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Jacksonville Rays #4
Pucking Strong
In the latest novel in the internationally bestselling Jacksonville Rays hockey romance series, a desperate situation ends with a quick trip down the aisle . . .
My name is Teddy O’Connor, and I just made a terrible mistake. It’s been six years since I was an intern for the Jacksonville Rays NHL team. Six years since I was wrapping ice packs on knees and playing Mario Kart on chartered planes. And it’s been six long years since I first met him. Henrik Karlsson, star forward of the Rays…and king of my heart.
Oh god, I’ve got to get over this crush! I’m a doctor now, a respected professional in my field. And Henrik doesn’t even know I exist. So, you tell me why I’m risking everything to follow this man halfway around the world!
After receiving news of his sister’s tragic death, Henrik must fly to Sweden to retrieve his young niece. She’s injured and grieving, but a new hockey season is about to start. Henrik can’t possibly care for her alone. In fact, the Swedish government won’t let him. He needs me. They both do. I’d be heartless not to help…right?
Well, that’s what I told myself last week as I signed our Swedish marriage license. It’s what I told myself yesterday as I moved my stuff into his apartment. And it’s what I’m telling myself now as the Rays PR Director stares us down. They want this marriage to look real. The team’s public image, our jobs, and his niece’s custody agreement all depend on it.
But my problem isn’t that I don’t love my new fake husband. God help me, my problem is that I do.
PUCKING STRONG is a spicy, slow-burning MM workplace hockey romance. For the best reader experience, start the series with the spicy prequel novella, THAT ONE NIGHT.
My name is Teddy O’Connor, and I just made a terrible mistake. It’s been six years since I was an intern for the Jacksonville Rays NHL team. Six years since I was wrapping ice packs on knees and playing Mario Kart on chartered planes. And it’s been six long years since I first met him. Henrik Karlsson, star forward of the Rays…and king of my heart.
Oh god, I’ve got to get over this crush! I’m a doctor now, a respected professional in my field. And Henrik doesn’t even know I exist. So, you tell me why I’m risking everything to follow this man halfway around the world!
After receiving news of his sister’s tragic death, Henrik must fly to Sweden to retrieve his young niece. She’s injured and grieving, but a new hockey season is about to start. Henrik can’t possibly care for her alone. In fact, the Swedish government won’t let him. He needs me. They both do. I’d be heartless not to help…right?
Well, that’s what I told myself last week as I signed our Swedish marriage license. It’s what I told myself yesterday as I moved my stuff into his apartment. And it’s what I’m telling myself now as the Rays PR Director stares us down. They want this marriage to look real. The team’s public image, our jobs, and his niece’s custody agreement all depend on it.
But my problem isn’t that I don’t love my new fake husband. God help me, my problem is that I do.
PUCKING STRONG is a spicy, slow-burning MM workplace hockey romance. For the best reader experience, start the series with the spicy prequel novella, THAT ONE NIGHT.
678 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 2025
3140 people are currently reading
43103 people want to read
About the author
Emily Rath
25 books10.9k followersEmily Rath is a USA Today and international bestselling author whose chart-topping, sex-positive, queer-inclusive fantasy and romance novels include the Second Sons Regency romances, the Tuonela Duet fantasy novels, and the ‘why choose’ Jacksonville Rays Hockey Romances. A former university professor, she holds PhDs in Political Science and Peace Studies. Emily lives with her husband, son, and cats in the Pacific Northwest. She can be found online at EmilyRathBooks.com, on Instagram @emilyrathauthor and on TikTok @emilyrathbooks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,284 reviews
May 27, 2025
RATING: ♾️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Just know that this book beat Pucking Around for me and if you know me you know that is a huge deal.
I wish I could erase this book from my brain just so I can read it again over and over for the first time.
ABSOLUTELY FREAKING FANTASTIC
✨MM Hockey Romance
✨Marriage of convenience
✨Single Guardian
✨Workplace Romance
✨Demisexual Rep
✨Opposites Attract
✨Found Family
Yes, this book doesn't come out for months.
Yes, I read the whole thing in less than a day.
No, I'm not spoiling it because it's an experience.
But here is what I will say.
💙 I cried 6 times.
✨ I had 215 highlights
💙 I screamed "oh Teddy" at least 10 times
✨ When asked my favorite scene I could only narrow it down to 5.
💙 I fell irrevocably in love with 3 people (Teddy Henrik and Karro) and I loved this book down to my bones.
✨ Teddy is the 1 person in this world more dramatic than Jake Compton (and we love him for it)
Also this has replaced pucking around as my favorite Emily Rath book and if you know ANYTHING about me, you should know what a big deal that is!
100/10 NO NOTES ALL FEELS.
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Just know that this book beat Pucking Around for me and if you know me you know that is a huge deal.
I wish I could erase this book from my brain just so I can read it again over and over for the first time.
ABSOLUTELY FREAKING FANTASTIC
✨MM Hockey Romance
✨Marriage of convenience
✨Single Guardian
✨Workplace Romance
✨Demisexual Rep
✨Opposites Attract
✨Found Family
Yes, this book doesn't come out for months.
Yes, I read the whole thing in less than a day.
No, I'm not spoiling it because it's an experience.
But here is what I will say.
💙 I cried 6 times.
✨ I had 215 highlights
💙 I screamed "oh Teddy" at least 10 times
✨ When asked my favorite scene I could only narrow it down to 5.
💙 I fell irrevocably in love with 3 people (Teddy Henrik and Karro) and I loved this book down to my bones.
✨ Teddy is the 1 person in this world more dramatic than Jake Compton (and we love him for it)
Also this has replaced pucking around as my favorite Emily Rath book and if you know ANYTHING about me, you should know what a big deal that is!
