Danielle Allen's writing in Curvy Girl Summer is STELLAR. The storytelling is EVERYTHING.

Extremely well written, I went on an emotional roller coaster reading this book. Heart wrenching and sizzling, if it's an emotion, I felt it reading and listening to this book.

Danielle Allen tests boundaries and examines the perils and dating dynamics of the 2020's. I enjoyed Aaliyah and Ahmad's journey immensely, because everything isn't always black and white or right and wrong. Bravo!!

Wesleigh Siobhan did an incredible job as the (FMC)...she really captured the essence of Aaliyah's character brillantly.

This falls in line with one of the best books I've read this year. I related to the FMC so much. All of my life I've been a heavy set black female, to the point my mother will say I was the reason she had to get cut (so basically, since birth) . I have not related and felt seen in most of the books I've read until this one. The author did her thing with this book and I truly loved and devoured it. And Uncle Al was on the verge of getting shanked by me, cause I was over him. And one of my favorite parts was when Aaliah stood up for herself. Her statements, is something everyone who calls themselves helping overweight people by constantly nagging them need to hear. And I haven't found my Ahmed yet, but truly glad Alliyah found hers.

This book is HILARIOUS. This is my kind of rom com. It’s also very sweet. I love both the main characters and I think her friends are so funny . I laughed out loud many times while reading this . I highly recommend.

Aaliyah is tired of not having "the one." She wants to skip dating and immediately find her one.

She tries her hand at online dating at the behest of Ahmad, the cute and funny local bartender.

Online dating shenanigans ensues.

This book was really enjoyable. I switched between the audiobook and the ebook. Both great experiences. Wesleigh Siobhan is such a great narrator.

While this was a slow burn, I felt everything that happened kept me entertained.

I can definitely see books 2 and 3 surrounding Aaliyahs friends.

Her uncle can kick rocks. He's such a hater.

This is great. Entertaining, great character ensemble, and sexy love story. I was surprised who ended up being main love interest in the end but I feel like it worked. The chemistry was THROUGH THE ROOF.

WHEW!

Curvy Girl Summer is a delightful, relatable, and spicy read that I couldn't put down! As a Black woman, the family dynamics, especially with Aaliyah's uncle, were SO relatable. Despite his fatphobic comments, Aaliyah's strength and refusal to accept everyone's nonsense were empowering <3

The banter was top-notch, and I FELT chemistry between Aaliyah and Ahmad coming off the pages 🥵

This was my first read by Danielle Allen, but it absolutely won’t be my last. It’s definitely the best read of the summer so far! Thank you, Netgalley and Bramble, for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Strong storytelling and beautifully delicate handling of sensitive topics -- but the romance was "spoiled" from the get with the other love interests presented being two dimensional characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

I was really pleasantly surprised by this title!

I’m fairly picky about contemporary romance and I just really loved the rep in this one. Dealing with fat phobic comments from family members is something I am intimately familiar with unfortunately and it was really cathartic to see the FMC deal with it.

My only complaint is how long it took to figure out one part and it teetered into a “nope trope” for me but thankfully it at least resolves itself so it didn’t go that way.

Danielle Allen is for sure a force and I really want to read more by her as soon as I can

Love books when the plus size woman isn’t embarrass about her body or has no self esteem and will take any man she can get because she’s so desperate to feel desirable. I loved watching her make the MMC earn her. I love when a man grovels.

This book! Oh my gosh! Danielle Allen did her thing with this one. I loved the representation. I've said it once and I'll say it again, I get so attached to books that I can see myself in. This is for the big girls and the black girls. There was so much self love to counter the pure ignorance of some. I flew through this one in a day. Ahmad and Aaliyah had great chemistry from the jump. Strangers to friends to lovers. Absolute chef's kiss. For sure would recommend to all!

I sooo enjoyed this read. A fellow curvy girl looking to have a hot girl summer so this was right on time! Lol I absolutely fell in love with Aaliyah and Ahmad’s dynamic. The tension between them was so good and I enjoyed seeing them hang out outside of Onyx. I love how only Uncle Al and rude dates hyper focused on Aaliyah’s weight. Aaliyah wasn’t insecure about it or worried about what other’s thought. That in turn gave me a boost of confidence as well. Oh man, I couldn’t get enough of how supportive Aaliyah’s friends were and loved how Asia was rooting from the side. Ahmad’s story was told really well too. The sexy scenes were well worth the wait *fans self*. This was a 10 out of 10 read for me. I devoured it in a week!

4.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 stars! In the opening of the book, Aaliyah has a one night stand with one of her exes and realizes that she cannot do this anymore. She’s about to turn 30, and would like to have a boyfriend to accompany her to her party with her.

She decides to start dating again and agrees to go on a blind date with a co-workers friend, and she gets stood up at the restaurant. While she’s there she starts talking with the bartender, Ahmad and over time they form a friendship.

We follow Aaliyah and Ahmad’s journey and see the growth that they each have throughout this book. This story is about so much more than her dating life. It talks about women’s weight and societal norms, grieving and coping with loss, and dating and kissing so many frogs before you get to your prince. I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Hooked from the first pages. Aliyah’s 30th birthday is quickly approaching. With pressures from family about her love life and weight, Aliyah has a plan set to date and find the right guy by her birthday. After a blind date turns out to be a waste of time she decides to download a dating app suggested by her friends and a hilarious bartender, Ahmad.
I loved Ahmad from his first introduction. His lighthearted jabs and his whole interaction with Aliyah was great. Never have two characters just felt like they were so good together for me. The jokes were top tier hilarious and kept me engaged. I was happy Aliyah stood up for herself and realized that her family hadn’t recovered from past trauma and by that they pushed things on to her. Overall this was relatable as ever and a great read.
Thank You Bramble, coloredpagesbt, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Danielle Allen for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen is an enchanting, humorous, and steamy novel that perfectly captures the essence of modern dating through the lens of a confident, plus-sized protagonist. The story follows Aaliyah James, who, after a one-night stand with her clingy ex, decides she’s done with casual hookups and is ready to find her true match. Aaliyah's journey is relatable and refreshing. Her determination to defy her family’s expectations and prove that her personality and curves are more than enough to find true love is both inspiring and entertaining. I loved how the book delved into challenging topics while showcasing the power of self-love and resilience.

The chemistry between Aaliyah and Ahmad, the charming bartender who consoles her after a disastrous blind date, is palpable. Their playful banter and growing connection make for a delightful slow-burn romance that keeps you eagerly turning the pages. The dialogue is witty and natural, adding to the book's overall charm.

The dating app adventures and Aaliyah’s interactions with various suitors provide a mix of humor, frustration, and heartfelt moments. Her friends and Ahmad’s supportive presence add depth to the narrative, making the romantic progression feel genuine and well-paced. While the slow burn might test the patience of some readers, it ultimately pays off with a satisfying and spicy conclusion that is sure to curl your toes. Danielle Allen’s writing beautifully captures the emotions and complexities of Aaliyah's journey, making Curvy Girl Summer a standout in contemporary romance.

This is such a wonderfully relatable story. As a curvy girl myself everything Aaliyah went through in her dating journey is something I’ve experienced and I’ll be doggone if Danielle Allen didn’t capture it with such precision that some of it could’ve been a page from my life. I love how Ahmad and Aaliyah banter with each other. Their chemistry is so apparent from the moment she’s stood up when they first meet. It’s so funny how everyone sees it but they themselves doubt it.

In the audiobook….Wesleigh Siobhan does a helluva job bringing the story to life. I’m glad I started enjoying audiobooks because though I’d read the story already, the audiobook made me love it a different way. One of my favorite reads this year.

I enjoyed this book so much! It was good seeing and reading about a person like me us size. The Author did an amazing job with this book! I absolutely loved the characters.

When I tell you this book was sooo good! Hands down one of the best books that I’ve had the privilege of reading this year! The author does such a good job at capturing not only what it’s like to exist in a bigger body with a very opinionated family , but to navigate the world of dating full of pepole who don’t believe you deserve your Cinderella moment! This book was Incredibly funny real and heartwarming. 5 stars!🌟

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Danielle Allen for the advanced copy of Curvy Girl Summer!

Curvy Girl Summer follows Aaliyah as she navigates trying to find a boyfriend before her 30th birthday, including first dates with some questionable men, conference calls with her best friends Nina and Jazz, and a friend-zoned bartender. I loved the fact that Aaliyah was a plus size main character who acknowledged the rough dating scene for plus size women. We are often hypersexualized or fetishized or expected to deal with disrespect in the name of just having someone. Aaliyah doesn't take that shit, though, and I love that.

As much as I loved Aaliyah, the writing style of Curvy Girl Summer left much to be desired. There was an incredible amount of dialogue, way too much repetitive actions, thoughts, and dialogue, and multiple, multiple, multiple instances where she would do something and then immediately do it again on the next page (ex. taking off Ahmad's pants after they were already off). I think with a heavy edit, it would be a great read, but unfortunately at this point it didn't hit for me.

This book gives me exactly what I’m looking for in a romance with a plus sized main character. She is confident, beautiful and knows her worth. I loved reading how she experienced her dates and how her love interest was pining for her in the background. The story also explored difficult topics but showcases how love can prevail past heartache and grief. Oh, and the spice was spicy! Highly recommend

This review contains spoilers and was submitted in exchange for a free digital advanced reader copy.

As a bigger girl Curvy Girl Summer had my attention from the moment I started reading. Aaliyah is such a relatable character and her sarcasm is chefs kiss. Being someone who has a similar personality and is always ready with a quippy response reading the back and forth between the two main characters caused this book to go by quickly. I found myself speeding thru the rest of the novel to get to the moments where Aaliyah and Ahmed where messing with each other.

I loved reading this book even as Aaliyah's Uncle Al and horrible dates had my cursing and punching the air.

Ms. Allen wrote a beautiful novel about loving yourself first and allowing the right man to find his way into your life.