What do you think?
Rate this book
Puck
Not yet published
Expected 2 Jun 26In this A Midsummer Night's Dream-inspired romcom, Puck is a reality show producer and agent of chaos with a talent for bringing people together . . . and tearing them apart.
Meet Puck: the nonbinary, thirty-year-old mastermind behind "Homewreckers", a dating show that puts troubled couples through hell—with a little help from their exes. Used to being the one pulling the strings, it shocks Puck when their life undergoes a plot twist of its own and their college roommate Mia announces her engagement to her ex’s best friend, Damon. Having only recently broken up with longtime-boyfriend Zander, and never having had much in common with Damon (who lovesick Lena has always pined after), Mia’s news leaves her friend group reeling—and Puck’s mind whirling.
When they arrive for a week of wedding festivities at an upscale resort in the Appalachian forest, Puck immediately sees that Mia’s marriage will lead to misery, and takes it upon themself to save their friends by rearranging the couples—without anyone finding out. But as Puck comes up against a type-A maid of honor hell-bent on making this wedding happen, it becomes clear that they will have to deliver the greatest stunt of their career. If only they can take their eyes off the bridesmaid. After all, the course of true love never did run smooth…
Written with Samantha Allen’s signature charm, wit, and an irresistible dose of Shakespearian mischief, Puck is the ultimate romcom for our chaotic era, and a celebration of the friendships that carry us through it all.
Meet Puck: the nonbinary, thirty-year-old mastermind behind "Homewreckers", a dating show that puts troubled couples through hell—with a little help from their exes. Used to being the one pulling the strings, it shocks Puck when their life undergoes a plot twist of its own and their college roommate Mia announces her engagement to her ex’s best friend, Damon. Having only recently broken up with longtime-boyfriend Zander, and never having had much in common with Damon (who lovesick Lena has always pined after), Mia’s news leaves her friend group reeling—and Puck’s mind whirling.
When they arrive for a week of wedding festivities at an upscale resort in the Appalachian forest, Puck immediately sees that Mia’s marriage will lead to misery, and takes it upon themself to save their friends by rearranging the couples—without anyone finding out. But as Puck comes up against a type-A maid of honor hell-bent on making this wedding happen, it becomes clear that they will have to deliver the greatest stunt of their career. If only they can take their eyes off the bridesmaid. After all, the course of true love never did run smooth…
Written with Samantha Allen’s signature charm, wit, and an irresistible dose of Shakespearian mischief, Puck is the ultimate romcom for our chaotic era, and a celebration of the friendships that carry us through it all.
288 pages, Paperback
Expected publication June 2, 2026
3 people are currently reading
4698 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Allen
7 books541 followersSamantha Allen is the author of the horror comedy novel PATRICIA WANTS TO CUDDLE (Zando, 2022) and the Lambda Literary Award finalist REAL QUEER AMERICA: LGBT STORIES FROM RED STATES (Little, Brown, 2019). Her other publications include LOVE & ESTROGEN (Amazon Original Stories, 2018) and M to WT(F) (Audible Originals, 2020).
She is a GLAAD Award-winning journalist with bylines in The New York Times, CNN, Rolling Stone, and more. She received her Ph.D. in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Emory University in 2015.
She is a GLAAD Award-winning journalist with bylines in The New York Times, CNN, Rolling Stone, and more. She received her Ph.D. in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Emory University in 2015.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I LOVED this one. Read it all in one sitting and while it was the perfect length, it still left me wanting more.
First, the premise is fantastic. It straddles the line of being classic rom-com without being overly corny. Amongst the shenanigans and tropes, there’s a very grounded feeling to the emotional heart of the story. It’s so easy to understand why the plot goes where it does, and there’s never a moment that feels overly contrived or frustrating on the grounds of the writing’s quality. It’s a creative premise done well without going off-the-rails.
I especially appreciated the way that the author managed to weave the emotional thread of the book all throughout the story. There are some novels where it seems like the love story is entirely separate from the character’s development, which is entirely separate from the external conflict. This never struggles with that. There’s a very real sense of emotion that is subtle enough that it doesn’t overwhelm in the more chaotic scenes, but still manages to build up enough to feel like a well-earned gut punch at the rawest points of the book.
This is really supported by the pacing of it. There was never a moment where I felt the story dragged or took off way too fast. It’s a story that fundamentally has a lot of asides and points to remember, whilst also managing to remain coherently on track with the central plot line. I was hooked from the very start, and that never changed.
Finally, the characters—oh, the characters were fantastic. The book has such a well-written supporting ensemble cast, and each one is given their well-deserved time in the spotlight without anyone overwhelming the story. It’s easy to grow to care for these characters, to root for each one of their happy endings even if they seem very realistically mildly irritating or unreasonable at times. Obviously there is a central love story to the book, but there’s also some really poignant moments that manage to bring alongside these platonic love stories in conjunction to the romantic ones.
Puck is a great main character. They’re a bit misguided, but in a way that the audience can really understand what their mindset is (even if they don’t agree with it). Their reactions are realistic, and there was never a point where I didn’t feel like I was rooting for them. I really liked seeing their evolution, especially in the final act.
As an aside, I found the way the author wrote about Puck’s nonbinary identity to be right on the mark of strong representation without a certain sense of over-explaining or tokenizing. It’s almost as if the author trusts the reader to understand this character’s identity in its entirety without having to hold your hand throughout the book. Puck’s identity matters in building who they are as a character — but it is not all their character is comprised of. I really appreciated this and find it to be a significant reason as to why I enjoyed this book.
There are only two *mild* criticisms I have.
The first is surrounding Robyn. I think she was a great character, but there were moments where I wish we’d dove deeper into the development of her feelings. I see the vision there, and taking a large step back, I can vaguely see the bigger picture, but I think there was room for some more descriptive moments where we truly got to see how Robyn reaches the conclusions she does. In a way, I think I was hoping for a bit more of “show don’t tell”, but the writing was still strong enough that I could believe what I was told.
Second, while this is a love story, it did feel slightly underbaked by the end of it. There’s a moment around the final third of the book where it feels like it ratchets up a notch without a ton of warning, and while the gap may be small, it still felt like leaping from one point to the next in a way that feels a bit jarring. That being said, I want to bring it back to what I said earlier — the platonic and side relationships that develop throughout this book are so compelling that it feels slightly okay that the central romantic one isn’t perfectly written. If some of the main relationship had to be sacrificed to make room for the other ones, then it’s a trade off I’m happy with.
All in all, I really enjoyed this one. Captivating the entire time, balancing perfectly between funny and captivating whilst still being heartfelt, and really well-rounded in most aspects from the characters to their relationships. Solid 4.7/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First, the premise is fantastic. It straddles the line of being classic rom-com without being overly corny. Amongst the shenanigans and tropes, there’s a very grounded feeling to the emotional heart of the story. It’s so easy to understand why the plot goes where it does, and there’s never a moment that feels overly contrived or frustrating on the grounds of the writing’s quality. It’s a creative premise done well without going off-the-rails.
I especially appreciated the way that the author managed to weave the emotional thread of the book all throughout the story. There are some novels where it seems like the love story is entirely separate from the character’s development, which is entirely separate from the external conflict. This never struggles with that. There’s a very real sense of emotion that is subtle enough that it doesn’t overwhelm in the more chaotic scenes, but still manages to build up enough to feel like a well-earned gut punch at the rawest points of the book.
This is really supported by the pacing of it. There was never a moment where I felt the story dragged or took off way too fast. It’s a story that fundamentally has a lot of asides and points to remember, whilst also managing to remain coherently on track with the central plot line. I was hooked from the very start, and that never changed.
Finally, the characters—oh, the characters were fantastic. The book has such a well-written supporting ensemble cast, and each one is given their well-deserved time in the spotlight without anyone overwhelming the story. It’s easy to grow to care for these characters, to root for each one of their happy endings even if they seem very realistically mildly irritating or unreasonable at times. Obviously there is a central love story to the book, but there’s also some really poignant moments that manage to bring alongside these platonic love stories in conjunction to the romantic ones.
Puck is a great main character. They’re a bit misguided, but in a way that the audience can really understand what their mindset is (even if they don’t agree with it). Their reactions are realistic, and there was never a point where I didn’t feel like I was rooting for them. I really liked seeing their evolution, especially in the final act.
As an aside, I found the way the author wrote about Puck’s nonbinary identity to be right on the mark of strong representation without a certain sense of over-explaining or tokenizing. It’s almost as if the author trusts the reader to understand this character’s identity in its entirety without having to hold your hand throughout the book. Puck’s identity matters in building who they are as a character — but it is not all their character is comprised of. I really appreciated this and find it to be a significant reason as to why I enjoyed this book.
There are only two *mild* criticisms I have.
The first is surrounding Robyn. I think she was a great character, but there were moments where I wish we’d dove deeper into the development of her feelings. I see the vision there, and taking a large step back, I can vaguely see the bigger picture, but I think there was room for some more descriptive moments where we truly got to see how Robyn reaches the conclusions she does. In a way, I think I was hoping for a bit more of “show don’t tell”, but the writing was still strong enough that I could believe what I was told.
Second, while this is a love story, it did feel slightly underbaked by the end of it. There’s a moment around the final third of the book where it feels like it ratchets up a notch without a ton of warning, and while the gap may be small, it still felt like leaping from one point to the next in a way that feels a bit jarring. That being said, I want to bring it back to what I said earlier — the platonic and side relationships that develop throughout this book are so compelling that it feels slightly okay that the central romantic one isn’t perfectly written. If some of the main relationship had to be sacrificed to make room for the other ones, then it’s a trade off I’m happy with.
