This is the story of four women (told through multiple POVs) who have to deal with the fallout of a campus scandal featuring their Athletics director. These include the replacement director, his wife, his intern and a fellow professor. This story gave an interesting insight into the management of university departments and the sexism that women have to endure. I enjoyed the story and found it hard to put down. Quite a short book, it was an easy, entertaining read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5⭐️

💭: Break the Glass follows four women as they traverse through a scandal that rocks the athletic department. I enjoyed seeing multiple perspectives of the same events, but felt like the 4 different POVs was a tad confusing. I would have loved to be able to become more invested into each women’s life. The multiple perspectives also contributed to a slower pace throughout.

💭: I did find it incredibly cool that Olivia comes from the sports realm which informed her writing really well. While the ending wrapped up incredibly nicely, it fell somewhat flat compared to the build up of the investigation. We spend 97% of the book on the investigation to have the resolution be completed in just a few pages.

I loved the pace of this novel. The author penned it in such a way that I could read it with ease in just 2 sittings. I'm not into sports trope. But then tried this book and I think this is giving me such an insight of the world of women sports.

"Somewhere there’s always someone who has to break the glass. Someone who removes the extinguisher from its case. Who puts out the fire. Who makes the final play. Meanwhile, the world is watching."

It's a chaotic morning at this university. Sal, the beloved athletics director is caught in a scandal. His assistant Nora is being promoted and she'll face a lot of adversity because she's a woman.

We follow several other women, including a professor at the uni and a grad student who just started her internship that morning!

The writing in this was really good. The problem for me is that I expected something totally different. I was expecting a dark academia mystery and this was just the politics of a big school and the focus on sports instead of academics. They mostly talked about sexism and honestly it got tedious.

I'm not particularly interested in sports but I do think it's an interesting time for this book. Given what is going on in women's sports these days that people are reluctant to call out, I felt like focusing on sexism was.. a choice.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.

Happy Pub Day to Olivia Swindler & her new novel: Break The Glass!

Told through the lens of four strong women in a male dominated environment. Break The Glass takes place inside the world of college athletics.

Overnight, in a small town, careers, friendships, reputations, and futures are all on the line in a razor-sharp novel about scandals, secrets, and hard-earned dreams coming true.

A small-town campus is rocked by scandal. Suddenly, these four women find themselves in the crosshairs of an investigation that threatens to upend their lives.

As the media descends, colleagues and friends begin to question everything they thought they knew about each other. Every one of them is getting caught off guard. And it feels like the whole world is watching.

I absolutely loved the women supporting women in this novel 🤍 and the story being told through their eyes. This would be a great read for anyone who enjoys sports, scandal, domestic thrillers, or strong female characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC copy.

This story about the rise of one woman’s career in sports management after scandal is a unique and interesting story. The story explored topics like sexism and double standards in the athletic world and how the media and fans treat women in power. I liked reading about these themes, but I think this story would best be told through a dramatic TV mini-series. I found that the story dragged a bit before any of the action really took place. It also took me a while to remember all the characters since the story is told in multiple POVs and each person had several people in their lives that were introduced in the story. If sports management is your niche, then this story is definitely for you. However, it fell a little flat for my liking. Thank you to Olivia Swindler, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy so I can provide an honest review.

After an athletic director is fired for a scandal, four women find themselves pulled into the investigation. There are four narrators here - the new athletic director, a professor at the university, an intern for the athletic director, and the athletic director's wife. } never really connected with any of these four characters, and I don't think the plot ever really found a clear direction. I think Swindler could have used more of the mixed style of writing (like the newspaper articles) throughout to add more clear plot direction in. It also happened over the course of like two months, which seems very quick for how college athletic scandals normally take to investigate.

Scandal rocks a college town when the NCAA converges on Renton University with an investigation into their athletics. The Athletic Director, Sal, is fired. Now the fireworks start. This story is told from the point of view of our four main female characters who are involved in one way or the other with the university and/or this story. Lauren is the wife of Sal, and has always been the dutiful wife. She is shocked to learn of her husband's actions. Nora was the assistant AD, and she has now been promoted to the interim AD position. She is also the wife of the English Department dean, Nathan. She is about to be tested by fire. Not only is she is being thrown into the fire of an investigation with serious implications, but some do not think a woman is capable of doing the job. Anne was a new hire by Sal. Sal had recently hired her as the new intern. Poor Anne's first day on the job is the day this scandal breaks. She is about to be tested as well, as they try to please the masses. Finally, you have Alexis. She is an English professor who is quite frightened by all of this hullabaloo. You will have to read the book to find out how true purpose to this story.

I love college football, and when I saw the blurb about this book that revolved around the NCAA investigation and four very different women in starring roles. It sounded very interesting, and it was interesting. However, it was more slow burn than fast paced. Let me preface this opinion by saying that I did like this book. I just wished it had a little more pick me up. That being said, I still give it 4.5 stars because as the ending drew near, it really picked up steam and the drama intensified. The ending left me with a satisfied, smug smile on my face.

The four women characters are enough to make this story worth the read even if you are not a football fan. I loved these strong women and their fierceness to overcome.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Women in sports have fought hard to break the glass ceiling, and no one knows that better than Nora Bennett, who is the assistant athletic coach…..until her boss is fired and Nora’s world is turned upside down. Explosive revelations about fraud and other crimes touch many people at Renton University, and not just in the athletics department. Exciting read!

Break the Glass by Olivia Swindler is a highly recommended novel about four women and a small town rocked by a college athletics scandal.

When Sal Higgins is fired from his job as athletic director at Renton University after a news article accuses him of bribery and money laundering, chaos erupts across the campus. The plot focuses on four different women who are inextricably tied in some way to the scandal or the athletic department. They are now all concerned about their careers as an investigation begins.

Nora is now the interim athletic director, a position she has worked toward for years. She is also the wife of the English department’s dean, so she is being closely scrutinized. Lauren, the wife of Sal, is shocked and disgraced. Sal blames her for not cleaning up his mess and leaves. Anne's first day as a student intern in the athletics department is the day Sal is fired. Needless to say, her start in the department is one of pure chaos. Finally, Alexis is an English professor who is panicking because she taught many of the student athletes and is seeing the assistant football coach. Now she is being called in for an interview when an NCAA investigation begins.

Break the Glass is a fast moving, well-written exploration of the investigation. Anyone who has ever lived in a college town will quickly understand the emotions swirling around this scandal. Chapters alternate between the different points-of-view of the four women. This is a plot-driven novel, so extensive character development is lacking, but there is certainly enough to garner sympathy and understanding for the characters and their situations. There is enough action and intrigued to hold the interest of most readers, including those who aren't huge sports fans. 3.5 rounded up.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Renton University is thrown into chaos when corruption is uncovered in its athletic department, leaving four women connected to the department to grapple with the fallout. Lauren Higgins is blindsided when her husband, Sal, is fired by the university president in the early morning hours. Meanwhile, Nora Bennet is thrust into the role of athletic director thanks to an early phone call. Professor Alexis Baily's relationship with the assistant football coach puts her in the crosshairs of the scandal, while Anne discovers the corruption on her first day as Sal's intern.

As the NCAA launches an investigation into corruption and bribery, the four women are left to navigate their careers, families, and the media circus swirling around them, all while unsure who they can trust within the university.

Told through the alternating perspectives of Lauren, Nora, Alexis, and Anne, Break the Glass is a captivating and realistic portrayal of campus life. Author Olivia Swindler draws on her experiences to create fully realized and relatable characters. The plot is skillfully crafted, leading readers on a journey culminating in a surprising and satisfying conclusion. With its deft handling of complex issues and fully realized characters, Break the Glass is a 5-star read that showcases Swindler's talent and marks her as a writer to watch.

This was a really enjoyable read! I know nothing about American football or American university sports and was still drawn in by the story. Lots of overlapping perspectives made it easy to lose yourself in the story’s world.

This is some great storytelling. I was intrigued for this as I love a academic setting and this did a great job at looing at the complexities behind the scenes of academia. This book starts hot off the bat and then has a steady pace throughout. I wouldn’t know what genre to call this as it is a mashup of many things - suspense, drama, contemporary fiction would all fit.

I think this is one of those unfortunate cases of “It’s not you, it’s me”. I didn’t realise that this book was about football and I loathe football!

Trying to put that aside though, I didn’t really feel that much happened in the story. A disgraced male’s position is taken over by his female deputy and everyone else is scared they’ll get found out too, even the ones like Alexis, who actually haven’t done anything wrong, are terrified! We know from society that a woman in a man’s world will struggle, but this really lacked substance for me; I was waiting for the plot line to develop and it didn’t really go anywhere, sadly.

2 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Olivia Swindler and Lake Union for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Break the Glass by Olivia Swindler is a great drama filled story.
With lush prose and vivid description, Swindler storytelling was amazing. My first time reading her work and I’m most definitely going to be keeping an eye out for her next title.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Humble. Open. Introspective.
🇺🇸 Set at a university along the West Coast of the USA, spaning from summer to fall,
POV: We get the perspectives of four key characters: the newly appointed Athletic Director, an intern, an English professor, and the spouse of the disgraced former Athletic Director.


Mood Reading Match Up:
-A mix of academic intrigue and scandal mysteries.
-A contemporary fiction piece exploring the intersection of college athletics and academia.
-Low-key romance subplots, featuring young love and coworker romances.
-Themes revolve around sportsmanship, community spirit, authority, women in sports, toxic athletic cultures, and the power dynamics within the sporting world.

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🐺 Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags 🐕
✏️ Writing: Swindler’s narrative style positions the reader as a fly on the wall, privy to more information than any single character. So we get a comprehensive view of the unfolding events.

🫥 Characters: The portrayal of the characters is nuanced and relatable. The book offers a realistic depiction of female characters who are neither blindly loyal nor overtly resentful, but rather complex individuals navigating their circumstances.

🗺️ Worldbuilding: The author captures the dual nature of sports: the excitement and energy, as well as the toxic aspects. The balance between the appeal of sports and their darker underbelly is well represented.

🔥 Fuel: The story is upfront about the scandal, with suspense revolving around how it affects each character and the unfolding of consequences. If you’re looking for fast-paced on the field sports suspense this probably isn’t it. For me, that really worked because I would lose interest if it was heavy on the play-by-plays.

🐇 Pacing: The pacing is well-managed, with POV switches timed to maintain interest. It may feel slow for those seeking constant plot development or wild action, but it excels in thoughtful, realistic progression.

🎬 Scenes: Dialogues and character interactions are relatable and realistic, focusing more on internal and external dialogues rather than contrived scheming.

💭 Random Thoughts: The book offers gentle commentary on the complexities and controversies in academia and athletics, highlighting issues like funding, student pressures, and institutional rigidity.

Overall this story is a thought-provoking read that offers a candid look at the challenges and controversies within the world of college athletics, wrapped in a narrative of personal growth and discovery.

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Content Heads-Up: Misogyny. Unemployment. Bribes and blackmail. Codependency (relationship). Mental abuse (relationship). Corruption (institutional, academic). White collar crime.
Rep includes: White and Moroccan-American characters.

Format: Digital from Lake Union and NetGalley (I received an advance review copy at no cost and am leaving this review voluntarily.)

“Reviews are my musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶 refined by my AI Bestie ✨”

I always enjoy university drama! Add in a small town and it's just a lot of fun. This one centers a bit on sports which I'm not a huge fan of but it didn't get too in depth about the sport aspect. So many secrets in so many departments! It was just a breezy read.

3.75 stars When I first started this book, I got a little nervous about the "sports" aspect but I think it was the perfect sports to scandal ratio. This was a very quick read and even though there were several characters to keep track of, I never had any issue distinguishing between them all. When so many people are involved, I always feel that character depth is lacking but I feel like the pace of the book helped me not focus on that too much. I was surprised that everything felt so giftwrapped at the end- I know a lot of readers need a clear, concise ending and Break the Glass offered exactly that.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC

Scandal at a university best kinda book! This focuses on the athletics department and corruption within, It is told from multiple points of view and gives the giving the reader a look into the problem, Thanks to netgalley for allowing me to review. Story was well written..

This kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through! I highly recommend this to any thriller book clubs out there 5 stars!