Pucking Around by Emily Rath – Review

By Sophie Blee (aged 15)

Pucking Around was the first book I’ve read by Emily Rath, and the first in the series (save from a small prequel novella, which isn’t too crucial to the narrative). I can safely say I will definitely be going back for more. I loved the storyline, and some of the scenes had me giggling and kicking my feet. Don’t get me wrong, why choose? Stories are a controversial trope, but for the most part, this one felt natural and was an enjoyable read.

Rachel Price accepts a job as a doctor for a rising Ice Hockey team, after a steamy one-night stand in Seattle with a “Mystery Guy”. When she starts, Caleb, the equipment manager, immediately catches her eye. Then, she sees Jake, and everything comes flooding back to her. Jake Compton is Rachel’s mystery guy. This kind of felt slightly forced, the more I thought about it; however, this coincidence provides the backbone for the rest of the book, so I had to let it go.

Rachel soon finds out that Caleb and Jake are best friends, and in a storage cupboard on a team night out, the three of them get it on. This is the start of a LOT of steamy scenes, and an extremely cute poly relationship.

“Jeopardy”

Pucking Around is not for the faint of heart, or those who would prefer to read a story with mostly plot. After a while, Ilmari (Mars) Kinnunen comes to Price with an injury, which is currently making him very anxious and possibly putting his career in jeopardy. Rachel agrees to treat him in secret, which annoys me slightly.

There is a missing element of realism at some points in this book. In reality, Rachel would have been fired immediately for treating Mars under the radar, however it seems to be skimmed over, later on in the book. Whilst they are away, surprise surprise, Rachel and Mars sleep together. After a long conversation, Mars (almost reluctantly) agrees to join the relationship. Throughout the rest of the book, there are a few moments where it feels like Mars is being forced into the relationship, just because he likes Rachel. Now, I don’t want to give too much away, but there is an aspect of LGBTQ+ love, which I am 100% here for. I loved it.

In terms of the actual physical book, it is a beast. 707 pages is a lot, especially for a romance. One of my pet peeves about my particular edition is the cover art. In the book, Rachel is described as having tattoos, which I have no problem with, however, on the front cover, the woman pictured as Rachel has no tattoos. She is wearing short sleeves, and her arms are clean. This is only a minor fault in attention to detail, but it bugs me ever so slightly.

Overall, I enjoyed Pucking Around thoroughly. Looking on the internet, a lot of people are in two minds, some love it, some hate it. But I can say I will definitely be reading the rest of the series, and I recommend you try it.

‘Pucking Around’ by Emily Rath is published by Penguin