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.

A fake romance geared towards revenge, set in a hockey world, this story was ok. The writing and characters felt juvenile, with the author trying to build anticipation about what happened between Preston, the hero, and Christian, the jerk. Elle, the woman who was dumped, and her best friend come up with a scheme to get back at Christian using his worst enemy, Preston. The juvenile nature, along with shallow character building was evident but some funny moments and some sweet. Overall, an ok read. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an early read.

★★★/5 because it seemed a bit repetitive with the miscommunication tropes and the number of times FMC would misunderstand a situation but overall a cute hockey romance story

<i>The way Preston looks at me like I'm precious to him, like I'm the most beautiful woman in the world, all my insecurities disappear.</i>

"Riley. You're not over him. I hate it, but I'm pretty sure it's true. So, until you are, I don't want to be a rebound...puck."
"A rebound puck?" I repeat, a smile on my face, even though I know he's right.
"You know when someone aims for the goal, but it bounces back off the goalie so someone else gets to take the shot while he's distracted and score?"
"Right. I thought you meant a rebound as in the first person you date after a breakup just to try and bounce back."
"I guess both of those would work. Or a revenge..puck. Either way, I don't want to be that guy. I want to be the clear shot you make on purpose."

Preston is the perfect balance of ‘touch her and die’ while still also maintaining that Elle is capable of fighting her own battles. While perhaps the relationship did escalate seemingly quickly, it was still well balanced with the duel POVs showing the internal thoughts of both and the realisation they want it to be more. The change of terms of ‘endearment’ going from (derogatory) to (actual endearment) as the book went along added to wanting to root for the pair. When it’s advertised as ‘secrets unraveling’ it’s no understatement, as at least Preston sure knows how to keep a secret, or several. The best thing about this novel was the almost Austen-esque character development of Preston as he works to make changes based on things pointed out by Elle. While her influence definitely should be noted, it’s a welcome change of ‘I can’t fix him’ to read about a case of her pointing things out but also realizing ‘he can fix himself if he knows what’s good for him.’ All in all, definitely looking forward to Shot at Love Book #2.

I love a revenge fake dating book! This one was great! Elle is heartbroken over her ex who thought they weren't actually exclusive. Elle then goes and asks for a picture with his rival and they share a kiss. Once the media catches wind of it, their fake dating begins. Both of them realize that they are perfect for each other.

3.75 I couldn't get into it at the start but then I almost as read it in one sitting. I kinda can't wait for the 2nd book in the series. Yesterday my kindle died and I almost went mad because I wanted to finish this book (u realised I have a phone). Great read.

2.5 ⭐️ thank you to Netgalley for the Arc 💖

Ever wondered what happens when you mix a scorned woman, a hot hockey rivalry, and a fake dating scheme? Enter Revenge Puck, where Elle Townsend decides that the best way to get back at her ex, Christian Riley, is to cozy up to his arch-nemesis, Preston Lawrence. Because nothing says "I've moved on" and “I’m totally over it” like dating your ex's worst enemy, right? Iconic revenge strategy, honestly.
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tropes:
🏒 fake dating
🏒 grumpy x sunshine
🏒 jealous/possessive MMC
🏒 love triangle
──────୨ৎ──────
✧° Elle: The protagonist with a self-esteem and maturity level somewhere below sea level. Her constant self-doubt and need for validation was exhausting. Every compliment she receives is met with a firm “No, I’m a potato” response. It gets old. Fast. And growth? She left that concept on the bench.

✧° Preston: The brooding hockey player with a heart of gold…buried under layers and layers of emotional baggage. Mysterious? Absolutely. But he’s also red flag central.

✧° Christian: The walking, talking "I’m not the bad guy” ex. His subplot with Maya sometimes steals the spotlight, making you wonder who the real main character are.
──────୨ৎ──────
Elle’s constant comparisons between Preston and Christian drove me absolutely up the wall. Every interaction seemed to circle back to her ex, making Preston feel more like a rebound than a genuine romantic interest. It’s like she couldn’t decide whether she wanted revenge, romance, or just to drag everyone into her unresolved trauma. Me included, apparently.

The conversations between the characters often felt forced and unnatural. The plot also requires an almost Olympic-level suspension of disbelief. Elle somehow gains backstage access to a major hockey arena during the Stanley Cup Finals like it’s no big deal. And then there’s the convincing a professional athlete to shave his playoff beard mid-championship… that one had me actually shaking my head.
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what was missing:
✳
timeline was rushed; it was 6 hockey games (like 2-weeks?) and their relationship was full-speed instalove
✳ no real character growth or development
✳ immature characters; I thought this was a college romance at first
✳ plot was insanely unrealistic
──────୨ৎ──────
Revenge Puck is like that guilty pleasure reality show you claim to “hate-watch” but end up binging in one sitting. If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced, drama-packed romance with some truly questionable decisions, this one’s for you. Just don’t expect logic to make the roster.

Will I read the next one? Probably, because who doesn’t love a good redemption arc & admittedly the next trope has me in a chokehold.

Love a good hockey romance!
While the book wasn’t my favorite within the trope, it was well written with good banter. It didn’t leave me up reading past bedtime, however it did keep my interest! It’s one I would suggest to those who enjoy the trope.

I'm in a hockey romance phase and I really wanted to like this book. The title made me giggle. Unfortunately I think it just fell short for me. The meet cute was so incredibly unbelievable -- and not in the sense that it was unbelievable to me the reader (because TBH a lot of romance books have meet cutes unlikely to happen in real life) but in the sense that if I were witnessing their relationship happen, I'd never believe it. Preston definitely was a grump, but he was almost too grumpy for me, and I just didn't feel the spark between the MMC and the FMC.

Thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this book.