Review: Three Pucks and a Baby
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was everything.

Vivian’s about to turn 30 and decides she wants a threesome (as a birthday treat, obviously), but what she ends up with is so much more than just a hot night. Grayson, Theo, and Bennett completely knocked me off my feet. Not only was it insanely spicy, but it also had way more heart than I expected.

I’m a total sucker for sports romance and why-choose stories, so this hit all the right spots for me. The dynamic between the four of them felt so real. The chemistry was off the charts, but it wasn’t just sex for the sake of it. There was actual connection, emotion, and some really sweet (and sometimes heartbreaking) moments.

Not gonna lie, I really didn’t like Theo at first, especially once the pregnancy came into play. I was annoyed, but then we got his POV and everything started to make sense. He grew on me a lot, and by the end, I loved him just as much as the others.

Also, the LGBTQ+ rep? So well done. I’ve read a lot of why-choose books where it’s kind of brushed aside or treated like a background detail, but here it was front and center and handled with care. It was such an important part of the story, and I loved that the author didn’t shy away from it.

Huge thanks for the ARC. I devoured this in one sitting and already want to reread it. If you’re into hockey boys, found family, and a whole lot of spice with feelings to back it up, you’re gonna love this one.

I really enjoyed this book but I do wish Vivian wasn't so stressed about her age. Turning 30 hardly means that you are at deaths door!!
I also didn't vibe with the slight religious tone the book took at times but that's a personal preference and I understood the message it was trying to send.
Otherwise it was a great read and I loved the characters!
My full review is live on instagram now.

Katie Ashley scores big with Three Pucks and a Baby, a sizzling hockey romance that’s as unexpected as it is wildly entertaining. At the center of the story are three best friends and teammates whose off-ice chemistry is as steamy as their on-ice performance. Known for their adventurous, no-strings-attached encounters, their dynamic takes a compelling turn when one of them falls hard for someone entirely different—a charming, no-nonsense librarian.

What follows is a whirlwind of passion, chaos, and unexpected tenderness. Ashley blends heat and humor with just the right touch of emotional depth, creating a storyline that’s both bold and surprisingly heartfelt. The tension between loyalty, desire, and personal growth adds complexity to a premise that’s already deliciously unorthodox.

With witty dialogue, strong character dynamics, and a plot full of spicy moments and delightful surprises, Three Pucks and a Baby is a fresh, unfiltered take on contemporary romance. It’s fun, provocative, and impossible to put down—a must-read for fans looking for something daringly different in their sports romance.

I've been a recent convert of 'why choose' romance novels, so I was excited to read this one.

Vivian is a university librarian approaching 30 and ready to do something crazy.

In walks three college hockey players who need an adventurous woman for their superstitious threesome before the season starts. Then there's a positive pregnancy test, and the hijinks ensue.

I enjoyed this book. Vivian is easy to root for as soon as you meet her, and the spell she casts over the college athletes is pretty enjoyable to watch. I also loved bouncing between all the POVs to feel in the guys' heads as they navigate this new relationship.

It's funny, romantic, and pretty spicy.

*Thank you to the Author and Netgalley for this early release. All opinions are my own.*

I really enjoyed this book. It is exactly what it says it is, some reverse harem erotica. As long as you are aware that this is very spicy and that is the main point of it, you'll enjoy it as well. I liked the characters, though I wish they could've been a little more developed. Especially, Theo. I also wish that there was more romance with the smut, but that didn't put me off. One of my favorite parts was that there was some push back on the poly relationship. It made it sound and look real. Overall, I will read another book by this author and enjoyed this one.

This was definitely a new take on sports superstitious routines players insist upon but I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you are looking for a woman in her 30s with multiple younger men which includes m/m I recommend this book.
Cozy themes with great character development, a perfect read for a rainy Sunday.

I received this book as an ARC copy but this is a completely honest review.

Quick, fun read. This is the kind of story perfect for when I want to get sucked into a story and don't want to have to think. Vivian is a college librarian interested in Tudor history when she catches the eye of Greyson, a star hockey player on the school team. Greyson and his teammate/roommate, Theo have a superstition: a threesome before the season starts will help ensure a winning season. But when their other roommate/teammate, Bennett, comes home and makes it a foursome, and Vivian finds out she's pregnant, it may be a different kind of winning season after all. An easy, sexy read, which often left me thinking, "none of this would happen if these men actually talked to her that way". But the characters were likeable enough to make it easy to suspend judgement.

Rating - 3.5 stars

This was definitely a fun, fast, enjoyable read! I really appreciated the LGBTQ+ representation, which is often something I find lacking in the 'Why Choose' space of romance. The spicy scenes weren't always my favorite and sometimes felt a big awkward, but that's probably to be expected with multiple men in a relationship with one woman.

Lastly, there were a few grammatical and spelling errors, but I tried not to take note of those too much to let that affect my rating.

Thank you, Katie Ashley for the eArc!

I was in the mood for something smutty, and this definitely hit the spot. It was a fun, steamy read that didn’t take itself too seriously, which is exactly what I wanted. The spicy scenes were well done and kept the pace moving, making it an enjoyable escape.

There were a few moments where I felt like I missed some transitions or connections between characters. Some developments happened a bit suddenly, and I found it a little hard to believe how quickly certain changes occurred. But honestly, it didn’t take away too much from the experience—it was easy to just go with the flow and enjoy the ride.

Overall, it delivered what I came for: heat, tension, and a fast-moving plot. If you're looking for something sexy and entertaining without overthinking it, this is a solid pick.

this is more of a 3.5, but Goodreads still doesn't do half stars. maybe I was at a disadvantage having read this trope numerous times before. it was a little hard to get into at first because Grayson and Theo weren't exactly likeable at the beginning. The story progressed quickly, which maybe made this a little harder to believe. as an escape read, it works. if you're looking for realistic fiction, you're barking up the wrong tree. the smut is good. overall, it was an okay read. I'd read this author again.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was spicy and mostly sweet, just what I want in my romance novels.

However, there just wasn't enough character development for me. I don't feel like I really got to know any of the 4 very well. Of the 3 men, Bennett was my favorite. Theo was a jerk and didn't really deserve a redemption arc. Honestly, I almost DNF after that one scene because I just don't feel like those words belong in a romance novel when it's one main character speaking to another main character. Vivian also felt a little flat for me. Like, she's supposed to be this quirky librarian, but we literally don't see any quirkiness. Just a brief introduction to her cats.

The big reveal at the end kind of came out of nowhere too. Like, where did that reporter get their information? It's like the author knew she needed to wrap up the story so she just threw it out there.

This was a new author for me, but I will definitely take a look at her back catalog. I can't wait to read more!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

Vivian had a quadsome for a one night. She became pregnant afterwards....

With a title like Three pucks and a baby... readers should know what they are getting into. It does live up to its title. A fun and steamy book when you are in the mood for something more smutty.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

2.5 ⭐️

The storyline for this wasn’t horrible but I did have a few issues with this book.

1. There were so many errors! At first it was minimal but as the book progressed it got to the point where it would make everything confusing because one guy’s name would be used for a situation that didn’t have to do with them. And this happened quite a few times so I’ll have to double back to make sure what POV I was reading to fix the mistake. So hopefully these errors are corrected in the published version.

2. The reporter at the end came out of nowhere. There was no indication of something like this happening considering not much people even knew and I honestly believed the author just threw it in to give some type of conflict. Which to be honest, it wasn’t necessary in my opinion.

3. The relationship between T and B felt forced and rushed. It’s such a delicate situation I think a couple chapters was not enough to really flesh out everything. I have absolutely no problem with sword crossing (I actually prefer it in why chooses) but this wasn’t done right for a “taboo” one.

Now you might be wondering how can I rate it 2.5? Well the smut was good lol. It was perfect and plentiful and it made everything. If you go into this book with no opinions and critiques you’ll enjoy it honestly. Because it’s your standard why choose hockey book with pregnancy so I wasn’t expecting spectacular prose.

Currently is an uncorrected arc, so it definitely has mistakes that need to be corrected.

The plot just kinda seems all over the place and it takes a really long time to get to the actual main point.

Some of the banter between the characters was a bit off. It has a lot of potential, just needs some work.

It was okay. For going in thinking it as a smut book, it held to the promise and gave a lot of spice and fun times.

The plot was a little strange, and I thought some of the comments were strange. Maybe even more juvenile than I'd imagine for college-aged men. And Vivian came off a little odd. There also wasn't much lead up and flirting/banter.

If you don't take it too seriously and overthink the plot and odd lines, it's just a fun and spicy book.

I just didn’t love the dialogue. I think if that had been a little better I would have liked the entirety of the story more.

It's currently an uncorrected arc, so there are multiple mistyped words like came instead of game. And other small errors. I imagine a lot of that will be corrected before release.

I think a 3 star is a fair rating and it was a good time.