📖 Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (rounded to 4 on here)

Jennifer is amazing at staying true to her writing style & themes, but can still give a fresh spin with each new book. And this one was no exception!

I felt for Abbey as she tries to find her life’s purpose while navigating a relationship that seems to good to be true. She met Mark in her teens while at a weight loss camp. Years later they reconnect and while their love makes sense, it feels like he is her only option. Ahhhh…..then of course the one night stand from so long ago is signed up on her first group ride she is leading.
Abby now has to deal with her group of bikers, Sebastian, her mother, and her feelings all while trying to act like a professional. All she wants to do is literally break away from everything.

It’s quite a ride with a lot of characters. It was hard at first to keep track of the individual stories of the riders. Parts felt rushed, forced, and a little unfinished. But, it’s hard not to enjoy everyone and the way they support each other, especially Abbey. Just wanted a little more for her and us as readers.

❗️Take note that Jennifer often sprinkles in heavy topics in her books. Abortion is part of a storyline that is weaved into multiple chapters so it can’t be avoided.

👉🏻This book has:
•Romance •Close Proximity •Mother/Daughter Relationship •Multiple POV •Family Relationships •Body Positivity •Women’s Rights •Trauma

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an #gifted copy in exchange for my review! 💕

Review is posted on Goodreads & Instagram

In Breakaway, Jennifer Weiner chose an unusual setting for her book. She captures the prejudice in the way many larger people are treated by people who don't even know them. Most of all, the message to love yourself cones through.

So many fun characters in this & several tougher topics covered too (body image/fat shaming, abortion, family issues). I loved Abby & Sebastian’s story, but I also enjoyed all of the other dynamics (mother/daughter, friends) and the multiple viewpoints throughout the bike ride. Definitely entertaining, but also a book that relates to a lot of hot topics/struggles that so many face today. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I am a huge Jennifer Weiner fan— I love her character driven storylines, and The Breakaway is no different. Even at 400 pages, this book flew by.

Abby is 34 and balancing a few different odd jobs to make ends meet, but hasn’t yet found her purpose in the world. She’s about to move in with her boyfriend of two years, who she met at a weight loss camp in her young teens when her best friend asks her to lead a two week bike trip from NYC to Niagara Falls in which her only one night stand ever, resurfaces along with some other surprise appearances.

This book is layered, and covers a wide variety of topics through various characters who are all imperfect and flawed, thus relatable. It covers fat phobia, serial dating, mental health, self-discovery, abortion, and challenging parent/child relationships. If you are a mid-30’s millennial, a lot of these topics will really hit home.

Thanks to Netgalley + Atria Books for the ARC!

The Breakaway is a continuation of hit novels for well-known author Jennifer Weiner! In true Weiner fashion, this novel encompasses so many complex topics, but in a narrative that moves quickly and tugs readers in. Abby Stern is back with her childhood love, things are moving quickly and she knows she should be over the moon. Mark is everything she ever wanted, but something is holding Abby back. In an effort to have some space, she agrees to lead a bike tour across New York State. In the most unlikely turn of events, Abby finds out her estranged mother is on the trip and a one-night stand from years ago, Sebastian. Abby was sure she’d never see him again, but being together will force her to acknowledge truths she hid from even herself. The trip is complicated by a slew of characters that have each found themselves along for a ride of lifetime and Abby is thrust in as a fearless leader to them all. Readers should be aware that The Breakaway has topics that include: COVID pandemic, body-shaming, obesity, women’s reproduction rights and mental health issues. The Breakaway is my next choice for my women’s only book club and I cannot wait to discuss.

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book! It was very well written and I liked all of the characters. The plot centers around a two week bike trip and now I am desperate to go purchase a bike!

My biggest grievance with the book was several off hand mentions of the pandemic and Covid, with other social issues like the mentions of the suffragettes, women's health issues, and other social issues. There was a character who crossed state lines to have an abortion. So many big social changes happened during the pandemic and a lot of authors wrote during that time period. We are now seeing their art emerge into the world and there have been so many mentions of Covid in recent fiction. This book briefly touched on several different things but none of them necessarily contributed to the plot, it just felt like so many ideas all smushed into one book. I really enjoyed the book though, it just seemed like so many ideas were on the authors mind!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to read and review.

Greatly enjoyed this book. Loved the characters in this book. Lots of character growth as well . I am not really a biker, but it still was hard to put down. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley (thanks!) but my review is unbiased. This is the fifth book (including a novella) I have read by this author and have loved them all. I definitely plan to read more of her books and hope she continues to write.

Another wonderful, heartfelt novel by Weiner. Abby is a young woman who has struggled with her weight and her mothers criticism of said weight her entire life. Although she does several part time jobs to make ends meet, she’s reasonably happy with her fiancé and her life in general. When Abby has to chance to lead a bike group on a trip she is hesitant to do it, but ultimately accepts the challenge, not knowing her mother is part of the group. With her mother, a one night stand that she has never stopped thinking about, and a teenager in crisis as part of her bikers, Abby has her hands full. Funny, heartwarming story that sheds lights on extremely serious topics with humor and compassion.

Abby is in a nice place. She is comfortable with her small gigs in lieu of a job and her boyfriend is kind, despite their differences. When she leads a cycling trip, she will use it to think on those differences but a few things happen during the trip to shake it up.

Another Jennifer Weiner book that I couldn’t put down! She’s definitely one of my top five authors. No matter what she writes, it’s unputdownable. I always love her characters and the drama that ensues. This book is full of it but also has some very meaningful and important subplots as well. I especially loved the mother/daughter relationships in this book and how it showed we only see what we know, and there’s often more.

“There aren’t girls like you. There aren’t guys like me. There’s just you, and me.”

The Breakaway comes out 8/29.

Abby seems to have it all with her boyfriend, Mark. But she cannot forget the memories of a one-night stand she had with a man called Sebastian two years ago. So imagine her surprise when she reluctantly agrees to lead a bike trip from NYC to Niagara Falls and discovers that Sebastian is one of the group members. Even worse, Abby's nagging mother Eileen shows up as well.

This is a cute, easy read that I enjoyed, even if it doesn't have the full zing of some of Weiner's other works. BREAKAWAY is part romance, but also tries to tackle serious social issues such as abortion and body positivity. I think it does the body positivity piece quite well. Abby has struggled with her weight all her life--she and Mark originally met at weight-loss camp before reuniting years later--and she feels as if her mother has never accepted her for who she is. But even if she's still trying to find her way at times, Abby is tough. A cyclist who can fix a flat or cycle for miles in the rain. She impressed me over and over.

As for covering abortion, the book delves into a serious situation. At times, it seems like it handles this topic a little glibly and not always in-depth enough. Things wrap up awfully easily. But it was good to see the topic being covered at all.

My favorite part of BREAKAWAY was Abby and Sebastian. Their chemistry and relationship was enjoyable. I would have liked more of them honestly. The focus on relationships overall was good--mother/daughters, especially. I also learned a lot about cycling from reading this book.

This is a good read, perhaps a little light on the topics it delves into, but enjoyable nonetheless. (I wouldn't mind a follow up on Abby and Sebastian!)

What a wonderful read! Lighthearted, funny, thoughtful, it brings us Abby who is constantly aware of her weight and her self worth in her relationships with men but also her mother.

Abby did not have great experiences with the many lovers of her life except the one night stand where she let go of her inhibitions and had the best sex ever. Through the few years after, she invests in a serious and stable relationship with a marvelous man but never forgets that famous night. When being overweight, one cannot be too picky right? As she is an excellent biker, she has to lead a group in a biking tour but who shows up? The man of her dreams and the moment of her nightmares, her mother.

The other participants also bring reflexions on love, mother-daughter relationship and women questioning themselves and the choices they made.

Although there were a couple of secrets that were a bit too repetitive (a teenage daughter who wants an abortion learns that her mother also had one and Abby’s mother had a gastric bypass surgery, the same as the boyfriend), I enjoyed the novelty of reading about men being attracted to overweight women, of love stories ending with choosing oneself instead of going into couples because it is what is expected. Highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn’t put this book down! Such a cute heartwarming and fun book to read. It was so easy to love Abby and the flow of the book made reading so enjoyable.

This book is a Breakaway success! I always love Jennifer Wiener’s books, but this is her best! The Breakaway follows Abby, an overweight woman living an aimless life, as she inadvertently becomes the leader for a biking trip through New York. During this trip, she thinks about her experiences with her mother, men, weight, and identity. We are also introduced to a cast of charming characters that she leads throughout the trip, one of with whom Abby had a one night stand! Lots of discovering ensues, as the characters come to grips with certain events in their lives and do their best to find comfort in their choices. I found immense comfort and entertainment in the book and felt forlorn when the bike trip and the book ended. What a wonderful story! (I was NOT pleased with the ending). Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Abby Stern is a 34 year old woman who is struggling to find her way. She knows she loves food, loves bike riding, and is still unsure of what she wants to do when she grows up and If she should move on with her handsome and kind boyfriend Mark. So when her best friend needs a bike leader for an upcoming bike trip through NY state she thinks it’s a good time to take a break from the every day and escape doing something she loves. But when that bike trip includes the only one-night stand she’s ever had from 2 years ago, Abby begins to question more than just her career choice.

I won't rehash the story because that has been done by other reviews and why waste your time.

Why oh why?!?!?!

I just don't get it. Maybe I am getting too old for current fiction. Here are my reasons for only 2 stars.

Any book that is based on infidelity and promiscuous, extreme sex is a no for me.

Weiner tried to include way too many topics in one storyline. It was most current political topics and the kitchen sink.

The main character, Abby, I wanted to slap for not valuing herself more.

Sebastian was a slut. Seriously, he made me sick.

Cliche mother-daughter relationship.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Breakaway
Jennifer Weiner
Pub Date: August 29, 2023

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Breakaway, by Jennifer Weiner, was very heartwarming and I really enjoyed it. As an avid cycler, I was really excited for this book, and it did not disappoint!

This book is more than just a romance. It covers tough topics like body positivity, loving yourself, mental health, mother/daughter dynamics, and so much more. I really enjoyed Abby’s character, and found her to be very relatable. I also really enjoyed the ending. I thought it was different from what I anticipated and I appreciate how the author chose to wrap everything up! Overall, I highly recommend this book!

Thank you, Atria Books, Jennifer Weiner, and NetGalley for a #gifted copy of The Breakaway!

This book took me a while to read. I don’t know, I guess it was a bit slow moving for me. Abby’s mom and bf were a bit stereotypical for me- with their constant judging and silent shaming of Abby’s weight and food choices. Let the woman live. I also found the “man whore shaming” of Sebastian to be a bit over the top. We’re always saying we need to stop over-exposing and singling out women who enjoy a more active sex life, soooo this felt a bit hypocritical to me. There were a few storylines that were okay. Lily and Morgan’s ended up being one of my favorites because it was unexpected. Otherwise, these people are literally riding on a bike tour for the whole story. so it’s a lot of family bonding, righting wrongs and finding yourself. Her writing was excellent as always, but this was Not my favorite Jennifer Weiner book.

I haven't read a book by Jennifer Weiner in a while so I was excited to start reading her new book. This was a good read nothing spectacular but it was enjoyable.

Book Releases August 29, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the E-ARC

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

Jennifer Weiner just does not disappoint me as a reader. As opposed to being straight up romantic comedies, her books are comedies with a romantic element. Her main characters are always the center of and in charge of their own stories, which is a really refreshing concept . I also live in upstate New York, lived in NYC for 20 years, and went to college in Syracuse, so I truly enjoyed the specifics of the locations. Also, if anything is going to inspire me to start riding a bike, it would be this book :)

I love, love, loved this book so much – definitely Weiner’s best, and I couldn’t put it down! Abby and Mark met at weight loss camp as kids, and briefly dated – but then as adults, they reconnected and rekindled their romance. Abby is now 34 and they’re getting serious about moving in together and getting married, but even though Mark is perfect on paper, something about it feels not quite right to Abby. Luckily, a friend asks her to step in to lead a bike tour of upstate New York, so Abby eagerly takes the opportunity to step away from her real life and reflect on what really makes her happy. And, surprise – on the trip are both her mother (who drives her crazy), and a hot one night stand she’s never been able to forget. The book is told from multiple perspectives – both Abby and many of the other riders on the tour, each of whom has their own secrets and stories. The characters all worked really well together, the story moved quickly, and my only complaint was that the ending was a tad bit rushed… but overall, a definite 5 stars! I think this is going to be my favorite book of the summer. (And if you love it too, don’t forget to check out Weiner’s companion short story, Golden Hills.)