Book: The Score by Leonor Soliz
Reviewed by Amanda
Rating: 4.5/5
This book was a snuggle.
Twenty-year best friends. A marriage of convenience. A “this is just physical” arrangement that is very obviously not just physical. And two people so afraid of ruining what they already have that they convince themselves silence is the safer choice.
The tension here isn’t loud or chaotic - it’s internal. It’s compartmentalized. It’s self-sacrificing. It’s “I’ll wait for the right time” while both of them are quietly unraveling.
Did I occasionally want to shake them? Yes.
Did I eat up every second of the mutual pining anyway? Also yes.
There is a late twist that could have leaned soap-opera-y, but it landed well enough for me because it forces emotional honesty instead of manufactured drama. The payoff felt earned, and the resolution stayed intimate rather than performative.
One subplot felt unnecessary to me, but it didn’t take away from the core relationship.
Overall, this is a soft, emotionally restrained slow burn with physical intimacy and deeply repressed feelings. Married best friends finally choosing each other out loud? Always yes.