Breakaway Goals

By: Beth Bolden

Narrated by: Darcy Stark

Tampa Sentinels Captain Hayes Montgomery has hero-worshipped Morgan Reynolds his entire career, watching as the larger-than-life hockey star has racked up stats that always seemed unreal. Unattainable. Unreachable.

Until Hayes himself is labeled “the next one” and to his surprise, he and Morgan end up on the same team together, playing for Team USA in a nation versus nation tournament.

Now Hayes’ hero isn’t just his teammate, but his linemate. They’re hot on the ice, and despite Morgan’s straight reputation, off it too.

It’s only ten days, but it’s the best ten days of his life. That shouldn’t be long enough for a hockey crush to morph into a real crush, but Hayes falls head over heels, fling-himself-off-a-cliff, wildly in love with Morgan, anyway.

They don’t play on the same team or even on the same coast. Normally, they’re never in the same zip code, but that doesn’t change Hayes’ feelings—or his regret when the fling ends.

Fast forward six years. Morgan’s retired, Hayes is writing his own name in the record books, and he’s sure he’s over it. Over him.

But then Morgan arrives in Tampa to watch his rookie son play for the Sentinels.

He doesn’t want to be hung up on his teammate’s dad, but it doesn’t matter how long it’s been or what he’s tried. Morgan still makes Hayes’ knees weak.

And when it turns out Morgan has his own Hayes’ shaped regret?

Maybe they can finally find their way back to each other again.

Breakaway Goals is a MM hockey standalone romance, but spins off from Beth's Portland Evergreens series.

©2025 Earl Gray Publishing LLC (P)2025 Earl Gray Publishing LLC

Perfect!

This book was just IT! Amazing work Beth Bolden! I absolutely love Morgan and Monty!

Amazing Hockey Romance

Darcy Stark is an amazing narrator! He brought every character to life with personality and emotion, and gave Montgomery Hayes and Morgan Reynolds their verbal HEA. Hearing this love story after reading it was so heartwarming, and it’s all due to the great book by Beth and how well Darcy understood and portrayed each person. This was the best audible book I have had the pleasure to listen to and review.

it's a great followup to the Portland Evergreens series but great as a standalone listen.

I read the book when it came out and could not wait to listen. The narrator is excellent and has distinct voices and inflection for the different characters.
We know Morgan and Hayes from the Portland Evergreens series - Morgan's son Finn plays goaltender, and Hayes is the assistant coach's (Zach) best friend.
But meeting at Portland U was not their first encounter. They had an extraordinary romantic connection while representing the US in an international hockey tournament. Hayes was ready to go all in, but Morgan imploded and for years they didn't even speak... until Morgan retired and his son was drafted by Hayes' team. Coming face-to-face requires them to confront their difficult past and tell the truth about their feelings for each other. This book gutted me. I shed actual tears.
It's not required that you read the Portland Evergreen series, but reading books 3 and 4 will provide the total backstory, and you definitely won't be sorry. Beth writes great sports novels, and they are very sweet and spicy, too... a winning combination. And narrator Darcy Stark is the cherry on top.

Slow burn second chance

I'm not usually a huge fan of time jumps, but it was necessary for this book. The only other ways this could have been accomplished would be if it had flashbacks, or if it was over 900 pages.

My heart hurt for both of these guys. They have a hard-won HEA, but it is so satisfying. I absolutely loved them together initially, and then their slow burn second chance. I loved it and I'll reread/re-listen to it sometime soon.

The narration was also extremely well done. Darcy is a new narrator for me, and I thought overall they did a great job.

Emotional. Realistic Must Read Sports Romance!

New Review! Breakaway Goals by @bethboldenauthor as part of the Portland Evergreens Universe as narrated by Darcy Stark

Now READING this book was devastating enough, but having Darcy put all the emotion into every word and then feed it into my earballs. WOW. That was a lot of emotional trauma lol. 😂 but once you emotionally process the “six weeks later” and get to “you deserve to be wined and dined, Angel” wow, just… were you always this romantic Morgan???? And listening to it is just BLISS!!!!

Also, we’re all in agreement that Hayes having a menty b over watching Morgan work out in the team gym in a ratty old tee is totally valid and relatable amirite???

Okay so to catch you up if you haven’t been properly sucked into this emotional entry in the Portland Evergreens series,

It kicks off with Morgan and Hayes at the four nations cup, two insane superstars on the same line, totally rubbing each other the wrong way. The great one, Morgan, and the next one, Hayes, who idolizes the other(and totally has a crush on him)

Things get dicey and Hayes needs a pep talk and privately they hash things out and Hayes accidentally outs himself. It should be nothing except then Morgan can’t stop thinking about Hayes… then things escalate at the tourney, Morgan is protective and intimate.. and he might just have a crush on his Liney Hayes. at the Tourney all bets are off they get whatever “it” is out of their systems. Even if “it” is this forbidden perfection that neither can let go of. so of course Morgan ruins it.

FFWD. Six years and Morgan has to face his demon. The one who got away. His son’s captain. The love of his life. He has to grovel and find his way back to him because there has never been anyone else.

Thankfully for Hayes, there has been anyone but Morgan for him. Now, he’d rather step on hot coals barefoot than admit that. But the truth is the truth, and no one loves that idiot more than Hayes.

Their reconciliation is iconic, and a delight to read. 10/10 pure kicky feet and warm fuzzies. 🥰

Audio is perfection.

5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️