All in all, I really enjoyed this one. Captivating the entire time, balancing perfectly between funny and captivating whilst still being heartfelt, and really well-rounded in most aspects from the characters to their relationships. Solid 4.7/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"the course of true love never did run smooth."
and definitely not on Puck’s watch.
"Puck" is a romcom inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which Puck is a reality tv producer scheming to stop their friends’ wedding in order to push them toward the people Puck believes they truly belong with. AND it’s queer. which means i’m SO in.
queer retellings of Shakespeare have become one of my favorite things to read, and this book offers an original take on the play. it keeps to the source text’s character dynamics while successfully transporting them into a contemporary setting. i enjoyed the plot a lot—it would have been easy for it to feel ridiculous, but it strikes a nice balance, remaining eventful enough to be entertaining without losing its plausibility. it’s chaotic and messy in a way a Shakespearean comedy would be, but with a distinctly modern spirit.
even before reading, i loved the idea of Puck as a nonbinary character (which feels most fitting for the mischievous sprite), and i appreciated the way it was handled, particularly in showing the experience of being queer in largely heteronormative spaces. i also really liked the concept of Puck coming up against their alter ego, Robyn—it was a clever nod to the play’s many dualities. while Puck thrives on chaos, Robyn is orderly and meticulous. naturally, there’s romance there, or it wouldn’t have been a romcom haha
they have opposite goals: Robyn’s is to make sure the wedding goes off without a hitch and Puck’s is to wreck the said wedding. i think this tension could have been explored more throughout the story to make their dynamic even more interesting. it’s a shame they weren’t more consistently coming up against each other in their actions. at first, their relationship also felt a little rushed but in the end i liked the way it unfolded. i also appreciated that romance wasn’t all this story had to offer and friendship was just as important—or maybe even more so.
that said, as much as i enjoyed the plot and the characters, i had some issue with the writing. the opening chapters felt slightly awkward, or maybe forced, but i understand we are thrown straight in the middle of Puck’s life and the author wanted to establish the character quickly. once the story reaches the lovers and the main action, it was much better. still, there were moments when there was no good balance between dialogues and descriptions, especially in scenes when the conversations were broken up by lengthy paragraphs. that style of writing can throw me off sometimes, and here it caused the dialogue to lose its flow. but at the same time i really enjoyed Puck’s insightfulness, and it got better after the first third of the book, once we were done with the introductions. the prose itself is really good—it’s witty and funny and flows really well, so the issue wasn’t that jarring as the story went on.
overall, i’d give "Puck" a 3.5 and definitely recommend it as a fun and quick read, especially if you’re familiar with Shakespeare’s play. but even if you’re not, it’s still an entertaining, well-paced romcom.
thank you NetGalley and Zando for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
and definitely not on Puck’s watch.
"Puck" is a romcom inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which Puck is a reality tv producer scheming to stop their friends’ wedding in order to push them toward the people Puck believes they truly belong with. AND it’s queer. which means i’m SO in.
queer retellings of Shakespeare have become one of my favorite things to read, and this book offers an original take on the play. it keeps to the source text’s character dynamics while successfully transporting them into a contemporary setting. i enjoyed the plot a lot—it would have been easy for it to feel ridiculous, but it strikes a nice balance, remaining eventful enough to be entertaining without losing its plausibility. it’s chaotic and messy in a way a Shakespearean comedy would be, but with a distinctly modern spirit.
even before reading, i loved the idea of Puck as a nonbinary character (which feels most fitting for the mischievous sprite), and i appreciated the way it was handled, particularly in showing the experience of being queer in largely heteronormative spaces. i also really liked the concept of Puck coming up against their alter ego, Robyn—it was a clever nod to the play’s many dualities. while Puck thrives on chaos, Robyn is orderly and meticulous. naturally, there’s romance there, or it wouldn’t have been a romcom haha
they have opposite goals: Robyn’s is to make sure the wedding goes off without a hitch and Puck’s is to wreck the said wedding. i think this tension could have been explored more throughout the story to make their dynamic even more interesting. it’s a shame they weren’t more consistently coming up against each other in their actions. at first, their relationship also felt a little rushed but in the end i liked the way it unfolded. i also appreciated that romance wasn’t all this story had to offer and friendship was just as important—or maybe even more so.
that said, as much as i enjoyed the plot and the characters, i had some issue with the writing. the opening chapters felt slightly awkward, or maybe forced, but i understand we are thrown straight in the middle of Puck’s life and the author wanted to establish the character quickly. once the story reaches the lovers and the main action, it was much better. still, there were moments when there was no good balance between dialogues and descriptions, especially in scenes when the conversations were broken up by lengthy paragraphs. that style of writing can throw me off sometimes, and here it caused the dialogue to lose its flow. but at the same time i really enjoyed Puck’s insightfulness, and it got better after the first third of the book, once we were done with the introductions. the prose itself is really good—it’s witty and funny and flows really well, so the issue wasn’t that jarring as the story went on.
overall, i’d give "Puck" a 3.5 and definitely recommend it as a fun and quick read, especially if you’re familiar with Shakespeare’s play. but even if you’re not, it’s still an entertaining, well-paced romcom.
thank you NetGalley and Zando for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A modern-day, Midsummer Night’s Dream inspired story, starring Puck as a reality TV producer who meddles in their friends’ love lives? Sign. Me. Up!
