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jackiepreston's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
outtoexist's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This. Was. Awful. I mean, really. First off, there is no reason a book about a fat chick being on the bachelorette needs to be more than 400 pages long. ESPECIALLY given that it is fade to black style - no spicy scenes here! Now for more specific complaints...
I feel like the main character calling out Gone With The Wind as her favorite romance novel is white bullshit bordering on a dog whistle. I mean, all I've ever heard about that book is how racist it is. Maybe that is generational, but this book is also SO heavy handed on gen Z phrases. You can't have it both ways.
In addition to the dog whistle, the race of individuals was exclusively mentioned when it mattered in a Diversity sense. This was partly due to the authors overarching difficulty describing ANYONE, at all. But it felt especially jarring when it came to people races not being mentioned at all until ideal moments for the white gaze.
I read 432 pages about a fat woman, and the whole book centered on her weight and her relationship with it, and I can not picture her. She was described as fat, obviously, but fat is not a body shape... She was described as wearing a belt for the "illusion of a waist" which gives a bit of an image... But beyond that? She was said to have dimpled thighs which MOST cis women do... And nothing else. I couldn't picture her body which was the MAIN POINT of the book!!
It was just overall not well written. It needed another pass from an editor. It was too long, WAY too long. There was a point where someone cut another person off, like interrupted them... In a chat room. Which is impossible, obviously.
For being a book about how fat women deserve to be on the bachelorette too (they do) she literally got dumped by EVERY MAN but one, who was the too-young puppy dog!
I've no clue how this book got so popular, it was painful to read and I walked away completely unsure of why I was supposed to care.
I feel like the main character calling out Gone With The Wind as her favorite romance novel is white bullshit bordering on a dog whistle. I mean, all I've ever heard about that book is how racist it is. Maybe that is generational, but this book is also SO heavy handed on gen Z phrases. You can't have it both ways.
In addition to the dog whistle, the race of individuals was exclusively mentioned when it mattered in a Diversity sense. This was partly due to the authors overarching difficulty describing ANYONE, at all. But it felt especially jarring when it came to people races not being mentioned at all until ideal moments for the white gaze.
I read 432 pages about a fat woman, and the whole book centered on her weight and her relationship with it, and I can not picture her. She was described as fat, obviously, but fat is not a body shape... She was described as wearing a belt for the "illusion of a waist" which gives a bit of an image... But beyond that? She was said to have dimpled thighs which MOST cis women do... And nothing else. I couldn't picture her body which was the MAIN POINT of the book!!
It was just overall not well written. It needed another pass from an editor. It was too long, WAY too long. There was a point where someone cut another person off, like interrupted them... In a chat room. Which is impossible, obviously.
For being a book about how fat women deserve to be on the bachelorette too (they do) she literally got dumped by EVERY MAN but one, who was the too-young puppy dog!
I've no clue how this book got so popular, it was painful to read and I walked away completely unsure of why I was supposed to care.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Abortion
jenny_librarian's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It started all right, but halfway through it went down in giant flames that make me say only two things: romance is a waste of time, and men are absolute trash.
The number one reason I rated this so low is the arophobia. Listen, I understand that many romance novels will have some level of amatonormativity. It's fine, I prepare myself beforehand. I thought this one would be better, because I heard about the aroace rep (which isn't as much rep as it is one of the guys figuring out he's aroace and being kicked off the show that very week, despite being one of only two viable choices at that point...). It's not. The entire book is filled with little digs that will make any romantic person feel like absolute shit. And when I say filled, I mean it's almost on every single page!
And that's not counting the acephobia that is just as present. Bea herself, the very chapter after being completely fine with one of the guys coming out as aroace (probably because she didn't have feelings for him) freaks out and believes none of the guys love her because two of them refused -- with VERY VALID REASONS -- to spend the night. That part alone destroyed all the good the small bit of rep could have done.
As I said, it started well enough. Up to midpoint, I was ready to give this a 4 stars -- with heavy TW. But it turns out that every single man (except one) she kept past that midway point was absolutely awful.
Luc is such a stereotype that I feel bad for French people. He's also the only pansexual character... whom the author also made sleep with everyone. Again, what could have been good rep completely obliterated by shitty plot points.
Asher is jealous and was horrible to her every single time anything happened with another guy. Dude, you can't be possessive on a freaking romance TV reality show! Huge red flag
And let's not even talk about Ray.
The only guy she had chemistry and a truly good relationship with, she let go because... they never argue?
The straights are not okay.
It's a shame that it was such a shitshow because there was some really good commentary about fat women and the way society treats them. The main character was realistic and I was really rooting for her, up to the moment it just dissolved into garbage.
The number one reason I rated this so low is the arophobia. Listen, I understand that many romance novels will have some level of amatonormativity. It's fine, I prepare myself beforehand. I thought this one would be better, because I heard about the aroace rep (which isn't as much rep as it is one of the guys figuring out he's aroace and being kicked off the show that very week, despite being one of only two viable choices at that point...). It's not. The entire book is filled with little digs that will make any romantic person feel like absolute shit. And when I say filled, I mean it's almost on every single page!
And that's not counting the acephobia that is just as present. Bea herself, the very chapter after being completely fine with one of the guys coming out as aroace (probably because she didn't have feelings for him) freaks out and believes none of the guys love her because two of them refused -- with VERY VALID REASONS -- to spend the night. That part alone destroyed all the good the small bit of rep could have done.
As I said, it started well enough. Up to midpoint, I was ready to give this a 4 stars -- with heavy TW. But it turns out that every single man (except one) she kept past that midway point was absolutely awful.
Asher is jealous and was horrible to her every single time anything happened with another guy. Dude, you can't be possessive on a freaking romance TV reality show! Huge red flag
And let's not even talk about Ray.
The only guy she had chemistry and a truly good relationship with, she let go because... they never argue?
The straights are not okay.
It's a shame that it was such a shitshow because there was some really good commentary about fat women and the way society treats them. The main character was realistic and I was really rooting for her, up to the moment it just dissolved into garbage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting
Minor: Toxic relationship and Stalking
september128's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
analozanomo's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Moderate: Sexual assault
hannahb1533's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Okay so I really enjoyed this book. Mostly because I love the way it addressed being plus sized and the experiences and thoughts plus sized woman can have.
Let me also say I have NEVER watched a season of the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. I have a lot of friends who are VERY devoted so via social media I know enough to understand the nuances of how this book was set up. Bea’s initial thoughts on the show are why I have never watched it… this isn’t what real everyday people who have trouble dating look like!
If you aren’t plus sized or mid-sized you may have trouble enjoying the book because Bea’s thoughts may come off as whiny, but being someone with a lot of the same insecurities as Bea I thought “FINALLY a love story that GETS IT”
I thought Bea’s journey with the men was fun and funny, it makes you wonder how much of this type of stuff really happens on these shows behind the scenes.
Also shoutout to the asexual / aromantic representation in the book!
Now… for the one downside (that many people seem to share…
Spoiler
right from the jump of the book we see Bea sleep with and then get ditched by Ray. This is a running conflict for her throughout the book and Ray is quickly made a villain. Now, yes. Ray was wrong this time and many times before in his treatment of Bea… BUT … Bea girl, you cheated too! You KNEW that man was engaged! I just feel like, aside from Asher peacing out (which wasn’t even permanent) Bea never really had to feel consequences from choosing to sleep with an engaged man. Ray obviously had a lot to work through, but Bea needed to own her part in breaking up an engagement and her wrongdoing as well.
That is really my only point of contention with the book.
Overall this is a fun, funny, and reflective romcom that puts a body positive plus-does woman at the forefront and while I kinda of wish that Bea
Spoiler
didn’t end of with Asher so that she could continue to be a girl boss and meet someone else a bit more organically I can appreciate the choice to
Spoiler
have her end up with Ray and get an Insta family. Her interactions with Lucas were TOO CUTE for her to not stay in that life and Bea and Ashers insecurities work together in a way that balance them as a couple.
Let me also say I have NEVER watched a season of the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. I have a lot of friends who are VERY devoted so via social media I know enough to understand the nuances of how this book was set up. Bea’s initial thoughts on the show are why I have never watched it… this isn’t what real everyday people who have trouble dating look like!
If you aren’t plus sized or mid-sized you may have trouble enjoying the book because Bea’s thoughts may come off as whiny, but being someone with a lot of the same insecurities as Bea I thought “FINALLY a love story that GETS IT”
I thought Bea’s journey with the men was fun and funny, it makes you wonder how much of this type of stuff really happens on these shows behind the scenes.
Also shoutout to the asexual / aromantic representation in the book!
Now… for the one downside (that many people seem to share…
Spoiler
right from the jump of the book we see Bea sleep with and then get ditched by Ray. This is a running conflict for her throughout the book and Ray is quickly made a villain. Now, yes. Ray was wrong this time and many times before in his treatment of Bea… BUT … Bea girl, you cheated too! You KNEW that man was engaged! I just feel like, aside from Asher peacing out (which wasn’t even permanent) Bea never really had to feel consequences from choosing to sleep with an engaged man. Ray obviously had a lot to work through, but Bea needed to own her part in breaking up an engagement and her wrongdoing as well.
That is really my only point of contention with the book.
Overall this is a fun, funny, and reflective romcom that puts a body positive plus-does woman at the forefront and while I kinda of wish that Bea
Spoiler
didn’t end of with Asher so that she could continue to be a girl boss and meet someone else a bit more organically I can appreciate the choice to
Spoiler
have her end up with Ray and get an Insta family. Her interactions with Lucas were TOO CUTE for her to not stay in that life and Bea and Ashers insecurities work together in a way that balance them as a couple.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Fatphobia
Moderate: Sexual assault
biheretic's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual assault
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
kettleen's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
claudia_bow's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Infidelity, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship