To Be Seen

by Lady In Writing, Alexandria Clay (Editor)

Sophie Contini’s summer is NOT off to a great start. She’s struggling with getting over her ex, feeling unsure about her future career, and dealing with the endless parade of New York City jerkoffs who make her feel invisible.

But when her parents surprise her with a family vacation to Italy, she finds herself swept up in the beautiful Sicilian countryside and into the bed of an even more beautiful Italian waiter named Paolo.

Sophie’s view of herself and the world starts to shift, but what will happen when it’s time to return home? Will she long for the hustle of the city? Or will she have found a new home with Paolo?

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 16, 2025

About the author

Lady In Writing is a born and bred New Yorker who has recently found home in the sunny state of California. She went from teaching special needs preschoolers to pursuing her childhood dream of being a writer. To deal with the struggles of lockdown, she rediscovered her passion for writing through fanfiction, which led to gaining new friends and a super supportive online following! Lady enjoys writing and reading erotic romance in any capacity, whether that’s contemporary, fantasy, or monster romance. When she isn’t writing complete filth, Lady can be found hanging out with friends, walking around Disneyland, watching murder documentaries, and talking loudly in a New York accent that even after four years of living in Cali is still fawking there.

Reviews

[Birdie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“To Be Seen” is more than just a romance, it’s a love letter to every woman who has ever questioned her worth. Sophie, a reserved American girl, finds herself falling for her handsome Italian waiter, and what unfolds is a romance that’s as sweet as it is sizzling.

Seeing Sophie as a plus-size woman is representation that is not only refreshing, it’s necessary. Sophie’s journey on her struggles with body image, her moments of doubt, and ultimately her realization that she is worthy of passion, love, and desire exactly as she is felt deeply empowering and validating.

Watching her growth is like witnessing the kind of transformation so many of us crave One where self-acceptance and romance intertwine, showing that love stories belong to every body.
This book is both relatable and inspiring, with the perfect mix of tenderness and spice.

I don’t want to spoil too much, but I will say this: “To Be Seen” has quickly become one of my top relatable romances. If you’re looking for a love story that makes you feel seen, understood, and swept off your feet, this one is an absolute must read.

[Candice Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a really pleasant read. I enjoyed Sophie as a character and her dynamics with the family and friends. I felt like her struggle was really relatable, especially as a plus size woman experiencing apparent invisibility to people around her, which is something I think isn’t talked about enough. The dynamic with the MMC was delectable, very cozy and safe and warm and I giggled and kicked my feet quite a few times. The spice was lovely, and I think it was paced excellently. I would recommend :)

[Lexi McMahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SOOOO excited to finally have this book in my hands! Lady is such an amazing writer and finally having a published book to hold and read over and over is AMAZING!
This book was the most beautiful blend of spice, with cutesy hallmark moments, to laugh out loud humor.
It dealt with real world trauma responses in such a healthy way! I really hope we get to see more of the beautiful love story that is Sophie & Paolo!

[Annamarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a perfect escape to an unexpected love story in Sicily! It was just enough spice and romance I couldn’t stop reading it ! Seeing Sophie’s character step into her own power towards the end of the book was my favorite part . She let go parts of her that no longer served her and realized beautiful things would come to her once she did that ! I feel like we all could relate to that . Beautifully written and totally recommend , it’s a must read! :)

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read! This book completely stole my heart! From the very first page, I fell in love with the main character Sophie—a beautifully written, funny and relatable plus-size woman. An authentic story about love, self discovery, passion, empowerment and the magic of letting yourself be truly seen. Cannot recommend this book enough!

[Randi Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're craving a delicious Italian romance—with an FMC who feels refreshingly real—To Be Seen will steal your heart.

What sets this story apart, besides the steamy and very well written smut, is Sophie herself. She's smart, witty, and the author made her deeply relatable, which is everything you can ask for. 10/10 read!!

[Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming, funny, and relatable, especially for plus sized girlies struggling with their self esteem like the MFC Sophie. Her whirlwind romance with our MFC Paolo is fun and sexy—paced well and a light, feel-good read!