Freestyle: 1 (Academy of Stardom)

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While I didn’t love and it’s not my favourite reverse harem that I have read, it’s still such a great series and not something that I have seen before. Breakers is book three of this dark gang romance romance and deals with adult themes and some subjects you may find upsetting.

I managed to pick this up when it was free, and had it on my TRB for a while and honestly, I wish I'd picked it up sooner. I really don't like split timelines like this in romance because I feel like it breaks up the flow of the story and I usually enjoy one timeline more than the other.Bea Paige slayed with book 1 and I am dying to get my hands on the other books, especially after that cliffhanger! Some of that is forgivable because this is the first book in a series and it makes sense to save things to reveal and develop in later books. I don’t really know who exactly my favourite is, but I do have a soft spot for Dax that is for sure.

However, since the rest of this book is so similar to a lot of other RH books, I think more of a focus on the dance plot rather than the gang plot would have made this stand out more. I’m newer to the Bea Paige fandom, and with books like Freestyle I want to slap myself for taking so long to discover her. I also really didn't care for the major villain being a closeted gay or bi man who acts cruelly towards Pen because she catches him with a man. And in the flashbacks there's that part when Xeno fucks his latest girlfriend near the baysement they hang and she hears all of that, and gets a little hurt.

This has a lot of the hallmarks of a reverse harem book and while I'm intrigued, I hope this series starts to differentiate itself more. I think each chapter being past and present played into that for me as it took awhile to see their connections. Not to mention, Bea so carefully sketches the emotional architecture of Pen to each guy- carefully constructed so that each relationship feels not only intimate and fully realized but also fundamental to the bones of these characters, and fundamental to the crew.

The boys on the outside they are so angry, full of rage, but deep down when you look closely beyond the anger and rage. Pen and her men have a messy past and this is truly a love to hate to love romance and it was done so well.

These guys are so well articulated, so intimately defined and developed- unique, dimensional, each completely compelling- which is HARD for RH. If you love dance, your men on the criminal side, alpha hot holes, and the friends-to-enemies-to-lovers trope, this is for you.

I am sad to say I will continue the series, as I do want to continue to hate it and have all the arguments for said hate.You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. I don’t read many Reverse Harem books because I sometimes struggle with the dynamics of the relationship ship. This is described beautifully with only a few things being revealed at a time, leaving the reader in a perfect place of knowing nothing but having all the guesses. Is it so hard to say "i'm sorry but my sick brother who is in love with me threatened to kill my little sister if i don't stay away from you guys, so i hope you understand.