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shaykay's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book has been everywhere! I have become obsessed with Emily Rath's TikToks for this series. This book is a reverse harem meets hockey, and I could not read this book fast enough! It's a 700+ page book; I read it in about two days! I just could not put it down because it was so good! I loved Jake and Rachel in the previous novella. I was just so curious how they were going to reunite and how they were going to become a part of a harem because they seemed pretty obsessed with each other! So it was interesting to watch them reunite and then become a harem. I loved all of them, but even though I love Ilmari, I don't think he fits into this relationship.
First, Ilmari doesn't get involved until the book's last third. Until then, he's just one of the hockey players that Rachel is trying to help. The two are attracted to one another, and we get some banter between them pretty early on in the book; however, they only go past that once she starts trying to help him. Ilmari, Jake, and Caleb have a tense relationship. They never get along outside of being involved on the same hockey team. But he and Caleb have an understanding and are kind of friendly towards one another. Caleb is an equipment manager, and Ilmari doesn't really have any relationships and is really all on his own here.
Meanwhile, Jake and Caleb are besties. Those two are super close, and honestly, those two and Rachel are adorable together. Still, they will always have something between each other that doesn't include Rachel, so that is how Ilmari fits into this relationship. Even though I initially felt like he didn't fit into this relationship and that he was being forced into it, after reading the rest of the book, and especially the second novella, I think he is exactly where he's supposed to be, and I love this harem so much. They are all adorable and fun, and I can't get enough of this series. However, I'm curious where this series will go since the next book has no harem. Instead, it focuses on a different teammate.
First, Ilmari doesn't get involved until the book's last third. Until then, he's just one of the hockey players that Rachel is trying to help. The two are attracted to one another, and we get some banter between them pretty early on in the book; however, they only go past that once she starts trying to help him. Ilmari, Jake, and Caleb have a tense relationship. They never get along outside of being involved on the same hockey team. But he and Caleb have an understanding and are kind of friendly towards one another. Caleb is an equipment manager, and Ilmari doesn't really have any relationships and is really all on his own here.
Meanwhile, Jake and Caleb are besties. Those two are super close, and honestly, those two and Rachel are adorable together. Still, they will always have something between each other that doesn't include Rachel, so that is how Ilmari fits into this relationship. Even though I initially felt like he didn't fit into this relationship and that he was being forced into it, after reading the rest of the book, and especially the second novella, I think he is exactly where he's supposed to be, and I love this harem so much. They are all adorable and fun, and I can't get enough of this series. However, I'm curious where this series will go since the next book has no harem. Instead, it focuses on a different teammate.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Addiction and Homophobia
andeng's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Alcoholism, and Medical content
Moderate: Eating disorder and Drug use
Minor: Death of parent and Cancer
giannareadsromance's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
How am I supposed to go on after reading this? I’ve never fallen so in love with each individual character of a story the way I did with this one.
Rachel motherfucking Price is the definition of badass, and my favorite female main character of all time. The otherworldly connection and love she shares with Ilmari, Caleb, and Jake is everything. Her role in helping all of them not only find themselves, but stay true to themselves is one of the very best parts of the story all together.
And don’t get my started on the extra curriculars 🥵😅 A cocky defenseman, a brooding bear of a goalie, and their daddy-dom of an equipment manager…. what more can I say?
Also as a side note: I actually really enjoyed the look into the inner medical workings of a sports team, ngl lol.
Additionally, I’m definitely glad I read the prequel to this book (That One Night) before diving in as it really set up the story well, and showed just how deep and fated Rachel’s connection with Jake is moving into Pucking Around. Not to mention it peppers in some background on Caleb and a few other little things as well. (Hi Poseidon 🐾)
This woman can WRITE. From the plot with all the detail, to the toe-curling spice this ticks every single box for me. I can’t wait for the next book in the series (Pucking Wild) which centers around Rachel’s best friend Tess!
If you were debating, take my advice and read the damn book.
Rachel motherfucking Price is the definition of badass, and my favorite female main character of all time. The otherworldly connection and love she shares with Ilmari, Caleb, and Jake is everything. Her role in helping all of them not only find themselves, but stay true to themselves is one of the very best parts of the story all together.
And don’t get my started on the extra curriculars 🥵😅 A cocky defenseman, a brooding bear of a goalie, and their daddy-dom of an equipment manager…. what more can I say?
Also as a side note: I actually really enjoyed the look into the inner medical workings of a sports team, ngl lol.
Additionally, I’m definitely glad I read the prequel to this book (That One Night) before diving in as it really set up the story well, and showed just how deep and fated Rachel’s connection with Jake is moving into Pucking Around. Not to mention it peppers in some background on Caleb and a few other little things as well. (Hi Poseidon 🐾)
This woman can WRITE. From the plot with all the detail, to the toe-curling spice this ticks every single box for me. I can’t wait for the next book in the series (Pucking Wild) which centers around Rachel’s best friend Tess!
If you were debating, take my advice and read the damn book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Outing
Minor: Death of parent, Blood, Abandonment, Alcohol, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Homophobia
bookedupchick's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
4.0
“I live with a rope around my heart now, woven through my ribs, and it connects me to you.” 🩵🏒🩵🏒🩵
Rachel has been thinking nonstop about Mystery Guy that she had this amazing one night with…never to see again. She is a sports medicine doc who just got her dream fellowship working with the Jacksonville Rays hockey team. You will never guess who she meets next…👀
This book was 🔥HOT🔥 and also so funny. All the MMC’s had their own quirks that made them so lovable and humorous. JAKE is the lovable golden retriever who has the filthiest mouth 🥵 CALEB is the moody, surfer vibes, Edward Cullen who will make anyone 🫠🫠🫠 and MARS is the quiet, beautiful, Viking Bear 🐻 who has a way with his words and 🍆.
🏒 Sports Romance — Hockey
🧎🏻♀️ Why Choose? Reverse Harem
👫 Friends to Lovers
👥 Forced Proximity
🖊️ Tattooed Heroes
🏥 Medical
😍 Instalove
🖤 Daddy Kíñk
🤰🏻 Breeding Kìńk
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Pucking Around by Emily Rath
Rachel has been thinking nonstop about Mystery Guy that she had this amazing one night with…never to see again. She is a sports medicine doc who just got her dream fellowship working with the Jacksonville Rays hockey team. You will never guess who she meets next…👀
This book was 🔥HOT🔥 and also so funny. All the MMC’s had their own quirks that made them so lovable and humorous. JAKE is the lovable golden retriever who has the filthiest mouth 🥵 CALEB is the moody, surfer vibes, Edward Cullen who will make anyone 🫠🫠🫠 and MARS is the quiet, beautiful, Viking Bear 🐻 who has a way with his words and 🍆.
🏒 Sports Romance — Hockey
🧎🏻♀️ Why Choose? Reverse Harem
👫 Friends to Lovers
👥 Forced Proximity
🖊️ Tattooed Heroes
🏥 Medical
😍 Instalove
🖤 Daddy Kíñk
🤰🏻 Breeding Kìńk
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Pucking Around by Emily Rath
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Medical content
bookishlyyemma's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Cursing
Moderate: Blood and Violence
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Drug abuse, Blood, and Addiction
This is a hockey romance so the violence and blood is contained to on the ice. There are brief mentions of drug abuse and suicide attempt in the FMCs past.lilyemmaaa's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment, Cancer, Outing, Self harm, Death of parent, and Drug use
briochebun's review against another edition
DNF @ 62%
”It's as if his aura takes up so much space all on its own that he compensates by making the other pieces of himself smaller.”
ੈ✩‧₊˚
This novel combined two of my favorite things: hockey & why choose romance. Unfortunately — it still wasn’t able to live up to my expectations.
I admittedly wasn’t the biggest fan of the prequel to this novel — ”That One Night” — but I’ve heard <b>amazing</b> things about ”Pucking Around” so I still wanted to give the novel a go to satisfy all of my curiosities.
One of the main issues that I had while reading ”Pucking Around” was in regards to Rachel’s characterization (which was a bit confusing at times). It felt as though she was all over the place most of the time — there was no consistency to her character.
In the beginning of the novel Rachel stated that she cared about her position too much to risk anything with Jake + Caleb, but not long after that she ended up sleeping with them & forming a relationship with the pair. I understand that she had to cave at some point (it is a romance novel after all), but I did expect her to hold out for at least a little bit longer than she did…
Another issue that I had with this novel was that all of the relationships seemed to lack healthy communication (at least up until the 62% mark — which is where I stopped). I was more of a fan of Rachel + Ilmari & Jake + Caleb as separate couples rather than the MMFM that they were in the process of forming because there were moments where I couldn’t feel the chemistry between them / it didn’t feel like a true why choose MMFM romance to me.
ੈ✩‧₊˚
It’s possible that I’ll attempt to give this one another go in the future — but for now I will just say that I’m glad that others have read and enjoyed this novel & leave it at that. ♡
”It's as if his aura takes up so much space all on its own that he compensates by making the other pieces of himself smaller.”
ੈ✩‧₊˚
This novel combined two of my favorite things: hockey & why choose romance. Unfortunately — it still wasn’t able to live up to my expectations.
I admittedly wasn’t the biggest fan of the prequel to this novel — ”That One Night” — but I’ve heard <b>amazing</b> things about ”Pucking Around” so I still wanted to give the novel a go to satisfy all of my curiosities.
One of the main issues that I had while reading ”Pucking Around” was in regards to Rachel’s characterization (which was a bit confusing at times). It felt as though she was all over the place most of the time — there was no consistency to her character.
In the beginning of the novel Rachel stated that she cared about her position too much to risk anything with Jake + Caleb, but not long after that she ended up sleeping with them & forming a relationship with the pair. I understand that she had to cave at some point (it is a romance novel after all), but I did expect her to hold out for at least a little bit longer than she did…
Another issue that I had with this novel was that all of the relationships seemed to lack healthy communication (at least up until the 62% mark — which is where I stopped). I was more of a fan of Rachel + Ilmari & Jake + Caleb as separate couples rather than the MMFM that they were in the process of forming because there were moments where I couldn’t feel the chemistry between them / it didn’t feel like a true why choose MMFM romance to me.
ੈ✩‧₊˚
It’s possible that I’ll attempt to give this one another go in the future — but for now I will just say that I’m glad that others have read and enjoyed this novel & leave it at that. ♡
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Abandonment, Medical content, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Biphobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Drug use, Addiction, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Bullying, Sexism, and Alcohol
bryelle's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Okay. I loved this book. It was sooooo long. But so worth it. The characters are amazing. The three boys are so cute. With the golden retriever energy, black cat energy, and ….. sea turtle? energy lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Pregnancy, Medical trauma, and Medical content
alybeth's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Cursing
Moderate: Sexism, Homophobia, Outing, and Medical content
Minor: Abandonment, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy
erkietheturkey's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Violence, and Medical content
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Cancer, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Outing