Review - Pucked Up (Pucked #2) By: Helena Hunting

Title: Pucked Up (Pucked #2)
Author: Helena Hunting
Publisher: (October 25th, 2015)
From: the Author
Format: eARC
Add to: Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

NOTE: This is a "Adult/New Adult" novel. Due to mature content this title is recommended for ages 18+

Synopsis: Miller “Buck” Butterson has been banging his way through life ever since a puck to the face fixed his messed up front teeth, and he was drafted into the NHL during his first year of college. After five years of deflecting goals on the ice and scoring them with puck bunnies across the Continental US and parts of Canada, Miller is ready for a girlfriend. A real girlfriend of the non-bunny variety. One he takes on dates and doesn’t jump into bed with after five seconds of conversation.

Miller thinks he’s found that woman in his teammate’s sister. Except, unlike Alex Waters, center, team captain and all round nice guy—who happens to be dating his step-sister—Miller’s manwhore reputation is well earned, and not blown out of proportion by the media. Beyond that minor detail, Miller doesn’t know the first thing about having a girlfriend. But he’s determined to make it happen.

What he doesn’t take into account is the amount of time and effort relationships require, or that constantly letting bunnies take selfies with him to post all over social media isn’t going to win him any points in the boyfriend department. Miller learns—not so quickly—that if he wants to make Sunshine “Sunny” Waters fall for him, he going to have to do a whole lot more than show her his stick skills in the bedroom. 

Review: 4 Stars - Pucked Up is the second book from Helena Hunting in her Pucked series! If you love hockey players and the crazy hilarious woman who love them, then you’ve come to the right place! Oh how I love these books and these characters!!!

And now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I couldn’t wait until I could get my hands on this book. After reading the first one I had tears in my eyes and my sides were hurting from laughing so much, I just couldn’t get enough. So when Miller… or Buck was up for a book, there was never a question if I was going to read it or love it, it just was and is.

Buck is Violets sister, who also happens to be engaged to one of his fellow team mates. The relationship he has with Violet is… well something that’s for sure. She over shares and has some pretty crazy idea’s but that’s what makes her, her. Buck just happens to get a huge part of his sister’s craziness.  He’s famous for finding himself in trouble, mainly trouble with the ladies, or puck bunnies. He’s got a reputation and he doesn’t mind it. It’s something that’s just happened. So when he finds somebody – Sunny – who’s worth more than a quick one night stand he’s got more than his womanizing ways to go up against. He knows nothing about relationships and has a lot he’s up against since Sunny is none other than his team mate Alex Water’s sister.

Sunny is different in her own ways. She’s more of a free spirit in her sweet, endearing way. Yet she knows more than she’d like when it comes to Buck’s past with the fairer sex. She’s not sure what to think when he makes it known that he’d like to get a chance to know her better.

Their relationship starts out slow and long distance. There’s a slow build and simmer that you can feel between the two as readers get a chance to watch what happens as they find their footing. Now, I have to say that I was a bit disappointed that this one wasn’t as funny as the last. There were some laugh out loud moments yet I didn’t have those tears in my eyes, side splitting moments that I was expecting. What I did find while reading was something totally different.

Buck, or as Violet lovingly calls him – Yeti – was nothing I was expecting to find. He’s kind, awkward, often doesn’t think and is one hundred percent confused by women when it comes to building a true relationship. Reading along as he was trying to find his feet was often entertaining and at times cringe worthy. However the hoops the poor guy had to jump through at the hands of Sunny were… frustrating.

I wanted to like Sunny a lot more than I did. I didn’t think she was fair in many of the issues she had. The two might have come from different worlds, but Buck was trying. He was honest and from the start he had nothing but good intentions when it came to changing his ways for Sunny.

In the end, I did love the story. I loved that I had a chance to love in this author’s world of Hockey players again. I loved the lines that made me laugh, I loved seeing Violet and hearing her crazy and I loved how different Buck was from what I had originally thought he’d be. That shock alone was beyond surprising and I have to say that I really loved the guy even more with how his characters actually turned out to be.

Yeah, you could read this one as a standalone, but I wouldn’t suggest it. You’ll be missing out on more than just the beginning. You’ll be missing out on some info as to who these characters are, where they come from and some of the bits and pieces of the story that began in Pucked.

If you love sports romance with a touch of over the top, look no further than the books – Pucked and Pucked Up! I’ll be counting down the days until I can read about “Balls” in Pucked Over. Helena Hunting has a fan for life in this reader. Can’t get enough!