“Be the kind of person who bids on your own dreams.”

Because Fat Girl is a contemporary romance about a writer and filmmaker, who is queer, fat, and femme, trying to achieve her Hollywood dream of getting her movie made but on her own terms, while also navigating her growing feelings for a cisgender, heterosexual male film star, which makes her question her sexuality and identity in the queer community. However, this story is so much more as it deals with so many important topics:

✨ overcoming grief and crippling depression,
✨ dealing with fatphobia (including internalized fatphobia), biphobia, transphobia, homophobia, and self harm,
✨ navigating the world of Hollywood, which is full of obstacles for queer, fat and BIPOC artists,
✨ dealing with an identity crisis and where you belong,
✨ navigating friendships and complicated sibling relationships,
✨ how to feel comfortable in your own skin through self love and self acceptance, and
✨ most importantly, not giving up on your dreams!

The epilogue made me cry happy tears. 🥹 I highly recommend this book - I devoured it in a day and a half because I couldn’t stop reading!

Thank you, Lauren Marie Fleming for sharing this story, which left me feeling hopeful. 🫶🏻

While I was looking forward to reading this book, I struggled to actually get through it once I started. I love the plot, and was expecting to feel seen/ related to. Instead, I was frustrated. The main character, Diana, is so quick to anger and judgement, to an extreme. I found her to be unlikable. Also, the excessive amount of food comments. I know, I know- "Because fat girl." is a motto and movement. But, this book leaned really hard into the "fat person = always thinking of food/ can get me to do something I didn't want to because food" stereotype and after the first 5 times, I was over it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Entangled Publishing and author, Lauren Marie Fleming.
I am conflicted about this book. I loved the queer and plus-size pieces of the story-mostly- I found some of the dialogue about being hungry and getting angry when she doesn’t eat a bit off. A lot of the book was great. The book overall had a sleepover movie quality to it and I enjoyed the backdrop and overall vibe of the book.
It just had pieces like the hangry aspects and then some pieces felt just too long and was hard to keep my interest at times.
Overall I would award it 3.5 stars.

I was one of the lucky ones that was able to snag this ARC from the publisher. I was supposed to read this arc in a readathon on the publishers Facebook page. I honestly had no clue what I was signing up for because I didn’t read the description ahead of time. Yet, I couldn’t stop reading it. Wow, I was pleasantly surprised. It was that good. I loved the themes in the story. Diana was a plus size ( I personally have a hard time saying the word fat) queer writer/director that wanted a big break in Hollywood. After her brother’s death to cancer she suffered from deep depression. She finally found a big break after meeting actors Chris and Drew at work as a personal clothes shopper. Along the way she would have her new chosen family and friends that supported and loved her for who she was. Her best friend Janelle was probably my favorite character. She was feisty, loyal, funny and supportive, everyone should have a bestie like that. I adored Drew for his compassion, loyalty, kindness and respect. Both of them held her up and helped her overcame insecurities, self doubts, and her lack of self love. Diana, ah, what can I say. I really wanted to like her, which I did eventually. Except she needed a lot of guidance, she had too many insecurities that made her a bit insufferable at time to others. She was unsure how to be bisexual within her own community. She was really mean to her sister and best friend and she went back and forth with her new feelings with Drew. I liked the other characters more than her at times. It took her a long time to love herself. Yet, when she finally did she became a happier and healthier person. The ending was predictable yet filled with hope, love, acceptance, and friendship. Overall, I really enjoyed this beautiful story and the message the author was trying to convey. A huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley.

This is now one of my favorite books that I read in 2024. Diana has always been happy with both her size and her queerness, but she still has a dream in Hollywood as a Director and screenwriter. She realizes that she is a part of why it’s so hard for her to succeed in Hollywood because of the images that are required there. She has a dream to me a movie that is inclusive and diverse both in front of the camera and behind. It’s really fun and emotional to see Diana on this journey with her friends as she goes and finds herself given a shot at Hollywood, but then having to fight for her vision. I love the fact that we examine how Diane feels when she realizes that she also once again has feelings for a male, but that doesn’t take away from her queerness. This book really addresses topics that could be both emotional and controversial yet is entertaining from start to finish.

I binged the heck out of this book! As a plus size female I love a good book representing. This was a cute romance book with deep levels exploring what it means to be fat or queer or both in today’s society and the dreams for the future. It’s a wonderful story of being yourself in all your fabulousness!

I am still not a fan of the title as even after it was explained I still don’t understand it completely but I hope that it resonates with others. I also thought by the end of the book Diana was a little much and I didn’t 100% believe her and Drew together because up until they have sex she’s hating on cis het men. Definitely needed more at the end to solidify that relationship being believable in the long term.

Overall cannot wait to read more of this author and their writing!!

