Pucked Up (Punk as Puck Book 2) by E.M. Lindsey

Hugo and Boden are explosive together, they have so much tension between them you could cut it with a knife. I always know that it is pretty much a guarantee that if EM wrote it, I will love it. I love these guys and their stories so much!


From the Pucked Up blurb:

Sometimes what happens anonymously in a dingy, pay by the hour motel room shows up a month later to reveal himself as your new coach…

I have rules. Very important rules. No real names, no strings, no seeing each other again. It’s always worked out well for me, and it’s the only thing that keeps me focused as I try to climb my way into professional hockey after nearly torching my career.

I should have been king of the ice in the paraprofessional league, but instead, I let my anger and bitterness get to me. Now I’m forced to claw my way back into relevance, starting with a community team.

That would be fine if the one amazing, anonymous night I had with a total stranger didn’t end up being the Wolves’ new coach. And even that might have been tolerable if Hugo wasn’t on my father’s payroll.

But he is.

And to make matters worse, I still want him. My bad attitude and attempt to drive him away doesn’t faze him at all, and the more I push, the more he pulls me back into the last place I want to be: his orbit.

All I want is to join the PPHL and prove to myself that I’m a worthy player on my own merit.

Lust wasn’t on the table. And neither was love.

But the closer I get to Hugo, the more I realize that I’m not sure I want to do this without him…and the more I realize I’m not sure if I can.

Pucked Up is the second book in the Punk and Puck series which is best enjoyed in order. It’s an enemies with benefits, coach/player, slow burn into love romance. It features a para hockey player with a continent sized chip on his shoulder, a widower coach who never expected to fall for anyone after the loss of his husband, a bossy dynamic, a lot of praise, hockey bro banter, the merits of jumping on the bed when you're sad, found family, and a steamy, wild happily ever after.


Angel's review:

°Dual POV° °Disability Representation° °Enemies to lovers° °one night stand turns into so much more.°

When I read the first book in this series and read about Boden as a side character, I suspected his story was going to be.. more angst filled then the first one was. And I was right.

Boden has spent his whole life trying to prove that he's competent and able to do things on his own, sure the way he does things looks different then the way others do them but that's okay. When his one night stand ends up being his team's new Coach he's furious. But things aren't what they seem and overtime we get to see Boden learn not to judge a book by its cover.

Hugo, in contrast, has been floundering ever since his husband passed away, his one night stand with Boden changed everything for him. He wasn't prepared to be Boden's Coach, nor was he prepared for the open hostility, but he figured out just the way to help Boden deal with that anger.

Wow, these two are something else. I suspected Boden wasn't going to go easy on Hugo but I wasn't fully prepared for how downright hostile he got. Thankfully though with the help of Boden's best friends, and Hugo calling him out for his behavior, he eventually becomes less hostile at Hugo but his desire still simmers beneath the surface.

I don't usually like the push and pull aspect of romance books as often times it's not done well and usually just draws the story out in an unenjoyable way. That isn't what happened here though, and I LOVED how their relationship was written. The angst level is higher in this book but there's also a lot of moments where these two are showing how much they care about each other in different ways outside of the bedroom. I adore Boden's bond with his friends, you can tell how important they are to him, that they are his true family who'll be by his side no matter what. Even when he's being a bit of a jerk. Overall a great story in this amazing series, and I'm so curious about Ford's phone call that happened at the end of this book. Who was he talking to? What is he hiding?

GreenwingReads review:

I always know that it is pretty much a guarantee that if EM wrote it, I will love it. That was absolutely true of the Single Dads series, which I thought would always be my favorite, but Punk as Puck is giving it a run for the top spot. I love these guys and their stories so much!

After reading about Boden in the first book, I really wanted to see him get his HEA. He was always taking care of his friends and definitely filled the dad role in the group, but who took care of him? His friends all love him and would do anything for him, even when he's being an AH, but they couldn't give him what he really needed, not like Hugo could.

Their first meeting was off the charts spicy and I loved angry Boden. He was like a semi-feral cat. Hugo put up with a lot of his scratching and hissing until he'd finally had enough. He called Boden his little fire, and I loved that Hugo wasn't interested in dosing the flame, but redirecting Boden's energy and ferocity to where it needed to go. He gave Boden the outlet he really needed, and in turn, Boden gave Hugo a purpose.

The most important thing these men did was give each other a second chance at life after loss. They'd both experienced profound loss, Boden his pro career and Hugo his first love. Though the losses were different, they left scars that had both men more or less coasting through life, desperate for a change but not sure how to make it happen until they found each other. Even as enemies, the couldn't help but be the ballast the other needed.

EM writes beautifully and their stories always make me laugh, cry, groan, and swoon. The found family they have crafted for this series so perfect for each other. They are goofy, ridiculous, compassionate, fiery, and fierce in their devotion to each other. They're relatable and feel so real. I want to live in this world and cannot wait for more!

Next up is Ford and we get a few easter eggs about what he's up to in this book. I cannot wait for the rollercoaster ride his story promises to be.

Heather's Review:

I am loving this series!  E.M. Lindsey has a way with writing characters with disability and strength and they knock it out of the rink with Pucked Up!  I love how these two characters fit together and draw strength and energy from each other.. the kink, the banter, the steam and the sass are just so on point!

I also love the additional layers created by Hugo's past, Boden's relationship with his teammates and father, and the element of secrecy from their relationship.  

This series is best read in order, and I can't wait to see what happens with Ford's book next!

Pucked Up is currently available as an e-book and paperback and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription