Beartown - Fredrik Backman

I have read a lot of Fredrik Backman books and this one was different than all the others, much more serious this time.

Beartown is a small town in Sweden where everyone is obsessed with hockey. All the boys play and want to be on the junior team. This year the junior team is in the running for the championships and the town is very invested, thinking if the team wins that maybe a new training centre will be built in the town, bringing jobs they so desperately need.

The general manager of the hockey club is Peter Andersson, a former NHL player who grew up in Beartown. After his career ended in the NHL he moved his family back home to take this job. His wife is a lawyer and has to commute to another town for her job, one she is far too qualified for. They are devoted to their children and Peter really loves his job and hockey. They have three children, Isak, who died as a child, Maya, and Leo.

We also follow the lives of Amat, the son of an immigrant who is another amazing hockey player on a lower level team, but soon his talent is spotted and he is moved up to the junior team. Also on the team is the star player Kevin Erdahl and his best friend Benji.

One night Maya and her best friend Anya go to a hockey party hosted by Kevin where the unthinkable happens and it creates a scandal with the town soon choosing sides.

This was a great book with twists, heartbreak, and even a bit of revenge. I would highly recommend this one and any of the other books written by Fredrik Backman!