Thank you to Netgalley, the author L.A. Hart and the publishers for letting me read and review this advanced copy. This is a five star hockey romance read that is the first book I have read by this author. This is also the first novel in her Shot At Love book series. Preston Lawrence is a professional hockey player who loses his temper out on the ice starting brawls; especially brawling with his rival Christian Riley. He know needs to it very seriously and not lose it on the ice especially when his career is on the line. Elle Townsend decides to get her revenge on her ex- boyfriend Christian Riley when he breaks up with her on the playoffs for the hockey championship. What better way to get her revenge then fake date his rival Preston Lawrence. He is known for avoiding being front center in the spotlight. Elle starts her revenge by asking Preston for a social media photo to try to get a jealous rise from her ex but in front of cameras and reporters Preston kisses Elle in front of everyone; which goes viral. They come up with a partnership that benefits both of them. I loved the realness and dynamic between the two along with the patience they have with one another.

I loved the characters but I had the feeling, that this is nothing special. The Hockey was good and every other trope was well written but something in the book was missing to make it special or stand out from others.

This didn't really do it for me. The character interactions felt immature and contrived, the romance didn't have much build up at all it just sort of happened and I didn't feel connected to the characters. I was expecting tension and romance but there was a whole lot of nothing

DNF @10%

I don't want to read another romance book where the female main character has body image issues. It's never handled well and it's just mentioned over and over again as if to remind the reader that she thinks she's too fat and unattractive. I also don't like the way this book is written.

loved this romance and finding love and remembering love before the one. love the friends and the chemistry between the couple was on fire and loved the banter.

Great for fans of Hockey Romances such as Elle Kennedy.

I like the characters and there was a nice amount of hockey play but at time the relationship felt shallow and could have been more developed. I would loo forward to reading future books if this becomes a series and that may allow for the characters and group to become more developed.

Tropes:
fake dating
grumpy x sunshine
jealous/possessive MMC
love triangle

I loved Revenge Puck, Preston is the opitome of Grumpy but with the gooey centre gave me Luke vibes from Gilmore Girls, Ella was the perfect Sunshine to Preston's Grumpy and the plot was just amazing I mean who doesn't love a fake dating trope!
I really enjoyed this book! Cannot wait to see if there is a second!

i thought this book was cute! the characters were fun and so was the plot. i mean, who doesn't love a good revenge romance?

This was a really enjoyable, fast-paced and fun ice hockey romance!

This was one of those books that I could just sit down and read in one sitting. The writing style was very addictive and page turning, paired with the brilliantly flirty and fun relationship between Elle and Preston that had me rooting for them from the beginning. The banter between them had me laughing out loud, and I also loved the way that their relationship developed as they began to open themselves up and be vulnerable with each other.

I also really appreciated that it was dual perspective, so we got to see inside Prestons thoughts and understanding his feelings and motivations. This also meant that we got to experience more of the ice hockey elements as he played in the games, which I also really liked. Elle was also a fun character to follow as you see the way she falls for Preston and heals from the way she was treated by Christian, and in many ways her later chapters are part of why I’m so excited to read the sequel following Christian and Maya.

All in all, this was a fun and exciting book with one of my favourite tropes (fake dating) some great banter and also lots of spice! I would highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Elle Kennedy or SJ Tilly.

Thank you very much to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

On the surface, Revenge Puck seemed like a promising power play of popular romance tropes. The premise – hairstylist Elle, freshly dumped by her hockey star boyfriend Christian right before the Stanley Cup, decides the ultimate revenge is to fake date his arch-nemesis Preston – immediately promised a delightful blend of hockey romance, fake dating shenanigans, the classic grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and a healthy dose of revenge-fuelled antics. Unfortunately, it quickly loses its footing, requiring a significant suspension of disbelief to make it to the final buzzer.

The central plot, while initially intriguing, quickly veers into the realm of the improbable. Elle's instantaneous and seemingly effortless access to the inner sanctum of the Stanley Cup arena and its players felt jarring and unrealistic. Furthermore, the whirlwind romance that blossoms between Elle and Preston within a mere two weeks strains credulity to its breaking point. The declaration of deep love after such a short period felt rushed and unearned, leaving the reader struggling to invest in their connection.

Beyond the pacing issues, the character development left much to be desired. Elle is portrayed as someone grappling with low self-esteem, constantly referencing her weight and tolerating a five-month relationship with an obviously uninvested partner. This lack of self-worth made it difficult to fully root for her, even in her quest for revenge. Preston, the brooding hockey star, embodies the stereotypical alpha male with a penchant for jealousy and a quick temper. His past actions, particularly the vaguely alluded-to interference in his sister's life under the guise of protection, raised red flags and made him an unlikable figure. The fact that he abandons his years-long dedication to hockey for a sudden fake relationship further undermined his character's credibility. Ultimately, neither Elle nor Preston managed to capture my interest or elicit much empathy.

The compressed timeline of the story was another significant drawback. The realisation that the entire narrative unfolds within the few weeks of the Stanley Cup series highlighted the rushed nature of the plot and the unbelievable speed at which the characters supposedly fell in love and navigated significant emotional turmoil. This rapid progression only amplified the feeling of emotional immaturity in both Elle and Preston, making their actions and reactions feel exaggerated and unconvincing.

This was a pretty good sports romance. The banter was fun and the pacing was good. But it was a little to spicy for my taste.

I could not finish this even though i so desperately wanted to, the characters, writing and storyline just missed the mark. Much of it is things I can move past if i’m engaged with the characters or overall plot but neither connected for me even up to 50% in. The chemistry was missing for the characters, little development of them and just really wanted to see more of something to pull it back together.

"Revenge Puck" by L.A. Hart is a contemporary romance novel that intertwines themes of revenge, fake dating, and personal growth within a hockey setting. I praise the novel for its engaging plot and the chemistry between Elle and Preston, highlighting the balance between emotional depth and lighthearted moments. While the narrative is fast-paced and entertaining, certain aspects, such as the rapid development of the romance, might benefit from more depth. Overall, "Revenge Puck" offers a compelling blend of sports rivalry and romantic intrigue, appealing to fans of the genre.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this sweet, spicy hockey romance. Did I know that hockey romance was a genre? Absolutely not. Am I charmed and intrigued by the premise and the execution (not to mention the punny title)? Absolutely. I got through this in a couple of hours. Despite being predictable, it's well executed with some really well-developed characters. I'll be back for more in this genre.

We love a good hockey romance especially when there is fake dating!! First book from L.A Hart and it did not disappoint!! Definitely going to check this author out more!

Hairstylist Elle gets dumped by her hockey boyfriend, Christian, on the eve of the Stanley Cup series, so naturally she decided the best revenge is to immediately pretend to date his rival and arch enemy Preston. Brilliant plan! At first glance, this book seemed to hit some good tropes:

- hockey romance
- Fake dating
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Revenge dating

However, after a while you really had to suspend some reality to get through this book. She magically gets immediate access to the players at the arena for the Stanley Cup?? They fall that in love by fake dating for 2 weeks?? And don’t even get me started with what Preston did to his sister because he was the big strong man and he knew what was best for them.

Elle appears to have very low self esteem, since she often refers to the 20 extra pounds she carries and also willingly dates a guy for 5 months who is obviously using her and not in love with her.
Preston is the definition of a “brooding” male. He’s also prone to being jealous and losing his temper, too. He’s avoided dating for years so he can only focus on hockey, but for the sake of revenge he dives right in with Elle. I just didn’t care much for either of the main characters.

It took me a while to realize that most of this story took place within a few weeks! It literally started right at the beginning of the Stanley Cup and carried on through the series. Hello, insta love! How did so much happen in such a short amount of time?? Also, for two adults the main characters seemed very emotionally immature. The story is set up for a sequel, and honestly I don’t have have higher hopes for that story at all.

Thanks NetGalley and Editor’s Choice Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

Quick bingeable read and while sports-focused it wasn't too overwhelmingly about hockey. I like the author's decision to include texts side character development with Preston and his sister but felt like Preston could have communicated more directly with Elle. I felt like Elle could have been developed a bit more but liked the choice for her to support Christian at the end.

This was a fine romance and good basic foundation, revenge. but for me the connection and relationship happened to fast and wasn't given enough to believe it

Thank you NG & L.A. Hart for an e-arc!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub date: February 1, 2025
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
🩷 hockey romance
🩷 fake dating
🩷 grumpy/sunshine
🩷 ex's rival
🩷 HEA

"I love you, Elle. And no matter what answer you give me today, I'm not giving up on you or us. Ever. You're end game for me.
I'll be here waiting for you, however long it takes." 🩷

Elle's hockey boyfriend, Christian, dumps her before a major hockey game. She decides to get revenge on him by getting with Christian's rival, Preston. It all started out to be fake between Preston and Elle, but the chemistry between them escalates.

This was a great read. I loved the chemistry between Preston and Ellie. I didn't like Christian in the beginning, he was rude. But, I enjoyed seeing the character development.
I'm excited to read Christian's book!

A cutes fake dating hockey romance that hits all the goals, featuring a grumpy/sunshine hook up that starts out as a revenge puck story and leads to a happily ever after.