Egotistical Puckboy

Puckboys #1

by Eden Finley, Saxon James, Alexander Cendese (narrator)

EZRA

Partying, dudes, and hockey. What more could a gay NHL player want?

If it weren't for Anton Hayes, my life would be perfect.

Not that he affects my life in any way. At all. That would imply I care what the winger from Philly thinks of me.

Which I don't.

Not even a one-night stand with him can thaw his misplaced animosity toward me.

He says I'm the one with the ego, but he can talk. He rivals me for most egotistical puck boy in the league.

I hate him as much as he hates me. Even if I crave a repeat.


ANTON

When it comes to hockey, I'm all about the game.

I've worked for years to be one of the best in the league, and l've done it without splashing my orientation all over the tabloids.

My hockey image is one I've carefully cultivated, and after one night with Ezra Palaszczuk, I risk it all.

He's cocky, obnoxious, and has an ego bigger than Massachusetts. And okay, maybe he's the sexiest man I've ever known.

We'll never get along. Not when we sleep together. Not even when my possessive streak awakens.

That doesn't stop us from falling into bed together over and over again.

Genres: M M Romance, Sports, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Hockey, Sports Romance, LGBT

8 pages, Audible Audio

First published February 10, 2022

About the author

Eden Finley is an Amazon bestselling author who writes steamy contemporary romances that are mostly full of snark and light-hearted fluff.

She lives to create an escape from real life for herself and her readers.

She's also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes don't make sense to anyone else.

Reviews

[☆ Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woohoo! There was snark and banter galore in this first book of the new Puckboys series, which you'll never catch me complaining about. 😁

I really enjoyed how neither of the MC's truly could stand one another at the beginning of the story.

Ezra was loudly out and cocky, with an abundance of recurring tabloid headlines, which made Anton cringe.



And Anton was also pretty arrogant, but private and reserved, which made Ezra believe that he had a permanent stick up his ass.



Neither MC was completely wrong in their initial assertions, but as with most things, initial impressions rarely see the whole story.

But when Anton got traded from Philly to Boston, Ezra's team, and the two were forced to "play nice" for the media and sake of the team, the time that they spent together began to reshape how they saw one another. As expected. Because... romance!



I loved seeing the guys go from being adversaries to more of a co-conspirators situation, as their fuck buddies relationship turned to actual friendship, then to the "more" for which I was hoping.



I also really enjoyed getting Ezra's back-story with his manipulative, verbally-abusive, ex-NHL father, finally working up the courage to stand up for himself. And how Anton never felt quite good enough, but fought his way to the top of the scoring board, while weighing his prospects of coming out and living as his true self.

And lastly, I loved the idea of "The Collective", as the group of gay NHL players showed true camaraderie and support for one another, regardless of which team they were currently playing on, or even after they'd retired.

The Stanley Cup scenes at the end were pretty exciting, too, so I'm glad those were included for one last bit of action and drama.

The story also had a decent bit of side-plot about Tripp and Dex, who both played for Las Vegas, which I definitely saw as a book setup for the gay player falling for his straight BFF, who also has a gold-digging girlfriend, which I'd read in a damn heartbeat.

This one was tons of fun and was overflowing with humor, so I'd rate it at around 4.25 stars and recommend it for any fans of the previous CU Hockey series.

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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the auhtors in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.

This book will also be*FREE* with Kindle Unlimited membership.

See All My Latest Reads (Review Quick-Links)

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[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audiobook - 4 stars

Story - 2.5 stars

Odd ball out.



I am so used to the combo that is Alexander Cendese and Iggy Toma. They are the reason I finished this one.

The beginning was okay then as the book progressed I realized this is another Heated Rivalry wannabe. I tried to turn a blind eye but I just couldn't.

The banter was good. The characters were likable. That's something.

I feel like ever since Rachel Reid gave us Ilya and Shane, every book out here is trying to replicate that success. And they are failing.

Anyhoo, It's me, this book has received glowing reviews.

[Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp · Rating 2 out of 5]

|| 2.0 stars ||

➛First read: February 2022 | ★4.5 stars
➛Second read: February 2023 | ★4.5 stars
➛Third read: May 2024 | ★2.0 stars

EDIT after my re-read:
I’m actually so disappointed in Past Me, because there’s no way I actually used to think this book was good, let alone amazing.
It was insanely superficial and literally offered nothing but smut and bad writing. There wasn’t a hint of depth or emotion or love to be found here; just sex and silly “banter”. It was also super boring and repetitive.
Seriously, what was wrong with me that I used to love this??

Original Review:
I was extremely hyped for this book, and I am incredibly glad to say that I am not disappointed! Not even close. It was maybe even better than I expected.

This book starts out with Ezra and Anton not liking each other. At all. They both think the other is infuriating to the max, and this does not change after they hook up for the first time. They don't suddenly think the other is a saint merely because of some good sex. Nope. It was a true dislike, and they only warm up to each other when they truly get to know each other over time. It was quite a slow-burn with regards to their actual feelings.
Eventually, they learn to love the exact things about each other they initially thought made them arseholes. I kind of loved that, because it made their relationship feel authentic and like it could actually work. Neither of them change their personalities or who they are: they remain the same they have always been. The only difference is how each of them feel about those traits.
Basically, they both learn to open up more and accept each other, resulting in respect, admiration and love.

When it comes to the two main characters, I started out with mixed feelings.
I never had an issue with Ezra, as I immediately thought he was a funny, entertaining, bubbly and sweet character. And okay, he was surely cocky and egotistical, but I mostly found that endearing, hot and humorous. All in all, he was immediately my favourite of the two.
Anton, however, needed some time for me to warm up to him. I didn't really like him at first, and his impression of Ezra grated on me slightly. His assessments of Ezra just didn't seem particularly fair to me. Anton also didn't have many interesting qualities about him at the start, since he was rather closed off and uptight in general. Nonetheless, when he finally starts to accept and love Ezra, he also changes into more of the real him. And that change was for the better. He became a bit more light-hearted, but he also had this extreme possessiveness. This possessiveness comes into play quite a few times, and I honestly couldn't get enough of it.

There's plenty of banter and snark here, but there's also a bit of angst to satisfy the general need for some more seriousness. The angst is definitely not super deep though, and could have been further explored, but I'm honestly not sure if that would have fit with the overall tone of the novel. So, really, the level of seriousness and angst in this particular story was fine with me.
The banter was just through the roof, though! It was really good! The chemistry between these two was simply amazing, and they didn’t have a single boring interaction.

I really liked this book and I can honestly not wait for when the second book comes out. I'm assuming the next book will be about Tripp and Dex, and seeing as I am a complete sucker for best friends-to-lovers and unrequited love, I am convinced this novel will be a hit for me.


'Puckboys' series:
1. Egotistical Puckboy - 2.0 stars
2. Irresponsible Puckboy - 3.5 stars
3. Shameless Puckboy - 1.5 stars

Prequel 'CU Hockey' series:
1. Power Plays & Straight A's - 3.0 stars
2. Face Offs & Cheap Shots - 4.0 stars
3. Goal Lines & First Times - 2.5 stars
4. Line Mates & Study Dates - 3.5 stars
5. Puck Drills & Quick Thrills - 3.5 stars

Other Eden Finley and Saxon James books:
‘Fake Boyfriend’ series - var. ratings
‘Famous’ series - var. ratings
‘Cash Me Outside’ series - var. ratings
‘Never Just Friends’ series - var. ratings
‘Frat Wars’ series - var. ratings
Making Him Mine - 2.0 stars
‘Mike Bravo Ops’ series - var. ratings
The Dating Disaster - 3.5 stars

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

I swallow hard because I don’t want to say this next part. “I’m falling for you.”
Anton sucks in a short gasp. I can’t tell if it’s genuine or sarcastic.
“I broke you,” he says.
Sarcastic it is.
I throw my hands up. “This is why I’ve never told someone that before. Because it encourages mockery.”

Ezra my bb, i’m so happy he finally found his match😩 what i loved about Ezra and Anton’s relationship is the banters between them and how, even once they’re officially together, they never lost that snarky banter. i also loved how they were able to see past the other’s facade after learning more about each other when, deep down, one just wants affection that his parents never showed him while the other is afraid of rejection and not being good enough. Ezra is literally that annoying, cocky asshole but it was the likable type of annoying for me where i couldn’t help but just want to hug him lol. overall, i enjoyed the start of this new series and i’m so excited for the rest! 🥰

[nark · Rating 2 out of 5]

yup, you're seeing it right, i gave this book 2 stars.

this was, sadly, quite bland.🤔 i said what i said.

this had a lot of potential to be a great enemies/rivals to lovers story, but it was just way too smooth, too cheesy, too cliche and too low angst for me to truly deliver.

i was left wanting more depth from the characters too. i enjoyed their banter in the beginning, but since i didn't really care for either mc in the long run, i ended up reading all their interactions with a completely straight face. literally did not care. the way they finally got into a relationship? weak. felt absolutely nothing.

i kept waiting for this book to make me feel something, but it never happened.

i am a little sorry for hating so hard on this book, but honestly, i had high hopes for Ezra's book, so the fact that it just didn't deliver made me salty as hell.💀

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Egotistical Puckboy is book one in the brand new series, Puckboys by Eden Finley and Saxon James. I have read books by both of these authors individually but shockingly, this is the first one of their co-authored books that I’ve read and WOW! I loved everything about it! These two men were so much fun. Their banter, rivalry, their snark, had me smiling so much! But they were also honest with each other, they SAW each other. They actually talked things out when there was a conflict. That last thing was the most important. I love it when the characters actually communicate.



Ezra Palaszczuk (I didn’t even try to pronounce it) is a twenty seven year old professional hockey player. He is out and proud. He doesn’t believe in love or relationships, for good reason as we get to know him. If he wants someone, he goes out and finds someone, his antics often making the tabloids. His one nemesis is one of the players from another team, Anton Hayes. He never fails to get his hackles up and they have a well known rivalry on the ice.



Anton is out to his family and team but not to the public. He likes keeping his private life private and completely separate from his hockey life. On the ice, no one can rile Anton up like Ezra does. But he also can’t help but recognize that same chemistry off the ice. The man is gorgeous and when Ezra taunts him, Anton can’t say no and takes what Ezra is offering. It’s just supposed to be one night to get it out of their systems. Only once will never be enough.



These two together were fantastic! What started as a rivalry ended up being something else all together. They each took the time to look through the outer persona they showed to the world and saw the person underneath. Ezra helped Anton to loosen up some and Anton helped Ezra to (maybe) calm down a bit. They were both up front and honest with each other at what their expectations were. They respected each other. And the best part is that they burned up the pages with their sexy times!



I smiled so much reading this. I also swooned a LOT! How could I not?! I don’t know who is next in the series but I have an idea who it could be. No matter what, I’m in this series to stay and can’t wait for whoever comes next.

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[Mila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second Reread: March 2023

***4.0 rating***

Much more enjoyable the second time around.😉

___________________________________________
***3.5 rating***

"Something passes between us that I can’t name, and when Ezra gives me a small, private smile, it brings the fire inside me alive. Mine."

Guess I am doing a review after all (lol).



My (neutral) review:

What is about fuckboys that makes us drawn to them? smh. I have had my fair share of unfortunate experiences with them. They are cocky, arrogant, self-obsessed, and sadly very attractive. Sigh. But still we go for them until we learn, well at least those of us that do, obviously some of us are smarter than others and avoid them like the plague. For those of us who are still in the dating field, fuckboys like Ezra are charming and charismatic. They are funny and good vibes.

In this spin-off series, Ezra (insert long ass polish last name) claims to be one of those certified fuckboys. Now, I haven't read all of the CU hockey books but I know that in that series he is a player and cannot commit to save his life. Correct me if I am wrong but that is what is told about him in this book. Him and his teammate/enemy Anton (who is also gay but not out to the public) hook up. They have great sexual chemistry even though they supposedly cannot stand each other and I won't lie those smexy scenes were really steamy. Despite their supposed dislike for one another, they have great banter together. The flirting is fun too. I liked how they went from supposed rivals, to fuckbuddies to sort of friends, to friends, then to lovers. Their relationship development was done very well. With all that being said, it felt like something was missing.

