Free from Falling (Breakaway Book 4)

I’d give this ten stars if I could. A hundred stars. A million. I loved both of the characters with my whole heart. Matts showed up earlier in the series and was just beginning his journey of growth, and it was SO GOOD to see him continue on that journey in this book. He starts out as an imperfect ally trying his best, awkward and unsure. Watching him learn and challenge his inner beliefs and the beliefs of those around him was so rewarding, I was so proud of him. And the (probable - undiagnosed but acknowledged) autism rep was so well done. I so deeply connected to many of his lived experiences— especially the way he felt like he was missing a guidebook on social interactions that everyone else got, and how he compensates (or used to, mainly) for that by basically being a mirror for those around him. His social struggles are a constant presence in the book, really capturing how it feels. And Sydney! What a wonderful pistol of a character with a soft vulnerable underbelly that she guards so carefully!! Watching her open up to Matts and slowly start to feel more and more comfortable was great. Really excellent trans rep. A great balance of trans angst and joy. The side characters were great too! The whole band was amazing (especially Sydney and her relationship with her brother Devo). And of course it was wonderful to see all the characters from books past!

I think I might have found a new contender for my favorite book of the year?? Free From Falling was just so sweet and swoony and filled with trans joy! It had me literally giggling and kicking my feet from how much awkwardly sweet flirting was going on and with how much Matts and Sydney were pining for each other. I loved that they started off as friends and built a very solid foundation based on trust, that blossomed into so much more. I also really loved that Sydney being a trans woman wasn’t a huge deal to Matts, he just loved her for who she was. The care and trust that these two built over the course of the book was incredible. And the slow burn of the romance? Absolute perfection! It was just so sweet seeing them together and just being able to be themselves. Everything about this book was perfect and it’s getting five stars!