Review: "Dino Scores" by Lola Faust

Dino Scores by Lola Faust
Published February 2026
★★★★

Lola Faust is back, and I've never—well, actually, it's the middle of February, so I've definitely been happier. But a new Lola Faust book improves that a lot.

Me: There's a new Lola Faust book!
(pause)
Partner (sounding very weary): The dinosaur woman?
Me: Yesss!
Partner (even wearier): Uh-huh.

Anyway, let's start with the content notice:

Homophobia, biphobia, homophobic language and slurs (Russian and English), Canada, Canadians, Canadian media, gun violence, death, mild-to-moderate limited-scope gore, voyeurism (lack thereof), sports, toxic masculinity, Russia, Chechnya, rain (a lot), Vancouver, Yaletown, Gastown, seagulls, Seattle, anxiety, being picked last for a sports team, fainting, tuna melts, dinosaurs (genetically modified), Kyle, assholes (physical and metaphorical), organized religion (assorted), athleisure, hyperlocal brands, international brands, poetry, hockey (loc. 5*)

This is in many ways the most standard of any of the romances Faust has written—the author's note at the end acknowledges that it parodies Heated Rivalry (which I have not read; I read one gay hockey romance and concluded that I'd need more interest in both hockey and m/m romance to continue...apparently I make exceptions if there are dinosaurs involved) and that it is not erotica but contains a sex scene involving a prehensile tail (loc. 1204), and if you think I did not spend some time going "dear god, no" in that scene, then you do not understand what these books are or why I keep reading them against all logic. Note that the sex is otherwise very tame—erm, as far as it goes—so if you've been curious about dino romance but haven't yet worked up the courage to go there, this is a decent entry point.**

In what other romances do you get the words His breath smelled meaty and bloody (loc. 275) when the characters are tantalizingly close to hooking up? And don't get me started on how far the vending machine metaphor is pushed...

"You smell like steakhouse," Khasanov murmured with amusement, stepping away.

The moment shattered. Stone's head spun and his shoulders sagged. How could he have been so careless...

"It is good thing I like steak." (loc. 547)

This is horrifying, obviously, though maybe it's less horrifying to less ardent vegetarians. (Come to think of it...what is Stone's diet made up of?) But that is genuinely part of the joy of these books; they lean in hard to exactly what they are, so hard that you think they might topple over, and yet here they are, still standing. I did get stuck for a while on some of the logistics: If Stone is cold-blooded (and I do sort of love that this comes into play), is playing an ice-based sport really in his best interests? (Is living in Canada at all really in his best interests?) Should he really, on the cover, be wearing shorts at the ice rink? (Can he maintain enough heat on the rink even by moving quickly? And while we're on the cover, how do his feathers extend through his sleeves?) I know, I know; I am missing the point.

All he wanted was to ride this dino-man into the sunset. (loc. 442)

This review does not need to be as long as it is; you need very little other than the cover to know whether this is something you'll find entertaining. If not, that's okay! But you're missing out, I tell you.

*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.

**The things I find myself saying when I read these books!

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.