This was a really fantastic read. It's my first book by Taylor McNiff, but I KNOW it won't be my last, because I WHEW, I devoured this gem in two nights. No sleep was had, but it was totally worth it.

SEE, now this is how I like my contemporary/sports romances. I'll have half a dozen like this one please! "Breakaway" is the perfect example of how a romance can be steamy and funny and heartfelt, without it feeling shallow, without all that forced light-heartedness and, god forbid, forced banter that always make me want to gouge my eyes out. This is how you write two leads, and this is you write an emotional, believable connection between them.

I adored it, needless to say. I loved Ethan and Hayden SO FREAKING MUCH. I loved their dynamic, I loved how skittish and grumpy Ethan was towards Hayden and I loved seeing their relationship slowly morph into respect and care and affection and love. Everything about their relationship felt emotionally charged and believable, and it had me in a chokehold IMMEDIATELY.
I loved the D/s undertones to their dynamic, and I adored Hayden's care-taking side so so so much.
I loved how Ethan's bi-awakening (and sub awakening lol) wasn't easy, but it wasn't full of meaningless drama either.
I adored Ethan as a lead: the depression rep was fantastic and yes, again, believable and it felt like something the author had probably witnessed up close, so it felt even more charged. I keep saying this but: please, my lovely MM romance writers, please please please include more mental health rep in your romances. ALSO, @friends, if you have recs: I WANT THEM.

I'm docking half a star because I would have loved to see a bit more of role reversal between the two leads. I was wholly weak for Hayden, so maybe that's the reason, but I wanted to see a smidge more of his past (especially that whole situation with his ex) and maybe see Ethan react to it, or even have a talk between them about it. Okay, yes, screw it: I loved Ethan's possessive/protective streak (if you read the book: yes, I'm talking about the bar scene), and I would have loved to see him use it a bit more for Hayden's sake. This book felt very much like Ethan's story, and that's completely fine and expected, considering the topic, but I really adored Hayden too, and I would have loved seeing him centred a biiiit more.

That aside; I loved this book. I loved this book so much that if Taylor McNiff were to kindly gift us Jules' story, I'd probably worship her capable, storytelling mind FOREVER. I loved Jules SOOOO much. SO SO MUCH. I want to see him get his own HEA *stomps feet* pretty please?

I think I'll probably re-read this book in the near future; I already can't wait. I'll definitely check out more books in this multi-author series too!
I wholly recommend this one: it was a delightful, meaningful, steamy as hell, gut-punch in book form, and it was totally worth all the sleep I lost.

TWs/CWs: depression, suicide (past), suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, hospitalization (past), death of a parent.