Showing posts with label Totally Pucked. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Totally Pucked. Show all posts

Friday, April 22, 2022

The Scorecard by Maren Moore {a review}


The Scorecard by Maren Moore is officially available! Friends, this book is quite possibly my favorite in the Totally Pucked series. Or really I should say of all the hockey romances that I've read from Maren Moore. Graham and Emery have captured my attention. I cannot wait for you to all pick up this book and give it a read. Just know that it does end in a cliffhanger, so you're not going to get your HEA right away. Rumor has it that The Final Score will be out at the end of May, but that's not concrete right now.

The Scorecard started off with Emery having a girls night at her brother's house. As the girls were talking, the conversation naturally turned toward hockey players. This had the girls creating a list, a scorecard if you will, of a few players. That list was supposed to be thrown away, after all it was just made in fun. Yet when Graham showed up to the house, he happened to find it. He saw his name in 5th place, and that didn't sit right with him. Graham also doesn't understand why Emery seems to hate him so much. It's been bugging him for a while now. Especially as his attraction to her grows. Not that he can do anything about that though, it's his best friend's little sister after all. Things quickly take a turn after a night out. This hate to love relationship has just entered a new phase. Lives are about to change. Feelings are about to shift. A future together is a definite possibility. But it could be all thrown out the window with the news that is about to drop. 

Let's dive into my thoughts...

4.5 stars my friends. That is what I rated The Scorecard over on Goodreads. Freaking obsessed with this couple!

The Scorecard grabbed my attention immediately partly because it's Graham's story, but also because it's the brother's best friend trope. Which if you know me at all, you know I absolutely love that trope. This is also a hate to love story (some could consider it enemies to lovers, but I don't), a forced proximity romance, a fake relationship relationship, and it also has a surprise pregnancy! Oof that's a lot.

We find out early on why Emery has issues with Graham, and it makes complete sense. I don't blame her one bit, I would be irritated with him as well. But all it takes is that one night to change it all. Yes the "hate" is still there, but it's starting to lessen. As Emery gets to know Graham though, that hate is definitely turning toward love. 

Loved getting to meet Graham's mom and sister. The Tennessee scenes were some of my favorites. Being in Tennessee allowed us to get to know Graham a lot more, and see him be a bit vulnerable. This also affected Emery's way of viewing Graham. She was able to see this side of him that he doesn't show to others. It shows what a family man he is, and where his passions off the ice lay. He's sharing what he sees as a piece of his future with the woman he loves.

For those who are not familiar with Emery, she's a new lawyer. It's taken a lot of hard work and dedication to get where she is. At her job, her boss tapped her to work on an extremely important case. I found myself a bit confused about all of this as we had no information about it. We knew the client name, and we were able to briefly meet them, but that was it. I have questions regarding that. I'm not sure how that is going to tie into the storyline between Emery and Graham. I'm guessing that will be revealed in part 2.

Then there is the fact that the "scorecard" from the beginning was not really referenced much throughout the book. To be honest, this is part of what held me back from giving the full 5 stars. I thought we would see Graham working his magic to move up the list, and him showing Emery why he deserves that top spot vs one of his teammates. So that was a bit of a let down.

Oh, and I want to mention the pregnancy because this is the second thing that affected my rating. Now it's not the fact that Emery is pregnant. That doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It's the timeline of her pregnancy. We know that Graham is the dad. We know that. I trust that. But knowing what else we know about OTHER characters who are also pregnant, Emery had to deliver prematurely. Yet that was not mentioned. That pregnancy timeline for Emery, Graham, and the other characters just wasn't flushed out properly. There was info that didn't line up. Am I looking too deeply into this? Quite possibly. But as someone who has given birth four times, I know a few things. So that just irritated me. Sorry.

I'm able to look past those couple of "issues", and I still feel 100% confident in my 4.5 star rating. I loved the book. I loved the characters. I am now counting down the days to The Final Score so that I can find out what happens next in their story. Because the tidbit at the end had my jaw dropping.

