As a long-time fan of Jennifer Weiner, I was excited to dive into The Breakaway, thinking it would be another great read. The book follows the story of Abby, a woman in her 40s who embarks on a solo bike trip, hoping to find clarity and escape from the complexities of her life, including her relationship with her overbearing mother and her complicated feelings about her past. Along the way, she meets new people and navigates challenges that force her to confront her fears and insecurities.

While it wasn’t bad, it just didn’t hit me the same way her other books have. I found Abby’s journey to be relatable in some parts, but the pacing felt a bit slow, and I didn’t connect with the characters as deeply as I usually do in Jennifer Weiner’s books.

It’s still a decent read, just not one that I’ll be remembering for a long time. If you’re a fan of her books, you might enjoy it, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

Having read previous books from this author, I was interested in this summer set book. This was character driven and lit-fic that explored identity and the interactions of one’s identity such as body shape and gender.

While this was a good read, I wasn’t wowed. There were a lot of supporting characters that at time felt overshadowed the main character rather than adding to them. Despite exploring the messiness of life, things ended up in tidy bow, which isn’t in keeping with the novel nor something I like.

Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada, Atria Books, for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've read this author previously and enjoyed her writing. But this one wasn't a win for me. There were just so many things I disliked about this novel. Things were cleaned up too easily. The main character was annoying and whiny. The mom daughter relationship was ridiculous, but not as bad as the love triangle.

I can't stand insta love, this author used to write women's lit, but this one is definitely a love story. It's probably great if you love a love story, but I do not.

I really enjoyed this read. This was a really unique book as it combines romance with some self-development. Abby is a plus size woman and has struggled with her confidence in her body. We follow Abby as she explores her confidence in relation to her mother and also in relation to men.

I loved that the main character was a plus sized person. Also the fact that she road everyday made her very fit as well. Usually larger people are all depicted as slovenly people who do not ever exercise or look after themselves.

I like that Abby was independent and not worries about getting married, etc.

I enjoyed this read very much. And would recommend this contemporary romance .

Some people might be triggered by some of the subject story lines but I thought it was all fine.

I’m a huge Jennifer Weiner fan and have been reading her books for over 22 years. The first Jennifer Weiner book I read was Good in Bed. It was a gem of a book that I absolutely loved. Who would have thought that 22 years later Ms. Weiner would still be writing books I can relate to and love. The Breakaway was a fantastic read. I love that Jennifer Weiner sticks to her trade mark style, focusing on family, friendship, love and of course tackling tough topics head on. Jennifer Weiner never shy’s away from mental and physical health issues, body positivity, family dynamics and relationships.

I found main character Abby to be likeable and realistic. Her life is on track, job, a place to live, good friends, and a childhood sweetheart, Mark. One would think Abby would be in heaven. While Abby is content she isn’t truly happy and knows something is amiss with her life. So when Abby is asked last minute to lead a bike trip from New York to Niagara Falls, she jumps at the opportunity. She hopes time away from Mark will help her figure out what she truly wants out of life and will make her happy. Throw in an old one night stand flame, her mother and a bunch of strangers and you’re in for the ride of a life time. And what a ride it is.

Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for my arc of The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner in exchange for my honest review.

The book took me by surprise. I would not have picked this book up if I hadn't received it. I surprisingly connected with aspects of this book that I didn't expect not having heard much about it prior to reading. I definitely would recommend it if your considering reading it.

I started and stopped the few times solely because of all the body talk. I thought the writing was great and once I got going with the story, I enjoyed the characters and the journey. I think this particular plot was just middle of the road for me, but I would read the author again because of the writing style.

Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada, Atria Books, for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5. i really enjoy how Weiner writes body diversity, but i do wish sometimes it was less of the main characters whole personality- sometimes it takes over in what i personally feel is an unrealistic way.
i like how this touched on many current events and issues and but not in too heavy of a way. this would be a fantastic vacation/beach read!

Received this EARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have mixed feelings about The Breakaway. While there were many things I liked about this book, there was also a lot missing. I feel like the the side characters added nothing to the book and they overshadowed the main character at the same time. I feel like I couldn't connect to the main character as much as I wanted to. While the topics in this book were good, I feel like there needed to be more to be able to make the statement it wanted to

I read my first book by Jennifer Weiner, The Breakaway, and I have to say I am not disappointed.

Weiner has a knack for writing engaging and realistic characters. The Breakaway is about a woman who leads a group bike trip from New York City to Niagara Falls, and has to deal with some unexpected guests along the way: her mother, who has always criticized her weight, and her former one-night stand, who might be more than just a fling.

Abby Stern credits cycling for helping her overcome her childhood trauma of being sent to weight-loss camp every summer by her mother, who never accepted her as she was. Now, as an adult, Abby is in a stable relationship with Mark, a fellow former camper who has lost half his weight and supports Abby unconditionally. He seemed set on spending forever with Abby, but she feels something is missing in their relationship. Maybe it's the fact that he won't touch sugar or learn to ride a bike with her. Maybe it's the fact that she still struggles with her self-esteem and body image.

When Abby gets the opportunity to lead a 12-day bike tour through New York, she jumps at it. It's a chance to do what she loves most, and to clear her head away from Mark. But she doesn't expect two surprise riders to join her: Sebastian, a charming and handsome man she had a one-night stand with before meeting Mark, and Eileen, her mother, who claims she wants to reconnect with Abby after years of estrangement. As Abby and Sebastian get closer on the road, Abby starts to question her feelings for Mark and wonder if Sebastian is the one for her. But can she trust him, especially after learning that he became famous on TikTok for sleeping around Brooklyn? And can she forgive her mother, who still triggers Abby's insecurities?

This is a delightful and heartwarming novel that explores themes of body acceptance, self-love, family, friendship, and romance. Abby is a relatable and likable protagonist, who grows as a person throughout the story. Weiner does a great job of portraying the complexities of Abby's relationship with her mother, as well as the chemistry between Abby and Sebastian. The secondary characters are also well-developed and add humor and depth to the story. Weiner also switches perspectives occasionally to give us a glimpse into their thoughts and feelings.

THE BREAKAWAY is a perfect book for anyone who enjoys a good romantic comedy with a dose of realism and social commentary.

Another compulsively readable and relatable novel from Jennifer Weiner. I simply love her writing style and in this one, I really enjoyed the fact that she was writing about a something she really loves. It was thought provoking and engrossing. Thanks so much to the publisher for my advance reading copy.

This book was a cute rom-com that touches on a few contemporary issues. Themes such as body positivity, girl empowerment, and the importance of having choices are among the most noteworthy. Although a work of fiction, these topics were heavily touched upon.
I am a fan of Weiner's writing style, and this book was equally pleasing to me. I loved Abby and her overall great attitude about life.
It made me want to know more about her and what she will finally decide to do.
Another thing I found interesting was to see how her relationship between her and her mother progressed. Once they both decided to be open and honest with each other, it transformed the tensions that have been building up for years.
A feel-good book that is easy to read. I recommend it to anyone looking for a lighter book that will help them get out of a reading slump.

Read if you like: exploration of identity, character-driven stories
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Abby Stern has the perfect boyfriend, but she is not happy. So when she gets a chance to lead a two week bike trip, she gets to explore what it is she truly wants out of life.
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So the story was ok. The message behind body love and positivity, toxic masculinity, and exploring your identity was good, but I had a couple of issues with this book. My first one was with the mother characters. Some of their reasons for keeping things from their daughters just didn't work for me, and while I can't share more as it would be a spoiler, this part frustrated me. I also don't like cheating in books and I felt like the reason for cheating was weak and the character didn't redeem herself in the end in my opinion.

This book has a fun premise- a woman on a bike tour has to spend weeks with a one-night stand she left behind and her judgmental mother. I loved the body positive sentiment, but almost everything else in the novel fell flat for me with too many characters, unlikable MCs, and a bike tour plot that didn't really take me anywhere. I usually love Jennifer Weiner so this was a disappointment for me.

Jennifer Weiner's books are so readable! She is great at creating relatable characters and telling simple yet deep stories about the lives of women.

I enjoyed the messages in this book about body image, reproductive rights, empowerment of girls and women and healing from childhood hurts in order to become a healthy adult. I also appreciated the Jewish representation.

My one complaint about this book is that the main character cheats on her serious boyfriend and doesn't seem too conflicted about it. When he catches her, she is apologetic but I felt uncomfortable that she cheated on him rather than just break up with him even though she was already having major doubts about the longevity of their relationship.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Net Galley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Breakaway is a book about relationships. Not just romantic, parent child and friendships are also explored. I enjoyed this story because no matter what age the reader is, there is someone they can relate to.

Jennifer Weiner is officially the first author to make me feel old. It didn't click until Yom Kapoor that Eileen was not born in the 1950s, but in the 70 or 80s, so my age. I had some big feelings about this.

Good book, I will live a trigger warning for content about abortions and ED

This is my first book by this author and did not really know what to expect story wise but also writing style wise. I loved Abby's story and to see how she was struggling with parts of herself but also strong and assertive about other parts made her a relatable and likable character. Another thing I liked about this book was how we got to see snippets the personal journey as well as the biking trip journey of the supporting character through their own eyes. The whole story showed us how even though it doesn't seem that way, everyone is dealing with their own issues and insecurities and you should never judge someone by what you see. Where I struggled a bit was with the pace of the story which is on the slower side. That combined with the longer chapters made it hard to keep my attention for a long time and I just couldn't really get into it and read a lot at once. At one point some of the elements started being redundant and I felt like the story needed to let go of certain aspects to progress but that is very personal to me (redundancy is something that throws me off). Overall, if a slower pacing doesn't affect you then this book is a beautiful story about life and it's different lessons.

Humorous, heartwarming, and uplifting!

The Breakaway is a sweet, slow-burning romance that takes us into the life of the hardworking, kind Abby Stern who, after needing a little space before taking the next step with her current boyfriend, Mark, decides to lead a twelve-day bike tour from NYC to Niagara Falls with two unexpected participants among the pack. One a former one-night stand notorious for his playboy lifestyle whom she’s never been able to completely forget, and the other her mother, whom she’s always had a strained complex relationship with due to her lifelong criticism of Abby’s above-average weight.

The writing is sentimental and engaging. The characters are layered, supportive, and endearing. And the plot is a touching tale of family, friendship, self-discovery, happiness, healing, taking chances, growth, revelations, tender moments, light drama, misunderstandings, romance, passion, new beginnings, the importance of body autonomy, and the joy of cycling.

Overall, The Breakaway is another charming, timely, thought-provoking tale by Weiner that has everything I’ve come to know and love about her novels, including a good dose of hope, heart, healing, and humour that always keeps me coming back for more.

I really enjoy Jennifer Weiner's books, this was my third of hers that I read this summer, and probably my favourite. This book has layers, many, many layers. Our girl Abby is at a turning point in her life, she's 33, she works odd jobs like dog-walking and she's not married, yet. Her boyfriend, sweet, successful and handsome, announces that he'd like to take the next step and move in together. This should send Abby over the moon with happiness, but something is not quite right.

When a friend calls in a favour and asks Abby to lead a ten day bike trip from NYC to Niagara Falls she jumps at the chance at this new experience and to clear her head, really figure out where she wants to be in her life. When her only one-night-stand ever, from two years ago shows up as one of her tour participants things get complicated. Then her mother signs on as a last minute participant dredging up all kinds of buried feelings about Abby's childhood, her lifelong struggle with her weight and her strained relationship with her mother.

There are some wonderful dynamics between the rest of the bike tour group participants. A teenage girl, Morgan, shares a secret with fellow biker and launches a plan into action with a surprising outcome.

I devoured this story on my summer beach vacation, and would recommend it if you're looking for an engrossing read about family & friendships, and love.