Breaking Strings

Chords & Courts #1

by Becca Seymour

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 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.

Genres: Sports, M M Romance

404 pages, Paperback

Published March 2, 2026

About the author

Becca Seymour is a British/Aussie author and the #1 gay romance best seller of the True-Blue series. Known for "steamy and endearing" and "emotionally profound love stories" (InD'tale Magazine) her books have been nominated for multiple RONE Awards.

Becca has a sweet tooth for marshmallow-hearted monsters, swoon-worthy supernatural studs, and everyday guys and basketball players with hearts of gold. If you like your MM romance sweet, spicy, and occasionally action-packed, slip into stalker mode and fall hard for her True-Blue and Minnesota Eagles men—and maybe a shifter or monster two.

Monsters & Mates
Solan | Kael | Varek

Zone Defense

No Take Backs | No More Secrets | No Wrong Moves | No Backing Down


Fast Break

Rules, Schmules! | Facts, Smacts! | Regular Smegular! | Easy, Schmeasy!


True-Blue 
Let Me Show You | I’ve Got You | Becoming Us | Thinking It Over | Always For You | It’s Not You | Our First & Last | Next For Us


Outback Boys 

Stumble | Bounce | Wobble


Fangs & Felons

Thicker Than Water | Weaker Than Instinct | Brighter Than Fear | Stronger Than Fate | Softer Than Stone


Stand-Alone Contemporary

Not Used To Cute | High Alert | Realigned | Amalgamated | Under the Blazing Stars | Best Kind of Awkward | Tastes Like Sugar | Caden & Theo | Full Tilt


REVIEWS:
"WOW! Simply, Wow! A funny, steamy and endearing story that should be put into your family of books. Something that you can read over and over again when you need a pick me up." The Book Fairy Reviews

"An intense connection that smolders" - JayReads
"This book was a slow burn and I loved it." - Steamy Book Momma

"Characters to pull for, a romance to give you feels, and enough steam to keep you turning pages..." - Romantic Reads and Such

"Emotionally profound love story with many laugh aloud moments." - InD'tale Magazine

"Becca had me cracking up laughing and smiling ear to ear." - HeidiLynns BookReviews

Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...

Reviews

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

Breaking Strings is the first book in a trilogy by Becca Seymour and, as such, ends on a little bit of a cliff. The MCs definitely get a Happy For Now, but there are a lot of things that are up in the air. Ollie isn’t out, and again, his life has been planned for him. His parents don’t think basketball is anything more than a hobby or a phase, but Ollie has the potential to go all the way. Rafe, for his part, is magic on stage and his band is poised to make a huge splash. They shouldn’t work together, but the love that grows between them is undeniable. They have a hard road ahead of them but they are both determined to make it work.

This series is an investment, and there’s definitely something to be said about that. This story isn’t over. Rafe and Ollie are young and have really big dreams that will put them both in the spotlight. Breaking Strings is their beginning.

Read Kris's review in its entirety here.

[fortheloveofmmromancebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review

When Rafe Ortiz needs some inspiration to write a song for his band ‘Steel Saints’ he doesn't have to go far.

Oliver Marshall plays basketball for the college team, and is hoping to enter the draft soon. While in the corridors his eyes meet Rafe’s and immediately becomes his muse.

They become friends who become more, but it cannot become common knowledge.
Ollie’s parents expect a lot from him and hope he will get over his ‘phase’ of basketball.
Rafe has supportive parents who champion his dreams of becoming a rock star.

This is the first book in Becca Seymour’s Chords and Courts series.
It is told purely from Rafe’s point of view. This is a slow burn but it is so worth it.
The pining, wanting and love between the characters eminates off the page. Ollie is a lovely character but he lives in his parent’s shadow, and what they say goes, all he wants to do is to live his life under his terms. Rafe is the confidence he needs in his life.
The next book Shattered Hoops is Ollie’s story, but I have a feeling things will get worse before they get their HEA.

[Natalie Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED Rafe and Ollie and I can't wait to get the rest of their story, but I have this feeling that it's going to break my heart completely before the final part of their trilogy!

So, weirdly I don't actually like basketball because for me it seems like the dude's are SO tall that they take three steps and they've crossed the court (I'm more of a giant AFL oval fan!) BUT Becca's basketball books always pull me in and make it seem like a way more interesting and entertaining sport! Becca is literally the only author who makes basketball romance something that I really want to read as soon as the book is available.

I loved Rafe and his bandmates and you could feel the frenetic energy of them as they stand on the brink of becoming something big. Rafe's love for Ollie is so big and all consuming that it made my heart hurt everytime he had to hold himself back for Ollie's sake.

Obviously this book was from Rafe's POV so I don't know Ollie as well or understand his feelings or decisions just yet, but he just made me want to hug him and get him away from his awful parents! Ollie allowing Rafe into his life is such a huge deal for him, and I adored how he kept working hard to find ways for them to just spend time together and support each other in their dreams.

I loved the whole Vegas part but I do feel like I'm going to get sucker punched in the next book which is from Ollie's POV. I'm anticipating that heartbreak is coming, and I already wish Ollie's parents would disappear in a permanent way so that Rafe and Ollie can just be....

Ugh, bring on the next book!!

*****
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review

[CatOnABlueBackground · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in a series, this is Rafe, the musician, and Oliver, the basketball player's romance

Yes, it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger - a Happy for Now, but it's suggested that we'll get the HEA by book 3.

Both Rafe and Oliver are poised to get their big breaks. Rafe's band is getting to play some good locations & getting starting to get noticed by music execs, and Oliver is doing really well in basketball - well enough that he's expecting to be drafted before graduation. Oliver's parents are highly religious, don't care much about basketball, and expect him to run the family business. Rafe's parents are 100% behind him in his music career. The 2 pass in a hallway, lock eyes, and it's instant attraction. Oliver becomes Rafe's inspiration for his new songs, and later his lover.

They have a long road to go before they can actually be together full time, but at least they're still in the same city by the end of the book.

This is a low drama romance in that the 2 mains don't fight or question each other - once they decide they're in love, they're committed. The drama is family drama and drama around getting music contracts/drafted. Medium spice.

Looking forward to book #2.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Breaking Strings (Chords & Courts)** is a captivating trilogy by Becca Seymour, telling a beautiful story about two young men on different paths.

Oliver Marshall is a college basketball player with dreams of making it to the professional league. On the other hand, Rafe Ortiz is a musician searching for inspiration for his band, “Steel Saints.” When Rafe first sees Oliver, he instantly knows that Oliver will be his source of inspiration.

As they become friends, a special bond forms between them that they must keep under wraps. Their relationship is tender, filled with understanding and warmth, and the author describes it so vividly that you can practically see it unfold. The story is told from Rafe's perspective, making the slow-burn romance feel all the more rewarding.

The energy from Rafe and his band is infectious, and the love he feels for Oliver is deep and all-consuming. Their journey to Las Vegas is full of laughter and tears—so much so that I can't wait to read the next book!

There's a lot of longing between Rafe and Oliver, but the story is refreshingly free from drama. Rafe’s confidence contrasts beautifully with Oliver's charming innocence, making their connection even more engaging. I highly recommend this trilogy for anyone seeking a heartfelt read.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

🏀🎸Found it was not really my thing🤔
3-3.5🌟 stars
I've read some by this author that I liked better; she's a good writer who definitely has a knack for conveying feelings and getting the reader drawn into the drama. But I found the single POV of Rafe, the young college musician, somewhat limiting; I wanted to know his basketball star boyfriend Oliver's story from his own point of view. I guess the second book will do that but I don't like having to wait! Oliver was the character I was drawn to because of his difficult situation, with parents who have high expectations that do not jive at all with what he wants out of life. Sad that he hides his so much from them and his teammates and I'd have liked a better understanding of why he is so certain that he must remain closeted.

This novel, besides the secret MM relationship, focuses heavily on a college rock band's daily life and their striving for the big break on a road to fame and success; that was not something I expected and, for me, this aspect was too dominant in the plot. Not something I usually look for and of limited interest to me, a singularly unmusical reader🙁.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

[SNik · Rating 4 out of 5]

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. 4.25

[Ana Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God! I wasn’t expecting things to unfold the way they did.

I’m so in love with Rafe and Ollie. I love how their relationship started. The little things here and there that slowly became so big.

Loved how Ollie became Rafe’s biggest muse and how they both found a way to support each other when they needed it most.

Rafe gave Ollie a safe space where he could be himself and forget about all the responsibilities thrust upon him. A space where he could be a regular 21 year old.

Their friendship was so beautiful and sweet. Them falling hard for each other was only a matter of time.

Seeing them become each other’s biggest fans was the best thing ever.

“𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓃𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓈𝓀𝑒𝒹 𝓂𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒻𝒶𝒸𝑒. 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒶𝓈𝓀𝑒𝒹 𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒. 𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝐼 𝒶𝓂.”

Thank you Becca for giving us a Latino MC. It makes me so happy to be represented in my favorite authors work. I feel seen and can relate so much. It means more than I can say.

Not happy about the cliffhanger though. I need part two yesterday! This story gave me a serious book hangover. I need more of my sweet boys🥺

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, loved it 🥰 .

This is the first in a trilogy following Rafe and Oliver as they navigate college, music, basketball and a secret relationship whilst in their early 20’s. Rafe is the tattooed bass player/lead singer of a band of college best friends trying to make it to the big time. Oliver is the captain of the basketball team, comes from a very conservative family and just wants to play pro basketball and not work in his father’s business. The chaos loving Rafe sees beyond the facade that Oliver presents to the world and the first part of their story ends with a satisfying HFN and a quick look at what’s to come in book 2. This engaging and very entertaining read had me hooked from the start due to the very likeable characters, the seductive yet lyrical songwriting included in the narrative and a sensual slow burn with a delightful twist at the end. It is beautifully written with the perfect balance between the romance and the professional ambitions of Rafe and Oliver.

[Helen Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breaking Strings was an absolute revelation, and I wish I could rate it more than 5 stars. Becca Seymour perfectly captured the exquisite torture of wanting something impossible, of dancing on a knife edge of desire and obsession. Every nuanced breath between Rafe and Ollie felt pivotal, momentous, and I was rapt, caught up in the spell the author cast. Every line of this story ached in the best possible way. The author's prose ventured into unexpected, lyrical (pun intended) phrasing that held my interest completely; I wanted to rush to finish the story while at the same time slowing down to make it last. And the climax of the book took me completely by surprise. Beautifully done in every way. I simply cannot wait for the remaining two books in this series as these fascinating men move from HFN to their HEA. Highest recommendation!

[Naughty Nightie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rafe is in college, in a band with his friends, and writing music. He hits a stone wall in his writing. He sees Ollie, who is the captain of the College basketball team. He finds his muse, and there's no stopping his writing now. But does Ollie feel the same way about him? Ollie starts to feel for Rafe, but because of his parents and his role as the captain of the basketball team, he cant reveal his true feelings for Rafe in public. Will Rafe and Ollie ever get their HEA?
I received an arc for my honest voluntary review for NN Book Blog. If you love a slow-burning MM Romance with some angst, then you will love this book. This is Book One in the Chords and Courts series, and it does end on a slight cliffhanger. I cant wait for the following books in the series to see how their relationship develops. Becca keeps you turning the pages as the relationship between Rafe and Ollie develops.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m still thinking about Breaking Strings by Becca Seymour weeks after reading it. With poetic and lyrical language, a love story featuring epic pining and growth and a found family vibe of acceptance and trust, add in a queer awakening and I absolutely adore this book.

Rafe and Ollie on paper seem like two disparate characters that would never work together; but through their story you come to see they almost feel like fated mates in a contemporary story with each other unable to stay away from each other.

It’s the first in a trilogy with a happy for now ending that leaves you hanging just enough to be antsy for the next books. I can’t talk enough about this one and truly hope you give it a read.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breaking Strings is the first book in the Chords & Cords series.

Rafe studies music at university, has a band, and works part-time at a café. He is outgoing, loud, and his only plan is to make it big with his band. He notices the captain of the university basketball team, and his creativity begins to flow. Ollie, the captain, also notices him.

Ollie is the golden boy, responsible, under pressure from his conservative family who see basketball, his passion, as a distraction. He is deeply in the closet.

The series follows the same couple, but in this book we only have Rafe's point of view; the second book will follow the boys' evolution from Ollie's perspective.

[abookwithacupoftea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book, I loved the story, the MC, the development of the relationship, but I struggled to really get into it. I think it's because of the writing style that is a bit too poetic maybe for me. It's like having the raw thoughts directly, and I prefer maybe a more factual explicit approach. I completely understand it is a me issue, and I certainly still recommend the book and can't wait to have the rest of their story.

This is the first book in Becca Seymour’s Chords and Courts series, it's written in present, single 1st person POV. It finishes with a bit of a cliffhanger, but with a still solid HFN.

I got an ARC and this is my honest review.

[Jessie (thatchickwithabook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Admittedly, I was a little apprehensive when I read this was a trilogy following the same couple - it leaves a lot of room for things to go wrong and angst to fester. BUT this first book is really sweet. It ends with a solid HFN and a wonderful ending - with a glimpse at the first chapter of the next book which is also wonderful and happy. I really hope that with all the trials they could fae, that they keep choosing each other, or I’ll throw hands.

Thank you GRR for the ARC. This review is honest and voluntary.

[AL · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so in love with both MCs in this series! We get to witness two people falling for each other at the cusp of their respective breakouts with promising careers. There's a lot of different feels and challenges they face, but the chemistry was there.
The only problem I had with this book is the narration style - I'm sure it's a matter of personal preference, but it took me quite a while to get used to the way the story is told and the language used. Pretty excited to see what comes next regardless. I hope we get to see some of it from Ollie's perspective!

[K-Me · Rating 4 out of 5]

Becca is the only author I have ever found basketball romances with! I enjoy that different aspect. In this first of the series, we are only in Rafe's POV, so we get to really know his hopes and dreams. I enjoyed the time we spent with his bandmates as they try to find their place in the music world. Rafe and Ollie became fast friends, and it turned into a secret romance. I am glad that in the next book we will get into Ollie's POV. I need to feel all his emotions straight on as he battles to overcome his family issues.

[Heather Duff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional push and pull between real life, family and societal expectations and an undeniable pull to one another.

It’s a fantastic story of two men on the brink of achieving their dreams while building something between them that can’t be denied. Though they aren’t out in public, they still manage to build something incredible.

Book one is narrated by Rafe, bassist, singer and lyricist, and it carries the lyrical quality of a musician, which makes the story all the more tantalizing.

I’m excited to follow them on their path of life and love.

[Pamela Daake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving Rafe and Ollie’s story. I feel for Ollie when his parents have such a hold on where his life should be going. I love that Rafe’s family is accepting and knows exactly what he wants in life. I can’t wait for the next installment of their story.

[Zephyr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Ollie and Rafe have a really sweet story and I loved them together. The writing felt poetic and at times but read less like verse towards the end. I wish we had gotten more of Ollie and Rafe and the end, but there is another book coming with their story!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read in a new series, does end on a bit of a cliffy but also a HFN vibe. This book features a musician and a basketball player and was an enjoyable read! I am looking forward for more to come from Rafe and Ollie

[Sarah☀️ Somerville]

DNF @ 19% - I have read Becca Seymour before and she is absolutely a legit author who writes her own books (as far as I know). However, the writing style she has chosen to use in this book is the same writing style as in AI books, and I'm not here for that.

[Jolanda van Osch · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing story. I loved Rafe and Ollie.
I can't wait for the next installement for this series

[Fay MMBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book, I can’t wait for the rest of the series now.
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