Really enjoyed this book - attracted by the blurb but it’s got so many more layers that I was expecting. Love, relationships, social media, reality TV, personal motivations, manipulation, body image, fatism...

I absolutely adored Bea. What a great protagonist. I felt for her in the multiple scenarios that she faced. Everyone needs a bestie like Marin who tells it like it is! Often we don’t want to hear it...

Having loved TV shows like The Batchelor in the past, and recently watched Love at First Sight on Netflix (don’t turn your nose up, it was at the start of Lockdown!) it was interesting to see the other side and how things can be worked to create that you want to project.

A really interesting read - and would make a great book club read.
Wasn’t expecting this to be a 5* read - just a different perspective from not-your-standard heroine, but got so much more! Still thinking about this book several days later!!!

Well, where do I begin with this?!?!

I have put off reading this because it was a 5 star prediction for me, but a few of my favourite booktubers really didn't like it, but I have to disagree with them 100%

I fell in love with Bea right from the beginning, and totally believe the story. I am a big reality TV fan although I know its problematic and understood her scepticism a little too well. I fell in love with her. I loved the way this story was told through the mixed media of blogs, podcasts, messages etc and every time I thought this was going south something happened which got me right back on board!!

I think this is a fantastic debut and I will be getting my own copy ASAP as I need this in my collection!

The only think that let it slightly down for me as that I thought some of the diversity in this book was diversity for diversities sake. I dont want to give any spoilers but I think some of the diversity (The plus size representation being one of these) was done really well, but other characters seemed to have their ethnicity or heritage described but it was very 2d.

All in all though I am giving this a 4.5 Star.

One to watch is centred around Bea a plus sized fashion blogger. One evening whilst watching 'the main squeeze' basically a fictional version of the bachelor/bachelorette, Bea takes to the Internet and has a massive rant about how the show produces an unrealistic expectation of what women should look like when the reality isn't the same. So Bea finds herself on the show as the main squeeze and although she wasn't invested to start that starts to change.


First of all I loved this book!!!!


The writing was amazing. There were so many different styles throughout the book; blog posts, text chains, narration and social media post. I found this to be a breathe of fresh air, the book really reflected the way in which communications actually happen in the modern world. At times I did get a tad lost but to be honest I think that's just me.

I found Bea's character so relatable. She is plus size and she seems to have so much confidence about herself but the book brings up a bigger issue of whether or not her issue is how people see her or how she sees herself. I honestly loved the journey that she takes throughout the book.

I really enjoyed this book. Its a very body positive book and i was happy to read it! I can imagine that there will be backlash for promoting obesity but screw the haters. With majority of the female population being over a size 14 this needs to be read.


The love story element of it was great. I found myself completely committed in the story and how it would turn out almost as if I was watching the show myself. The book is really well written in that I was shouting at my book yes no omg!

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a romance, chic lit or like me just needed a break from the usual cycle of psychological thrillers. I would compare this style to Tracey Bloom so of like me you are a fan of hers you will love this! Happy to give 5 stars I laughed, cried, gasped and was committed. Great debut novel for Kate Stayman-London and I look forward to more to come.


Thanks to netgalley, the publishers and K. Stayman-London for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my fair and honest review

I really enjoyed this, I was just disappointed I was so busy and couldn’t dedicate time to sit and binge it as I wanted to! My fave things - fashion and reality tv mixed with a relatable body positive plus size main character, with very real feelings and body image. I loved all of the characters and I loved the interjections throughout of the text message threads and blogs etc, great plot tool. Can’t wait to read more from Kate, bravo. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and Two Roads for an advanced copy in an exchange for an honest review.

Bea Schumacher is successful blogger – fashion blogger even though as plus size woman this is not necessarily a field where people would expect her. After being disappointed again by Ray with whom she has been in love for many years now, she accepts the offer to take part in the TV show “Main Squeeze” where 25 men compete for her love. Is this a way of finding the perfect match? Bea is hardly convinced and the first encounter with the good looking competitors seem to confirm her worst expectations: disappointed by her body shape, they do not shrink from humiliating her in front of a large audience. But slowly she discovers that some might be able to see beyond her body and detect the woman that she is. Yet, can this really be true or is it just to promote their own popularity?

