Evening the Score
A Fun and Flirty Romance for fans of Heated Rivalry
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected May 26, 2026
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
"A hilarious, sexy debut from an author who truly knows her hockey." —Rachel Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Heated Rivalry on Shoot Your Shot
"[Brown] rose to prominence on BookTok, specifically by dissecting hockey romances and what they got right or wrong." Expert source? Check and check."—Vanity Fair
USA TODAY bestselling author, NHL insider, and TikTok influencer Lexi LaFleur Brown is back with another trope-packed, spicy, hockey-accurate rom com!
Don't get mad—get even.
A grudge hates to see Olivia Hinckley coming. Years ago, a dirty hit ended her late father’s NHL career with the Minnesota Freeze. It was never fair that Erik Parker walked away with little more than a penalty, but it’s worse that her father's rival is now up for Hall of Fame induction. On top of that, Erik's son—hockey’s golden boy, Brody—just signed on to play for the Freeze. Determined to dismantle the Parker legacy, Olivia enacts a revenge plot that has her donning the Freeze’s mascot costume to gain intel on the Parkers. And she can’t help but mess with Brody’s gameplay—and his heart for good measure. After all, what’s a little fake dating between enemies?
Brody Parker only ever wanted to play hockey for fun, but the pressure of being part of hockey’s “First Family” has him dodging nepotism allegations along with high sticks. Erik might act like Father of the Year when the cameras are on, but behind closed doors, Brody struggles with his father’s impossible expectations. Preserving Erik’s image is a full-time job, but lucky for Brody, his new connection with Olivia is a welcome (spicy) distraction.
When Brody finally opens up to Olivia, she never expected she’d pity a Parker for anything. Suddenly, she wants to protect her once-enemy. The romantic feelings she faked are now unexpectedly real, but after leading Brody on for so long, can she keep the lies and the truth straight before she accidentally blows up his whole life?
FOR FANS OF: Fake dating He falls first Secret identity Adversaries to lovers Bookish heroes Heated Rivalry, Rachel Reid and hockey romance
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A revenge plot, mistaken identity, and professional hockey animate the cute but uneven sophomore outing from Brown (Shoot Your Shot). Olivia Hinckley's father Kevin, a player for the Minnesota Freeze, died young from complications caused by numerous on-ice concussions. Olivia blames a dirty hit by rival player Erik Parker, and when Erik's son Brody joins the Freeze, she sees a prime opportunity to exact revenge. Assuming that Brody is just like his cocky father, Olivia gets a job as the team's mascot and embarks on a passive-aggressive campaign of undermining Brody by, for example, oversharpening his skates so he falls and smearing Icy Hot gel in his jockstrap. This somewhat petty scheme is abandoned when she learns that Brody is nothing like his father and has also suffered at his hands. But as the pair get closer off the ice, Olivia does not disclose either her initial pranks or that she's the one wearing the mascot head. When the truth is revealed, it could tear them apart. For all the plot's sometimes silly contrivances and overly drawn-out conflict, Brown sensitively addresses Olivia's lingering grief and Brody's history of emotional abuse and makes it easy to see their compatibility. It's not perfect, but there's plenty here to enjoy.
