As Tampa Bay’s star center, Mark Carmelo’s life was hockey, and after a bitter and public break up, all he wanted to do was focus on the game. Until he saw her. The one that got away. The one he thought he’d never see again.For thirteen years, Stevie West drowned in her lackluster life. Recently divorced from her “roommate” with passionless benefits, she was ready to start over. On her own.Until … over. On her own.
Until she ran into him.
The same man she’d met one year ago.
The temptation that had finally given her the courage to find herself again.
When lightning strikes twice, there’s no way to deny the chemistry it creates.
But with both of them still nursing old wounds, Mark and Stevie will have to find a way around the other’s defenses, a way to breakaway and score the one thing they never expected… love.
more
What a great start to the new Rule Book series! This beautiful love story is the exact reason why I love reading romance! Mark and Stevie are both strong, passionate, and perfectly flawed. After briefly meeting the year before, Mark and Stevie have a second chance to connect. Stevie spent thirteen years with a man who suppressed her strength and spirit. Now with the encouragement of her best friend, Stevie is blossoming into the self assured, fun loving woman she was meant to be. Mark is done with one night stands. He has been burned before and finds it hard to trust. But he is drawn to Stevie like no other, unable to deny the connection and chemistry he feels with her. He loves that she doesn’t care about his money or that she knows nothing about hockey. They have fun together and their fiery passion is explosive. I loved everything about this story. It’s not full of angsty drama, but more about finding that common ground, facing life head-on, and claiming love. It’s loaded with sexual tension, smoking hot passion, and witty banter. Ms Johnson created a wonderfully refreshing, and multifaceted story about real people who are interesting, and easy to connect with. There were so many laugh out loud moments but many sweet and heartwarming moments as well, not to mention their fiery passion! This book is the perfect combination of everything I crave in a story. It’s sweet, romantic, sexy, moving, and witty, all rolled into one breathtaking journey! You must read Breakaway, you will love it, I promise!
I’ve always steered clear of sports romance books and have never been a fan of sports, but leave it to Amanda to change my opinion on this topic and turn me into a die-hard fan of Mark Carmelo *sigh*
He is everything a woman could ask for: sexy, sweet, patient, mature and down to earth. He is the perfect match for Stevie and it was wonderful to witness their incredible chemistry. Stevie is one of those characters that you can identify with easily. We’ve all dealt with similar insecurities in life and seeing her personal growth through the book was empowering and hopeful.
Their relationship is a wonderful story of love, finding trust after you’ve been hurt and rediscovering yourself after heartbreak. Although Breakaway was less angsty than what I’d usually read, it was nothing less than spectacular. A must read!
I have heard so many amazing things about A.M. Johnson, so when I had a chance to grab an advanced copy of this book, I couldn’t jump on it fast enough. I am so glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters (both main and supporting) were fantastic, the storyline kept me captivated, and there were hot hockey players. I mean, what more could you want?
When Mark and Stevie first meet, their chemistry is off the charts. However, Stevie is still married, and while her marriage is not a happy one, she remains loyal, and it seems like their opportunity is missed. However, when Stevie moves back a year later they have their second chance. Fresh from divorce, Stevie is making a new life for herself and doesn’t want to rush into something while Mark knows exactly what he wants and goes for it. Sounds perfect, right? As the story progresses, we get to know Mark better, and this hot hockey player begins to show his own insecurities. As the layers of these characters are peeled away, I fell more and more in love with both of them!
Mark is completely swoon worthy! Not only is he a hot hockey player, he is genuinely nice. He is a good guy all around. While he once enjoyed his fame and all it brought him, he’s beyond that now, and he doesn’t let it affect who he is. He has a vulnerable side that makes him even more amazing, and as if that isn’t enough, watching him with his family, particularly his niece Poppy, will make your ovaries explode. I mean, he is truly book boyfriend material.
And Stevie is a girl you can connect with. She has lost herself along the way, but she is fighting to find out who she is and who she wants to be. Things with Mark seem a bit too good to be true for her at times, but who wouldn’t feel that way? I absolutely love her heart. She is loyal and kind, loving and trustworthy. She also knows how to have a good time. Together, she and Mark bring out the best in each other.
There are also so many fantastic supporting characters. I absolutely adore Bryson and would love to see him fall hard and abandon his playboy ways. And Reagan has me completely intrigued. Will she find her happily-ever-after? What’s keeping her in this endless cycle of friends with benefits? They are both such good friends to Mark and Stevie. I would love to see more of them.
This book was great. It was well written with a great story and fantastic characters. Their love story will absolutely make you swoon! I can’t wait to see what comes next!
4.5 of 5 stars
A.M. Johnson scores with BREAKAWAY. Tampa Bay hockey center, Mark Carmelo, is getting over a bad relationship. He has no intention of dating. He is concentrating on his career instead. That is until, the girl of his dreams, Stevie West, walks back into his life. This contemporary sports romance is suitable for adult audiences.
A.M. Johnson does a great job with both the character development and plot. Mark and Stevie are well-developed and likable. I appreciated that one of the things that attracted Mark to Stevie was she had no idea who he was. It would be difficult being a celebrity and not knowing if people liked you for the real you. Both characters had bad relationships prior to dating each other. They have numerous issues to overcome, especially with their prior relationships. They are both good people that complement each other.
