ARC Review: Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich

Big Girl Panties

Author: Stephanie Evanovich

Publication: William Morrow; 1st edition (July 9, 2013)

Description: Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich is a rollicking and poignant romantic comedy about a young widow who decides to get in shape...and winds up getting her groove back—and a whole lot more!

 
Holly Brennan used food to comfort herself through her husband’s illness and death. Now she’s alone at age thirty-two. And she weighs more than she ever has. When fate throws her in the path of Logan Montgomery, personal trainer to pro athletes, and he offers to train her, Holly concludes it must be a sign. Much as she dreads the thought of working out, Holly knows she needs to put on her big girl panties and see if she can sweat out some of her grief.
 
Soon, the easy intimacy and playful banter of their training sessions lead Logan and Holly to most intense and steamy workouts. But can Holly and Logan go the distance as a couple now that she’s met her goals—and other men are noticing?

My Thoughts: BIG GIRL PANTIES was a nice romance that had everyone looking below the surface. Widowed Holly Brennan had turned to food after the death of her husband. On a airplane flight from Toronto to New Jersey, she meets Logan Montgomery who has a very successful career as a personal trainer. It was not at all love-at-first-sight. Logan has a type - tall, thin, blonde - and Holly is none of those things. Holly sees this beautiful, buff guy and knows that he is way out of her league. But he offers to train her and she accepts.

Through several workouts, Logan and Holly get to know each other and Holly develops a crush but Logan remains oblivious. However, they soon start hanging out as friends with his friends Chase Walker and his wife Amanda. They begin a relationship but Logan is still keeping the relationship secret. He has a number of issues of his own regarding body image to deal with. As is usually the case in romances, there are misunderstandings where each of them hurts the other before they manage to work their way to a happy ending. 

I liked Holly very much as a character but it took me quite a bit longer to warm up to Logan. I was put off by the way he treated his relationship with Holly and by his general slowness at recognizing that he was falling in love with her. I also thought that Chase and Amanda's relationship with its borderline kinkiness detracted from Logan and Holly's story.

Fans of slow building romances will enjoy this story about two very interesting people.

Favorite Quote:

Holly was ready for the change. Unfortunately, Logan was not.

When Holly came into the gym the next day, not only was she sporting a new bobbed haircut, but the sweatpants and too-big T-shirt were gone, replace by the latest workout clothes. the flared spandex pants hugged her waist and behind; the form-fitting white Nike tee commanded JUST DO IT in neon green and revealed an impressive bust. Where she was once shapeless and undefined, an hourglass figure had begun to  take its place. He was momentarily taken aback. the he had to keep himself from becoming engrossed in it. 

I got this ARC through the Amazon Vine program. You can buy your copy here.