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Kings of Heart #2
Make the Play
Jason Jason King has everything he could ever want—an amazing best friend, great relationships with his family, a job he loves, and the best fur babies in the whole world. He doesn't need a partner to share that with, and the burn in his chest when his baby brother snuggles up to his lifelong best friend is definitely indigestion and not jealousy, thanks. But when he self-appoints himself as the new English teacher's welcoming committee and catches unexpected feelings, it throws everything he thought he knew about himself into chaos.
Emerson Emerson Miller has always known he's different—people have told him so his entire life. As a high-masking autistic person, he's spent years trying to fit in, but now, he's ready to embrace his true self. Moving to Southern California for his dream teaching job is his chance to unmask and carve out his own path. With the support of his new friend and fellow teacher, Jason King, it finally feels possible. That is, as long as he doesn't fall in love first.
Make the Play features a golden retriever football coach who thinks he's straight until he meets the new introverted, autistic English teacher at his high school. Expect a bisexual awakening, the sweetest of first times, neuroaffirming love, and a guaranteed HEA.
Emerson Emerson Miller has always known he's different—people have told him so his entire life. As a high-masking autistic person, he's spent years trying to fit in, but now, he's ready to embrace his true self. Moving to Southern California for his dream teaching job is his chance to unmask and carve out his own path. With the support of his new friend and fellow teacher, Jason King, it finally feels possible. That is, as long as he doesn't fall in love first.
Make the Play features a golden retriever football coach who thinks he's straight until he meets the new introverted, autistic English teacher at his high school. Expect a bisexual awakening, the sweetest of first times, neuroaffirming love, and a guaranteed HEA.
Audible Audio
First published April 23, 2025
About the author
Lucky Hart
4 books325 followersLucky writes character-driven, contemporary mm romance. Her debut novel CROSS THE LINE came out in 2024, and began the series “Kings of Heart”, each featuring one of four brothers on their sometimes messy, sometimes tender paths to happy ever after. MAKE THE PLAY, coming 4.23.25 continues this series of interconnected standalones.
Lucky is a millennial who grew up on fanfic, a lifelong West Coast resident, and a Canva Pro enthusiast. Queer and neurodivergent representation is deeply important to her as a member of both communities, and she loves exploring intersectional experiences through her fiction as a writer and a reader.
When she's not writing, her favorite things include drinking coffee, walking on the beach, staying up late to finish her latest read, and filling her house with rainbows.
Lucky is a millennial who grew up on fanfic, a lifelong West Coast resident, and a Canva Pro enthusiast. Queer and neurodivergent representation is deeply important to her as a member of both communities, and she loves exploring intersectional experiences through her fiction as a writer and a reader.
When she's not writing, her favorite things include drinking coffee, walking on the beach, staying up late to finish her latest read, and filling her house with rainbows.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 529 reviews
April 16, 2025
This book is a warm hug. I devoured it in less than 24 hours and tried to savor every moment cause AHHHHH all the feels 🥹
Another beautifully done slow burn from this author. I was a huge fan of Lucky’s debut and so I was eagerly awaiting Jason’s book. Let me tell you, she *did not* disappoint.
Sweet and emotional and loaded with all the chest aching moments you could ever want out of a slow burn romance. You could FEEL these two falling in love.
The characters are opposites attract to the max. The sexual awakening and first times were so well done. Emerson and Jason give soul mate vibes. 🥹
Loved getting to see the couple from the previous book! The Alec and Theo cameos were gold, and I seriously can’t wait to read the twins’ stories.
“You want to be mine, Emmy?” Emerson is quite certain he’s never wanted anything more in his entire life than to belong to Jason.
Check this book if you enjoy:
Opposites attract
Low angst
Slow burn
Autism rep
Sexual awakening
First times
Another beautifully done slow burn from this author. I was a huge fan of Lucky’s debut and so I was eagerly awaiting Jason’s book. Let me tell you, she *did not* disappoint.
Sweet and emotional and loaded with all the chest aching moments you could ever want out of a slow burn romance. You could FEEL these two falling in love.
The characters are opposites attract to the max. The sexual awakening and first times were so well done. Emerson and Jason give soul mate vibes. 🥹
Loved getting to see the couple from the previous book! The Alec and Theo cameos were gold, and I seriously can’t wait to read the twins’ stories.
“You want to be mine, Emmy?” Emerson is quite certain he’s never wanted anything more in his entire life than to belong to Jason.
Check this book if you enjoy:
Opposites attract
Low angst
Slow burn
Autism rep
Sexual awakening
First times
July 27, 2026
The smile hasn’t left my face throughout the book .. Too much cuteness 🥺
May 1, 2025
This book was pure autistic joy and made me feel all warm and cosy inside 💚
I absolutely loved the autism representation. Emerson’s character felt so well written and relatable in pretty much every way. Jason was a wonderful friend and partner to him, and their dynamic was everything—supportive, gentle, and just really lovely to watch unfold. Seeing them go from awkward strangers to close friends to a soft, swoony romance was genuinely such a joy.
My only complaint would be the pacing though. The start felt a bit scattered and hard to get into, and after a long (but very satisfying) slow burn, things ramped up a little too quickly right at the end. I would’ve loved a couple more chapters to slow things down and really sit in the tenderness of them becoming a couple, to let them explore what that looks like, and build up sexually, instead of going all-in immediately.
Overall, this was a beautiful read, and I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for thoughtful neurodivergent rep and comforting vibes.
I absolutely loved the autism representation. Emerson’s character felt so well written and relatable in pretty much every way. Jason was a wonderful friend and partner to him, and their dynamic was everything—supportive, gentle, and just really lovely to watch unfold. Seeing them go from awkward strangers to close friends to a soft, swoony romance was genuinely such a joy.
My only complaint would be the pacing though. The start felt a bit scattered and hard to get into, and after a long (but very satisfying) slow burn, things ramped up a little too quickly right at the end. I would’ve loved a couple more chapters to slow things down and really sit in the tenderness of them becoming a couple, to let them explore what that looks like, and build up sexually, instead of going all-in immediately.
Overall, this was a beautiful read, and I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for thoughtful neurodivergent rep and comforting vibes.
June 25, 2026
Я хочу жити в світі цієї книги. Де існують такі люди як Джейсон і Емерсон. І обов'язково хочу з ними дружити.
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Він, можливо, ще не дуже добре його знає, але знає достатньо, щоб бути впевненим, що Емерсон потребує чогось іншого. Можливо, тому що Емерсон інший. Можливо, це через тихе гудіння тривоги навколо нього або його несподівану чесність. А може, це через те, що Джейсон дуже сильно підозрює, що він нейровідмінний і бореться, але все в ньому пробуджує в Джейсоні бажання захищати.
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Я тебе підтримаю. Обіцяю. Ти не мусиш бути кимось іншим, крім себе, Емерсоне.
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Куточки губ Емерсона піднімаються в посмішці, і її широта є відчутною річчю, яку Джейсон відчуває прямо в центрі своїх грудей. Ця посмішка, відкрита і щира, змушує серце Джейсона битися швидше. Усі повинні виглядати такими щасливими, особливо Емерсон.
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Джейсон Кінг — це подарунок, і Емерсон не має уявлення, чим він заслужив його.
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Він, можливо, ще не дуже добре його знає, але знає достатньо, щоб бути впевненим, що Емерсон потребує чогось іншого. Можливо, тому що Емерсон інший. Можливо, це через тихе гудіння тривоги навколо нього або його несподівану чесність. А може, це через те, що Джейсон дуже сильно підозрює, що він нейровідмінний і бореться, але все в ньому пробуджує в Джейсоні бажання захищати.
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Я тебе підтримаю. Обіцяю. Ти не мусиш бути кимось іншим, крім себе, Емерсоне.
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Куточки губ Емерсона піднімаються в посмішці, і її широта є відчутною річчю, яку Джейсон відчуває прямо в центрі своїх грудей. Ця посмішка, відкрита і щира, змушує серце Джейсона битися швидше. Усі повинні виглядати такими щасливими, особливо Емерсон.
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Джейсон Кінг — це подарунок, і Емерсон не має уявлення, чим він заслужив його.
April 10, 2025
4.5⭐️ This felt like a love letter to all the kids who never fit into their high school or families for that matter. Emerson is the new freshmen English teacher and Jason is the beloved gym teacher/head football coach. As the story unfolds we learn that Emerson has run off to a small Oceanside town in SoCal to feel closer to his late mother and he’s doing this all on his own while navigating the world as an autistic person. Jason provides a safe place for Emerson by having an innate understanding of what he needs. So much kindness, warmth, and above all else the complete opposite of ableism. Jason doesn’t just recognize Emmy’s needs, he loves them. All the behaviors that Emerson’s family loathed, Jason wants more of.
I asked for this arc not realizing the representation would hit so close to home. My brother is an adult with autism who masked until our father passed. We realized quickly from there that he may be on the spectrum but he wasn’t diagnosed until age 45. This may have hit particularly hard for me because of my personal experience but I have a feeling everyone can relate to either Jason or Emerson in some ways. I hope no kids have to wait to be seen like Emerson or my brother these days.
Read this book if you want to be left with all the warm fuzzies.
I asked for this arc not realizing the representation would hit so close to home. My brother is an adult with autism who masked until our father passed. We realized quickly from there that he may be on the spectrum but he wasn’t diagnosed until age 45. This may have hit particularly hard for me because of my personal experience but I have a feeling everyone can relate to either Jason or Emerson in some ways. I hope no kids have to wait to be seen like Emerson or my brother these days.
Read this book if you want to be left with all the warm fuzzies.
June 12, 2026
Probably a me-issue. Technically, everything about this was good. My heart just didn't connect with it. I have zero complaints but did not love it, for some unknown reason.
August 1, 2026
Make the Play is sweet. I like the characters very much. I like how Miss Hart respectfully treating Emerson neurodivergent with such care and gentleness. The banter is sweet.
Love this book.
4 stars
Love this book.