This story while really cute and entertaining was somewhat predictable. It was giving very much inspired by Heated Rivalry and Frat Wars. The enemies to lovers trope/pranks, I have seen it all before. It was also a bit cheesy at times, and like others have mentioned in their review somewhat bland. Maybe I am just part of the unpopular crowd that didn't love it lol. I didn't dislike nor loved it. I guess I am neutral? It was enjoyable but also very predictable? Hope that makes sense.

I am excited to read Trip and Dex's story next. Love a good friends to lovers trope. Hope that one is more original and less predictable.

[lakshmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh how I missed being in this world. In this banter and snark filled universe.


“No joking. You are an awesome person, Ez. And while we do this thing, you’re also my person. If anyone says that shit to you, they get to face both of us.”


Ezra and Anton filled with to the brim with satisfaction. Egotistical Puckboy was exactly the low angst kind of book I was looking for.


This review is getting a higher rating that necessary but I’ve had a crappy day yesterday and this book truly and honestly made it better and just for that I’m bumping it up a star. These characters made me laugh and smile and they now hold a special place for me

“It’s not your fault. I’m extremely irresistible.”
“Yeah, my favorite quality is your humility.”


Ezra was the kind of character you easily liked. He was funny and adorable and in need of deep loving. Anton was our grouchy hero with just a touch of possessiveness to make us love him more.



“ Deep down, he’s not craving sex. He craves affection.”

“Hey, I can be a decent human being and be full of shit at the same time, thank you very much. It’s called multitasking.”

But i swear. My baby needs to be hugged and wrapped and never let go. My little nugget😭😭


“What’s up?” Ezra asks. “You have that look on your face like you’re trying to think. I wouldn’t waste my time if I were you.”



but I gotta say: after Anton joins the team, it seems that all the attention went on him and off Ezra. They were rivals and when they joined the same thing they just stopped being competitive? It felt like all bark and no bite.


“but there’s something about the vulnerability in his eyes that makes me think he needs the validation from me.
And for some reason, that makes my chest warm and fuzzy. I want him to want validation from me”


But besides that every aspect of the book was perfect for me. It was fun and flirty and 🤌🤌🤌

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well that was an absolute riot!

We all knew Ezra has an ego the size of a mountain but in Anton Hayes he finds his perfect match, someone who's not only as confident as he is, but who has the skills to match on the rink.

From the off this book captured my attention, it's both funny and also quietly exploratory of the pressures ice hockey - and any other top level athlete for that matter - find themselves under, not only the external ones, but those they put on themselves.

For Ezra, his reputation is something he might not have intended to have as a bit of a manwhore and, while he's outrageously out and proud, it's something he knows provides ammunition for others.

Anton is a bit more of a mystery. While it becomes very clear from the start that he's not straight, he's also not publically out, although his family and his teammates are aware.

Things come to a head pretty quickly and then what follows next is a rollercoaster of a ride through two men finding out that what they thought they hated most about the other, could actually be the one thing each has been missing from their lives.

This book is a mix of hilariously funny, bitingly harsh at times, and a scorching hot exploration of what starts of as hate sex and very rapidly moves into something pretty special.

I was so very glad to see there were no misunderstandings or lack of communication in this book. There is one point close to the end where it looked like it might have been heading that way but I should have had more faith in Eden and Saxon.

Throughout the previously interconnected series' we've also had lovely guest appearances and this continues here with both Eden's Fake Boyfriend characters and this writing duo's CU Hockey stars turning up. Bonus points for more West and Jasper, as well as visits from Ollie, Soren, Foster and Tripp (who looks like he might be getting his book next).

I loved the camaraderie between all the out NHL players in this shared universe. We get to see there's far more to Ezra than his puckboy reputation.

Egotistical Puckboy is a wonderful introduction to this new series and I can't wait to dive in for more.

#ARC kindly received from the authors via ForewardPR in return for an honest and unbiased review

[ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

i wanted to love this but it was so generic. feels like i have read this a million times before. nothing new. just same old, same old.

it’s by no means a bad book whatsoever. but there was truly nothing about it that gripped me. their rivalry was weak and had no real tension – there’s not even a proper reason for their rivalry? they just don’t get along and that’s that.

it definitely had its juicy moments like their scene at the club and i did prefer the second half of the book to the first (i adored the ballroom scene at the charity event)... but overall? meh.

there wasn’t any deep-rooted desire to keep reading this. i didn’t want to devour the book as quickly as possible like i had hoped. neither Ezra nor Anton particularly stood out or felt unique to me. neither one had me in a chokehold like some of Eden and Saxon’s other characters. they were really cute towards the end of the book, though. just the rest of it had me pretty bored.

i just feel super indifferent about this lol. zero passion either way, love or hate. it’s just kinda... there. and im bummed about that. not the best start to the series. oh well.

Dex and Tripp stirred more feelings in me for the 3.680154 seconds they were on page.

[Renae Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book***

Egotistical Puckboy is a fun enemies-to-lovers romance featuring snarky banter and fantastic sexual tension between the leads. Their romance progresses in interesting directions as they navigate their complicated feelings.

Ezra is a confident and brash hockey player who does not have relationships. Because of this his attraction to fellow grumpy hockey player Anton takes him completely by surprise. Their attraction ignites a forbidden relationship that both try their best to ignore while maintaining their composure on the ice.

Feelings naturally develop in surprising ways for both Anton and Ezra, which leads to many hilarious situations of blunt both honest and uncomfortable truths.

Overall this is a great beginning of a fun series of characters that I cannot wait to see more from. My favorite aspect is seeing the possessiveness develop between Ezra and Anton, it's one of my favorite aspects.

This is another great entry by this fantastic writing duo!!!

[alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ezra is mine.

I groan at the thought.

At doing what no one else has ever done.

The thing is, I don’t want to rein him in. I don’t want to change him. He’s light. He’s attention. People are drawn to him and his larger-than-life personality. I want to wind him up and watch him fly, then be the safe place where he can land. The one he always comes back to.

the tales of superstitious puckboy Ezra, his magic dick, and his bestie Anton 🤣

it’s GR official, rivals to lovers is my Achilles’ heel. a romance between two players alone is enough to ensnare me, but add on the rivals touch and you are speaking to my soul on a cellular level 😌

there’s just something about the way both halves become so attuned to each other on and off the ice—inevitable given the amount of time they spend in each other’s sights, fixating on every move like an obsession. not to mention the mutual ribbing (sounds dirty hehe) and banter, such delightful components of the enchanting trope. i will never get over it 😍

while i did feel like the story was missing that spark toward the end, i must say that the numerous cameos and bountiful supply of hockey scenes hyped me up big time!!

sadly work fried my brain cells (turns out taking a day off in the middle of the week only spells disaster 😂) so this is about all i can muster at the moment, but i am very excited for the romance featuring Mr. Walking Himbo (you know i immediately latched onto him upon detection 😆)

****pre-release thoughts****

COVER REVEAL WHEEEEEE (thanks Mariam for telling me!)

blue-eyed Ezra staring straight into my soul.... 👁️👄👁️

[Florence . · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 “I don’t need luck. I have Ezra.” stars

People. Relationships. Love.
I don’t want any of it.
Except when he leans over and presses a kiss to the top of my head, I’m starting to suspect that I really, really do.

Trust me, no one is sadder than I am that this book wasn’t a favourite for me, it had all of my favourites tropes and I just wanted to love it.

I will start this review by saying that I read this one right after I read a book that will probably end up being my favourite book of the year and I’m still thinking about that book, a lot, so we can blame the fact that I didn’t love this book on me reading it at a bad time. It was all my fault for having really poor timing and I’m really sorry about it book. This book was everything I expected it to be and yet it didn’t work for me as much as I wanted it to. So I think we can just blame this one on it not being the right book for the right time in my life. Because I’m sure I would have really enjoyed this book if I read it at any other time in my life.

Brief summary
Ezra and Anton are hockey rivals who play for different teams. They don’t really like each other but they end up sleeping together and they both want to do it again. Anton ends up being traded to Ezra’s team and they spend more time together and they fall in love.

First, one of my favourite parts of enemies to lovers books is towards the start of the book when they want each other but they don’t want to admit it so they are trying to fight their attraction but they cannot really do it, and I really loved how that part was done in this book.

Second, the sex scenes were hot and I really enjoyed all of them but I just wanna mention the ones that happened when they still had their rivalry going on, those were damn lovely. The sex scenes were more present in the first half of the book than in the second half and I cannot say that I didn't wish that we had more in the second half of the book, but that's just a personal preference.

Third, I really enjoyed the banter in this book, I love the banter that these authors' character has and it was the same in this book. The banter in these books really heighten my enjoyment of them and it was the case in this book too, the banter between Ezra and Anton was just lovely.

Fourth, I enjoyed Anton and Ezra together and I thought that they were well suited for each other but they got officially together really late into the book and I just wanted to see them spend more time together and have more couple moments. I don't really appreciate slow burns in books because I always feel like I'm missing out on a lot of couple moments and I definitely felt this way while reading this book. They were super great together and I just wanted to see more of that. They had a lot of really sweet couple moments that I adored but I just wanted to see more of those moments.

Although I will say that I really enjoyed how much hockey there was in this book, that part of the book definitely worked for me. As someone who loves hockey and religiously watches it, I just want to mention the references to actual hockey players in the fact that every other player on hockey teams in the book are named after actual hockey players, I really appreciated it, it was really fun to recognize the names as I was reading the book.

Fifth, his book was exactly what I expected it to be, it followed the same formula as every other book I have read by these authors, which is a formula that I normally really appreciate and enjoy, so I think we can assume that this one is on me and nothing the book has done, although I will say that I would like a book that doesn't follow that formula once in a while, it would be a breath of fresh air that I would really enjoy, but hey, the formula works too, I just like books that go outside of the typical formulas. But, I just couldn’t connect with the story as much as I wanted to. It was fun and I had a good time reading the book, but it didn’t really grab me, not nearly as much as I wanted it to.

I really wish I enjoyed this one more than I did because I was really looking forward to it but I still had a good time reading it and it was super sweet and the banter was absolutely perfect.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Rielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yikes.

This felt like a computer took all the highly-rated cliches and tropes, mashed them together, and set the rating to fluffy.

What did I even read? Where was the depth? Were there even characters? Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and it was not done well here. It didn’t make sense at all for these characters so there was no true progression that the story could be built upon.

No heat. No chemistry. The sex scenes were absolutely bland. I think this is the first romance I have ever read that doesn’t have a single hint of excitement. This is definitely the issue that took this book from 2 stars to one. I can overlook a lot of plot issues in my romance if I’m rooting for the MCs and there’s heat and tension between them, but that was seriously lacking here.

So rarely have I rated a book I finished one star, but this gets to be in that rare few. These authors are phoning it in. They know what sells and they’re catering to that in the laziest way.

[Gloria (in a slump? idk) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's my review: This book is like a salty bag of chips (or crisps! Whatever floats your boat). You take one bite and bam! You must finish the entire thing in one sitting 😌

The only difference is, in this instance it's your heart (not your stomach) that gets filled. Thanks to the low-to-no angst goodness and that perfect ending! I loved Anton and Ezra so damn much!

P.S. My stomach is full, but only from the chips I actually ate while reading this 😂

P.P.S I NEED TRIPP AND DEX TO HAVE A BOOK!

K, bye!

[Pauline]

Dropped at 49%

This… was okay? But also a bit cringey?
And I just didn’t like either character; Ezra’s extreme fuckboy attitude grated on my nerves especially hard.
I didn’t buy their connection and simply couldn’t care enough about them to continue.

Ugh, I want the early MM magic back in my life 😩

[Rosabel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this a while ago and I can't remember nothing, so that tells it all doesn't it? 🤭🤭

I do remember that even though it was a light book, meaning it was easy to read, it didn't have anything special, it felt like the same formula that this authors use, it was light, a little bit fun, nothing important, easy to forget, so yeah, I have not much more to say. 😬😬😬

[Lau ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Time of death: 61%

I don’t think this was bad, more like I’ve read a lot of enemies to lovers with the same formula before and I didn’t care enough about the characters to keep reading. If you are giving me a well- known story line, I need great characters to compensate.

My main problem with Ezra and Anton is that they keep telling me what they are, instead of showing me through actions and thoughts. It’s not bad to say ‘I’m not confident because I wasn’t good at hockey when I was younger’, but when most of their characterization is based on them explaining their personality it’s hard to imagine them as real human beings.
Other than that, I was very annoyed with Anton saying he ‘owned’ Ezra for fucking him, when it was Ezra who played him, almost dared him to do it, and Anton who fell in Ezra’s trick.

[Mariam, · Rating 4 out of 5]

[first reread: May 8-9, 2022]
‼️CHANGED RATING from 4.75 ⭐ to 4.24 star✨✨ ‼️

Well, I did not expect to be as annoyed and frustrated at Ezra as I was reading this again. Because FUCKING FUCK FUCK ASSHOLE FUCK is Ezra Palaszczuk soooooo annoying. Like yeah, he has a good heart but MAN, RIP Anton, West, and every being under Ezra's influence. That ball gag really looks tempting. Part of the reason why Ez was so annoying was because
a. I didn't understand why he didn't like Anton
b. REALLY? The first few times Anton was open about his fears about not being good enough for the team, Ezra had the pull the card that: 'wow, you're so egotistical to think the game rides on your shoulders' and I MEAN, SURE there's a compliment in there SOMEWHERE but fuck man, why do u have to sound like such a dick?

I haven't reread my initial review yall so pray for me because I don't know which version of Mariam is clowning (nah it's my current existence because I can't honestly believe myself rn)

Also THIS. fucking SOFT.

The thing is, nothing with us is guaranteed. Our careers, our teams, even the cities we live in. I want to spend as much time as I can with Ezra while I have it, so then if we are ever separated, we’ll be stronger and ready to face that together too.
The NHL might be a big part of our lives now, but that won’t always be the case.
Ezra will be though.
I can feel it.
No matter what happens, no matter what we go through, we’re going to do it together.
Boyfriends who win Stanley Cups together stay together.
That’s my superstition.
And I’m sticking to it.

🥺 Read this because Irresponsible Puckboy is releasing soon

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🫀 INITIAL ARC REVIEW


💓 Hey besties, this since this my 2nd most anticipated book of the year, this review is HEFTY long. I divided this review into 5 parts just for the sake of my sanity because I have no brain cells to continue upon transitioning my words.

P.S. I tried to make this review as SPOILER-FREE as I could, and I definitely hope I established that. However bear in mind, if I were you, I wouldn't read my quoted quotes because (no they are not a spoiler) but I would just want to experience them for the first time while reading the book. The choice is yours 💓


Part 1: The Relationship

🤌 One of the many things I loved about this book was watching (technically reading) how Anton and Ezra's bias and opinion towards each other slowly crumble the more they get to know each other. I enjoyed seeing how the rose tinted glasses they both had against each other just... break, little by little, and watching them being proven wrong. So excellently done.

Every time he opens his mouth, I want to forcefully close it again. Zip his lips shut, or …the image of Ezra gagged and on his knees flashes through my mind, and I hate how much I like it. If I was into that kind of thing, I’d almost consider taking Ezra up on his offer. Almost. Even gagged he’d still be …him. Entitled, eccentric, and egotistical. The three Es that make Ezra who he is.

I loved their banter, the insults compliments thrown at each other, the way both of them were just so laid back and chil.

Ezra is a comedic queen. I can always expect Eden and Saxon to have one clown in their every series, and Anton is my uptight, possessive, bossy and private King. They're so opposite, watching them fit like a puzzle was chef's kiss.

Sighing, I grab his arm and yank him toward the road just in time to flag down a taxi.
“Ohh, someone wants to bow chicka wow wow.”
“Always, but not with you.”

Part 2: The Characters

I absolutely loved and devoured Ezra's character, he was funny, flirty, superstitious as fuck, heartfelt, strong, and so laid-back, I loved watching how he just took life in strides. That doesn't mean there wasn't substance to his character, but just seeing someone just take life day by day, it felt... almost calming to read. Maybe because my mind has been anxious as fuck lately and seeing Ezra in his premium glory, felt safe.

He pats my shoulder. “You’re a real James Bond.”
“James isn’t even a real name. It should be Jame. Because they’re only one Jame.”
Anton sighs. “It’s scary how your brain works sometimes.”

But what I didn't expect to love more was Anton freaking Hayes. I loved the depth of his character, watching the mask he wore around everyone crumble when it came to Ezra, seeing him fight his inner struggles and even though he continues to fight them until the end, the amount of strength he navigated throughout this book was simply a sight to behold. He was uptight as fuck, a possessive motherfucker as Ezra likes to say, and his bossiness was chef's kiss.

Anton steps up behind me and presses his hard cock against my ass cheek.
“Going to do me like this again?” I ask.
His forehead lands on the back of my neck.
“When I can’t see your face , it’s easy to believe you’re someone else.”
“You say the sweetest things.”

These two are such shitheads, the ultimate clowns and I found myself never once not smiling like a idiot at them. Honestly, what cold ass heart does one have to NOT grin like an idiot at their every banter.

Part 3: MY message behind this book

I just loved how this book ended, I just loved seeing how Ezra and Anton just developed throughout this book. It's crazy to see how great he evolved over a 300 pages book, just Eden and Saxon managed to do and it make the ending of this book, that much sweeter and so much harder to read because I just didn't want to close the final chapter of two people I just loved reading so much, it wasn't even a book anymore, it felt like watching two close friends fall in love.

There are some people who make it work, but they’re the exception, not the rule.

Also I just want to appluad Saxon and Eden. I am so proud of them, so proud of their work, this new series, how far they've grown from Power Plays and Straight A's. This novel feels like a gift, a treat, an extension of the Love Eden and Saxon wants to feed to their DISASTERS/fans of CU hockey series and I am so glad for that day I picked up PP&SA and didn't put it down, instead I shelved it later for that perfect time that indeed, turned out to be perfect.

Lastly, I love the queer discussion this book partakes. I respect Anton's decision regarding revealing his identity, and I would continue to support him even if he had decided to follow that route, just as I respect the hell out of him at where he ended up at. The words he said, hit hard but yet work so accurate. The MM romance community has been one of the safest places I've ever found, I feel at home here and talking to people about how two men fall in love, despite the amount of obstacles they encounter, and embracing that kind of love is the most beautiful thing yet. Seeing MM romance grow more and reach more people, althought makes me scared because I'm so protective of this genre, it makes me so damn happy to see so many people reading THEIR love story too. Stories that needed to be told, and embraced and celebrated.

but having a safe space doesn’t just happen. It’s the result of years and years of hard work. Of all the people before me owning who they are. It comes from visibility and open conversations; it comes from challenging people’s beliefs and from people who have influence, people like me, showing we’re proud of who we are.

“You and me, Anton, we don’t need to justify this for anyone else, because we know what it is.”

Part 4: ME fangirling

Also, this cover. THIS COVER had no right to be this gorgeous. The Model is Ezra fucking Paszuluk and omg, this man had every right to be such a HOE because WHO could ever resist a man that beautiful.

Oh I'll tell you, NO ONE.

And PLEASE. Foster Grant, my loves APPEARED and I screamed like a banshee at the appearance of my baby. I'm still ugly crying because it's my baby's third year in the NFL and I'm NOT OKAY. I'm so proud of him, so in awe is him and ugk, Foster Grant is EVERYTHING. Go argue to the wall.


Part 5: Criticism

As an arc reader, I feel like I do need to note this review with somewhat of an objective perspective. This is my only criticism regarding this book.

This book started off with Ezra and Anton being already Preestablished Characters and with what history they have against each other, Preestablished.

Now, I don't have any issues with that. I read CU hockey back to back many times and I adored every character there, including the snipet we got of Ezra and Anton, making the transition to this book very smooth.

However, that can't be said to every reader, because this is a brand new series, albeit a spin off to CU Hockey, regardless, it is Book 1 and new readers who haven't read CU Hockey would not understand the dynamic established between Ezra and Anton, making that transition not so smoothly, therefore what happened at Chapter 3 might appear “too fast” to others.
Understandable argument. Just thought I would note this.


Also, MINI rant cus I have no social life.
Is it just me but it's pricking the side of my brain at how more books we read (this is not a dig at this book) especially books that use the trope -WITH BENEFITS trope, the smut is great at the start of the book, pure lust. And as the story grows, of course we see two characters interact and grow and have that spark of connection intensify, SO WHY THE HELL does the smut FADE? PuhLEASE make this make sense to me because I've been seeing this happen so. many. times and it's so.... I don't want to say dissapointing but I just feel like, c'mon now, WE DESERVE SOME SOUL GRIPPING SMUT TOO.

Initial reactions
I wanna say something cheeky and say you'll have to wait for my review, but Christ, my heart shattered a bit ending this book because I just didn't want this story to end.

NOTE: I've seen a lot of people stress over my use of SHATTERED and lol that does not mean this book has a sad ending or something that related to having your heart broken. I'm just overdramatic and I just felt like I was closing a book of such close friends.

→ I'm still on the fence of giving this book a 4.75 star or a full on 5 star⭐. I'm always hesitant at giving off five stars because I'm so indecisive and picky about every single detail, but I also just want to give a book I loved and cherished, and what felt like closing the chapter of such fond memories, rather than an actual book, 5 stars ✨

[juli✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

❝no joking. you are an awesome person, Ez. and while we do this thing, you’re also my person. if anyone says that shit to you, they get to face both of us.❞


aww, i love AntonEzra!! both men were engaging, electric, and multi-faceted characters. their dynamic was *chef's kiss* absolutely perfect, and their banter had me equal parts laughing and swooning. truly, the banter was off the charts in this installment. and i think i can safely say that EzraAnton were Saxon and Eden's most banter filled couple.


i'd say my only con for egotistical puckboy was (imo of course) the shortage of romantic moments between EzraAnton. this is a couple who took a long time to admit their feelings, both to themselves and each other. due to that, i was looking forward to a couple more sweet and domestic moments. but at the end of the day, all of their interactions felt very in character. both men were a touch emotionally constipated so it makes sense that egotistical puckboy wasn't overly romantic.


all in all, egotistical puckboy was a fantastic start to what is sure to be another iconic series from Eden and Saxon. i mean, i for one cannot wait for TripDax's book. who doesn't love friends-to-lovers, unrequited love, and lots and lots of pining?


𝟰 𝘁𝗼 𝟰.𝟮𝟱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enemies to lovers, professional hockey players, banter, angry sex ... I was here for it, until somewhere around the halfway mark when I lost interest in the story.

I'm not sure why. Maybe because I've read this book (or a version of it anyway) before?

Ezra's "fuckboy" persona was uninspiring, and Anton's rigidness got on my last nerve.

I kept setting the story aside to read other books and ended up skimming the last 40 percent.

Objectively, Egotistical Puckboy is well written, with a strong HFN ending, so I think this is a case of "it's not you; it's me."

[Papie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ I hated the first half of this book. It was all immature pranks, dumb jokes, swear words (I swear like a sailor, but there are only so many times I enjoy reading the f-word in a romance). I kept thinking I am too old for this shit. It was a complete cliche of the dumbass jock who drinks, fucks, and pranks.

Then just as I was about to give up, around 50%, something shifted and I started actually enjoying seeing these two together. It started becoming, dare I say, kind of sweet. And kind of hot.

Other things that annoyed me:
-the queer collective. It felt a lot like plugs for the CU hockey and Fake Boyfriend series, and even though I have read them all, I was annoyed.
-the ending dragged and dragged. I didn’t need to see ILY, then coming out, then coming out again, then Stanley cup final, then Stanley cup celebrations. Ok, i am done. Bye, Felicia.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

While I did find myself losing a little bit of interest in the last third, I’m still rounding up to four stars because I thought Ezra and Anton were so cute and lovely together. And their sizzle was hot! I wouldn’t really say this was enemies to lovers. More antagonists to lovers. 😂 But it was fun. I loved how easily Ezra got under Anton’s skin and their banter was funny without being OTT. It had a similar vibe to Beck and Jacobs who are my other favorite couple of Eden and Saxon so that’s probably why I enjoyed it. I haven’t been up to doing reviews with gifs and quotes and the whole enchilada lately. So I can’t promise to come back and add more. But this worked for me and I’m excited for the next one!

[Anna [Bran. San. Stan] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four heart-warming/banter stars. I love sports romance and I love Finley so it was a safe bet I would enjoy this. Though after the disappointment of Iris – (black ops instead of hockey romance), I admit I was a bit hesitant. Thankfully, this book didn’t require as much suspension of disbelief and I really liked Ezra and Anton, though I sometimes did have trouble distinguishing their voices in the respective POV chapters – a problem I also had in Iris. I’m happy to note that the banter more than made up for it and, honestly, was the best part about this book. It had me grinning and enjoying this a whole lot. I also really enjoy a good hate-to-love romance! That trope topped with the verbal sparring that Finley is so good at it made for an entertaining combination.

