As a person who does functional fitness, this was really inspiring to see how she came back from the injury and used her CrossFit community to support her throughout her recovery. What an amazing and hard earned comeback!

I’ve been out of the CrossFit game for awhile but I remember hearing about Brooke Wells and what happened to her during the 2021 CrossFit Games. The news was everywhere and my heart broke for this poor girl. Imagine working and training so hard all for your dream to shatter in an instant and in such an unimaginable way.

I devoured this book in one sitting, mesmerized by Brooke’s injury and incredible recovery and road back to the CrossFit Games. Brooke speaks with such heart and conviction that you can’t helped but be moved by her journey. Seeing her push through and finish was so satisfying. I loved that so much for her. I know this story doesn’t begin to capture all of the moments of frustration and pain, and doubts and fear, but I can only imagine what she endured, especially with what I have felt during my own ordeal, and I love that she was able to come back stronger and better than ever. Talk about motivating!!

I’ve been scared to start back at my own CrossFit training after I had a medical incident over a year ago, but reading this has really pumped me up. There are so many quotes that have really stuck with me, motivating me in my own unique situation, and speaking to my athletic soul. Maybe it’s time for my own comeback story to be written.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I was watching the CrossFit games the day Brook Wells was injured. She had been doing so well, and watching her become injured was devastating as a fan, but she's a fighter and an exceptional athlete. I enjoyed this book about how that day went for her and her recovery.

In Resilient, Brooke Wells takes us on her journey that begins with the horrifying moment at the 2021 CrossFit Games. As ten thousand fans watched in shock, Brooke's elbow dislocated under the weight of a 190-pound barbell. This isn't just a story of pain and setback; it's a testament to the human spirit's indomitable will.

Wells is a highly accomplished CrossFit athlete who faced the ultimate challenge: how to come back from a devastating injury. Her elbow reconstruction surgery left her physically and mentally battered. Against all odds, she embarked on a path of resilience that transformed her into one of the fittest women in the world.

This memoir is refreshingly honest and it feels like Wells really bares her soul. She shares her raw emotions, fears, and self-doubt. We witness her struggle, her determination, and her unwavering commitment to reclaim her place on the CrossFit stage. Through gruelling workouts, setbacks, and moments of doubt, Brooke Wells emerged as a beacon of inspiration in the fitness world.

The narrative pulls readers into the intensity of the CrossFit arena, where we feel the adrenaline, the sweat, and the sheer force of will participants possess. It’s my opinion that Wells's vulnerability makes her triumphs compelling. Her journey isn't just about physical strength; it's about mental fortitude, passion, and the refusal to accept defeat.

Resilient celebrates the human spirit's ability to rise from the ashes and serves as a story of courage, grit, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Perfect for CrossFit enthusiasts or people who appreciates tales of resilience, Brooke Wells's memoir will leave readers inspired and cheering for the underdog.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

An inspiring memoir, Resilient by Brooke Wells will resonate with those familiar with her unfortunate injury or the CrossFit competition sport. Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for providing an early digital version of this title.

I really enjoyed Resilient! I have been going to a Crossfit gym for years, so I am familiar with Brooke Wells. I appreciated her honesty about being injured and the patience it took to recover. I was a bit questioning of her pushing to compete so soon after surgery, but she also recognized the risk inherent. I also appreciated her reflection of how the injury made her stronger mentally and physically. Loved the stories about training with Tia Toomey!

CW: descriptions of elbow injury and surgery. not for the faint of heart!

As a former crossfitter, I've enjoyed watching Brooke Wells' journey in the Crossfit world and at the Crossfit games so I was really excited to read this memoir. I loved hearing Brooke's story and voice. She is really and inspiring person and this was a great read!

If you’ve paid attention to my reading habits this last year, you may have noticed I’m very into sports memoirs.

There is just something so equally riveting and relatable about them. Sure… I’m one of those crazies that chooses to run long distances for fun BUT please believe me when I tell you that @brookewellss story contains a lesson for everyone.

Told with heartwarming honesty, RESILIENT is a story about the human capacity to overcome and what happens when we don’t allow our unexpected adversity to define us.

I loved this one. If my kids allowed, I’d have easily consumed it in one sitting.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for an e-ARC of Resilient in exchange for an honest review.

Brooke Wells is a well-known athlete in the CrossFit circuit. She is an athlete that you can’t take your eyes off of. She exudes a calm, incredible power. During the CrossFit Games 2021, her elbow dislocated in front of everyone under a 190lb barbell. This book tells the story of her comeback and how she is still competing today as one of the strongest women in the world.

I follow Brooke on Instagram and find her very inspiring. I love to work out. My workouts are more YouTube videos at home with weights rather than CrossFit, but I can appreciate someone who cares tremendously for their health and fitness. Reading about the athletic pieces of this book was most enjoyable for me. But some other areas were a little flat, in my opinion.

Sometimes, I wish the book included more of Brooke’s backstory. Without these pieces of how Brooke became who she is, some chapters came off as incredibly privileged and a little oblivious to that privilege. It pulled me away from the story, and I did not enjoy reading about it as much. Often, the author complained about things or contradicted herself, which altered my opinions of her.

If you enjoy Crossfit, this book is a great read and was very quick to read. The language is approachable and very immersive, especially for non-fiction!

I enjoyed reading this first-person perspective of Brooke's journey to the Crossfit Games. I particularly enjoyed learning about the mindset that an elite athlete has. Many times in the book I thought Brooke was unwise for pushing so hard, but I also appreciate that this is how she achieved many incredible feats.

If you want to get a sense of what an elite athlete does when things go wrong, this is a good book to gain that perspective.

This book is great! I've read most memoirs by the top CrossFit athletes and they are all inspiring. This one was especially relatable because back when I was in really good shape playing soccer, I tore my ACL and the recovery process was an all encompassing year-long endeavor.

I am a huge fan of Brooke Wells, so I was really excited to see she had a book coming out. Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced e-arc of Resilient as well as a finished copy.

Brooke Wells is big in CrossFit. She is determined to always do her best and perform at the best of her abilities. Brooke does a great job drawing the reader into the story with vivid details and creating the backdrop of her "comeback." I was really invested from the beginning. Around 20-30%, the story became a bit redundant and slowed down a bit for me. I switched to the audio to finish out the book.

I will say the final 10% was great! You can tell that she is really passionate about the sport of CrossFit and on having a positive outlook on life. She is wise beyond her years.

I will say, I think anyone would enjoy this book. You do not have to be into CrossFit to really understand her message. The context has very technical terms, that if you are not into lifting weights or CrossFit, you may have a hard time understanding what all she is talking about or remaining interested.

Overall, I rated this book 4/5 stars. It was well written; Brooke did a great job narrating her story. I would have liked to hear more about her family and growing up, but I understand, this was solely focused on her elbow injury and how she trained her way back to the stage as an athlete. Anything is possible when you are determined to succeed and resilient!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the copy of this book

This book took me in two directions: (1) WOW, YES, she *is* so resilient and I'm so inspired! I love going to the gym and a comeback after an injury *is* possible. (2) CrossFit people might be a little crazy. I found it a little sad that everything in her life is focused on a three-day event. There’s something to be said for rest and giving yourself time to heal instead of rushing it and lying to officials to continue in a competition when it might not really be good for your body. Is that really resilience?

Thanks, NetGalley and St Martin’s Press, for the digital review copy.

Brooke Wells suffered what might have been a career-ending injury in the 2021 CrossFit Games. Instead of giving up or dialing back, she worked to return to a sport with one of the shortest off-seasons. This first-person account shines a light on professional athletes, especially in a sport “that gets heavier and harder every year.”

Brooke greatly credits her surgeon, PT team, and tribe (training team, fellow athletes, and supportive family). Not once in this memoir did it seem like she was keeping any credit for herself. Instead, she demonstrates the importance of grit, mindset, and focus.

“Saying no is easier, I’ve learned, if you don’t think about it that way. I’m not walking away from an exciting opportunity. I’m leaning into what really matters to me.”

Understanding CrossFit will give you a better appreciation for some of the technical aspects of the story (e.g., the steps in a snatch or muscle up, the Open season), but you don’t need it to appreciate Brooke. Her story shows how she rehabbed her mind as much as her elbow.

“More than education, more than experience, more than training, a person’s level of resilience will determine who succeeds and who fails.”

This is the untold story of CrossFit’s greatest comeback and what an inspiring story it is! What Brooke went through and how she faced the adversity is truly admirable.

It was such a quick and easy read too. I did not want to put it down and read it in less than a day! The way it was written, I could vividly see it all and felt like I was there in the coliseum, in the doctors appointments and in trainings with her.

There is a lot of CrossFit terminology, but being someone who does not know much about it, I can verify that it did not take away from the story at all and I was still able to follow along and was not confused.

You do not need to be a sports enthusiast to enjoy this. Just need to want to hear an inspiring story and be reminded that with determination and the right mindset, you can overcome any setbacks life throws your way. This book will inspire you to take on your own challenges!

Really recommend checking this one out!

Resilient, by Brooke Wells, tells the story of Brooke's comeback after injury at the 2021 Crossfit Games. I thought that this was an interesting read to learn more about her perspective on the journey as well as her overall journey through Crossfit, but that it was pretty niche and moreso telling about her experiences than showing and highlighting overall themes and learnings.

One thing of note that I didn't love is that the book really highlights and emphasizes Brooke's quick recovery timeline, but this isn't what the normal person goes through. Despite that, it was a quick read and I always love to read about female athlete's experiences.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for review!

A massive thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!! I really enjoyed this book; definitely something I will tell my friends about!

Star rating is a generic place holder. I would love to give feedback on this title, but unfortunately, St. Martin's Press has not addressed the racist actions of their marketing employee, and so I will not be addressing their titles. At least, not until they respond in a way that shows they have put thought into how they will address racism within their company and imprint companies in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me advanced reader access in exchange for an honest review. This title publishes January 16, 2024.

4.25 ⭐️

I am fascinated by CrossFit and get unreasonably into watching the CrossFit games. The level of drive, work and determination it takes to be a top CrossFit athlete blows my mind. It’s extreme. So I love it.

I was thrilled to get the chance to read Brooke’s memoir and it did not disappoint.

Did I feel like I was watching Brooke’s performances and recovery real time? I sure did. And her commitment to physiotherapy and how highly she spoke of the PTs she worked with absolutely warmed my heart. Sure I wished I was her PT, but that’s beside the point.

This is a captivating memoir that shows how hard work can pay off but it takes everything you have.

The only thing I didn’t love was the stylistic choice to not use any quotation marks, which could have only been in the earc, I’m unsure. And that’s a personal preference.

I will continue to cheer Brooke on at future games. If you have any interest in CrossFit or high level athletes I highly recommend this memoir.

I’ve never done a CrossFit workout. I’ve never watched a CrossFit competition. But I was still riveted by Resilient: The Untold Story of CrossFit’s Greatest Comeback by Brooke Wells.

In the 12th event of the 2021 CrossFit Games, Wells dislocated her elbow and had to withdraw from the competition. Immediately her sole focus was on healing and returning for the 2022 competition and she wouldn’t hear of any other outcome.

This kept me turning pages and I completed it in one sitting. Thank you to St Martins Press and Netgalley for the free book to review.