Kate Stayman-London’s novel oscillates between totally hilarious and deeply sad while addressing some absolutely serious topics. The text is a collage of different text types, the actual narration is interrupted by Bea’s blog entries, Internet comments and newspaper articles which makes it a lively and authentic read since this is how we consume information today: they come in different shapes and only together do they form a whole picture. However, the story relies on the protagonist, a woman who is easy to sympathise with, you simply cannot not love Bea.

What I appreciated most, was how Bea’s weak sides were presented. Never has she felt at ease in her body, the pressure of fitting in and fulfilling certain expectations of the female body’s look have haunted her since her teenage years. Nevertheless, she has become a spokeswoman for those who do not conform which is easy as long as she is more or less invisible behind her blog – being exposed on TV is a different story. TV just like the fashion industry is all but diverse in all respects. The novel convincingly criticises this, yet, they depend on the audience who also needs to move on and open up for other protagonists.

A novel to dive in and enjoy the read.

My Rating- 3.49 stars
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(I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions and expressed here are my own.)

One to Watch is a stunningly honest book that will keep you on edge till the end.

When I learned that this book had a plus-sized protagonist, I wanted to read it at once. I was so tired of reading stories featuring protagonists with "killer curves" or "perfect body" in novels that lacked the actual representation of women in our society. It was nice to see that many authors are taking notice of this and are writing books that have plus-size protagonists in them, which I have wanted to read for a long time.
Bea's life is a mirror to the fat-shaming culture that is prevalent in this current society. The book showed how this society categorizes and judges women based on their bodies. It was an honest, saddening, and heartfelt story.

It took time for me to get used to the format of the book. The first few chapters of this book felt messy to me- there are blog posts, text messages, tweets, transcripts, etc. included in the book which slowed me down a bit.
Once the show began (in the book), I was hooked from the first episode. I was so curious to see how Bea assessed each man and how reacted to date a plus-size woman. Bea was so strong, vulnerable, and proved to everyone that she was her own person. No matter how the producer tried to control her, Bea always made her own decisions.
Let's speak about the dates on the show. I saw that they belonged to different ethnicity but they did not have the body diversity which Bea - and I - was looking for (except for the one fat guy on the show). It was nice to learn their thoughts on Bea and vice-versa. Some were awful and mean to her. They insulted her on national TV. The saddest part was when the producers taking full advantage of the situation and didn't care for her much. They cared about the ratings more than comforting her.
Few things that I really liked about the show were that it made Bea comfortable with her body. Bea was self-conscious and insecure about her body before and in the show. She was hesitant to come out of her comfort zone. The show pushed her out of her comfort zone, which helped her be confident about her body and herself. It was nice this transformation in her. She emerged as someone stronger and a self-content person in the end.

On the whole, One to Watch portrayed how women are still judged for their bodies and not for the work they do. The book depicted the harsh reality of being a plus-size star and focused on the body- negativity attached to fatness, which is prevalent in our society. The book was filled with many unexpected turn of events and got me rooting for Bea-to give herself and love another chance.

If you are someone who loves The Bachelor and is looking for a romance novel with a plus-size character, I recommend this book.

A really enjoyable read. I wasn’t sure at first, but the characters, the reality premise and the romance swept me along, and I just kept turning pages.

Could not get behind the character of Bea when she fell all over herself for a man who is obviously using her and has no interest in her. Just could not get past the 'my mind was saying something but my body was doing the opposite' - like she never had a choice... Just cannot believe this and thus get behind this characterization

One to Watch was a book I was a little hesitant to read because several people warned me about the amount of fatphobia in it. Then I talked to someone else who said she really loved this book and felt very seen by it, and I felt so reassured, I basically dove in straight away. And I too, felt really seen by it and I'm so glad I made the choice to read it!