I liked this one a-lot, i need people to check out entangled publishing books. They have more than red tower books and have underrated gems in their other imprints.
This book follows the fmc who is a fat queer woman in the dressing celebrities/ people business(i don’t know the official name lol). She is a writer and has been trying to get her big break in Hollywood. She dresses a celebrity named chris and by chance gets invited to his party and meets his friend drew. Drew is unlike any other movie star she’s met and they become friends.

I really loved seeing the fmc journey with being queer and fat in a world that doesn’t give positive space for these identities. The fmc deals with fat-phobia and anti queer rhetoric in the workplace and when trying to get far in her writing and movie career. I loved the person journey and commentary on bisexuality and how other queer individuals treat Bi individuals. The romance was so cute i loved the progress and internal struggles the fmc went before she gavr into her feelings. Overall this is a hopeful book that addresses issues in society while exploring different forms of love and friendship. Thank you to Entangled for this arc!

I was not expecting to resonate so much with this story. Yet there I was, binge finishing it during a pre-hurricane pedicure and trying not to cry in my massage chair. Anyone that has ever felt like they just didn't fit in, for whatever reason, be it gender issues, body issues, or just being a bit quirky will find something to love in this book.
Diana definitely has some issues to work through as her dreams begin to come true, and more than once I wanted to smack her, but her journey is a beacon of hope for us all as we struggle to break through whatever ceiling is in our way, even if we put it there ourself.
Put this on your TBR and get ready for a Fabulous read!

So, so good! I couldn’t put this down! I love the diversity of the characters. I know it’s a romcom with a happy ending, but I love how relatable the characters were. I didn’t want it to end. Great writing, wonderful story. I would highly recommend this one. I hope the author writes more!

ARC Review, as always thanks to Entangled Publishing for letting me in their circle of Insiders :)

This book was sent to me exactly when I needed to read it. The story covers so many diverse and relevant topics that you don't have to be fat and/or queer to be able to find something relatable. This book brings forward all kinds of insecurities and prejudices that need to be in the spotlight so we can confront them and fix them. For me it brought things to light that I hadn't thought of or considered before and it will make me a better friend to those around me who are able to relate to the topics in this story. If a fictional book can make me feel like a better person after reading it, EVERYONE needs to read this story and share their story too!

I disliked the dialogue in the book. These characters are much older than the dialogues portrays making them seem young and immature.

As a fellow “fat girl” the over the top portrayal of being hangry is ridiculous. You can be hangry and not let it affect the way you treat and speak to others around you.

I didn’t like the morning conversation with Cecily when Diana keeps trying to steal food and it being known every Sunday she grabs a piece of bacon even though she will burn her mouth each time. Diana being rude continuously trying to steal the food and being slapped with a spatula doesn’t seem cute or endearing but immature, does she not have any table manners because she is fat?

I understand this is a book that the major focus is on the main character being queer but the author overused gender/sexuality terms like cishet, niblings, sapphic, etc.

Diana comes off as really self centered and like she thinks she is above everyone else. She was extremely rude when she met Drew Williams the first time and when he called her about playing golf she immediately tried to get her way out of it and was rude then as well. When she finally goes out to putt putt she keeps thinking Drew is hitting on her and has to keep bringing up the fact that she likes women and hates cishet men and won’t date them. WE. GET. IT. We got it at the first mention no need to keep bringing it up.

Diana allows too much of her personal experiences affect her professional life. The way she overstepped when helping Alex with a suit when the mother clearly wanted a dress. While we can understand her wanting to help the child, “they” were obviously a child. I think the whole pronoun and putting a tux on the child was out of line. The parent should not have left the child alone with a store clerk. In the end, she doesn’t know what will happen to Alex once they leave so it’s wild to try and get into a situation where she doesn’t know the outcome.

Diana comes off as very anti-men and anti-straight/skinny people. Overall, Diana is not a likable main character in my opinion which led to me being unable to force myself to read the remainder of the book.

The title leaves a lot to be desired, but this book was fabulous! I could not put it down. It provides an excellent window into the life of a person navigating Hollywood as a queer person.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Interestingly, this is a lighter book in tone and plot but heavier when discussing the experiences of a fat, queer woman trying to make it in Hollywood. Most of the romance subplots I read tend to be sapphic but I appreciated that the reader's predicament is similar to the one Diana is facing in this book: as a queer woman who has primarily dated non-men, suddenly being interested romantically in a cis heterosexual man feels like losing the respect and support of her queer found family and hard-won place in the world to be loud and proud. Biphobia, particularly internalised biphobia, remains rampant in the queer community as well as the straight community, particularly for women who "go back to" a man after being with non-men. I appreciate the nuanced approach to this mixed in with the public criticism that will follow a happily fat woman being with a newly shredded action movie star in a public relationship. Fat-shaming is also sadly rampant in real life and especially in professions that are largely in the public eye.

