At first, I truly did not like Annie's character. She continued to stay in a relationship with a married man even after discovering he was married. I started to like her a lot more as the book went on and that aspect of her character became less irritating. 

I loved the little Scarlett Letter reference. It was the perfect little nod. Not too overt or forced but enough to be widely recognizable. 

Nick is one of the most pure characters I have seen in a spicy book. He well and truly had no idea how to please a woman and it somehow added to his charm. He was also a FANTASTIC babysitter which was heartwarming to see. 

If anything, I feel like this book could've been trimmed down a bit to be shorter. It felt like I was always wanting to fast-forward to the next plot point. 

A few of the dates Annie and Nick went on were so cute. Such as the Venice Beach-themed date or when they bonded over books. The moments they actually let themselves act like a couple flowed very well. 

This book is very spicy. It is the plot, not just a big part, it is honestly most of the plot.  If you are not comfortable with a healthy portion of open-door spice, this is not the book for you. 

Overall, this book was enjoyable if you like a spicy read that isn't dark. The hockey elements came into play at some points. I would've loved to see it be a tad bit shorter and to give Annie a redemption arc earlier on in the story. 

Please see my blog for a more in-depth review:  https://readintowonderland.blogspot.com/2024/05/puck-money.html 

I received this book as an arc through Happily Booked PR. My review is honest and voluntary.