Emily Rath’s Pucking Strong, the fourth installment in the Jacksonville Rays series, delivers a deeply emotional exploration of found family, identity, and love that transcends conventional sports romance boundaries. Following the stories of Rachel (Pucking Around), Tess (Pucking Wild), and Poppy (Pucking Sweet), Rath finally brings beloved Teddy O’Connor to the forefront, pairing him with the enigmatic Swedish forward Henrik Karlsson in a marriage of convenience that feels anything but convenient.
The Heart of the Matter: Plot and Character Development
Theodore “Teddy” O’Connor, the team’s emotional physical therapist with a six-year crush on Henrik Karlsson, finds himself proposing a fake marriage when Henrik’s custody of his five-year-old niece Karolina is threatened by Swedish authorities. Following the tragic death of Henrik’s sister Petra in a car accident, Karolina is left injured and grieving, requiring specialized care that only a married couple can provide according to Swedish law.
What begins as a bureaucratic solution quickly evolves into something far more complex. Rath masterfully navigates the delicate balance between Teddy’s overwhelming romantic nature and Henrik’s carefully controlled emotional distance. Teddy, a self-proclaimed “double Pisces with boundary issues,” leaps headfirst into the arrangement, driven by genuine care for both Henrik and Karolina. Meanwhile, Henrik, stoic and methodical, approaches their union as another problem to solve professionally.
The author’s character work particularly shines in her portrayal of Karolina. Rather than using the child as a mere plot device, Rath presents her as a fully realized person processing grief, adjustment, and the confusing dynamics of her new guardians. The scenes between Teddy and Karolina crackle with authentic affection, particularly when Teddy teaches her English phrases while she helps him with Swedish.
Exploring Identity: The Demisexual Journey
One of Pucking Strong‘s most compelling elements is Henrik’s journey of sexual self-discovery. Rath tackles demisexuality with nuance and sensitivity, avoiding both the clinical and the overly simplified. Henrik’s confusion about his lack of sexual desire, his feelings of being “broken,” and his eventual understanding of where he falls on the sexuality spectrum feels authentic rather than educational.
The conversations between Teddy and Henrik about attraction, desire, and emotional connection provide some of the book’s strongest moments. When Teddy explains demisexuality using the example of Jake and Caleb Price from previous books, the explanation feels organic to their relationship rather than forced exposition. Henrik’s gradual realization that he might need emotional intimacy before physical attraction develops creates genuine tension and anticipation.
Rath deserves particular credit for not rushing Henrik’s journey or treating his demisexuality as something to be “fixed.” Instead, she presents it as another facet of who he is, deserving of understanding and respect.
The Slow Burn That Actually Burns
True to Rath’s promise in her author’s note, this book delivers “deliciously slow-burning angst and gut-wrenching pining.” The sexual tension between Teddy and Henrik builds gradually through shared domestic moments, whispered Swedish endearments, and the increasing intimacy of their living situation. Their relationship progresses through careful stages: professional colleagues, reluctant partners, co-parents, and finally, genuine emotional and physical partners.
The domestic scenes – Henrik drawing baths for Teddy, their careful navigation of shared spaces, the way they unconsciously touch and comfort each other – create an atmosphere of intimacy that makes their eventual consummation feel earned rather than inevitable. When they finally come together, the scenes are both passionate and tender, reflecting the deep emotional connection they’ve built.
Family Dynamics and Cultural Exploration
Rath’s incorporation of Swedish culture adds depth beyond the typical sports romance setting. The Swedish marriage process, custody laws, and cultural expectations create genuine obstacles rather than convenient plot devices. Henrik’s careful pronunciation lessons with Teddy, the traditional Swedish foods, and the way language becomes both barrier and bridge between characters feel researched and authentic.
The integration of Teddy’s family dynamics, particularly his complicated relationships with his sisters and mother, provides emotional weight to his decision to marry Henrik. His mother’s harsh reaction and subsequent acceptance create a realistic portrayal of family adjustment to unexpected life changes. The scene where Karolina asks why she couldn’t be the flower girl at their wedding provides a heartbreaking reminder of the cost of their hasty decisions.
