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Such a Pretty Face
I’ll let you in on a deep, dark secret of mine:
I’ve never had a boyfriend.
You heard me right. I’ve gone 27 years and never dated a man long enough for him to earn that title. And get ready to be horrified—I’ve never even kissed a man. Not even during a game of spin the bottle.
My mother claims my weight is to blame for my abysmal social life. If only I would follow her new diet tip about eating only carrots until I either drop 50 pounds or die from carrot poisoning. After all, I have SUCH a pretty face.
But now I have a new secret:
I’ve met somebody. Somebody amazing. Brody’s got his problems too, but he’s sweet and nerdy, and he’s also got a pretty nice face. And he really likes me, just the way I am.
Too bad Brody’s got a big secret of his own.
Such a Pretty Face is a curvy girl, big beautiful woman (BBW) romance with no cheating, a little bit of steam, and a HEA.
I’ve never had a boyfriend.
You heard me right. I’ve gone 27 years and never dated a man long enough for him to earn that title. And get ready to be horrified—I’ve never even kissed a man. Not even during a game of spin the bottle.
My mother claims my weight is to blame for my abysmal social life. If only I would follow her new diet tip about eating only carrots until I either drop 50 pounds or die from carrot poisoning. After all, I have SUCH a pretty face.
But now I have a new secret:
I’ve met somebody. Somebody amazing. Brody’s got his problems too, but he’s sweet and nerdy, and he’s also got a pretty nice face. And he really likes me, just the way I am.
Too bad Brody’s got a big secret of his own.
Such a Pretty Face is a curvy girl, big beautiful woman (BBW) romance with no cheating, a little bit of steam, and a HEA.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 13, 2021
35 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 14, 2021
I like that this book had representation from differently abled people. But I think it fell a bit flat. I guess the idea is that everyone deserves love, but it was so heavy handed about how horrible being obese is that the love story fell flat.
At one point in the novel the heroine asks someone to name one thing about her other than her weight. Which is when I realized I knew her job and that she is obese. And I am 90% certain I only remember her job because I work in the same industry, not because it is really particularly memorable. The heroine's only personality is that she is obese and has no one in her life that doesn't judge her for it. Literally, no one. Every single person that she interacts with makes derogatory comments about her or harps on how she needs to diet/exercise more. Her friends, family and coworkers are all painted as judgy, awful people. So she is lonely, and unsupported. And obese. But other than that she is a great person, people just don't see it....except she isn't really. I think people don't like her because she is unlikeable and not because of her weight. Honestly, she is pretty judgy of her friends and family and what they care about as well. She doesn't seem interested in spending time or getting to know them either. Maybe it is because of feeling so judged/uncomfortable she cannot get out of her own head?
Even through to the end of the book and the HEA. The only time we spend with her she is being harassed about her weight, eating or hanging out with her boyfriend. There isn't really anything to grab onto that makes me feel connected to her. Honestly, I don't know, I have probably given it more thought than it deserves.
I really wanted to like this book. I love romances with different types of people in them, and am painfully familiar with feeling judged. But I really wish she had more to her.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
At one point in the novel the heroine asks someone to name one thing about her other than her weight. Which is when I realized I knew her job and that she is obese. And I am 90% certain I only remember her job because I work in the same industry, not because it is really particularly memorable. The heroine's only personality is that she is obese and has no one in her life that doesn't judge her for it. Literally, no one. Every single person that she interacts with makes derogatory comments about her or harps on how she needs to diet/exercise more. Her friends, family and coworkers are all painted as judgy, awful people. So she is lonely, and unsupported. And obese. But other than that she is a great person, people just don't see it....except she isn't really. I think people don't like her because she is unlikeable and not because of her weight. Honestly, she is pretty judgy of her friends and family and what they care about as well. She doesn't seem interested in spending time or getting to know them either. Maybe it is because of feeling so judged/uncomfortable she cannot get out of her own head?
Even through to the end of the book and the HEA. The only time we spend with her she is being harassed about her weight, eating or hanging out with her boyfriend. There isn't really anything to grab onto that makes me feel connected to her. Honestly, I don't know, I have probably given it more thought than it deserves.
I really wanted to like this book. I love romances with different types of people in them, and am painfully familiar with feeling judged. But I really wish she had more to her.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 3, 2021
I took a chance on this new to me author solely based on this book's title and description and I am really glad that I did because I ended up loving it. To begin, I have to say the title and its curvy girl heroine, Emily are going to be extremely relatable and easy to connect with for many readers, myself included. I warn you, just because you can relate doesn't mean you'll know exactly how this story is going to go. Because you don't. I know I didn't and I really appreciated that. The author created a fresh story with a powerful emotional punch, raw realism, sweetness, humor, twists, heartbreaking poignancy, and major feels. I'm going to resist saying a lot more because I honestly feel this is one of those books that the less you know when you start, the bigger the impact will be on you as you read and I want that experience for everyone that decides to read this amazing book. I am electing to post
a candid review.
a candid review.
July 15, 2021
Readable, but not great
2 stars. I really wasn’t a fan of this book, even though it has all the makings of books I normally enjoy. The story line was a little hard to believe, and didn’t have a resolution. I didn’t like that she never got treatment for her disorder, and it wasn’t even really under control by the end of the book.
2 stars. I really wasn’t a fan of this book, even though it has all the makings of books I normally enjoy. The story line was a little hard to believe, and didn’t have a resolution. I didn’t like that she never got treatment for her disorder, and it wasn’t even really under control by the end of the book.
July 15, 2021
This book was difficult to read at times because the realness of certain situations made me uncomfortable. That’s my issue to deal with and not the author’s fault.
If I’m being completely honest, my biggest hang-up with this story is the fact that I don’t believe most men would find a morbidly obese woman attractive. Brody is a handsome man who suffered a crippling spinal injury after crashing into a tree while driving drunk. He lies to the heroine about who was driving that night, and the truth isn’t revealed until much later in the story. Like Emily, Brody is lonely and has a hard time dating because of his physical limitations. I saw Emily and Brody being great friends, but I couldn’t buy him being lustful for Emily after reading about the type of women he’d dated in the past. Realistically, I think his type of curvy girl would be more Christina Hendricks, not Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids.” Hearing him droll on and on about how hot and attractive Emily was with her clothes off didn’t ring true to me. It felt a bit too much and forced. Yes, I know there are men who prefer morbidly obese women, but Brody doesn’t fit into that category. In fact, after the truth begins to come out, we learn he’s very concerned about her health and wants her to change her unhealthy lifestyle and lose weight.
My next issue with this story was the unlikeability of pretty much the entire supporting cast of characters. I know there are unkind and insensitive people in the world, but in a city as large as New York City, I’d expect more indifference from strangers and less rudeness. Brody is hurt by an insensitive female classmate in the night class that he and Emily attend. His older brother is a alcoholic jerk at times. Emily finds herself the target of abuse from all the other a-holes in the story. Her co-workers police what she eats and only seem focused on her size. Her sister and mom can’t seem to see any good qualities in her and constantly harp on her need to lose weight. Her roommate is a health/fitness fanatic who scrutinizes what she eats, and at one point in the story, the roommate throws a slice of cheesecake in the trash to keep Emily from eating it. Teens on the bus tease her for being obese. A friend of a friend of Brody verbally abuses Emily after she gets stuck in his couch. I felt bad for Emily and even though I found the romance incredulous, I willingly went along with it because the poor girl needed somebody to accept her and love her.
I did not dislike this story. I rated this book four stars because the story tackles subject matter most romance authors would never touch. We have a morbidly obese heroine and a quadriplegic hero. The challenges each of them face in their daily lives are not glossed over. It was in these moments that I felt the most uncomfortable, but I did not look away. I stepped out of my comfort zone and felt the pain, frustrations, and embarrassment of Brody and Emily. I was most moved by Brody’s struggles. The efforts he went through to attend graduate school and date were admirable. There’s an entire book waiting to be written about his transition from handsome party boy to dependent quadriplegic. I wish the author had delved more into his back story to develop him better as a character. I also wanted a glimpse of his work life. I wanted to see him at home with his PCA and with his family and friends. The story is written solely from Emily’s point of view, so the reader never gets to know what Brody is thinking and feeling. This story would have been so much better if both points of view had been shared.
If I’m being completely honest, my biggest hang-up with this story is the fact that I don’t believe most men would find a morbidly obese woman attractive. Brody is a handsome man who suffered a crippling spinal injury after crashing into a tree while driving drunk. He lies to the heroine about who was driving that night, and the truth isn’t revealed until much later in the story. Like Emily, Brody is lonely and has a hard time dating because of his physical limitations. I saw Emily and Brody being great friends, but I couldn’t buy him being lustful for Emily after reading about the type of women he’d dated in the past. Realistically, I think his type of curvy girl would be more Christina Hendricks, not Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids.” Hearing him droll on and on about how hot and attractive Emily was with her clothes off didn’t ring true to me. It felt a bit too much and forced. Yes, I know there are men who prefer morbidly obese women, but Brody doesn’t fit into that category. In fact, after the truth begins to come out, we learn he’s very concerned about her health and wants her to change her unhealthy lifestyle and lose weight.
My next issue with this story was the unlikeability of pretty much the entire supporting cast of characters. I know there are unkind and insensitive people in the world, but in a city as large as New York City, I’d expect more indifference from strangers and less rudeness. Brody is hurt by an insensitive female classmate in the night class that he and Emily attend. His older brother is a alcoholic jerk at times. Emily finds herself the target of abuse from all the other a-holes in the story. Her co-workers police what she eats and only seem focused on her size. Her sister and mom can’t seem to see any good qualities in her and constantly harp on her need to lose weight. Her roommate is a health/fitness fanatic who scrutinizes what she eats, and at one point in the story, the roommate throws a slice of cheesecake in the trash to keep Emily from eating it. Teens on the bus tease her for being obese. A friend of a friend of Brody verbally abuses Emily after she gets stuck in his couch. I felt bad for Emily and even though I found the romance incredulous, I willingly went along with it because the poor girl needed somebody to accept her and love her.
