This book was AMAZING! I give it 5 stars or 5 roller skates in electric blue!

For me this was not simply a book. It reminded me of who I am and encouraged me to grow even more. As a young woman I struggled with body image, had since childhood, always trying to hide in loose clothes, be quiet and not seen. This carried on throughout my life in various degrees. I would push through and BE LOUD and IN YOUR FACE. Talking loud, laughing loud, dressing as I wanted. Yet the image conscious me, pushed by society to be a certain way, always comes back. When I was in my mid-30s I saw an old movie, Whip It, and I became enamored with Roller Derby. I never had the strength to try skating, yet that was for the best as I have 2 left feet, haha. Yet I did push myself to walk a 1/2 marathon. Images of derby in my head. THIS BOOK BROUGHT ME BACK. Back to myself again. A reminder to live life like YOU want to and not how others want you to.

The book’s MFC is Eleanor. A woman grieving the death of her husband and raising a 10-year-old daughter named Ava. Ava who is high functioning autistic struggles with the many changes thrown at her. Yet Eleanor struggles as well. Life circumstances, and the inability to write again after her husband’s death, lead Eleanor to move back in to her mother’s house.

Eleanor was raised in a mansion by a very image focused mother, Mrs. Tremaine. The move back home reminds Eleanor of her struggles when she was younger as well as the feelings of being small and inadequate. Almost every woman I know has mother issues to some degree and we all have trouble gaining our independence from what our mothers feel is best for us. The same for Eleanor yet made worse due to grief.

Eleanor’s life starts to change when she meets Belle, a soon to be great friend, who introduces her to The Grim Reapers of Briar Glen. A very loud, inclusive, accepting roller derby team. She also meets Alex Prince who becomes her very own Prince Charming. Eleanor comes to grow in her own self-acceptance and learns who she is meant to be. However the struggles to self-acceptance and independence are real and include many bumps and bruises along the way.

This story, as the author wrote, “is a Cinderella retelling about grief and healing, body-positive strength, inclusive community, and the courage to live loudly again. A swoony, heart-forward romance about finding your power—and your happily ever after—on your own terms.”

I must point out though as a Speech-Language Pathologist that this story was also about Ava. Ava grows in this story as well. She is a young girl dealing with grief and a sudden move to a house where she is not accepted yet encouraged to ‘fit in’ and change to fit what society deems best. Her path towards her own self-acceptance is pivotal in this book as it drives many of Eleanor’s life choices as well. Ava finds her own true friend in Leo who is Alex Prince’s son.

Read this book to travel on these journeys with Eleanor and Ava and may you find your own way to self-acceptance. May their journeys give you hope and strength as they did for me!

I received a free copy of this book as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

AMAZON AVAILABLE 3/26/2026 https://a.co/d/00A1ezc6

https://sandrabooksbooksbooks.com/