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Kings of Heart #1
Cross the Line
Alexander King:
Handsome, popular and a D1 soccer star, Alexander King appears to have it all. He’s just hiding one (or two, or three) little secrets, like the fact that he’s still in love with his older brother’s best friend Theo, he doesn’t actually want to play soccer anymore, and that at twenty-one, he’s still a virgin. When unexpected circumstances bring him and Theo together, it’s a recipe for heartache, but Alec is sure that he can handle it. He just needs to make sure the jenga tower of secrets he’s been keeping doesn’t topple over and ruin everything.
Theodore James:
At twenty-nine, Theodore James has the kind of stable life his childhood self could only dream of. Sure, the only person he lets into his life is Jason, the best friend he’s had since he was seven, and his sole form of companionship is one-night stands, but he’s content. Mostly. When Jason requests his help, Theo doesn't hesitate, even when that favor involves Jason’s feisty, smoking hot little brother who’s all grown up now. Theo can definitely handle Alexander King. Maybe.
Handsome, popular and a D1 soccer star, Alexander King appears to have it all. He’s just hiding one (or two, or three) little secrets, like the fact that he’s still in love with his older brother’s best friend Theo, he doesn’t actually want to play soccer anymore, and that at twenty-one, he’s still a virgin. When unexpected circumstances bring him and Theo together, it’s a recipe for heartache, but Alec is sure that he can handle it. He just needs to make sure the jenga tower of secrets he’s been keeping doesn’t topple over and ruin everything.
Theodore James:
At twenty-nine, Theodore James has the kind of stable life his childhood self could only dream of. Sure, the only person he lets into his life is Jason, the best friend he’s had since he was seven, and his sole form of companionship is one-night stands, but he’s content. Mostly. When Jason requests his help, Theo doesn't hesitate, even when that favor involves Jason’s feisty, smoking hot little brother who’s all grown up now. Theo can definitely handle Alexander King. Maybe.
444 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 13, 2024
237 people are currently reading
791 people want to read
About the author
Lucky Hart
2Ìýbooks85ÌýfollowersLucky writes character-driven, contemporary mm romance. Her debut novel CROSS THE LINE came out in 2024, and began the series “Kings of Heartâ€, 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 110 reviews
September 12, 2024
Theo & Alec
Rating: 3.7 â
- First Time
- Hurt/Comfort
- Idiots in Love
- Neurodivergent MC
- Anxiety Rep
- Age Gap (8yrs)
- College Soccer Player
- Big Brother's Best Friend
- Years of Pining
- Miscommunication
- Found Family
- Banter
*RTC*
I received a free copy of this book via the authors and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Content Warnings:
- Graphic sexual content between consenting adults
- Depictions of a car accident hit and run (on screen)
- Explicit language
- Parental abandonment of a MC (past, off screen)
- Parental neglect of a MC (past, off screen)
- Childhood poverty of a MC (past, off screen)
- Non-graphic sexual assault of a MC (past, off screen, briefly discussed on screen)
- Hospitalization of a MC (on screen)
Verse: No
HEA: Yes
POV: Dual
Breakup: No, but there is time apart
Cheating: No
OM/OW Drama: Theo goes to the club twice to find a hookup but it doesn't happen. Alec dances with other men at the club, while drinking heavily, but he leaves with Theo.
Ages: 29 & 21
Rating: 3.7 â
- First Time
- Hurt/Comfort
- Idiots in Love
- Neurodivergent MC
- Anxiety Rep
- Age Gap (8yrs)
- College Soccer Player
- Big Brother's Best Friend
- Years of Pining
- Miscommunication
- Found Family
- Banter
*RTC*
I received a free copy of this book via the authors and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Content Warnings:
- Graphic sexual content between consenting adults
- Depictions of a car accident hit and run (on screen)
- Explicit language
- Parental abandonment of a MC (past, off screen)
- Parental neglect of a MC (past, off screen)
- Childhood poverty of a MC (past, off screen)
- Non-graphic sexual assault of a MC (past, off screen, briefly discussed on screen)
- Hospitalization of a MC (on screen)
Verse: No
HEA: Yes
POV: Dual
Breakup: No, but there is time apart
Cheating: No
OM/OW Drama: Theo goes to the club twice to find a hookup but it doesn't happen. Alec dances with other men at the club, while drinking heavily, but he leaves with Theo.
Ages: 29 & 21
September 22, 2024
**I received an advance review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, author, for the opportunity.
What to expect:
ðŸ“Brother's best friend
ðŸ“Long pinning
ðŸ“Unrequited love
ðŸ“Slow burn
ðŸ“ADHD rep
📹ó°ù±ð³¦°ì±ô±ð²õ
ðŸ“Oral fixation
This is the author's debut novel, and regardless of my experience with the book, I wanted to be sure to congratulate the author on a successful debut. I have read very positive reviews and I'm aware that my position is in the minority.
Before going into detail about my rating, it is worth noting the parts of the book that I found relevant and may be of interest to future readers. First, let's highlight the quality of the writing and editing of the book, a great start to the author's career. What struck me the most was the care and depth in the construction of the characters, even the secondary ones stand out for the naturalness of their dialogues and their distinctive personalities. And last but not least, the inclusion and treatment of issues such as mental health, ADHD, and Latino heritage.
Aside from that, I have to admit that the book disappointed me. I'm used to reading really long slow burns and couples that take a long time to confess their feelings (100+ chapters) as well as long pinnings that last several lifetimes and reincarnations, so I didn't find it a problem to read a book with this theme and didn't suffer as much as mentioned in other reviews. However, after such a long wait, the normal thing would be a romance arc and allow the reader to enjoy the couple who have suffered so much. This was not the case here. I was left waiting for the romance. For me, this was like an introduction to the story of these two people, I needed a second book or more chapters showing the change in the relationship or finally a good COMMUNICATION scene!!! But I didn't expect at all that the book would end with just their confessions and then an epilogue with an engagement proposal. It felt very abrupt.