100/10 NO NOTES ALL FEELS.
August 23, 2025
this was a good book, if a little too long. I like how asexuality(demisexuality in specific) was portrayed here, it's not a common occurrence in romance books, much less done well.
I just might read the other books in the series because I really like the characters.
I just might read the other books in the series because I really like the characters.
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October 12, 2025
RATING 4.5 STARS
Pucking Strong is book four in the Jacksonville Rays series by Emily Rath. I have loved this series from the beginning. This huge group of hockey players, the people they fall in love with, and now their kids, seem like my own family.
Teddy O’Connor was only twenty years old when he joined the Jacksonville Rays as a physical therapist intern. And, it was his very first day when he literally collided with one of the players, and fell in love. He spent his year there, silently pining. But then returned to school to complete his education. Now, six years later, he is Dr. O’Connor, and is returning to the Rays. He has convinced himself that he’s over his silly crush. Once again, it’s his first day when his life is irrevocably changed.
Henrik Karlsson is Swedish and has played for the Rays since they began as a brand new team. Henrik keeps to himself. He works hard for his team. But then goes home to his apartment, sleeps, and returns to work the next day. His parents, sister and niece all live in Sweden. Henrik carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. He financially cares for his family, they’re well being his only concern.
When Henrik is notified of his sister’s tragic accident and injured niece, he immediately knows he has to travel to Sweden to bring his five year old niece home when she’s able to travel. It’s Teddy who jumps to his aid, being trained for exactly this. When they arrive, though, the Swedish government is reluctant to give Henrik guardianship. He is single, travels a lot for work, and has no experience caring for a child. If he was married, it would increase his chances. And of course, Teddy once again, jumps to his rescue.
I adored Teddy. He felt so much. In fact, he had been told in the past that he was “too much!” He was the type of person that gave all of himself to anyone that needed him. The moment he met little Karolina, he knew he would move heaven and earth to make her happy. And, to make her happy, she needed to be with her Uncle. Upon returning to Jacksonville, though, neither he nor Henrik was ready for the publicity involved with their their quicky marriage. Nor were either of them prepared for how married life would change them. How they would balance each other, support one another, and together, love the little girl that just lost her mother.
This book was a journey of love. Of these three people, two men and one little girl, coming together and forming a family. They had plenty of ups and downs, plenty of challenges. But through it all, they had each other.
Pucking Strong is book four in the Jacksonville Rays series by Emily Rath. I have loved this series from the beginning. This huge group of hockey players, the people they fall in love with, and now their kids, seem like my own family.
Teddy O’Connor was only twenty years old when he joined the Jacksonville Rays as a physical therapist intern. And, it was his very first day when he literally collided with one of the players, and fell in love. He spent his year there, silently pining. But then returned to school to complete his education. Now, six years later, he is Dr. O’Connor, and is returning to the Rays. He has convinced himself that he’s over his silly crush. Once again, it’s his first day when his life is irrevocably changed.
Henrik Karlsson is Swedish and has played for the Rays since they began as a brand new team. Henrik keeps to himself. He works hard for his team. But then goes home to his apartment, sleeps, and returns to work the next day. His parents, sister and niece all live in Sweden. Henrik carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. He financially cares for his family, they’re well being his only concern.
When Henrik is notified of his sister’s tragic accident and injured niece, he immediately knows he has to travel to Sweden to bring his five year old niece home when she’s able to travel. It’s Teddy who jumps to his aid, being trained for exactly this. When they arrive, though, the Swedish government is reluctant to give Henrik guardianship. He is single, travels a lot for work, and has no experience caring for a child. If he was married, it would increase his chances. And of course, Teddy once again, jumps to his rescue.
I adored Teddy. He felt so much. In fact, he had been told in the past that he was “too much!” He was the type of person that gave all of himself to anyone that needed him. The moment he met little Karolina, he knew he would move heaven and earth to make her happy. And, to make her happy, she needed to be with her Uncle. Upon returning to Jacksonville, though, neither he nor Henrik was ready for the publicity involved with their their quicky marriage. Nor were either of them prepared for how married life would change them. How they would balance each other, support one another, and together, love the little girl that just lost her mother.
This book was a journey of love. Of these three people, two men and one little girl, coming together and forming a family. They had plenty of ups and downs, plenty of challenges. But through it all, they had each other.
Currently reading
August 26, 2025°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･preread°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
I'm so nervous and excited!!
I'm so nervous and excited!!
May 12, 2025
Y'all. THIS BOOK IS FREAKING INCREDIBLE. Many of you might know that I'm a huge Emily Rath fangirl. It's also pretty obvious that I'm a huge fan of mm romance (funny enough, I attribute Pucking Around for getting me into it). Combine the two and I'm pretty much guaranteed to be feral. And THERE IS SO MUCH TO BE FERAL ABOUT IN PUCKING STRONG. Compared to Emily's other books, this book is much slower and much more emotional. Teddy and Henrik are thrown together unexpectedly and while there is a spark, it takes a while for it to grow, but when it does, it's SO worth it. Though you can still find Emily's signature banter, quirky characters, and wild spice in Pucking Strong, what I loved most is how much HEART it has. It's ABSOLUTELY a must read book!
I'm kind of obsessed with Teddy and his dynamic with Henrik. If you, like me, were a big fan of Jake and Caleb in Pucking Around, you are going to LOVE their vibes. Teddy is dramatic and a little goofy, but he's also a total sweetheart with a HUGE unrequited (he assumes) crush on Henrik. His selfless heart leads him to agree to a marriage of convenience to help Henrik gain guardianship of his orphaned niece, but he finds it incredibly difficult to pretend that he doesn't have actual feelings for him. Something I didn't know going in was that Henrik is demisexual - he makes it clear to Teddy that he's never really felt attraction for anyone. He's stoic and practical and hard to read... until he finds himself completely captivated by his new husband. I love that he kind of surprises himself with his growing feelings. Though he finds this kind of overwhelming, and they try to go slow, when Henrik finally goes full heart eyes, protective/possessive over Teddy, I SWOONED. Think touch-starved, fated mates kinda vibes - I was EATING IT UP.
I LOVED the single dad(ish) rep in this book - the scenes with Karolina were SO SWEET. It was kind of nice that both Teddy and Henrik were learning to be parents at the same time, definitely a different dynamic than most single dad books. And OMG, we get appearances from ALL of the Jacksonville Rays from previous book, and I was HERE FOR IT. The WAG jacket scene had me ROLLING, Teddy and Novy's shenanigans were hilarious, Poppy continues to be my spirit animal. I literally cannot get enough of these characters, and this book kind of brought them all together in the best way.
Friends, I think this might be Emily's best book yet. It's so much fun, had me both laughing and crying, just a joy to read. I did have several people ask me about reading this one as a standalone for various reasons, and while I do think it can be done, I highly recommend at least being familiar with the other books in the series for context. Regardless of how you read it, PLEASE get it on your TBR because it's such an incredible read - absolutely one of the best books I've read this year.
I'm kind of obsessed with Teddy and his dynamic with Henrik. If you, like me, were a big fan of Jake and Caleb in Pucking Around, you are going to LOVE their vibes. Teddy is dramatic and a little goofy, but he's also a total sweetheart with a HUGE unrequited (he assumes) crush on Henrik. His selfless heart leads him to agree to a marriage of convenience to help Henrik gain guardianship of his orphaned niece, but he finds it incredibly difficult to pretend that he doesn't have actual feelings for him. Something I didn't know going in was that Henrik is demisexual - he makes it clear to Teddy that he's never really felt attraction for anyone. He's stoic and practical and hard to read... until he finds himself completely captivated by his new husband. I love that he kind of surprises himself with his growing feelings. Though he finds this kind of overwhelming, and they try to go slow, when Henrik finally goes full heart eyes, protective/possessive over Teddy, I SWOONED. Think touch-starved, fated mates kinda vibes - I was EATING IT UP.
I LOVED the single dad(ish) rep in this book - the scenes with Karolina were SO SWEET. It was kind of nice that both Teddy and Henrik were learning to be parents at the same time, definitely a different dynamic than most single dad books. And OMG, we get appearances from ALL of the Jacksonville Rays from previous book, and I was HERE FOR IT. The WAG jacket scene had me ROLLING, Teddy and Novy's shenanigans were hilarious, Poppy continues to be my spirit animal. I literally cannot get enough of these characters, and this book kind of brought them all together in the best way.
Friends, I think this might be Emily's best book yet. It's so much fun, had me both laughing and crying, just a joy to read. I did have several people ask me about reading this one as a standalone for various reasons, and while I do think it can be done, I highly recommend at least being familiar with the other books in the series for context. Regardless of how you read it, PLEASE get it on your TBR because it's such an incredible read - absolutely one of the best books I've read this year.
September 4, 2025
4.5 stars i love teddy and henrik more than life and would go to war for them. emily rath writes such beautiful queer love
November 26, 2025
I think this may be my favorite in the series! I really loved Henrik and Teddy‘s relationship throughout this book. I also loved seeing their dynamic with Karolina and how they both grow and changing into their role. I also like the fact that this one was more of a slow burn compared to the first three books in the series. I think that the author really flushed out these characters, it didn’t push anything until later on in the book. I really enjoy that they started off with a emotional relationship and developing that and getting to understand each other before they ever started anything physical. I think that this book does a great job with talking about grief, depression, anxiety, and questions about one sexuality. Can’t wait for the next book to come out in the series!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
July 12, 2025
♾️⭐️
Nothing to say right now other than.. I love them. With all of me. Every atom, every molecule of me, loves and belongs to Teddy and Henrik. Forever.
Nothing to say right now other than.. I love them. With all of me. Every atom, every molecule of me, loves and belongs to Teddy and Henrik. Forever.
December 15, 2025
This was a 6 star read for me! I could tell less than 100 pages in that I was going to love this book but I was not ready for how emotionally connected I was going to become to this book. I have not felt this was about a book in a LONG time. I found myself tearing up so many times throughout this book and I’m not one that typically gets emotional while reading. I lived EVERYTHING about this book and I was truly sad when it ended. I loved all the other books in this series and for me, this blows them all out of the water. This was everything I needed and more. For those that are excited for this book to realize you are not going to be disappointed
August 6, 2025
Perfection.
Want to read
May 21, 2025its the way I'm about to get on my knees and start begging netgalley to let me have this arc 🙏
September 24, 2025
Safety info, content warnings and tropes down below.
There was a lot to love about this book in terms of the characters, the tropes and the premise, but the audiobook narration was garbage. Henrik's accent during his chapters were the worst, most over-the-top, Swedish chef-like, wish-it-was-a-prank garbage. Henrik's accent during Teddy's chapters was just straight up German. I don't think I've ever heard narrations being this much of a hot mess, especially not from narrators like these two who are usually very talented (Diontae Black especially is actually super talented, just clearly not with this lol).
