My Pucking Crush: A Dark MM Hockey Bodyguard Romance

4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars | 556 ratings

Price: 17.46

Last update: 12-23-2024


About this item

Protecting him is my duty, but falling for him could be my undoing. I’ve spent five years burying my past, leaving behind the violence and bloodshed of my former life as a Bratva enforcer. Now, I’m just Luca—the quiet guy who keeps his head down, working security for a professional hockey team. I don’t get close to anyone, and I definitely don’t let anyone get close to me. But then I’m assigned to protect Max Ryan, the team’s star defenseman, and everything changes. He's my obsession. My crush. Max is everything I shouldn’t want. Charismatic and stubborn, he’s got a knack for finding trouble, and now he’s got a target on his back. The last thing I need is to be drawn into his world, where old loyalties and deadly secrets collide with new, dangerous desires. As much as I try to keep things professional, Max has a way of breaking through my defenses. But when a shadow from my past threatens to destroy him and everything I’ve built, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him safe. Even if it means confronting the darkness I thought I’d left behind—and risking everything, including my heart.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Amity Tribby
    5.0 out of 5 stars With My Life
    Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2024
    Luca and Max had a raging attraction from the start. Neither of them believed the other was interested, though. Max definitely has control issues. He doesn't like anyone telling him what to do. It was beautiful to watch him open up to who he really is. I was heartbroken by his past and enjoyed watching that man get his karma. Luca had lost the world and was hiding out. Little did he know all the twists and turns to come. This had the absolute best ending I have read in awhile. I loved it.
  • angeladena
    4.0 out of 5 stars hea rushed
    Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2024
    I liked this story and am glad I read the book there were just so many skimmed over unrealistic plot holes it kind of makes me shake my head. And as a hockey fanatic I cringed when the author wrote about the fourth period. I loved max and Luca though and glad they got their hea even if it felt rushed.
  • Romance Obsessed Bookworm
    3.0 out of 5 stars It's Not You, It's Me
    Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2024
    My Pucking Crush by Tori Chase

    To be honest, I think this was a “it’s not you, it’s me” situation. The book was good, it just wasn’t for me. My reviews are very spoiler free, however, there was a dealbreaker for me towards the end. I don’t want to say too much about it, but if anyone needs details, feel free to message me. I will address it further in the ‘My Thoughts’ section.

    What's it all about
    Luca has worked hard to leave his mafia ties in the past and start a quiet new life as a security guard for a professional hockey team. He’s careful to avoid close relationships and no one has been able to break through his impenetrable walls…until Max Ryan. Max is charismatic, stubborn, a magnet for trouble, and one of the star hockey players. He’s also Luca’s greatest obsession. As things begin to heat up between Max and Luca, Luca begins to question his ability to protect Max from his past. What happens when Luca’s present obsession collides with the ghosts of his past?

    My thoughts
    Again, this was probably more of a me issue. I really struggled to feel the connection between Max and Luca. They just never clicked for me. Additionally, there is a part late in the story where a ‘sacrificial’ action occurs and is seen as something that needs to be done to survive the current situation. While I understand why it happened, it kind of came out of nowhere and took me by surprise. The book was entertaining, and I think it could be great for the right type of reader. That just wasn’t me, unfortunately.

    In this, you’ll find:
    -Hockey player x bodyguard
    -Mafia ties
    -Forced proximity
    -Pierced MC
    -Hurt x comfort
    -Touch him and dïe
    -Angst/sacrificial break-up

    My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
    Spice rating: ????????
  • Crystal
    5.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars
    Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2024
    Such a great story. I would’ve never thought putting a hockey star together with a bratva member would work, but these two were magnetic. The storyline was well timed and exciting with non-stop drama that will keep you glued to the pages. We get a lot of hockey action which I really appreciate in a sports romance. There was an air of suspense and a heavily traumatic backstory that will have your emotions in a tailspin. Ten out of ten would recommend (after checking content warnings of course!)
  • Escape.to.pages
    4.0 out of 5 stars Max and Luca
    Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2024
    ARC REVIEW

    LUCA & MAX.... talk about spicy. This was a great book, with a good plot. I laughed, I cried! This book had me feeling all kinds of emotions. Max and Luca have lots of chemistry and when they finally give in Tori Chase brings the spice. I like me some mafia books so I had that in this book.

    Dark Romance, Enemies to Lovers, MAFIA! This book bring a variety of tropes.
  • Dre
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hockey & Mafia in one book
    Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2024
    I loved this book! Never would I think hockey & mafia book would work so well in a book but here it is!
  • Arleny Chedebeau
    2.0 out of 5 stars Dark MM Hockey Romance
    Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2024
    ARC Review

    I want to preface this by saying that this isn’t necessarily a bad book, it just wasn’t for me. Everything about this book screamed that it should have been for me — bodyguard, mafia ties, dark MM hockey romance — but unfortunately, the execution just didn’t work for me.

    Max is a closeted gay hockey player and Luca works security for Max’s hockey team. When something happens to Max and it appears that his life is in jeopardy, Luca is assigned to be Max’s personal bodyguard.

    The development of their relationship was okay, though I felt that for a bodyguard romance, there was lack of tension to the buildup of their relationship. I think my biggest problem was that I didn’t feel the connection with Max and Luca. I didn’t feel a spark when they kissed or during their intimate moments. I didn’t feel like there was any emotion behind the spice, which is usually the reason why I love spice in books.

    Also, Luca and Max come from dark pasts, and though it’s mentioned very frequently throughout the book, I felt like the book didn’t dive deep enough to their trauma. For a dark hockey romance, the stakes felt very low throughout the book, and the actual plot of the book fell flat for me.

    This is a complete side note, but I had to constantly remind myself that Max and Luca were 36 and 37 years old. Based on their actions and the things that they said, it felt like they were both 10 years younger than they actually were.

    All in all, I truly wanted to love this b/c I’m a sucker for bodyguard romances but I just didn’t. With that said though, if you like this book’s tropes (bodyguard, dark hockey romance, mafia ties, hate to love, touch him and d!e) don’t let this review stop you from giving this book a try.
  • Haley Edgecomb
    3.0 out of 5 stars Hot
    Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2024
    I love romance books about hickey and mafia separately so I wasn’t sure how I’d like them together, but this book blended them perfectly. Luca’s and Max’s relationship was on fire, I love how protective Luca got over max.

    I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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