I don't see how this couple can have a happy future. That was the other big problem I had with the book. Yes, the two characters were extremely complex, with flaws and very human personalities. However, at no point in the book do these two people ever really get to know or understand each other. A 10-year crush on someone older and unattainable is understandable, although it is questionable if you can love a person with whom you have had no communication whatsoever and who is quite secretive and hides many details about his thoughts and past. But hey, at least that side of the relationship was justified. On the other hand, Theo has ignored Alec his whole life and in the first chapter of the book he realizes that Alec is already an adult whom he finds attractive. It all makes sense, but from there to falling in love with him? When did that happen and how? At least, I was not able to understand this change.
So my biggest problem was the couple. These two people were not in the right place mentally to start a relationship. To be honest, I would be more satisfied if the book ended with a HFN or if the two of them just said they were going to try to figure out how to go on. The jump to eternal love, marriage and happiness was the biggest shock.
PS: I'm not saying this for this book specifically, but the whole idea of the taboo of falling in love with your brother's best friend, I don't get it. What is there to be afraid of? Two of the most important people in your life being happy together sounds amazing. The fact that your friend is finally considered family should be motivation enough.
What to expect:
ðŸ“Brother's best friend
ðŸ“Long pinning
ðŸ“Unrequited love
ðŸ“Slow burn
ðŸ“ADHD rep
📹ó°ù±ð³¦°ì±ô±ð²õ
ðŸ“Oral fixation
This is the author's debut novel, and regardless of my experience with the book, I wanted to be sure to congratulate the author on a successful debut. I have read very positive reviews and I'm aware that my position is in the minority.
Before going into detail about my rating, it is worth noting the parts of the book that I found relevant and may be of interest to future readers. First, let's highlight the quality of the writing and editing of the book, a great start to the author's career. What struck me the most was the care and depth in the construction of the characters, even the secondary ones stand out for the naturalness of their dialogues and their distinctive personalities. And last but not least, the inclusion and treatment of issues such as mental health, ADHD, and Latino heritage.
Aside from that, I have to admit that the book disappointed me. I'm used to reading really long slow burns and couples that take a long time to confess their feelings (100+ chapters) as well as long pinnings that last several lifetimes and reincarnations, so I didn't find it a problem to read a book with this theme and didn't suffer as much as mentioned in other reviews. However, after such a long wait, the normal thing would be a romance arc and allow the reader to enjoy the couple who have suffered so much. This was not the case here. I was left waiting for the romance. For me, this was like an introduction to the story of these two people, I needed a second book or more chapters showing the change in the relationship or finally a good COMMUNICATION scene!!! But I didn't expect at all that the book would end with just their confessions and then an epilogue with an engagement proposal. It felt very abrupt.
I don't see how this couple can have a happy future. That was the other big problem I had with the book. Yes, the two characters were extremely complex, with flaws and very human personalities. However, at no point in the book do these two people ever really get to know or understand each other. A 10-year crush on someone older and unattainable is understandable, although it is questionable if you can love a person with whom you have had no communication whatsoever and who is quite secretive and hides many details about his thoughts and past. But hey, at least that side of the relationship was justified. On the other hand, Theo has ignored Alec his whole life and in the first chapter of the book he realizes that Alec is already an adult whom he finds attractive. It all makes sense, but from there to falling in love with him? When did that happen and how? At least, I was not able to understand this change.
So my biggest problem was the couple. These two people were not in the right place mentally to start a relationship. To be honest, I would be more satisfied if the book ended with a HFN or if the two of them just said they were going to try to figure out how to go on. The jump to eternal love, marriage and happiness was the biggest shock.
PS: I'm not saying this for this book specifically, but the whole idea of the taboo of falling in love with your brother's best friend, I don't get it. What is there to be afraid of? Two of the most important people in your life being happy together sounds amazing. The fact that your friend is finally considered family should be motivation enough.
September 20, 2024
2.5 stars. I want to say for a debut I think this was amazing. The writing was really good and the characters have a lot of depth, which is always a huge win for me! The reason for the lower rating is because it really didn't capture me and I really didn't enjoy reading it. I say that the writing was good because Theo's issues were well explained, the banter was great, Alec's wit and sass were perfect, the angst was frustrating in the bad way.
I love angst, I read a ton of angsty books, but when there's angst I love a resolution that feels equal in magnitude to the conflict. Its a slow slow burn, which was fine, but the reason it was so drawn out was because it was the same thing over and over again, misunderstanding each other, making assumptions about each other, not talking, like at all. I say it was frustrating because literally all their problems could have been solved with a single conversation.
Theo was also a problem for me. I didn't not like him, but he was infuriating. I planned to be a little annoyed and frustrated because the author literally puts a warning in the front of the book about it, but some of how Theo reacted, trauma or not, was just plain asshole behavior to me. I forgive the side effects of the trauma, but the whole inner conflict revolves around him caring deeply for Alec and not knowing what to do about it and scared of how it will effect his life. He admits his own issues, he admits being a bit selfish, and he admits he wants Alec as a friend, but he never really treats him as a friend.
He
I think Theo acted very selfishly and childish for someone who was supposed to be the adult and "so much older" (9 years). It just made the book drag for me, and then when they finally get it together it just felt too short. Even the epilogue, which was all kinds of adorable, didn't give me the happy giddy feelings it should have.
I love angst, I read a ton of angsty books, but when there's angst I love a resolution that feels equal in magnitude to the conflict. Its a slow slow burn, which was fine, but the reason it was so drawn out was because it was the same thing over and over again, misunderstanding each other, making assumptions about each other, not talking, like at all. I say it was frustrating because literally all their problems could have been solved with a single conversation.
Theo was also a problem for me. I didn't not like him, but he was infuriating. I planned to be a little annoyed and frustrated because the author literally puts a warning in the front of the book about it, but some of how Theo reacted, trauma or not, was just plain asshole behavior to me. I forgive the side effects of the trauma, but the whole inner conflict revolves around him caring deeply for Alec and not knowing what to do about it and scared of how it will effect his life. He admits his own issues, he admits being a bit selfish, and he admits he wants Alec as a friend, but he never really treats him as a friend.
