What do you think?
Rate this book
San Francisco Strikers #1
Breakout
Penny Connor is putting the pieces of her life back in logical order. At least that’s the plan. Six months ago, her world imploded when she walked in on her fiancé with another woman. After calling off her wedding, she spent a week acting completely out of character in the Tuscan countryside with a scorchingly hot man. They didn’t even exchange last names.
Ethan Hartnell has grudgingly returned home. He's got an image to fix after being traded to the San Francisco Strikers, due to some questionable behavior. He plans to keep his nose to the ice, focusing on the career he loves. Everything is going according to plan, until he walks into a friend’s bar and sees her. She’d left him in her bed in Italy, with a note, and run.
Which is exactly what she does when they see each other again.
It should be a sign.
So why does he keep chasing her?
This is an 83,000 novel with a HEA and NO cliffhanger! Only for readers 18+. This series is connected with the Love by the Bay series, but each book can be read as a standalone.
Ethan Hartnell has grudgingly returned home. He's got an image to fix after being traded to the San Francisco Strikers, due to some questionable behavior. He plans to keep his nose to the ice, focusing on the career he loves. Everything is going according to plan, until he walks into a friend’s bar and sees her. She’d left him in her bed in Italy, with a note, and run.
Which is exactly what she does when they see each other again.
It should be a sign.
So why does he keep chasing her?
This is an 83,000 novel with a HEA and NO cliffhanger! Only for readers 18+. This series is connected with the Love by the Bay series, but each book can be read as a standalone.
324 pages, ebook
First published March 13, 2017
1789 people are currently reading
1743 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Kay
23 books491 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author, Stephanie Kay has always loved a good romance, and she got hooked on the dirty ones at the tender age of 14, when she told her mother that if the cover wasn’t a bodice ripper, then there was no sex in the book. As an avid mystery reader, her mother never checked to see if Stephanie was lying. Twenty plus years later, Stephanie’s most prized possession is her Kindle, and she may have a Hallmark movie obsession.
She has called California, Maryland, and Rhode Island her home, but now lives in New Hampshire with her husband where she asks him incessant questions until he escapes to go hiking in the mountains. That’s the only time she can get him out of the house so she can get her writing in. Married couples shouldn’t both work from home!
Sports were never her thing, but after beta reading for another hockey author and buying NHL Game Center within one month of watching her first hockey game a few years ago, she dove into learning everything she could about the sport and the hot men that play it. Now she spends her spare time visiting hockey arenas in the name of research and loving every second of it.
You can find her online at www.stephkaybooks.com, and on Facebook and Twitter. Please join her reader group for updates and excerpts. https://www.facebook.com/groups/19224...
You can also email her at stephanie@stephkaybooks.com
She has called California, Maryland, and Rhode Island her home, but now lives in New Hampshire with her husband where she asks him incessant questions until he escapes to go hiking in the mountains. That’s the only time she can get him out of the house so she can get her writing in. Married couples shouldn’t both work from home!
Sports were never her thing, but after beta reading for another hockey author and buying NHL Game Center within one month of watching her first hockey game a few years ago, she dove into learning everything she could about the sport and the hot men that play it. Now she spends her spare time visiting hockey arenas in the name of research and loving every second of it.
You can find her online at www.stephkaybooks.com, and on Facebook and Twitter. Please join her reader group for updates and excerpts. https://www.facebook.com/groups/19224...
You can also email her at stephanie@stephkaybooks.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
April 26, 2020
3 COSY STARS
After catching her ass of a fiancé cheating on her, Penny went on what should have been her honeymoon alone, she needed to get away from everything, it is here she meets Ethan and spends one hell of a week with him. Having not shared names she sneaks out on him on the morning of their last day, never expecting to seem him again. Hockey player Ethan Hartnell has returned home, having being traded to the San Francisco Strikers, he has an image to fix and is focusing on his game, what he doesn't count on is coming across the woman that has been on his mind since the amazing week in Tuscan they spent together.
I liked the fact that Ethan
At the start with Penny legging it from Ethan every time she saw him I was getting a little annoyed and came close to DNF-ing it, but glad I didn't, this made for a nice and light sports romance.
Penny's ex was a douchebag, and her mother trying to push Penny to forgive him really annoyed me, even after
Overall a read that engaged me.
Acquired via KU.
After catching her ass of a fiancé cheating on her, Penny went on what should have been her honeymoon alone, she needed to get away from everything, it is here she meets Ethan and spends one hell of a week with him. Having not shared names she sneaks out on him on the morning of their last day, never expecting to seem him again. Hockey player Ethan Hartnell has returned home, having being traded to the San Francisco Strikers, he has an image to fix and is focusing on his game, what he doesn't count on is coming across the woman that has been on his mind since the amazing week in Tuscan they spent together.
I liked the fact that Ethan
At the start with Penny legging it from Ethan every time she saw him I was getting a little annoyed and came close to DNF-ing it, but glad I didn't, this made for a nice and light sports romance.
Penny's ex was a douchebag, and her mother trying to push Penny to forgive him really annoyed me, even after
Overall a read that engaged me.
Acquired via KU.
Want to read
July 3, 2024FREE on Amazon today (9/16/2017)!
August 3, 2022
3.5 stars
Breakout was an enjoyable enough book that I will check out the next books in the series. I loved the set up of this story; the way this couple met, and the way they bumped into each other not once but twice months later like fate was stepping in.
An accountant and a pro hockey player sounds like a bad joke starting but in all honesty I liked both Penny and her numbers brain and Ethan who was working on repairing his player image. What I didn’t like about this book was all the ex-drama and family drama from both sides, a scene here or there would have been fine but it just never let up and that time should have been devoted to us getting to know this couple better and them spending time really learning about each other. There was a lot and I do mean a lot of sex in this book and I’m all for a good sex scene but I need some meaningful conversations and quality time spent together before we get to the “I love you” stage.
I enjoyed this book I just needed more substance and character/relationship development to really love it.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Breakout was an enjoyable enough book that I will check out the next books in the series. I loved the set up of this story; the way this couple met, and the way they bumped into each other not once but twice months later like fate was stepping in.
An accountant and a pro hockey player sounds like a bad joke starting but in all honesty I liked both Penny and her numbers brain and Ethan who was working on repairing his player image. What I didn’t like about this book was all the ex-drama and family drama from both sides, a scene here or there would have been fine but it just never let up and that time should have been devoted to us getting to know this couple better and them spending time really learning about each other. There was a lot and I do mean a lot of sex in this book and I’m all for a good sex scene but I need some meaningful conversations and quality time spent together before we get to the “I love you” stage.
I enjoyed this book I just needed more substance and character/relationship development to really love it.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
June 5, 2017
Breakout by Stephanie Kay is a sexy second chance romance with just the right of sweet & heat to keep you glued to the page. Breakout is the beginning of a new series: San Francisco Strikers which is also connected to the Love by the Bay series, though can be read completely as a standalone.
Penny Connor thought she knew where her life was heading. After catching her fiance with another woman just before the wedding her head is spinning. Calling off the wedding and going on her honeymoon alone was not how she pictured her Italian dream vacation. Drawn to a sexy stranger, Penny isn't looking for anything but fun and that's what Ethan is ~ no strings fun. Ethan Hartnell returned to the states to have his life flipped upside down and traded to the San Francisco Strikers. Returning to his hometown doesn't sit well with Ethan but when he runs into his Tuscan mystery fling he's thrown for a loop. Can they overcome their differences and return to the connection made in the Tuscan countryside or was their connection only meant to last in Italy?
I'm in love with this new series! Stephanie has done it again with interesting character you can't help but fall in love with. I couldn't help but adore Penny and feel for her reason for not wanting to jump into anything with Ethan. I wanted to smack her parents and hug her supportive friends. It took a bit for me to fall for Ethan but when I did, I fell hard. It's a sweet and touching love story of two people finding love against the odds. 5 Gelato Stars for Breakout by Stephanie Kay!
Note: Stephanie has a prequel novel called "What Happens In Italy" which tells the story of Ethan & Penny's Tuscan vacation and I highly recommend grabbing this free novella once you finish Breakout.
*** Reviewed for Sweet & Spicy Reads - ARC provided for an honest review ***
Penny Connor thought she knew where her life was heading. After catching her fiance with another woman just before the wedding her head is spinning. Calling off the wedding and going on her honeymoon alone was not how she pictured her Italian dream vacation. Drawn to a sexy stranger, Penny isn't looking for anything but fun and that's what Ethan is ~ no strings fun. Ethan Hartnell returned to the states to have his life flipped upside down and traded to the San Francisco Strikers. Returning to his hometown doesn't sit well with Ethan but when he runs into his Tuscan mystery fling he's thrown for a loop. Can they overcome their differences and return to the connection made in the Tuscan countryside or was their connection only meant to last in Italy?
I'm in love with this new series! Stephanie has done it again with interesting character you can't help but fall in love with. I couldn't help but adore Penny and feel for her reason for not wanting to jump into anything with Ethan. I wanted to smack her parents and hug her supportive friends. It took a bit for me to fall for Ethan but when I did, I fell hard. It's a sweet and touching love story of two people finding love against the odds. 5 Gelato Stars for Breakout by Stephanie Kay!
Note: Stephanie has a prequel novel called "What Happens In Italy" which tells the story of Ethan & Penny's Tuscan vacation and I highly recommend grabbing this free novella once you finish Breakout.
*** Reviewed for Sweet & Spicy Reads - ARC provided for an honest review ***
April 27, 2022
Mmmm... It was okay. Penny actually grated on me a good bit, but I tried to cut her some slack given that her ex was more recent so it was a fresher wound. But she still felt like overly waffly...like Ethan had to constantly bend over backwards to keep her around because she was always half out the door.
