Winners" by Fredrik Backman is a heartfelt continuation of Us Against You. I appreciated how the story revisited familiar characters like Maya, Benji, and Peter while introducing new ones, all deeply connected to the town’s hockey culture. The book beautifully explores themes of loyalty, grief, forgiveness, and the sacrifices people make for their communities, all set against the backdrop of the ongoing rivalry between Beartown and Hed. While the pacing was a bit slow due to the detailed backstories, the emotional depth and authenticity made it an unforgettable read. A fitting end to an amazing series. Highly recommended!

Fredrik Backman will always be a winner for me! I loved this novel, start to finish, and am only sad that this is the end of the Beartown stories! What an outstanding novel with characters who both delight and break my heart!

Frederick Backman is truly a genius. I loved Beartown, and found this one a worthy wrap-up to an excellent story.

I cannot put into words just how incredible Fredrik Backman's writing is. He can weave a compelling, beautiful, powerful, heartbreaking, and heartfelt story quite like none other. There is always such a richness and unforgettable element to his books that stick with you for a long to come, and The Winners was no exception. I absolutely LOVED this return to the community of Beartown and the remarkable story of love, goodness, and second chances that was told in its pages. These characters and this community have come to feel like friends and I was just so invested and thrilled to be back with them. It was like returning home. The book was long, but I honestly found it could have longer because I couldn't put it down and never wanted it to end. I will not speak to the plot so as not to ruin anything from the beginning of the series, so I'll just leave you with what I've said above. Be prepared that you'll need a box of tissues nearby as you feel all the emotions and are immersed in this wonderfully atmospheric read. I was left so touched by the end!

Many thanks to Atria and Netgalley for the gifted e-copy!

I was beyond excited when I saw there would be a third book in the Beartown series, having absolutely loved the previous two books as well as other books Fredrik Backman has written. I loved revisiting this small town and its eclectic cast of characters, but unfortunately this one fell a bit short for me. It’s very long, and seemed almost repetitive of some of the same things from the previous two books, so it felt a bit slow and I struggled to get through it. However, as always, the writing is absolutely beautiful and the setting so atmospheric you truly feel transported to Beartown. I’m definitely the outlier on this one, so I’d recommend giving it a read for yourself!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my gifted copy!

The Winners by Fredrik Backman continues the story of Beartown and the heartbreaking experiences of teens in two competing hockey towns. While this one isn't my favorite of the series, it was still incredibly touching, especially the storyline following Benji. Backman's character writing is by far the best today and continues to draw you in and make you feel a level of connection that I don't think any other writer could. This book left me absolutely sobbing, but in a good way. I loved it.

In the final book in the Beartown trilogy, heartbreak and healing is once again imposed upon the members of both communities: Beartown and Hed. This time, though, it is not so easy as lives are forever altered again — I am not sure I will ever be able to put back the fractured pieces of my heart.

Wonderful character development. This is the last of a series, which really should be read in order. I hadn’t read the previous two books so it took me awhile to catch the story and character connections. (I have gone back to read the other two for context and then re-read this which really makes it a much better book). The plot in this book is not as strong and sometimes seems a little drawn out. However the book is rich with emotion and caring about the well developed characters.

I want to thank NetGalley, Atria Books and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

I am a long time fan of anything Fredrik Backman. That said, I didn't love the first book, Bear Town, in this series because when I read it that book was a standalone that left me feeling jaded and disappointed. Had I known the book was going to be part of a series, I may not have been so upset. I felt like I need to read all the books in the series in order to fully evaluate and I am so grateful that I did. This final book gave me to closure that was missing from the original and left me feeling far more hopeful. Backman continues to be a master as capturing the harsh realities of the world yet also giving us glimpses of the beauty and joy in the midst.

What a wonderful conclusion to the Beartown Series. This town has lived rent free in my mind since I opened book 1 for the first time. If you are looking for a book about friendship, community, a sense of belonging and sacrifice to fight for what is important, you have found it!

The Winners was an incredible last book, and wrapped up Beartown's story perfectly. The characters are so lovable and real, and reading the story felt like I was right there with them. It was funny, hopeful, and heartbreaking, and I wish there was another book because I'm not ready to be done with the story. Backman's writing is refreshingly honest, and the story and the people really come alive. Five stars for the perfect ending in this beautiful series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy.
Fredrik Backman never disappoints me. Such a moving and emotional series.
This took me awhile to read at 600 pages.

Fredrik Backman's "Beartown" is one of my favorite novels of all time, and the finale in the series was a bittersweet read. As always, Backman's prose and attention to character are top-notch. He does an outstanding job weaving together a community that we care about and have a difficult time saying goodbye to. Another emotional read.

Fredrik Bachman is truly one of the best writers, internationally, of our generation. Sometimes he writes about quirky, warm relationships. Sometimes about hard topics, as with this novel. I would recommend anything that he writes

This was an amazing conclusion to the Beartown series. You will cry and laugh and cheer and hope for the residents of Beartown and Hed, two rival hockey towns in the forest. It's so good, you'll almost forget it's nearly 700 pages or more than 21 hours of listening. It has a slow but steady pace through the early pages, so stick with it!

When a terrible storm damages the rink in Hed, their teams must practice in the rink of their mortal enemies. Meanwhile, there are politicians who want only one team in the area, or worse, none at all. Meanwhile, there's a shady scheme in Beartown with proposed rinks and factories and buybacks and now the local paper is looking into things.

Maya and Benji are back home now after being away for the previous two years. Friends and families are reunited and there is a lot of love, no matter the town. But there is darkness, too. There is a 14 year-old who has so much anger after the death of his sister, he is willing to risk everything. There's a 7 year-old who finds little kindness at her home, but finds a savior in an old hockey coach.

The friendships (and marriages) in Beartown are enough to make a person want to live there. These are people unafraid to show their love for one another, people who will do whatever they can to keep their families and their communities safe.

One thing I really like about Backman's style is how he begins describing a person or situation in the present, and somehow - seamlessly - gives the reader a peek into the future before bringing it back to now..

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent read, as always! Frederik Backman is one of my favourite authors. His dry humour and heart warming stories never fail to delight!

Perfect conclusion to this trilogy. Loved this book and perfect conclusion. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

I waited so long to read the final entry in the Beartown trilogy because I did not want it to end, but when I finally started, I could not put it down. Fredrik Backman delivers a story that is so moving and emotional that I found tears in my eyes throughout and literally sobbed at the end. This is such a good conclusion, featuring characters readers already know and care deeply about, and adding new ones to the mix. I literally recommend this series to everyone and now I will do so even more. Very highly recommended.

Something wicked blew in with the major storm. Nothing would ever be the same in Beartown or Hed again. The story of two rival hockey towns comes to a head as a major winter storm rips away the tangled webs hiding the secrets of the two towns: the shady business deals, cooked books, what really happened the night of the rape, and the mental and emotional abuse happening behind closed doors in the name of religion.

Backman has a unique ability to drop the reader into the characters lives immediately at the onset of the story. His books are always my favorites, but sometimes so troubling because of the unavoidable emotional involvement with the characters! I feel like I have known them all my life and am sick when the hardships life throws hits them. Filled, as usual, with many great quotes and thoughts, this is a book everyone needs to read. If not this one, then at least read one of Fredrik Backman's books - it should be a bucket list thing for everyone!

This book is a gift that keeps giving and giving and giving. Yes, it is very long...but every word invoked emotion. It's beautiful and clearly a book the author put SO much effort and thought into. One of the best books of 2023 without a doubt.