relationship goals

Michelle Oxford knows soccer. She used to play in college. She loved it. Her knee disagreed. Now she can’t play anymore, but she is working as the director of operations for L.A.’s Aces, where she is having to do damage control. The previous owners had to leave under a hood of scandal, and now she’s having to restore the team’s image for the new owner.

Tristan Gold is the team goalkeeper and caption. He’s been around for a while. He knows the damage that the scandal caused, and he’s all for getting the team involved in brightening their reputation. When Michelle comes up with the idea of the players getting out into the community to serve the public, he’s all on board and encourages the rest of the team to do the same. The truth is, Tristan is all in on any idea Michelle comes up with. And he’s got some ideas for her on his own. He’s been crushing on her since she started.

When Tristan finds out that Michelle is basically neglecting herself in order to do her job, he knows he needs to step in. He hates to see that she’s sleeping in her office, so he steps in and makes a wager with her. He talked her into going to the bar with the team and the front office for a drink. And he’s convinced her to play shuffleboard. So he makes a bet. If she wins the game, he’ll get the team to go along with whatever she needs them to for good publicity. But if he wins, then she has to learn to chill out. The lessons will come from Tristan himself, with a debrief for the entire team afterwards, with doughnuts.

Michelle is too competitive to back down, so she agrees. And she loses. She has to go along with whatever he comes up, starting with a Rage Room. As she takes apart an office copier with a sledgehammer, she does start to feel better. She feels herself relaxing. And she feels her attraction to Tristan grow. He is gorgeous, and he is kind, and he enjoys being around him. But she’s heard enough interviews where he has insisted he doesn’t want a serious relationship to know that her attraction can’t get very far. Still, it’s tempting.

Tristan knows that a classy, educated woman wouldn’t be interested in a jock like him. Even if he also bakes. But that’s not going to stop him from flirting, or from baking her fresh snickerdoodles. Or for offering her a very specific way to chill out, if she decided that’s what she wants from him. He’d be thrilled to take her up on that. But it’s temporary, obviously, no matter how much he wants more.

Michelle enjoys learning to relax, and she realizes that she’s also been neglecting her friendships. As she reconnects with her old teammates and makes new friends, she realizes she needs to make some other changes in her life to be happy. She loves spending time with Tristan, but is there any way she can fit the time spent with Tristan into her new life? Or is there a whistle coming up to end the game Michelle’s been playing with the goalkeeper?

Keeping Score is a new soccer rom com from Brittany Kelley, and it’s been worth the wait. Fans of Ted Lasso and any sports romance will enjoy this playful, spicy romance set in a California soccer team’s offices. There is a lot of flirting, some good banter, and lots of warm friendships (some warmer than others).

I am a soccer nerd. I love the European leagues, I love the MLS, I love the books and the shows about soccer, so I was all in on this one. Add in that Tristan is a big fan of The Great British Bake Off, and I could find no problems with this book. I had a great time from the first whistle through stoppage time, and it’s one of those books I would read all over again if I can find the time between soccer games. Loved it all!

Egalleys for Keeping Score were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.