Lost goals make way for new dreams. Two enemies must face their cold past and find new warmth in this wintry, forced proximity rom-com from Kris Ripper, author of Book Boyfriend.

Aspiring investigative reporter Des Cleary had dreams of a better world—one more accepting of people like him—when he broke the story of Orion Broderick’s relationship. A story that kicked Orion out of the soccer halls of fame and sent him careening into obscurity. Racked with shame, Des abandoned his own career for good.

Now working at an LA marketing firm, Des gets a daunting recruit Orion for a Pride campaign aiming to get LGBTQI+ kids into sports. But this is no shot at redemption—how could Des ever make up for what he’s done?

Des finds Orion’s cabin in the snowcapped mountains. His strategy? Keep it professional and get out quick. Nature has other plans. Snowed in together, Des and Orion have a chance to address past wrongs and lost goals. Time and shame have changed them both, but winter has a way of clearing the way for fresh beginnings.

Loved it. Cannot wait to read more from the author.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Very satisfying read, ticking both the boxes of snowed in and enemies to lovers tropes expertly in this single PoV romance.

Des Cleary doesn't write anymore. Not since college, when he accidentally outed and ended the career of promising soccer player Orion Broderick. Ever since, he's been working a less than satisfying job where the only upside is the relationship he has with his direct boss and fellow queer fam, Vix.

Except, then Vix acts the part of vile betrayer and sets him a task of recruiting Orion for a project relating to sports and kids after having finally come across the paper he once wrote that changed both of their lives for the worse.

Des doesn't look at the weather forecast for that part of California before setting out on the road trip, does he? Why would he this close to summer?

So, of course, once he arrives, despite Orion closing the door in his face after telling him succinctly he wants nothing to do with him, Des can't... actually leave.

The two of these boys never on the page actually discuss the issues and history between them. It's probably the biggest problem I have about this novel. The two end up together and have fantastic sex and definitely do talk about other things... They end up both achieving their goals of appearing on the front cover of the sports magazine Sports Now! and writing the feature piece for it respectively, but never talk about the one thing that stopped them both from achieving this goal a lot sooner.

Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake, and Kris Ripper for the advanced copy of Settle the Score.

I DNFed this book at about 51%.

I initially liked the idea of the main character being young and irresponsible, resulting in chaos and ill feelings from the other main character. However, I could not stand the main character. His inner monologue constantly gave me the ick. He wanted to be forgiven for his mistakes, but then in the next breath understood that it's not really something that can be forgiven, and I honestly felt like he had no actual remorse for what he did. He knew it was wrong and just tried to run away from it instead of taking accountability.

As I continued reading, I felt as though the main character and love interest had absolutely no chemistry. I felt like their conversations went nowhere. The whole plot of saving the dog and arguing over the dog's name felt pointless. There was a whole scene where they argued about pasta water???? Their first kiss came out of nowhere and then suddenly on the next page they were talking about having sex. I had to stop reading for my own sanity.

Des is an investigative reporter. His claim to fame is writing an article that led to a soccer player named Orion to be let go from his team. Now he has a chance to make it right if he can get Orion to be involved in a new campaign to help kids. Des is a bumbling character that does not come across the page as real. He's bad at a lot of basic things. Des and Orion get stranded together in a cabin with a snow storm raging outside. The chemistry was not there. Combining dog poop and showering did not work as foreplay.

In this book we have Des and Orion who have been each other’s lives in different ways. Des does not always have the highest self worth to agree with what other have to say about him. Orion tries to make lemonade out of the lemons he has been dealt. It takes a while but the characters learn and grow because of each other and the world and people around them. It took a while to feel a connection to the characters for me personally. It’s an overall good read for those looking for a book that involves sports and LGBTQ+. Thank you Netgallery, Montlake and Kris Ripper for choosing me to be an arc reader for this book.

4.5 stars

Who doesn’t love a snowed-in romance? How about snowed in with your celebrity crush…a crush who may well hate you? This story gave me tons of warm fuzzies before these two even shared their first kiss.

Des really screwed up when he forced Orion out of the closet several years ago. The author does a wonderful job of helping the reader to understand the headspace Des was in when it happened. He was young and idealistic, not that that excuses his actions. Almost from the moment it happens, Des realizes what a horrific thing he did and starts withdrawing from his friends and his writing career because he cannot deal with the repercussions of what he did.

