The Score
by Elle Kennedy · 2017
A party-boy hockey player and his introverted new neighbor get stuck tutoring each other -- him in econ, her in loosening up -- in the third Off-Campus opposites-attract pairing.
Worth reading? The Score is the lightest, most comedic entry in the Off-Campus trilogy so far -- Dean's manic energy against Allie's reserve gives it a different rhythm than the first two books, closer to a classic opposites-attract romance than the fake-dating or secret-hookup setups before it. It's fun and fast, but if you came to the series for the more emotionally loaded arcs of The Deal or The Mistake, this one plays it lighter.
| Full Title | The Score (Off-Campus, Book 3) |
|---|---|
| Author | Elle Kennedy |
| Published | 2017 |
| Category | Fiction |
The Verdict
Dean’s the character most readers either love or find exhausting – Kennedy leans hard into his motormouth energy for comic relief, which works well against Allie’s quieter perspective chapters but means the emotional stakes here read lower than the two books before it.
you're working through the Off-Campus series and want the classic opposites-attract, forced-proximity setup with the series' established banter and heat level
you want the couple with the most emotional depth in the series -- Dean and Allie's arc leans more comedic and lighter than Logan and Grace's or Garrett and Hannah's
Top 6 Lessons from The Score
- Opposites-attract works when the contrast between characters (manic energy against reserve) actually shapes the plot's rhythm, not just the banter.
- A lighter, more comedic entry can be a legitimate change of pace within a series without breaking its tone.
- A polarizing character (loved or found exhausting) is a real creative risk that pays off for the audience it's built for.
- Comic relief and lower emotional stakes are a tradeoff, not automatically a weakness.
- Series entries can each follow a different couple and still stand alone, as long as the shared world stays consistent.
- Reader expectations set by earlier, more emotionally loaded entries can work against a lighter sequel if they aren't managed upfront.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Score worth reading?
Yes, if you're enjoying the Off-Campus series -- it's a lighter, more comedic entry that still delivers on the series' banter and chemistry.
What is The Score about?
Party-boy hockey player Dean Di Laurentis and introverted student Allie Hayes are thrown together as neighbors in a tutoring arrangement, and their opposites-attract dynamic slowly turns into a real relationship.
Is The Score the last book in the Off-Campus series?
No -- Elle Kennedy continued the series beyond The Score with additional books following other couples in the same campus world.
Can I read The Score as a standalone?
Yes, each Off-Campus book follows a different couple and works on its own, though returning characters land better if you've read the earlier books first.
Ready to read it?
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