As far as gym romcoms go, this was very cute. I struggled at times finding the chemistry of our MCs and often felt that Scott could be needlessly irritating. Crystal, however, is a gem (ha) and deserves all the best.

4.5/5

It’s so refreshing to find an authentic feeling romance anymore and this one truly felt not only genuine, but fresh and fun too. While the romantic storyline was great and definitely the centerpiece of the story, there was so much more to it as well. The author did a great job of exploring how society’s standards of beauty and health are absurd through the lens of a kick ass heroine. Crystal was such a fun character, she’s funny and charming, she’s also a bad ass hard worker but she also has struggles that I thought the author handled in a meaningful way. I’m always a sucker for a character who is an influencer but I’ve yet to read about a fitness influencer so that was super interesting for me. She’s also not your typical size zero fitness advocate, she has curves and she’s not trying to lose weight she’s just trying to be healthy and strong all the while trying to be a source of motivation and support for other women. She was just so great, I could go on but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Scott because he was swoon worthy and sexy. The supporting cast of characters were a lot of fun as well and I’m really hoping this is a start of a series because I would love to get a book about Tara, Crystals sister! Overall an impressive debut that I truly enjoyed.

This rom com made me want a gym boyfriend (especially one that looks like Chris Evans and is also a firefighter). I don’t know what it is but if the love interest is a cowboy🤠 or a firefighter🔥, I am all in. Funny, sweet, and all around lovely.

This one packs a punch. It’s a romance and definitely has light elements, but it also really dives into body positivity and the crazy societal views on body shape.

I really liked the progression of the relationship between Crystal and Scott. It was kinda enemies, to reluctant acquaintance, to friends, to more. I liked how they bonded over such random things and really developed such a strong base. The romance was sweet and swoon worthy.

Moving onto the fitfluencer/body positivity side. I feel like most people regardless of size will relate to Crystal’s struggle with loving herself. Although fictional, I was frustrated and not surprised by the hateful comments on her posts. I also loved how she moved from “body positivity” and “self-love” to “body respect” and “self-acceptance”. The latter terms just feel better and can include those days you don’t feel the best (cause we all have them).

This one was a solid read. I would definitely recommend with the awareness of how stories about how fitness/body respect can impact you.

This was such a fun debut novel! I love a good enemies to lovers romance and Scott and Crystal's story was great.

Crystal is a personal trainer and fitness influencer. She spends a lot of time in the gym and as a curvy woman sometimes she gets some pushback, especially on-line. When a new guy blatantly takes her spot at the gym, naturally she's peeved. This is how she meets Scott. He steals her window spot. You can feel the tension between these two from the start.

Fast forward a few weeks and more run ins later, Crystal is at her wits end. Then she finds out she knows Scott another way. Her grandmother is marrying Scott's grandpa. She starts giving him a chance after that, as friends of course. But their friendship turns into so much more. Of course there are a few bumps along the way, but that's per the course.

I loved Crystal as a character. She was strong and self reflective. She had a great attitude but real struggles she had to deal with as well. Scott was one of those characters that really had to grow on me. I can't say it was love at first sight, but by the half way mark I adored him. This was a fantastic debut romance and I'm excited to read more from this author in the future.

First I have to give credit to Amy Lea for her excellent content note at the beginning of Set on You. Lea notes that the book focuses on fitness culture. Lea states she tries to keep it at the healthier end, but for some readers it may still be triggering. Her main character, Crystal Chen, is a personal trainer who has centered her career around body positivity and exercise. The book contains many references to body shaming, misogyny, and online trolls. If exercise and body image are triggers for you, I would be cautious.

Scott starts out the book with the name Squat Rack Thief. He and Crystal are gym nemeses with Scott acting like a butt-head and tormenting Crystal. And then comes the big reveal. Her grandmother is marrying his grandfather. The relationship that develops between the two of them when they stop being nemeses is really nice. Crystal has trust issues and Scott works on becoming her friend and building trust. As Crystal and Scott settle into a relationship, the context around Scott’s early behavior is discussed.

Identity runs through Set on You and plays out in some interesting ways. The third act breakup feels necessary, not to fix a problem in the relationship, but for Crystal to fix a problem with her relationship with herself. Something happens that makes Crystal question herself at a fundamental level. I appreciated what Lea did with that bleak moment and it’s resolution.

My biggest complaint about Set on You is Scott’s dog’s name, Albus Doodledore. Scott says he isn’t a Harry Potter fan, but the dog had the name at the shelter, so he kept it. Lea, though, made a Choice. SHE chose that name. As far as I can tell, no one forced her to choose that name and then not clearly take a stand on the issue of committed transphobe, JK Rowling. There are millions of other names she could have chosen. She could have had Scott say, “I really like the name and I’m sad the author has chosen to dedicate her millions to making life harder for a vulnerable and marginalized population.” Or something. It felt like Lea was trying to land the punchline without acknowledging the context of the joke and it left me feeling uncomfortable.

Otherwise, Set on You is an imperfectly lovely debut romance. I can see that she’s setting up at least one friend and a sister for a possible series. I’d be putting possible sequels on my most anticipated list, but I’m so confused by the dog name choice I’m a little hesitant.

CW: fitness culture, references to healthy lifestyles, gym culture, past death of family members, past cancer death, on page cancer scare, internet trolls, racism, fat phobia, body shaming, weird Harry Potter references.

I received this as an advance reader copy via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

The premise of Set On You was so promising, a plus size fitness influencer and I was so beyond excited to read it!
While there were some parts I really enjoyed, it overall just did not work for me.

The part I loved the most is that the MC is all about self love and embracing her body, it was refreshing to see and I loved that part. Her flirty relationship and banter with the hero was so fun as well!

However, the endless pop culture references totally felt forced and misplaced at times. I dreaded every time a reference to something pop culture was made, they are welcomed and fun at times but it was just one too many times here I thought.

While this sadly was not my favorite romance that I've read, I still think many will enjoy it and I look forward to reading more from this promising new author myself.

Great beginning, but utterly collapsed in the second half. The book has a very clear agenda and message about body positivity / self-acceptance, and the author was very heavy-handed in the way she made sure readers understood the desired takeaways. Conflict between the protagonists fizzles out and the story focuses solely on the heroine's conflict within herself—an inner journey that the hero is only a bystander for. While there's absolutely room for individual growth within romance fiction, the book veers too sharply away from the relationship between the protagonists. A romance novel that lost its way in an effort to preach a sermon about social media, society, and fatphobia.

Outside of the curvy part—which honestly is a much kinder version of what people really called me in elementary and middle school—Crystal Chen, the main character in Amy Lea’s upcoming romcom, and I don’t have much in common.

She’s a curvy fitness influencer who built her career shattering gym stereotypes and mostly ignoring the trolls. After her recent breakup, she has little stamina left for men, instead finding solace in the gym. Enter firefighter Scott Ritchie, the smug new gym patron who routinely steals her favorite squat rack. Sparks fly as these ultra-competitive foes battle for gym domination. But after a series of escalating jabs, the last thing they expect is to run into each other somewhere neither expected.

I’m trying to be a little vague because I think the synopsis gives way too much away. The book is a romcom so the reveals aren’t exactly on a Sixth Sense level, but I’d still recommend not reading the full synopsis if this one sounds like it might be up your alley. I think one plot point detailed on Amazon didn’t even come up until more than 70% through the book.

I think a lot of people will love this book. The representation is great. It’s got a lot of steam (this one is definitely open door), and it has some great messages about body acceptance and the struggles that come with that despite your best intentions. There are also trigger warnings that the author details in an opening letter.

I’m not sure I was the right reader for this one. As a middle-aged woman who’s been dealing with being—eh hmm—“curvy” all my life, I had trouble relating to Crystal’s revelations and reactions to situations. Including Scott. There were a few times I thought she was just mean to him. Still the characters were fun, and Scott is definitely book boyfriend material.

