A review by libertyreads789
Pucked by Helena Hunting

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.
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