Breakaway

Scoring Chances, Book 1

By: Avon Gale

Narrated by: Scott R. Smith

Drafted to play for the Jacksonville Sea Storm, an NHL affiliate, 20-year-old Lane Courtnall's future looks bright, apart from the awkwardness he feels as a gay man playing on a minor league hockey team. He's put his foot in his mouth a few times and alienated his teammates. Then, during a rivalry game, Lane throws off his gloves against Jared Shore, enforcer for the Savannah Renegades. It's a strange way to begin a relationship.

Jared's been playing minor league hockey for most of his career. He's bisexual and doesn't care if anyone knows. But he's determined to avoid another love affair after the last one left him devastated. Out of nowhere a one-nighter with rookie Lane Courtnall gives him second thoughts. Lane reminds Jared why he loves the game and why love might be worth the risk. In turn, Jared hopes to show Lane how to be comfortable with himself on and off the ice. But they're at different points in their careers, and both men will have to decide what they value most.

©2015 Avon Gale (P)2016 Dreamspinner Press

Breakaway

Any additional comments?

*** Audio copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review.***

Breakaway is Book 1 in Avon Gale's Scoring Chances series and is narrated by Scott R. Smith. This introductory book introduces you to the ECHL league, an affiliate of the NHL. Lane Courtnall is a young, skilled player drafted from Canada to play for the Jacksonville Sea Storm. Lane is awkward and prone to say whatever he thinks with no filter or tact which led to him being alienated by his teammates from day 1 on the team. He decides during a game that the best way to get his teammates to like him is to get into a fight with their rival team, Savannah Renegades enforcer, Jared Shore. Jared is coming close to the end of his career and isn't happy that the new upcoming star of the league decided to chose him for a fight. When they run into each other at the bar, he quickly learns that Lane is clueless about the reasons he didn't appreciate the fight. But he's also attracted to Lane, though he's always hidden his bisexuality from him team. And it's not long before neither Lane or Jared can deny their attraction or feelings for each other.

I've actually read this book and was not a fan of Lane's. I didn't find him endearing or amusing at all but I have to say I feel differently after listening to the audio version of the book. The narrator did a great job of bringing the characters to life off the page, and made Lane seem less annoying and more quirky. I really enjoyed Smith's narration and thought he did a great job on this book. The narrator was able to easily voice each of the characters that let you recognize when they were speaking without needing to see their name in print.

There are a lot of great characters in this book. Jared is a saint in this book to put up with, let alone fall in love with Lane and all his quirks. He was able to nurture and help Lane grow while still appreciating the weirdness that is Lane. I loved Lane's best friend Zoe. She was so funny and without her help, Lane would not have come as far as he had.

The book is a great introduction to hockey and the author offers a little background at the beginning to help those who are new, or unaware, how the ECHL works. The book is a great mix of friendship, romance and hockey without being overwhelming in one area. And I felt like there was really good set-up with future books (I haven't read them yet, but I plan on it!) to make this series just get better with each book! And I'd definitely listen to the audios of those as they become available. You should definitely check out this audio and series by Avon Gale!

Overall: 4.5 stars
Performance: 4.5 stars
Story: 4.5 stars

Such joy to listen to!

I’m a die hard hockey fan and this book taught me some things I did not know! I love how clueless Lane, he is just too stinking cute. This was my first novel by Avon Gale and I will definitely be picking up the rest of the books in the series!
This was also my audio from Scott R Smith. He brought these guys to life. This was such a good read and listen!

One of my all time favorites- okay narration

How do you review something you just love so dang much?!

This is one of my all time favorite books. Not just for this year but for all time. It hits all the right notes for me and I can’t say enough good about it.

First, the humor. Avon Gale just tickles my funny bone and I laugh out loud over and over with this story. Lane is ADORKABLE and he says all the (right)wrong things. Humor is tough and it takes someone with good timing as well as a good sense of the absurd to make humor work in writing. Avon has it in spades. Her writing is witty and sparkling and Lane is the perfect example of this.

Zoe, is Lane’s BFF and she’s MAGNIFICENT. God I loved this character. She’s sweet, and funny, and bi-sexual, and tatted up and tender… she helps Lane navigate all those “feelings” that people keep having and it’s both really sweet and super funny.

As someone who knows next to nothing about hockey, I can tell you that Avon managed to engage me enough with the sport that I felt like a “fan” for a minute but I never felt lost or overwhelmed.

There’s some great stuff in here: Good hockey, some Canada humor, a bit of parental angst and some hot, hot, HOT virgin sex with an absolute boatload of feels mixed in with tons of laughter.

But – and this is the most important aspect – the romance is soooo sweet. Jared and Lane together are exactly what romances are made of. They’re guys, but they’re sweet and sexy and sometimes they wrestle – so – you know – awesome!

I literally either bookmarked or highlighted something on nearly every dang page. It’s ridiculous how good this book is!



So… I’m recommending this book to fans of gay virgins, geeks, hockey, Canadians, humor, May/December romances and sweet love stories.

I’d seriously give this a 7 of 5 stars if I could… it was really, really amazing.

Audio

So the problem with being in love with a book and having read it several, several times is that you have the MCs sort of already voiced out in your head. To me Lane has a distinct voice as does Zoe. The others not nearly as much, except for maybe Riley… When I saw this was in audio format I FLIPPED OUT because now I can listen to one of my favs over and over and over right? Welllllllll – it seriously pains me to say this, but I am disappointed. The narrator simply did not get Lane the same way that I interpreted him. He didn’t get his blabbering or his cluelessness or his ability to put his foot in his mouth over and over… and it shows in how he’s voiced. He did a great job with Jared and I LOVED Ryan. They were just right. But Lane … he’s my guy and I had high hopes for him. Then there’s Zoe. To me the narrator absolutely missed the mark with Zoe. He made her a Southern Belle while I think of her more as a Southern Red Neck with an Education and Attitude. It’s hard to explain, but her voice sounded off to me as well.

Now – don’t get me wrong – I listened and really enjoyed this for the most part and if you’re new to the story, it’ll probably be great – but I was hoping for something a little different. It’s still a wonderful story and well worth listening to.

4 of 5 stars

Overall 4.5 of 5 stars because the book is so dang good.

Learned so much more about hockey!

I thought I knew everything there is about hockey until I read and listened to Breakaway! I absolutely loved this story of Lane and Jared. What an amazing journey of firsts! The writing and narration is flawless by Avon Gale and Scott R. Smith. Quirky Land and tough guy Jared and Zoe all make for a tale that makes you laugh and swoon.

This was my first book by both the author and the narrator and I can't wait for the rest of this hockey series!

Awesome

I love Breakaway and the Scoring Chances series. Scott R. Smith did a great job with the narration! Every character had a distinct voice, and I loved the energy of his performance. Jared was my favorite. The narrator made him sound super sexy, and he also did a great job bringing Lane's awkwardness to life. I can't wait to see what he does with the rest of the books in the series!

Loved this story!

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I loved the whole Breakaway series by Avon Gale. I've listened to this one at least 10 times.

Really enjoyed the story!

I loved the fact that the main characters accepted each other just as they are. The story was an enjoyable listen!

Funny, sweet sports m/m love story

Young Lane is not off to a good start with his professional career on a minor league hockey team. His teammates hate him because he's got absolutely no filter and is quirky to say the least.

He picks a fight with the rival team's brawler in an effort to change things up and somehow ends up hooking up with the older man after the game.

Jared is in his last years in the league, old and jaded in his early 30s. But the youthful, gawky but very cute and talented Lane somehow creates sparks when they are together.

The reading is low key and not overly dramatic. It does the humorous dialog justice.

Hot for hockey! Great book and series!

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**** 4,5 hot for hockey stars ****

Audio edition, narrator Scott R. Smith.
7 hours 33 minutes

Overall: 4,5
Performance: 4
Story: 5

I've really enjoyed listening to the book I've read a couple of months ago!

I love how this book, and series, is just a feel-good angst-free story.

It's about Lane Courtnall, a 20 year old drafted hockey player starting with a new team. He's gay. He's from Canada, and the hockey team is in Florida. So it's basically like moving to another planet, Americans are so weird including their bills and coins, he can't figure them out. The feeling is mutual from his new teammates. Lane has a malfunctioning brain-mouth filter, and poor, if non-existing social skills. He means well, it's just his well-meaning thoughts aren't expressed very well.

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Lane wasn't good at feelings. That's why he played sports.
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This has landed him in trouble with his team mates. To make up for it, and hopefully earn some cool points, impulsive Lane decides that a brawl with the opposing team's enforcer, Jared Shore, is the perfect way to go.

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Did it hurt to get punched? Probably.
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Jared Shore has got a long career playing hockey. He's a hardplaying veteran, both respected and kinda feared due to his reputation as a brawler on the ice. Jared is bisexual, with an emphasis on the bi, there, just so you know there will be something related to that in the story. It's short, though.

Lane and Jared hit it off, literally the first time. Jared finds himself charmed by Lane's foot-in-mouth syndrom, and his eagerness.

I just loved these two together. What I really liked that they were guys acting like guys. If that makes sense. The dialogue were especially good. There's also an age gap. Jared will be 32 next season, and Lane is 20. So it's the seasoned veteran with the rookie. This is also true in bed. Lane is a virgin, but is eager to learn. Very eager. Let's just say Jared's nickname for Lane is "Rocket". Their sex scenes are real, fumbling (at least at first), and sprinkled with humor due to Lane's ability to say the darnedest things.

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"Hey, Coach." Lane felt Jared's involuntary reaction as his hips pushed up sharply. He covered his phone with his hand. "No. This is my actual hockey coach. Not my boyfriend sex coach."
"That's not where you cover the mic, dude," Jared said, snorting a laugh while Lane turned six shades of red.
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I loved how they were competitive, but also helped each other out. I loved their team and team mates. The secondary characters are great. The story is just good, through and through. I feel it even gets better towards the end. Lane's contract negotiation and telling Jared the good news was hilarious. And there's the most awesome epilogue.

I know nothing about hockey, except it's played on ice and the point is to get the puck into the goal. This book got me all excited about the sport, though. There's a lot of team spirit in this book, both from Lane and Jared's team. I really liked reading about it, and got really excited when Jared and Lane's team played against each others. I couldn't quite decide whom to root for. Them both, really!

Smith did a great job narrating this. I must admit, though, it took a while to warm up, or get used to him. I'd have like to have his voice for Lane more distinct. His voice for Jared was awesome, all low and sexy. His other voices for the secondary characters were good too. I do think the next audio books in the series will be even better.

Recommended!

upbeat story

This was the most happy book I have ever read. It was not deep just fun.