2016
WISE Score
A high-heat college sports romance that is strictly for adults who don't mind a lot of 'spice' with their hockey.
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If you're looking for a sweet, innocent story about college life, keep walking. The Score is the third installment in the Off-Campus series, and it leans heavily into the 'spicy' romance category that has taken over BookTok.
It's well-written for what it is—a fun, steamy, sports-themed distraction—but it has zero business being in the hands of a middle schooler. For adults or very mature older teens, it's a page-turner, but for anyone else, it's a 'wait until you're older' situation.
This is a New Adult novel, intended for readers 18 and up. While older teens (17+) might find it on TikTok, it contains explicit content that is far beyond typical YA romance.
While it features a committed relationship by the end, the foundation is built on heavy partying and a casual hookup culture that doesn't exactly lean into traditional 'wholesome' territory.
It's a standard sports romance. It doesn't break new ground in storytelling, but the banter is sharp and the character archetypes are well-executed for the genre.
This is 'New Adult' fiction, which is industry code for 'explicit sex scenes.' It is not safe for a child or young teen to pick up without a parent knowing exactly what's inside.
It touches on grief and career pressure, but it's primarily designed as high-heat entertainment rather than an educational or deeply moral text.
There’s a common misconception among parents that if a book is set in college, it’s basically just 'YA Plus.' The Score is a prime example of why that logic fails. Elle Kennedy is a titan of the New Adult (NA) genre, which specifically targets readers in their 20s who want adult themes—primarily explicit romance—set in a relatable, transitional life stage.
In this third book, we follow Dean Di Laurentis, the resident 'playboy' of the hockey team, and Allie Hayes, who is reeling from a breakup. The chemistry is undeniable, and Kennedy is excellent at writing banter that doesn't feel forced. Unlike many romances where the conflict is based on simple misunderstandings, the friction here comes from genuine life transitions: Allie’s fear of the future and Dean’s realization that his easy-mode life won't last forever.
If your teen is asking for this book, they almost certainly saw it on TikTok. The Off-Campus series is a staple of 'Romance BookTok.' It’s worth noting that while the covers often look like standard contemporary fiction, the content inside is much more graphic than a typical Sarah Dessen or John Green novel. If you're okay with your 17-year-old reading R-rated romance, they'll love it. If not, you might want to steer them toward something like Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood, which keeps the sports vibes but tones down the heat.
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