Cannot wait to see how Maren wraps up Emery and Graham's story, and to see what happens next for our characters from the Totally Pucked world.

Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts on The Scorecard. I hope you'll pick this one up, and fall for the characters the way I have. Truly this is my favorite of the series.

Happy Reading,
Laura


Pretending to be married to my brother’s best friend and my biggest enemy is the last thing I imagined I’d be doing.

But there was a thin line between lust and hate, and when I fell into bed with the NHL’s rookie playboy, I found out just how easy that line got blurred.

We were enemies with benefits, but then two pink lines changed it all.

Now he was bringing me back home to his family’s farm and faking it became real… in more ways than one.

He was meant to be the enemy but falling for him meant letting him win.

The Scorecard
Graham: 1
Me: 0

**The Scorecard is book 1 of the duet and is approximately 60,000 words. This book does end on a cliffhanger.


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Thank you to Maren Moore, and Wildfire Marketing Solutions, for providing me with an advanced review copy of  The Scorecard.

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

The Scorecard by Maren Moore {cover reveal}

 

🔥🔥COVER REVEAL🔥🔥

THE SCORECARD by Maren Moore is coming April 8!

#PreOrderHere:

https://geni.us/scorecard

Pretending to be married to my brother’s best friend and my biggest enemy is the last thing I imagined I’d be doing.

But there was a thin line between lust and hate, and when I fell into bed with the NHL’s rookie playboy, I found out just how easy that line got blurred.

We were enemies with benefits, but then two pink lines changed it all.

Now he was bringing me back home to his family’s farm and faking it became real… in more ways than one.

He was meant to be the enemy but falling for him meant letting him win.

The Scorecard

Graham: 1

Me: 0

     

Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Sincerely the Puck Bunny by Maren Moore {a review}


Sincerely the Puck Bunny is the second book in the Totally Pucked series from author Maren Moore! We met Briggs in Change on the Fly, and well he didn't leave such a favorable first impression. But don't fret my friends, that is going to change in Sincerely the Puck Bunny.

Briggs Wilson has had a tough few year. From family drama to off ice antics, he's been through the ringer. Not helping matters is this anonymous blogger called The Puck Bunny. She keeps posting about his life, and he's had it. When news comes out that Beau Wilson is going to be a dad, Briggs has had it. His agent arranges a quick trip out of town for him to just relax. When he arrives at the B&B, he is bowled over by a woman. Literally. She runs into him as she walks in the building with enough force to knock him down. That woman would be Maddison Thorne. Needless to say Maddison makes quite the impression on Briggs. From that point a weekend tryst is had with the couple not seeing each other again. Heck they never even shared last names, or any contact info. But Maddison did know who Briggs was, so she had a little unfair advantage. Flash forward nine months later...Maddison is getting closer to her due date. She still thinks about Briggs from time to time, but he's made his thoughts known regarding her and the pregnancy. Briggs wants nothing to do with her. Or at least that's what she was told. It isn't until she runs into Briggs that she finds out otherwise. Can these two reconnect and have a relationship? Or would it be best to just coparent their daughter? When will she tell Briggs that she's the writer behind The Puck Bunny blog? How will he respond?

OH THIS BOOK!

Now I'll be honest, the accidental pregnancy trope isn't my favorite. Will I still read it? Oh absolutely I will!  That being said, I don't go searching for books that fit the trope. 

I wasn't certain what to think about Briggs at first, or at least not after having read Change on the Fly. I had this image in my head, and it wasn't flattering. 
How everything transpired with Maddison though, that kept my attention. I found myself wondering how their relationship was going to work out, AND when her secret was going to be revealed. Once it was, how would Briggs handle that? How would they overcome that to achieve their HEA?

I was so glad when Maddison found herself a few girlfriends to talk things through with. Those women took her under their wings, and made sure that Maddison knew they were there for HER. Yes they were friends with Briggs too, but they were focusing on her. Then there's the teammates of Briggs. Oh those men. They just grabbed my heart. Especially with how much they loved Olive. 

I was proud of Briggs when he met with his Mom. He was taking steps forward all while laying down boundaries. Much respect to him. I would have loved a follow up on what happened next in the relationship with his parents after that entire scene was over. Especially with the words Maddison spoke. Oh to be a fly on the wall after they left.

When the reveal finally happened, I was expecting a bit more. To me it was a bit tame. Yes I know it doesn't need to be explosive. It doesn't need to be over the top in dramatics. But with the way it was built up, and how much Briggs detests that blog, it was underwhelming. I guess I just had this scene built into my head, and it didn't match what came out. So that is why I say it wasn't what I wanted. I will say that I appreciate how they communicated, and how their relationship bounced back from the secret. 

Maren Moore knows what she's doing, and took me through the paces with our couple. It was so good. Also, this story has me curious about Graham! Which is perfect since his story is rumored to be next in the series!

You need to go read Sincerely the Puck Bunny! You won't regret it.
Laura




Spoiler alert…Briggs Wilson, the NHL’s most notorious bad boy isn’t actually who everyone thinks he is.

He’s kind, compassionate, loyal.

And plot twist?

The best baby daddy ever.

Yep, you read that right.

One night.. One mind blowing night that ended with me having a baby with someone I barely knew.

We had a plan.

Co-parent, raise our son and put him first. Always.

Too bad I never considered actually falling for my charming baby daddy.

Even better?

He wanted our family, more than anything.

The problem?

I have a secret.

One that could destroy everything.

Sincerely,
The Puck Bunny



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Add to your Goodreads TBR!



Where to find Maren Moore

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Thank you to Maren Moore, and Wildfire Marketing Solutions, for providing me with an advanced review copy of Sincerely the Puck Bunny.

Friday, November 5, 2021

New Hockey Romance Book Cover!

Maren Moore has just revealed the cover for Sincerely, the Puck Bunny! This is the second book in the Totally Pucked series, and this time, Briggs is having his story told.

Is it December 17 yet?


Cover by: TRC Designs by Cat
Photography by: Wander Aguiar Photography/Wander Book Club


Spoiler alert…

Briggs Wilson, the NHL’s most notorious bad boy isn’t actually who everyone thinks he is.

He’s kind, compassionate, loyal.

And plot twist?

The best baby daddy ever.

Yep, you read that right.

One night.. One mind blowing night that ended with me having a baby with someone I barely knew.

We had a plan.

Co-parent, raise our son and put him first. Always.

Too bad I never considered actually falling for my charming baby daddy.

Even better?

He wanted our family, more than anything.

The problem?

I have a secret.

One that could destroy everything.

Sincerely,

The Puck Bunny



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Where to find Maren Moore

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Amazon


Friday, October 15, 2021

Change on the Fly by Maren Moore {a review}

 

I just read yet another hockey romance. I'm not saying I have an obsession, but I mean...

Change on the Fly is the brand new release from Maren Moore. Not only that, but it is also the puck drop for the Totally Pucked series! Reader friends, this book had me completely enamored. Plus it features one of my top 3 favorite tropes; best friend's sibling!

So what happens in the book? Well we have Reed who is a professional hockey player for the Chicago Avalanche, and we have Holland who is best friend's with Reed's sister. These two have know each other for YEARS, and Reed has always had Holland placed in the "friend" category. That is until the night he has to pick up his sister and Holland from a party. Something about that night had Reed seeing her differently. Fast forward to Reed receiving a life changing phone call where he must decide whether or not to become the guardian for his 3 year old nephew. Obviously he makes the choice to take Evan in, and one night he calls Holland in a panic. Evan is crying, struggling to sleep, and Reed doesn't know what to do. Holland to the rescue. The next day, Reed goes to Holland's house (well her Dad's) to attempt to fix the furnace. It's shot. There's no saving it. Which crushes Holland because a new furnace is not in the budget. It is then and there that Reed comes up with a plan that will benefit them both. He proposes that he will take care of the cost, and since she shot him down already about that generous offer, he then goes on to say that to pay him back, she can travel with him to take care of Evan while he is at practices and games. It only has to be for the away games. Done and done. All is going fine until one night at the hotel. It changes everything, and Holland doesn't want anyone to know. Not even Reed's sister. (aka her best friend)

Best friend's sibling + forced proximity = YES PLEASE!

First things first, I am LOVING all these hockey romances from Maren Moore. LOVING THEM! I am absolutely hooked, and my obsession is not waning. Not only does Change on the Fly feature one of my top 3 favorite tropes, it is also just a really good story. Now don't get me wrong, there are a few nitpicky things that I would have changed, but I'm just setting those aside for now. My heart went out to Reed when he had to call his father, and when his father shared the news that he did. Ugh. Heartstrings pulled. Then when Evan was introduced, and the entire situation that had Holland come over, again, those heartstrings were pulled. So good. I love how giving Reed is. Whether it is with his mom, his sister, his teammates, Holland, Holland's dad, or his nephew. He is a giver, and he doesn't want anyone to not be loved. I love how compassionate Holland is. I love how they both worry about how Emery is going to react to their relationship. How they both know how explosive she can be in certain situations. They truly think they are minimizing all of this. The texts regarding the octopus had me smiling. It may have pulled at those heartstrings a little bit too. I REALLY want to talk about the big dramatic moment that our couple had. You know what I'm talking about, that moment that drives them apart, and you're just waiting on the reunion to happen. You can probably figure out what that moment is, but don't go thinking it isn't a big thing, because it is. Feelings were hurt, and it wasn't handled the best. The reunion though, oh that was just so sweet. It made me happy. Of course then there was that situation with Briggs at the end that has me anticipating the next book! Oh I need it.

Reader friends, you should really go pick up Change on the Fly. It has it's sweet moments, it has it's steamy moments, it is just feels good. Also, it's a quick and easy read that features a professional hockey player, and our heroine is a book lover who is getting her masters so that she can be a librarian. So what's not to love?

Thank you for reading my thoughts on the book.

Laura


Imagine being in love with your best friend's brother.

Then.. keeping it a secret for years.

Ridiculously charming, a total player and a hockey super star... Reed Davidson has been the boy next door who's had my heart for as long as I can remember.

He was the ultimate bad boy, and I was just his sister’s shy best friend.

But when Reed's world is suddenly flipped upside down and he gets custody of his nephew, I'm the only one who can help.

I shouldn’t have agreed to come on the road with them, but Reed wasn’t cut out to be a single dad and I knew he needed help.

I tried to hide my feelings for him, but the two of us, the cutest kid on the planet, and a long hockey season were a recipe for disaster.

Reed was used to getting everything he ever wanted, and this time... He wanted me.

Only now, the stakes are higher and my heart is the one on the line.


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Available in Kindle Unlimited

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Thank you to Maren Moore, and Wildfire Marketing Solutions, for providing me with an advanced copy of Change on the Fly.


Monday, September 13, 2021

Coming Soon from Maren Moore!

 

Did you hear the news? Maren Moore has a new book coming out soon! Not only a new book, but this book is kicking off a brand new series! I'm here for it.

Change on the Fly (Totally Pucked Book 1) by Maren Moore is coming October 8th!


Imagine being in love with your best friend's brother.

Then.. keeping it a secret for years.

Ridiculously charming, a total player and a hockey super star... Reed Davidson has been the boy next door who's had my heart for as long as I can remember.

He was the ultimate bad boy, and I was just his sister’s shy best friend.

But when Reed's world is suddenly flipped upside down and he gets custody of his nephew, I'm the only one who can help.

I shouldn’t have agreed to come on the road with them, but Reed wasn’t cut out to be a single dad and I knew he needed help.

I tried to hide my feelings for him, but the two of us, the cutest kid on the planet, and a long hockey season were a recipe for disaster.

Reed was used to getting everything he ever wanted, and this time... He wanted me.

Only now, the stakes are higher and my heart is the one on the line.


Pre-order Here!

Add to your Goodreads TBR!


Bloggers sign up to review here!


Where to find Maren Moore

Facebook | Reader Group | Instagram | Goodreads |

Amazon