Review: Poke Check

Poke Check by R.J. Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We are back in the world of the team, the Harrisburg Railers. This time it’s Stan, the goalie’s turn. I’ve been waiting for Stan’s story since we first met him in book one. He was such an engaging character there. And I couldn’t wait to see what the authors were going to do with his story.

We’ve had glimpses of Stan in the previous 3 stories. As the mother of a goalie, I can attest to the fact that they are all strange and unique. So, I totally got Stan talking to his pipes. I know that the pipes are a goalie’s best friend. And each time we met Stan, his broken English makes us laugh. I love Stan, he’s quirky and fun. He’s also stoic, yet caring, such a mix of contrasts.

At the beginning, I wasn’t sure I even liked Erik. He broke Stan’s heart, after all. But then we learn why. And as the story goes along, we start to like Erik. He thought he was doing the right thing, the best for everyone involved. After his decision, his heart was broken too. And then further on into the story, we love Erik. He’s so devoted to his son, Noah. Erik and Noah fulfill all of Stan’s dreams.

The rest of the gang from the other books show up here, and it’s nice to see them. Added to the mix here, are Stan’s sister, Galina and his mom. I love the side story with Galina and Arvy falling for each other. The one character I never warmed up to was Noah’s mother, Freja. And yet, at the end, she did the right thing for everyone.

As with all the previous stories in this series, it’s well written. With great characters. The hockey elements are spot on. The authors did a great job with how quirky and superstitious goalies can be. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.


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