Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein

1 review

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hopeful relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⬜⬜
Title: Head Over Heels
Author: Hannah Orenstein
Genre: Romance
Author Info: Female Author
Setting: LA / Greenwood, MA
Month Read: January 2022
Book Type: Paperback
Publication: 2020
Pages: 323



TRIGGER WARNING- 
Emotional Abuse, Discussion of Sexual Assault, Depression, Discussion of Eating Disorders, Alcoholism?




"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation."









No Spoiler Summary:
Head Over Heels is a contemporary romance novel featuring Avery Abrams, a 27 year old former gymnast who had her dreams crushed when she suffered an injury during the Olympic Trials when she was 17. Following was years of heavy partying, depression, and feeling lost now that the one thing she had trained to do her entire life was over in an instant. She's currently dating an NFL Quarterback, but ultimately things don't last and she moves back to her parents' house in Greenwood MA.


When Avery moves home, she gets a job offer to co-train an up-and-coming gymnast, Hallie, with Ryan, a former crush who was a very accomplished male gymnast. The two work together to get Hallie ready for Nationals, the Olympic Trials, and *hopefully* the Olympics themselves. Avery has a lot of work to do on finding her own happiness, and as the book continues, you see her really grow and become the woman she was always meant to be. But... will she find the happiness she has been longing for since her injury? 









Review:
I want to start with the trigger warnings above- I think a lot of them are touched upon pretty lightly, and very respectfully. The Sexual Assault trigger is a mirror of the one we saw in Elite Gymnastics a few years ago, and much more of a subplot in the book. There is also a HUGE emphasis on mental health, which I really enjoyed, and while Avery's maybe alcoholism isn't really touched on, I do wish it were more of a thing. You're never really sure if she's drinking to be social, or drinking to cope and if it's healthy or not. 


I am not sure if I've read too many romance novels in the past few months, but the unecessary third act breakup is not a trope I enjoy very much and I think that the very forced breakup in this was just... ugh. I rolled my eyes several times as it happened, but as much as I hated it, there are a lot of things to enjoy in Head Over Heels. I'm a casual gymnastics watcher, and did really like seeing the behind the scenes on training, the lingo, and the fact that the books takes place about an hour or so from where I live in Connecticut. 











Recommendation:
For Friends (or Acquaintences) to Lovers:
In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren
Just Haven't Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens




"The funny thing about your dream coming true is that it never quite happens the way you think it will. There’s always a twist."

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