Series Integration and World Building
For readers familiar with the Jacksonville Rays universe, Pucking Strong provides satisfying connections to previous books while standing alone as its own story. References to Rachel’s maternity leave, Jake and Caleb’s relationship development, and the team’s ongoing dynamics feel natural rather than forced fan service. New readers won’t feel lost, while series devotees will appreciate the continuity.
The hockey elements, while present, take a backseat to the personal drama. Rath includes enough sports action to satisfy genre expectations without overwhelming the relationship focus. The scenes involving media scrutiny and team PR feel authentic to professional sports culture.
Critical Considerations
While Pucking Strong succeeds in many areas, it’s not without flaws. The pacing occasionally falters, particularly in the middle section where the domestic routine threatens to become repetitive. Some readers may find Teddy’s internal monologue exhausting – his tendency toward overthinking and emotional processing, while realistic, can slow narrative momentum.
The resolution of the custody battle feels somewhat rushed compared to the careful development of the romantic relationship. After building substantial tension around the legal challenges, the final resolution arrives with less drama than expected. Additionally, some secondary characters, particularly Hanna the nanny, feel more like plot functions than fully developed people.
The book’s length, while allowing for character development, occasionally works against it. Certain scenes and internal reflections could have been tightened without losing emotional impact. Rath’s tendency to have characters explicitly state their emotional revelations sometimes undermines the subtlety of her relationship building.
Writing Style and Technical Craft
Rath’s prose strikes a balance between accessible and literary, with particular strength in dialogue that captures each character’s distinct voice. Teddy’s stream-of-consciousness internal monologue feels authentic to his scattered, emotional personality, while Henrik’s more measured thoughts reflect his analytical nature. The alternating POV structure works effectively, providing insight into both characters’ perspectives without creating redundancy.
The author’s background in academia occasionally shows through in carefully structured arguments and thorough exploration of themes, which enhances rather than detracts from the romance. Her sex-positive approach to both Henrik’s demisexuality and Teddy’s more traditional romantic nature creates inclusive representation without tokenism.
Emotional Resonance and Themes
Pucking Strong succeeds most powerfully in its exploration of found family and acceptance. The relationship between Teddy and Karolina develops organically, built on small moments of care and understanding. Their bond becomes the emotional anchor that grounds the romantic plot, creating stakes that feel genuine rather than manufactured.
The theme of self-acceptance runs throughout the narrative, from Henrik’s sexual identity journey to Teddy’s struggle with his family’s expectations. Both men must confront their assumptions about themselves and each other, leading to growth that extends beyond their romantic relationship.
Series Context and Similar Reads
Within the Jacksonville Rays series, Pucking Strong stands as perhaps the most emotionally complex installment. While Pucking Around established the series tone and Pucking Wild explored grief and healing, this book delves deepest into identity and family formation. Readers who enjoyed the emotional depth of previous books will find familiar themes explored from new angles.
For readers seeking similar stories, the book shares DNA with other marriage-of-convenience romances like Eli Easton’s How to Walk Like a Man or KJ Charles’s The Henchmen of Zenda. The demisexual representation connects it to books like Talia Hibbert’s Act Your Age, Eve Brown or Sarah Henning’s The Tourist Attraction.
Final Verdict: A Worthy Addition to the Series
Pucking Strong delivers on its promises of slow-burn romance, authentic representation, and emotional depth. While it may test some readers’ patience with its deliberate pacing and Teddy’s verbose internal processing, the payoff justifies the journey. Rath has created a story that respects both its characters’ individual journeys and their development as a family unit.
The book works both as series continuation and standalone romance, though readers will gain additional emotional resonance from familiarity with previous installments. Its exploration of demisexuality feels genuine rather than educational, integrated into character development rather than standing as representation for its own sake.
For sports romance readers seeking emotional complexity beyond the typical athlete fantasy, Pucking Strong offers a mature exploration of love, identity, and family that elevates the genre. The Swedish setting and custody battle provide unique obstacles that create genuine tension, while the domestic scenes between Teddy, Henrik, and Karolina form the emotional heart that makes everything else matter.
Recommended for readers who enjoy: Marriage of convenience tropes, demisexual representation, found family dynamics, slow-burn romance, and emotionally complex sports romances.