ARC Review: Puck and Prejudice by Lia Riley

From the author of Mister Hockey comes a sizzling marriage of convenience romance between a pro hockey player who accidentally travels back in time to Regency Era England and the brazen contemporary of Jane Austen he just can’t help but fall for… 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a modern single man in possession of a hockey jersey may be exactly what a Regency woman needs to avoid the shackles of marriage...

Goalie for the Austin Regals, Tucker Taylor is benched due to health issues. So he decides to visit his sister in England. But an accidental plunge into an icy pond thrusts him back to 1812 where he comes face to face with a captivating blue-eyed woman who regards him as if he’s grown two heads.

Lizzy Wooddash dreams of a life surrounded by books, engaging conversation, the presence of literary icons like Jane Austen, and... nary a husband in sight. But in Regency England, only widows like her cousin Georgie enjoy freedom and solitary pursuits, unencumbered by expectations. The only way to quickly become a widow is by marrying a dying man or killing a perfectly healthy one, neither of which Lizzy desires.

A visitor from the future might just be the husband of her dreams. Once married, they can figure out how to return Tucker to his proper time, and his absence—aka death—will make Lizzy the widow she always dreamed of becoming. Yet as sparks ignite, they soon realize that matters of the heart rarely adhere to carefully laid plans. Can their love stand the test of time, or will Lizzy get exactly what she wanted...as well as a broken heart?

Title: Puck and Prejudice

Author: Lia Riley

Publisher: Avon and Harper Voyager

Expected Publication Date: November 12, 2024

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for providing me with an egalley of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I honestly thought this was the first Lia Riley book I had ever read. But when I look back at my reading list, I see I have actually read a few of her titles in the past and enjoyed them. I'm glad I picked this one up.

I'm not much for historical books but give me a good regency love affair and I'm all there. This one mixed for me two of my favorite things: regency romance and hockey. Though it's light on the hockey, the vibe is there. Plus, Riley threw in a little time travel to boot.

The chemistry between the two main characters is definitely at the forefront of this book. It truly is strict romance. There is not much other plot unless you count the fake marriage that occurs. Lizzy is not your typical stuck up regency lady looking for a man to marry and take care of her. She wants to be independent; not an easy feat in her error. But she's determined to do it and having Tuck Taylor fall into her world, literally through a time portal, is just what she needs. Tuck is handsome and funny but he's also modern and teaches Lizzy a thing or two about how great she is and standing up for herself and what she wants. Tuck, on the other hand, misses his modern hockey player life and just wants to get back to his time. He never expects to find the love of his life. Told in alternating points of view, the story follows these two as they navigate friendship, then attraction, and ultimately a longing to be together though they never can be. Lizzy must stay in her time and be who she was always meant to be and Tuck must get back to his time, his hockey career, and his sister.

I enjoyed watching the relationship between these two grow.. Were they attracted to each other right off, pretty much. But it wasn't really insta-love, which I liked. They got to know each other and learn about each other's worlds and through that process fell for each other. Of course Lizzy has some family members who are not on her side. But she also has some friends, including Jane Eyre!, who support everything and anything she wants to do. With lots of laughter and some dodging of villains, specifically LIzzy's brother and mother, the two pull off their sham and ultimately both get what they want in the end.

The ending of the story was just ok for me. I did like that no one gave up their lives for the other but the compromise was a bit unbelievable and I had a hard time suspending my belief of reality for it.

If you're looking for a fun romantic read with not much other plot but some smut and a story that would truly never happen, this one is it. I do wish there was more depth to what Lizzy wanted to do with her life and ultimately how it shaped what happened to the two in the end.

Author:

Lia Riley is a contemporary romance author. USA Today describes her as "refreshing" and RT Book Reviews calls her books "sizzling and heartfelt." She loves the beach, fresh flowers, foggy redwood forests and a perfect pour over coffee. She is 25% sarcastic, 54% optimistic, and 122% bad at math (good thing she writes happy endings for a living). She and her family live mostly in Northern California.

Visit her at www.liariley.com to learn more.