Slow Burn by Bethany Rutter

“Sixteen-year-old Ruby has worked hard to be happy in her body, even when other people—including her brother and her PE teacher—insist there's something wrong with her for being fat. All Ruby cares about is hanging out at the skate park this summer with friends. But her brother’s bullying words get under her skin, and in order to prove to him (and her impressionable little sister) that fat girls can do anything, Ruby finds herself signed up for the annual 5K Dawson Dash. There’s just one problem: She can’t run. The cute new boy next door can, however, and when Ollie offers to help her train, Ruby takes him up on it, even if it means he'll see her at her sweatiest and most vulnerable. Young athletes of all stripes, especially those marginalized in sports due to body differences, will find a hero in good-humored Ruby. With its all-audience appeal, her joyful story delivers upbeat romance and affirmation that our bodies are just right, just the way they are.” - taken from Goodreads

This book was more geared to body positivity than the slow burn romance with the new boy next door. Determined to run a race and prove her fat shaming brother wrong, Ruby begins to train with Oliver. Leading up to the race itself, we see Ruby at her most vulnerable, including dealing with her parents’ separation. Not the romance I was expecting but a great book about being oneself.

Originally published in the UK in 2024 as Slowcoach.

Visit Bethany Rutter’s website.

There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon (Dimple and Rishi book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! This is a companion story that takes place after When Dimple Met Rishi. While it’s not necessary to read the previous book first, I wouldn’t want to spoil any of the details for you. 

“Ashish Patel didn’t know love could be so…sucky. After he’s dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up.

The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl—under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he’ll be taking his date on “fun” excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work?

Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she’s also fat. To Sweetie’s traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death.

Sweetie loves her parents, but she’s so tired of being told she’s lacking because she’s fat. She decides it’s time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she’ll show the world (and herself) what she’s really made of.

Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there’s an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?” - taken from Goodreads.com

This companion book centers around Rishi's younger brother Ashish after his breakup with Celia that began in the first book. Not only does the author continue to focus on Indian American culture but body image and self-esteem as well. Down in the dumps over his break up, Ash decides that if his parents’ arranged relationship for his older brother has worked out, then he is willing to try it as well. When Sweetie’s mother turns down Ash’s parents’ request to date, Sweetie decided to take matters into her own hands and goes against her parents’ wishes. Once again, another sweet romance that also centers on the main characters coming into their own.

Visit Sandhya Menon’s website.

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

“Go big or go home.”
“If you got it, flaunt it.”

Willowdean Dickson is a self-proclaimed fat girl. She describes herself as not being so fat that she has to wear elastic waisted pants because they don’t make pants with buttons in her size, like Millie Michalchuk. Willowdean looks at Millie and always thinks that things could be worse in considering her size. Nevertheless, Willowdean is the complete opposite of her skinny, blond and tall best friend, Ellen Dryver. The two bonded over their love of Dolly Parton songs the summer before first grade. Ellen’s mother was friends with Willowdean’s Aunt Lucy before she died six months earlier. Weighing almost 500 pounds, Lucy rarely left the house. She died of a massive heart attack while watching tv by herself. She was only in her mid thirties. Willowdean’s hometown, Clover City, is home to the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant, the oldest pageant in Texas. The pageant is also her mother’s greatest accomplishment. She has nicknamed her daughter, Dumplin’. As head of the planning committee and hostess, each year she wears the dress that she wore the night she won the crown. Willowdean is self conscious about her body but for the most part, she is comfortable in her own skin.

Ellen isn’t happy that she and Will don’t work together. Ellen works at Sweet 16, a clothing store where Will is too large to wear the clothes that they sell. Instead, she works at Harpy’s Burgers & Dogs with Bo Larson. Bo attends a private Catholic school and Will has had a crush on him from the moment she laid eyes on him. Just as Will has finished her sophomore year of high school, Bo begins to pay attention to her. The two end up watching a meteor shower after work one night. Will begins to notice that Bo seems to be paying closer attention to her. The next night after a busy shift, Will & Bo carry out the trash. Bo throws the bags in the dumpster, turns around and kisses Will by surprise. Turns out it’s her first kiss and she responds but isn’t sure what to do. Bo doesn’t stop her when she goes back inside.

Dashing to her car when her shift ends, Willowdean thinks she is safe when a horn honks at the stop light. Seeing nothing behind her, she turns and sees Bo in his truck beside of her. She rolls down her window and Bo asks her to follow him. Knowing that it is a bad idea, Willowdean complies. They park at the condemned elementary school  that caught fire several years ago and get out. Bo tries to explain why he kissed her. He just couldn't stop himself. Furthermore, he remarks that Will kissed him back. Commenting that it was just an okay kiss, Will asks him why he did it. Before he can answer, it begins to rain and the two climb into Bo’s truck. Bo wants her opinion on how good his kiss was. Will says that maybe the second one would be better. Bo asks if she is sure but she beats him to the punch and instigates the kiss. Bo moves his hands to Willowdean’s waist and she suddenly becomes self conscious of her body. They break apart. Bo apologizes but Will doesn’t want to be that girl who worries over her body image. She is embarrassed but isn’t quite sure why. Her world is further rocked when Bo tells her that he has too much going on in his life at the moment and shouldn't be dating. She makes an excuse about it being late and runs through the rain to her car but not before Bo tells her that he’ll see her at work. Willowdean doesn’t share any of the details about Bo with anyone, including Ellen. Knowing that Ellen would believe her, Will isn't so sure herself what happen. She promises herself not to kiss Bo Larson again. She breaks that promise the next time they work together.

Two months later, Willowdean and Bo are still kissing. She is still embarrassed about Bo touching her body and she tries not to get into any situation where that will happen. Before school begins, Willowdean and Ellen go to the mall to pick up Ellen’s paycheck. While in the back trying on clothes, Willowdean overhears Ellen’s coworkers talk about her size and how nice it is that Ellen is her friend. Angry, Willowdean storms out of the store and sits on a bench. She is startled when Bo sits down with her. Soon, Ellen comes out and sees them together, but so does Bo’s stepmother and little brother. His stepmother comments on how pretty Ellen is and Bo tries to make her see what kind of person Willowdean is. The bottom comes out of her world when Bo’s stepmother comments that both of the boys will be attending Clover City High School in the fall. At Harpy’s, Willow does her best to ignore Bo. She is fortunate that she doesn’t see him very often during the school day. That reality is shattered when Bo is transferred to her fifth period class. Unable to deal with what she sees as his betrayal, embarrassment over her and the feelings of inadequacy over her body that he causes her, Willowdean takes a new job.

Soon, everything about Willowdean’s life is turned upside down. Her mother starts to clean out Lucy’s room so that she has more space for the ever consuming pageant and Willowdean isn’t happy. She lashes out that her mother is trying to forget her sister. She feels like Ellen is pulling away from her in favor of her coworkers. She also begins to doubt her body image and feels embarrassed by Bo and another boy’s attention to her.It isn’t long before Wilowdean does the one things she never thought she would do, she enters the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant as do Millie and two other larger girls.

What happens when Willowdean enters the pageant? Can she and her mother overcome their grief over Lucy’s death and attempt a relationship with one another? What does Willowdean discover about herself and her aunt Lucy as she goes through some of her stuff? Will Willowdean forgive what she sees as Bo’s betrayal and give him a second chance? Is Ellen pulling away from Willowdean or can the two repair their friendship? Dows Willowdean find it in herself to accept her body once again? How does she and her friends do in the pageant?

Visit Julie Murphy’s website.