Named a best beach/summer read by O, The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Parade, PopSugar, Marie Claire, Bustle, and more! 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 … 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).
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This book was AMAZING. Seriously one of my favorite rom-com books.
Avery, our heroine, is a former gymnasts whose own hopes of the Olympics were dashed when she was gravely injured at the Olympic Trials seven years ago. Now, dealing with a break-up and a cross-country move, she struggles to find herself as an adult, coming across a new job and potential love interest along the way.
Overall, it felt original and timely, with references to the (now-fictional) 2020 Olympics, #MeToo, and Athlete A releasing on Netflix, but at the same time was warm and comforting with all the sweetness of a romantic comedy. The main characters felt like real people, not stereotypes, and they had backstories and flaws, but didn’t let their flaws define them. The whole world just felt startling real. The romance is NOT the prominent part of this story, if anything, it’s more of a subplot, but I didn’t even mind because the rest of the story was just SO DANG DELIGHTFUL. It has everything you could want! Dashed dreams, new dreams, sports drama, estranged friends, breakups, new romantic interests… I have no negatives. I cannot think of anything bad to say about this book. I can’t wait to reread it!
It is never too late to realize you are worth so much more than one moment in your life.
This is a must read for women’s gymnastics fans–the story of a gymnast who narrowly misses the Olympics and returns to the sport to train a promising young gymnast during a pivotal Olympic year.
I discovered this book by scrolling through Instagram. After reading the description, I knew I wanted to read it. That said, I agree with other reviews that you need to have an interest in gymnastics to really enjoy this story. It’s very straightforward and mostly predictable.
Don’t get me wrong, I liked this! It was entertaining and a nice palate-cleanser from the string of disappointing stories I had read recently. I’d give it 3.5 stars if I could. But I was a gymnast until my early teens and much like Avery, the sport shaped me. There were moments when she’d talk about really pointing your toes and mine would immediately point. It was great to see all the different paths (Avery, Ryan, Hallie, Jasmine, etc) and to be immersed in that world again. But when I step back and look at the story outside of that, it’s an okay story.
If there are other former gymnasts out there who are feeling nostalgic, I’d definitely recommend this book!
Great book
4 1/2 stars
I guess any book or film relating to ice skating is going to remind me of one of my favorite films from the 90’s, The Cutting Edge. What’s the same? A run for the Olympics, competition, injuries, lost dreams, and ice. What’s different? Everything else. Because all of that happens before the book starts.
Avery has little ambition. After losing her Olympic dreams to an injury, she has a cush life with her All-American football boyfriend. Until he dumps her and she slinks home to her parents’ in misery. She gets a lead on a job to coach a potential champion and everything starts to turn around.
I haven’t read a book by Hannah before. I was introduced to her by a friend and it was such a great book to start with. I love a heroine who is a bit of a loser and finds herself through trying circumstances. And, hey, throw in a dreamy guy and I’m happy as a clam.
TW: Mild language and skippable steam
Avery is this amazing Olymipc destined gymnast but then she has a major fumble and gets hurt. She then moves in with her superstar boyfriend until one day he kicks her out and she goes back home.
So for me it took me awhile to get into this one. For the first half of the book Avery had this “Oh poor me” attitude that was just annoying and it just makes you want to scream “OH GET OVER IT ALREADY!” Just when I was thinking UGHH seriously get over it! It got a lot better because BOOM ryan walked in and Ryan is this hot bod gymnast that trains Hallie for the Olympics and he wants Avery to help him train her for the Olympics!
This book also deals with a few heavy subjects that were displayed flawlessly in the book and really enjoyed that aspect as well.
Ryan, ok even though he might have a hot bod I did not like him. I thought he was wishy washy with Avery. Especially the way that Avery tells him what Dimitri made her go through and how he coached her and when Dimitri asked him to join his team he goes behind Avery’s back and meets with him!
All in all this is more than a romcom romance book it’s more of a Forgive and Grow book and I really enjoyed it!
I learned a lot about the inside world of gymnastic competition while following a gymnast and her coaches on the way to the Olympic Trials. The story was realistic and one of the plot lines related directly to stories we have read in the news. It is a quick read with a satisfying ending.
3.5 stars
A cute read. Better than I was expecting.
I’ve been obsessed with the Olympic games – gymnastics, in particular – since I was a young girl. Every four years, I find myself glued to my television, cheering on Team U.S.A. When I found out Head Over Heels was a romance centered around a gymnast training for the Olympics, reading it was a no-brainer.
With some sports romances, the sport is barely tangential to the plot. This book, however, immerses the reader in the world of competitive gymnastics – the training regime, techniques, rules, equipment, and competitions. It’s a well-researched subject that’s a dream for super fans.
Despite the cute cover, this isn’t a fluffy contemporary romance. Avery is burdened with depression and the lingering effects of emotional abuse. It’s tangible. However, deep down is a fighting spirit that I admired. I liked the way Avery bonds with Ryan over their shared experiences as former elite gymnasts. I also enjoyed how they work together as a team to train Hallie. Theirs is a sweet, although not necessarily electric, attraction. This is mainly due to the indecisive nature of their romance. It feels forced.
In Hallie, we see a teenager with great ambition and grit. She is able to take on the grueling physical and mental demands required of athletes competing at her high level, while still maintaining a sweetness that’s endearing. I celebrated every accomplishment and mourned each setback.
I would have rated the book higher, but some developments in the latter half are too rushed. Ryan’s decision-making is questionable and hasty. Avery’s reunion with her former best friend, Jasmine, needs finessing; although, I did enjoy their relationship. The drama lover in me wanted to see additional interactions with Avery’s former coach and a more satisfying resolution.
Overall, I enjoyed this book more as a work of contemporary women’s fiction than as a romance. Head Over Heels definitely renewed my love for gymnastics and my appreciation for athletes who train most of their lives for one shot at grabbing the ultimate gold. * I received an early copy to voluntarily read.
Hannah Orenstein’s latest Rom-Com is a delightful look at the world of gymnasts preparing for the Olympics. It’s a timely read in that the very Olympics the story is focused on is the one that has sadly been postponed. But at the core, it’s Avery Abrams story about recovery and forging a new chapter in her life. Mostly though she learns about forgiveness and taking back her love of the sport. She also gets the chance to spend some time with a man, once boy, that she crushed on.
After a career-ending injury, she begins teaching/coaching future Olympic hopefuls. But when Avery’s relationship with her live-in boyfriend ends, she is forced to flee home, to live with her parents while she regroups. When she interviews for a team position to coach one young girl, she finds herself partnering up with Ryan, said teenage crush. As good coaches are want to do, they begin dating and falling for each other. Will the sport get in their way? You betcha. But when her past and his future collide, there are some angsty “love will tear us apart” moments. Love equaling the sport itself.
Beyond Avery’s reconnection with Ryan and the romance side of the story, I found it to be a very informative read. My only experience in gymnastics are from a high school PE class and a failed attempt to springboard over a pommel horse, one that ended in a serious sprained wrist. It’s definitely a sport I love to watch though and I admire the dedication that the athletes have. So, it was fun to learn more about the different types of gymnastics and the scoring methods.
We’ve all heard the phrase “write what you know”, and it seems that Hannah Orenstein has experiences that are reflected in the story. Her love of the sport is evident and inspiring, as is the story of Avery and Ryan. I enjoyed seeing Avery grow-up and gain back some of the confidence that she lost. 4.5 stars and my recommendation!
Head Over Heels is only my second book by Hannah Orenstein but I knew going into it that it was going to be a winner and I was right! This book is Romcom perfection and I would love to see it as a movie.
I can’t even tell you in proper words how much I loved this book. My sister was in gymnastics when she was younger, but I never really took much interest in it, and that definitely changed reading Head Over Heels. I was fascinated by everything surrounding the gymnastics parts of the book, which were many, and I love how Orenstein balanced it with tough, important topics, humor, and romance. This is a book that I could see being perfect for TV, and it’s not really steamy so it was a little like a heavier Hallmark movie – LOVE!
As was the case with the last book I read by Orenstein (Love at First Like), the writing flows so well and I was fully engaged the entire time. I loved both Avery and her relationship with Hallie equally, and I found myself spilling tears of joy at the end of the book which is why I’m calling it a bit of a tear-jerker. I also enjoyed the romance between Avery and Ryan although that honestly felt like a bonus to the story, whereas Hallie and Avery’s relationship and Avery’s self-doubts then rebirth really shine through as the main stars.
If you haven’t read a book by Orenstein yet, or if you have and already know you love them, I very highly recommend reading Head Over Heels especially if you are at all interested in gymnastics or books set around that sport. This would make a perfect summer or beach read as well, and I can’t wait to see what this author writes next because you know I will be reading it!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein was a novel I truly enjoyed. This book definitely was a lot different than her previous works, and I have seen such a difference in her writing – while this one took on more serious themes of emotional abuse and #metoo movement. This was a very important topic that I did see in the headlines about the gymnastics world, and the ongoing emotional and physical abuse from the people they most trusted and relied on. I felt that Orenstein wrote about this with such grace and compassion for the characters, and the amazing writing really hooked me in. This read more as a women’s contemporary fiction rather than a romcom.
I loved the protagonist. Avery was a competitive gymnast and an Olympic hopeful who lost the chance from an injury. She starts school at UCLA and meets her boyfriend, a famous football player with whom after four years had a very devastating breaks up with her. With nowhere to go, Avery returns to her hometown and back to her parents’ home. While there, she was offered a chance to coach an Olympic hopeful and rekindles a second chance romance meeting Ryan again, who was also in the gymnastics circuit when Avery was competing.
I think that when Orenstein was writing this, the issues of COVID and the cancellation of the summer Olympics in Tokyo was not even a consideration, so you may have to just accept that in this fictional world in this novel. It sure made me miss the Summer Olympics very much.
I have to mention in this novel and give kudos to how Orenstein in this novel captured the gymnastics world – the writing was very well researched and captured the details of the technical aspects of the elite gymnastics competition. For me personally, I enjoyed it immensely and I certainly appreciated the research that went to writing this book.
I thought the romance was great. It focused on Avery and Ryan’s relationship and their career as coaches to an up and coming Olympic gymnast. The characters were very relatable especially for those wanting second chances not just in love but in life as well.
I enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it as a women’s contemporary fiction read that tackled important themes and subject matter. A great read I really enjoyed that captivated me into the high stakes world of competitive gymnastics.
Head Over Heels is not your typical romance. It follows the story of Avery, who was competing in the Olympic trials for gymnastics until an injury set her back and essentially derailed her life’s plans. She spirals afterward as her life has to take an alternate plan, and years later is just living without any ambition. After a breakup she moves back home and has an opportunity to coach with an old crush of hers.
The timeline of the story is the eight or so months leading up to the Olympic trials. Head Over Heels really delved into the world of gymnastics and brought me some insight into the sport I’ve loved since the US team won in 1996. It touches on Avery’s abusive coach and his methods, and the recent sexual abuse from the team physician. I appreciated those points being mentioned, but it did feel as if some of it was glossed over.
The romance between Avery and her old crush/boss/co-coach Ryan was minimal. I honestly don’t know what Avery saw in him. I could have done without it, as the friendships and relationships between Avery and Jasmine, Hallie, and Sara had more life and passion than anything Ryan portrayed.
Head Over Heels brought back the joy I always felt watching the women’s gymnastics Olympic games and that was worth the read.
Avery finds herself!
Former gymnast Avery Abrams hadn’t done much in the last seven years after she failed to make to the Olympics when she was injured at the Olympic trials. Avery knew she needed to get her life together after breaking up with her boyfriend of seven years and moving back to Massachusetts to live with her parents. Avery had coached part-time when she lived in California so when Ryan Nicholson asked her to help one of his gymnasts with her floor routine, she finally agreed. Ryan Nicholson who had been the cute guy had competed at the same time as Avery and her best friend Jasmine who had won it all at the Olympics, but their friendship had petered out when Jasmine married their former coach who had been very abusive.
Head Over Heels is a good romance that mixes a romance between Avery and Ryan with what happens when somebody doesn’t make the Olympics.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A Silver Medal Gymnastics Romance!
Avery came so close to her Olympic dreams but was injured just before they were realized sending her into a tailspin that lasts for almost a decade. The cute boy gymnast, Ryan, she saw at competitions is now very much a handsome man and he’s asked her to help coach a talented new star.
I’m a huge fan of the Olympics, both summer and winter, so I was really exited to read a romance set in that world of competitive sports. The description of the gymnastics moves were technical but also described in a way that I could see them in my head. The exploration of sexual, emotional, and mental abuse by coaches and doctors was handled extremely well as was the advocacy for better overall health care for elite athletes.
I liked that Hallie, the rising star, was someone we wanted to root for and didn’t have a bratty phase that is so often associated with young gymnasts in movies and tv. I also really liked Sara’s role in Avery’s healing and reconnecting with Jasmine. My one complaint was that Ryan comes off as hot and cold, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, since we are never in his POV to know what he’s actually thinking and feeling it made it hard for me to champion him as any better for Avery than Tyler.
I’d love to see Jasmine get a story as I think she’s earned a true HEA!
I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are my own.
I haven’t come across many books focused on gymnastics and was very excited to read Head Over Heels. The cutesy cover drew me in, but I knew from the blurb that it would also be an emotional ride. The book ended up being more contemporary/women’s fiction to me, but there was also a nice dose of romance thrown in.
Avery was a very relatable heroine. I think all of us, at one time or another, have felt lost and not quite sure where we fit in the world. Avery really comes into her own through the course of the book and I appreciated that the author showed all of her struggles as well as her triumphs. It’s not an easy road. There are missteps and stumbles, but it made every step forward so much more meaningful. Her romance with Ryan was very sweet and added some nice push and pull (though it was fairly predictable), but I liked that it wasn’t the main focus. It also wasn’t overly steamy and was more fade to black/closed door.
I thought the more serious issues were addressed and highlighted very well in the book. It’s not often that the mental and emotional toll that elite athletes face is discussed or considered. Head Over Heels really showed all sides of the world of gymnastics. I did find that there was a bit too much technical detail and information on moves/techniques, which made the story feel a little too long. Also, Avery and Ryan are in their mid to late 20’s, but they came across as younger than that and I often had to remind myself that they weren’t teenagers/this wasn’t a YA book. The ending wrapped up a little quickly, but overall, it was an enjoyable read that left me feeling hopeful and my heart happy.
CW: Emotional and sexual abuse
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
Avery Abrams is a former elite gymnast whose sights were set on the Olympics until an injury ended those dreams. She slid into depression all while battling the demons that raged in her head thanks to years of abuse courtesy of her coach, Dimitri. The words he used made her feel worthless and less than which caused her to be listless and to not have any true direction in her life. Not only that, but her closest friend, Jasmine, not only went on to win medals and find fame, but she also married the coach that had been so emotionally abusive. Following the breakup with her boyfriend of four years, she heads back to her hometown hoping she can get her feet back under her.
Once back home, she receives a phone call from Ryan, a former Olympic gymnast himself, asking if she would be willing to help coach a young girl named Hallie who has her own sights set on the Olympic games. Not only is Avery not sure she’s cut out to coach, she’s also not sure she can work with Ryan, a guy she had a crush on during their adolescence. It isn’t until she gets a stark reminder of what she left behind that she realizes this coaching gig could be the best step forward she could take.
While Avery and Ryan fight the sparks that are flying between them, they are also dealing with a huge scandal that is rocking the gymnastics world and also the young lady they are working with. This book showcased second chances, advocating for yourself, learning from mistakes and never giving up. I was immersed in the world of gymnastics very quickly in this book and I enjoyed it all. I would highly recommend picking this one up!
Hannah Orenstein’s Head Over Heels is a charming rom-com (with a few heavy moments) set in the world of competitive gymnastics.
When Avery Abrams’s Olympic dreams came to a heartbreaking halt, she felt unmoored and depressed. Eight years, and one breakup later, she finds herself back in her Massachusetts hometown to pick up the pieces. When former Olympian, Ryan Nicholson, reaches out about a coaching opportunity, Avery accepts. Will this be the chance she needs to finally move forward? Or will the ghosts of her past potential come back to haunt her?
This novel does a good job of peeling back the curtain of the competitive gymnastics world in a way that makes it accessible to the lay reader, but still acknowledges the hard work and dedication that these elite athletes make to achieve their dreams. It was, however, a little surreal to read about an alternative timeline in which the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are actually happening, and where the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t exist. That feeling is especially present in a story like this because it’s so directly tied to a specific moment in time.
That aside, I appreciate the nuanced and sensitive way that Orenstein acknowledges the misconduct that has been prevalent in the sport without using it as a cheap narrative device. The relationships that are explored in the novel (namely Avery and Ryan, Hallie and Avery/Ryan, and Avery and Jasmine) are also well-plotted and read as wholly genuine. There are also strong female characters who are inspiring in various ways.
In all, it’s funny, it’s poignant, and it’s empowering. And a great read overall.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
“Head Over Heels” by Hannah Orenstein
I loved this story. There is a whole lot of heart-break, maturing, and love in this story. A story of the passionate love of a sport, and, the love between people. While also sharing a glimpse of the less than admirable actions possibly perpetrated by people holding positions of trust. I found it difficult to put this book down, even just to answer the phone when it rang. A truly worthy read. Happy Reading ! !
Note: I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley.