I absolutely loved this book. It has to be one of my favourites for this year. This is the follow-up of Bear Town, and Us Against You. This author really knows how to capture what it is like living in small towns. The culture of sport heroes, thinking they can do what ever they want when they want.
This book is about the aftermath of how so many lives were affected by the acts of the town trying to cover-up what happened in Bear Town. Two towns -' can they come together as one??This is the 3rd book in the series.
I loved the characters. You could really get behind them, You either loved them or hated them. I had many emotions while reading this story.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this before it came out.

When I was approved for the winners by Fredrik Backman I will admit I did not realize it was a part of a series! So I quickly read the first two books of the Beartown series! These books are so good especially this last one that I’m desperately searching for the series on HBO to no avail maybe because I’m in the US I don’t know but I’ll keep watching and waiting.
Great book by Backman, I’m not searching and adding his other books to my ever growing to be read pile.
Thanks for the chance to read this one early for my honest opinion. Don’t wait, grab this one at your local bookstore near you next month.

Neighbouring towns Beartown and Hed have hated each other both on and off the hockey rink ice for as long as anyone in either town can remember. On the night of a huge storm, a child is born to a Hed couple and a beloved citizen of Beartown dies. These two events will precipitate major upheavals in both towns.

The Winners is the third and final chapter in the Beartown series by author Fredrik Backman and it was just as compelling and unputdownable as the previous two books. And, like in those previous books, Backman deals with some very important but dark issues like rape, depression, and the dangers of ‘othering’ whether in politics or because of intense loyalty to a game like hockey.. But as always, although he doesn’t try to sugarcoat them, he treats every issue with compassion, insight, and empathy.

Returning to Beartown is like visiting a place and people you have grown to love making it hard to say goodbye. Backman has the ability to create places and characters that are completely relatable. Even those who do terrible things are treated with empathy. He also makes you care what will happen to the two towns and their citizens after these events and, even though, it’s clear, at the end that, people being people, their dislike of each other will not likely change, there is still the hope that they will find a way to overcome their differences because, in the end, regardless of who beats who on the rink, there are no winners if they can’t get past this hatred. And perhaps that’s Backman’s great gift as a writer and why he is one of my favourite authors - because, no matter how dark things get, there is always hope.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

This book WRECKED me. Like, full on ugly cry with snot running down my face for the last 20 minutes. I walked around sighing forlornly for days afterwards, alternating tearing up and smiling at the thought of a section of the book that was everything I needed. Just thinking about it makes me tear up! This book was MAGNIFICENT. Spectacular. Absolutely, 100%, without a doubt my favorite in the series. This was everything I hoped for in the conclusion of the trilogy and more. There’s really nothing I can say that will equate to how I feel about this book. It’s without adjectives. READ this series!!! Backman is a literary genius and this was an epic conclusion to a series that will forever live in my heart. ALL OF THE STARS AND MORE!!

I don’t know of a book that has affected me so deeply in a long time. Although Backman made it explicitly clear from the first chapter of the book that my favorite character of the series would die (as had been hinted in previous books) I was not expecting the flood of emotions I felt over these 600+ pages. Just as with the last book, there was a good balance of storylines with the characters we’d come to know and new characters. While I didn’t feel quite as connected to these new characters at first, by the end I was deeply invested in their stories. I love how there were glimpses of the future that gave me comfort. I honestly cannot imagine a more perfect conclusion to this series.

Thanks to Atria books for the publicity copy of Fredrik Backman's newest, THE WINNERS, expected pub date of September 27, 2022.

Fredrik Backman has a gift for writing characters that are fully and completely human. For finding the hurt and the love and the aches and the nuances of each person. THE WINNERS is exactly what I didn't even know I wanted for the conclusion of the *Beartown* trilogy (which if you haven't read, do it, just know there are oodles of trigger warnings about this series so if you need to, do your research first).

I highly recommend, and no doubt, I will be rereading all three of these books in the future.

“This hurts too much to touch with words.”

The third and final book in the Beartown series. That is all that is needed to be said.

Backman dedicated this book “to you who talk too much and sing too loud and cry too often and love something in life more than you should.” So basically it’s dedicated to me! But damn you Fredrik Backman. I knew this book was going to rip my heart out. I knew it would be a mix of wonderful and heartbreaking in the most perfect way. In that sense, it did not in any way disappoint. Doesn’t mean I am not still a bit upset with you Mr. Backman! If you loved the first two in this series, you will love this book, but have tissues at the ready!

Will the citizens of Beartown ever catch a break?
Not if this author has any say about it.

Like books one and two, tensions in the town remain high. Following a brutal storm, the town is now grappling with recovery and opening their beloved hockey rink to the enemy, Hed. On top of that, two of the town's former residents have returned to say goodbye to a prominent town member.

What makes this series so fascinating is how each character handles the drama around them.
Endless puck shooting.
Consuming alcohol and/or drugs.
Writing songs.
Violence.
Whether this is part of their recovery, or if it defines who they have become, every character has their own demons (public or private) that they are working through. As the reader, it was painful to witness their struggles, but rewarding when one escaped their demons at last.

I'll be honest, the author did gut me with one tragedy and I'm not sure I can forgive him for it. However, despite my anger, the decision to include this did not impact my overall rating, as I realize it fit in line with the ongoing tension that befell this town, and ultimately led to some positive change.

This is the last book in the series, it is time to say goodbye to characters I have grown close to over these three books. Big shoutout to Maya and Bobo, I love how far both have come.

The Winners is the third book in the Beartown trilogy written by Fredrik Backman, a Swedish author whose novels have been translated into English. Beartown is in my top ten all-time favorite books, and the author himself has produced some amazing work. I've absolutely loved all but one of his releases, and that was because of the style in which it was written -- from someone with an erratic personality, and it was difficult to understand reality vs. fantasy (which I don't usually read). When this one was announced, the possibilities thoroughly thrilled me. I was lucky enough to get an ARC through NetGalley, and I try to read books a few weeks before their official release so that I can promote the work for other readers who might be on the fence or unaware. Set to release next month, it was time to dive in last weekend... and while being so close to all the dynamic characters was wonderful, the plot failed to capture my attention. Thankfully, the writing style was epic, so I still enjoyed the book but it was my least favorite of the three in the series.

Let's get the not-so-great out of the way. After two stellar storylines, it would be hard to recreate a third with the same type of style and energy. I'm not a sports fan to begin with, and the exact elements I worried might not keep me intrigued in the first book (which were amazingly not present earlier) showed up in this last one. The fight was gone from most of the characters. Everyone had become a less-real version of themselves, and there really wasn't a strong plot to show readers the power of a small town constantly fighting for something to hold dear to their hearts. A death brings everyone together, and it was very sad, but it could've been much more powerful. It also was hinted at for 50% of the book, then revealed in a quiet manner. My favorite characters were backseat this time, and the new ones felt weird and useless to the history of the book. All that said...

Backman is brilliant at creating reader connections and imagery in his work. I turn the pages because the words flow easily off the pages (for us, probably not him while writing it all the time) and the scenes are mind-illuminating. To think this is a European city, not an American, is a contradiction on so many levels. It feels like the US Midwest. It feels like a foreign culture. It's representative of everything, and that's why readers find it so appealing. The way in which the story is told unfolds in an addictive manner. Just a teaser in each chapter but not in a painful way. It urges me to keep of reading and learning, and for that, I will always pick up a Backman novel when a new one is published. I am still ecstatic over whatever his new books focus on.

To me, The Winners is the best in the series. It has all the aspects of the first two, but with richer character development and it pulls on ALL the heartstrings. You do need to read the other two first to fully appreciate this, so get on that ASAP!!

Book: The Winners
Author: Fredrik Backman
Series: Beartown #3
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre: Small Town Drama
Pub Date: September 27, 2022
My Rating: 3 but planning to re-read so will probably change my rating!

This is my 8th Fredrik Backman novel. My fav is still "The Man Called Ove"].

However, since I grew up in a small town in West Virginia and “sports” especially football was king. “Friday Night Lights” were a tradition. Practically the whole town followed the high school marching band & cheerleaders down our main street to the football stadium ~ where our town’s high school played against another local high school team. SO YES! I was a Beartown fan!

Although the sport in this series is hockey ~ I can totally relate.
Story was a bit long for me ~ not a fan on reading long novels but I am okay with listening.
Struggled with staying focused soooo I am going to try the audiobook.
I will post that review later!

Want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 27, 2022

Wow! I first read beartown a couple years ago and can't believe we're now on the finale. This book was long. Very long but the storytelling makes up for it!

I'm a cryer. But this just made me sob and FEEL. I loved the addition of the new characters while also being able to follow along with our old favorites. For all my complaining about how long the book was, I was so sad when it was finally over and found myself savoring the last couple of chapters.

Fredrik Backman is on my list of immediate reads.

This book broke me. I knew it was going to because this is Fredrik Backman and his books breaks me, but this series in particular went deep with how the high and lows of humanity. Then on the first page, he warns that Benji is going to die. I thought I was prepared because there were plenty of warnings of when it was going to happen. But there I was in a waiting room for a blood test, willing myself not to cry because it still hurt.

A beautiful conclusion to a series that is painful in its realism.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

So so good. While I’m a huge fan of Backman’s writing style and books, i somehow missed the Beartown trilogy. So I started at the beginning and and by the time i read The Winners, I didn’t want the book to end and have to say goodbye to the characters I had come to love. As a huge hockey fan, i adored these 3 books, but love all the other multi -layers of themes and stories being told. I recommend it to everyone.

Oh my
another Fredrik Backman book that took my breath away on the first page and I did not breathe until the final word! He is an amazing author, and this series has blown me away! I own the first two books and have pre-ordered this one-- this from a librarian who does not need to buy books as I get access for free!
I am now trying to buy the series and am not able to find it... help?!

The town residents grapple with .... What is a family?
... What is a community?
... What are we willing to sacrifice to protect them?

You must read this book; you want to read this book/this series!!!

The Winners is a beautifully written conclusion to the Beartown series. Fredrick Backman is a very talented storyteller. While tackling difficult topics he leads us back into the lives of his characters. I really enjoyed this book, and even though quite lengthy there were no wasted words.

I dreaded reading the final book in the Beartown trilogy, not willing to say goodbye to the characters and the small town on the edge of the dark forest. For better or worse, they had become friends and frenemies. I tried to read slowly, to savor each line and each page, but the characters wouldn't wait. Thank you, Fredrik Backman, for an absolutely perfect farewell. Readers will not be disappointed.

I received a temporary digital advanced copy of The Winners by Fredrik Backman from NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A funeral brings the Beartown community back together, but because it is Beartown and the beginning of hockey season, naturally everything will fall apart again.

I found the third installment of Backman's Beartown series extremely difficult to rate. I loved parts of it and could barely read others. What I loved--the growth of Maya, Ana, Benji, Amat, Bobo, and Big City's friendship. I wish there was more of these moments than anything else. The dialog between the friends led me to laugh-out-loud more than once. Alicia, I loved her persistence, innocence, and love for her Beartown hockey family. What I could not stand--the repetition. This is a huge problem. If the editors cut 300+ pages of The Winners, they would 1. Still have a 300+ page book and 2. The reader wouldn't experience what some reviewers are calling Beartown Burnout or Beartown Boredom. I found reading the same sentences from the first and second book dozens of times was absolutely infuriating, hence the three stars. If Backman solely focused on writing a continuation of the series rather than repeating thought, feeling, and action of the characters and of hockey itself, I could have easily given The Winners five stars, but alas, here we are...

This is a nice conclusion to the trilogy. It took a little while to get going, but had all the classic Backman emotion at the end. I found the final 40% to be the most gripping, the first 60% was a lot of review and build up. The review was needed, but it took too long and meandered a bit too much.

These series has been incredible. I am not a huge hockey fan but this book was about much more than the sport. I loved the characters and the narrative. Just a win-win book!!!!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.