A review by nglofile
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
4.0
3.75 stars. (I had every intention of assigning an even 4 but cannot quite bring myself to do so.)
A fresh and fun story that came around at a time when that's what many of us crave. The voice is great, there is smart writing in play, and sentiments are grounded in a realism that will mean much to many readers. The flip side of that, however, is the burden of expectations, and each one of the primed audience will have decided opinions of how this should play out. The very fact that satisfaction is divided - plus-size women are not a monolith, and even confident individuals struggle with moments of succumbing to self-doubt - speaks to complex and authentic representation.
I have not seen a single episode of The Bachelor or any related dating shows, though I know multiple intelligent, savvy women who are devoted. [full disclosure: I did succumb to a complete and near-involuntary fascination with the series UnREAL, but that's another tale]
The nods to fashion and styling were definitely my candy, and who among us wouldn't sign up to be lifelong subscribers to the Boob Tube podcast (this SO needs to be conjured into existence!). Bea's playful and devoted dynamics with best friend Marin and later with stylist Alison were incredibly appealing, leaving us wishing each had been granted larger parts to play.
The outcomes of the suitors are fairly telegraphed, but that's not necessarily a mark of disfavor. The attitude of the story is its primary appeal, and the excitement surrounding this book is not only unsurprising but also encouraging.
A fresh and fun story that came around at a time when that's what many of us crave. The voice is great, there is smart writing in play, and sentiments are grounded in a realism that will mean much to many readers. The flip side of that, however, is the burden of expectations, and each one of the primed audience will have decided opinions of how this should play out. The very fact that satisfaction is divided - plus-size women are not a monolith, and even confident individuals struggle with moments of succumbing to self-doubt - speaks to complex and authentic representation.
I have not seen a single episode of The Bachelor or any related dating shows, though I know multiple intelligent, savvy women who are devoted. [full disclosure: I did succumb to a complete and near-involuntary fascination with the series UnREAL, but that's another tale]
The nods to fashion and styling were definitely my candy, and who among us wouldn't sign up to be lifelong subscribers to the Boob Tube podcast (this SO needs to be conjured into existence!). Bea's playful and devoted dynamics with best friend Marin and later with stylist Alison were incredibly appealing, leaving us wishing each had been granted larger parts to play.
The outcomes of the suitors are fairly telegraphed, but that's not necessarily a mark of disfavor. The attitude of the story is its primary appeal, and the excitement surrounding this book is not only unsurprising but also encouraging.