He
I think Theo acted very selfishly and childish for someone who was supposed to be the adult and "so much older" (9 years). It just made the book drag for me, and then when they finally get it together it just felt too short. Even the epilogue, which was all kinds of adorable, didn't give me the happy giddy feelings it should have.
Read
September 12, 20243. 5 Forbidden romance debut about a soccer-playing baby brother and the older brother's best friend who falls for him! There's lots of pining, some flirting, athleisure wearing (Alec), smoothie making, stray pet adopting, sweater wearing (Theo), anxiety having, and.....a very slow burn.
Cute book that runs a bit long...the Epilogue is the sweetest and best! I'm intrigued by all the King brothers....what will come next?
Thanks to the author for this ARC! This is my honest review.
Cute book that runs a bit long...the Epilogue is the sweetest and best! I'm intrigued by all the King brothers....what will come next?
Thanks to the author for this ARC! This is my honest review.
August 28, 2024
The ARC came out on my birthday :) A nice fun read with big ups and big downs - it WILL hit you right in the feels and kick you while you're down, but it will also be the soothing balm to your soul. I would especially recommend it if you like k-dramas because it has that kind of energy. Alec is my personal fave, I would go to battle for him.
Things this book has:
- Drama
- One (1) Extremely Anxious Man
- A short king in even shorter shorts
- Romance
- Soccer balls
- Goofballs
- Other kinds of balls ;)
- Wholesome male friendships
- Hurt/Comfort
- More animals than you may expect.
Things this book does NOT have:
- ENOUGH THERAPY FOR THEO!!!!!
- Enough of Alec's friends to adopt his rescue pets
- Riley getting the chance to beat somebody up for being mean to Alec >:(
- An appearance from Theo's brain cells
- And technically, not enough sweaters for a sweater museum.
Content warnings:
- Brief, non-graphic depictions/recollections of sexual harassment/assault.
Things this book has:
- Drama
- One (1) Extremely Anxious Man
- A short king in even shorter shorts
- Romance
- Soccer balls
- Goofballs
- Other kinds of balls ;)
- Wholesome male friendships
- Hurt/Comfort
- More animals than you may expect.
Things this book does NOT have:
- ENOUGH THERAPY FOR THEO!!!!!
- Enough of Alec's friends to adopt his rescue pets
- Riley getting the chance to beat somebody up for being mean to Alec >:(
- An appearance from Theo's brain cells
- And technically, not enough sweaters for a sweater museum.
Content warnings:
- Brief, non-graphic depictions/recollections of sexual harassment/assault.
February 26, 2025
this book made me want to crawl out of my skin in the best way possible … i feel seen and i needed this book after going through a rough time. theo and alec deserve happiness 💗 i enjoyed this book so much and im glad i finally gave it an opportunity.
i see myself in alec, especially with his age and what he is going through.. i’m glad he was able to find his path.
i see myself in alec, especially with his age and what he is going through.. i’m glad he was able to find his path.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2025
Content warnings: parental abandonment (in the past), parental neglect (in the past), childhood poverty (in the past), sexual assault (in the past), hit and run, hospitalisation, mental health, vomit, alcohol
I kind of struggled with the first...25%??...of this. Not because of anything the characters did or because of who the characters were but simply because the age gap - newly 21 and a solid 29 - was a tad too much for me. Especially when we're told REPEATEDLY that Alec confessed his feelings for Theo when he was 15, making Theo 23. And, like, as someone who works with teenagers? C.R.I.N.G.E. It's too much. I'm not opposed to age gaps in romances or the brother's best friend/best friend's brother trope. But an age gap of this much when one character is in their late teens or early 20s lowkey gives me the ick.
Anyway, I basically chose to pretend their ages weren't listed and I continued regardless because the PINING my God the pining was flawless. I did have a couple of issues with the fact that his name is Theo James, but on the whole I loved the characters a lot and I had a fabulous time reading this. And I'm dying to read Jason's story now oh my God.
I kind of struggled with the first...25%??...of this. Not because of anything the characters did or because of who the characters were but simply because the age gap - newly 21 and a solid 29 - was a tad too much for me. Especially when we're told REPEATEDLY that Alec confessed his feelings for Theo when he was 15, making Theo 23. And, like, as someone who works with teenagers? C.R.I.N.G.E. It's too much. I'm not opposed to age gaps in romances or the brother's best friend/best friend's brother trope. But an age gap of this much when one character is in their late teens or early 20s lowkey gives me the ick.
Anyway, I basically chose to pretend their ages weren't listed and I continued regardless because the PINING my God the pining was flawless. I did have a couple of issues with the fact that his name is Theo James, but on the whole I loved the characters a lot and I had a fabulous time reading this. And I'm dying to read Jason's story now oh my God.
February 5, 2025
This is a lovely book, and I liked it. Didn’t love it though, because I wasn’t a fan of the writing. Especially the sex scenes. SO. MUCH. TALKING! I literally felt asleep while reading it. I get that Theo wanted to be careful but come on! How much consent do you need? And not contacting Alec after was just cruel.
I thought it was a bit of a lazy choice for the author to let Alec get into a car accident. That could have been solved more creative.
Given that this was a debut novel and the first in the series I don’t think it was bad. It just wasn’t as good as I’d hope. I am looking forward to the next one though. I hope Riley finds one of the other King brothers. Charlie maybe?
I thought it was a bit of a lazy choice for the author to let Alec get into a car accident. That could have been solved more creative.
Given that this was a debut novel and the first in the series I don’t think it was bad. It just wasn’t as good as I’d hope. I am looking forward to the next one though. I hope Riley finds one of the other King brothers. Charlie maybe?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2025
Oh my god, this was beautiful and messy and I felt so much! I couldn't put it down, I have basically read as I walked because I just wanted Theo to GET IT TOGETHER. I feel a bit sad Alec doesn't want football but I feel it made sense. The King Brothers have nestled their way into my heart and I can't wait for the next one.
March 27, 2025
I loved Alec from the get go but you definitely go on a bit of a journey with Theo ðŸ˜
At the beginning I loved him and then for most of the book I wanted to smack him upside the head and I wasn’t totally convinced I would have it in me for forgive him on Alec’s behalf but alas, Lucky made it happen.
By the end I was really rooting for them both and loved their HEA.
At the beginning I loved him and then for most of the book I wanted to smack him upside the head and I wasn’t totally convinced I would have it in me for forgive him on Alec’s behalf but alas, Lucky made it happen.
By the end I was really rooting for them both and loved their HEA.
January 18, 2025
I really, really enjoyed Cross the Line! Everything hit just right for me! The flirting, the pining, the romance, the tension, the friendships, the spice… all of it! In many ways, Theo and Alec are so wrong for each other, and yet them together is just so right!
September 14, 2024
The premise was good. Best friends brother but friends to lovers. This could have been so much better with just a tad more editing. New authors please don’t introduce a million characters because you want to set the scene for future books. The reader can see what you’re doing. It felt random and I have no idea who anyone is! Except Jason because I was totally intrigued. (He was why I read it)
I will read the next book. I see potential.
I will read the next book. I see potential.
September 15, 2024
✨4.5 I was feeling all the things stars✨ Banter and tension. Pining and chemistry. Boys being idiots at times but for reasons that make sense. Loved this debut and can’t wait for the rest of the series! *with another round of editing this would have been a full 5 stars for me
August 31, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this book, especially the first 70%. There was a lot that worked, especially the pining, flirting, and the slightly forbidden aspect due to the fact that the LI was the brother's best friend/best friend's little brother. I liked both MCs, as well as all the brothers (and am excited the the other books in the series will focus on the other brothers!).
One of my favorite parts was the depiction of Alec's (the younger MC) unhappiness with the life course he was set on, both with his school and major. As someone who once worked hard to set myself on a life path that required a lot of skill, time, and effort and then realized I hated it and had to extricate myself from it, I related to a lot of his feelings, turmoil, and reluctance to do anything about it for a long time. That said, I wish we'd got to see a bit more of him setting up his new life on page, rather than having a lot of it happen off page and then told to us in the epilogue. I also liked the ADHD and Mexican representation with Alec.
There's a significant amount of miscommunication and lack of communication, and most problems could be addressed by the MCs having a couple of difficult conversations (both with each other and other people in their life), but I think the author does a good job setting the precedent for why those conversations are unattainably hard for the MCs to have for a lot of the book; I'm a confrontation-averse person and often need an outside impetus to spur me into having those kinds of conversations, just like the MCs here. But if those are tropes you hate, this might not be the book for you.
The author clearly took care to make the age gap fun and sexy but not problematic. That said, there were a couple of moments where I felt uncomfortable, though I think they were situational and unavoidable for me and no amount of careful writing could have deterred them. The older MC has known the younger MC since the younger MC was born (he remembers when the younger MC's mom was pregnant), and everyone references this fact a lot throughout the book. Sometimes it was hard to not feel skeeved out by that, even though the author made it very clear that the older MC had no romantic or sexual feelings about the younger MC until the younger MC was 21. Also, the age gap didn't seem to be consistent -- when the book takes place, they are 21/29 (8 years), but there's a memory where they're 15/21 (6 years), and the older MC said he was in first grade when the younger MC's mom was pregnant (implies 6-7 years). There were a lot of little inconsistencies like that, that weren't character or plot-related, just little enough details to occasionally irk me when I noticed. To be fair, I read an ARC so it's very possible that that, along with some spelling/grammar stuff, gets fixed before final publication.
For me, I think where this book fell from being a 4.5 or 5 star book to a 4 star book was the last 25%. I was disappointed by how little we got to see of the MCs actually being together (about 12% I think, including epilogue). I wanted to revel in the new dynamics of Theo with Alec's family and see how their day-to-day relationship looks, but we only get a glimpse of those in the epilogue, which takes place almost a year later. Also, the third act drama was dramatic, which was fine, but felt a bit like a deus ex machina. There did need to be an impetus for change, but so my qualm isn't necessarily with that. I think again, my problem is that the satisfactory conclusions were rushed quite a lot. I would have much more enjoyed getting to savor the characters coming to them and then living them out. I think the book would have been better if the events of last 25% took up the last 40% of the book -- I don't even think I'd cut anything from the beginning, just have a long af book, it's fine.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, will absolutely and enthusiastically read the other books in the series when they are released (which seem like will focus on the other King brothers, who I loved). I had a few qualms that prevented me from rating it higher, but it's still a book I would recommend and very well might buy a physical copy of when possible.
tropes & representation: Mexican MC, ADHD MC, oral fixation, brother's best friend/best friend's brother, virgin x experienced, athlete (soccer)
Thanks to Lucky Hart for the ARC!
One of my favorite parts was the depiction of Alec's (the younger MC) unhappiness with the life course he was set on, both with his school and major. As someone who once worked hard to set myself on a life path that required a lot of skill, time, and effort and then realized I hated it and had to extricate myself from it, I related to a lot of his feelings, turmoil, and reluctance to do anything about it for a long time. That said, I wish we'd got to see a bit more of him setting up his new life on page, rather than having a lot of it happen off page and then told to us in the epilogue. I also liked the ADHD and Mexican representation with Alec.
There's a significant amount of miscommunication and lack of communication, and most problems could be addressed by the MCs having a couple of difficult conversations (both with each other and other people in their life), but I think the author does a good job setting the precedent for why those conversations are unattainably hard for the MCs to have for a lot of the book; I'm a confrontation-averse person and often need an outside impetus to spur me into having those kinds of conversations, just like the MCs here. But if those are tropes you hate, this might not be the book for you.