4 stars
May 15, 2026
I loved Jason & Emmy so much, they really had me over here kicking my feet 😭 My heart honestly broke for Emmy reading about his childhood and struggles of not being understood at all by his family growing up. Jason is a big giant softie sunshine teddy bear & I love him so much. He was so gentle & sweet and it was so cute seeing him all blushing & flustered around Emmy when he was realizing his feelings. I love that Emmy was able to be himself around Jason with no worries and I just love how much Jason loves him (& vice versa). I just adore them so much & they are so perfect for each other. They’re so honest & trusting with each other, & definitely an opposites attract type of situation but they just fit so well.
This was such a sweet and emotional book & the slow burn, friends to lovers in this one really worked so well for them. Some of the descriptions & inner monologues in this were a littleeee long & just too much, but I still loved this so I didn’t care that much overall!
Fav parts:
Jason is Emerson’s favorite person in the entire world. He’s the person he wants to see even when he doesn’t want to be around anyone. Jason is everything good in the world, and Emerson is maybe a little bit in love with him.
“I see you, Emmy. I see your bravery and intelligence and kindness, and I like it all. You are so fucking special, and I like you. I like you so damn much it should scare me, but all I feel is excitement. Liking you feels like the moment right before a game when there’s nothing but possibility and hope.”
“I like you when you can’t stop talking and when the words won’t come, and I like you when you stare at me so hard I feel like you’re trying to see my soul and when you squeeze those pretty eyes of yours shut. Whatever version of you I get, it’s still you, still my Emmy.”
This was such a sweet and emotional book & the slow burn, friends to lovers in this one really worked so well for them. Some of the descriptions & inner monologues in this were a littleeee long & just too much, but I still loved this so I didn’t care that much overall!
Fav parts:
Jason is Emerson’s favorite person in the entire world. He’s the person he wants to see even when he doesn’t want to be around anyone. Jason is everything good in the world, and Emerson is maybe a little bit in love with him.
“I see you, Emmy. I see your bravery and intelligence and kindness, and I like it all. You are so fucking special, and I like you. I like you so damn much it should scare me, but all I feel is excitement. Liking you feels like the moment right before a game when there’s nothing but possibility and hope.”
“I like you when you can’t stop talking and when the words won’t come, and I like you when you stare at me so hard I feel like you’re trying to see my soul and when you squeeze those pretty eyes of yours shut. Whatever version of you I get, it’s still you, still my Emmy.”
April 7, 2025
I fear that this book is going to be my new obsession. Reading this book gave me the same feeling as putting on a fluffy bathrobe still warm from the dryer. Jason and Emerson are absolutely precious and I loved their dynamic. Jason is just the perfect golden retriever caretaker and I loved how open he is with his students and Emerson. He never tries to "fix" or infantilize Emmy but the love and support he showed him first as a friend and then later as he started to recognize his feelings was just so heartwarming.
June 19, 2025
this is insanely cute and wholesome but goddamn the descriptions. they almost killed me. i genuinely don’t need to know about every micro action the character does, mainly because i don’t give a shit.
but the characters are absolutely 10/10
but the characters are absolutely 10/10
August 9, 2026
”Nothing is forever. There’s always another chance.”
this book was actually quite cute. I think it might even be one of the best books I’ve read when it comes to autistic representation, and Emerson was such a lovely character. Jason was honestly a perfect fit for him, but one thing I didn’t quite love was that he was lowkey too perfect? Like, no flaws in sight whatsoever.🥲
And as a neurodivergent person myself, I obviously love reading about characters who are accepted exactly as they are for the first time in their life, without having to mask. But in this case, it almost felt too good to be true and made the whole thing a little unbelievable for me.
Also, the fact that all four brothers are queer and each one has their own book… such a pet peeve of mine when suddenly everyone is queer and everyone gets a book (ahhh, maybe that’s weird of me, but I really don’t like it at all🫣).
Overall, though, this was such a soft and easy read, and I’m glad I picked it up. I’m not particularly interested in reading the other books in the series, but I’m sure Emmy’s character will stay with me for a while.💚🐕
this book was actually quite cute. I think it might even be one of the best books I’ve read when it comes to autistic representation, and Emerson was such a lovely character. Jason was honestly a perfect fit for him, but one thing I didn’t quite love was that he was lowkey too perfect? Like, no flaws in sight whatsoever.🥲
And as a neurodivergent person myself, I obviously love reading about characters who are accepted exactly as they are for the first time in their life, without having to mask. But in this case, it almost felt too good to be true and made the whole thing a little unbelievable for me.
Also, the fact that all four brothers are queer and each one has their own book… such a pet peeve of mine when suddenly everyone is queer and everyone gets a book (ahhh, maybe that’s weird of me, but I really don’t like it at all🫣).
Overall, though, this was such a soft and easy read, and I’m glad I picked it up. I’m not particularly interested in reading the other books in the series, but I’m sure Emmy’s character will stay with me for a while.💚🐕
September 14, 2025
2.5 rounded down.
My history reading gay romances is long and sordid, but in recent years - specifically between 2020 to 2023 - I read at least a thousand gay romances. This is not hyperbole. I moved away from the genre for a couple reasons. First, I felt like I had already read all of the "good" books in the genre - when 9/10 books are garbage, I just don't see the point in trying to find that one jewel in a pile of pig shit. Second, I started to feel very, very icky about the genre. This gross feeling is, insofar as I have identified it, the result of commodification (and occasional fetishization) of sexual minorities and genders by writers and readers alike. The fact that one of the largest m/m romance message boards in the internet bans people for this very critique is proof that, well, I'm not wrong. (And if anyone wants to discuss this in more detail, please feel free to contact me. I love to talk about this stuff, and surprisingly few people think it's fun to talk academically about gay romances.)