When Orion first appears on the page, he is fun and flirty and extremely kind. I loved having that peek at him before he realized who Des was. Even when he turns quiet and peevish, he cannot hide his kind nature. Every so often he lets his walls drop because Des really isn’t a bad person. I loved the way both characters worked through old hurts to come out better and happier on the other side.

I admit I didn’t envision how these two could end up together with what happened in the past. The author makes it work, and work beautifully.

Single POV
Enemies to lovers
Super diverse cast
Very finger on the pulse in terms of language use.
Fade to black

This was such a good sports (adjacent) romance. It was fun not to read pages of game description.

I really felt for the characters, they felt like we had grown up together, as an elder millennial they felt like they had similar experiences to me. Touched on a lot of modern topics, but still felt like it wasn't 100% set in this decade (perhaps the book is meant to feel like its set in the 2000's?).

The whole thing felt comfortable. I really enjoyed it and found myself finishing the best part of it in a day.

TW: non-consensual outing

Kris Ripper has such a good story telling style.

4.25 ⭐️

I legitimately had zero clue what Settle the Score was about when I started it, but I think that made it more fun. I laughed out loud and awe’d many times. Des was lovably awkward, nerdy, and somehow both self-assured and self-conscious. Orion was deeply feeling, hard working, and practical. Together they were the perfect balance for each other to weather (see what I did there?) the storm that forces them into a small cabin for almost a week. Also, there aren’t enough soccer romcoms out in the world, and this felt like it was filling a void.

This book had all the LGBTQ representation, written by a gender-queer person who understands the intricacies of writing queer characters, which feels appropriate.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 ⭐

<b>Tropes:</b>
✍🏻MM
⚽forced proximity
✍🏻sports romance
⚽snowed in (literally)

After ruining the career of former soccer player, Orion Broderick, investigative reporter, Des Cleary, want nothing more than to make amends...and convince Orion to be a part of a campaign that his company is hosting. When Des gets caught in a snowstorm while trying to see Orion, both of them are forced to discuss their torrential past and hopefully clear the way for a new friendship and start.

Overall, I think the book was really cute. Even though Des really ruined Orion's career, I think that Orion has had a lot of time to process and accept it, enjoying the slower pace of life that he has now; of course, only for Des to ruin it. Similar to other readers, I'm not sure how believable the plot is. And I felt like after they got snowed in together, life kind of just moved on for both of them and "circumstances" somehow magically put them back into each other's path. For me, my biggest issue with the book was that it felt a bit slow and the fact that we only got Des's POV. I really would have liked having Orion's POV as well to round out the story, just so we can also know and understand how he's feeling about the whole snowed in situation.

If you want a cute, medium angst MM with some spice, definitely pick this up.

Settle the Score by Kris Ripper was entertaining and so engaging romance.
The characters are well written and fun.
I had a good time reading this book.

Thank You NetGalley and Montlake for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I am always excited to read new authors and Settle the Score by Kris Ripper was so much fun! What happens when an ex journalist gets stuck at a remote cabin in middle of the snowstorm and the owner of the cabin is disgraced ex soccer star whose life he unknowingly destroyed years ago....Lots of chaos, hilarious accident and sobering deep moments.

Des was such an adorably awkward and witty character. He thinks a lot. Overthinks even more. Has a bleeding heart. He is so ashamed and guilty about his article years ago that outed Orion Broderick as gay, without his consent. He thought he was doing a good service helping LGBTQ awareness and acceptance. But it cost Orion his career. Obviously he is angry and bitter and had no intention of listening to Des' plea of forgiveness or proposal of being brand ambassador to a sports company focusing on LGBTQ representation. The snow was an unexpected complication. Des was totally useless and it's hilarious how he was struaway from city life. Orion had to take care of enemy and he was being all grumpy and brooding. But through the sharp banter, the reluctant cohabitation and the slow burn..something bloomed between them. Something that, again, was almost destroyed by Des. But they managed to go to happily ever after this time.

I felt I didn't see enough connection building between Orion and Des. They are both individually incredible guy. But to forget and forgive such a big thing and fall in soul crushing love in three days felt a bit far fetched. Another was is a ME problem. Trad pub books often tend to go in tangent. I do know it's for making the book funny or entertaining But sometimes I just want to stay with the couple and not with a thousand other things happening around...in excruciating details.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

I would say Settle the Score is more sports-adjacent. The story centers on a retired pro soccer player and the reporter who had outed him years earlier, a true enemies to lovers premise.

