Review: Puck & Prejudice by Lia Riley

 

About the Book

Genre
Time Travel, Romance

Format
E-ARC

Publisher
Avon

Release Date
November 12, 2024

Synopsis from Goodreads:

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?

My Review

Hockey player, Tucker Taylor, is dealing with serious health issues making it impossible to play the game he loves so dearly.  To get away from the situation, he visits his sister in England where an accident lands him in the year 1812.  The first person he meets is a beautiful 19th century woman.

Lizzy Wooddash is expected to marry and raise children.  This is not the life she wants to lead.  Her widowed cousin has no expectations put on her and she’s a very happy woman.  Lizzy’s goal is to be like her but the only way that can happen is if she is a widow too.  When a strange man from the future lands at her feet, she is sure she has a plan that will work.  She can marry him, help him get back to the future, and then claim to be widowed.  This way she doesn’t have to kill a husband or marry a dying man.  Sounds like the perfect solution for both of them.

Problem is…she’s falling in love with the odd man, but it’s an impossible situation.  He needs medical attention he can only get in the future and her life is in the 19th century.  There is no way this could ever work.  

I used to love time travel, but I haven’t read one in a long time.  This is a good one for me to get back into the genre.  I, also, enjoy sports heroes and this combines them both.    It’s an interesting premise and readers even get a glimpse of Jane Austen.

The romance between these two is steamy.  Their chemistry sizzles.  Each page nearly melted my e-reader.  

The characters were all likeable. The storyline moved at a steady pace.  I enjoyed following Tuck and Lizzy's adventures.  I was anxious to see how it all wrapped up.  

I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author.

FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.