Source: TLC Book Tours and William Morrow
Paperback, 368 pages
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Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich pushes the envelope from the perfectly sculpted Logan Montgomery — personal trainer to the sports elite and their friends who is so worried about his image he never gets too close — to Holly Brennan, an overweight woman who is literally weighed down by her grief and troubled self-esteem. Mix in Amanda and Chase, a power couple in baseball with a kinky side, plus a dozen or so of Logan’s super model exes, Evanovich has set the stage for an outrageous time once a chance meeting occurs.
“The image on the screen was an amorphous blob. Flesh stacked upon more flesh oozing all over the couch. The neon yellow and green from the top of the Funyuns bag between her legs was reflected with unsettling clarity. She squeezed her thighs together tightly and heard the crunching sound of the Funyuns being pulverized. Holly leaned her head back on the couch and sighed.” (page 31)
Holly takes charge of an initially unwelcome opportunity to train with Logan at his private gym, and while she wasn’t prepared for the harsh routines he puts her body through she does little complaining. True to her strength, she plows through the latest challenge, having learned early on that life is not anywhere close to easy. Even though his image is illustrious and he is self-absorbed, she falls into a banter that is relaxed and even fun. They fall into a friendship that leads to new gym-related terms, like swamp ass and Balzac, but it soon becomes apparent to Amanda and Chase that their relationship is deeper than that.
“Logan shot her a look that spoke of extreme tolerance mixed with fatherly reproach. ‘Telling me I set the incline of a treadmill on Mount Kilimanjaro is not talking. Asking me if I can see the baby’s head yet when you’re doing abdominal crunches is not meaningful conversation.'” (page 79)
Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich is laugh-out-loud funny, except for one early sex scene that may be a bit too graphic and too early on. Holly Brennan is a strong woman who for a time loses herself in her new body and her new romance, but once she uncovers some dirty secrets, she has a choice to make. Logan, on the other hand, is so concerned with maintaining his image, he grows even more uncomfortable with his romance and how it upsets every preconceived notion he held about himself and his relationships with women. Body image plays a large role in this novel, but Evanovich handles the theme with delicacy and wit.
***Another great find in the book is the list of when you need to put on your own big girl panties.***
About the Author:
Stephanie Evanovich is a full-fledged Jersey girl who attended New York Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts, performed with several improvisational troupes, and acted in a few small-budget movies, all in preparation for the greatest job she ever had: raising her two sons. Now a full-time writer, she’s an avid sports fan who holds a black belt in tae kwon do. Connect with Stephanie on Facebook.
6th book for 2014 New Author Challenge.
I can see how this would be an entertaining read but my head hurts when I read chick lit these days.
There are some days when I just need an entertaining read…and this was it.
I giggled when imagining the list of times you’d need to put on your big girl panties. HA! Evanovich mus be a riot to be around. Just another author I’d love to be friends with. 🙂
Thanks for the review. I struggle with my own body image issues so I am divided on whether or not I want to read this one. I like that she handles the topic with “delicacy and wit”. I may pick it up.
I think this is a good way to address the issue, and I like the main character’s take on her own body…and Logan’s take on the fact that not all women are built to be thin models.
Thanks Serena for introducing Evanovich to me–
It sounds like she is addressing good and serious themes in an entertaining way–I plan to check it out!
I like that it addresses big themes, but in a way that’s entertaining.
I’ve been on the fence about this one. Maybe because Logan doesn’t sound so great? I should probably check it out anyway.
He isn’t so great in the beginning, but I think that’s what ultimately helped me like the book. He’s a changed man…not perfect, but definitely better.
I’m glad you enjoyed this one Serena – it sounds like a very fun read!
Thanks for being on the tour.
It was a fun read, though the beginning chapters did throw me off a bit.
This one sounds good, but I wish it had a different title.
I like the title now that I know what the reference is.
I’m not so sure I’d read this, but I’m glad it got better for you after that early sec scene.
Yeah, that early scene threw me off my enjoyment…I understand why it was used, but it was unnecessarily detailed for me.
It sounds like you liked this more than I did. It was a bit too predictable for me.
It was diverting. I didn’t mind the predictability since the characters were interesting.