"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:
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BookStrand:
http://www.bookstrand.com/moving-on-a-prairie-romance
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