Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - De olho nela

I loved this book so much, it's kind of embarrassing. I've read a lot of great romances before but something about this one just reached into my heart and brain and gripped me on such a visceral level I didn't expect. I think because of the premise, the tension goes much farther and deeper compared to most other romances with the endgame upfront. When the various interpersonal conflicts might and often do have permanent consequences, it just makes the drama crackle. The chemistry in this book too is so 😚👌🏼💕. Again the range of potential love interests really work in not only building the romantic arc(s) but really marinate in Bea's emotional journey. The romance of romance itself becomes enticing, rich, and savory in a way that's really fun and supports its themes. I'm also really impressed at the themes of bigotry and marginalization both grounding this book and being threaded throughout. They feel real without bringing down the fundamental dreamy sweetness in a romance. There are parts that aren't perfect (both in some handlings of identity and the writing) BUT the main thrust of everything was so strong, they don't matter much to me.

Also this book moved me to tears multiple times from both the Drama and some really sweet character arcs. Truly just made me tick in a new way, which I loved.

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kierscrivener's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.25

A beautiful romance that looks at the complexities of body positivity and loving one self with an addictive angle of a reality tv show. Weirdly enough the beginning was the hardest part. Once we got into it it was top notch. Loved the tweets, news articles et al, did wish we had seen more of the men but I had them all pegged so I am happy.

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kettleen's review against another edition

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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

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outsidestar's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring 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

4.75

This book deserves all of the stars.

I don’t even know what to say. It was awesome and I loved it. A lot.

The story follows Bea, a plus-size fashion blogger, as she is cast to feature on the reality TV show Main Squeeze (basically The Bachelor/Bachelorette) following a rant on her blog about the lack of diversity and representation on the show that goes viral. Having recently been hurt in love, she is hesitant to meet 25 potential suitors but finally agrees, since it will give a boost to her career and show plus-size women that they too deserve love, even if hers is fake. That is until she catches feelings and everything gets fun and complicated, of course.

The story itself is great, it’s like binge-watching your favorite guilty pleasure reality TV, but the way it’s told adds so much to it. As well as following Bea, we get to see magazine articles, tweets, text messages or blog posts of the audience’s thoughts on the show as the episodes air. This multi-media format made for such a well-rounded story, whoever came up with that idea is a genius.

Also, I adored every single character; from Bea to her step father or Gwen and Linus, but I must say I’m seriously in love with Sam, what do I have to do to go on a Disneyland date with him? Most importantly, I didn’t just adore them, I connected with them and their personal issues, flaws and insecurities, which is the mark of a great story. Also, the representation in this book is chef’s kiss, not only because Bea is plus-size, but there’s queer, asexual, a kid who’s gender nonconforming, etc and it’s all beautifully done.

I loved following Bea on her journey and figuring things out with her. I mean, who has never thought “I’ll put off dating until I lose some weight” or “it’s impossible for someone like him to love someone like me”? A lot of Bea’s insecurities hit home with me and I loved the message of body positivity and self-love that this book gives.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Two Roads (John Murray Press) for a digital review copy in exchange of an honest and voluntary review.

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strickortreat's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

5.0

This book really exceeded my expectations! So cute and light-hearted but still with important messages about body positivity.

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cleo_wylde's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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