🏒💘 Book Review: Pucking Strong by Emily Rath
A spicy MM workplace hockey romance with heart, heat, and a fake marriage twist.
Emily Rath’s Pucking Strong is the fourth installment in her wildly popular Jacksonville Rays series, and it’s a knockout blend of slow-burn romance, emotional depth, and locker-room drama. If you love queer sports romances with high stakes and tender moments, this one’s a must-read.
📖 Plot Snapshot
Meet Teddy O’Connor, a former intern turned physical therapist for the Jacksonville Rays NHL team. He’s spent six years nursing a hopeless crush on Henrik Karlsson, the team’s Swedish star forward. When Henrik’s sister dies tragically, leaving behind a grieving niece, Teddy steps in—not just as a caretaker, but as Henrik’s fake husband to help secure custody.
What starts as a PR stunt quickly spirals into something deeper. Living together, raising a child, and pretending to be in love? Turns out, Teddy’s biggest problem isn’t faking it—it’s that he’s not faking it at all.
💫 Why It Works
- Slow Burn, High Heat: The chemistry between Teddy and Henrik simmers until it explodes. Expect longing glances, emotional confessions, and steamy scenes.
- Workplace Dynamics: The tension of keeping their relationship under wraps while navigating team politics adds delicious drama.
- Found Family Vibes: Henrik’s niece brings warmth and vulnerability to the story, grounding the romance in real stakes.
- Queer Joy & Representation: Rath’s writing is unapologetically sex-positive and inclusive, celebrating love in all its forms.
🧊 Tone & Style
Rath’s prose is witty, emotionally intelligent, and packed with heart. She balances humor and heartbreak with finesse, making this more than just a romance—it’s a story about healing, trust, and choosing love even when it’s risky.
⭐ Reader Buzz
With a Goodreads rating of 4.58/5 from over 1,000 readers, Pucking Strong is being hailed as “Emily Rath’s best yet” and “a masterclass in queer romance storytelling”. Fans especially love the emotional payoff and the nuanced portrayal of grief and masculinity.
🏁 Final Verdict
If you’re craving a romance that’s equal parts tender and spicy—with hockey sticks, heartache, and a fake marriage that feels too real—Pucking Strong delivers in every way. It’s a celebration of queer love, resilience, and the messy beauty of falling for someone when you least expect it.