She just wasn't worth the effort, imo.
/shrug
She just wasn't worth the effort, imo.
/shrug
April 26, 2020
Rating: 3.5 stars
It was supposed to be a post my-wedding-is-off fling. She never even said goodbye, but there he was in San Francisco, and he was still interested in her.
I love the idea, that Penny was wronged by her fiancé, and when on, what was supposed to be their honeymoon, she meets her true love, AND he is 1000 times better than that garbage fiancé. Great premise, and I love that after months apart, the heat and attraction was still there between these two. I was definitely fully onboard with this premise, and I loved this coupling too. They had great chemistry and their exchanges almost always made me smile. I liked that Ethan surprised me too. He had this reputation, but everything he did and said with respect to Penny defied all that.
Overall, this was a great introduction to this series, and I am interested in meeting more of the Strikers.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
It was supposed to be a post my-wedding-is-off fling. She never even said goodbye, but there he was in San Francisco, and he was still interested in her.
I love the idea, that Penny was wronged by her fiancé, and when on, what was supposed to be their honeymoon, she meets her true love, AND he is 1000 times better than that garbage fiancé. Great premise, and I love that after months apart, the heat and attraction was still there between these two. I was definitely fully onboard with this premise, and I loved this coupling too. They had great chemistry and their exchanges almost always made me smile. I liked that Ethan surprised me too. He had this reputation, but everything he did and said with respect to Penny defied all that.
Overall, this was a great introduction to this series, and I am interested in meeting more of the Strikers.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
March 15, 2023
Oh I hated this. I hated this so much.
“I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
“We shouldn’t.”
“We can’t.”
WHY? WHY THOUGH?? I was given absolutely NO REASON why dating this man was a bad idea. For fucks sake I was so annoyed with the FMC.
And let me rage about this scene: so she kissed her nhl hockey guy in front of paparazzi and said “reporters be damned.” Then the next day she’s completely surprised when pictures showed up online. She’s all “😱 how did this happen?!?” Someone slap her for me. PLEASE.
Also I’ve fkin had it with authors writing the FMCs families being absolute dicks and treating her like shit. 😤
“I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
“We shouldn’t.”
“We can’t.”
WHY? WHY THOUGH?? I was given absolutely NO REASON why dating this man was a bad idea. For fucks sake I was so annoyed with the FMC.
And let me rage about this scene: so she kissed her nhl hockey guy in front of paparazzi and said “reporters be damned.” Then the next day she’s completely surprised when pictures showed up online. She’s all “😱 how did this happen?!?” Someone slap her for me. PLEASE.
Also I’ve fkin had it with authors writing the FMCs families being absolute dicks and treating her like shit. 😤
October 16, 2020
This was sweet.
So they meet in Italy on her would be honey moon but she runs out on him because shes feeling more than she wants to. You don't really see this happening its just told to you so I think it may have helped seeing that or reading that but its not really the point.
Their families suck, I'd have liked more resolution for that but hey ho I'll take what I can get. I do like the couple and I liked their romance!
So they meet in Italy on her would be honey moon but she runs out on him because shes feeling more than she wants to. You don't really see this happening its just told to you so I think it may have helped seeing that or reading that but its not really the point.
Their families suck, I'd have liked more resolution for that but hey ho I'll take what I can get. I do like the couple and I liked their romance!
December 9, 2018
Penny is a hardworking accountant, vying for a well-deserved promotion and moving on from her broken engagement (after her almost-husband cheated on her with his boss). After cancelling her wedding, she went on her honeymoon in Italy on her own and met sexy Ethan. They had a blistering affair, after which Penny left him with only a note. So she is shocked to see him walk into her favorite bar.
Ethan is a hockey player and has just been transferred from New York to San Francisco. He is still chafing from Penny's abandonment in Italy so when he sees her in a bar and after that in his Uncle's company, he wants to have his questions answered.
Easy to read, romantic story. Not really with much surprises and the standard misunderstanding, but overall quite nice! I would read more of this author.
Ethan is a hockey player and has just been transferred from New York to San Francisco. He is still chafing from Penny's abandonment in Italy so when he sees her in a bar and after that in his Uncle's company, he wants to have his questions answered.
Easy to read, romantic story. Not really with much surprises and the standard misunderstanding, but overall quite nice! I would read more of this author.
February 25, 2022
I loved her book with flags when she went to the hockey games. Taking a flag off when you learn each item might actually force me to understand something like football.
December 7, 2018
He pursues her
Ah, I do adore hockey hotness. Penny met Ethan in Italy as she was taking her honeymoon trip solo because she dumped cheater, cheater pumpkin eater Michael after walking in on him and his boss. Michael is also a lawyer working in the firm started by Penny’s dad, so super awk that. She asks for no last names, no professions. So Ethan doesn’t have to reveal that he’s a professional athlete - the best kind, a hockey player. Penny skips out and never expected to see Ethan again.
Now, with this set up I was totally thinking secret baby, right? But nope. Ethan gets traded and just happened to run into Penny. He knows she’s something special, so he pursues her. Hard. Penny is pretty good at doing a runner. Penny. I feel you girl.
I wish there were more done with the family issues introduced. I kind of feel like if they are just backstory, then keep them as a story to explain your trust issues. If you introduce new characters, then intertwine them! I kept expecting Ethan’s hot for hockey sister Ally to run into Penny at a game or something. But nope. Kinda hoping to see her in a later book. But first Cheesy, right?!?
Ah, I do adore hockey hotness. Penny met Ethan in Italy as she was taking her honeymoon trip solo because she dumped cheater, cheater pumpkin eater Michael after walking in on him and his boss. Michael is also a lawyer working in the firm started by Penny’s dad, so super awk that. She asks for no last names, no professions. So Ethan doesn’t have to reveal that he’s a professional athlete - the best kind, a hockey player. Penny skips out and never expected to see Ethan again.
Now, with this set up I was totally thinking secret baby, right? But nope. Ethan gets traded and just happened to run into Penny. He knows she’s something special, so he pursues her. Hard. Penny is pretty good at doing a runner. Penny. I feel you girl.
I wish there were more done with the family issues introduced. I kind of feel like if they are just backstory, then keep them as a story to explain your trust issues. If you introduce new characters, then intertwine them! I kept expecting Ethan’s hot for hockey sister Ally to run into Penny at a game or something. But nope. Kinda hoping to see her in a later book. But first Cheesy, right?!?
July 25, 2018
3 stars. my first book by this author; got it because it was free, sounded pretty good, and had hockey players in it. it was a totally decent book. I liked Penny and Ethan and the writing was pretty good. I have no big complaints, but it didn't wow me either. I might read another book by this author if the blurb sounded good and/or it was free/cheap, but I probably won't proactively seek something out.
September 21, 2017
I really enjoyed Breakout (San Francisco Strikers Book 1) by Stephanie Kay.
Penny Connor found herself in Italy on her honeymoon alone after walking in on her fiancé Michael and his boss a week before their wedding. She called off the wedding and threw caution to the wind and went on the honeymoon alone. Something completely out of character for this number loving, list driven, accountant who likes to have everything planned and structured. After Michael, she was left with a lot of self-doubt and a fear to trust or become involved with another man.
While in Italy she met Ethan, they had an instant attraction and spent a wonderful week together enjoying the attractions of Italy, and each other. They didn’t exchange last names, or any other personal details and expected to never see each other again. She left him in Italy with a note on the pillow and ran.
Ethan Hartnell is a hockey player who played in New York, he was a party boy with a reputation for the ladies. His questionable behaviour led him to be ‘traded’ to San Francisco Strikers, somewhere, thanks to his own heartbreak situation, Ethan did not want to be. When he ran into Penny at a friend’s bar, she ran….. again. But there was something about her that he could not let go, and he pursued her despite her unwillingness to rekindle what they had in Italy. More happened in Italy than either of them are willing to admit.
Penny’s reluctance also stemmed from the fact she worked for Ethan’s uncle, and was being considered for a promotion and she didn’t want anything to affect her chances, but Penny is an anxious over thinker, and she looks at the worst case scenario and lets her anxieties get the better of her (as we all do sometimes). There were times when Ethan was so sweet and considerate and she was still pushing him away and I wanted to just shake her and tell her to just go with it and take a chance on him. Yes I was emotionally vested in them. I loved Ethan despite his ‘shadey’ past and he was trying to turn his life around and in Penny he finally found someone who he could consider settling down with.
This was my introduction to Stephanie Kay’s books, and an Aussie who has no idea about hockey I was unsure what to expect or whether I was even going to understand what was going on, but I enjoyed this book immensely and my lack of knowledge about hockey didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. There were obviously some things I didn’t understand but nothing major and Stephanie keeps it simple enough that even sports loathing readers could still enjoy the story and the chemistry between Penny and Ethan.
Will Ethan break down Penny’s resolve, and help her put aside her fears, well you need to read it to find out, and you won’t be disappointed.
Penny Connor found herself in Italy on her honeymoon alone after walking in on her fiancé Michael and his boss a week before their wedding. She called off the wedding and threw caution to the wind and went on the honeymoon alone. Something completely out of character for this number loving, list driven, accountant who likes to have everything planned and structured. After Michael, she was left with a lot of self-doubt and a fear to trust or become involved with another man.
While in Italy she met Ethan, they had an instant attraction and spent a wonderful week together enjoying the attractions of Italy, and each other. They didn’t exchange last names, or any other personal details and expected to never see each other again. She left him in Italy with a note on the pillow and ran.
Ethan Hartnell is a hockey player who played in New York, he was a party boy with a reputation for the ladies. His questionable behaviour led him to be ‘traded’ to San Francisco Strikers, somewhere, thanks to his own heartbreak situation, Ethan did not want to be. When he ran into Penny at a friend’s bar, she ran….. again. But there was something about her that he could not let go, and he pursued her despite her unwillingness to rekindle what they had in Italy. More happened in Italy than either of them are willing to admit.
Penny’s reluctance also stemmed from the fact she worked for Ethan’s uncle, and was being considered for a promotion and she didn’t want anything to affect her chances, but Penny is an anxious over thinker, and she looks at the worst case scenario and lets her anxieties get the better of her (as we all do sometimes). There were times when Ethan was so sweet and considerate and she was still pushing him away and I wanted to just shake her and tell her to just go with it and take a chance on him. Yes I was emotionally vested in them. I loved Ethan despite his ‘shadey’ past and he was trying to turn his life around and in Penny he finally found someone who he could consider settling down with.
This was my introduction to Stephanie Kay’s books, and an Aussie who has no idea about hockey I was unsure what to expect or whether I was even going to understand what was going on, but I enjoyed this book immensely and my lack of knowledge about hockey didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. There were obviously some things I didn’t understand but nothing major and Stephanie keeps it simple enough that even sports loathing readers could still enjoy the story and the chemistry between Penny and Ethan.
Will Ethan break down Penny’s resolve, and help her put aside her fears, well you need to read it to find out, and you won’t be disappointed.
May 19, 2025
Let me just say: I did not expect this book to hit as hard as it did. Breakout by Stephanie Kay started like a cute second-chance setup, but what I got was a full-on rom-com-meets-sports-romance hybrid with actual emotional depth, a believable slow burn, and just the right dose of spice.
Ethan and Penny? Perfection. They’re adorable together, the chemistry is there from the start, and the tension builds in a way that kept me hooked. He’s obsessed, she’s wary but curious, and watching them orbit closer and closer made me giddy. The sex scenes? Well done. Not cringy, not overly euphemistic, just enough detail to feel satisfying without going full dark romance. It fit them—realistic, steamy, and emotionally charged.
But let’s talk side characters, because WOW. It’s like everyone was in a competition to be crowned Most Garbage Human.
Ethan’s brother, who literally married his ex-girlfriend after sleeping with her behind his back?
Penny’s mom, who invites her cheating ex to Christmas and lunch-shames her for moving on?
Kevin, the nepotism troll at work trying to blackmail her and smear her name in the media?
They all deserved to get run over by a Zamboni. Twice.
Now, did I want a little more payback for those awful people? YES. Ethan and Penny both stood up for themselves, but I needed at least one public takedown, a flaming bridge, or maybe a stray hockey puck to the face. That’s my one pettiness request.
There were two dramatic moments near the end, and while they were a bit predictable, they didn’t drag. I appreciate that the author kept the tone light and the resolution quick—it’s not meant to be angsty. It’s fun, sexy, and heartfelt.
Also? This is a real hockey romance. So many “sports romances” barely reference the sport—this one had game scenes, locker room banter, team dynamics, and real hockey tension. It actually used the setting instead of just slapping it on the blurb.
And finally? This one fully delivered. It made me laugh, swoon, yell at side characters, and root hard for the couple. Breakout was a total surprise hit, and it’s absolutely earned a spot on my shelf. I’ll definitely be checking out more from Stephanie Kay.
Ethan and Penny? Perfection. They’re adorable together, the chemistry is there from the start, and the tension builds in a way that kept me hooked. He’s obsessed, she’s wary but curious, and watching them orbit closer and closer made me giddy. The sex scenes? Well done. Not cringy, not overly euphemistic, just enough detail to feel satisfying without going full dark romance. It fit them—realistic, steamy, and emotionally charged.
But let’s talk side characters, because WOW. It’s like everyone was in a competition to be crowned Most Garbage Human.
Ethan’s brother, who literally married his ex-girlfriend after sleeping with her behind his back?
Penny’s mom, who invites her cheating ex to Christmas and lunch-shames her for moving on?
Kevin, the nepotism troll at work trying to blackmail her and smear her name in the media?
They all deserved to get run over by a Zamboni. Twice.
Now, did I want a little more payback for those awful people? YES. Ethan and Penny both stood up for themselves, but I needed at least one public takedown, a flaming bridge, or maybe a stray hockey puck to the face. That’s my one pettiness request.
There were two dramatic moments near the end, and while they were a bit predictable, they didn’t drag. I appreciate that the author kept the tone light and the resolution quick—it’s not meant to be angsty. It’s fun, sexy, and heartfelt.
Also? This is a real hockey romance. So many “sports romances” barely reference the sport—this one had game scenes, locker room banter, team dynamics, and real hockey tension. It actually used the setting instead of just slapping it on the blurb.
And finally? This one fully delivered. It made me laugh, swoon, yell at side characters, and root hard for the couple. Breakout was a total surprise hit, and it’s absolutely earned a spot on my shelf. I’ll definitely be checking out more from Stephanie Kay.
