Score to Settle

About This Audiobook

If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at athletes who think charm trumps hard work, *Score to Settle* will flip the script on you. Bella North crafts a contemporary romance that’s equal parts sizzling tension and unapologetic grit, set against the neon-lit backdrop of a minor-league hockey team. The premise is a high-stakes game: small-town hockey prodigy Mason Crowe needs a PR win, so he targets a sharp-tongued sports journalist to polish his reputation. But when the story’s supposed pawn develops a wit as fast as his slapshot, the lines blur between strategy and surrender. North refuses to soften the edges of either character—Mason’s arrogance isn’t cute, it’s a flaw that grates until it becomes fascinating, while his counterpart’s skepticism isn’t performative; it’s earned. The result is a romance that earns its heat, not through contrived conflict, but through two people who refuse to play the other’s game—until they can’t help but try."

"The narration duo of Andi Arndt and Sean Masters is the secret weapon here. Arndt’s icy precision as the journalist grounds the story, her delivery sharp enough to cut through Mason’s bravado, while Masters’ gruff, rueful portrayal of the athlete makes his charm feel like a revelation rather than a gimmick. Their chemistry is audible, turning what could’ve been a one-note dynamic into a push-and-pull that crackles with authenticity. The production amplifies this, with ambient hockey rink sounds woven seamlessly into scenes—crowd cheers, skates scraping ice—so you’re not just listening to a romance, you’re standing in the bleachers, invested in the outcome. It’s a rare audiobook where the sound design doesn’t distract from the story; it *deepens* it.