Having recently read Denise Williams other book, How to Fail at Flirting, and enjoyed it, I was looking forward to this one even more so when I read the plot! I recently took charge of my health so following along as Britta also took charge of her health and learned to accept her body was a great motivator for me in my own journey. I also really enjoyed her and Wes' connection and the humor they shared. I actually enjoyed this book more than her first book - which doesn't happen often with new authors I've discovered! I'm eagerly looking forward to more from Denise Williams!

My only complaint about this book was I felt like the ending was a little rushed and could have used one or two more chapters - or maybe Denise is leaving the door open for a second book on Britta and Wes!

As this books starts, the author mentions how our heroine lives her best life although she is fat (author's words).

I love it...

What a wonderful read and I am glad to be sharing my review now. Britta and Wes. Wes may be the CEO of his own company, but that doesn't mean his life is easy. His long-standing relationship combusted just as he was finally ready to pop the question. Moreso, his family life is really strained - his mother is an addict and his sister is MIA.

Then we have Britta, beautiful in her own skin, with body positivity being a partial focus of her life. Her weight does not take away from her beauty. Of that she is certain. However, as a writer for a lifestyle website, she finds herself working with Wes as she composes her newest article. Wes becomes her coach and Britta needs this to work in order to get the full-time hours she has been aiming for.

Wes and Britta hit it off right way - even after their first meeting where Britta finds herself injured. Their relationship skirts the boundaries of becoming personal, but neither seem to be able to stop the frisson of attraction that they share. However, it soon becomes that their attraction goes far beyond the physical, but considering their professional roles it seems doubtful that things will go anywhere.

What a wonderful read that shows that attraction transcends outward appearance, and that said outward appearance can display true beauty. True beauty that reaches the heart. However, this book does hit on some serious subjects. Not only is our heroine plus-sized and focused on a strong regimen, we learn why she works so hard. The issue of fat-shaming is clearly shown. Then there is the issue of drug use for one of the secondary characters.

If you haven't already read a book by Denise Williams, then this book would be a perfect start. I would also like to recommend her previous book How to Fail at Flirting, I love this author and how she manages to write such compelling books.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

“You’re better than easy fixes, Britta. You don’t need fixing at all. You’re making changes, but not because you were broken to begin with. Please promise me you won’t let this guy, or any guy make you question yourself again. Anyone who make you feel you’re not good enough, isn’t worth the breath it takes to tell them to go to hell.”

I wish someone told me this years ago. That I had a book like this years ago…through the years of self-doubt and a horrible relationship with food that took me years to get out of my head? I wish I had read these words back in.

I loved this book and the fat representation and body positivity.

I loved the emphasis that life changes and working out and changing habits to feel good? That the good does not need to and should not need to equate to losing weight. That skinniness isn’t happiness or attractiveness or anything else. I wish someone was there to tell me that the media and everything everyone told me was bullshit.

This book was as much of a gem as her first book. There were all the swoon worthy moments, cute flirty times, steam, a lot of character growth, and two main characters I couldn’t get enough of…if I had one complaint is that I wish I just had more Britta and Wes together.

Denise Williams’ How to Fail at Flirting was one of my favorite reads from last year so I was excited to get my hands on a copy of her latest novel, The Fastest Way to Fall. Williams has a knack for creating wonderful protagonists that you just find yourself wanting to be bffs with, and Britta Colby, the protagonist of The Fastest Way to Fall is no exception.

Britta works as an editorial assistant for a popular lifestyle website. She likes her job well enough, but her passion is actually to write so she would love to be promoted to the writing staff. At a staff meeting, Britta goes out on a limb and pitches an idea for a story and is thrilled when the bosses actually give her a chance to write it. Her task is to join a hot new body fitness app that includes a virtual personal coach and to write about her experience with it. Although Britta’s primary reason for joining the app is to secure that promotion, she does like the idea that the program focuses on overall fitness rather than weight loss. She likes it even more when she starts chatting with Wes, her virtual coach, and they quickly become friends.

I immediately liked Britta. She’s warm and funny, and I also loved her determination to make something happen with her career. We get to read some of Britta’s posts as she goes through this fitness journey and I loved how authentic and real she comes across and I also loved the focus on body positivity. Even though she’s clearly the underdog here, she shines like a star and I was excited to see the number of comments on her posts grow as more and more people became invested in her journey.

Wes Lawson is actually the CEO of the Fit Me app Britta is reviewing. Even though he has enjoyed tremendous success with the app, he’s feeling out of sorts these days and is dealing with a lot of family issues. He decides he needs to clear his head and the best way to do that is to get back to what he really loves, the coaching. He selects one of the app’s new clients to coach; that client of course turns out to be Britta. Britta’s sense of humor wins him over from the start and he finds himself wanting to interact with her more and more, and not just to talk fitness.

I really enjoyed watching their friendship grow. I loved how Wes gently challenges Britta to up her fitness game, and I loved that Britta helps him escape everything that is weighing him down. My heart truly broke for Wes when it’s revealed exactly what kind of family issues he is dealing with, so I was all the more glad he had someone like Britta to talk to. Their chemistry is so intense that when an accident leads to them meeting in person, I was immediately rooting for them to get together even though it would clearly lead to some sticky situations at work for them both. Britta dating the CEO of the app she’s reviewing is not a good look for either of them even if the relationship started innocently enough. Each of them has some tough decisions to make, both personally and professionally, and I thought Williams did a wonderful job realistically portraying how such a situation would play out.

The Fastest Way to Fall is the perfect read for anyone who enjoys warm and engaging characters with personal journeys you can’t help but become invested in, along with a healthy serving of both romance and family drama.

4.5 stars

“Thank you for coming to my rescue.”
“Thank you for coming to mine.”

The Fastest Way to Fall was our first book by Denise Williams and we loved it! A great mix of humour, sweetness, swoon, with a poignant storyline and wonderfully relatable characters. A slow-burn romance with a wonderful message about body positivity, for anyone who’s struggled to find their place, for those of us who have struggled with their weight, or for those who have not yet learned to love themselves, this is a story for you.

Despite its light-heartedness and cartoon cover, this book touches on some important issues. Though not at all a dark read, the story does deal with self-love, trial by social media, drug addiction, and eating disorders, but as we said, the author deals with these in a light, but no less important way.

‘I never wanted someone to have the ammunition to make me feel like that again.’

Parts of this story really struck a chord with us, and we related to it in so many ways, as will a lot of our fellow readers. So relatable was it, that by the end, we were not only cheering on Britta, but we were also cheering on ourselves, such was the way the author beautifully told Britta’s story.

Editorial assistant Britta Colby dreams of being a journalist, to share her thoughts and refreshing take on her battles with the world. Britta is a natural, she’s honest, open, and had a wonderfully funny self-deprecating humour. Although Britta is basically happy with who she is, she endures the judgment of others because of her weight.

‘She said she was embarrassed to go to the gym like thin people would judge her and fat people would think she didn’t like herself?’

Pitted against her colleague Claire, to document her journey with a fitness and wellness app, Britta discovers, not only the power she wields within, but she meets the gorgeous, sweet Wes Lawson. Now, every girl needs a Wes to spur her on! If he was our trainer, we couldn’t help but succeed with his encouragement and positivity. The sky would be the limit on what could be achieved if you had a Wes in your corner.

‘Britta’s kiss was like her smile – it made me feel invincible.’

Britta and her refreshing honesty soon struck a chord with many online followers, who take the chirpy Britta to heart. Her talent for writing what’s in her heart is a runaway success, but the stakes are high between Britta and Claire.

Wes Lawson is a man battling his own demons. There is so much vulnerability beneath his sunny veneer, and we couldn’t love him more! So much lies beneath the CEO of the hugely popular FitME App.

“I promised I’d catch you.”

The friendship between Wes and Britta was so sweet, and their love, a wonderful slow burn as both Wes and Britta take an introspective look inside themselves. What a fabulous read! We were there every step of the way, cheering Britta and Wes to the finish line. It certainly moved and motivated us, that’s for sure!

“For the record, you’re actually kind of great, Wes.”
“You’re pretty great too, Britt.”

I’m a fairly new reader in the adult romance genre, but when I tell you I LOVED this book. If you are a trope person it has all the best ones done in the best way. Never had something been so adorably heartwarming as this book and that is the hill I will die on. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

The Fastest Way to Fall is Denise Williams’ funny and charming second romance novel. While characters from her début How to Fail at Flirting make an appearance here, you don’t have to read that volume to enjoy this one.

Britta Colby has spent four years as an editorial assistant at Best Life, a millennial focused lifestyle website, but her goal is to be a staff writer. The third Friday of the month is pitch day and Britta offers to write about her experience with a hot new body-positive fitness app that includes personal coaching. Her boss initially demurs, not wanting yet another take on fat-shaming women into working out and dieting, but Britta believes the piece could be inspirational to plus-size women like herself who are looking for exercise tips and nutrition information that aren’t tied to weight loss. Her idea eventually makes the cut and Britta joins FitMi, excited to be assigned a coach and begin training.

Wes Lawson founded the FitMi Fitness app with his best friend Cord and girlfriend Kelsey. They worked hard to pull together investors, build a solid reputation, and develop a unique product. Then Kelsey received an offer to be CEO of a rival app, and she quit FitMi and dumped Wes all in one quick, painful conversation. It has taken Wes a while to recover from the betrayal. It has taken him longer to adapt to filling her former position at their firm, a job he definitely doesn’t enjoy. Add in his complicated family situation and that means neither work nor home is bringing him much pleasure. At Cord’s urging, Wes decides to take on a couple of clients and reconnect with what he enjoys about fitness - helping people be their best, healthiest selves.  Britta winds up being one of his new clients and Wes finds himself loving her quirky sense of humor and sunny approach to life.

But this is an app and all their communication is occurring through the chat function. Wes deliberately set up procedures that established a professional distance between customers and trainers, protocols he now finds himself bending. It’s not long before he and Britta have moved from chats to texts, exchanging personal information about where they live and how they spend their time. Then he gets a text that says simply “help” and breaks all the rules to rush to Britta’s side.

Britta had dreamt of meeting Wes - but not after a tumble down the stairs. She had been texting him as she fell and was fortunate she had the good sense to type “help” before passing out. Wes races to her side, calls an ambulance, accompanies her to the hospital and stays by her side throughout the checkin process. She’s amazed at how sweet and supportive he is even after she’s home, bringing her dinner and then working out with her so she can literally get back on her feet. Having a one-on-one, in person trainer is definitely helping her recovery, but Britta knows this is dangerous for both of them. The mild flirtation they had going on over the phone has turned into burning hot chemistry, but it would be deeply unprofessional for Wes to date his client. It would be equally unethical for Britta, who is supposed to be reviewing his company, to date him. With so much at stake for both of them, the smart thing to do would be to move the relationship back to its proper sphere - but sometimes the heart overrules the head.

Britta and Wes are both wonderful, loveable people, so it is very easy to see why they fall so hard for each other. Wes is a kind, caring, giving person whose primary focus is on helping others. Britta is funny, sunny and smart. Together they are dynamite and their rapport is sweet and delightful to read about. For around the first thirty percent of the story, they only connect through chatting/texting but it works, because they put their true selves into their communications and they have such witty exchanges. Once they do meet, the transition from text to talk goes smoothly, their friendship deepens, and physical attraction is added to the mix.

The primary conflict comes from their work situations potentially being compromised by a romantic relationship, and also by the secrets they keep surrounding those issues.  Britta takes a long time to tell Wes she is reviewing FitMi for her magazine and Wes is equally slow to tell her he isn’t just a trainer at FitMi but an owner as well.  Additional conflict comes from the fact that Britta has some work relationships that are problematic and Wes has an evil ex. Wes also has a sister who left home as a teen and is rarely in contact, and a mother with addiction issues. The latter is handled extremely well, showing us how recovery can be a journey with lots of ups and downs. The book is light-hearted and joyous in spite of everything because of the positive energy generated by Wes and Britta’s love story.

Body positivity is another theme liberally sprinkled throughout the tale. As a plus-size heroine Britta occasionally struggles with accepting herself as beautiful and lovable, a battle reinforced by some of the relationships in her life. Moving beyond other’s opinions of her and focusing on who she wants to be is an important aspect of the story.

A few quibbles kept the book from DIK status. A lot of page time is spent on exercising and dieting, to the point that I almost felt like I should only read on the treadmill. The conflict here is similar to the author’s first novel and the resolution is similar as well - I would have liked her to show us what could have happened if the characters had taken a different route to the HEA. There are also moments when the pacing lags a bit.

Those are minor issues in an otherwise very good book. I recommend The Fastest Way to Fall to anyone looking for a sweet, heartfelt contemporary romance between two very likable protagonists.

Buy it at Amazon, Audible or your local independent retailer

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“Thank you for coming to my rescue.”
“Thank you for coming to mine.”

The Fastest Way to Fall was our first book by Denise Williams and we loved it! A great mix of humour, sweetness, swoon, with a poignant storyline and wonderfully relatable characters. A slow-burn romance with a wonderful message about body positivity, for anyone who’s struggled to find their place, for those of us who have struggled with their weight, or for those who have not yet learned to love themselves, this is a story for you.

Despite its light-heartedness and cartoon cover, this book touches on some important issues. Though not at all a dark read, the story does deal with self-love, trial by social media, drug addiction, and eating disorders, but as we said, the author deals with these in a light, but no less important way.

‘I never wanted someone to have the ammunition to make me feel like that again.’

Parts of this story really struck a chord with us, and we related to it in so many ways, as will a lot of our fellow readers. So relatable was it, that by the end, we were not only cheering on Britta, but we were also cheering on ourselves, such was the way the author beautifully told Britta’s story.

Editorial assistant Britta Colby dreams of being a journalist, to share her thoughts and refreshing take on her battles with the world. Britta is a natural, she’s honest, open, and had a wonderfully funny self-deprecating humour. Although Britta is basically happy with who she is, she endures the judgment of others because of her weight.

‘She said she was embarrassed to go to the gym like thin people would judge her and fat people would think she didn’t like herself?’

Pitted against her colleague Claire, to document her journey with a fitness and wellness app, Britta discovers, not only the power she wields within, but she meets the gorgeous, sweet Wes Lawson. Now, every girl needs a Wes to spur her on! If he was our trainer, we couldn’t help but succeed with his encouragement and positivity. The sky would be the limit on what could be achieved if you had a Wes in your corner.

‘Britta’s kiss was like her smile – it made me feel invincible.’

Britta and her refreshing honesty soon struck a chord with many online followers, who take the chirpy Britta to heart. Her talent for writing what’s in her heart is a runaway success, but the stakes are high between Britta and Claire.

Wes Lawson is a man battling his own demons. There is so much vulnerability beneath his sunny veneer, and we couldn’t love him more! So much lies beneath the CEO of the hugely popular FitME App.

“I promised I’d catch you.”

The friendship between Wes and Britta was so sweet, and their love, a wonderful slow burn as both Wes and Britta take an introspective look inside themselves. What a fabulous read! We were there every step of the way, cheering Britta and Wes to the finish line. It certainly moved and motivated us, that’s for sure!

“For the record, you’re actually kind of great, Wes.”
“You’re pretty great too, Britt.”

The synopsis of this book caught my eye and I decided to give new to me author Denise Williams a try and I am so glad that I did. The Fastest Way to Fall was not only a wonderful romance; the body positivity messages contained within its pages was refreshing and well written. Being a thicc woman myself for all of my life no matter what diet, no matter what level of exercise, over the last decade and a half, I began to realize that this is just me, it’s who I am, what I am, and I have learned to accept and be happy with my body and myself. I hate that it took me so long and if this book helps even one woman realize that sooner, then it’s done its job. So first off I want to thank Denise Williams for writing such an intelligent and wonderful story focusing on a woman’s journey to being healthier while accepting her body while learning to be physically stronger and in the process finding the love of her life even if it was in an unusual way and a bit forbidden.

Britta Colby is finally getting a chance to share her writing with the world, okay so it’s with the readers of the lifestyle website she works for, but it’s a step towards meeting her professional goals while also helping her meet a personal one, to live a more healthy lifestyle and feel better about her body. She and a co-worker will test out two new fitness apps one that focuses on a healthy lifestyle and body positivity and one that focuses on being a “hotter you.” Signing up with FitMe , Britta jumps right in when she is matched with “Wes” her virtual fitness coach. Right way the messages back and forth between them are funny, charming, and it is easy to feel a spark between them. As this is told from dual points of view, we see that both Britta and Wes are really enjoying their interactions.

Despite his company FitMe doing very well, Wes Lawson is feeling like something is missing from his life and he doesn’t mean his sister he hasn’t seen in years when she ran away from home at 17. As CEO he finds himself becoming more dissatisfied with his work life and his personal life isn’t much better. On the advice of his business partner and friend, Wes decides to take on a couple of fitness clients from the app to see if that helps get him back on track. What he doesn’t expect is to feel such interest in Bmoney34’s application and knows that he wants to help her achieve her goals.

I loved the way this story played out and while I wasn’t thrilled that both Britta and Wes didn’t share pertinent information with the other when they began seeing each other outside the app, I also understood while they held back. That was my only issue with this story is that they in fact lied to one another while their friendship formed and morphed into more. That being said, there were consequences to their actions and while in the end everything worked out I liked that they both suffered a little because of their actions. I loved the message of this book that weight is just a number; that living healthier is more about how you feel physically and mentally. We saw Britta make mistakes, pull herself up, and start over again a couple of times and that’s something everyone needs to remember. No one is perfect and you can always begin again. And through it all Wes was there helping her through each challenge and cheering her on. I loved the bond they formed, the friendship that was based on their personalities and not on the physical, and the love that grew between them that surprised both of them.

One other thing I want to note, when Britta’s boss told her that she would keep her job as an assistant but they could never let her write for them again, her boss also told her she was an extremely talented writer and needed to pursue that passion…THAT is a perfect example of one woman lifting up another woman when she is down. Yes, she was disappointed in Britta’s actions, but she also recognized her talent and wanted her to know that she was more than the mistake she made. I have seriously LOVE for that scene.

The Fastest Way to Fall was such a surprise treat for me, I loved this book and it is easily one of my favorites of 2021. Maybe it’s because I identify with Britta, maybe it’s because I have a good man who has always loved me just the way I am, or maybe it’s the fact that Denise Williams has a way with words that spoke so deeply to me. All I do know is that I can’t wait to read what she puts out next!

3.5 rounded up This was a fun, sexy, body positive, dual perspective romance between Britta, a fat aspiring writer who gets teamed up with Wes, the co-creator of a lifestyle app who helps coach her in her new fitness journey. The two strike up a friendship texting back and forth through the app and the sparks really fly when they meet in person, even though they try (but fail) to keep things platonic.

Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of How to lose a guy in 10 days or Never been kissed. I loved the chemistry between the main characters and that the book emphasizes the fact that 'healthy' doesn't equal thin. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!

CW: eating disorders and alcoholism/substance abuse, fat shaming, parental neglect

The Fastest Way to Fall is such a fantastic rom-com, full of all the tropes we love!
I loved this book. I really related to Britta. I loved that she was happy with how she looked and made it clear that she wasn't looking to lose weight. But I loved that even though she wasn't on a diet, she did get healthier. It actually motivated me to focus more on my health. Britta was such a fun cheater to read! She was bold, sarcastic, and honestly someone I would want to be friends with. And Wes was so supportive of her, helping her along the way. I loved both of these characters, and I really rooted for them. I looked forward to reading the interactions because they were just so wonderful together.
The chemistry between Wes and Britta was clear from the beginning! I loved the flirty banter between these two.
As I mentioned, this book is full of all the rom-com tropes I love, only one bed, secret identities, and I loved it all. This was just a wonderfully sweet read. I also loved seeing some of my favorite characters from How to Fail and Flirting!
I have loved both of Denise Williams's books, and I can't wait to read whatever she writes next!

this was an enjoyable (and predictable romcom) that i loved reading for 2 reasons:
—i loved how body positive this was. i loved how it showed we have days we love our bodies and days where we don't and that's fine. its all part of the process when we're working towards building a healthy life or a healthy relationship with our bodies. britta's posts about this journey of hers were the highlight of the book. they were so entertaining, showed her charming personality and the way she came to conclusions about her feelings and eventually felt comfortable in her body was all so so refreshing! i enjoyed reading her pov so much and at times felt deeply personal.

—wes and britta's banter. its entertaining and funny to see them communicate and be flirty. even though i didn't feel the tension between them at all times. their romance is cute, fun tropes included here and there and i liked that they supported each other.

wes as a character felt a little mainstream to me. i liked how he got his closures but ultimately, they fell flat. also, there's quite a couple of miscommunications so that front didn't feel nice to read about and made me feel as if the book was dragged enough. communication exists in 2021??

overall the fastest way to fall is an easy to read with a lot of nuance and a forbidden romance! i would definitely recommend if you're looking for a contemporary romance like this!

The Fastest Way to Fall was so charming from start to finish. It was so easy to become obsessed with both Britta and Wes. I loved reading Britta's posts because I think you can tell a lot about a person by how they write. Britta's vulnerability made it so easy to immediate connect to her. To see her own journey and the ways her ambitions and desires change. At the same time, Wes just warmed my heart. He's just this cinammon roll of a character who melted my cold heart.

While Britta immediately made a place in my heart. I ended up being drawn to Wes. To the ways he's kind of gotten lost. He finds himself not sure what he's doing or where he's going. The Fastest Way to Fall is full of hilarious jokes, sizzling chemistry, but also tension and complexity. The ways it dips its toes into addiction, guilt, and trauma. I ended up reading more than I anticipated each night because I was so obsessed. I needed to know what was going to happen!

This book was a lovely slow burn. It featured two characters dealing with their own challenges who were able to support each other.

I enjoyed seeing Britta and Wes’ relationship develop from online interaction to in person. I enjoyed reading about Britta’s relationship with her body and how she documents the ups and downs.

I will say, it took me a while to get through this one and I think it has some to do with how the relationship developed. It took a while before they met in person, and then even more time for any intimate time. I don’t always need that to come early in the story, but for some reason for this book it had an impact. But that could also just be me at the time of reading this book.

Overall, a great book about loving yourself and finding good supporters.

{cw - drug use, disordered eating, over exercise}

Denise Williams follows up her spectacular debut, How to Fail at Flirting, with the even better The Fastest Way to Fall, a soul-stirring novel that delves deep into the psyche of a woman struggling with body image and sense of self. This is not a story about weight loss, but about learning to love who you are and about falling in love with someone who helps you feel strong. Britta’s triumph over her former insecurities concerning her body, her goals and her job are transcendent moments thanks to Williams’ sensitive and masterful storytelling.

Full Review: https://www.bookpage.com/reviews/fastest-way-to-fall/

The Fastest Way to Fall is a delightful, emotionally honest romance. From coach/trainee to friends to lovers, Britta and Wes’s journey was lovely to watch unfold.

Britta is an assistant at a lifestyle website, wanting that promotion to writer. She’s got the talent but she has equally talented competition. There’s one writer spot open and she’s going for it by writing about FitMi, a fitness app that supposedly has trained coaches and a healthy mentality. Britta is fat and owns it; she loves her body and doesn’t think that wanting to get fitter has anything to do with not loving herself or how she looks. Wes is the CEO of FitMi and he’s in a rut at the beginning of the story. He’s got the financial stability he’s always craved, having grown up in an unstable home with an addict mother. But sitting behind a desk isn’t for him so he decides to get back into coaching. Britta is his first client and the two of them have fun banter from the very start. I loved watching them text through the app and I can’t count the number of times they made me smile. It’s not long before they’re getting into ethical grey-zones, each keeping their jobs a secret when they meet to train in person. There’s push-pull as each is afraid to go for what they want, but it’s clear these two fit like lock and key, making it easy to root for their romance.

What stood out to me the most was the way author Denise Williams gave a strong core of emotional honesty to Britta’s journey. She loves herself and the way she looks, but that doesn’t mean she can’t be hurt, can’t have moments of doubt or have her self-esteem dinged up. Britta has her ups and downs in a realistic way that’s sure to be relatable to many. I really loved her personal journey and enjoyed seeing her confidence increase, watching her fall in love with fitness, and all without feeling like she needed to change how she looked or acted. Wes finds Britta hot from the first and I loved that he saw and appreciated her for all that she is. He has his own hurdles to overcome but Britta is there to support him as much as he is her. It’s a great give-and-take that makes the story all the stronger.

The Fastest Way to Fall has fun banter, a slow burn romance you can cheer for, and a happily ever after that will make you smile. I adored Britta and Wes and I can’t wait to read more of Denise Williams’s work!

Britta is a journalist and she is writing a column about her journey with the FitMe app. Wes is the owner of the app and when looking for a distraction, he decides to get back into the coaching side and ends up being Britta’s coach. Their chemistry is undeniable from the minute they start talking while they both deal with the potential ethical dilemmas they both face.

I really did love Britta and Wes as well as their chemistry. The first half of the book had me completely sucked in. Britta was a lot flirtier with her coach than I probably would’ve been, but I appreciated his responses. He didn’t immediately flirt back, but tried to keep things professional by joking back and giving coaching advice. But you could still feel that he wanted to flirt back which I appreciated it.

I don’t know what it was exactly about the second half of the book but it slowed down a bit for me. Maybe it was because I was waiting for the conflicts I knew were coming and it seemed like it took a while to get there? I do feel like 400 pages was a bit long for this story and some parts could’ve been trimmed to keep the pace going strong.

This book dealt a lot with body image and acceptance as well as eating disorders and exercising. I felt like the author dealt with these problems very well, even if they aren’t things I can completely speak to. Not to say I haven’t had issues with body image and acceptance, but I’m an average size person and I would say I’ve had average size problems. Britta is plus size and she talks about the struggles of being a fat woman going to the gym, joining a fitness app, dating, shopping, and so much more. Her written pieces are done so well and I wish that her column had been a real thing.

If you’re looking for a standard, solid romance novel, I would recommend this one. The chemistry between the two characters jumps off the page which is what makes it so solid. I might have enjoyed it a little more if I had read it in the summer or if it had been a little shorter, but it was still very enjoyable and I was rooting for Britta and Wes the entire time. Even if I did get a pit in the bottom of my stomach knowing the trouble they’d get into.

I love the fun wit and flirty banter that Denise Williams brings to her books! I love the positive message of this book about loving yourself and allowing others to love you as you are. Definitely a book I would recommend to all readers!

🥰really liked|| 💋some steam
🤟forbidden romance, texting banter,
📚The Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley Romance, for giving me the chance to read a copy of this book. I thought that this one looked really good, and after seeing a lot of rave reviews on it, I decided to bump it up on my TBR. I loved Wes and Britta's story. Wes is in many ways the perfect book boyfriend. He was always so positive and caring towards Britta, and I appreciated the side story with his mom. The way that the took care of his mom and sister and the way he was raised said a lot about him and his character. Britta was the perfect lead in this book. I liked that the book never mentioned exactly how much Britta weighed, and instead really focused on loving yourself just the way you are. This is one of those books that I thought really did focus on body positivity, and what woman hasn't been Britta at some point in their lives? This is a very important book and once that I think every woman should read. The only thing that I would have changed about the book was its length. There were a few parts that I thought seemed a little drawn out, and it drove me crazy that Britta and Wes didn't really get together until 3/4 into the story- I needed a little more steam a little earlier on in the story. Every time they had the chance to tell each other how they felt, one of them backed down or they both did, and after awhile, it started to get frustrating as the reader. Overall, however, I really enjoyed this book!

Amazing book! I would highly recommend this book to my customers and patrons. I would recommend other books by the same author as well.