EVEN THE SCORE by Kate Meader: Review

Even The Score by Kate Meader
Series: Tall Dark and Texan #1
Published by Entangled: Brazen
Publication Date: July 21st 2015
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 253
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC
Goodreads
Buy Online: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ Kobo

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.

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.

 

I absolutely adore Kate Meader’s writing, so much that I have to read anything she writes! Sometimes snarky, always witty, always humorous and always sexy, she writes smart aleck-y and bold characters who hide their dreams, insecurities and fears under tons of attitude and EVEN THE SCORE is no different.

Actress Tess McKenzie comes from theater royalty, with an award-winning actress mother and she aspires to start her own theater. With no well-paying jobs on the horizon, Tess has taken to performing in dinner theater to save money towards her dream. Dinner theater is the lowest of low in the world of acting, but the pay is good and Tess is determined to hang in there rather than accept financial help from her mother, until she gets an irresistible offer from Hunter Dade.

Hunter is a successful property tycoon (why are rich Texans always called tycoons and all others moguls or millionaires? Random, I know) on the verge of clinching a big business deal and he needs a fiancee for the for the weekend. Tess fits the bill, so they strike up a bargain. For a hefty contribution to her dream fund, she gets to play fiancee and help him land the deal he’s angling for. Contract terms include ice cream and foot rubs and no sex. Never mind that they can’t get within a few feet of each other without steaming up the air between them. The success of the plan is doubtful because not too long ago Tess’s best friend left Hunter standing the altar on his wedding day, a decision that Tess may have had a hand in and Hunter hasn’t forgotten about her role in the drama.

Hunter and Tess have always been attracted to each other  for a while and in such close quarters, they go from fighting hard to loving hard and there is nothing polite about it. But when they realize that the attraction between them is real, what happens?

EVEN THE SCORE is a lot more than a sexy and steamy romance. In spite of the combative nature of their relationship, Hunter and Tess are very alike and struggle with  their feelings of inadequacy, a need for validation and overcoming the misconceptions they have of each other. With a past filled with poverty, abuse and loss, Hunter clawed his way up and into success, but on the inside he’s still the boy from the wrong side of town, on a quest for acceptance. Like Hunter, Tess unsuccessfully sought her mother’s approval and is her own person these days. And she’s just the person to teach Hunter that he deserves happiness and that his mile-wide protective streak can be put to good use – giving her foot rubs.

This was so much fun to read and has me chuckling, gasping and fanning myself in turns and I definitely recommend it.

 

 

 

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