A feel good, brain candy book that will make you laugh out loud but also reflect on some important issues. Body positivity and fatphobia are big themes in this book.

A really enjoyable debut novel, the structure was a bit different, and reminded me on Where’d you go, Bernadette? - It was a mix of Bea’s POV, text threads, emails, tweets, articles etc. I like it when the author mixes things up! So the writing style was great … the premise super fun and engaging and really kept me turning the pages to see who Bea would end up with (if anyone!)

I loved Bea’s character, she is bold, unafraid but does have insecurities when it comes to her dating life. But, mostly, her message is pretty clear: embrace who you are and stay true to yourself.

Bea is a successful plus-size blogger. After her scathing blog post on the lack of diversity of pretty much anything on the hit TV series The Main Squeeze (think the Batchelor or any other one v many dating show) goes viral the show slumps to its lowest ever ratings, its sleazy producer is sacked and the new Executive Producer approaches Bea with an offer, be the next show's main squeeze. Bea doesn't even have to fall in love, just prove that a plus-size woman is attractive to men.

Despite misgivings, Bea sees this as a chance to get over her broken heart after her BFF Ray slept with her then went back to his fiancee and ghosted Bea. Whilst the men she gets to choose from might be racially diverse, only one is plus-size and they all look like male models. But as Bea and the new EP whittle down the hopefuls there may really be a chance for Bea to fall in love.

There's Wyatt, the kind, gentle cowboy. Sam the younger guy and teacher, Asher the college professor, Luc the French chef and Jefferson the token plus size guy. All of them have expressed interest in Bea and she likes each of them in different ways, but as the show progresses she learns that none of them are exactly what they seem.

If you've ever rolled your eyes at the lack of diversity on reality TV shows, where having short hair is considered subversive, or wanted the heroine to be something other than a lollypop then I think you'll enjoy this, especially if you love clothes. Bea is swathed in one gorgeous outfit after another as she dates the single men, some are heroes, some are villains but all are great reading material.

This was funny, and heartbreaking, and life-affirming all at once. Perfect beach reading, or garden reading, or lockdown in your apartment reading.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This was lovely! A body positive, diverse take on The Bachelor, this features all kinds of LGBT+ rep, including asexuality. It's also very heartwarming despite the difficult topics of cyberbulling and sexism. I really loved Bea and her motley crew of suitors, and the epistolary storytelling, with tweets, slack chats, news articles and emails was such a lot of fun in a romance novel - so funny!

One To Watch is the story of Bea, a plus size fashion blogger who is sworn off men. That is until Main Squeeze asks her to be its next star (think cross between The Batchelor and Love Island) She finds herself wondering if there could be a happily ever after for her after all.

One To Watch had a lot of promise from the synopsis but, for me, it fell short - I think maybe I am too old an audience?
It is classified as romance but I think it should be more aimed as teen/young adult. The majority of the book is written in emails, texts, script and blog and I think for me that is why I struggled to get in to it. Had I not been gifted an ARC I am not sure I would have finished it.

As a plus size girl myself I did like the message it sends, promoting sexuality, race and all love in all shapes and sizes. It’s very much a body positive book and that’s another reason why I think it would be better aimed at teenagers, had I read a book like this when I was younger I know it would have made me feel more confident growing up.

Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley for this advance review copy. (For reference I read this during Covid lockdown)

The formatting of this book, that it’s made up of emails, scripts, blogs, interviews and prose means that it’s probably best read in physical form. Mentioning that I really enjoyed the book.

I liked how it clearly stayed on the side of being a body positive book and all the backlash that people can experience if they’re happy being fat. Whilst also showing how hard that can be emotionally to go against the opinion of the majority.

‘One to Watch’ was a hell of a ride. We follow Bea, a plus-size fashion blogger with a love for France and her friend Ray who’s engaged. When she’s approached to star on Main Squeeze, essentially The Bachelor, and date 25 guys before getting engaged she’s wary but agrees. We follow the show as she tries to be a positive role model for plus-size women and find true love.
I loved this book! Being a plus-size girl who studied abroad in France I connected to Bea as a character so much! I appreciated her struggle to feel confident all the time and her doubts about what people really thought about her, it was a realistic representation. I wish I’d had the chance to read this when I was younger, I would have found Bea’s journey very reassuring as it documents the highs and lows of accepting yourself.
I was gripped by the dating show aspect of this, I would have loved to watch this on television, so much drama! In terms of the romance, I do think it’s predictable but I don’t say that in a bad way! In my opinion, that was the only relationship that I thought had the potential to go further and so I was more than satisfied. After finishing this book I was so annoyed Bea wasn’t real as I wanted to go straight to her blog and hear more from her. All in all, a really touching story that promotes diversity in all shapes, races and sexualities.

When I saw that Goodreads had chosen this as one of their summer romance reads of 2020 to read, I knew I had to read it! The story really does suck you in and I raced through this book. I found the character of Bea to be a refreshing heroine and loved the mix of social media and reality TV! Will be recommending it to anyone that loves 'Love Island' lol! Great read!

One To Watch is a fast paced very relatable romance that is hard not to read in one sitting. Laugh out loud in parts in a relevant and enjoyable romance.