Pucking Strong (Jacksonville Rays Hockey)
The Jacksonville Rays go international when their Swedish star forward and the team’s physical therapist have to stage a very real fake marriage in this delicious slow burn, spicy MM, workplace hockey romance from viral sensation Emily Rath!
My name is Teddy O’Connor, and I just made a terrible mistake. It’s been six years since I was an intern for the Jacksonville Rays NHL team. Six years since I wrapped ice packs on knees and played Mario Kart on chartered planes. And six long years since I first met him. Henrik Karlsson, star forward of the Rays . . . and king of my heart.
Oh god, I’ve got to get over this crush! I’m a doctor now, a respected professional. And Henrik doesn’t even know I exist. So you tell me why I’m risking everything to follow this man halfway around the world!
After receiving news of his sister’s tragic death, Henrik must fly to Sweden to retrieve his injured, grieving young niece. But with a new hockey season about to start, Henrik can’t possibly care for her alone. In fact, the Swedish government won’t let him. He needs me. They both do. I’d be heartless not to help—right?
Well, that’s what I told myself last week as I signed our Swedish marriage license. It’s what I told myself yesterday as I moved into his apartment. And it’s what I’m telling myself now as the Rays PR Director stares us down. They want this marriage to look real. The team’s public image, our jobs, and Henrik’s custody agreement all depend on it.
But my problem isn’t that I don’t love my fake husband. God help me, my problem is that I do.
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Community Reviews
Teddy falls ass over tea kettle in love with Henrik when Henrik saves him from getting run over in the very first chapter of the book before Teddy even knows Henrik is a Ray. It's a definite meet-cute. But Teddy is only an intern and can't stay with the Rays for long.
6 years later Teddy returns to the Rays as a Dr and still intensely feels all the same feelings for Henrik as he did when he was an intern.
Henrik's sister and niece get in a car accident and Teddy volunteers to accompany Henrik to Sweden to pick up his niece Karro.
When Teddy meets Karro at the hospital for the first time, he picks the exact right teddy bear to give Karro. His secret? He has 3 more in other colors as backups just in case he guessed her favorite color wrong 💜 Teddy goes out of his way to be sweet and wonderful with Karro.
- We H@TE Henrik's Swedish lawyer
Henrik runs into problems when he tries to get full custody of Karro and the Swedish government doesn't want to give it to him because he is single. So he and Teddy get married to be able to bring Karro home to the US. Teddy immediately has regrets which he struggles with for the rest of the book.
Life is not smooth sailing once they get to the US. Their relationship has some growing pains. It's hard to rehab and keep a 5 year old happy and oblivious to adult problems and the guys struggle to grow their relationship while balancing all of Karro's needs. They end up doing a great job with Karro. But they let parts of their relationship go.
They end up being able to make their relationship work. We feel all the feelings; sad, happy, satisfied, everything.
This is a slow burn romance. When the guys finally get together, it is spicy. I'm giving it 🌶🌶🌶🌶4/5 chilies on the spicy scale.
I listened to the audiobook.
It was dual narration, and I really think it would have been better as duet narration. I'm not sure why they chose to not do duet.
August 28, 2025 -First listen: I just absorbed the excellence that is Emily Rath's writing. This is 100% 5 stars, if I could give it 6 stars I would. I'm relistening and taking notes for a good review this next time around. This is going to be high chilies too. Full review tomorrow.
6 years later Teddy returns to the Rays as a Dr and still intensely feels all the same feelings for Henrik as he did when he was an intern.
Henrik's sister and niece get in a car accident and Teddy volunteers to accompany Henrik to Sweden to pick up his niece Karro.
When Teddy meets Karro at the hospital for the first time, he picks the exact right teddy bear to give Karro. His secret? He has 3 more in other colors as backups just in case he guessed her favorite color wrong 💜 Teddy goes out of his way to be sweet and wonderful with Karro.
- We H@TE Henrik's Swedish lawyer
Henrik runs into problems when he tries to get full custody of Karro and the Swedish government doesn't want to give it to him because he is single. So he and Teddy get married to be able to bring Karro home to the US. Teddy immediately has regrets which he struggles with for the rest of the book.
Life is not smooth sailing once they get to the US. Their relationship has some growing pains. It's hard to rehab and keep a 5 year old happy and oblivious to adult problems and the guys struggle to grow their relationship while balancing all of Karro's needs. They end up doing a great job with Karro. But they let parts of their relationship go.
They end up being able to make their relationship work. We feel all the feelings; sad, happy, satisfied, everything.
This is a slow burn romance. When the guys finally get together, it is spicy. I'm giving it 🌶🌶🌶🌶4/5 chilies on the spicy scale.
I listened to the audiobook.
It was dual narration, and I really think it would have been better as duet narration. I'm not sure why they chose to not do duet.
August 28, 2025 -First listen: I just absorbed the excellence that is Emily Rath's writing. This is 100% 5 stars, if I could give it 6 stars I would. I'm relistening and taking notes for a good review this next time around. This is going to be high chilies too. Full review tomorrow.
Emily Rath has once again given us a love story that’s as tender as it is scorching. What stood out most to me was the beautiful diversity of love and characters—there’s truly a reflection for everyone tucked within these pages.
Of all the MMCs, Teddy shined the brightest for me. His open-hearted vulnerability and his selfless nature—choosing joy for others even when it meant setting aside his own needs—hit me right in the chest. Watching the bond between friends deepen into admiration, and then blossom into love, was pure magic.
And oh, the spice. Let’s just say… I didn’t have to be a man to feel the heat radiating off those pages. Rath knows how to strike the balance between intimacy and intensity, and this book proves it.
But what surprised me most was the second love story hidden within these chapters—the tender relationship between Henrick’s five-year-old niece and Teddy. Their growing bond was heart-melting. Teddy didn’t just love Henrick; he breathed new life into the entire Karlson family.
Pucking Strong is more than a romance—it’s a reminder that love, in all its forms, heals, connects, and transforms.
Of all the MMCs, Teddy shined the brightest for me. His open-hearted vulnerability and his selfless nature—choosing joy for others even when it meant setting aside his own needs—hit me right in the chest. Watching the bond between friends deepen into admiration, and then blossom into love, was pure magic.
And oh, the spice. Let’s just say… I didn’t have to be a man to feel the heat radiating off those pages. Rath knows how to strike the balance between intimacy and intensity, and this book proves it.
But what surprised me most was the second love story hidden within these chapters—the tender relationship between Henrick’s five-year-old niece and Teddy. Their growing bond was heart-melting. Teddy didn’t just love Henrick; he breathed new life into the entire Karlson family.
Pucking Strong is more than a romance—it’s a reminder that love, in all its forms, heals, connects, and transforms.
Pucking Strong by Emily Rath is the fourth book in the Jacksonville Rays series (seventh if you count the novellas) and it was everything I expected and more. Fans of the series will get more of what they love about the world the author has created, plus appearances by the rest of the Rays family from previous books. Humor, heart, and heat aplenty!
While I love all of Emily’s characters, I think Teddy is at the top of the list (although Mr. Ryan Langley is on the book boyfriends roster). He’s chaotic, lovable, and perfect in his own way. His inner monologue is absolutely hilarious. I love how the author creates characters with depth in an authentic relationship that allows for character growth with both parties. She always manages to balance this with sensitive themes and hysterical antics that guarantee entertainment and connection with the story.
This was my first MM romance but I knew Emily Rath would not disappoint. I’m so glad I picked up Pucking Around and cannot wait to complete the series!
While I love all of Emily’s characters, I think Teddy is at the top of the list (although Mr. Ryan Langley is on the book boyfriends roster). He’s chaotic, lovable, and perfect in his own way. His inner monologue is absolutely hilarious. I love how the author creates characters with depth in an authentic relationship that allows for character growth with both parties. She always manages to balance this with sensitive themes and hysterical antics that guarantee entertainment and connection with the story.
This was my first MM romance but I knew Emily Rath would not disappoint. I’m so glad I picked up Pucking Around and cannot wait to complete the series!