A friends to lovers, football romance that scorches and ignites in this off-the-field story. What happens when you are tired of being put in the friend zone by your best friend? Do you try one more time to let them know how you feel? One night of margarita's gives Tenny the liquid courage to tease Dom how she feels, what happens in the days after lead way to a great story.

Having grown up in their later years in the foster care system, both have traumatic and painful losses. That type of pain, it never really goes away and having someone that can help you work through it is a blessing and a curse.

While Tenny and Dom grew up together, it's taken a decade to recognize how they really feel towards each other. It doesn't matter where they are, they'll always be home with each other.

Despite what the tabloids write, the only woman that Dom wants is Tenny and he's going to have to prove to her that she's the only thing that matters. Will she welcome him with open arms?

I’m a sucker for friends to lovers romances so I was excited when I read the synopsis for Scoring Off The Field and while I liked this story, something was missing for me. The characters were well developed, their friendship undeniable, but where the story kind of fell apart for me was that for two people who knew each other so well, I had a hard time believing they couldn’t read each other better or communicate better with one another. I get that the attraction was one sided at first, that their friendship was important to them, and that for the hero he loudly professed to anyone and everyone that football is the only love in his life, but even that felt off because it was easy to see that even as “just friends” the heroine who is his best friend, was someone he loved with his whole heart even if he only loved her as a friend. I’m not saying that this book wasn’t a good book because it was, but for me parts of it just didn’t ring true.

They day Tennyson (Tenny) Clark appeared in the foster home where Dominic (Dom) Anderson also lived, he knew that he would protect her with everything he had and he always has because she’s been there for him through so many changes and ups and downs in his life, but for Tenny that isn’t enough anymore. For years she’s watched women come and go out of Dom’s life and she can’t do it anymore, she loves him, wants to be his, but she knows she isn’t his type and no woman will ever replace football as his number one love. I really loved the friendship between these two and it was evident they had a somewhat co-dependent relationship and I admired Tenny for deciding she deserved to find her happy, to get a job that used her degrees Dom had paid for, and to find a man who would put her first and give her the love she deserved. I even understood it was hard for her to not give in to Dom when he refused to help her find a replacement PA because she was so in love with him. It would have even been easy to kind of hate Dom because he was a bit clueless in what was really behind Tenny’s reason for looking for employment elsewhere, but honestly he was a good guy. He’s looked after Tenny since he was 14 years old and had a hard time seeing her as anything other than his best friend and his family and I believe he really did have her best interests at heart; he just didn’t always do things in the right way.

What bothered me was that Dom prided himself on knowing when Tenny was lying, but he couldn’t see that she was head over heels in love with him, that his parade of women bothered her, and that she was unhappy. But he wasn’t the only one to blame, Tenny for years had been hiding her true feelings from Dom and that wasn’t fair to him. She often copped an attitude about something she didn’t like him doing, but never shared why it bothered her. I hated that despite how close they were with one another they didn’t communicate every effectively often resulting in them hurting one another. Even after they crossed the line to lovers, they still weren’t completely honest with each other and that was just so disappointing.

While there were moments of this book I really enjoyed, there were other moments I wanted more leaving me a bit unsatisfied as a reader.

Dominic and Tennyson’s story was one of th better friends to lovers stories I’ve read. I was captivated by their story from the very first page and just loved it!

** Note: I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. **

I’m a football fanatic so any book related to football automatically grabs my attention. Also, any friends-to-lovers story gets my attention. So, this book already had two checks on my list. This is book 2 of the WAGS series but can be read as a standalone (although I now want to read book 1). It was very easy for me to feel the emotions Tennyson (Tenny) was feeling by the way they were written. Is the whole “I’ve loved you my whole life but you don’t feel the same way” plot overused? Probably. But, each story with this plot is written differently. I just happened to be able to connect with Tenny in this book. There were times I wanted to shake some sense into Dominic (Dom) because it was very obvious he couldn’t see what was right in front of his face. But in the end, the book was written with some of the juvenile mentality that plagues professional athletes as well as the emotions someone who has an unrequited love for their best friend would feel. I can’t wait to meet more of the WAGS and their football player partners.

Who are Tennyson and Dominic? How do they know one another? We start off with one heck of a bang for the start of this book! What do each of them do for work? How long have they known one another? What happens when a couple of their friends get together and then have a failed relationship that tears into the friendships in the group of friends? What does that cause everyone to say and decide? What is Tennyson and Dominic's relationship to one another? What is it like? What does each with about the relationship? When you see what their jobs are, the title makes sense. It was a sweet story that made me feel like, 'Is this going to happen or not?' I asked myself that a number of times in this book. Enjoy the read.

RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.

I always circle back to friends-to-lovers trope time and again when I am in the mood for a romance. And so far it hasn't disappointed me. It usually leaves me with a good case of sniffles and a bright smile at the end.

And I am talking about it because Scoring off the field is one such book. Oh my, I have never felt the need to smack a guy so badly. Seriously! Tenny and Dom have known each other since both of them ended up in the foster care in different situations. Their pasts are so heart rending, especially Tenny's. I have not connected in such a way with a heroine in recent times. She had me crying and laughing along with her. I love love her absolutely!

Now Dom is, inspite of taking care of Tenny for so many years, making her live half heartedly. So Tenny decides to stop pining after him and then Dom starts to panic. Oh I loved this part. His out of control stress was so fun to watch since he so deserved it. It was as plain as a nose on the face that he is into Tenny as much as she is. But no!The macho guy has to be a one night stand hero. It had me groaning at times.

But once he starts seeing Tenny as a woman instead of a bestie, wow, it heated up fast. The chemistry is so hot and lethal between them. The banter is also quirky and fun. I enjoyed the pair so much that I intend to read the author's other pairings too! I think this is going to end up on my reread list. I so recommend Tenny and Dom to you for a hot sexy time!

I received a copy voluntarily for reviewing purposes. This doesn't impact my review in any way

My one line review : A hot friends-to-lovers romance

My rating : 5/5

My reread factor : 4/5

Flo

If you are in the mood for a friends to lover’s story, you do not want to pass this one up. Tennyson and Dominic grew up together in foster care and have always been close. Even after entering into his NFL career, Tenny was still in the forefront of everything Dom did. Little did he know, Tenny felt way more for him than just brotherly love.

Throughout the book my heart hurt fiercely for Tenny. All she wanted was to be loved by the one person who held her heart in their hands, but she knew it would never happen. When she was given the chance to briefly taste extreme happiness, she took everything she could knowing their relationship would never be the same again. Dom was absolutely naïve to think the new change in their relationship would work. There were many times that I really wanted to strangle him! However, I do have to say that he made up for his poor choices in the end in dramatic fashion.

I absolutely loved how this book ended and I can’t wait to see what is in store for us with the next book in the series! Great job Ms. Simone!

With lots of hot, steamy, naughty sex, Scoring Off the Field does not disappoint.
It’s a friends-to-lovers romance between Tennyson Clark and Dominic Anderson. As teenagers, they have been a rock for each other. Now, Dom is the Quarterback of Washington Warriors and Tenny is his Personal Assistant-PA. Tenny is also in love with Dom and has decided it’s best to quit her job and make her own path. Her heart breaks more each time he parades beautiful women in and out his bedroom and his life knowing she cannot compete. Tenny is also suffering with self-esteem issues wholly in part because of her childhood in the foster care system. In conclusion, it’s a personal emotional trigger I didn’t expect to encounter with the storyline. Maybe it’s one of the reasons why I don’t gravitate to the friends to lovers romance.
I loved how Tenny gained the courage to love and respect herself and as a result provide the perfect medication for her romantic troubles. Dom proved how cupid’s arrow needed a booster charge when the idea of life without Tenny is not the life he wishes to keep.
The WAGS series is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance series. While I may not have enjoyed this installment as much as book #1 (see review here ) because of unrequited love triggers, it does not take away from a well written story with emotional characters. Naima Simone knows how to create sexy athletes to steal your breath in the grandest gestures to prove their love and affection. Get your copy today. You will not regret it.

I LOVED this book by Naima Simone. It’s probably one of my favorite friends to lovers romance! She scored BIG with this book!

Tennyson and Dom have been friends since childhood. Tenny has always loved and supported Dom, and Dom gave her security in her life when she didn’t have it. However, Tenny’s love for Dom is more than friendship, and she has finally decided to let the fantasy go of him seeing her as anything more. Her first step is quitting her job as his PA, and he is NOT happy at all! This will set motion feelings and emotions that they can no longer run from.

Tenny is an amazing woman! She has always supported, pushed, and loved Dom. I admire her desire to find out who she was on her own, but she found out something even more important. She found that she was running from her feelings for Dom and her fears of rejection and other things that have affected her because of her childhood. I admire that in a person…the strength to look inside themselves and really see who they are. That takes guts! How could I not love this girl?
Dom is overbearing and controlling with Tenny, but I couldn’t help but love him as well. He has taken care of her for so long, and I loved the fact that even fame didn’t deter him from his loyalty to her. I did want to crack him over the head for being blind to his own feelings for her, but I forgave him in the end.

This was a sexy and sweet romance, but it was also about friendship and trust. Honestly, that is the basis for a lasting relationship, and I truly enjoyed watching Tenny and Dom realize that about each other.

When Tennyson tells her best friend/boss Dominic that she is quitting as his PA and is wanting to move on with her life, Dom fights it at first, not understanding just what Tenny's problem is. It's his job to take care of her, and here she wants to move on to something different to cut him out of helping her. But Tennyson's problem is very clear to everyone else; she has been in love with Dom for a very long time, and its a love that Dom doesn't return in the same way... or does he?

This was a really good friends to lovers story, with drama, a lil bit of football, and some really good sexy times. I give this 4 stars.

My issues where the characters themselevs. I had a hard time liking either one.
The premise is a friends to lovers but it’s more of an unrequited love story. Tennyson has been pining over Dom for years, she even tells him that she’s loved him but he’s so wrapped up in himself he doesn’t see it. I was so angry with him throughout most of the book that he could toss her love and be so careless with her emotions.
I also found it to be very repetitive in the beginning of the book.

The one positive is this author can write some pretty steam sex scenes. The characters knew how to connect in bed.

I was excited to read Scoring off the Field. I had enjoyed reading Scoring with the Wrong Twin and I figured that Tenny and Dom’s romance would be next. I wasn’t wrong and what a romance it was.

Scoring off the Field had a pretty straightforward plot. Tenny is Dom’s PA and best friend. She also has been in love with him for years. She decides that she has had enough and that she needs to go on with her life. That leads to her giving her notice to a very surprised Dom. Dom realizes that Tenny means more to him than he cares to realize. But can he convince her of it? Can he make her realize that his feelings for her are genuine?

What made this book fun to read is that the characters had a friendship of many years before they took things to the next level. The ease that they both have with each other made the romance more believable. I like it when the main characters have a history together. It adds a depth to both of their characters that aren’t there if there are two strangers meeting. Dom and Tenny’s relationship was one of those relationships.

I liked Dom, even if I wanted to shake some sense into him for about 90% of the book. He was your typical man. Can’t see what he had until he almost loses it. I didn’t like that he ran hot and cold with her at points in the book. Kept measuring every woman up to his college girlfriend. Again, I wanted to shake some sense into him. His backstory made me want to cry. Having lost a parent the same age he did, I can understand his feelings. I can also understand why he felt the need to protect a young Tenny and how that molded his life.

Tenny was such a doll in this book. She was sweet, kind and she was heads over heels for Dom. I thought that her background was tragic. I can’t even begin to comprehend how a mother could do that to a child. Made me angry to read that. No wonder she had a fear of hospitals!! I also understood why she was afraid to let Dom know how she felt about him. She got rejected when they were in college and she did that. So she wasn’t willing to let herself get embarrassed like that again.

The romance was cute but I wish more time was spent building it up. The book went from Dom and Tenny being best friends to lovers within a few chapters. I kind of felt cheated that there wasn’t any more build up. But, Dom and Tenny were friends before lovers so I can get why the author chose not to have an extended build up. Still, I wish it was there.

The sex was beyond hot. Once the weirdness of being together like that wore off, Dom and Tenny were like freaking bunnies. The sex they had wasn’t boring sex, it was adventurous sex. They did it everywhere. My Kindle was fogging up from the heat those two generated.

The end of the book was great. I loved the way that Dom apologized to Tenny. Talk about perfect!!!

What I liked about Scoring off the Field:

A) Hot sex

B) Relatable characters

C) Dom and Tenny’s relationship

What I disliked about Scoring off the Field:

A) Dom being clueless about how Tenny felt about him

B) Tenny’s and Dom’s childhood

C) Dom’s treatment of Tenny in the hospital.

I would give Scoring off the Field a rating of Adult. There are graphic sex and language. No violence.

There are trigger warnings in Scoring off the Field. They are the death of parents and child abuse by Munchausen’s Syndrome. There are no details given about Dom’s parents’ death other than they died in a car crash. But there are details given about Tenny’s child abuse. So if those trigger you, I suggest not reading the book.

I would recommend Scoring off the Field to family and friends. I would give a heads up about the trigger warning. This is a book and a series that I would reread.

What’s it About? Tennyson Clark has been in love with her best friend, football star Dominic Anderson, since they met as kids in the foster care system. Unfortunately for her he’s only seen her as his best friend and the best assistant he could ever have. Tenny thinks she’s ready to get her own life, and that includes finding herself a man. When Dom finds out that Tenny is quitting as his assistant and wants to find a solid relationship he’s confused and a little hurt that his dependable, reliable BFF is leaving him but underneath that is a more complex feeling of jealousy over the thought of someone else being with her. Before either of them can really think about the consequences, Dom and Tenny are crossing the friends only line into hot and sweaty benefits territory.


Overall reaction to the story? This is my second time reading a book by Naima Simone and she has not disappointed me with the level of heat and chemistry between her characters! Scoring Off the Field was sexy, it was fun, it was cute, and it was entertaining. I loved the characters and the setup, with Tenny as Dom’s assistant. In the beginning I was a little concerned that Dom might be “too much” with his overprotective streak and that Tenny was too meek to put a stop to it but she quickly found her footing and really leveled that ego of his down to a more appropriate size. Her new found determination to take control of her life served to confuse the heck out of Dom who was so used to having her around and in a sense taking advantage of the security her presence gave him. It shook him up enough for him to get his head out of his rear and really see Tenny as a woman and not the little girl who needed protection.

The transition from friends to lovers wasn’t without its bumps along the way, these two had some serious chemistry but at the same time Dom was the antagonist in the story. His refusal to see that his relationship with Tenny had changed and that she wasn’t a little girl anymore almost cost him everything. I was glad that Tenny didn’t become a doormat for Dom because that girl was head over heels in love with him but she loved herself more.

Click It or Skip It? Click It. I love a good, sexy friends to lovers story and this one is definitely both those things.

In all honesty I really wanted to whack Dom upside the head a few times. How could he be so selfishly oblivious to Tenny's feelings for so long? And his was a classic reaction of "didn't know what you had till it's gone" or rather going as it is in this case.

Tennyson must have had nerves of steel and a heart of gold to put up with his shenanigans for so long. But she gives him a good run around when she agrees to the 'benefits' of their relationship. And I really enjoyed seeing him finally make an effort to keep her in his life.She deserved all that attention after what he put her through all those years

This series is really turning out to be loads of fun and I look forward to the next in the series.

OMG, this book was wonderful

This is the first book I've read by Naimi Simone, but definitely not the last.
She grabbed my attention from the very first page, and kept it through all the ups and downs till Tenny and Dom get their HEA. Tenny, Dom and the secondary characters were all believable and I look forward to reading Sophiaand Zeph's story in Scoring with the Wrong Twin.
If you are looking for a fun sexy friends to lovers romance you'll want this book on your TBR list.
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

Scoring Off the Field by Naima Simone was certainly a good story. Wonderful plot. Tenny suddenly realizes that she is in love with her best friend. But does he feel the same? Dominic is upset that his BFF is leaving and finds that he doesn't want her to. Good writing and storyline make this a winner.

I've been waiting for this one after reading the first book in the series, but also because of Naima Simone's inspiration for Dom. I liked picturing Jamie Fraser/Sam Heughan as Dom because I'm a big Outlander fan. One of the things I loved about this book was it's a friends to lovers story, one of my favorite troupes. Dom and Tennyson have a deep friendship going back to their foster care days. To me that adds so much to this story because oft their shared history, but also as a reader I can see the struggle of taking their friendship to the next level because they put their friendship on the line. Neither of them can ever think about not being each other lives, but sometimes life likes to throw those hurdles in our path to make things a little tougher and challenging. Will Dom realize what's been in front of him this whole time before it's too late? My heart went out to Tennyson because her childhood hadn't been easy and I so wanted her to get her HEA that she deserves.

I absolutely love this author and her books. This is another spectacular book by her. Love this series too. This book had me hooked right from the start and I didn’t want it to end. Had to read in one sitting as I didn’t want to miss out on anything if I put it down. I especially loved the characters in this story, they properly captivated me from the get go. They where so likeable and relatable but also felt like family/friends to me. Their intrigue where superb, Naima Simone really knows how to write characters that become more than characters in a story to everyone who reads her books. The storyline is amazing as well as the romance and chemistry between the characters. This is a must read all day long and a real page turner in my opinion. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book this author brings out as well as in this spectacular series too. I would absolutely recommend this book and the first book in this series as well as this amazing and talented author too.

SCORING OFF THE FIELD is the second instalment in Naima Simone’s contemporary, adult WAGS erotic, romance series focusing on the men and women of the profession football league’s the Washington Warriors. This is quarterback Dominic Anderson, and twenty –five year old PA / social worker Tennyson Clark’s story line. SCORING OFF THE FIELD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Tennyson and Dominic) SCORING OFF THE FIELD is a best friends to lovers storyline that follows the break down of the friendship between All-Star, four-time Pro-Bowl quarterback for the Washington Warriors Dominic Anderson, and his best friend/ PA Tennyson Clark. Having entered the foster care system as a teen, following the death of his parents, Dominic Anderson found a kindred spirit in Tennyson Clark, a young girl whose past was mired in abuse by a mentally disturbed parent. Now fourteen years later, Dom and Tennyson are best friends and soul-mates but Tennyson Clark has been in love with Dom for most of her adult life. Years before, Tennyson proclaimed her love, only to be rejected by the man that she loved, and with his ongoing stream of one-night stands, it was time for Tennyson to move on in the hopes of finding her own happily ever after. What ensues is the lust to love relationship build-up between Dom and Tennyson, and the fall-out as Dom is unable to commit to forever, and Tennyson’s happily ever after.

Dominic Anderson doesn’t do relationships. Burned in the past, and fearful of losing everyone that he loves, Dom is unable to give Tennyson everything that she wants forcing our heroine to battle between head and heart, in her attempts to move forward without the man that she loves. Dominic is so completely dependant upon his best friend and PA he is unable to comprehend that Tennyson wants more than to be her best friend’s buddy and PA.

The relationship between Tennyson and Dom is a best friends to lovers; a heartbreaking and emotional one-sided relationship in that Dom’s manwh*ring ways directly affect his relationship with the woman with whom he will fall in love. Dom’s oblivious to his best friend’s attraction, a love and attraction that is noticed by everyone else. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate with the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are reintroduced to Ronin and Jason,Renee, Zephirin Black and Sophia Cruz (Scoring with the Wrong Twin #1); a couple of dating matches for our story line heroine; and Dom’s agent Brian Yates who works behind the scenes to ensure Tennyson is pushed out of our hero’s life.

The world building continues to focus on the players, the game, the struggles both on and off of the field.

SCORING OFF THE FIELD is an emotional story line; a tear-inducing tale between two friends who want different things going forward in life. The premise is passionate and painful; the romance is heart breaking and fated; the characters are broken, colorful and energetic.

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5 Stars!!!

Scoring Off The Field is book 2 in the WAGS series by Naima Simone and it can be perfectly read as a standalone, which is what I did, but book 1 sounds really good, too, so I'll try to read it sometime soon.

What I loved: I loved the cover, it is eye-catching and I adore the color scheme. The blurb was what drew me in, though, I love best friends-to-lovers books! Also, I thought Naima Simone's writing was stellar!

My favorite part of the book was Tennyson, though, and really, it's been a while since I've been able to say this. I primarily read MM, with a few MF books here and there, and unfortunately, most of the heroines end up pissing me off. That didn't happen here. I adored Tenny from the first page until the last one and I was rooting for her all along. She was fierce and loyal and caring, I found her relatable and real, and I wanted to punch Dom for being so blind to what he had in front of him all along. I adored that she didn't let him walk all over her and that she stood her ground. The chemistry between Tenny and Dom was out of this world and they fit really well together.

What I liked: I liked Dom, but I was so frustrated with him! Argh, grrr! Really, even when he finally started to see Tenny as a woman and not just his BFF, he kept pushing her away because of something that happened to him back when he was in college. It was pretty annoying, especially since he should've known that would never happen with Tenny or should have, at least. *slaps Dom* However, he did win me over there at the end. That was a great part of the book!

I enjoyed the interactions with the secondary characters. I'm really intrigued about Renee and Jason and I hope we'd get their story. Pretty please, Ms. Simone?

Overall, I absolutely loved this book! Fun, engaging, with scorching hot sex scenes that threatened to set my kindle on fire, I was drawn into the story and I just couldn't put it down, even the fact that I just got three hours of sleep on the day I read it was well worth it. Highly recommendable!

*** Copy provided to the reviewer via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***