All the gold stars for Hannah Orenstein’s new novel Head Over Heels. I absolutely devoured this story and the retried gymnast in me was ecstatic to follow along! Head Over Heels stars Avery, a once Olympic hopeful gymnast forced into retirement due to an injury. Avery has recently broken up with her football boyfriend and returned to her hometown to decide what’s next. Reluctantly, Avery accepts an invitation to help coach a young talented gymnast. Avery is suddenly back in the gym, but instead of wearing the leotard, she’s coaching and finding a new role for herself. She’s also discovering that her co-coach Ryan is just as cute as an adult as he was as her teenage crush. Being back on the East coast has also forced Avery to look at her childhood best friend with new eyes. Avery remains blindsided that Jasmine married their old gymnastic coach Dimitri. Not only is Dimitri several decades older, both Avery and Jasmine suffered tremendously from his abusive coaching tactics. Avery is given the opportunity to create a new trajectory for her life and the sport of gymnastics, different than what she could have ever imagined. I really enjoyed the romantic story-line, the athletic aspect and the quarter-life crisis journey that Avery finds herself on. I look forward to discussing Head Over Heels with friends this summer upon its formal release and know that readers will fall in love with Avery’s story!

This book is misleading in that the cover says to you, 'I-am-a-light-hearted Rom-Com!' and yet this book is so much more than that.

Despite being thrown off by the depth and strength of this book, I absolutely loved it. I was sucked in from the very first page and was enthralled to the very end. The friendship/frenemy relationship between Avery and Jasmine was realistically written, even outside the world of competitive gymnastics.

Having read the author's previous books, this book definitely shows maturity in her writing and more character development. If this is the trend in her writing, I can't wait for the next book from her!

Avery is a former gymnast who lost her shot at the Olympics due to a devastating athletic injury. Years later, after her football star boyfriend breaks up with her, Avery returns to her hometown where her gymnastics journey began. When she’s asked by another former gymnast, Ryan, to coach a potential Olympian by his side, Avery is forced to relive past traumas and learn how to grow and heal from the things she never thought she could.

Head Over Heels is definitely an enjoyable, sweet read. I know very little about competitive gymnastics, but Orenstein was able to very clearly explain every tumble, jump, exercise in a way that I could follow along without missing a beat. She also managed to combine the serious issues of sexual assault and emotional abuse in female gymnastics while still keeping the overall mood of the book light, romantic and inspiring. I was able to empathize with the subject matter without being brought down by it.

I only wish that there had been a bit more of character development, particularly with Ryan. He was a sweet guy, but I didn’t feel like we got to see enough of him—who he is, where he came from, what his personality is like. We know he is thoughtful when it comes to Avery and Hallie, but that’s about it. I wanted to see more development with his relationship with Avery and more of their connection.

Overall, this is a very fun and quick read that I really enjoyed getting lost in. This is the perfect book if you are still upset over the delay of the 2020 Olympics this year. Thank you so much to Atria Books, Hannah Orenstein and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review!

I reached for this one when I needed something fun and obsessively readable to get lost in, and this kind of hit the mark but also kind of flopped.

What I liked: The gymnastics background is crystal clear, not a gimmick but a fully realized part of the story. Also how Orenstein brings in the abuse and power play of the sport in a very impactful way.

What I didn’t like: I struggled with the characters - there was no spark between the two leads, and the young gymnast they were coaching had no personality. Also had issues with Ryan not taking Avery’s word for what she’d experienced until he saw it for himself.

You might like this one if you prefer romances that veer into women’s fiction and that feature a sports twist!

I was so intrigued by the setting of this story, and was excited to dive in. Gymnasts and their ambitions fascinate me, a sport that is so difficult and ruthless in its judging is wild.

Also after the Olympics that's it?! I always wondered how that singular focus effected them long term, so Avery's story was right up my alley!

Honestly this felt like a romance in the sense that Avery's true journey in Head Over Heels, was falling in love with herself. Ryan was fine and all (I LOVE MUSCLES) but he wasn't all that developed as a character and their interactions were brief and lukewarm at best. I found myself looking forward to Avery's conversations with Hallie.

The best parts of this, and why I liked it so dang much were the badass female friendships. Jasmine, Sara, and Hallie.

I thought this would be a sports romance, but instead found myself reading how Avery got her groove back (and I loved it!)

I was somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars on this one.

Such a great story!


As a former gymnast, I jumped at the chance to read and review this book! There aren’t enough books featuring gymnastics, and it makes me so excited when I see a new one being released! When it comes to that area of the book, it was in my opinion spot on.

