Merry Pucking Christmas by Darby Fox

 

Published on February 13,2024

120 pages

I read the paperback version

Back Cover

What's a hockey player to do when an injury puts him out of the game?

Benched for the holidays. Check.
I'm not just sidelined either, Coach told me to get on a plane and get my head off the ice while I recover, so I'm headed home for the holidays where my sister has roped me into wedding planning of all things. The frosting on the gingerbread man? My flight gets delayed on the way due to a snowstorm. I can't think of a better way to distract myself than offering to share the only available hotel room with the gorgeous redhead I just met.

Just one bed? It's just for one night...

I didn't expect my one-night stand to blow my mind, or to disappear faster than a snowman in July the next morning. But when she shows up at my family's B&B to make sure her sister's Christmas wedding is as perfect as a Hallmark movie, there's no way I'm letting her pretend there's nothing between us. Especially when I see her wearing my hockey jersey under the Christmas lights. It might take more than holiday magic to convince her to turn our one-night stand into a Christmas to remember.

My review

As someone who is not a huge fan of Christmas, I liked this novella. It’s the first I read from this author and I am willing to give her another chance. I felt in love with the two protagonists, event though they are the typical type you will find in Christmas novel. It’s the book you need to read if you want to smile and escape from real life.

It’s hard to choose my favorite character, since the story is short the reader doesn’t have a chance to know them a lot, just enough to get a special place in my heart. I would say that I will give the first place at Serena and Owen.

Not only because I like her name, but Serena is the type of strong woman I like to meet in books. She might did a mistake at the beginning, but I give her the first place with the way she did with her famous sister and how she react with Owen. I could relate to this and I have the feeling that I am not the only one.

Owen also shares the first place and not because he is a hockey player. For some reasons, I am not a fan of that sport, but I like that type of character in novels. For once, it was the male protagonist who was asking himself questions after their first night and I thought it was refreshing. He is not afraid to speak his mind which make him the type of bookboyfriend I like.

Excerpts

I lean towards her, my forearms on the table. " I very nearly did. It’s hard not to get emotional over a beer and it’s been a long day. You may have saved my sanity. " (p.6)

" No, I mean because if a woman like you gives a guy the slightest encouragement, he should thank his lucky stars and do everything in his power to make sure he deserves it. " (p.11)

And what did these guys all have in common? Too hot for my own good. Confident, sexy men who were able to pull the wool over my eyes too easily. (p.19)

I’m not usually such a downer, but the combination of the trade, a new team and the injury was bad enough. Waking up optimistic this morning for the first time in ages and realizing it was all one-sided makes me feel like a bit of a fool. The ache in my leg after travelling all day in this tiny makes me feel like an old fool. (p.57)

I instantly recognize the opening notes of my favorite Christmas song, O Holy Night and I’m about to step in the room when Serena starts to sing. Savannah Hale might be one of the most famous singers in the world, but the talent didn’t skip over Serena. Her low, husky voice raises goosebumps on my arms, and I’m mesmerized as she continues the hymn. (p.84)