So I follow Hannah Orenstein on Twitter and I have read her other books but didn't love them. This one was the best so far and I really enjoyed it. Glad I gave her another shot.

Avery is an elite gymnast whose dream died at the Olympic Trials. At a crossroads in her life years later, she ends up coaching an Olympic hopeful, meets a potential love interest, and realizes her worth in life. A nice glimpse into the world of gymnastics, with some plot lines inspired by real life scandals.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

I truly loved this book and it’s so much more than a love story! Avery Abraham a rising gymnast who was destined for the Olympics and with one fatal/ disastrous performance ended her dream with an injury. Yet her teammate and best friend jasmine became the Olympic champion and even married their verbally abusive coach Dimitri which ended their friendship. She leaves their small town and moves to LA and parties and drinks and drops out of College. Falls in love and dates a nfl football quarterback and after four years he dumps her and she’s back at home in her parents house. Heartbroken and jobless, she gets a phone call from Ryan who she had a crush on in her childhood, and a former gold medal gymnast himself and he wants her help training a promising gymnast Hallie who he believes will make it to the olympics. Finally she can see a future she loves training Hallie and she’s falling for Ryan. Soon an investigation is started when gymnast come forward about abuse from a doctor and Hallie is affected. When Dimitri offers Ryan a job Hallie fears he will leave and take Hallie and she will go through what she went through and lose herself. I loved this book, living in Michigan I watched the horror after hearing the MSU doctor Larry Nassar and the abuse he did to gymnasts and this book brought this matter up but changed the doctors name. I loved how this book didn’t just focus on romance but added layers and showed the strength of woman! I give this book five stars!!

I couldn't put this one down as I'm so fascinated by the sport of gymnastics. Avery becomes a coach and a mentor for Hallie, a rising Olympic athlete after losing out on her own career due to an injury. Although this was a romance novel as she becomes involved with the coach she teams up with, I found myself appreciating the female friendships and relationships within the plot more than the actual romantic pursuits. I could tell the author completed in-depth research regarding the sport, which only added to the intrigue of this novel, From details of the routines alongside the world of a sport that pushes its athletes to their limits, I think this novel is perfect for anyone looking for a light-hearted read this summer.

I had the opporutnity to read an early copy of Head Over Heels for a buddy read and loved it! Avery thinks her life is over when a career ending injury stops her from making the olympic gymnastics team. Nearly a decade later, trying to pull her life together, she has the opportunity to coach a bright and eager, young gymnast.

This was a fun read and a great distraction since we'll be missing the Olympics this Summer! The women's gymnastics competitions were always some of my favorite events to watch so I loved reading about the routines and all of the gymnastics lingo. The book covered several real life issues that gymnasts face today. There were strong female characters, empowering female friendships, and a little bit of romance thrown in! Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy.

DNF at about 60%. As soon as Ryan decided he wasn't going to listen to Avery when she tried to tell him what her former coach was like, I was done. I already didn't like him and I don't see a reason to continue reading when it's pretty clear that they are going to end up together. Avery is already self-conscious due to everything she's been through, why put her with a guy who's this shitty. I can't keep reading.

Also, based on what I did read, it felt like the sexual assault issue was almost glossed over.

This was one of a kind book, it's really unique. My favorite character is undoubtedly Avery Abrams, an incredible woman. Avery trained her whole life in order to have a chance to enter the Olympic gymnastics team. Dimitri was her coach, he was very strict, but she was going to work very hard to fulfil her dreams. However, her best friend and teammate, Jasmine became the Olympic champion and married Dimitri. Aver was devastated, she moved out and for the past seven years, she has tried to leave all behind. Today, she has decided to return to her hometown Massachusetts after breaking up with her boyfriend. Then, Avery agrees to help Ryan train a promising young gymnast with Olympic aspirations. I loved this book because the author describes Avery's feelings and point of views not only of the gymnastics experience but also the environment. Avery had to go through difficult situations, I admire her determination and bravery on returning to the place where she grew up. I love that she agreed to train a young gymnast because I see it as a chance of closing old wounds. I enjoyed Ryan's personality, he is a fun guy. It is a book worth reading, I was captivated from page one. I thank Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in an exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

This was a pleasure to read. As a mom to a (former) competitive gymnast I loved this journey through gymnastics again, the rhetoric, the memories, and the excitement. Hannah Orenstein does a wonderful job of balancing a fictitious world that mirrors the very real world of competitive gymnastics and bringing to light some real world issues that do plague this sport.

Girls in gymnastics work their whole lives aiming for one major goal few will obtain - How does this affect them? What do they do when they succeed or fail? This book begins with Avery Abrams the star gymnast that fell from glory seven years earlier due to injury just before she could make it to the Olympics. How did she cope? Where is she now? And what should she do going forward? In this charming 'Rom Com' of a book Avery will come to meet a cast of characters who will help her realize her future. Will she find love along the way? (If I'm honest, I didn't care - I loved Avery as a stand alone character!) :)

Will you love this if you have zero interest in gymnastics? Maybe not. This book to me was so much more than a romance (that's in there) but it really was an awesome view into a sport that many only see in the flashy moments every four years. Enjoy this peek into this world of endless gym hours and practice!

My final thought that came after I hit publish? I actually really appreciated the far more realistic experience with the romance. Perhaps that's not why everyone reads romance books - "reality" - and let's be honest, it wasn't totally realistic... but I just appreciated it wasn't a full example of a trope experience.

A cute story but was just missing a bit of the romance I wanted from this book. The gymnastics was very cool but I think a little less gymnastic jargon would’ve made it a bit more relatable

*𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌*
Head Over Heels
By Hannah Orenstein
3.5 / 5 🌟

I was lucky enough to win a copy of Head over Heels from the #BLCVIPBookClub put on by the @bookishladiesclub.

Although I usually don’t prefer to read about sports, when I saw that this book centered around gymnastics I thought I’d give it a try. I loved gymnastics as a kid; I even had fleeting dreams of being a gymnast. 🤸🏻‍♀️

This was the moment Avery Abrams had worked for; her dream of going to the Olympics rested in one more routine. And then it happened, her routine resulted in not only knocking her out of Olympic contention but ending her gymnastic career as well.

This book has a lot of gymnastics in it, a lot. Avery finds her way into coaching through a former Olympian, Ryan, who trained at the same time she had. Together they help a young girl train for the upcoming Olympic Trials. Avery develops routines for Hallie, they practice them over and over, there are the nerve-wracking events, and then a scandal rocks the gymnastics community.

Romance blooms between Avery and Ryan, but it really takes second place to the sport in this story. The characters are a little flat for me. I would have liked to have seen more of their full stories, more of their inner workings, to give them a bit more depth. The plot flows well and reads easy. If you love the gymnastic world you will be in heaven. Being a second chance story, this one leaves you feeling good.

Thank you to the #bookishladiesclub @atriabooks and @netgalley for this advanced copy for review.

This book is available on June 23, 2020.

🏊🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️ 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕗𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕤𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣 𝕆𝕝𝕪𝕞𝕡𝕚𝕔 𝕤𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥?

A perfect light summer romance. I loved this book and the gymnastics angle that it took. Everything that Hannah Orenstein writes I gobble up quickly and this was no exception. A sweet story about Avery who lost out on her lifelong dream of going to the olympics but moving on and succeeding in ways that she never thought possible! This is one heck of a feel good book that will have you rooting for every character!

Read if you: Want a light read that touches on the recent abuse crisis in competitive gymnastics.

I'm an Olympics nut--and love gymnastics. Sports fiction is is not as popular in adult fiction as it is in children's/YA, so I was excited to read this. If you want an enjoyable read that will temporarily take your mind off the fact that there will be no Olympics this summer, try this one. Orenstein touches on important aspects of post-competitive life, as well as the emotional and sexual abuse that has rocked the gymnastics world. She incorporates gymnastics terms throughout the story, and incorporates explanations without interrupting the narrative too much.

Librarians/booksellers: Your gymnastics and Olympics fans will definitely want this!

Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Cute story. Cute concept. I feel like it was the same story that I keep reading over and over again but, hey... maybe I need to expand my horizons.

I received this as an eARC so I want to say thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for allowing me to read this early. I really enjoyed this book and thought it dealt with real issues very well. This book is about a woman named Avery who was on track to become an Olympic gymnast when an injury ended it all for her. Her coach of 5 years completely blew her off and was done with her, and sadly her best friend (another gymnast) also became estranged as she continued on to Olympic success. Avery moved to LA, started dating an NFL player, and adjusted to her new normal, albeit with some mental and physical remains of her long training career that came to a quick end. When her relationship ends, she decides to leave LA and go back home where she is asked to help coach a new up and coming Olympic hopeful named Hallie. While there, she's working with her other coach, Ryan. Ryan and Avery knew each other when they were both in their athletic prime, but now they're rekindling their friendship after 8ish years. The story goes on from there. The romance element of this book was definitely the weakest part but that didn't bother me. I loved the relationship between Avery and Hallie and how coaching was really cathartic and almost therapeutic for Avery. I loved the relationship between Avery and Jasmine and how they were able to reconnect after many years. I could relate so much to Avery. Though I was never an Olympic athlete, I have always been relatively athletic and now because of the demands of motherhood and pregnancy, my training cannot be my main priority anymore and the physical losses are, at times, very frustrating and disheartening. What I experience is small scale compared to Avery's experience, but I found her emotions regarding her loss of athletic ability to be very relatable. I loved Sarah and her addition of yoga to the story. Again, I could relate to Avery in her philosophy that a workout is not worth doing unless you sweat, but Sarah really helped bring in the mind/body connection and helped redefine the lines of what fitness/wellness really looks like.
**This book has major trigger warnings for body image, eating disorders, sexual and emotional abuse. As someone who knows very little about the world of gymnastics, I thought the portrayal was very good and this book shed light on some very important issues. Again, I just loved the emphasis on full body and mind health and the need to focus on more than just what wins the medals.

SPOILERS AHEAD:
Avery was coached by a man named Dimitri. He was a "tough coach" and thats okay right? No. He was very emotionally abusive to his girls and would belittle them for what they ate, how they looked and how they performed. However, his track record for producing Olympians was unbeatable. Jasmine, Avery's best friend who did go on to the Olympics, married him despite a huge age gap and his abusive nature. This further widened the gap between her and Avery. Ryan, on the other hand, is a soft, gentle coach who treats Hallie with kindness and respect. However, later in the book after he and Avery's relationship is established, he gets an opportunity to go work under Dimitri and despite her telling him the truth about him, he decides to take the job. This is the end of their relationship and Ryan lost all cool points in my book. However, when he actually goes to Dimitri's gym and sees how things are, he decides to back out. He and Avery don't start their relationship immediately back up, but in the very end they decide to start over.
Avery also reconnects with Jasmine and she gets the full story as to how she and Dimitri ended up together. Dimitri sort of groomed her and then just told her they were going to get together. She was creeped out at first, but being young and inexperienced eventually just went with it. In the end of the book, she decides to leave him and she and Avery get together to start an organization to help with the mental and physical health of young gymnasts. It's a place that offers things like yoga, counseling, etc. to address issues that often go unnoticed, but are greatly harmful to that population.
Also going on is a big scandal involving an orthopedic doctor who gets arrested for sexual abusing 7 gymnasts in his care. Hallie was a patient of his, but she's not one fo the 7 who turned him in. Between the abusive coach and the abusive doctor, these poor girls are being subjected to a lot, especially when added to the requirement to put in so many hours in the gym and eat/look a certain way. I loved the steps that were taken in the end to hopefully cause a paradigm shift.
Overall, highly recommend this book!

Head Over Heels was a compulsively readable novel that had multiple storylines that all worked together so well. Avery Abrams was a super interesting main character who adapted and evolved throughout the novel. Avery is a former gymnast who is still seeking the high that being on the mat in front of a big crowd once brought her. A huge break up puts her back into her childhood bedroom and sends her reeling to find her purpose in life. I loved seeing her figure out how she could fit back into the gymnastics world. She reconnects with her teen crush, Ryan, who is now a coach at her old gym. Ryan and Avery had a really interesting connection and the author did such a good job at making me feel fully invested in their relationship. I also loved seeing Avery become an advocate for Hallie, the gymnast she's coaching who's on the road to the Olympics, and for other gymnasts. Avery knows what it's like to work under an abusive coach and feel lost after the sport is over. Avery finds a way to help others avoid the pain and confusion she felt. This book shines a light on the way that women from all ages and walks of life can support each other. This is a must-read.

3.5 Stars. Hannah Orenstein is a new author to me. This blurb definitely caught my attention so I really wanted to give it a try. I enjoyed the gymnastics aspect of it. You could tell that it was really researched and used well in the story. However, the story was a little slow for me and I wanted a little more romance between the characters. That being said, the storyline was intriguing and I liked the author's writing and I will definitely be reading more from her.

I absolutely LOVED Head Over Heels! I think I might even have to raise my rating! Avery returns home after a breakup to coach Hallie, a rising potential Olympian. No doubt there is a love story between Avery and Ryan, the other coach for Hallie.

This book felt like so much more than a coming of age romance!! The gymnastics tie ins made it so unique. Helps to take the place of the Olympics that are no longer happening this year.

I loved the writing style and I flew through it, finishing it in one day! My favorite of Hannah’s books for sure. This is a summer read you don’t want to miss!!

Thank you @atria books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
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I really enjoyed this book and it was a fast read! It was a little bittersweet reading about the Olympics since they aren’t happening this year but it was still cool to read and learn more about gymnastics. I admire the gymnastic community and all the amazing talent they have. Head over Heels had great characters with lots of growth, the perfect amount of steam, in my opinion and a few tough topics that the author handles really well. The setting was really fun and as I was reading this book, I felt like I was right there in the finals with the characters. Avery was a great main character and she was very relatable. I enjoyed the yoga aspects of this book and all the internal dialogue that we were able to read and learn more about the characters this way.
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Trigger Warning and Content Warning: Emotional and verbal abuse

Avery Abrams was once an elite gymnast, but her Olympic dreams were shattered after an injury forced her into early retirement at the age of 19. In the years since the incident, Avery has lost her motivation, and more recently, the relationship that was helping her coast by. With no prospects on the horizon, Avery moves back in with her parents in the town where she used to be a local star. On her first day home, she gets a call from Ryan, a former Olympian, and Avery's former childhood crush, offering her a position helping him coach a young gymnast with Olympic aspirations. She's hesitant, but without any other options, she takes the job.

Despite her worries that she's out of practice and her bad memories of her abusive coach, Avery finds a renewed energy the moment she walks back into her old gym. She starts to find her purpose again and being around Ryan ain't so bad either. More than either of those things, she finds camaraderie with Hallie, the young gymnast she's training. She strives to be the coach she never had - one who cares about her athlete's wellbeing, mental health, and happiness.

The story is strongest when it sticks to Avery's struggles and how they impact her relationship with Hallie and the entire sport of gymnastics. The female relationships in this book have a much bigger impact than the romantic ones. Sure, Ryan is nice, but I found her friendship with Jasmine and her mentorship of Hallie much more important to Avery's growth. Ryan didn't have much depth, and their connection never felt passionate. It felt more like 2 people who had too much in common NOT to date. The relationship seemed to just be ticking a romance novel box.

Overall, this was a much better story than my last read by Orenstein, Love at First Like. The characters in that book infuriated me, whereas I found Avery much more likable albeit kind of boring. The sports elements make it an interesting read, so if the gymnastic world intrigues you, Head Over Heels might be up your alley.

This one was a quick read! Both a gymnastics and a new love story, but didn't feel strongly into either storyline. This did help my missing of sports.