Revenge Puck: An addictively spicy brother’s-best-friend hockey romance

by Sara Ney

Genres: Romance, Hockey Romance, Sports Romance, Hockey

362 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 5, 2026

About the author

Sara Ney is an Amazon and USA Today bestselling author of new adult college and adult romance. Sexy and laugh-out-loud funny, her work includes the How to Date a Douchebag and Campus Legends series. Ney’s books have been translated into several languages for markets such as Germany, Italy, Brazil, French, and Portuguese.

Sara lives with her partner, Jeff, in a blended household overrun by four independent teenagers. At their weekly “Cute Date Night,” they discuss TV shows they’re bingeing and plot novels together, something Jeff is freakishly good at. Sara loves traveling, because it’s the only time she has the bathroom to herself.

Reviews

[Amanda Blanche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC of this title releasing in Aug 2026.

This is a teammates sister, revenge dating kind of plot. The MMC decides to pursue his teammates sister to get back at him for betraying him. You could also say grumpy-sunshine trope is definitely there as well.

I had a good time reading this, I like books that hurt my feelings - so seeing how everything leads up to the drama and implosion of everything keeps me hooked. I like how Juliette is the wallflower, shy, innocent FMC, but pushes herself out of her comfort zone. I feel like Aaron’s character had some growth, but his development was a little more superficial - due to his guarded nature. Overall a good love story with a lot of spice. For me, it was missing some grovelling and redemption at the end, but I’m a fan of a lot of grovel. And the conclusion just wrapped up too quick and neat for me, as I said, I like the drama. I would definitely read more by this author. And I would love to see Declan and Blair get a sequel.

[Ashley W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aaron walks in on his best friend and his girlfriend and revenge becomes the name of the game. However, how Aaron chooses to get revenge isn’t my favorite idea.

I do love a dual POV book and that was something that worked for me with this story. Getting inside Aaron's head made him more understandable, even when I wanted to shake him. At least he wasn't oblivious to the fact that he was making terrible choices, and seeing him wrestle with the guilt added some much-needed depth.

I flew through this book. The pacing is quick, it's easy to binge, and there are enough entertaining moments that I never felt bored. I also liked getting little glimpses of the side characters, and I'm curious to see where the rest of the series goes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jess Hilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨Such a fun, easy hockey romance. The teammates/best friend tension and the whole “getting back at each other” situation? Messy in a very entertaining way. 🏒

Juliette was everything. She knows her worth, calls people out, and absolutely refuses to be treated like an option. Loved her. Aaron… tested me. Deeply. But I’ll admit, the growth worked for me and the ending felt earned.

There were definitely some swoony moments and a few scenes that had me smiling, especially when Juliette had the upper hand. 💕

Overall, a quick, playful read with great girl power energy. Not one I’ll obsess over, but I had a really good time with it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this arc for a honest review

Releases August 5th
OK HOCKEY ROMANCE!!!!! sign me up 🖤
Tropes
🏒 hockey
🏒 brothers best friend
🏒 make her fall in love
🏒 revenge


Girlfriend cheats on bf best friend what
Better way to get revenge then to make best
Friends sister fall in love with him..but did it
Work??

This was such a good book. I enjoyed it every moment of it. It had the perfect spice. The story came together very well. I’m excited to continue this series.

[Simone | simonesbookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ Rating: 3.5 Stars.

✨ The Vibe
Messy? Absolutely. Dramatic? Definitely. Morally questionable? Without a doubt. But somehow... I couldn't stop reading.

If you're looking for a hockey romance full of questionable decisions, chemistry, spice, and enough drama to keep the pages turning, Revenge Puck certainly delivers.

📚 What the Book Is About (No Spoilers)
After discovering that his girlfriend cheated on him with his best friend and hockey teammate, Aaron decides revenge is the only option. His brilliant idea? Date his ex-best friend's younger sister.

What starts as a revenge plot quickly becomes much more complicated when Aaron realizes Juliette isn't at all what he expected.

The problem? Juliette has no idea she's part of his plan.

🖤 My Reading Experience
Let's be honest... The entire premise is completely unhinged.

Who decides the best way to get revenge on their best friend is by dating his sweet, innocent little sister with the intention of breaking her heart? Aaron, apparently.

As messy as that sounds, I have to admit... I was entertained. I finished this book in a single day because it was incredibly easy to read, and I constantly wanted to know how this disaster was going to unfold.

The tension between Aaron and Juliette worked really well, and despite Aaron's terrible initial plan, there were plenty of genuinely cute moments between them.

That said, my heart broke for Juliette more than once. She is so kind, thoughtful, and genuine that she deserved so much better than being caught in the middle of Aaron and Declan's mess.

💭 What Didn't Fully Work for Me
One thing that immediately stood out to me was that a couple of the advertised tropes didn't really match my reading experience.

Fake dating? Not really. Aaron may have been pretending in the beginning, but Juliette wasn't. She genuinely believed they were building something real, so calling it fake dating felt a little misleading to me.

The "he falls first" trope also didn't quite fit. Juliette already had a crush on Aaron before the story even began and fell for him pretty quickly once they started spending time together. Aaron took much longer to realize his feelings, so I never really understood why this trope was included.

The biggest issue for me, though, was the timeline. Everything happens incredibly quickly—I think over the course of about three or four weeks—which made parts of the story feel underdeveloped.

Aaron spends roughly three-quarters of the book convincing himself the revenge plan is worth it before finally realizing he's made a huge mistake.

Unfortunately, that doesn't leave much time for him to actually earn Juliette's forgiveness. By the time she discovers the truth, there are only a handful of chapters left. Personally, I wanted more: more groveling, more accountability, more rebuilding of trust.

Instead, everything seemed to resolve surprisingly quickly after such a huge betrayal. Juliette deserved to make him work a little harder. She deserved to see him prove that his feelings were real. And I honestly think the emotional payoff would've been much stronger because of it.