As for the plot, usually I’m a bit over one of the Hs being closeted, but here this trope actually serves to further the narrative which I am all for: Ez is a commitment-phobe (for understandable reasons) and the need to keep Anton secret lets Ez get away with having to deal with the fact that he already is in a relationship in all but name.

Naturally, everything is resolved and satisfyingly at that – with the bare minimum of drama. And to someone (me) who hates unnecessary 80% relationship complications, this was a great relief. Looking forward to the second installment of this series!

[Rhys · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I want to start this review with a disclaimer: I am a trans gay man. I played hockey for 6 years (also when coming to terms with my sexuality and gender). I have played on teams consisting of all girls, and co-ed teams with girls and guys. Now with that out of the way, here is me hating on this book! Enjoy! Also, I dnf'ed (did not finish) at 20%. This book is that bad.

CW: Me swearing at how bad this book is :)

I have my highlights and notes visible, so you are able to see just how much I HATED this god-forsaken book. I truly don't understand how this has a 4.41 rating. If you are a gay man and you read this book, I apologize in advance. You don't want to read this. Go read something else, like a book written by a gay man, like Alexis Hall or Eliot Schrefer. Don't waste your time on this.

Oh also, this book is apparently a new series that is set in the same type of world as another series by these two authors???? Um, where the fuck does it say that in the description? Absolutely nowhere. I had to find that out from other reviews.

Now the authors: from what I could find, it seems like both Eden Finley and Saxon James are women. They both use she/her, and I am pretty sure they are cisgender females (not 100% sure, but I don't care at this point). This book is clearly written by women, FOR women. It is not for gay males to feel represented in hockey. It's a complete fucking shit show. If you are a gay male wanting to read this, I beg of you to NOT. It is not worth it. All of the 5-star reviews I've seen for this book are by women. I have not seen a SINGLE gay guy write a review that is good for this book. In fact, I don't think I saw a SINGLE guy review this book. I could be wrong, but I don't give a fuck anymore.

Here are some lines that I think make it clear to me that this book did not go through a large editing phase:
- "If anyone needs to piss, it's going to be very hard to explain this away."
- "My dick couldn't decide what it liked better: hearing you sing or the way you moan when you're impaled on it." ("impaled"? No, no no no no no no)
- "Exhibit A: I'm attending this press conference in jeans and my B's jacket." (I'm sorry, WHAT is a B's jacket????????? Like is it his teams jacket? Fucking describe it so readers get what you are trying to say)

Those quotes are a select few from the first 59 pages. THE FIRST 59 PAGES OF THE BOOK. If that doesn't show you how badly written this book is...yikes on your part.

The writing in this book is literally atrocious. I don't understand how anyone can like it. Sometimes when writing is bad, I can turn my analyzing brain off to just read the book, but this? No, it's THAT BAD.

In the first 63 pages that I read (and said no thank you to), there was a sex scene in the SECOND CHAPTER. Like huh? It wasn't even written that well. The descriptions made it very obvious that the authors are women, and not men, because gay men would not describe sex like that. This is one of those books that really should not exist. It is one that also didn't have sensitivity readers in the version of gay men.

If you want a laugh, look at my highlights and notes. In the 63 pages I read, I highlighted (and added notes to each one) 134 things. Average of 2 things per page. I want to bleach my eyes after reading those pages, and to take some god damn fucking pills to help me forget that shitshow.

The characters themselves, specifically Ezra and Anton (the main characters) are so fucking annoying. They are gay guys but the authors wrote them as straight guys who just like dick. They wrote them as if they are straight, act straight, and talk as if they are straight but add in "oh yeah, by the way, I like dick and not vagina." Like Jesus Christ, how badly can you write gay characters??? Apparently REALLY fucking bad.

If I read this entire book, I can already tell you that I would be hating on Ezra the entire time. He is a complete and utter dickhead. He is fucking egotistical to another level. Yes, the book is literally titled "Egotistical Puckboy", but fucking christ he is on something else. I don't think there is a character I hate MORE than Ezra. Anton is also just a fucking dickhead, but he is not as bad as Ezra. They are both fucking assholes, but Ezra takes it to another god damn level.

If you somehow liked this book and recommend it to someone, god help me. If someone tries to recommend this to me and we are friends? Oh man, that friendship is not going anywhere.

If you have read this far, and still think, "oh yeah I want to read this just to see how bad it is", I beg of you to pick up literally ANYTHING else. It is not worth your time. Just read my highlights to get your fix of this book and move on. I will leave you with that.

[Megan Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I learned that I had been given an ARC of Egotistical Puckboy, I was beyond ecstatic! I read the CU Hockey series in December and have already reread all of them since then. As soon as I saw that Saxon James and Eden Finley were releasing another book together, and another hockey romance no less, I knew I had to have it. Because of this, I went in with rather high expectations. In fact, they were probably *too* high, but I couldn't manage to talk myself down from them. Even so, this book met all of those expectations and then proceeded them. It was such a wild ride, and I finished it one sitting because it was just that good!

One of my favorite parts of this story was the humor. While I've enjoyed the various witty comments made by characters in their other books, none of them had me outright cackling like this one did. Ezra and Anton's sense of humor was pushed up several notches from the other books, and it was just *chef's kiss*. Some parts had me snorting out loud they were so funny. And I can't mention the humor without mentioning the banter!! There was so much banter between the two main characters and I was living for it. Their back and forth was so easy and smooth, and it was so genuine, too. I totally bought the two hated each other in the beginning, and their snark was excellent. But even as they began growing closer, they never lost that witty edge; it just softened a bit, and I loved it! They were so entertaining to read about, and the way they would just sass each other back and forth while simultaneously forgetting anyone else was in the room was so adorable.

Not only did I love their snark matches, I also loved the relationship between the two. It was so endearing and pure, while also being anything but if that makes any sense. It was so fun to watch their bond form and blossom, because at the beginning it seemed doomed. Ezra is what you would consider a commitment-phobe, while Anton was so determined to keep his life private that he wasn't always willing to take many chances; not to mention his fear of rejection held him back, too. Still, there was an undeniable attraction between the two, and they thought they could just get it out of their systems by hooking up and leaving it at that. Alas, a simple hookup was not in the cards for these two, as slowly they began to grow feelings for each other, to their absolute horror. Watching this happen was so much fun. Because while they never stopped being the gods of sarcasm around each other, they also challenged each other to be honest and reveal parts of themselves they had always been too afraid to show before. They completed each other in the best way possible, and I adored their relationship. Saxon and Eden know how to write a romance, and this one was one of their best, in my opinion. There was something so open, raw, and vulnerable with the two of them. They brought out the best parts of each other, but unlike some stories, they didn't change themselves to benefit the other. They simply allowed each other to be open to possibilities they hadn't allowed themselves to consider before being together.

While the relationship was undeniably one of the best parts of the story, the character work was also incredible. We got to see Ezra and Anton grow together, of course, but we also saw them go through their own development as people. They both had a wealth of issues to work through, but work through them they did.

I loved Ezra from moment one. He was such a chaotic disaster, but also a gigantic teddy bear on the inside. His past kept him from forming connections with anyone, but deep down he craved it. I also loved all of the moments between him and his fans. He was so sweet and understanding with them, and my heart melted every time. In reality, he's just a big softie, and no one can convince me otherwise. And his superstitions! Those had me facepalming and laughing, while also wanting to give him a pat on the head. I know hockey players can be superstitious, but dang, Ezra took it to a whole other level.

Anton was also a great MC. We really got to see the different sides of being queer while in an organization like the NHL. Ezra rarely had to worry about what he was doing because everyone knew he was gay, but Anton was constantly second-guessing and questioning himself out of fear of being discovered. It broke my heart, because this also held him back from going for what he wanted for the longest time. His dedication to charity was so endearing, and I wish we could've had more scenes of him pursuing that.

I can't decide whether I liked Ezra or Anton more. Is both an acceptable answer?

Finally, I can't mention the characters in this book without mentioning the Queer Collective! This was probably my absolute favorite part of this book. It gave me those found family vibes which I love oh so much, and it brought us back to some familiar faces from previous books, which I was desperate to see more of! Their gatherings were so wholesome, and I can't wait to see more of them in later books. (And will we possibly be getting a book with Tripp and Dex?)

By now, you can probably guess that I adored Egotistical Puckboy. I finished it one sitting because I could not put it down! I plan on rereading it as soon as the audiobook comes out, and I'm sure I'll love it just as much.

If Egotistical Puckboy is not on your TBR, you should definitely add it! It releases on February 10th, and will be available on Kindle Unlimited. This is a book you won't want to miss!

Thank you so much to Eden Finley, Saxon James, and Foreward PR & Marketing for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 upgraded Ezra stars

Egotistical Puckboy was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022 and it was really worth the wait! Eden and Saxon make gold together and this is book was no exception! One first good point? The banter was amazing, like a Jacob/Beck level of amazing🔥

Did I like Ezra when I opened the book? No no no. I couldn't stand the guy in Puck Drills (CU Hockey #5). Did I love him as I turned the last page? Hell yes 😍 He had such a good character development, from being his cocky, egotistical, careless self to taking the risk to show vulnerability and let someone get close to him. Anton said Ezra wore his emotions up front and that's something I liked about him. I was shocked how caring and domestic he could and I was completely here for it!

Anton was the perfect counterpoint. He was as egotistical as Ezra (really?!), but more level-headed and private. From the outside he seemed like a rock. However, coming to Boston, he was out of his element and unsettled by his reaction to Ezra. I loved the moments when he secretly admired Ezra's positive influence, which made him reflect on his own behaviour and what he could offer to others out there needing support.

They made a funny, steamy and surprising couple. I swooned sometimes and wanted to bang my head against the door at others. They pushed each other to be a better version of themselves, on and off the ice. We also got some really good on ice scenes, by the way. Eden and Saxon just know how to make you live the game 🏒 🏒🏒

The B's teammates had a great dynamic. They were fun and inclusive. I loved the NHL queer collective too. The idea in itself was great and it got us to meet some old friends from the CU Hockey and Fake Boyfriend series. The cherry on top!

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Convo between me and me after my second time reading this:


TBH, I can't fault it because I think it was my first ever EF/SJ book and it was simple, horny , hockey fun just like I wanted.
I did this audio this time around, and it was just as good as reading it.
Good times had by me.
Can new EF/SJ books please give me this kind of enjoyment/joy again please 😭😭😭




OG boring af review:
I give a 4 because… it was just what you expect it to be, and what I expected it to be, is what I wanted? If that makes sense. Just some silly little stories with some hockey gays that play hockey and do inappropriate things together, with some silly breakup/peak event at the 3/4 stage ya know??? Hahaha. Wasn’t ground breaking, but the banter was good, both characters were likeable, there was actual hockey game play mixed in.. I liked it. Smash.

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

- sports/hockey romance
- rivals to lovers
- secret relationship

🎶 fooled around and fell in loooovvveeee 🎶

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Why do I always need to remind you who you belong to?"

Seriously, I totally inhaled this book and I absolutely can not wait for book 2 in the series!❤️

Egotistical Puckboy by Eden Finley and Saxon James is the first in the Puckboys series of standalone (but interlinked) MM books, following the life and loves of teammates and rivals in the NHL.

It follows on as a spin-off to Eden and Saxon's delicious CU Hockey series, and honestly, when these two write together the results are always MAGIC 🪄.

This is Ezra and Anton's story (we met Ezra previously as West's BF in Puck Drills & Quick Thrills), and it was sooo good 😈.

Ezra is out and proud and is the party playboy of the NHL.

Anton is out to his close friends and family but wants the media's focus to be on his hockey and not on his private life.

The boys despise each other and are fierce rivals on the ice.

But a post-game drunken encounter leads to a night neither one can forget - much as they'd like to try....

You will LOVE Egotistical Puckboy if you like:

🌶️enemies to lovers
🌶️opposites attract
🌶️hot AF chemistry
🌶️high steam
🌶️low angst
🌶️possessive streaks

It's a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED steamy 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read for me.