Reviews with content warning for Violence - Pucked

Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Pucked by Helena Hunting

5 reviews

rustbeltcoastie's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The story itself was cute and funny and interesting. I wish the early chapters didn’t lean so hard on false conflict to drive the plot. The level of misogyny around the “puck bunnies” and the way the characters talk about other women is exhausting and disappointing. Also, a lot of the circumstances are just wildly unrealistic. There’s no scenario where paparazzi are tailing a hockey player through suburban Chicago over a non-famous girl. I will still read the next book in the series though.

Content Warnings

sami_leigh's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

“I double majored in English Lit and Kinesiology during my first year…”He double majored. My Spidey jammies are at risk of peeling themselves off.

🏒 First in a series (+ other series in the same world)

🏒 First person dual POV

🏒 Brother’s teammate (off limits)

🏒 He’s a player, she doesn’t date hockey guys…

🏒 Ice Hockey Captain / Sports Accountant

🏒 One night stand who calls…& texts…& emails…& sends flowers…

🏒 Well established secondary characters; Charlene & Darren (Book 6), Buck & Sunny (Book 2).

🏒 Banter 🙌🏻 (Violet is GOLD & we must protect her with our lives 😍)

🏒 MC growth: Past relationship trauma, trust, priorities, communication, self worth.

🏒 Consent Culture (we love Alex 🙌🏻)

🏒 Epilogue

🏒 Alex & Violet also feature in the All In series😍

🚩 ‘Slut shaming’ & stereotyping (‘hockey hookers’) perpetuated by MCs - even to refer to themselves - give negative self-concept.

🚩 No boundaries in the mother-daughter relationship of FMC.

🚩 MMC named his behaviour as ‘stalker-like’ whilst pursuing FMC; it’s only perceived as okay because he’s a pretty & famous hockey player.
🚩 Joke about gender reassignment, didn’t sit well.

This book is available on Kindle Unlimited.

⚠️ Injury/injury detail (mild), violence (mild; hockey related/teammate squabbles), sexism/misogyny (slut shaming by most MCs), transphobic (inappropriate joke).

Content Warnings

libertyreads789's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Another book for the month down already. And this time we went with a sports romance which doesn’t SOUND like it’s fitting for spooky season, but the NHL season starts up VERY soon and I’m so excited to finally have regular season hockey back in my life. I’ve been a huge hockey fan for basically half my life at this point so when I saw that a romance author I’ve been liking lately had a backlist of hockey romances I had to jump on it. Sadly, this isn’t my favorite work from this author, but it still gave me a few doses of hockey (and a cascade of romance) to get me ready for the season.

I found this romance to be so compulsively readable. I read the first 60% in one sitting. And this book is almost 400 pages long! I found the characters to be charming (albeit a little weird) and the family drama really kept the story going even in the moments I didn’t love where the plot points were leading. I also found the setting of Chicago to be a favorite. I love the city of Chicago, and my husband and his family are huge Blackhawks fans, so this story was going to have me from page one. The places I struggled with this were the hockey and how I know a little too much about Chicago hockey to jive with the plot of this story--at least the hockey parts. Alex (our male lead) is the captain of the Chicago hockey team and he starts dating his new teammate’s step-sister. Drama in the locker room? Hate it. Fictional drama in the locker room? I love it. But Jonathan Toews has been the captain for as long as I’ve known my husband and I started paying attention to Chicago. But I can let that one slide. Violet (the main female protagonist) calling the penalty box the “time out box” despite having a family member playing professional hockey? That I can’t abide. It all felt like she was trying to separate herself from the “puck bunnies” that follow hockey for the hot guys. And the whole concept of “I’m not like other girls” has been cliche and disliked for a decade now. Let’s move past it. Especially if she’s going to end up dating a hockey player anyway.

I’m so conflicted because it was enjoyable and so, so easy to fly through. But there were definitely parts that got under my skin (like the narrative making it seem like the playoffs start in May for some reason?? Or acting like Chicago would ever play Boston in a round that isn’t the Stanley Cup Finals?). I think if you aren’t a sports fan and particularly not a hockey fan then you’re probably good to read this one without any issues. I’m torn over whether to continue the series because I think I know a couple or two who could be coming up in the series and I’m kind of interested to see what happens.

Content Warnings

kb33's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

Funny, but also lots of awkward funny. Cute story.

Content Warnings

readingwithgeeg's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Alex Waters and Violet Bell have my heart. The mom Skye is so funny as well as Sunny. They are also my favorite characters. First off, loved this book. Didn't think I would. Started off steamy but Im glad that was the sole plot of this book. We definitely see a character growth with Violet and how her past relationships have affected her and her thoughts of hockey men. That is until she meets Alex Waters. On social media he is this fuckboy who enjoys the company of various puck bunnies but it turns out that not everything is what it seems as she gets to know him. It's doesn't help that her stepbrother, Buck and him are teammates so their relationship is tested once the tabloids are involved. I loved both of the characters development and yes I was frustrated at times with them and their flaws it made it much better for the ending. Definitely interested on continuing the series because I love these characters as well as their relationship. I'm sorry Alex is Canadian🤣🤣🤣. Their inside joke: Beaver is the funniest thing ever.
ALEX FUCKING WATERS!!!! That's the tweet.

Content Warnings

More...