Anyways, on occasion I see a gay romance that looks interesting enough to read. Make the Play by Lucky Hart ended up being one of those books. The high rating (4.32 on Goodreads at the time of writing this review) and the fact that the book features a neurodivergent protagonist while written by a neurodivergent author made this book seem promising.
Unfortunately, the book features all the same things that bother me in other m/m romances. Though the book really doesn't feature any ableism, Emerson acts like a ten-year-old throughout. He is also, in comparison to his tall, straight (but really bisexual), and biracial love interest Jason, a short(er), pretty, and at times almost feminine-coded virginal bottom. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with this - people like Emerson really do exist. But it's just more of the same in the m/m romance world. Why can't the neurodivergent character be masculine, or tall, or not white? Why is the big, macho boyfriend always BIPOC? If you went through this book and changed Emerson's pronouns to she/her there would be next to no change in plot, characterization, or attitudes of the other characters. Whether y'all want to admit it or not, gender plays a huge role in our lives, and ignoring this is... not good.
But honestly, my bigger issue with this book is the writing. Third person present tense drives me nuts. The fact that the protagonists both fall into 3+ page reveries multiple times mid conversation drives me nuts. The way the storyline of the only antagonist is introduced and later resolved (???) drives me nuts. The brothers all drive me nuts.
Anyways, do I recommend this book? No, not really. But I am also highly critical about the m/m romance genre, so there's that. If you like size differences; not-so-great-but-hey-what-do-I-know neurodivergent-OwnVoices rep; teacher romance; and bi-awakening, this is your book, I guess.
My history reading gay romances is long and sordid, but in recent years - specifically between 2020 to 2023 - I read at least a thousand gay romances. This is not hyperbole. I moved away from the genre for a couple reasons. First, I felt like I had already read all of the "good" books in the genre - when 9/10 books are garbage, I just don't see the point in trying to find that one jewel in a pile of pig shit. Second, I started to feel very, very icky about the genre. This gross feeling is, insofar as I have identified it, the result of commodification (and occasional fetishization) of sexual minorities and genders by writers and readers alike. The fact that one of the largest m/m romance message boards in the internet bans people for this very critique is proof that, well, I'm not wrong. (And if anyone wants to discuss this in more detail, please feel free to contact me. I love to talk about this stuff, and surprisingly few people think it's fun to talk academically about gay romances.)
Anyways, on occasion I see a gay romance that looks interesting enough to read. Make the Play by Lucky Hart ended up being one of those books. The high rating (4.32 on Goodreads at the time of writing this review) and the fact that the book features a neurodivergent protagonist while written by a neurodivergent author made this book seem promising.
Unfortunately, the book features all the same things that bother me in other m/m romances. Though the book really doesn't feature any ableism, Emerson acts like a ten-year-old throughout. He is also, in comparison to his tall, straight (but really bisexual), and biracial love interest Jason, a short(er), pretty, and at times almost feminine-coded virginal bottom. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with this - people like Emerson really do exist. But it's just more of the same in the m/m romance world. Why can't the neurodivergent character be masculine, or tall, or not white? Why is the big, macho boyfriend always BIPOC? If you went through this book and changed Emerson's pronouns to she/her there would be next to no change in plot, characterization, or attitudes of the other characters. Whether y'all want to admit it or not, gender plays a huge role in our lives, and ignoring this is... not good.
But honestly, my bigger issue with this book is the writing. Third person present tense drives me nuts. The fact that the protagonists both fall into 3+ page reveries multiple times mid conversation drives me nuts. The way the storyline of the only antagonist is introduced and later resolved (???) drives me nuts. The brothers all drive me nuts.
Anyways, do I recommend this book? No, not really. But I am also highly critical about the m/m romance genre, so there's that. If you like size differences; not-so-great-but-hey-what-do-I-know neurodivergent-OwnVoices rep; teacher romance; and bi-awakening, this is your book, I guess.
April 5, 2026
I'm loving this series so much!!
This one had a little bit more about the characters work life and I thought it might be a problem because sorry but I couldn't care less about football but it's just my luck that Emerson shares the same opinion lol
This book is big awakening and it has an autistic main character. I love the way the author handles abuse in the first book and a neurodivergent character in this one, it's very week done.
Now onto the next one that I've been told is very different(I'm a little apprehensive ngl)
This one had a little bit more about the characters work life and I thought it might be a problem because sorry but I couldn't care less about football but it's just my luck that Emerson shares the same opinion lol
This book is big awakening and it has an autistic main character. I love the way the author handles abuse in the first book and a neurodivergent character in this one, it's very week done.
