enjoyable read. this is a perfect ya book for young readers who also love sports related things. this book has such a good message as well along the lines of self love and self worth.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me free access to the digital advanced copy of this book.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC for an honest review. My library high schoolers will love this one, especially my romance readers.

It's All in How You Fall was one of those books where I would start it, then stop, then start it again, and eventually I just didn't find the motivation to sit down for long periods of time to read it. It was a cute romance, and I do love sports romances though. The writing style was alright, but nothing that really stuck out to me. The only way that I could sum up my feelings about this book in one word would either be average or good. It wasn't something very special, but it certainly wasn't something that I didn't enjoy either.

It's All in How You Fall was such a lovely contemporary romance. Lately, I've found myself not enjoying reading as much as I used to, and as a result I've reluctantly trudged through a lot of books that I wasn't really enjoying. I'm so thankful that this book came along in my rotation because it was the perfect cozy comfort read for summer.

The story follows a young 15 year-old girl named Caroline who, following a career-ending injury, is forced to rethink her personal identity. If she can no longer be a gymnast, who could she possibly be? With the help of her brother's good friend, Alex, Caroline begins exploring other sports in an attempt to find one that is less-strenuous on her injured back, but just as enjoyable.

This book was full of so many glorious tropes. We have the classic I'm setting you up with other people even though I secretly am developing feelings for you trope mixed in with sport's romance, sibling's best friend, and friends-to-lovers. If you're a fan of any of those tropes, definitely give this book a try.

My favorite thing about this book, by far, was the lack of serious conflict. All of the characters meshed so well with each other that any arguments or disagreements they found themselves in were quickly, and easily, resolved with open and honest communication. I am DESPERATE to read more books like this, so please give me recommendations if you have any!

Young Adult sports romances are an elite subgenre I fully believe that. It's All in How You Fall is about Caroline, a young gymnast ready to take the world by storm when an injury ends her career in the blink of an eye. After grieving the loss of her dreams and future plans, her family and friends force her to find another hobby to take up her time and attention. Enter Alex, her older brother's best friend and mega athlete. He helps her spend the summer trying the sports she never did before to try to find one she might be interested in. Too bad she finds a sport AND a guy she is interested in...

YA sports and brother's best friend is a *chef's kiss* fabulous combination. The angst and tension is for double the reason and it really shows in side glances, lingering touches, and a few close calls with kisses. The problem? Caroline is trying to set up Alex with her best friend while ALSO crushing on him. Ya'll the inner turmoil was leaping off the page. So good.

Truly enjoyed my whole time reading this book and it made me fall in love with the YA genre all over again. Such a wholesome, feel good story with a tinge of seriousness due to the injury Caroline sustained and the loss of her passion. Also I just love gymnastics themed books/media because it's a sport I always wanted to do but was absolutely horrid at.

**Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

Ethnicity- predominantly white with a mix of colored people.
No violence, PG content, two f-bombs and 37 other swears, mostly by Caroline's brother.

Caroline, a fifteen-year-old gymnast has to stop competing due to an injury. Her brother’s friend Alex tries to help her find something else that’s active but not harmful to her back and is enjoyable for her, so they try several different sports to see what Caroline likes. Alex has a crush on Caroline’s friend Sunny so she’s trying to set the two up without being obvious. Everything is going fine until she realizes she’s developed a crush on Alex. This is a super cute story that builds on friendship and appreciation and turning into more. A very cute, young adult romance! 4 stars!

My Rating: 3/5 Stars

My Review:

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via TBR and Beyond Tours for an honest review and a place on this blog tour – thanks!

I haven’t read a Sarah Henning book in FOREVER! I read Sea Witch when it was first published and I remember really enjoying it, but this book was definitely very different from that one. It’s All In How You Fall is a YA contemporary about a young gymnast forced into retirement at fifteen and her journey to discovering who she is and who she can be without the sport that has defined her entire life for so long. It’s a book about family, friendship, and first loves and It was absolutely adorable.

I don’t know a whole lot about gymnastics so a lot of the references went over my head, but it was fun to learn a bit more as Caroline gets into it with Alex. The pair try quite a few different sports with one another, and the book does get into the complexities of being a star athlete at a young age, which is something that I haven’t really read much about before. Those who enjoy sports romances will likely really enjoy this one, which starts at the beginning of when most people discover their love of sports.

At the heart of contemporaries for me is characterization, and Henning does a really great job with it. Caroline goes through a lot of big changes in this book. There was parts when I wished for a bit more, especially with her transition from full time gymnast to up and coming [spoiler] player. I think there could have been more emphasis on the letting go and how she coped besides having blanket statements at the beginning of the chapters.

