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Twelve Beats in a Bar #2
This Much Space
Olivia is Anna Wintour’s worst nightmare, and she doesn’t give a shit. She’s wanted to go into fashion design her whole life, and nothing is going to stop her fabulous plus sized self. Not even her boss from hell, or the fact that she’s the fat Cinderella of the most exclusive lingerie store in Bushwick, Ohio. She’s sworn off dating, because she is focused, dammit, and will not get distracted by anyone in college. She has shit to do and places to go, be it on her own with the clothing she makes, or with the girls in Twelve Beats In A Bar, the all-female a cappella group she’s part of.
Why do group projects always have to ruin everything?
Thierry Acosta has it all. Shortstop on Bushwick University’s baseball team, amazing grades in college, everything he could want. When he gets paired with Olivia for a group project, things are only getting better. And then his dad loses his job, and Thierry’s life falls apart. He can’t manage to get himself to practice, to class… anywhere. He’s got the scars on his wrists to prove that this has happened before, but he thought he was better. He thought he could deal with something like this. The cuts on his thighs say otherwise.
Before they know it, Olivia and Thierry's relationship has gone from casual project partners to not-so-casual more-than-friends. But when things take a turn for the worse, can they face the growing reality of a relationship that's become much more serious than either of them expected- or wanted?
Why do group projects always have to ruin everything?
Thierry Acosta has it all. Shortstop on Bushwick University’s baseball team, amazing grades in college, everything he could want. When he gets paired with Olivia for a group project, things are only getting better. And then his dad loses his job, and Thierry’s life falls apart. He can’t manage to get himself to practice, to class… anywhere. He’s got the scars on his wrists to prove that this has happened before, but he thought he was better. He thought he could deal with something like this. The cuts on his thighs say otherwise.
Before they know it, Olivia and Thierry's relationship has gone from casual project partners to not-so-casual more-than-friends. But when things take a turn for the worse, can they face the growing reality of a relationship that's become much more serious than either of them expected- or wanted?
217 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2015
About the author
K.K. Hendin
21 books176 followersKK Hendin writes books where people flirt awkwardly, make out, dish out a whole lot of sass and ridiculousness, and live happily ever after. She's the author of many books, including the weekly serial, ALL THE WRONG REASONS.
She also writes books as Brontë Reeve, where people aren't as nice and Happily Ever After isn't a guarantee.
KK is currently writing way too many books and is still waiting for the subway to run on a regular schedule. When she's not playing book Tetris in an attempt to fit everything onto the bookshelves in her tiny NYC apartment, she's probably wandering her neighborhood with her camera or drinking yet another cup of coffee.
She also writes books as Brontë Reeve, where people aren't as nice and Happily Ever After isn't a guarantee.
KK is currently writing way too many books and is still waiting for the subway to run on a regular schedule. When she's not playing book Tetris in an attempt to fit everything onto the bookshelves in her tiny NYC apartment, she's probably wandering her neighborhood with her camera or drinking yet another cup of coffee.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 2, 2015
KK Hendin is back with book two in the Twelve Beats in a Bar series and it is completely amazing. KK has a way of creating real characters that you feel you already know. I was only a few chapters into this book and was already texting my best friend and asking how she managed to get herself into a book. I mean, Olivia is awesome. Completely awesome.
Gah…why is Olivia amazing? Because she says what’s on her mind. She’s unashamed of her appearance (THANK FUCK FOR THAT). She quilts and sews. She’s sarcastic and sassy in all the right ways. She’s giving and kind and completely unselfish. I mean, I WANTED TO BE OLIVIA. or date her. or be best friends with her. It’s no surprise that when Theirry meets her that he’s also completely smitten.
Theirry’s a baseball player who comes across as perfect, beautiful, and talented. His teammates may be assholes (we find that out early on) but Theirry’s not. He’s a good guy, he’s funny, and he so incredibly quickly falls for Olivia that he’s unsure as to what he’s even doing. But he’s not without flaws, and those flaws are deeply ingrained in his psyche that he succumbs to them when life starts to get too hard. I think my heart broke during these scenes.
This book is the perfect example of how society’s perception of outward beauty is not always a match to what is in the inside. Theirry may be outwardly perfect, but he’s not. Society doesn’t seem to think that Olivia’s perfect, but I DO. I loved how KK makes you push past the usual superficial thoughts and focus on what really matters. This book is emotional, heartwrenching and uplifting. IT GAVE ME ALL THE FEELS.
Thank you for real characters & real love, KK.
[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]
This review looks prettier on my blog: http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com/2015/0...
Gah…why is Olivia amazing? Because she says what’s on her mind. She’s unashamed of her appearance (THANK FUCK FOR THAT). She quilts and sews. She’s sarcastic and sassy in all the right ways. She’s giving and kind and completely unselfish. I mean, I WANTED TO BE OLIVIA. or date her. or be best friends with her. It’s no surprise that when Theirry meets her that he’s also completely smitten.
Theirry’s a baseball player who comes across as perfect, beautiful, and talented. His teammates may be assholes (we find that out early on) but Theirry’s not. He’s a good guy, he’s funny, and he so incredibly quickly falls for Olivia that he’s unsure as to what he’s even doing. But he’s not without flaws, and those flaws are deeply ingrained in his psyche that he succumbs to them when life starts to get too hard. I think my heart broke during these scenes.
