I actually liked most of the book, it was fast paced and easy to read and I'm sure there are others who will absolutely love it. I didn't care for all the politics being forced in, I understood putting in the abortion story line and I don't necessarily have an issue with reading about other opinions on issues but there were so many other little political comments just forced in that it got a little irritating to me; I read fiction novels to get away, if I wanted political opinions I would read the news or hop on social media.

✨𝐑 𝐄 𝐕 𝐈 𝐄 𝐖✨

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫

Thanks so much to @bookclubfavorites #bookclubfavoritesinsiders for the advanced copy of one of my most anticipated reads this summer! I’ve been a long time fan of @jenniferweinerwrites & her newest book did not disappoint!! 😍🚴🏼‍♀️🧡

👍🏼: Abby, a long-time cyclist who has struggled with body positivity, still doesn’t feel she has her life or career figured out at 33. She’s also dating a wonderful guy but feels something is missing and jumps at the opportunity to take a break by leading her first cycle trip tour from NYC to Niagara Falls. When she arrives, an unexpected fling from her past has signed up and she has to spend the next few weeks in his company. I loved the unique cycling journey, learning about bikes & getting to follow the stories of several characters on the tour as they ride a crazy amount of miles each day through some well-known upstate NY towns!! I was inspired to jump on my bike and start riding 😂 This story touches on lots of deep & political topics including women’s rights, family issues, weight loss/surgery, however, the plot still felt light and funny at times! There were lots of great romance moment & healing between family members that I enjoyed too🫶🏼

👎🏼: There were quite a lot of characters to keep track of in the story, but I didn’t mind once the story got rolling! I also felt like I needed more at the end to wrap up Abby’s story on the romance-side of things, however, I was happy about how her journey ended with a variety of other factors she was struggling with!

I’ve seen some mixed reviews on this one already, but I very much enjoyed it. I thought it was unique & I love an author who doesn’t shy away from difficult topics 👍🏼 check this one out on 8/29!! 📚🚴🏼‍♀️🧡

Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
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Thank you, net galley, for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I have read a few books by Jennifer Weiner, and always love her stories and character development. I really enjoyed the setting of this story! NYC is one of my favorite places, and I have family in upstate New York/Niagara, so I really enjoyed this!
I also found myself rooting for the main characters, and enjoyed the rawness of their struggles and relationship.
This was a great read that I recommend!

I love Abby's confidence in this captivating novel. Abby is a plus-sized woman who is comfortable in her own skin. She's healthy and active, but she feels as if her life is aimless and wandering, and she wonders if she should follow her heart or her brain. She finds love in an old, dear friend, but somehow she knows it might not be enough. Enter Sebastian, a face and force from her past. Neither feel the need to settle down, yet both feel the unmistakable force bringing them together. Abby will have to choose - the security and safety of Mark who has loved her for many years, or Sebastian and an unmapped out future.

Jennifer Weiner is a contemporary writer who touches on topics that are often controversial, but necessary to have knowledge of. In this novel she addresses several hard topics from her characters point-of-view. Abby's weight and her own comfort in being who she is, despite the constant criticisms of her mother and marketing's must-be-thin mentality. She also touches on the topic of abortion and a woman's right to choose. It's about a young girl left to her own devices while the boyfriend she trusted goes off to live his own life, and how she makes the ultimate hard decision.

It's a beautifully written book of interweaving stories and well-rounded believable characters. I am glad for the opportunity to have read it via NetGalley.

The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner
Publishing date - 08/29/23
Trigger - abortion
Rating (4/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for this eARC. This was an enjoyable read. This story is totally relatable to current times. I loved Sebastian and Abby’s story. I wasn’t a fan of the abortion storyline with Morgan which is why I only gave 4 stars instead of 5. Overall a great read and I think Weiner fans will enjoy this one.

Thank you to net galley for providing me with a digital copy of this title for an honest review. First off Jennifer Weiner never disappoints! She also does not shy from important issues that are always addressed respectfully. The main character Abby is a plus sized woman who is comfortable in her skin in spite of her mother’ s attempts to change her throughout her life. Abby, during the course of her childhood summers attends a weight loss camp. She meets and falls in love with Mark, as a teen. As an adult she is an accomplished cyclist searching for her direction in life and love. It is at this pivotal time that she is asked to lead a cycling trip. She meets a cast of characters, including a man from her past and her mom as well as others - equally interesting. During the course of the trip she must navigate numerous dilemmas and choices. Abby perseveres ! Very strong female characters throughout the novel drive the plot forward as well. These characters stayed with me always a win. Additionally the story’s portrayal of cyclist clubs and trips was very interesting and exciting. Another fantastic Weiner novel definitely worth reading!

I don't think this book was for me. I'm sure other readers will love it.
I don't like a lot of steam in my books so the steamy scene that pretty much opens the book, put me off. I almost quit but went back hoping that I would love the story. I just didn't.

This isn't the first book of Jennifer Weiner's I have read, but it is by far my favorite of hers! I really enjoyed this book and all the different topics it covered without seeming like too much. It is set through COVID and it definitely talks about how difficult that time of time was and how things were forever affected by it, but she also touched on the political climate in America along with the abortion crisis in America without being too preachy or pretentious. I love that the author isn't scared of the backlash she may get with writing about these difficult but necessary topics and that alone makes me give her 5 stars on the book!

I love the character development the author did for not only Abby, but for all of the riders in the group. I really appreciated all the different relationships she built, Lily and her daughter Morgan, Abby and her mom Eileen, Kayla and her sons, etc. Each relationship was different and unique, but all sort of tied together in the end which was done beautifully.

I of course loved Abby and Sebastians relationship and how much they actually grew as individuals before even pursuing a relationship together because we all know you have to be able to love yourself before giving yourself fully to a relationship.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and loved getting to know all the characters and their stories and lives.

**thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

It’s so easy to live inside the plots of Jennifer Weiner’s books. She gives the characters depth and feelings and the settings are well-described. I’ve enjoyed this feature with every Jennifer book I’ve read, and her newest novel, “The Breakaway” was just as relatable.
Abby loves to ride her bike. On brief trips or long rides, that’s where she’s the most comfortable. She struggles with self image, so the freedom of her bike is comforting.
Abby is offered a job at the last minute to guide a bike trip from New York to Niagara Falls. She has a lot on her mind and accepts the offer, hoping the time on the bike and the change in scenery will help her make some tough decisions. But she’s surprised when she sees that a former onetime date is attending. The tension between the two is apparent immediately. Abby is equally upset to learn that her mother, whom she’s distant with, has joined the ride.
As the ride progresses, the little white lies and secrets of the different riders slowly unfold. The mix of issues, personalities, feelings, and the difficulty of the ride combine to make an entertaining trip. As always, Jennifer makes it so easy to feel like the reader is riding along.
Thanks to Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is August 29, 2023.

I was so excited about the premise of this book. I'm from Philadelphia, and I love to read books that highlight all of the amazing things about the city. I enjoyed the setting of the book, but I didn't like much else about it.

The story was at times very heavy, and other times, I feel like nothing happened. There were multiple viewpoints and perspectives that made it hard to keep track of everyone. I think that there were too many characters too.

I can't enjoy a book that has cheating in it. Once that happens, the book becomes something that I can't support. I wasn't rooting for anyone in this book, except for Mark. Justice for Mark! He was treated so poorly by Abby, and I felt so bad for him.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. I was hesitant to request this book because I haven’t really cared for the author’s last couple of books, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one as it felt more like some of her earlier work to me. I liked Abby as a main character. She definitely wasn’t perfect and made some questionable decisions, but that made her more relatable. I also appreciated that it wasn’t all perfectly wrapped up at the end. When I saw the epilogue, I was like “oh here goes the typical fast forward to them reunited, married, and pregnant!”, but that wasn’t the case and I’m grateful for that. Overall, I think Weiner is back for me!

#NetGalleyARC Weiner always writes characters who are relatable, realistic, and the ones you want to be your best friend, and Abby, the MC, fits this tradition perfectly. A great story about the friend, the one who feels like they don't deserve to be loved, the plus-sized woman who accepts what she THINKS she deserves instead of what she really deserves. This was a great end-of-the-summer read, perfect for Weiner fans and those who love a great realistic fiction story.

Abby lives in Philadelphia, is 33, and kind of stuck. She has jobs, but not a career. Her apartment is more like a dorm room than home sweet home. She has a relationship with a guy who is great on paper but doesn’t light her fire. She is mostly at peace with her plus size body but struggles with her mother who is not. She belongs to a cycling club that she enjoys, and one day she is asked to lead a bike trip through New York. She agrees to do it despite her misgivings and uncertainty that she can lead. The group on the trip is made up of people of all ages, from teens to seniors. One familiar face is Sebastian, a man Abby had a fantastic and memorable one night stand with two years earlier. Sebastian is very happy to see her, but Abby wants to keep her distance. Can Sebastian win her over? Another familiar face is… her mother. Why is she there and what does she want?

I really enjoyed this book. I thought Abby was a great character. She made me think a lot about body positivity and even challenged some of my own thoughts and feelings, and struggles with my own body. Sebastian was very charming and I pictured him as Kevin from This Is Us (this happens a lot, I have no idea why!) I really loved the backdrop of New York for the trip, and some of the places they stopped such as Seneca Falls.

What really made me love this book was the story of Morgan, a teen girl with religious parents. Morgan has a secret and needs someone to help her. I loved how everyone rallied around Morgan to solve her problem. It was definitely an extra story in this book that wasn’t necessary to tell Abby’s story but necessary because of the times we live in. Kudos to Jennifer Weiner for covering it and being so specific about the details and potential ramifications.

This was a mostly warm-hearted book. There are secrets and misunderstandings, but I especially loved how Abby’s story evolved after the trip was over. Keeping it spoiler free and leaving it at that!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

Jennifer Weiner is back and better than ever in this fiercely feminist, body positive book about learning to love yourself just as you are!!

I enjoyed this latest women's fiction/romance from a fav author so, so much!!! The breakaway features Abby, a fat Jewish woman in her early 30s who has grown up knowing her mother hates her size and was constantly trying to get her to lose weight, even sending her to fat camp in the summers.

The only place Abby ever felt free was on a bicycle and its still one of her greatest joys. When the opportunity to lead a cycling road trip arises, Abby reluctantly steps up finding a newfound confidence as she makes new friends, is reunited with her one night stand and is forced to reconcile with her mother who decides to join the trip too.

This book does tackle some heavy topics from male slut-shaming, fatmisia, teen pregnancy and abortion, alcoholism and mental health but it is also a beautiful story of friendship, love, vulnerability and forgiveness.

Great on audio narrated by a full cast and highly recommended for fans of books like Chantel Guerton's Two for the road. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and Simon and Schuster Audio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Really 2 1/2 stars. I just looked back at my review of Weiner's previous book, and lo and behold, my review of this one is going to be almost the same! I loved Weiner's earlier books - they were relatable stories, semi-romance novels, and each one had deeper story lines than your average rom com. But her past few books are just not the same - too many characters and too many of-the-moment issues that I worry won't age well. It's kind of like having harvest gold carpet in your home - you'll always know when the house was built. Based on the issues Weiner brings up in this book, we'll always know it was written in the 2020s. Abby, a plus-size avid biker takes the lead on a two-week bike trip through New York. We meet Mark, whom she met at camp when they were teenagers and with whom she's reconnected. The other love interest is Sebastian, a rider on the trip, who had a one-night stand with Abby a few years previously. There are also two older couples traveling together and a mom/teenage daughter storyline that didn't seem particularly necessary. There's also a steamy bedroom scene at the beginning of the book that was offputting, to say the least - it's not what I'd expect from one of her books. When I reviewed Weiner's last book, I decided I'd give her another chance, but this might be my last one of her books. Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Ms. Weiner for the ARC of this title

4.5 stars! I really enjoyed this one! The main character, Abby, showed such growth throughout the book. I liked the whole cast of characters and enjoyed all of their individual plot lines. This is a quick read, especially if you're already a fan of the author.

My first Jennifer Weiner book was her memoir. Reading it gave an appreciation for all her novels and understanding of why she writes plus size women's fiction. And it's all phenomenal.

The Breakaway is another one of Weiner's works of art.

Abby Stern has struggled with her weight her whole life, but she always had her bike. When Breakaway contacts Abby to lead a bike tour from Manhattan to Niagra Falls, she hesitantly agrees. Abby must navigate being a bike leader, the dynamics of her group, and what she wants for her future over the next two weeks on the road.

I loved The Breakaway for the realness and honesty of the characters. Abby struggles with her weight, her mother is constantly nagging her about her weight, Abby is COMFORTABLE with where she is in life. But sometimes comfortable isn't what we want. Abby's personal transformation after the bike tour has nothing to do with her body or body image, it has everything to do with her as a person.

Personal thoughts: Weiner had a mother-daughter subplot that I did not think was necessary for the story. While the theme to this subplot is important, I didn't feel it added much to the story. If you were going to keep there, at least add more info and interaction with the other members of the bike tour. One couple barely made an appearance, though they were part of the bike group.

All women should read Jennifer Weiner's books, but The Breakaway is one to DEFINITELY READ. It goes beyond fitting into a skinny world. It's about taking your passion and using it to help others find and pursue their passions as well.

Likable characters and a cute premise (it made me wish I’d ridden a bike more recently than 1996!), but it just wasn’t as strong a story as I’ve come to expect from Jennifer Weiner.

I enjoyed this new book by Weiner more than I have her past few. It was a good story and an interesting read because od the heavy topics she covered within the story. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This started strong and flailed toward the end for me. I liked Abby and the premise, and while the side story felt important, it also felt randomly thrown in and hardly resolved. We get a few chapters from POVs of Morgan and Lily and then they just …stop? The abrupt ending of the bike trip also was unsatisfying along with the final conflict of Eileen and Abby. This felt rushed and long at the same time.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.