I had the chance to read an extended preview of OUT OF THE BLUE by Alison Bliss, and I'm already invested in Preslee's journey. I can't wait to root for these characters!

I can appreciate what the author is trying to do by writing a plus sized character interacting with an attractive man who doesn't seem to realize her "bad physique". It's unfortunate that it took so much self deprication from Preslee to lead up to that point.

I only read the preview so I can't comment on the entirety of the novel, but I hope her confidence changes on her own, and not because of a handsome man.

The Out of the Blue extended preview was interesting enough that I would like to continue reading the book. It did feel a bit clunky at first, but that may be just the introduction to the characters and what brings them together. Overall, though I was curious to see what happens next.

Preslee is a curvy girl who just got news that she is pre-diabetic. With that startling news she is determined to get healthier and loose some weight. Living in a small town doesn’t give many options for gyms. When she joins the gym Body Building she about kill’s herself numerous times due to her being an absolute klutz. She is saved by the gym owner before she really got hurt on the stair climber. While all of that happened she accidentally recorded the video of her mishap on the gym equipment and it was posted to her vlog for antiques. She has gone viral in a few hours. This is a very funny book and I can’t wait to read the rest of it when it comes out!

What I love about this book is it’s uniqueness of the storyline with emphasis on the beauty and attractiveness of a plus size protagonist. Preslee joins a gym to lose weight and get healthy, and has an awkward encounter for her first visit that included handsome owner/trainer Adam. With a mishap that is all too relatable for new gym goers, Preslee says she will never go back - until of course, Adam convinces her otherwise.

Confident, witty banter make this budding attraction entertaining and hopeful, making me want to read more. However, I do think it is a bit slow to start and could use more of a “wow” factor/moment to get it started. A lot of talk/story outlining for the first 100 pages, but would I buy it to read more? Yes, yes I would.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would definitely give this preview a 3.5/3.75 if I could.

I definitely enjoyed this read, even if it wasn't a perfect five stars. Preslee is a super relatable plus size woman. She wants to start working out and eating better for the benefit of her health, but when she first gives the gym a go, she quickly comes to the conclusion that it isn't for her. As the reader, it's easy to become frustrated with her decision, but as a plus size woman who has a love/hate relationship with the gym, I immediately see myself in her. The issue is, she accidentally posted a video of herself working out, and now everyone she knows (and then some) knows about her plan, and makes it hard for her to quit.

At the gym, she meets the owner, Adam, who we learn is a good guy with great intents. He's so into her from the get go, and I absolutely love that. He cares about his job, his friends, and hates bullies. He's not prejudiced and recognizes that beauty comes in all sizes. I can tell once I get my hands on the full book- and I will be reading the full book- I'm going to fall in love with him...honestly, I'm already halfway there.

As for setbacks, I notice the conversations between characters are used as tools to reveal the most important facts about each character, though they happen very early on, and in a single conversation, so it just feels too convenient. I would have loved to have the information spread out a bit more. I also enjoy the instant attraction between Adam and Preslee, but it would've felt a little more realistic if the attraction did spur instant protectiveness in Adam. He hates bullies, so he would've stood up for anyone receiving the treatment she did in the gym, but his actions are spurred on by emotions more so than a distaste for mean people.

I really enjoy how much Adam appreciates her body, but his definition of nutritional health seems very restrictive at the moment. As it is a preview, I haven't gotten to see how he approaches physical training, and haven't seen the full depth of his take on food, but thus far, he has trashed all of her "junk food" and told her to never eat it or fast food again. Sure, these rules are a simple way to lose weight, but seeing as she is shakey in the subject of health, this seems far too restrictive, and will only set her up for failure. Now, if that is the intent of the author, since Adam's experience pertains to building muscle, rather than losing weight, then we're heading in the right direction, but if it's not, then I don't believe it's realistic or healthy at all. Moderation is key when it comes to the first foray into nutrition.

I love seeing plus size representation in romance books, and as the summary listed, I love a fake dating trope as well. I have never read anything from Alison Bliss prior to reading this preview, but now I'm really open to exploring her works, especially as she is a plus size woman who writes for plus size women.

This book was super cute and witty!

I really fell in love with this book from the start, especially since I can relate to the awkward feeling of going to the gym for the first time and having no idea what to do. Preslee and Adam seem like very interesting characters and I'm excited to experience more of their banter. The end of chapter 4 has me fully invested and I cannot wait to read the rest of this book!

Thank you NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

this was a nice little extended preview is out of the blue. it really made me want to read this entire book! so i'll get on that as soon as it comes out! thanks bro.

This book is so cute!

This book preview gives us a glimpse of Preslee Owens, who has never worked out before but is now trying to make a lifestyle change. We also meet Adam, the gym owner, who helps her with her weight loss journey after some unfortunate event.

The writing is done well and keeps me invested in the story. Preslee is such an endearing character that you can’t help but root for her and cringe with her over her mini-scale accidents. Since the blurb mentioned Adam pretending to be Preslee’s boyfriend, and with the preview already showing great chemistry between our main leads, I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the preview copy.

This was not nearly enough! It was such a tease but I am super interested in reading more of it! let me start off by saying that this is just a preview of the book to come in Feb 2022.

Preslee is so determined to get healthy and pushes herself even when she doesn’t feel like she can. She’s strong and resilient.

Preslee is a plus size girl that is looking to get herself in shape and accidentally broadcasts it while needing a rescue.

From the gym owner Adam…

Adam is a complete sweetheart! I loved him right away! He was kind and considerate and helpful. What I really liked about Adam was that he wasn’t judgmental or a jerk.

Preslee is trying to find her way in a world that she has never been in before. And Adam starts to guide her on her journey.

I also really liked the support she received when she accidentally filmed herself.

So far I'm really enjoying that dynamic between both characters. And I really cant wait to read the rest of the book and see what's in store for Preslee and Adam.

I thought this was cute, but I wasn't interested in it enough to request the full novel. A few days later, I haven't thought of it much, so I'm not interested in what happened to the main characters.

I really enjoyed the preview for this book. I did not know that it was the third book in the series but from my research it seems as though you can read them as stand-alones.
This was reading as a solid 4 stars and I only had the first three chapters to read. I relate to the main character, Preslee, on such a personal level I found myself nodding in agreement to almost all of her internal dialog about being plus size at a gym. It was very nice to see that my fears are the same as others and relate to a character so deeply. I will definitely be reading more from this author, starting with this series! I plan to not only pick this book up but I plan on reading the previous in the series and continue on with however many books come after!

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the chance to read a preview of this book!

I'm always very nervous about books that deal with weight, but I can never resist checking them out, especially when here the author's note talked about a wellness journey rather than just "weight loss." While the opening scene played up stereotypes about food and the gym, after that I was pleased by the hero's reasonable philosophy of wellness and education, and how he never shamed her in any way. And I'm very glad that the book does not fall into the trap of putting numbers on the page. The book is off to a cute start, though it's playing like a pretty by-the-book rom com. Could make a fun fluffy read, even if nothing really grabbed my attention.

Out of the Blue was an interesting sampler, with relatable characters and plenty of tropes sure to delight readers. From falling and being literally caught multiple times, fake-dating, allll the eye contact, and more! I was a little apprehensive about how well a romance would work between a personal trainer and someone seeking to lose weight for their health, but Alison Bliss handles the dynamic well. Preslee is a fun and persistent character determined to take back her health, no matter how many annoying gym bros get in her way. Adam is trying to save his gym and make it more appealing to a wider clientele. When they meet, after Preslee almost falls off the stair climber, they team up to try and accomplish their goals together. I’m curious to see how the fake-dating will go and how their dynamic will change as they work towards Preslee’s health goals. Out of the Blue is available February 1, 2022. Thank you to Alison Bliss, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Netgalley for a free preview in exchange for honest feedback.

Alison Bliss does such a good job encapsulating how I, a plus sized woman feel anytime I go to the gym.

From feeling like the employees are acting weird to you, to feeling like other gym goers are watching your every move.

I swear I had an out of body experience when Preslee tripped as she was trying to psych herself up to go into the gym. I think that exact thing has happened to me.

I love that is is dual POV with Preslee and Adam.

I loved these first 4 chapters and I really hope I get approved for the full book because books with plus sized characters aren’t super common and as a plus sized person it is always nice to see yourself in the characters you are reading about.

Thanks to the publisher for this preview.

I liked the writing and the use of humour but I think this might be one that takes a little time for chemistry between the leads to build. Interesting preview which makes me curious for more.

I read the extended preview and I'm so excited to get my hands on the full version. I can relate to Preslee in many ways. The gym is not a place that make plus-sized people feel comfortable but when Preslee runs into Adam, the gym owner, things change. After an unfortunate incident with a stair climber, Preslee decides she will not be going back to the gym. However, Adam has other plans and finds a way to convince Preslee to come back and take him on as her personal trainer. I can't wait to see how this story turns out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Umm it was not really my thing tbh. I had to dnf. Anyway WEEEE WOOOOOO TRYNA GET WORDS IN HEREEEEE TKENDKEJFNJDNFJRNFJF

I thought this was a cute read. Definitely a fan of previews that allow me to get a feel for the voice of the character. I liked Preslee and thought she was funny and entertaining. Wasn’t the biggest fan of all the telling instead of showing, but it was a good read and I would suggest others check it out. I’m interested in reading the rest of the story. 3.5 stars.

I walked into the first four chapters with trepidation. Was this another diet culture manifesto? Am I going to meet a pretty overweight girl who has an admirer and his friends treat her like his clumsy project?

While she was quite clumsy, The MC Preslee is quite genuine. She visits the gym to lose weight, yes. But this endeavor happens at the suggestion of her doctor who has concerns about her blood work. And is it her fault if her new trainer is so cute?

I found myself laughing out loud (check out the description of the bandage in chapter one!) and definitely didn’t want to put it down.