of heroine you wish you were more like: sexy, comfortable with herself, confident enough to go after what she wants, and strong enough to handle the men in her life. Rafe may have a reputation as the team playboy, but he’s also a genuinely nice guy who’s loyal to his team and family. Watching these two sort it out was fun. Although I do have to admit I was ready to knock a couple heads together before Mia set them straight.
I really enjoyed seeing all of the other main characters from the previous books, their girlfriends and families, plus the other Rough Riders. Even the new PITA guy was fun. The totally unexpected appearance was a welcome surprise, inspired, and a total blast.
Skye Jordan has written another unique story based on a well-loved trope. I loved it, and can’t wait to catch up to these characters again in Wild Zone. If that story is about the grouchy team member I think it will be I’m going to enjoy watching him get his comeuppance before getting his heart mended.
I was given an advance copy and chose to write a review.
DIRTY SCORE is the third book in the Rough Riders Hockey series and while I enjoyed the first two books in the series, this one was quite the letdown.
As I write this review, I'm trying to think of something nice to say, especially about the characters, but I'm coming up blank. Rafe and Mia spend almost the entire book pushing and pulling against each other, and it got old real fast. Tate (Mia's half-brother and Rafe's best friend) was bossy, domineering, disrespectful and ultimately unlikeable. Kilbourne (Rafe's teammate) was a total dick to everyone and I'm still trying to figure out why he was even in the story or why his teammates never sorted him out. In regards to the family ties, spending 40% of the story confused as to who Rafe, Mia, Tate and Joe were to each other made my head hurt, until the family tree was finally explained at the 42% mark.
DIRTY SCORE does come with a HEA, but even with an epilogue, I was left without any real resolution as to how Rafe and Mia ended. Did Mia stay in LA for her job or did she move to DC to be with Rafe? Did she do the jersey designs on the side of her LA job, or is the jersey gig her sole source of income? I'm assuming she gave up her LA job to live with Rafe and design her jerseys, but it's not clarified. DIRTY SCORE is told in dual POVs and while it's part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. Will I read the fourth book in the series? That will depend on who it's about. If it's about Tate or Kilbourne, I'll probably end up skipping it.
Really enjoyed the story but please get a better editor/proofreader!
This is my third Rough Riders book and I've enjoyed all three. I like the characters and the nicely constructed and different stories. And of course I enjoy the hockey action as well. I was really invested in this story and there were several times I was choked up or hit hard with emotions. Loved Rafe and for the most part really liked Mia though I felt she let her strong feelings about her position in the family simmer too long so she went a little "woe is me" too often.
However, there were several things that were problematic, most of which would have been remedied with a good editor. First were the blatant errors. Mia being referred to as Eden in several places where the two were having a conversation so it's confusing to the reader who is saying what. Other name swaps as well. More problematic is the continual reference to things in the characters' histories that I was in the dark on but it felt like I was supposed to know. Was I? If so, how? If it was from a previous book (both of which I read) I didn't remember so there should have been some sort of refresher assuming there would be time lapses between books for people. If it wasn't in previous books, and some of which I'm sure it wasn't because why would it have been, then more detail was needed so readers don't feel left out. Good editors or good beta readers would help resolve those issues for an author. Sometimes an author is too close to what they've written to see it.
The stories are entertaining, emotional and engrossing and I'm moving on to number four now. Recommend this series.
Best friend's little sister can be a great troupe, and Rafe and Mia had a bit of an extra complication added in since Tate's (Mia's half brother) dad was the dominant father figure in Rafe's life as well--so by getting involved with Mia, Rafe would be endangering his relationships with both his best friend and the guy who's acted as his father for years. Talk about pressure...
Which is why he's avoided getting involved with Mia in any way he can--for the past year, it's been by avoiding her altogether. But Mia's had enough of that, so Rafe had better watch out ;)
Rafe and Mia had all kinds of chemistry, and lots and lots of super-steamy encounters--but running below the surface is all kinds of angst (the good kind, for the readers--for the characters, not so much!), since they have real reasons why they can't stay together.
But OMG, these two need to be together. And Ms. Jordan makes us wait until nearly the very end to see how they can possibly manage it. Evil of her, but fortunately the journey to get us all there is so, so good!
Plus, did I mention there's hockey? Bonus!
Dirty Score is definitely my favorite of the series so far...though I have high hopes for Tate's story. Fingers crossed that he's going to be next!
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
3.5 Dirty Score is the third book in the rough and tumble hockey Rough Riders series, and so far it isn't my favorite.
Rafe is a great hockey player on the DC based Rough Riders, along with his "brother" Tate Donovan. He's a player - on and off the ice. But the girl he loves is Tate's little sister, and "you don't DO family". Mia is in New York, and is Tate's adopted sister, and by extension, Rafe's, since their father Joe took Rafe in when his parents shut him out. Rafe is tortured by the fact that he wants Mia, but he won't betray his family and damage his team. We're not sure about Mia's life - just the fact that she has loved Rafe since she was 14, and wants him to fight for her - even against his family. It's a sweet story in places, and I loved the hockey. It just didn't grab me like the first two in the series. It seemed like nothing but sex. Don't get me wrong, I love sex. I love sex in books - but I want the love story more.
And what the heck happened at the end? Did they win the Stanley Cup? Did Mia take the job? Where will they live?
When I finished Hot Puck - I went back and started over immediately. Dirty Score - I moved on to the next book.
I am so upset to say, this was my last favorite so far in the series. And I hate to say that because I think if any book was going to fix my issue with the others being too short, it would have been this one. Unfortunately, this one came with too many others.
The set up was perfect, until about halfway through that first real interaction with them.
Given the size of these books, two people who already have feelings for one another is the perfect set up. But the way Skye went around it in this book ruined it for me. I would have loved to see a long game to a big catalyst with these two. But unfortunately, the couple is together from the first encounter - just like everyone else. And at this point, that doesn't make sense for these two. Because then the rest of the back and forth, it too overdone, and too boring. I didn't care enough because the damage was done. I wanted internal battles, but it appears that all happened years earlier off-page.
Also... the way everyone refers to Rafe as a brother, and not "like a brother" so overtly to the point that Tate says "I love her too but you don't F family".. it grossed me out I was done but finished it out of principle.
I am LOVING this series - each one gets better and better!!!
I think the family dynamics, along with the great team family relationships made Rafe and Mia's story. I felt a little let down that I don't know what happens in Mia's future with so many choices - but I know when we see more of the Rough Riders we'll find out. The author does an excellent job keeping us in touch with previous characters!
Skye has a way of giving you a "different" story with just the right amount of angst & sexiness that keep you reading on. The fact that I come from a Hockey city made this series even more attractive to me - Skye has done a great job studying-up on Hockey lingo to tell this story right.
I absolutely loved that we caught a glimpse of The Renegades here, I love when a author can intermingle their series/other characters - even if it is just a tiny part.