Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen – strong plus-size rep

Curvy Girl Summer is an enjoyable, engaging, and fun romance with a strong plus-size rep.

Synopsis

Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Survival of the Thickest in Danielle Allen’s CURVY GIRL SUMMER, a smoking-hot, hilarious novel about the perils of online dating.

Aaliyah is determined to celebrate her thirtieth birthday with a boyfriend. And after a failed blind date, the local bartender, Ahmad, suggests she joins a dating app.

Filled with lies, catfish, and fetishizing, the wild world of online dating makes Aaliyah think she’s in over her head.

And she is. But with her two best friends and a protective bartender by her side, what could go wrong?

Everything.

Everything could go wrong.

And that’s the problem.

Because as Aaliyah is set on finding exactly what she’s looking for, she ends up finding something she never expects.

Review

Ever since Aaliyah lost her sister five years ago, her parents have placed their unfulfilled expectations of becoming grandparents squarely on her shoulders. Approaching her 30th birthday without a boyfriend or husband, Aaliyah finds herself under scrutiny during her sister’s memorial dinner. Her uncle’s tactless comment about her weight only adds to her discomfort, but it also sparks a newfound determination within her.

Stepping out of her comfort zone, Aaliyah crosses paths with a charming bartender, Ahmad, who encourages her to try online dating, arranging her first dates at his bar. Supported by her loyal friends and very attractive Ahmad, Aaliyah dives into the dating scene with hope, only to endure a series of disappointing encounters.

As Aaliyah navigates the highs and lows of dating, her bond with Ahmad deepens beyond friendship, but she cannot do anything about it as Ahmad is married.

I loved Aaliyah and rooted for her from the beginning. She is independent, confident, and sexy. I admired Aaliyah’s unwavering clarity about what she wants in life, standing up for herself and rejecting her dates if they are not respectful. It was amazing how she realized why she set a milestone of 30 and the way she communicated about It with her parent.

Ahmad, the bartender, is a compelling character whose struggle with trauma is poignant to witness. While his feelings for Aaliyah are palpable, I felt his perspective could have enriched the story further. His actions, like taking her to a concert, spoke volumes, yet his apology in the end didn’t feel enough.

I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamics of Aaliyah’s dates, the banter between her and Ahmad, and her interactions with friends, all of which were wonderfully portrayed. Plus-size representation is well written. Author perfectly showed what a plus size women go through, comments people throw in name of compliments and how some even generalize them. The exploration of grief, trauma, and guilt added depth to the narrative.

The slow-burn chemistry between Ahmad and Aaliyah crackles with intensity, though I wished for more insight into Ahmad’s inner thoughts. I also feel his declaration of love somehow didn’t convince me in the end.

Overall, ‘Curvy Girl Summer’ is an enjoyable, engaging, and fun romance with a strong portrayal of plus-size identity.

What to Expect in Curvy Girl Summer –

Black MC
Plus size representation
Online dating
Exploration of grief and trauma
Witty banter
Meddling family
Steamy scenes

Book Links

Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

#CurvyGirlSummer by Danielle Allen is an enjoyable, engaging, and fun #romance with a strong portrayal of plus-size identity. Many thanks @BrambleRomance @torbooks for eARC.Check out full review –> Share on X

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