I also struggled a little with Juliette's characterization. She's introduced as shy, reserved, bookish, and fairly sheltered, so some of her early decisions felt a little out of sync with the personality we'd been shown. There's absolutely nothing wrong with stepping outside your comfort zone, but I never fully believed that this version of Juliette would move quite as quickly as she did.

Declan.... I'm sorry. This man irritated me from beginning to end. He betrays his best friend with his best friend's girlfriend... Shows very little remorse... Barely apologizes... (did he even apologize?) And somehow still acts like everyone else is the problem.

No. Absolutely not. I'm Team Blaire all the way (she hates him and doesn't trusth him). If there's another book featuring Declan, I'm going to need to see some serious character growth before I'm willing to root for him.

One thing I did enjoy, though, was Juliette and Blaire's friendship. Some of their conversations felt a little exaggerated or unrealistic at times, but they were funny, supportive, and added a lot of warmth to the story.

🔥 Tropes & Elements
- Hockey romance
- Brother's best friend
- Revenge romance
- Grumpy x sunshine vibes
- Spice (quite a lot of it)
- Betrayal & lies
- He falls... eventually 😅

💔 Emotional Impact
This story could've wrecked me, but the emotional depth was a little lacking, so the impact wasn't really there. However, my frustration was through the roof because of barely any groveling; Juliette deserved more.

🫶 Final Thoughts
Revenge Puck is one of those books where I had a really fun time reading it while simultaneously wanting to shake half the characters. It's dramatic, messy, emotional, and incredibly easy to binge in a single sitting.

Did I think everything was handled perfectly? No. I would've loved a longer timeline, more emotional consequences, and a much stronger redemption arc for Aaron after everything Juliette went through.

Even so, I couldn't put it down, and sometimes that's exactly the kind of reading experience I'm looking for.

📢 Disclosure: Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC. As always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐⭐⭐✨

This one is honestly kind of hard to rate and even harder to review without giving too much away.

I really like the idea behind this one. The premise and the tropes are a romance lover's dream, but it wasn't without its issues. Still, I don't think I've read one with quite this spin before, and I'm always down for a fresh take on familiar tropes. It was also ridiculously easy to binge. I flew through it in no time.

Aaron Bishop and Juliette Kennedy's story gives us grumpy sunshine, brother's ex best friend, forbidden romance, he falls first, and a hockey romance.

Aaron starts out as the victim. Truly. I genuinely felt for him in the beginning. But then he becomes this vengeance fueled villain, and I wanted to shake him. In the prologue he says, "Love isn't lies and secrets and sneaking around," and that is EXACTLY what he does to Juliette. Argh! I was convinced he was going to be irredeemable, but somehow he slowly won me over. Watching him demonstrate real emotional growth and actually take responsibility for his actions? That got me. Apparently, I'm still the romance loving fool who falls for a redemption arc every single time.

Juliette is a self proclaimed giver, nurturer, bleeding heart do gooder, and sweet bookworm. Sara Ney does an excellent job bringing that to life. Maybe a little too well because Juliette occasionally came across as overly naive and more innocent than I expected. To her credit, she is a little wary of Aaron at first, as she absolutely should be, but that doesn't stop her from pursuing something with him. She also gives her sleazy brother, Declan, far more grace than I thought he deserved. Even so, I genuinely liked Juliette and wanted the best for her, whatever or whoever that ended up being.

When push came to shove, I really did like Aaron and Juliette together. They complemented each other well, and once Aaron got out of his own way, I found myself rooting for them. The relationship happened at warp speed though, which lessened some of its emotional impact. I also wanted everyone to get their junk together a whole lot sooner, and Juliette may have forgiven everyone just a little too easily. There is a good amount of spice, but thankfully none of it felt over the top or cringe inducing.

The stakes are sky high in this romance. There is a secret relationship with potentially career ending consequences, revenge that goes completely sideways, and enough lies, secrets, and bruised egos to keep everything wonderfully messy. Sometimes that mess really worked for me, and sometimes it didn't. In the end though, I liked where the story landed. It really boils down to falling for the right woman even if it all started for the wrong reason. Falling in love completely ruined Aaron's evil plan, and honestly, I loved that part of the story.

Garrett and Blaire brought exactly the kind of levity this book needed. Every girl deserves a BFF like Blaire Winthrop, and Garrett Storm absolutely deserves his own book.

My biggest struggle was the ending. I feel a little cheated because I still have so many questions. It felt rushed and ended so abruptly that I never got to see Aaron and Juliette rebuild a real relationship that wasn't overshadowed by lies and secrecy. There isn't an epilogue to give us a glimpse into their future, and there are several important questions that never really get answered. Why did Declan do what he did? What really happened with Bailey? Aaron and Declan have this huge conflict throughout the story, but we never get to see them actually work through it. Since those were central conflicts, I really wanted more closure. Also, while this is technically a hockey romance, there is precious little actual hockey. One final note is that the blurb mentions fake dating, but Juliette isn't actually in on any fake dating scheme, so I think that might be a little misleading if you're expecting that trope in the traditional sense.

Overall, this was a fresh spin on some favorite romance tropes with characters I ultimately found myself rooting for despite wanting to throttle them more than once. It definitely isn't perfect, but it was entertaining, addictive, and had a redemption arc that completely got me in the end.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for platforms that don't allow half stars.

[sir (taylor's version) · Rating 1 out of 5]

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲

1 ⭐️

𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍
The plot of this book is very simple. Aaron, the main character of “Revenge Puck”, finds his best friend, Declan, having sex with his girlfriend. What does our dear Aaron do to get over it, you might ask? Does he ask his sister or his friends for advice on what to do? Does he try to overcome the trauma in a healthy way, I don't know, by going to a psychologist? No, our Aaron decides to carry out an evil plan (like Papillon from Miraculous) and get revenge. The very same day he discovers the betrayal, he runs into Juliette by pure chance, who he later finds out is Declan's younger sister, and after a short time, he decides to use her like a puppet.

Plot over, let's get to what I think. I am sorry to say this, but I did not like this book at all, there is not even one character who is saved. Aaron is a living red flag and I don't know how some readers can even consider themselves in love with him, since everything he does for Juliette has only one goal: to hurt his ex-best friend. And please, for at least a good eighty percent of the book he defined her, in order, as cute, sweet, too good for him, and even an angel, only to end up using her like a rag. What about Juliette? Firstly, she he has no character. I found her to be an empty protagonist who left me with nothing. Declan, on the other hand, I won't even comment on. This book had the potential to be a good romance, but the development was handled in the most superficial way possible. Besides the toxicity of the behaviors, there is also no chemistry between the main characters, so much so that every interaction felt almost forced. Besides the characters, even the writing style didn't help, since I found it way too slow. I hoped until the very end for a bit of maturity from certain characters, but instead, the ending only confirmed to me how superficial the story is. One last thing I want to add, even though it defines itself as an hockey romance, there is no trace of the sport. I do not recommend it at all. If you are looking for a good hockey romance, save your time and look for something else.

𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍
La trama di questo libro è molto semplice. Aaron, il protagonista di “Revenge Puck”, trova il suo migliore amico, Declan, a fare sesso con la sua ragazza. Cosa fa il nostro caro Aaron per superare la cosa, vi chiederete? Chiede un consiglio sul da farsi a sua sorella o ai suoi amici? Prova a superare il trauma in modo sano, non so, andando da uno psicologo? No, il nostro Aaron decide di attuare un piano malefico (alla Papillon di Miraculous) e di vendicarsi. Il giorno stesso in cui scopre il tradimento si imbatte per puro caso in Juliette, che scoprirà poi essere la sorella minore di Declan  e dopo poco, decide di usarla come se fosse un burattino. 

Trama conclusa, arriviamo a cosa ne penso. Mi dispiace dirlo, ma questo libro non mi è piaciuto per niente, non c’è nemmeno un personaggio che si salvi. Aaron è una red flag vivente e non so come facciano certe lettrici a considerarsi addirittura “innamorate” di lui, visto che tutto quello che fa per Juliette ha un solo scopo: fare del male al suo ex migliore amico. E vi prego, per almeno un buon ottanta percento del libro l'ha definita, in ordine: cute, dolce, troppo buona per lui e persino un angelo, per poi finire a usarla come se fosse uno straccio. Juliette, poi? Senza carattere. L’ho trovata una protagonista vuota, che non mi ha lasciato niente. Declan, invece, non lo commento nemmeno. Questo libro aveva i presupposti per essere un buon romance, ma lo sviluppo è stato gestito nel modo più superficiale possibile. Oltre alla tossicità dei comportamenti manca anche la chimica tra i protagonisti, tanto che ogni interazione mi è sembrata quasi forzata. Oltre ai personaggi, neanche lo stile di scrittura ha aiutato, dato che l’ho trovato fin troppo lento. Ho sperato fino all’ultimo in un briciolo di maturità da parte di certi personaggi invece il finale mi ha solo confermato quanto la storia sia superficiale. Un'ultima cosa che voglio aggiungere, nonostante si definisca un hockey romance, dello sport non c’è traccia. Non lo consiglio affatto. Se cercate un bel hockey romance, risparmiate il vostro tempo e puntate su qualcos’altro.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

If a romance book has hockey in it, I will read it. No hesitation. No critical thinking. No concern for my own wellbeing. 🏒🤡✨

So obviously I went into Revenge Puck ready for a great time. Hockey romance? Fake dating? Brother’s best friend? He falls first?? That’s basically catnip for me. Unfortunately, the book I thought I was getting and the book I actually got were… not the same book. 😭

From the description, I genuinely thought this was going to be one of those fun messy revenge plots where he’s mad at her brother, she knows about it, and they fake date together to make the brother sweat. Petty? Yes. Immature? Absolutely. Entertaining? Also yes. Instead, what I got was this man deciding to use his ex-best friend’s sister for revenge, keeping that little detail to himself, sleeping with her anyway, catching feelings in the process, and then acting like life is just sooo unfair when she’s upset after finding out. Sir??? Be serious. It is 2026. Women have hobbies now. We do not have to tolerate this. 😭🚩🏒

And that’s really where this book lost me.

Because I can deal with flawed men in romance. I can deal with bad decisions. I can even deal with revenge plots if the mess is entertaining enough. But sleeping with a woman while you’re still actively operating under the plan of “I can use her to hurt her brother” is… not sexy. Not romantic. Not giving “book boyfriend.” It’s giving please log off, drink some water, and maybe journal about this instead. 🤦‍♀️

Now, I will say the dual POV helped a lot. Without it, I probably would’ve wanted to launch this man directly into the boards. At least we get to see that he knows he’s being an idiot, hates himself for it, and spends a fair amount of time internally going wow, I really am the dumbest man alive. And honestly? Respect. Self-awareness is the first step. 😂

I also liked both characters in theory. In practice… Juliette confused me a bit. She’s written as shy, sensitive, reserved, bookish, kind of sheltered — and then she meets him, invites him back to her place after spending about five minutes with him, and is ready to jump into bed almost immediately. And listen, I am all for women doing whatever they want 🫶 but it just didn’t feel like it matched the version of her character I’d been introduced to, so it took me out of the story a little.

Also this book is VERY steamy. Like. Very. Which is fine! Love that for everyone involved! But for me there were just too many sex scenes and not enough emotional connection. I needed more actual bonding, more tension, more longing, more “oh no I’m in love with this person and it’s ruining my life” energy. Instead it felt like we skipped a few emotional steps and went straight to removing clothing. 🫣🔥

That being said, the book is super easy to read and I flew through it in one day. It’s fast, dramatic, messy, and if you like your hockey romances extra steamy with a morally questionable man making terrible choices in 4K, this honestly might work really well for you. 😂🏒

For me, it was a solid okay read with some fun moments, but the revenge setup and the way it played out kept me from fully buying into the romance.

Still… it’s hockey. And apparently when hockey is involved, I lose all objectivity and just keep turning the pages anyway. 🤷‍♀️🏒

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 📚

[Minnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley.

2.5 ⭐️

I was really excited to read this book and I really wanted to like it but I just really struggled to get through it. I found the book as a whole to be very juvenile and unrealistic to how people really interact, especially some of the dialogue, it's just things that people would never really say to each other. There's also a number of spelling mistakes that take you straight out of reading. And the whole timeline of the book is just so short making it even more unrealistic.

I didn't really like any of the characters. Juliette is portrayed as being very childish and innocent and has a bad habit of defending her brother to a fault. She's also just so naive, I don't understand how she fell for a lot of Aaron's lies when they were so blatant. Aaron's quest for revenge is just petty and juvenile, he admits multiple times that the relationship with Bailey was going nowhere and was already basically over and yet his quest for revenge serves to hurt someone with nothing to do with it. I really hate how smug he is during the text exchange when he's talking about how easily she's falling for his lies. Declan is just an all round jerk, instead of apologising to Aaron he just doubled down on the situation, if that was a real hockey team that would cause such a load of trouble for team dynamics. It's also really frustrating that he has a conversation with Juliette where he makes her feel insecure and what Aaron is doing just perpetuates all of it. The only real saving grace character was Garrett although he's only used as comic relief or to inadvertently cause trouble.

I did like Juliette and Blaire's relationship at times but a lot of their conversations read as really unrealistic, I just don't think that people really say a lot of the things that they said to each other. The very much came across as teenage best friends at times. I also didn't like that Blaire made comments about Declan to Juliette knowing that Juliette felt overshadowed by him and they had such a difficult sibling relationship, especially seen as she supposedly can't stand him so it ends up just feeling like objectification. I don't really see that as being something someone would say about someone's sibling even if the relationship was good between siblings.

Juliette and Aaron's relationship frustrated me the whole way through. It takes three quarters of the book for Aaron to realise he genuinely likes her and that the revenge plot is a total mistake. That didn't leave enough of the book for him to come clean and them to build an honest relationship, especially as she then only finds out 80-85% through the book, leaving so little time to make up with any meaningfulness. And then Aaron does start trying to make things right Juliette basically just rolls straight over.

It also feels wrong to label this as a hockey romance as there's so little hockey in it. There's no teammate camaraderie (in fact exactly the opposite), no game play, no training.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revenge Puck wastes no time throwing you straight into the betrayal.

Right from the opening chapters, you feel Aaron’s pain. What hurt him most wasn’t the relationship ending—it was the betrayal from someone he considered his best friend. That heartbreak becomes the driving force behind every decision he makes, including his plan involving Juliette.

Juliette is everything Aaron isn’t expecting. She’s sweet, genuine, kind-hearted, and perhaps a little too trusting. She’s looking for someone worthy of her heart, but she’s also cautious because she knows if she falls, she’ll fall hard.

What starts as revenge quickly becomes something much deeper.

The connection between Aaron and Juliette develops naturally, and their emotional intimacy surprised me just as much as it surprised Aaron. As his feelings become real, you can feel him slowly losing control of the plan he thought he had.

The entire time I had this growing sense of unease sitting in the pit of my stomach, knowing the truth couldn’t stay hidden forever.

And when Juliette finally discovers everything…

Ouch.

The way she finds out is heartbreaking. It felt like a slap in the face—not only painful but incredibly humiliating. My heart genuinely broke for her in that moment.

One thing I really appreciated was Aaron’s response afterwards. Instead of giving up, he truly worked to earn her forgiveness. I especially liked that he took a different approach, starting with making amends with her brother rather than simply expecting Juliette to forgive him. It showed real growth and made his grovelling feel much more sincere.

The ending was sweet, heartwarming, and a lovely way to wrap up their story.

Overall, Revenge Puck is a romance about betrayal, redemption, forgiveness, and proving that sometimes love is worth fighting for—even after you’ve made the biggest mistake of your life. It was an enjoyable read with an emotional payoff that left me smiling by the final page.

[Constance Haske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever been so angry that you make a snap decision that is completely out of your normal character?

Professional hockey player Aaron accidentally walks in on his teammate having "relations" with his girlfriend of a year and a half. He feels hurt, betrayed, and does not handle it well - seriously, who would? Honestly, he's a mess. This is a guy who is steady. He's dependable, has a great relationship with his sister, is monogamous, does charity work without publicity - lots of green flags. We like this guy, right?

But, no. His head is such a mess, feeling numb and heartless, that he decides to seek revenge; he's gonna start sleeping with his teammate's sister (sweet, innocent Juliette - who works for the team) then break her heart to get back at her brother. Does this sound like a good plan? No. And shortly into his scheme, Aaron realizes this as well. However, now he's got actual feelings for Juliette and has to figure out a way to come clean and still salvage their budding relationship.

I actually loved these two together. I mean, I abhor how it all started, but Aaron and Juliette's actual relationship, aside from the revenge plot, is really quite sweet. He's an idiot (so says his sister), but she's not completely blind to what she's getting into - in fact she thinks that the first time they get together it is just for a one night stand. She knows who he is, she knows that he's fresh off a breakup, and she knows that her company has a fraternization policy.

But the way that they both start to really see and value each other is what redeems this multiple red flags romance. The care that they show each other, and the concern they have for each other's needs makes this book utterly addictive.

Tropes

Brother's teammate
Revenge plot
Opposites attract
Hall pass
Grumpy x Sunshine
Hockey
Workplace

ARC supplied by NetGalley, review is my own unbiased opinion

[Alex Beisel · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ ARC REVIEW ✨
🏒 Revenge Puck by @saraneyauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

📅 Release Date: August 5, 2026

If you’re looking for your next hockey romance obsession, start here. Revenge Puck is the first book in the Michigan Ice Wolves series, and I could not put it down. Sleep? Work? Completely overrated when Aaron and Juliette were on the page.

Aaron’s world is turned upside down after his best friend betrays him in the worst way possible. In a split-second decision fueled by revenge, he starts spending time with the one person he never should have—his former friend’s younger sister, Juliette. What begins as payback quickly becomes something far more complicated.

Juliette was my favorite kind of FMC. She’s kind, confident, and quietly fierce. Even after years of living in her hockey-star brother’s shadow, she’s built a career she’s proud of and refuses to let anyone diminish her accomplishments. Aaron’s internal battle between revenge and the feelings he never expected to develop made him impossible not to love, and watching him realize he’d rather have a future with Juliette than revenge was everything.

The banter had me laughing, the side characters already have me desperate for their books (especially Blair, Declan, and GARETT👀), and the chemistry between Aaron and Juliette was effortless. Their relationship grows through honest conversations, sweet domestic moments, and plenty of tension that had me kicking my feet.

”She is seductive and sexy in an entirely different way. Quiet, unguarded, unsure of the power she yields. And somehow that makes it ten times stronger…”

I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK. 🙊🙈🙉

🏒 Tropes:

✨ Hockey Romance
✨ Revenge Plot
✨ Brother’s Best Friend
✨ Forbidden Workplace Romance
✨ Her Hall Pass
✨ Protective Brother
✨ She’s Mine
✨ Cookie Eating
✨ Funny AF best friend
✨ Funny Banter

Thank you to @netgalley and @saraneyauthor for the ARC. All thoughts are my own. 💛

[Reanna Abare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This ended up being exactly the palate cleanser I needed!

Revenge Puck was my first book by Sara Ney, and it definitely won't be my last. I flew through this one. I started it this morning and finished it the same day, which says a lot about how easy it was to get invested in these characters.

I always appreciate a dual POV, and this one also delivers hockey, a shy and incredibly sweet FMC, a cocky MMC, a brother's teammate romance, and a revenge plot that was a little different than what I'm used to. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about that trope at first, but it ended up working for me much better than I expected.

Juliette was such a lovable FMC. I actually saw a little bit of myself in her, which made it easy to connect with her. Aaron is definitely flawed, and I appreciated that he wasn't a perfect MMC. Watching their relationship develop kept me turning the pages, and the chemistry between them was great. The spice was well done without overpowering the story.

My biggest complaint is that I just wanted more. Once the conflict happened, everything felt like it moved at lightning speed. I would have happily read another 100 pages just to spend more time with these characters and see a few relationships explored a little further. It wasn't enough to ruin the book for me, but it did leave me wanting more.

There was a nice balance of hockey throughout the story too. More than some sports romances, but not so much that it overshadowed the romance.

Overall, this was a fun, bingeable read that pulled me out of my reading slump. Now I desperately need books for Blaire, Declan, and Garrett! If you enjoy hockey romances with dual POV, a sweet but shy FMC, a cocky MMC, and plenty of chemistry, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try!

[Nikisha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read if you like: secret relationship, forbidden romance, workplace romance

This book made me so mad. I feel like I wasted my time reading this.

Aaron is known to be kind and generous. But when he’s betrayed by his girlfriend and best friend, he turns into someone who wants revenge and he doesn’t care who he hurts. I didn’t like anything about him - he was a liar, a fake, manipulative, he avoided hard conversations and was constantly deflecting.
Juliette as a FMC was tough to read. She was insecure, an overthinker, and would defend her brother so much - even though he was a complete piece of 💩 and had a track record to show it. I couldn’t find any nice qualities about her. She went on and on about the way she hated looking like a cute librarian. Okay girl, if you hate it so much then change your style? Buy new clothes? Stop wearing modest stuff and putting bows in your hair? Literally NOBODY is controlling the way she dresses, but she complains about it all the time and is self conscious. She made me roll my eyes, she was an annoying fmc

I was waiting for chemistry and romance but I felt nothing. They never have a real conversation (hard to be real when you’re messing around with a liar). There was no getting to know each other stage, just sex (which wasn’t even hot). I don’t know why they were into each other at all.

I hated the way Aaron and Declan were forced to make up. Declan was an absolute dog and I hated that how she kept defending him. Forcing them to get along after what Declan did? Girl is crazy and has zero brain cells

Sutton calling was so annoying and for what? 😭😭 added nothing to the storyline

My genuine reaction to the last chapter of the book was: “What kind of ending was that?” 🤨🫠🙄🫩
It was rushed and felt like a forced HEA. It was not satisfying at all.

I don’t recommend this book 😭


Thank you Bookouture for this ARC

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Sara Ney is back giving us another fun and funny sports romance. Before I give my review, I have a couple of issues with marketing of Revenge Puck. First, the tag of "brother's best friend" trope is off in this situation. It's more a brother's ex-best friend now enemy romance, which is stated in the blurb. Second, the blurb says "fake dating", but this isn't the fake dating trope readers would think it was. Our heroine, Juliette, has no clue she's fake dating Aaron. He's using her for revenge against her brother and his ex-friend and still teammate, Declan. Juliette has no clue this is going on as she's falling for Aaron. I didn't really read the blurb and just dove right into reading because Sara Ney, but if you are picking the book up based on the blurb, you might be surprised.

Okay. Now for the fun stuff! Sara Ney's writing was as fun and witty as always. The humor she blends throughout her romances is always fun. This book was no different. I adored sweet, buttoned-up Juliette. She was easy to relate to and had a good heart. It was fun to experience her getting her shot with her crush - even if Aaron was being shady without her knowing it. Aaron... Not going to lie, didn't like the guy for much of the book. His thoughts were hard to read at times with what he was planning. That being said, his falling for Juliette brought out his good side and he did treat her well. I just wish he would have come to some conclusions a little earlier. She forgave him much easier and faster than I expected, but it all worked out in the best way.

I'm excited to read the next book in the series. There were lots of fun characters, and Aaron's teammates are sure to have some fun! I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next book!

[DarcieReadsALot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Revenge Puck was a light and quick, surface-level read with enough drama to keep you flipping the page. However, several aspects were disappointing enough that took away from my overall enjoyment. Some of the tropes that really pulled me in completely missed the mark or weren’t accurate to what actually happens, specifically ‘fake dating’ and ‘he falls first’. Neither are true, in my opinion. Fake dating typically requires both parties to be aware that it’s happening and she had been pining after him for years before this story even takes place!

I usually love dual POV to get inside the head of the MMC too, but there wasn’t nearly enough going on to justify using Juliette as collateral damage. I couldn’t buy into the romance at all (despite Juliette and Aaron being absolutely perfect for each other, all of this revenge nonsense aside) because of how calculated and manipulative the entire thing was.

After such a devastating betrayal, I would’ve expected to have been emotionally invested enough to shed a tear and not a silver lining in sight. The resolution was entirely too quick. At one point Juliette demands details and asks one question and done. I, too, wanted details! Where was the groveling? Where was the apology?

Juliette and Aaron’s texting (with help from Blaire) was comical and entertaining. I especially loved Juliette and Blaire’s relationship and Aaron and Sutton’s relationship. The anticipation of and around Aaron starting to fall was probably my favorite part! It is very easy to read and kept me flipping the page, but I ultimately just felt like it fell flat when we had been building and building to this big reveal of the truth and then everything resolved without much fanfare.

[aiyanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley

If you love fast-paced, sporty, workplace romances with grumpy x sunshine main characters, this is the book for you!
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The book introduces Aaron, a famous hockey player for the Michigan Ice Wolves. He is intimidating and rude. One day he walks in on his girlfriend and his best friend, Declan, messing around. After seeing that, Aaron walks around town to blow off steam and bumps into Juliette, who is sweet and determined, which is what led her to leave her date after mentioning her new job with the Michigan Ice Wolves hockey team. The night ends at Juliette's apartment, and Aaron spends the night. He leaves in the middle of the night, but on his way out, he grabs a framed photo of Juliette and Declan and realizes they are siblings.
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I will be honest, the first couple of pages made me doubt Aaron, but the more you read, the more you will love him. He grows into a different person when he is with Juliette, and I love seeing his development; we really get to see a softer side of him. Juliette has also become one of my favorite FMCs ever; seriously, I just adore her and her bows! She starts out shy and sweet, and with Aaron, we see her confidence grow. It had a good amount of spice, and I loved the dual POV; along with that, we also really got to see the characters' vulnerability. The sibling dynamics between the characters were probably my favorite part of the book, especially Aaron and Sutton's dynamic; they are my favorites.
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Overall, this was an easy and fun read. I totally recommend it if you are yearning for a good hockey romance. I cannot wait to see where this series takes us! I am even more excited to see if Garrett Storm will get a book. He was easily one of my favorite characters in this book.

[Lilly Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book was borderline unhinged… but I did, in fact, enjoy most of it.

Aaron is your classic broody hockey player, and he becomes extra broody and aggravated when he finds his best friend, Declan, in bed with his girlfriend. Fueled by rage and sadness, he accidentally stumbles into the perfect revenge plan… Declan’s sister, Juliette.

Juliette is your stereotypical girl depicted as pure innocence and shyness. But I will give her some credit, as she had a couple of moments where I was impressed by her stepping outside of her bubble.
This was very much your stereotypical hockey romance. I enjoyed the experience I had with it; it made me feel excited to see what was going to come next, especially because the revenge plot was incredibly messy…

Now, Aaron really was on thin ice (pun intended) with me for the entirety of the book because of his actions and his complete lack of awareness surrounding the issues regarding his “revenge plot.” I can get behind a lot of stuff as someone who deeply enjoys dark romance and such, but a book boyfriend should not manipulate/sleep with a girl to entice her into falling in love with him just to get back at her brother… and then be shocked when she finds out and is pissed???

Unfortunately, a few things fell slightly short for me. Specifically, I feel like more groveling was needed. The story takes place over the span of two weeks, and there was just not enough reforming of the trust within the relationship. I also did not feel particularly attached to any of the characters, though I did thoroughly enjoy Blaire and Garrett; both made me laugh frequently.

Overall, if you are feeling a quick hockey romance, this would be for you.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

[Book Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an engaging and entertaining sports romance that quickly pulls readers in and keeps them invested from beginning to end. With its mix of humour, chemistry, and emotional tension, the novel delivers a compelling story that’s hard to put down.
At the heart of the book is a classic “revenge” setup that evolves into something far deeper. The author does a great job of balancing lighthearted moments with genuine character development, making both the plot and the relationships feel dynamic rather than predictable. The pacing is one of the story’s strongest elements—it moves quickly, but never feels rushed, allowing the tension to build naturally.
The protagonists are particularly well-written. Their interactions are sharp and amusing, while their emotional growth keeps the story grounded. As their relationship develops, it becomes clear that what starts as a calculated plan gradually transforms into something meaningful. This progression is believable and satisfying, which adds to the overall appeal of the book.
Another standout aspect is Ney’s writing style. It’s accessible and witty, making the story feel effortless to read while still maintaining depth. The hockey setting also adds an extra layer of energy, giving the book a lively backdrop that complements the characters’ personalities and conflicts.
Overall, it is an enjoyable read that delivers exactly what fans of the genre are looking for—romance, humour, and just enough drama to keep things interesting. It’s a story that captures your attention early on and holds it all the way through, making it a great pick for anyone seeking a fun, engaging novel.

[Summer Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and @bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC, Revenge Puck by Sara Ney, in exchange for my honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.

Aaron catches his best friend with his girlfriend and decides the best way to get revenge is by dating his best friend’s little sister. Sounds like a solid plan…right? Not gonna lie, this had me a little concerned at first.

I think my favorite part of this book was how funny it was. Juliette is sweet, wears bows in her hair, so “by the book” that after HR tells her not to date players, she spends half the book convinced she’s one bad decision away from getting fired. Then there’s Aaron…grumpy, sarcastic, and basically chooses chaos every chance he gets. Watching them try to keep everything a secret was a hoot.

and Garrett…Garrett is basically a golden retriever in hockey gear. Every time he was on the page I knew I was about to laugh.

And can we please talk about Blair? She was honestly my favorite character. She’s the complete opposite of Juliette, has absolutely no filter, swears like a sailor, and would absolutely fight someone for her best friend. Every time she showed up, I was cracking up. Also, Sara…this girl deserves her own book. Hint hint.

I do wish there had been a little more depth in parts of the story, which is why this was a 4 star read instead of a 5 star for me. But if you’re looking for a quick, funny, STEAMY hockey romance with plenty of laughs, definitely add this one to your TBR!

[Jules ✌ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Revenge Puck by Sara Ney is a spicy sports revenge romance. Innocent, unassuming Juliette gets caught in the middle of a feud between her brother, Declan, and his teammate, Aaron, after Aaron is betrayed.

The premise of this book immediately drew me in. I love a good sports romance, and add a forbidden relationship to the mix? I'm diving in headfirst. I enjoyed the witty banter throughout the story. The minor characters, in particular, really stood out to me, and I'm hoping the next book in the series is about the two characters I think it will be. 🤞🏾

While I had fun reading this book—I finished it in just two days—I do have a few critiques, without giving away any spoilers. The relationship between the FMC and MMC felt incredibly unrealistic. The entire story takes place over the course of two weeks, and they meet for the very first time at the beginning of the book. The shoet time span makes the intensity of their feelings hard to believe. I also found the resolution between the MMC and Juliette's brother unrealistic as well. My final critique is the MMC's dialogue and vibe. He's written as a tall, dark, broody character, but the way he speaks and thinks feels almost "girly pop," which contrasts with his character.

Overall, I gave this book 2.5/5 stars. I loved the premise, the storyline, and the characters, but a lot of aspects of the relationships felt too unrealistic for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Revenge Puck by Sara Ney.

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in ONE day! I couldn’t put it down! Revenge Puck starts with a hilariously petty revenge scheme, but what unfolds is a swoony, heartfelt hockey romance that completely won me over.

Aaron’s plan to get back at his teammate by pursuing his sister, Juliette, is messy from the start—but watching his carefully crafted revenge unravel as he falls head over skates for her was everything. He may have gone in with the wrong intentions, but once he catches feelings, he’s all in, and I loved every second of his transformation.

Juliette was such an easy heroine to root for. Working for the professional hockey team means she’s constantly around Aaron, making the workplace romance and forced interactions even more entertaining. Their chemistry was undeniable from the beginning, balancing witty banter, emotional moments, and plenty of sizzling spice.

The teammate’s sister dynamic added just the right amount of tension, and I loved how the story evolved beyond the revenge plot into a romance built on genuine feelings. Aaron falling harder than he ever expected made this one especially satisfying.

If you’re looking for a fun hockey romance with workplace vibes, a revenge plan that backfires in the best way, a hero who falls hard, and plenty of steamy moments, Revenge Puck is definitely worth picking up!

⭐️: 5/5
🌶️: 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy! All opinions are honest and my own.

[Kasey Blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

I jinxed myself by saying I was done with grumpy sunshine trope before I started reading this. There were nice moments between the two of them. I liked the friendship between Juliette and Blaire, I always find it important for people to have friends. I would definitely want to read Blaire and Declan’s story that we are obviously getting teased although that man is on thin ice with me (pun intended). Initially, I was really bothered by her characterization as being sweet and almost virginal and for the first half of the book she was infantilized to an uncomfortable level. It did get better as the book went on but not much better. I also hate when we let men get away with straight up not speaking or sharing anything with the woman they’re seeing and also not knowing how to behave in public because they’re “grumpy”. The two of them quite frankly barely spent any time together and hardly spoke so for him to have this massive change of heart seemed out of character. He was also not done any favors by the fact that halfway through the book he still seemed to be set on his revenge goal. I also would have liked to actually see the resolution between the two men especially if we’re setting up a major character development arc for Declan in future books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advanced copy of this arc

[Susanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐️ 🌶️🌶️
Unfortunately, I didn’t love this book. 😞 When I read the blurb, it sounded like something I’d really enjoy — hockey romance and brother’s best friend? That should’ve been a win for me. But honestly… it was just one red flag after another.

I didn’t really like anything about the MMC or FMC, and I honestly didn’t feel any chemistry between them either. I already disliked Aaron from the moment he came up with his little “masterplan.” The fact that he was fully okay with hurting Juliette just to get back at her brother (who was also a massive red flag) already annoyed me so much.

The dialogue drove me insane too. Everyone acted like middle schoolers who couldn’t communicate properly and kept making ridiculous excuses! “I didn’t mean to hurt you and sleep with your girlfriend” ??? Be serious.

Juliette was also the type of FMC I struggle with — very insecure, trying too hard to be someone she’s not, and honestly just naive at times. I never really connected with her.

I kept trying to find something that would make me enjoy the story, but even after the final chapter I was just sitting there like… what was that? Everything felt rushed, and again, none of the conversations felt mature at all.

I’m sure this book will work for some readers, but sadly it just disappointed me.

And thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Autumn Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revenge Puck by Sara Ney is a brothers-best-friend hockey romance with delightful banter and a FMC with a killer inner monologue. While the nature of the story is semi-predictable from the start, it is safe to say that most romance novels within any particular trope, are. Will it stop me from coming back for more? Never.

In this story, the romance between Aaron and Juliette is nearly poetic in that it is descriptive and detailed - maybe more so than in other books with a similar genre. What starts out as the story's revenge namesake, the MMC quickly learns that his feelings for Juliette trump the hatred of his best friend's transgressions, leaving him to play cleanup at the end when secrets start to unravel. Throughout the book Sara Ney does a great job of slowly ramping up the heat and staying in the moment while adding in verbal queues and inner dialog that's more believable than most when getting to the crescendo.

In addition to great spice is the enjoyment of sub-characters Bailey and Storm which no doubt will make other appearances (their own books, perhaps?!) in the series to come. Clearly the brooding brother deserves a redemption story of his own.

Overall, "Revenge Puck" is a story that will have you reaching for your Kindle during your free moments of the day and will leave you pining for the next phase of the Michigan Ice Wolves series to come.

[lena ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay.. Let’s get right into it. I think that the book had the potential to be really great. The blurb seemed enticing enough, and I love the best friend’s sibling and the fake dating trope so I was sold on it. However, this book lost me pretty quick. The way that it was literally just a man deceiving a woman and then feeling bad about it in a very pathetic way (was I supposed to feel sorry that he felt bad? lol). I had no sympathy for what he was going through, and because he was an asshole, he was very unlikable. I think that in life we all make mistakes, but at minimum he should’ve yearned a little bit more.

The resolution was a little too fast in my opinion. He was lying for ages, deceiving and using her for his own benefit, and you have the FMC being okay with it after what like five scenes? Hello?

All that being said, it’s just not the book for me. I think that if you like that sort of thing, it could be the book for you because the writing itself is pretty good. It’s good writing, it’s just not a great plot. I think that had this been a fake relationship as it was promoted and had she been on board because she was mad at her brother or whatever then it would’ve been great, would’ve been amazing, 10 out of 10 no notes. Lost me at it all being not consensual.

[Lisa Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance reader copy of Revenge Puck in exchange for my honest review.

If you’re looking for a hockey romance with plenty of chemistry, banter, and a satisfying brother’s-best-friend dynamic, Revenge Puck delivers. Sara Ney creates likable characters whose attraction feels genuine, and I found myself rooting for them from the start. The hockey backdrop adds to the fun without overwhelming the romance, and the pacing kept me turning the pages.

The tension between the main characters was easily the highlight for me. Their playful back-and-forth and undeniable chemistry made for an entertaining read, and the emotional moments balanced the steam nicely.

While I really enjoyed the romance, there were a few moments where I wanted a little more depth in the character development and emotional conflict. Some plot points wrapped up a bit more quickly than I expected, leaving me wishing for just a little more exploration before the ending.

Overall, Revenge Puck is a fun, spicy sports romance that’s easy to binge and perfect for fans of brother’s-best-friend tropes, hockey players, and swoony happily-ever-afters. I’d happily pick up the next book in the series.

[Kelsie Bowler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah Key wrote one of my favorite hockey romances, and that can be the problem. I went into this expecting to get another 5 star book from Ney. It unfortunately didn't live up to the expectations.

The good is that I saw myself in the FMC, Juliette. Her naivety wasn't used as a ploy to prove the she is just a dumb girl, but it shows that she can be incredibly genuine. She pushes herself out of her comfort zone and is able to do so confidently.

It's probably Aaron that didn't do it for me, but that's mostly because I was confused about who he really was the entire time. He didn't come across as the broody enforcer at the beginning and as a result, I had a hard time trying to make that personality fit for him. Much of this could be that we didn't get to see Juliette of Aaron outside of their "relationship" with each other. I craved the foil that more time with the Ice Wolves could have provided for both Juliette and Aaron.

Sex positive scenes were paramount for me and this had them. We never had to see Juliette embarrassed about being less experienced than Aaron. He was always respectful, an example that more men should follow.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[thornhillreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

sara ney, we need a strong word here. when you commented on my instagram post and said a new book boyfriend has entered the hockey arena, i was expecting the sweetest and the most adorable man in the world.

yet, when i started reading the first few chapters, i wanted to strangle aaron bishop. i wanted to go full blaire mode when she’s angry at a man. because that was cruel of him! ( also aware that was part of the blurb, but im just a romantic, sue me! )

but the more i got involved into reading revenge puck, i started to ease up on him.

i loved the contrast between juliette and aaron, and their povs. juliette’s pov was very innocent and bubbly whereas aaron came off cold and calculated. which worked so well with the storyline.

and you could tell when doubt creeped in within aaron without it being directly discussed. that moment was important and it showed within his perspective.

the moment he started to fall for juliette was the moment i started to adore the man and yes, i am afraid he has been added to my book boyfriends list now.

overall, i enjoyed this book very much so, i couldn’t put it down. it was such a different and refreshing hockey romance i have read and made it more enjoyable.

thank you netgalley for this opportunity!

[Jen Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're in the mood for a fast paced, spicy, revenge plot, then this would be a great read for you! The writing and plot had so much potential, but didn't give me all I was looking for.

Aaron walks in on his teammate and friend cheating with his girlfriend. He is hurt and runs into Juliette, his teammates sister. Aaron has always been a hall pass for Juliette so the timing is perfect after she left a bad date to explore a hookup. When Aaron learns who Juliette is, he develops a plan to use her to get back at his teammate for betraying him. Over a few dates and hookups, casual turns into feelings and needing to define what they are before the truth of Aaron's initial plan comes out and the teams no-fraternizing policy is crossed.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an ARC read of Revenge Plot in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't a huge fan that majority of the book is Aaron deceiving Juliette through sex and intimacy even thought he admits to being a jerk, still I was rooting them and their HEA once Aaron came to terms with his feelings. I am happy I read this novel, but it isn't one I would jump to recommend.