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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first book by Hailey Rodger and let me just tell you, I think she is now going to be an auto buy author for me. I fell in LOVE with this book! It was such a fun read.
The banter between Chase and Zoe was immediate and top-tier, I was always giggling. I think the best part was the way that both characters knew how to keep the other on their toes. But reading how Chase put his “play-boy” persona to the side and showed his absolute devotion for Zoe was heart melting! Can’t forget the absolute panty-melting dirty talk coming out of this golden retriever MMC was top-notch as well!
Then you have Zoe, the PR executive who finally gives in to the tension between them for ONE NIGHT ONLY. Then to get roped into being his fake girlfriend by her PR firm to reform Chase’s image.
She is now fake dating a man she “can’t stand” and Chase finally get an opportunity with the one woman he has always wanted….it was never fake for him.
I can’t wait to go and read Hailey’s back list while anticipating the next work of art to come out of her wonderful brain!
Thank you so much, Luna Literary and Hailey Rodger, for the ARC of this book!
#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booklover #ARC #ARCreview #upcomingrelease #MakeThePlay #HockeyRomance #SportsRomance #FakeDating #FrenemiesToLovers #HockeyRomanceBooks #coloradostormseries
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
“You always do that.”
“Do what?”
“Find me in the noise.”
This book caught me right in the feels! The way Chase fell for Zoe and didn’t let her think she deserved less than everything 😮💨🫠… amazing! This was a love story. Forged in fake dating but built on their real feelings.
This was my first Hailey Rodger’s book but it will not be my last! I am leaving Thai review vague because this story is meant to be read - it’s that good!!
Please check the TW, your mental health matters 💜🫶🏻, there are some heavy topics on this story.
#maketheplay
#sportsromance
#lunaliterary
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
PR Nightmare, Book Boyfriend Dream
Baby, let the fake dating games begin!
Dedication: For the ones who hold everyone else together. The life of the party. The fixer. The spark. Every version of you deserves to be seen, not just the shiny pieces. Your quiet parts, the tired pieces, the aching hearts. You don’t have to shine to be held.
Zoe (FMC): 29 • PR Exec • Ms. Independent • Career-Driven • Manicures to Match Mood • Stubborn & Sassy • Black Cat •
Chase (MMC): 25 • NHL Defensemen • Golden Retriever • Protective • Thoughtful • PR Chaos •
Tropes:
🏒 Pro Hockey Player x PR Exec
🤍 Pro Hockey Romance
🏒 Frenemies to Lovers
🤍 ONS to Fake Dating
🏒 Banter as Flirting
🤍 Years of Tension
🏒 Found Family
🤍 Text Conversations
🏒 Team Shenanigans
🤍 Secret Tattoo
🏒 Ms “I’ve Got This” Meets Mr. “And I’ve Got You”
🤍 Black Cat FMC
🏒 Golden Retriever MMC
🤍 Music Festival Scavenger Hunt
Rating: 💅🏽💅🏽💅🏽.☕️(3.25⭐️)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️(hand necklace, she’s pierced, 👅, begging, 🍑 play, dirty talk, praise, biting, spitting, crawling, self pleasure, toys as teammates, fun on FaceTime, tongue clean up, snowballing, 💥 in his pants)
T/W: anxiety (on page), emotional trauma (on page), grief (on page), death of a family member (referenced), strained parental relationships (referenced), unwanted following (on page), non-consensual narcotics use (on page), alcohol consumption (on page), violence (referenced)
If you’re a sucker for hockey romance, fake dating shenanigans, and a golden retriever MMC who is down so bad, Make the Play might just hit the spot. Chase Walton is chaos in a jersey. He is funny, flirty, and 100% obsessed with Zoe Carlson, the no-nonsense PR exec who’s made ignoring him an Olympic sport. When a PR crisis forces them into a fake relationship, Chase treats it like a dream come true. Zoe? Not so much.
The group texts, teammate banter, and locker room chaos had me cracking up, and Chase’s dirty mouth paired with his big softie heart is absolute book boyfriend material. But I’ll be honest Zoe and I didn’t fully click. Her trauma is valid, but her walls were fortified, and sometimes I just wanted her to give Chase more than her side-eye. Still, I get it—healing isn’t linear, and this book doesn’t pretend it is.
While it wasn’t a five-star read for me, I appreciated the emotional depth, the top-tier banter, and the reminder that even the most chaotic golden retrievers deserve love, too. I stayed for the hockey bros and Chases’ banter.
I’m fully invested in this team of chaotic, lovable hockey men. Bring on the next Storm!
Swoony Line:
“You’re my favorite part of every day. Even the shitty ones… especially those ones.”
I received an ARC copy and wanted to leave an honest review.
4.5⭐️. This book was absolutely so precious and I cannot get enough of Chase and Zoe! We all know that he’s been down so bad for her, and I absolutely love that they started fake dating….hello one of my absolute FAVORITE tropes!! While they both are great at masking their feelings, I love how easily they can read each other. I’m definitely on team Chaz for life!
What to expect:
🩷Hockey romance
🩷He falls first
🩷Fake dating
🩷Found family
Thank you so much to Hailey Rodger and Luna Literary Management for letting me read and review an ARC of this book!
What to expect:
🩷Hockey romance
🩷He falls first
🩷Fake dating
🩷Found family
Thank you so much to Hailey Rodger and Luna Literary Management for letting me read and review an ARC of this book!
I did not expect the top-tier frenemies banter and teasing in this book!! Chase and Zoe had me giggling non-stop, and I devoured all 500 pages in under 24 hours. At first, I thought it might feel long, but by the end? I wanted more. Their back-and-forth is basically just flirtation in disguise, and I was here for all of it!!!!
Chase might come off as the classic reckless, smooth-talking MMC, but underneath that cool exterior is a guy with a huge heart who doesn’t know what to do with all those big feelings. He’s protective without ever crossing boundaries and a golden retriever with the softest, most patient soul who sees right through Zoe’s carefully built walls.
Zoe, on the other hand, has peak black cat energy with her fiercely independent “I’ve got this” attitude. She meets Chase’s antics head-on, never putting up with his BS—and their banter and teasing?? Chef’s kiss. When Chase starts showing up for her in real, meaningful ways, she’s understandably thrown off. Poor guy had to remind her more than once that he wasn’t going anywhere. These two are the definition of a “You don’t have to do this” / “I know. I want to” couple.
This hockey romcom has it all: fake dating, frenemies to lovers, an older woman–younger man "age gap" (that only she makes a big deal of), a golden retriever defenseman × black cat PR exec dynamic, and a tight-knit found family. I can’t believe this was my first Hailey Rodger book—Seal the Deal is now at the top of my TBR. Team Jarlie, I'm coming soon!!
Thank you to Luna Literary and Hailey Rodger for the ARC 💕
Chase might come off as the classic reckless, smooth-talking MMC, but underneath that cool exterior is a guy with a huge heart who doesn’t know what to do with all those big feelings. He’s protective without ever crossing boundaries and a golden retriever with the softest, most patient soul who sees right through Zoe’s carefully built walls.
Zoe, on the other hand, has peak black cat energy with her fiercely independent “I’ve got this” attitude. She meets Chase’s antics head-on, never putting up with his BS—and their banter and teasing?? Chef’s kiss. When Chase starts showing up for her in real, meaningful ways, she’s understandably thrown off. Poor guy had to remind her more than once that he wasn’t going anywhere. These two are the definition of a “You don’t have to do this” / “I know. I want to” couple.
This hockey romcom has it all: fake dating, frenemies to lovers, an older woman–younger man "age gap" (that only she makes a big deal of), a golden retriever defenseman × black cat PR exec dynamic, and a tight-knit found family. I can’t believe this was my first Hailey Rodger book—Seal the Deal is now at the top of my TBR. Team Jarlie, I'm coming soon!!
Thank you to Luna Literary and Hailey Rodger for the ARC 💕
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my second book with Hailey Rodger and dare I say this book was better than the last!
Zoe and Chase's story starts in the first book. Chase is TROUBLE and Zoe is tasked with managing all of his PR nightmares over the course of the last book in the background to get us to this book which shines a light on Chase and why he may be hiding behind all the jokes and witty banter with Zoe.
I was kicking my feet the entire book because Zoe gives as good as she takes from Chase and one night of passion between these two leads to them having to 'fake date.' Little does Zoe know that Chase has ALWAYS had a thing for Zoe. He would follow her any where.. He is the gold retriever and he is ready to crawl to his woman.
This heartfelt story shows that if you keep showing up maybe the person you love will finally stop keeping you at a distance and realize that they deserve the love you're willing to give and accept it.
Trigger warnings... She has a stalker. There was a slight kidnapping and she was kind of drugged. So, maybe read those TW and take a moment if you need to while reading. I will tell you it does end in a HEA so, there's that.
Zoe and Chase's story starts in the first book. Chase is TROUBLE and Zoe is tasked with managing all of his PR nightmares over the course of the last book in the background to get us to this book which shines a light on Chase and why he may be hiding behind all the jokes and witty banter with Zoe.
I was kicking my feet the entire book because Zoe gives as good as she takes from Chase and one night of passion between these two leads to them having to 'fake date.' Little does Zoe know that Chase has ALWAYS had a thing for Zoe. He would follow her any where.. He is the gold retriever and he is ready to crawl to his woman.
This heartfelt story shows that if you keep showing up maybe the person you love will finally stop keeping you at a distance and realize that they deserve the love you're willing to give and accept it.
Trigger warnings... She has a stalker. There was a slight kidnapping and she was kind of drugged. So, maybe read those TW and take a moment if you need to while reading. I will tell you it does end in a HEA so, there's that.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping, Stalking
Minor: Death
ARC Review
Make The Play is a fake-dating hockey romance that delivers heat, heart, and an unexpected twist of suspense. Chase Walton is a PR disaster with golden retriever energy, while Zoe Carlson is the sharp, no-nonsense PR exec roped into a fake relationship to clean up his image. Their banter is electric, their chemistry undeniable—but it’s the emotional depth that really sets this story apart.
Both Chase and Zoe wear masks for the world, but as their fake relationship deepens, they begin to see and love each other for who they truly are. Chase’s book boyfriend energy is off the charts—sweet, loyal, and quietly hurting. Zoe’s slow journey toward vulnerability feels raw and real.
The suspense thread caught me by surprise in the best way, and the writing had me highlighting so many quotes. One that stayed with me was the dedication, which captures the heart of this book:
“For the ones who hold everyone else together... Every version of you deserves to be seen, not just the shiny pieces... You don’t have to shine to be held.”
I absolutely loved this story. It’s a quick, emotionally satisfying read with great dialogue, heartfelt moments, and top-tier book boyfriend vibes.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love Zoe and Chase so much and couldn’t wait for their story! We love a strong, independent woman who puts a man in his place (even when she secretly loves being annoyed by him). My favorite part of this book is that Chase never gave up because he loved Zoe from the beginning, even if it took her a little time to catch up. The banter in this book was TOP TIER and the spice never disappointed. The tent scene did not disappoint. Can’t wait to see more of them in future books!
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
♾️⭐
3.5🌶️
So you may (or may not) have met Chase and Zoe in 'Seal the Deal', but since then, I have been hankering for their story. My goodness... Does Hailey know how to write her men! I am forever ruined for all book boyfriends. Chase and Zoe were literally banter central and I was HERE FOR IT! 🙋🏻♀️
Can we just start off with Zoe? I just LOVE her! She is just that one friend you need, your ride or die partner for life. Sassy, real and loyal to a fault, she works as a PR executive for Pulse/Storm and the biggest headache (and liability) of them all is Chase... A thorn in her side, and the man who just can't seem to keep himself out the press.
Chase on the other hand has secretly been in love with Zoe for the past few years. When an unsavoury tape of his emerges from his past, management decide to take matters in their own hands via damage control - they want to show the world Chase has since settled and in a stable relationship. The lady in question? None other than his dream woman, Zoe. All you need is to fake itnto make it, right? 😉
Seriously, there's just something about a man down bad for his woman and Chase had it in spades! He was the ultimate simp if simps and I could not have loved him more! 😮💨🫠 The banter, the yearning, the chemistry, the push and pull between Chase and Zoe was just 🤌🏻*chef's kiss* UGH 😮💨 believe me when I say I lived for them moments!
I loved how time and time again Chase showed up in the moments that mattered the most, how he knew and anticipated Zoe's needs before she even knew herself and how raw, real and messy their love was. Chase saw through the mask Zoe wore to protect herself, and Zoe in time saw the real Chase that noone has ever seen. They both have pasts which they have to overcome and I'm glad they could lean on each other and be that person. Love definitely knew no bounds for them and my heart could not be more full for them 💗 Let's just say, carnations will forever remind me of their epic love (especially the white ones 🥹)
I honestly don't think Hailey can write a bad book cause this just blew my mind!! 🤯 When I didn't think she could top Jake and Charlie's story, she proved me wrong. Highly, highly recommend this read if it's the last thing you do 👀 Bring on Logan's book!!!! 📚
Thank you so much to Hailey and Luna Literacy for the eARC, in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏻
3.5🌶️
So you may (or may not) have met Chase and Zoe in 'Seal the Deal', but since then, I have been hankering for their story. My goodness... Does Hailey know how to write her men! I am forever ruined for all book boyfriends. Chase and Zoe were literally banter central and I was HERE FOR IT! 🙋🏻♀️
Can we just start off with Zoe? I just LOVE her! She is just that one friend you need, your ride or die partner for life. Sassy, real and loyal to a fault, she works as a PR executive for Pulse/Storm and the biggest headache (and liability) of them all is Chase... A thorn in her side, and the man who just can't seem to keep himself out the press.
Chase on the other hand has secretly been in love with Zoe for the past few years. When an unsavoury tape of his emerges from his past, management decide to take matters in their own hands via damage control - they want to show the world Chase has since settled and in a stable relationship. The lady in question? None other than his dream woman, Zoe. All you need is to fake itnto make it, right? 😉
Seriously, there's just something about a man down bad for his woman and Chase had it in spades! He was the ultimate simp if simps and I could not have loved him more! 😮💨🫠 The banter, the yearning, the chemistry, the push and pull between Chase and Zoe was just 🤌🏻*chef's kiss* UGH 😮💨 believe me when I say I lived for them moments!
I loved how time and time again Chase showed up in the moments that mattered the most, how he knew and anticipated Zoe's needs before she even knew herself and how raw, real and messy their love was. Chase saw through the mask Zoe wore to protect herself, and Zoe in time saw the real Chase that noone has ever seen. They both have pasts which they have to overcome and I'm glad they could lean on each other and be that person. Love definitely knew no bounds for them and my heart could not be more full for them 💗 Let's just say, carnations will forever remind me of their epic love (especially the white ones 🥹)
I honestly don't think Hailey can write a bad book cause this just blew my mind!! 🤯 When I didn't think she could top Jake and Charlie's story, she proved me wrong. Highly, highly recommend this read if it's the last thing you do 👀 Bring on Logan's book!!!! 📚
Thank you so much to Hailey and Luna Literacy for the eARC, in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏻