Review: The Goal by Elle Kennedy

THE GOAL
Series: Off-Campus #4
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date: September 26, 2016

She’s good at achieving her goals…

College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick butt in law school, and land a high-paying job at a cutthroat firm. Her path to escaping her shameful past certainly doesn’t include a gorgeous hockey player who believes in love at first sight. One night of sizzling heat and surprising tenderness is all she’s willing to give John Tucker, but sometimes, one night is all it takes for your entire life to change.

But the game just got a whole lot more complicated

Tucker believes being a team player is as important as being the star. On the ice, he’s fine staying out of the spotlight, but when it comes to becoming a daddy at the age of twenty-two, he refuses to be a bench warmer. It doesn’t hurt that the soon-to-be mother of his child is beautiful, whip-smart, and keeps him on his toes. The problem is, Sabrina’s heart is locked up tight, and the fiery brunette is too stubborn to accept his help. If he wants a life with the woman of his dreams, he’ll have to convince her that some goals can only be made with an assist.

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I hate to tell you this, Sabrina. But you’ve made a big mistake.”
“What? Why?”
His fingers draw my thong tight, the fabric cutting into my swollen lips.
“Because I’m going to ruin you for all future guys. I apologize in advance.”

Time out. Did anyone else just have a pervy hot flash here? No? Seriously? You’re a bunch of lying liars, is what you are. You totally did. Admit it. That line right there just totally revved your engines.

It’s always the quiet ones, isn’t it? Well if I had known the mouth that beard of Tucker’s was hiding all this time, I probably would have been stalking Elle Kennedy down on a daily basis and waving my fist menacingly at her to write his story sooner. What? I like pervy bearded heroes, and don’t you judge me either! Those BILFs get things done, I tells ya. But I digress.

Tucker has always been the calm, quiet, rational and unassuming one of the hockey bunch. Compared to the likes of Dean and Garrett, he always kinda shied away in their spotlight…or so it seemed. BOY was I wrong. Because when this man has a target he goes after, he spares no apology and isn’t afraid to play dirty. But Tucker is also incredibly sweet, humble, and beyond patient and understanding. All those things make him absolutely perfect! And dirty…so very dirty

Oh sweet baby Jesus. Sex with Tucker is dirtier and hotter than I thought it would be. He doesn’t look like he’d be this way, but isn’t it always the quiet ones?

The Goal runs parallel to the events in The Score, so if you haven’t read that book yet, I highly recommend reading it prior to this or some details may be lost on you. Admittedly, I hated Sabrina in the previous books. She was extremely waspish and off putting, to put it frankly. Luckily having her background and really getting down to the truth of why she is the way she is helped connect more with her character. That’s not to say she’s my favorite heroine of the series, but I certainly understood and liked her more in this book than the previous ones.

She’s not certain of me yet. I need to bide my time, but as long as I’m in the game, I’m not worried about the outcome.

Sabrina is driven and highly independent. She doesn’t want or need a man, unless it’s for one night of tension relief. But that all changes when the man is Tucker, because Tucker wants more than a few orgasms from her, and he’s not hesitant to show her what she’s missing. Did I mention I adored Tucker?

So why the lower rating? Weeeelll….I actually wasn’t a fan of a particular trope used in this book. The hows of it seemed a little eye raising in the believability department, and the back and forths of it drove me a little bonkers. There were parts that I wanted to hug Sabrina, and others where I wanted to beat her with the nearest blunt object…or a really really big stick. But I digress once more.

Was The Goal my favorite in the series? Probably not. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. Ultimately it was an entertaining read that kept me invested in the story and their characters and especially the romance. Tucker definitely is a large part as to why, but Sabrina did grow on me at the end as well.

Fans of this series will certainly enjoy this newest installment. And if you’ve been curious about the silent bearded one, you surely won’t be disappointed.

THE OFF-CAMPUS SERIES

THE DEAL | THE MISTAKE | THE SCORE  |  THE GOAL