Thank you so much to @berkleypub, @netgalley, and @lovearctually for an advanced copy of this one. It comes out May 10 and I think it will resonant with a lot of readers.

This was so cute! Crystal and Scott had such a wholesome relationship and it was adorable seeing how hard and fast they fell for each other, and how well they fit together. The enemies-to-lovers trope was done so well here and I really loved that they were both homebodies. :) Scott was the ultimate book boyfriend. He is so sweet, so honest, so hot, so lovely. Something I repeatedly appreciated about this romance was the honest and direct communication.

Aside from the romance, this book also delivered a great message. Crystal struggles with online harassment that comes with being a curvy fitness influencer. This book explores themes of self-love and self-acceptance in a way that is honest about the limits of body positivity--and the importance of accepting your body regardless. Additionally, families are an important aspect of the book, as Crystal's grandma and Scott's grandpa are getting married. The relationship each have with their respective families is endearing.

Overall, this was a sweet and steamy romance that I enjoyed reading! I can't wait to see what Amy Lea writes next!

⭐️ 5

Oh how this book made my heart soar! This was probably one of my most anticipated reads, and I am so thankful that I was able to receive an arc. Crystal and Scott's story truly blew my mind, and I found myself constantly saying, "I feel like the author is reading my mind" whenever Crystal was talking about her self-love journey. I truly fell in love with the message this story discussed, and am so excited to see what else this author has in store. Amy Lea is definitely going to be on my top-tier author's list.

I will say, if you're not a fan of modern references/"today-talk" this book does have A LOT of it. I personally don't mind it, but I know some people like to stay clear of that so just a heads up.

Thank you @berkleyromance for a copy of Set on You. This was a great debut form Amy Lea. I love a book where the MC isn't "ideal" size and is working as a fitness influencer. The connection between Crystal and Scott was off the charts and their banter was amazing.

I loved the family dynamics in the story and how big of a role they played.

I adored this book!! Crystal was such an incredible MC and I found myself relating to her on so many levels throughout the book. Scott was like a dream book boyfriend. I am really loving all of the 2022 releases with all of the men simping over their love interests. I am a big fan!! This book was funny, romantic, made me emotional, and also made me angry and upset. This really put me through an emotional rollercoaster. The conflict felt so real and relatable. I really loved the way things were resolved. Amy Lea's debut is fantastic and i look forward to reading more of her work in the future!

I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! While I struggled to follow the main character's train of thought at the very tail end of the book, overall it was a great read. My only major complaint is that it felt like the author has never been to Boston as small details just felt totally unrealistic for someone who has lived there for over 10 years.

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I loved the banter in this book. Crystal and Scott's romance is so funny and classic rom-com, but Set on You also engages with its audience in meaningful discussions about body image, body positivity, and exercise. Crystal is confident in her curviness (as she should be) and Scott, a hot firefighter, steals her favorite squat rack, making him her mortal (okay, gym) enemy (same thing). What ensues is a witty enemies to lovers rom-com that will have you smiling from ear to ear. I felt so good reading this book that it truly felt like flipping each page came with a burst of serotonin. I will definitely be reading more of Amy Lea's books.

I do not normally gravitate toward contemporary romances but this book piqued my interest. A plus-size, mixed-race fitness influencer meets buff, gym guy that leads to an in-depth look at their own lives. The characters were likable and the social media posts that were interspersed throughout added to the story. I like the end message of switching one’s mindset from “body positivity” to self-respect. I really thought it was well done.

This is about curvy biracial fitness influencer Crystal Chen who gets into it with firefighter Scott Ritchie at the gym when he steals her favored window squat rack. He seems to be everywhere she is and they begin their relationship by infuriating each other.

Then, one day, she loses her phone at the gym and she thinks he’s the one who stole it, bc hello they’re trying to annoy each other. AND THEN IT LEADS TO A HOT MAKEOUT. 😋 it does make for one awkward run-in with their family members when they “officially” meet for the first time 😉

I haven’t read a ton of gym based romances, so this was a fun first time! I really liked the body positivity and self love message in the book. It does play a huge role in the story.

This is a romcom, and the bits and pieces were there, but I didn’t personally feel like there was a large WOW factor in their romance for me. I finished the book because it read quickly, but I wouldn’t say that it captured my interest completely. The writing was good, but I thought I was going to be more in love with it than I was.

Overall, it was light and fluffy and a quick and easy book to get through. If you like insta-love, this is a good book to check out.

I ADORED this book.

Set on You follows curvy fitness influence Crystal and her gym nemesis turned friend, firefighter Scott. My absolute favorite thing about this book was the chemistry between Crystal and Scott and how they went from (sort of) enemies, to friends, then to lovers. They built such a solid foundation that was so delightful to read about.

Even as their chemistry heats up, they keep up their top-tier banter throughout. I also enjoyed the messages made about the self-love and body positivity movements. As a plus size woman, I love reading about plus sized and fat woman living their lives and falling in love, makes me so happy.

I wish I could read more about Crystal and Scott, the tension and humor throughout the novel as made it one of my favorites of the year!

As a fat reader, I often struggle to find romance novels with characters who look like me. Even more of a struggle is for their story to resonate with me and feel realistic. A lot of straight-sized authors will write fat protagonists who are constantly dieting, weighing themselves, working out in unhealthy ways, and who are grateful for any drop of romantic attention from a guy. So I was a little nervous to read a book with a fat protagonist who is a fitness Instagram influencer.
Let me just reassure you now - this book is so refreshing! The main character, Crystal, is a biracial woman (half Chinese, half white) who has always been big. The story revolves around her relationships with her body, her family, her Instagram followers, and of course, Scott. Sure, Crystal struggles with self-confidence on the page, but it feels realistic and honest. The love interest, Scott, is a sweet hunk of a firefighter who is so good at communicating, and expressing sincere (and HOT) interest in Crystal without being smarmy or gross about it. This story is about two people who love working out together, teasing each other, and sharing fantastic chemistry. I started reading it on my lunch break and finished the book that night because I was so drawn to their story. Highly recommend!

Crystal is a fitness influencer who describes herself as curvy or full-figured. She has 250,000 Instagram followers and her full time job is being an influencer and a trainer. She loves this job and has been embracing and spreading the messages of body positivity and self love for years. One day at the gym, she meets Scott, a hot firefighter who quickly becomes her gym rival when he "steals" her favorite squat rack. The two share a passionate make out after a heated argument, and then find out that their grandparents have become engaged. While there's obvious chemistry between them, Crystal is still reeling from a recent break-up. Her ex used her as a rebound and then immediately got back together with his ex-girlfriend. Scott has also just gotten out of a relationship. Crystal can't bring herself to fully trust Scott, so they decide to wait until the wedding, three months from his break-up date, to give things a shot.

Until then, the two form a close friendship, spending nearly every day together for a month. It quickly becomes evident that waiting for the three month window to pass will be impossible, and the two make their relationship official, even making their way through a major disagreement and worrisome situation within the first day. But when Crystal finally tells her followers about their relationship and posts a photo of her with Scott to her Instagram account, the two must deal with the results.

While the friendship and romance between Scott and Crystal was wonderful, the heart of this story is Crystal's journey from pushing body positivity and self love for years to embracing new terms that she feels describe the message she wants to send in the healthiest, best way: body respect and self acceptance. One quote that really struck me was, "Confidence and love for yourself are ever-changing. I'm allowed to feel good sometimes, and not good at other times." While self love is a beautiful concept, it's true that we all have moments of struggle, and the current messages of body positivity and self love, though well intentioned and good at face value, can become toxic. We can't always feel positive 100% of the time, and even if we love ourselves, we will experience moments of doubt and negativity. I also loved the message that when you have a partner, you don't have to go through struggles like the one Crystal faces alone. When you are in a committed relationship, you are allowed to take that journey together and are still strong.

This was a really lovely read, and I'm so happy the publisher reached out to me to send me a copy in exchange for my honest review.