Emily RathCritiques

North is Night opens the door of understanding that love has many forms, portrays a strength that binds one to another, examines choices and sacrifices, and allows the belief that one can only become one with many when one with self.

The gods return to claim their rightful place among those who have worshipped and feared them, the reader is introduced to long questioned and forgotten origins of tales passed down, and reminds us all of our inner determination to protect those whom we love.

Myths and legends come to life in this story of love in all its forms with bonds that chain minds and souls, choices and sacrifices, and becoming one with self and many.

Origins of gods, distorted and often long forgotten, are explained and rewritten.

North is Night is a love story in all its forms - love of heart, and love of soul, both important yet one more necessary than the other to survive. Read of myths and legends, gods and man each working to fulfill a prophesy while compromising to make sure each is fulfilled.

Fun and sexy novella. A great kickoff to Pucking Around, which I am reading now. Rath has a sense of humor that really really works for me, and a welcome capacity to embrace the beauty of pure smut between hot and highly amorous people. Yay!

Light & easy.

Did a LOT of skimming to get through this and I’m done with this author. Age gap not a favourite trope of mine but having the FMC older was nice. Maybe I’m reading too much but I have gotten sick of multiple sex scenes - it really does not drive a plot when virtually every other interaction is sexual. And when it’s always so gloriously transcendental ….yeah, right. ZZZZZZzzz…

Polyamory. Hm, learned some new things.
I usually avoid the RH books but this plot intrigued me. The introduction and intertwining of the love interests was written AS AN ACTUAL PLOT (yay!) that held my interest and made me care about the protagonists (although the FMC didn’t show the depth of the others- came off more like a rutting bunny). If you like spice, hoo boy! Plenty of it- too much for my taste so I just skimmed those after 50%. It is a long book- over 100 chapters- so I would have preferred more focus on plot and less on describing the sex.

I only bought this because there was meant to be a lot of sex in it but, after 20 pages, it was just taking too long to get to it.

Oookkaayyy. So I went into this book thinking of it as this super damn spicy, really hot, well written, descriptive story with a fascinating plot. It got 2/5 of these things.

Yes, it's fcking spicy. But that's the problem. I usually like spicy books, because this spice is earned well by the characters, and the spice itself is sort of as like the checkpoint, but in this book, spice was just the book. Like, I started by reading the prequel, which was just fckcing 100/200 pages of spice, and I understand that it's literally called 'That One Night', but I don't feel like it added too much to Pucking Around. We could've even fit in this prequel (downsized) into Pucking Around.

Pucking Around is rated as an 'ombre impression' book on my shelf, because it gives the ombre impression. I liked it at the beginning. It was interesting, captivating. Then it just went messy, and goddammit, the 'my men' thing is so fucking weird and disgusting. Like, its not even considered spice. It's just pure wtf. Like, she will be doing it with one person, right, and then she just randomly sits up and is like 'I want you now, Angel, come here' in that alluring voice, and then the other guy will come. Like wtf??? Idk, maybe this just isn't my type of trope, but the way she hugs them all together and calls them 'my men' like she's some fcking alpha girl or sum shit, it's just plain weird. I didn't like it.
The chapters were long. I hate long chapters.
Also, we got barely any scenes with Amy and Harrison, and even though they are constantly mentioned by Rachel and Jack, THEY NEVER APPEAR! Like, it's so annoying, because I want to pinpoint down what type of person they each are, but I CAN'T! Because I can't hear them talk! I don't know what type of person they are, how they react etc etc. Annoying. Underrated characters.

This book should actually be three books. It was very nearly brought down by its excess. It is like when you eat a hot Krispy Kreme and it is magical, nearly orgasmic. Then you reason that they won't be as good when they are no longer hot, and after all they are light as air and not terribly substantial, so you eat a second one. And then you tear off a little piece of the third and suddenly you are rocketed from delicious decadence to nausea and encroaching headache (not that such a thing has ever happened to me.) If this were two books, or better yet three books, I think we would have a 5-star on our hands, but as it is it is a 3.5 rounded up.

Briefly, this is the story of Rachel, a newly minted sports medicine doctor who is also the daughter of one of the most famous rock stars in the world (because of course she is) who earns a fellowship working with a team in the NHL. By-the-bye you meet her friends and family and her three lovers, two of whom are players on this team. There is a lot of sex, there are some hurdles, there is a tiny bit of eating and sleeping, there are injuries and interactions with team members, and did I mention a lot of sex? The story such as it is revolves around the burgeoning relationships (which are surprisingly sweet) and the struggle to build a life as a nontraditional family unit. When my son was in 3rd and 4th grade he had a classmate whose parents were a thruple of sorts (they were actually 2 couples with one shared partner and the other partners appeared to really kind of hate one another.) I am not gonna lie, it was a very liberal school with a number of kids with parents in relationships with same-sex partners and at least two parents who identified as trans, but all the other parents talked about the throuple A LOT. I mention this because it is indeed hard out there for a quadrouple, and that struggle provides a pretty sold narrative arc on its own. There are also subplots about the parties adjusting to sharing their love, athletes hiding injuries and living after injury derails a career you have worked for your whole life, floating under the radar when you have famous parents, and a few other things. I never felt bored, and I never felt like it was only about sex even though there is no question that there is really truly a lot of sex.

Lest you think I am overdramatizing the problem with the length of this book, I listened to the audio and it is 25-hours-long. Yes, 25! For comparison, Great Expectations is 18,5 hours. 25 hours of 3-ways and then 4-ways is just a lot. It is numbing. It starts to feel a little A Clockwork Orange. On the flipside, this is well written, it is funny and emotionally affecting, and within the world of erotica it has unusually good character development. Oh, and the sex is surprisingly sexy and sweet and unsurprisingly it is often absolutely filthy (in a good way.) Rath is perhaps a bit too much of a size queen, but for the most part the sexy times are fun (and frequent.) I really liked that there are defined one-on-one relationships in addition to each group member's relationship with the group as a whole and that it is not all about each man's relationships with Rachel, but also their sexual and nonsexual relationships with one another. Rath makes polyamory seem fun, if really truly exhausting.

I don't want to beat a dead horse with respect to the length of the book, but I took a break in the middle to read a more traditional romance, and I do not think I have ever taken a break from a romance to read another romance. One of the fun things about reading romance is that immersive feeling, but I lost that here because I was immersed too long and it started to feel like drowning. And there are some natural breaking points here to turn this into three books (there is the development of the thruple, the introduction of a fourth partner and further development of a M-M romance, and then the coming out as poly.) I will definitely read book 2 in the series, but not right away. In fact, I think I need a break from hockey romance for a bit (a genre that, perhaps surprisingly, I really like.)

I do truly recommend this, but maybe plan to spread out the read -- one sec, that sounds dirty -- plan to dip in and out -- one sec, that sounds dirty too -- just read the thing in parts and I expect you will have some fun

This is small vignettes of Rachel, Jake, Caleb, and Ilmari. I laughed so hard I had tears streaming down my face. Jake is using his superpower to pick out ice cream. They fight over who is their emergency contacts wondering why he or she isn't anothers. Rachel is pregnant and it's funny what happens with each pregnancy.

These shorts are funny and hot! I particularly liked the Emergency Contact story as it finally brings out what Caleb means to them all. The other one I liked was IKEA for Ilmari's birthday party. I about died reading that one I laughed so hard. These four have built a strong family together. It may be unconventional, but it works. When they bring babies into it, you just fall in love all over again with the Prices.

Now on to the next book. I can't wait!

Rachel takes the place of the person who was to go to the Jacksonville Rays hockey team for the Barkley Fellowship as he was injured. Having problems with her airline reservations, she finally makes it to Tampa where she is met by Caleb, an equipment manager for the team. Her checked-in luggage is lost, and when she finally meets Caleb, her carry-on luggage falls apart embarrassing her with its contents. He delivers her to her apartment which is next door to his. She manages to lock herself out of her apartment on the balcony her first night there and needs Caleb to help her. When she finally begins her job the next day, she runs into Jake, but he doesn't seem to remember her from Seattle. When he does, they get involved in the parking lot, but they also have an argument. Rachel meets the others she will be working with. She brings Ilmari, the goalie, out of his shell. Now who will she choose?

I loved this book. It was hot and heavy and graphic. It is a long book, but I totally get why it is long. It has to be for the character development and plot development and all the loving. There is some angst as Rachel is always worried about the press catching her doing anything wrong as she is the daughter of a rock star and had addiction issues in the past along with the bad press to go with it. She is also attracted to three men with the team. There is a no fraternization clause in all their contracts, so they keep everything on the down low. Rachel and Jake pick up where they left off in Seattle. Caleb comes out of his shell for Rachel but also lets Jake know what he means to him. Ilmari seems like the odd one out in this mix, but he and Rachel share a bond. She becomes his good luck charm as she is trying to get him to admit his groin injury may be something other than a pull. It is her job to keep all the players in good physical condition.

Eventually their secrets come out, and Rachel bears the brunt of it. The guys come up with a plan.
I loved when Rachel had to meet with the General Manager. I laughed when the GM shows her the folder he has on her and tells her how hard she is making his job. I liked that her family supported her through it all. I liked that the rest of the team supported her, Jake, Ilmari, and Caleb.

I laughed throughout this book. It is such a feel-good book. I just had so much fun reading it. I liked that Rachel has a different relationship with each man. That they were able to build a family together without jealousy coming between them. I loved that each man brought something different to the relationship and that each one got something from the others. They build a strong cohesive unit. It truly is a all for one and one for all.

I look forward to more of this series.

Rachel is in Seattle for her twin brother's wedding. She receives word the next morning that she did not get the Barkley Fellowship she had been working towards. She leaves the family's brunch and goes to the hotel bar where she is hit on by a guy who is egged on by his friends. She is trying to be nice, but she's fed up. Jake sees her predicament and comes up pretending she is his sister. His twin sister's flight has been cancelled leaving him alone for the vacation the two were planning on. As Jake and Rachel talk, they are attracted to each other. Will they act on that attraction?

Boy, do they act on that attraction! I loved it! It is just the two of them, but it is a night of no names, no questions, no stories. Rachel's plane is leaving the next morning. Jake wants her to stay. Rachel sneaks out the next morning before Jake can wake up. He is her Mystery Boy. She is his Seattle Girl.

This was hot! Just the way I like my romances. It's down and dirty and graphic. It doesn't get any better.

I look forward to the series.

4.5 ⭐️/5
3

first-in-series
[edit]
A why choose MMFM romance. This is one of those books where you take the reality out of it. Realize it's fiction and just enjoy the journey.

Rachel and Jake had a history and when she joins his hockey team he wants to finish what they had started in Seattle. Caleb is Jake's friend and what his teammates call Jake's DML (domestic life partner). Caleb got injured during his first NHL game and never played again now he's the equipment manager. Ilmari is Finnish and is the goalie.

The story has many twists and turns and when you think they will finally get their HEA another obstacle gets in the way. But all works out in the end.

The story is there, the spice is extra spicy, and the characters are enjoyable.

Pucking Wild
ARC Reader, Honest Review

Upfront:
Hockey Romance
MF
She’s plus-sized, has an aversion to clothes, and has a toxic ex
He’s a Swiftie, falls first, and is fascinated by toys
The spice is nice, but not the highest Dr. Emily Rath has delivered

Pay attention to that toxic ex bit - read your TWs - this book is heavier than I expected

Pucking Wild starts when Pucking Around ends and follows Rachel’s bestie Tess as her world changes rapidly. Suddenly she’s accidentally roommates with Ryan, and spicey antics begin (to Mars’s dismay). Then the romance hits (not to Mars’ dismay).

Jake, Cay, and Mars come back with perfection and Dr. Emily Rath beautifully sets the story for the next installment, Pucking Sweet. I cannot wait for Pucking Ever After Volume 2.

Pucking Wild is very different from Pucking Around. There was not as much joy. Fewer giggles. It is much deeper than I was up for (mood reader) and left me wanting. PW feels incomplete.

HOWEVER, none of that stops me from starting my reread immediately. Because the writing is great, and Jake, Cay and Mars make every story worth reading.

4.5 ⭐️/5
3 🌶️/5
Another phenomenal book from Emily Rath. I am so excited to have made it on to the arc team for this book.

This book is a little different from the other Emily Rath books I have read, I feel like this mainly has to do with how the problems Tess has to deal with are treated and while the problems are a lot darker they still get dealt with in a really nice and thoughtful way. It also has that certified sweet and funny banter that made Pucking Around so much fun. Also while his problems aren’t dealt with as in-depthly as Tess’s, I love Ryan Langley with my whole heart. I now desperately want an organized Virgo boy in my life.

On top of the romance with Tess and Ryan though I really loved the friendship between Tess and Mars that got built up during this book. The story did a really good job about developing all relationships, not just romantic ones, which always brings romance books to a higher level for me.

This book surpassed my expectations, Emily Rath has been one of my favourite authors I’ve picked up this year and I’m truly looking forward to everything that is coming out now and in the future.

p.s. I love Sully and Shelby with my whole heart. Crossing my fingers that maybe we get a prequel with them in the future.

heart eyes

I love this series. Love, love, love! It’s funny, sexy, spicy, and filled with all different views of love. I can’t wait to see what comes next

Disappointed

Halfway through I started flipping through the pages, hoping it would get better or less boring. It didn't. I could see a regency reverse harem working in a few other ways, this wasn't it. The characters' behavior was ridiculous. The ending was not satisfying. The main character's reaction to sex was not what a regency virgin or (possibly abused) woman would do. Blah.