Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Head Over Heels

This read was exactly what I needed. A cute and interesting romance book that always tackles tougher subjects so it feels more realistic & the romance just happens alongside the other things in the book. As someone who was obsessed with the movie "Stick It" in middle school and has always loved watching women's gymnastics in the Olympics - this book was perfect.

Sometimes when books get too in-depth about a subject it can be boring, but I didn't feel that way when the author described the different technical terms and gymnastics moves. I appreciated her perspective & it was easy to visualize while reading. The author isn't afraid to go into detail about the pros and cons of being a gymnast at the highest stage.

I really enjoyed this one & it was a quick enjoyable read to get lost in.

Content Warnings

miasreads's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

amandalorianxo's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

If you are a gymnast (currently in the game or retired) this book will definitely scratch that itch you may be missing. It’s marketed as a rom com but I think a lot of rom coms that are written in the mid/late 2000’s now encompass deeper themes besides romance. I actually think the romance was minor here in comparison to the conversations about sports environments including emotional abuse, sexual abuse, toxic relationships between our mental well-being and our bodies. I also feel like Avery and Ryan didn’t really have chemistry with each other. I do think Avery should have remained single but that’s just me. Some
of the gymnast terminology flew over my head.

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jessgreads's review against another edition

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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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katrinaward's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Content Warnings

maddiehawes's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

larissamxo's review against another edition

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funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

Book #9 of 2022: Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein. This book follows Avery, a former elite gymnast who suffered a career ending injury as she returns to the gym she grew up in to coach an Olympic hopeful. Ryan, her co-coach, is a former Olympian himself. They figure out how to coach 16 year old Hallie and you guessed it…fall in love along the way. I really liked this book! Contemp romances are beginning to tackle deeper subjects and this one does just that! It discusses mental health, identity as an athlete, abuse in athletics, etc. There’s a really good balance of humor and sincerity in this book. The only thing I didn’t love was that Ryan, our male lead, doesn’t realize an important thing in the book until he sees it for himself, rather than trusting the women who tell him about it first. But without that there wouldn’t really be conflict in the book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)

Content Warnings

coacklebee's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Oh wow, I did not expect this book to make me so emotional. I'm giving it a five star rating because of how much Avery resonated with me and the emotional impact it had on me. As a casual gymnastics fan who tends to only tune in for the Olympics, but as someone who has spent years training as an opera singer--another profession that has suffered huge casualties due to COVID-19--so much of the message about dreams and failure and goals and self-care resonated so much with me. I really appreciate that books are around nowadays that tackle issues about mental health, and this particular one felt real to me.

Were there problems with the story? Of course, no book is perfect. There were moments where issues dragged on too long, or were resolved far more neatly and easily than I could imagine they would in real life, but there were also moments when I was genuinely touched and got a little teary-eyed. And what I was left with in the end was a genuinely hopeful and happy feeling, and that, ultimately, outweighs my other criticisms of writing and plot.

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