Charming Puckboy: Puckboys, Book 10

OMG! I'm crying at the end of this series. I've read all of the books in the series and will miss the quirky, bigger than life characters so much. Lachie and Sam's story is a great wrap to the series. Lachie is just an easy-going and laid-back guy; so much so that lost and injured animals have always gravitated toward him for help. As a teen, this led to time spent with his crush, Sam the animal shelter director. Now years later, he's grown up and playing hockey, so he hasn't been home that often. During the after-season summer break, a very pregnant stray cat finds him, so of course he heads to the shelter where he runs into his crush once again. Seems like those old feelings of attraction haven't gone away. Sam is stunned to see the grown man that Lachie has turned into. Not a sports fan, he doesn't realize the lanky teen he used to know has grown up to play pro hockey. All of that work has done Lachie good and the sparks fly. Despite trying to stay away from the years younger Lachie, Sam finds himself drawn to him. Lachie's all about turning on the charm to get a chance with the man he's crushed on for years. Persistence pays off as the pair begin what's just supposed to be a summer fling. Of course, things get complicated from there. Both Sam and Lachie are sweet and caring men. Sam's kind heart leads him to devote his life to helping animals while Lachie quietly supports summer hockey camps for kids that wouldn't otherwise have a chance to work at the sport. Lachie's…

4.5 stars. I keep waiting until I can be a little less emotional to do this, but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. So. Try as I might, I could only stall for so long on finishing this. The end had to come eventually. My really quick spoiler-free thoughts are: - Loathed the parents. They needed to be fired and seriously argued with. - There was a point after the halfway mark where it started to lag just a little, and even though I fully understand why, it did start to feel just a little repetitive. - As it is with all the Puckboy books, they take too long to confess to loving each other. I'm just not a fan of the "Do I love him? I hope so" or "I think I can" or "I think I'm starting to" language when we're well past the halfway point. There is nothing these characters wouldn't do for each other, it's just the wording itself sometimes that feels a little too sanitized in a way that I don't like. Those are my little nitpicks. I can't even properly list what I loved though because I'm too overwhelmed. Where do I even start? The humor that had me laughing every chapter? The too-adorable way animals flocked to Lachie every second? The unbearably wonderful yearning we get from Lachie and his blatant love for Sam? The painful and perfect last chapter? The characters that have felt like family for the last few years? Ohhh God, I have been sobbing on and off the past three days, and no matter how much I tried to keep from finishing, I just couldn't do it, the…

OMG… this is the end. The end of such a beautiful era, and I’m feeling equal parts full and a little heartbroken about it. This was the perfect conclusion to a truly special series, one that started with two incredible players and grew into a deeply loved, unforgettable family. And yes, Lachie and Sam absolutely delivered. Lachie finally gets his happily ever after… and honestly, his Prince Charming couldn’t be more perfect. Of course someone who effortlessly connects with animals would be a bit of a Disney Princess at heart, and Sam saw that from the very beginning. Animals always know, don’t they? They sense kindness, warmth, and something genuine, and that’s exactly who Lachie is. All it took was one summer. One trip back home. One small creature in need that led Lachie straight to the vet… and straight back to Sam, his first crush. That moment when they see each other again after all those years? It felt like everything shifted. Like something that was always meant to be simply found its way back. What begins as a summer filled with chemistry, laughter, and undeniable attraction quickly deepens into something much more meaningful. Watching them navigate that shift, from something fleeting to something real, was so beautiful. Both Lachie and Sam are forced to confront change, to release what’s familiar, and to take a leap into the unknown for a chance at something lasting. What I loved most is that they didn’t pretend it would be easy. They knew this was supposed to…

Oh how I absolutely LOVE Lachie and Sam. Eden and Saxon really did an amazing job with these two’s story. They saved the best for last. I cried at the start with the dedication. I laughed so much. I had so many tears, the whole last chapter was blurry because of my tears. I cannot believe the end is here, but I’m so happy that I got to experience the journey Saxon and Eden took us with not only Sam & Lachie, but the whole Queer Collective. Lachie really is a younger Ezra, and so so lovable. The Queer Collective has their shenanigans again in the beginning and I was laughing so hard. I love these group of men so so much. The ending???? Yes I cried at the ending, but I love seeing how all the characters grew and where their lives were taking them. Eden and Saxon really ended this series so greatly.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 Spice: 3 of 5 Angst: 2 of 5 Read if: - This is the last in this series! You have made it this far! Just read it. Gold Star. - The idea of finally getting to act on your childhood crush is a secret (no-so-secret) dream. - Wildlife rehab meets Disney Princess? Yes please! Skip if: - You don’t really like lust-to-love. - You don’t like young main characters. Lachie is like 21 (maybe 22) in this one and at times really feels it. - You are looking for a lot of character development. This one is more about fitting current personalities together rather than either party having to make a lot of self-reflective changes. Not a knock! Just an observation. I dropped a star because there were a few things that just weren’t 100% my taste - but I can acknowledge that other readers might not have the same reaction as I did to them. It's a solid story. People who love the Puckboy universe (like myself) are going to be predisposed to gobble this one up (and I did). I can also see how this one could be some readers’ favorite of the series. It just didn’t quite make it there for me and is probably going to come in somewhere in the bottom half if I ever had the urge to rank them. Lachie is a delight. No question about it. Not nearly as chaotic as he has been in the previous books and – for the most part – feels like a throwback to the Frat Wars style days in terms of character development. I will say, the “disney princess” persona continues to be top notch (and I…