Knowing The Score (London Legends #1) by Kat Latham

Book Blurb:

Rugby player Spencer Bailey is determined to win a spot on England's World Cup team. But with a month break before the selectors start watching him, he's eager to have fun with a woman who knows the score: the relationship will end when rugby season begins. The lovely American Caitlyn Sweeney seems perfect for the role of temporary lover, since her visa will run out soon anyway.

Caitlyn works for an international disaster relief organization and can handle the world's worst crises, but she flinches from her own. Her past has left her with a fear of intimacy so deep that she has trouble getting close to anyone—until she meets sexy Spencer. His hot body and easygoing nature are too much for even her to resist.

Neither Caitlyn nor Spencer expects to fall hard for each other. But with their relationship deadline approaching, the old rules of the game seem less important than before…until past secrets surface, challenging everything they thought they knew about each other. 

My Review:

Knowing The Score is a highly entertaining story that I really enjoyed!  I love the setting of London, the accents, and the description of people and places.  Kat really sets the novel up well with the prologue and the first couple of chapters.  She drew me right in, wanting to know more, wanting to find out what Caitlyn and Spencer's story was.

Caitlyn has a lot of issues, stemming from a terrible family life and some bad experiences as a young woman.  She is insecure in relationships, and has never had a good role model for a romantic relationship.  She doesn't trust easy if at all.  Despite what she has been through, Caitlyn has done well for herself professionally.  She is smart, determined and dedicated.  If only that could transfer to her personal life too.  From the moment she meets Spencer she alternates between dumb founded, nervous, and jumpy.  He is so big...and all man...and she can't stop thinking about him.  For the most part I really liked Caitlyn.  She was nervous, but knew what she wanted.  While I could understand why she reacted to some events the way she did, it was still frustrating because she threw up walls and would not listen, she believed what she wanted to believe.  So there was a time when I was annoyed with Caitlyn, but she still grew on me and I still liked her...very realistic!

Spencer is not only a star rugby player, but an underwear model!  Yes, Kat makes Spencer very easy to picture!  I really liked him.  He has a big heart, takes responsibilities seriously and is also dedicated to not only his grandfather, but his other family, his team.  I really, really liked Spencer!  He was immediately attracted to Caitlyn, but he was also very up front about any kind of relationship.  I liked the slow build of the relationship between them.  It was a fun journey to watch them come together, then heart breaking when they had to go separate ways.  When the unexpected happens in more ways than one and secrets come tumbling out of the closet, they will both need to decide if they can trust enough again and move on from the past.  I really liked how Kat wove these issues in and dealt with them in a realistic manner.

I felt Caitlyn and Spencer were both believable characters, ones I'd love to hang out with or even just observe from the side lines!  They have great chemistry and are both just good people.  I liked the alternative POV Kat gives us.  I like this because I feel like I get to know more than one character in the story, and it gives it much more depth.

There are a few prominent secondary characters...I adore Spencer's Grandpa!  I also really liked Caitlyn's friend Emma ... until she did something that made me lose a lot of respect for her.  She did not endear herself to me, but she worked well in the plot of Knowing The Score.

Knowing The Score is a fast paced, very entertaining and emotional read that any romance reader will enjoy!

4/5 stars

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