All in all though, this was a really sweet and fast paced read. I smiled a lot reading this (Alex was the absolute cutest love interest), and I think that is all you can really ask of a book of this kind.

It’s All In How You Fall released May 31st, 2022

Caroline’s whole life has been leading up to one goal - becoming an elite gymnast. But when a miscalculation turns her back pain from chronic to career-ending, the only thing she has ever known is out of her reach. Her brother’s friend, Alex (a multi sport athlete) offers to show her the ropes on the sports she’s missed out on - in exchange for playing matchmaker for him. Too bad that as she spends more time with him, she can’t set Alex up with herself.

I really enjoyed this book! Seeing Caroline go from losing her whole world to finding herself again was really special. The sports sessions were so cute, and I loved the chemistry between Caroline and Alex. (And the fact that he stopped calling her Flip once her found out about her injury!)

The romantic tension was fun, and the pining after each other was well done. And I also love that being the best at a sport doesn’t end up being the goal - it’s about playing and finding purpose rather than success.

I also love that Caroline was able to grieve her old life. This is a great read for young adults, and older adults alike!

At heart, a pretty standard teen romance. Henning makes some nods at deeper storytelling, at characters learning as much about themselves as about each other. The plot is pretty simplified, though. It's a beach read, something to entertain more than anything else. The characters are interesting and their voices engaging.

Review: I do not have the words to tell you how much I loved this YA novel! It was such a wonderful book, and while as an adult I loved reading it, I know I would have loved it even more as a teen. This is a five star read for me, that I highly recommend to anyone looking for an absolutely amazing YA book!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Caroline Kepler has always dreamed of being a gymnast, and is close to achieving her dreams. But after one final injury turns her pain from annoying, to chronic, and kills her career, she doesn't know what to do now. But, if there's anything that Caroline won't do, it's not give up. She soon works with Alex Zavala, her brother's best friend, and an incredibly cute athlete, who will give her a crash course in all the sports she could possibly take in the new school year. And in return, Caroline will help Alex get closer to her own friend, Sunny. What could possibly go wrong?

When I read Sarah's previous book, Throw Like a Girl, I knew I would read anything she published, so being offered a spot on the blog tour for It's All In How You Fall was perfect for me. Caroline is determined, and strong, but her injury really knocks her for six, both physically and mentally, and all of her regimented plans and dreams go up in flames in seconds. I really felt for her, and her journey into acceptance of how her life has changed. Alex's re-entry into her life, and the plan he has for Caroline was just what she needed, and though it was obvious they would eventually get together, I loved the journey they took to get there. The crushes they had on one another were both sweet and cringy at times - exactly how they should be for two teenagers coming to terms with their feelings. By the end of the book, both of the main characters discover more of themselves, and are stronger together to face what the future has in store. A perfect summer read for YA lovers!

It’s All in How you Fall is a young adult contemporary romance by author Sarah Henning. This book was so adorable and so much fun, and on top of all of that I loved the message it sent. It’s All in How you Fall deals with a difficult topic that I have no personal experience with, but I can only imagine how hard it would be to deal with. Our main characters are athletes. Caroline is an almost elite level gymnast with chronic back pain, and a bad fall ends her gymnast career forever and she is left trying to figure out who she is without gymnastics. I loved exploring this concept because elite level athletes throw their whole lives into their sport, and it becomes how they identify themselves. So to have that ripped from them, they often don’t know what to do with their days.

Caroline was so relatable to me. I loved her instantly and I was rooting for her the entire book. When she runs into her brother’s friend Alex, I immediately loved him too. I can’t remember the last time I fell in love with two characters as instantly as I did these two. Alex is the sweetest book boyfriend I have ever met and he is so selfless and giving. He offers to help Caro try out different sports all summer until she finds something else she likes. Alex is a bit of a sports prodigy- he plays Soccer, Basketball and Tennis, but he is the best at Tennis. Watching Caro and Alex hang out and watching both of them learn more about who they are and what they want out of life, was beautiful. I loved this story. I loved the sweet romance, and I really really loved Caroline find out that she is more than just gymnastics. This story was fantastic, and I want everyone to read it!

op 5 Reasons to Read It’s All in How You Fall

This is just a fun book. You’re hard pressed to not immediately adore Caroline, Sunny, Peregrine, Alex, Nat and their whole crew.
It’s simple. This one follows all the normal romance tropes, including the necessary happy ending, but it leaves out that part I don’t like about those books — the almost/maybe insurmountable thing that the main characters have to overcome in order to find a way to be together.
It’s clean. This is a YA Rom-Com, so there is some kissing, but nothing that leaves you blushing and wondering what in the world you just read. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind that sometimes, but this was a nice, simple, fun book.
It’s a celebration of female friendship. All the pieces are there to make this a book about girl drama and feuds, but instead it’s about friends loving each other and wanting to see each other happy. The mean girl trope doesn’t exist, and there is not catty back stabbing. Such a welcome relief.
It reminds readers that there is more to life than just romance, especially in high school. Caroline and Alex are great at a lot of things – sports, friendships, and more – and nothing has to be completely sacrificed for the other.

In It's All In How You Fall, the main character Caroline Kepler is a gymnast a heart. It is all she ever thinks about and her goal is to finally make it to Nationals. This goal keeps getting pushed aside due to her chronic back pain. This year though she is determined to make it happen and to learn a new trick on the balance beam that not even most Olympians can do. All of this sounds good, right? And it is until one practice where she has the most epic of falls and finds out that the chronic pain is now permanently career ending.

To say Caroline is heartbroken would be an understatement. She has lived and breathed gymnastics. Her best friends are in gymnastics. And her father is dating her gymnastics coach. It's like gymnastics is everywhere she turns. She needs a distraction and she needs one fast. Enter Alex Zavala - her brother's best friend. Alex offers to teach her one sport a week and in return she offers to play matchmaker between him and one of her best friends. Easy peezy lemon squeeze, right?

I loved Alex and Caroline's sports "dates". Spending most of her life so far in gymnastics has made flexible but, she really does not have the skill for other sports at first. I laughed as she tried out each one finding things that she liked about them and things she more or less hated. Alex is so supportive of her. I knew early on that his feelings for Caroline were changing perhaps even before he did. It was in the way he talked to her and listened as she expressed her frustrations. It was so sweet.

Meanwhile, Caroline is completely blind to his changing feelings and still trying to play match maker. There were a few times where I wanted to be like "girl, look right in front of you." Especially since it was becoming obvious her feelings were changing too. Her best friends were real with her and could also see what she was denying. For the most part they are good friends to Caroline but, expectedly pull away when she is trying to avoid anything having to do with gymnastics. This hurts her but honestly it was expected for me that they felt abandoned.

It's All In How You Fall really is a sweet story about losing a piece of yourself but, finding another piece to the gap. The dynamic between Caroline and Alex is believable; and I felt that all the younger characters fit into what I would consider the young adult world. Their friendships never seemed forced but ebbed and flowed just like a real friendship would. Oh, and if you're a sport fan, the references though out are pretty great.

This was a really cute read! I have been really into sports fiction lately, and this hit the spot. Caroline is a gymnast who is forced to retire after a career ending back injury. After moping for a few weeks, Alex offers to help her find a new sport to occupy her time.

I really enjoyed getting to see the progression of Caroline and Alex's relationship, and the growth that we saw, especially in Caroline. This is truly a book about how you are more than just what you do. Caroline believed all her worth was tied up in being a gymnast and didn't know who she was without it. By working with Alex, she's able to find herself again, and her growth, thought a bit subtle at times, was really nicely done.

A few minor complaints: occasionally, there were some awkwardly written sentences. I also felt that Caroline's sudden new enjoyment of tennis seemed to come out of left field - one minute she's groaning about the sports, the next, it's suddenly her favorite, and we didn't even get to see the rest of the sports Alex promised to teach her. Finally, it really bothered me that Caroline basically had an ibuprofen addiction. She was constantly taking them, preemptively, and too much ibuprofen can cause internal bleeding and damage to organs. This was never addressed as being a problem, which I think is a disservice.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed reading this and I recommend it to any and all who enjoy reading sports fiction.

It’s All in How You Fall by Sarah Henning combines sports with matchmaking as it follows a gymnast who must move forward after a career-ending injury. As a sucker for sports books, I loved the assortment of new sports that the main character explores, and the characters within the story have a sweet dynamic. This one left me with a smile on my face, and I would consider it a perfect feel-good summer read.

❀ UNEXPECTED LOVE

For Caroline, gymnastics is everything: her career, her identity, and her future. However, when a landing goes wrong, escalating her chronic back pain to a career-ending injury, she is forced to find an entirely new lifestyle. When her brother’s friend offers to introduce her to all the sports she missed out on in hopes of finding a new passion, Caroline takes him up on his offer and decides to set him up with her teammate in return. However, as the two spend more time together, Caroline starts to fall for Alex, making their relationship and her carefully crafted matchmaking plot even more complicated.

❀ INTERESTING MAIN CHARACTERS

This book has some interesting main characters, and I enjoyed watching them transform throughout the book. I really felt for Caroline as she has spent her entire life working toward something that is taken from her so quickly. I loved the way she keeps an open mind as she tries to move on from her loss, trying anything Alex suggests, and her heart is in the right place as she tries to thank him by setting him up with her teammate. Alex is also a supportive character who dedicates his spare time to helping Caroline, and I enjoyed reading about their sweet moments together.

❀ SPORTS AND SUMMER FUN

Throughout the book, there are many different sports that Caroline tests out, and I enjoyed the way that these are incorporated. There is a wide range of sports, from golf to tennis, and the author goes through the basics of any unfamiliar elements, which made me feel like I was learning right alongside Caroline. While there are a lot of sports in the book, I didn’t feel like they overwhelm the story, as there are still all of the fun summer activities that one would expect in a contemporary, making this one feel balanced.

❀ AN UPLIFTING STORY

It’s All in How You Fall by Sarah Henning is an uplifting story about finding a new path when life doesn’t go according to plan. I enjoyed the main characters and their dynamic, and I found that the book has the perfect mix of sports and regular plot. This is a great read for sports fans and those looking for a cute, hopeful summer read.

When you think of summer, you might think of hot days filled with water balloon fights, sticky lawn chairs, and popsicles that turn your lips red. When I think of summer, I think YA contemporary. Sarah Dessen dominated my shelves during the late 2000’s, so I now associate lazy summer days with fun, easy reads. And if you ask me, It’s All in How You Fall is the perfect summer read.

When I was scrolling through Goodreads, I saw a review from Samantha @ WALBB that said “I was sort of in a funk when I picked up this book, and […] this wonderful story swept away the grey clouds and brought lots of sunshine into my day” and totally related. I’m not going through a reading slump so much as I am going through a very hectic season in life that doesn’t leave very much time or energy for reading, but I did start read It’s All in How You Fall on a not-quite-sick day and absolutely inhaled it.

I love sports and I love books, but it’s so hard to combine the two interests. I mean, I’ve read a few sports stories, but they’re too cheesy, not very well-written or just don’t capture the excitement and thrill of actually watching sports. But then I picked up It’s All in How You Fall, and by the end of chapter one, Sarah Henning had my mentally screaming “this is the sports story I’ve been waiting for!!!”

Henning’s love and knowledge of gymnastics shines through, and she writes about the sport with the kind of familiarity and affection that can only come from experience. Granted, gymnastics doesn’t play a huge role in the book since the story is about Caroline’s sudden and unexpected “retirement” from the sport, but I have to give Sarah Henning a shoutout for giving me the sports book I’ve book looking for, even if it was only for the first few chapters.

In my oh-so-humble opinion, there are a few things that make a YA contemporary the perfect summer read: a cute romance, a fun cast, and a lighthearted story. It’s All in How You Fall delivers on all accounts.

When I say the romance had me grinning from ear-to-ear, it’s no exaggeration. I read this while I was just the tiniest bit under the weather, and it was just what the doctor ordered. It’s sweet and slightly slow burn-y and basically everything you want from a contemporary romance. There’s banter, a cute love interest, and no prolonged or unnecessary drama (shocking, I know.) It’s the best.

If you’re looking for a childhood friends-to-lovers romance featuring an unconventional jock who doubles as “a marble statue stuffed full of cinnamon rolls,” look no further. Alex is the sweetest soul ever. Forget a marble statue, this boy is the whole Cinnabon factory. He manages to be caring and chivalrous without being cavity-inducing and has just enough substance to avoid become yet another generic Nice Guy love interest. His interactions with Caroline are the cutest thing, and their grin-worthy banter had my cheek muscles working overtime.

Speaking of Caroline, I loved her as a narrator. Her brand of “short and sarcastic” and understated humor speak to my soul. First-person POV isn’t necessarily my favorite, but Caroline has a distinct voice that I love. She’s just the kind of protagonist you can’t help but root for. She’s spunky and stubborn and scarily relatable (at least, she is when she isn’t defying gravity or hanging out with her big brother’s cute best friend.) She’s awkward and kinda blunt, but there’s just something so enduring and fun about her. Plus, she loves show tunes which is always a bonus in my book.

I’m not usually a fan of lots of pop culture references in my stories, but I didn’t mind them in It’s All in How You Fall. I might be biased, though, since Caroline and I share a few interests, but even I have to admit that all the gymnastics name dropping can be A Lot after a while. (Same for the all the Hamilton references.) I did really like the references and (very slight) parallels to Emma though!

When it comes to the actual story, I enjoyed following Caroline on her journey of self-discovery. I’ll admit I tend to read YA contemporaries during the summer because I want something light and fluffy, but just because I don’t want something super serious doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a good coming-of-age story with my romance. Henning gives us a story that’s not overly dramatic or too mundane but strikes that perfect Goldilocks balance that’s just right. Like yes, it’s a summer romance with a cute boy and lots of banter, but there’s enough substance to story so you don’t feel like you just wasted your day on some mind-rottingly sweet love story. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that 😉.)

Once upon a time, I did a brief stint working in athletic medicine, so the mention of Caroline’s injury and battle with chronic pain in the synopsis is what caught my interested initially. I was a little disappointed it didn’t play as much of a role in the book as I thought it would, but I did appreciate the moments when we get to see her deal with her pain. I also think Henning could’ve spent a little more time exploring the impact “retirement” had on Caroline.

I soft spot for side characters, and the little community Caroline surrounds herself with has my whole heart. Everyone has such a distinct personality. There’s Sunny, the “gym mom” whose name matches her personality, Peregrine who’s full of bluster until you get her outside of her comfort zone, Olga, the soft-hearted coach with a hard exterior, and Nat, the big brother with even bigger feelings. I honestly would read any kind of spinoff featuring them, but if we don’t get a third book featuring Peregrine and Ryan Rodinsky, I will riot. Shipping aside, I have to say that Caroline’s relationship with Nat was one of my favorites. I love sibling relationships and really like Nat as a character. He’s full of bluster in that annoying brother kind of way, but at the end of the day, he’s just doing his best to look out for his little sister in his own misguided way and I love it.

It’s All in How You Fall is a surprisingly well-written YA contemporary. It’s a fun summer read and is perfect for readers looking for a delightfully sweet book about falling in love and finding yourself.

If you are looking for a cute and cozy YA contemporary to read this summer, then It’s All in How You Fall should be on your TBR. It tackles the concept of how your self-image changes after losing something in your life that everything has always evolved around. It could be a sad read, but the story is a really relaxing and entertaining journey the reader takes with the main character Caroline.

I love how we get to follow her journey to carve out a new version of herself and the journey of self-discovery she goes on. Both with her athletic career as well as her own emotions and goals in life. The main character Caroline, is very relatable (and not just because we have the same name). Although she is 15, the core of her story and character feels really universal and could very well have been about someone in their 20’s instead. I also really enjoyed Alex, as I have a soft spot for handsome and kind guys that always want to make other peoples life better. The two of them have a really cute relationship, and the slow-burn friends to lovers romance was a nice icing on top of their friendship. But then again, basically every relationship in this book is just precious!

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Little, Brown Books for Kids for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars!

It’s All In How You Fall was a really cute summery sports heavy YA contemporary with a super sweet romance and all the feel-good vibes! Caroline’s story was nerve-wracking, heartbreaking, empowering, hopeful and sweetly romantic. When her chronic back pain turns into a severe spinal injury, she’s pushed into giving up gymnastics, the sport she has spent every waking moment of her life dedicated to. She’s understandably devastated, and angry and feels like her life is over until her brother’s best friend, Alex, offers to help her find a new sport to love over the course of their summer break.

I loved the journey Caroline goes through and she goes through a lot of growth as she comes to terms with this new phase in her life. She’s initially reluctant to try something new but as she spends more time exploring sports with Alex, she slowly realises that life isn’t over just because gymnastics is; perhaps beyond sports, there’s something more brewing too. Caro is headstrong but she also has great strength which I found inspiring and I really liked the hopeful and positive message of her story. It was great to see her find happiness and purpose again after experiencing something so devastating and it was wonderful to see her surrounded by supportive friends and family. She had such a great friendship with Peregrine and Sunny, and I also really loved her relationship with her father, brother Nat, and even Olga. I do wish some of the relationships and characters had been a little more fleshed out but it was fun to read about them whenever they appeared on the page.

Alex and Caro have a really fun friendship that eventually blooms into this tentatively shy yet sweet romance that I absolutely adored. They were really good together, not just in terms of chemistry but in how they pushed each other to do better and how understanding they were of each other's situations. Their romance isn’t the typical straightforward older brother/friends-to-lovers romance and developed in a slightly angsty roundabout teenage way that, not gonna lie, would normally irritate me but I didn’t mind it here and enjoyed how they addressed their feelings. It was super cute and had my heart happy sighing. 🥰

Overall, this was a really fun and fast-paced story that I think many YA readers will enjoy and it makes for the perfect light and feel-good summer read. I would definitely recommend it, especially if you love reading about sports, second chances, new love and finding new passions to drive you!