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A review by mathildur
Pucking Around by Emily Rath
0.0
Buckle up, this is going to be a long one.
Spoilers ahead, read at your own discretion.
A short list of things that made me dislike hate this book:
- Rachel Price, the main character, who is constantly overstepping boundaries, being whiny, making unethical choices as a professional doctor, being cringe, panting (ugh), and lusting after anything with a pulse it seems (whilst also slutshaming "puck bunnies" of course). She's chronically nOt LiKe oThEr gIrLs, and she's too quirky and free-spirited to want monogamy (it's a shame, I love reading about poly relationships but this was just not it).
- The relationship between the four characters - good lord... All three men are possessive, jealous, and very clearly not built for polyamory. None of them actually want to share her.
- The cringe: horrible nicknames for each other (including: Seattle Girl, Hurricane, My Lioness (in finnish), Rachel's continous focus on zodiac signs, the line: "He comes at me again, I'm going there. Full spider monkey.", the line: "But I'm not a puck he can just bat away with a flick of his wrist. Oh no, I am soooo much worse. I'm Doctor Rachel Watch-me-beat-this-dead-horse Price.", the fact that Rachel says to her boss at a meeting about her own suspension from the job: "Sir, I don't care. I'm a double Cancer, which means I'm an emotional fucking wreck of a human who cares too deeply and tries too hard. Maybe they shouldn't let double Cancers go to med school. But I did, and I'm here, and I stand by my choices." Like hello?????? You have been suspended from your job for sleeping with YOUR PATIENTS, THE PEOPLE YOU ARE TREATING and for SNEAKING ONE OF THEM TO A DIFFERENT MEDICAL FACILITY FOR TESTING UNDER THE RADAR????
- The lack of communication. These idiots had 2 or 3 valiant attempts at communicating, but they never actually communicated with each other. They did not talk about boundaries, about labels, about what they are to each other, about how this will work.
- The borderline sexual abuse. Rachel takes out her IUD and has it out for a week before telling two of the three men she's with, so they had a good week of being unable to give informed consent. (Also worth mentioning: only two of the three men want children, but according to Rachel, man no. 3 will come around: "He'll learn by doing and grow his confidence", so no worries there, not like children are a big deal or anything. Rachel kisses man no. 3 and does not tell the two men she's in a relationship with for a while. Man no. 3 says he is not comfortable watching the other two men be physical with Rachel, so man no. 2 proceeds to be physical with her in front of him and call it exposure therapy. Rachel also explains early on that she does not like or want PDA, and men no. 1 and 2 proceed to make it a competition to see who can push her to go the furthest with them in public, man no. 1 even thinks "between the two of us, we can break her."
- The inconsistency. Rachel talks about her career goals and how she does not want to risk that for a relationship with man no. 1 early on, then she goes on to fuck these men in equipment closets where the doors don't lock, basically begging to be caught?? Rachel is pushing man no. 2 to admit he is in love with man no. 1 and she is forcing all three men to do and talk about things they are not ready to, but then man no. 2 narrates how she is always so respectful of his boundaries and never pushes him in a later chapter??? Please.
- The grand gesture towards the end, where all three men basically out Rachel and their relationship to show her that the media can be kind too (she has had traumatic experiences with the media earlier) and they blindside her with having LEGALLY CHANGED THEIR LAST NAMES TO HER LAST NAME?????? Homies... that's something you talk about BEFORE doing.
- The sex scenes were at times downright disgusting. Honestly, they felt kind of made for the male gaze?? It was like reading porn made for men.
- The amount of kink they include with no communication beforehand, no setting of boundaries, and no after-care?? Jail.
- The fact that she calls one of her boyfriends AND her father "daddy" is worth mentioning. Very weird. Please keep it to one or the other.
All in all, do yourself a favour and skip this one. Not only is it horrible and awful to read, it is also OVER 700 PAGES LONG. Not worth the time it took to read it. Top contender for my worst read of the year. If you, like me, read the first novella and became curious about the rest of the series - run and never look back.
Spoilers ahead, read at your own discretion.
A short list of things that made me dislike hate this book:
- Rachel Price, the main character, who is constantly overstepping boundaries, being whiny, making unethical choices as a professional doctor, being cringe, panting (ugh), and lusting after anything with a pulse it seems (whilst also slutshaming "puck bunnies" of course). She's chronically nOt LiKe oThEr gIrLs, and she's too quirky and free-spirited to want monogamy (it's a shame, I love reading about poly relationships but this was just not it).
- The relationship between the four characters - good lord... All three men are possessive, jealous, and very clearly not built for polyamory. None of them actually want to share her.
- The cringe: horrible nicknames for each other (including: Seattle Girl, Hurricane, My Lioness (in finnish), Rachel's continous focus on zodiac signs, the line: "He comes at me again, I'm going there. Full spider monkey.", the line: "But I'm not a puck he can just bat away with a flick of his wrist. Oh no, I am soooo much worse. I'm Doctor Rachel Watch-me-beat-this-dead-horse Price.", the fact that Rachel says to her boss at a meeting about her own suspension from the job: "Sir, I don't care. I'm a double Cancer, which means I'm an emotional fucking wreck of a human who cares too deeply and tries too hard. Maybe they shouldn't let double Cancers go to med school. But I did, and I'm here, and I stand by my choices." Like hello?????? You have been suspended from your job for sleeping with YOUR PATIENTS, THE PEOPLE YOU ARE TREATING and for SNEAKING ONE OF THEM TO A DIFFERENT MEDICAL FACILITY FOR TESTING UNDER THE RADAR????
- The lack of communication. These idiots had 2 or 3 valiant attempts at communicating, but they never actually communicated with each other. They did not talk about boundaries, about labels, about what they are to each other, about how this will work.
- The borderline sexual abuse. Rachel takes out her IUD and has it out for a week before telling two of the three men she's with, so they had a good week of being unable to give informed consent. (Also worth mentioning: only two of the three men want children, but according to Rachel, man no. 3 will come around: "He'll learn by doing and grow his confidence", so no worries there, not like children are a big deal or anything. Rachel kisses man no. 3 and does not tell the two men she's in a relationship with for a while. Man no. 3 says he is not comfortable watching the other two men be physical with Rachel, so man no. 2 proceeds to be physical with her in front of him and call it exposure therapy. Rachel also explains early on that she does not like or want PDA, and men no. 1 and 2 proceed to make it a competition to see who can push her to go the furthest with them in public, man no. 1 even thinks "between the two of us, we can break her."
- The inconsistency. Rachel talks about her career goals and how she does not want to risk that for a relationship with man no. 1 early on, then she goes on to fuck these men in equipment closets where the doors don't lock, basically begging to be caught?? Rachel is pushing man no. 2 to admit he is in love with man no. 1 and she is forcing all three men to do and talk about things they are not ready to, but then man no. 2 narrates how she is always so respectful of his boundaries and never pushes him in a later chapter??? Please.
- The grand gesture towards the end, where all three men basically out Rachel and their relationship to show her that the media can be kind too (she has had traumatic experiences with the media earlier) and they blindside her with having LEGALLY CHANGED THEIR LAST NAMES TO HER LAST NAME?????? Homies... that's something you talk about BEFORE doing.
- The sex scenes were at times downright disgusting. Honestly, they felt kind of made for the male gaze?? It was like reading porn made for men.
- The amount of kink they include with no communication beforehand, no setting of boundaries, and no after-care?? Jail.
- The fact that she calls one of her boyfriends AND her father "daddy" is worth mentioning. Very weird. Please keep it to one or the other.
All in all, do yourself a favour and skip this one. Not only is it horrible and awful to read, it is also OVER 700 PAGES LONG. Not worth the time it took to read it. Top contender for my worst read of the year. If you, like me, read the first novella and became curious about the rest of the series - run and never look back.