Revenge puck by L. A. Hart

Revenge Puck was a quick read and is a good alternative if you need something light.

The language flows easily, the characters are relatable and the flow and pace of the story is great.

You get a bit of steam, but not too much and nothing dark or wild.

Overall, a book worth reading especially if you need a palate cleanser.

Tropes: hockey romance, independent woman, fake dating, rivalry, loyalty, family bonds

When I requested this I wasn’t aware that L.A Hart is a pen name of author Lane Hart. And i was OBSESSED with Lane Hart’s ‘Savage Little Games ‘. So I was so excited for this and I was not disappointed. I did like ‘Savage Little Games’ more than this because I prefer a mafia trope over a hockey player trope but that doesn’t mean I didn’t love it! I did want to slap Ellie when she let Christian treat her like that in the first pages but I knew her revenge with Preston was coming. So I held my feminist rage. Ellie sets up to have pictures taken with Preston to her under Christian‘s skin as Preston is Christian’s rival on the hockey circuit. The amount of pleasure I got when Christian slammed into Preston in chapter six was almost too much. I really like the dual POV because when the hockey scenes were happening Preston was describing it as he played, it wasn’t just Ellie watching the game. Preston has a temper and it is chef’s kiss.

This book was decidedly not for me. The writing style wasn't my favorite.

I get that this is a romance, but I didn't fall in love with the characters and it felt lacking in substance.

This book was an enjoyable quick read, especially as a follow-up after Onyx Storm, but I couldn’t help feeling like the characters didn’t get enough time to truly develop. The timeline is really tight, which left little room for their relationship to evolve beyond the physical. The intimacy between the characters is definitely present, but I wanted more than just the steamy scenes. It felt like the deeper emotional connection was often skipped over in favor of the immediate heat, which made their bond feel a bit one-dimensional.

Set in North Carolina and DC around the professional hockey championship series, Elle is dumped and told she could be with anyone except his rival on the other team, Preston.

This was my first book by this author, and I can't wait to read the next in the series! Preston has to work through some big anger issues. There is an added element related to family that adds complexity to the story. There were a few game moments, plus we get to see Preston handling being a free agent. The plot revolves around the hockey series (just two teams playing until one wins 4), making it a fun, quick read.

What I enjoyed:
🏒 Fake Dating / revenge
🏒 Grumpy hockey player
🏒 Sunshine hair stylist (and co-owner of the salon with her BFF)
🏒 Rival Teams
🏒 Dual POV
🏒 Best friends to rivals (her ex and MMC)
🏒 Secondary storyline setting up next in series

4 / 5 stars

Open door / spicy

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!

This book is cheesy rom-com all the way!

My biggest issue with this book was the MMC because I really disliked the way he handled things almost all the time and it was kind of frustrating to watch him continually make the same mistakes😬

I think this story had a lot of potential but it just didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I felt that this book had a several bits where there were huge chunks of back and forth dialogue without much description in between and it was a bit difficult to read.
I overall thought it was okay, just mildly predictable and the main characters did things in the way you would expect a teenager to rather than the adults they are.

Preston needs therapy! His trust issues run deep and making decisions on behalf of other people do not make 2 wrongs a right. But it was cute and Elle sounds awesome and I hope Christian gets a happy ending with xxx (spoilers!) Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

If it’s one thing I love is a fake dating trope in a hockey romance. The plots are all the same and yes they are predictable most of the time but I still eat them up.

That being said? Nothing absolutely stood out in this book. The romance between Preston and Elle was very surface level and very insta-lust. There wasn’t nearly enough romance for me to fully believe they were in love after like 2/3 weeks of seeing each other. In heavy lust? Definitely. There was just too much miscommunication between the two and I’m not a huge fan of that particular trope.

I’ll say that I’m more excited to see what happens in book 2 and that couple definitely caught my attention more than Preston and Elle. Yes there were some cute moments between them but it was just that, cute and not romantic or jaw dropping.

I’ll still say this is the perfect book to get you out of a reading slump because you can read it all in one day and it’s easily digestible.

Disclaimer: Thanks to BooksGoSocial via NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not gonna lie, I did not Like this book as soon as I started reading it but gave it until about 15% until in DNF’d. The characters are bland and the writing is boring. Nothing special

Elle has been dumped by her pro-hockey player boyfriend Christian, right before playoffs. He's nonchalant about her moving on, but says the only player she can't go near is his rival Preston. Elle takes matters into her own hands and approaches Preston with a fake-dating scheme he can't refuse. The only problem is, it's a whole lot less fake than they set out for it to be.

*****

This one had me hooked at the start. It tosses you right into the book, with an exasperating hockey-god complex ex, an insecure FMC, and a very angry MMC with some past trauma. It had me burning through the first half of this book gleefully. The second half is where it started to crumble a bit.

The book is oddly dialogue-heavy to the point of doing chemistry development a disservice. We get some inner monologue, but it's not enough to really know the characters and invest in them. It also didn't help that the pacing of the actual timeline was very fast. The leads entire relationship progressed over a 7-game playoff series, which was less than two weeks. During which they had some pretty big miscommunications, some terrible behaviour and jealousy by the MMC, and were back and forth constantly with issues. I couldn't believe that the FMC had genuinely moved on from her ex that fast to the MMC. Also, the epilogue appeared to exacerbate the rush of the relationship instead of giving it validity.

Then, we have the side plot setup for book 2, which pulled away from the main story. It let the leads fall off the main storyline and pulled the focus to Maya and Christian too much. However, if you can suspend belief on timelines and development of feelings, it's a fun and entertaining novel that can be burned through in a couple of hours. Also, if you love more dialogue-based novels, this will be a hit!

*****

Thank you, NetGalley, and BooksGoSocial publishing for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Elle wants revenge after being dumped and what better way to get it than to pretend to be dating her ex's rival?

This book just wasn't for me, but it might be for you if you really like fake dating. I felt the characters were very flat and could never really connect with the book as a result.

This is a revenge relationship done right!
Elle is absolutely dropped on her arse by Christian - can we take a moment for what a douche he is?! He literally says she's a 'nobody' and could spend the night with any of his team mates and he wouldn't care, anyone except Preston - his rival from another Hockey team.

So what does our girl Elle do? You guessed it, sets up a plan to have her photo taken with Preston to get under Christian's skin, and this plan works perfectly, so well in fact that Preston takes it one step further and kisses her in front of the paps who take their photo and videos and they go viral!

Preston is hooked from the first moment he lays eyes on Elle, there's something about her he's intrigued by, and it's not just the idea of psychological warfare with Christian.

The relationship is so lovely to read, while there's a bit of will they/won't they between Preston and Elle, I was so relieved that she didn't go back to Christian and the set up for book 2 is so good, I can't wait to read the next book and find out what happens with Christian and Maya!

We love a hockey romance, I'm not usually one for miscommunication but this one really was good.

I loved the character development, the will they, won't they & the banter throughout. Really enjoyed it start to finish, a very sweet, easy read.

T his was a fun hockey romance that I didn’t want to put down! Preston and Elle begin a fake relationship to get back at Elle’s ex, Christian, who just so happens to be Preston’s arch nemesis. Very quickly the pair realize that they have true feelings for one another (who would’ve thought?) and romance ensues!

Preston is definitely our resident grump, but we love him anyway. I really liked Elle’s character and felt she was easy to connect to. She is insecure about her body to a degree, but also confident in herself and grows to know her worth throughout the book.

There were definitely some sexy scenes, but I wouldn’t say this book was super spicy. It was definitely sexy and fun, though! I would definitely recommend if you like hockey romance & fake dating tropes! I am excited to read Maya and Christian’s story when it releases next!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review after reading.

Not usually one for a miscommunication trope, but this one was done right. Greatly enjoyed this one!

This was such a fun grumpy x sunshine hockey read! I enjoyed the fake dating trope a lot! I felt like there was a lot of miscommunication which isn’t my favorite. I felt like both of the main characters didn’t have a lot of critical thinking skills and always let their side character companions do all the hard thinking for them. Overall the vibes of this book were great and I had a fun time!

Loved the story and the ups and downs of the relationship. A bit different from other hockey romances. Looking forward to book 2

Had the chance to get an ARC for this book from Netgalley (thank you!!) and I wasn’t disappointed! The story follows Elle and Preston who team up to get revenge on Elle’s ex…but Preston also had a connection to the guy which we find out later. The book was perfectly paced and got me out of a reading slump!

Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, fake dating
Spice: 🌶️/5 (not closed door, but more “peek through the blinds” than super spicy scenes

Thanks again to Netgalley for the ARC!!

L.A. Hart delivers a fast-paced, steamy sports romance in Revenge Puck that’s equal parts drama and chemistry. Packed with tension, witty banter, and plenty of heat, this story dives into the tangled web of love, revenge, and second chances.

The characters are engaging and flawed in the best way, making their journey feel both relatable and entertaining. The hockey setting adds an exciting backdrop, blending competitive energy with heartfelt moments. While some plot twists lean into familiar tropes, Hart’s vibrant writing keeps the story fresh and captivating.

Perfect for readers who love a fiery enemies-to-lovers romance with a sporty edge, Revenge Puck is an addictive, fun read that doesn’t disappoint.

Cheesy, sweet romance mixed with some hockey is the perfect mix of love and sport. Elle and Christian stage a fake dating romance but it turns into more.