A review by literarypaiges
Breakaway by Grace Reilly

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Breakaway is the second book in the Beyond the Play series and it definitely felt WAY steamier than the first book, First Down. I skipped a lot of the spice because it was -- well, the specifics were just not my thing.

Aside from the very frequent skim-or-skip, I really loved Cooper and Penny. Just like in First Down, the couple in Breakaway feels real with stellar chemistry. Some of the best parts of this book were their storylines outside of each other -- Cooper's complicated relationship with his father and trying to learn how to be a leader both on and off the ice, and Penny overcoming trauma and betrayal from her past while learning to trust that her dad has her back. I really loved that instead of miscommunication, the leads helped each other to learn and grow.

I'm still a little puzzled by the sheer volume of hockey romances out there -- when did hockey become the hot boy sport du jour? -- but I have to admit, this worked for me!