I love this so much! It's not as issue-driven as her past few books have been but instead a sweet and very soft story about two people falling in love and you know what? Sometimes that is exactly what you need and this book is such a hit with our patrons! It's just a delightful read and a fun one too.

I am a Jennifer Weiner fan and usually love her novels-and have for 20 years. This one fell a little short for me. The story has a few themes centered and built around main character Abby. Abby is in her mid-30s, educated but no solid career direction and a curvy or bigger woman. That is typically a theme in Weiner's novels and perhaps it's feeling redundant or stale-I felt that the weight obsession, diet culture and constant convincing that Abby is still great and loves herself even though she struggles and thinks everyone is watching her eat, workout, comparing her etc- was overdone.

As a curvy woman myself and a woman in our very appearance-obsessed culture, I get it. But it just didn't work for me this time. I enjoyed the biking story and know Weiner is quite a cycling enthusiast and I love both her and Abby's passion for it. What I didn't love is that Abby felt the handsome, fit, tall (as we are reminded) Sebastian (a one night stand from two years ago) wouldn't be interested in her FOR REAL and that she resents how women are objectified but was comfortable in her choices with him as it relates to their meetup two years later while she's in a serious relationship. There are other themes of women's choices, abortion, freedom and it felt like it was sort of piled on but not fleshed out as much in the ARC-more of an afterthought.

That said, Weiner's fans will mostly enjoy this novel and there are some fun scenes, great information about biking and scenic tours and a mostly happy ending. 2.5 stars rounded to 3.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Jennifer Weiner is a must-read/will-always-read author for me. She spins a good tale. I liked this one (more like 3.5 stars). Nothing fancy, nothing mysterious, just a flat-out good story about cycling, mother/daughter relationships, self-esteem and dating. I mean, it's about a lot more than that too, but those are the basics that tie the story together. I couldn't help but picture the author as Abby, knowing of JW's love of cycling. I really liked the ending. It's not entirely tied up in a cute little bow - it's a bit open-ended and I think that made it refreshing. Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

I loved this book. I usually love Jennifer Weiner so I am not surprised. The main character was lovable, relatable, and funny. I felt myself rooting for her the whole time

Jennifer Weiner will always be one of my favorite authors! The character driven story lines are always done so good, and the stories are always much more than what they seem. At first this one seems like a romance, but it also has so many important themes - loving yourself, mother/daughter relationships, body positivity, mental health, and a women's right to choose.

Synopsis:
Thirty-three-year-old Abby Stern has made it to a happy place. True, she still has gig jobs instead of a career, and the apartment where she’s lived since college still looks like she’s just moved in. But she’s got good friends, her bike, and her bicycling club in Philadelphia. She’s at peace with her plus-size body—at least, most of the time—and she’s on track to marry Mark Medoff, her childhood summer sweetheart, a man she met at the weight-loss camp that her perpetually dieting mother forced her to attend. Fifteen years after her final summer at Camp Golden Hills, when Abby reconnects with a half-his-size Mark, it feels like the happy ending she’s always wanted.
Yet Abby can’t escape the feeling that some­thing isn’t right...or the memories of one thrilling night she spent with a man named Sebastian two years previously. When Abby gets a last-minute invi­tation to lead a cycling trip from NYC to Niagara Falls, she’s happy to have time away from Mark, a chance to reflect and make up her mind.
But things get complicated fast. First, Abby spots a familiar face in the group—Sebastian, the one-night stand she thought she’d never see again. Sebastian is a serial dater who lives a hundred miles away. In spite of their undeniable chemistry, Abby is determined to keep her distance. Then there’s a surprise last-minute addition to the her mother, Eileen, the woman Abby blames for a lifetime of body shaming and insecurities she’s still trying to undo.
Over two weeks and more than seven hundred miles, strangers become friends, hidden truths come to light, a teenage girl with a secret unites the riders in unexpected ways...and Abby is forced to reconsider everything she believes about herself, her mother, and the nature of love.

Something I really enjoyed about this story was the biking aspect of it. Although I am not much of a biker myself, it was interesting and I enjoyed the way it wove in with the story. I also found it neat that the route ended in Niagara Falls which is a place very familiar to me as its close to where I live. Its always fun when a book has little familiar tidbits like this.

I find sometimes with Jennifer's books that the characters stories get introduced and I feel confused as to how this fits in with the main character/main plot, but then somehow it always gets tied together so well in the end. Each character has a story that makes it hard not to love them, flaws and all. Jennifer never shies away from real issues people face on a day to day, and always handles it with grace. I think this book is one of my favorites this year, as usually the case with this authors books.

I highly recommend this one to anyone looking to get sucked into a good story with wonderful and unique characters. Be sure to check the trigger warnings first though as it does deal with some sensitive topics (some big ones include abortion, fatphobia, and alcoholism).

The Breakaway is the newest offering by Jennifer Weiner. This story has an interesting premise in that it features a two week, group trail ride through rural New York to Niagara Falls. The story is descriptive, atmospheric and showcases an adventurous community bike ride with multiple characters joining in.

Abby grew up struggling with her weight and the criticisms that follow, and she has finally owned who she is and made peace with her body and her life. Her boyfriend, Mark, is someone she met at a weight loss camp and they seem to be the perfect fit…or are they? Is their weight connection the only thing that links them together? While leading a long-distance trail ride, one of her passions and hobbies, she comes across Sebastian, a one-night stand from a few years ago. He’s on the ride with Abby and she is once again attracted to him and ends up questioning her feelings for Mark, her current long-term boyfriend.

The story focuses a lot on weight, diet, body image and the ramifications of such, which was the point, I’m sure. It had some worthwhile messages, but it was also a bit off-putting. Not only is there a lot of weight, diet and exercise talk, but some of it is fairly opinionated and therefore, controversial. There are also some other subjects discussed, such as one-night stands, pregnancy, abortion, and parental consent with particular leanings that won’t appeal to everyone.

I found the main character to be difficult to like and her choices were less than admirable. She preaches loving people based on qualities other than body image, and then she does the opposite, but with looks, as opposed to weight. I’ve loved several of Jennifer Weiner’s stories in the past, but this one just didn’t work for me for a variety of reasons.

Once again, I was swept up in a Jennifer Weiner novel. She possesses such an ability to grip the reader at the very beginning, and bring said reader along for the (bike) ride, in this case! The main characters and their stories were very relatable, plus a little spice, and this was a perfect end to summer read.

I really appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy.

The Breakaway was another solid read for me from Jennifer Weiner. The story follows Abby Stern, who on the surface, has a pretty good life - a decent job & a great boyfriend who wants to marry her. Deep down, however, Abby doesn't feel satisfied.

She wishes she had a career she was passionate about, and she wishes as passionate toward her boyfriend as she remembers feeling about a one night stand from a few years ago. Abby also wishes she had a healthier relationship with her mom. Abby has struggled with her weight all her life and her mom has always shamed her for it.

One thing that does make Abby truly happy though is cycling and when the opportunity comes up for her to lead a cycling trip across New York, even though it’s out of her comfort zone, Abby decides to go for it. The trip ends up being so much more than a physical journey for Abby; it's also a journey of self-discovery for her.

I really enjoyed the cycling aspect of the trip, and I loved the cast of characters. There were riders of all ages from teens to seniors, and all of them are multi-layered, which I also loved.

There were also two unexpected riders. One was Abby's mom, who really wants to mend fences with her daughter, and then there was Sebastian, Abby's one night stand from before. Both added lots of tension and awkwardness to the trip for Abby, but they were both very much a part of that journey of self-discovery.

Abby's journey was definitely the highlight of the story for me. Leading this team is so empowering for Abby, and it also allows her to see her life in a different way so that she can move beyond what isn't working for her and embrace new opportunities and passions. I also liked the way Weiner explores the often complicated dynamics of the mother-daughter relationship. In many ways, this trip allows for just as much personal growth for Abby's mom as it does for Abby.

The Breakaway is one of those books that has a little something for everyone, especially fans of women’s fiction.

I enjoyed this quirky book. Abby is leading her first cycling trip which happens to include someone she had a one-night-stand with several years prior.

I went in to this expecting a romance and while there are some rom com aspects, overall it really is more an assortment of interesting characters and their lives. While most of the chapters are from Abby and Sebastian's point-of-view, there are also a handful of other characters we get glimpses of. I was a little frustrated that we got invested with specific character's chapters and then didn't have any additional follow-up from their point of view.

I really liked Abby and was empathetic to her struggles with her mom -- I enjoyed seeing the changes in their relationship and loved that Abby was able to stand up for herself. I felt so sad for her as a teenager, and was so glad to see her have more confidence as an adult.

This book does tackle some very important issues and I am glad for that, and I love the organization that Abby creates in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an early copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun ride (pun intended!). Really loved this quick, fun read with some thought-provoking topics. A story about a bike trip was a fun backdrop to meet many interesting characters and watch the story unfold like the miles they rode. Really enjoyed this book!

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Breakaway was a nice and easy read sharing about the story of a young woman who is struggling with where she wants to go in life. She feels unsure about herself which stems from her childhood memories of being overweight (and sent to fat camp by her parents). Although she believes she is at peace with it, you are able to see her internal struggle with it and is always worried what others think about her. Her one true love is her bike riding, something she has enjoyed doing since she was younger for that peace she feels as she rides her bike. Thrown into an uncomfortable task of leading a long trek ride, she is a natural at it but once again she feels unsure with someone from her past on the ride along with her mother and other great characters.

The book tackles multiple tough topics such as self doubt, self confidence, childhood trauma, difficult relationship with a parent, infidelity to name a few. While some scenes are a bit uncomfortable to read if you have ever been in any of these situations, Jennifer does a fabulous job with her writing to get you to keep reading. I would recommend this book to others. I give 5 stars for this book and the emotional feelings you get for the characters as you read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

There was a lot packed into the very interesting story. But the key take-aways are to never feel you aren't good enough or you need to change to become good enough. This is a must read book for women, particular young woman, who are facing these kinds of challenges in the world today.

I'm usually a fan of Jennifer Weiner. And I wanted to like this one, I really did. But I just...didn't.

To start, I just wasn't crazy about Abby. We're supposed to like her and sympathize with her but...come on.

SPOILER ALERT

The cheating? The lying? The rudeness to her mother (come on, she's TRYING) and to Sebastian (he's trying, too!) and to Mark. When her mom reveals she used to be fat, we're supposed to believe Abby is SHOCKED and had never in 30-something years asked to see her parents' wedding pictures OR her own baby pictures?! Bizarre.

And Sebastian...what a jerk, making Abby chase him in a lightning storm on her bike because he HAD to ride in the storm, even knowing she was required, as trip leader, to follow him. Just...these people. I didn't like them. And if I can't like the characters, I can't really like the book. Better luck next time.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Breakaway is Jennifer Weiner's newest release and it's sure to be a summer blockbuster! Abby is in a stage of life where, although she feels content, she also feels as though others expect more from her by now. She's offered a last-minute chance to lead a bike tour for the first time ever. On the tour, she recognizes one of the group members and now must deal with the fallout of the last time she saw him. She also has a surprise guest join the tour that changes an important relationship in her life. As a biker, I loved the aspect of the story dealing with all things bikes. Read and enjoy!

I have read almost every book Jennifer Weiner has written. She is a must read for me. This book was a quick, easy read. Following several of her books, the main character has body image and self confidence issues. I enjoyed the idea of the characters taking a bike trip.

Good for high school students and beyond.

One of her weaker stories. Full of unlikable characters and some boring sub plots. Wouldn't recommend this one.

This book hit spot on to the complex feelings of growing up as a plus size person and the insecurities that follows into adulthood. While there were moments I wished the author showed the true strength and acceptance of the main character, I enjoyed seeing a story where a larger body was featured - I just wished she wasn’t always portrayed or believed she was the victim.

I also appreciated the other complex story lines and view of a similar situation from multiple characters.

Pub date: 8/29/23
Genre: contemporary fiction
Quick summary: At 33, Abby is in a committed relationship, but she can't help feeling that something is missing. Then she runs into former one-night stand Sebastian on a bike trip she's leading - and that's just the start of the trip's misadventures.

I love the way Jennifer Weiner writes realistic, flawed women who are impossible not to root for! I saw some of my and my friends' struggles in Abby's life, and I loved watching her grow and work to figure out what she wanted her life to look like. Weiner excels at writing female relationships (if you haven't read MRS. EVERYTHING, please put it on your list!) In addition to the romantic plotline here, we have Abby and her mother, as well as another mother and daughter pair on the trip. This book is an excellent mix of light-hearted romcom fun and more serious topics, and I really enjoyed i!

Thank you to Atria Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

5/5 stars

I’m a long-time Jennifer Weiner fan so I was overjoyed that NetGalley allowed me the option to read this lovely book.

This book deals with some heavy topics, such as diet culture and family dynamics. But there are also very lighthearted moments.

Read this book if you want to read a great love story but also delve into mother-daughter relationships and second chance romance… and if you like bikes.

I loved this book! I will definitely recommend it. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.