One to Watch

Locations
Call Number: Fiction / Stayman-London, Kate, Adult Book / Fiction / General / Stayman-London, Kate
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Malletts Creek Branch, Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction / Stayman-London, Kate	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction / Stayman-London, Kate	4-week checkout	Due 04-26-2024
Malletts Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / General / Stayman-London, Kate	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / General / Stayman-London, Kate	4-week checkout	On Shelf

"Bea Schumacher is a leading fashion blogger, known for her warm, honest body-positive message. But after an unexpected heartbreak, Bea's confidence is shaken and she feels hopelessly alone. In the midst of her sadness (and some drunken internet rantings), she receives a surprising proposition: Would Bea like to be the first plus-size woman to star in the next season of reality dating competition sensation Main Squeeze? Against her better judgment, she accepts. The producers promise it will be the most diverse cast yet and a great opportunity to expand her brand. And while she knows she'll never find love, she might find distraction from her broken heart and inspire other plus-sized women to believe that they have a right to the spotlight too. But as the cameras roll, she is forced to face down judgement, ridicule, and expectations amidst over-the-top dates and international travel with a line-up of men who feel like fantasies (a sexy French chef, a sardonic professor, a playful younger man) as she ultimately discovers the truth behind the fairytale, and the reality of falling in love. In this witty, heartfelt debut, Kate Stayman-London shines a light on how the complex standards of female beauty affect how we define ourselves and who deserves to be seen...and loved"-- Provided by publisher.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Fun and a bit crine submitted by bjkoch on July 15, 2022, 3:13pm great spin on the bachelor but it tries too hard to be inclusive

Perfect Beach Read submitted by emroon on July 15, 2022, 3:48pm I finished this book in one day lying in the beach. If you like the bachelor this is for you. The bachelor is a fun reality TV show but also reflects the society that we live in. This makes that clear an interesting story.

Yearning for love submitted by hiker15 on June 14, 2023, 10:09am The book is about being someone other than a cute, lithe, blonde wondering if the men who show interest in her are really interested or are just pretending to be because she is not slim. The main character is a plus-size woman but could be any of us who don't fit the picture of the thin cute blonde who movies and ads tell men that they want and tell women that men want that a woman that fits that physical description. She is the lead in a bachelorette-type show and wonders why the good looking thin men would be interested in her - and her journey is to see that she is lovable and can be loved by a man with those physical characteristics. A good engaging fun read.

Great Reality Show Romance submitted by Meginator on July 31, 2023, 1:41pm Content Note: This book includes some fatphobia directed at the main character.

This book pulls back the curtain on reality dating shows to ask what happens when they cast someone who doesn’t fit the typical mold, in this case a plus-size fashionista whose viral blog post attacking the show’s lack of body and racial diversity leads to a steep ratings decline. Bea makes for a captivating star who knows her worth yet cannot resist getting pulled into the self-doubt and second-guessing that reality television tends to engender (accidentally and by design), and the book revolves around her increasing acceptance of the fact that she deserves love and might, in fact, have found it among the eligible bachelors vying for her attention. Kate Stayman-London clearly understands what it is that makes these shows so captivating, despite their strict adherence to certain conventions, and the novel works both as an example and as a send-up of the reality dating genre; blog articles, text conversations, and social media posts add to the illusion as the author explores Bea’s impact on the show’s established fandom and, to a lesser but believable extent, society. Despite plenty of page-turning tension and a few twists, the novel still follows the general romance arc, with a special emphasis on Bea’s emotional journey and perhaps too little attention on the suitor who eventually wins her heart; indeed, the ending feels a bit flat, more like a coda than a grand conclusion to an epic romantic saga. Nonetheless, the book is a great example of fat-positive romance fiction and will delight anyone who is captivated (perhaps, or especially, despite their better instincts and best intentions) by this type of pseudo-reality television.

One to Watch submitted by klb10 on August 3, 2023, 11:14am If you've watched any reality dating show, this is an engaging read - finished in a day!