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*

This story is "ripped from the headlines" in many aspects. Star athlete gets injured and wanders aimlessly through life. Sexual abuse of young gymnasts. Redemption. Love. All of which is intriguing.

Avery is so lost. She returns to her home town to live with her parents with no plan for her life. The coaching job soon offered her provides just the avenue she needs to chart a new future. Ryan and she dance around each other trying to remain professional but when you find the right person it's hard to not act on it. There are a few challenges to their relationship beyond their work situation. Ryan doesn't really get some of Avery's reasons for not wanting to work with her previous coach and makes some choices she struggles with.

When other gymnasts come out about abuse, Avery is forced to address her own which isn't exactly something she wants to do.

I really enjoyed this story.

Eight years ago, Avery Abrams lost her chance of achieving her life-long dream in one instant. After training her whole life to become a part of the Olympic gymnastics team, a major injury that she sustained during the most important competition of her life, the Olympic trials, ended her career as an athlete. She was understandably devastated and when all her backup plans (primarily meaning college) didn’t pan out, she found her life tumbling out of control.

A years-long relationship with a famous American football player kept her grounded for a period, but the spark between them inevitably fizzled out. No relationship, no career, and now, no home - she was living with her boyfriend and has no place of her own. Avery chooses what so many 20-somethings out of options do: she goes home again.

Only for Avery, when she arrives back at her parents’ house in Massachusetts, it feels like living with the ghost of her glory days. Her talent and trajectory back in the day made her something of a hometown hero. These days, she doesn’t feel like much of a hero. She really needs a job, first of all.

Because she lives inside of a novel, Avery gets a phone call from a gymnastics coach at the gym where she trained throughout her young life. This guy calling her was not only her childhood crush when she was younger, but he’s now working at her former gym, training a very talented teenager for the Olympics. He wants to know if Avery wants a job helping with her floor routine, since that’s a trouble point and an area in which Avery has expertise: she was especially strong on floor in her younger years. Returning to her former gym stirs up lots of feelings and memories, but she commits to the job.

There’s a lot going on in this book. Avery returns to the gymnastics world, only as a coach this time. Avery and her former crush (Ryan) start to catch some feelings. Avery must confront her childhood friend who did go onto the Olympics and achieved everything Avery dreamed of doing. The past in general comes back to haunt Avery as she thinks about what might have been, but also is still feeling the effects of the verbal and emotional abuse of her own former coach, who is still a prominent name. And finally, she and all the rest of the gymnastics world must figure out how to confront a massive, upsetting scandal that erupts.

The book takes major inspiration from what’s actually been going on in the gymnastics world over the last few years. It essentially takes the gymnastics world we know and moves it over one dimension so it’s basically the same world, only with different famous gymnasts. Oh, and in that dimension, the coronavirus didn’t cause the 2020 summer Olympics to become the 2021 summer Olympics. Knowing the author wrote this and the publisher scheduled this to line up with said summer Olympics, was a bit awkward. And sad, really.

The main issue with this book is breadth over depth. The author was highly ambitious in what all she wanted to include, but because of that, no one element is explored fully. Everything is muted as a result.

There are some passages that show Avery’s pupil, Hallie, performing, but the author mainly calls moves by their names instead of painting a picture for the reader. I had to look up YouTube videos to see what actually would have been happening during these parts. Now, I may be the kind of reader who enjoys researching things surrounding the books I read, but if I need to turn outside of the book to get a mental picture of what’s going on inside of the book, the author has done me wrong.

The female characters were a little same-y and Ryan has barely any personality. Even when his actions are causing a problem, you can’t even get mad at him because he does everything in the blandest way possible. Dairy Queen Vanilla. Not even Breyers level.

Rinse and repeat for the other elements listed above; nothing is done especially poorly, it’s just not done all that well. It was fun for what it was and provided a needed substitute for the gymnastics video binge-watching I had planned to do this summer, but I’m docking points for execution (sorry, I had to). 2.75 stars, rounded up to 3.

Thank you Atria and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

If I am being truthful, I came for the romance, but stayed for the gymnastics. My inner 7-year-old was screaming with delight at being immersed into the high-stakes world of training for the Olympics. Hannah Orenstein, author of Love at First Like, wrote a very detailed portrayal of the sports world and engaged readers from the start. While, I wish I would have enjoyed the romance more, this novel was a solid effort at learning how to bounce back and embrace second chances.

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, 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 had 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 timely and relevant.

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

My new favorite by Hannah Orenstein! I very rarely read sporty romance and im not sure why because i always love them. But this book is so much more than a fade to black romance. The layers and themes are extremely diverse.

Avery returns to her hometown after being dejected by her football player ex boyfriend,Tyler. She has been struggling to find a purpose in life after her life-long dream of competing on the gymnastics Olympic team is destroyed after a terrible accident. As she watched her best friend grab all the glory, she continues to fight a mental battle. When Nick, an ex-Olympic gymnast calls her and asks for help in coaching a young hopeful, Hallie. Avery is surprised and how much returning to her old gym is starting to reinvigorate her spirit.

I love the gymnastics, and challenging themes with mental health, physical and emotional abuse. Avery is surprisingly easy to relate to because of her mindset growth. I also loved Ryan in the beginning, disliked in the middle, and liked again at the end. Im pretty sure that's what I was meant to feel. I loved so much of the book that I flew through it in one day. Only minor critique is I definitely wanted a little more romance, but thats my own personal preference. Avery and Jasmine are able to move forward together, Hallie is a Rockstar, and even Ryan wins me back in the end for the perfect summer read!

Avery trained all her life to make it to the Olympic gymnastics team, but a major accident ends her career for good. She feels lost and spend the next 7 years partying with very little focus. She hits rock bottom when her famous football player boyfriend breaks up with her. She moves back home, in an effort to start over and lands a job training a promising young gymnast. Her co-trainer and is old crush Ryan, that used to be a gymnast as well. A major scandal break out in the gymnastic world and Avery and Ryan don't seem to agree on what's best for their trainee and their relationship suffers. Read this in two days, it was a cute rom com but it also tackled some of the metoo movement. So it wasn't all cutesy and I loved that.

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!

Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein is the kind of book I cannot help but be drawn to as soon as I see its description. This book combines the fascinating world of gymnastics with romance as well as current headlines (brief mentions to the sexual abuse and subsequent cover-up by authoritative figures within the sport). I was disappointed that this book failed to handle any of these topics well. I felt like the narrator never really identified its audience; she tries too hard to explain every gymnastics term, which feels condescending and results in the reader feeling more isolated than welcomed into the world of the book. The book tries to do too many things and fails to cover any of them (gymnastics setting, character development, romance, #metoo, etc.) in a satisfying way. I would rate this lower, but it's a quick read with a fun yellow cover. . . Sometimes, that's all you need on a summer afternoon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had so many layers and I loved all of them. Whether you are a stranger to gymnastics or a professional, the book did a great job of describing to give a visual without being too much.

I'd recommend this book if you're looking for:

-Second chance romance
-friends to lovers
-Slow burn tension
-Emphasis on the importance of friendships
-Emphasis on the importance of mental health and being heard
-Gymnastic competitions

This book covered a childhood crush turned romance, a scandal that echoes today's current gymnast events, rekindling of friendships, and so much more. Avery's narration was relatable and honest. I loved all of the little details in the writing that show a person likes you even when they don't say it. There's not as much steam to this one, but I loved the romance between Ryan and Avery. A great read!

Trigger warnings: mental abuse, sexual abuse, anxiety

It’s refreshing to read a book where the 2020 Olympics actually takes place! This book begins where others end- a gymnast failed the Olympic trials. What happens to someone after their dreams are crushed? We walk along with Avery through her self-actualization, and it is beautiful.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC.

GIVE ME ALL YOUR SPORTY ROMANCE RECS IN THE COMMENTS!! I'll be the first to admit that I'm not really much of a sports enthusiast. Perhaps this stems from my own lack of any athletic talent whatsoever, but one sport I have always been fascinated by is gymnastics. I remember seeing Dominique Moceanu on tv as a little girl and being utterly fascinated. In the more recent years, I turned on the tv to watch Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles compete. When I saw the cover and read the synopsis of Head Over Heels, I immediately knew I wanted to read it. Avery was a top competitor in the world of gymnastics, but a career ending injury changed the course of her athletic future. Now she is retired and back home with her parents after a breakup from her football star boyfriend. Enter Ryan and Hallie- Ryan is coaching Hallie, who is on her way to gymnastics glory, but she needs some polishing, and Avery is there to help. She wasn't expecting to fall for Ryan in the process. If you love the world of gymnastics, you will love this book. It was interesting to see a retired gymnast reflecting on the sport through the eyes of a coach. I liked the romance between Ryan and Avery; I love a good acquaintances to friends to lovers trope. I've said it once, but I'll say it again: one thing I love about contemporary romance novels is the complex issues they deal with. Head Over Heels looks at the brutal world of training and competing, and also deals with the #metoo movement when a scandal is exposed in the story. I don't think I've read any sporty romance books before, but after reading Head Over Heels, I definitely want to read more. With the 2020 Olympics being postponed, I am glad I had a chance to read this book. It will be released on June 23. Thank you @atriabooks for the finished copy!

Head Over Heels is my first book by Hannah Orenstein and I enjoyed it. I really loved the gymnastics aspect. When the Olympics would come on when I was younger, the only thing I ever wanted to watch was gymnastics and figure skating so it was really cool to see the behind the scenes stuff. 



Avery was meant to live her dream as an Olympic gymnast, but a career ending injury stopped her right before she got her shot. She’s now in her mid-twenties and doesn’t have the life she dreamed of. After getting dumped by her ex, she’s back in her hometown to figure her life out. As luck would have it, she gets a call from Ryan, a fellow gymnast, about a coaching job.

Ryan was an Olympic gymnast and now coaches an Olympic hopeful. He isa great coach, but he knows there are things Avery is great at and they would make the perfect team. And they do. Avery not only is a spectacular coach, but she finds herself, and maybe even love along the way.

I loved the Ryan, Avery, and Hallie dynamic and I also loved that Avery found herself and helped her friend Jasmine along the way. I wish the romance aspect would have been stronger, I think that would have made the book so much better for me, but overall I really liked reading this!

Review : I enjoyed this book, It was such a easy and fast read. Once I saw this book was about gymnastic , I knew I had to read it. I’m one of those people who’s obsessed with the Olympic ( yes it in my bucket list ). I love Averys story of triumph, of Overcoming obstacles and failure , of reinventing yourself . I just wish I had more back story on the character, more depth, more emotions , just more . There were situation that happen that I felt were a bit unrealistic , maybe too rushed .

Summary: Averys a former elite gymnast, whose dream of making it to the Olympic came crashing down when she got injured. Lost and depressed Avery moved to LA to reinvent herself, but her failure and the emotional abuse she suffering at the hands of her former coach, still plagues her.

Following her break up, she back home to her parents house where the remnant of her failed Olympic dreams Haunts her. A life line, came in the form of a former gymnast name Ryan , who needs her help with one of his aspiring elite gymnast. Push back into the world of her childhood , Avery must Finally face the people from her past , and heal from her wounds.

When I picked up this book, I had honestly no idea that it was about gymnastics. I don’t love gymnastics so I was immediately put off by the idea of it, until I started reading. This book is so cute!

This book was refreshing because although it is set in 2020, COVID-19 does not exist. It follows the journey of former almost Olympian Avery, who battles depression and loses her life’s purpose after suffering a tragic injury at the Olympic trials. Her world falls apart, but her past skills have a way of being the perfect medicine for her present. After moving back home with her parents, she is asked to coach a girl training for the 2020 Olympics by her past crush: Ryan.

This is a lovely book that has a positive spin that is so delightful right now. Themes of perseverance, romance, and standing up for yourself abound. This is a romance, so I won’t spoil it for you, but let’s just keep it at this: super cute.

Trigger warnings: emotional abuse, discussions of sexual assault (you think the author would forget Larry Nassar? Of course not!), body image issues.

Like most little girls Avery Abrams had one dream. To be an Olympic gymnast. Unlike most young girls, she was beyond good. Avery was the best and her promising career was real. She trained her entire childhood; no junk food, few friends, no sleepovers and eventually homeschooled. Avery and her loving parents sacrificed what most people take for granted. When she tragically injured herself at the Olympic trials, her one chance to lead the girls team was gone forever. Age wise, she was done. Avery dabbled in college gymnastics but her heart just wasn’t in it. Her disappointment so great that her life spiraled out of control for 7 years. Back home in the small town she grew up in, this former superstar has to learn to face her past and figure out some sort of future. When Coach Ryan (a former gymnast she crushed on throughout her teenage years) hires her to assist a promising young gymnast for the upcoming Olympics, Avery is finally ready to begin the healing process. Funny, well written and timely. This adorable romcom is filled with gymnastic dreams and the crushing reality of the sport. You will definitely be rooting for this all around winner.

Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein

I have always loved watching Olympic gymnastics, so I was excited about this book. It’s a little bittersweet, in that the Tokyo Olympics actually take place in 2020 as scheduled, but with the way publishing works, I’m sure this isn’t the only book set in 2020 that makes no mention of the pandemic and/or the postponement of the Games.

Avery Abrams spent most of her life training to be an Olympic gymnast, but a poor showing at the 2012 Trials ended that goal. The next decade was a series of ups and downs that ends with her football player boyfriend (think TB12 circa 2004) dumping her.

Avery moves back to her small town in Massachusetts and gets a job at her hometown gym, working alongside Ryan Nicholson, who she totally had a crush on back in the day. They’re both training Hallie, a sixteen year old gymnast who has Olympic dreams of her own.

Avery’s character arc was awesome: she gets her life together, finds purpose, realizes her potential, and addresses some of the issues that have been holding her back for years. She reconnects with an old teammate/friend and coming to terms with the fact that her training was not emotionally healthy and vows to do better for Hallie.

The romance, however, was a bit of a letdown. I’m going to try to keep things vague, but there’s a moment when Avery tells Ryan something very important, and he doesn’t believe her at first. He changes his mind after witnessing what Avery is talking about with his own eyes, but it’s a hollow victory. And I know that believing Avery right away would remove most of the non-sports related dramatic tension, but it’s disappointing that he didn’t trust Avery right away.

The overall messages of this book are positive, like the importance of emphasizing emotional/mental health in addition to physical health for elite gymnasts and learning to believe in yourself, etc. I can forgive the tepid romance, especially since it’s already a secondary plot.

I would recommend this book. It’s a bit heavy at times for a rom-com, but the problematic elements of the sport need to be addressed in order for change to occur. Everyone is much better off at the end of the book than they were at the beginning; they have all changed for the better—even Ryan! But this book is not 100% poignant/serious… there are plenty of lighter moments as well as tons of shop-talk about gymnastics, which was enough to make up for the lack of Olympic gymnastics this summer. I’m looking forward to reading more from Orenstein in the future.





I received a copy of this book from Atria Books/Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars! I absolutely loved this book. Head Over Heels is about Avery Abrams, a former aspiring gymnast whose Olympic dreams end after a knee injury, sending her into a years long depression. When she returns to her hometown, her former crush asks her to help coach a teen Olympic hopeful.

I loved all of the characters, especially Avery. For once, I was more invested in her story vs. the romance. All of the characters are very well-developed and I enjoyed learning more about gymnastics and the Olympics (..yeah too much stress for me. No, thanks.)

Overall, this was a fun, interesting romance that is perfect for fans of Katherine Center. Definitely check this one out on 6/23/20!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love sports romances. Seriously...my love of sports romance books is quite large. I went into this hoping for a sports romance. It was somewhat delivered.

I enjoyed the aspect of this novel feeling real. This could actually happen in life. I liked that. This didnt seem like a far-fetched Olympic dream.

This altogether although fell a bit flat. I didnt feel invested in the characters. I honestly wanted more of Sara and Jasmine than Avery.

Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for an advanced galley. All opinions are my own.

A story of gymnastics of abuse by a couch.Also a story of romance of friendship.Fascinatng to read about gymnastics about what is involved in the training and damage that can be done by a coach,A multi layered novel wrapped up in a rom com genre.#netgalley#atriabooks