Breakaway
by Sophia Henry
Published by: Random House: Flirt
Publication date: September 5th 2017
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Sports
Source: ARC, Blog Tour
Review:
In a standalone hockey romance that tugs at readers’ heartstrings, a broken ex-pro learns to live and love again—all thanks to the complicated, wonderful nurse who gives him a second chance.
Brianna Collins needs to break away from her overbearing family. Her parents expect her to “fix” her brother after a series of concussions derailed his hockey career. Unfortunately, no doctor will give him clearance to play, and she’s finished with being the person they rely on to perform a miracle that will never happen. For Bree, a six-month nursing assignment at a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the perfect escape.
Luke Daniels, former forward for the NHL’s Charlotte Aviators, has spent close to a year rehabbing a career-threatening injury—and distracting himself however he can. Worlds collide when Luke realizes that the girl from his latest one-night-stand happens to be the new nurse at the hospital where he volunteers in the pediatric unit. What’s more, Bree’s the only person who makes him excited about life again.
Despite her initial reservations, Luke can’t help pursuing sweet, beautiful Bree. Then he realizes it was her brother whose career he ended with an accidental hit, and he falls back on the thing that’s always helped suppress his demons: alcohol. But if Luke doesn’t kick his old habits, he just may lose the one thing he loves more than hockey.
MY THOUGHTS
One of the reasons contemporary usually is not my go-to choice of genre for reading. The best (and only) thing this genre can offer me is drama, drama, only drama, and more drama. And this book is no different.
It’s a classic celebrity/athlete with ‘the girl’ contemporary book. Our girl Bree is a girl who was raised within the sporting and athletes community. Luke was a talented professional hockey player who was fighting an injury from the very begging of the book that threatens to take him out of his early and just blossoming career.
Basically, that’s how they met.
I actually really liked this book. Luke was a classic athlete that does have a really soft and sweet side (especially toward Bree), but his arrogance and denial toward the true threat and extent of his injury really get on my nerves.
I would like Bree a lot more if there’s not so much drama and ‘past’ behind her. But it’s a contemporary drama romance book, so I understand. I do like her because of her carefree character and realistic attitude. She is more than capable of taking care of herself, despite her privileged background. She isn’t so shy and insecure that she can’t handle a one-night stand. That I specified because many other heroines from this genre are often super conservative and ‘doesn’t want to sleep with the guy she first met’, and I found that kind of cliche.
I feel like I would enjoy this book a lot more if it was during my contemporary cravings. Luke and Bree are one of the cutest contemporary couples. However, I really, really wasn’t feeling for all the drama that would come with contemporary. But that does not mean this is a bad book. I really liked it, it’s more enjoyable, but I feel like a contemporary fan would love it more. So I give it 3 and a half stars, not because it’s bad, but because it’s not exactly for, while on the other hand it’s still an excellent read.
GIVEAWAY
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-Winning Author, Sophia Henry, is a proud Detroit native who fell in love with reading, writing and hockey all before she became a teenager. She did not, however, fall in love with snow. So after graduating with an English degree from Central Michigan University, she moved to the warmth of North Carolina for the remainder of her winters.
She spends her days writing books featuring hot, hockey-playing heroes. When she’s not writing, she’s chasing her two high-energy sons, watching her beloved Detroit Red Wings, and rocking out at concerts.