Now onto the next one that I've been told is very different(I'm a little apprehensive ngl)
April 18, 2025
this book was beautifully written. i loved emerson so much ): this book made me realize how similar i am to emmy and it made me feel safe.
i loved jason and how much he loves emerson!!! i’m so emotional 😭😭😭😭😭
also now i have this urge of building legos …. emerson putting his legos on the bookshelves, he’s just like meeee
the intimacy between those two was beautiful and im so happy to read how they felt safe and comfortable with each other
i loved jason and how much he loves emerson!!! i’m so emotional 😭😭😭😭😭
also now i have this urge of building legos …. emerson putting his legos on the bookshelves, he’s just like meeee
the intimacy between those two was beautiful and im so happy to read how they felt safe and comfortable with each other
December 3, 2025
That's the most comforting book I've ever read in my life
August 30, 2026
This was the absolute sweetest, drama free, slowburny romance between two absolute cinnamon rolls! New top 10 comfort read unlocked!
Also amazing autistic rec (and does Jason know he’s pretty adhd coded as well lmao?).
Also amazing autistic rec (and does Jason know he’s pretty adhd coded as well lmao?).
April 14, 2025
Emerson and Jason were just everything. This is my first book I've read from Lucky and once I started this book I couldn't put it down!!! I can't wait to read the rest of this series.
💚Friends to lovers
🌻Slow Burn
💚Autism Rep
🌻Teacher x coach
💚Bi-Awakening
🌻First Times
💚Friends to lovers
🌻Slow Burn
💚Autism Rep
🌻Teacher x coach
💚Bi-Awakening
🌻First Times
December 10, 2025
“Jason is Emerson’s favorite person in the entire world. He’s the person he wants to see even when he doesn’t want to be around anyone. Jason is everything good in the world, and Emerson is maybe a little bit in love with him.”
“Staring at those wide, green eyes all Jason can think is that Emerson is his favorite person. Even if nothing ever comes of his new feelings that would be okay; if nothing ever changes between them and all he ever gets are morning commutes and shared lunches and a phone full of text messages it will be enough because Emerson is enough. Emerson is everything.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ five out out of five stars .ᐟ.ᐟ
jason & emerson were each others FAVORITE person and every time the two of them thought that i just melted inside
this whole book felt an extra warm cup of cocoa on a snowy day. i felt cavities start to grow in my teeth from how sweet jason & emerson were toward each other. when i say give me slow burn friends to lovers give me THIS: where fundamentally the two characters click in a way they can with no one else. first and foremost jason & emerson were believable friends. the two of them might have vastly different interests but from the start the two of them were just looking for a connection. that connection blossomed into friendship which blossomed into something else as the two of them got to know each other.
also, the way neurodiversity is presented in this book made me feel very seen & jason king is in fact the standard for whole heartedly supporting emerson in whatever way he needed
love love loved this! i did skim occasionally because the descriptions were a bit too much at times but it didn’t take away at all from how much i enjoyed the characters and this book overall ❤️
April 19, 2025
"𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎. 𝙸𝚝’𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚏𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐."
Hold up. Did I just read my favorite book of the year? In April? It's definitely staying in the top 5, I'm calling it now. Jason and Emerson are top tier swoon material and my insides 'Kermit flailed' for their entirety.
This is book 2 in the Kings of Heart series...I haven't read book 1 (yet) but the teasers did their job with this one. The neurodivergent rep and promise of soft boys had me sprinting to the arc signup. You guys...my eyes were leaking by chapter 3 and just never stopped. Not sad tears though. These were the full heart tears of familiarity. When you see yourself and/or the people you love in the characters you're reading and there's that click of connection. This kind of story is the reason I read books, you know?
So what's the book about? I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU. It's about this sweet, giant, golden retriever of a man, Jason King. It's about Emerson Miller and his huge leap into the life he's always wanted for himself. It's about Jason meeting Emerson and seeing something in him that no one else ever has. Showing Emerson that he doesn't have to hide; that every part of him is worth knowing and loving - and experiencing some pretty epic self-discovery in the process.
I am so in love with every single part of this story. Pretty sure I say that a lot, but I especially mean it with this one. Jason is pure sunshine and I adore the way he shows up for Emerson. This is a story of fictional characters, yes. But it's also a beautiful message to the reader: You are not too much. Whatever the circumstances, you deserve to be seen and loved exactly as you are. And the ones on your team will never make you feel otherwise.
*I received an arc in exchange for an honest review
Hold up. Did I just read my favorite book of the year? In April? It's definitely staying in the top 5, I'm calling it now. Jason and Emerson are top tier swoon material and my insides 'Kermit flailed' for their entirety.
This is book 2 in the Kings of Heart series...I haven't read book 1 (yet) but the teasers did their job with this one. The neurodivergent rep and promise of soft boys had me sprinting to the arc signup. You guys...my eyes were leaking by chapter 3 and just never stopped. Not sad tears though. These were the full heart tears of familiarity. When you see yourself and/or the people you love in the characters you're reading and there's that click of connection. This kind of story is the reason I read books, you know?
So what's the book about? I WOULD LOVE TO TELL YOU. It's about this sweet, giant, golden retriever of a man, Jason King. It's about Emerson Miller and his huge leap into the life he's always wanted for himself. It's about Jason meeting Emerson and seeing something in him that no one else ever has. Showing Emerson that he doesn't have to hide; that every part of him is worth knowing and loving - and experiencing some pretty epic self-discovery in the process.
I am so in love with every single part of this story. Pretty sure I say that a lot, but I especially mean it with this one. Jason is pure sunshine and I adore the way he shows up for Emerson. This is a story of fictional characters, yes. But it's also a beautiful message to the reader: You are not too much. Whatever the circumstances, you deserve to be seen and loved exactly as you are. And the ones on your team will never make you feel otherwise.
*I received an arc in exchange for an honest review
July 16, 2026
This was a 3.5 star read for me
It was very cute and fluffy 🥰
Some funny moments, especially with the brothers - Alec is especially hilarious. Can’t wait for Charlie and Andrew’s books - love the twin vibes.
Very strong focus on the experience of Emerson being autistic and the struggles with this. This was really well done. Jason’s character was lovely but at times maybe a bit cringe as he was just way too perfect. He was almost instantly completely obsessed and head over heels with Emmerson, with absolutely no tension or angst within their relationship. Literally everything he said and did was exactly what Emmerson needed in the moment, which is hard to imagine is plausible. Emmerson didn’t question Jason’s perfection and the relationship moved very fast. I kept having to remind myself this book was all about wish fulfilment and had to strongly suspend my disbelief! Still very excited for the rest of the series :-)
It was very cute and fluffy 🥰
Some funny moments, especially with the brothers - Alec is especially hilarious. Can’t wait for Charlie and Andrew’s books - love the twin vibes.
Very strong focus on the experience of Emerson being autistic and the struggles with this. This was really well done. Jason’s character was lovely but at times maybe a bit cringe as he was just way too perfect. He was almost instantly completely obsessed and head over heels with Emmerson, with absolutely no tension or angst within their relationship. Literally everything he said and did was exactly what Emmerson needed in the moment, which is hard to imagine is plausible. Emmerson didn’t question Jason’s perfection and the relationship moved very fast. I kept having to remind myself this book was all about wish fulfilment and had to strongly suspend my disbelief! Still very excited for the rest of the series :-)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2025
This was so cozy and lovely 😭 the author does not do great sex scenes but everything else is perfect and warm and full of heart!!
I am dying to know what was going on in the family group chat that Jason ignored over 100 messages and Andrew warned him about though. I hope that wasn’t a forgotten plot point?
I am dying to know what was going on in the family group chat that Jason ignored over 100 messages and Andrew warned him about though. I hope that wasn’t a forgotten plot point?
July 21, 2026
So wholesome 😭😭😭 it’s definitely a love story with very little to no lust. So if you want something spicy this is not it. Oh Jason 😭😊 the green flag that you are. 💚. Jason and Emmy 💚🩷
May 24, 2025
There’s so much I loved about this story, including the autism representation, Jason’s bubbly and accommodating nature, Jason’s accepting family, and the build up of Jason and Emerson’s friendship and romance.
However, I really struggled with how drawn out and repetitive the writing was at times to the point that I considered dnf’ing it. For example, there was a scene in the first half of the book when the main characters are having a conversation in Jason’s truck and after almost every response, there was 2-3 paragraphs of Emerson’s inner thoughts about what was just said. Because of that the conversation felt so stilted and drawn out. And by the time we got the next line of dialogue I had almost forgotten what they were responding to in the first place. I understand that it was important for the author to demonstrate how Emerson’s thoughts can spiral due to his insecurities and because of how he was treated by his family, teachers, and classmates. I feel there are ways to demonstrate that, though, without laying out every single one of his thoughts all the time especially since a lot of it was repetitive.
I also have to mention how much the homecoming scenes annoyed me because it was, in my opinion, incredibly inappropriate. They were there as chaperones, but somehow we got like 40 pages of them doing everything but chaperoning. It was especially weird because Emerson expressed multiple times that he needed to separate his work and personal lives to stay regulated. Not to mention the investigation they had just gone through with the school board. I felt similarly about the epilogue and that promposal. I realize this might be nitpicking, but those scenes did take up a significant amount of time in the book.
However, I really struggled with how drawn out and repetitive the writing was at times to the point that I considered dnf’ing it. For example, there was a scene in the first half of the book when the main characters are having a conversation in Jason’s truck and after almost every response, there was 2-3 paragraphs of Emerson’s inner thoughts about what was just said. Because of that the conversation felt so stilted and drawn out. And by the time we got the next line of dialogue I had almost forgotten what they were responding to in the first place. I understand that it was important for the author to demonstrate how Emerson’s thoughts can spiral due to his insecurities and because of how he was treated by his family, teachers, and classmates. I feel there are ways to demonstrate that, though, without laying out every single one of his thoughts all the time especially since a lot of it was repetitive.
I also have to mention how much the homecoming scenes annoyed me because it was, in my opinion, incredibly inappropriate. They were there as chaperones, but somehow we got like 40 pages of them doing everything but chaperoning. It was especially weird because Emerson expressed multiple times that he needed to separate his work and personal lives to stay regulated. Not to mention the investigation they had just gone through with the school board. I felt similarly about the epilogue and that promposal. I realize this might be nitpicking, but those scenes did take up a significant amount of time in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2025
Neurodivergent rep ✔️
Bi-awakening ✔️
Absolutely too sweet to be realistic ✔️✔️
This was a cute read, but oh my gosh Jason was so sweet, like cavity worthy.
