Book 934: Breakaway (Off the Pitch #1) – Charlie Novak

I threw this on my Kindle from Kindle Unlimited at some point in the last two years because I’ve enjoyed most of Novak’s works and love a good MM Sports Romance. It was the oldest KU book on my list so I figured why not cross it off.

Breakway is the story of childhood friends Christian and David, who drifted apart when Christian went off to play for the pros in Germany, but the never gave up the torch for each other.

Honestly, my favorite characters were probably the minor characters. Don’t get me wrong Christian and David were adorable, they just needed Christian to get out of his own way, but the minor characters from Lilly and Kit to Hugo, Liam and Jordan, they really all just stole the show for me.

“It is,” said Hugo with a gentle smile. “I like everybody. I believe the term is pansexual.”
I turned to stare at him, eyes wide and jaw on the floor. The way he’d just so casually said it, like it was no big deal. I couldn’t believe it. “But you’ve got a wife,” was all I could say.
“Ex-wife,” Hugo muttered. I winced, having forgotten the very messy divorce he’d recently gone through. “And anyway, that doesn’t make a difference. Who you date doesn’t change who you are.”
“But . . . but you play football.”
Hugo smiled at me. “True, but being pan doesn’t change that either. Times are changing, and football needs to change too.” (75)

Novak’s inclusion of a pan character that was so nonchalant about their sexuality in deep contrast to Christian’s closeted neurotic driving everyone to the brink gayness was refreshing and I’m looking forward to his story in the next book of the series. I’m not sure how much I’m going to enjoy Kit’s point of view, doesn’t seem like the type of character I really want to get my head into.

Like Annabeth Albert, my fave, Novak loves to bring nerdiness to her books and this one was no different. The numerous Star Wars and Harry Potter references just made me so happy.

My inner geek was dancing. I’d always loved Star Wars, and Christian and I had spent hours watching them as kids. My mum had even taken the two of us to see Revenge of the Sith for my birthday. As an adult I’d always longed for a couple of these sets, but they were so fucking expensive I’d never imagined getting one. I mean, this Millennium Falcon kit was worth nearly seven hundred quid. (69)

The sex scenes were well written as to be expected from Novak. I was a little worried she was going to talk the talk but not walk the walk on verse characters, but she saved it with the last chapter switching up the characters positions. The epilogue was okay, but I would’ve taken it a different direction. I’ll be really interested in seeing what part Christian and David play in the next two books of the series.

Recommendation: An enjoyable, relatively low angst read from Novak. This was totally different from her Kiss Me series (Strawberry Kisses, Summer Kisses, and Spiced Kisses), but still very enjoyable. I really hope Christian and David make appearances in the next two books, because their story clearly isn’t done.

Opening Line: “So Christian, fifth game of the season and already you’ve scored in every match.”

Closing Line: “Yes, the future was scary, but that didn’t matter. I had David by my side, and together we were unstoppable.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)