I like how the story flashed back in time. I like the fate aspect to the story. I thought it was clever that Mark and Stevie’s prior meeting influenced her life decisions, her life becoming better as a result. BREAKAWAY was skillfully written and believable. This is the first book that I have read by A.M. Johnson. I enjoyed her writing style and plan on reading more of her work. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
I was given the opportunity to read an ARC of this book and can I just say AM Johnson has done it again. This author’s words have always been poetry for my soul and Breakaway was no different. It is a hockey/sports romance but believe me it is so much more. This is about two people finding themselves after getting lost in relationships that stripped them bare. Mark and Stevie will capture your heart from the very start and will crawl under your skin and bind themselves to your soul. As you take the journey with these characters it will open up your heart to experience every emotion with them and at times have you feeling raw and exposed. Breakaway will teach you that you should not always follow the rules because some are meant to be broken. If you are a fan of AM Johnson’s you will be counting down the days until this book is available. If you are yet to be introduced to her work then take the plunge because as you read the last word in this story you will be addicted to the world she allows us to get lost in. This novel will have clipping, charging and body checking just to make sure no one gets between you and this story. It feels wrong to be rating this novel with only five stars as it is worth so much more.
5 WINNING GOAL STARS!! This Book will be one of my top picks for 2018. Talk about feels, this story has it all, I would find myself tingly and smiling all the way through. Mark is the perfect guy, athletic, sexy as sin, rich, sweet, but has some trust issues. Stevie is beautiful, natural, fun, but was in a long time relationship since high school. These two find each other and sparks fly and I loved watch their story be told. A.M. Johnson is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite authors. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
I absolutely love when I dive into a book and immediately connect with the characters. A.M. Johnson has a true talent for writing characters with whom an instant connection can be felt. Even if one is not familiar with the exact circumstances the characters are dealing with, Ms. Johnson finds a way to connect you to her characters. She breaks the characters and their predicaments down in such a way that any reader can understand what is going on and empathize. Breakaway is no exception.
Stevie West, Breakway’s heroine, is instantly recognizable and relatable to any woman who has had to refocus and rediscover who they are and what they want from life. She is far from perfect. Stevie doesn’t have the perfect body, the perfect job, or an unshakable confidence in who she is and what she’s become in life. Stevie is hardworking, tries to make good decisions, and live a good life. She is no superhero, but she possesses an incredible courage which makes her extraordinary.
Mark Carmelo is larger than life. His hard work and incredible talent have made him a rock star in the world of hockey. He only has to ask and whatever he wants is his. The problem is, aside from the hockey, he just wants something simple, honest, and true. On the night he thinks he has found exatcly what he wants, it is unavailable to him. There are some things beyond the reach of money and prestige.
Breakway is A.M. Johnson’s gorgeous story about what happens when two people strive to live their best lives. It is the story of overcoming less than stellar decisions and the insecurities which result from putting trust in others and having that trust broken. It is the beautiful result of two people learning trust their instincts as well as each other. Breakaway is a book burgeoning with strong characters whose stroies will have you wondering and waiting to read the next installment of the rule Book Series.
Who doesn’t love a hockey romance with a dose of extra sweet? Breakaway is packed full of sweetness and heat and just the right amount of a tug at your heart strings emotional punch. I flew through the pages lost in a world of hot hockey players and swoon worthy romance reading this! At the start I was a bit worried maybe this book wasn’t going to be for me, but I must admit sometimes I’m stupid. This was a time I was most definitely stupid, since Breakaway ended up being a book I didn’t just like but loved!
Stevie and Mark are both a bit lost when it comes to love in their own ways. Her with feeling she’s lost herself and trying to find the woman she truly is again. Him with trying to recover from past relationships. Together though, there’s no denying the instant connection between them. The second they’re in the same space the sparks between them are flying off the pages. Creating one of the sweetest romances that left me sighing in pure bliss.
Breakaway was a fantastic read. Absolutely worthy of all 5 stars.
I loved everything about this book. It was fabulously written with great characters.
I liked Stevie and her backbone. I loved her integrity. I also liked Mark, he was a great deal more matured than his age. I loved that Stevie was a bit older then Mark but they balanced out each other perfectly. They both had lessons to learn and conclusions to draw. Mark had to overcome an ugly betrayal from his past and learn to trust again. Stevie had to learn that a relationship with the right partner not necessarily means she has to lose herself again completely. It wasn’t an easy task and both Stevie and Mark had worked hard and also suffered to achieve their goals.
There was some drama but thankfully not at all overdone.
All in all this book was a great read and I absolutely recommend.
I absolutely loved this book!! I was captured from the beginning and could not put it down. Mark & Stevie take a chance on each other after suffering in previous relationships. I loved their instant attraction to each other.
Mark is a very down to earth guy and oh so swoon worthy. Stevie is adorable, caring and she just wants to have fun for a change.
I am a huge fan of AM Johnson and Breakaway did not disappoint – another beautifully written story and I will definitely read it again! You will love it too!