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maxarcreads 's review for:
Pucking Strong
by Emily Rath
I think this one is my favorite of the series. I didn't Book 1 Pucking Around could be topped but this one did. I just loved Teddy and Henrik so much and loved reading their journey. This book had me laughing, crying, blushing and angry as well. Overall, this book had me all over with my feelings.
I think the big change with this book and the other books in the Pucking universe is that this was a slow burn. Don't get me wrong I loved those books, and they had some depth to them as well, but they were sorting out their feelings and situations while also getting down and dirty. With this book being a slow burn, it really allowed things to progress differently for Teddy and Henrik as a couple as they sort out everything going on with their situation but also their relationship as well. Even Teddy remarked how this was a change of pace for him compared to his previous relationships. For Henrik by being a slow burn he was allowed to at his pace explore the possibility that he could be someone who develops romantic or even sexual feelings rather than being pushed to do something he didn't want to do because that was "normal" or what was expected of him. But once he got there, he was very much an eager student of Teddy's and was very possessive of his man. And I just loved every moment of it.
With Henrik this was a change of pace for his personality because for the first half of the book he isn't necessarily cold as in an unfeeling way (you can see this in how he cares for his family), but he is just very ridged and stoic and aloof. He even describes it in the book that his world was grey and routine where it was all about work and that was it, he didn't think of much else out of it. He wasn't living. But then Teddy came into his life with his chaotic nature in the best way possible and brought joy, color, excitement and even understanding to his life that made his life so much better. If you love opposites attract, then you're going to love this because opposite of Henrik was Teddy with his exuberant and goofy personality who was just an all-heart sweetheart that I just loved separately as his own person but also as a counterpoint for Henrik.
Something else I loved about this book is that I know not a lot of people like books where children are a part of the plot/couple but I just LOVE reading men who are excited to be parents and are a part of their kids' lives and are willing to do anything for them especially daughters. They always heal something in me. I think Karolina was such a sweet child and loved reading her interact with both Teddy and Henrik.
I loved also how all the side characters that we have fallen in love with from previous books were in this book as well and how they just supported each other through thick and thin. This organization has one big accepting found family and community that I just love.
I just had a really good time reading this book and I was hooked from page 1 and had a hard time putting it down. I don't know what Emily has in store for us next, but I don't know how she is going to top this one.
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This book is about Teddy O'Connor who returns back to the Jacksonville Rays NHL team after being away for 6 years. But now he is returning as a Dr instead of a fresh-faced wide-eyed intern. As much as he enjoyed icing the knees and playing Mario kart with the players, he is ready to be taken seriously and help the team/players he loves so much. If only however Teddy could get over his childish crush on one of the players who saved Teddy on his first day of an intern 6 years ago. The Player is Henrik Karlsson, and he is the star forward of the rays and he has no idea about Teddy's feelings or that he even exists. So why then did Teddy take such a huge risk to not only fly across the world with him but also marry Henrik as well! Well Henrik received the worst news possible. His sister was dead, and his niece was critically injured. Henrik thought the hardest thing would be dealing with a grieving child and transporting her across the world, which is why Teddy went with him, but things take a turn when the Swedish government won't let him become the legal guardian of her and thinks it would be better for her to enter the foster care system to be adopted. Their reasoning is that as a single professional athlete he won't be able to adequately care for her. So, Teddy comes up with a crazy idea that he would be heartless to not offer. The offer well Teddy and Henrik should get married to show the government they can offer a safe and supportive environment to raise her. Which is how Teddy found himself in a hospital chapel, getting married in front of a Swedish officiant signing a marriage license. Now they are trying to make this look like a real marriage not just to help them in their custody arrangement with the government but also because of their jobs and team's image depends on everyone thinking this is a real marriage. The thing is for Henrik this might be a fake marriage until everything settles down but for Teddy while this might be a fake marriage that doesn't mean his feelings for his fake husband are fake and he doesn't know what he is going to do when this marriage comes to an end.
I received an ARC Copy from Hambright PR in exchange for an honest review.
I think the big change with this book and the other books in the Pucking universe is that this was a slow burn. Don't get me wrong I loved those books, and they had some depth to them as well, but they were sorting out their feelings and situations while also getting down and dirty. With this book being a slow burn, it really allowed things to progress differently for Teddy and Henrik as a couple as they sort out everything going on with their situation but also their relationship as well. Even Teddy remarked how this was a change of pace for him compared to his previous relationships. For Henrik by being a slow burn he was allowed to at his pace explore the possibility that he could be someone who develops romantic or even sexual feelings rather than being pushed to do something he didn't want to do because that was "normal" or what was expected of him. But once he got there, he was very much an eager student of Teddy's and was very possessive of his man. And I just loved every moment of it.
With Henrik this was a change of pace for his personality because for the first half of the book he isn't necessarily cold as in an unfeeling way (you can see this in how he cares for his family), but he is just very ridged and stoic and aloof. He even describes it in the book that his world was grey and routine where it was all about work and that was it, he didn't think of much else out of it. He wasn't living. But then Teddy came into his life with his chaotic nature in the best way possible and brought joy, color, excitement and even understanding to his life that made his life so much better. If you love opposites attract, then you're going to love this because opposite of Henrik was Teddy with his exuberant and goofy personality who was just an all-heart sweetheart that I just loved separately as his own person but also as a counterpoint for Henrik.
Something else I loved about this book is that I know not a lot of people like books where children are a part of the plot/couple but I just LOVE reading men who are excited to be parents and are a part of their kids' lives and are willing to do anything for them especially daughters. They always heal something in me. I think Karolina was such a sweet child and loved reading her interact with both Teddy and Henrik.
I loved also how all the side characters that we have fallen in love with from previous books were in this book as well and how they just supported each other through thick and thin. This organization has one big accepting found family and community that I just love.
I just had a really good time reading this book and I was hooked from page 1 and had a hard time putting it down. I don't know what Emily has in store for us next, but I don't know how she is going to top this one.
------
This book is about Teddy O'Connor who returns back to the Jacksonville Rays NHL team after being away for 6 years. But now he is returning as a Dr instead of a fresh-faced wide-eyed intern. As much as he enjoyed icing the knees and playing Mario kart with the players, he is ready to be taken seriously and help the team/players he loves so much. If only however Teddy could get over his childish crush on one of the players who saved Teddy on his first day of an intern 6 years ago. The Player is Henrik Karlsson, and he is the star forward of the rays and he has no idea about Teddy's feelings or that he even exists. So why then did Teddy take such a huge risk to not only fly across the world with him but also marry Henrik as well! Well Henrik received the worst news possible. His sister was dead, and his niece was critically injured. Henrik thought the hardest thing would be dealing with a grieving child and transporting her across the world, which is why Teddy went with him, but things take a turn when the Swedish government won't let him become the legal guardian of her and thinks it would be better for her to enter the foster care system to be adopted. Their reasoning is that as a single professional athlete he won't be able to adequately care for her. So, Teddy comes up with a crazy idea that he would be heartless to not offer. The offer well Teddy and Henrik should get married to show the government they can offer a safe and supportive environment to raise her. Which is how Teddy found himself in a hospital chapel, getting married in front of a Swedish officiant signing a marriage license. Now they are trying to make this look like a real marriage not just to help them in their custody arrangement with the government but also because of their jobs and team's image depends on everyone thinking this is a real marriage. The thing is for Henrik this might be a fake marriage until everything settles down but for Teddy while this might be a fake marriage that doesn't mean his feelings for his fake husband are fake and he doesn't know what he is going to do when this marriage comes to an end.
I received an ARC Copy from Hambright PR in exchange for an honest review.