Eekind’s Reviews > Pucking Around > Status Update

This book is finally getting like serviceable fan service but i won’t forget how much I hate the characters and how none of this character rewriting is actual growth or earned

I’m really bored with the Caleb and Jake sections, it’s just the same posturing over and over again. Even the Ilmari sections are losing steam because the most interesting part of the dynamic was how he had Rachel clocked as annoying and self obsessed and kept her at arms length and now she’s just using her position of authority over him to brow beat him again and again. The tone just doesn’t make this fun

So the whole Aspen Tinley section has basically cemented this as a one star review. I don’t care what misogynistic terms you use for women that date pro hockey players, I’m never going to support a bunch of men that graduated college with a minor in date rape being treated as a minority group by some 27 asshole doctor. If they feel comfortable treating her like that, you know they’re gonna throw you to the curb

Knowing this is RPF of Liv Tyler makes scenes like Rachel not being able to drive her leased truck feel so inept. It’s all for like forced conflict with the lowest stakes possible. Why are you tied in knots the Head Admin Assistant is going to be mad at you for not taking the leased truck that’s a part of your fellowship grant. You have fuck off money just rent your own sports car, this is a non issue you’re 27

I get this is a romance book but Jake is written so disparately. Sometimes he’s this dumb male feminist who is super protective of his sister and hates to see women disparaged. Then his dirty talk is all about infantilizing Rachel and having her all to himself. And I totally believe personal kinks don’t make you a misogynist but he’s written so differently scene to scene it doesn’t feel like a real person

The way I was so pissed at Tess for basically telling Rachel to throw away her career to be with Jake. It had such an obnoxious energy like “ Yeah Gurl, be his WAG. Throw away your career. Tie yourself to a bottom tier NHL player with what I know in my heart was his straight D average in college to provide for you, Love is Love!”

Am I the asshole for thinking that it’s overblown that Rachel is mad Jake didn’t immediately recognize her after they hooked up two months ago with no contact info and in a completely random circumstance where she is hired on to do Sports Medicine for his new Hockey Team. Maybe this would have felt juicier in the original book without the It Happened One Night intro but now it just reads as nonsensical

The wish fulfillment of having a job that gives you a leased car and hideous apartment rental that looks like Costal Virginia Magazine threw up in it …. also You didn’t have a car in Cincinnati???

IDK I think it’s kind of overboard for Rachel to turn off Jake’s alarm so he can’t follow her to the airport…obviously the section of him saying he wants to was creepy and weird for a one night stand…but also she could have just let him fall asleep and then pack her shit and leave…you have to pack your stuff to leave the hotel room regardless how is it easier to leave quietly plus turn off alarm