This book is the perfect example of how society’s perception of outward beauty is not always a match to what is in the inside. Theirry may be outwardly perfect, but he’s not. Society doesn’t seem to think that Olivia’s perfect, but I DO. I loved how KK makes you push past the usual superficial thoughts and focus on what really matters. This book is emotional, heartwrenching and uplifting. IT GAVE ME ALL THE FEELS.
Thank you for real characters & real love, KK.
[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]
This review looks prettier on my blog: http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com/2015/0...
May 4, 2015
FEELINGS. I have them.
Trigger warning: suicidal thoughts and tendencies, explicit self-harm, depression, anxiety, bullying, blood.
Can we talk about how freaking important this book is?
"I’ve been rewriting the words ‘I take up this much space’ on my arm every day. And every day I look at it to remind myself that I’m worth it, whatever it might be. That I deserve to be treated like a human being, and I deserve to take up the amount of space I have."
What I loved:
A+ *The dedication that made me cry before I even started reading the book.
A+ *The MC is Olivia Vieth, a fashion obsessed, hilarious, fat girl. She's fat, and she doesn't give a shit about it. Okay she does, but the book actually touches on her struggles with bullying and learning to love herself, but the book IS NOT ABOUT THAT. Hear that? A fat girl character who's not reduced to what her body looks like. Olivia is a confident bamf who will cut you if you hurt her or any of her loved ones. She's also caring and incredibly nice, talented and creative.
(I can go on and on about how well rounded the main characters were tbh.)
A+ *The love interest is Thierry Acosta. He's part latino part japanese, a talented baseball player with a heart of gold, who's also struggling with depression and self-harm. THE BOOK ACTUALLY DELVES INTO TREATMENT AND EVERYTHING IT INVOLVES: meds, in-patient facility, therapy, etc.
"You’re not going to just wake up one day and magically feel better, my therapist used to say. That’s not how it works. It’s a step-by-step process, and you’ll get there. One day you’ll just wake up and feel better. But it’s not overnight."
A+ *ALL OF THE LADY FRIENDSHIPS. ALL OF THEM. Like an actual complain I have is that there were so many girls that sometimes I had trouble telling them apart, and isn't that the best problem to have? So many girls being friends and supporting each other! And all kinds girls, who were going through different things, at that!
A+ *NO SLUT SHAMING. There was sex, people liked sex, women talked about having sex and it was not a problem for anybody.
A+ *Calling out assholes on their asshole behavior. Bam!
A+ *RACIAL AND BODY DIVERSITY!! Tho I was hoping for some LGBTQAI+ storylines too, sigh.
A+ *ALL OF THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN OLIVIA AND THIERRY ♥♥
A+ *FEMINISM motherfucker.
"And the fact that we’re all taught to take up the smallest amount of space as possible,” I say. “Because women should be seen and not heard and even though that shit is one hundred years out of date(...)Because we were taught to not take up space, that space was for men.
(...)And you guys sprawl. You take up room—you take up extra room. Because nobody taught you to not take up the space you were given. And since we were little, we were taught not to take up too much space. Not to take up the space of others, either. To be happy with what you got, because it was probably a little more than you deserved to get, and to make yourself smaller and smaller and smaller until you were hardly taking up any space anymore."
--
What I didn't like:
I do wish that some things (backstory especially) had been more developed and/or touched upon.
--
THIS MUCH SPACE is definitely what I think NA is supposed to be about, and what it needs: stories about 18 or 19 year olds or people in their 20's going to college (or not going) and figuring shit out, learning what life is all about, and struggling with different things, and then some sex on the side (or maybe no sex at all, ace/aro people exist too).
All in all, this book resonated a lot with me, over many things I can't even begin to tell you about, so see it for yourself and just read it.
Trigger warning: suicidal thoughts and tendencies, explicit self-harm, depression, anxiety, bullying, blood.
Can we talk about how freaking important this book is?
"I’ve been rewriting the words ‘I take up this much space’ on my arm every day. And every day I look at it to remind myself that I’m worth it, whatever it might be. That I deserve to be treated like a human being, and I deserve to take up the amount of space I have."
What I loved:
A+ *The dedication that made me cry before I even started reading the book.
A+ *The MC is Olivia Vieth, a fashion obsessed, hilarious, fat girl. She's fat, and she doesn't give a shit about it. Okay she does, but the book actually touches on her struggles with bullying and learning to love herself, but the book IS NOT ABOUT THAT. Hear that? A fat girl character who's not reduced to what her body looks like. Olivia is a confident bamf who will cut you if you hurt her or any of her loved ones. She's also caring and incredibly nice, talented and creative.
(I can go on and on about how well rounded the main characters were tbh.)
A+ *The love interest is Thierry Acosta. He's part latino part japanese, a talented baseball player with a heart of gold, who's also struggling with depression and self-harm. THE BOOK ACTUALLY DELVES INTO TREATMENT AND EVERYTHING IT INVOLVES: meds, in-patient facility, therapy, etc.
"You’re not going to just wake up one day and magically feel better, my therapist used to say. That’s not how it works. It’s a step-by-step process, and you’ll get there. One day you’ll just wake up and feel better. But it’s not overnight."
A+ *ALL OF THE LADY FRIENDSHIPS. ALL OF THEM. Like an actual complain I have is that there were so many girls that sometimes I had trouble telling them apart, and isn't that the best problem to have? So many girls being friends and supporting each other! And all kinds girls, who were going through different things, at that!
