I have been a big fan of Bethany Rutter's for years and it doesn't surprise me that her first foray into fiction is as fantastic as everything else she does! This story of a fat babe dipping her toe into the dating pool, navigating teenage friendships and deciding what to do with her future with wit, warmth and a few crises of confidence, was absolutely the kind of YA book that I wish I'd read as a teen.

It was so refreshing to see a fat character who is not defined solely by her relationship with her body (Emily is so wonderful, I want to be her pal!) but who also has to live in the world that wants to define her that way. It was a truly nuanced portrayal of the realities of being a fat teen who loves fashion, doesn't want to diet (and quite rightly!) but still has to deal with the commentary of those around her.

Basically, it's a banger. More, please!

I’m not exactly the target audience for this YA novel but I loved it! The inclusion of music throughout (including a song for each chapter to make up a playlist) really took me back to my teenage years, when I was obsessed with music, and reminded me a bit of Sarra Manning’s YA novels (Guitar Girl in particular) which I read at the time and loved. Even though we’re a bit more than a decade on from when I got up to this sort of stuff, I could still completely identify with Emily, the protagonist, trying to sneak into pubs without being asked for ID to see bands and chasing slightly older boys that seemed so cool but were actually the worst people. And not to give away spoilers, but I’m so glad that things work out in a way which allows Emily to still be who she is and be happy, and also with the open-ended-ness of romantic possibility. This novel spreads so many great messages to the young people it’s written for about sex, consent, diet culture, and loving yourself and your body. I wish I knew some teenagers to recommend it to!

* spoiler alert ** 3.5 stars

Firstly,I'd quite like Bethany Ritter to make me a playlist if she ever has time.
She references some cracking tunes in this book.
Secondly.. how flipping amazing to read a book where the main character is fat and not down on herself about it.
Her positivity in being happy with herself and who she is and what she's worth is very refreshing.
Thirdly... also good to have a group of strong female friends.
An enjoyable book with a positive message.

Got to be honest though... I'd like to know how big our main character was.

I wasn't too sure at first as to whether I wanted to request to read this book before publication; I'm not a huge fan of the cover (it just isn't something I'd pick up off the shelf and it's pink...) and books about weight can be a bit hit and miss for me. However, I am so so glad that I did decide to hit that request button and grateful to the publisher for sending it to me!

From the very beginning I was hooked; Emily is a brilliant narrator and it was so easy to get lost in this book. On the surface it ticks all the boxes for a great YA contemporary, but it goes so much deeper than that with the whole body image storyline. Add to that there's a whole host of interesting and diverse characters who didn't just fit into their stereotype.

The main theme of body image is handled brilliantly and in a way that isn't triggering. It's about acceptance and feeling comfortable in your own skin rather than about trying to change yourself and be someone you're not. The thing that really pushes this over to a 5 star book is this aspect because it promotes positive body image and this is something that's extremely important to get across in YA books at a time where teens and young adults do tend to struggle with these issues. However, I do love that it also showed how negative body image can be something that impacts upon later life. This really is a book that I could've done with when I was younger, but even now I've found it to be so beneficial in making me feel more comfortable about myself!

I'd find it quite interesting to hear what a male's take on this book would be; whilst it is very much catered for young females with its narrator and themes, without giving too much away there are aspects where it touches upon how guys respond to girls and how a girl's body image can be impacted upon by their reactions and what they do and don't do/say. 

It's without hesitation that I give this book five stars; days after reading it I still can feel its impact and would love to read it again in the near future! Highly, highly recommend.

I loved this book. I think it sits proudly alongside work by YA authors like Holly Bourne and Juno Dawson in challenging conventional story telling tropes while remaining brilliantly readable. Emily, the hero of the book is sensitively written and entirely relatable. I was cheering her on for the whole book. Bethany Rutter writes about being fat so positively and so passionately and so perfectly. Emily is such a brilliant character. This is joyous.

Well well. Now this is a book teenage me needed desperately. And actually. The book almost 30 something me needed too! A brilliant YA novel that contain something so authentic, there needs to be a copy in every school, in every library, and in the hands of ever teenage girl who has ever felt less than because they don’t fit societal size standards. Emily is a fantastic protagonist and one that I would love to read more about. Her attitude is refreshing and inspiring and she feels like someone we’d all like to be friends with. I loved the sibling relationship and while Emily’s relationship with her mother is sometimes hard to swallow, I can imagine this situation playing out in home across the country. All in all, brilliant book. Something I think we could all take away from this book is this: you are enough, just as you are. Never let anyone make you feel unworthy.

Emily is comfortable in her own skin, plus sized and sick of hearing about her mum's diets she's trying out relentlessly as well as trying and failing to get Emily to do them as well.



However when her best friend Camila comes home no longer Emily's plus size best friend and partner in crime, things change between the pair as Camila dates Emily's old crush Ryan as he fancies her now she's lost weight and couldn't deal with Emily's size after their failed kiss.



Emily then instantly likes Joe, a guy she meets at that party briefly and then befriends him after going to his family's record shop.



Throughout the novel we see how they get closer and even nearly sleep together until horrible Holly comes along but helps Emily realise that she's fine as she is and not to let her odd doubts get the better of her.



The book was very My Mad Fat Diary inspired, to me at least, with the record shop element and plus size main character fancying the normal sized glasses wearing cute guy. I liked her other two best friends being a gay girl couple representing the LGBTQIA community in teens and the positivity that Emily has not hating on herself but accepting herself like the wonderful unique girl she is which is an amazing and inspiring lesson to us all!!



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!