Pucking Strong

Jacksonville Rays, Book 4

De: Emily Rath

Narrado por: Diontae Black, Tor Thom

My name is Teddy O'Connor, and I just made a terrible mistake. It's been six years since I was an intern for the Jacksonville Rays NHL team. And it's been six long years since I first met him. Henrik Karlsson, star forward of the Rays...and king of my heart.

I'm a doctor now, a respected professional in my field. And Henrik doesn't even know I exist. So, you tell me why I'm risking everything to follow this man halfway around the world!

After receiving news of his sister's tragic death, Henrik must fly to Sweden to retrieve his young niece. She's injured and grieving, but a new hockey season is about to start. Henrik can't possibly care for her alone. In fact, the Swedish government won't let him. I'd be heartless not to help...right?

Well, that's what I told myself last week as I signed our Swedish marriage license. And it's what I'm telling myself now as the Rays PR Director stares us down. They want this marriage to look real. The team's public image, our jobs, and his niece's custody agreement all depend on it.

But my problem isn't that I don't love my new fake husband. God help me, my problem is that I do.

Contains mature themes.

©2025 Emily Rath Books (P)2025 Tantor Media

Dr. Rath has done it again! Sooo good!

This story and these characters are now permanently engraved in my mind and heart. I absolutely loved this so much! Narrators are awesome, especially Diantae as Teddy. It’s been a long, long time since I finished a book.. tried to go onto another book and just couldn’t until I re-listened to this one again.

Fantastic listen!

I love going into a book blind and being completely taken in. Emily Rath has written a love story that tugs at the strings of the heart. Henrik and Teddy have a past. OK, it was a quick save, but even after meeting him and six years as a PT intern, Teddy still gets those butterflies when it comes to Henrik. Now a respected doctor, he takes on a whole new role. When Henrik gets the news his sister died, he is off to Sweden and Teddy accompanies him for support. No, they don't know each other, but Teddy works for the team and it seems like a good idea. When the government doesn't want to give custody to Henrik though, Teddy decides if they were married, Henrik would be looked upon more favorably. Married now, with a recovering niece Karro, the three return to America. Now they face the scrutiny of the public, figure out roles and living situations and still take care Karro. What do they find out? Rath writes a story of discovery and love, finding your true soulmate and understanding the needs of your partner. It's beautiful from start to finish. Henrik is a quiet man, keeps to himself and slowly he changes and comes out of his shell. Teddy is the total opposite, boisterous and affectionate, he is a person impossible not to love. And then Rath adds in relevance, not only with the LGBTQ community, but with dementia and how it effects a family. This is a fantastic story, and I am so glad I had the chance to listen.

Diontae Black is a new to me narrator and he finds the personality of Teddy immediately. His liveliness comes through with all the caring for people in an instant. He pulls out the Swedish Henrik at times with ease too. Then Tor Thom comes in with the deep baritone as Henrik. But this is not the Thom I normally hear. The Swedish accent comes through and he channels himself directly through as Henrik. Private to a fault, doesn't socialize and is socially awkward, the voice matches the man. But it changes as the story progresses and Henrik begins to melt that heart of his and find his happiness. I loved this collaboration and the chemistry they built to make Teddy and Henrik real. It's fantastic.

I loved it 😍

I swooned. I laughed. It was great. I love this series and this was a great addition. I can’t wait for the next book. Wonder where the final book will take us.

Perfect pairing

Teddy and Henrik are the perfect pair in this book. They build a relationship on love and support and overcome every obstacle as a team. I love this story and these characters!
The narrators were perfidy these characters and the story was better for their efforts.

Great story, terrible narrator

I’ve enjoyed every book in this series and this is no exception.

HOWEVER the narrator for Henrik was comically terrible. I almost DNFed this because it was distractingly bad, he sounded like the Swedish chef muppet trying to be serious.

I am not Swedish but I imagine this could border on offensive. I am a daughter of parents with accents and I don’t even bother trying to imitate them because I know I can’t pretend to do it with respect.

Part of the fun of Emily Rath books is the salacious spice and I could not bear any scene he read because the juxtaposition of the content and the awful accent was too much. If you can’t successfully pull off an accent just know your limits and don’t do it. It’s a matter of respect.

The Swedish accent in Ali Hazlewoods Deep End was brutally hot and not overdone. This was just plain embarrassing.

I never ever write reviews but it needs to be emphasized how bad it is.