Who's that Girl?

by Celia Hayes

Sam Preston appears to be living the glamorous life of a journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle...

If only that was the case... in reality, she's frustratingly single, stuck living in her parents' house, and oh yeah, in love with her boss, Dave, who barely knows that she exists...

Life seems like it will never change... until the day Sam is put on an assignment with Dave, reporting on the San Francisco Fashion Week. She hopes this might be a turning point in their relationship...

But things never go to plan and practically overnight, Sam becomes an accidental contestant in the Beautiful Curvy pageant and life suddenly becomes very complicated.

How will she manage her new rise to stardom, her job, and her sudden irresistibility to not only Dave, but a new man on the scene?

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit

486 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2018

About the author

Celia Hayes was brought up in an eccentric, baby-boom family, and earned a degree in English before a thirst for adventure led her to enlist in the USAF. She trained as a radio/television broadcaster, and served in a wide assortment of duties. Her Texas frontier adventure, the "Adelsverein Trilogy" - the story of the German colonies in the Texas Hill Country - is available on Amazon, in local Texas bookstores and in many local libraries. "Daughter of Texas" and "Deep in the Heart" follow the life of an woman pioneer in the early days of Texas, and the eventful years of the Republic of Texas. Her next book, "The Quivera Trail" will follow the adventures of an English lady who marries a Texas cattleman in 1876 and follows him to the still-restless frontier.

Reviews

[Dash fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆ A great read

When I read the blurb for Who's that Girl I was very excited.
Being a curvy girl myself I was excited to see curvy girls being represented.

Sam is a journalist and living at home. She struggles with her weight. So when her boss Dave sends her to cover a beauty contest. But somehow she ends up entering the beauty contest for curvy women. She feels out of her comfort zone.

Sam finally becomes empowered and her confidence grows which was good to see.

I did enjoy Who's that Girl.
I did appreciate how Celia wasn't affraid to write about body image and our hangs ups.

I did feel it lacked a little romance but overall a good read.

Thank you to Aria for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Jody McGrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam is a low on the totem pole reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle. She has been in love with her boss, Dave, forever. Dave, on-the-othe-hand, thinks of Sam as that girl who sort of the paper's lackey. She does all the jobs nobody else wants to do, and never says no. She really has no self confidence, but she is a hard worker. She's just there. That is until Sam somehow winds up in San Francisco Fashion Week's Beautiful Curvey Pageant. Then not only does Dave start to notice Sam, but so does another guy. A very handsome, mysterious guy. Sam is not sure what she has gotten herself into, but it doesn't look like backing out is an option!

I enjoyed this book and read it all in one day. It really kept my attention and the writing was really good. Sam was a believable character. She was a size 12-14 in a size 2 world. She had very low confidence and this tainted a lot of the choices throughout the book. It was realistic. You wanted her to have more of a backbone, you wanted her to just tell Dave to F off, but that would not have been in her character. Darn it!

The guys in her life, Dave and Al. Dave was like a freakin' caveman. I didn't not like him, but the way he treated Sam was crap. I mean if she didn't have image issues before him, she would definitely of had them after he was done talking to her. Al, was was sweet and tried to build up her confidence whenever she was with him. His big mystery was pretty obvious, but that was really no big deal. He wanted her to believe in herself and love herself for who she was.

I think this book must have been written by a non-American, because as you read it in certain spots their were turns of phrase or of course British spellings that American's wouldn't use. It was odd in a book set in America. That being said, it is probably just because I am American. I read the Americanized version of Harry Potter and didn't think that was weird, so I think it is just perspective.

I would recommend this book to all romance reader who enjoy a good laugh and a fast read. This was a fun one!

*I received a copy of this from Netgalley and have given an honest review*

[Pelusa Rivera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received an ARC at no cost to author for my voluntary review...(netgalley) I have to say that I was so disappointed with who Sam ends up with, it killed it for me. Sam was a beautiful curvy girl with no self esteem, and unfortunately has a crush on her bully of a boss Dave, who never notices her until she some how gets involved in a beauty pageant. She also catches the eye of another person Al, who does not treat her like crap, so I ask why, why did she not pick him. So even though it had it had its funny moments I can not condone being mean to someone.. Sorry folks..I will not give it less stars because writing was not bad.

[Grass monster · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Blurb :
Sam Preston appears to be living the glamorous life of a journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle...
If only that was the case... in reality, she's frustratingly single, stuck living in her parents' house, and oh yeah, in love with her boss, Dave, who barely knows that she exists...
Life seems like it will never change... until the day Sam is put on an assignment with Dave, reporting on the San Francisco Fashion Week. She hopes this might be a turning point in their relationship...
But things never go to plan and practically overnight, Sam becomes an accidental contestant in the Beautiful Curvy pageant and life suddenly becomes very complicated.
How will she manage her new rise to stardom, her job, and her sudden irresistibility to not only Dave, but a new man on the scene?

My Thoughts :
This was a slow starter for me but it did pick up a little as the story went on.
I really liked Sam Preston and found myself routing for her throughout. Working at the San Francisco Chronicle as a Journalist she is in love with her boss Dave, who is yet to notice her. Things may just be about to change when Dave asks her to report on the SF Fashion Week.
Dave isnt really a likeable charactor, hes a bit of a bully and talks down to Sam, not helped as she has body confidence issues as it is. Al, would of been the obvious choice for Sam. This is let down by the annoying Dave and I think most people would be disappointed with the ending.
Although thats not to say its worth a read.

[Lynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

oh my... where to start with this one.

Sam, a want-to-be journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle is in love with her boss, Dave. According to Sam, Dave is everything a man should be - handsome and intelligent. Oh and handsome ... big focus on his sex appeal.

According to Sam - she's smart and hardworking, but she isn't a woman Dave would look at twice - aka she's not a size 00 - more like a size 14, with self-esteem in the negative double digits.

My issues with this book had a lot to do with the story-lines and the characters. There was such potential for self-growth - especially for Sam, and yet everything is touched upon only superficially. I assumed that the Beautiful Curvy beauty contest was going to be a major focus of the plot - however it was brushed aside and pulled out as needed - when we wanted Sam to dress nicely - bring out the contest. When we want Sam to ignore Dave's calls - bring out the contest. But instead of Sam being fully immersed in the contest, she was pulled back and forth into Dave's world of trying to win a bet of abstinence while covering Fashion Week. Super ridiculous plot that isn't helped by immature characters - because each character was immature (Dave is sex-crazed, Sam is boy crazy, and everyone else just rolls their eyes at the two of them).

Immature characters weren't my only issue. Dave wasn't a likable character. He was a jerk. He never became very redeemable - and the belief that because he made a "romantic" declaration to Sam in front of their colleagues which won her over, only made me disappointed in Sam.

This was a 2 star read. A quick rom-com that could have been so much more - it could have been more about self-empowerment, more about self-discovery, and more about how a funny, smart girl comes out on top not because the guy she idolized decided to pay her some attention.

Thank you Netgalley for the copy in return for an honest review.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

This is a fun story, it flowed well and I enjoyed the characters and their interaction.

It is a very easy read but it lacked a little for me as from reading the blurb I expected a more positive story as that would have given the book an extra sparkle and made it stand out from other similar books in the field, it has a lot of potential.

3.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 4 stars for Amazon and Goodreads

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I immediately loved the cover and synopsis, of this book. The title creates fun and mystery. Samantha (Sam) is a journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle. She lives with her parents and has tried (and failed) the lemon diet. When Dave, her boss, tells her he needs her to report during Fashion Week, she signs up for the challenge, with unexpected consequences.....

Who's that Girl is just so funny! I was laughing out loud within the first few sentences and repeatedly throughout the book. I loved Sam's take on life, and her resolution to just be herself when faced with working in an industry where image and appearence matters. Dave was pretty hilarious, too. Who's That Girl is a real story for real women, and shows that every woman has something to give society and that everyone deserves a chance to shine.

It shows that physical appearance and economic status is not everything, too, which I think is an important life lesson to us all. To me, it shows that it's not what you have, it's who you are that counts.

I thought the plot was original and the pace was just righht, not to fast and not too slow. Sam, Dave and all the characters and setting were created in a vivid and relatable way. Sam has some very realistic hangups about her appearance which I think many women, (myself included) will identify with. In Who's That Girl, and through Sam's experiences, Celia Hayes challenges attitudes surrounding what beauty and success are, or should be, in a straight-talking, yet lighthearted and humorous way that had me rooting for Sam (and Dave).

Who's That Girl is a delightful, warm and honest read that had me hooked on its plot and feeling various enotions while watching the story unfold. I felt the characters' happieness uncertainty and doubt. That, along with everything else I have talked about in this review, made this a read I enjoyed, and one which I would recommend.

Thanks to Celia Hayes and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review and also the oportunity to participate in the blog tour for this title (19th February 2018)

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a fun romantic comedy of a book that would make a great movie. However, the lead male is not redeemed in my eyes and comes across as an abusive jerk, not the romantic hero. The lead character is going through a journey of self-acceptance, particularly around her weight, but I don't feel like she really has any true growth because of where her story ends. So, while I would watch the movie and enjoy it, I didn't particularly like the characters.

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my review.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who's That Girl by Celia Hayes is a cute romantic comedy that I enjoyed. Sam Preston is a journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, but all she ends up doing is other peoples work. Sam is in love with her boss Dave, who has no romantic interest in her. Sam also suffers from low self esteem. When Sam is finally noticed by an attractive man and becomes a contestant in the Beautiful Curvy pageant, Sam's life turns around. I found this book to be a quick and fun read, and look forward to reading this author again.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Sohinee Reads & Reviews (Bookarlo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samantha Preston reminded me the way I used to be 7 years ago. Seriously, she was such a believable character and so relatable. Though I was still a young girl back then and not a Journalist working for a high class newspaper, it's her behaviour that reminded me of mine. Always ready with a "yes", "no problem" at the tip of her tongue, not being able to say "no", all in all letting people walk over herself, being a doormat and a people pleaser. Yeah, that were the characteristics I had 7 years ago. She is insecure of the way she looks, she thinks she is "fat" since she isn't size zero. I think almost everyone alive on this planet goes through body image issues at some point in their lives, if it isn't all the time. Also, she is after Dave, fantasies about being with him, crushing after him. I would say that was one hell of a toxic crush where you even think of being on a diet where you are only allowed to have raw antelopes thinking that maybe it might help you to reach a closer to size zero. Sam would do anything for him and finds it impossible to say "no" even when she doesn't want to put up with the extra work load.

Enters 'The Mysterious Al' who is the exact opposite of Dave. He is such a sweetheart that I almost found him to be unbelievable. Do such guys even exist? I want one for myself. *Sigh* Who would have though that "boring Sam" would become a contestant in the highly anticipated beauty pageant of San Francisco, 'Curvy'. It was Al who actually put up with Sam and helped her see past the idea she had built about herself in her mind. He helped her see for who she truly is : funny, witty, sexy, smart and just her.

The beginning was a little boring for me and I wasn't feeling the story right from the beginning but once Al is introduced, the story gets interesting. I wanted to punch Dave right on his face, how can a person be this insensitive? —_— At times, I was cursing Sam for letting Dave dictate her all the time and being all heart eyes and all. I was really feeling the characters. This was a fun read but at the same time it gives out a clear message : Love yourself the way you are.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam Preston is a just an ordinary girl working as an assistant journalist and still living at home with her parents. She’s no boyfriend but she’s okay with that as she’s been in a one-sided infatuation with her boss Dave for the past three years. Sam longs to be a proper journalist and cover the big stories instead of the quirky interviews and all the office administration. One day Sam gets her big break, she can write about the new “Beautiful Curvy” pageant, but Sam gets more than she bargained for when she accidentally becomes a contestant herself.
I was really looking forward to reading this as the whole beauty pageant concept is one which is written about too much and I was looking forward to reading how Sam coped with the situation. However, the contest is barely mentioned until the end of the book so I was a little disappointed. The story’s main focus is the relationship between Sam and Dave.
I tried hard to like Sam but something about her just didn’t click with me, I’m still wondering why. I liked that she gains confidence as the story progresses but felt it was a little over the top and full on at times. I think the thing that bugged me most though was her adoration of Dave, I just couldn’t see what she saw in him. To me Dave was an arrogant, aggressive and bossy without any likable characteristics. The thing that annoyed me most about him was that he never seemed to believe Sam when she said “no” to him.
The flow of the story is good and there are some funny scenes throughout the book which were enjoyable to read, mostly when Sam is drunk and clumsy. I did find the first few chapters confusing as the narrative switches between first and third person narrative without any warning but this did seem to stop about half way through, making the second half of the book for me more enjoyable.
This will be an enjoyable read for many people but for me something was missing to make it a great read.
I’d like to thank Aria for sending me a copy to review for my honest opinions and inviting me to be part of the blog tour.

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam is on a hamster wheel at work; running furiously but never actually getting anywhere. Desperate for her own byline, instead she spends her days running around after other people, assisting in their work when she longs for an assignment all of her own. Any free time she has is spent dreaming of Dave, deputy editor.

Dave has his own problems; dating a string of glamorous women has finally caught up with him and put his job in jeopardy so he now faces three months without a stunning model on his arm, thanks to a directive from his editor. Faced with needing an assistant for a story, he chooses Sam – reliable, dependable, hard-working Sam .. with the added bonus of her non-threatening appearance of jeans, jumper and low self-esteem.

This is a decent story, which moved along at a slower pace than I’m used to. I expected to read more about the pageant than I did but the story was centred more around Sam and her attempts at finding ‘the one’. There are some funny moments along the way, and this is a happy read.

My thanks to publishers Aria for pre-approving my requests via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

[Cate · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't my most favourite book but but it was still quite enjoyable. I preferred the plot over the characters, which doesn't usually happen for me.
Sam is a hardworking, diligent character, yet she has a lot of self-confidence and body issues. To which Dave seemed to exploit. He didn't really notice her until the rest of the world noticed her. Typical. At this time, she caught the eye of another, a guy, to be honest, I think suited her a lot better.
Dave was an alright guy. I didn't really like him because of the two reasons above. But, Al, was sweet and kind and a much nicer guy. He treated her a lot better than Dave ever did, and ever would, in my opinion.
The plot was quick paced and it was a book you could read in one sitting. However, it wasn't the most developed plot and I feel like it had a lot of potential. It had room to develop so much more. The plot could have focused on so much on self empowerment and Sam really accepting herself. The author could have delved into this issue a lot more and, like I said, really develop the plot.
Overall, I enjoyed this but there was room for improvement.
3/5 stars

[Paula Pugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a witty and intuitive take on the effects of being a curvy girl in a thin world. Many of the descriptions of life as a not size 6 are so on point and painfully funny. The story tells the tale of Samantha (Sam) Preston, curvy girl, aspiring journalist, and her long held crush on the deputy editor of the Chronicle, Dave. Dave does not see Sam as anything more that a capable worker. That is until her world explodes into one of beauty and desirableness when she is entered in a curvy girl beauty pageant by a mysterious man she meets at the pageant’s press time. All the changes made in and to Sam force Dave to really look at her and see not only her work ethic but her inner beauty and outward appearance. Maybe it is all due to a boss imposed moratorium on Dave’s loose dating and newsworthy escapades or maybe it really is Dave growing up and seeing the truth of his behavior. I am not telling which is true and even though he really is a cad, Sam works hard to find her way out of all of this and retain her compass.

[Patricia Romero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my goodness the was a fun read! 

Sam wants to be a journalist. She's working at The Chronicle but her job turns out to be everyone else's jobs they don't want. Not writing, no chasing stories. 

As a matter of fact the only thing she is chasing is Dave. Dave who has never actually looked at her. But in her mind he is hers!

While Dave tries not to get into trouble and lose his job over fashion week, Sam has fallen into a beauty pageant for curvy gals! And underneath all of those sweats and baggy clothes is a stunner of a woman. Not the ideal thing when Dave is trying to behave.

I loved that Sam found her voice and figured out for herself that she was beautiful and curvy and she loved it! And now she has not one but two men fighting over her. Who will she choose? One? Neither?

Read it and be surprised. This was a fun read with a little moral of not judging people!

Good Job!

Netgalley/Aria   February 01,2018

[Jo Crosby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book which i very much enjoyed. Who's that girl tells the story of Sam, a wannabee journalist, with very low self esteem, a curvy physique and a massive crush on her womanising boss, Dave, who only sees her as someone to pass work off to, not someone he would ever look twice at.

When Sam gets her 'big break' reporting on SF Fashion week, she inadvertently finds herself as a contestant on the hugely popular 'Beautifully Curvy' competition and attracts the attention of a handsome suitor who simply loves her for who she is, not who she tries to be. As Sam starts to make changes to the way she looks and acts, Dave becomes besotted with her and so develops the ultimate love triangle. We follow the story of how Sam finally gets the man of her dreams. A nice easy summer read!

[Sierra Eriksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'm going to start with a couple confessions.
1) It took me a while to get into this book, but once I got into it, it pulled me in kicking and screaming!
2) At first, I thought Dave was a total jerk, I still think that, but to a lesser extent now.
Once I got into this book I really enjoyed it, but getting into it was a bit difficult, maybe because there wasn't very much character interaction, I'm not sure, but it did get better.
Sam has been in love with her boss, Dave, for 3 years, not that he knows that. When he finally starts noticing her will it be too late???
I hope you enjoy!! Happy reading!!!!

[Maria (semi hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh my... I’m not sure where to start with this review. I didn’t like Dave and couldn’t find any reasons why Sam was so interested in him beside his looks. He was a bully and a star in humiliating Sam. I also think Sam is a doormat, because it doesn’t matter how horrible Dave behaves to her, she can’t say no and keeps running back to him. There was a turning point in the book where Sam meets a new man who is very interested in her. And still she can’t forget the awful Dave. I hoped for a different ending. The writer could have done a better job and gave Sam a happy ending with a man she deserves.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's fun. Sam is one of the most believable romance heroines I've encountered in awhile. The story follows somewhat of a love triangle as Sam works to build her career and her self esteem. I very much felt Sam picked the wrong guy, but am willing to concede this is subjective. Honestly, the fact that I was so passionate about her choice speaks well to the writing of the story. I would say this is a great beach read or a relaxing weekend. Note: I was provided an eARC for my honest review.

[poppy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The synopsis of this book had me really wanting to read it but once I started I realised it was just an okay read for me. I absolutely hated Dave he was a complete ass and while I did like Sam she made some decision that I did not like. Overall it was a fun read but I did have to go back a couple of time and re-read chapters so I could keep up

[Gemma · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an interesting read

Up until the end of chapter 37. I really feel like the author needed to finish there because in my opinion 38 and the epilogue were just horrible to read and takes away from all Sam has learned of herself throughout the rest of the book.

[Jag Sanghera · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved the concept of the story but was so disappointed with certain aspects. How does being used support the concept? Also why does she mot find out the reason he actually started to notice her in the first place. I was not happy about who she ended up with. An overall portrayal of little self respect emerged as a theme for me including the in outcome.

[Maleah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

I found myself disappointed with the ending. As you get to know the main character you end up wanting the best for her, and I wanted her to realise she deserved better. But I guess if she’s happy in the end all is well

[aarathi · Rating 1 out of 5]

.........

What is the idea behind this book????
Seriously..
She has no idea what she is doing half the time.. so confusing and unsatisfying

[Kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not into men treating women like doormats then you will just forgive them right away after they kiss you and vice versa. No, just no.

[Marte Haga]

D.N.F at 50% just couldn't get into it and finally decided to give it a miss

[Yasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't l'île this book vert much