Book Club Night Kit
The Score
Elle Kennedy
Cozy night
A funny, warm-hearted college romance about a heartbroken senior and a charming hockey player who is not what he first seems. It is ideal for a blanket-and-cocoa night where everyone gets to talk about feelings, friendship, and falling for someone unexpected.
Blankets, Cocoa, and The Score
Grab your comfiest sweater and join us for a cozy night of mac and cheese, warm drinks, and swoony hockey-romance chat. Come as you are, we will have the cocoa ready.
Reading level: Easy
Best for: Romance-loving friends who want a laid-back, feel-good night of snacks, laughs, and heart-to-hearts
Discussion
Warm-up
- 1.Where were you curled up while reading The Score, and did it turn into a comfort read you couldn't put down, or one you saved for bedtime?
- 2.When Dean first strolls in with all that hockey-star confidence, what was your honest gut reaction: a smile, an eye roll, or a bit of both?
Digging in
- 1.Allie starts the story with a bruised heart. What comforts you after a breakup or a big letdown, and did any of the ways she copes feel familiar to you?
- 2.Characters from earlier Off-Campus books show up here. Which friendship moment felt like a warm hug to you, and who in your life plays that role for you?
- 3.Allie and Dean both face big, scary questions about life after college. Did their uncertainty bring back memories of your own big transitions, and what would you tell your younger self in that season?
- 4.Underneath the teasing, both of them let their guard down in small, quiet ways. Which soft or vulnerable moment moved you most, and why do you think it stayed with you?
Going deep
- 1.Think about how you felt about Dean on the first page compared with how you felt by the last. Which moments earned your trust or softened your heart toward him? (Keep it vague for anyone still finishing.)
- 2.The book mixes lighthearted fun with some heavier personal moments. Without naming specifics, which part made you feel the most, and did the romance feel like a comfort or a complication when life got hard for these characters?
On the table & to sip
To eat
Baked Three-Cheese Mac and Cheese
Ultimate college comfort food, scaled up for a cozy night and baked until bubbly and golden on top
Rink-Side Soft Pretzel Bites with Warm Beer-Cheese Dip
A nod to hockey-arena snacks. Use store-bought pretzel dough for an easy, crowd-pleasing, shareable bowl
Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
Honors the book's Massachusetts setting with a sweet, slightly indulgent treat that is simple to make with boxed cake mix and pudding
To sip
Hot Cocoa Bar (no alcohol)
Mugs of rich cocoa with marshmallows, whipped cream, and peppermint sticks, perfect for warming up after a winter hockey game
Spiked Maple Apple Cider
Warm New England cider with a splash of bourbon and a cinnamon stick, cozy and a little celebratory
Baileys Coffee
A mellow, creamy after-dinner sip for lingering over the deeper questions
Run of show
7:00
Cozy Arrivals
Welcome guests with blankets, fuzzy socks, and the hot cocoa bar. Turn the playlist on low.
7:15
Comfort Food Hour
Serve the mac and cheese and pretzel bites. Let people chat freely and hand out bookmarks at each seat.
7:45
Warm-Up Chat
Start with the two warm-up questions. Keep it light and let everyone share their reading setup.
8:05
Heart-to-Heart
Go through the theme questions. Pass the cider and let the conversation wander wherever it wants.
8:45
Dessert and Deep Talk
Bring out the Boston cream cupcakes and Baileys coffee, then open the deeper questions. Check that everyone has finished the book first.
9:15
Trivia and Scorecards
Play a relaxed round of trivia in teams, then fill in scorecards and share favorite answers before goodnights.
Host tips
- Set up a blanket basket and dim the lights with string lights or candles so the room feels like a living-room hangout, not a meeting
- Make every question optional and open with your own answer first so guests feel comfortable sharing personal stories
- Keep the mac and cheese warm in a slow cooker so you can enjoy the night instead of watching the oven
Playlist
Soft acoustic love songs and mellow indie, like a snowy evening by the fire with someone who makes you laugh
- 01 Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae
- 02 Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson
- 03 Yellow - Coldplay
- 04 Heartbeats - José González
- 05 Ho Hey - The Lumineers
- 06 Lover - Taylor Swift
- 07 Better Together - Jack Johnson
- 08 Rivers and Roads - The Head and the Heart
Trivia
- 1.Which book in Elle Kennedy's Off-Campus series is The Score? (The third book)
- 2.What is the name of the fictional university where the series takes place? (Briar University)
- 3.In which U.S. state is the series set? (Massachusetts)
- 4.What sport do the hockey heroes of the Off-Campus series play? (Ice hockey)
- 5.What is the title of the first book in the Off-Campus series? (The Deal)
- 6.What are the first names of the two main characters in The Score? (Allie and Dean)
- 7.Allie is the best friend of which heroine from the first Off-Campus book? (Hannah)
- 8.What is the name of Elle Kennedy's follow-up series set at the same school? (Briar U)
Bookmarks
Print, cut, and tuck one at every seat, a small keepsake from the night.
“Warm socks, a mended heart, and one persistent hockey player.”
The Score
Elle Kennedy
bookclubnight.com
“Some rebounds turn out softer than you planned.”
The Score
Elle Kennedy
bookclubnight.com
“Cocoa in hand, guard down, heart slowly thawing.”
The Score
Elle Kennedy
bookclubnight.com
Rate the book
Swoon Factor☆☆☆☆☆
Comfort-Read Coziness☆☆☆☆☆
Banter Warmth☆☆☆☆☆
Friendship Hugs☆☆☆☆☆
Heart-Thaw Level☆☆☆☆☆
The moment I'd reread under a blanket: ______________________
If this book were a snack, it would be: ______________________
One word for how it made me feel: ______________________
That's a wrap
Thank you for coming
We hope the company was good and the conversation even better. Until the next chapter.