I did not dislike this story. I rated this book four stars because the story tackles subject matter most romance authors would never touch. We have a morbidly obese heroine and a quadriplegic hero. The challenges each of them face in their daily lives are not glossed over. It was in these moments that I felt the most uncomfortable, but I did not look away. I stepped out of my comfort zone and felt the pain, frustrations, and embarrassment of Brody and Emily. I was most moved by Brody’s struggles. The efforts he went through to attend graduate school and date were admirable. There’s an entire book waiting to be written about his transition from handsome party boy to dependent quadriplegic. I wish the author had delved more into his back story to develop him better as a character. I also wanted a glimpse of his work life. I wanted to see him at home with his PCA and with his family and friends. The story is written solely from Emily’s point of view, so the reader never gets to know what Brody is thinking and feeling. This story would have been so much better if both points of view had been shared.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2021
Emily is trying to live her best life, to enjoy herself, to indulge her love of singing, to get ahead in her job. But everyone around her, from her family to her roommate, to random strangers, won't stop harassing her about her weight. Until one day she meets Brody, the cutest, kindest guy she's ever met, and who sees her as a real person. Brody is paralyzed, and Emily can empathize with the way people stare at him, and some of his physical struggles. But Emily's sister keeps telling her not to trust him--could she be right?
Emily and Brody are both realistic, flawed but charming characters. All the casual cruelty and judgment they have to put up with from well-meaning strangers and even family is sometimes painful to read but so real. It really shows how constantly shaming people about their food choices not only doesn't help, but actually makes things worse. It's so satisfying to watch Emily slowly gain confidence and find herself. I love that Brody is sweet and kind to her, but she never acts as his nurse--they are equal partners. I also love that the happy ending doesn't hinge on miraculous cures for either of them.
Emily and Brody are both realistic, flawed but charming characters. All the casual cruelty and judgment they have to put up with from well-meaning strangers and even family is sometimes painful to read but so real. It really shows how constantly shaming people about their food choices not only doesn't help, but actually makes things worse. It's so satisfying to watch Emily slowly gain confidence and find herself. I love that Brody is sweet and kind to her, but she never acts as his nurse--they are equal partners. I also love that the happy ending doesn't hinge on miraculous cures for either of them.
July 16, 2021
Charming
Sweet and charming. Always love Annabelle’s books about not perfect characters. Multifaceted with physical & mental challenges done right while entertaining
Sweet and charming. Always love Annabelle’s books about not perfect characters. Multifaceted with physical & mental challenges done right while entertaining
July 13, 2021
The main character in this curvy girl romance is twenty seven year old Emily, who is still single and never even been kissed, even though her sister Camille has been constantly trying to set her up on blind dates. Unfortunately, the two sisters are nothing alike and Camille and her mother have always bugged Emily about her weight. No matter what she eats, she always puts on more weight. She is shy about eating where anyone else can see her and has no real friends at work, although she does share a flat with a yoga bunny called Abby, to avoid having just a closet to live in. Her mother keeps coming up with dieting tips and wants her to eat a plateful of carrots for dinner, or try out the cabbage diet. If only she could lose a good bit of weight, especially as she has such a pretty face! The real problem is that Emily might be really good and starve herself all day, but once she passes by a temptation, either on the way home, or by raiding the fridge, she will easily binge eat and often embarrass herself. She has no social life and spends a couple of nights a week at the local college studying for her Master’s degree in Computer Science. The only boyfriend she has ever had was an online one called Norm, but she cheated a little bit on her details, as you might guess, and would never meet him in person. She broke up with him online a year ago.
At one of her college evenings, she meets a man called Brody, who has some issues of his own that make people treat him in a certain manner. With comments made about him, not to him, or being ignored or not seen. Emily has issues with name calling or nasty comments made about her, never mind her issues with seating or walking any distance without her thighs rubbing painfully. She knows in a way that she should lose some weight, as she struggles with everyday things, but as soon as she gets upset or down, food is her happiness. Brody starts by asking her for a copy of her class notes, after some rude treatment from another student. Emily finds him really attractive, he also has a handsome face, he is intelligent and a computer programmer, with lots of nerdy and kind attributes. He is hiding a big secret about himself, that even as he gets to know her, he can't reveal the truth of. He likes her for herself, no matter her size, but her own sister makes her feel very insecure about his love for her and if it could really be true! They each stick up for the other which is sweet, but insecurity leads to a lie being revealed and dashes the trust between them. Emily spirals downwards and soon begins to feel the effects of her binge eating, struggling to move out of bed and having blurry vision, until a very embarrassing accident leads to her being taken to hospital!
