Is The Score appropriate for high school teens?

No. It contains explicit graphic sexual content, crude humor, and heavy alcohol use. It is written as New Adult fiction intended for readers 18 and older.

Do you need to read the previous Off-Campus books first?

Not necessarily, but it helps. The book focuses on a standalone couple, but main characters from The Deal and The Mistake appear throughout as part of the core friend group.

Why is this title so popular among younger readers?

It trends heavily on BookTok and social media platforms, where short romantic excerpts are shared without age ratings or explicit content labels.

Are there sudden heavy themes in the story?

Yes. Beyond romance and college party scenes, the characters deal with the sudden death of a close friend and the resulting emotional grief.

The Score – WISE Score & Parent Review

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Where to Read

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Libby

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Screenwise Verdict

Elle Kennedy's The Score is a staple of the New Adult sports romance genre, following college hockey player Dean and graduating senior Allie through a rebound hookup that turns complicated. It is witty, fast, and wildly popular across online book communities.

That said, this is strictly adult romance fiction. If a middle schooler or young teen picks this up expecting an innocent hockey story, they will run into explicit sex scenes, crude dialogue, and heavy drinking within the first few chapters.

Age Fit

Intended strictly for adults and mature readers (18+). This is explicit New Adult romance with open-door intimate scenes.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

30

Heavy focus on casual hookups, explicit sexual encounters, alcohol, and crude college banter.

Imaginative

45

Standard sports-romance tropes executed with snappy dialogue and familiar genre conventions.

Safe

30

Contains graphic open-door sex scenes, explicit dialogue, and heavy party culture. Not suitable for younger teens.

Enriching

40

Touches on post-college identity anxiety and navigating unexpected loss, though primary focus is romance entertainment.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Fast-paced dialogue that keeps the romance moving smoothly between comedic and emotional beats.
Navigates graduation anxiety as Allie struggles with post-college career choices and sudden life pivots.
Strong character chemistry that fans of contemporary romance books frequently celebrate on BookTok.

⚠

What to Watch For

Graphic sexual content with multiple detailed open-door intimate scenes throughout the book.
College party lifestyle featuring heavy drinking, hookup culture, and persistent crude sexual banter.
Grief and sudden loss themes that shift the story's tone abruptly in the second half.

Conversation Starters

"How do Allie and Dean navigate the boundary between a casual rebound and a real relationship?"
"What feels realistic about the post-graduation career panic Allie experiences?"

Deep Dive

High-Steam College Romance

Part of the wildly successful Off-Campus series, The Score leans heavily into classic romance tropes: the player who falls hard, the casual rebound that turns real, and the tight-knit college friend group.

While the story introduces genuine emotional weight around post-college career panic and coping with sudden grief, its primary engine is explicit romance. For adult readers looking for lightweight contemporary romance, it delivers fast banter and high heat. It just isn't built for the young adult shelf.

What Parents Ask

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