"You will never understand what it means
to be fat.” With those words, grad student Robbie Smith begins the Fat-Like-Me
project. In order to support her thesis, she puts on a fat suit to measure people’s
reactions to the new her.
Accused
of embezzling funds, Professor Jake Proctor returns home to spend quality time
with the only father he has ever known. There, he meets an intriguing
overweight woman who reminds him of his late grandmother. She’s witty,
charming, and cares deeply for those around her, including his dying
grandfather.
When Robbie meets
Jake while she’s in disguise, she deceives him for all the right reasons. But
how long can she maintain the deception before Jake discovers that she is not
who he believes her to be?
Excerpt:
Robbie
Smith the main character meets Frank Proctor, Professor Proctor’s grandfather.
“Name’s
Frank Proctor. Frank by name and frank by nature.”
She
clasped his outstretched hand. “Robin Smyth.” It wasn’t an untruth. Robin Mary
Smith was on her birth certificate, even though most people called her Robbie,
but the slight surname change was part of her strategy. The tip sheets for maintaining
a secret identity suggested the deception should be close to the truth. The
truth was she didn’t have to alter her stride to match her steps to his as they
shuffled back to his bench. The bulk of her thighs helped considerably.
“I
haven’t seen you around the park before.” He bent at the waist and lowered
himself to the bench.
“I’ve
been here.” She’d waved to him many times when she’d run past him without her
disguise. She just hadn’t introduced herself before today. When she sat down
beside him, the extra inches on her behind almost bounced her back to her feet.
“Relax.
Enjoy the sun.” He pulled a bag of cold toast from his pocket and passed her a
piece.
As
the geese began to paddle to the shore, she said, “The geese trust you.”
He
teased the bread into crumbs with bony fingers. “These here birds know me. I
like to be outside. I live over there.” He turned toward a seniors’ care home,
where she’d often seen men and women sitting on benches and in wheelchairs
around the front door.
“How’s
that working out for you?” she asked. The man’s legs looked like pencils
covered in black socks extending from under his pant legs and into his
Velcro-fastened running shoes.””
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
First of all, this book is to be appreciated since there is no profanity nor sex scenes. That alone makes me want to recommend this book fairly highly. When I take into the account the clever story line, I hold this book in even higher esteem. This is a book that is targeted at adults aged 25-40, but it would be suitable for young adults as well if the topic interests them.
I myself have been obese for several years in my life, and my mother has been most of her life. We discussed the fact that our weight never seemed to cause anyone to look down upon us nor not accept us. We both figured that we were shielded from some of the issues raised in this book due to our personal situations and the circles we frequented. I would love to read a book where an obese person enters the skinny world and finds prejudice and jealousy. That is my experience, but that is another story.
As clever as I found the story, I felt like I wanted more. I felt like I didn't know any of the characters very well. Robbie shared the most, and Jake did to an extent as well. But the supporting cast left a lot of unanswered questions. I felt that I couldn't truly connect with the characters since I felt that their background was not too detailed. I also found myself getting bored towards the end. I would have like to have seen the story wrap up sooner or for there to be more unrest. But in short, the book is an enjoyable one that will make you think of one other top issues in our country in a new way.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
I myself have been obese for several years in my life, and my mother has been most of her life. We discussed the fact that our weight never seemed to cause anyone to look down upon us nor not accept us. We both figured that we were shielded from some of the issues raised in this book due to our personal situations and the circles we frequented. I would love to read a book where an obese person enters the skinny world and finds prejudice and jealousy. That is my experience, but that is another story.
As clever as I found the story, I felt like I wanted more. I felt like I didn't know any of the characters very well. Robbie shared the most, and Jake did to an extent as well. But the supporting cast left a lot of unanswered questions. I felt that I couldn't truly connect with the characters since I felt that their background was not too detailed. I also found myself getting bored towards the end. I would have like to have seen the story wrap up sooner or for there to be more unrest. But in short, the book is an enjoyable one that will make you think of one other top issues in our country in a new way.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
Annette Bower writes about
women in family and women in love and women’s quest for love. Her short stories
are published in magazines and anthologies in Canada ,
United States and in the United Kingdom
Her first sweet contemporary
romance Moving On, A Prairie Romance is e-published by XoXo Publishing™. Her
second novel which is a blend of sweet romance and women’s fiction, Woman of
Substance is e-published by Soul Mate Publishing.
Annette Bower lives and
writes stories from a high rise where she can see the immediate hustle and
bustle of downtown Regina and experience the
changes in the grain fields throughout the Saskatchewan
Website:
www.annettebower.com
Twitter: @bowerannette
Author of Moving On A
Prairie Romance with Amazon
Christmas Wishes with XoXo
Publishers with Amazon
Woman of Substance with Soul
Mate Publishers (will send links after available)
Books available at:
XoXo Publisher:
http://www.xoxopublishing.com/Products/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=Annette+Bower&product_id=310
XoXo Publisher:
ARE:
ARE:
BookStrand:
http://www.bookstrand.com/moving-on-a-prairie-romance
Annette will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $10 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn host. Follow the entire tour for more chances to win!
Thank you for hosting today
ReplyDeleteGood morning Ruth,
ReplyDeleteThank you for signing up as one of Woman of Substance reviewers.
I appreciate the time you spent reading Woman of Substance, talking some of the issues over with your mother and then carefully putting your thoughts together to assist readers in making reading choices.
I'm glad that neither your mother or yourself have experienced any of the issues Robin or her research group of women did. A world of acceptance would be a fabulous place to be no matter which size, shape, skin color, faith etc.
Yours truly,
Annette
I think it's very sad that people judge others by the way they look. You could have the most beautiful person on the outside and they could be very ugly on the inside. Beauty is only skin deep after all.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
Good morning Ingeborg,
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping in at My Devotional Thoughts. Ruth does say that both she and her mother haven't experienced the same sense of prejudice against their body image as I wrote in Woman of Substance. So there are good circumstances. And you are so right that beautiful people sometimes have suffered as much and get very hurt and hurtful because of it. I was listening to a radio program today that suggested we have to love ourselves first. Guess the love really does start with us loving who we are and then extending it outward.Wow what a world that would be.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Both Ruth and I enjoy when readers find their way to the site.
Yours truly,
Annette
Hallo Annette,
ReplyDeletewhy did you decide to make Robbie do such an unusual project?
shadorunner1987 at gmail dot com
Hello Ami,
DeleteThank you for stopping by My Devotional Thoughts. I agree that it is an unusual project. She was doing the research but as in many situations a person has a better understanding when they can truly participate in experiences. When city counselors try to travel the streets in wheelchairs, suddenly they understand what needs to be done. Or if you are exhausted from chronic illness or a heavy workload, trying to climb stairs to a class to improve your situation may be the deciding factor. My mother is deaf. For years she wore hearing aids and they helped but now her hearing is completely gone. I watch her feelings of isolation. So it was a "walk in my shoes for a mile" situation.
Thank you for asking.
Yours truly,
Annette
I really like the fact that this story is about (supposedly) a heroine who is not slim and beautiful. I enjoyed reading the review. This is a story I would enjoy reading.
ReplyDeleteHello MomJane,
DeleteRobbie is slim and pretty but she disguises herself to be different as part of her research. In doing this she also understands the advantages she may have when she is out of the disguise but she also discovers advantages when she is in disguise.
Thank you for appreciating Ruth's review. Book reviewers spend a great deal of time reading and giving careful consideration about the books therefore allowing readers to choose which books they would like to read.
Yours truly,
Annette
It's an intersting topic to read about, did you had any help while writing the story?
ReplyDeletelennascloud AT gmail DOT com
Hello Lena,
DeleteI researched a great deal. I spoke to costume designers and I also watched movies where stars were made to appear large. But unfortunately most of the stars who became larger women were actually male stars. This intrigued me as well. But that is another story.
I had my writing groups read parts of the story. I entered contests with the story and received valuable feedback and then my editor with Soul Mate Publishing gave me more ideas to give the story more depth.
So yes, I did have a great deal of assistance in writing the story.
Thank you for asking and thank you for stopping in at My Devotional Thoughts.
Yours truly,
Annette
Are there times when you don't have any inspiration but a deadline is close?
ReplyDeletegalaschick78 AT gmail Dot com
Hello Gala,
DeleteI have to say no. I haven't been in a situation when I've had a book or story deadline. For me I don't have a publisher asking for another book. I've published two novels but with different publishers and short stories are often sent when they are as close to perfect as I can get them. However editors usually have other opinions and I can usually meet those requirements.
But I have heard about other authors who are in that situation.
Thank you for stopping in at My Devotional Thoughts.
Yours truly,
Annette
Great review, I don't really have a problem with my weight but I have friends who weight a bit more and they have gotten a few bad comments, but honestly I don't get the people who would say that, it just points out their own superficial views and insecurities.
ReplyDeletemoonsurfer123 AT gmail DOT com
Hello Anas,
DeleteYes, some people can be cruel when they think they are being kind. I actually gave Robin an experience I had. I was walking down the street and a slim older woman was in front of me. I immediately wondered if she had been ill. I was writing Woman of Substance at the time and it gave me another side of looking at body image.
I believe that you are right though that many times what we say does reflect our own superficial views and insecurities. And the idea of beautiful varies according to customs and country.
Thank you for stopping in and reading Ruth's review of Woman of Substance.
Yours truly,
Annette
This is going to be a fun read! More than that, this book will be an aye-opener for anyone who has never been fat.
ReplyDeleteanne.j2 (at) gmail.com
Dear Anne Consolacion,
DeleteI also explore the meaning of family and examining ideas that we bring with us from our childhood as well as friendship and love. So I do hope that you have fun as you travel along with Robbie/Robin, Jake and Frank too.
Thank you for stopping in at My Devotional Thoughts and reading Ruth's review.
Yours truly,
Annette
I appreciate your thoughts thank you.
ReplyDeleteI carry a bit of weight, but it's never really been an issue.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Hello Mary,
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping in at My Devotional Thoughts.
Robbie talks about women accepting themselves and it sounds as if you do that.
Yours truly,
Annette
Thanks for the chance to win! I've really enjoyed following this tour :) Sad that it's almost over!
ReplyDeleteandralynn7 AT gmail DOT com
Hi Andra Lyn,
DeleteYou are welcome for a chance to win. I'm glad you have followed the tour as well. I know what you mean that it is almost over. I wish I could give each and everyone of you who have stopped and commented and made the reviewer and my day so pleasant. Good luck.
Yours truly,
Annette
It was an interesting idea for a story.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.teenaintoronto.com/2013/02/book-woman-of-substance-2012-annette.html
Hello Teena,
DeleteThank you for dropping in and sharing that you have read Woman of Substance. Reviewers and readers who comment help other readers make choices. As an author I appreciate this very much.
Yours truly,
Annette
Good Morning Everyone,
ReplyDeleteThe draw is now closed. I have all names to be placed in the random draw. The winner will be placed on the Goddess Fish Promo.com http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.ca/ and on my blog. www.annettebower.com/blog
Thank you for participating.
Yours truly,
Annette