My Review: Full transparency I wasn’t sure where this novel was going to take me. The first 3 chapters had me wondering what kind of main character i was reading about.. Avery came off a little annoying, and unmotivated, flat out ungrateful. You gotta fight for what you want! I think we have all had moments of regret and ‘what if’s’ but we can’t stay in those moments. Life moves on, and takes us along with it.

Not long after I kept reading I realized, this story is much more than about a break up or a love story. A young girls dream of going to the Olympics is shattered after suffering an injury and she must find herself and her new purpose.

We meet Avery just as she is going through a rough break up, and as she is moving back to her hometown, not sure yet of what she will find. All Avery knows, is she can’t really afford to be on her own, so she’s moving back with her parents in hopes of a fresh start and guidance in the right direction. It seems like she hasn’t even settled in when she receives a call from her childhood friend Ryan. Ryan calls to ask for Avery’s help, he is a gym coach, and knows Avery has what it takes to help train a young girl with so much potential.

Is this truly what Avery wants though? Isn’t gymnastics something she wants to move on from? Sometimes, the thing you try to move on from, is the very thing that remains part of your life always.

You might think that at this point Avery found her purpose, fell in love and story over. This is so much more than a romance story, and touched topics very familiar to the real world. News that took the world by surprise, shocked our nation, and altered the lives of many innocent victims. This book gives a unique perspective (though fictional) but with very real feels of that tragic moment in time.

My Verdict: I am very impressed with the writing, where the story led, and how it all connected. It touches some very sensitive topics, that may be triggers for some readers, such as emotional, physical and verbal abuse. I was also affected by the fact that this novel was written to be released just in time for the Olympic season.. the 2020 Olympics that did not happen. I celebrate the author Hannah for her amazing delivery, in the writing detail of this novel, and all the research that had to come along to write a story like this. I encourage you to order Head over Heels, add it to your TBR, check it out at your local library, download it on your kindle! Let’s do everything we can to support Hannah Orenstein’s newest title!

Head Over Heels - Likewise Book Reviews

5 Reviews