Pucked and Pucked Up by Helena Hunting

Posted 23 November, 2015 by Heather in Blog, Book Review, Heather, Heather Book Review / 2 Comments

Pucked and Pucked Up by Helena HuntingPucked by Helena Hunting
Series: The Pucked Series #1
on May 3, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Humor, Romance, Sports
Pages: 380
Format: eBook
Source: Bought
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
4.5 Stars

With a famous NHL player for a step-brother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation many hockey stars come with. She’s smart enough to steer clear of those hot, well-built boys with unparalleled stamina. That is until she meets the legendary team captain—Alex Waters.

Violet isn’t interested in his pretty, beat-up face, or his rock-hard six-pack abs. But when Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet’s previous misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes more than just a hot body with a face to match.

In what can only be considered a complete lapse in judgment, Violet finds out just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants. But what starts out as a one-night stand, quickly turns into something more. Post-night of orgasmic magic, Alex starts to call, and text, and e-mail and send extravagant—and quirky—gifts, making him difficult to ignore, and even more difficult not to like.

The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn’t want to be part of the game.

In Pucked, the heroine accountant meets a her professional NHL hockey player step-brother’s hot teammate, who has a womanizing reputation that precedes him. After an explosively mind-blowing one night stand, Violet is left vowing that she can’t slip up like this again because Alex is said to be quite the player, while Alex has his sights set on making this incredibly awkward and sexy woman his–no matter what kind of hoops he has to jump through. Even if he has to tangle with her overprotective monster of a step-brother, Buck. This book is fun, often hilarious, and a seriously steamy sports romance with great hockey action.

Violet Hall has a tendency to run her mouth unfiltered, and while she’s very smart and sometimes reserved, she’s very opinionated. She’s gun-shy in the dating department and hockey players are a no-go in her eyes after she was played by one less than a year ago who was looking to further his career with her hockey scout step-father. But then she meets Alex–captain of the team, handsome, smart, hiding his nerdy side–Waters–and she’s not prepared to fight their blossoming relationship, or how much hard work it takes to date someone who is in the media spotlight and travels as much as Alex does.

Alex Waters has his eyes set firmly on making the playoffs, but he’s not prepared for the pretty face staring back at him when he’s smeared into the boards at a game. It’s even more complicated because Violet doesn’t want anything to do with him and she’s his new teammates sister. After one night together, which he certainly had to work for, Violet seemingly wants out, but Alex is intrigued by this pretty, smart, and awkward woman. He risks his endorsements, his image, even his career at times for her. Their relationship ebbed and flowed with both of their mistakes, and the organic growth felt natural throughout the book.
Profile portrait of businessman working on laptop in black suit at studio

PUCKED UP

by Helena Hunting (Website, Facebook, Twitter)
Series: The Pucked Series #2
on October 25, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Humor, Romance, Sports
Pages: 388
Format: eBook
Source: Bought
AmazonGoodreads
4.5 Stars

Miller “Buck” Butterson has been banging his way through life ever since a puck to the face fixed his messed up front teeth, and he was drafted into the NHL during his first year of college. After five years of deflecting goals on the ice and scoring them with puck bunnies across the Continental US and parts of Canada, Miller is ready for a girlfriend. A real girlfriend of the non-bunny variety. One he takes on dates and doesn’t jump into bed with after five seconds of conversation.

Miller thinks he’s found that woman in his teammate’s sister. Except, unlike Alex Waters, center, team captain and all round nice guy—who happens to be dating his step-sister—Miller’s manwhore reputation is well earned, and not blown out of proportion by the media. Beyond that minor detail, Miller doesn’t know the first thing about having a girlfriend. But he’s determined to make it happen.

What he doesn’t take into account is the amount of time and effort relationships require, or that constantly letting bunnies take selfies with him to post all over social media isn’t going to win him any points in the boyfriend department. Miller learns—not so quickly—that if he wants to make Sunshine “Sunny” Waters fall for him, he going to have to do a whole lot more than show her his stick skills in the bedroom.

Buck was a standout character from the first book, so I was so happy to see him get his own book. He’s a bit slow to pick up on things emotionally, people think he’s not very smart because he’s dyslexic, and he has a big heart. Trouble just always seems to find him, especially when he’s trying to be good. The boy loves his partying and women–his reputation is well earned. But he’s met someone that interests him in Pucked–Alex Waters’ sister Sunny–and Buck wants to try to be a better man in all areas of his life as he tries to woo her in Pucked Up.

Sunny is the polar opposite of every single girl Buck usually picks. She’s a bit more granola and hippieish evenn though she’s pretty young, and she wears much less make up and isn’t so high maintenance. She’s only had one long term relationship and Buck has women hanging off of him wherever he goes–whether he wants them to or not. Even though he’s sweet, thoughtful, and caring to her, the same can not be said for his hockey friends, and they get him into more horrible situations than he’d get into on his own.

I really enjoyed this second book. Buck leans on his step-sister Violet a lot–especially since she’s his accountant–and Alex makes several appearances since he’s Sunny’s brother. The ridiculous situations that Buck gets into, especially when they aren’t totally his fault were pretty hilarious. Sunny’s age and insecurities show quite often, and it was nice to see more of her strange parents. Buck’s best friend Randy was quite clueless and dense, so I can’t wait to see what happens in his book that comes out in January.

Love

Overall, the Pucked Series are fun and sexy reads with characters that are flawed, awkward, and hilarious.

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Heather

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I'm a PhD chemist who loves sarcasm, music, and books-paranormal, mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, and romance. Most of my free time is spent at the martial arts studio these days--whether practicing Combat Hapkido or reading books while watching my son's Taekwondo classes, or even working up a sweat with Kickboxing for fun. Goodreads

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2 Responses to “Pucked and Pucked Up by Helena Hunting”

  1. I so need to pick these books up! I love sports romances and I think I’d love the characters 😀 Thanks for sharing!

    Zareena @ The Slanted Bookshelf
    Zareena @ The Slanted Bookshelf recently posted..DNF Review: A Thousand Nights // not bad just the wrong timeMy Profile

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    Heather 12/6/2015

    Pucked and Pucked Up are great sports romances, although there’s really only hockey action in Pucked since Pucked Up takes place during the off season. They’re really great books and the next one in the series is set to come out in January. Hope you enjoy them if you pick them up, Zareena!

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