Pucking Around: A Why Choose Hockey Romance (Jacksonville Rays, Book 1)
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(as of Oct 06, 2025 11:53:09 UTC – Details)
My name is Rachel Price, and two months ago, I walked away from the perfect man. Sweet and funny, and so hot it should be illegal—we shared one magical night. No names. No strings. I never thought I’d see him again.
I was wrong. It turns out Mr. Perfect is the playboy grinder for the Jacksonville Rays, the NHL’s hottest new hockey team . . . and I’m his new physical therapist. Oh, and the jerk doesn’t even recognize me!
This fellowship is going to be the longest ten months of my life. Mr. Perfect Mistake will do anything to get back on my good side. Meanwhile, his best friend is the surly new equipment manager always riding my case. Worst of all, I’ve got an uncooperative goalie who thinks I can’t tell he’s hiding an injury!
This is my chance to prove myself, and I’m not risking it for anything. But with one unexpected night, one secret revealed, these men are ready to test all my limits. I can’t fall for a player . . . let alone three. But if love is a game, these guys are playing to win.
Bonus content: Audio edition includes the spicy prequel novella That One Night.
Customers say
Customers enjoy this hockey romance book for its perfect plot-to-spice ratio, with one review noting it’s best read after “That One Night.” Moreover, the characters are well-developed, with one customer highlighting how the author shows different family situations, while the book features hilarious banter between the guys. Additionally, the romance is cohesive and filled with genuine emotion, and customers find it a fun quick read that keeps them engaged until the end. However, the pacing receives mixed reactions, with some finding it perfectly paced while others say it’s slow to accommodate more smut scenes.
8 reviews for Pucking Around: A Why Choose Hockey Romance (Jacksonville Rays, Book 1)
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Abigail Hayden –
Sooooo good I couldn’t put it down!
I had the honor of being on the ARC team for Pucking Around! Emily Rath put her heart and soul into this book! This book is so well written!Baby, where do I even begin! I fell in love with this book the moment I read the first sentence. Who doesn’t love a why choose romance with a hot doctor and their hot hockey players! This book has the perfect plot to spice ratio. I could not put this book down.Dr. Rachel Price! My god I love this woman! She is smart, funny, sassy and knows exactly what she wants in life. She is the perfect FMC! I want to be Rachel when I grow up! She fights hard for what she believes in and she also fights hard for the people that she loves! She loves her boys so much! At times, she felt like she didn’t deserve love but those boys proved her wrong every single time!Jake Compton is a golden retriever to the max! He definitely has a way with words! His dirty talk is on point! He loves hard and falls even harder, He starts to learn for more things about himself as the book progresses. Jake fall in love with Rachel the moment he laid on eyes on her in Seattle!I love my Seattle Girl-JakeCaleb Sanford! Caleb is DADDY! He is broody, grumpy at times. Caleb definitely had his walls up throughout the book. I loved that Rachel and Jake were able to help realize just how loveable he is. Caleb has always been in love with Jake and it was amazing to see them come to that realization together and become more than just friends. Rachel tests Caleb’s limits and pushes him out of this comfort zone! I loved seeing his dominate side come out when all four of them were playing together!”Hey Hurriance”-CalebIlmari, where do I even start? I wanted Ilmari the moment he came onto the scene. He is the perfect book boyfriend. He is quiet and keeps to him the first half of the book. He is broody and doesn’t let people into his bubble. He doesn’t hang out with the team or participate in group activities. Rachel and Ilmari have such an amazing connection. She taught him how to expect peoples love! He found his chosen family with Rachel, Jake and Caleb. This man had me melting when he spoke to Rachel in Finnish!RAKAS!-IlmariHOLY SPICE BATMAN!!!! KITCHEN SCENE CHAPTERS 55-56 ENOUGH SAID! The spice is in book was TOP TIER!!! Definitely 100/10I have never highlighted a book as much as had with Pucking Around! Every scene just keep getting better and better! I loved all of the side characters! I can’t wait for Pucking Wild! Tess and Ryan!
Riyen –
I Wish I Was Rachel
âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸/ð¶ï¸ð¶ï¸ð¶ï¸ð¶ï¸ An equal amount of a good story with steamy spice. I had my doubts going into this because itâs quite infamous in both the Booktok community and the NHL fan community. Nevertheless, it was fun, interesting, and all 3 male leads stole my heart just as easily as they did with the fmc Rachel. The only issue I had was probably Rachelâs character, for someone who constantly mentioned that she was a doctor, she sure didnât seem like it? I work in healthcare too, and this girl just gave me physical therapist vibes. It truly didnât feel like her career matched with her, she had way too much free time on her hands to be a budding new doctor, but I guess her excuse in the book was that she didnât really need the money anyways (rockstarâs daughter) and she just wanted to help people (I donât buy it). There were quite a few cringey moments too, like I canât imagine telling my boss my astrological sign and using it as an excuse for the way I behaved (please donât do this). Also, me and the reverse harem trope are old friends, but why was this so focused on being emotionally charged with indecision and angst, I wasnât prepared at all for the angst about being accepted, being judged, and if they were all going to stay together drama. It has never felt that uncomfortable in other reverse harem works before, why did it feel this way now? The one thing I did really love were the boys. I could gobble up all their content, all day long for how amazing they were, and their character developments were all so peak. Caleb, from the start he was the more reserved and closed off in the group, but he became such a sweetheart, a level-headed man keeping them altogether. Jake, I loved him since I first read his pov and I realized that Iâm hooked now, and I have to go read their Seattle night together soon. Mars, he was amazing and more close to my ideal type of guy, I loved how shy and solitary he was in the beginning, but he ended up becoming such a loving and affectionate partner in the end. I loved these guys so much and I honestly wished I was Rachel, she just doesnât know how much of a lucky fmc she is. I am planning to find out more though because there are two happy ever after volumes after this!
Tori –
A Perfect Blend of Hockey, Romance, and Humor!
If you love hockey and a why-choose romance, Pucking Around by Emily Rath is the book for you! This novel checks all the boxes and then some: grumpy sunshine, friends to lovers, and a perfect mix of humor and emotion.From start to finish, this story had me hooked. Itâs spicy enough to keep things interesting without feeling repetitive. The plot is intricately woven, and every detail is thoughtfully executed. The characters are so well-developed, each flawed yet lovable, and I couldn’t help but want to learn more about them.Rachel, Jake, Caleb, and Illmari form a beautiful, unconventional family. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their interactions are heartwarming. The sudden death kitchen showdown? Absolute relationship goals! Chapters 55 and 56 left me speechless â truly a testament to Emily Rathâs storytelling prowess.The side characters also deserve a shout-out. Rachelâs twin, Harrison, and Jakeâs twin, Amy, add depth to the story, while the entire hockey team creates a sense of camaraderie. Tess, in particular, stood out, and Iâm thrilled sheâll have her own book.One of my favorite aspects is how the charactersâ star signs influence their personalities and actions, adding a fun twist to the narrative. Itâs these little touches that make the story even more engaging.In summary, if Emily Rath writes it, Iâm reading it. This book made me laugh, cry, and feel all the emotions in between. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating romance with a touch of spice.Favorite Quote:”You deserve every good thing in life. Donât wait for it to come to you. Go out and get it.”
Kindle Customer –
Please save yourself from reading this. The characters have 0 personalities, their pov’s can’t be differentiated, and the plot is so lame. The spice of this book is boring because it is ruined by the dialogue. If I could, I would give this book a 0.
Cliente Kindle –
Omg!!!! I’ve recently really got into, why choose romances, and always felt like something was missing, like the guys liking each other. And when Caleb and Jake started they love??? I SCREAMED.it’s was just perfect, the writing it’s amazing, inglish it’s not my Frist language, so to read the book and understand everything, just muah.Also the way I feel in love with Mars, he came in shy, and then boom just shock after shock, I’m sooooooooo excited for the next book. aaaaaaaaaa
Asha –
I really enjoyed this book, I especially loved Jake and Mars. The FMC was a little annoying at times, especially towards the end, but all in all, it was a good read.I was a little bummed we didnât get more time with Jakeâs sister and the Price family, but the boys made up for it.Romance? â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸Spice? ð¶ï¸ð¶ï¸ð¶ï¸ð¶ï¸ (4.5)
Laura –
Two months after Rachel and Jake share a hot as hell night in Seattle (ð¨ð°Â ð³ð¦ð¢ð¥Â ðµð©ð¦Â ð±ð³ð¦ð²ð¶ð¦ð ð§ðªð³ð´ðµ), she starts a new job as a fellow sports doctor for a new NHL team in Florida.The thing is, her night with Jake was a one time thing, no name or phone number exchange, just the best night of their life… ð´ð°Â ð§ð¢ð³ ;)Because of course life always has a plan and her unforgettable mystery man is non other than the starting defenseman of the team !!He’s this golden retriever, unapologetically obsessed with his woman type of man and I loved him ! He’s also Caleb best friend…Caleb, the moody hot af queer, 4 times pierced *there* Daddy, also known as the equipment manager of the team.Team with Ilmari aka Mars as goalie, the complex Finnish (teddy)bear with a big heart to match his ððððð big “heart” lmaoLet me tell you, this book has me in chockhold !! It’s been month since I read it and I’m ððððð ðððððððð ðThe character and relationships development is perfection, I absolutely loved their maturity.Rachel, Jake, Caleb and Mars have their own journey and there’s depth to each of them, but they also grow and learn with each other.They navigate their feelings and this new dynamic, facing their fear and wants while building their relationship together and with each other.There’s a place for each of them to explore their love and needs since this is new to everyone, and it all just fits perfectly !Their love is pure and healthy, just like their communication, it was everything !!And the spice was ððððð ðððð¿ ! Emily knows how to bring the heat ð¥This book is complete perfection, go read it NOW !!5âï¸ 4.5ð¶ï¸* Why choose / Poly* Hockey Romance* Insta love* Friends to lovers* Forbidden love* Daddy* MMFM / MF / MM / MFM / MMF* Found Family
Debbie –
Just one word! !!Amazing!!One of the best books Iâve ever read!!Canât wait for the next books in this series!!