Review: The Scoring Secret by Ainsley Booth (Off the Ice #2)

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.

It's been more than a year since I read the Off the Ice series starters, The Girl in the Hockey Jersey (the free prequel novella) and The Playing Game (the first full-length novel), so when I say I've been eagerly anticipating the next book, well, that's what happens when everything that came before it impressed me so. And surprise, surprise, The Scoring Secret is here, and Ainsley Booth has rewarded my patience with an enemies-to-lovers story with You've Got Mail feels. If you've read the previous book, then you'll most probably remember Kiley Forge, best friend of Harper Roberts. This is her journey towards her happily-ever-after, one that she shares with Ty Connor, a hockey star who has just been traded from sunny and sultry Miami, Florida to not-as-sunny-nor-sultry Hamilton, Ontario. Not to worry, because these two brought the heat, all thanks to their sizzling connection and more tension than you could shake a hockey stick at.

Ty Connor is living the life. He's been with a professional hockey player for a decade and has been with the same team for just as long. Finding someone to hook up with is just one swipe away every single time. One phone call changes all that, leaving Ty hastily packing up and heading up north from the US to Canada to become part of the Hamilton Highlanders. The new team is welcoming, but his teammate's girlfriend's best friend? Not so much. Kiley Forge makes it glaringly obvious she isn't a fan of his, even as she notices just how hot he is. It's a good thing she's recently connected with a guy named BeastMode on the Lusty app. Her developing crush is the perfect distraction...or could it turn out to be a complication?

I FLOVED Ty and Kiley! From the banter to the bickering plus the flirting and, well, you-know-what, these two kept things lighthearted with a smidgen of angst to keep the angst addict in me rather sated. Kiley's history when it comes to cheating has led her to wanting one year without the complication of committed relationships and expectations past sexual satisfaction. Her assumptions regarding Ty may have been unfair, but for Kiley, it was a matter of self-preservation. Speaking of Ty, I'm just going to say that he was this combination of typical pro athlete and unexpected romantic that had me smitten. He was charming, confident, and cute--although I have a feeling that he may balk at that last one. Since 2023, the he-falls-first trope has became one of my favorites, and Ainsley Booth delivers. Five stars for The Scoring Secret.

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Read my reviews for the Off the Ice series:

The Playing Game (book one) - five stars - My Review

The Scoring Secret (book two) - five stars - My Review (posted above)

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Release Date: 22 March 2024

Date Read: 21 March 2024

Learn more about Ainsley Booth.

Purchase The Scoring Booth on Amazon.