I quite enjoyed the story & characters as well, and the romance was the cherry on top!

Glad I picked it up, because it definitely didn’t disappoint!

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.

This book really missed the mark for me.

First, I would just like to say that I have no intentions to bash any books. Authors put a lot of time into writing a story, and I really respect that. When it comes to reading, I feel that the saying " one mans trash is another mans treasure" truly applies.

I will start with the good things:
- The idea of the story really had potential
- The writing was just fine.. No issues there.
But thats about it. I was enjoying it at first because of those things, but then everything from there was just not doing it for me.

Now there is a list of things I didn't like. The characters are quite juvenile despite being 27 years old. They really did not have anything special about them, they had little to no personality. Everything was cheesy and over dramatized. I was having reader whip lash due to the characters being mad, then being madly in love the next second. Everything felt forced and fake, and there just was not much substance to it. It felt quite surface level on all aspects.

To conclude, this book wasn't for me, but it definitely had potential.

All you gymnastic fans out there will love Head Over Heels, the most anticipated hot new release this June. Orenstein captures the dusty chalk, the intense training, the drive for perfection and the love of the sport with ease. Avery’s Olympic dreams come to an end after an injury occurs during her Olympic trials. To make matters worse, she is newly single and moving back to her home town in Massachusetts. In comes Ryan, Avery’s childhood acquaintance and Olympic gold medalist. When Ryan discovers that Avery is back home, he eagerly asks her to take the job as his assistant coach to Hallie, an up and coming gymnast. As these two former gymnasts train the next Olympic star, sparks begin to fly on and off the mat. While Ryan struggles with being a male coach during a sexual abuse scandal involving other female gymnasts, Hallie is seeking to figure out how to navigate her life off the mat as a retired gymnast. Picture twists and turns, switch leaps and layouts and maybe just maybe, some steamy fooling around on a sticky pile of mats. Head Over Heels has it all...the love of gymnastics, the tension, the hot topics and most of all, the romance. Can you say... perfect 10!

When looking for a rom-com type of book, I think it's important that the book has more than just the stereotypical character meets their match, has a conflict and then resolves it. Sometimes the characters themselves are quirky, other times side storylines propel the story. In Head Over Heels, it has both, but it really is the side storylines that make this a great book. It takes place in the world of gymnastics, and the author did her research.

This book talks about the physical, emotional and mental challenges of being a gymnast at the highest level. It mentions a Larry Nassar-esque scandal, but it doesn't dwell on it. The way it is mentioned is actually perfect for the book.

I love the way these issues were mentioned and factored into the story. The romance aspect was done well, not too steamy, but enough that the characters and their flaws were real. I think the best thing about this book was how real it felt. This was really well done by the author.

I love watching the Olympics, and Olympic gymnastics is one of my favorite sports! Let's take a moment to mourn the postponement of the 2020 Olympic games. Since I can't watch the Olympics this year, I was super excited to read this fictional story about Avery, a former competitive gymnast who comes back to the sport to coach an Olympic hopeful.

I loved the parts of this story that were about gymnastics. From the training process to the competition routines to the behind the scenes scandal, I found it all to be very interesting. I loved getting an inside look at the sport! I did not love the romance parts of this story. Ryan, the leading man/Avery's co-coach, was not my favorite. I found him to be fairly boring, and then he turned into a jerk. Even as the story resolved, he never did redeem himself in my eyes. I also did not feel the connection between Ryan and Avery, and I thought their interactions lacked chemistry. So while I loved the gymnastics aspects of this story, the romance didn't work for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for providing me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book! It's smart and heartfelt and so intriguing - It caught my attention at the first page and never let go. This is the first title I've read from Hannah Orenstein, and I see why she's a reader favorite. In Head over Heels, she opens up the world of elite gymnastics, and does a masterful job of giving us characters we care about and stakes that are high enough to keep us wondering how it will all turn out. I selected this book because of my lifelong love of gymnastics, but I was impressed with how deftly Orenstein keeps the insider terminology to a minimum and explains things so that even someone unfamiliar with the sport won't feel lost. This is a great read for anyone who likes stories of comebacks and reinvention. And love - she does a nice job with that, too. Five stars - highly recommend.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an 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.

First, I have to say, I love books about gymnastics. As a kid, I read a series called The Gymnasts (or something similar) and there were only about 8 books, but I wished there were more! I have never done gymnastics, but I love watching the Olympics and everything about the sport is interesting to me. I thought this book did an excellent job of capturing all of it - the dedicated needed, the emotional effects, the physical effects and obviously, the scandals that are hidden. This book was real (with fictional characters, obviously) and didn't shy away from the tough topics, but also didn't delve too deep unnecessarily.
The love story between Avery and Ryan is there, and follows the typical romance book (get together, conflict, resolution), but for me, the book wasn't about the love story. It was about insight into the world of gymnastics and the life of a former gymnast. It was really very well done and I really enjoyed this book.

Love, love, loved this book! I'm always down for a romance with a new twist (in this case literally and metaphorically), and it was so fun to get an inside look at the intense process of being an elite level gymnast. (...and I am the only person who spent an inordinate amount of time after reading it feeling heartbroken for the gymnasts who prepared so hard for the Olympics this year?!) The characters were likable, the story relatable, the writing witty and charming. Looking forward to seeing what's next from Hannah Orenstein!

I read this book in two quick gulps and it left me with tears in my eyes and Olympic aspirations I never knew I had! Hannah Orenstein writes such fun, easy-to-read romantic comedies — she's brilliant at creating couples you love and hate and relate to and root for every step of the way.

For anyone craving Olympic content; sweet, inspiring pep talks; and stories about second chances (in every sense), this is the perfect summer read!

Did any other mid-to-late 20 somethings here watch Make It or Break It on ABC Family in high school?! Let's just say, this was the book version of Make It or Break It (but wayyyyy better, in my opinion). If you are not familiar with the ABC Family tv show, Make It or Break It, it follows the lives of 4 teen gymnasts striving to make it to the Olympic Games. The similarities pretty much stop there, though. Head Over Heels follows Avery Abrams, a talented gymnast who missed her shot at the Olympics but has a chance to make her mark by coaching a promising young gymnast who is aiming for the Olympics much like she was. Best of all, this book also includes an adorable romance which I think makes it an even greater read! This was my first time reading a book by Hannah Orenstein, and I absolutely LOVED it! I think it's time to go read her previous titles too!! Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for my ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It seems like chick-lit is exactly where I need to escape to lately and this one did not disappoint. This book is about Avery Abrams, a 27 year old former pro gymnast who suffered a career ending injury during the Olympic trials. After healing from surgery, Avery moves to LA for college and ends up failing out because of partying and the deep depression that losing out on the Olympics brought her to. She’s dating a Super Bowl winning quarterback and from the outside, seems to have her life together. The book picks up just after she’s broken up with by the football player and is forced to move back in with her parents in the Boston suburbs. She’s sulking and trying to figure out her next move when her childhood crush, Ryan, gives her a call offering her a job to train an olympic hopeful. Ryan was an elite gymnast at the same time as Avery was and went all the way to winning gold. He’s now coaching at the gym Avery trained at growing up and Avery has never quite gotten over her crush. The rest of the story follows their romance and a wild ride of edge of your seat gymnastic competitions that both made me mourn the cancellation of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and revel in reading about the world if we weren’t in lockdown. This book was just what I needed! 4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you find yourself like me, really missing the Olympics this summer, do yourself a favor and pick up this novel.

Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein is a tale about Avery, a fierce gymnast, who has trained her whole life to compete in the Olympics. But when a tragic injury occurs during the Olympic trials, her dream is snatched out from under her feet. Seven years later, she is still struggling to find her place in the world. Fresh from a breakup with her Football Star boyfriend, Avery moves back home to Massachusetts. Her hometown is filled with bittersweet memories of what could have been. But soon, Avery finds herself accepting a coaching job at her former gym. The job is training a young gymnast, Hallie, to prepare for the 2020 Olympics. Hallie’s other coach just so happens to be Avery’s childhood crush. The three of them must work together if they want to find glory on that Olympic podium, but will they be able to overcome all the obstacles in their way?!

While this is a romance novel, the actual romance is light and fluffy, but this story dives into something much deeper. I think the real romance portrayed in this story is the love for the sport. This novel is a beautiful tribute to athletes everywhere. It showcases how much hard work, determination, and drive these athletes need to have. And ultimately, it’s a true testament to their strength, both physical and mental. So, if you’re looking for a truly charming, light romance that gives you a peek into the competitive world of gymnastics, this is the book for you!

A huge thank you to Atria and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Could you live with finding more than one dream?This is a story all about dreams deferred what we give up for our dreams. Even though a tougher topic of sexual emotional and physical abuse is discussed interwoven with the subject of gymnastics and the politics of winning at all costs its also about the way you make a new normal and that sometimes success is more than what you thought it would look like .