The author clearly took care to make the age gap fun and sexy but not problematic. That said, there were a couple of moments where I felt uncomfortable, though I think they were situational and unavoidable for me and no amount of careful writing could have deterred them. The older MC has known the younger MC since the younger MC was born (he remembers when the younger MC's mom was pregnant), and everyone references this fact a lot throughout the book. Sometimes it was hard to not feel skeeved out by that, even though the author made it very clear that the older MC had no romantic or sexual feelings about the younger MC until the younger MC was 21. Also, the age gap didn't seem to be consistent -- when the book takes place, they are 21/29 (8 years), but there's a memory where they're 15/21 (6 years), and the older MC said he was in first grade when the younger MC's mom was pregnant (implies 6-7 years). There were a lot of little inconsistencies like that, that weren't character or plot-related, just little enough details to occasionally irk me when I noticed. To be fair, I read an ARC so it's very possible that that, along with some spelling/grammar stuff, gets fixed before final publication.
For me, I think where this book fell from being a 4.5 or 5 star book to a 4 star book was the last 25%. I was disappointed by how little we got to see of the MCs actually being together (about 12% I think, including epilogue). I wanted to revel in the new dynamics of Theo with Alec's family and see how their day-to-day relationship looks, but we only get a glimpse of those in the epilogue, which takes place almost a year later. Also, the third act drama was dramatic, which was fine, but felt a bit like a deus ex machina. There did need to be an impetus for change, but so my qualm isn't necessarily with that. I think again, my problem is that the satisfactory conclusions were rushed quite a lot. I would have much more enjoyed getting to savor the characters coming to them and then living them out. I think the book would have been better if the events of last 25% took up the last 40% of the book -- I don't even think I'd cut anything from the beginning, just have a long af book, it's fine.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, will absolutely and enthusiastically read the other books in the series when they are released (which seem like will focus on the other King brothers, who I loved). I had a few qualms that prevented me from rating it higher, but it's still a book I would recommend and very well might buy a physical copy of when possible.
tropes & representation: Mexican MC, ADHD MC, oral fixation, brother's best friend/best friend's brother, virgin x experienced, athlete (soccer)
Thanks to Lucky Hart for the ARC!
February 11, 2025
4.25âï¸
This is one hell of a debut! The writing is really good (besides some typos), it felt fluent and exactly the right amount of detail for seeing every scene play out like a movie, but without it being excessive. I loved the character development, and I'm usually not the biggest fan of slow burns, but it really fit here. There's not really a focus on the established couple and I get some people don't like that, but I thought it suited the story really well. The ADHD rep sounded genuine, especially since it's loosely based on the author's personal experiences. I loved the world building and even tho there were a lot of side characters introduced, I didn't think it were too many - they were really distinctive and I could easily remember names and who they are, and this is not normal for me. Also, I wanna state that this is NOT a soccer romance, if you're looking for rep of sports besides hockey, this is not your standard sports romance. One MC does play college soccer, but it doesn't occupy much space in the story.
Some mishaps, that are definitely excusable due to this being a debut: In my eyes, it was a tad too long, 350 pages would have been enough I think. Also there were some typos or missing words a proofread would have fixed, but I understand that money is tight for a first time self-publisher. Also, while Alec and his brothers were written quite complexly, I didn't get the same good feel for Theo - I actually don't know what he does in life and besides him being the best friend of another character and growing up with them due to his own family dynamics being complicated. A deeper insight into him as a character would have elevated the book, I guess.
All in all, I'm super excited for the following books, since I loved the side characters and the world building, the writing style is gorgeous and I'm sure the debut-mishaps will be eredicated in the next book.
This is one hell of a debut! The writing is really good (besides some typos), it felt fluent and exactly the right amount of detail for seeing every scene play out like a movie, but without it being excessive. I loved the character development, and I'm usually not the biggest fan of slow burns, but it really fit here. There's not really a focus on the established couple and I get some people don't like that, but I thought it suited the story really well. The ADHD rep sounded genuine, especially since it's loosely based on the author's personal experiences. I loved the world building and even tho there were a lot of side characters introduced, I didn't think it were too many - they were really distinctive and I could easily remember names and who they are, and this is not normal for me. Also, I wanna state that this is NOT a soccer romance, if you're looking for rep of sports besides hockey, this is not your standard sports romance. One MC does play college soccer, but it doesn't occupy much space in the story.
Some mishaps, that are definitely excusable due to this being a debut: In my eyes, it was a tad too long, 350 pages would have been enough I think. Also there were some typos or missing words a proofread would have fixed, but I understand that money is tight for a first time self-publisher. Also, while Alec and his brothers were written quite complexly, I didn't get the same good feel for Theo - I actually don't know what he does in life and besides him being the best friend of another character and growing up with them due to his own family dynamics being complicated. A deeper insight into him as a character would have elevated the book, I guess.
All in all, I'm super excited for the following books, since I loved the side characters and the world building, the writing style is gorgeous and I'm sure the debut-mishaps will be eredicated in the next book.
February 21, 2025
this was a random on a whim kindle download and omg i couldn’t be happier it found its way onto my kindle. these two had me hooked from the beginning, absolutely gnawing at my fingers waiting for them to be together (which took a bit as id say this is a slow burn, over 50% before they first kissed) and UGH THAT ENDING I DID INFACT CRY! and the epilogue was so sweet, ugh just the perfect happy feeling i wanted today! and so intrigued for the other books following the other brothers since we really only scratched the surface of them here.
if you had to pull my leg into saying why i gave it a 4 and not anything higher, it’s mainly because of the miscommunication, which i was fully prepared for bc it is in the authors note at the beginning, but i just was clawing my eyes out over it at points so i feel like if i had some reprieve from it earlier it could’ve upped it. and then i also feel like theo needed more to him? im gonna be so honest i have no idea what that man does with his time… he lives in a house but i could not tell you what his job is or anything. i know one of the brothers jason is a coach, i know alec is a student and soccer player but i have no idea about theo. other than that i have no complaints. the brothers best friend trope lives on with these two and beyond that the childhood crush element ugh they melted my heart.
oh also LOVED the ADHD rep! as someone with ADHD i found myself relating to alec a lot and there were many things that made me recognize myself in him bc of it so i appreciated the level of detail into that representation specifically.
