Review: “Puck Shy” by Teagan Hunter

Series: Carolina Comets, #1

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Steam: 🔥🔥🔥

Release Date: October 28th, 2021

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The minute Teagan Hunter announced that she was writing a hockey romance, I told myself that nothing else mattered but this book. And with Puck Shy, she has delivered a wonderful story filled with her signature wit, banter, steam and humour. When it comes to writing captivating characters that build a relationship together, I think Teagan does it really well. Harper and Collin offer so much of that, plus all the things we’ve loved about Teagan’s books so far.

As a member of the Carolina Comets hockey team, Collin is well known. Not always for the right reasons, because after losing game six and getting into a public altercation; Collin isn’t really getting the positive news he used to. And all of that is messing with him in so many ways, including having his car break down after some time away. Harper is the complete opposite of Collin. She doesn’t care too much for sports and she keeps her head down while making creepy little dolls for her Etsy shop. But when she almost runs Collin over while he’s standing on the side of the road, things change for them.

Puck Shy is cute and funny, but it’s also got a delicious slow burn. Collin and Harper meet under the strangest of situations and they make the most of it – a road trip of sorts filled with discussions about their favourite horror movies, her job and so much more. And after that, they don’t see each other again until Collin matches with Harper on a dating app that he’s using to get his head out of his ass so he can focus on the game he’s supposed to be playing.

There was so much about this book that I loved – Collin being anything but the stereotypical hero in a hockey romance, the bromance he has with the guys on the team, Harper’s quirky job and of course her best friend, Ryan, who is truly the best kind of supporting character we could ever ask for. I also really loved Harper and Collin’s relationship, because it’s so heavily focused on their personalities and what they like, as opposed to what they look like. With Collin pretending to be someone else on the dating app, all Harper sees are abs and a sense of humour. Sure, Collin knows who she is, but he’s still drawn to the woman that he met in the car that night – the funny, quirky, gorgeous woman who went toe-to-toe with him about horror movies and everything in between.

“I want to earn your kisses, not take them from you.”

The chemistry and sexual tension between Harper and Collin is beautiful. They pretend that it’s casual when in reality they’re both absolutely and completely in love with the other person – and watching them behave like none of it matters is frustrating, but also amazing. 

And if you’ve read the Texting series by Teagan Hunter, you’ll recognise a few familiar faces. I read those books a while ago, so it took me a minute to remember where I knew them from, but it’s also made me eager to re-read the series that introduced me to Teagan and her wonderful stories.

I am SO ready for Blind Pass and all the other books in the Carolina Comets series, because I’m pretty sure that I’m going to fall in love with these characters just like I have with all the others that Teagan has ever created.

Thanks to Teagan Hunter & Valentine PR for generously providing me with an advance copy. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.