The thing is, fatphobia is a thing that is unfortunately rampant in our society. So it's something you deal with a lot if you're fat. And I felt so seen by this book because it really showed so many ways in which fatphobia tries to control fat people, especially people who were assigned female at birth (I'm personally an AFAB non-binary person so I've had many of the same experiences that the main character had, since I've always been perceived as a girl/woman). I personally think this was handled very well in the book, and I found it comfortingly realistic to read about Bea's experiences; it made me feel like "yes, these are things that really happen, someone actually sees this!" Which was just really comforting to me.

What I especially loved is how diet culture did not influence Bea in the slightest. Sure, she had her insecurities, but they all had external causes. She never felt like she should change and she was such an empowering character to see in a book!

The book itself is just so incredibly fun and entertaining. It's quick, snappy and to the point, and where I first was really unsure if I was gonna love Bea's suitors, I ended up really loving some of them. Lucky for me, she ended up with my favourite one!

This story was enjoyable, albeit a little predictable. Not the first book I’ve read set as a dating show, so I suppose the novelty of that aspect wasn’t quite as strong for me.

I enjoyed the atypical formatting to begin with but then it was a bit like marmite for me, and I found it increasingly difficult to follow the story.

3.5 ‘Lights, Camera, Action' Stars!.

Calling all fans of The Bachelor franchise, Reality Dating Shows or soap opera dramatics. One to Watch is a guaranteed fun, flirty, fairy tale good time.

In her quest to find true love, plus-size Beauty & Style Blogger Bea Schumacher. is offered the opportunity to star in the 14th season of ‘Main Squeeze’ – a reality series where Bea is presented with 25 male suitors. Using a process of dates and weekly eliminations, she must narrow the field until she is left with 'the one’ she deems husband material.

One to Watch was an epic rollercoaster of heart-warming and heart-break, as we experience every facet of Bea's life – loves, triumphs and defeats – up close and personal. It was harrowing to realise just how under the microscope Bea's every move was. As you would expect public opinion ranged from respectful, encouraging, and supportive to fat shaming, insults, and trolling.

The inclusion of blog posts, text messages, email, podcasts, articles and other media coverage increased my buzz and excitement for the reality show. I loved all the behind-the-scenes action and insight into the production of a dating show, and was completely engrossed in the on-screen drama, spiciness, intrigue, and rotten contestants, who thankfully got their just desserts. One to Watch also had its fair share of wonderful and sweet characters, and I absolutely adored Bea's amazing family.

Bea got on my nerves a lot though, hence my lowered rating. She often came across as an ungrateful whiny brat, who judged others unfairly, but excused her own bad behaviour, so I found it hard to root for a happy ending for her. She did grow and improve but by then I was fed up with her. My other gripe was that One to Watch was a straight up copy of The Bachelorette – it would’ve been nice for the show to have some originality.

Overall, a gratifying, pleasurable read, but nothing about it ‘wowed’ me.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, John Murray Press, and Kate Stayman-London for the e-ARC.

Bea Schumacher has everything she could want: a fashion blog, amazing friends, the most supportive family, and a ton of Instagram followers. The only thing missing is love, as the one man she loves abandons her and leaves her heartbroken. So, she does what all heartbroken single people do: watches a show of other people falling in love. After watching yet another season of super skinny perfect people “find love”, Bea writes a wine-indused and scathing blog post regarding the lack of diversity on the show. What she didn’t expect was the main producer of the show reaching out and telling her she is the next Main Squeeze contestant. Thus begins a whirlwind of trips, dates, and men that leave Bea wondering is the show going to help her career or does this process actually work and “her husband is in this room”?
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Being a big Bachelor/Bachelorette fan since the Trista Sutter days, I loved the behind the scenes and the major parallels between this book and the show. Although I could predict what could happen and may have skimmed some parts (🤦🏻‍♀️), overall the story was incredibly entertaining and it had me hooked to the end to see how it would unfold.
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*TW: body image, fat shaming, minor sexual assault
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🍷to sum it up: very entertaining, romantic comedy, love the Bachelor comparisons, creative writing, one perspective, super juicy

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed reading this book and the premise of the story, a plus sized main character of a tv show where she gets to pick her own future husband! Brilliant.
I liked how we didn’t just hear from Bea herself but also from blog articles, twitter feeds and press articles. It made the whole book seem real and relatable as though we were watching it.

Yes some characters frustrated me and yes some bits were predictable but I enjoyed it overall as a book and would recommend it to those whom go enjoy a bit of a twisty romance tale!

“The way you dress, the way you hang your head? I think perhaps you are hiding,” she said quietly. “But in this cape?” Bea looked up to meet her eye. “In this cape, what?” Jeanne’s lips curled at the corners, the barest hint of a grin. “You will be someone who everyone must see.”



I’ve told myself for so many years that I’m afraid of men rejecting me for the way I look, of them refusing to look past my size. But I was wrong—I don’t need a man to look past my size. I need someone who’ll see me and love me exactly as I am.


This book was a good read with elements of BODY POSITIVITY, SELF ACCEPTANCE/ SELF LOVE and the guilty pleasures of trashy reality television that we all secretly love.


I was enjoying reading it, but it’s not a five star book for me. The news articles and fan reactions felt a bit too much. Pacing was just all over the place. This book turned out to be mechanical and rushed at times. Nonetheless, its a GOOD #ONETOWATCH out for!

#OneToWatch #NetGalley

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 5*
Writing skill : 5*
Plot: 4*
Characters: 5*
Predictability:4*

I really really loved this. If were being technical I would have given it 4.5* (I predicted a twist or two) but I was no way rounding it down so here we are. As main characters go Bea is way up there. Shes a plus-sized fashion blogger who we see go on a journey of ups and downs in way of a bachelorette style TV show to find her one true love *swoons*,and it was a good journey!!! No spoilers here but that ending was the cherry on an already fabulous big-fat cake!! READ THIS!

Aaahhhh, I loved it, a great uplifting read during lockdown days. I thought that the author dealt with the topics beautifully - would recommend

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had seen someone do a review of this book and knew that it was one I had to read for myself. It's a rom com with lots of twists and turns. You can see that this book has been written to target fans of reality TV as it focuses around a lot of the drama you find in those types of shows. The depth of this story grows as the story develops and you get to experience the protagonist's own journey to self -love. It also reflects out culture and how we view plus sized women, it was refreshing to read and it was a book I could actually relate to (as a plus sized girl myself). This is an easy feel-good book and would recommend if people enjoy reality shows and just want a slight alternative rom com.

A very powerful story about love, beauty and the things that come with body positivity.

One to Watch was a very interesting read and brought up strong subjects such as body size, shame, asexuality and confidence.

If you are looking for your next read, this is it!

Was intrigued by the description for this about a plus-size woman going on a reality TV show where she gets to chose between 25 men in a series of elimination dates. The beginning of the book was not the most positive as Bea detailed her struggles with how she feels about her weight and pines after the non descript Ray. She is persuaded to go on the show and is initially scared and doesn't believe that a slimmer, fit man would chose her, which isn't helped by the producer's tactic of getting one man to walk away as soon as he sees her. I nearly stopped reading at that point. I kept going as I was curious about how the story would unfold and I cared about Bea. My efforts were rewarded a lovely journey follows not always straightforward but all the more believable for that. I am still not sure why anyone would put themselves through such an ordeal but I loved the way they brought a happy ending for Bea.

With thanks to Net galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had really high hopes for this book and really enjoyed many of the characters however I found it left me a little flat. It was fairly obvious who Bea was meant to be with from the outset and who she was going to end up with so I felt the ending fell a little short.

Some of the characters were really lovely - I really liked Sam and Wyatt - and others were utterly horrific. I think this was a good commentary on plus size people in the media/public eye but I would have loved to see something a little more from it unfortunately.