If I had to call out anything, I feel like the subplot with the relationship between the two sisters and their unhealthy dynamic should have been explored a bit more. Unfortunately, this is often relegated to a subplot while the sweet but largely unproblematic romance subplot gets top billing in this book and I wish the focus was flipped. Grief over family skews relationships and sisters where one is conventionally attractive (Read: thin and straight) and the other is queer and fat going through their respective journeys and holding on to resentment about their current lives is meaty subject matter to explore and I'm sad that we don't get a great deal of it.

Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot for the things it had to say. It's important to consider the perspectives of someone looking to break into a deeply superficial industry like Hollywood and being fat and queer and okay with both, in addition to being a woman which results in less respect and pay in general. An important story and I wish the focus had been less on the romance subplot.

Book Review: Because Fat Girl by Lauren Marie Fleming

Rating this book was a bit of a challenge for me, but I’m giving it a solid 4.5/5 ⭐️.

As a petite, athletic cisgender woman, there were parts of Because Fat Girl that I didn’t personally relate to. However, as a woman of color who comes from a broken family, has worked hard to achieve my dreams, and is still rebuilding from life-altering loss and grief, there was so much in the story’s emotional landscape that struck a chord with me.

This book made me laugh, cry, and even get frustrated—especially with Diana, the main character. If she could just get out of her own way and accept that she’s deserving of love, success, and happiness, she could truly thrive. But that’s what makes Diana’s character so powerful—she’s written in a way that makes you feel something. And in doing so, Lauren Marie Fleming succeeded in creating a character who is deeply relatable and raw.

One of my favorite moments in the book was a piece of tough-love advice from Andy’s mom: “Either piss or get off the pot.” For me, that was a turning point in Diana’s journey—a moment where she begins to shift her perspective and realize what she must do to achieve her dream.

While the Hollywood glamor, behind-the-scenes politics, and societal labels add depth to the plot, it’s Diana’s vulnerability and broken humanity that made me love this story. It’s heart-wrenching in places, and yes, I cried.

This book will resonate with anyone who has fought their way through life’s peaks and valleys, been broken, and yet found the strength to rise above.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A fat, queer woman trying to make her way in Hollywood sounds like an amazing premise to me. Unfortunately, I didn't like Diana. She was super rude to Drew for absolutely no reason just because she was hungry which feels like a mean thing to have a plus-size character do. DNF for me.

Starting this, I very quickly realized this was not going to be for me. There was more name dropping of brands and celebrities than there was characterization and build-up of the plot, which is just not going to be my thing. I'm sure there's an audience for this though, and I appreciate seeing a story like this with a fat MC! Because it's not for me, I decided to DNF.

Lauren did a good job of writing a heartfelt story of following your dreams and fighting for what you want out of life. I did think our FMC was a little much sometimes, getting in her own way a little more than what was believable, but in the end, I still really enjoyed the story.

Because Fat Girl is a perfect snapshot of pop culture today. With refreshing diversity and unique perspectives on what it is truly like to pursue your art as a fat, queer femme, this is the book that should be read by everyone regardless of identity. We read books to expand our understanding of people and experiences different than our own, as well as reading to feel less alone. So whether you identify with Diana or not, there is something priceless for you in this book.

This book is a romance, but it is also so much more than that. It is a genuine human experience captured between the pages like lightning in a bottle. The story is beautiful and relatable, each relationship Diana shares is unique and realistic. All forms of love are here: sisterly, friendship, sex, romantic, and self. Highly recommend.

Wowowowoowow I LOVED THIS. I wanted to read this book just because of the title and mannnn it did more than delivered. I am a fat girl myself so all the thoughts and feelings that Diana is going through is very relatable and accurate. The characters are all stars in my eyes, even ones you think you’ll hate grow so much on you and a good set of characters makes a book for me. This story will make you have all the emotions from laughing to crying (both of which I did). I cannot and will not be able to recommend this book enough.

A solid 4.5 ⭐️ read!

Diana Smith is curvy queer with big dreams for herself and for all those who are continually overlooked because of gender, race, sexual orientation and size. Her penchant for using stinging barbs of sarcasm and humor brings a level of levity to a fabulous story about LGBTQIA+ and curvy representation in the film industry. There is plenty of banter between Diana and Drew (Andy) to keep anyone interested in seeing how it all plays out!

I truly enjoyed the motley crew of characters and appreciated how even those who “had it all” still had insecurities and doubts.

Overall this was a great read and the only thing keeping it from getting 5 stars is that Diana stood in her own way for too much of the book. Otherwise, this is a wonderful story!