I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes, etc: Time Travel, Regency Era, Marriage of Convenience, Forbidden Love, Hockey
POV: Dual, 3rd Person
3rd Act Breakup?: Yes
Song Association: This Love by Taylor Swift

Brief Summary: After crashing his car into a pond, Tucker is sent back in time to Regency era England. He enlists Lizzy, a 27-year-old bluestocking, to help him find his way back to his own time.

Vibe Check: Sweet, witty, fun.

FMC Is: Smart, sassy, and independent.
MMC Is: Kind, dedicated, a bit of a himbo.
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪

While Reading I: Giggled and kicked my feet, cried, fanned myself 🥵

What Kept Me Hooked: Tucker and Lizzy’s undeniable chemistry, the unwavering way he stuck up for her, the banter.

Room For Improvement: I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending. I feel like there was still too much of a risk to Tucker’s health for either of them to spend extended periods of time back in the 1800’s. And what if it just stops working? In my opinion, it would’ve made more sense for Lizzy to just stay in the future.

Final Thoughts: Overall, this was a cute read, and I enjoyed Lia’s writing! I’ll definitely check out her other books.

I kind of thought that based on the premise, this was going to be a little tongue-in-cheek. Unfortunately, I think that so much of this was supposed to be taken earnestly and that’s such a misstep.

Time travel back to regency days for a hockey player who we barely see play hockey. Throw in some real-life Jane Austen cameos and you have what seems like book designed just to check off boxes of what’s popular in romance publishing now.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this advance copy.

I’m a sucker for any type of P&P inspired work or retelling. Unfortunately I had to DNF this. This one was not for me.

OMG this was the cutest romance I have ever read. I loved it all, combining the regency era with hockey!! Pure genius! The character development was there, the relationship was there. Amazing.

This is the 3rd book I've read within the last year with the same premise and this was by far the one that was the worst done. I stuck it out to see if it ever got better, but somehow the ending was the absolute worst thing I could imagine. this one seemed to drag on for no reason.

Puck and Prejudice is a delightful blend of Regency romance, time travel, and a dash of hockey, making it an incredibly fun and unique read. The story follows Tucker Taylor, a professional hockey goalie who, through a car accident in Bath, England, unexpectedly finds himself transported back to 1812. There, he meets Lizzy Wooddash, a spirited and independent young woman, who, despite her proper upbringing, is determined to chart her own course in life—free from the constraints of marriage and societal expectations.

The chemistry between Tucker and Lizzy is undeniable from the start, with their banter and mutual attraction providing much of the charm throughout the novel. Lizzy, a character that’s both delicate and resolute, is well-developed and offers a refreshing take on the intelligent, independent heroine. Tucker, the stereotypical tough-guy athlete, is softened in her presence, making their dynamic both endearing and entertaining. The relationship grows naturally, and their journey to self-discovery, as well as the developing romance, was a joy to witness.

What’s most striking about Puck and Prejudice is how it simultaneously leans into, yet subverts, familiar Regency tropes. We encounter a marriage of convenience, a road trip that deepens the characters’ connection, crowded inns, and even a shared bed—all elements that fans of Regency romance will recognize. Despite its time travel premise, the novel doesn’t get bogged down in the fantastical but instead creates an engaging world where the absurdity of Tucker’s situation feels oddly believable.

A standout element of the story is the relationship to Jane Austen’s novels, with the beloved author making a prominent appearance in the narrative. This connection enriches the plot and adds a layer of depth that will appeal to Austen fans. The humor between the characters, especially the women, is another highlight, offering light-hearted moments amid the more serious plot developments.

The pacing is quick, which effectively conveys the urgency of Tucker’s situation and keeps the reader hooked. There are a few moments where the characters casually reference the future, which felt a little inconsistent with their desire to avoid disturbing the balance of time, but these minor hiccups didn’t detract from the overall enjoyment of the book.

Ultimately, Puck and Prejudice is an easy, entertaining read, with just the right mix of romance, comedy, and spice. For fans of both historical and contemporary romance genres, this book is a fun, lighthearted escape with a surprisingly heartwarming conclusion. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a charming, witty story with an irresistible romance at its core.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Publishing for my DRC!

Probably 3.5, but it was entertaining enough to round up. Spicy and definitely unique and entertaining. The characters were fun. You don't usually see the male main character do the time travel, it is usually the female. So it was a nice switch up. A fun diversion.

Lizzy is in a tizzy when, on an otherwise routine stroll through the countryside, she stumbles upon a hockey player in a pond. A grown man in a pond is an unexpected occurrence. A grown man from the 2000s discovered alive in a pond in the year 1812 is an occurrence no one would predict.

One moment Tucker is driving in the winter in the present day and the next he is climbing out of a pond in the 1800s.

After some ado, Tucker and Lizzy come to an agreement; he will marry her and she will help him find a way to return to his own time. Once he is gone, she’ll be considered a widow and can live the rest of her life as she pleases.

Neither of them expect to fall in love as they enact their plan.

At a glance:
- Dual POV
- Sports romance (kind of)
- Time travel
- Marriage of convenience
- Road trip romance
- Literary references
- Jane Austen as a character in the story
- Only one bed
- Good Girl
- Feminist themes

If you’re a fan of the film Kate & Leopold, this one may be for you. Read it for the escapism and the Jane Austen references. It’s a fun, light read.

I received an advance copy of the book from Avon. All review opinions are my own.

Wow this book was fun! Outlandish and funny and tongue in cheek and just fun. Suspend belief and enjoy the banter type of fun. The time travel premise is silly but i enjoyed each character’s reactions to the other. I was rooting for them by the end!

Actual 4.5 - While I’m not the biggest Jane Austen fan, I AM in my hockey romance era; I’ve also been looking to step back into the historical romance genre. So when I heard of a historical romance centered around a hockey player MMC I. was. Sold. (Don’t go into this thinking it’s a hockey romance though, it’s just a very punny title - with a hint of hockey tossed in.)

The concept of someone traveling back in time to regency era England and falling in love is not new, however Lia Riley had a fresh take on it. Even better, in my opinion, was that all the series of events felt entirely realistic/plausible. I also enjoyed the plot twist at the end where both characters were able to travel back and forth between present day and Austen England.

Tucker and Lizzy’s friendship, to marriage of convenience, to lovers was delightful. Almost equally enjoyable was the friendship between Lizzy, her cousin Georgie, and wait for it… Jane Austen (another plot twist)!

If you’re looking for a light hearted (borderline rom-com) historical romance with a splash of hockey romance, then this book is for you! I’ve never read anything by Lia Riley before, but I will definitely be checking out this author in the future.

Please Note: I received an advance copy for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley 🤓

Many thanks to Netgalley for the e-arc!

So I requested this book on a whim because it sounded unserious and ridiculous. Being a big fan of Pride and Prejudice, I was expecting a retelling but (that's 100% on me in fact because I did not read the synopsis), but despite this mistake on my end, I thought the book was okay. My expectations were low so maybe people coming into the book and taking it seriously might feel differently.

The reason I requested this arc in the first place because I was genuinely confused as the how the hell this author was going to give me a victorian hockey romance to begin with, and upon further discovery it is completely possible to love both bridgerton meets NHL vibes. it's Avery fun , unserious hockey romance... and a lot of the times you can't get that anymore!! I truthfully was so unprepared for a hockey player to travel back in time to the regency era with absolutely do context to prepare him. He was on leave from playing hockey because of an illness and subsequently accidentally time traveled from England to 1812 England, whoops! truthfully it was unserious and that's completely okay because I wasn't expecting it to be anything but , and it was a win for me!

When I first started this book I didn’t think I was going to like it. Although it is fiction , it was just so unbelievable that we were time traveling. However, once i distended my beliefs in the unrealistic aspect, I truly enjoyed this story. There were times I was laughing out loud and times I was fanning myself because it got so steamy.