A very interesting storyline with some very serious issues. Brody’s issues and limitations bring up a lot of problems along the way, which may not be thought of by many, but bring your attention to how to easy it is to forget about what needs to be done differently for people with different abilities. For Emily, it is issues with her size that limit her with narrow aisles, flimsy folding chairs, tightly packed restaurants, turnstiles and so much more. Health issues should never be ignored, as people have to live with the consequences if they are. Everyone can be loved, no matter their size, shape, disability or any other criteria people put towards what matters for a relationship. Some serious matters are raised in the sub text of this storyline and are told in an easy to read manner. It is a curvy girl romance, but goes into so much more as well. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
At one of her college evenings, she meets a man called Brody, who has some issues of his own that make people treat him in a certain manner. With comments made about him, not to him, or being ignored or not seen. Emily has issues with name calling or nasty comments made about her, never mind her issues with seating or walking any distance without her thighs rubbing painfully. She knows in a way that she should lose some weight, as she struggles with everyday things, but as soon as she gets upset or down, food is her happiness. Brody starts by asking her for a copy of her class notes, after some rude treatment from another student. Emily finds him really attractive, he also has a handsome face, he is intelligent and a computer programmer, with lots of nerdy and kind attributes. He is hiding a big secret about himself, that even as he gets to know her, he can't reveal the truth of. He likes her for herself, no matter her size, but her own sister makes her feel very insecure about his love for her and if it could really be true! They each stick up for the other which is sweet, but insecurity leads to a lie being revealed and dashes the trust between them. Emily spirals downwards and soon begins to feel the effects of her binge eating, struggling to move out of bed and having blurry vision, until a very embarrassing accident leads to her being taken to hospital!
A very interesting storyline with some very serious issues. Brody’s issues and limitations bring up a lot of problems along the way, which may not be thought of by many, but bring your attention to how to easy it is to forget about what needs to be done differently for people with different abilities. For Emily, it is issues with her size that limit her with narrow aisles, flimsy folding chairs, tightly packed restaurants, turnstiles and so much more. Health issues should never be ignored, as people have to live with the consequences if they are. Everyone can be loved, no matter their size, shape, disability or any other criteria people put towards what matters for a relationship. Some serious matters are raised in the sub text of this storyline and are told in an easy to read manner. It is a curvy girl romance, but goes into so much more as well. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
July 15, 2021
🥮 Such a Pretty Face 🥮
A Curvy Girl Romance
✒️ Annabelle Costa
https://www.facebook.com/annabellecos...
Release Date 07/13/2021
Publisher Rose Bud Press
➪ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0965YGNPL/...
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
I’ll let you in on a deep, dark secret of mine:
I’ve never had a boyfriend.
You heard me right. I’ve gone 27 years and never dated a man long enough for him to earn that title. And get ready to be horrified—I’ve never even kissed a man. Not even during a game of spin the bottle.
My mother claims my weight is to blame for my abysmal social life. If only I would follow her new diet tip about eating only carrots until I either drop 50 pounds or die from carrot poisoning. After all, I have SUCH a pretty face.
But now I have a new secret:
I’ve met somebody. Somebody amazing. Brody’s got his problems too, but he’s sweet and nerdy, and he’s also got a pretty nice face. And he really likes me, just the way I am.
Too bad Brody’s got a big secret of his own.
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will she see in time how dangerous her set path is for herself…
Fun how just some days ago I wondered about the author, I know I missed her last release even if it is tucked somewhere on my abysmal loaded kindle shelves, and pof, I got a Bookbub email there is a new release.
And this one is really a challenge, the heroine as it is told at the first person is far from a perfect being, she talks about the means things others tell about her or to her, but she is no better and while she says she is shy, probably, it is also because she is ashamed of her physical appearance, and fears rejections. She holds back and is not fair with those around her too.
I can understand it is not enjoyable to be always reminded your weight, yet she is also blind to her faults and does not really look for a way out. She is the one responsible for being alone as she keeps others at arms-length and her weight is her kryptonite, she uses as a mean to avoid people.
This is her coming of age tale and time to shred her teenage attitude of putting her head in the sand instead of acknowledging her own issues.
I did not always liked her, sure her sister, parents and friends while thinking they were acting for her good, almost came back at her about her weight and eating habits, and she kind of refuse to listen to them. At time, they even were mean, but she needs also a proper shaking out to understand the one she is harming is herself. Why she is in denial of her own addiction and the destructive side effect on her health.
This is not the usual romance, she is no princess and he is not knight, they are both impeded by their life errors. They will not make you dream about being them but they prove everyone even the frog deserve its HEA.
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scene.
4 stars
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
A Curvy Girl Romance
✒️ Annabelle Costa
https://www.facebook.com/annabellecos...
Release Date 07/13/2021
Publisher Rose Bud Press
➪ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0965YGNPL/...
𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯
I’ll let you in on a deep, dark secret of mine:
I’ve never had a boyfriend.
You heard me right. I’ve gone 27 years and never dated a man long enough for him to earn that title. And get ready to be horrified—I’ve never even kissed a man. Not even during a game of spin the bottle.
My mother claims my weight is to blame for my abysmal social life. If only I would follow her new diet tip about eating only carrots until I either drop 50 pounds or die from carrot poisoning. After all, I have SUCH a pretty face.
But now I have a new secret:
I’ve met somebody. Somebody amazing. Brody’s got his problems too, but he’s sweet and nerdy, and he’s also got a pretty nice face. And he really likes me, just the way I am.
Too bad Brody’s got a big secret of his own.
𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
Will she see in time how dangerous her set path is for herself…
Fun how just some days ago I wondered about the author, I know I missed her last release even if it is tucked somewhere on my abysmal loaded kindle shelves, and pof, I got a Bookbub email there is a new release.
And this one is really a challenge, the heroine as it is told at the first person is far from a perfect being, she talks about the means things others tell about her or to her, but she is no better and while she says she is shy, probably, it is also because she is ashamed of her physical appearance, and fears rejections. She holds back and is not fair with those around her too.
I can understand it is not enjoyable to be always reminded your weight, yet she is also blind to her faults and does not really look for a way out. She is the one responsible for being alone as she keeps others at arms-length and her weight is her kryptonite, she uses as a mean to avoid people.
This is her coming of age tale and time to shred her teenage attitude of putting her head in the sand instead of acknowledging her own issues.
I did not always liked her, sure her sister, parents and friends while thinking they were acting for her good, almost came back at her about her weight and eating habits, and she kind of refuse to listen to them. At time, they even were mean, but she needs also a proper shaking out to understand the one she is harming is herself. Why she is in denial of her own addiction and the destructive side effect on her health.
This is not the usual romance, she is no princess and he is not knight, they are both impeded by their life errors. They will not make you dream about being them but they prove everyone even the frog deserve its HEA.
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 onscreen lovemaking scene.
4 stars
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
December 21, 2025
I wanted this book to be about two people that deal with judgmental societal bullshit and bond over their shared experiences.
This wasn’t that. This was “two undateable people end up together by default” because nobody else wants them.
Cute playful banter? Meh?
Physical attraction - idk kinda? We domt even find out that MMC is attracted to FMC until the last 5% of the book. He tells her she has great boobs but part of the “big disclosure” is that he does, indeed, prefer plus size girls. Oh really? So he IS infact physically attracted to the woman that he is discussing possibility of marriage with? How swoon worthy! 🙄
First of all, both characters know that the other one is aggressively insecure. And what do they do to reassure and support their partner besides making out? Not much? For one, FMC could have have made a concerted effort to get more comfortable with his medical needs or having some open conversations about some of those aspects of his life or… not be so squeamish about touching him????
And MMC: he keeps it some big dirty little secret that he likes bigger girls until the very end. He’s ashamed to admit this. And that’s part of the problem, he knows that she is having massive anxiety about him seeing her naked, and instead of giving her lots of reassurance and support he just tells her that he likes her tits. So the more he hides this, the more anxious and self conscience she gets.
When we get to the very end and FMC realizes that he has only ever given her physical compliments about her having great boobs? *deep breath* My dude, be so fucking for real right now?? Personal growth would have been her having the self respect to say “I deserve to date someone who thinks I’m a prize and isn’t ashamed to be attracted to me”
But then again, being fat is FMCs entire personality and life experience so, there’s that. Seriously, she doesn’t have any supportive friends? Just surrounded by friends and family who disparage her weight constantly? Even her roommate can’t think of anything besides her weight? Good thing she has a supportive boyfriend who reassures her that she is infact, lovable and not a bridge troll that he is dating due to his own self esteem and desperation for female attention…… OH WAIT! No, she isn’t allowed that either.
Both main characters suck and need therapy.
This wasn’t that. This was “two undateable people end up together by default” because nobody else wants them.
Cute playful banter? Meh?
Physical attraction - idk kinda? We domt even find out that MMC is attracted to FMC until the last 5% of the book. He tells her she has great boobs but part of the “big disclosure” is that he does, indeed, prefer plus size girls. Oh really? So he IS infact physically attracted to the woman that he is discussing possibility of marriage with? How swoon worthy! 🙄
First of all, both characters know that the other one is aggressively insecure. And what do they do to reassure and support their partner besides making out? Not much? For one, FMC could have have made a concerted effort to get more comfortable with his medical needs or having some open conversations about some of those aspects of his life or… not be so squeamish about touching him????
And MMC: he keeps it some big dirty little secret that he likes bigger girls until the very end. He’s ashamed to admit this. And that’s part of the problem, he knows that she is having massive anxiety about him seeing her naked, and instead of giving her lots of reassurance and support he just tells her that he likes her tits. So the more he hides this, the more anxious and self conscience she gets.
When we get to the very end and FMC realizes that he has only ever given her physical compliments about her having great boobs? *deep breath* My dude, be so fucking for real right now?? Personal growth would have been her having the self respect to say “I deserve to date someone who thinks I’m a prize and isn’t ashamed to be attracted to me”
But then again, being fat is FMCs entire personality and life experience so, there’s that. Seriously, she doesn’t have any supportive friends? Just surrounded by friends and family who disparage her weight constantly? Even her roommate can’t think of anything besides her weight? Good thing she has a supportive boyfriend who reassures her that she is infact, lovable and not a bridge troll that he is dating due to his own self esteem and desperation for female attention…… OH WAIT! No, she isn’t allowed that either.
Both main characters suck and need therapy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2022
cute but kind of exhausting
i don’t know how to word out my feelings regarding this book. a part of me enjoyed it—i loved brody. i thought he was a total sweetheart, a sunshine. he’s so earnest that it was hard for for me not to fall for his character.
emily on the other hand, was harder to love. it’s not like she was a bad person or anything but i felt like there was nothing to her aside from her weight—her whole character revolved around her fatness. being a fat woman, she had to deal with fatphobia every single day. i understood that but aside from that, emily also had internalized fatphobia to deal with.
i was fine with that initially because we all have internalize fatphobia we have to work on but like i said, everything about her revolved around her fatness and how things went wrong because of her body. she got stuck in a seat in class. she broke a chair at a concert, she broke someone’s couch. there were mentions of her being stuck in a toilet. all these mishaps? they happened over and over again to the point that it felt comical. it’s like every waking moment with emily was something mortifying and it was just frustrating to read. i felt so bad for her.
the book never really explicitly mentioned it, and it was brushed off like it was nothing but it was obvious that emily had an eating disorder. she would go on this restricting and binging cycle and made herself feel sick and awful. i think there was line in the end where emily said she finally sought therapy but that was the end of it.
even though i have all this grievances with this book, i did actually genuinely enjoy it. i couldn’t stop reading it! i liked emily and brody’s relationship and how difficult but easy it was for them. they were just the cutest.
i don’t know how to word out my feelings regarding this book. a part of me enjoyed it—i loved brody. i thought he was a total sweetheart, a sunshine. he’s so earnest that it was hard for for me not to fall for his character.
emily on the other hand, was harder to love. it’s not like she was a bad person or anything but i felt like there was nothing to her aside from her weight—her whole character revolved around her fatness. being a fat woman, she had to deal with fatphobia every single day. i understood that but aside from that, emily also had internalized fatphobia to deal with.
i was fine with that initially because we all have internalize fatphobia we have to work on but like i said, everything about her revolved around her fatness and how things went wrong because of her body. she got stuck in a seat in class. she broke a chair at a concert, she broke someone’s couch. there were mentions of her being stuck in a toilet. all these mishaps? they happened over and over again to the point that it felt comical. it’s like every waking moment with emily was something mortifying and it was just frustrating to read. i felt so bad for her.
the book never really explicitly mentioned it, and it was brushed off like it was nothing but it was obvious that emily had an eating disorder. she would go on this restricting and binging cycle and made herself feel sick and awful. i think there was line in the end where emily said she finally sought therapy but that was the end of it.
even though i have all this grievances with this book, i did actually genuinely enjoy it. i couldn’t stop reading it! i liked emily and brody’s relationship and how difficult but easy it was for them. they were just the cutest.
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October 8, 2021I couldn’t give this book a star rating because my feelings are so mixed. I can say that it is well written. I didn’t find any of the editing errors that abound in other books I get from Kindle Unlimited, and I could visualize every situation described in the story. Unfortunately, this is the best I can say about the book.
I preface my comments by saying that I have been a plus-size gal since I went through puberty, so I have lived that life. However, I must be living it on a different planet than the heroine of this book because I have never experienced the things she did. I can count on one hand the number of times in the past 40 years that someone has commented on my weight to my face. This heroine was surrounded by people who hate her. On top of that, she didn’t seem to have any body awareness because she was always knocking things over with her butt. I have an ample posterior and I have rarely done that.
Bottom line, the author seemed to have created a horror show of a life for the heroine that didn’t feel realistic to me at all. This story may be satisfying for someone who has lived that experience, but it wasn’t for me.
I preface my comments by saying that I have been a plus-size gal since I went through puberty, so I have lived that life. However, I must be living it on a different planet than the heroine of this book because I have never experienced the things she did. I can count on one hand the number of times in the past 40 years that someone has commented on my weight to my face. This heroine was surrounded by people who hate her. On top of that, she didn’t seem to have any body awareness because she was always knocking things over with her butt. I have an ample posterior and I have rarely done that.
Bottom line, the author seemed to have created a horror show of a life for the heroine that didn’t feel realistic to me at all. This story may be satisfying for someone who has lived that experience, but it wasn’t for me.
July 13, 2021
I have read all of Anabelle Costa’s books so I know when reading one I am going to visit an entirely difference plane of understanding and feeling than any other type of romance. This was doubly true with SUCH A PRETTY FACE.
Having been on the receiving end of what Emily experiences in the story (and Costas hit the nail on the head with just about every situation), this was a difficult but important book for me to read. I kept wishing Emily would say more of what she was thinking, but I knew why she didn’t. I wanted to be irritated with how insecure she was about people’s motives and sincerity, but I couldn’t.
One of the really interesting things about the story is the parallel emotions, insecurities and problems going on between Emily and Brody given their different abilities and how they viewed themselves because of them.
It will be a long time before I forget this book and that’s probably a good thing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Having been on the receiving end of what Emily experiences in the story (and Costas hit the nail on the head with just about every situation), this was a difficult but important book for me to read. I kept wishing Emily would say more of what she was thinking, but I knew why she didn’t. I wanted to be irritated with how insecure she was about people’s motives and sincerity, but I couldn’t.
One of the really interesting things about the story is the parallel emotions, insecurities and problems going on between Emily and Brody given their different abilities and how they viewed themselves because of them.
It will be a long time before I forget this book and that’s probably a good thing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 14, 2021
This one was not for me but other readers may love it
I have read a few books by Annabelle Costa now and enjoyed them. But Such a Pretty Face was a mix for me as I was reading it, so I am not sure how I really feel about it yet. The story is about Emily and Brody with a lot of secondary characters that you want to whack upside the head. Emily is a sweet, intelligent and caring twenty-seven year old woman. But yet she seems to be surrounded by people who point out her weight issue or pound at her self-esteem. The book is nicely written but if I am truthful I was not a fan of the actual story-line. Sure the ending is sweet and gives the read as HEA. But I am not sure it is worth reading the whole story to get there. Maybe it is just that I am not the best audience for this book.
I received a copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
I have read a few books by Annabelle Costa now and enjoyed them. But Such a Pretty Face was a mix for me as I was reading it, so I am not sure how I really feel about it yet. The story is about Emily and Brody with a lot of secondary characters that you want to whack upside the head. Emily is a sweet, intelligent and caring twenty-seven year old woman. But yet she seems to be surrounded by people who point out her weight issue or pound at her self-esteem. The book is nicely written but if I am truthful I was not a fan of the actual story-line. Sure the ending is sweet and gives the read as HEA. But I am not sure it is worth reading the whole story to get there. Maybe it is just that I am not the best audience for this book.
I received a copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
July 16, 2021
Every woman with more than a few extra pounds has heard that. Emily is surrounded by people who can't/don't/won't accept her as she is. Yes, her weight is unhealthy, and she knows it. But her family makes her feel like crap because of it. Even her roommate just wants to "help" her out. Brody is a quadriplegic, living in his own type of hell, unable to do the most basic things for himself. All in all, he's got an okay life. All that's missing is love. They meet in a college class and begin to spend time together, at first as friends. But before long, they have a romance underway, with both of them realizing that the superficial things aren't really that important. This story will stick with me for a good while. Not because Emily and Brody are young or rich or beautiful, but because they're real and flawed, and working toward their future together. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 19, 2021
Hopeful
Even tho Brody is in a wheelchair, Emily’s struggles are the focus of this book. Big girl struggles can be difficult because people assume you would just “do something” - but few people realize how difficult those struggles really are. This book brings those struggles not just to light, but into real, sharp focus.
Emily is a good person but her self isolation really contributes to her both her physical and mental health struggles. We all now know how those are interlinked, and this curvy girl romance shows the reader all to clearly.
This book is not just for the curvy girl or the ones who love her. It’s also for anyone who doesn’t understand the curvy girl and wants to. Here’s to understanding your struggles and overcoming them, one day at a time.
Even tho Brody is in a wheelchair, Emily’s struggles are the focus of this book. Big girl struggles can be difficult because people assume you would just “do something” - but few people realize how difficult those struggles really are. This book brings those struggles not just to light, but into real, sharp focus.
Emily is a good person but her self isolation really contributes to her both her physical and mental health struggles. We all now know how those are interlinked, and this curvy girl romance shows the reader all to clearly.
This book is not just for the curvy girl or the ones who love her. It’s also for anyone who doesn’t understand the curvy girl and wants to. Here’s to understanding your struggles and overcoming them, one day at a time.
April 23, 2023
Not my favorite of all the books I've read by her. i liked the story, but not the main characters as much. Brody was sweet and I wish I could have gotten more into his POV of how he really felt about the accident and how it so drastically changed his life. And the thing about it was that I often felt like he was settling for Emily instead of the other way around. And not because of her weight, but because of her whole "poor me" attitude.
Her whole demeanor was sad sack, everyone hates me because I'm fat. And it wore on me quickly. She kept saying that she wanted a friend/bf. But she had ZERO personality. and btw, fat is not a character trait.
I'm glad she got help eventually and that they went on together. But this was just a MEH for me overall.
Her whole demeanor was sad sack, everyone hates me because I'm fat. And it wore on me quickly. She kept saying that she wanted a friend/bf. But she had ZERO personality. and btw, fat is not a character trait.
I'm glad she got help eventually and that they went on together. But this was just a MEH for me overall.
July 26, 2021
This is a story of two people with major issues that they deal with. Emily and Brody have a unique relationship, once they get to it. Brody is in a wheelchair due to an accident when he was drunk and totaled a car into a tree. Emily is overweight and binges when nervous which is usual, until she is extreme and ends up in the hospital. Major changes for both to come to terms with and they help each other keep going. It is a heartfelt romance where situations and feelings are paramount. Loved the vacation ending.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 9, 2021
Emily never thought she was worthy of love because of her weight issue. But once she meets Brody, she realizes that beauty is in the eye of the beholder when she finds him sexy despite him being a quadriplegic and vice versa. Will she be able to let ago of all her insecurities so she can be blissful and happy despite what her family and friends say and realize the good intentions behind those who love her before it's too late?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 14, 2021
Annabelle Costa always writes very authentically, and Such a Pretty Face is no exception. Emily and Brody are two peas in a pod for very different reasons, but together they work. This book isn't a straight-line romance, but an emotional journey through insecurities, secrets, honesty, and acceptance. The two leads are very different yet both wholly-developed characters - and a supporting cast of interesting (but not always supportIVE) characters that round out a well-crafted story. A recommended read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 21, 2021
An OK read
I really wanted to like this author's books but this is the second one I have tried reading and neither could I get into and enjoy. There is so much judgement about others, what makes it worse is the heroine is just as judgemental, maybe even more so which was a huge turned off and the biggest reason why I skipped over the pages for a lot of the book. Not for me but perhaps it is for other readers.
Even though I did receive an advanced review copy of this book, I am voluntarily leaving my own unsolicited, voluntary opinion with this review.
I really wanted to like this author's books but this is the second one I have tried reading and neither could I get into and enjoy. There is so much judgement about others, what makes it worse is the heroine is just as judgemental, maybe even more so which was a huge turned off and the biggest reason why I skipped over the pages for a lot of the book. Not for me but perhaps it is for other readers.
Even though I did receive an advanced review copy of this book, I am voluntarily leaving my own unsolicited, voluntary opinion with this review.
October 11, 2021
3 1/2 stars. I've read quite a few books by this author before and although this one wasn't bad, it wasn't my favorite. I'm a big girl myself, and I struggled with Emily. I had a hard time believing that so many people in her life were so critical and judgmental about what she ate! I'm sure people think things, but for coworkers to call her out on eating a bagel just seemed over the top to me. I mean, I supposed it's possible, just not my experience. I liked her relationship with Brody, how sometimes it was sweet, sometimes awkward, it felt real.
August 14, 2022
Everyone is worthy of love
Both the H and the h have their own physical limitations, each deal with the disdain from the world because of their physical appearances. Each want what every human wants, to connect, to be made to feel special, appreciated and loved. This is Brody and Emily's story to finding there love. Very descriptive and entertaining a wonderful read.Acceptance is a powerful feeling that can grow to an endless love.
Both the H and the h have their own physical limitations, each deal with the disdain from the world because of their physical appearances. Each want what every human wants, to connect, to be made to feel special, appreciated and loved. This is Brody and Emily's story to finding there love. Very descriptive and entertaining a wonderful read.Acceptance is a powerful feeling that can grow to an endless love.
July 14, 2021
Read it in one sitting
This book is just as amazing as her other books. If you have read Costa’s The Ugly Duckling… it has the same vibes. A very insecure and beautiful heroine who finds her perfectly imperfect hero. I love her stories. I am always throughly entertained. This one Won’t be replacing my favorites from Costa but was totally worth the read.
This book is just as amazing as her other books. If you have read Costa’s The Ugly Duckling… it has the same vibes. A very insecure and beautiful heroine who finds her perfectly imperfect hero. I love her stories. I am always throughly entertained. This one Won’t be replacing my favorites from Costa but was totally worth the read.
August 12, 2021
Wonderful and entertaining story. Great characters to tell the story. Like that there is a plus size lead character that has some issues that she needs to work through but is still showing as a strong character. This is a good read. There is lots of drama, romance, humor.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 20, 2021
It was interesting... but I honestly don't know whether I liked any of the characters in this book...? I'm confused about my feelings for this book. And I was missing the wittiness of Costas other books. I mean the author doesn't have to stick to funny stuff, but this book was a little bit more serious and when something embarrassing happened to Emily, I didn't find it funny but depressing.
July 14, 2021
This author can't write a bad book!
Such a pretty face took me on a wild roller coaster ride, where I hated and felt for the FMC several times over the course of the book.
Can't wait for the next one, write faster!
Such a pretty face took me on a wild roller coaster ride, where I hated and felt for the FMC several times over the course of the book.
Can't wait for the next one, write faster!
July 15, 2021
This book is a sweet story with alot of issues, insecurities, emotional baggage .The characters are great and the storyline is well put together . This book is sweet and humor with issues
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 10, 2021
There were some things in this that as a big girl myself I felt were weird or rang a little untrue. But I enjoyed it and devoured it in two days, no pun intended. It dealt with serious issues, but managed to be a quick, light read.
April 26, 2022
As usual I love this kind of story. Quad ML with 'extraordinary' FL love story. Can't wait for the next story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 1, 2022
Super cute with real people
This was a really super cute book again with two people with real problems but they were able to find their happily-ever-after through all the strife and heartache and challenges that life brings.
This was a really super cute book again with two people with real problems but they were able to find their happily-ever-after through all the strife and heartache and challenges that life brings.
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