{"id":684,"date":"2024-10-14T11:58:49","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T11:58:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=684"},"modified":"2024-10-14T11:58:49","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T11:58:49","slug":"pucking-sweet-by-emily-rath","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=684","title":{"rendered":"Pucking Sweet by Emily Rath"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ice hockey may be a cold sport, but Emily Rath\u2019s latest novel \u201cPucking Sweet\u201d turns up the heat to scorching levels. The third installment in her Jacksonville Rays series skates circles around typical sports romances<\/a>, delivering a sizzling menage story that\u2019ll have readers fanning themselves faster than a penalty box door swinging open.<\/p>\n

A League of Her Own: Poppy St. James Takes Center Ice<\/h3>\n

Meet Poppy St. James, our plucky protagonist who\u2019s about to learn that sometimes the best defense is a good offense\u2014especially when it comes to matters of the heart. As the new PR director for the Jacksonville Rays, Poppy\u2019s got her hands full wrangling a team of rowdy hockey players. But it\u2019s two particular defensemen who really keep her on her toes:<\/p>\n

Lukas Novikov: The bad boy with a heart of gold (and abs of steel)
\nColton Morrow: The steady, loyal player who\u2019s been pining from afar<\/p>\n

What starts as a professional relationship soon morphs into something far more\u2026 intimate. And boy, does Rath know how to write some steamy scenes! Let\u2019s just say the penalty box isn\u2019t the only place where things get hot and heavy.<\/p>\n

Hat Trick of Heat: MMF Romance Done Right<\/h3>\n

\u201cPucking Sweet\u201d doesn\u2019t just dip its toe into the waters of polyamory\u2014it does a full-on cannonball. Rath handles the complexities of a three-way relationship<\/a> with surprising depth and sensitivity. It\u2019s not all smooth sailing (or skating), but watching Poppy, Lukas, and Colton navigate their feelings is as thrilling as any overtime shootout.<\/p>\n

The chemistry between all three characters is electric. Whether it\u2019s Poppy and Lukas trading barbs, Colton\u2019s quiet intensity, or all three of them tangled up together (wink wink), every interaction crackles with tension and possibility.<\/p>\n

More Than Just a Pretty Face-Off<\/h3>\n

While the romance is undoubtedly the main event, \u201cPucking Sweet\u201d offers more than just titillating encounters. Rath weaves in:<\/p>\n

Sharp, witty dialogue that\u2019ll have you snorting with laughter
\nGenuine character growth as our trio learns to trust and communicate
\nA fascinating look behind the scenes of professional sports PR
\nThemes of found family and learning to stand up for yourself<\/p>\n

Penalty Minutes: A Few Minor Infractions<\/h3>\n

No game is perfect, and \u201cPucking Sweet\u201d does fumble the puck occasionally:<\/p>\n

The pacing in the middle section drags a bit, with a few too many \u201cwill they, won\u2019t they\u201d moments.
\nSome secondary characters feel underdeveloped, serving mainly as plot devices.
\nThe resolution of Poppy\u2019s family drama feels a tad rushed and too neatly wrapped up.<\/p>\n

These minor quibbles don\u2019t detract much from the overall enjoyment, but they\u2019re worth noting for readers who prefer their romances without any rough edges.<\/p>\n

Power Play: How \u201cPucking Sweet\u201d Stacks Up in the Series<\/h3>\n

Fans of the Jacksonville Rays series will find plenty to love here. While \u201cPucking Sweet\u201d can be read as a standalone, it\u2019s even more satisfying for those who\u2019ve followed the team from the beginning. We get cameos from familiar faces and hints at future pairings that\u2019ll have readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.<\/p>\n

For those keeping score:<\/p>\n

\u201cPucking Around<\/a>\u201c: A solid opener that introduced us to the Rays\u2019 world
\n\u201cPucking Wild<\/a>\u201c: Amped up the heat and expanded the cast
\n\u201cPucking Sweet\u201d: Takes the series to new heights with its daring premise
\n\u201cPucking Strong\u201d (upcoming): Promises to continue the winning streak
\n\u201cPucking Free\u201d (announced): Has big skates to fill after this scorcher<\/p>\n

The Final Buzzer: Is \u201cPucking Sweet\u201d Worth Your Time?<\/h3>\n

In a word: Absolutely. Emily Rath has delivered a romance that\u2019s as satisfying as a perfectly executed slap shot. \u201cPucking Sweet\u201d manages to be both incredibly sexy and surprisingly sweet, with characters you can\u2019t help but root for both on and off the ice.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for:<\/p>\n

A steamy, consent-focused MMF romance
\nHockey hunks with hearts of gold
\nStrong female characters who don\u2019t need saving
\nA perfect beach read (or cozy up by the fire read)<\/p>\n

\u2026then \u201cPucking Sweet\u201d should be at the top of your TBR pile. Just maybe don\u2019t read it in public unless you\u2019re comfortable with some serious blushing.<\/p>\n

Breakaway Bonus: What\u2019s Next for Emily Rath?<\/h3>\n

With two more books announced in the Jacksonville Rays series, it\u2019s clear Rath isn\u2019t hanging up her skates anytime soon. Readers will be eagerly anticipating how she can possibly top the heat level of \u201cPucking Sweet,\u201d but based on her track record, I have no doubt she\u2019s up for the challenge.<\/p>\n

In conclusion, \u201cPucking Sweet\u201d by Emily Rath is a delightful, spicy, and surprisingly heartfelt addition to the sports romance genre. It proves that sometimes the best plays happen when you color outside the lines\u2014or, in this case, when you add an extra player to your lineup. Now if you\u2019ll excuse me, I suddenly have the urge to watch some hockey\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ice hockey may be a cold sport, but Emily Rath\u2019s latest novel \u201cPucking Sweet\u201d turns up the heat to scorching levels. The third installment in her Jacksonville Rays series skates circles around typical sports romances, delivering a sizzling menage story that\u2019ll have readers fanning themselves faster than a penalty box door swinging open. A League […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bookreviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/684"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=684"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/684\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}