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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Outing
Moderate: Violence, Sexual harassment
Minor: Child abuse
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Thank you to Netgalley, Victory Editing, and Katie Ashley for letting me read and review this story.
Book Review: Three Pucks and a Baby by Katie Ashley.
Rating: ★★★★★(5/5)
Katie Ashley’s Three Pucks and a Baby is an irresistible reverse harem hockey romance that delivers on every front—heat, heart, and humor. Set against the backdrop of Southeastern University, this spicy and emotionally rich novel is the kind of book you pick up for a few chapters and accidentally finish in one sitting.
From the very first page, Ashley hooks you with a brilliantly written prologue that’s both clever and compelling. Using Vivian’s vision board and her word-of-the-year ‘Live’ as a narrative anchor—complete with delightfully quirky puns—she sets the tone for a story that’s not only sizzling but also had me laughing out loud.
At the heart of the novel is Vivian, a college librarian who breaks the mold in all the best ways. Older than her love interests and refreshingly grounded, Vivian celebrates her thirtieth birthday with an impulsive and slightly chaotic foursome involving three hockey players—and what follows is messy, funny, emotionally charged, and completely addictive. Ashley avoids info-dumping by allowing the characters’ dynamics to unfold naturally through their interactions, a choice that makes their relationships feel authentic and alive.
Each of the men in Vivian’s life brings something unique to the table, and their individual personalities, along with Vivian’s own compelling arc, drive the story forward. There’s thoughtful personal growth within the characters and the friendship between Vivian and her best friend Carlee adds depth and levity to the narrative. The dialogue sparkles with wit, the banter is top-notch, and the chemistry is absolutely off the charts. And let’s not forget the steam—this book is undeniably spicy, with sex scenes that are not just hot, but exceptionally well written.
Overall, Three Pucks and a Baby is a fast-paced, feel-good, unputdownable romance that’s as fun as it is heartfelt. Katie Ashley crafts a world and a cast of characters so vivid, you’ll find yourself wanting more long after the last page. Whether you’re a fan of reverse harem, sports romance, or simply love a book that makes you laugh, swoon, and maybe cry a little too—this one’s a must-read.
Ooh yikes. This one wasn't for me. From the misogyny to the slut shaming, and the weirdness about bennett being bisexual, not to mention the Harry Potter references, I just could not bring myself to love it. It was cringey and poorly written, and made for a less enjoyable book overall. I was really stoked at the idea of this one too, but it didn't pan out, which was really disappointing.
The overall story was there in broad strokes but it lacked true depth. The first half of the book was just the FMC and 3 MMCs hooking up and no real character development, so it was difficult to believe their declarations of love to each other.
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I would like to thank Katie Ashley for gifting me an ARC copy.
I feel like this was exactly what I needed the day I read it. It was a fun and steamy hockey romance. You start right away with some steamy scenes and the book doesn’t stop running. The emotional rollercoaster is also real there where I was close to tears.
Maybe try it
I feel like this was exactly what I needed the day I read it. It was a fun and steamy hockey romance. You start right away with some steamy scenes and the book doesn’t stop running. The emotional rollercoaster is also real there where I was close to tears.
Maybe try it
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Vivian is a quiet university librarian who feels like her life is missing an element of excitement that she feels she should have at 30. She knits and researches when she isn’t at work, and hasn’t put a whole lot of effort into relationships.
Grayson and Theo have a superstition that has evolved and grown each year they’ve played together. Both seniors on the university hockey team, they have certain rituals they use to give them luck, and their most successful one is having a threesome before important games.
The guys are looking for a slightly older woman this year, and when Grayson sees Vivian in the library he knows she is perfect for them. She is hesitant, as she's never been one to be overly adventurous, but she clicks with Grayson and Theo and they make her comfortable enough to give it a try. What they didn’t expect was for it to become a foursome, nor did they expect to develop feelings as the season progressed.
This was a lot of fun from start to finish. Vivian is a solid heroine with a good head on her shoulders. She didn’t see herself having multiple partners, but you can’t plan for everything! Grayson is the quintessential golden retriever, wanting to make sure everyone is comfortable. Theo has a need to control things. Benny is more go with the flow, but has been harboring feelings for one of his roommates for some time.
This is a spicy why choose with a lot of layers. There were times I wanted a little more relationship building -- with multiple partners often comes unexpected emotions to work through -- but I ultimately loved the way these characters came together. There was plenty of spice and a lot of heat as these four navigated an unexpected baby, an unexpected relationship, and navigating the world of living in a nontraditional household.
Well, I made it to over halfway through and I have to say. This definitely isn’t for me. There were several editing errors in the first few chapters, but what really made me DNF was the misogyny that Theo expresses when finding out Vivian is pregnant and frankly throughout the first half of the book. Like yes, I get that his journey into acceptance is like a large part of the story, but I just don’t believe there’s enough time left to do it justice AND convince us that he’s a suitable partner for Vivian and Bennett.
Also there were Harry Potter references and I’m sorry but it’s 2025. Leave that terfy shit in the past to fade into oblivion.
Also there were Harry Potter references and I’m sorry but it’s 2025. Leave that terfy shit in the past to fade into oblivion.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Three Pucks and a Baby is a standalone title written by Katie Ashley.
What to expect:
*Hockey romance
*Poly relationship
*Accidental pregnancy
Vivian is a college librarian and meets Grayson and Theo when they are scouting for their next threesome partner to keep up their hockey superstition. Bennett is their other roommate and meets Vivian when she is out on a date with the guys.
There were a few things that I didn’t like about this book, the first being how they acted with the FMC when the first hooked up. One of the guys mentioned other women they had been with in front of the FMC while they were having sex with her. Compared her body hair to the other women!! When she called them rude, they just said she was being jealous. Other things popped up throughout the book, but nothing major.
No OW/OM drama, no third act breakup. Ends with a HFN.
Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Contemporary romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Characters: Vivian (FMC) & Grayson, Bennett, and Theo (MMC’s)
Thank you to Katie Ashley and The Nerd Fam for the ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
This whole review could be considered a spoiler since I'm quoting direct lines from the book and referencing specific scenes, but they are all centered around the main plot of the book so I don't think they're major spoilers. But proceed at your own risk!
.
.
.
Right away I didn't absolutely love the writing style of this book. Don't get me wrong, it's not awful writing. It was still making for an easy read (I read the 46% in an evening). Then I started to come across some sentences that just didn't vibe with me.
Examples:
The FMC thought the guys felt like she was a 'ho' because they were interested in a threesome with her (pg 43). She told one of the MMCs that she didn't expect him to be in the library much because he plays the guitar (pg 49). When she found out the same MMC was bi, she straight up said, "You're gay?" (pg 60). 1) It's not your business and 2) the way she said it was more of the problem for me. I also cringed when one of the MMCs said, in the middle of undressing her, "F*ck yes, I knew the carpet matched the drapes."
Despite those things, I was moving through the book quickly and the smutty scenes were pretty good. But what made me finally decide to DNF was when she reveals she's pregnant to the three MMCs. One MMC responded with, "If you were going to be f*cking three men like a wh*re, why didn't you have the decency to be on birth control to keep a mess like this from happening?" 1) This was the MMC who I would say was the one trying to persuade her the most into a threesome (which turned into a foursome), yet he's acting like she was trying to trap him with a baby, and 2) I can't get with her forgiving him after saying that to her.
If those things don't bother you, then I think you'd enjoy this book. It just wasn't my cup of tea.
This whole review could be considered a spoiler since I'm quoting direct lines from the book and referencing specific scenes, but they are all centered around the main plot of the book so I don't think they're major spoilers. But proceed at your own risk!
.
.
.
Right away I didn't absolutely love the writing style of this book. Don't get me wrong, it's not awful writing. It was still making for an easy read (I read the 46% in an evening). Then I started to come across some sentences that just didn't vibe with me.
Examples:
The FMC thought the guys felt like she was a 'ho' because they were interested in a threesome with her (pg 43). She told one of the MMCs that she didn't expect him to be in the library much because he plays the guitar (pg 49). When she found out the same MMC was bi, she straight up said, "You're gay?" (pg 60). 1) It's not your business and 2) the way she said it was more of the problem for me. I also cringed when one of the MMCs said, in the middle of undressing her, "F*ck yes, I knew the carpet matched the drapes."
Despite those things, I was moving through the book quickly and the smutty scenes were pretty good. But what made me finally decide to DNF was when she reveals she's pregnant to the three MMCs. One MMC responded with, "If you were going to be f*cking three men like a wh*re, why didn't you have the decency to be on birth control to keep a mess like this from happening?" 1) This was the MMC who I would say was the one trying to persuade her the most into a threesome (which turned into a foursome), yet he's acting like she was trying to trap him with a baby, and 2) I can't get with her forgiving him after saying that to her.
If those things don't bother you, then I think you'd enjoy this book. It just wasn't my cup of tea.