I have long loved Beartown, and have given this book to nearly everyone I know. I have loved the continuing novels, and the exploration of the ripple effects of one life-changing event. This third installment was long anticipated, but perhaps that anticipation also led to unrealistic expectations. While by the end of the novel, I was teary and the payoff was worth it, the book just felt too long in getting there. There were so many characters, many of them completely new, that I had a hard time connecting with them all. That said, it was well worth the read, and I will enthusiastically hand this one to anyone who loved the first two in the series.

I loved this book and this entire series. You can't go wrong with Fredrik Backman, his writing never dissapoints. Great ending to this amazing series.

-I was really looking forward to reading this
-Definitely a long read that feels like there could have been places cut out or down
-Emotional and captivating
-I enjoyed all these books set in Beartown

There is something so pure about Backman's writing that anything associated with this small town called Beartown takes a life of its own and grabs the reader's hearts right away. The way the author writes about the various thoughts running in the minds of the characters seems so normal and yet leaves profound meaning at the same time. My only issue is that it is slightly longer than I would prefer and it could have been trimmed a bit. I was already so involved with these characters that there was no way I would have missed this one and it pulled me into this hockey world immediately and messed with my emotions yet again.

Highly recommend this series! But be prepared to get emotional without a doubt!

The Beartown series is one of the best written series of books of this current times. In this final installment of the series, Frederik Backman beautifully closes the story of this small, snowy town.

As expected from the experience of the first two books in the series, this story is full of conflict between towns and groups of people. Mia and Benji both return to Beartown to attend the funeral of a Beartown icon. A terrible storm results in rising tensions between Beartown and Hedd, and these tensions fuel the plot of this book. Things do not end well for all our favorite characters, a fact which is foreshadowed in the first pages of the book.

This book is just as well-constructed as the first two in the series. Backman carries motifs established in book one through to the end of the series, making the entire reading experience cohesive and satisfying. The story could have been a bit shorter and still achieved it's goals, but the writing is so good that the reader can overlook some of the superfluous content.

Overall, this book concludes the series in a satisfying manner. I would have preferred a happier ending for some characters, but I accept that the choices made by the author fulfill his design. I highly recommend this book and the entire Beartown series to anyone who loves an engaging plot with beautiful prose.

I knew from the beginning there would be weeping. I even reread the first two books in preparation for this.

Backman's writing is as good as ever here and the characters feel SO real. I realize that's a huge part of how I judge and rate books. Sometimes you read a book and it's enjoyable but you are constantly aware that these are fictional characters, but that never happens for me with Backman. Though I think the first half dragged on a little more than it had to , by the end it did land at a 5 star read for me or at least the high end of 4.5. Character development, greater questions about life, all that good stuff. But be ready for pain.

I haven't read this one yet, because I haven't read the first two. How my book club is starting the series in January. I'll be back to review then.

Fredrik Backman takes us back to Bjoernstad and his brilliantly written cast of characters in the final installment of his Beartown trilogy.
I loved checking back in with Benji, Amat, Maya, Sune et al. Backman really has a talent for fleshing out characters... the reader gets to see all their flaws, pain, mental struggles, charm, passions, what drives them, what scares them, what makes them and what breaks them.
The Winners was a great end to a story I was entirely wrapped up in and well worth the read if you enjoyed the first two books
If I had one criticism, I would say it was a little long and might have benefitted from tighter editing. But then again, I can only imagine how hard it would be for an author to say their final goodbye to their beloved characters... it seems understandable that they would want to savor every word!

this book was a great disappointment. I read the first two books of the Beartown trilogy and loved the story and the characters.. after being heavily invested in the people of Beartown this book was a terrible letdown

I found it almost impossible to get through. Every page was foreshadowing some terrible event but nothing really happened until the end. every story ended badly.. The author threw is so many random characters that is just complicated the story without adding any value. At 500 plus pages the book was a waste of time. I kept hoping it would get better but it didn’t.

Fredrik Backman is the most brilliant man on earth. His books can make you feel a multitude of complex emotions and somehow tell so many stories in one story?? At times it felt like there was a lot going on and many side characters but everything came together and I felt like all the side characters served their purpose. I was much more interested in the storylines revolving around family, hockey, and gender than the political/journalism storylines. But I see how they all contributed to the overall plot. This series broke me and I never knew I could fall in love with so many fiction and flawed characters.

I can’t wait to see what Backman writes next

Would have been a five star read if the dog hadn’t died. WHY!!!! Not necessary to the plot
4.75/5

What a great ending to this three part series! I loved Beartown and it will always be my favorite of the 3 but The Winners was not short of tears, love and passion. I re-fell in love with all the characters for different reasons. Backman did it again, I was left with my emotions on my sleeve and his writing imprinted in my brain.

Oh man I don’t think Fredrik Backman can do no wrong. Now I want to warn you. This is the longest book of his I’ve ever read, and it does start off slow but if you give it a chance I promise you will fall in love with it and of course will ugly cry so much. It was a great way to end the series.

This series is emotional and heartwarming. Backman has a beautiful writing style that draws me into the story and the lives of his characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.

All the feels & all the tears! I wholeheartedly love this series, these characters, this fictional town. ⁣
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I don’t think I can give an unbiased review of this book or this series. These characters & these books genuinely own a piece of my heart. This book picks up two years after 𝘜𝘴 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶. I loved getting to know what become of these characters. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝗪𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 both broke my heart and healed it at the same time. ⁣
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This series might seem as if its about hockey but it’s about so much more. It’s about the human spirit, family, friendship, community, love, hope, the choices we make, fighting for what’s right, standing up for yourself, redemption, forgiveness, winning, losing and above all persevering in the face of adversity. This was a rather long book but I listened on audio and as it gripped my heart, I never felt the length. Highly recommend this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of "The Winners" in exchange for an honest review. In my mind, Fredrik Backman can do no wrong. His prose is hauntingly beautiful and his plots are so intricately well-spun. As with the other Beartown books, this is full of heartbreak, loss, and grief. Be aware that difficult and potentially triggering topics come up, as in the first two. Thank you to Backman for writing the characters to life again and giving us an opportunity to say goodbye to them.

Here are 3 reasons why The Winners is a winner:
1. The series is so much more than hockey. It’s about family, friends, and teammates; motherhood, parenting, and marriage; love and hatred; violence and kindness, enemies and heroes.
2. Backman's words - if you love his previous work, you will love this series and conclusion. I highlighted entire chapters because his words moved me to tears, made me chuckle, and caused me to pause as I pondered the meaning of a sentence.
3. The Conclusion - Prepare yourself. Throughout the series, you will fall in love with Maya, Anna, Benji, Amat, Bobo, and Alicia. The ending nicely concludes the Beartown story. However, as much as my heart was full, my face was wet with fat ugly tears. I genuinely love this series!

Backman dropped me right back into his phenomenal serious without a moment’s hesitation. I was instantly transported to Bear Town and Hed and felt like I never left. I knew the end was coming, so I savored every word and every character. I can honestly say I would have read another 600+ pages just to stay in this world a bit longer. Backman’s characters will never leave my heart, and for that…. I am thankful!

Wow, what a finale. This book is THICK. At 600+ pages, Bachman slowly recounts the past few years and shows us where this town is headed. You really have to love Bachman to push through the first 250 pages because it is very slow. We are introduced to a few characters and also get glimpses of the characters we already know and love. You have to have patience to read Bachman, you know he is putting together an amazing story but sometimes he takes the long way around.

Overall, I loved the final Beartown book. It brings us back to the pain of book one. We see what could have been. The richness of this town is so apparent in this final book, characters have grown, the town has changed...yet in some ways stays just the same.

Goodbye Beartown

The power this series has over me in unhealthy. Did I ever think I would be so in love with books about hockey? Absolutely not. But here I am, bawling my eyes out in bed at 4 am after finishing this because I loved it so much. Fredrik Backman's writing is so captivating, it is impossible to not get completely wrapped up in the story. There are many characters in these books and I love each and every one of them. I will recommend this series for the rest of my life. Absolutely loved.

Beartown is a place, but it is also a state of mind. In this third and final book in the Beartown trilogy by my favorite author Fredrik Backman, stand out characters Maya and Benji have left and are returning home for a funeral. In a tale as old as time, Beartown and Hed are twin towns that just cannot get along. Ice hockey reins, as do dirty businessmen, politicians, and thugs (or "hockey enthusiasts".) Generational hate and trauma affect our townspeople as they try to work out a peaceful co-existence.

I loved the new family in this book, as well as old favorites and even loved to hate the same bad guys. I listened to this on audio, narrated by the voice in my head Marin Ireland (who's narration is so perfect in every way that I must assume she is now also the voice in Backman's head.) If you like audio, that is absolutely the way to go. However, I also received a print version ARC and as my daily audio time is limited and the book was dragging out too long, I had to end up alternating audio and print.

This book is long. So long that I hesitated to get into it. However, as I think about the brilliant writing about these characters, observations about human nature, and a perfectly plotted climax, there is not one thing I would have cut from this book. So, when you read it, know that it will take up your time and headspace, but it will absolutely be worth it. The original title of this was Those Who Run Towards Fire and I wish the powers that be would have let him keep that perfect title for this.

I feel changed by reading this book. I loved the symmetry of the first and last book and I think this third book might even be the strongest one. Won't you come to Beartown with me?

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the advance copy for review. The audio version was purchased separately by me.