Thank you to Bramble and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-friends to lovers
-major denial
-sloooow burn
-a date before 30
-roasting you is my love language
-plus size rep

- What a joy CURVY GIRL SUMMER is! I adored Aaliyah and Ahmad, both on the friendship level and the relationship level. They were the best mix of spicy and sweet.
- Danielle Allen doesn’t shy away from what it can be like to be a fat Black woman in how both Aaliyah’s relatives and her dates treat her. But Aaliyah’s belief and confidence in herself never wavers: she knows what she’s worth.
- For me, Aaliyah hung on to “we’re just friends” a little too long, which made the plot spin its wheels in the middle for a bit. But once she and Ahmad do get together, the wait is worth it.

I adored everything about this book! The banter, the love story, the characters, the writing style. This is truly one of the best books I’ve read all year.

I loved the banter between Aaliyah & Ahmad! Aside from that, great read and I love the plus size representation.

Wowwwww… this book is SO GOOD! I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, the characters, the writing, and the romance.

Give me a fat FMC who loves herself, and I will probably enjoy the book. But give me a fat FMC who loves herself, believes she deserves love not because of how she looks but because she’s a PERSON, and who stands on BUSINESS… and I will love that book.

The plot is just a setup for a good time. Honestly, I’m not typically a huge fan of romance books where the FMC is dating around because it usually takes the focus away from the main couple, but it was very apparent from the get-go who the main couple was and then I was just intrigued by the reasons her dates wouldn’t end up working out. After the halfway mark, I couldn’t put this book down. The plot was a 10/10.

The characters were so fun and I thought there was the perfect amount of focusing on the main couple and also bringing their family and friends into the story. Based on the side characters, I can see where future books could potentially go and I am SAT for those.

The writing was super engaging and I really liked the romantic moment descriptions. However, there were times I’d find myself confused by how scenes progressed and would have to read back to see if I missed anything. There were also times when a person or detail would be over-described and then end up to be irrelevant. I think this could’ve gone through another round of edits to take out those superfluous details because they pulled me out of the flow of the writing. Besides that, I was very into the writing style and thought the emotions of the characters and the relationships were written very well.

The romance was very very good. There was a bit of miscommunication but it didn’t bother me in this instance (I usually HATE it in romance books). There also wasn’t a third act breakup which I appreciated sooo much.

This was a super fun read and I will 100% be reading more from this author in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of the book and thank you to the publisher for a physical copy.

Was debating between 4.5-5 stars for me, but since I was still smiling about it a week later - I rounded up!

She is ready to love again, but on her terms, staying safe. Which for Aaliyah means meeting her online matches at the same bar, while her bartender *friend* keeps a protective watch. The dates she goes on are less than great, but her character growth is 10/10. As is the flirty banter in this book 10/10.

LOVED IT!

*E-book and physical copies gifted via Netgalley/Bramble/Tor - thank you! All opinions are my own.

TW: grief, loss of a sibling, loss of a fiance, fat shaming, fat stereotyping

I had the best time reading/listening to Danielle Allen's Curvy Girl Summer. It was fun, hilarious, sexy, and emotional!

Curvy Girl Summer is the story of Aaliyah and her quest to find a man before her 30th birthday that's coming up in a couple of months. She bravely ventures the waters of the online dating apps and with the help of her sexy wingman she goes through some really crazy dates.

Aaliyah was so real it was easy to identify with her and her determination to not settle. I loved her confidence and the way she didn't back down when she knew people were condescending to her or straight up insulting to her. She was having fun with her life and I loved reading about how she got gussied up for every date, the descriptions the author gave made the visualizations really easy and I just wanted to give Aaliyah high fives every time for stepping out so gorgeously. The only thing that irked me with her was her confusion and back and forth feelings with Ahmad. I knew it, Asia knew it, her girls knew it, the whole world knew that Ahmad was the man for her right from the start. Even after she figures out his marriage situation she is still hesitant when she's so brave in every other aspect of her life. It was frustrating lol Speaking of Ahmad, whew! He sounded so hot and that mouth of his, jesus! I really felt for his trauma he had experienced but I liked how he was brave enough to confront it with therapy and surrounding himself with the right people. He was a good guy but damn that lie of omission was killing me! Don't worry though we get our HEA, a very steamy HEA!

I did listen to a lot of this book and I have to say that Wesleigh Siobhan was absolutely FANTASTIC. She had such enthusiasm and finesse in her narration, I was instantly hooked. Even during the spicy scenes she woman really went for it, my goodness. She did really well with changing up character voices as well and her pacing was perfect. I will definitely look for more of her narrations in the future.

Overall Curvy Girl Summer was a fun romance and a perfect summer beach read. Thank you so much to Tor Publishing and Bramble books for gifting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a good book! Danielle Allen always delivers and this book did just that!! I loved the banter between Aaliyah & Ahmad!! This was one of my most anticipated reads for the year and it didn’t disappoint!! This book deserves all the hype.

Curvy Girl Summer started off with an absolute bang... Literally. However it slowly turned into a bust for me.
There were so many elements that worked for this book such as the comedic elements, the toxic discourse of family members, the portrayal of the hot mess that is online dating. Essentially everything worked for this book besides the romance between Aaliyah and Ahmad. Odd right? (seeing how this is a romance novel)

I think my two biggest concerns were that:
1) Ahmad didn't come off any better than some of the disaster dates she'd been on. His antagonistic behavior in the begging quickly grated on my nerves.
2) I rather this had been a cheating trope than miscommunication trope. Aaliyah never once questioned her actions when dealing with a seemingly married man or ask about his wife.

While I didn't love this book, I still think it was a strong book and am overjoyed to see Danielle in traditional publishing.

When I first started this book, I was not sure that I would like it. I saw it everywhere, but those first few chapters did not have me invested. The plot is similar to something that I have read before, but I can't quite remember which book it is. I was uncertain of whether Aaliyah was falling for a married man. But baby by the end of this book, I was even in love with Ahmad. He has made it to my "Book Baes Hall of Fame".

Dating is hard and this book definitely showcases all the pitfalls that comes with trying to find just ONE man. As a plus size woman, Aaliyah handled every fatphobic comment elegantly. While I know what the author was doing by inserting these insidious events, I wish that Ahmad affirmed her body by specifically acknowledging her size. Not that this is necessary for a man, but I think it would have brought certain elements of the story more full circle.

Overall, I ended up enjoying this one and I look forward to reading more work by this author.

This is the first book I have read from Danielle Allen and it won't be the last. This book was so much fun! I was hooked from page one - the narrators were phenomenal; super engaging and entertaining. I can't wait to read more from Danielle!

Things I loved:

A fabulously thick Black woman comfortable in her own skin. Aaliyah had a great support system with her girlfriends. We are nothing without our girls. Her family loved and supported her except for her Uncle Al. I couldn’t stand him.
Ahmad was EVERYTHING. Enough said.

Things I didn’t love:
What I didn’t enjoy was how Aaliyah got in her own damn way and the need to have a boyfriend by her thirtieth birthday. It was giving desperation and she was better than that. The endless dates Aaliyah went on stretch on far too long. The book could have ended 100 pages earlier.

Danielle Allen is a fantastic author but I didn’t love this one.

It's a good book from the beginning to the end. After spending just some time with an ex and then making him aware that they are through Aaliyah has moved on and is now looking out for her and someone who is only for her. She has to deal with her family and sister's birthday, which I felt was odd but understood. I did not care for the uncle but I also know that there are family members like him. She meets a bartender Ahmand with whom she has a connection and offers to help her through her dates, having them be on the nights he is working. She wants him to be the guy after a while but believes he is taken. An excellent story with wonderful characters, and is a fun and easy read.

I felt so many feels reading this charming, funny, and emotional tale of self-discovery and love. Danielle does a masterful job of immersing the reader into the mind and world of Aaliyah James. With her thirties fast approaching, her family makes it clear that her time is running out for her to meet their expectations. But Aaliyah has her own desires, which don't necessarily align with what her family wants. She’s confident, witty, lovable, ambitious, and successful in her own right. Shouldn't that be enough?

Aaliyah is on a mission to silence her family and prove that she is worthy of love and everything else life has to offer. Through her quest to find the perfect match before her thirtieth birthday, she discovers the true meaning of happiness on her own terms. When you discover the light within yourself, nothing—not a series of horrible dates, not your overbearing family, not even that sneaky self-doubt that creeps in every now and then—can take that away from you.

I loved seeing someone as deserving as Aaliyah find a love that matches her energy. This book is a delightful read that will have you laughing, crying, and rooting for Aaliyah every step of the way. If you’re looking for a heartwarming story about finding yourself and finding love, this is the one. Highly recommended.

I LOVED this book and I’m rooting so hard for Danielle Allen. This is the perfect contemporary romance for the summer. The characters were genuine, steamy, and hilarious.

4.5

Fantastic steamy summer romance! This delivered on everything I wanted it to and just made me so happy reading it. Absolutely adored out couple the communication happening and the steam levels.

Aaliyah wants to celebrate her 30th birthday with a boyfriend. But that means rejoining the dating scene that hasn’t worked well for her in the past. With encouragement from her friends and a few suggestions from bartender Ahmad, Aaliyah is on a dating app and meeting new men. Will Aaliyah find a new man by swiping in an app or has she already met him?

This is a fun summer read! Not only is it funny, but Curvy Girl Summer has memorable characters, emotional depth, and some spice.

I enjoyed seeing Aaliyah and Ahmad’s relationship evolve from strangers to friends to more. It’s a slow burn that’s realistic and so entertaining with their banter.

I loved Aaliyah’s friends, Nina and Jazz. The supportive sister love among these women is heartwarming. They give each other tough love too. I wouldn’t mind reading Nina and Jazz’s stories.

What can I say about Aaliyah’s family? 🤔 I could be kind and call them well-intentioned but misguided, however know there are aspects of their behavior (particularly one relative) that go far beyond that.

I had the opportunity to read and listen to Curvy Girl Summer. If you have the chance, definitely pick up the audiobook as it enhances the reading experience. Narrator Wesleigh Siobhan brings Aaliyah’s sassiness, unshakable confidence, and humor to life as well as her frustration with her family.

I devoured Curvy Girl Summer in one day. It was such a great read and listen!

This book gives a great depiction of life as a plus-size woman. This book couldn't be more clear about what we go through with dating, family, and inner struggles. I loved this book. It was great and I laughed at the two main characters and how they played and interacted with each other. It gave me all the feels. It is a slow burn but you get satisfaction during your read. It's heartwarming.

This book is pure magic from the first page!! I am obsessed and I never wanted it to end. Everyone must read this asap. I fell in love with the characters, their romance, everything.

Listend to this audio book instead, really enjoyed the story, the characters but as per usual lack of communication was annoying, not just a plot device