Head Over Heels

by Hannah Orenstein

From the author of the Love at First Like and Playing with Matches, an electrifying rom-com set in the high stakes world of competitive gymnastics, full of Hannah Orenstein's signature "charm, whimsy, and giddy romantic tension" (BuzzFeed).

The past seven years have been hard on Avery Abrams: After training her entire life to make the Olympic gymnastics team, a disastrous performance ended her athletic career for good. Her best friend and teammate, Jasmine, went on to become an Olympic champion, then committed the ultimate betrayal by marrying their emotionally abusive coach, Dimitri.

Now, reeling from a breakup with her football star boyfriend, Avery returns to her Massachusetts hometown, where new coach Ryan asks her to help him train a promising young gymnast with Olympic aspirations. Despite her misgivings and worries about the memories it will evoke, Avery agrees. Back in the gym, she's surprised to find sparks flying with Ryan. But when a shocking scandal in the gymnastics world breaks, it has shattering effects not only for the sport but also for Avery and her old friend Jasmine.

Perfect for fans of Emily Giffin and Jasmine Guillory, Head Over Heels proves that no one "writes about modern relationships with more humor or insight than Hannah Orenstein" (Dana Schwartz, author of Choose Your Own Disaster).

• ISBN10: 1982121475
• ISBN13: 9781982121471
• Publish Date: 23 June 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Atria Books
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[marciemarie]

I really tried to like this, and there were definitely parts I did like! I appreciated the importance of telling stories like Avery's of girls who are successful young, put under immense pressure, and are left floundering in adulthood. And exploring the darker side of women's gymnastics, something I think we have become much more aware of culturally in the past couple years, was excellent. But this book failed to deliver a compelling romance that I could root for. Ryan, our love interest, is sweet but boring, with very little that stands out about him other than being an Olympic athlete. He's also annoyingly blind to the abuse the women around him are facing, so much so that by the end of the book I genuinely didn't want them to end up together. I think I would have enjoyed this more if it weren't trying to fit into the contemporary romance chick-lit box and had just let it be about Avery's journey and growth.

[jojo_k]

I was just so bored throughout this book. Characters were bland, romance plot was weak, gymnastic setting was basic. This book shouldn't be categorized in romance.

[Sam@WLABB]

Avery spent her whole life preparing for her Olympic dream just to see it slip out of reach. But, after seven years with little direction, a breakup may be the push Avery needs to start searching for her new dream.

These stories about losing your way and finding your new life goals seem to be making their way to me lately. I don't know if it's the universe trying to tell me something or what, but I really enjoyed accompanying Avery on her personal journey.

There was no doubt, that she had been struggling for years. Her life had been eat, breathe, sleep gymnastics for so long, and without a plan B, she was left with no direction. She lost her drive and ambition, but wow! It was so wonderful to see her rekindle that spark. I was so happy for her, when she was able to find her place in the sport again, even if her role was different.

I liked that there was a LOT of gymnastics in this book too. Orenstein showed the good, the bad, and the ugly side of the sport. I got to experience the highs and lows, that come with winning and losing, and saw the physical and mental toll the sport could take on an athlete. The author also included sub plots involving toxic coaching and the sexual abuse scandal, that rocked US women's gymnastics, which were both timely and relevant.

Though this wasn't the rom-com I was expecting, I found myself captivated and fully invested in Avery's comeback.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[girlinthepages]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars*

I love a romance novel that has a good subplot that focuses on something other than the romance itself, and that's exactly what I found in the pages of Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein, which has quickly risen to the top of my favorites of 2020 list! Following the story of Avery Abrams, a retired gymnast who just missed Olympic glory, the novel focuses on what comes next after dreams have been shattered and careers ruined by injuries. In just her mid-twenties, Avery feels as though her life has peaked and her identity ruined.

I really loved this story about an athlete finding her purpose and motivation in life after the spotlight has shifted away from her, and she has to rediscover who she is and what she wants as a twenty-something year old. The twenties are a decade of so much transition and self-exploration, which Orenstein captures perfectly. Avery moves home to live with her parents and wants nothing more to do with the gymnastics world, but when a coaching job with her childhood crush becomes available, she finds herself eventually relenting and dipping her toes back in the lifestyle of leotards, gym mats and fierce competition, but from a different perspective.

I immensely enjoyed learning so much about gymnastics from this story, from the culture to the strict training regimens to the mental health problems that pervade the sport. I found myself completely engrossed in the routines that Ryan and Avery choreographed for their coachee, Hallie, spending hours afterwards looking up gymnastics videos online and marveling at the feats of athleticism. The novel also tackled the darker side of the gymnastics world which recently came to light a few years ago with the unchecked abuse gymnasts were suffering at the hands of trusted adults, from doctors to coaches. I appreciated that Orenstein tackled these issues head on in her story and showed that there were ways to support young athletes in the sport and still have them be successful, as Avery's coaching style is tough but not cruel. During many instances I forgot I was reading a "romance" because so many larger issues are at play in this novel, and I'd argue that it's much more contemporary women's fiction that will leave readers feeling educated, informed, and powerful.

Even outside of her coaching job, Avery goes through so much character growth in the span of 300 or so pages. She gradually comes to terms with her own trauma from the emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of her childhood gymnastics coach. She reunites with her old best friend and they manage to move past the awkwardness of their adult lives to start a foundation to provide mental health care services for gymnasts. She begins to open herself to the idea that other forms of physical activity (such as yoga) can be beneficial as a supplemental practice to gymnastics. Avery's growth throughout this novel feels so genuine and multi-faceted, an impressive feat for a stand alone novel that clocks in at just over 300 pages.


Overall: I really, really enjoyed this story that gave a passionate, in-depth look into the world of gymnastics through the lens of someone on the other side of the competition glory days. I would be thrilled if the author continues to write about the gymnastics world, as she is clearly knowledgeable and passionate about it, and I feel as though I've discovered a newfound interest in it as well thanks to how immersive this story was!

Thank you so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages

[Cocktails and Books]

I wanted to like this one more, but the execution fell flat to me. Avery did a lot of whining and waiting for something to happen to her rather than being the one to orchestrate the path for her life. She got there, finally, but it seemed to drag on to me. Then there was the story with Hannah. Was she part of the scandal that broke or just sympathizing. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and then there was nothing.

[Leigha]

I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Former gymnast Avery Abrams returns home to pick up the pieces of her life in this women’s fiction (masking as a rom-com) adult romance.

Look at that cover! I mean, this SCREAMED romantic comedy to me. I expected lots of bantering between our two leads, maybe even some hi-jinks. Instead I got a tepid romance with a disappointing leading man. Ryan was uninteresting and underdeveloped. I didn’t like the way he dismissed Avery’s valid concerns about certain events in the books. The ending is cute, but the journey to it tarnished my enjoyment.

To me, this book is not marketed correctly. While it may look and sound like a rom-com, it’s women’s fiction all the way. Most of the character developments centers around Avery as she comes to terms with her past gymnastic life. She transforms over the novel into someone confidant, motivated, and passionate about her life and her goals. I loved her relationships with the other women – I need more stories with #ladiessupportingladies. It’s empowering in the best way.

tl;dr While I did not like the romance, I found Avery’s journey to self empowerment to be inspirational.