Scoring

by Kristin Hardy

She's out to even the score…he's out to score, period. It's one to nothing and team therapist Becka Landon is in over her head. She's determined not to get distracted by any man, especially a playboy... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373790821
• ISBN13: 9780373790821
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: Harlequin Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

It's a home run! -- Very highly recommended

Baseball was Mace Duval's life until a big rig crossed the centerline and permanently ended his career. When his closest friend hustles him in a game of pool, Mace finds himself accepting a position as a roving instructor, going from shortstop for the Braves to batting instructor for the Lowell Weavers minor league baseball team. He brings with him a reputation for stunning hitting on and off the field. According to the media, when Mace was not hitting homeruns on the field, he was escorting actresses and models to star studded benefits and premieres, not to mention his bed. Becka Landon has been around locker rooms most of her life, and does not take the sight of testosterone-laden, naked men seriously. The players call her Attila behind her back, and Florence Nightingale to her face as she happily replaces the team's sports trainer while he is out with carpal tunnel. Keeping her spot with the team is a long shot, and she refuses to waste her time with a sexy hitter who will only be around for a week. But despite her intentions, Becka's body desires Mace, and he knows it. Her sassy belligerence challenges him to give both the coaching and the woman a try. Perhaps another bet, one that will land her in his bed, will have them both scoring a homer. Author Kristin Hardy's gift for creating an engaging tale, by turns romantic and gritty, absolutely sparkles in SCORING. Perhaps better named scorching, SCORING overlays a strong character driven plot with enticingly steamy sensual encounters and red-hot lust. Women see Mace has a hot player; little recognizing that much of his reputation is the result of the media madness that surrounds athletes on the arms of stars. Becka is a sassy, tomboyish, woman with an extraordinary ability to handle every player except Mace with great finesse. Despite her verbal protestations, Becka's profound attraction to Mace is visibly apparent to them both. Unfortunately, she falls into the trap of judging Mace by his reputation, adding a bittersweet dynamicism to their exchanges throughout the novel. Secondary characters likewise sizzle, including the Mallory Carson. Add SCORING to your keeper shelf, as Hardy scores a homerun with this enticingly sensual romance! SCORING comes very highly recommended.

engaging sports romance

Becka Landon serves as team trainer for the Lowell Weavers minor league baseball team. Though there are a bunch of young hunks, Becka has sworn off males after the fiasco of her last boyfriend.Former baseball superstar Mace Duvall provides hitting instruction as the league's roaming batting instructor. He career was cut short by an accident, which leaves Mace with nothing, as baseball was his life. When Mace sees Becka, he knows he has one week to get her in his bed as his personal trainer. However, Becka wants nothing to do with him, believing he is just a womanizer. Becka and Mace bet with him winning the payoff being an evening of sex. After paying off, she sneaks away, but he refuses to leave. They play a game of wagers, but love has become part of the ante if he can overcome his belief that his life is over and she can learn to trust.This is an engaging sports romance that is at its most amusing best when the protagonists play a game of king/queen of the hill. Neither of these strong individuals will back down, but both struggle to embrace love. The story line gains some unnecessary tension when Becka, who has become Mace's biggest believer as a coach, fails to support him during a controversy, but Kristine Hardy still hits a homer with this take me out to the ball game romance.Harriet Klausner

Add SCORING to your keeper shelf

FROM: WORDWEAVINGIt's a home run! -- Very highly recommendedBaseball was Mac Duval's life until a big rig crossed the centerline and permanently ended his career. When his closest friend hustles him in a game of pool, Mac finds himself accepting a position as a roving instructor, going from shortstop for the Braves to batting instructor for the Lowell Weavers minor league baseball team. He brings with him a reputation for stunning hitting on and off the field. According to the media, when Mac was not hitting homeruns on the field, he was escorting actresses and models to star studded benefits and premieres, not to mention his bed. Becka Landon has been around locker rooms most of her life, and does not take the sight of testosterone-laden, naked men seriously. The players call her Attila behind her back, and Florence Nightingale to her face as she happily replaces the team's sports trainer while he is out with carpal tunnel. Keeping her spot with the team is a long shot, and she refuses to waste her time with a sexy hitter who will only be around for a week. But despite her intentions, Becka's body desires Mac, and he knows it. Her sassy belligerence challenges him to give both the coaching and the woman a try. Perhaps another bet, one that will land her in his bed, will have them both scoring a homer. Author Kristin Hardy's gift for creating an engaging tale, by turns romantic and gritty, absolutely sparkles in SCORING. Perhaps better named scorching, SCORING overlays a strong character driven plot with enticingly steamy sensual encounters and red-hot lust. Women see Mac has a hot player; little recognizing that much of his reputation is the result of the media madness that surrounds athletes on the arms of stars. Becka is a sassy, tomboyish, woman with an extraordinary ability to handle every player except Mac with great finesse. Despite her verbal protestations, Becka's profound attraction to Mac is visibly apparent to them both. Unfortunately, she falls into the trap of judging Mac by his reputation, adding a bittersweet dynamicism to their exchanges throughout the novel. Secondary characters likewise sizzle, including the Mallory Carson. Add SCORING to your keeper shelf, as Hardy scores a homerun with this enticingly sensual romance! SCORING comes very highly recommended.Cindy Penn

A memorable pairing...

FROM: THE ROMANCE READER'S CONNECTIONLegendary baseball bad boy Mace Duvall thought anaccident had cost him the one thing in life thatmattered most: His baseball career. When a friend andformer teammate gives Mace the opportunityto come back to baseball as a traveling instructor forthe minor league teams, he is reluctant and intendsto stay around only long enough to hand in hisresignation. However, an affair with a fiery redheadedsports trainer just might change his mind abouteverything.Becka Landon doesn't give a second thought to being afemale sports trainer in the male-dominated world ofbaseball. She is committed to doing her part to ensurethe success of the team. Though not part of her jobdescription, advances by hot-blooded young players arehandled with the greatest of ease. Advances by a sexyinstructor, however, might pose a little more of achallenge. When I started reading SCORING, I thought that thiswas going to be a tough sell since I am not that muchof a sports fan; especially with respect to baseball. Thankfully, the author proved me wrong. SCORING is anenergetic read filled with a wide array of characters,from the passionate to the absurd. The reader will bewillingly immersed in the highly competitive world ofminor league baseball; where performance iseverything, both on and off the diamond.Once again, Ms. Hardy has created a memorable pairingin Becka and Mace. Their strength is evenly matchedand their rocky road to romance is one heck of a ride.The supporting characters, which include an appearanceby Ryan and Cade (MY SEXIEST MISTAKE, Blaze #44,)enhance the overall story and are not simply used asfiller or "window dressing". In SCORING, readers willdelight in wonderfully creative love scenes, wittybanter and a most satisfying ending. Fans of the Blazeline expect heat and will not be disappointed. Ipersonally cannot wait to see what the author offersnext!Reviewed by Melissa FreemanRating 4

A major league hit!

FROM: ALL ABOUT ROMANCEKristin Hardy combines an energetic writing style, snappy dialogue, and sizzling love scenes to make SCORING a major league hit. This book is a sequel to MY SEXIEST MISTAKE which received a highly favorable review from AAR's Nora Armstrong. Now, having read SCORING, I see just what Nora was talking about.Becka Landon has red hair, green eyes, and an attitude. Three months earlier, she broke up with her cheating boyfriend and hasn't given any man a tumble since. As team trainer for a minor league baseball team - the Lowell Weavers - Becka has had plenty of chances, but she's kept all the hunky players at bay and now they've come to think of her as just one of the guys. Becka is tough, smart, competent, and just a tad sexually frustrated.Enter ex-superstar ballplayer, Mace Duvall. His stellar career abruptly ended by a devastating car accident, at the urging of a friend, Mace is trying on a new job as the league's roaming batting instructor. Since the accident, his life has been without purpose and he's bitter about having his future stolen out from under him. Mace is scheduled to spend only one week with the Lowell Weavers, but when he sets eyes on Becka, he sees a bigger challenge than teaching young ballplayers how to hit, and getting the feisty redhead into bed becomes a top priority. But Mace's reputation with the ladies has preceded him, and Becka wants nothing to do with the man who has escorted some of the world's most beautiful actresses and models on his arm.In his effort to seduce Becka, Mace comes on strong, which convinces her he's nothing more than his playboy tabloid personae. Although Mace tries to convince her his reputation was mostly hype, she's not buying it. He's too good looking to be true, and she doesn't want to be just another notch on his belt (though she finds him so sexy, she can barely concentrate when he's around). One night, while blowing off a little steam playing pool, a wager is made, the outcome being if Becka loses, she spends the night with Mace. Becka loses. After a night of blistering sex, Becka realizes that in losing, she won. But she's not going to let Mace get the upper hand, so she leaves him an inflammatory note - in lipstick - on the bathroom mirror and sneaks out of his room. Since he was due to leave that day, she figures she'll never have to see him again. But after one night with Becka, Mace has decided to stick around a little longer.Thus begins a series of wagers and one-upmanship that drives Becka and Mace's relationship. Finally, Mace has had enough of the game and proposes the two of them admit their attraction, and make the most of their time together before he leaves to go home to Florida. Mace still feels like a failure and that the league just handed him a courtesy job for old times' sake. He doesn't believe he can really make a difference to the team, even though Becka insists he's a terrific coach and the boys really need him.Even though their r