Anyway. Now that I've got that off my chest, we can talk about the fact that I actually did enjoy the story itself. I thought Teddy and Henrik were well matched, and I felt confident they'd actually be a solid couple for life. That doesn't mean it was easy for them, but they had great development and worked on the things that were difficult or potential problems. It felt surprisingly healthy and adult.
The marriage of convenience/fake relationship premise isn't new at all, but the fact that Teddy had been pining for years and Henrik really hadn't brought a new dynamic to a common trope. The tension between the characters was fantastic, and I really liked that we got to explore/take a bit of a dive into Henrik's sexuality (some flavor of ace/demi) without needing to find an 'answer'.
Anyway. I recommend eyeball reading this book! Like, seriously. Avoid the audiobook lol.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Hockey player
Pining
Opposites attract
Marriage of convenience
Fake relationship
Hockey team PT
Doctor MC
Black MC
Guardianship of niece
Swedish MC
Demi/ace/gray rep
Slow burn
Only one bed
Hurt/comfort
⚠️ Spice menu ⚠️
First times
Bathtub sex
Edging
69ing
Dirty talk
The assplay virgin is a desperate bottom
Spanking
On-the-car sex
Massage to handjob
Vibrating cock ring
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Death of MC's sibling (off page, during book)
Racial profiling of MC
Details of child being injured (off page)
On-page hospitalization of child (family)
Mentions of child abandonment
Parent with Dementia
Brief suicidal ideation (MC)
Alcohol consumption (on-page intoxication)
Homophobic Minor characters
Explicit sexual content
MC sexually harassed by SC (attempted/intended assault)
Erotic spanking
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: A few scenes of jealousy and a text from an old almost-hookup, but no actual drama.
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Sports romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 26 and not specified
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 544
Happy ending: Yes
“Hey, Teddy.” He smiles that smile that only reaches his eyes. God, I haven’t seen that smile in six long years. “Good to see you again.” Well, fuck me. Apparently, the love of my life remembers my name.
“You’re someone. You’re my someone. And I want to take care of you. Please, Teddy—you’ve been taking care of me so well for weeks now. Let me return the favor. Don’t drive off in the dark to go sit alone in an empty hotel room. Stay. Stay here with me and let me take care of you for a change.”
“How will I know if I can give you everything you want, if you won’t let me try?”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
There was a lot to love about this book in terms of the characters, the tropes and the premise, but the audiobook narration was garbage. Henrik's accent during his chapters were the worst, most over-the-top, Swedish chef-like, wish-it-was-a-prank garbage. Henrik's accent during Teddy's chapters was just straight up German. I don't think I've ever heard narrations being this much of a hot mess, especially not from narrators like these two who are usually very talented (Diontae Black especially is actually super talented, just clearly not with this lol).
Anyway. Now that I've got that off my chest, we can talk about the fact that I actually did enjoy the story itself. I thought Teddy and Henrik were well matched, and I felt confident they'd actually be a solid couple for life. That doesn't mean it was easy for them, but they had great development and worked on the things that were difficult or potential problems. It felt surprisingly healthy and adult.
The marriage of convenience/fake relationship premise isn't new at all, but the fact that Teddy had been pining for years and Henrik really hadn't brought a new dynamic to a common trope. The tension between the characters was fantastic, and I really liked that we got to explore/take a bit of a dive into Henrik's sexuality (some flavor of ace/demi) without needing to find an 'answer'.
Anyway. I recommend eyeball reading this book! Like, seriously. Avoid the audiobook lol.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Hockey player
Pining
Opposites attract
Marriage of convenience
Fake relationship
Hockey team PT
Doctor MC
Black MC
Guardianship of niece
Swedish MC
Demi/ace/gray rep
Slow burn
Only one bed
Hurt/comfort
⚠️ Spice menu ⚠️
First times
Bathtub sex
Edging
69ing
Dirty talk
The assplay virgin is a desperate bottom
Spanking
On-the-car sex
Massage to handjob
Vibrating cock ring
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Death of MC's sibling (off page, during book)
Racial profiling of MC
Details of child being injured (off page)
On-page hospitalization of child (family)
Mentions of child abandonment
Parent with Dementia
Brief suicidal ideation (MC)
Alcohol consumption (on-page intoxication)
Homophobic Minor characters
Explicit sexual content
MC sexually harassed by SC (attempted/intended assault)
Erotic spanking
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: A few scenes of jealousy and a text from an old almost-hookup, but no actual drama.
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Sports romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 26 and not specified
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 544
Happy ending: Yes
“Hey, Teddy.” He smiles that smile that only reaches his eyes. God, I haven’t seen that smile in six long years. “Good to see you again.” Well, fuck me. Apparently, the love of my life remembers my name.
“You’re someone. You’re my someone. And I want to take care of you. Please, Teddy—you’ve been taking care of me so well for weeks now. Let me return the favor. Don’t drive off in the dark to go sit alone in an empty hotel room. Stay. Stay here with me and let me take care of you for a change.”
“How will I know if I can give you everything you want, if you won’t let me try?”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
August 30, 2025
I am a HUGE fan of the Jacksonville Rays series. These books have given me some of my favorite characters of all time (lookin' at you, Caleb, Ilmari and Novy, my sweet little munchkins). But Pucking Strong is my least favorite addition to this universe.
There was a lot to love! Our favorite characters from past books all have a ton of cameos, especially Poppy, Novy, and Jake. I love the culture of the Rays team-they are all so clearly ride or die for each other, and seeing the WAGs ("Wives and Guys") get a little more attention and respect was awesome. Ilmari in a sparkly WAG jacket that says "No Exit" on it is my new Roman Empire. There were some lovely moments throughout about how important a community and a tribe can be. There was also important and timely commentary around the impact of the press on sports figures and their families, and their disproportionate ability to do harm by behaving or reporting unethically. We have a responsibility to think critically about the media we consume and I think this book demonstrated that really beautifully.
In the end, I just didn't connect with Teddy and Henrik as independent characters or as a couple. Henrik was very one dimensional. There are flickers of a personality that are never really developed. If I had to describe him, it'd be as a wannabe Ilmari without the wisdom and warmth. Teddy is a chaos gremlin, but not really in a cute way, especially early on. Despite the "sacrifice" of marrying a man he was already in love with, he was not really very emotionally supportive or available to Henrik during some really key moments, and turned some things that weren't about him into "pay attention to me!" selfish moments. I also didn't like that they made a big deal of Teddy being a DPT and being able to care for Karolina, but we never really saw him do that. All he did was give massages which, I mean, is great but isn't really a demonstration of great PT. I think that had they demonstrated his competency in some of these ways, it would have balanced out some of his chaos and selfishness and made him seem like a more valid partner than just another problem Henrik had to deal with.
Favorite Quote:
“A man like Teddy is loyal to the grave. He’s like my Jake. Pour into his cup and watch as he returns your effort tenfold.”
There was a lot to love! Our favorite characters from past books all have a ton of cameos, especially Poppy, Novy, and Jake. I love the culture of the Rays team-they are all so clearly ride or die for each other, and seeing the WAGs ("Wives and Guys") get a little more attention and respect was awesome. Ilmari in a sparkly WAG jacket that says "No Exit" on it is my new Roman Empire. There were some lovely moments throughout about how important a community and a tribe can be. There was also important and timely commentary around the impact of the press on sports figures and their families, and their disproportionate ability to do harm by behaving or reporting unethically. We have a responsibility to think critically about the media we consume and I think this book demonstrated that really beautifully.
In the end, I just didn't connect with Teddy and Henrik as independent characters or as a couple. Henrik was very one dimensional. There are flickers of a personality that are never really developed. If I had to describe him, it'd be as a wannabe Ilmari without the wisdom and warmth. Teddy is a chaos gremlin, but not really in a cute way, especially early on. Despite the "sacrifice" of marrying a man he was already in love with, he was not really very emotionally supportive or available to Henrik during some really key moments, and turned some things that weren't about him into "pay attention to me!" selfish moments. I also didn't like that they made a big deal of Teddy being a DPT and being able to care for Karolina, but we never really saw him do that. All he did was give massages which, I mean, is great but isn't really a demonstration of great PT. I think that had they demonstrated his competency in some of these ways, it would have balanced out some of his chaos and selfishness and made him seem like a more valid partner than just another problem Henrik had to deal with.
Favorite Quote:
“A man like Teddy is loyal to the grave. He’s like my Jake. Pour into his cup and watch as he returns your effort tenfold.”
August 28, 2025
I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this. I've stayed away from the other books in the series because I knew I wasn't going to like them but I'm glad I took a chance with this one.
I loved Henrik and Cara but most of all I loved Teddy. His strength, resilience and his ability to communicate literally endeared him to me so fast and so much. I think Rath did a great job writing such an amazing black character with the appropriate amount of care!! I also really appreciated how Henrik's demisexuality was approached.
I still stand by the the fact that the book could have been at least 150 pages less. That coupled with the fact that Henrik's voice actor was horrible with the accent is why I'm docking off stars. It's to the point that Teddy's voice actor did Henrik's accent better😭 it was so frustrating sometimes especially at the emotionally charged scenes. I still loved it though, giggled all the way through.
I loved Henrik and Cara but most of all I loved Teddy. His strength, resilience and his ability to communicate literally endeared him to me so fast and so much. I think Rath did a great job writing such an amazing black character with the appropriate amount of care!! I also really appreciated how Henrik's demisexuality was approached.
I still stand by the the fact that the book could have been at least 150 pages less. That coupled with the fact that Henrik's voice actor was horrible with the accent is why I'm docking off stars. It's to the point that Teddy's voice actor did Henrik's accent better😭 it was so frustrating sometimes especially at the emotionally charged scenes. I still loved it though, giggled all the way through.
October 3, 2025
4 ⭐️
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
format: audiobook
narration: 🎤/5
let’s get the narration part out of the way first: YIKES.
okay, now that that’s settled… this was cute. the rays have really become such a comfort found family for me and i swear i will never not love a single member of this team.
overall i really loved teddy and henrik. i do think teddy could be…a lot…sometimes. like he seriously exhausted me at several points. and his family? woof. but he really loved henrik and sacrificed a lot for him and karo.
i loved the demisexual representation in this book. i think it was done really well and i think it showed how strong their relationship really was when we did finally get to the spice.
i do think this book felt a little unnecessarily long. and i think if there weren’t so many character appearances from the other books i would’ve been a lot more bored than i was. but many parts still dragged a lot.
another great addition to this series that i adore so much.
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
format: audiobook
narration: 🎤/5
let’s get the narration part out of the way first: YIKES.
okay, now that that’s settled… this was cute. the rays have really become such a comfort found family for me and i swear i will never not love a single member of this team.
overall i really loved teddy and henrik. i do think teddy could be…a lot…sometimes. like he seriously exhausted me at several points. and his family? woof. but he really loved henrik and sacrificed a lot for him and karo.
i loved the demisexual representation in this book. i think it was done really well and i think it showed how strong their relationship really was when we did finally get to the spice.
i do think this book felt a little unnecessarily long. and i think if there weren’t so many character appearances from the other books i would’ve been a lot more bored than i was. but many parts still dragged a lot.
another great addition to this series that i adore so much.
September 23, 2025
4.7 ⭐
Loved it!
I can't express enough how much I love this world and everyone in it.
And this new couple was so precious. I loved how there was drama, but the drama never really touched them as a unit. They were really pucking strong.
RTC — might update this review
ok nope, not in the mood to rewrite my review, but I've been thinking about this book a lot which means sooner or later I'm gonna re-read.
So, please, Emily add new material to the series and give me a good reason to do a second marathon 🫶🏼
Soon ✨
Loved it!
I can't express enough how much I love this world and everyone in it.
And this new couple was so precious. I loved how there was drama, but the drama never really touched them as a unit. They were really pucking strong.
ok nope, not in the mood to rewrite my review, but I've been thinking about this book a lot which means sooner or later I'm gonna re-read.
So, please, Emily add new material to the series and give me a good reason to do a second marathon 🫶🏼
Soon ✨
August 5, 2025
My heart is full
Omg I wanna write a proper review but I am just so full.of the happy feels and smiling like a goof ball I just can't think straight let along type a coherent sentence that explains just how much I love this book. I love the Rays, I love Henrik, I love Karro and my God I love, adore, worship at the altar of Teddy! He is just the sweetest, loveliest most perfect darling I have had the privilege of reading about for a long time *sighs* he and Henrik are perfect and I am gonna be riding this happy book high for a while.
Omg I wanna write a proper review but I am just so full.of the happy feels and smiling like a goof ball I just can't think straight let along type a coherent sentence that explains just how much I love this book. I love the Rays, I love Henrik, I love Karro and my God I love, adore, worship at the altar of Teddy! He is just the sweetest, loveliest most perfect darling I have had the privilege of reading about for a long time *sighs* he and Henrik are perfect and I am gonna be riding this happy book high for a while.
July 29, 2025
This book was okay—a bit slow.
I liked the couple just fine.
But! Big but... I did not like how the Swedish part of the story was written.
I'm Swedish, I live in Sweden, and the part where he brought his sister home to his parents was totally unrealistic. If someone dies, we have a funeral parlor that takes care of the body. They handle it and transfer it to the funeral home. Then, if it's cremated, the family gets the urn to bring to a graveyard and put to rest.
You can’t just take an urn from the hospital, because that’s not where the body is handled. The hospital only keeps it cold until the funeral home picks it up. And this process takes weeks.
So that was one part that really irritated me.
The next thing was the social services. In Sweden, they don’t really like putting kids into foster care—they prefer placing them with family. And honestly, he wouldn’t have needed to be married. It wouldn’t have been a big deal; he would have gotten custody of his niece easily.
So that was also a bit "meh," to be honest.
Other than that, it was kind of a light read, even though it was over 400 pages.
I liked the couple just fine.
But! Big but... I did not like how the Swedish part of the story was written.
I'm Swedish, I live in Sweden, and the part where he brought his sister home to his parents was totally unrealistic. If someone dies, we have a funeral parlor that takes care of the body. They handle it and transfer it to the funeral home. Then, if it's cremated, the family gets the urn to bring to a graveyard and put to rest.
You can’t just take an urn from the hospital, because that’s not where the body is handled. The hospital only keeps it cold until the funeral home picks it up. And this process takes weeks.
So that was one part that really irritated me.
The next thing was the social services. In Sweden, they don’t really like putting kids into foster care—they prefer placing them with family. And honestly, he wouldn’t have needed to be married. It wouldn’t have been a big deal; he would have gotten custody of his niece easily.
So that was also a bit "meh," to be honest.
Other than that, it was kind of a light read, even though it was over 400 pages.
December 16, 2025
4.5 ⭐️I think I’ve fallen in love with Henrik. And I can’t help but adore Teddy. I enjoyed their story immensely- just brilliantly romantic and swoony and heart achy and full of found family and crazy teammates and magic massages and the sweetest little girl you can imagine.
Teddy has pined after Henrik for 6 years after the first time they met and his heart fell at Henrik’s feet. Henrik for his part is struggling in a wholly different way - his life becoming narrowly focused on how he serves those he loved and hockey, while grappling with is sexuality and feeling broken about it. When tragedy strikes it comes with him needing someone and that someone is Teddy.
Teddy and Karro open up his world and he inturn shows Teddy he is worth all the love in the world.
Emily Rath takes time to build this relationship beautifully, an unbreakable bond with no protracted drama. Highly recommend reading, it can easily be read as a standalone if you like.
Teddy has pined after Henrik for 6 years after the first time they met and his heart fell at Henrik’s feet. Henrik for his part is struggling in a wholly different way - his life becoming narrowly focused on how he serves those he loved and hockey, while grappling with is sexuality and feeling broken about it. When tragedy strikes it comes with him needing someone and that someone is Teddy.
Teddy and Karro open up his world and he inturn shows Teddy he is worth all the love in the world.
Emily Rath takes time to build this relationship beautifully, an unbreakable bond with no protracted drama. Highly recommend reading, it can easily be read as a standalone if you like.
September 8, 2025
The voices were so cringy. I just couldn’t get more than a few chapters in.
October 7, 2025
“You’ll watch me fuck you and know you’re claimed. My man wears my number and my cum. Only you, Teddy.”
a marriage of convenience between henrik ( swedish hockey player who needs to adopt his niece) and teddy ( team doctor who’s been completely in love with henrik since day one). and omg the way they explore and learn about each other???? the possessiveness since day one?? so so good 😋
I so want to read the entire series because the friend group is adorable but I’m really not in the mood for mf😭
a marriage of convenience between henrik ( swedish hockey player who needs to adopt his niece) and teddy ( team doctor who’s been completely in love with henrik since day one). and omg the way they explore and learn about each other???? the possessiveness since day one?? so so good 😋
I so want to read the entire series because the friend group is adorable but I’m really not in the mood for mf😭
September 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.75 stars)
Pucking Strong is everything I hoped for and more. I absolutely adored Teddy and Henrik’s dynamic, Emily Rath wrote them in such a way that I couldn’t stop smiling, laughing and even tearing up at times.
Teddy is dramatic, goofy and over the top in the very best way, but beneath all of that, he’s an absolute sweetheart. His anxious internal monologues added such a fun layer to the story, they broke up the tension in heavier scenes with humor and warmth, making him feel so relatable and real.
Henrik’s journey, though, is what completely stole my heart. Watching him grow, find himself and slowly come to understand his feelings was beautifully written. His love story with Teddy unfolded with so much care and authenticity that it felt both tender and inevitable.
Another highlight for me was Karolina. Her immediate bond with Teddy was precious and I loved how their relationship blossomed naturally and continued to grow right up until the very last page. It made the story feel even more grounded and heartwarming.
Of course, it was also wonderful to revisit the rest of the crew and soak in their found family dynamic again. There’s something so comforting about seeing these characters together, supporting each other and just existing as a family of choice.
The only downside for me had nothing to do with the writing itself, I immerse read the book, and Henrik’s voice just didn’t quite land for me. It pulled me out of the story a little, which is why I couldn’t quite give it the full 5 stars.
That said, the story itself? Absolutely beautiful, heartfelt and unforgettable.
Pucking Strong is everything I hoped for and more. I absolutely adored Teddy and Henrik’s dynamic, Emily Rath wrote them in such a way that I couldn’t stop smiling, laughing and even tearing up at times.
Teddy is dramatic, goofy and over the top in the very best way, but beneath all of that, he’s an absolute sweetheart. His anxious internal monologues added such a fun layer to the story, they broke up the tension in heavier scenes with humor and warmth, making him feel so relatable and real.
Henrik’s journey, though, is what completely stole my heart. Watching him grow, find himself and slowly come to understand his feelings was beautifully written. His love story with Teddy unfolded with so much care and authenticity that it felt both tender and inevitable.
Another highlight for me was Karolina. Her immediate bond with Teddy was precious and I loved how their relationship blossomed naturally and continued to grow right up until the very last page. It made the story feel even more grounded and heartwarming.
Of course, it was also wonderful to revisit the rest of the crew and soak in their found family dynamic again. There’s something so comforting about seeing these characters together, supporting each other and just existing as a family of choice.
The only downside for me had nothing to do with the writing itself, I immerse read the book, and Henrik’s voice just didn’t quite land for me. It pulled me out of the story a little, which is why I couldn’t quite give it the full 5 stars.
That said, the story itself? Absolutely beautiful, heartfelt and unforgettable.
October 6, 2025
3.75 stars ⭐️��️⭐️
no one does it like emily rath. and i mean, very very extremely spicy amazing hockey romances! i am devouring this series and will do until it’s over! i adore it.
i really did not know what to expect from this book at first. because we did not really know those two. but i knew it was MM and i would love it.
we also were aware this was slow burn. but omg was this very SLOWWWWW but wow when it burned, GODDAMN. delicious. emily rath writes amazing dirty spice scenes
my complaint was this was a bit too long. a couple chapters were not necessary to their stories so my reading was getting long and boring at times. but i had a better time than pucking sweet!
and nothing will ever top pucking wild with tess and ryan. i love them so much
no one does it like emily rath. and i mean, very very extremely spicy amazing hockey romances! i am devouring this series and will do until it’s over! i adore it.
i really did not know what to expect from this book at first. because we did not really know those two. but i knew it was MM and i would love it.
we also were aware this was slow burn. but omg was this very SLOWWWWW but wow when it burned, GODDAMN. delicious. emily rath writes amazing dirty spice scenes
my complaint was this was a bit too long. a couple chapters were not necessary to their stories so my reading was getting long and boring at times. but i had a better time than pucking sweet!
and nothing will ever top pucking wild with tess and ryan. i love them so much
September 2, 2025
Ooh this book has my heart! Teddy and Hedrick are the absolute cutest couple. Teddy’s anxious thoughts and spirals were so relatable and had me laughing, while Henrik’s guarded stoic nature made my heart swell when he finally let himself feel love. Their romance was a slow burn that felt so natural to who they are and when it ignited it was pure fire 🥵
This story captured the journey of personal growth and selfless love perfectly. Teddy and Hendrick’s care and love for Karro while navigating how to strengthen their own relationship felt so genuine heartfelt. Emily has such a gift for creating characters you can’t help but feel deeply connected to and this book was no exception. I absolutely loved it!
We also got glimpses of what the rest of the crew has been up to and it reminded me just how much I adore this found family. They love each other without condition and show up for one another time and time again 🥹
🌶️🌶️🌶️
This story captured the journey of personal growth and selfless love perfectly. Teddy and Hendrick’s care and love for Karro while navigating how to strengthen their own relationship felt so genuine heartfelt. Emily has such a gift for creating characters you can’t help but feel deeply connected to and this book was no exception. I absolutely loved it!
We also got glimpses of what the rest of the crew has been up to and it reminded me just how much I adore this found family. They love each other without condition and show up for one another time and time again 🥹
🌶️🌶️🌶️
September 24, 2025
Hard to say I haven’t fallen for this series. I love the world she has created. And this next chapter is no different. Falling in love with both Teddy and Henrik was almost instant. I loved the long build up to the full pay off we got. No doubt, where in most series the spice level doesn’t really make me gasp..this one got me a bit. Just loved the story overall, with peaks and valleys throughout. Ending fell a little short for me, keeping it from a 5 star, just cause pretty predictable but I just really enjoyed the story overall. Can’t wait for the next.
July 20, 2025
I was so lucky to get an eARC from Emily and it could not be better. Every time I think queer story telling couldn't be better and every time I am wrong. Extraordinary and beautiful, I can't wait to see how this line of stories ends with an FFM. was it slightly weird for one sister to be named Petra and one to be named Shae? yes, because every time I look at my name I think it looks weird.
August 27, 2025
Let me just start by saying, I LOVED THIS BOOK. This book was pure magic! If you could read a hug, the hug would be this book. I loved this book so much, I almost feel like I dreamed it. It was over 600 pages long. I wish it were longer! This book was so good, I wish I hadn't read it yet. Now, I can never read it for the first time again.
I can't think of a single part of this book that I didn't like. It just worked for me!
Teddy and Henrik might be my favorite pairing from this whole series. Teddy is such a relatable character. His anxious internal monologue added humor and levity to scenes that were so heavy with tension. It was the perfect balance. Henrik's journey to finding himself, understanding his soul and falling in love is written beautifully. Karolina's character and her instant connection with Teddy was so sweet. I loved how that developed organically right up to the last page.
About 300 pages of this book gave me the same squishy, fluttery feelings as "The Dentist" from Pucking Ever After Volume 2. IYKYK. "The Dentist" is not just a few chapters. It's an EMOTION, and that emotion flows through Pucking Strong.
I enjoyed seeing the continuation of the Rays found family dynamic and seeing what the previous book's characters are up to.
I received an eARC through Patreon and DEVOURED every page.
I can't think of a single part of this book that I didn't like. It just worked for me!
Teddy and Henrik might be my favorite pairing from this whole series. Teddy is such a relatable character. His anxious internal monologue added humor and levity to scenes that were so heavy with tension. It was the perfect balance. Henrik's journey to finding himself, understanding his soul and falling in love is written beautifully. Karolina's character and her instant connection with Teddy was so sweet. I loved how that developed organically right up to the last page.
About 300 pages of this book gave me the same squishy, fluttery feelings as "The Dentist" from Pucking Ever After Volume 2. IYKYK. "The Dentist" is not just a few chapters. It's an EMOTION, and that emotion flows through Pucking Strong.
I enjoyed seeing the continuation of the Rays found family dynamic and seeing what the previous book's characters are up to.
I received an eARC through Patreon and DEVOURED every page.
August 29, 2025
This is the worst audiobook I have ever listened to. I've listened to hundreds if not thousands of audiobooks and this is the worst. I really don't want to shit all over this book but I hate listened to it to finish it so I could write a review (I don't rate DNFs). When the author made the narrator announcement for this book, my heart sank. There are two names on my "do not listen" list and both are narrators for this book. Terrible luck!! I stayed cautiously optimistic since its been a while since I gave either narrator a chance. I was able to borrow this audio from the library thankfully so its not a wasted audible credit. I knew within the first few sentences that I would not have a good time. I was not able to switch to eyeball reading for various reasons, so I stuck with it. Tor Thom's accent was so bad that I could barely comprehend the sentences. I was so focused on his enunciations and inflections. All his POVs are extended versions of "Yoo Hoo Big Summer Blowout" from the movie Frozen. I am still cringing. I would internally cheer when it switched to Teddy's POV chapters. I don't love his narration in this or other books but it was an amazing performance when compared to Tor's Henrik.
Ok, the actual book.... It is impossible for me to completely separate it from the narration. It tainted it for me but I don't think there was much to taint. It was so overly long and drawn out and pretty boring. I didn't really like Teddy or Henrik at all. Even the cameos weren't that great. I did laugh out loud a few times and there were good moments, so I bumped this up to 2 stars instead of 1.
Overall, such a disappointment.
Ok, the actual book.... It is impossible for me to completely separate it from the narration. It tainted it for me but I don't think there was much to taint. It was so overly long and drawn out and pretty boring. I didn't really like Teddy or Henrik at all. Even the cameos weren't that great. I did laugh out loud a few times and there were good moments, so I bumped this up to 2 stars instead of 1.
Overall, such a disappointment.
September 1, 2025
Oh, sweet, sweet, Teddy baby.
There were several things that I really loved about this book:
*The reappearance of all of the Rays from Pucking Around, Pucking Wild, and Pucking Sweet <3
*Teddy
*The humor and also the humor lost in translation
*Demisexual
*Ilmari's talk with Henrik
*Henrik exploring his sexuality
*The WAGs
*The wedding vows, holy sweetness
*Teddy and Henrik's relationship with Karolina
*Novi's shenanigans
*Henrik's speeches to the press #swoon
Format: audiobook, narrated by Diontae Black and Tor Thom
There were several things that I really loved about this book:
*The reappearance of all of the Rays from Pucking Around, Pucking Wild, and Pucking Sweet <3
*Teddy
*The humor and also the humor lost in translation
*Demisexual
*Ilmari's talk with Henrik
*Henrik exploring his sexuality
*The WAGs
*The wedding vows, holy sweetness
*Teddy and Henrik's relationship with Karolina
*Novi's shenanigans
*Henrik's speeches to the press #swoon
Format: audiobook, narrated by Diontae Black and Tor Thom
November 9, 2025
I take back everything I’ve said: Turns out I am SUPER into MM sports romance. I just hadn’t read the right one, but Pucking Strong was it! In fact, when the slow burn finally paid off, I was so invested in the characters, I wanted less spice and more character development! Another great addition to the series!
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