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!

"I'll bury your body in a grave no one will find." - Jane Austen

While visiting his younger sister in England, Tucker Taylor veers off of the road to avoid colliding with a pedestrian only to land in an icy pond the he cannot escape. He regains consciousness after being pelted in the head by an apple core belonging to Elizabeth Wooddash...a woman performing historical reenactments?? Nope! Lizzy is just a girly who informs Tuck that he has somehow landed himself in 1812. Tucker needs to get home to his own time, and Lizzie is desperate for the freedom bestowed upon widows, so they concoct a brilliant plan: they will elope in Gretna Green, and once they figure out how to send Tuck back on his way to the future, Lizzy will tell everyone he has died on a shipwreck and earn her widowhood. There is only one small obstacle--they're both falling in love with each other. Oh and also Jane Austen is there!

An NHL goalie accidentally time travelling back to regency England? You're tellin' me this giant athlete emerges from a pond and is immediately taken in by a regency spinster?! Are you kidding me?! This book was just so stinkin' clever and cute, y'all. If you're looking for a very serious and historically accurate romance, this isn't going to be it-- HOWEVER I think you should give it a read because it's just plain fun and the campy rom-com you didn't know you needed. It's funny, a super quick read with adorable characters, and absolutely the kind of novel that will pull you out of a reading rut.

4.5/5 ⭐️s rounded up to 5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this eARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars
A hockey player (Tucker Taylor) ends up in 1812… is it far fetched, absolutely - but it has Jane Austen in it… so it’s fine! While Jane Austen isn’t a prominent character she’s in the story… the main character is Lizzy Wooddash. Lizzy finds Tuck and tries to help him get back to his time, but not before he marries her to make her a widow so she can be free to write and live life as she chooses. Funny, romantic and spicy
#netgalley #netgalleyarc #harpercollins #liariley #liarileywrites #liarileyauthor #liarileyauthor

The setup to this book is absolutely bonkers — a hockey player time-travels back to 1812 after getting into an accident where his car crashes into a pond — and I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. But I ended up enjoying it a lot! It’s cute and entertaining. Having Jane Austen as one of the FMC’s friends just added to the fun. I could tell the author had a blast writing this, and those are the best kinds of books.

If you’re looking for historically accurate historical romance, this won’t be your thing. But if you want a fun read that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and are willing to suspend some disbelief, you’ll find a lot to like here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for my honest review.

I loved this book! It was cute and fun and the characters are all great! I also loved how the book pointed out how even in the number of years between the two settings a lot still has not changed for women. This book does have a lot of spice but I think it’s done well. I loved the ending and how the women doesn’t change for the man! Just overall a great telling!

Okay I absolutely loved the idea of this book. The premise was so interesting but it just fell flat for me. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters and it just wasn’t for me

This book (though not perfect) is fun. Tucker, a present-day professional hockey player, falls through time to 1812 where he meets Lizzy, a woman from the Regency era who happens to be friends with Jane Austen. I didn’t connect strongly to any of the characters and found it strange that both of them very quickly accepted the situation they found themselves in, I think there should have been more of a panic or adjustment to it all. Overall, it’s a good read if you want something light-hearted, maybe a bit silly and fluffy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Lia Riley for this ARC!

Puck and Prejudice is a fun and engaging modern retelling of Jane Austen's classic novel. The story follows Elizabeth Bennet, a young woman from a respectable family, who is forced to marry for money. When she meets Mr. Darcy, a wealthy and arrogant gentleman, sparks fly, but their relationship is complicated by Elizabeth's pride and Darcy's prejudice.

What I Loved:
* The Modern Setting: Riley does a great job of updating the story to a modern setting. The characters are relatable and the dialogue is witty and funny.

* The Romance: The chemistry between Elizabeth and Darcy is undeniable. Their relationship is full of ups and downs, but it's ultimately a love story that will warm your heart.

* The Diversity: The cast of characters is diverse, which is refreshing to see in a retelling of a classic novel.

* The Writing: Riley's writing is clear and concise, making the book easy to read and enjoy.

Overall, "Puck and Prejudice" is a well-written and entertaining retelling of Pride and Prejudice. It's a great choice for fans of Jane Austen or modern romance novels.

Thank you so much to Avon for my ARC!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖 (It took me a little bit to get into it, but I really loved after 30% or so)
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋
Intimate Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 🔥🔥
Humor: Yes
Perspective: third person from both the hero and heroine
More character focused or plot focused? character
How did the speed of the story feel? medium
When mains are first on page together: Pretty soon in, about 5%, or chapter 2
Cliffhanger: No, this ends with a happily ever after
Epilogue: Yes, two years later

Should I read in order?
I believe this is a stand alone novel

Basic plot:
When Tuck gets into an accident and falls into a frozen pond, he finds himself pulled into early 1800s England

Give this a try if you want:
- Regency? Jane Austen is writing Pride and Prejudice...so that’s a guess
- time travel – contemporary hero goes back in time
- hockey player hero – goalie (Michigander hero, but lived in Texas a number of years)
- author heroine
- road trip
- marriage of convenience
- celibate hero
- one bed
- bit of a size difference – hero is 6’2” and a head
- Gretna Green
- child free HEA
- higher steam – 5ish full scenes and some praise

Ages:
- heroine is 27, hero is 30

My thoughts:
I was so curious about this one! A hockey player that goes back in time?? I had to try it. I thought maybe it would be a bit TOO ridiculous….but this one totally took my heart by surprise.

It took me a little bit to get into it. I struggled a bit when they were initially meeting and accepting each other’s circumstances. It does feel very modern and the hero does talk about contemporary times pretty frequently. But..once these two had a plan and were together...I totally fell in love with them.

Lizzie is so sweet and fun. I love her personality and strength despite her unlikable family. But Tucker really stole the show for me. He is just the sweetest. I adored him. The way he falls for Lizzie, and the way he protects her and loves her and the way he talks to her in the bedroom just all made me melt!

I loved the humor in this book. Their relationship was so cute and adorable and genuine. It took me by surprise how much I adored the latter half of this novel.

Definitely a unique take on time travel and a cute story where a modern day hockey player ends up back in 1812 with our heroine who is heading into spinsterhood. The characters had good chemistry and it was a fun read. They were a little lacking in depth, and it started a bit slow, but by the end I was invested and couldn't put down.

I had a lot of fun reading this book, especially the first half! This book is a very unique twist on time-travel romance, and the retelling elements from Pride & Prejudice was perfectly done!

From the first to the second half, the story kind of moved from the MCs' banter to more time travel plotting and the London society ish social standing and gossip etc.. the banter was kind of the highlight of the book for me, so I didn't enjoy the second half quite as much. It was still an amazing read though!

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!