Jaci BurtonThe Final Score (A Play-by-Play Novel)

The Final Score was the thirteenth book in the Play-by-Play series by Jaci Burton.Nathan Riley was the son of Tara and Mick Riley from The Perfect Play, book one. We met him as a freshman in high school. Fast forward to present day and he had been drafted by the San Francisco Sabers NFL team and was approaching his first season as the starting quarterback. His father, Mick, had just retired and turned the reins over to Nathan. He was gorgeous, talented, fun loving and every girl’s dream but football was his sole focus.Mia was the sister to Grant, Tucker Barrett and Flynn (books 9-12), all professional athletes. She grew up around sports and opened her own Sports Management company. She was snarky, feisty, stubborn, independent and beautiful.Nathan and Mia met in college and became fast friends. They had similar backgrounds and understood the pressure of each other’s lives. Through the years they became best friends. They had chemistry but purposely ignored it, valuing their friendship above all. As their careers were starting, they shifted to a friends with benefits relationship, but not wanting to drift out of the friends realm.Burton then cataloged the friends to lovers journey, detailing the standard challenges. She also included typical challenges for a high profile celebrity. Additionally, Burton revisited the Riley and Cassidy families, demonstrating the fun and strong bonds of family love.I liked Mia tremendously in previous books; she was fun, smart and snarky. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see her feisty side as much in The Final Score. I didn’t mind the intensity she showed - her strength was admirable, but her unsensible worry wasn’t her best feature.All in all, it was well written and well developed. It was pretty tame so it wasn’t my favorite book of the series, but it was still enjoyable. The next book of the series will take us back to hockey in Shot on Gold.

Nathan Riley is all grown up. Book 13 In The Play by Play Series is all about Mia Cassidy and Nathan Riley friends since college and have now become more. We have seen them throughout this series. We met Nathan when he was just a teenager when is mom fell in love with Mick Riley and we have seen Mia Cassidy in many of the recent books about all of her talented brothers.What we did know is that Nathan and Mia were always friends but as the years passed they became close as any best friends could. The feelings have always been there but when you finally see that cross over into more you want to stand up and cheer for them.There will be plenty of different kinds of emotions plenty of fun, lust, doubtful moments but maybe even love. You can't help fall in love with this young couple. To see two famous families come together with this amazing couple isFantastic and you never want to see this series come to an end. You have seen so many HEA's come together but with Nathan and Mia it brings us to another Fantastic Couple.

I am always hesitant to read books where characters that appeared younger in previous books reappear with storylines. I have an idea of who they are then suddenly they return as adults, fully sexualized. I must say, Ms. Burton handled the story telling, filling in the age gaps and time difference, with style and honesty. The characters felt authentic, as all of her characters have, with emotional layers and plausible qualities. I gave a 4 star rating because I thought the story was going to take a specific turn but it didn't, so I was slightly let down. Having said that, I will read any additional books in this series because I'm hooked! I'll read as many as she can churn out!

Again another win for Jack Burton. I know we all were curious about Nathan and now all grown up in his own football journey on the same team that his dad Mick played. And enter in Mia they've been friends for a long time until now, they get into the friends with benefits position, but what happens when one person starts thinking more with their heart. Such a great book we see a few familiar character from both Riley and Cassidy families which add more fun and hilarity to the story. Nathan Riley son of Mick and Tara from "The Perfect Play" no longer a teenager but a grown adult with a story of living up to his now retired dad's football legacy, creating his own and all the while falling in love.

I love sports romances! I've read all the books in this series and liked them, even loved some. This book was pretty good but could have been better. The premise was intriguing - best friends fall in love. The heroine, Mia Cassidy, was the main problem - she was pretty and smart, but very immature. The hero, Nathan Riley, was fantastic - handsome and talented and loyal, he deserved a better heroine. They had good chemistry, but the sizzle was a bit manufactured. The storyline was bland. Overall, a good book that could have been better.

I was so excited to get Nathan's story. I feel like we've seen him grow up in this series. Even though I know nothing about football, I could picture and appreciate what was happening on the field. I thoroughly enjoyed Nathan and Mia's friendship. Once she was open to more, their relationship evolved into something better. I enjoyed their story and journey. Le sigh!

I had to rate this for the audience it was written for. I realized this was written for a more colleges aged crowd. Since I am a middle aged woman, some parts were hard to relate to. I wanted to read it since it finished up the storyline of previous books by this author. It will probably appeal to the targeted audience

Loved this story how two friends from college fall in love with each other after they get out of college. Nathan had always thought of mia as his best friend .so did mia. Mia was afraid if she showed nathan her true feelings toward him,she would lose his friendship. Mia was so afraid that if she showed her true feelings the media would concentrate on there relationship more then Nathans career as a rookie football player .

This was an enjoyable and sweet story. With two very likable characters in Nathan and Mia. Who I have loved since their first appearances in The Perfect Play and Quarterback Draw respectively. And I thought they were great for each other. They certainly shared a spark. Yet you could also tell they had a solid friendship and even though the romance was on the sweeter side. It still had enough heat scattered throughout.The Final Score also had many appearances from some of my favourite characters in this series. Including Mick and Tara and the rest of the Riley and Cassidy clans. It was also extremely low angst, easy to read and a great friends to lovers romance. That any fan of the series will enjoy.

Enjoyed it’s as good as all in this series’s

I bought this digital book because of the picture and the story is terrific a sport story that ends up being a romance novel with a lot of sex so not bad at a good price and a super fast delivery it is all goodthanks

This series continues to be one of my favourites and always tapping my toes waiting for the next book. Sports and sensuality, a perfect blend.