Tag Archives: Series: Puckboys

Stubborn Puckboy by Eden Finley & Saxon James

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TITLE: ⟫ Stubborn Puckboy
AUTHOR: ⟫ Eden Finley & Saxon James

SERIES: ⟫ Puckboys #9
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Colby

Once upon a time, playing for the NHL was my dream. Then Radimir Novicov skated circles around me and made it clear I’d never be good enough. He was smart, talented, and worst of all–sexy. Every closeted guy knows that you don’t hit on your teammate, even if his gaze lingers longer than it should.

All it took was one drunken close call before our friendship was in tatters, he was called up to the NHL, and I was sent for further conditioning.

Playing in the NHL was off the table, so coaching became my new dream.

And seventeen years later, I’m finally heading to the big time.

Video coach. Pro level. The only downside?

It’s for Novi’s team.

Novi

Radimir Novicov is not scared of anything. I am one of the best. Future Hall of Famer. There are two years left on my contract and I will end my career on the highest high anyone did see.

Then I will slink into the shadows where no one will hear of me again.

Because while I’m playing professionally, I cannot come out and be myself. Not with my family still in Russia.

The plan has been set since I first moved to America, and I only have two years left to wait. It should be easy to focus on hockey.

Then Colby Kessinger walks back into my life. The teammate with the lopsided smiles and cocky attitude–the one who made my heart want things it can’t have.

Now two years feels like a lifetime.

REVIEW: ⟫ I went into this one a little blind as Novi didn’t really make a huge impact on me in the previous books. Big mistake – huge! Novi is a fabulous character, full of humour, strength of character and love and reading about him and Colby fighting for their happily ever after was a fantastic experience, for which I gave up a night’s sleep as I only meant to read one chapter and then hours later, I finished reading!

The secrecy of the relationship – for both of the main leads – was handled extremely well. None of their reasons for the way they acted were frivolous, and acknowledging all of the dangers inherent in workplace relationship, along with the political aspects and potential for ruining lives and careers were all made clear. Which made it all the more beautiful when both Colby and Novi didn’t play games – their communication was open, honest and really good to read . I loved the background cast of characters (Novi’s sister is a definite favourite) and being together with entire Queer Collective was a joy. I almost died laughing when Colby and Novi attended one of the Collective’s parties, and it’s a really good thing that they have the fire department on speed dial – IYKYK!

Eden and Saxon have managed to keep this long running series on a tight leash, with no repetition of tropes, and up to date understanding of what is going on in the real world whilst also allowing us to escape into their hockey world. I am so pleased I grabbed the opportunity to read this and recommend it wholeheartedly – the world needs more puckboys!

I received an ARC from Foreword PR.

Possessive Puckboy by Eden Finley & Saxon James (Puckboys Book #8)

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TITLE: ⟫ Possessive Puckboy
AUTHOR: ⟫ Eden Finley & Saxon James
SERIES: ⟫ Puckboys Book #8
RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB:⟫ Connor

Finding out those closest to me don’t see me as the great guy I think I am not only kicks me in the gut, it makes me question everything.

Until that happened, I didn’t think I had many regrets in my life. Now, I have nothing but regrets. And when my NHL team is bought out, and the new owner makes his presence known, my existential crisis kicks up a notch. Because he might be my biggest regret of all.

Parker Duchene.

I made his life a living hell in high school, and now he’s inserting himself into my career to repay the favor.

With everything in my personal life already on the line, I can’t risk hockey too. I need to figure out a way to play nice with the new owner.

Parker

I bought Colorado’s NHL team to honor my late father. I did. Only reason.

Emotionally playing with one of my many high school tormentors is a nice bonus though.

Connor Kikishkin may be the one who made me the target for years of name-calling, but I’ve always wondered if my hatred for him bordered too much on the obsessive side to truly be classified as hate.

Infatuation is probably the right word for it.

Now his whole life is in my hands, and I can’t wait to see him beg for my mercy. Seeing Mr. Popular find his humility will definitely ease the grief from losing my dad … right? Because right now, that’s all I have, and I need to hold on to it so I don’t crumble.

REVIEW: ⟫ First of all I would like to say my mental image of Nish is that he is the cutest Kiskishkin with his daddy in second place. Then I would admit that I binge read this in one go – I had forgotten just how easy it is to fall into the world created by these authors.

When I read East’s book, I was very much on his side with the Connor situation – from his perspective, his brother was completely out of control with his behaviour and utterly unreasonable. Reading this story gave me a completely different viewpoint of Connor and I felt so strongly for him. It was drummed into his head from a very early age what was expected of him, with little in the way of understanding just what that was doing to him.

