Hello beautiful people! Welcome to a new review! For this review, I get into the first book of the very beloved Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben, Deal Breaker. I didn’t expect to enjoy not only this book, but the rest of the series as much as I have. I am not much of a sports gal, so getting into the world of a sports agent didn’t originally seem up my alley, but boy was I wrong.
Main Characters:
Myron Bolitar: I get why people love this dynamic main character. He’s witty, sarcastic, and somehow manages to bring life to literally every scene he’s in. He’s not your typical brooding mystery lead; he’s funny, a little chaotic, and deeply loyal. The kind of character that carries a series on his back without even trying. When Myron’s client, Christian Steele, a rookie quarterback, gets into trouble with an ex-love, Myron gets brought into the mess. Filled with secrets and lies, Myron must try to figure out what happened to Christian’s ex before everything goes up in flames.
Win (Windsor Horne Lockwood III): Myron’s best friend, who is lowkey unhinged but in the most entertaining way possible. He’s rich, dangerous, and operates on a completely different moral wavelength than everyone else, and somehow it works. His dynamic with Myron? Elite. He brings the muscle and the violence to protect Myron as he goes on his crazy adventures
Esperanza: Works with Myron and is also one of his best friends. Brings some very much needed feminine energy into the book (but is also crazy badass) into this boys club, and also helps Myron keep his head on straight.
My Review
As mentioned before, I was a bit skeptical about this series, just because it differs from the usual detective mysteries I check out. I just couldn’t see the vision, but I am so glad I gave it a try nonetheless, because it’s quickly become one of my favourite series. You would think that sports agents and mysteries wouldn’t work, but man, it really does. While the first book isn’t my favourite in the series, it’s a great start and really made me want to check out the others. I gave Deal Breaker an 8/10 rating, and it really does just get better from here. While the mystery in this one is super interesting, I was really connected to the characters, and if they weren’t as good as they are, I am sure this series wouldn’t be what it is.
Deal Breaker follows sports agent Myron Bolitar as he gets pulled into a missing persons case involving a star quarterback’s long-lost love. What starts as a relatively straightforward investigation quickly becomes much more complicated, with secrets, danger, and unexpected connections coming to light. Myron quickly learns that danger will find him quick, but also that he has a good hand in fighting it off, and fighting for the truth.
This book, overall, is just fun (obviously, parts of it are bad as to what happens to people), and funny, and hard to put down. Like, yes, there’s a solid mystery here, interesting, layered, and definitely enough to keep you hooked, but the real draw is the characters. The relationships, the banter, the way everyone interacts, that’s what makes this stand out.
Myron absolutely makes this series. His personality brings so much life to the story, and the humour? Actually funny. Not forced, not overdone, just naturally woven in a way that makes the book feel lighter without taking away from the stakes. He is also an incredibly empathetic man, a man who deeply loves his family and friends, and has a strong belief in justice and fighting for the little guy. Myron doesn’t dive into this mystery for his client because he’s worried about losing money; he is worried about his client and the woman involved. He wants to find out what happened because he has this drive to protect, not be selfish. At the same time, though, he is incredibly successful because he is so likable and relatable to the people around him.
And that balance is what really impressed me. The suspense is there. The mystery is serious. But the humour never undercuts it; it just makes the whole reading experience more enjoyable. Win is this kind of cheesy opposite to Myron, but they play off of each other so well, it’s hard not to just enjoy the cheese.
If you’ve read my reviews of Run Away and Tell No One, you already know I vibe with Harlan Coben’s writing, and this just confirmed it even more. Different kind of story, same ability to pull you in and keep you invested.
Overall, such an enjoyable read, and I’m actually excited to keep going with this series, which I truly did not expect.
Has anyone else checked out this series before, or even just Deal Breaker? What did you think?
Thank you for checking out this review! I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to subscribe at the bottom of the page to be one of the first to know when I release a new review!
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