The book (mostly) lives up to its premise, as we follow Puck and their increasingly unhinged shenanigans. I thought the Shakespeare influence was struck exactly right, in that if you’re familiar with the source material you could spot where the characters’ names and various plot points came from, but it was far from essential to enjoy the book. The tone was funny and light-hearted, which made the more serious moments all the more effective.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
Although this is a romcom, and the romance was certainly a large part of the story, a stand-out part of the book for me was Puck’s friendships, and how those have evolved over time. Being the same age as them, I definitely understood being at that stage where everyone’s lives have taken such different directions, and other people’s lives and friendships have changed without you realising. Seeing Puck realise this, and learn to grow beyond who they were in college, was really nice. It felt very true to life, especially for a queer person, when readjusting to that new stage in life.
The romance wasn’t necessarily the focus of the book, but it was great nonetheless! They started out as enemies and rivals, and it was so much fun to see them both messily figure out what they want to be to each other.
The only thing I wanted more of in this book was more exposition! Once we reached about a third of the way through, the book suddenly found its stride and I couldn’t put it down though. Prior to that though, we jumped into the action so quickly that I didn’t feel like I really knew Puck, their strengths and their shortcomings, as well as I wanted to, especially when so much of the book is about them becoming more mature and growing as a person.
Overall though I did have a great time with this book, it had so many laugh-out-loud moments but a heart of gold underneath it all!
I received a free copy for an honest review.
The book (mostly) lives up to its premise, as we follow Puck and their increasingly unhinged shenanigans. I thought the Shakespeare influence was struck exactly right, in that if you’re familiar with the source material you could spot where the characters’ names and various plot points came from, but it was far from essential to enjoy the book. The tone was funny and light-hearted, which made the more serious moments all the more effective.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
Although this is a romcom, and the romance was certainly a large part of the story, a stand-out part of the book for me was Puck’s friendships, and how those have evolved over time. Being the same age as them, I definitely understood being at that stage where everyone’s lives have taken such different directions, and other people’s lives and friendships have changed without you realising. Seeing Puck realise this, and learn to grow beyond who they were in college, was really nice. It felt very true to life, especially for a queer person, when readjusting to that new stage in life.
The romance wasn’t necessarily the focus of the book, but it was great nonetheless! They started out as enemies and rivals, and it was so much fun to see them both messily figure out what they want to be to each other.
The only thing I wanted more of in this book was more exposition! Once we reached about a third of the way through, the book suddenly found its stride and I couldn’t put it down though. Prior to that though, we jumped into the action so quickly that I didn’t feel like I really knew Puck, their strengths and their shortcomings, as well as I wanted to, especially when so much of the book is about them becoming more mature and growing as a person.
Overall though I did have a great time with this book, it had so many laugh-out-loud moments but a heart of gold underneath it all!
I received a free copy for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Puck is a producer for Homewreckers, a reality tv show where they break up cheating couples. They’ve been stuck in a rut, struggling to grow up while their straight friends from uni are getting married, and they’re convinced the wedding should not happen.
Mia is engaged to Damon, but dated Xander for many years. His addiction led them to break up but he’s gotten sober since then. Lena pined after Damon and has had a major glow-up since her uni days. Puck decides to do what they do best and break the couple up which puts them in opposition to Robyn, the type-A maid of honor who is determined to produce a picture-perfect wedding.
I think you can really enjoy this if you don’t take it too seriously. It’s amazing to read an NB protagonist although Puck is an absolute menace bordering on sociopathic.
My biggest issue was how sketchy/undeveloped a lot of things were. It touches on more serious topics like OCD and Addiction, but in a surface level way. The romance was pretty hot but I think in the midst of everything else it got a bit lost which is a shame because I really liked Robyn’s character.
We were told why Mia wasn’t a good match for Damon but it kind of boiled down to him wanting to play video games and Mia not wanting him too? Puck tells us Mia has changed for the worse but it’s unclear to me exactly how besides not turning her nose up at posh cocktails.
Puck is a terrible friend to Mia which is the point but it really put me off. When their issues do get addressed it’s done in a really heavy handed way where things are spelled out multiple times.
I think overall I may have been looking for more nuance than should be expected for a romcom. It was entertaining and I did love the queerness portrayed here so I do still recommend it, especially for fans of the genre. I wouldn’t go into it expecting a retelling of Midsummer though, it feels inspired by more than anything.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!
Mia is engaged to Damon, but dated Xander for many years. His addiction led them to break up but he’s gotten sober since then. Lena pined after Damon and has had a major glow-up since her uni days. Puck decides to do what they do best and break the couple up which puts them in opposition to Robyn, the type-A maid of honor who is determined to produce a picture-perfect wedding.
I think you can really enjoy this if you don’t take it too seriously. It’s amazing to read an NB protagonist although Puck is an absolute menace bordering on sociopathic.
My biggest issue was how sketchy/undeveloped a lot of things were. It touches on more serious topics like OCD and Addiction, but in a surface level way. The romance was pretty hot but I think in the midst of everything else it got a bit lost which is a shame because I really liked Robyn’s character.
We were told why Mia wasn’t a good match for Damon but it kind of boiled down to him wanting to play video games and Mia not wanting him too? Puck tells us Mia has changed for the worse but it’s unclear to me exactly how besides not turning her nose up at posh cocktails.
Puck is a terrible friend to Mia which is the point but it really put me off. When their issues do get addressed it’s done in a really heavy handed way where things are spelled out multiple times.
I think overall I may have been looking for more nuance than should be expected for a romcom. It was entertaining and I did love the queerness portrayed here so I do still recommend it, especially for fans of the genre. I wouldn’t go into it expecting a retelling of Midsummer though, it feels inspired by more than anything.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC review - honest opinion
So we follow the character of Puck as they attended their college friends wedding but the wrong couple is getting married. Puck works as a producer in reality TV and when they arrive at the wedding, their work life slips into their real life and they start medalling with all their friends lives. Along the way they catch the eye of the power house of a brides maid and start up a secret side relationship.
So this book is a lose influence of mid summer night dream, you have 4 people who are a little lost and need to find different love. The soon to be married couple Mia and Damon don't suit each other and Puck thinks both will be happier with Zander and Lena respectively.
The set up is fun and I liked the silly ways they sorted out settings up the couples and got the pairs together. They both made so much more sense with the other party. But I'm not sure I enjoyed the way the end left me feeling a little put out. The way everyone treaded Puck was extreme, I know they are breaking up a wedding but the way their are torn down is extreme. Follow by Robyn steam rolling their life and being very judgemental.
The reality TV job gets a lot of slander and is shown as basically a horrible career and Puck's queerness sometimes feels a bit too us Vs them. For a story about a non-binary character obsession with getting 2 straight couples together there was a lot of digs about straight people. The comments made by Puck to the love interest Robyn at the start was never really dealt with and were very stereotype. The relationship very much took a back seat to the rest of the story and it felt like a lot of actual relationship moments happened between chapters. Also the smut between Puck and Robyn felt very one sided or just vague enough that it was hard to tell how they felt about it all. I felt like I missed the actual connection there.
Over all the book left me feeling a little sad for Puck and not sure the character got a real chance to evolve and grow. For a book told from Puck's perspective it was very much about them.
So we follow the character of Puck as they attended their college friends wedding but the wrong couple is getting married. Puck works as a producer in reality TV and when they arrive at the wedding, their work life slips into their real life and they start medalling with all their friends lives. Along the way they catch the eye of the power house of a brides maid and start up a secret side relationship.
So this book is a lose influence of mid summer night dream, you have 4 people who are a little lost and need to find different love. The soon to be married couple Mia and Damon don't suit each other and Puck thinks both will be happier with Zander and Lena respectively.
The set up is fun and I liked the silly ways they sorted out settings up the couples and got the pairs together. They both made so much more sense with the other party. But I'm not sure I enjoyed the way the end left me feeling a little put out. The way everyone treaded Puck was extreme, I know they are breaking up a wedding but the way their are torn down is extreme. Follow by Robyn steam rolling their life and being very judgemental.
The reality TV job gets a lot of slander and is shown as basically a horrible career and Puck's queerness sometimes feels a bit too us Vs them. For a story about a non-binary character obsession with getting 2 straight couples together there was a lot of digs about straight people. The comments made by Puck to the love interest Robyn at the start was never really dealt with and were very stereotype. The relationship very much took a back seat to the rest of the story and it felt like a lot of actual relationship moments happened between chapters. Also the smut between Puck and Robyn felt very one sided or just vague enough that it was hard to tell how they felt about it all. I felt like I missed the actual connection there.
Over all the book left me feeling a little sad for Puck and not sure the character got a real chance to evolve and grow. For a book told from Puck's perspective it was very much about them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Zando for approving my copy of Puck to read!
This was a fun and chaotic journey, just as I suspected it to be, and it was the perfect length for a book like this. Anything longer I feel would have convoluted the plot and the characters. In this contemporary retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Puck is a queer, nonbinary person who works as a producer on a TV show that tries to break couples up. They get to take a week off to go and enjoy their best friends' wedding, but they don't believe these two should be getting married. Puck doesn't actually take a break from work, but instead puts their experience on set to their actual friends. Oh and throw a maid-of-honor who is hellbent on getting this wedding to happen as planned into the mix with an unexpected surprise.
I loved the dynamics of the characters and how they've known each other since college. It was also nice to see a book of this caliber set with southern aspects (Atlanta and the Blue Ridge Mountains). I'm from Atlanta and I don't think we see enough of that! I did think we lacked on the character development of Damon and Lena, but then again Puck can't be everywhere at once.
The introduction of Robyn was an interesting one. At times it seemed perfectly blended in, and other times it seemed like too much was happening. It did all come together at the end and I am happy that Puck found her!
This book is one I think would have been more successful in the chaos if it was told in 1st person, but that's just a stylistic choice of mine. Overall a great read and I am looking forward to sharing this one!
This was a fun and chaotic journey, just as I suspected it to be, and it was the perfect length for a book like this. Anything longer I feel would have convoluted the plot and the characters. In this contemporary retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Puck is a queer, nonbinary person who works as a producer on a TV show that tries to break couples up. They get to take a week off to go and enjoy their best friends' wedding, but they don't believe these two should be getting married. Puck doesn't actually take a break from work, but instead puts their experience on set to their actual friends. Oh and throw a maid-of-honor who is hellbent on getting this wedding to happen as planned into the mix with an unexpected surprise.
I loved the dynamics of the characters and how they've known each other since college. It was also nice to see a book of this caliber set with southern aspects (Atlanta and the Blue Ridge Mountains). I'm from Atlanta and I don't think we see enough of that! I did think we lacked on the character development of Damon and Lena, but then again Puck can't be everywhere at once.
The introduction of Robyn was an interesting one. At times it seemed perfectly blended in, and other times it seemed like too much was happening. It did all come together at the end and I am happy that Puck found her!
This book is one I think would have been more successful in the chaos if it was told in 1st person, but that's just a stylistic choice of mine. Overall a great read and I am looking forward to sharing this one!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Deliciously witty and charmingly chaotic.
The novel has, first and foremost, a fun Shakespearean plotline of rearranging the couples before the clock runs out and the weddingbells ring. Alongside that, this novel has a non-binary main character and interesting mediations on queerness and being visually queer while navigating heteronormative spaces. Overall, the mood of this book is light and fun, but at times it is profound and the sentiments hit home. The writing is clever, well-paced and playful.
Mild spoilers from here on:
Puck is an interesting protagonist: in their daily life, they arrange people like dolls on reality tv and so, during their friend Mia’s wedding, they can’t help but do the same. They are determined not to let Mia make a mistake and marrying the wrong man. Their plans are put through a ringer by Robyn, another friend of Mia’s who is rigorous in her planning of this wedding. The dynamic between Robyn and Puck is the right combination of playful, sweet and a bit of heat.
The friendships between the different characters also added a lot of depth into the novel. They felt messy, raw, and real. I like that it this novel adapts Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream but provides interesting fresh takes on the characters: the author really makes the characters and the setting her own.
This book is right up my alley. I thoroughly enjoyed the shenanigans and couldn’t put the book down. So, for me this is a solid 4.5 star read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The novel has, first and foremost, a fun Shakespearean plotline of rearranging the couples before the clock runs out and the weddingbells ring. Alongside that, this novel has a non-binary main character and interesting mediations on queerness and being visually queer while navigating heteronormative spaces. Overall, the mood of this book is light and fun, but at times it is profound and the sentiments hit home. The writing is clever, well-paced and playful.
Mild spoilers from here on:
Puck is an interesting protagonist: in their daily life, they arrange people like dolls on reality tv and so, during their friend Mia’s wedding, they can’t help but do the same. They are determined not to let Mia make a mistake and marrying the wrong man. Their plans are put through a ringer by Robyn, another friend of Mia’s who is rigorous in her planning of this wedding. The dynamic between Robyn and Puck is the right combination of playful, sweet and a bit of heat.
The friendships between the different characters also added a lot of depth into the novel. They felt messy, raw, and real. I like that it this novel adapts Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream but provides interesting fresh takes on the characters: the author really makes the characters and the setting her own.
This book is right up my alley. I thoroughly enjoyed the shenanigans and couldn’t put the book down. So, for me this is a solid 4.5 star read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 30, 2026
ADVANCED COPY GIVEN BY NETGALLEY
Puck is one of those characters you just can’t get out of your head. They truly bring the energy of Shakespeare’s Puck to life weaving chaos everywhere they go which I love. Plus they are non-binary which is ideal. I’ve always kind of head cannoned Puck as non-binary in my head anyways. I’m a huge Shakespear fan and watching one of his messiest plays be reimagined as a queer rom-com made me squeal and kick my feet a lot. And, you know what makes everything else really messy throw in reality TV!
While Puck is the embodiment of chaos, Robyn is perfection with a capital P. The two face off a lot in this book and I think that is what really sucked me in. As a type A personality myself I thought that all her actions were believable.
And, as you know, opposites attract in the very best way. I think the romance in this book isn’t just strong it’s crazy. I loved seeing Puck having to deal with everything and learning how to place a tiny bit of order while Robyn learned to deviate from perfection. Together I think they really balance each other out well.
Now for my critiques. While I love Puck in the beginning I found myself wondering why I’d root for them. It wasn’t until they got to the wedding that I found myself with a reason. Also, I wish there was a little more ease into Puck’s chaotic nature in the beginning.
Overall, it’s a great read. Just go in ready for drama with a capital D and so much messiness.
Puck is one of those characters you just can’t get out of your head. They truly bring the energy of Shakespeare’s Puck to life weaving chaos everywhere they go which I love. Plus they are non-binary which is ideal. I’ve always kind of head cannoned Puck as non-binary in my head anyways. I’m a huge Shakespear fan and watching one of his messiest plays be reimagined as a queer rom-com made me squeal and kick my feet a lot. And, you know what makes everything else really messy throw in reality TV!
While Puck is the embodiment of chaos, Robyn is perfection with a capital P. The two face off a lot in this book and I think that is what really sucked me in. As a type A personality myself I thought that all her actions were believable.
And, as you know, opposites attract in the very best way. I think the romance in this book isn’t just strong it’s crazy. I loved seeing Puck having to deal with everything and learning how to place a tiny bit of order while Robyn learned to deviate from perfection. Together I think they really balance each other out well.
Now for my critiques. While I love Puck in the beginning I found myself wondering why I’d root for them. It wasn’t until they got to the wedding that I found myself with a reason. Also, I wish there was a little more ease into Puck’s chaotic nature in the beginning.
Overall, it’s a great read. Just go in ready for drama with a capital D and so much messiness.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Puck is a non-binary reality television producer on the most popular dating show around, and they are often hailed and treated better than "lowly" in their television circle because of said status. Much like their famous Shakesperean namesake, Puck enjoys toiling and scheming amids others' lives in a major fashion. When it comes to their own friend group, they have considerably less control and "recognition"- even more so when Robyn arrives and turns their usual attractions on their head. At turns gossipy and overflowing with heart and defining social issues, Puck the book has a touch of it all. While our main character is meddlesome and full of spunk, they are also rueful and adept in the most stressful of friend group shenanigans. This is a roving exploration of sorrow melding with stillness, and love being found even in the most unimaginable moments- of all kinds, platonic and romantic alike. You will root for everyone involved, if I know a thing or two about humanity. Thanks so much to Samantha Allen and Zando Press for the chance to read and review this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When I read the synopsis of Samantha Allen's upcoming book, Puck I was rather excited. I love retellings. A mash up, if you will, of a modern day take on A Midsummer Night's Dream with the flirty, whimsical, and often snide internal monologue of a realty dating show producer set at a wedding. Breathe.
Puck took their honed work skills and applied them to their friends wedding. I mean the club soda was getting flat, but worth the sacrifice to the increasingly chaotic and sneakily meddlisome behaviour of the fifth wheel in their friend group.
Robyn with a ‘y', throws the perfect curve into Puck's schemes. Robyn sees Puck, with their insecurity driven flaws, being stuck and sparks fly between them.
Samantha also painted a very vivid picture of the landscape and social worlds each character comes from. Touches on friendships, secrets, questions about identity and well the communication needed to maintain those important relationships.
And you know your limits, so read the author's content warnings. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Puck took their honed work skills and applied them to their friends wedding. I mean the club soda was getting flat, but worth the sacrifice to the increasingly chaotic and sneakily meddlisome behaviour of the fifth wheel in their friend group.
Robyn with a ‘y', throws the perfect curve into Puck's schemes. Robyn sees Puck, with their insecurity driven flaws, being stuck and sparks fly between them.
Samantha also painted a very vivid picture of the landscape and social worlds each character comes from. Touches on friendships, secrets, questions about identity and well the communication needed to maintain those important relationships.
And you know your limits, so read the author's content warnings. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Zando and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A delight retelling! Puck is the nonbinary, 30 year old, creator of Homewreckers, a dating show that puts couples through hell with the help of their exes. Puck usually the one in control and pulling the strings but when their friend announces that they are engaged to their now exes best friend, Puck is reeling because the two never had much in common. Now Puck is at the wedding and they know that this wedding is just going to lead to a life of misery for their friends. They decide they will rearrange the couples and no one will be know. Only they didn’t count on a maid of honor who is determined to that the wedding will go off without any complications. To make this work they’ll have to pull off the greatest stunt of their career, only they can’t stop paying attention to the maid of honor. Can they make everyone happy? Or are they playing with fire? A funny, chaotic, heart wrenching, and wonderful romcom that I couldn’t put down! Samantha Allen’s story is fast paced, romantic, and a super fun read!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved how messy this was, it made me really sad that Homewreckers is not an actual show haha. This is pretty short but packed full of antics and some really great character growth.
Puck is well reflected of the source material in this and making the character non binary was a great choice. I like the romance between Puck and Robyn and the complexity of Puck’s friendship with Mia. I thought this was really funny and entertaining to read, all of the side characters had their own personalities and really added to the dynamic of the book.