The subject of bullying was handled very well, with a clear-cut understanding that it’s not acceptable to stand back and allow it to happen and think that you’re a good guy because you didn’t take part. Parker’s pain from his past and his bereavement bled through the page and it seemed like he just needed a really good cuddle.

Which is where Connor did his stellar best. These two together were cheek-squeezing levels of cute, from the pet search, to becoming friends, to how hot they were for each other but the intimacy and closeness of cuddling was also a big thing for them both.

I loved this book – so very much – and it has joined the ranks of the Puckboys quite high. I also fell more than a little in love with Novi but that’s obviously for a future date! A Stanley Cup winner of a book – pleased to have read it!

I received an ARC from Foreword PR.

Forbidden Puckboy by Eden Finley & Saxon James (Puckboys Book #7)

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TITLE: ⟫ Forbidden Puckboy

AUTHOR: ⟫ Eden Finley & Saxon James

SERIES: ⟫ Puckboys Book #7

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Easton

You know what’s the worst feeling in the world? Being in love with someone since you were twelve years old, knowing they only see you as a little brother type.

Not even becoming an NHL star has made him realize I’m all grown up now.

All of that changes when I ask my brother’s best friend to ref a charity match and we spend an entire week in each other’s pocket.

Being close to him is torture, but for the first time since my adolescent crush started, I begin to feel hope. I swear Knox looks at me the same way I look at him. Or so I think. When I throw myself at him and get utterly rejected, I never want to see him again.

Yet, shaking him is impossible, because he and Connor are always around, and my older brother is suffocatingly protective. Every time I look at Knox, I’m reminded of how he turned me down.

Can’t I just die of embarrassment in peace?

Knox

The Kiki brothers are legendary in the NHL world. Thick as thieves, unstoppable on the ice, and the kind of family nothing can come between. Or so I thought.

For the last ten years, I’ve successfully hidden my feelings for the middle Kiki brother. Easton is snarky, determined, and the prettiest guy I’ve met. Ever since we stumbled across each other on a gay dating app and shared our secrets, I’ve felt a connection to him that I haven’t had with anything else.

But Connor is my best friend and when it comes to his little brothers, “protective” doesn’t cover it. I’m determined to take my feelings for Easton to the grave, but after a week in close proximity to him, my willpower is ready to break.

All it takes is one charity hockey match, a drunken night out, and a forbidden kiss for me to know that Easton Kikishkin is it for me.

And unless I want to lose Connor, Easton will never be mine.

REVIEW: ⟫ When I started reading this, I thought it was going to be a hockey spin on the best friend’s sibling trope, which to some extent it was. But it was also based on a lot more ‘realism’ – it was about whether you have the faith in yourself to take chances; realising that love and romance take effort and work; accepting the changing roles that people have in life.

I really enjoyed reading this, predominantly for Easton and Knox, but also for the progression in Connor’s character. We see him having to accept the changing roles in his brother and best friend’s lives, how his perception of himself and his role in life needs to change, and perhaps a new perspective on his past life.

Knox and Easton are brilliant together – they are so obviously each other’s person that occasionally, it saddened me that Knox seemed prepared to call it quits too easily. However, the more that I read, the more I could understand why he was the way that he was. After all, hard enough to face the reality of your slight lack of talent compared to an entire family of superstars – how much harder to try to build a relationship when your entire career rests on your ability to be impartial?

I loved the catch up with the Queer Collective, although I admit that I occasionally struggle to remember who everyone is, how they got together and how they relate to each other. I’m pretty sure that in a Facebook group somewhere, someone has created a kind of family tree that shows how everyone is connected so I might have to have a look at that before the next Puckboy book!

Eden Finley and Saxon James are a magic combination and this book is no exception. A worthy addition to the entire series and I look forward to the next one.

Bromantic Puckboys by Eden Finley & Saxon James

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TITLE: ⟫ Bromantic Puckboy

AUTHOR: ⟫ Eden Finley & Saxon James

SERIES: ⟫ Puckboys Book #6

RATING: ⟫ 4.5/5

BLURB: ⟫ Bilson

The idea of moving away from Seattle was a joke at first.

I have too many failed relationships here. Too much baggage.

So when I find myself signing with Nashville and leaving everything behind, I’m hopeful a new start will cure me of my attachment problems.

I fall fast and hard, and I’m quickly realizing it’s not so easy to escape my emotional damage. That follows no matter where I go.

When my new teammate, rookie goalie Miles Olsen, attaches himself to my side, the media are excited to exploit our bromance. Little do they know, he’s doing me a favor by keeping me away from making mistakes with women.

That’s the deal we made at the beginning of the season, but as time goes on, and we’re both going through a dry spell, Miles suggests a different arrangement. One I’ve never contemplated. One I shouldn’t consider.

One I can’t stop thinking about.

Miles

My first day as starting goalie for Tennessee is made mildly more terrifying by coming face to face with NHL veteran Cody Bilson. Hero worship? Me? Never!

He reminds me of my old frat buddies; loyal, kind, easy to trade banter with. But my dude is lost and trying to find himself again–without getting married this time.

I want to help him, and while my suggestion might not be conventional, it sure as hell is effective. The only way to make sure he doesn’t marry a woman again? Blow off steam with a man instead.

We’re both straight, we’re both single, and we’re both down for a good time.

After all, what are teammates for?

REVIEW: ⟫ This book was an absolute delight! Bilson isn’t just unlucky in love – he’s an absolute idiot about it, and he’s self aware enough to know that something has to change. Moving cities and teams, he decides he needs to work on himself and his abandonment issues but finds that it can be a lonely road he’s walking. Miles has finally stepped up to the big leagues – this is his chance to show what he can do in the goal and he’s determined to start things off on the right foot.

I adored both of these men for different reasons. Bilson because he’s putting in the work to figure himself out, despite how hard it’s proving to be. Moving cities to get away from his four exes and find himself is drastic but necessary, and I admire that about him. Miles is cocky, self assured, a little submissive, and more than a little eager to please. He’s the weird youngest kid who despite appearances to the contrary, isn’t sure of who he is or who he wants to be.

Put the two of them together and from the very beginning, the wise-cracks and banter take off and they never stop. It’s not even about an unconventional attraction – neither of them takes the time to think about just what it says about them that they are open to the idea of ‘helping each other out’.

Names and faces from the Queer Collective as well as Frat Wars appear aplenty, and life within the NHL as viewed through these eyes sounds like an absolute blast! We meet a few new people who I can only hope will feature in future books, but this is most definitely all about Bilson and Miles.

Their relationship is just so simple, even when it gets complicated, and I loved how in tune they were with each other, as well as their ability to be honest and open. From the very beginning, Bilson accepts all of Miles – whether it’s his rocks or Annette – and Miles gets Bilson in a way no one else ever has.

Really loved reading this and it made me want to re-read the rest of the Puckboys and maybe go back a little further to Frat Wars and beyond! An easy 5/5 from me.

Clueless Puckboy by Eden Finley and Saxon James (Puckboys #5)

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TITLE: ⟫ Clueless Puckboy (Puckboys #5)

AUTHOR: ⟫ Eden Finley & Saxon James

RATING: ⟫ 4/5

BLURB: ⟫ Quinn

Straining my groin is bad enough. It puts my hockey career, my future, but even worse, my dignity on the line. Having to get massages in that area from Vance Landon, one of the team trainers, is mortifying. It’s impossible to hide my feelings toward him. If my constant blushing and bumbling doesn’t give it away, my body does. It’s getting to the point where I wonder if hockey is even worth the embarrassment.

Trying to avoid him only makes him seek me out more. He’s determined to rehab my injury, but all I want is for him to leave me alone. Or fall for me. One or the other.

Vance

Ayri Quinn isn’t your typical jock … except for the fact he refuses to admit when he’s injured. I’ve seen more than enough professional sportsmen lose the career they love due to injury, and I’m not having it happen again. Especially not when the guy in question happens to be the sweetest, most awkward, innocent jock I’ve ever met.

When a night out leads to Quinn re-injuring himself, I create a care plan that keeps me hands on, literally. Unfortunately, working with him in close proximity brings all those feelings I’ve been trying to ignore to the surface. I just need to get him better so he can be back on the ice and out of my bed. Ah, my massage bed. Because if this goes on any longer, I might mean my actual bed. Ayri Quinn is impossible to resist.

REVIEW: ⟫ This was a lovely, low-angst, amusing read in the style we’ve come to expect from the authors.

Poor Quinn – I felt for him, especially with the heckling he received for his facial hair and just in general. Add to that his complete and utter inability to use his words when around Vance and he made me laugh far too much. Vance not realising the reason for Quinn’s ‘man reactions’ whenever he worked on him also made me laugh, especially when it became obvious that absolutely everyone else knew what was going on.

I enjoyed this story – I liked the way it played out with everyone being adult about things, no ridiculous misunderstandings and people using their words. Amusing, sexy and fresh, this was a lovely read and an excellent addition to the Puckboy series.