Reviews - All Hail the Underdogs

433 reviews for:

All Hail the Underdogs

E.L. Massey

4.36 AVERAGE

lilleusch's review against another edition

4.0

emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

hockeybabbler's review against another edition

5.0

Please. Stop being so good.

I really need this to stop. It's getting to be a problem. Every time I pick up one of your books I think to myself, "ah, yes, I'll read a bit and then put it down and get on with my day!" This is always a lie. The book ends up devoured and everything else I need to do goes to the wayside. Honestly, how very dare you. I have a job, a family! And if the preview at the end of this book is any indication, your reign of terror shows no signs of abating any time soon!

I'm disgusted.

Can't wait for the next one.

samt03's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

aimhkaitlin's review against another edition

4.5

hopeful reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

brandonjm13's review against another edition

4.75

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A perfectly easy going read that’s so comforting and warm in every way.

Content Warnings

colleenreads40's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

All Hail the Underdogs is the third book in E.L. Massey's Breakaway series. I believe this could be enjoyed as a complete standalone. Here's what you can expect from Patrick (Rome) and Damien:

💛 MM contemporary romance
💛 Third person dual point of view
💛 Guaranteed happily ever after
💛 Boarding school
💛 Hockey teammates
💛 Mutual past trauma
💛 Hurt/comfort
💛 Fade to black

As always, ensure you review the content and trigger warnings to decide if this book is right for you. Note that this list of warnings and triggers may be incomplete. Please take care of yourself while reading.

This book contains the discussion of child abuse by a parent (past, off page); search for birth parents; scenes of minors drinking/issues with drinking.

As per usual, I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to read this! I absolutely adored the first two books in the series, Like Real People Do and Like You've Nothing Left to Prove, and I wasn't expecting Rome and Damien to measure up to Alex and Eli but I loved this so much. E.L. Massey has such a unique storytelling and writing style, and I think it lends perfectly to the type of romance she's gifted us with - a story about two teenagers, on the cusp of adulthood, trying to make their way through the world while managing their past traumas and prejudices. I didn't want to put this story down.

At first, Damien and Rome appear to be total opposites. And there's instant animosity between the two of them. Honestly, Rome's pretty awful to Damien those first couple months they're at the same boarding school together. As the story progresses, we learn more about the roots of that animosity, and we watch Rome soften towards Damien and them progress into a friendship and maybe into something more. I think it's quite obvious to the rest of their team that they're dating before they realize they actually are. This book tackled a lot of difficult topics, including growing up in an abusive household and a fight for emancipation, along with race and homophobia. Neither main character was perfect, and they don't always make the best choices. Damien and Rome are such an unexpected pairing, but they were so cute together. I loved watching Rome lower his emotional walls and Damien truly ask for what he wants and choose his own path in life.

The addition of Rome's baby sister was unexpected. Given the characters ages, I was a little skeptical at first. I knew, once they met her in the NICU, they'd want to adopt her but they were just so young and weren't established. I loved that the author had them work with family services to adopt her down the line, when they were a little more established. I think that was the fairest choice for all three of them, and because of the addition of Finley, the multiple epilogues (we got to see four years into their future) had me absolutely swooning.

These characters had lots of pain to deal with, but the reward in the end is so worth it and I loved seeing them get everything they wanted. Another fantastic read by E.L. Massey!