The pucking trust

Book: The Pucking Trust: A fake dating hockey holiday romance (Defenders Diaries) by A. J. Summers

Reviewed by Your_bookish_fantasy

Rating: 4.5/5

𝓝𝓞 𝓢𝓟𝓞𝓘𝓛𝓔𝓡𝓢
⚜️𝔻𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 𝕠𝕗- THE PUCKING TRUST by A.J. Summers

⚜️ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤-
(out of 5 stars)
🌶️ 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 MF 🌶️🌶️ / 5
🗣 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
📚 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5

Which books have I given similar ratings?
5⭐️ Fourth Wing / Bound by Inked Flame / Anathema / The Lies of Lena / Of Silver and Curses
4.75⭐️ Metal Slinger / The Pucking Comeback / Light Wielder / Wielder of Chaos and Carnage
4.5⭐️ Bitten / The Female / Quicksilver / Bride / Lights Out / A Bargain So Bloody
4⭐️ ACOTAR / Spellcaster / One Dark Window / From Blood and Ash / Phantasma / Butcher & Blackbird
3⭐️ We Who Will Die / The Wolf King / Daughter of No Worlds / The Ex Hex

⚜️𝕂𝕖𝕪 𝕀𝕟𝕗𝕠:
Genre: Contemporary sports romance / Hockey romance

POV: Dual first-person POV

🎧 Audiobook: 9h 13m, listening speed 1.75x

Narration: Dual narration, Shane Martinez and Clinton Woodhams

Audiobook release: 1 November 2026

Plot or character driven? Character driven

Series: Defenders Diaries

Reading order? Interconnected series, so read in any order, as I have

Pace: Medium-fast

Memorable? ✅ Yes!

Representation: Controlling family dynamics, emotional manipulation and memory loss in a supporting character

Did I enjoy this book? ✅ ABSOLUTELY!

Will I read more in this series? ✅ Without hesitation!

Would I read anything else by this author? ✅ YES!

🚨🅲︎🅷︎🅴︎🅲︎🅺︎ 🆃︎🅷︎🅴︎ 🆃︎🆆︎!🚨
Controlling parental behaviour, emotional manipulation, family conflict, relationship difficulties, memory loss and explicit sexual content. Please check the full content warnings.

⚜️𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕤:
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲 MF | 🌶️🌶️ / 5
🔥 Open-door intimacy
💋 Passionate and explicit spice
💋 One-night stand
❤️‍🔥 Strong sexual chemistry
👀 Steamy looks and anticipation
💞 Emotional intimacy alongside physical attraction
The chemistry is HOT, but the emotional connection is what makes their intimate moments so satisfying.

⚜️𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊
🏒 Hockey romance
🩰 Ballerina FMC
💍 Fake dating
❤️‍🔥 He falls first
🎭 Hidden identities / Masquerade encounter
🛡️ Protective MMC
💰 Wealthy heiress / Socialite
💕 Opposites attract
🎄 Holiday romance
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family dynamics
❤️‍🩹 Emotional healing
🤝 Rebuilding trust
💞 Supportive partner

✨𝖂𝖍𝖔 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖎 𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝕥𝕠?✨
ANYONE WHO LOVES ROMANCE WITH SUBSTANCE! Especially readers who enjoy believable relationships, flawed characters, emotional growth and supportive love interests. And if sports romance isn’t usually your thing, don’t dismiss this series! I certainly wouldn’t have expected to love it as much as I do!

✨ TᕼᗴᗰᗴՏ ✨
Self-worth • Independence • Boundaries • Trust • Emotional vulnerability • Family expectations • Personal growth • Acceptance • Love • Communication

✨MOODS; ✨
Romantic • Heartwarming • Emotional • Passionate • Funny • Hopeful • Relatable • Steamy • Empowering

📝Cliff Notes Review-
A.J. SUMMERS HAS DONE IT AGAIN! ❤️‍🔥
I absolutely LOVE this series! Fantastic chemistry, genuinely relatable characters and romance that has actual substance behind the spice! This time, we’re exploring people-pleasing, controlling family expectations and learning to put your own happiness first.

I predicted the third-act breakup, but the redemption? BRILLIANT! No convenient forgiveness or sweeping problems under the carpet. The characters had to acknowledge their mistakes and genuinely work through them. THIS is why I love this author’s writing! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

⚜️𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒓, 𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑵 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒕?⚜️
LISTEN! 🎧

⚜️𝔸𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕠 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ OUTSTANDING EMOTIONAL DELIVERY!
Shane Martinez and Clinton Woodhams were both excellent, but Shane was particularly well cast. Her voice suited Lila beautifully, and every emotion felt natural and authentic.

At 1.75x speed, everyone remained clear and concise, the pacing was excellent, and the pauses and dramatic effects were perfectly delivered.

Clinton deserves his own round of applause for the tenderness in his performance. The supportive lean his voice had when Caleb finally saw his girlfriend, REALLY saw her, past the show and the persona she puts on for her family, and recognised her true heart… HOW DID HE MAKE HIS VOICE DO THAT?!

I appreciated and loved the raw emotion in the difficult parts, the heart palpitations in the spicy parts and the genuine feeling behind every word.

😥 𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕟𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤?
The relationship occasionally became a little too on-and-off for my liking, and I could see the third-act breakup coming. Some of the misunderstandings and repeated difficulties were frustrating, particularly when I wanted the characters to communicate more openly.

However, I appreciated that the author didn’t take the easy route when resolving them. The emotional consequences were acknowledged rather than conveniently forgotten.

🌍 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕚𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘, 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕡𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘:
THIS IS WHY A.J. SUMMERS IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE AUTHORS! I don’t usually gravitate towards sports romance, yet the Defenders Diaries series has become one of my absolute favourites!

This series is spectacularly entertaining with hot chemistry, steamy looks, passionate embraces and each story has some moral to it. Some character flaw or trauma, a common issue or relatable struggle that a character first has to acknowledge, then accept, and finally overcome.

This time, it was about being a yes person and being controlled by an overbearing mother. I loved that overcoming those behaviours wasn’t presented as something that could happen overnight. No easy fix all wrapped up in a bow like I expected!

The author stayed real. She allowed the characters to breathe and work through their thoughts and hang-ups. She gave those feelings room to breathe and made BOTH main characters work for their relationship!

It was nothing short of revolutionary and awe-inspiring because it made the story real, like it could be happening to your friend or yourself. The author gave readers something they could relate to, understand and learn from! GENIUS!

That is exactly why I love this author’s writing so much. It’s a fantasy, a daydream, a way to indulge in dreams, erotic moments and desires, but it’s ALWAYS relatable.

The hockey, ballet, family interactions and supporting characters added warmth and entertainment without overshadowing that central message.

🧝‍♂️ ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤:
Lila: A talented ballerina whose life has been shaped by other people’s expectations. I loved watching her gradually recognise how much of herself she’d sacrificed to keep everyone else happy. Learning to establish boundaries and make decisions for herself was a wonderful character journey.

Caleb Tanner: Protective, supportive and wonderfully attentive. What I loved most was that he recognised the difference between the polished woman everyone expected Lila to be and the person she genuinely was. He wasn’t flawless either, and I appreciated that both characters had lessons to learn.

⏳ 𝕎𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕚 𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕠𝕣 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕?
Re-read? ✅ Yes
Recommend? ✅ ABSOLUTELY!

🪧𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
A.J. Summers writes the kind of romance that reminds me why I love reading. These books let me escape into a fantasy, indulge in the passion and fall in love with the characters, but they also give me something real to think about.

The romance is the fantasy. The emotions and personal struggles are what make it believable.

And THAT is what makes this series so special to me! ❤️‍🔥

𝐹𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠;

On https://www.tiktok.com/@your_bookish_fantasy?_t=8qA9X0RTEYa&_r=1 or https://www.instagram.com/your_bookish_fantasy/profilecard/?igsh=dXl0ejY3OGk4bXRo

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𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕊𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕤:

⭐️⭐️
I managed to finish it but it was rubbish. I won't keep a physical copy and won't recommend it, but it's a shame as the plot could have made a good book in another author's hands

⭐️⭐️.5
It was OK. I wish I didn't start this one as it didn't do it for me as I struggled to read it. It had an interesting premise that fell flat but I had to see what happened in the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don't regret reading it, and I will read the next one, but this one did have a few flaws. [These could be repetitive writing, gaps or plot holes, better character growth or world building, areas needing more detail]
Generally, the book lacked depth and became confusing. The plot resonated with me even though it annoyed me on the whole.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I'm glad I read it. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to the right people, but I wanted more! Sadly, it's easily forgettable with a few issues I just couldn't overlook/get past.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Good book! I loved it, but... I needed more! I really did enjoy it, but it had a few parts that needed more detail or added history/background or lore. But that's because the story or characters were memorable, and the plot was strong with brilliant twists. I would re-read if I needed to catch up for the next book and would recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Great book! I truly wish the story had been thought about more, or the author had been given more time as this book is so close to brilliance! I will likely read again and will definitely be recommending it to all!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WOW! Absolutely amazing book! Well written with great characters and a plot so memorable that it will stay with me. I will definitely read this again, I will be recommending it and sharing it with the whole world! Also- I NEED A PHYSICAL COPY!

🔥⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🔥
This is my God level tier. The book must be perfectly memorable. Even after reading 50+ more books, I will remember character names and emotions along with the plot. If there is a special edition, then I need to own it! If there is a conversation on books- I'm talking about this!

SPICE SCALE:
🌶️– segsual language and a little on-page action / fade to black

🌶️🌶️– a lot of segsual language and some on-page open door action, may be occurring a couple of times

🌶️🌶️🌶️– a lot of explicit action and dirty talk, occurring frequently with 2/3 lurvers

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – super graphic and explicit, occurring 4 or more times, can be more grey and taboo themed.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – Kinks and Fet!shism, explicit and super graphic. It is likely to be tushy play, toys, playrooms, and more dark / taboo fantasies and realities.

Read full review on ARC Library