⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5 stars)

Puck and Prejudice by Lia Riley is a delightful mash-up of Regency romance and modern sports culture, where time travel collides with witty banter, hockey jerseys, and, of course, Jane Austen vibes. Tucker Taylor, a hockey goalie benched due to health reasons, finds himself inexplicably transported back to 1812 after a plunge into an icy pond. There, he meets the sharp-tongued and book-loving Lizzy Wooddash, who’s far more interested in becoming a widow than a wife—at least at first.

The premise is as quirky as it sounds. Tucker’s fish-out-of-water moments in Regency England are both funny and charming, especially as Lizzy tries to wrap her head around this strange man in a hockey jersey (cue what the puck jokes). Their chemistry is undeniable, and the slow burn of their romance adds a layer of tension that keeps the pages turning. Lizzy’s desire for independence in a time when women had so few options is relatable and refreshing, even if her plan to quickly become a widow is a bit, well, unorthodox.

While the book is fun and whimsical, it doesn't entirely escape the predictability of the enemies-to-lovers trope. Lizzy and Tucker’s initial clashing softens fairly quickly, and while their love story is enjoyable, I found myself wanting a bit more conflict or complexity to keep things interesting. The middle of the book drags slightly, with a few repetitive moments that could have been tightened up.

Still, Riley has a knack for witty dialogue and playful chemistry, and Puck and Prejudice delivers plenty of both. The blend of time-travel fantasy with Regency romance is fresh, and the Jane Austen references will please any historical romance fan. Plus, the unique setting of combining a hockey player with 19th-century England adds just the right amount of modern twist to a familiar story.

If you’re in the mood for a light-hearted romance with a dash of Austen and a sprinkle of time-travel magic, Puck and Prejudice is worth a read. It may not break new ground, but it’s a fun, romantic escape with a charmingly oddball premise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC!

The premise of this book had more than enough to make this a must-read for me. Hockey, Regency-era, time travel romance? Yup, I'm all set!
The plot of this book is obviously ridiculous and far fetched, and you really have to suspend your disbelief to be okay with how much the characters just do not blink at the fact that they're time travelling, but if you do so it's fun. Lizzy is a pretty well written main character, and Tuck is ~fine~ as the love interest. I do think this book might have benefited from only being told from Lizzy's perspective, given that Tuck's complete unflinching reaction to suddenly being in Regency-era England is a bit too noticeable. The steamy scenes are actually pretty hot, and it's hard to get me to say that about a straight romance. That being said, the plot is pretty light on this one, and in general I think this book needed a bit more substance to fully round it out. As it is, it feels a bit like a pale imitation of Outlander. I was deeply frustrated that this is marketed as a hockey book when it is so obviously NOT a hockey book. However, Jane Austen being an actual character in the book did please me, no matter how silly.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon/Avon Harper Voyager for a digital arc of this title!

Tucker Taylor has just gone from Austin, to…Austen?
While on medical leave from his hockey career with the Austin Regals, Tucker finds himself in England visiting with his sister. A chance encounter sends his car off the icy road and into a pond. Desperately clawing his way to the surface, Tucker loses consciousness and awakes to find himself in a sunny field— in the year 1812.

Trapped in the past Tucker meets Lizzie, a beautiful and witty woman who captures his heart- and his hand in marriage. With the help of Lizzie’s cousin Georgie, and close friend Jane Austen, Lizzie hatches a plan to help Tucker return home and get something in return. He needs her assistance fitting in with the times and gathering clues about returning to his own time, and she needs the freedom that being a widow will allot her. This marriage of convenience becomes so much more as Lizzie and Tucker realize that through whatever strange workings of the universe, they were clearly meant to meet.

This book was such a fun read, and an unexpected 5 star for me!

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for an early copy of this book. I will read anything and everything that is remotely Pride and Prejudice based and I snapped this one up immediately.

My overall review of this book is that it was fine. It was a little jarring switching between the lingo from modern day to Regency Era but that is probably to be expected from a time traveling story. I thought the hockey analogies that were thrown into the conversations were a little much since Lizzy, the FMC, has no idea what hockey even is and it felt like the story had to constantly remind us that the MMC, Tucker, was a hockey player.

Tucker's personality felt too flat and generic. He felt like he could have been replaced with any other book boyfriend/MMC and the story would have been fine. Lizzy was great though. I also loved meeting Jane Austen through this story.

Overall I love the concept. I do still recommend it for someone looking for something cute to read who are fans of historical romance.

Sidenote, I don't feel like this cover is doing the book any favors unfortunately. I was oddly relieved to know he didn't travel back in time in his full hockey gear.

First off, thank you NetGalley, Lia Riley, and the publisher for the eARC. It was such a fun book and I loved reading it.

This book was so cute!!! I am a HUGE Jane Austen fan so this was 100% right up my alley. I love that she was a minor, but important character in the story. The story of a modern MMC being transported back in time is such a fun trope. Tucker getting acclimated to the 1800 was kinda funny, but he was such a trooper! I love that Lizzy was not your typical girl. That she didn’t fit into the box society wanted to put her in. She was very much a nod to Elizabeth Bennett and I just loved that.

Fake dating/marriage of convenience is one of favorite tropes and the way it plays out in this is so good. I absolute fell in love with Tuck & Lizzy and was fully invested in their love story. Tuck was so earnest and genuine in his feelings for Lizzy and Lizzy being torn between what her head and her heart wanted was so real.Their soft moments together just melted my heart and it had the perfect amount of spice.

The story was well written and well paced, and the perfect lighthearted romance. If you are an Austen fan I highly recommend this book.

Thank you again to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for this book. It was so fun to read.

I really, really wanted to love this one, but honestly it just was a little bit underwhelming and a little too cliche. It was still cute though!

The premise of this book was just a little too chaotic for me? To the point where it detracts from the main plot.

This book was super entertaining until it got boring for me. I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC from netgalley and while this was on my TBR for a while, and i found Tuck not having much of a personality and only being attracted to Lizzy because she was…there and Lizzy just finding him attractive. I didn’t feel a connection between the main characters which really is unfortunate because it’s a love story. However! The writing is incredible and felt true to the regency period and i loved the added quirk of having Jane Austen as a main character in the story in Lizzy’s group of friends.

This book wasn’t for me. I was expecting something else but maybe that’s on me. I judged it based on the cover when requesting it which I think does work for the book.

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for this ARC!Think sports romance, but add in regency era time travel. This book is pretty much exactly what you would expect based on the title. One of my favorite time travel book tropes is learning that a modern character influences a well known historical figure, and there are some fun little nuggets in this one (excellent boiled potatoes, anyone?). Was it cheesy? Yes. But it was also a cute and fun read, and if you enjoy this kind of book, you should definitely add to your TBR.

Releases November 12, 2024!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lia Riley for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Puck and Prejudice coming out November 12, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I’m not a huge fan of contemporary romance, but I was super intrigued by the regency era time travel aspect of the book. Normally it’s a woman who goes back in time. So I really loved that it was a hockey player who hardly knows anything about Jane Austen. The hijinks ensued! I feel like hockey romance is a fairly new genre. This is my first one. I can see the appeal, lol. I’m obsessed with this book. I loved the ride and the plot. Tuck and Lizzy were so fun! I loved everything about them. The writing was great and it felt cozy without being a cozy book. I would definitely check out more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys time travel regency books!

This was such a fun read!! This was mainly a regency romance, given that Tuck traveled back to 1812, but I absolutely loved it. Lizzy is a force to be reckoned with and from the moment you meet her you know exactly what she wants out of her life and you know that she’s the type of woman who will whole heartedly make sure she achieves it.
There were so many directions the book could take that would have been great and I’m so happy with how the book ended and with the development of everything between Lizzy and Tuck.

3.5!

I guess this isn't really a "hockey romance," more like a Regency romance where the male lead happens to be a hockey player. (Which, honestly, is fair, because how are you supposed to write a hockey romance when the setting is 1812)

I requested the book on Netgalley because I thought it would be fun and an interesting take and I was right. There's a lot going on and I loved how confused Tuck was. Lizzy was also a fun character, and I like how her take-charge attitude existed before she was with Tuck, but flourished a bit more when they were together.

There were several directions this book could have taken and I would have been happy with any of them, and while I hadn't considered this direction, it was a pleasant surprise.

thank you Netgalley for the arc

This book was incredible!!!

Have you ever wanted to read a book that transports you to the Regency period but with a modern twist? If so, this is the book for you! I absolutely loved the banter and adored the ending—this is definitely a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time!

Puck and Prejudice by Lia Riley is a story about a hockey player who somehow ends up in the 1800s where he meets a woman who aspires to be an author. The book follows his journey as he tries to find his way back home, where his sister awaits, and maybe even find love along the way.

This story captivated me in a way I haven't experienced in a long time. Lia Riley skillfully balances a realistic portrayal of Regency life, highlighting both its charm and struggles, while also drawing parallels to modern issues. Her beautiful writing and storytelling made this book truly stand out.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Lia Riley for providing me with this copy! I can't wait for others to read it when it hits the shelves.

I truly enjoyed this adorable romance. The characters were individual and so much fun. The references to Austen and the various adaptations of her work were well done. I’m sure I missed some since it’s been some time since I read Pride & Prejudice. Occasionally cringey but definitely palatable.

DNF at 17% - I just cannot for the life of me get into this book. On it's surface, I should love it! I love sports/hockey romance, I love historical romance. But there's something that just isn't jiving with me right now and I've been reading it for well over a week. I may try this again via audio to see if that works better for me.

Thank you netgalley for the e-arc.

This is an interesting twist on the regency romance novel. I liked our hero, Tuck, and how he was supportive of always letting Lizzy make sure own decisions.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to ARC read Puck and Prejudice!

Hockey Himbo meets regal England spinster in a collision that I didn't know I needed until this book. This was a marriage of convince and true to history, their plan to return him to the modern time is smooshed when feelings become involved. Being a shorter novel with low spice or stakes, this is great for the hockey and Bridgeton fans of the world!

This would not be my normal pick and I fell in love with the book. I am obsessed with the characters and the story. I am putting this on the schedule for my book club and am looking forward to more books by this author.

This was the book I never knew I needed!!! I genuinely loved every single second. I laughed so hard and was cheesing the entire time reading it!!!! I loved this concept so much. And also the spice was HAWT. Wow. I need a hundred more books like this.