August 19, 2018
This book showed up as a recommendation via my Facebook feed. I am a huge fan of sports romance, in particular hockey and baseball. I had recently joined Kindle Unlimited for a 3 month trial and it is currently offered in KU.
I really enjoyed the book! Penny and Ethan were great characters and the story was quite believe-able and realistic. Sometimes authors can go way over the top and it ends up making the story completely unbelievable. That is absolutely not the case with this one. I also enjoyed the secondary characters. I can’t wait for them to make appearances in other books in the series.
I enjoyed how Penny and Ethan’s backstory was presented. I think it really added to the flow of the story. I also liked how the author dealt with the conflict of the story. It wasn’t overly dramatic. In fact, given the “baggage” both characters brought to the table, I thought it was just the right amount.
All in all, this was a great read! I’m happily loving on to the next one in this series. It’s baseball season so I need to get my hockey fix in other ways! I will probably also try out one of Stephanie Kay’s other novels. :)
I really enjoyed the book! Penny and Ethan were great characters and the story was quite believe-able and realistic. Sometimes authors can go way over the top and it ends up making the story completely unbelievable. That is absolutely not the case with this one. I also enjoyed the secondary characters. I can’t wait for them to make appearances in other books in the series.
I enjoyed how Penny and Ethan’s backstory was presented. I think it really added to the flow of the story. I also liked how the author dealt with the conflict of the story. It wasn’t overly dramatic. In fact, given the “baggage” both characters brought to the table, I thought it was just the right amount.
All in all, this was a great read! I’m happily loving on to the next one in this series. It’s baseball season so I need to get my hockey fix in other ways! I will probably also try out one of Stephanie Kay’s other novels. :)
April 23, 2018
Riveting!!!
Hot Hockey Players!!! Great Romance!!! Love!!! This book has it all! After Penny breaks up with her cheating fiance, she goes on her honeymoon alone to Italy and meets Ethan. After a week of passion with no strings and no last names, she leaves him asleep in her hotel room with a note on her pillow. Never expects to see him again. But he is a hockey player and is traded from New York to her hometown of San Francisco. He ends up being the nephew of her boss!! Fate or bad luck? Well sparks fly between them and the blaze in uncontrollable. Penny starts learning about hockey and Ethan starts playing better than he ever did with his "good luck charm". They both have family drama to deal with, but the chemistry and sex between these 2 are off the charts!!! The editing was good, very few typos. HEA, no cliffhanger, and if you subscribe to Stephanie's newsletter she will give you a free novella about them meeting in Italy. So just click this book, you will be SO happy you did.
Hot Hockey Players!!! Great Romance!!! Love!!! This book has it all! After Penny breaks up with her cheating fiance, she goes on her honeymoon alone to Italy and meets Ethan. After a week of passion with no strings and no last names, she leaves him asleep in her hotel room with a note on her pillow. Never expects to see him again. But he is a hockey player and is traded from New York to her hometown of San Francisco. He ends up being the nephew of her boss!! Fate or bad luck? Well sparks fly between them and the blaze in uncontrollable. Penny starts learning about hockey and Ethan starts playing better than he ever did with his "good luck charm". They both have family drama to deal with, but the chemistry and sex between these 2 are off the charts!!! The editing was good, very few typos. HEA, no cliffhanger, and if you subscribe to Stephanie's newsletter she will give you a free novella about them meeting in Italy. So just click this book, you will be SO happy you did.
August 20, 2022
3.5 stars
Breakout was an enjoyable enough book that I will check out the next books in the series. I loved the set up of this story; the way this couple met, and the way they bumped into each other not once but twice months later like fate was stepping in.
An accountant and a pro hockey player sounds like a bad joke starting but in all honesty I liked both Penny and her numbers brain and Ethan who was working on repairing his player image. What I didn’t like about this book was all the ex-drama and family drama from both sides, a scene here or there would have been fine but it just never let up and that time should have been devoted to us getting to know this couple better and them spending time really learning about each other. There was a lot and I do mean a lot of sex in this book and I’m all for a good sex scene but I need some meaningful conversations and quality time spent together before we get to the “I love you” stage.
I enjoyed this book I just needed more substance and character/relationship development to really love it.
Breakout was an enjoyable enough book that I will check out the next books in the series. I loved the set up of this story; the way this couple met, and the way they bumped into each other not once but twice months later like fate was stepping in.
An accountant and a pro hockey player sounds like a bad joke starting but in all honesty I liked both Penny and her numbers brain and Ethan who was working on repairing his player image. What I didn’t like about this book was all the ex-drama and family drama from both sides, a scene here or there would have been fine but it just never let up and that time should have been devoted to us getting to know this couple better and them spending time really learning about each other. There was a lot and I do mean a lot of sex in this book and I’m all for a good sex scene but I need some meaningful conversations and quality time spent together before we get to the “I love you” stage.
I enjoyed this book I just needed more substance and character/relationship development to really love it.
June 4, 2023
Of all the gin joints in all the world... Penny & Ethan had a fling in Italy while she was nursing a broken and humiliated heart but she never planned to see him again. But lo! Here he is, walking into the bar in San Francisco where she hangs out with her friends. Strong start but silly details kept throwing me out of the story , I don't find "ew vegetables!" a quirky character trait and no one hits Penny's mother with a brick, which was a great disappointment.
Also: You have a rift with your family, not a riff unless you are talking about music not falling out. And I would very much like a moratorium on "How much did you hear?" "I heard enough" - it's so lazy.
Also: You have a rift with your family, not a riff unless you are talking about music not falling out. And I would very much like a moratorium on "How much did you hear?" "I heard enough" - it's so lazy.
November 14, 2017
This was the first romance I have read by Stephanie Kay. I really liked her contemporary romance Breakout. It is a story of Penny, our heroine, who after catching her fiancé cheating on her days before their wedding takes off on their honeymoon alone to Italy. There while sipping wine at a vineyard she meets a tall very handsome American, Ethan. She throws caution to the wind and for two weeks they share fun, food and sex everything but contact information and last names....Once home life goes on for our heroine until she sees Ethan across a bar that her and her friends frequently go to after work. Once they see each other they realize that the temporary arrangement they had in Italy forgot to tell their hearts.....wonderful story, likable characters and a very happy ending.....sensual level is a hot and passionate 7+ . I strongly recommend this romance if you are looking for a good read....
December 5, 2021
Quick Great Read
I don't usually read sports romances but this one caught my eye and it was free so I wanted to give it a try. As a hockey fan I was impressed by Stephanie Kay's knowledge of the game.
📚 5/5
❤️ 5/5
🌶️ 3.5/5
Penny is an over analyzing perfectionist that loves to make lists, fitting because she is an accountant. The story begins when she takes her "honeymoon" in Italy following her breaking off her marriage around her. That's where Ethan comes in. After thinking they would never see each other again, they are shocked to see each other when at the bar with friends. In the beginning she makes it quite the chase and challenge for Ethan but his determination is rewarded. They begin learning about each other and realized they both have dysfunctional families that have put them in awkward situations. I won't give too much more away but it was a very cute and sometimes sexy life story. I really enjoyed it--so much that I finished it in a day!
I don't usually read sports romances but this one caught my eye and it was free so I wanted to give it a try. As a hockey fan I was impressed by Stephanie Kay's knowledge of the game.
📚 5/5
❤️ 5/5
🌶️ 3.5/5
Penny is an over analyzing perfectionist that loves to make lists, fitting because she is an accountant. The story begins when she takes her "honeymoon" in Italy following her breaking off her marriage around her. That's where Ethan comes in. After thinking they would never see each other again, they are shocked to see each other when at the bar with friends. In the beginning she makes it quite the chase and challenge for Ethan but his determination is rewarded. They begin learning about each other and realized they both have dysfunctional families that have put them in awkward situations. I won't give too much more away but it was a very cute and sometimes sexy life story. I really enjoyed it--so much that I finished it in a day!
March 20, 2018
I really enjoyed this first book of the San Francisco Strikers. Penny's life imploded when she walked in on her soon to be husband with another woman. She decides to take her honeymoon anyway to get away and had a hot fling with someone she will never see again. No last names, no phone numbers or addresses, just companionship and sexy times. The last thing she ever expects is to see Ethan walk in the door of the bar she is hanging out in. Ethan seems to be lady's man extraordinaire and he would never obsess about the woman who walked away from him months earlier. But Penny has a hold on him although she does everything in her power to stay away from him or run away from him. Circumstances may continue to put them in each other's paths and despite the fact that they should NOT see other, will they throw away the chemistry they have together? I look forward to more in this series.
September 16, 2017
A light enjoyable read. The flow was good, the characters, Penny & Ethan, were likable, the light humor was appreciated. I liked the "shoe on the other foot" plot, with Penny being the one to run away from a relationship, usually guys do that. I would have liked a bit more to the story from both the families to help fill in some of the gaps, to tie up all the lose ends. It also would have been great to have Ethan's brother & his wife, Penny's Mom & Penny's ex-fiancé all get a little Karma. Unplanned revenge (the h/H didn't cause it or pursue it) is always sweet in stories like this. Then with an epilogue further into their future than the one given.
October 1, 2019
This was my first Stephanie Kay book -sooo glad I found this author! I LOVE good hockey stories that have a good balance between hockey action and romance! It takes a very deft hand when crafting a good read and Ms. Kay is a master. I've already picked up the next in this series. That said all the characters are well developed especially the secondary ones, you can just see where future plots are percolating in her idea jar! Ethan and Penny's stories blend so well. They each have dysfunctional families and all the baggage to over come it makes for great story telling. Recommend this one to all fans of this genre.
have dysfunctional
have dysfunctional
April 21, 2022
the inner monologues can give Shakespeare a run for his money.
This book was very hard to get through. The first 50% is just Penny & Ethan having inner monologues about how they never thought they’d see each other again. Overkill. And the ending drama wasn’t that bad. I finished it but it i coulda DNF-d it. It wasn’t even new thoughts. Just over and over again “i always knew it was a SLIGHT possibility I’d bump into her again …. The way i made her climax before she left me in the hotel … wait can’t think of s3x now”. Like 65 darn times. We get it. Both of y’all are surprised. Move on
This book was very hard to get through. The first 50% is just Penny & Ethan having inner monologues about how they never thought they’d see each other again. Overkill. And the ending drama wasn’t that bad. I finished it but it i coulda DNF-d it. It wasn’t even new thoughts. Just over and over again “i always knew it was a SLIGHT possibility I’d bump into her again …. The way i made her climax before she left me in the hotel … wait can’t think of s3x now”. Like 65 darn times. We get it. Both of y’all are surprised. Move on
Read
July 3, 2022A Good Hockey Romance
I liked this book, but struggled to love it. I had never read anything by Stephanie Kay, but hockey romances are a favorite. I liked Penny and Ethan as main characters, but they didn't stand out and actually felt rather flat. I really liked the concept of their whole meet cute/reunite, but elements of the story need more development. I was most irritated by how Penny handled the situation with her parents and ex as well as Kevin at work - I wanted her to stand-up for herself more and it never felt like it happened. I see myself at least reading the next book, but not sure if I'll finish the series.
I liked this book, but struggled to love it. I had never read anything by Stephanie Kay, but hockey romances are a favorite. I liked Penny and Ethan as main characters, but they didn't stand out and actually felt rather flat. I really liked the concept of their whole meet cute/reunite, but elements of the story need more development. I was most irritated by how Penny handled the situation with her parents and ex as well as Kevin at work - I wanted her to stand-up for herself more and it never felt like it happened. I see myself at least reading the next book, but not sure if I'll finish the series.
March 16, 2021
Penny cancelled her wedding and went to Italy alone since their honeymoon reservations had been paid for. she met Ethan and hooked up for one week until he just woke up alone in the room with just a note he'll be served breakfast and check-out time is at 11:00 AM. They met accidentally at Ethan's uncle office where Penny works as an accountant. Since they were both attracted to each other they had a second chance although it was not without bumped on the way. Ethan's girlfriend also cheated on him 5 years ago with his brother. In the end they Penny was her trust problem and they got back
together.
together.
January 24, 2022
This was well written but very predictable. The author does understand the actual game of hockey better than other hockey romance writers I’ve read over the years. Other than keeping the league straight her hockey commentary made sense.
When it came to the romance - I loved the H. He was all that I needed him to be. The h was meh. Kinda wish washy and really needed to actually stand up for herself to her family. And the spice? Pretty vanilla compared to other series I’ve read.
I actually enjoyed the prequel novella more than the book and probably will not continue on with the series.
When it came to the romance - I loved the H. He was all that I needed him to be. The h was meh. Kinda wish washy and really needed to actually stand up for herself to her family. And the spice? Pretty vanilla compared to other series I’ve read.
I actually enjoyed the prequel novella more than the book and probably will not continue on with the series.
February 23, 2022
Hockey, sexy fun and two try for love
I truly enjoy it when the author has done their research. It shows here. The terms used by the players about the game and so on. But the the love story is even better. A jilted young woman finally finding both herself and her courage to face her life and to love the hockey player that has problems of his own to come to terms with.
The banter between them is both fun and sexy and the intimate scenes have all the erotica you could ask for.
Highly recommend it!
I truly enjoy it when the author has done their research. It shows here. The terms used by the players about the game and so on. But the the love story is even better. A jilted young woman finally finding both herself and her courage to face her life and to love the hockey player that has problems of his own to come to terms with.
The banter between them is both fun and sexy and the intimate scenes have all the erotica you could ask for.
Highly recommend it!
February 13, 2023
I'm so so so glad that Penny and Ethan ended up together. I really wanted to punch Sam and Michael and Darren. Then I wanted to kick Julie's and Penny's moms ass!! I can't believe her mom kept trying to get her to forgive Michael for cheating on her 😡🙄 And I really don't like Ethans brother! He really messed up and I can't believe the way he treats Ethan! No one's fault but his and Julie. The book was a super quick read with lots of drama and I enjoyed it. I wish it was a bit longer or at least had a bit more time at the end. Will definitely be diving into the next book
July 17, 2024
Enjoyable but slightly annoying read. The premise was great but Penny is really annoying. She avoids and lies to her friends for most of the book. The conversations surrounding her work are really repetitive. As a former tax accountant, it’s boring, but not boring enough for the “work is bullshit” line to be said as many times as it was when Penny and Ethan are talking about her job. And she says “oh, Ethan” multiple times in multiple sex scenes. However, the core of the story was really good so I’ll definitely continue on with the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews