e-ARC Review & Giveaway: EVEN THE SCORE by Kate Meader

Kate Meader just published her first Brazen novel! Who else is excited like me?

He’ll make her an offer she can’t refuse…

Actress Tess McKenzie is performing in the Tenth Circle of Showbiz Hell—dinner theater. All she really wants is to start a theater of her own. Then Tess receives an offer she can’t refuse. She’ll get her funding…if she pretends to be the fiancée to her nemesis, Texan property tycoon Hunter Dade. If she’s going to pull this off, she’ll need all the luck she can get.

Break a leg, indeed.

On the verge of a big business deal, Hunter needs to hire a fiancée. He hasn’t quite forgiven Tess for ruining his wedding, but when their chemistry goes from combative to straight-up lust, the “no sex” clause in their mutually beneficial arrangement is tested. Which is a serious problem, because if Tess isn’t careful, she’ll go from breaking a leg to breaking her heart…

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Why did I want to read it?

I’ve enjoyed a lot of books from the Entangled Brazen line and I was so excited when I learned that Kate Meader, one of my favorite authors, is finally writing her first Brazen book. I didn’t need to think twice about reading this at all.

What worked for me?

First, I just loved the set-up of the story. Kate Meader combines two of the tropes that I enjoy reading the most: enemies-to-lovers and the fake-engagement plots. All the elements in these tropes that were ripe for interpretation were really explored Kate-Meader-style.

I love that Hunter and Tess has this history between them. Not romantic in any way, mind you but it was such a great starting point as well as a reference point as we get to know these two individuals separately as well as how they are together. Their backstories were handled beautifully by the author and I love how as a reader, I was able to sympathize with these characters because the progression of their bits and pieces of revelations that we get as the story unfolds was seamless and you can’t help but be attached to these characters.

As for the chemistry between Hunter and Tess? Off-the-charts, you guys! The seemingly trademark heat of a Brazen novel combined with just the brand of romance that I’ve come to expect from Kate Meader, which was just awesome.

Aside from the romance, I loved how the author expounded on concepts such as lies and perceptions. A lie can hold so much power. You can lie to another person and even to yourself. What is interesting for this story is that the lie begins transforming into the truth and the line between these two begins to blur and that’s where all the angst and the feels come from. I also loved how perceptions played out throughout the story because it just echoes so strongly in real life. We don’t have the gift of hindsight or foresight and your reality consists of whatever you perceive, whether about yourself or how you feel about other people. But sometimes these perceptions can be deceiving and the only way to overcome this is to simply be honest to yourself, have the courage to reveal your truths and make that gamble that maybe, just maybe, that other person’s truth might be the same as yours. And for Hunter and Tess, I just loved what they discovered when they finally chose to show themselves and risk exposure in, as cliche as it may sound, the name of love.

What did not work for me?

This is just a minor thing but I felt that the bit about the parents towards the end of the story was a little too rushed. Instead of going the gradual or at least an open-end, what I read felt a little too fast a progression.

My over-all take on it?

I adore Kate Meader’s books. And this is a great addition to her repertoire. Hunter and Tess are characters that you would enjoy getting to know better. They have all these moments, you won’t be without interest throughout the story. And the heat, you guys! No contest there. I can’t wait for more Entangled Brazen novels from Kate Meader.

My rating:

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Yes, these are my honest and personal thoughts on this book.

Originally from Ireland, Kate cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Mills & Boon thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with alpha heroes and strong heroines who can match their men quip for quip..