All in all, I thought it was great. Forced proximity gets me every time, and ultimately I found the romance arc to be genuinely believable. Throw in a cute dog and a character whose biggest concern in a storm is lack of caffeine, and I’m sold.

I really liked this book. It was entertaning and so funny.
Des was all over the place and I loved him for it. That man represents all of us when we overthink. His monologues were everything, I was living for them.
He was also sweet and a good person. The mistakes we make don't define us, just like he showed us.
Orion was awesome too, I loved how grumpy he was in the beggining. Having to share the cabin with the person who outed you to the world, can't be easy. But the way their relationship grew, I loved it.
I loved them together, they were so cute and just chaos, it was hilarious

I think I need to step away from traditionally published books. Only one POV, and honestly I wanted Orion’s. He was publicly outed, and his career ruined, and we don’t get to know what he was thinking when the person who outed him becomes his lover? I’ll pass.

This definitely had some aspects I enjoyed. I found the banter smile inducing and loved the snowed in setting. I also liked both MC's, at least for the most part. I appreciate that it's closed door, because closed door romance can be hard to find and I like all levels of heat. Unfortunately, the relationship development and pacing didn't really work for me. I'd recommend it to someone asking for snowed in or closed door recs, but otherwise this wasn't one of my favorites by this author.

cw: public outing of MC; suicidal ideation

I really really enjoyed this. Kris Ripper’s writing always works for me and I loved Des’s rapid fire, spirally inner voice - will always relate to a character who cannot think of quippy one-liners in the moment but kills at 3 am AND has to make a 73-point turn in someone’s driveway to avoid hitting anything. Strongly relate.

The premise of this enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity rom-com has a really interesting starting point. 3 years prior to the setting of the book, Des Cleary publicly outed a soccer player, Orion Broderick, in his university newspaper. It destroyed Orion’s career and Des, filled with remorse and regret, retreated from writing and is now working in brand management. When his company decides to recruit Orion for a Pride campaign, Des’s boss sends him to find the now very private Orion in the California mountains. The public outing is despicable and for many a HARD NO, and I will admit that I didn’t really like Des for the first few chapters. He is regretful about his actions, but also very much “on the job/don’t fuck this up” as he locates Orion and attempts to persuade him to sign on with the campaign. But, BUT the unexpected snow storm that forces Des to stay in Orion’s cabin and spend time together is one of my favorite tropes and Ripper does an excellent job unpacking Des’s motivations and regrets and Orion’s justifiable mistrust. And it might not work for many readers, but it did for me. Partly because Des is devastated by his actions and because he is completely inept in an adorable way. He charmed me, so I’m not surprised he charmed Orion. There’s also a dog. In a storm. Cuteness engaged.

I also love a book that explores what happens when you wrong someone else but want to make amends and interrogate your past motivations. To change and try again. <shrugs> I like that.

Kris Ripper is always so good at writing interesting relationship dynamics, and this book is no exception. The romance between an ex-pro soccer player and the man who had forcibly and non-consensually outed him years prior…and the way they navigate guilt, anger, feelings of unworthiness, etc was really well done. Very warm and happy ending. A classic Kris Ripper all around.

A tough call. Des thought the world was ready for an LGBTQ soccer player but it wasn't and Orion's career was over when Des outed him. Now, Des is trying to make amends of a sort. They're snowed in and there's no coffee. It's hard because we only get Des's POV and it's Orion who has the bigger concern. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

The Score follows Des as he works on a new marketing campaign — a pride campaign to inspire LGBTQ+ kids to join sports. And the face of the campaign? None other than Orion, a former soccer star.
The blurb hints at a redemption for Des and it drew me in: Sports romance? Redemption arc? Forced proximity romance? Sign me up.

Des was an interesting narrative voice — relatable, funny, awkward, flawed — but I found myself having a hard time routing for him and therefore the blooming relationship throughout the novel. I wish I had known that the reason Des and Orion were “enemies” was because Des outed him years ago, essentially ending his career. It did not feel to me that there was much of a redemption, especially with his ulterior motive behind everything, and because of this I found it hard for me to finish this novel.

I would recommend this book though, as I do think some will enjoy it due to Des’ engaging narrative voice. It’s cute, it’s fast-paced, it’s relatable. I would just warn people that they may have to keep an open mind.

As a note, this was my first novel by Kris Ripper. I will say Ripper’s writing is entertaining, engaging, and honestly was my favourite thing about this book, and I will definitely be interested in reading more from them in the future.