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Levelling the Score
264 pages
A deliciously angsty vintage romance where lingering childhood insecurities collide with undeniable adult passion.
What it feels like
Reading this vintage 1980s romance feels like stepping into a time capsule of high-stakes emotional drama and classic category romance tropes. The atmosphere is thick with unresolved tension, built on the familiar but irresistible foundation of a childhood crush turned adult resentment. The narrative moves at a brisk clip, driven by the heroine's internal turmoil and the hero's infuriatingly confident presence. The prose is characteristically melodramatic, leaning heavily into breathless physical reactions and intense, brooding stares. It is a deeply nostalgic experience that delights in its own angst, offering a satisfying emotional arc where defensive walls are slowly dismantled by undeniable chemistry. Fans of old-school alpha males and the best friend's older brother dynamic will devour this emotionally charged, delightfully dated gem.
- Mood
- tense
- emotionally charged
- nostalgic
- Tone
- dramatic
- angsty
- earnest
- defensive
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- childhood crushes · power dynamics · forced proximity · hidden desires
- The writing
- Emotionally descriptive and slightly melodramatic, focusing heavily on internal turmoil and breathless physical reactions characteristic of 1980s category romance.
- The arc
- A journey from defensive resentment and lingering childhood insecurity to passionate surrender and mutual understanding.
- Who it's for
- Readers who devour vintage category romances featuring intense angst, confident heroes, and the classic best friend's older brother trope.
Content notes
- dated gender dynamics
- age gap
About the book
He'd always made light of her feelings
When she was 15, Jenna had been infatuated with Simon Townsend, her best friend's teasing brother. Then infatuation changed to a curious uneasiness, one that made her feel edgy and restless in his company.
Fortunately she had little occasion to see much of him now, for, as a prominent 31 year old London barrister, he moved in different circles than Jenna. But an escapade of his sister's threw Simon and Jenna, now 24, together again in a most awkward--not to mention compromising--situation. He thought it was funny. Jenna was not amused.
And she would have given anything to avoid the consequences!
Description from Open Library.
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