A+ *NO SLUT SHAMING. There was sex, people liked sex, women talked about having sex and it was not a problem for anybody.
A+ *Calling out assholes on their asshole behavior. Bam!
A+ *RACIAL AND BODY DIVERSITY!! Tho I was hoping for some LGBTQAI+ storylines too, sigh.
A+ *ALL OF THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN OLIVIA AND THIERRY ♥♥
A+ *FEMINISM motherfucker.
"And the fact that we’re all taught to take up the smallest amount of space as possible,” I say. “Because women should be seen and not heard and even though that shit is one hundred years out of date(...)Because we were taught to not take up space, that space was for men.
(...)And you guys sprawl. You take up room—you take up extra room. Because nobody taught you to not take up the space you were given. And since we were little, we were taught not to take up too much space. Not to take up the space of others, either. To be happy with what you got, because it was probably a little more than you deserved to get, and to make yourself smaller and smaller and smaller until you were hardly taking up any space anymore."
--
What I didn't like:
I do wish that some things (backstory especially) had been more developed and/or touched upon.
--
THIS MUCH SPACE is definitely what I think NA is supposed to be about, and what it needs: stories about 18 or 19 year olds or people in their 20's going to college (or not going) and figuring shit out, learning what life is all about, and struggling with different things, and then some sex on the side (or maybe no sex at all, ace/aro people exist too).
All in all, this book resonated a lot with me, over many things I can't even begin to tell you about, so see it for yourself and just read it.
April 1, 2015
REVIEW ALSO POSTED ON MY BLOG
http://thebookishangel.wordpress.com
Actual Rating: 4.5
I was given an ARC to review this book for the blog tour.
I am sooooo happy that I was given the opportunity to review this book. This book is one of the best that I’ve read so far this year. So thank you InkSlinger PR for providing me an ARC of This Much Space! :)
What the hell is it about conventionally attractive people that make rational human beings completely lose their shit?
This book is just what I needed after reading a book that gave me stress. It’s so hilarious from start to the end. It made laugh and yes, it also made me cry. It’s a very easy book to read. Everything is just so straightforward. Even though This Much Space is the second book in a series, you can still read it even if you haven’t read the first book.
She smiles, and damn if she didn’t just get prettier.
OLIVIA MARIE VIETH IS MY QUEEN. I love this girl sooooo much. Can I be one of her lucky friends, pretty please? She’s funny, has self-confidence and the drive to make her dreams come true. She is someone you can depend on. I love how crazy she is about clothes and fabrics and all that stuff because I can somehow relate to her, though in my case, I’m crazy about bookish stuffs. I would be so lucky if I can have a friend just like her. Her making me clothes would be a bonus!
I always thought the hardest thing to do would be climbing Everest or something. But the hardest thing in the world is to sit up and get off my bed.
And then there’s Thierry. I love him too. In a way, I can also relate to him. I couldn’t say why because it’s kind of personal. Olivia and Thierry are just those kinds of book characters that I will never forget.
Whoever said college was nothing but fun and games was a fucking liar.
I also liked the parts where the characters are talking about college. I can really get what they’re saying about college works and stuff. But yay to me! It’s summer now here so all I have to do is sleep, read, eat and watch movies. And well, review books too.
I’m also curious about the other Beats girls. I think Jules and I would be great friends considering how bookish she is like me! J (I want a book dress too. Somebody please make me a book dress.)
…even if you’re confident about something, and you love it with all you have, it will still hurt when other people don’t love it quite as much as you do.
Ahhhh I love this quote so much. I was wondering why this book was titled This Much Space and when I got to that part it was WOW. I must say, it’s one of my favorite parts in the book. This Much Space surprised me in a really good way. It’s hilarious, beautiful, heartbreaking and so damn relatable. It’s a very fast read so I recommend that you read this when you’re in a read-a-thon or if you just want to get ahead of your reading challenge this year. I reeeeeaaaaally liked this book to the point that I also love it. You can be sure that I’ll read the other books in the series, too! :)
http://thebookishangel.wordpress.com
Actual Rating: 4.5
I was given an ARC to review this book for the blog tour.
I am sooooo happy that I was given the opportunity to review this book. This book is one of the best that I’ve read so far this year. So thank you InkSlinger PR for providing me an ARC of This Much Space! :)
What the hell is it about conventionally attractive people that make rational human beings completely lose their shit?
This book is just what I needed after reading a book that gave me stress. It’s so hilarious from start to the end. It made laugh and yes, it also made me cry. It’s a very easy book to read. Everything is just so straightforward. Even though This Much Space is the second book in a series, you can still read it even if you haven’t read the first book.
She smiles, and damn if she didn’t just get prettier.
OLIVIA MARIE VIETH IS MY QUEEN. I love this girl sooooo much. Can I be one of her lucky friends, pretty please? She’s funny, has self-confidence and the drive to make her dreams come true. She is someone you can depend on. I love how crazy she is about clothes and fabrics and all that stuff because I can somehow relate to her, though in my case, I’m crazy about bookish stuffs. I would be so lucky if I can have a friend just like her. Her making me clothes would be a bonus!
I always thought the hardest thing to do would be climbing Everest or something. But the hardest thing in the world is to sit up and get off my bed.
And then there’s Thierry. I love him too. In a way, I can also relate to him. I couldn’t say why because it’s kind of personal. Olivia and Thierry are just those kinds of book characters that I will never forget.
Whoever said college was nothing but fun and games was a fucking liar.
I also liked the parts where the characters are talking about college. I can really get what they’re saying about college works and stuff. But yay to me! It’s summer now here so all I have to do is sleep, read, eat and watch movies. And well, review books too.
I’m also curious about the other Beats girls. I think Jules and I would be great friends considering how bookish she is like me! J (I want a book dress too. Somebody please make me a book dress.)
…even if you’re confident about something, and you love it with all you have, it will still hurt when other people don’t love it quite as much as you do.
Ahhhh I love this quote so much. I was wondering why this book was titled This Much Space and when I got to that part it was WOW. I must say, it’s one of my favorite parts in the book. This Much Space surprised me in a really good way. It’s hilarious, beautiful, heartbreaking and so damn relatable. It’s a very fast read so I recommend that you read this when you’re in a read-a-thon or if you just want to get ahead of your reading challenge this year. I reeeeeaaaaally liked this book to the point that I also love it. You can be sure that I’ll read the other books in the series, too! :)
March 6, 2019
😍
I picked up This Much Space by K.K. Hendin because it was purported to be about a fat young woman who loves fashion and has a lil romance with a baseball player. A couple of things I didn’t know: 1) this is the second book in a series called Twelve Beats in a Bar, and 2) This Much Space would be my first new adult novel!
I did not know this book focused on college students, and I must admit I was relieved that it wasn’t another young adult story! Twelve Beats in a Bar is the name of an acapella group of 12 female college students. One member, Haley, was the focus of the first book, which is where I assume all 12 characters were introduced. Unfortunately, because there are 12 young women in the group, there was no getting to know any of them in depth. Yet, had I read the first novel in the series, I doubt I would have better understood twelve characters.
One scene made me feel annoyed. The acapella group is going to sing at an event with a theme of awareness of other cultures. The secretary of the group asks what languages they know. We get answers: English, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu, Navajo, French, Haitian French, Russian, and Japanese. Given that they’re students at a state school in the Midwest (I attended one myself), I felt like Hendin was off the mark. Better yet, she could have had half as many singers and focused on their personalities instead of telling readers there are twelve diverse women.
The focus of the book isn’t the Twelve Beats, though. The stars are Olivia and Thierry — all chapters are in first-person point of view, but alternate between them. Olivia is a fat freshman on her second semester. She has a horrible job in a high-end lingerie store, which she hopes will bolster her resume, but really she’s organizing bras in the basement. It takes her forever to realize neither sorting clothes nor a business major put her in direct contact with the fashion world. She sews, knits, crafts, and sings with the Twelve Beats. Thierry is on the baseball team, a sophomore with a Brazilian father and Japanese mother (more diversity!). Both end up at a party where Thierry’s roommate calls Olivia fat, and just when he’s about to say something, she defends herself:
But a phone call from his dad saying he lost his job sends Theirry spiraling. He’s had problems in the past with major depression. It is always right there, especially given that baseball scholarships are quickly pulled if an athlete wavers slightly in his abilities — football scholarships are the sure thing in the Midwest. Hendin really puts you in the mind of a depressed suicidal cutter, so if you don’t think that’s something you can or should read, please don’t.
I really like that Olivia is a hero without needing to save a whole city or the world (like I see in young adult novels and superhero movies). When she learns that no one has see Theirry in ages, she finds him in his dorm room in a terrible state and must decide how to approach him. Can you imagine being 19 and taking someone you don’t know that well — but think maybe you love — to eventually get help and admit that they are a cutter and may commit suicide? I was glued to the pages and finished the last half of This Much Space long after midnight. Every bit felt sensitive, realistic, and carefully written. The characters were whole and broken, strong and scared, and real.
There were no parents involved in Olivia’s heroics. That’s scary, too. Parents are too involved in their college students’ lives, but where is there a separation? When are students afforded privacy? Thierry knows his folks will find out that his mental health issues are aggravated when the bill comes from the insurance company, but their feelings don’t matter in this story. Thierry and Olivia are at an age of transition, which I appreciated. College students often aren’t given space to be responsible beyond their homework and laundry, so I liked that Hendin pushed Olivia and Thierry.
Despite there being too many Beats, perhaps an author trying too hard for a diverse cast, Olivia’s character being a bit wonky early on from Theirry’s perspective, and the swearing you’ll hear at a state school, I ate up this novel and felt warm and good after I read it.
This review was originally published at Grab the Lapels.
I picked up This Much Space by K.K. Hendin because it was purported to be about a fat young woman who loves fashion and has a lil romance with a baseball player. A couple of things I didn’t know: 1) this is the second book in a series called Twelve Beats in a Bar, and 2) This Much Space would be my first new adult novel!
I did not know this book focused on college students, and I must admit I was relieved that it wasn’t another young adult story! Twelve Beats in a Bar is the name of an acapella group of 12 female college students. One member, Haley, was the focus of the first book, which is where I assume all 12 characters were introduced. Unfortunately, because there are 12 young women in the group, there was no getting to know any of them in depth. Yet, had I read the first novel in the series, I doubt I would have better understood twelve characters.
One scene made me feel annoyed. The acapella group is going to sing at an event with a theme of awareness of other cultures. The secretary of the group asks what languages they know. We get answers: English, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu, Navajo, French, Haitian French, Russian, and Japanese. Given that they’re students at a state school in the Midwest (I attended one myself), I felt like Hendin was off the mark. Better yet, she could have had half as many singers and focused on their personalities instead of telling readers there are twelve diverse women.
The focus of the book isn’t the Twelve Beats, though. The stars are Olivia and Thierry — all chapters are in first-person point of view, but alternate between them. Olivia is a fat freshman on her second semester. She has a horrible job in a high-end lingerie store, which she hopes will bolster her resume, but really she’s organizing bras in the basement. It takes her forever to realize neither sorting clothes nor a business major put her in direct contact with the fashion world. She sews, knits, crafts, and sings with the Twelve Beats. Thierry is on the baseball team, a sophomore with a Brazilian father and Japanese mother (more diversity!). Both end up at a party where Thierry’s roommate calls Olivia fat, and just when he’s about to say something, she defends herself:
"Listen, asswipe, I know you were talking to me. I’m the only fat one here. So what do you want, or were you just saying hi?"Thierry likes her personality and body immediately — and he’s not afraid to admit to the reader when he has a boner (“No boners in a public bakery. Not cool, man,” Thierry tells himself). Never once does Hendin send Theirry down a path of shame or uncertainty for his attraction to Olivia. I was so impressed by this. They have sex and go on a date and flirt and OMG. Once again, I’ve got a book in which a character asks, “Can I kiss you?” and I just love this trend. If people had asked permission to kiss when I was dating, I would have felt less nervous on dates!
But a phone call from his dad saying he lost his job sends Theirry spiraling. He’s had problems in the past with major depression. It is always right there, especially given that baseball scholarships are quickly pulled if an athlete wavers slightly in his abilities — football scholarships are the sure thing in the Midwest. Hendin really puts you in the mind of a depressed suicidal cutter, so if you don’t think that’s something you can or should read, please don’t.
I really like that Olivia is a hero without needing to save a whole city or the world (like I see in young adult novels and superhero movies). When she learns that no one has see Theirry in ages, she finds him in his dorm room in a terrible state and must decide how to approach him. Can you imagine being 19 and taking someone you don’t know that well — but think maybe you love — to eventually get help and admit that they are a cutter and may commit suicide? I was glued to the pages and finished the last half of This Much Space long after midnight. Every bit felt sensitive, realistic, and carefully written. The characters were whole and broken, strong and scared, and real.
There were no parents involved in Olivia’s heroics. That’s scary, too. Parents are too involved in their college students’ lives, but where is there a separation? When are students afforded privacy? Thierry knows his folks will find out that his mental health issues are aggravated when the bill comes from the insurance company, but their feelings don’t matter in this story. Thierry and Olivia are at an age of transition, which I appreciated. College students often aren’t given space to be responsible beyond their homework and laundry, so I liked that Hendin pushed Olivia and Thierry.
Despite there being too many Beats, perhaps an author trying too hard for a diverse cast, Olivia’s character being a bit wonky early on from Theirry’s perspective, and the swearing you’ll hear at a state school, I ate up this novel and felt warm and good after I read it.
This review was originally published at Grab the Lapels.
July 20, 2015
4 1/2 stars!!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This series is unlike anything I have read before. I really don't know how to explain it other than this series just feels IMPORTANT. KK Hendin's books are about more than whether or not the girl gets the guy or vice versa. In the first two books the author wrote about a serious topic and this book is no different.
I had a feeling that I would enjoy this book.We met Olivia is in the series' first book "Come Back to Texas" and I LOVED her. But in this book we find out just how ridiculously awesome she really is. We all have things about ourselves that we don't like and most of us will use that as an excuse to feel bad about ourselves, but not Olivia. She might be overweight, but she OWNS it. And despite working for an awful woman, who does everything to try to make Olivia feel like crap, she doesn't let that bother her. I mean I already knew she was good people, but then she meets Thierry and her awesomeness goes to a whole new level.
And Thierry. Jesus. I LOVE HIM SO FREAKING MUCH. He's super nice. Sweet. Cute. Athletic. And very genuine. I love that he gets flustered around Olivia and actually blushes at times. HE. IS. ADORABLE. He meets her at a fraternity party and and immediately likes her. After realizing they have a class together and being paired for a group project, Olivia and Thierry quickly form a friendship. It isn't long before their friendship turns into something more and they go out on a date:
I loved Olivia and Thierry as a couple. They just seemed to understand each other. When she discovers his secret, she is very supportive. Thierry refuses help from everyone else in his life, but when Olivia reaches out, he accepts. I readily admit that I cried a lot through the second half of this book. Thierry's storyline absolutely broke my heart. He felt so alone and tried to work through things himself, but it just wasn't enough. While I didn't necessarily understand what he was going through, I couldn't help feel sorry for him.
I'm not sure if there will be more books in this series, but if there are I will definitely be reading them. KK Hendin's books are so different from everything that is out there right now and everyone should read them.
And bonus in this book: We get a few updates on Nate and Hayley throughout the book. Things seem to be going well for them and that makes me happy. As I mentioned in my previous review, I want them to get their HEA. SO BADLY.
The author also has a pretty awesome website where you can get some insight into her books. I especially like this blog entry: 15 Things To Know About THIS MUCH SPACE
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This series is unlike anything I have read before. I really don't know how to explain it other than this series just feels IMPORTANT. KK Hendin's books are about more than whether or not the girl gets the guy or vice versa. In the first two books the author wrote about a serious topic and this book is no different.
I had a feeling that I would enjoy this book.We met Olivia is in the series' first book "Come Back to Texas" and I LOVED her. But in this book we find out just how ridiculously awesome she really is. We all have things about ourselves that we don't like and most of us will use that as an excuse to feel bad about ourselves, but not Olivia. She might be overweight, but she OWNS it. And despite working for an awful woman, who does everything to try to make Olivia feel like crap, she doesn't let that bother her. I mean I already knew she was good people, but then she meets Thierry and her awesomeness goes to a whole new level.
And Thierry. Jesus. I LOVE HIM SO FREAKING MUCH. He's super nice. Sweet. Cute. Athletic. And very genuine. I love that he gets flustered around Olivia and actually blushes at times. HE. IS. ADORABLE. He meets her at a fraternity party and and immediately likes her. After realizing they have a class together and being paired for a group project, Olivia and Thierry quickly form a friendship. It isn't long before their friendship turns into something more and they go out on a date:
"Charmer.”(Sidenote: I'm a sucker for when a guy asks if he can kiss you, especially on a first date. It's adorable and makes my heart go all fluttery. So as soon as he did that I was DONE.)
“Nah, not so much.” He wraps his arm around me, and we slow down a little. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Go for it.”
“Can I kiss you?”
“Go for it, handsome.”
He smiles, short and brilliant, before lowering his lips to mine. He tastes like apples and mint, and his stubble scratches me a little bit. And my head spins, spins, spins, because Thierry kisses like he lives, full throttle and enthusiastically, and I swear my knees are weak.
I kiss him back, not caring that we’re standing in the middle of a sidewalk in front of someone’s house, because there are muscled arms and strong fingers trailing up and down my back, and there’s that hair, that hair just waiting for me to plunge my hands in and swim in him. And so I do, because I can, because I want to, because it’s Thierry, the guy who colors pictures for me and yells at his teammates for being assholes and doesn’t mind being dragged through fabric stores and probably looks really fucking good in a baseball uniform.
I kiss him until I’m dizzy, until I’m tugging on his coat because I really just want to trace the V I know he’s hiding under his shirt, until he’s tugging on my coat, until the kiss goes from just enthusiastic to urgent, until it goes from a “happy apple cider” kiss to a desperate, “we probably shouldn’t have started this in the middle of a sidewalk somewhere far away from our dorm rooms in January”-kind of kiss.
Until some guy pokes his head out a window in one of the houses on the block and yells for us to get a room.
I loved Olivia and Thierry as a couple. They just seemed to understand each other. When she discovers his secret, she is very supportive. Thierry refuses help from everyone else in his life, but when Olivia reaches out, he accepts. I readily admit that I cried a lot through the second half of this book. Thierry's storyline absolutely broke my heart. He felt so alone and tried to work through things himself, but it just wasn't enough. While I didn't necessarily understand what he was going through, I couldn't help feel sorry for him.
I'm not sure if there will be more books in this series, but if there are I will definitely be reading them. KK Hendin's books are so different from everything that is out there right now and everyone should read them.
And bonus in this book: We get a few updates on Nate and Hayley throughout the book. Things seem to be going well for them and that makes me happy. As I mentioned in my previous review, I want them to get their HEA. SO BADLY.
The author also has a pretty awesome website where you can get some insight into her books. I especially like this blog entry: 15 Things To Know About THIS MUCH SPACE
Did Not Finish
December 27, 2019DNF
April 23, 2015
This Much Space (Twelve Beats in a Bar #2) by K.K. Hendin has a lot to recommend for it. The heroine, Liv is like a breath a fresh air. She is really amazing with her outlook on life. She doesn’t fit into any mold based on her personality, including her looks. She’s fat and knows it. As to how fat, we’re really not told, but she has an abundance of curves. Liv loves fashion and creating clothes, but she works for a witch of a woman at a high end clothing store who keeps Liv in the back because of her weight and attitude. But Liv takes it all in stride. She has a great circle of friends who all love and support one another.
Thierry plays college baseball. He’s more of a pessimist about life. He comes from a big family and he’s bi-racial- Brazilian and Japanese. He’s bored with baseball and college in general. He can’t stand his roommate who is the ultimate manwhore, who at a frat party insults Liv, who stands up for herself. Thierry notices, and is in awe of Liv. He then realizes they have some classes together. He wants to be around her and soak up her energy and light. The quickly become friends, which becomes something more. But then the unthinkable happens to Thierry. His father is laid off from his job, which means Thierry might not be able to stay in school, even with his sports scholarship. Plus a deadly urge he has comes back full force, which consumes him. He falls into a dark depression and only wants to do this urge day and night. All hope might be lost for Thierry, but Liv won’t let him turn to that darkness and will help him live again.
This Much Space is not your typical New Adult set in college novel. Liv makes this book shine. She may just be my favorite heroine of 2015 so far. Thierry is more in the shadows and not as interesting. His personality dims in comparison when it comes to Liv. Also everything moves way too fast between these two. It feels like everything happens in a week, from beginning to end. Also there was some confusion on my part as I read. I had to re-read certain scenes because I couldn’t figure out who was talking or who was doing certain actions. This is an editing issue that I wished could be fixed.
The sensuality factor is very PG-13. There is kissing and “making out”, but any sex is fade to black. Also the college setting is done very well.
This Much Space had it’s moment of greatness, specifically with Liv who I would love to hang out with, but Thierry’s depression that seems to come out of left field, and the speed of things left me a little disappointed overall. The reason to pick this one up is because of the outstanding heroine K.K. has created.
Thierry plays college baseball. He’s more of a pessimist about life. He comes from a big family and he’s bi-racial- Brazilian and Japanese. He’s bored with baseball and college in general. He can’t stand his roommate who is the ultimate manwhore, who at a frat party insults Liv, who stands up for herself. Thierry notices, and is in awe of Liv. He then realizes they have some classes together. He wants to be around her and soak up her energy and light. The quickly become friends, which becomes something more. But then the unthinkable happens to Thierry. His father is laid off from his job, which means Thierry might not be able to stay in school, even with his sports scholarship. Plus a deadly urge he has comes back full force, which consumes him. He falls into a dark depression and only wants to do this urge day and night. All hope might be lost for Thierry, but Liv won’t let him turn to that darkness and will help him live again.
This Much Space is not your typical New Adult set in college novel. Liv makes this book shine. She may just be my favorite heroine of 2015 so far. Thierry is more in the shadows and not as interesting. His personality dims in comparison when it comes to Liv. Also everything moves way too fast between these two. It feels like everything happens in a week, from beginning to end. Also there was some confusion on my part as I read. I had to re-read certain scenes because I couldn’t figure out who was talking or who was doing certain actions. This is an editing issue that I wished could be fixed.
The sensuality factor is very PG-13. There is kissing and “making out”, but any sex is fade to black. Also the college setting is done very well.
This Much Space had it’s moment of greatness, specifically with Liv who I would love to hang out with, but Thierry’s depression that seems to come out of left field, and the speed of things left me a little disappointed overall. The reason to pick this one up is because of the outstanding heroine K.K. has created.
March 26, 2015
I love how much K.K. Hendin manages to surprise me. Every book I read by her is different and outstanding. I really enjoyed how different this story was. The subject matter is fresh and I really do hope to see more of Olivia and Thierry in the future. I loved the messages she conveyed in this story.
Usually authors make it so their heroines are often the ones struggling and the hero is the one who comes and saves her from whatever her problems may be. This Much Space is different. It's Thierry who needs help. Olivia is so strong. I don't mean physically, but mentally and emotionally. She's capable and compassionate. I love how kind and caring she is. You only have to see her with her friends, roommate, or Thierry to understand and see how amazing she is.
Thierry is wonderful too. I liked him from the moment I met him. He's responsible and kind too. I fell in love him the moment he stood up for Olivia. I understood his fears and sadness about the pressures he was facing both at school and at home. I was surprised at how he handled them. I do like how K.K. Hendin realistically showed what was going on in the hospital and with Thierry. I felt like she treated the subject matter well. Can I just say his room mate is an a-hole? He needs a rude awakening.
There were a few things I wish could've been dealt with better. Like more interaction between Thierry and his family. Or between his coaches and him, especially when it became clear something was wrong. I'd also like to know what was going on with Olivia's evil boss. There were hints she was up to something, and I'd love to know what it was. I'd also like to see her get her comeuppance. I liked seeing Hayley again and seeing how happy she was. It was great to see all of the girls again. I did often lose track of who was whom, but I enjoyed their camaraderie. I'm looking forward to the next Twelve Beats in a Bar story. I have no doubt K.K. Hendin will make it amazing.
Usually authors make it so their heroines are often the ones struggling and the hero is the one who comes and saves her from whatever her problems may be. This Much Space is different. It's Thierry who needs help. Olivia is so strong. I don't mean physically, but mentally and emotionally. She's capable and compassionate. I love how kind and caring she is. You only have to see her with her friends, roommate, or Thierry to understand and see how amazing she is.
Thierry is wonderful too. I liked him from the moment I met him. He's responsible and kind too. I fell in love him the moment he stood up for Olivia. I understood his fears and sadness about the pressures he was facing both at school and at home. I was surprised at how he handled them. I do like how K.K. Hendin realistically showed what was going on in the hospital and with Thierry. I felt like she treated the subject matter well. Can I just say his room mate is an a-hole? He needs a rude awakening.
There were a few things I wish could've been dealt with better. Like more interaction between Thierry and his family. Or between his coaches and him, especially when it became clear something was wrong. I'd also like to know what was going on with Olivia's evil boss. There were hints she was up to something, and I'd love to know what it was. I'd also like to see her get her comeuppance. I liked seeing Hayley again and seeing how happy she was. It was great to see all of the girls again. I did often lose track of who was whom, but I enjoyed their camaraderie. I'm looking forward to the next Twelve Beats in a Bar story. I have no doubt K.K. Hendin will make it amazing.
March 22, 2015
Check out more of my reviews on my blog http://gemmareadstoomuch.co.uk
This much space is book #2 in the Twelve Beats In A Bar, I was lucky enough to be gifted a copy of the book to read for Gemma Reads Too Much.
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series here are links to my reviews of Come Back To Texas And A Different Kind Of Fine.
This Much Space is sooooo not what I was expecting, I should have known better than to expect this to be a fluff book, but I just wasn’t expecting it to be so real.
I think deep down I expected this to be another fat girl book, learning to embrace her size and sexuality, but Olivia is already perfect and she knows it.
I adore her; if I was that way inclined she would be my ideal woman. She owns every inch of herself and that’s an incredibly powerful thing.
But if I’m honest this book isn’t really about her, this is Thierry’s story.
This book deals with some pretty weighty issues, mental health and self harm are not the normal things romances are made of. To be honest I don’t care, this book is real, the issues are real and the romance is real.
This book shows the spiral of depression and it’s hard to read and harrowing and uncomfortable. But it happens and it’s not make believe.
Thierry is broken and I could say that he’s got a lot of issues that are not going to go away. I could say that mental Health issues are a lifetime thing.
But I’m not going to!
Instead I’m going to say that Thierry is broken but not destroyed, this book is full of hope and that light at the end of the tunnel feeling.
This Much Space was unexpectedly poignant and sweet, Olivia is a beautiful soul and although this wasn’t a traditional romance it was still most definitely a love story.
I really enjoyed this book.
This much space gets 4 stars from me.
This much space is book #2 in the Twelve Beats In A Bar, I was lucky enough to be gifted a copy of the book to read for Gemma Reads Too Much.
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series here are links to my reviews of Come Back To Texas And A Different Kind Of Fine.
This Much Space is sooooo not what I was expecting, I should have known better than to expect this to be a fluff book, but I just wasn’t expecting it to be so real.
I think deep down I expected this to be another fat girl book, learning to embrace her size and sexuality, but Olivia is already perfect and she knows it.
I adore her; if I was that way inclined she would be my ideal woman. She owns every inch of herself and that’s an incredibly powerful thing.
But if I’m honest this book isn’t really about her, this is Thierry’s story.
This book deals with some pretty weighty issues, mental health and self harm are not the normal things romances are made of. To be honest I don’t care, this book is real, the issues are real and the romance is real.
This book shows the spiral of depression and it’s hard to read and harrowing and uncomfortable. But it happens and it’s not make believe.
Thierry is broken and I could say that he’s got a lot of issues that are not going to go away. I could say that mental Health issues are a lifetime thing.
But I’m not going to!
Instead I’m going to say that Thierry is broken but not destroyed, this book is full of hope and that light at the end of the tunnel feeling.
This Much Space was unexpectedly poignant and sweet, Olivia is a beautiful soul and although this wasn’t a traditional romance it was still most definitely a love story.
I really enjoyed this book.
This much space gets 4 stars from me.
July 27, 2015
This book started off so strong. Hilarious, fantastic, original characters and then around the 40% mark (on my Kindle) things went south.
There are a few plot issues. The tone keeps shifting. Mostly because of Thierry's (serious) helath issues & Olivia's buoyant, bold personality. The two don't mesh and felt like a jolt when the storyline shifted. Even though I liked both of them and them as a couple. It was just difficult to go from Thierry's to Olivia's group get together with the Beats girls talking about dresses. I liked that the author was showing that Olivia had a life outside of Thierry but it din't work in this case for me.
Then there are the numerous editing issues that were so distracting a times that I had to go back and read passages over and over just to figure out who had said what or try to figure out context or what the heck happened after a subject is just dropped with no follow through.
All of that makes me so sad because this was such a fresh New Adult book at first. An overweight MC that is HAPPY, has loads of friends, dreams, has a healthy libido. There were no mean girls. It was so refreshing. And a hero that is a truly nice guy. He's great looking and into sports but we didn't have to hear the endless prattle about his ripped abs or hunky friends that are just sequel bait.
With better editing this would have been a 5 star read.
On the other hand - for those who are better at ignoring editing problems (I've heard from many readers who don't care as long they are pulled into the story) this is an emotional read that is worth giving a try just for Olivia. She was awesome.
There are a few plot issues. The tone keeps shifting. Mostly because of Thierry's (serious) helath issues & Olivia's buoyant, bold personality. The two don't mesh and felt like a jolt when the storyline shifted. Even though I liked both of them and them as a couple. It was just difficult to go from Thierry's to Olivia's group get together with the Beats girls talking about dresses. I liked that the author was showing that Olivia had a life outside of Thierry but it din't work in this case for me.
Then there are the numerous editing issues that were so distracting a times that I had to go back and read passages over and over just to figure out who had said what or try to figure out context or what the heck happened after a subject is just dropped with no follow through.
All of that makes me so sad because this was such a fresh New Adult book at first. An overweight MC that is HAPPY, has loads of friends, dreams, has a healthy libido. There were no mean girls. It was so refreshing. And a hero that is a truly nice guy. He's great looking and into sports but we didn't have to hear the endless prattle about his ripped abs or hunky friends that are just sequel bait.
With better editing this would have been a 5 star read.
On the other hand - for those who are better at ignoring editing problems (I've heard from many readers who don't care as long they are pulled into the story) this is an emotional read that is worth giving a try just for Olivia. She was awesome.
October 24, 2015
Solid 3.5 stars. It's great to see a fat heroine in a normal contemporary setting. I liked the characters and the writing.
(It's not quite my preferred subgenre, so I don't know that I'll read the rest of the series, but I'm glad to have bought/read this one.)
(It's not quite my preferred subgenre, so I don't know that I'll read the rest of the series, but I'm glad to have bought/read this one.)
March 17, 2015
So much fun for the first half (Olivia and her bad-ass self, omg) and then Thierry and his depression made my heart hurt for the latter parts of the book. My favorite KK book yet, I think.
August 25, 2016
but can the boy band a cappella video really exist, please?!?
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