I was so excited for this book. Jane Austen, Hockey romance, time traveling? Sounds fun!

It fell extremely flat. I wanted yearning and build up. Instead, I got insta-love.

Tuck was boring. Lizzy was underwhelming. The book took me entirely too long to read.

The concept of this book sounded really interesting with both historical and contemporary romance. I have never read a historical romance before but I think this may have been not the best introduction. This book was definitely different and way sillier than I expected. I didn’t feel any love between the characters, only lust which is not my favorite. It was a cute read though! Overall the book wasn't bad but it was just not for me.

Even though this book was not for me I think others would enjoy it!

Thank you Lia Riley, Avon & Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

A Jane Austen-inspired time travel hockey Regency romance? Featuring a marriage of convenience and the classic “there’s only one bed” trope? Sign me up immediately.

This book is an absolute delight, with misadventures kicking off from the very first chapter. Tuck, the male protagonist, suffers an accident that magically transports him back to Regency England, where he’s rescued by Lizzie—a headstrong woman determined to escape society’s rigid expectations for someone of her class. Lizzie dreams of the freedom that widowhood would grant her, and Tuck, understandably, just wants to find his way back to his own time. Their solution? A mutually beneficial marriage: Lizzie helps Tuck return home, and in exchange, she gains the independence she craves.

But what happens when this no-strings arrangement starts to pull on their heartstrings?

This story was such a joy to read—heartwarming, unexpectedly whimsical, and just the right amount of spicy for a cozy, lighthearted escape. It’s the perfect pick to brighten your winter blues. Highly recommend for fans of quirky romances, witty banter, and, of course, excellent boiled potatoes.

To say I am disappointed in this book would be an understatement. I LOVE historical romance and I LOVE hockey romance, so you can assume I was really excited to read this book. I was unable to finish this book after I had to put it down. Maybe my expectations were too high, but this book was cringey and slow at the same time.

I can understand why some other people might enjoy this, but if you really love these two topics, I would suggest going into this book with average expectations.

Did I have to suspend disbelief to read this book? Yes. Did I jump wholeheartedly into Lizzy and Tuck's time-travel romance with complete and utter joy? You bet I did.

Riley had me from the get-go with modern-day hockey pro, Tuck suddenly finding himself stranded in Jane Austen's time. Not only her time, but her neighborhood. Then she added in Jane's friend, Lizzy, a Regency miss determined to outsmart family who treat her more as a commodity than a person. It is the Regency, after all. Marriage of convenience, anyone?

What happens when Tuck and Lizzy get together is fresh, fun, endearing, and yes, believable. I laughed, I sighed, I cheered, and I was surprisingly okay with the unconventional HEA (no spoilers) which totally works for these two. This is a book I can definitely see myself rereading in times when I need a mood boost.

If you're looking for an engaging, entertaining, slightly steamy, feel-good, time-travel romance to lift your spirits and give you a reprieve from holiday stress, look no further than Puck & Prejudice by Lia Riley. It's an absolute delight.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased review

Yes, this is a silly premise, but this book was fun and just what I needed in the moment. I also appreciate how both characters seemed to be on even footing; no one was lesser because of where they came from or who they were. A lighthearted escape.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: historical ish romance 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
Lighthearted and unique romance with historical charm and a strong female lead

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Time travel romance
Regency era London
Professional hockey player
Fake marriage
Opposites attract
Witty banter
Slow burn
Fun reads

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Great humor and chemistry

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
I wouldn’t really call it a sports / hockey romance

I wanted to love this so much. I really did. However, ultimately the hero fell flat. I could not get past his cringey behavior and ended up DNFing this book approximately 150 pages in.

Special thanks to Avon and Net Galley for the ARC! I apologize for being late to review BUT I did read in time for my book clubs BYOHR (Bring Your Own Hockey Romance) and I just know this will be a hit.

Puck and Prejudice is a fun, quirky take on the hockey romance genre. Tuck, a professional NHL player, gets into a car accident while visiting his sister in England and ends up time travelling back to the early 1800s-- Jane Austen's time. He meets Lizzy, a good friend of Austen's and the namesake for her new book (Pride and Prejudice, obviously). Lizzy agrees to help Tuck get back to his time, but only if he marries her so that when he leaves she can become a widow and live her life with the freedom she desires.

This marriage of convenience becomes even more convenient because - you guessed it- they start to have feelings for each other and want to hook up. Honestly, the one bed trope was putting in WORK in this book and I loved it. There was not a scene where he ends up teaching her how to ice skate, which was shocking and a little disappointing, but alas. The ending was also not what I would have preferred but it worked out enough that I have no major complaints. Overall, this was a fun quick read and perfect for a little December hockey romance.

Fun, clever Regency x Hockey-lite love story!

Plot: 4 25📍
Spice: 2❤️
Overall: 4.25⭐
Laughter: 4😅

A little Highlander meets Pride & Prejudice with a dash of hockey.

I loved the banter, sneaky references to Jane Austen's works, the strict rules of the Regency era but some of the social commentary on Now vs. Then felt heavy-handed and gratuitous.

Tucker is absolutely just a green flag MMC. Adored him!

Lizzy was fantastic! BFF material all around!

And their chemistry (not even referring to the sweet but spicy scenes!) flew off the page.

The ending wasn't as satisfying for me as I would have liked, though.

Cheesy but not cringey, this story did a wonderful job of balancing romance with comedy, and whimsy with reality. I enjoyed how the character dynamics deepened throughout the story and thought the nods to Jane Austen were well-woven and fun to discover. Though some of the time-travel logistics were a bit of a head-scratcher, overall this was a fun and engaging story that Jane Austen fans will enjoy!

This book was so much more than I anticipated! I was hoping for a fun regency marriage of confidence with some heat, and while yes I absolutely got that, this book was SO MUCH MORE! We had time travel and true love and impossible circumstances and true friendship and respect and gahhhhhhhh I just adored every moment. It broke my heart and put it back together and I know I’ll be thinking of this story for years, YES YEARS, to come. READ IT.

this is an enchanting romance that swept me off my feet from the first page. With its unforgettable characters, deep emotional layers, and moments of pure magic, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves a beautifully crafted love story.

I had such high hopes for this book, but it just was not for me. I wanted to enjoy it, but just couldn't get into it. I will try others by the author.

This book was cute and heartwarming. The time travel was a fun twist also. Overall I enjoyed this one, and it felt like a mix between a sports romance and regency because of the two main characters, which made for a good time. The marriage of convenience trope isn’t one I’ve read a lot of, but I think it worked in this book pretty well. If you’re looking for a lighthearted romance with an independent female character, a golden retriever male character and some time travel thrown in, then this is for you.

Is this thought provoking and a masterpiece, probably not, but Puck and Prejudice is a fun, quick read about a hockey player transported back in time where he meets the lady of his dreams.

There are parts of this that are silly, and parts that highlight the struggles that women in the Regency era faced--marriage--> widowhood-->potential freedom. As Tucker and Lizzy try to find a way to get Tucker home, the sparks really do fly!

I enjoyed this and have recommended it to others that simply want the image of a hockey player trying to stuff himself into a pair of breeches while standing next to a pond, years in the past from his actual life and everything he knows.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the dARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn't real positive that i would like this story but I LOVE me a good time travel troupe and this book hit the mark. I was quickly sucked into this story and enjoyed it. The ending wasn't what i expected but i think it was better than my expectations. I like how Lia showed how two individuals can still each live their own lives but be committed to each other in a marriage. Marriages don't have to be typical or conventional for them to be successful and i think Lia did a good job of showing this. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good time travel troupe, sports troupe, marriage of convenience troupe, or anything Jane Austen related. So good!

Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read. 3.5 /5 stars
This was cute! Taking one of my favorite sports (men playing hockey) and pride and prejudice and mashing them together? Plus a Bryzgolov reference right at the get go? Adorable.
This was really fun all over. All of the great themes from P&P (individuality, choice, female empowerment) all echoed through but never seemed gimmicy. The tension was great. The chemistry was palpable and the romance was well done.
Sometimes the back and forth between the two voices felt really strange, I think cause it was trying to be a period piece? But not bad, just sometimes took me a bit to really sink back into a chapter.
Don't read this if you're looking for something monumental: but definitely if you're just looking for some fun

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 4/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 What a clever and captivating take on time travel! I highly recommend this one to any of my hockey romance, arranged marriage, or historical romance loving friends, actually any of my romance reading friends. It’s so unique and entertaining.
🤩 And Will Damon brings the magic with his gorgeous voice and ability to add the English accent so effortlessly.
🤩 These MCs make it laugh out loud funny! So beautifully and creatively written.
🤩 Only one bed perfection.
🤩 Scrumptious self exploration and pleasure!! Combined with secret pining.
🤩 That first kiss!! ❤️‍🔥🫠
🤩 Such cute laugh-out-loud moments because of the time travel!

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 I love the story, but the HEA feels weird because of the time travel or maybe just a little lackluster at the end.
💫 I would have liked some steam at the end to help me feel their connection & believe in their HEA.

Love love LOVED THIS!!! I’ve never read a time traveling romance where the hero is from the present, plus I immediately felt for Tuck and his backstory. Lizzy is a spunky wallflower and the perfect match for Tuck. I love time traveling romances bc you never how they’ll get to their HEA, and I really enjoyed how Lia Riley got us there by the end.

I looooooooved how protective he was of her and her agency. Plus I really felt their chemistry. We even got some great “good girl” and “my wife” moments 😍

Highly recommend for fans of hockey and/or historical romances. This would be a great place to start if you’ve never read a historical before as the author does a wonderful job of explaining Regency era society to the reader in an accessible way.

**thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**