This is sappy Romance with a capital R! Of the "sex is precious and emotional" variety. Not sex-negative - there isn't really judgmental messages about sleeping around per se, and there is definitely sex in the book. But a bit too fluffy-cheeseball for me to super love it. But damn, talk about an insecure heroine! I so deeply related to Mallory, it was kind of painful. I know a lot of people don't like insecure heroines who get down on themselves, and as a feminist, I totally understand that. But, there is something comforting about reading that someone else struggles daily with intense self-loathing and internalized fatphobia. I know I should be confident and happy with my body, and that U.S. culture has absurd and oppressive beauty standards, but at the end of the day it is still really, really hard to turn off that negative voice in my head, or believe that someone (who doesn't have a fat-fetish) could truly believe me to be attractive. The duality of being a strong and smart women, and deeply hurt and insecure about my body, is a challenge that I know a lot of us contend with, and I for one appreciated seeing my struggles on the page. (3.5 stars) ( )

Mallory Fenton was tired of being the fat girl. When her doctor said she needed to lose weight, she wasn’t sure if it would work because no diet had worked before. But with the move to Center County and a new job, Mallory implemented an exercise program to lose the extra weight. And began to see a difference.

Finn McCullough had been with Erin for a decade. Except now, Finn became intrigued with a new girl who was fast becoming his best friend. She listened. She cared. And most important, he wanted to be with Mallory in every way that counted.

Healthy and happy. Two words that should be a goal for everyone. Lydia Michaels doesn’t just tell stories. She includes a moral to make her readers think. It’s another great story!

I received this book as an advance review copy free from Valentine PRLM. I have read and reviewed this book voluntarily.
--Brenda, JustViews ( )

This is sappy Romance with a capital R! Of the "sex is precious and emotional" variety. Not sex-negative - there isn't really judgmental messages about sleeping around per se, and there is definitely sex in the book. But a bit too fluffy-cheeseball for me to super love it. But damn, talk about an insecure heroine! I so deeply related to Mallory, it was kind of painful. I know a lot of people don't like insecure heroines who get down on themselves, and as a feminist, I totally understand that. But, there is something comforting about reading that someone else struggles daily with intense self-loathing and internalized fatphobia. I know I should be confident and happy with my body, and that U.S. culture has absurd and oppressive beauty standards, but at the end of the day it is still really, really hard to turn off that negative voice in my head, or believe that someone (who doesn't have a fat-fetish) could truly believe me to be attractive. The duality of being a strong and smart women, and deeply hurt and insecure about my body, is a challenge that I know a lot of us contend with, and I for one appreciated seeing my struggles on the page. (3.5 stars) ( )