I think the length of this book actually did it a disservice. There could have been so much more shown in terms of Puck’s romance and the wedding shenanigans that they get up to as well as some of the heavier topics that are introduced but kind of skimmed over.
This is the perfect palate cleanser between some dense fantasy tomes!
Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exhange for an honest review.
Puck is well reflected of the source material in this and making the character non binary was a great choice. I like the romance between Puck and Robyn and the complexity of Puck’s friendship with Mia. I thought this was really funny and entertaining to read, all of the side characters had their own personalities and really added to the dynamic of the book.
I think the length of this book actually did it a disservice. There could have been so much more shown in terms of Puck’s romance and the wedding shenanigans that they get up to as well as some of the heavier topics that are introduced but kind of skimmed over.
This is the perfect palate cleanser between some dense fantasy tomes!
Thank you to Netgalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this book in exhange for an honest review.
February 23, 2026
Ever thought about letting intrusive thoughts win? All of your friends are pairing off with all the wrong people and you work in reality tv so might as well put your knowledge to good use.
This book takes you on a ride were you get invested in the characters not just the main character but side characters included. It has humor and is an easy read. I wouldn't say you can't see all of the twists but it is definitely a fun read.
The story line is not over done in my opinion and it keeps you engaged.
3.75 stars
1 chili pepper
Tropes:
-Second Chance Love
-Matchmaking
-LGBTQ+
-Reality TV
This book takes you on a ride were you get invested in the characters not just the main character but side characters included. It has humor and is an easy read. I wouldn't say you can't see all of the twists but it is definitely a fun read.
The story line is not over done in my opinion and it keeps you engaged.
3.75 stars
1 chili pepper
Tropes:
-Second Chance Love
-Matchmaking
-LGBTQ+
-Reality TV
January 8, 2026
Thank you Zando via NetGalley for this ARC!
I enjoyed the chaos of “Puck”. It was an interesting take on the “Midsummer” character and the shenanigans they got into. I wish there was more character building of the side characters, both the ones in the couples that Puck meddles with and their love interest. The book felt disjointed when it switched from the scheming to the romance and I think with some extra padding, it would have helped that feeling. All in all, it was a fun read that could have used some tweaking for it to get a higher rating from me.
I enjoyed the chaos of “Puck”. It was an interesting take on the “Midsummer” character and the shenanigans they got into. I wish there was more character building of the side characters, both the ones in the couples that Puck meddles with and their love interest. The book felt disjointed when it switched from the scheming to the romance and I think with some extra padding, it would have helped that feeling. All in all, it was a fun read that could have used some tweaking for it to get a higher rating from me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Puck
3.5 ⭐
Okay this was really whole damn entertaining, a producer making a reality show out of real life, manipulating all those strings oohh! Gorgeous!
The tension between Puck and Robin, hot damn glorious, it had me squealing.
I loved knowing about so many characters, their flaws and how they became a better version especially Puck. I really enjoyed this book!
💖 Thanks NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own!
3.5 ⭐
Okay this was really whole damn entertaining, a producer making a reality show out of real life, manipulating all those strings oohh! Gorgeous!
The tension between Puck and Robin, hot damn glorious, it had me squealing.
I loved knowing about so many characters, their flaws and how they became a better version especially Puck. I really enjoyed this book!
💖 Thanks NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A modern retelling of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM by one of my current favorite writers Samantha Allen?! Tell me less! Allen's flair for the dramatic, the romantic, and the pop culture and reality show expertise is what makes me so excited whenever I pick up a new work by her. A love square, upended at a wedding by Puck, a troublemaking dating show producer, is a genius way to reframe the famous story. It's super fast-paced, utterly romantic, incredibly sexy, and will be such a fun summer read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book is hilarious and cute! Puck is the host of Homewreckers, a reality show that features 5 couples who are then introduced to one sexy single guaranteed to cause "emotional" damage. Puck is non-binary so of course they are attracted to many of the contestants which poses a problem in real life. And of course their old girlfriend enters the picture as well and hilarity ensues! Very funny!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC received via NetGalley.
Loved the premise of this book, who doesn’t love a chaos seeker?? A very easy read, was lacking dialogue around the 33% mark hence the 4 star rating, but it picked up the more through the book I got.
Puck is a producer of breakups as a career, but is she able to turn off her brain when attending a wedding she doesn’t think should happen?
Loved the premise of this book, who doesn’t love a chaos seeker?? A very easy read, was lacking dialogue around the 33% mark hence the 4 star rating, but it picked up the more through the book I got.
Puck is a producer of breakups as a career, but is she able to turn off her brain when attending a wedding she doesn’t think should happen?
January 20, 2026
This book was such a fun read! The premise is such an entertaining plot, and the cast of characters really sold everything that happened.
Thank you to the author and the publisher for the ARC for this book!
Thank you to the author and the publisher for the ARC for this book!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Amazing read! A non-binary lovable human plus real - world experiences. Chef’s kiss!
Review of advance copy received from Author
im a proud puck apologist
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews