Pucking Strong by Emily Rath brings the heat with a slow-burn, emotionally intense MM hockey romance that hits all the right spots. Henrick is blindsided by trauma, and just when his world starts to fall apart, Teddy—his loyal, gorgeous PT provider—steps up. What Henrick doesn’t know is that Teddy’s been silently craving him for years, watching from the sidelines with aching patience.

As Teddy helps Henrick navigate grief, pain turns to passion, and the lines between friendship and something far more explosive start to blur. Their chemistry? Off the charts. The tension simmers until it finally combusts in scenes that are raw, tender, and seriously hot. This story delivers on deep emotional connection, steamy slow-burn build-up, and the kind of love that feels hard-won and worth every second.

Thank you @kensingtonbooks and @emilyrathauthor for sending me the ARC of Pucking Strong!!

There is no better day to shout my love for Teddy and Henrik than Father’s Day!! These two become guardians to Henrik’s niece under the worst of circumstances; but the found family they form is one of my favorite parts of their story.

As characters, it is impossible not to love Teddy & Henrik. They are as different as two people can be - Teddy is quite literally a teddy bear who wears his heart on his sleeve while Henrik is pragmatic and much more reserved in his approach to life.

Their journey to an HEA was the ultimate slow burn, filled with hundreds of tiny moments that were funny, relatable and emotional. And just like we can count on Emily to deliver an impactful story that is full on of pure joy, when the spice hits, it hits. Holy mother of chili peppers. I was not prepared.

We are now four books into the Jacksonville Rays series and officially in the thick of it. With each passing book, we get to see our favorites from the past living their best lives with their growing families. It is truly a joyful reading experience and one that I am thankful for!!!

#emilyrathcheersquad #jacksonvilleraysseries #emilyrath #puckingstrong #mmromance

Read the description, you may love this one but it wasn’t for me. It’s a marriage of convenience story. A hidden crush, given an opportunity to help. Too much golden retriever, felt unrealistic. Idk, I just didn’t feel the connection between the main characters. I never rooted for them. It was a slow read for me but I did finish. I may be done with the series though, if there are more coming.

I received this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my owns.

Emily Rath is absolutely amazing, as always!

Pucking Sweet is told in first person, dual POV. Just like the rest of the Jacksonville Rays, we are in the world of Hockey Romance and we will find our found family trope. This one comes packed with a marriage of convenience, opposites attract, single guardian, and workplace romance.

Henrik and Teddy are literally everything! Their banter is supreme and there might be more dramatic flair in this one than in Pucking Around. I love the way that Henrik truly loves. He is demisexual and thus not just attracted upon appearance or societal standards, but because of the connection to Teddy. The way he is protective over him made my heart swell.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Always love recommending Emily Rath to people who are starting to read erotica and love a sports romance! Obsessed with this one!

I really enjoyed Henrik and Teddy’s story! It was so interesting to watch their relationship grow — from almost strangers to a real team, building a home together for Karolina. Karolina herself is such a sweet addition to the story — it’s hard not to fall in love with her. I also loved the side characters, especially the team surrounding Henrik and Teddy. They added so much warmth and personality to the book.
All in all, a heartfelt and engaging story with great characters and a lot of emotional depth.

Teddy meets Henrik on his way to his internship. It was love at first sight for Teddy. But Teddy hides his feelings.

SIX YEARS LATER... Teddy is back with the Rays and sees Henrik. Henrik's sister is killed in an automobile accident leaving her daughter, Karolina. But huge issue, Henrik is not a reliable parent since he travels so much for hockey, so he needs to think fast. Teddy went with Henrik for help in the matter... but they marry each other to keep Karolina... Will the marriage of Terry and Henrik work or will Terry lose Henrik?

Anytime a Dr Emily Rath book comes into my sight, I know I am in for a good time. Once again, she captures the human experience so well that I can't help but wonder if she's just stealing people's (including mine) diaries and using them for her books.
Let me get the bad out of the way now. Niblet is not the correct term and it was used so much in a portion of the book that I became annoyed. There were times when Teddy seemed to play into stereotypical black queer behaviors that made my brain itch but it wasn't enough to suggest that the entire character was full of stereotypes.

And now for the good. Everything else. Henrik and his grief, Hendrik and Teddy as they explore what demi means to them. The WAGs club, Teddy's love for Henrik's niece, the relationships Teddy has with his family and even Henrik's love for his family. The chemistry that these two characters grow into is explosive after you get through the slowest burn imaginable. The little snips of the other relationships we've grown to know and love.

If you are already a fan of Dr. Wrath, this is just another jewel in her collection. If you are new and this is where you want to jump, you can safely enjoy and know that the read is well worth it.

I was curious about this book and I appreciated the descriptions of the world of hockey and I was able to understand what was what even if i just say one match in my life.
Rooted for the characters and had fun
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I never would have guessed that Pucking Strong was going to end up being my favorite book of this series. Emily rath did such a good job with the slow burn romance and deep emotion between the couple.
She had me kicking my feet and giggling with excitement.

Book four in the Jacksonville Rays series and Emily Rath has absolutely stolen my heart with this one.
The perfect read for pride month (or every month), this book is emotional, passionate and such a sweet read. You cannot help but fall in love with each character in this novel, feeling their deep connection with one another before they admitted it to themselves.
I adored this book.
Pucking Strong is my new favourite in this series and honestly I’ll be surprised if she can top this. The honesty, the yearning, the touch him and die. Ugh it was everything.

I loveddddd Teddy and Henrik, I just felt like there was something missing. I did not feel any tension or pining like I usually do with an Emily Rath book. Henriks character development was amazing in this book though and I did love their story. I just also feel as if it could be reduced and edited down, it got repetitive at some parts.

This romance was different from what I usually read but I loved every word. It was fabulous. Emily Rath can do no wrong with smutty romances

I knew I was going to love this and I am so happy to confirm that I LOVED it!! It was such an incredible feeling diving back into this universe, and to explore two more characters was amazing.
This has easily shot to the number one spot of the series for me, and I'm so excited for everyone else to read it!

I loved this book. I would definitely say this is my favorite of the series so far. I really liked the fact the problem that the characters faced in the plot was not miscommunication. I very much enjoyed their dynamic that they had as friends and as a couple. I also enjoyed that all the other characters were sprinkled in throughout the book. They were not just in the background. I will and have recommend this to anyone who will listen!!

Love, Love, love this series! This one pulled on the heartstrings a lot more than usual, and I loved it.

What would you do to protect and keep your family together? In Emily Rath’s fourth book in her Jacksonville Rays Hockey Series, that’s what star forward Henrik Karlsson has to figure out. His only sister dies in an auto accident that severely injures her 5 year old daughter, Karoline (Henrik’s niece). Henrik’s job as a forward in the US NHL means that to care for his niece, he needs to take her to Florida. Unfortunately the Swedish Government needs to be convinced that Henrik can take proper care of Karoline in the US while he is on the road during hockey season. The Swedish Government won’t allow Karoline to leave Sweden without this reassurance. Enter Dr. Teddy O’Connor, the Rays newest physical therapist. Follow Henrik and Teddy as they fight their way through governmental red tape as well as develop their relationship in this very spicy book of the fictional Jacksonville Rays Hockey Team.

I really enjoyed this next installment of the Jacksonville Rays. It did seem a little contrived how Teddy accompanied Henrik to Sweden, but it worked. I liked getting glimpses of characters from the previous books. It’s fun seeing where they are in their life journeys. This is a stand-alone book, but if one has read the first three books and previous novellas, one has a better understanding of the various back stories of the other characters of the Jacksonville Rays.

I wish to thank Kensington Publishing for providing this book and selecting me to review it on NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

#kensingtonpublishing #jacksonvillerays #hockeyromance #spicyromance

I want to live in this universe forever. Emily writes such beautiful stories full of love, family, and joy. Even the serious topics have a hopeful feel to them. Emily’s books are always such a wonderful experience

When I first heard about this book coming out it quickly became my most anticipated of the year. Upon completion I must say that this book is even better then I could’ve ever imagined. I already was in love with this world and the characters within it, I didn’t think it was possible to love them more yet here I am. Emily Rath with another masterpiece on her hands. The character development, the love, the personal development are all top tier. I’m going to reread this book over and over. Absolute perfection!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Emily Rath for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

I fell in love with this series right from the beginning with Pucking Around, and this latest book was everything I hoped it would be. It’s refreshing to immerse myself in a world that feels like a safe space, complete with a welcoming group of people, particularly within a professional sports team. The fact that everyone in the Jacksonville Rays series is part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community unless stated otherwise, is incredibly refreshing. I particularly enjoy the theme of found family, which resonates deeply with me. Having characters who love each other without judgment or expectations is something precious, and I can never get enough of it in these books.

Returning to this series feels like catching up with old friends, and I love getting to know the new protagonists as well. I become so emotionally invested in each book that I find myself laughing, crying, and experiencing all of the characters' joys and heartaches alongside them. I genuinely miss these characters when I finish reading, which is why I have reread this series multiple times. I’m thrilled that I can now revisit Henrik and Teddy's story over and over again.

Teddy is such a quintessential double Pisces, and it was a delight to explore his perspective. Although I am not a double Pisces myself, my sun sign is Pisces, so I found many aspects of his character relatable. He had me laughing out loud numerous times as I experienced the world through his eyes. Henrik was a great balance to Teddy, and I was always excited when we would switch to his POV so I could learn more about him and how he sees the world.

I will always recommend this series to anyone who will listen, and this book only strengthens my argument. If you haven’t started this series yet, what are you waiting for? If you have, I can’t wait for you to read this one—you won’t regret it!