🥲*cried at the end thing that happens*
if you had to pull my leg into saying why i gave it a 4 and not anything higher, it’s mainly because of the miscommunication, which i was fully prepared for bc it is in the authors note at the beginning, but i just was clawing my eyes out over it at points so i feel like if i had some reprieve from it earlier it could’ve upped it. and then i also feel like theo needed more to him? im gonna be so honest i have no idea what that man does with his time… he lives in a house but i could not tell you what his job is or anything. i know one of the brothers jason is a coach, i know alec is a student and soccer player but i have no idea about theo. other than that i have no complaints. the brothers best friend trope lives on with these two and beyond that the childhood crush element ugh they melted my heart.
oh also LOVED the ADHD rep! as someone with ADHD i found myself relating to alec a lot and there were many things that made me recognize myself in him bc of it so i appreciated the level of detail into that representation specifically.
🥲*cried at the end thing that happens*
September 13, 2024
** He would do anything for this man, including break his own heart.**
Alec and Theo are simply amazing. I loved both of their characters so much. The way I could connect with both of them on a soul deep level was honestly astounding to me. I really empathized with Theo because I swear he is the male version of myself. The love Alec had for him was so beautiful. Alec was Theo’s biggest fan. The mental help rep in this book was immaculately written. I loved how focused it was on the mental health aspect. I could literally feel Theo’s anxiety and Alec’s itch to always be busy to keep his mind busy. This book was absolutely phenomenal. It blew me away. Hit me right in the feels. Definitely gonna be one of my favorite hurt/comfort reads. This book was so much more than just a romance book. It shows the struggle people with mental health issues go through and how it can impact your relationships. It also has an incredibly found family representation. Alec friendship with his friends and Theo and Jason’s friendship are so wholesome. Gave me all the feel good giddy vibes. I fell for the side characters just as fast as I fell for the main characters. The relationship between the 4 brothers🥹🥹 I could gush about this book forever I swear. Definitely highly recommend. Can’t wait for the next book in the series- the series will be interconnected standalone so no cliff hanger!
Alec and Theo are simply amazing. I loved both of their characters so much. The way I could connect with both of them on a soul deep level was honestly astounding to me. I really empathized with Theo because I swear he is the male version of myself. The love Alec had for him was so beautiful. Alec was Theo’s biggest fan. The mental help rep in this book was immaculately written. I loved how focused it was on the mental health aspect. I could literally feel Theo’s anxiety and Alec’s itch to always be busy to keep his mind busy. This book was absolutely phenomenal. It blew me away. Hit me right in the feels. Definitely gonna be one of my favorite hurt/comfort reads. This book was so much more than just a romance book. It shows the struggle people with mental health issues go through and how it can impact your relationships. It also has an incredibly found family representation. Alec friendship with his friends and Theo and Jason’s friendship are so wholesome. Gave me all the feel good giddy vibes. I fell for the side characters just as fast as I fell for the main characters. The relationship between the 4 brothers🥹🥹 I could gush about this book forever I swear. Definitely highly recommend. Can’t wait for the next book in the series- the series will be interconnected standalone so no cliff hanger!
August 24, 2024
Thank you Lucky Hart for this ARC. My review is entirely my own.
I'm not 100% sure what to say. This book was everything you hope for in a debut novel. It has a great story that just gets better and better as you read it. A wonderful cast of characters. All the laughter, longing, the "are you kidding me" moments and the "FINALLY" moments.
Theo and Alec have known each other all of Alec's life and while Alec is in love with Theo, he is also the baby brother of Theo's best friend. You can see the turning point for Theo and it was incredible to watch. The assumptions these two have, not about the other but themselves, make you want to both wring theor necks and wrap them together in a blanket burrito with Coke and LaCriox. I rooted for them while simultaneously wanting to kick them. (Does the feeling get any better than that??)
The characters were well written, the plot was well developed, the author wrote this book in a way that you feel the longing, the pain, the love . This story will reach in and trap you body and soul...and you will not want it to let you go.
This author is an auto buy for me and I cannot wait for more.
I'm not 100% sure what to say. This book was everything you hope for in a debut novel. It has a great story that just gets better and better as you read it. A wonderful cast of characters. All the laughter, longing, the "are you kidding me" moments and the "FINALLY" moments.
Theo and Alec have known each other all of Alec's life and while Alec is in love with Theo, he is also the baby brother of Theo's best friend. You can see the turning point for Theo and it was incredible to watch. The assumptions these two have, not about the other but themselves, make you want to both wring theor necks and wrap them together in a blanket burrito with Coke and LaCriox. I rooted for them while simultaneously wanting to kick them. (Does the feeling get any better than that??)
The characters were well written, the plot was well developed, the author wrote this book in a way that you feel the longing, the pain, the love . This story will reach in and trap you body and soul...and you will not want it to let you go.
This author is an auto buy for me and I cannot wait for more.
February 22, 2025
This was an amazing debut book by this author.
To be completely fair I feel like this should’ve been set in the UK rather than California. As annoying as football/soccer terminology is with America deciding it wants to be different. It felt like the book leaned more toward the UK/ rest of world terminology vs American.
Character wise Alec was definitely over the top but it was very endearing and made me love his character. I liked Theo a lot but he had flaws, everything about Theo other than his treatment of Alec was really nice. But I feel like the story around his trauma with love could’ve been fleshed out a little more so us an audience could be a little more understanding with his treatment of Alec.
I’m really looking forward to the release of the next book
To be completely fair I feel like this should’ve been set in the UK rather than California. As annoying as football/soccer terminology is with America deciding it wants to be different. It felt like the book leaned more toward the UK/ rest of world terminology vs American.
Character wise Alec was definitely over the top but it was very endearing and made me love his character. I liked Theo a lot but he had flaws, everything about Theo other than his treatment of Alec was really nice. But I feel like the story around his trauma with love could’ve been fleshed out a little more so us an audience could be a little more understanding with his treatment of Alec.
I’m really looking forward to the release of the next book
March 26, 2025
I loooooved this book! I loved the characters, but also especially the writing style too. It's not often you find romances written in third person present tense and oh boy, do I love that! 🤩
Theo and Alec were super cute but also incredibly frustrating at times. 🤣 Because this book is centered around lots of miscommunication, secrets they hide and lies they tell themselves, and dealing with some personal issues they need to work though. But even so, I loved every minute of this. Because it made me FEEL! I felt their angst and their struggles, and I was so eager to know when they would finally bite the bullet and confess their love, it just kept me so hooked! Let's just say there was quite an explosive ending that was incredibly satisfying, and my heart is super happy 🥰
Theo and Alec were super cute but also incredibly frustrating at times. 🤣 Because this book is centered around lots of miscommunication, secrets they hide and lies they tell themselves, and dealing with some personal issues they need to work though. But even so, I loved every minute of this. Because it made me FEEL! I felt their angst and their struggles, and I was so eager to know when they would finally bite the bullet and confess their love, it just kept me so hooked! Let's just say there was quite an explosive ending that was incredibly satisfying, and my heart is super happy 🥰
September 12, 2024
Rating: âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸âï¸
I wholeheartedly and truly cannot believe this is Luckys debut novel. I’m SO serious, there’s just no way. I don’t believe you!! 😂 I don’t even know where to start. I stayed up until 1:30am to finish the book because I couldn’t put it down, and thennnn up an additional 30min, thinking about it and processing everything. I literally kept thinking about the book all day the next day lol. The depth and realistic explanations/reactions were EVERYTHING. The characters were so relatable, i found myself relating to them both so much. I have literally been where they were. Theo though.. my lordt Theo.. I felt him on such a spiritual level. I suffer from anxiety and the way Lucky portrayed him (AND Alec) and his/their trauma hit me on a whole nother level. This book gave me ALL the feels. I was swooning, laughing, crying (literally, I had to pause because 😩) and my jaw dropped. Their journey is NOT easy, they both overthink, they both deal with trauma and suffer from mental health but man.. is it worth it? 100000%. They truly make each other so much better. Alec’s friends are everything, the Kings brothers are everything and I just cannot wait for the rest of the series.
I wholeheartedly and truly cannot believe this is Luckys debut novel. I’m SO serious, there’s just no way. I don’t believe you!! 😂 I don’t even know where to start. I stayed up until 1:30am to finish the book because I couldn’t put it down, and thennnn up an additional 30min, thinking about it and processing everything. I literally kept thinking about the book all day the next day lol. The depth and realistic explanations/reactions were EVERYTHING. The characters were so relatable, i found myself relating to them both so much. I have literally been where they were. Theo though.. my lordt Theo.. I felt him on such a spiritual level. I suffer from anxiety and the way Lucky portrayed him (AND Alec) and his/their trauma hit me on a whole nother level. This book gave me ALL the feels. I was swooning, laughing, crying (literally, I had to pause because 😩) and my jaw dropped. Their journey is NOT easy, they both overthink, they both deal with trauma and suffer from mental health but man.. is it worth it? 100000%. They truly make each other so much better. Alec’s friends are everything, the Kings brothers are everything and I just cannot wait for the rest of the series.
August 26, 2024
✨ ARC Reader ✨
I am thoroughly obsessed with Lucky’s writing and this story.
Idiots in love? Check
Size difference? Check
An amazing cast of characters? Check
The depth of emotions I felt while reading this is a testament to the author’s ability to create such amazing characters a a rich story that you feel connected with. I laughed, I cried, I threatened violence and a good couple “I want to grab him by the collar and shake him like change is going to fall out†moments.
I was hungover and clinging to life and I still could not put this book down.
If the author ever publishes a sequel about Jason I will froth at the mouth.
I am thoroughly obsessed with Lucky’s writing and this story.
Idiots in love? Check
Size difference? Check
An amazing cast of characters? Check
The depth of emotions I felt while reading this is a testament to the author’s ability to create such amazing characters a a rich story that you feel connected with. I laughed, I cried, I threatened violence and a good couple “I want to grab him by the collar and shake him like change is going to fall out†moments.
I was hungover and clinging to life and I still could not put this book down.
If the author ever publishes a sequel about Jason I will froth at the mouth.
September 2, 2024
first of all i would like to thank the author for the arc of this book and would also like to say that i'd give this book 3.5 stars if gr would let me:)
i'd also like to say for a debut novel this was great!
i want to start with the reasons this didn't get more stars even though the writing style was nice and the plot was actually pretty cute: i feel like the age-gap was at times a little weird. i get that this is an age gap romance and i get that it's supposed to be forbidden ans stuff but first of all i had the feeling the age gap changed at times (sometimes it was 8 years, sometimes 9 or 7) and i thought it was a little weird that theo kept going on about knowing alec since he was in diapers. i tried very hard forgetting about that to be honest. however the falling in love when both were adults? very demure. very mindful.
alec as a character was very interesting and theo made me sob occasionally but theo didn't give u a lot to work with. i still like him, he could be a babygirl if given the chance.
i liked the pining and romance part of the story. i also enjoyed the twist of a sports romance where the character lost interest of their sport due to the stress associated with it by playing it on a higher level.
overall i'd say it was a pretty cute book and definitely worth a read. if u like age gap and forbidden romances this should he right up your alley!
i'd also like to say for a debut novel this was great!
i want to start with the reasons this didn't get more stars even though the writing style was nice and the plot was actually pretty cute: i feel like the age-gap was at times a little weird. i get that this is an age gap romance and i get that it's supposed to be forbidden ans stuff but first of all i had the feeling the age gap changed at times (sometimes it was 8 years, sometimes 9 or 7) and i thought it was a little weird that theo kept going on about knowing alec since he was in diapers. i tried very hard forgetting about that to be honest. however the falling in love when both were adults? very demure. very mindful.
alec as a character was very interesting and theo made me sob occasionally but theo didn't give u a lot to work with. i still like him, he could be a babygirl if given the chance.
i liked the pining and romance part of the story. i also enjoyed the twist of a sports romance where the character lost interest of their sport due to the stress associated with it by playing it on a higher level.
overall i'd say it was a pretty cute book and definitely worth a read. if u like age gap and forbidden romances this should he right up your alley!
March 23, 2025
Sweet, lightly spiced, wholesome, and relatable characters!
The author guides the story with a gentle touch and treats the characters mental health with respect I’ve not seen much in books. It was a delight to read.
Alec, Theo, the King brothers, and not forgetting little kitty Rio, all have my heart!
Alec is a D1 soccer (football for my fellow brits) and has been deeply in love with his brother bestie for a long time.
Theo only does one night stands and refuses to let himself fall in love with anyone.
The thing is, the Kings are a persistent bunch and Alec isn’t one to give up on anything.
Highly recommend this book and this author!
The author guides the story with a gentle touch and treats the characters mental health with respect I’ve not seen much in books. It was a delight to read.
Alec, Theo, the King brothers, and not forgetting little kitty Rio, all have my heart!
Alec is a D1 soccer (football for my fellow brits) and has been deeply in love with his brother bestie for a long time.
Theo only does one night stands and refuses to let himself fall in love with anyone.
The thing is, the Kings are a persistent bunch and Alec isn’t one to give up on anything.
Highly recommend this book and this author!
April 21, 2025
Holy buckets - what are words?! I'm pretty sure I lost them somewhere in the pages of this book. Gosh, I love Alec and Theo - even if they equally made me almost pull my hair out, then sob, then giggle and kick my feet. I'm obsessed with this series and I can't wait to find out what happens with the other King brothers.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
April 29, 2025DNF @ 22% - Not sure what's wrong with this book, but I'm just not interested.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
February 24, 2025DNF
Apparently I can't get away from books written in present tense. Just personal preference, it's not my favorite and it made the start of the book hard to read and very uninteresting.
Apparently I can't get away from books written in present tense. Just personal preference, it's not my favorite and it made the start of the book hard to read and very uninteresting.
November 8, 2024
Bloated, repetitive and stuffed with too many tropes.
February 2, 2025
“ð˜•ð˜° ð˜°ð˜¯ð˜¦ ð˜©ð˜¢ð˜´ ð˜¦ð˜·ð˜¦ð˜³ ð˜µð˜¢ð˜´ð˜µð˜¦ð˜¥ ð˜®ð˜¦, ð˜›ð˜©ð˜¦ð˜°. ð˜•ð˜° ð˜°ð˜¯ð˜¦ ð˜©ð˜¢ð˜´ ð˜¦ð˜·ð˜¦ð˜³ ð˜¨ð˜°ð˜µ ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ð˜ªð˜³ ð˜®ð˜°ð˜¶ð˜µð˜©. ð˜°ð˜³ ð˜®ð˜º ð˜¤ð˜°ð˜¤ð˜¬ ð˜°ð˜³ ð˜®ð˜º ð˜¢ð˜´ð˜´. ð˜ð˜µâ€™ð˜´ ð˜¢ð˜ð˜ ð˜§ð˜°ð˜³ ð˜ºð˜°ð˜¶. ð˜ ð˜°ð˜¶â€™ð˜ð˜ ð˜£ð˜¦ ð˜µð˜©ð˜¦ ð˜§ð˜ªð˜³ð˜´ð˜µ ð˜°ð˜¯ð˜¦. ð˜ˆð˜¯ð˜ºð˜°ð˜¯ð˜¦ ð˜¦ð˜ð˜´ð˜¦ ð˜ ð˜¦ð˜·ð˜¦ð˜³ ð˜§ð˜¶ð˜¤ð˜¬ ð˜¸ð˜ªð˜ð˜ ð˜¢ð˜ð˜¸ð˜¢ð˜ºð˜´ ð˜£ð˜¦ ð˜¤ð˜°ð˜®ð˜±ð˜¢ð˜³ð˜¦ð˜¥ ð˜µð˜° ð˜ºð˜°ð˜¶.â€
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: â¤ï¸â€ðŸ”¥â¤ï¸â€ðŸ”¥
This was such a cute story 🥹 Alec has been in love with his brother's best friend Theo, since he was a kid. Alec ends up confessing his love when he was 15, and it completely changes their dynamic and Theo distances himself. Years later, after a random favor puts them in close proximity, Alec realizes he stills holds the same feelings, only this time, he's not the only one.
Theo keeps to himself and is super thankful for his best friend, Alec's brother Jason, and their entire family for helping out when he was younger. The last thing Theo wants is to rock the boat.
I loved all their banter! SO many sexual inuendo's between them, and it's definitely more of a slow burn. Of course Theo feels torn between falling for his besties younger brother, but at some point he kinda has to say fuck it!
I really liked diving deeper into Alec and all of his mental health struggles. it helped to relate to his character so much more, and I love how Theo never judged him, but actively tried to protect him. Theo is definitely walking into new territory, and he doesn't always handle things the best way, but in the end he figures his shit out.
I always love a good childhood friends to lovers, and this didn't disappoint! This is the first book in the Kings Brothers interconnected series, and I am beyond ready for Jason's book!
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: â¤ï¸â€ðŸ”¥â¤ï¸â€ðŸ”¥
This was such a cute story 🥹 Alec has been in love with his brother's best friend Theo, since he was a kid. Alec ends up confessing his love when he was 15, and it completely changes their dynamic and Theo distances himself. Years later, after a random favor puts them in close proximity, Alec realizes he stills holds the same feelings, only this time, he's not the only one.
Theo keeps to himself and is super thankful for his best friend, Alec's brother Jason, and their entire family for helping out when he was younger. The last thing Theo wants is to rock the boat.
I loved all their banter! SO many sexual inuendo's between them, and it's definitely more of a slow burn. Of course Theo feels torn between falling for his besties younger brother, but at some point he kinda has to say fuck it!
I really liked diving deeper into Alec and all of his mental health struggles. it helped to relate to his character so much more, and I love how Theo never judged him, but actively tried to protect him. Theo is definitely walking into new territory, and he doesn't always handle things the best way, but in the end he figures his shit out.
I always love a good childhood friends to lovers, and this didn't disappoint! This is the first book in the Kings Brothers interconnected series, and I am beyond ready for Jason's book!
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