I really liked this book. Finished it in two days. Abby has always had a Weight problem. Her mother told her she did, the kids at school told her, and social media and society did. But Abby has accepted herself, ...maybe. A one night stand gets her thinking. However, she is starting a relationship with a boy from fat camp who has lost half of himself, and is rigid about eating and everything. Abby is lost in her future. She can't seem to get where she needs to be.
Abby has one great passion. Cycling. It makes her free and independent. She has the opportunity to lead a group of cyclists on a trip through New York state. Surprise, her one night stand and her skinny mother show up.
This book looks at Women's issues and rights. It may not be everyone's choice, but it was handled very well. Is there a happy ending? Yes. Does it open the door to possibilities? Yes!
Thank you, NetGalley!! Thank you, Jennifer!!! A sequel down the trail would be nice.

The Breakaway is a beach read with a purpose. The plot features a plus size woman and her overbearing mother who never lets Abby forget she's overweight. Mom must think her daughter doesn't own a mirror because Abby is very aware of her size. Abby is also working through other issues in her life-especially if she wants to marry her sweet as pie boyfriend. Abby has always used cycling as a stress reliever-The Breakaway refers to a cycling tour through upset New York that she leads. And there's several surprises on the tour for Abby besides the flora and fauna. But The Breakaway is so much more than a girl meets boy fantasy. It's full of real life problems and the angst that accompanies much of it. You can't expect Jennifer Weiner will write a story that doesn't touch on what's happening in the world-it's her specialty and she does it spectacularly. So grab a copy and peddle away!

I liked but did not love this one. I was hoping for more humor and laugh out loud antics and dialogue, but I felt this was heavy handed and just tried too hard to be relevant. Too many topics at once for me. Overall, it was cute and fun but nothing I was excited about.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

If you have read anything from Weiner in the past, then you know there are themes, body image, strong women, weak men, strong men. The breakaway is no different.!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Love the fast chapters and multiple POV. A quick paced, engaging story. Perfect summer read. Jennifer writes in such a humorous way, keeping the reader laughing and along for the ride.

I enjoy Jennifer Weiner. She is a the perfect author for a vacation, or if you wanna just escape reality for a few hours!
Abby gets the chance to help out a friend doing something she enjoys, which is riding her bike in a group tour while deciding if she is ready to settle down with her long term partner who seems to be the perfect person. But maybe not for her.
Then she comes across the guy who she met at a bachelorette party and had a one night stand.
It really pushes Abby to realize the life she really wants and who is the perfect person for her.

I am a huge fan of Jennifer Seiner’s work; I found this book to be completely different than anything else she has written and I didn’t enjoy it as much as her other books.

I love this author, but I didn't care for some of the characters or tropes used in this book. My issue is that the protagonist seems to have to choose between her kind, supportive, but somewhat boring boyfriend for a womanizing man she had a one night stand with who has a lot of toxic masculinity issues- but he's interesting. Why are these the options? This is why I don't read more romantic comedy books. She should say "thank you, next" to both and find someone who she actually clicks with who isn't an asshole.

This book was such a fun summer read! I don’t like biking but it was so good! And now I might start biking again. I also loved the character depth with the other riders, Lilly, Morgan and Andy. It was like 2 stories in one and I loved it! I hope to meet Jennifer when she comes to my city in Minneapolis in September!

I love Jennifer Weiner for her smart writing and for not shying away from tough topics. In true Weiner fashion her heroine is a plus sized woman with a complicated relationship with her body and her mother. Oh how I can relate. Here her heroine, Abby, leads a bicycle tour and along the way we meet a cast of characters dealing with their own issues. One of the men on the trip becomes Abby’s love interest and he himself is struggling with his own intimacy issues. As I read this book I knew there are parts that would probably rub more conservative folks wrong and of course checking Goodreads reviews, yup, sure enough (apparently liberals all have abhorrent views, thanks for the heads up Karen). That said I fall politically and socially in line with Weiner and I applaud her tackling topics like abortion access and gender inequalities. Overall I related to the characters as a Jewish woman myself, I found the writing really engaging and I’ll continue to read whatever Weiner puts out next. I also enjoyed the bike riding aspect and while some may not, remember Weiner is writing about one of her passions. So like Elin Hilderbrand who writes about Nantucket, charcuterie plates and name brands, Weiner writes about biking, buttery carbs and the nuances of strained relationship.

I really enjoyed the premise and characters in this book, but found some of the pacing to be off. I did appreciate that while we are all rooting for Sebastian, the real focus is on Abby’s character growth

I have been a fan of Jennifer's ever since reading Who Do You Love. This one started off really good. I was interested in the story and love that she incorporated her own cycling interests into the novel. Unfortunately I found myself kind of bored halfway through. I'll still recommend to friends and customers if I get the feeling that they will enjoy this.

I've always been a fan of Jennifer Weiner books. While most are very light and funny, this one has a bit more serious. The story covers two very serious topics: fat shaming and a women's right to choice. The author still had the gift of creating loveable characters while introducing thought provoking subjects. I dare you not to enjoy this bicycle ride to understanding. A strong 4 star read. #goodreads

Enjoyable main character with positive body image. Loved conventional diet industry is ignored in the book but it’s not the topic of the entire book. Book goes through a ride that helps Abby discover what she really wants in life and how maybe some of her life decisions have been made with a skewed view while she pushes the boundaries of what is considered “normal success” in life. Easy read going between characters point of views and their past. There is also what I will call a “mad honey” event, controversial that makes you think. Secrets are uncovered and decisions have to be made all while leading a bike trip that will put everything in perspective, with time.

This has already been posted to Goodreads.

I've been reading Jennifer Weiner's books since her first novel, Good In Bed. And with every new book I'm amazed at how she grows as a story teller. The Breakaway is a story about Abby, a thirtysomething woman who is unsure of the path she should be on at this point in her life. Abby has struggled to make peace with the bigger body she inhabits for most of her life. The one place she feels free from her body, her parents, her boyfriend, and life is on her bike. As a kid her mom sent her to a camp for weight loss, where she meets Mark. At the time they are both overweight and they make an instant connection. They lose touch over the years, but when they randomly meet up in their early thirties they pick up right where they left off. Or so it seems. Enter Sebastian. Abby is at a bar when she meets Sebastian. And goes home with him for her one and only one night stand. This happens right after she's run into Mark again, but before they get serious. After their incredible night together Abby basically ghosts Sebastian and figures they will never see each other again. It's now two years later and Abby has been asked to lead a bike ride on the Empire Trail. One of the participants ends up being Sebastian. Now Abby is on a two week ride with random strangers, Sebastian, and as a last minute surprise her mother.

Weiner does a great job of telling a good story while also bringing up important issues. Not only are their multiple examples about how overweight women being treated differently, she also brings in the topic of abortion. I know some readers are finding this over the top, but I think it's important to be discussed and very timely. I can see how it feels like it was shoehorned into this story. I would read a follow up about just Morgan and Lily to see how they are doing or get more of their back story. But this story was about Abby and they were just peripheral characters. Overall this about Abby's growth to finding who she wants to be in her own story.

If you have enjoyed Weiner's past works you will like this one. If you love stories about imperfect women finding their way in the world check this one out. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

Jennifer Weiner is BACK! After a few disappointing reads over the past few years, I am so happy that this feels like old-school Weiner. I flew through this one, and loved every second of it! Abby leads a group bicycle trip from NYC to Niagara Falls. One of her riders is a fling from her past. This is rich with character backstory, which I love. We get to hear from different characters as well. I loved this and highly recommend.

“Alexa, find me a book that is about tough mother-daughter relationships, finding your life purpose, a little bit of romance with a quirky setting.”

“I have found THE BREAKAWAY by Jennifer Weiner.”


Okay, there’s some serious hate going on around here about this book but come on, this is not a book about fat shaming. As a daughter of a mother who was weight-conscious and limited everyone else’s calories, I could absolutely relate to Abby and her relationship with her mother.

I loved the opening, the steamy night with the mystery guy, and without giving much away, I loved how everything came full circle. Abby is so much like any other 34 year old we meet out in the real world - finding her way, stuck in some ruts, and wondering if she’s really that dateable or lovable to anyone. Weiner has done it again with a truly enchanting novel, one that you can finish in a day (perfect for the book club you’re in where no one can finish the entire book)!

I liked this one. DIdn’t love it, but I truly did enjoy it and found the conclusion so so enchanting.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance review copy of Jennifer Weiner’s new book The Breakaway. I’ve been a fan of her books for a long time. I really found myself sucked in to this plot and loved seeing the bike tour setting, especially since they biked to places I was familiar with and could picture in my mind. I can tell already that some more conservative readers are going to HATE the hot button abortion issue and where that goes, but since her views lined up with mine there, I had no issue with it except that maybe it was a bit shoehorned in to pad out the story and/or make a point. But again, I do agree with the point she was making, so I was fine with that.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m sorry, as much as I love Jennifer Werner, I just couldn’t get into this book very much. The characters would probably me more relate able to someone who also rides bikes. I found it to be pretty boring. I’m sure it would be a great book for someone else though. #NetGalley

I love Jennifer Weiner. I 'met' her writing a long time ago when I read her first book, Good In Bed. I do believe I have read everything she has written since then. There was a short period when I felt like I wasn't connecting to or enjoying her books quite as much- still enjoying them but just not quite as much- but I truly enjoyed reading The Breakaway.

You know when you are reading a book and you can't wait to pick it up again, and read a little bit more at every possibly opportunity? Yep, I felt that with this one. Just a thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish.