
Member Reviews

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.
Jennifer Weiner's novel "The Breakaway" is a compelling narrative that explores the themes of self-worth, personal growth, and the complexities of human relationships. The protagonist, Abby Stern, is a character who resonates with authenticity and depth, making her journey not just a plot to follow, but an experience to be felt.
Abby's passion for cycling is more than a hobby; it's a lifeline that has pulled her through the tumultuous waves of an overweight childhood, a divorce, and the relentless pressure from a judgmental mother. Weiner's portrayal of Abby's struggles with body image and self-acceptance is both sensitive and raw, striking a chord with anyone who has ever grappled with self-doubt.
The story takes off when Abby embarks on a 12-day cycling trip from New York City to Niagara Falls, a physical and emotional journey that promises escape from her stagnant relationship with Mark, a man who loves her yet embodies the life she's unsure she wants. The trip, however, throws her life into sharper relief with the unexpected inclusion of Sebastian, a charming one-night stand from her past, and Eileen, her critical mother.
Weiner skillfully weaves a tale where the road becomes a metaphor for life, with each pedal stroke pushing Abby towards a deeper understanding of herself. The dynamics between Abby and Sebastian offer a slow-burning romance that is as much about finding love as it is about discovering one's capacity for it. The rekindling of their relationship is handled with a deft touch, allowing the reader to savor the tension and tenderness that unfolds.
Equally compelling is Abby's strained relationship with her mother. Weiner doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable truths of their past, yet she offers a glimmer of hope for reconciliation and healing. It's a testament to Weiner's writing that she can balance the weight of such issues with moments of humor and levity, provided by the colorful cast of characters that Abby encounters on her journey.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. This is the first Jennifer Weiner book I couldn’t finish. I will continue to read the author unlikable unrelatable characters glad she used a plus size character jumped right into sex scenes. Even tried listening to the audiobook and still didn’t like the book

"The Breakaway" by Jennifer Weiner starts with a fun set-up: 33-year-old Abby is leading a long-distance bike trip from NYC to Niagara Falls that gets complicated when her fiance Mark, her ex Sebastian, and her mother Eileen, all come along for the ride. Unfortunately, the promise of this premise didn't pan out and the book quickly becomes a vehicle for Weiner to cycle through a lot of current issues (body acceptance, abortion, female empowerment) without a compelling plot or believable characters. Eileen, Mark and Sebastian seem to exist just to represent stereotypes of how people deal with weight, whether it is the constantly-dieting mother who body shames her impressionable daughter, the boyfriend who loses weight and then becomes obsessed with maintaining his new physique, or the clueless guy who thinks that a plate of pasta is the perfect post-coital snack for his plus-size date. The biggest problem, however, is that main character Abby is defined not by who she is but by what she's missing--a career, a relationship with her mom, a socially-acceptable body--and her weight quickly becomes her most salient characteristic. But in making Abby's weight the most important thing about her, Weiner ironically undermines Abby's empowerment narrative and reinforces the very stereotypes she wants to invalidate. Read novels by Linda Holmes for smart, funny, fully-developed women who also happen to be plus sized.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Atria Books for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review.

ARC provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for a review.
Jennifer Weiner does it again in her latest book, The Breakaway. Those familiar with Weiner's writing will find comfort in a full cast of characters, sprinkled with some humor, and adept handling of social issues of body image and women's access to healthcare. Weiner is one of the author's who is automatically added to my TBR list when she announces a new book.

Jennifer Weiner has done it again. Her latest novel, The Breakaway, is a testament to the power of family, friendship and believing in yourself. I appreciated how this novel has a wide cast of characters that each brought something specific to the plot. Weiner writes with such clarity about the cycling experience and subsequent trip the characters travel that I have no doubt, she writes from her own experiences.
My one criticism of the novel is how Weiner writes and speaks about Abby's weight. Many times the "fat shaming" language Abby uses to describe herself would never be tolerated in real life. It was almost as if Weiner was commenting on body shapes, diets, and difficulties as a deflection mechanism directly from her own life, as the author has spoken openly about her own weight journeys in the past.
Overall The Breakaway is an enjoyable contemporary fiction novel with a bit of romance. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Publishing for the chance to read this book.

The Breakaway was off the bat way too spicy for me. I do look forward to reading more by the author though. Thank you for the opportunity to read this e-galley.

This book was so good! There were so many layers to this story. I enjoyed all the different points of view. The subject matter was different but so interesting. I very much enjoyed it and can't wait to read more from this author.

4.5 stars
As always, Jennifer Weiner has yet another home run with this delightful joy of a novel. I really loved getting to know everyone and was sad when it ended. I love how body positive she writes her leads and this is yet another one!!
I had some trepidation about reading this book since I'm not really into bike riding but I found the knowledge to be informative without being overwhelming or obnoxious.
Highly recommend to anyone looking for a good self-discovery read with a dash of romance!

I had put off reading this book for a long time. I love Jennifer Weiner but I felt that this one didn’t call to me as her previous ones did…I was so wrong!
I loved this story. Abby and Sebastian will forever hold a place in my heart (and so will every character in this story!). This is a story about putting yourself out there and trusting yourself, that all those worst-case scenarios will most likely never come true. And that you are worthy, no matter what you look like.
And a special shout-out to all the Moms in this story (especially Eileen) ❤️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Jennifer Weiner is a must read author for me so I was thrilled to be approved to read this ahead of all my friends and family. I loved this book and the writing style Jennifer takes to explain lots of issues. I highly recommend this book!

I am probably going to be a bit biased because I am a fan of all things Jennifer Weiner. She is genuinely one of the best to me.
We meet Abby on a bachelorette trip where she meets a beautiful stranger who she cannot believe is interested in her. Abby lives in Philadelphia and is beginning to seriously see a man who she thinks may lead to a boyfriend. However, that does not stop her attraction to Sebastian. The two have a memorable night and do not see each other again.
Fast forward to two years later and Abby is asked to lead a bike ride that spans several weeks and goes all through New York. She is shocked to learn that Sebastian is one of the riders on the trek.
What follows is a heartfelt story of these two individuals struggling with themselves while also trying to avoid their obvious attraction to each other.
Weiner does an amazing job of writing plus size characters. She humanizes the characters and I can totally relate to them. Abby is sent away to “fat camp” as a kid and my heart cries for heart.
This book is a romance at heart but it does tackle some heavy issues. I cannot recommend this enough.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Enjoyed this modern reliance set on a biking trip. Having followed Jennifer Weiner on social media, I knew she was a biker and she shows off her knowledge of biking in this novel. Weiner never misses and I’ve always enjoyed her books. I liked Abby Stern, the main character, who is torn between her “safe” partner who she met at “fat camp” as a teen and the man she meets as an adult who makes her heart sing. The book interweaves what happens on the bike trip with flashbacks for Abby and some of the other characters that explain why the characters behave the way they do. I’ve always wondered what this type of bike trip would be like so I found that interesting as a side plot. Feminist touches such one of the settings being Seneca Falls and a young girl who struggles between her parents’ conservative views and her desire for an abortion are deftly woven into the story as the book progresses. Mother-daughter relationships and diet culture are also touched on in the book. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an advanced reader’s copy.

I liked this book a lot. Jennifer Weiner is great at character development!
I even read the amazon short story of this! It was great!
I liked how complicated Abby is. It's like she is awake for the first time and questioning what her life is. It happens!
Thank you for this advanced copy. Jennifer Weiner can do no wrong!

I am in no way a cyclist and was concerned that I wouldn't be able to get into this because of the subject matter, but I was wrong. I enjoyed the character development, the flash backs, the explanations for everything that weren't overly detailed that it lost me. The casual polyamorous triad made me really happy and it just was. There was no need for overexploitation.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Receiving an advanced copy was much appreciated. I believe both existing fans and newcomers will find it equally enjoyable.

Abby Stern is 33, doesn't have a solid career, but does have a great boyfriend and a love of biking. She's also a plus size woman with a small sized mother. A mother who used to send her to weight-loss camp every summer where she first met Mark, her current boyfriend. Mark is now fit and trim, with a grueling diet/exercise regime. He's a great guy (when he isn't hiding Abby's ice cream in the back of the freezer) who loves running (but can't ride a bike and won't learn). When Abby is asked to lead The Empire Trail bike excursion she finds herself face to face with Sebastian, a man she hooked up with two years earlier.
This is just part of a larger story, and in fact, Abby's love life isn't the main draw at all. Abby's relationship with her weight has been the deciding factor in many of her relationships. How people see her, and how she sees herself has always been Abby's struggle. She's on a journey of self-love.
Along for the ride is Lilly, and her teenage daughter, Morgan, who are struggling to connect. Her Christian Pastor husband was supposed to come along but he couldn't make it so now those two need to find a way to bond. Secrets come to light as mother and daughter find they each have their own journey of self-love and forgiveness. (Note: so many one star reviews state this storyline is "unnecessary", "political", "preachy". If you can't see this for what it is then you're probably married to a pastor, too).
Finally, Sebastian likes to just keep moving. When his life implodes on social media he realizes he's riding away from who and what he could be, as well. Abby is forced to face all of her beliefs about herself, her mother, and what she really needs love to look like in order to be happy.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Man, I love Jennifer's books! This was no exception. It was a great story with a great setting and a wonderful cast of characters. It was classic Weiner and I could not be happier about it. 4.5 stars rounded down.

*** spoilers ahead with sensitive topics ***
I received The Breakaway quite some time ago, and was not drawn to it immediately after the first few pages. I finally saw that my local library had the audiobook available and decided to give it a try. I loved the audiobook! The multiple person cast was delightful as it moved through the multiple POVs of each character. I appreciated the dynamics built between the two main characters, Abby & Sebastian. Their love story is unique and the secondary characters included certainly helped to build their backstory. I enjoyed "the breakaway" as being the overall theme of the book where characters go into the trip as one person but leave as another. Body empowerment is definitely a focus of the story, with Abby's story being the most forward. The story between Abby & Eileen (Abby's mother) was one that I was particularly drawn to and enjoyed listening to their story's arc. In fact, it overshadowed Abby & Sebastian's story in the end and made me like the book even more. Overall, there were bits of the story I loved and others I didn't, and enjoyed it very much on audio rather than reading it.
Thank you, Atria Books and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for this review.

I loved this book. Jennifer Weiner really laid out her heart and soul in this one and it was just a fantastic read. It dealt with very serious and controversial topics in a way that I think we can all relate to. I love how The Breakaway community rallied around to help one of their own; whether they agreed with her decision or not. Each of the characters was so real and I loved them all. This may be my new Jennifer Weiner book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. These words are my own.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.