Tucker Taylor, a pro hockey player who was recently benched due to health issues, finds himself in regency England after crashing into a frozen pond. Lizzy Wooddash dreams of a quiet life of reading and writing, and the freedom to do what she pleases like her widowed cousin, Georgie. Lizzy stumbles upon Tucker as he emerges out of a pond in strange clothing, and decides to help him blend in. Georgie and Lizzy, along with their good friend Jane Austen (yes, of literary fame), hatch a plan that will work in both Lizzy and Tucker’s best interests. They will help Tucker get back to his time if he marries Lizzy. Once Tucker returns home, Lizzy will have the freedom that comes with widowhood and will finally have time to write her book. What could go wrong?

The premise is absolutely wild, as is the execution. A lot was packed into this book, making everything feel a little rushed and underdeveloped.

Overall, this was a goofy romance that, if you don’t take it too seriously, can be quite enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Okay, I’m not going to lie
The first time I saw this cover I thought it wasn’t an actual book, but a parody of all the hockey romances out now
The premise of a hockey bro being dropped into Austin’s world is pretty bananas - and what had me wanting to pick it up! It sounded like a riot

Modern day hockey goalie Tucker Taylor is in England visiting his sister. An attempt to avoid an accident on an icy road has him crashing into a pond and caught under the ice. He wakes to find himself still in the water, but it’s summer. Oh yeah, and it’s over 200 years earlier.

Lizzie has been staying in the country with her widowed cousin, escaping the constant reminders of her drain on the family finances and impending spinsterhood from a mother that would see her married off

She’s taking a walk near that pond when she discovers Tuck, and her life is not the same from that moment on

I thought the women in the past were surprisingly chill about the whole time travel thing. He does have proof between his phone and clothing, but still. They accept it remarkably quick!

An aspiring author herself, Lizzie’s biggest upset is the disappointment that her friend Jane (Austen, of course) is well known in the future while she is not. At least there’s a famous character named for her?

While I expected more fish out of water laughs than anything else, this was actually a legit solid historical romance

Austin fans will find echoes of lines from her books scattered in conversations

There’s some classic tropes, only one bed and fake marriage among them
Well the marriage is legal, but the reasoning fake
If she’s a widow like her cousin, Lizzie could have similar freedom Since they expect Tuck be going back - somehow, sometime - he’ll make a convenient late husband. Also it legitimizes his presence in a house of women in the meantime.

No specifics - because spoilers - but this is another with an unconventional HEA
I’ve read a few this year, and I’m liking them more and more

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the arc

I love a time travel romance. This story had a great premise. So much potential.
However, this book was just silly. How, in all of creation, did a cell phone still work in the before cell phone time?

I’m a hug Jane Austin fan so of course I was excited to read this book. It was fun and cute, but I think it’s because I’m an Austin super fan. I honestly have no complaints. Loved it!

An NFL goalie accidentally time travels to 1812 and ends up in a marriage of convenience with a soon-to-be spinster who's best friends with Jane Austen. The good: the historical parts of the book feel like histrom-lite, so if you're not into historical romance, it won't feel like a slog. The main characters are likeable people, and the MMC especially does not fall into the "typical NHL hockey player playboy" trope. He's a good guy first, and happens to be a pro athlete. The pacing is decent, and the chapters are neither too long nor too short. The bad: 1) The Jane Austen of it all. *UGH*. I would have much preferred if it had just been the title, maybe *one* wink-wink, nudge-nudge. I cannot describe how much cringe I felt when the main character, Lizzy, said Jane had named the character of Elizabeth Bennet after her. And it went downhill from there. Jane is an actual not-insignificant side character. She is on page, talking about her books, getting ideas for famous lines ("what excellent boiled potatoes") from the MMC, and generally serving as a community-wide easter egg hunt. 2) So many choices in this book felt like they were made out of a "how can we appeal to booktok?" rather than "how can I write a good story?" Beyond the hockey MMC thing, the sheer number of "good girl"s thrown in felt as fake as paste jewels. 3) Finally, the HEA was not for me, and the more I think about it, the more it bothers me. The FMC becoming a time travelling "commuter" going back and forth in time was odd and concerning. It seems incredibly dangerous to treat time-hopping like a train ride. What if you get stuck? What if you change the timeline? Your best friend Jane is going to die pretty soon, what then? I really didn't like that at all.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this story. I was intrigued by the thought of a hockey player being tossed into the past and how it would all mesh, but this author did a beautiful job at the time travel aspect, explaining it in an easy to follow way. The chemistry between the two is off the charts. Tucker is truly a man to love and Lizzie is just adorable. She desires a future in which she is in control and she comes up with a plan when she discovers Tucker in a pond. I loved this story and would recommend it to historical romance fans.

A cute romp through Victorian times with an odd fellow from the future hockey team. An adorable couple but literature trudged with internal thoughts and not enough communication between the couple. There were cute moments though and that somewhat made up for it.

This book was a lot of fun and a little bit ridiculous. Go into it knowing it’ll be a fun time. It’s a quick read with an enjoyable premise.

This was such a fun read! Non-sensical but a great time. I loved the female lead, and while the romantic male lead was like a cardboard cutout I didn't even really mind. The time travel logic didn't fully make sense to me but I don't think it really matters because the vibes of this were just too enjoyable and lovely. Also, bonus points for this book not having an irritating miscommunication trope!!! I will absolutely be recommending this to my romance fan friends! :)

I’m not usually a big fan of time travel romances but this was admittedly very sweet/ cute. (And I knew I would like it because it's a marriage of convenience romance and those are my favorite!!)

A perfect brain candy read about a hockey player recovering from cancer, falling through time, and coming into love with a 19th-century maiden! If you’re busy folding laundry or catching up on work - This is a great pick!

**Thank you to Avon & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

The time-traveling contemporary hockey + regency romance I didn't know I needed. I was hooked on this book instantly, y'all. If you're a fan of a dash of magical realism, swoony hockey hotties, and fiesty regency heroines, you need to read this book. It was so sweet and compelling. The collision of culture between the present and 1812 is delightful. All of the Jane Austen references are delightful. There were parts where I actually laughed out loud reading this book.

Admittedly, I am a pretty HUGE Pride & Prejudice and all things Auten fan, but still. :) There are so many homages to Austen this one feels quite fresh.

Well done, Lia Riley. I will happily rec this book to romance fans.

DNF @31%

I tried to like it but the writing style wasn’t my thing. It seemed as if the author had some “clever lines” in her mind that she wanted to use and didn’t care if they really meshed with the book itself. So yeah… a DNF.

3.5 Stars for the most unserious, entertaining, utterly fun book I’ve ever read!
BACKSTORY WITH SOME SPOILERS:
Tucker “Tuck” is a famous goalie for the Regals hockey team, but is on recovery for the season due to his cancer diagnosis. So what does Tuck do? Tries to visit his sister in England, where he goes back in time to the 1800’s…no literally goes to the 1800’s…falls into an icy pond and time traveled back to the 1800’s. I’m serious. Where he meets the lovely Elizabeth “Lizzy” Wooddash! When Lizzy meets this 6’4 hockey player, she sees the perfect answer to solve her problem with her parents nagging her about marriage! With help from her pal Jane Austen and her cousin, Georgie, they help them with this plan and to get Tuck back to where he belongs, and Lizzy will be widowed and free from forced marriage! I can see some Jane Austen lovers being upset with this read..but I promise you there’s nothing negative or offensive in this book about her! She’s a side character, and it’s really just a lighthearted read! It’s also a little spicy 🌶️ 🌶️/ 5 🤭 Thank you NetGalley and Lia Riley for giving me a chance to read this book! It’s definitely one I will never forget with how much laughs it gave me!
Tropes:
Marriage of Convenience
Time travel
Hockey
Favorite quote:
“It was impossible to keep the snap from her voice. Probably because she wasn’t sure if she should swoon or strangle him. Possibly both.” I laughed so hard with that one! 🩷
Characters:
I LOVED Lizzy as she was such a strong, confident, and intelligent woman just trying to be herself in 1812! As for Tuck he was literally perfect. A prime book boyfriend if you will, because when he realized not much has changed for women from 200 years I was just like wow.🥹 They were both so entertaining and while this story was strange, it was so so unique that it’s unforgettable!

Hot hockey player meets Bridgerton? SIGN ME UP.

This book had me giggling the entire time! The story is unique, fun, and spicy. Lizzy is me, I am Lizzy. I didn't want to put this down and cannot wait to add the physical copy as a trophy on my shelf.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the advanced copy!

So when hockey romance is having its day, but you write regency romances this is exactly how to combine them. Reading the shenanigans planned by Jane Austen was a fun side chuckle while reading the romance blooming between Lizzy and Ty. I appreciated the ending, knowing that Lizzy is the type to yearn for new adventures.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me a chance to review this ARC.

If you like Bridgeton but also the slick personality and spiciness level of hockey players- this book is for you! And yes that’s a sentence I never thought I’d say😂

Tucker is a NHL hockey goalie who somehow finds himself in the 1800s after a car accident. Lizzy discovers him in a pond except it it’s 1812 suddenly.
Is this a dream? Did he die? Or did he really time travel?

While trying to discover how to send him “back” to whatever reality he came from, Lizzy and Tuck get to know each other *very* well ;) making I even harder to send Tuck back.


Idk what I was expecting for this book but I actually enjoyed it. It was clearly a very original plot, funny and spicy. I do wish the book was reversed and Lizzy was sent to 2024 but that’s just me preferring modern times over the 1800s. There is very little actual hockey in this book so if that’s what you’re looking for it’s only at the end a bit. I do still think you’d enjoy this book though.

I look forward to reading more from this author!

This was an interesting romance story. Lizzy is a spinster living in England terrified at what life will hold for her since her family is so intent on marrying her off. Her friends joke that her life would just be perfect if she could become a widow. Much to her great surprise, she finds a modern day pro hockey player who has accidentally time travelled to her time period. And a crazy plan is born, what if she marries him and gets him back to his time period so she can happily live out her days as a widow. This book was full of some amusing twists, and was highly entertaining with a satisfying ending (I wasn’t sure how that was going to be possible). If you are someone who wants accurate regency stories, or believable stories, this is not the book for you. But if you are someone who enjoys a fun light romance, this was a great quick read. Trigger warning of cancer and some parental abuse. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

I received this as an eArc from netgalley. Thank you for the chance to read it!

I heard about this book from my daughter who is obsessed with Pride and Prejudice. Throw in a hockey player and it was bound to be funny.

And funny it was! This was a great read! Fun and lighthearted (mostly) and surprisingly some really good spice.

I did not like his nickname for her. That was my biggest complaint. But overall it was a fun and cute, sit and read while eat some bon bons type of book and I can't complain at that!

Suspend your attachments to reality and dive in to this fun and playful time travel romance. The action picks up quickly and alternating POV chapters strike a great balance as we get to know Lizzy and Tuck. It was fascinating not only reading about all the hurdles they have to overcome (clothing, impropriety, family pressures, a ball!) but also seeing the shifts and growth in the characters as they realize what it would mean if they developed feelings for each other. Overall I really enjoyed this book!

What a bonkers and PERFECT premise! Hockey romance! Time Travel! Austen/Regency era! Lia Riley really did that for us. The book was in on the unserious-ness of it all and sometimes, that is just what you need. This won't be for everyone, but the folks that will appreciate this niche must find it!