Side note; in case you didn’t get it the first 20 times, Jason is huge, he’s tall, thick thighs, spongy belly (pop tarts), loves ‘gay’ sex.
Bi-awakening ✔️
Absolutely too sweet to be realistic ✔️✔️
This was a cute read, but oh my gosh Jason was so sweet, like cavity worthy.
Side note; in case you didn’t get it the first 20 times, Jason is huge, he’s tall, thick thighs, spongy belly (pop tarts), loves ‘gay’ sex.
October 22, 2025
Ось ця частина мені більше сподобалась, я майже звикла до того, що тут все від третьої особи. Дуже дуже мила і приємна атмосфера і немає драми🤌🏻🥰
August 13, 2026
ARE YOU KIDDING ME THIS WAS SO CUTE
April 13, 2025
4.5 stars
Oh my gosh, these two….🥹
The second King brother to get his HEA is Jason who we met in book one as Theo’s best friend (and Alec’s brother). High school football coach and generally supportive AF golden retriever Jason meets the new English teacher Emerson as he’s trying to find his way to his classroom.
Jason picks up on Emerson’s anxiety instantly and takes him under his wing. When Emerson then tells Jason he’s autistic, and starts opening up to Jason more the friendship they form is so freaking beautiful.
Jason does everything he can to make Emmy feel safe and he does that without even thinking about it. All before he realises he feels more than just friendship towards him.
I’m honestly not sure I could love Jason and Emmy more than I do, Jason is a TOP TIER book boyfriend, and Emmy is the sweetest and could genuinely see us being friends IRL.
I loved all the appearances from the other King brothers, especially Andrew (I already have a massive soft spot for him!), and loved that the whole King family welcomed Emmy and made him part of the family he so massively deserved.
I could rave about this book forever, thank you Lucky for sharing Jason and Emmy’s beautiful story! 🌻
Oh my gosh, these two….🥹
The second King brother to get his HEA is Jason who we met in book one as Theo’s best friend (and Alec’s brother). High school football coach and generally supportive AF golden retriever Jason meets the new English teacher Emerson as he’s trying to find his way to his classroom.
Jason picks up on Emerson’s anxiety instantly and takes him under his wing. When Emerson then tells Jason he’s autistic, and starts opening up to Jason more the friendship they form is so freaking beautiful.
Jason does everything he can to make Emmy feel safe and he does that without even thinking about it. All before he realises he feels more than just friendship towards him.
I’m honestly not sure I could love Jason and Emmy more than I do, Jason is a TOP TIER book boyfriend, and Emmy is the sweetest and could genuinely see us being friends IRL.
I loved all the appearances from the other King brothers, especially Andrew (I already have a massive soft spot for him!), and loved that the whole King family welcomed Emmy and made him part of the family he so massively deserved.
I could rave about this book forever, thank you Lucky for sharing Jason and Emmy’s beautiful story! 🌻
April 6, 2026
My last note on this book simply reads, “Perfection.” Quite simply, I loved every single word in this book. This is one of those books where I felt a shift in myself, whilst I was reading it. A feeling of I’ll never be quite the person I was before.
I feel like Make the Play is a book for anyone who has ever felt like they didn’t belong because of who they are. This book will make you feel like you do belong, and you’ll learn that the right people will make you feel like you never have to be anyone but yourself.
Make the Play is a beautifully written, heartwarming story about Jason King and Emerson Miller. It’s a story of love, joy, acceptance, support, reassurance and found and real family.
I already had fallen for Jason in Cross the Line. Everyone needs a Jason in their lives. He is beyond special. Jason is so thoughtful, caring and kind. His loving nature is constantly shown throughout this book. The way he takes time to get to know and understand how to support Emerson filled my heart with so much joy. The way he knows how to provide reassurance in different ways is just everything. Jason becomes the safest person for his Emerson.
I knew this book would break me. I had cried by chapter 3. Emerson Miller. The character I never knew I needed. Emerson has been through a lot. He deserves the absolute world, and I am so glad Jason is the one who Emerson finds he can be his full self with. I loved everything about him. I don't know if I'll ever be able to put into words how much Emerson means to me.
As a teacher, I loved the passion these two had for their jobs. I loved how much joy they got from their profession and for advocating for their students. It was inspiring to read about the safe spaces they both had created.
I love different forms of communication in books and their text messages are absolutely everything. The way Jason recognises Emerson’s different needs for communication is just so genuine and understanding.
This book made me feel all of the emotions. One minute I was smiling and the next I’ve got tears in my eyes. There were a few times where I had to put the book down because I just couldn't see it. One of the reasons for this was because Lucky just writes representation so well. From the author’s note you can feel the vulnerability that is present in the book. Lucky writes in a way that if you relate to the characters in any way, you feel so seen. Emerson’s story is so important and I’m really glad Lucky has chosen to share it.
I loved how important Jason and Theo’s relationship still was. The glimpses we got into Theo & Alec were perfect as well. I still love them both. Charlie made me smile with his cheeky comments and Andrew is the voice of calm and understanding. Seeing the King family dynamics as they welcome someone new was, once again, really special.
Jason and Emerson will forever have a special place in my heart. I’ll never forget this one.
I was very lucky to read an ARC copy of Make the Play. Lucky, thank you for this opportunity.
I feel like Make the Play is a book for anyone who has ever felt like they didn’t belong because of who they are. This book will make you feel like you do belong, and you’ll learn that the right people will make you feel like you never have to be anyone but yourself.
Make the Play is a beautifully written, heartwarming story about Jason King and Emerson Miller. It’s a story of love, joy, acceptance, support, reassurance and found and real family.
I already had fallen for Jason in Cross the Line. Everyone needs a Jason in their lives. He is beyond special. Jason is so thoughtful, caring and kind. His loving nature is constantly shown throughout this book. The way he takes time to get to know and understand how to support Emerson filled my heart with so much joy. The way he knows how to provide reassurance in different ways is just everything. Jason becomes the safest person for his Emerson.
I knew this book would break me. I had cried by chapter 3. Emerson Miller. The character I never knew I needed. Emerson has been through a lot. He deserves the absolute world, and I am so glad Jason is the one who Emerson finds he can be his full self with. I loved everything about him. I don't know if I'll ever be able to put into words how much Emerson means to me.
As a teacher, I loved the passion these two had for their jobs. I loved how much joy they got from their profession and for advocating for their students. It was inspiring to read about the safe spaces they both had created.
I love different forms of communication in books and their text messages are absolutely everything. The way Jason recognises Emerson’s different needs for communication is just so genuine and understanding.
This book made me feel all of the emotions. One minute I was smiling and the next I’ve got tears in my eyes. There were a few times where I had to put the book down because I just couldn't see it. One of the reasons for this was because Lucky just writes representation so well. From the author’s note you can feel the vulnerability that is present in the book. Lucky writes in a way that if you relate to the characters in any way, you feel so seen. Emerson’s story is so important and I’m really glad Lucky has chosen to share it.
I loved how important Jason and Theo’s relationship still was. The glimpses we got into Theo & Alec were perfect as well. I still love them both. Charlie made me smile with his cheeky comments and Andrew is the voice of calm and understanding. Seeing the King family dynamics as they welcome someone new was, once again, really special.
Jason and Emerson will forever have a special place in my heart. I’ll never forget this one.
I was very lucky to read an ARC copy of Make the Play. Lucky, thank you for this opportunity.
April 16, 2025
The premise:
Emerson is a sweet autistic gay man who loves Lord of The Rings and is very stuck in his ridgid routine. He was raised by his aunt and uncle after his mother passed away and they never truly understood him. They were constantly berating him "for not fitting in", or being "difficult" and never gave him the love and respect he deserved.
Jason is the golden retriever gym teacher/football coach who everyone loves. He's straight but his brothers and best friend are all queer and he's a very passionate ally.
When Emerson starts working at the school where Jason works, Jason decides Emerson looks like he could use a friend. Their friendship grows quickly and after a while they're talking constantly, having lunch together every day and hanging out after work. Jason embraces Emerson's quirks and treats him with the respect he's always deserved.
This is a super slow burn as it takes a long time for their friendship to develop into something more, but their friendship is beautiful and the character development of Emerson as he slowly opens up to Jason is super sweet.
Its pretty light on the spice but the plot is so captivating that I couldn't put it down.
Overall, definitely recommend!
Vibes:
- Slow burn
- Autism rep
- Queer awakening
- Found family
- Football coach (jock)/English teacher (nerd)
- HEA
Rating: 4⭐️
Spice: 1.5🌶
Emerson is a sweet autistic gay man who loves Lord of The Rings and is very stuck in his ridgid routine. He was raised by his aunt and uncle after his mother passed away and they never truly understood him. They were constantly berating him "for not fitting in", or being "difficult" and never gave him the love and respect he deserved.
Jason is the golden retriever gym teacher/football coach who everyone loves. He's straight but his brothers and best friend are all queer and he's a very passionate ally.
When Emerson starts working at the school where Jason works, Jason decides Emerson looks like he could use a friend. Their friendship grows quickly and after a while they're talking constantly, having lunch together every day and hanging out after work. Jason embraces Emerson's quirks and treats him with the respect he's always deserved.
This is a super slow burn as it takes a long time for their friendship to develop into something more, but their friendship is beautiful and the character development of Emerson as he slowly opens up to Jason is super sweet.
Its pretty light on the spice but the plot is so captivating that I couldn't put it down.
Overall, definitely recommend!
Vibes:
- Slow burn
- Autism rep
- Queer awakening
- Found family
- Football coach (jock)/English teacher (nerd)
- HEA
Rating: 4⭐️
Spice: 1.5🌶
August 17, 2025
Originally DNF this back in April, but I'm glad I gave this a second chance. This ended up being too cute for words!
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- english teacher + phys ed teacher
- slow burn friends to lovers
- virgin mmc/first times
- autistic mmc
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- english teacher + phys ed teacher
- slow burn friends to lovers
- virgin mmc/first times
- autistic mmc
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