A review by monkeymagee
Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I really enjoyed that gymnastics took center stage in the novel, it felt more realistic and I felt more of a connection with Avery because it wasn't all about her love interest. That being said, the romance itself just really failed for me. One note, not very complicated relationship. I didn't really feel Avery's feelings growing for Ryan until she told the audience– which was another issue for me, the writing was definitely lackluster and Avery's thoughts/ analysis could've been more subtle. A funny tidbit– they're all gearing up for the 2020 olympics which was obviously cancelled in real life, made me long for a 2020 that didn't have Covid. 
2.5, points for the gymnastics plot and the very real, heavy themes, but it fell flat for me. 
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