Breaking Strings (Chords & Courts Book 1) by Becca Seymour

The beginning of a love story between a musician and a basketball star. Rafe and Ollie meet in college and begin a relationship that needs to stay hidden, but they shine really bright while orbiting each other and both are on the brink of becoming famous.


From the blurb:

Rafe Ortiz should be focused on the music—on the gigs, the grind, and the industry eyes finally turning his way. Instead, every lyric he writes leads back to one person: Oliver Marshall, the golden-boy basketball captain with a body built for highlight reels and a secret smile meant only for him.

Behind the court and the stage lights, they burn.

In the shadows, they fall.

And no one can know.

Ollie has a reputation to protect and parents who expect perfection. Rafe has a band depending on him and a career poised to explode. Rules say they should walk away. Desire says they won’t survive it if they do.

When March Madness collides with a life-changing showcase opportunity, their stolen nights and breathless encounters become a crossroads—love or legacy, truth or secrecy, each choice carrying consequences that could break them.
Or bind them tighter than ever.

BREAKING STRINGS is an addictive, emotional, steamy MM romance about two men fighting for dreams, for each other, and for the life they’re terrified to admit they want.


SNik's review:

First in trilogy series (Chords & Courts). Secret relationship. Found family. Slow burn. Single POV. 

Rafe is a musician with a band waiting for its big break when he crosses paths with the campus basketball star that’s also on the road to becoming famous. What starts as mutual interest and friendship builds into stolen moments and shared dreams. 

The lyrical and emotional writing in this book definitely lends itself to the dreamy sort of romance story where two people find each other and it lights up everything in their lives. Between Ollie and Rafe there is no angst, but outside obstacles have them meeting in secret and Ollie’s family is a big part of that problem. When they are on page together they are sweet, Rafe with his quiet confidence and Ollie with his innocent charm, and I really appreciated that they both were each other's biggest supporters. Luckily they are surrounded by supportive friends, and both Ollie and Rafe push each other to believe that they can have it all and a future together. HFN as the trilogy continues.

Breaking Strings is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription