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A review by thebakersbooks
The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding
emotional
funny
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? No
4.0
4/5 stars
I didn't realize that this book was about a fat queer girl when I picked it up, so that was a lovely surprise! (Note: I think the MC and love interest are lesbians, but I can't remember if they define their identities outright, so I'm sticking with 'queer.') The main character is a white 17-year-old who gets an internship at her favorite clothing store, hoping to use it as a stepping stone to break into the fashion industry. She runs a plus-size clothing blog, to the dismay of her health-food-blogging mother. The only speed bumps in the MC's summer are a) her best friend's boyfriend, who's taking up all her time; and b) Jordi Perez, the cute photographer hired as her co-intern.
This was a really cute, summery story full of first love and friendship both new/unexpected and old/renewed. It touches on body image issues, but I appreciate that the MC herself never has problems around food or eating (aside from her parents trying to push health food on her because her mom runs a food show/blog.) Your mileage may vary, but I have a history of disordered eating and this book didn't trigger me at all. It did, however, make me want a burger.
I recommend this book to fans of upbeat contemporary novels with emphasis on romance. It was a fun, quick read with (to my 30+ perspective) a believable teenage voice and an often-hilarious cast of characters.
content warnings: internalized fatphobia, fatphobia/food shaming from parent(s), mild body-image issues related to fatness
I didn't realize that this book was about a fat queer girl when I picked it up, so that was a lovely surprise! (Note: I think the MC and love interest are lesbians, but I can't remember if they define their identities outright, so I'm sticking with 'queer.') The main character is a white 17-year-old who gets an internship at her favorite clothing store, hoping to use it as a stepping stone to break into the fashion industry. She runs a plus-size clothing blog, to the dismay of her health-food-blogging mother. The only speed bumps in the MC's summer are a) her best friend's boyfriend, who's taking up all her time; and b) Jordi Perez, the cute photographer hired as her co-intern.
This was a really cute, summery story full of first love and friendship both new/unexpected and old/renewed. It touches on body image issues, but I appreciate that the MC herself never has problems around food or eating (aside from her parents trying to push health food on her because her mom runs a food show/blog.) Your mileage may vary, but I have a history of disordered eating and this book didn't trigger me at all. It did, however, make me want a burger.
I recommend this book to fans of upbeat contemporary novels with emphasis on romance. It was a fun, quick read with (to my 30+ perspective) a believable teenage voice and an often-hilarious cast of characters.
content warnings: internalized fatphobia, fatphobia/food shaming from parent(s), mild body-image issues related to fatness
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia