What do you think?
Rate this book
If The Dress Fits
Martha Aguas kind of has it all--she's an accountant who loves numbers, an accident-prone puppy that loves her, and the perfect wardrobe.
Yes, she wears a dress size 24, her bras don't fit and she's never had a boyfriend, but so what?
It becomes a big deal when her perfect cousin Regina announces her engagement to Enzo, the only boy she's ever loved (he doesn't know, so don't tell him!) Suddenly Aguases from all corners of the globe are coming for the event, and the last thing Martha wants is to be asked why she still prefers her lattes with a waffle on the side.
Thank god for Max. Goofy, funny, dependable Max, who finds himself playing the fake boyfriend at the family festivities. But why does it feel like only one of them is pretending?
Yes, she wears a dress size 24, her bras don't fit and she's never had a boyfriend, but so what?
It becomes a big deal when her perfect cousin Regina announces her engagement to Enzo, the only boy she's ever loved (he doesn't know, so don't tell him!) Suddenly Aguases from all corners of the globe are coming for the event, and the last thing Martha wants is to be asked why she still prefers her lattes with a waffle on the side.
Thank god for Max. Goofy, funny, dependable Max, who finds himself playing the fake boyfriend at the family festivities. But why does it feel like only one of them is pretending?
204 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
57 people are currently reading
1317 people want to read
About the author
Carla de Guzman
25 books178 followersAuthor, occasional illustrator, full-time traveler.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
April 16, 2017
I felt like I was still waiting for my life to begin, but my weight had nothing to do with that.
Pros
– Body positive and realistic: I love the protagonist’s conflicted feelings about her body. She realistically struggles with her feelings on it sometimes, but she, at the end of the day, accepts her body, and I love that. Even when family or strangers comment negatively about her body and pressure her to lose weight, she has learned to accept that she loves eating, and she’s not going to change for anyone. As someone who has struggled with an eating disorder and has faced similar uncomforatable situations with family, I can appreciate her realistic and rather positive thoughts.
– Family: I love the strong family theme and the cultural aspect. I especially liked the complex relationship between Martha and Regina.
Cons
– Romance: I have always loved best-friends-turned-lovers trope, but because I’m not a fan of “OMW drama” and angst, I’ve never seen it executed in a way that I can fangirl about. This book also had OMW drama, and it just got too messy and sticky for my taste.
Also, it took a while for the “fake relationship” part to start up, and when it did happen, it wasn’t quite what I imagined. Max was cute and sweet as a best friend, and when the romance finally did happen (which was like 70%-ish of the book), I was so happy and relieved. I was shipping it. However, it went downhill from there with unnecessary drama and miscommunication issues and time skips and too much back-and-forth. I’m just not a fan of that kind of stuff in my romances.
(More details on the spoilers section at the bottom of the review called "Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?")
– Slow plot: I finished this book super quick (it’s not that long of a read), but it just felt slow, especially with the romance pacing. I think perhaps it was a “slow-burn” type, but it didn’t quite feel like that either.
– The ending: Cute, but underwhelming. Also, I felt like some things were unresolved.
Final Thoughts
I hate giving a book 2 stars when it has so much potential, but the romance was simply not my cup of tea. I do appreciate this book for including a body positive message though.
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Is there a happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
What age level would be appropriate?
---------
Diversity in ethnicity AND body type?? Realistic, yet positive body representation message?? Fake relationship AND friends-to-lovers tropes?? <--- Sign me uppp!
November 17, 2018
3.75* This was so cute! I mean, who doesn't love a best friends to lovers romance featuring a fat girl who loves herself AND two utterly adorable dogs, (including one named Wookie!!!)
I did have a few issues with the way it was edited. There were a few sentences that didn't flow, with words in the wrong place etc. and I found the tense a little all over the place, with it switching back and forth from 1st to 3rd (sometimes even within a single sentence).
My feelings towards the fat representation in this flip flopped back and forth between loving it, to getting a little bogged down by the amount of fatphobia from the people in the main character's life.
However, all in all this was an incredibly fun and enjoyable read and I will never not be here for characters loving themselves and their body, even when those around them are telling them not to.
TW: Racial slur, fatphobia, body shaming, attempted forced purging.
I did have a few issues with the way it was edited. There were a few sentences that didn't flow, with words in the wrong place etc. and I found the tense a little all over the place, with it switching back and forth from 1st to 3rd (sometimes even within a single sentence).
My feelings towards the fat representation in this flip flopped back and forth between loving it, to getting a little bogged down by the amount of fatphobia from the people in the main character's life.
However, all in all this was an incredibly fun and enjoyable read and I will never not be here for characters loving themselves and their body, even when those around them are telling them not to.
TW: Racial slur, fatphobia, body shaming, attempted forced purging.
March 26, 2018
This book does need a wee bit of a trigger warning for Fatphobia on the part of a few of the characters and Eating Disorder mention and behaviors.
That said HOLY FUCK THIS BOOK WAS FUN! The plot was straight up rom com with family drama goodness. I gasped several times and had to set my kindle down to process the plot twist I'd just read.
As a fat woman I could totally relate to Martha's experience. Sometimes you love your body. Sometimes you hate it, but that doesn't mean you hate yourself. I loved that de Guzman addressed that complex relationship with self and image.
The love story was sweet and real and the hero, Max was A+. I'm definitely going to read more from this author.
That said HOLY FUCK THIS BOOK WAS FUN! The plot was straight up rom com with family drama goodness. I gasped several times and had to set my kindle down to process the plot twist I'd just read.
As a fat woman I could totally relate to Martha's experience. Sometimes you love your body. Sometimes you hate it, but that doesn't mean you hate yourself. I loved that de Guzman addressed that complex relationship with self and image.
The love story was sweet and real and the hero, Max was A+. I'm definitely going to read more from this author.
Read
April 30, 2018This was a compelling read mostly for the heroine's voice. Martha is seriously fat, and conflicted: she's basically happy, her weight problem is that people are jerks about her weight, but she does feel insecure, hurt, and constantly very conscious of her body. I am not a great fan of insecurity as a romance plot driver but it's easy to see why someone who's constantly being told how unattractive she is should struggle. She is, when not being insecure, highly competent, likeable, funny, and stands up for herself. A bit slow to see the gorgeous Max right under her nose but hey, otherwise the book would end on ch.1.
Also to note, I really liked how the hot sexy ex wasn't a jerk. Most people were actually not jerks, they were just flawed people trying to make life work. Highly readable with a driving throughline and we really care about the outcome.
Also to note, I really liked how the hot sexy ex wasn't a jerk. Most people were actually not jerks, they were just flawed people trying to make life work. Highly readable with a driving throughline and we really care about the outcome.
January 19, 2022
INITIAL THOUGHTS:
When I found out that this book is available on audio, (thanks to Ms. Mina V. Esguerra's Twitter!) I rushed and squeezed it into my reading list.
The best parts: I felt seen because of the beautiful cover, I love the dual POVs, Max is so adorable, the portrayal of the Filipino felt infuriating because it's just so real, and I absolutely looooove the best friends to lovers romance.
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Intrigue:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Significant Other:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Writing Quality:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Character Development: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Enjoyment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Audiobook Production:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
☁FINAL VERDICT: 4.86/5 ☁
📚 Blog ♡ Booktube ♡ Bookstagram ♡ Facebook ♡ Twitter 📚
When I found out that this book is available on audio, (thanks to Ms. Mina V. Esguerra's Twitter!) I rushed and squeezed it into my reading list.
The best parts: I felt seen because of the beautiful cover, I love the dual POVs, Max is so adorable, the portrayal of the Filipino felt infuriating because it's just so real, and I absolutely looooove the best friends to lovers romance.
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Intrigue:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Significant Other:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Writing Quality:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Character Development: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Enjoyment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Audiobook Production:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
☁FINAL VERDICT: 4.86/5 ☁
📚 Blog ♡ Booktube ♡ Bookstagram ♡ Facebook ♡ Twitter 📚
May 31, 2017
"I'm actually happy with my weight, even though it's hard to believe. I like that I can work it, because it's mine. Everyone makes me feel so guilty for it, like there's something wrong with me. But come on. I look amazing. And honestly? I don't say it enough. I LOOK AMAZING."
If The Dress Fits is the perfect, funny, adorable romance contemporary you seek. And have found. It's about Martha and the wedding of her cousin, Regina. And because of this wedding, the whole family is coming to Manila and Martha knows they all going to be talking and asking her about her weight. She doesn't want that so she comes up with a fake boyfriend to distract her aunts. It just so happens her fake boyfriend is her best friend, Max. Cute, veterinarian Max.
This book is so adorable I vomit rainbows every time I read a little bit more. 1) The editing of this book is so!!! The chapter drawings are my fave thing in the world and it makes the whole book feel fresh and adorable. 2) I love the length of the book; not too long but also not short! I get too used to it when #romanceclass books are short but If The Dress Fits is actually more novel than novella.
It's modern, there are so many lauh-out-loud moments you will enjoy, the characters are so relatable + the family is epic and hilarious, I love them. Fake datings + best friends to lovers tropes + cute dogs + delicious food + amazing heroine and hero ~ this is what you can expect from this book!
Full review to come on the blog soon-ish!
February 14, 2017
I was so excited to read If the Dress Fits and it certainly live up to my expectations. It was funny, heartwarming, and empowering. A disclaimer: this review is coming from a skinny Filipinx reviewer, I can’t vet on the fat representation but remember that this is an #ownvoices book. I know this would mean a lot to fellow Filipino readers that need their own mirror. It’s difficult to find a fat character in the medium that we consume that didn’t resort to stereotypes, especially losing weight. In which, If the Dress Fits subverted.
It’s about Martha who loves her own body. The novel didn’t just touch self-acceptance, the heroine is already there at that point. It’s also about our vibrant culture, tight-knit family, self-discovery, and falling in love. I don’t want to hear non-Filipinx readers trying to discredit Martha as anything less empowering because they can’t relate to her fatness, not when there are cultural differences involved. We should stop treating “western media” as the only universal method of weaving a story. Every culture has different construct.
Overall: I like this book a lot. The romance is superb, the food descriptions are my most fave. Full review to come.
I finished If The Dress Fits a couple of days ago and I was too emotionally exhausted to review it. Writing and reading has been tough this past few weeks, please bear with my botched attempts.
It’s about Martha who loves her own body. The novel didn’t just touch self-acceptance, the heroine is already there at that point. It’s also about our vibrant culture, tight-knit family, self-discovery, and falling in love. I don’t want to hear non-Filipinx readers trying to discredit Martha as anything less empowering because they can’t relate to her fatness, not when there are cultural differences involved. We should stop treating “western media” as the only universal method of weaving a story. Every culture has different construct.
Overall: I like this book a lot. The romance is superb, the food descriptions are my most fave. Full review to come.
I finished If The Dress Fits a couple of days ago and I was too emotionally exhausted to review it. Writing and reading has been tough this past few weeks, please bear with my botched attempts.
November 20, 2018
Wat een heerlijk boek! Vol met cultuur en liefde, de perfecte combinatie!
Read
September 6, 2017Ooof, I just... had a hard time with parts of this. I was excited that it was framed as a fat-pos romance set in the Philippines with an #ownvoices author... and while parts of it worked super well for me, others were not so great.
