In this book, we follow our fmc, Diana who is a queer plus size girl. she has struggled with her identity in the queer community and mental health and confidence issues that come with being plus size in the film industry when trying to make a name for yourself. However, Andy came along and flipped everything upside down for her in the best way possible and completely changed her life. I loved that Andy was so patient with her, took the time to show her how she was worth it not only as a person, but also as a person in the film industry. I loved the diverse cast, not only in race, but also body shape.

I also know that one of the whole points of this was Diana being a plus sized woman, but, she was genuinely pretty toxic. I know it can be hard being a plus sized woman and dating, but girl, get a grip honestly. She made being fat her whole personality, when she had so much more to offer. She was a very loyal friend, a wonderful sister, a great aunt and an amazing film writer, but being fat was her only trait? I didn’t love that aspect. She’s trying to advocate for plus sized people, women in particular, but she was so focused on her own body hindering her when it really wasn’t.

This one had an amazing queer/trans rep and did not shy away from the darker facts about being one.
If you love to read about fighting your way to get what you want, this book is has this attention detailed in a good way. Overcoming grief, going and finding your own path as a celebrity who is somehow body shamed, author writes it too well.
Self love & self acceptance is what this book talks about and the epilogue had me in tears.
As someone who had dealt with body and colour shaming in the past, this book made me so happy because the way it talks about the raw parts is what makes it more attention grasping.

Thanlyou Entangled publishing & Lauren for the E-ARC

I'm firmly on the fence with this one.

I felt it was good, but also not great at the same time - a hard place to be and a hard place to explain. All the characters in the novel have depth, but are also extremely shallow at the same time and both likable and unlikeable at the same time. It was odd. I read a lot of other reviews complaining about Diana being "too mean" - I didn't think she was. I don't buy into the mess that in order to want someone to be happy you have to like them 100% of the time OR that someone needs to be "nice" or "sweet" or "soft" in order to be worthy of being loved. That's BS.

I had beef with how the romance between the MCs came about/ended up. It felt very...automatic and instant on his part AND I didn't always 100% understand why they wanted each other - especially since she spent SO much of the book actively fighting herself about how much she wanted to be with him.

Add to that, it felt like it skewed a bit lecture-y at times, which was unfortunate.

OVERALL, I'm on the fence. It's not a one star, but it's not a three either.

Lauren Marie Fleming’s Because Fat Girl is a bold and unapologetic romance that seamlessly blends themes of self-acceptance, body positivity, and the complexities of love and ambition. At its heart, the novel follows Diana Smith, a queer, plus-sized aspiring filmmaker navigating Hollywood’s often harsh and exclusionary landscape. Through Diana’s journey, Fleming delivers a refreshing and authentic portrayal of a protagonist whose story is not defined by weight loss or transformation, but rather by confidence, resilience, and personal growth.

Diana, who has experienced profound loss, finds herself working as a personal shopper in a high-end Los Angeles department store. When she unexpectedly crosses paths with action star Drew Williams, her world is turned upside down. What unfolds is a romance that challenges Hollywood’s beauty standards and delves into the intricacies of desire, self-worth, and the barriers that marginalized individuals face in the entertainment industry.

Fleming’s writing is sharp and heartfelt, balancing humor with emotional depth. She crafts Diana’s inner monologue with wit and sincerity, making her a protagonist readers can root for. The novel’s exploration of body image is nuanced, avoiding clichés in favor of a narrative that fully embraces Diana’s fatness as an integral part of who she is, rather than a hurdle to overcome. The romance itself is tender and well-paced, with undeniable chemistry between Diana and Drew that feels both genuine and earned.

While Because Fat Girl excels in its representation and emotional depth, some moments lean towards didacticism, as the narrative occasionally prioritizes its message over organic storytelling. However, for readers seeking a book that is both empowering and romantic, this minor drawback does not overshadow the novel’s overall impact.

Fleming’s debut in the contemporary romance genre is a triumph, offering a necessary and welcome addition to stories that celebrate plus-sized and queer protagonists. With Because Fat Girl, she challenges societal expectations and crafts a love story that is as empowering as it is entertaining.

Loved the book! The characters felt real and honest! It was a quick read! I wish there was a sequel! Maybe some day.. Devoured this book in just 24 hours, minus alot of sleep, I wish could of lasted longer. I genuinely couldn’t put it down! It pulled me in with moments of laughter and tears (the best kind), and I was captivated from start to finish. This story touches a deep chord—we all want to feel seen, heard, and to have someone in our corner, even when we’re not around. We could all use a friend like Diana, Janelle, Drew, Chris, Cecily, Emmy, Kali, and especially Jacqueline. I’m crossing my fingers that Netflix picks this up for a series because each character deserves their own spotlight.

I thought this book was okay. The writing style wasn’t for me, unfortunately. Hopefully this works better for someone else!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Because Fat Girl by Lauren Marie Fleming!

Listen, this book had me laughing, crying, and SCREAMING "YES!" the entire time. It’s messy, emotional, hilarious, and centers Diana's experience as a plus size and queer—and I loved it! Diana is a chaotic, ambitious, off-her-game filmmaker who’s always dreamed of winning an Oscar. She finally gets her big break, but Hollywood’s fatphobic, sexist nonsense quickly reminds her that success comes with a price. Cue romance, identity struggles, found family, and a whole lot of Hollywood BS as Diana fights to make her dream movie without losing herself in the process. I love Diana is fat, she’s queer, and she refuses to shrink herself for anyone. More of this in books, PLEASE. I loved the sharp, witty humor – the banter, inner monologues, and industry satire? Top-tier. This book does not hold back on exposing Hollywood’s toxicity, and I was here for it. The book also depicted relationships that felt real – romance, friendships, career struggles—Diana’s journey is messy in the most relatable way.

If you’re here for a strong love story, this one is more about self-love and career ambition (which is great, just not super romance-heavy).

A bold, messy, hilarious book about chasing dreams, being unapologetically yourself, and flipping off society’s expectations. If you love fat-positive, queer, industry-exposing stories with big emotions and bigger laughs, this one’s for you!

Tropes
-plus size FMC
-Queer FMC
-found family
-taking up space
-hollywood industry secrets
-light romance
-self love and empowerment
-feminist

If you love fat-positive, queer, feminist, messy-but-realistic stories about ambition, identity, and flipping off societal expectations, this book is for you!

I'm thrilled to have finally read this book, and I'm eager to share my enthusiasm with others. This novel masterfully blends fiction and romance, with a slow-burning connection between the characters that ignites later in the story. What resonated with me most was the author's thoughtful portrayal of Diana's inner struggles as she navigated her feelings for Andy. Fleming's writing is engaging, and the characters are skillfully crafted, making it easy to become fully invested in their journeys. The story's exploration of queer identity, self-discovery, and the power of vulnerability is both uplifting and inspiring. Andy is a true gem, and his unwavering support and acceptance of Diana are a testament to the transformative power of love and acceptance. The supporting cast, including Chris, adds depth and richness to the narrative, making this book a true standout. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a story that will leave them feeling hopeful and empowered.

For everyone who’s ever felt too big, too weird, too queer—or just too much—comes BECAUSE FAT GIRL, a hilarious, emotionally-piercing, unapologetically fat novel that is Chasing Amy meets Romantic Comedy. The only man Diana has ever wanted is golden and goes by the name of “Oscar.” Now this off-her-game filmmaker has a chance to make her dream come true...but to get her Hollywood ending, she’s going completely off-script

This a good book!
Because Fat girl follows Diana, a fat queer woman, who's trying to bet on her dreams and make a movie in Hollywood that will change the way others see people like her. Diana is a very relatable character, who at times will make you want to shake her by her shoulders, but also draw you in and make you see yourself in her insecurities. While trying to follow her dreams and stay true to herself, she's faced with decisions that will make her questions her identity and force her to stand up for what she believes in. This book had my attention and had such a great character arc!

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

The perfect chosen family story, and healing after tragedy! The FMC took some time to become a likeable character though. Her self love journey was inspiring to read, and I’m glad it was included! Also her sexuality journey was super relatable. Her friends, oh my, I adored them! The ending wasn’t my favorite but overall I don’t regret giving this a read.

I went into this expecting something totally different. I thought this would be a ff story but it’s fm, and while there were moments I enjoyed, it didn’t quite deliver. The themes of self-acceptance and body positivity were great, but the pacing was uneven, and I felt like some of the characters could’ve been fleshed out more. It wasn’t a bad read, but it didn’t fully live up to what I thought I was getting into.

Lauren Marie Fleming, you are what this entire world needs. You have written a book that spans generations of people (ahem women) and speaks to MANY. You have lifted us up and given us a voice. We are seen. We are loved. We are here. Thank you for writing this book.

I am so late to the game because it took me a minute to finish this book but let me tell you. I was sooooo taken by this book. It was a book a little out of my comfort zone but very quickly became obsessed. I think it’s sad that you don’t often see books about inclusivity raved about more but with this book, I honestly was pleasantly surprised with how good it was but also, couldn’t put it down.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

CW: Mention of death, depression, and cancer

A funny, slow building romance, with friendships nuances and living in Hollywood sideline plot. The main character is bisexual and has to come to terms with her size, sexuality, and staying true to herself. Some may cry, while others may critique how Diane's relationship with her body and food are written.

I enjoyed reading the book and hope the other characters can get a follow-up.

4 stars.

"Because Fat Girl" by Lauren Marie Fleming proves that the romance genre can still be fresh and fun and exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is emotional, hilarious, sarcastic, self-exploratory, and it made me think. I love that the characters are imperfect and can be messy. The FMC's journey felt realistic and natural to me. I loved the MMC. Lots of talk about found family, insecurities, growth, and queerness. A must-read for fat people!

Thank you to NetGalley, Lauren Marie Fleming, Entangled Publishing, LLC, and Entangled: Amara for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For me personally, I think I was expecting more. I wasn't immediately hooked and it felt like it read young. Until we got to the spicy intimate scenes. It felt like it was just dropped in there as a "this is what people want in books now, so make sure it's included somewhere." Is there chemistry there with the FMC and the MMC? Yes. If anything, the more tender intimate parts were more effective than just a plop. This easily could have been something that was targeted YA otherwise. I think I was more hopeful to enjoy it with my own personal experiences in the diversity/inclusivity realm of working in film and TV entertainment. I'm all here for the representation that is very much needed and needs to be discussed in the industry, but I think aside from it reading like a fanfic where you meet a celeb crush and act like you'll be dismissive about it, if it stayed in the realm of YA, there could be a focus on the story and the importance of everything while keeping out the spice. This is not to say there shouldn't be spice with a plus-size character. There are so many great stories that show that inclusivity. It's just this overall felt like it read young so the spice felt just dropped in.

It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I got to the 30% mark I was HOOKED. As a queer, large woman in a skinny, straight world, this book was everything I needed. The story was heartfelt and the characters were simply wonderful. I will be recommending this book in the future!!