This was really cute--you just have to pretend you don't know how a goalie dresses to play hockey or what kind of stick he uses when you look at the cover...smh

So...a contemporary romance that's also a Regency romance with time travel, a marriage of convenience, and Jane Austen and hockey hovering along the edges (see note above)--I mean, of course I was going to read it. Could there be any question?

Overall I liked it quite a bit--it definitely requires not thinking about things too much (like can Tuck really be that dense? He's never once heard his sister the British literature mention/future lecturer mention P&P?) but if you can just sit back and read and enjoy this for what it is--a trope-y fluff fest--it's a fun time.

I haven't read anything else from the author yet, but I'll definitely give her a try in the future.

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Puck and Prejudice starts off slow but picks up as Lizzy and Tucker’s romance unfolds. Their relationship is sweet, and while the story requires a hefty suspension of disbelief, it’s still entertaining.

That said, the time travel elements felt underdeveloped, leaving me with more questions than answers and some frustrating plot holes. The romance, while enjoyable, didn’t have as much depth as I’d hoped.

Puck and Prejudice was a cute, yet somewhat forgettable, historical romance time travel novel that captured my attention because I needed to know what happened with Tucker.

Tucker is transported back to the 1800's after swerving his car to avoid hitting something. He awakens in England in the general area of Lizzy, a lady who wants her own future and not a husband to dictate her worth. She vows to help him find his way back to the future and he vows to marry her so that when he leaves she can be a widow and live out her own dreams as a writer. He can't reveal much about the future to stop things from becoming off balance. She can't fall in love with him. But when things become too much to handle, will he end up going back to his life in the future or stay. happy, with Lizzy?

Lia Riley's latest novel is a medium-paced novel that has nods to Jane Austen's character that I quickly caught onto. This is a dual point of view, friends to lovers story that had me continuously reading to discover how their "love story" ended. I admired Lizzy and how she wanted to be independent but I also question if she could have stayed a widow after he had "left." It felt too much jumping into things and I was more interested in the ending- not how we got there.

This book for me was so much fun and all vibes. If you are looking for entertainment to escape the world that we are currently living in, then this book is for you. I mean hockey and time travel. So much fun!

Tucker Taylor, a pro hockey player, accidentally travels back in time to Regency England, where he meets Miss Lizzy Wooddash. As fans of the genre will be unsurprised to learn, she turns out to be a friend of Jane Austen. He is anxious to return to his own time, she wants only to secure her own independence, but as they spend time together, their mutual attraction grows.

This is a timeslip novel, but despite the unlikely plot device, what is most striking is how conventional is this Regency Romance. Familiar motifs include the marriage of convenience, the road trip which allows the characters to get better acquainted, the crowded inns which lead to a shared bed, unsympathetic parents, a supportive sisterhood, an intelligent and independent-minded heroine, and a physically impressive hero. Since Tucker is from a later age, a progressive attitude towards women might be expected, but from a professional athlete? Not so much. He, however, is very protective of his younger sister, another favourite strategy to win sympathy for the hero (remember Darcy?).

The relationship to Austen’s novels and the resolution to the protagonists’ conflicting aims add a level of interest that hold the reader’s attention. Recommended.

Thank you to publishers for letting read this book.
Over I felt like the book was fast paced. While an interesting concept I struggled to fully understand the time travel aspect and I am not convinced that it made complete sense.

Puck and Prejudice was really a delightful read for me because while it was set in a fantastical plot involving time travel, it didn’t feel absolutely ridiculous or absurd. The juxtaposition of both the centuries felt just the right amount of confusing that it was believable.

Lizzie is such a well-developed FMC. She’s delicate, shy, and proper while simultaneously resolute, determined and open to exploration (in all senses lmao). I also like that Tucker is this big, brooding tough guy that immediately softens when it comes to her.

The side characters were all great additions to the storyline and the pacing was quick in a way that showed the urgency of the matter. The only thing that was silly was the fact that they kept mentioning not wanting to disturb the balance of past and future but continued to talk about aspects of the future casually. Putting that aside, it’s still a fun read.