Abby has been considered "overweight"--at least by her critical mother--ever since childhood. However, she throughly enjoys biking and leading a biking club. She gets talked into leading a bicycle trip from New York City to Niagara Falls, and one of the bikers is Sebastian, a guy with whom she had a one-night stand, but can't stop thinking about.
Although there is talk about body positivity, mother-daughter relationships, sex, and other topics, a lot of the book felt forced and unrealistic.
I decided this book is for a different demographic than I am. And I need to stop reading books by Jennifer Weiner.

Weiner’s books can be hit or miss for me but I absolutely loved this one! It was heartwarming, relatable, covered heavy topics with some humor mixed in, and was just really well done. Weiner usually has body positivity in her stories and I really liked how it was not the main focus in this one but rather a component, which allowed for other heavier topics to play a role. They all were additive to the overall theme of women supporting other women which I really enjoyed.

Abby Stern was such a great protagonist, and I really loved how she lead the group as a whole as well as how they came together when a few of the members had struggles that needed to be handled. There were a few twists in here that I didn’t expect, which was great for a contemporary novel and just enhanced this story overall. I could relate to the mother/daughter relationships in here and I loved how they were all resolved. Overall this was a fantastic read, the audio was wonderful, and I cannot recommend this one enough.

Thank you to Atria and Simon.Audio for the copies to review.

This had so much potential and maybe it was just me but it felt a bit drawn out. Don’t get me wrong I did enjoy parts and I felt for Abby’s struggles with her weight.

I loved how she pushed through with the relationship with her mom. That they were able to get to a healthier place together. I loved the struggles of the other riders and how she helped them through it.

There were so many characters and storylines going on. I enjoyed the variation.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

I loved this one. Weiner is a steady win for books for me. The story was great. I always love the plus size rep and women's issues discussed. Can't wait for her next book.

I wanted to love this one…

It was my first experience with Jennifer Weiner’s work. I had high hopes but considered abandoning it multiple times. ( Every anti-Peloton phrase bothered me).

I’ll give another JW novel a try but this one was slightly disappointing.

The Breakaway is probably one of my favorite novels by Jennifer Weiner, which is really saying something. As always, Weiner creates characters who are so utterly relatable that you can't help but root for them. Abby Stern was a particularly relatable character in that she struggles with body acceptance, a mother who seems to judge her constantly, a job that is not remarkable, and a love life that is slightly lacking. This novel follows Abby's journey of self-discovery and closely examines a lot of characters and relationships that are entirely relatable. Overall, I highly recommend this novel!

I really enjoyed this one! I liked the characters and enjoyed learning more about cycling. In the beginning I didn't like the multiple character format to the chapters but as I learned who all the characters were I was hooked. I loved the romance aspect but also the mother daughter stories throughout this book. A great read!

I am a huge Jennifer Weiner fan, so I was super excited for her latest novel. I was pleasantly surprised when there were other narrators introduced. I fell in love with Abby and was rooting for her the whole time. I love how the novel also focuses on social issues that are relevant in our time. Check it out - you won’t be disappointed.

“The Breakaway” is a modern piece of fiction that incorporates a few different characters’ stories that deal with heavy topics such as body image, insecurities, and abortion. Despite all of this, there was also a compelling love story being explored. While it did feel that at times, there was a bit too much going on with the incorporation of all of these themes in one book, I do appreciate Weiner not being afraid to broach such topics. There were some thought compelling aspects to an interesting fictional story, which is absolutely what I prefer in my fictional reads. 3.5 stars ⭐️ rounded up to 4. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.

Abby Stern is 33 and finally starting to come into her own. She’s been dating her long-lost friend turned boyfriend, Mark for awhile and feels like it’s time for the next steps in life: moving in together, becoming engaged and eventually married, and having kids. But Abby can’t help feeling like she’s still a step behind - she’s working gig jobs, her apartment looks like she just moved in, and she’s still fighting for the approval of her parents. Is she ready for the next step?
When she’s tapped to lead a 2-week bicycling trip in New York, she thinks it’ll be the perfect opportunity to clear her mind and get her priorities straight. Enter: every curveball you could imagine. From her mother surprising her, to the one-night-stand from 2 years ago that she hasn’t forgotten (and who hasn’t forgotten her), this trip is full of surprises. While Abby and Sebastian (Mr. One Night) are the main characters, we also learn the stories of some of the other riders, including mother-daughter pair Lily and Morgan - who are in for their own surprises as well.

It’s not secret that I am a huge Jennifer Weiner fan, and her latest novel certainly did not disappoint! It’s written post-COVID and reflects our current world and how certain laws are affecting women in this country - I loved this part of it (although I hate that it’s our reality). I liked that it focused on not just romantic relationships, but also friendships and parent-child relationships as well. Definitely give this one a read if you’re looking for a modern, heartwarming, and character-driven story.

I always know that when I pick up a Jennifer Weiner book, it's going to be a meatier read than most of the others in this genre. Sure, there's a romance, but also some deep subjects, too. In this case, the main focus is self-image, body confidence, and mother/daughter relationships. I almost didn't read it because I don't like to confront those things in my own life, but I powered through, and it was pretty painless. You do have to know going into these types of books that it won't be an easy breezy read, so you need to be in the right mood or mindset to get through it. The main storyline involves a bike riding group, which is interesting. I thought that gave it a unique spin and I liked the fact that there was a "guy that got away" involved in the story.

Fun quick read by Jennifer Weiner, loved the storyline and the characters. Abby, an avid cylist who has struggled with her weight all her life, is coerced into leading a bike tour for the first time. Although she has a steady boyfriend, one of the riders on the tour happens to be someone she had a one-night stand with several years ago. It was interesting to watch this relationship develop, and also to see how the author brings in the stories of several other characters. All in all, an enjoyable quick read that I would highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

I often enjoy Jennifer Weiner’s books, and The Breakaway was no exception. I connected in some ways with the story and found that helped me enjoy it more.
As always, I look forward to the next book from Weiner!
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC!

This is a cute, easy read. Breakaway is part romance, but also tries to tackle serious social issues such as abortion and body positivity. Abby has struggled with her weight all her life but mostly has struggled with other people's perception of her weight. She is also an avid cyclist and has a steady boyfriend, Mark. While Mark is perfect on paper, something is holding Abby back from moving forward with him. So when Abby gets the opportunity to lead a two-week bike tour through NY to Niagra Falls, she jumps at the chance. However, one of the participants on the ride, Sebastian, turns out to be a guy she had the one and only one-night stand of her life. The book is told from both Abby and Sebastian’s perspectives, along with occasional perspectives from some of the other people on the tour as well. I enjoyed reading this book.

A fun read about Abby and her struggles with relationships, self-acceptance, family, and purpose. It was enjoyable to watch Abby find herself as well as get to know a cast of characters on her bike trip.

Overall this was an enjoyable chick-lit read with decent (but flawed) characters. Abby was generally likable, although she was also pretty self-absorbed, and played the victim card a bit too much for my taste. I actually liked Sebastian's character quite a bit, even if he was a total womanizer. The storyline flowed well although the coincidences were pretty far-fetched. I also enjoyed all of the smaller subplots and supporting characters. So while I wouldn't call this a barn-burner of a novel, it served its purpose as a typical beach-read type book that was a quick and easy read.

3.5 stars 🌟
Abby Stern was fat all her life, and her mom did not let her forget it. She even made her spend her summer at a fat camp where they ate 1200 calories and did tons of exercise. When her parents divorced, Abby started riding her bicycle back and forth between her mom and dad's, and it made her feel free.
Sébastien is a womanizer, man whore, sex fiend etc He goes through women on his dating app like underwear but he is completely upfront with them so there is that. One day, he meets a woman in a bar that feels different to him, but sadly, she leaves before he wakes up the next morning 🌄
Sébastien and his friend Lincoln decide to go on a bike trip with a tour company called Breakaway that goes from Manhattan to the border of Canada. Who do you think is leading the group? None other than the woman Sébastien can't stop thinking about.
This book was really good. It had a good curvy girl rep, a Jewish rep, and good pacing. I found the back story for both protagonists enduring. I loved the idea of the bicycle tour. It was really fun to read about how many miles they rode a day, the different locations they stopped, and the bikers' individual stories. Jennifer Weiner always writes great stories that grab me immediately, and this was no different.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I don't really know why but I think following the author's socials and seeing how much of the author is in the book - just made it more personal. The main character is dealing with lack of direction in her life (maybe a crisis) when she is given the opportunity to lead a bike ride on the #empiretrail in New York. While leading the group you learn about growing being told she was needed to look better for pictures (ie, lose weight). This book is so strong for women/girls who deal with others thinking they are overweight and cannot do something. (this might another reason I liked it as I fall in that category). I highly recommend the story of character growth, empathy, social media crisis, relationships and so much more. Just put your earbud in and go for a ride.

aw man, jennifer weiner will always have a special place in my heart, good in bed is one of my old school faves, like when i was first 'allowing' myself to read books with romantic plots in them without feeling shame. i really enjoyed this one - had a few heavier topics with some light funny moments, thought provoking, inspiring, realistic (i know nothing about cycling, but now i feel like i do). sure, some of it resolved a little easier and simpler than in real life, but i'm ok with that. i ended this book with a smile on my face, overall it made me quite happy.