I liked:
-The setting and sense of place
-The role that her strong extended family played, with each family member fleshed out rather than being an afterthought
-how SUPER into her the dudes were, especially Max (and I read the bonus story from his POV, which made me really happy)
- her adorable fashion & shameless enjoyment of great clothes making her feel good
-Max
I had a hard time with the juxtaposition of "I love my body! I wouldn't want to change it!" and CONSTANT -- like, nearly every page -- loaded descriptors and negative body self-talk. In terms of show-don't-tell, the heroine spent an enormous amount of time verbally attacking her body, even more than the folks around her. I can't think of a single moment when she looked at her body and described it as soft, welcoming, warm, solid, pretty, any of the positive descriptors that the hero (who's obviously attracted to her) would have used, or that she would have used if she were describing her attraction to herself or another fat person. She *tells* us a lot that she likes her body, but I can't think of a single point where she *shows* it.
I think maybe all of this would have been easier to swallow if the narrative was told from the hero's POV... maybe through that filter or at that remove, it wouldn't feel like such a barrage of little attacks.
I'm not sure that this is necessarily a criticism of the book's quality or the author's skill, and I definitely hope she keeps writing and publishing because I look forward to reading more! It feels a lot like older queer books that are filled with homophobia, both internalized and external... maybe it's better than no rep at all, or maybe it isn't. Maybe a kid or an adult is in the right place to engage with that, especially recognizing and engaging with internalized homophobia, or maybe they're too vulnerable to engage with that right then. Maybe they don't even recognize it. But it's worth being cautious when recommending it, because a reader who's grappling with a lot of body-hatred may have a very different, painful experience reading the book than a reader who's at a different place.
I liked:
-The setting and sense of place
-The role that her strong extended family played, with each family member fleshed out rather than being an afterthought
-how SUPER into her the dudes were, especially Max (and I read the bonus story from his POV, which made me really happy)
- her adorable fashion & shameless enjoyment of great clothes making her feel good
-Max
I had a hard time with the juxtaposition of "I love my body! I wouldn't want to change it!" and CONSTANT -- like, nearly every page -- loaded descriptors and negative body self-talk. In terms of show-don't-tell, the heroine spent an enormous amount of time verbally attacking her body, even more than the folks around her. I can't think of a single moment when she looked at her body and described it as soft, welcoming, warm, solid, pretty, any of the positive descriptors that the hero (who's obviously attracted to her) would have used, or that she would have used if she were describing her attraction to herself or another fat person. She *tells* us a lot that she likes her body, but I can't think of a single point where she *shows* it.
I think maybe all of this would have been easier to swallow if the narrative was told from the hero's POV... maybe through that filter or at that remove, it wouldn't feel like such a barrage of little attacks.
I'm not sure that this is necessarily a criticism of the book's quality or the author's skill, and I definitely hope she keeps writing and publishing because I look forward to reading more! It feels a lot like older queer books that are filled with homophobia, both internalized and external... maybe it's better than no rep at all, or maybe it isn't. Maybe a kid or an adult is in the right place to engage with that, especially recognizing and engaging with internalized homophobia, or maybe they're too vulnerable to engage with that right then. Maybe they don't even recognize it. But it's worth being cautious when recommending it, because a reader who's grappling with a lot of body-hatred may have a very different, painful experience reading the book than a reader who's at a different place.
December 11, 2018
...............well
I've been fat my entire life. and, in my 23 years of life, I barely consumed any media with fat characters, let alone protagonists, so having books with fat MC is, you know, a Big Deal for me.
with that said, this book was...... an experience.
Martha is a decent, even relatable, MC for the story, the family dynamics are great and the romance, even if a bit messy, is cute enough to make me root for them.
but then we have the language Martha uses to describe herself. I've lost count of the number of times she said that her thighs, arms, legs, stomach, etc, were MASSIVE; her legs, arms, boobs etc, jiggled at any light touch, she was a "concrete wall", Max was sO STRONG for being able to put her sitting onto the countertop, and so on and so forth.
the way she described herself didn't match at ALL with the good vibes, body positive message the book was apparently trying to send. I believe myself to be a fat-positive person and I would never describe myself the Martha does, and I'd understand if this was a one-time thing but nope, she only describes herself as this huge, gigantic, MASSIVE woman, with maybe three scenes where she actually celebrates her fat body.
ALSO, Martha makes the following joke:
"oh my god, since when was I a word-vomiter? I was fat! I should know a thing or two about keeping things inside, goddammit!"
..................yeah
I'm here for fat characters all the way, every day, but please, tone down on the harmful language and the fatphobic jokes, ESPECIALLY coming from the main characters, maybe?
I've been fat my entire life. and, in my 23 years of life, I barely consumed any media with fat characters, let alone protagonists, so having books with fat MC is, you know, a Big Deal for me.
with that said, this book was...... an experience.
Martha is a decent, even relatable, MC for the story, the family dynamics are great and the romance, even if a bit messy, is cute enough to make me root for them.
but then we have the language Martha uses to describe herself. I've lost count of the number of times she said that her thighs, arms, legs, stomach, etc, were MASSIVE; her legs, arms, boobs etc, jiggled at any light touch, she was a "concrete wall", Max was sO STRONG for being able to put her sitting onto the countertop, and so on and so forth.
the way she described herself didn't match at ALL with the good vibes, body positive message the book was apparently trying to send. I believe myself to be a fat-positive person and I would never describe myself the Martha does, and I'd understand if this was a one-time thing but nope, she only describes herself as this huge, gigantic, MASSIVE woman, with maybe three scenes where she actually celebrates her fat body.
ALSO, Martha makes the following joke:
"oh my god, since when was I a word-vomiter? I was fat! I should know a thing or two about keeping things inside, goddammit!"
..................yeah
I'm here for fat characters all the way, every day, but please, tone down on the harmful language and the fatphobic jokes, ESPECIALLY coming from the main characters, maybe?
February 4, 2017
The only reason this book isn't five stars is the occasional distracting typo or discrepancy in continuity. And the fact that she said Shakespeare 400 was in celebration of his birthday, not his death. But otherwise, magical, wonderful, adorable book. I mean, look at the cover, and then download a sample and read the dedication. If that doesn't get you, read the rest of the sample and see if you don't immediately buy the rest of it.
But seriously: capable, fat heroine with life goals that don't involve losing weight. Bookish veterinarian hero who can distinguish Pride and Prejudice 2005 from the original text. Manila and endless delicious sounding Filipino food. Who wouldn't want to read this book?
But seriously: capable, fat heroine with life goals that don't involve losing weight. Bookish veterinarian hero who can distinguish Pride and Prejudice 2005 from the original text. Manila and endless delicious sounding Filipino food. Who wouldn't want to read this book?
March 28, 2018
Finished this last night in less than two hours, and wow, this was so adorable!! I'd say this is the most rom-com like book I've EVER read, and while rom-coms are not my favorites, I did love this tons, even if the drama towards the end was a bit too much.
Small list of reasons why you should read it:
- body-positivity + #ownvoices fat rep
- #ownvoices Fillipinx rep
- shippy as heck romance (A+ use of the best friends to lovers trope)
- strong willed, amazing heroine
- the hero was lovely! he was a vet who was literally always reading
- awesome family dynamics
- CUTE DOG(s)
All in all, IF THE DRESS FITS is 1000% recommended to anyone looking for a fast, fun and adorable romance.
Small list of reasons why you should read it:
- body-positivity + #ownvoices fat rep
- #ownvoices Fillipinx rep
- shippy as heck romance (A+ use of the best friends to lovers trope)
- strong willed, amazing heroine
- the hero was lovely! he was a vet who was literally always reading
- awesome family dynamics
- CUTE DOG(s)
All in all, IF THE DRESS FITS is 1000% recommended to anyone looking for a fast, fun and adorable romance.
February 19, 2017
I have nothing but love for this one. The romance was A+, the cultural/family aspects were incredibly interesting and fun to read about, and who doesn't love a book about a fat girl loving herself?
March 15, 2021
I really enjoyed this. Friends-to-lovers isn't one of my favorite tropes, but it's one that I like, and Martha and Max's friendship, and love, felt real. I loved reading about a woman who both loved and valued herself (especially a fat woman), and yet still felt pinpricks of hurt and self-consciousness at the comments of both family members and strangers. Though Martha's family is of a much higher socioeconomic status than most of my family who still lives in the Philippines, and I am a second generation Filipina-American, I felt a sense of being seen in the way in which families, family ties, and Filipino culture were portrayed. It was also extremely relatable to feel the tension between responsibility to family and independence, especially when it's hard to explain these things to people who don't have the same strength, quantity, and type of family ties. Also, so many delicious food descriptions, and dogs!
August 13, 2017
8/12/2017 A fun, body positive romance and a delight to read! I love the realism of Martha's complex relationship with her boys, and sweet, bookish, animal-loving Max is just perfect. All empathy as well for Martha's crush on theatre guy Enzo, coz who doesn't love a theatre guy? Seriously, part of why I loved reading this book so much is that Martha has exactly the same taste in guys I do. I can also relate to her body insecurities -- how much do I love the sex scenes where Max worships her body kinda like Joe Manganiello does in that scene from Magic Mike XXL! (Okay, maybe not exactly like that and my fantasies may have blurred together somewhat...)
My main gripe is with the ending. After such a deliciously slow burn building up the relationship, the last 10% or so rattles off plot point after plot point to propel us to the HEA. One second they're barely speaking, the next they're going hot and heavy in the kitchen. And I get the whole insta-passion thing, and even enjoy it as a plot device, but here there are a lot of emotional issues that were nowhere close to being resolved. Worse, there never actually is that big emotional release. A convenient 'smoking gun' plot device leads to a quick resolution, and honestly, Max and Martha deserved more. I wish the ending of their story had been allowed to unfold more organically.
There are other minor plot points as well that are brought up, but barely developed before being resolved somehow (e.g. the tensions in Regina and Enzo's relationship, the emotional fallout of Tita Flora's news for the whole Aguas clan).
Still, I really enjoyed this book, and love the main characters and their romance.
+
8/7/2017 Just reading the Kindle sample so far and already loving it. I like that the heroine is fat, and not just 'pleasantly plump' or 'curvy', how she is happy about her weight but that doesn't mean she doesn't sometimes lie in bed and wish she was big like a plus-size model, whose curves always end up in the right places.
I'm already loving this heroine and eager to read about her romance and happily ever after. Will update this review after I purchase and read the whole book.
OMG and the hero is a veterinarian??? *swoon*
My main gripe is with the ending. After such a deliciously slow burn building up the relationship, the last 10% or so rattles off plot point after plot point to propel us to the HEA. One second they're barely speaking, the next they're going hot and heavy in the kitchen. And I get the whole insta-passion thing, and even enjoy it as a plot device, but here there are a lot of emotional issues that were nowhere close to being resolved. Worse, there never actually is that big emotional release. A convenient 'smoking gun' plot device leads to a quick resolution, and honestly, Max and Martha deserved more. I wish the ending of their story had been allowed to unfold more organically.
There are other minor plot points as well that are brought up, but barely developed before being resolved somehow (e.g. the tensions in Regina and Enzo's relationship, the emotional fallout of Tita Flora's news for the whole Aguas clan).
Still, I really enjoyed this book, and love the main characters and their romance.
+
8/7/2017 Just reading the Kindle sample so far and already loving it. I like that the heroine is fat, and not just 'pleasantly plump' or 'curvy', how she is happy about her weight but that doesn't mean she doesn't sometimes lie in bed and wish she was big like a plus-size model, whose curves always end up in the right places.
I'm already loving this heroine and eager to read about her romance and happily ever after. Will update this review after I purchase and read the whole book.
OMG and the hero is a veterinarian??? *swoon*
April 8, 2019
3/5 stars
I liked the sort of positive body image message Martha tried to send throughout the book and her I don’t care attitude towards the fatphobic snide comments her family threw at her. Some of the things she said in regard to body image I could relate too.
What I felt was a bit lacking was the romance part of the plot. Max and Martha had an already established relationship from the beginning of the book, being best friends and all, so while reading the book I struggled to see their relationship growing to the point where things actually happened. I would have liked to see them interact and deal with their feelings more.
I liked the sort of positive body image message Martha tried to send throughout the book and her I don’t care attitude towards the fatphobic snide comments her family threw at her. Some of the things she said in regard to body image I could relate too.
What I felt was a bit lacking was the romance part of the plot. Max and Martha had an already established relationship from the beginning of the book, being best friends and all, so while reading the book I struggled to see their relationship growing to the point where things actually happened. I would have liked to see them interact and deal with their feelings more.
October 12, 2017
THIS WAS SO BEAUTIFUL IM CRYING BUT IT WAS ALSO TOO FAST AND SUPER SHORT?!?! EXCUSE ME I NEED SO MUCH MORE OF THESE CHARACTERS
November 19, 2018
This book reminded me of Crazy Rich Asians because of the family dynamics. I can relate with having to deal with extended family members especially with issues such as weight and getting married at a certain age (which is really common in the Philippines).
Martha is a very likable MC; she tries her best not to get affected by the comments about her weight and relationship status. She has a guy best friend named Max who is a veterinarian, a music lover, and a bookworm. It's really hard not to pick him as my favorite character in this book!
This book also promotes self-love and body positivity (the MC didn't have to lose weight/have a makeover) and if you like the friends to lovers trope, then you should definitely read this book! This was such a fun, swoon worthy, and enjoyable read.
"You will never, ever understand how much it hurts that in the end, he still chose someone as beautiful and as perfect as Regina. Because of course the fat girl doesn't get the boy."
"It's weird, the moment you realize you're in love. You see it when you've lost it, and at the most random, inappropriate of times."
"Yeah I gained ten pounds living in London. So what? It didn't matter because the people who loved me, the people who mattered, thought I was perfect just the way I was. That was all I could ever need."
Soundtrack: Boxes by The Goo Goo Dolls
Martha is a very likable MC; she tries her best not to get affected by the comments about her weight and relationship status. She has a guy best friend named Max who is a veterinarian, a music lover, and a bookworm. It's really hard not to pick him as my favorite character in this book!
This book also promotes self-love and body positivity (the MC didn't have to lose weight/have a makeover) and if you like the friends to lovers trope, then you should definitely read this book! This was such a fun, swoon worthy, and enjoyable read.
"You will never, ever understand how much it hurts that in the end, he still chose someone as beautiful and as perfect as Regina. Because of course the fat girl doesn't get the boy."
"It's weird, the moment you realize you're in love. You see it when you've lost it, and at the most random, inappropriate of times."
"Yeah I gained ten pounds living in London. So what? It didn't matter because the people who loved me, the people who mattered, thought I was perfect just the way I was. That was all I could ever need."
Soundtrack: Boxes by The Goo Goo Dolls
June 27, 2018
Cute story, and a unique-to-me setting. Too much self-deprecation for my taste and definitely could use a professional editor! I’m going to try another from this author, though ~ she has promise!
March 27, 2017
For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. I only had an issue when it came to the narrative descriptions of Martha's fatness. I was prepared for fatphobic comments from other characters, but I wasn't prepared for the MC herself to describe herself with phrased like "giant stomach," "massive thighs," "double chin," and more. Martha is supposedly happy with her body most of the time--and there are certainly moments where she owns the hell out of it--but descriptions like this didn't indicate to me that she was actually confident in her body most of the time, as these appeared in nearly every scene, at least once. Perhaps it's just a cultural difference I wasn't aware of, but as a fat person, I would never describe myself like this when I'm feeling positively about myself, so I had a hard time believing it a lot of the time. I'm aware the book is ownvoices, and I certainly don't want to invalidate the author's experiences, but this is just how I felt reading it.
February 13, 2021
A fun friends-to-lovers read, with familiar descriptions of family dynamics and Filipino food. I also love that the author is on the cover. So, I will overlook the typos and bumps in the narrative. I am curious, however, how this edition differs from the first one.
January 15, 2020
A crime often committed by many readers but rarely claimed, judging books by the cover was what got me here.
If The Dress Fits
has a really pretty one that had me signing up for the ARC in .001 second.
Continue reading below!
Note: I read an ARC in exchange for honest thoughts. Want to share your book with me? Reach me here.
Continue reading below!
Note: I read an ARC in exchange for honest thoughts. Want to share your book with me? Reach me here.
November 14, 2018
Full review on my blog at The Ultimate Fangirl
I received an eARC for review of this book from Ms. Carla herself. Please know that this is an honest review and all the thoughts and opinions that I have for this book are all mine.
Is it possible to feel all the feels? For some reason, I have been reading a lot of books that tell me that I should love myself. And it is probably why I liked this book very much.
First, the book shines as a character-driven story. Martha is this person who seems very collective, but is actually very down to earth and is like any other person who has insecurities. Max is this cool amd calm dude who just gets how things are done. Their duo has this amazing chemistry that is somehow electrifying. Gosh, if only Max exists. Martha is such a lucky gal to have him as a best friend. If you’re running low, and you need to feel some romance, I swear just think of the fluffiness that Martha and Max has to offer. I mean if I have to be honest, even their dogs have chemistry! Is that even possible? It is quite charming, haha.
The majority of the characters are within the Aguas clan, each one with their own quirk and funny side. I love how the family dynamic was embedded in this story because it was expanded up to the extended family, branching to Martha’s aunts, cousin, and lola. What shines in the story, besides the kilig moments, was the relationship between Martha and her cousin, Regina. We all have those wounds that never heal, and sometimes it opens up again when we see the person who caused it. That aspect of their relationship was really heart warming and it is also a good notion that there is nothing bad with being honest to oneself and to the family.
Second, I have to commend the author for her lovely writing. When this book is not giving me the feels, it makes me very hungry. And I mean that as a compliment! The writing style is as unique as ever, and it will really draw you into the story. I can’t help but to laugh out loud when Martha is in quite an awkward situation with her food or literally anything else. There’s humor and fun in it, but there is also seriousness since it also tackles a topic such as body shaming. There’s wittiness in conveying that topic in this book, as it is subtle yet the message is there. Throw in the mix of romance and every emotion, and you get to ride this rollercoaster of feels.
And third, I cannot put emphasis enough on how I was moved and how much I have swooned over the romance in this story. Color me a hopeless romantic, but this is one of those books that make me feel that love is literally everywhere. In short, pag hindi ka kinilig sa kacute-tan ni Martha at Max, i-assume ko na baka bato ka. Joke.
(English translation: If you don’t feel anything when it comes to Martha and Max’s cuteness, I will presume that you are a rock.)
Pick this book up and you will know what I am talking about, ladies and gents. It is such a lovely read, (and take it from someone who was stressed while reading it) and it will definitely take you away to a land where feels fly free.
I received an eARC for review of this book from Ms. Carla herself. Please know that this is an honest review and all the thoughts and opinions that I have for this book are all mine.
Is it possible to feel all the feels? For some reason, I have been reading a lot of books that tell me that I should love myself. And it is probably why I liked this book very much.
First, the book shines as a character-driven story. Martha is this person who seems very collective, but is actually very down to earth and is like any other person who has insecurities. Max is this cool amd calm dude who just gets how things are done. Their duo has this amazing chemistry that is somehow electrifying. Gosh, if only Max exists. Martha is such a lucky gal to have him as a best friend. If you’re running low, and you need to feel some romance, I swear just think of the fluffiness that Martha and Max has to offer. I mean if I have to be honest, even their dogs have chemistry! Is that even possible? It is quite charming, haha.
The majority of the characters are within the Aguas clan, each one with their own quirk and funny side. I love how the family dynamic was embedded in this story because it was expanded up to the extended family, branching to Martha’s aunts, cousin, and lola. What shines in the story, besides the kilig moments, was the relationship between Martha and her cousin, Regina. We all have those wounds that never heal, and sometimes it opens up again when we see the person who caused it. That aspect of their relationship was really heart warming and it is also a good notion that there is nothing bad with being honest to oneself and to the family.
Second, I have to commend the author for her lovely writing. When this book is not giving me the feels, it makes me very hungry. And I mean that as a compliment! The writing style is as unique as ever, and it will really draw you into the story. I can’t help but to laugh out loud when Martha is in quite an awkward situation with her food or literally anything else. There’s humor and fun in it, but there is also seriousness since it also tackles a topic such as body shaming. There’s wittiness in conveying that topic in this book, as it is subtle yet the message is there. Throw in the mix of romance and every emotion, and you get to ride this rollercoaster of feels.
And third, I cannot put emphasis enough on how I was moved and how much I have swooned over the romance in this story. Color me a hopeless romantic, but this is one of those books that make me feel that love is literally everywhere. In short, pag hindi ka kinilig sa kacute-tan ni Martha at Max, i-assume ko na baka bato ka. Joke.
(English translation: If you don’t feel anything when it comes to Martha and Max’s cuteness, I will presume that you are a rock.)
Pick this book up and you will know what I am talking about, ladies and gents. It is such a lovely read, (and take it from someone who was stressed while reading it) and it will definitely take you away to a land where feels fly free.
March 3, 2020
Alright team, this is another Fat Book and also another doozy... strap in.
Here’s the good:
1. Martha is 100% definitely actually fat! And she is mostly accepting of and loving to her body throughout (we’ll get to the “mostly” later)
2. Very believable (aka heartbreaking) running inner monologue assuming people she is interested in couldn’t possibly be attracted to her...
3. ... and being proved wrong! A lot!!! With really hot people who are super into her!
4. Set in the Philippines and takes us to many different places in the country. There’s lots of delicious Filipino food sprinkled in and described throughout. Plus, we get some Tagalog here and there, which felt right, fun, and welcome.
Here’s the bad:
1. Okay, so now for that mostly... I simply couldn’t stand how frequently Martha made fat jokes at her own expense in her narration. I know that is an oft-used coping mechanism for fat people, and I know they do it to diffuse tension with others. But we’re inside her head! So why/who is her head trying to convince (???) that she actually thinks what she’s saying is funny? (And to be clear: I don’t like fat jokes, but I like funny. I will at least acknowledge it when I see it... I promise you, it was not there!)
2. One of the big turning points in the uhhh romance is completely unearned. It comes so absolutely out of the blue — one second she thinks this, and now, suddenly, and she doesn’t know why or how or when or !!!!!! she thinks that. Very curious!
3. Awkward, often forced dialogue that I could imagine myself scribbling in my notebook in 5th grade, thinking I finally *nailed* how adults talk. Geez.
4. Absolutely unbearable sex scenes that made me roll my eyes so hard I can’t find them. It is asinine to suggest that someone who has had sex 1 (one) time before wouldn’t need any foreplay with their next partner. Please grow up.
The good was quite good, but number one in the bad section really killed the mood for most of the book. I’m starting to very clearly see a picture of the way fat women are portrayed in literature! Wow! Should I pretend to be shocked! It sucks so bad ha ha! Bye!
Here’s the good:
1. Martha is 100% definitely actually fat! And she is mostly accepting of and loving to her body throughout (we’ll get to the “mostly” later)
2. Very believable (aka heartbreaking) running inner monologue assuming people she is interested in couldn’t possibly be attracted to her...
3. ... and being proved wrong! A lot!!! With really hot people who are super into her!
4. Set in the Philippines and takes us to many different places in the country. There’s lots of delicious Filipino food sprinkled in and described throughout. Plus, we get some Tagalog here and there, which felt right, fun, and welcome.
Here’s the bad:
1. Okay, so now for that mostly... I simply couldn’t stand how frequently Martha made fat jokes at her own expense in her narration. I know that is an oft-used coping mechanism for fat people, and I know they do it to diffuse tension with others. But we’re inside her head! So why/who is her head trying to convince (???) that she actually thinks what she’s saying is funny? (And to be clear: I don’t like fat jokes, but I like funny. I will at least acknowledge it when I see it... I promise you, it was not there!)
2. One of the big turning points in the uhhh romance is completely unearned. It comes so absolutely out of the blue — one second she thinks this, and now, suddenly, and she doesn’t know why or how or when or !!!!!! she thinks that. Very curious!
3. Awkward, often forced dialogue that I could imagine myself scribbling in my notebook in 5th grade, thinking I finally *nailed* how adults talk. Geez.
4. Absolutely unbearable sex scenes that made me roll my eyes so hard I can’t find them. It is asinine to suggest that someone who has had sex 1 (one) time before wouldn’t need any foreplay with their next partner. Please grow up.
The good was quite good, but number one in the bad section really killed the mood for most of the book. I’m starting to very clearly see a picture of the way fat women are portrayed in literature! Wow! Should I pretend to be shocked! It sucks so bad ha ha! Bye!
July 4, 2018
***Mise à jour
Honnêtement, je lui mets maintenant cinq étoiles. Oui, la fin était précipitée, mais j'adore tellement ce roman! Il est super divertissant et cute! Lisez-le!
------
J’aurais mis cinq étoiles si ce n’avait pas été de la fin que j’ai trouvé un peu trop précipitée à mon goût. En fait, tout le roman m’a semblé un peu précipité. Et le résumé était un peu trompeur… j’avais l’impression que ce serait une histoire de mise en scène, mais finalement, le résumé représente peut-être dix pages du roman. Mais l’histoire était super charmante, le contexte vraiment intéressant (une fille taille plus à Manille, aux Philippines), les personnages très attachants (quoique peut-être trop de Tias? Je m’y perdais). J’ai adoré Martha et j’ai adoré Max. Je le recommande! Lecture légère et rapide. Parfaite pour une longue fin de semaine au chalet!
Honnêtement, je lui mets maintenant cinq étoiles. Oui, la fin était précipitée, mais j'adore tellement ce roman! Il est super divertissant et cute! Lisez-le!
------
J’aurais mis cinq étoiles si ce n’avait pas été de la fin que j’ai trouvé un peu trop précipitée à mon goût. En fait, tout le roman m’a semblé un peu précipité. Et le résumé était un peu trompeur… j’avais l’impression que ce serait une histoire de mise en scène, mais finalement, le résumé représente peut-être dix pages du roman. Mais l’histoire était super charmante, le contexte vraiment intéressant (une fille taille plus à Manille, aux Philippines), les personnages très attachants (quoique peut-être trop de Tias? Je m’y perdais). J’ai adoré Martha et j’ai adoré Max. Je le recommande! Lecture légère et rapide. Parfaite pour une longue fin de semaine au chalet!
August 1, 2021
After reading the 2nd edition of this book, I have to raise my rating to 5 stars. It was cute before, but now the cuteness is intensified.
The author also added a 2nd POV, this time from Max, the hero of the story, and THIS WAS THE BEST CHOICE. Reading things from Max’s perspective was perfect.
A lot of Martha’s internalized fatphobia from the first book edition is basically gone here, and reading the author’s note, I’m really glad she decided on this.
If you read and loved the previous edition of If the Dress Fits, youll love this one even more. I’d even venture to say it’s almost a completely different book.
It’s best friends to lovers excellence, with a lot of great foodie descriptions, and amazing cute and fluffy feels. Just what I needed to read.
The author also added a 2nd POV, this time from Max, the hero of the story, and THIS WAS THE BEST CHOICE. Reading things from Max’s perspective was perfect.
A lot of Martha’s internalized fatphobia from the first book edition is basically gone here, and reading the author’s note, I’m really glad she decided on this.
If you read and loved the previous edition of If the Dress Fits, youll love this one even more. I’d even venture to say it’s almost a completely different book.
It’s best friends to lovers excellence, with a lot of great foodie descriptions, and amazing cute and fluffy feels. Just what I needed to read.
August 20, 2019
This was so friggin cute oh my gosh. And it's set Manila, something I've never encountered in a romance novel before. I loved the setting!
More reasons why you should read this book:
1) it's body positive!
2) Martha is adorable and so is her best friend, Max!
3) friends-to-lovers with a bit of fake relationship and ~secret yearning~ thrown in = trope heaven
4) she has 3 aunts named Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather
5) there's some musical geekiness in this as Martha and Enzo (her old crush) met while doing theatre in college
6) her family is loud, meddlesome, sometimes rude but also very loving and supportive
This isn't a novella but it's still quite short, so if you're looking for a quick, lighthearted book, this one is worth your $3.99 :)
More reasons why you should read this book:
1) it's body positive!
2) Martha is adorable and so is her best friend, Max!
3) friends-to-lovers with a bit of fake relationship and ~secret yearning~ thrown in = trope heaven
4) she has 3 aunts named Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather
5) there's some musical geekiness in this as Martha and Enzo (her old crush) met while doing theatre in college
6) her family is loud, meddlesome, sometimes rude but also very loving and supportive
This isn't a novella but it's still quite short, so if you're looking for a quick, lighthearted book, this one is worth your $3.99 :)
January 14, 2025
4.5⭐️❣️
Martha Aguas has always felt self-conscious about her weight, but this did not deter her from feeling beautiful and confident. She can travel alone without being lonely, be outstanding and reliable in her profession, and wear pretty dresses (and skirts with slits). Also constant in her life is her best friend, Max Angeles, who regularly accompanies her to Sunday lunch with the family. Her cozy bubble got snagged when Regina, her perfect cousin from Australia, got engaged to (of all the guys) Enzo. Enzo played an impactful role in Martha's life; he could have been the one except he left the Philippines to study in Australia. To stop her meddling aunts from prying about her love life, Martha and Max agreed to pretend that they are together.
Being a plus-sized girl ever since I hit adolescence, I related a lot with the MC. I've always felt taller than girls my age, my hips wider, my feet American-sized. I easily learned to love how I look because of my tight group of friends in high school, but outside that circle I would always encounter closed-minded people who would point out the obvious to make me feel bad. This book spoke volumes. Expect inspiring lines on body positivity and self-acceptance. And I love that plot twist when Martha's rosy bubble got burst when the first guy whom she might have loved got engaged to Regina. And Regina is THAT cousin who never fails to remind Martha who is the prettier and sexier one. Despite that this is a snag, there might be a silver lining after all.
The story is told in the POV of Martha and Max. I love reading about Max's thoughts and the fact that he is a vet AND a bookworm. Plus, the role of pretend boyfriend made me laugh when Max deals with Martha's quirky extended family, especially the aunts from the U.S. This is a good friends-to-lovers trope, although one of them may have been secretly in love with the other all along. It is also part women's fiction, as the book also dealt with Martha's journey from loving herself to learning not to always assume that she cannot be loved in return because of her weight.
Take a closer look at the cover of this book. Does it make you feel "kilig"? And yes, that is the author, Ms. Carla de Guzman. The cover photo is radiating with positive vibes, you would instantly know that the main character would represent a woman who is self-assured and independent.
This is another romanceclass fave for me.💕
Martha Aguas has always felt self-conscious about her weight, but this did not deter her from feeling beautiful and confident. She can travel alone without being lonely, be outstanding and reliable in her profession, and wear pretty dresses (and skirts with slits). Also constant in her life is her best friend, Max Angeles, who regularly accompanies her to Sunday lunch with the family. Her cozy bubble got snagged when Regina, her perfect cousin from Australia, got engaged to (of all the guys) Enzo. Enzo played an impactful role in Martha's life; he could have been the one except he left the Philippines to study in Australia. To stop her meddling aunts from prying about her love life, Martha and Max agreed to pretend that they are together.
Being a plus-sized girl ever since I hit adolescence, I related a lot with the MC. I've always felt taller than girls my age, my hips wider, my feet American-sized. I easily learned to love how I look because of my tight group of friends in high school, but outside that circle I would always encounter closed-minded people who would point out the obvious to make me feel bad. This book spoke volumes. Expect inspiring lines on body positivity and self-acceptance. And I love that plot twist when Martha's rosy bubble got burst when the first guy whom she might have loved got engaged to Regina. And Regina is THAT cousin who never fails to remind Martha who is the prettier and sexier one. Despite that this is a snag, there might be a silver lining after all.
The story is told in the POV of Martha and Max. I love reading about Max's thoughts and the fact that he is a vet AND a bookworm. Plus, the role of pretend boyfriend made me laugh when Max deals with Martha's quirky extended family, especially the aunts from the U.S. This is a good friends-to-lovers trope, although one of them may have been secretly in love with the other all along. It is also part women's fiction, as the book also dealt with Martha's journey from loving herself to learning not to always assume that she cannot be loved in return because of her weight.
Take a closer look at the cover of this book. Does it make you feel "kilig"? And yes, that is the author, Ms. Carla de Guzman. The cover photo is radiating with positive vibes, you would instantly know that the main character would represent a woman who is self-assured and independent.
This is another romanceclass fave for me.💕
June 30, 2021
I'm a bit torn, but I think I'll be nice and give this 3 stars. It really was rather sweet, even if the prose was weak and the plot points contrived. If I gave Spoiler Alert by Olivia Date 3 stars, then this should also. The more I think on it, they're very similar books. Both in the writing style/problems and in how they made me feel while reading. Also the weird depiction of fan culture. Though to a much lesser extent here.
There's too much emphasis on the heroine being fat. Most scenes involve descriptions of all the food she's eating, and how much she loves food, and how she loves herself as she is, but she still feels insecure when people around her make mean comments about it. Yes, these things happen, but it's annoying when a story about a plus-sized person is so focused on them BEING plus-sized.
Also like Spoiler Alert, I liked that there was effort put into making the relationship (and family relationships too) about healthy communication. It was sweet. The 'deception' plot in this case was barely even a thing. Though the synopsis says this is about a fake relationship, that never really seemed to become much of a plot point until the overblown third act conflict. It was really just 2 friends who like each other, realizing that they both like each other. Which, hey, I'm here for. (Even if there were 3 separate occasions in which he confesses and she 'realizes' that he likes her. Did she forget in between?)
Overall an inoffensive little read. It could have used another draft before publishing (and an editor!) but I had a pretty good time while reading it.
There's too much emphasis on the heroine being fat. Most scenes involve descriptions of all the food she's eating, and how much she loves food, and how she loves herself as she is, but she still feels insecure when people around her make mean comments about it. Yes, these things happen, but it's annoying when a story about a plus-sized person is so focused on them BEING plus-sized.
Also like Spoiler Alert, I liked that there was effort put into making the relationship (and family relationships too) about healthy communication. It was sweet. The 'deception' plot in this case was barely even a thing. Though the synopsis says this is about a fake relationship, that never really seemed to become much of a plot point until the overblown third act conflict. It was really just 2 friends who like each other, realizing that they both like each other. Which, hey, I'm here for. (Even if there were 3 separate occasions in which he confesses and she 'realizes' that he likes her. Did she forget in between?)
Overall an inoffensive little read. It could have used another draft before publishing (and an editor!) but I had a pretty good time while reading it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews