There was something about that first score, and not just on the football field. I loved all of life’s firsts, which was why I’d been saving mine for one girl, my older sister’s best friend—Hazel Jones.She was tough and sarcastic with walls around her heart as tall as a football stadium, but I knew she was the one for me.Desperate times called for desperate measures and I’d have done anything to … done anything to make her mine.
Like create a fake online persona.
Lie about my age.
Pretend I wasn’t some naive virgin.
And catfish the hell out of the love of my life.
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This was my first book by this author and I will be looking forward to more.
Best friend’s little brother and best friends to lovers. Oliver and Hazel had amazing chemistry and as goes with the territory of being in love with your best friend (even though they wouldn’t admit it), it made the chemistry they shared burn even hotter and the banter between them was witty and fun with a side of flirty.
The emotions I felt while reading this were not anything I expected, it’s full of witty dialogue and some sweet flirty fun and some sneaky catfishing but it also digs in a lot deeper than that.
Hazel had a hard life and it’s a hard life that makes how you look at things, how you react and how you deal with emotions in a different way than other people would. She broke my heart several times, her life, her thoughts and her reactions. I was so thankful that she had pops, he was a wonderful comedic relief from the heavy stuff and I loved him all the more for it. Oliver proved over and over that no matter what he would be by her side and that had me swooning for pages.
Oliver was so sweet and swoony but he also had a hot alpha side which of course made him even hotter. I loved the mixture of laughs, light hearted banter, swoon, love and heavy emotional topics, none of the elements were too much and it made for the perfect balance.
This was my first time reading anything from Amie Knight and she blew me away! The First Score was amazing!! It had everything I could ever want in a book – sexy characters, steamy scenes, and swoonworthy moments!
Ollie had been saving one of his “firsts” for the first and only girl he had ever loved, Hazel. The only problem was that Hazel was his older sister’s best friend. Would she ever see him as more? There was only one to find out, but was he going to get more than he bargained for?
I had so many emotions! I cried, I laughed, and I got hot and bothered!! The video call…what a scene! Although this was my first by Amie, it won’t be my last!
4 Hollie STARS
Like Ollie himself admits, he’s been in love with Hazel since he could remember. Their first encounter when he was 5 years old prancing around in his tighty whities was so sweet, cute and funny but also rather touching, as although Hazel clearly had a sassy side to her, it was apparent even then that there was much more to her story.
I loved the way Ollie and Hazel’s journey was explained by way of chapters from the present and from the past. It really gave me an understanding of their relationship and how it developed and grew over the years. Despite the fact that they were so young when they first met and that Hazel is Ollie’s older sister’s best friend, as time goes on it’s clear to me they were made for each other. For quite some time, there’s nothing really awkward about their relationship, even when thoughts start to turn towards more than friendship, until they don’t remain simply fantasies. Ollie has turned into one hot guy but Hazel has problems with giving into her feelings. I thought those moments and their reactions to certain situations, were understandable and realistic.
My very favourite thing about friends to lovers romances, especially when the main couple meet so young, or if they’ve spent any time apart, is when one of them, in this case Hazel, at some point realises how the other has grown and changed and Ms Knight has nailed this when it comes to Hazel’s transforming feelings for Ollie. We already know he has a great personality, so kind and caring, patient and understanding, but her descriptions of Ollie’s physical changes and the effect they had on her had me chuckling. They have great chemistry and I loved the sexual tension between them too. Their banter was just great and came so easy, as it would with someone you’d known for years. There are some brilliant supporting characters as well, all with their own unique personalities, no more so than the adorable Pops. His love and devotion to Hazel was heartwarming and his shenanigans had me in hysterics on more than one occasion.
The overall feel to the book is lighthearted but there were some emotional moments and underlying drama, which I thought the author dealt with really well and in a sensitive manner. The First Score is a gorgeous, slow burn romance which left me with a big, satisfied smile on my face.
This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and I didn’t know what to expect, it was Absolutely fantastic and I couldn’t put it down. This book is a slow burn romance that is a beautiful read and you will love it. I highly recommend reading this must read book.
Hazel is a real strong person that didn’t have a great childhood and goes to live with her pops. She has had some real horrible moments in her life and she goes through a lot. She has issues with self harm as she used it as a coping mechanism. The thing is she also couldn’t tell Oliver how she felt because she didn’t feel like she was deserving of someone like him.
Oliver has been in love with Hazel his sisters best friend since they were younger and he will do anything for her, anything. He even makes a plan to talk to her online under a fake profile he loves her that much. He’s so patient that he’d wait for her forever.
Will these two be able to see the love that they have inside for each other?
( NO SPOILERS )
The way that this author has written these characters, WOW! I really connected with them and I really felt for them and the journey that they go on throughout there lives. Hazel goes through a lot of self healing and self love that I really admire her and Ollie is such a great guy that they go together so much and there chemistry is so strong that you cant help but love them. This author has written this book so good that it totally hooks you in and all the emotions, my heart aches at times and the author has written the scenes so powerful and so beautiful that I really loved this book.
I always love books that have prologues to as I feel like they add something extra special to the story. Thank you to the author and the publishers for allowing me to read an early copy of this book. ARC provided in exchange foe an honest complimentary voluntary review. This book has emotional parts that will have you grabbing for the tissues and it is a great friends to lovers, second chance romance and I will defiantly read more from this author in the future.
This book is expected to be released on 28th May 2020.
Ollie and Hazel is everything!! Oh my, this book is so so good. Ollie is the perfect hero!
Hazel and Scarlett are best friends and Ollie is Scarletts’s younger brother. From the first time he saw Hazel at his house he fell completely in love with her. Fast forward a little, Ollie is grown, he plays football and he has the perfect body and six pack abs to die for! However, his feelings for Hazel has not changed, hes still hopelessly in love with her!
Hazel works at Level Up, a games store shes also a gamer. Ollie concots the perfect plan he thinks will allow him to get closer to her. He creates a gamer profile and the two starts playing “Hadrians Wall”. Everything is going good, Hazel has no idea the alias Gray she is playing with is actually Oliver. But then Oliver makes a costly mistake…
I love Ollie’s chatacter, hes strong and brave and was determined to make Hazel his! Although he is younger than Hazel hes very mature both in his thinking and his actions and i love that about him! Oliver never gives up even when Hazel pushed him away and i get why she tried him away. I also loved Hazel’s grandpops who brought an element of laughter to the story. Thank you Amie for this amazing read!
The First Score by Amie Knight is such a sweet and charming friend to lovers romance. Winnie has been secretly in love with his older sister’s best friend for what seems like forever. They have also been friends and share a special relationship for a long time, but they can never be more, right? But Winnie is not having that. He decides to show her how great they can be together, by catfishing her. Yep, you read that right. But he is one determined man.
Hazel was strong and full of wit, but also carried some baggage. She did not think she was good enough for Winnie. He was caring, patient and determined. I loved their chemistry and connection, even as Hazel tried to deny it. I just loved watching him break down every single one of his walls. A slow burn romance with all the best feels!
Read and reviewed for Reviews From the Heart.
Happy reading!
Ollie and Hazel’s story is a slow burn romance friends to lovers, full of emotions, Hazel’s life hasn’t been easy, she has so much baggage and hurt, but Oliver still wants to help her, as he had love her all his life. Definitely a beautiful story you should read, it’s sweet and romantic as well as deep and inspiring. A story with everything you need to fulfill your heart.
Hazel has been best friends with Scarlett her whole life, as well as with Winnie, Scarlett’s younger brother. Winnie is a football player and has only had his eye on one girl and that is Hazel, but she values their friendship and thinks that he is too good for her due to her rough childhood. The chemistry between these two is intense, however, Winnie decides to up the ante to get her attention. No spoilers: this is a must read, you will not be disappointed. This is a well written story which is emotional, sweet, and with a tad angst and drama, which all had me hooked throughout his slow burn romance story.
I’ve been waiting to find out what the heck went on with Hazel and Ollie for a while now. Boy, I was pleasantly surprised! I’ve got a stupid dreamy grin on my face as I think back to their story
Ollie – sweet, sweet Ollie. He makes me all warm and fuzzy on the inside, he is just gorgeous. The epitome of patience and love.
Sure, he threw barbs at Hazel but that’s what best friends do…. right?
Hazel – so much hurt. Yet, she is a strong, smart woman. It just takes that patience and love from Ollie for her to see it… oh, I’m getting all the warm fuzzies again.
THIS BOOK IS AMAZING
All he wanted was to make her happy, to make her smile.
He was everything to her but she friend zoned him from the start as he’s her best friends little brother.
No secrets between them, except their true feelings for one another. How long can they hide the truth…
Ooohhhh what a beautiful read!
A thought provoking, heart warming, emotional story of the one thing you shouldnt want but do.
Amie knight always manages to make your heart cry both with pain and joy and this book is no exception.
Her characters are adorable in their relationships, and though they might be slightly broken there’s always room for hope and that’s what I love about them.
Hazel tries to be the tough girl, the one that isnt affected by anything. On the inside though she’s so delicate and fragile its untrue.
Oliver is the fun guy, the best friend any girl wants and needs but hes also so much more. He has a heart of gold and is just simply amazing.
There was one scene in the book that had me in stitches, howling with laughter like a complete baboon, whilst cringing for poor Oliver and Hazel. All I’m going to say so I dont ruin it, is when you get to it, you will know!
I’m left feeling all warm and gooey much like the inside of a cookie and that to me is a great way to end the day.
4 stars for The First Score.
The First Score is the sweetest, swooniest story I’ve read in quite some time, it’s also a steamy slow-burning friends-to-lovers/ sister’s best friend romance. Oliver has been in love with his older sister’s best friend for as long as he can remember.
Hazel doesn’t believe in love and has a lot of baggage left over from her childhood, but Ollie knows he can make her happy if only she’d ‘see’ him!
Ollie is a sweet-heart. He’ll do all he can to win his girl and it was fun watching that happen.
A fun, input-downable story that is a joy to read.
Everything that I absolutely love about reading is in this book!! An adorable, funny, self-deprecating, and to top it all off a virgin hero and a friend-zoning, loyal-to-a-fault, believes she’s too broken for anyone heroine…YES, YES, YES!!! Amie Knight brought these two characters together in a delightful, slow burn story that I couldn’t put down.
Friends from a very young age, Oliver “Winnie” Knox didn’t even know how to describe the feelings he had for Hazel Jones when she first arrived on his doorstep to play with his older sister, Scarlett, but he knew she was important and that feeling never went away. Hazel was it for him and he would wait until she recognized the same and was ready for all the love he would give her. Although a little nudge in the right direction never hurt, right?
Hazel didn’t have the best home life, that is until she moved in with her grandfather as a young teen. Growing up around her parents relationship makes her skittish about falling into a relationship of her own, so instead she focuses on taking care of her grandfather, her job and gaming as a way to escape. That is until one day her best friend gives her a little nudge out of the friend zone, but is she ready?
While Hazel never feels good enough for a man like Oliver and all Oliver wants to do is love Hazel and show her that she is everything to him. How do you get past your own insecurities when you don’t want to drag the one person you admire the most down into your darkness? And how do you show the one person you love that no matter what happens in their life that you want to be by their side through the storm?
If you’ve read The Red Zone you’ll love the way timelines interweave between these two stories, but Amie also did a fantastic job of making this a complete standalone if this is your first time meeting everyone in this world.
4.5 Stars for The First Score
This is a great feel good, slow burn romance and I’m sure like me Hazel Jones and Oliver (Winnie) Knox’s journey will have you swooning and sighing. This book has all the feels you want and expect in a entertaining read, the characters are adorable, the storyline is captivating and it’s believable.
Winnie and Hazel have been friends since childhood and truth be told he has had feelings for her since she arrived on his doorstep to play with his older sister and that means she should be off bounds because as his sisters best friend it means there’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed…..
Winnie was happy to wait for the girl that was it for him but would Hazel ever be ready to except his feelings and what does he need to do to show her how much he cares…..
This book can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone but that being said if you have read The Red Zone you will love how the stories are interwoven. I loved this beautiful written romance and I’m looking forward to more from this very talented author.
OH Wow, Ms. Knight’s The First Score is a well written romance that will leave you breathless. The characters will steal your heart, and melt your insides. Oliver has loved one woman as long as he can remember, Hazel – his older sister’s best friend. He wants all his “Firsts” to be with her. He has been around her for what seems like forever, due to her friendship with his sister and they develop a special bond. As for Hazel she too feels things for Oliver that she knows she shouldn’t. Not only is he her BFF’s little brother, but she feels in her heart she is not good enough for him. Her past has her doubting ever having a special relationship. But Oliver has patience, knowing she’s worth the wait… well that is until he doesn’t and decides he’s going after what he wants.
This storyline is a blow burn that will get your heart fluttering and your mind reeling. Watching what these two go through in an attempt at finding that happy ever after goal will break your heart at times and send it soaring at others.
Kudos Ms. Knight for giving us one fantastic read that this reader can’t recommend enough. 2 Thumbs Up and 5 Stars for a book that I suggest grabbing up ASAP… you won’t regret it.
4.5 Virgin Stars!
I simply loved Hazel & “Winnie”….these two have had a relationship that stemmed from a strong friendship in their teens through their twenties.
There are so many things I just loved about this one:
A Hot Virgin Football player ~ that was an interesting part of this one.
Amazing Best Friends; Scarlett and Oliver add a twist to Best Friend’s sibling relationship
The Secrets ~ And yes, some will surprise you!
Slow Burn romance
Pops; loved him and his “Hazey Days”
A New found love for Tic-Tac-Toe…XOXO
This one was sweet and emotional, yet it had that element of FUN that leaves you feeling happy.