Cocky, man whore, player…. Those are all ways I have been described by the media and countless women. Are they accurate? Possibly. But, that’s all I let the media see of me, Brian Kelly, defensive player for the Indianapolis Eagles Hockey team. I have no intentions of settling down and changing the media’s perception of me. I can’t tell if women are after me for my bank account, the status symbol … symbol of being with a professional athlete, or if they really want me for me. Then I meet her. The one woman who doesn’t let my charm affect her or cause her to jump directly into my bed. Can I possibly change my ways and settle down?
Grounded, selfless, giving…Those are all the ways my family and friends have described me. Are they right? Possibly. But, I’m so much more, and need some passion and excitement in my life. My best friend is moving on and I want that someone special to share all that life has to offer. Let it be known that I, Kinley Williams, want the right someone special. So why did he have to crash into me? The one man who is so clearly wrong for me. Then again, he doesn’t seem like anything the tabloids claim him to be. So is he really all that wrong?
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Story is well written and flows smoothly, which can be hard for some books following such a great read like “Just Say Yes”, “Scoring The Player” is an excellent second book in the series we did get to visit briefly from the beginning with Scott and Becca from the first book and in this second book since Kinley is Becca’s best friend and an old friends of Scott’s. And Brian met Kinley Williams through his Scott and Becca connection. Even though he probably would have met her anyway with such a lady’s man Brian is or was prior to meeting Kinley Samantha Lind created well rounded easy to like characters that followed from one book to the next, I loved the first book and am equally in love with this one.
Brian Kelly doesn’t know if people like him for himself or for his money and or fame, so show the world what they expect and nothing of the real person he is, that way he can’t get hurt. That is until Kinley. Kinley Williams is the sweet and sexy nurse next door that you want too take home to meet your parents and is an excellent friend to have, if nothing else, but the chemistry between Brian and Kinsley is of the charts and lead to so much more than either one of them expected.
Loved the story, the characters and of course the hockey!
Thank you for another winner. Can’t wait to read, Playing for Keeps seeing if it’s a Hat Trick!
This is the second book in the Indianapolis Eagles Series by Samantha Lind and I can say I enjoyed it almost as much as I did the first. I will probably be in the minority, but I was not a fan of either Brian of Kinley in Just Say Yes. They were not bad characters, but they did not grab my attention so I was very interested to see what Lind had in store for us with this book. I am happy to report that I was proven wrong. Scoring the Player is a sweet and slightly angsty read that will keep you interested from the very first word all the way to the ending. Although it is part of a series it can be read on its own.
Brain and Kinley meet as their two best friends rekindle their relationship in Just Say Yes. Although Lind gives us a small glimpse at the beginning of a relationship between these two in the first book we do not dive into anything until this story. Brian is known for his playboy ways to all of his friends and well to the world, so Kinley is very hesitant to have anything to do with him besides friends. However, as they get closer and get to know each other they both know that they could be more than just friends. As things begin to develop between these two, it is not other people but the distance that begins to cause a strain in their relationship.
Once again a real-life depiction of what relationship struggle people have when facing a similar situation. A little bit more angsty than Just Say Yes, but Kinley and Brian’s relationship had more to overcome. Bravo Samantha! I can not wait for the next installment!
I gave this Book a rating of 5 ’s
Title: Scoring the Player
Genre: Sports Romance
Author: Samantha Lind
Format: Kindle Edition
Published on: February 8, 2018
I voluntarily received a Courtesy Copy of this book from Give Me Books Promotions and am choosing to leave a review.
>-< >–< >–< >–< >–<>–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< Character’s Descriptions: Brian is Indianapolis Eagles hockey team star defenseman. He is known for being a player and man-whore as well as being cocky. Kinley is looking for her one but Brian s so far from what she imagined she wanted it isn’t even funny >–< >–< >–< >–< >–<>–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< What I liked/Didn’t Like: This is my second book by this author and I loved it as much as the first book. A definite read for Sports romance fans. Well thought out and written.
OH MY GOODNESS!! I thought Scott and Becca would have been my favorite of this series, but I can promise that Brian and Kinley are just as amazing! This entire series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine!!
Brian and Kinley prove that sometimes the player just needs one heck of coach to tame him. Kinley is the quintessential sweet small town girl. Her best friend just got her HEA that could basically be a RomCom, and now she wants to try her hand at finding romance. She knows that Brian is misunderstood with his playboy status. It’s a front he puts on to keep people at arms length and she is able to see through to the really sweet guy inside. Brian has been honing a cocky athlete vibe for years. Puke bunnies seem only interested in what he can offer or being seen with him and he doesn’t offer them anything more than a warm bed and a photo opt. Kinley is different and he can see that right away. This is the type of girl you build a future with and Brian is starting to think long term for the first time ever.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Eagles series, and the timeline runs parallel to book one, so you could get away without reading the first book however you will miss some things if you don’t.
I liked this book better than the first one. Brian and Kinley’s story is a friends-to-lovers-to more with a touch of sadness and tragedy thrown in.
I loved the transformation of the stereotypical sports star man whore to man in love. I loved the struggles that both Brian and Kin had with their feelings, the distance, the falling in love.
It was great to see Scott and Becca’s relationship from the outside and to see where they were at. I am really looking forward to Murph and Madison’s book too.
Bring on those Eagles!
I have been lucky enough to have read everything that Samantha has written! This is the the third book from her and the second in her Indianapolis Eagles Series. Let me tell you, Samantha just gets better and better each book she writes!
This story of Kinley and Brian is fantastic! I loved how it played out over time, with Kinley being just a bit cautious of Brian’s intentions.
Kinley is independent and strong and knows what she wants, she doesn’t cave in or waffle to the pressure and gives when she is good and ready!
Brian is the perfect alpha hero, he knows he’s ready to settle down and he knows to handle Kinley differently than any woman he has been with before.
Their story is a slow burn with some twists that would make a lot of couples run in opposite directions, but it only makes what Kinley and Brian have stronger and more meaningful! Their struggles really moved me and made me want to cheer for their reunion all the more!
Get your hands on this book! If you can, read the first book in this series, you see past characters and get to catch up with what is going on with them too, which I really enjoyed! I cannot wait for the next book in this series comes out! Thank you for your words Samantha, and thank you for creating this wonderful world of characters!
This book is everything. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to toss my kindle, I needed a hug more than once, and I swooned. This second book in the Indianapolis Eagles series can be read as a standalone but Scott and Becca’s story is awesome so you should definitely read that too.
Brian has a pretty well known reputation for being a ladies’ man, a playboy who never takes anything seriously. Kinley has had her fair share of bad boyfriends and nights that never amounted to anything other than a good time so when she meets Brian, she’s not interested in anything other than friendship.
I admit, I was like everyone else in the world. I thought the facade of Brian was the real Brian but I was very quickly proven wrong about him. He’s amazing. We all need a Brian in our lives. Watching Brian and Kinley build a solid foundation of friendship had me swooning and sighing for so much of this book. I wasn’t expecting all of the emotion I felt from this book but it all made me love these two that much more. I can’t wait to see what’s up next for the Eagles!!
Exceptionally sweet, swoon worthy romance Scoring The Player has everything I love in a sports romance. I’ve come to find Samantha Lind is the queen of sexy & sweet. This book was filled with the ultimate romance. So. Much. Swoon. I couldn’t get enough of it! I was glued to the pages the entire time. These two were couple perfection!
Brian is so incredibly wonderful. He’s out to prove he’s more than a player, and boy does he do just that. His slow romancing of Kinley had me totally melted into a big puddle of girly mush. I don’t care how much I’ve already said sweet and swoon in this review because seriously, ALL. THE. SWOON. I want a Brian of my own after reading this. I mean, really, who wouldn’t want a sexy hockey star who is also a great big sweetheart?
This is actually book two in Lind’s Indianapolis Eagles series, but it can be read as a standalone which is actually how I read it. This was my first book by Lind, but it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this story. It had great character growth, strong emotion, and was definitely a slow burn worth waiting for. I, however, do wish I had started with book one and read in order, because I think I would’ve connected with the characters better in the beginning which would have made this a 5 star for me.
We are told Brian was quite the player on and off the ice at the beginning of the story, but this book really begins with Brian meeting Kinley causing him to change his ways. I really liked both Brian and Kinley from the beginning. Brian was my kind of hero. He knew what he wanted and he went after it. He may not have been the in your face hero who stops at nothing, but he was persistent and knew just when and how to push Kinley. Kinley was strong and independent and she wanted to hang on to that. She wasn’t the kind of girl satisfied with “scoring the player” and riding off into the trophy girlfriend/wife sunset. She protected herself and maintained her sense of self and independence. At times, this need for independence caused issues, but it was very understandable.
When I started this book, I expected it to be a cookie-cutter sports romance. I thought it was going to be the whole “player jock” sweeps “normal” girl off her feet, they struggle to find their way with his fame and flock of puck bunnies but eventually get it all figured out for their HEA. And don’t get me wrong, I love that storyline when it is well done, but in this book, I got so much more. While the characters obviously felt an instant attraction, I loved that they built up to their romantic relationship. They faced the reality of wanting more while trying to figure out how to have it. I love that they really got to know one another and developed a friendship before they took any major leaps. And when they did take the leap, it was so rewarding to watch. However, things were not always smooth sailing for this couple. This book really pulled out the emotions. This couple is faced with hardships that put them and their relationship to the test. Lind did a great job of showing vulnerability in both characters.
The writing was completely refreshing. When talking to other readers, we often joke about the things from reality that never become a problem in romance novels. Fall asleep on your love’s arm? No biggie, they never go to sleep. Morning breath? Not a problem. However, Lind doesn’t shy away from reality. Including things like, “I hate to wake her, but my arm fell asleep awhile ago and I need to piss,” made me laugh and added to the believability of the story. I felt like these characters were very realistic and it made me want them to find their happily-ever-after even more.
If you are following the series, you will also be happy to know there is a significant amount of character crossover from Just Say Yes (Indianapolis Eagles book 1). Because Kinley and Becca are best friends and Brian and Scott are both friends and teammates, you see a lot of them throughout this story as well. We also get peeks of Murph and Madison which have me so anxious for their story! This is a series I will definitely continue!
I received a free copy of this book with no obligations or expectations from the author.
Kinley met Brian six months ago when he came to Alaska for the Stanley Cup tour with two of his teammates. She was out with her best friend Becca when they bumped into them and they all decided to have dinner together. After dinner, Brian asked her if she would go on a date with him before he went back home. Kinley was hesitant about accepting his invitation because she had heard that he was a player and womanizer, but since he was a perfect gentleman during dinner, she agreed to the date. They spent the next week together, keeping their relationship strictly platonic. She was surprised how comfortable she felt with Brian — it was as if she had known him forever. She was upset when he had to go home for the summer, but she needed to get to know him better before taking their relationship to the next level. Texting and Facetiming would have to do.
Brian is a star defenseman for the Indianapolis Eagles hockey team. Beautiful women are always flocking to him, and in the past, he had never said no. He never knew if they truly liked him as a person, or if they were hockey groupies looking for a short term fling that they could tell their friends about. He knows his soulmate is out there somewhere, so he would have to be patient. When he met Kinley, he was immediately attracted to her natural beauty and sexy smile. He was glad she agreed to spend time with him before he had to leave to fulfill his hockey commitments. He desperately wants to have a romantic relationship with her, but he respects Kinley and doesn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. Brian hasn’t known Kinley long, but she really understands him and if she is truly the one for him, he will wait for her forever.
How will Kinley react when she sees Brian again? Will she realize that Brian has changed his ways and give him a chance?
Can Brian convince Kinley that their connection is real and that they are meant to be together?
I have been patiently waiting for Kinley and Brian’s story and I was not disappointed!! “Scoring The Player” is romantic, emotional and magical. Kinley and Brian had an immediate attraction to each other and I couldn’t wait to experience their journey to love and happiness. Their love is unconditional and as a couple, they overcame any obstacles that got in their way. Samantha Lind has given us a beautiful love story that I know everyone will love as much as I did, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series, “Playing For Keeps.”
Such a sad story.
3.5
**Listened through audible.**
The narrators were okay, the female didn’t really have a male impression and the male kept changing his main voice. I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between when one of them were thinking or speaking.
This book had tremendous potential, but fell short for me. I don’t shy away from a good intimate scene, but it seemed to have one in every chapter from the time Kinley and Brian got together until the climax of the book. It felt like it was taking away from the story. The other issue I had was that the plot seemed predictable and once I got to a certain point I felt I was skimming more than reading.
As much as I wanted to enjoy Kinley and Brian’s romance, I felt as though their relationship was forced.
I will give this author another read in the future, this book didn’t turn me off of her.
This is MY opinion and you may feel completely different about this HEA.
Nurse, Hockey player, long distance relationship, friends to lovers
Samantha Lind definitely has a thing for cute, sweet, lighthearted, insta-love!
Brian and Kinley have the definition of an insta-love relationship. We could say they were friends to lovers, but they were never actually friends. You’re fooling yourself if you call them that. They meet in Just Say Yes when he comes to Alaska for Scott’s Cup day and immediately hit it off. Brian is made out to be this player in book one which is the farthest thing from the truth.
Their relationship is extremely lighthearted and also long distance as he is in Indy and she’s in Alaska at first. When they find out some devastating news Kinsley pushes him away. I have to say that was the first moment in the book I wasn’t rolling my eyes. I felt like during this devastating time they were finally experiencing actual emotions you see. While light and fun is good, sometimes it’s unrealistic. I like the raw, gritty emotion.
I thought the plot was a great idea. I did like these characters more than Scott and Becca. Their issues were real life and happen.
Scoring the Player is once again another insta-love, sweet romance from Samantha Lind. I’m telling you if you love sweet, lighthearted romance she is your author. She absolutely will not disappoint you.
Kinley and Brian…oh boy! I love a misunderstood man who just needs the right woman to set him straight and that’s what we get here. Brian is portrayed as something in the media, but Kinley gets to start seeing who he actually is and sparks fly. I love the no drama and the way their relationship developed.
This is the 2nd book in this awesome series and is Brian and Kinley’s story. Brian had a bad reputation as a playboy, which he is trying to shake off, and Kinley knows what he is perceived as when they 1st meet. This is a beautifully written story which has tad angst, and is an emotional and humorous story which had me intrigued and hooked throughout. I look forward to reading more in this series!
Scoring the Player by Samantha Lind is a fantastic book! This is the 2nd book in her Indianapolis Eagles Series. This is also the second book that I have read by this author and she doesn’t disappoint me at all! I couldn’t put my kindle down while I was reading this book. Scoring the Player tells the budding love story of Kinley Williams and Brian Kelly.
Scoring the Player picks up where the 1st book left off. Kinley and Brian have been getting to know each other since their friends Becca and Scott got engaged. Brian is really feeling Kinley. He knows that he wants to explore more with her. Kinley is having her doubts about pursuing something more with Brian. She has been hurt so much and she feels that Brian is still a player. As the pair gets closer, Brian shows Kinley how much he has changed.
Will Kinley finally follow her heart about Brian? Will Kinley and Brian get their happy ever after? You will have to read Scoring the Player by Samantha Lind to find out!
This book is full of romance and love scenes. You will have to read the 1st book in the series so you won’t be lost as they are entwined. Make sure you grab a copy of Scoring the Player by Samantha Lind. You won’t be disappointed!
Book two in the series did not disappoint at all. Samantha Lind has written another great book in this series. Brian and Kinley’s story is funny, romantic, heartbreaking, frustrating and wonderful. Once you start this book you will not be able to put it down because of the characters and story line.
Scoring the Player is the second book in the Indianapolis Eagles series and boy oh boy is it a great read!
We get to meet Brian who is the defensive hockey player who is described as a man whore and womanizer who does what he wants when he wants. This isn’t true but Brian doesn’t care because he is happy with his life the way it is. That is until the team takes a vacation to Alaska and he meets the gorgeous woman Kinley. Only thing is that Brian knows that he has a bad reputation and he knows Kinley is a good girl so he is not sure she will go for a one night stand and to be honest he doesn’t want a one night stand with her.
Kinley is a very loving and adoring friend who has it all except the one thing she wants and that is true love. Then she meets Brian and the chemistry between them is off the hook and she has to decide whether or not she is going to take a leap of faith and give him a try or will she just walk away and keep her life that she has.
“The player and the good girl, 3.5 stars”
Brian and Kinley met thanks to their friends Scott and Becca. Thanks to distance and life style differences they stayed as friends. Until one night everything changed. These two were like magnets and couldn’t stay away from each other. But life is stacked against these two, will they be able to make it out on the other side?
I love the idea of friends to lovers add in the heartache these two go through and I was pretty much sold. Once again though I couldn’t get into the writing style of Scoring the Player. I really truly wanted to love the story but I had no problem setting the book down and walking away.
Plot-4/5
Characters-3/5
Heat-3/5
Writing style-3/5
Overall-3.5/5