Smitten Pucking Orc

The Orc Hockey League

by Ava Ross

He’s a grumpy seven-foot goalie with a career on the line. She’s the team’s new physical therapist—and the woman he’s wanted from the start.

I tried to flirt with Brashe Kedish at a team picnic last year. The seven-foot orc hockey goalie shut me down so fast I’m pretty sure I left scorch marks on the grass. Now I’m the Purple Punishers’ new physical therapist, and his groin strain just landed on my treatment table.

He shows up early. Follows every instruction. And looks at me like I’m the only person in the room. I’m starting to think I got that rejection very, very wrong.

Then I find out Brashe never thought I wasn’t enough. He thought he was the one who came up short. Which would be romantic if he’d actually talked to me. And if he wasn’t my brother’s best friend. And if playoffs weren’t starting in six days.

Now I have a week to get him healthy enough to play.

And keep myself from falling for an orc who thinks he’s only worth what he can do on the ice.

Smitten Pucking Orc is part of the Orc Hockey League shared world and is told in dual point of view. Expect yearning, a lonely orc hero who uses jokes to hide his inner wounds, forbidden romance, friend’s younger sister, size difference, a cozy monster setting, guardian/protector, hurt/comfort, the whole teams ships them, fated mates, and he falls first tropes.

Genres: Romance, Monster Romance

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 21, 2026

About the author

AVA ROSS fell for men with unusual features when she first watched Star Wars, where alien creatures have gone mainstream. She lives in New England with her husband (who is sadly not an alien, though he is still cute in his own way), her kids, and assorted pets, including a yorkie pup and three cats.

Reviews

[Nevena]

💚 “Ellie, you’ve always been more than enough.”
~~~
Ellie is so wonderful! She’s kind, caring, nice and compassionate. Even more, I loved her resilience and how dedicated and hardworking she was. And I loved her strength and courage to stand her ground and face any challenges thrown her way. Ellie is an amazing woman and I loved her so, so much!

Brashe is the goalie of the Purple Punishers. He’s incredible in what he does but his reputation as a shallow player has nothing to do with who he truly is. Brashe is big, strong and fearsome. Even more, the orc goalie is so kind, caring, considerate, observant and generous. Brashe is an incredible male and I loved everything about him!

I absolutely loved everything that happened between Ellie and Brashe! Some time ago, at a picnic, things didn’t go well between Brashe and Ellie. And now, she’s the new physical therapist of his hockey team… What could possibly go wrong?

I loved Ellie and Brashe together! Their chemistry was wonderful from the start, and I loved every moment they spent in each other’s company. But it took some time for them to give into the undeniable attraction, especially since both were scared of not being enough and feeling like they were only valuable for what they do, but not for who they were. Nevertheless, the more time they spent together, the more the walls around their hearts started to crumble and they slowly started to let the other in. Their journey towards happiness was not an easy one, but it was all worth it in the end. Ellie and Brashe were absolutely perfect for each other and I couldn’t be happier that they found love together!

Overall, Smitten Pucking Orc is an emotional and sweet story and I loved every page of it!

[littlesmuttyone]

I've been loving the series with the hockey orcs and was so happy when this one came out. I always loved the brothers' best friend trope; I'm a sucker for those and always will be.

Ellie is the new physical therapist for the team. She thought he was rejecting her when she flirted with him.
At fourteen, she was taken in by the Crim family after her parents died. She had known him and his family since she was ten; he had always been her brother. He was very protective of her and didn't want her to get hurt by brashe.

He didn't feel like he was good enough for her, so he did what he had to do so she would think otherwise. But now she works close by to him, and I don't know how much he can handle, 'cause he absolutely wants her. Ellie has such a cute cat, and it's the older one, so that makes it even better. Her name is Marzipan.

After getting to know Haley, the video analyst realized all the rumors about Brashe weren't even true, which made her wonder if maybe he didn't really reject her. He's so hard on himself, thinking he needs to push through even if he's hurting from an injury; he's not just a player. He is Brashe.

Their first kiss was beautiful and felt like it was meant to be. Did that just happen? Then, when they finally talked about it all—their feelings, what happens next—it was needed to happen. He was willing to wait and make sure she was ready and believed it.

Brashe was going crazy, so I was lost in his head, thinking all people saw him as a weapon who was supposed to win and never fail. He pushed people away, especially the one woman he wanted. He knew he'd messed up because he wasn't the only person who felt that way; Ellie was so determined to prove herself in the same way. But she was willing to trust and overcome those thoughts because he was more than a hockey player to her.

I was so happy when they finally owned up to it and worked it out & fully told each other what exactly scared them . It was about time.

[Jen Reading]

Both Brashe and Ellie quietly carry the same internal wounds: the belief that their only worth is what they can do for others, not for what they are. Ellie throws herself into her work with late nights and early mornings to prove she's worthy. Brashe feels his only worth is being a weapon who stops pucks; failing means the team won't need him and he would be replaced. I enjoyed watching them slowly let the other in; it made their romance feel genuinely earned. Their trust-building is slow, with a few bumps along the way that make the eventual emotional payoff so worth the wait when they finally choose themselves as well as each other.

[Lisa Bing]

This was such a sweet and steamy romance for two people with basically the same hang up about themselves. Neither goalie Brashe nor physiotherapist Ellie think they are good enough. That if they don't work twice as hard, they'll be replaced. It was fun to see them start to open up to each other, and see the worth in the other, until they started to see they were worthy of love themselves. Expect to get caught up in the emotions, drama, healing, chemistry and steam as these two lonely people finally get the HEA they both deserve. Good fun!

[Kelly]

Ellie and Brashe both have the same hangups when it comes to their place in the world and that makes for a bit of a complicated relationship dynamic. As in, Brashe only thinks he's as good as his last save and being on the sidelines makes him forgettable. And Ellie? She works harder than anyone to prove that she's enough and even the vaguest hint that she's not worth it sends her spiraling.

Yeah, these two have some internalized baggage to work through.

Brashe has been drawn to Ellie since he first saw her picture, but he didn't want to risk his friendship with Crim (her brother) and so blew her off when they met in person. He's also firmly of the belief that he's not good enough. For anyone. When his groin injury puts him in Ellie's hands (literally, really), he has a hard time slowing down enough to give himself time to heal. Because if he's not making saves, he's not anything.

Meanwhile, Ellie works twice as hard to prove she deserves the chance she's been given. The thing is, she's good. Really good. Her approach to Brashe's injury works and this thing simmering between them looks promising. Then Brashe pulls back and says some things that cut deep and Ellie does what she has to do to protect herself. Except...sometimes protecting yourself looks an awful lot like running away and that's something she doesn't want to do either.

An injury, a supportive team, an intense goalie who doesn't know his own worth, and a lady who sees the things worth seeing in the big green guy. *thumbs up*

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Cristy]

This was an incredibly sweet read. The bumps in the road was just what this amazing cute couple needed. Sometimes we overthink things that impede our judgement. Thankfully stubbornness can be cathartic 🤣. This quick easy read is a page turner from the very beginning! 💜

Another amazing story Ava.

[Joanne Lyons]

this series is very interesting

Ava Ross has written such a great story of love and the human worth . I’m so happy I read it . Choosing someone is scary but well worth it in the end. Life isn’t about just professionalism it’s about loving someone who brings out the best in you and knowing your worth it. Very lovely writing can’t wait for December and the next book!

[Jodi]

super cute

This was super fun and super cute. Two lonely people thinking they are not enough for themself and definitely not for each other. I appreciated the hea that wasn’t perfectly fixed.

[Michele]

He rejects her but not for the reason she believes. Fast forward almost a year later and she is the PT for the hockey team that he plays on. Close proximity that results from his injury brings them closer and closer together for some great yumminess!!!! Great read, love the characters.

[Marianne]

Great orc cozy romance! Sweet/steamy, heartfelt, and emotional..

[Gloria]

She's the new physical therapist. He's the superstar orc goalie. They like each other but keep getting it wrong. Neither one thinks that they are good enough for the other. Hopefully they can get it right. Cute story

[Amanda Elizondo]

Could not finish. I am an attorney that deals with patient complaints about unethical medical professionals and every “romantic” scene read like one of those complaints. So much ick.

[Joanne]

Cute

Brashe and Ellie both have self worth issues. But she's the teams physical therapist and he's an injured goalie so things get interesting. Great story.

[Linda]

It was a cute story, but both people had lots of problems from their past that made the story drag a little. Everything was resolved in the end and there was a HEA.

[꧁ᙏᗣᙃⱿꙆᗣ꧂]

_𝐎͟𝐫͟𝐜͟ 𝐇͟𝐨͟𝐜͟𝐤͟𝐞͟𝐲͟ 𝐋͟𝐞͟𝐚͟𝐠͟𝐮͟𝐞͟ 𝐒͟𝐞͟𝐫͟𝐢͟𝐞͟𝐬͟ :͟
❌ 1. Perfect Pucking Orc by Honey Phillips (June 1, 2026)
❌ 2. Wicked Pucking Orc by Veronika Kane (June 8, 2026)
❌ 3. Sweet Pucking Orc by Ava Ross (June 15, 2026)
❌ 4. Protective Pucking Orc by Veronika Kane (September 7, 2026)
❌ 5. Single Pucking Orc by Honey Phillips (September 14, 2026)
❌ 6. Smitten Pucking Orc (by Ava Ross (September 21, 2026)
❌ 7. Naughty Pucking Orc by Ava Ross (December 7, 2026)
❌ 8. Merry Pucking Orc by Veronika Kane (December 9, 2026)
❌ 9. Santa Pucking Orc by Honey Phillips (December 11, 2026)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GMWKSKGZ?...