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stephsbooktalk's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.5
Audiobook:
Thank you to HarperAudio for an advance copy of this book!
This was published on March 22nd, 2022.
This has been a controversial book among some in the book world. I fall under those with the unpopular opinion that I do not believe that this book is that toxic where I could not finish it. These are my viewpoints as an individual who identifies as being plus size. I do understand why readers are turned off and were triggered by the context of the book. And you should not read something that makes you feel badly.
Savvy Sheldon is a workaholic who has thrown herself into advancing her career as an underwriter (yay for insurance job rep). She has been with her longtime boyfriend for 6 years and he does not like all the time she puts into her work. They break up and his words linger in her brain making her feel less desirable so she starts doing things that were for other people. In doing so, she started finding her true self and started doing things that made HER feel good for herself.
I relate to this because even with being a plus size person, movement and eating healthy makes ME feel good. I am doing it for myself and not for anyone else. I like that there was rep for a fat MC who does exercise by doing something she loves - tennis. She may have started doing all that for the wrong reasons but realized it made her feel good.
Please review all trigger warnings on Storygraph prior to reading.
Thank you to HarperAudio for an advance copy of this book!
This was published on March 22nd, 2022.
This has been a controversial book among some in the book world. I fall under those with the unpopular opinion that I do not believe that this book is that toxic where I could not finish it. These are my viewpoints as an individual who identifies as being plus size. I do understand why readers are turned off and were triggered by the context of the book. And you should not read something that makes you feel badly.
Savvy Sheldon is a workaholic who has thrown herself into advancing her career as an underwriter (yay for insurance job rep). She has been with her longtime boyfriend for 6 years and he does not like all the time she puts into her work. They break up and his words linger in her brain making her feel less desirable so she starts doing things that were for other people. In doing so, she started finding her true self and started doing things that made HER feel good for herself.
I relate to this because even with being a plus size person, movement and eating healthy makes ME feel good. I am doing it for myself and not for anyone else. I like that there was rep for a fat MC who does exercise by doing something she loves - tennis. She may have started doing all that for the wrong reasons but realized it made her feel good.
Please review all trigger warnings on Storygraph prior to reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Body shaming
thefatpaperback's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
First off, this really isn’t a romance. It’s a fiction book with a romance subplot. Overall, I just don’t think this was a book for me, as it is about one’s journey to self love. It will likely resonate with readers who are beginning a journey toward accepting and loving their bodies. However if you, like me, enjoy reading books where someone’s fatness is either not problematized in the plot OR the MC is already confident in their bodies and combats stigma, then this likely isn’t the read for you. It will also likely be a difficult read if you struggle with an eating disorder and/or body image concerns.
Savvy’s character describes on-page her negative feelings about her body, and much of the plot is focused on Savvy achieving a “revenge body.” There are discussions about dieting, clean eating, using exercise as a way to “earn” food, implementing workplace wellness programs, and some mentions of weight loss. While her “revenge body” plan is supposedly not about losing weight, there are later comments in the book about Savvy wishing the scale would show her progress.
A pro for the book is that it discusses some of the very real ways fat people face stigma, but a con is that it doesn’t push toward breaking down that fat stigma. Instead, the book and Savvy’s character focuses on prioritizing health, even at the risk of perpetuating some anti-fatness and ableism, such as jokes about sugar intake and diabetes.
It’s a complicated read for me because I love reading about fat people and our experiences—and Savvy Sheldon does illustrate real experiences for so many of us. She also gets the happy ending, which is delightful for fat readers. This book will likely resonate with many, but if you struggle with an eating disorder or have complicated feelings about the “revenge body” concept, I encourage you to proceed with caution.
Savvy’s character describes on-page her negative feelings about her body, and much of the plot is focused on Savvy achieving a “revenge body.” There are discussions about dieting, clean eating, using exercise as a way to “earn” food, implementing workplace wellness programs, and some mentions of weight loss. While her “revenge body” plan is supposedly not about losing weight, there are later comments in the book about Savvy wishing the scale would show her progress.
A pro for the book is that it discusses some of the very real ways fat people face stigma, but a con is that it doesn’t push toward breaking down that fat stigma. Instead, the book and Savvy’s character focuses on prioritizing health, even at the risk of perpetuating some anti-fatness and ableism, such as jokes about sugar intake and diabetes.
It’s a complicated read for me because I love reading about fat people and our experiences—and Savvy Sheldon does illustrate real experiences for so many of us. She also gets the happy ending, which is delightful for fat readers. This book will likely resonate with many, but if you struggle with an eating disorder or have complicated feelings about the “revenge body” concept, I encourage you to proceed with caution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Abandonment
eagray88's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ARC: release date 3/22/22
if you’re looking for a revenge come back story that has a beach read- feel, this may be for you. if you are triggered by body image/disordered eating, this may not be the book for you. savvy reclaims her life and priorities after an unexpected break up with her POS long-term boyfriend. i love savvy’s friends and uncle. it was a good reminder for me how unhealthy my life becomes when i have toxic relationship with my job. i struggled a bit with savvy’s insecurities, and it may be because i have those same insecurities?
if you’re looking for a revenge come back story that has a beach read- feel, this may be for you. if you are triggered by body image/disordered eating, this may not be the book for you. savvy reclaims her life and priorities after an unexpected break up with her POS long-term boyfriend. i love savvy’s friends and uncle. it was a good reminder for me how unhealthy my life becomes when i have toxic relationship with my job. i struggled a bit with savvy’s insecurities, and it may be because i have those same insecurities?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming
decklededgess's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
trigger warnings: fatphobia, emotional abuse, sexual content, body dysmorphia, alcohol, fire, toxic relationship
I was so excited for this book! And it kinda let me down a bit. I enjoyed the romance and the found family/actual family dynamics were really lovely.
What disappointed me was that it felt like while the book was championing a fat main character, jt was still aspiring for a “revenge body” without criticising the concept of it. Do characters talk about how any body is perfect and beautiful? Yes. But is there still this idea that losing weight is more beautiful? Also and disappointingly yes. I felt like this book missed nuance in that regard. It wasn’t gruesome in its fatphobia but I think it had a lot of blind spots.
Also two characters are former cops. Why would you even put that in there?
I was so excited for this book! And it kinda let me down a bit. I enjoyed the romance and the found family/actual family dynamics were really lovely.
What disappointed me was that it felt like while the book was championing a fat main character, jt was still aspiring for a “revenge body” without criticising the concept of it. Do characters talk about how any body is perfect and beautiful? Yes. But is there still this idea that losing weight is more beautiful? Also and disappointingly yes. I felt like this book missed nuance in that regard. It wasn’t gruesome in its fatphobia but I think it had a lot of blind spots.
Also two characters are former cops. Why would you even put that in there?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Fatphobia
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Lots of external and internalized fatphobia and body shaming (progress made throughout the book) with mentions of diet culture, eating "clean," "cheat days," and sweet food as "rewards." Plenty of focus on strength, energy, and physical and mental health, too.
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