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laurenparham's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
nefari_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really want to give this book like a 4.75 cause my ship was NOT endgame but it was just too good ðŸ˜
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Infidelity
Minor: Rape
paxyshia's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
this is like a very mid to high 2 for me. like a 2.6. i think i powered thru this book just to finish it. i kept trying to give it a chance but i think i eventually finished it out of spite. just to say i finished it. it wasn’t anything special to me just because the main character was fat. her issues through the book were something i understood but was not something that resonated with me even as a fat person. it felt like a big pity party that i was forced to attend. i didnt Hate the book but i wouldn’t recommend.
the author seemed to use the plot and the fat main character as more of a place to let everyonr know how much behind the scenes knowledge they had. i think they dropped the ball on what romance could really be shown.
having bea cry so long over ray was just another big stamp that fat people are just gonna pine over one person for forever who’s awful to them. like thats all we deserve. i think even her romantic interest in the book was unfinished and expected (asher baby i’m so sorry you deserved so much better). i was able to predict all the twists and having to actually read a small rape threat convo about a fat person was exhausting and terrifying. thats what most of this book was to me: exhausting.
this book dropped the ball for me and i was thoroughly disappointed. i didnt even like the main character at the end. i wasn’t really rooting for anyone. i also don’t typically invest in reality shows especially ones like the bachelor but this whole thing was just boring to me. starting it out with ray was just kicking the story downhill and it just didnt stop. it took so long for me to get into to and by the end, i dont think i really even found my groove with it. rip to what could’ve been.
the author seemed to use the plot and the fat main character as more of a place to let everyonr know how much behind the scenes knowledge they had. i think they dropped the ball on what romance could really be shown.
having bea cry so long over ray was just another big stamp that fat people are just gonna pine over one person for forever who’s awful to them. like thats all we deserve. i think even her romantic interest in the book was unfinished and expected (asher baby i’m so sorry you deserved so much better). i was able to predict all the twists and having to actually read a small rape threat convo about a fat person was exhausting and terrifying. thats what most of this book was to me: exhausting.
this book dropped the ball for me and i was thoroughly disappointed. i didnt even like the main character at the end. i wasn’t really rooting for anyone. i also don’t typically invest in reality shows especially ones like the bachelor but this whole thing was just boring to me. starting it out with ray was just kicking the story downhill and it just didnt stop. it took so long for me to get into to and by the end, i dont think i really even found my groove with it. rip to what could’ve been.
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
sunnyreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I love the premise of this one, but I found the execution to be off. I don't know. It just seemed to go on forever, and I didn't really care for any of the guys she was dating. I did like that one of the men was asexual/aromantic. That was neat, and I loved the fat representation in the story, although the hate she gets online can be really graphic (rape threats). I just didn't fall for the love interest like I usually do in other romances, maybe because she didn't spend that much time with him since it was a dating show and she was dating a lot of men at the time?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
supersandra's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This is a tough book to rate.
On the one hand, for the overall narrative of the book, I'd give maybe 3.5 or 4 stars. It's a little bit unbelievable at timesbut I found the resolution satisfying . And while I really appreciated a fat protagonist, the specific situation she's put into in the book makes the whole book kind of a meta example of what the book is, I think, trying to say shouldn't happen; that someone shouldn't be notable because they are existing in the world as a fat woman, but rather that people should appreciate others for their whole self (of which fatness is one aspect but not the main one).
On the other hand, as a fat woman, this book was REALLY HARD TO EXPERIENCE at times. If you're a fat person, especially a fat woman, and you're not in a good headspace to read very accurate depictions of the types of things that internet trolls and asshole men routinely say about and to fat women, I don't suggest this book, and I especially don't suggest it as an audiobook. The audiobook transitions from chapter to chapter were extra jarring in this regard. So for me that's what brings the score down. I'd probably rate this 2.5 stars, but I don't want to scare off folks who are in a good place to experience this book, as I think it has some really meaningful themes, especially for people who do not understand what it is like to live in the body of a fat woman.
On the one hand, for the overall narrative of the book, I'd give maybe 3.5 or 4 stars. It's a little bit unbelievable at times
On the other hand, as a fat woman, this book was REALLY HARD TO EXPERIENCE at times. If you're a fat person, especially a fat woman, and you're not in a good headspace to read very accurate depictions of the types of things that internet trolls and asshole men routinely say about and to fat women, I don't suggest this book, and I especially don't suggest it as an audiobook. The audiobook transitions from chapter to chapter were extra jarring in this regard. So for me that's what brings the score down. I'd probably rate this 2.5 stars, but I don't want to scare off folks who are in a good place to experience this book, as I think it has some really meaningful themes, especially for people who do not understand what it is like to live in the body of a fat woman.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Sexism and Toxic relationship
Minor: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, and Sexual content
Detailed online harassment and threats toward a fat woman, including rape threats/descriptions, comments that she will die from being fat or that she should just kill herself, etc.100_pages_hr's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book was recommended to me because I like contemporary marriage of convenience. I think the person that recommended it missed the mark - but I'm not sorry I read it.
It was rather nice to read a plus sized female lead. There are too many size 0 females on covers of books and in movies and television. However, the reality television scene is definitely not my favorite and made it hard for me to love the book.
If you like reality television and are looking for more diversity in fiction though this is a good book.
It was rather nice to read a plus sized female lead. There are too many size 0 females on covers of books and in movies and television. However, the reality television scene is definitely not my favorite and made it hard for me to love the book.
If you like reality television and are looking for more diversity in fiction though this is a good book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Abortion, and Death of parent
kry_yang's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Homophobia and Rape
kelseyland's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It was very odd to read a book that's essentially skewering the Bachelor franchise, while still finding myself falling into the trap of that type of show, where all character development and narrative arcs are reduced to "Who will they choose??" But ultimately Stayman-London is able to subvert those tropes, while showing how addictive they are. The bullying and fatphobia that the main character experiences as the first fat Bachelorette is intense and extreme, and I wouldn't call this escapist literature, but her journey is definitely a compelling one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Infidelity
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Rape
captainsharmie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
a cute fun romance that treats its fat girl lead with the same love and respect any romance heroine deserves. i laughed, i cried, i texted my best friend, i threatened to quit the book in the last bit because i was SO upset but the author brought it back home with a lovely ending. anyone who likes reality tv, hopeless romantics, and fat girls falling in love - please read this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Bullying
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Eating disorder and Rape
the main character is a fat woman on tv/the internet. think of all the stuff people say on the internet to women. think of all the stuff people say to fat people. that's in the book, in a steady but mild form. i only had to skip a few sections, but not all characters treat our hero like a person. none of these warnings took away from the story for me - i would say it was 90% needed for the story.mmandolynn's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
So fun! Really deftly handles the inherent contradictions and complications of a show like The Bachelor or Bachelorette, and gave us varied, compelling, layered characters. I loved, believed, and want to be friends with Bea. AND it had ace/aro, lesbian, and NB representation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Minor: Rape
Parts of the book are transcripts of articles, tweets, podcasts, and comments to give flavor and show how Bea is received in the public eye, and some contain hateful comments from trolls about Bea’s body as well as violent threats and rape threats.