The past seven years have been hard on Avery Abrams: After training her entire life to make the Olympic gymnastics team, a disastrous performance ended her athletic career for good. Her best friend and teammate, Jasmine, went on to become an Olympic champion, then committed the ultimate betrayal by marrying their emotionally abusive coach, Dimitri.
Now, reeling from a breakup with her football star boyfriend, Avery returns to her Massachusetts hometown, where new coach Ryan asks her to help him train a promising young gymnast with Olympic aspirations. Despite her misgivings and worries about the memories it will evoke, Avery agrees. Back in the gym, she’s surprised to find sparks flying with Ryan. But when a shocking scandal in the gymnastics world breaks, it has shattering effects not only for the sport but also for Avery and her old friend Jasmine. (taken from goodreads.com)
*Before I jump into my review, I want to thank Goodreads and Atria books for providing me with an ARC. All of the opinions are my own, nothing has been impacted due to the fact that I was gifted this copy.*
Avery was once on track to being an olympic gold medalist until her whole world around her came crashing down. She tried to rebuild her life, but then It all came crashing down again. Now she’s twenty seven years old and living in her childhood home, will she let her downfall stop her from the chance to train a new olympic hopeful?
I loved this book so much! This was the first book by Hannah Orenstein that I have ever read before and I can’t believe I have waited this long to read one of her books. I was also reading this book along with Stoney Clover Lane for their August book club.
Avery is trying to rebuild her life, and she comes back to her hometown in Massachusetts. Her parents home is decorated like a shrine to her gymnastics career. I love that she doesn’t wallow and let herself be sad forever, she gets a job at local gym with a former gymnast she has always had a crush on. Ryan was a gymnast with Avery when she was competing, she always had a crush on him. Now she gets to work with him and he’s just as cute as she remembered, if not more.
Then we have Hallie, the gymnast who is training with Ryan. She is sixteen, filled with life and energy. She has looked up to Avery for years and wants to be just like her. The relationship that Hallie and Avery develop is one that is very different than the one Avery describes of hers with her former coach, Dimitri, who was emotionally and verbally abusive.
The way Avery and Ryan are protective of Hallie, making sure she is safe and healthy was a very important point of the novel.
At one point in the novel, there is mention of a sexual assault case that is opened against the sports doctor that every gymnast uses. This reminded me of the case with Dr. Nassar from Michigan State. This moment in the novel is heartbreaking and is the moment where the book felt more real, as this was a real situation I remember reading about.
I love the relationship between Ryan and Avery. They are both learning how to have a relationship that is outside of their job and they are just the best.
Jasmine is one of Avery’s former teammates and was her best friend for as long as she can remember, the two reconnect when Avery comes back to town. Jasmine is married to their former coach, Dimitri, the relationship that Jasmine and her husband have a relationship that isn’t very different than the relationship the two had when she was training with him.
The conversations that happen throughout this novel are real and important. There are conversations about love, body image, abuse, depression and so much more.
This book was SO good! It was fun, cute, heartfelt and heart breaking. I highly recommend this one!