4.5 Stars for this sensitive, compassionate and emotional read on body image, eating disorders, self-worth and ultimately self-love and acceptance.

For me, Kristan Higgin's Good Luck with That was an emotional read. Georgia, Marley & Emerson met at Camp Cooperbrook in their teens. This wasn't your typical summer camp - it was a weight loss camp. These three friends struggled with their weight throughout their lives and all the physical and emotional issues that go with that.

Higgins did not shy away from difficult topics here. She tackled body image, eating disorders, obesity and was honest and frank about the mental and physical health issues that play a role in them. Each of these women battled her own "demons" so to speak as they struggled with their weight. It was difficult not to identify with them in some way. I don't know anyone who hasn't looked in the mirror at some point and was plagued by insecurities, self-doubt and a litany of self-criticism.

The bulk of the book involves Marley and Georgia in the wake of Emerson's death due to obesity related health issues. Through Emerson's journal entries we get a peek at how she ended up morbidly obese and it was heart wrenching. It was too late for Emerson to make changes in her life, but she didn't want the same ending for her two best friends. So on her deathbed, Emerson gives Marley and Georgia a letter to be read after her funeral. Enclosed is a "Things We'll Do When We're Skinny" list they made during their final summer at Camp Cooperbrook. Emerson's dying wish is that her friends promise to complete this list. Why? They didn't see the point but because they had made a promise, they agree to try to see it through.

The list ends up being a life changing experience for Marley and Georgia. As they cross of items, they face fears, make peace with their pasts, learn to trust and love themselves and ultimately find that ever elusive feeling of self-acceptance.

For a book that was definitely emotionally heavy in what it covered, it left me feeling both positive and hopeful. Thank you Kristin Higgins for writing and sharing this compelling and emotional read.

I don’t care who you are, you need to read this book.

Georgia, Marley, and Emerson may be fictional characters, but they have a lot to teach us.

The focus here may be primarily weight and body image issues, but the over arching messages of acceptance and self love are important for everyone to hear.

Personally, I related most to Marley. I could see little bits of myself in her and cheered for her when she fully embraced her own value and started putting herself first.

I could also see myself a little bit in Georgia and was incredibly proud of the way she embraced her emotional evolution.

Ms Higgins took these two characters and the shake up of losing their friend to craft a powerful narrative about how to stop treading water and truly start living.

Incredibly well written,Good Luck With That is an emotional book that made me cry a couple of times. Emerson’s journals showed a heartbreaking view of her life while Marley and Georgia dealt with their own issues.

Ms Higgins is an author whose work I pick up expecting to enjoy it. This fits the style I anticipate from her and takes it up a notch in terms of emotional impact.

A thought-provoking novel about three women, their families, their friendships and the struggles these protagonists face regarding their weight and their body image. While there are some humorous moments that display the author's quick wit, this is not a lighthearted read by any means. The aspects of the story involving Emerson are hard to fathom, and yet, when it comes to complex and relateable characters, Kristan Higgins is the master. She immerses us in their point of view and their emotional worlds become our emotional worlds...that's why (for me) her books are so fantastic.
I acknowledge this might be a difficult book for some to read, but I feel it is so important for books like this to be published because the issues examined here are real, and such a significant part of being a woman in a society that worships an unreasonable and unattainable standard regarding physical size and shape.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions stated here are my own.

I loved this book. From beginning to end, it is the story of true friendship and what happens when that friendship gets tested in a unique way. It is the story of childhood dreams that change as one gets older and what happens when you finally look at who you really are. I couldn’t put it down.
Emerson, Marley and Georgia have been friends since the summer they spent at Camp Copperbrook when they were 18. It was a camp for overweight girls who need to learn how to be healthy and to lose weight. These three people bonded over shared laughter and they stayed in touch for years later.
When Emerson tragically dies, she leaves Marley and Georgia with the list they made when they were 18 and the instructions that they need to complete it. The list was things that they would do when they were skinny like “get a piggyback ride” or “shop in a normal store”. Now Marley and Georgia have to figure out how to do these things and along the way, they learn a lot about accepting who you are.
Throughout the story we get glimpses of Emerson’s life through her diary entries. She talks about being extremely overweight bouncing between 300 and 600 pounds. She shares the reasons for it and her struggles with food. Ms. Higgins does a great job of showing her weight loss struggle in a way that is raw and heart wrenching.
Both Marley and Georgia also have their struggles with their weight. We see just how they deal with the issue and the lengths they go to in order to lose weight. Ms. Higgins is not as specific with their weight as she is with Emerson’s which raises questions about how Marley and Georgia see themselves versus how they really look. This book opens a lot of doors for readers to discuss weight and how it is viewed by society. There are so many applications and conversations that this book can open up.
Fortunately, since it is a Kristan Higgins book, there are lighthearted moments and the story ends with love for the characters. Romance may not be the primary theme of the book, but it is in there. Readers will appreciate how the story ends and how Marley and Georgia come out on top.

All the stars and all the feels for this phenomenal book. For anyone who’s ever second guessed their appearance, wondered if they were passed over for something (a date, a job, anything) because of something physical, dealt with family issues and more, there will be so many things you can relate to in the stories of Emerson, Marley and Georgia. This book is so well written about a subject that could have easily been controversial and offensive but I think the themes in these pages will resonate with every reader, fat or thin, short or tall, happy or sad.

I received an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Good Luck with That was a hard novel for me to read, but I absolutely loved it. Georgia, Marley, and Emerson met as teenagers at a weight loss camp and immediately became friends. Over the years, Emerson dropped out of their lives as she became more ashamed of her weight. When she is dying, she asks Georgia and Marley to come see her and leave them with a list they'd created- things to do when they were skinny. The novel alternates between Georgia and Marley and is interspersed with journal entries from Emerson. Kristan Higgins took a chance with this book, writing about weight issues, and it resonates. She has become one of my favorite authors and I look forward to reading more from her in the future!

I am a fan of this author. I have read most of her books. This book struck home for me because I have struggled with weight problems my whole life. I felt a connection to each of the characters. I really liked how the author dealt with the subject. I will recommend this book to others.

Self-image, body shaming, we are taught by example to never be happy with our body or our appearance. The pain of being obese brings three girls together one summer in a relationship that will last through the years, the pounds, the successes and the failures until one of them went too far and paid the ultimate price, death.

Georgia, Emerson and Marley created a list of things they feared would never happen/wanted to do that summer, and now fulfilling that bucket list was Emerson’s final wish for her friends.

In a bittersweet tale of friendship, love and acceptance of self, Kristan Higgans’ GOOD LUCK WITH THAT points out the devastation from within and through outside influences on body image and self-esteem as well as the ease with which the “victims” become their own worst enemies.

At first, it may be difficult to actually “like” one or more of the characters as we get to know them better. There will be weaknesses, strengths and struggles, but there will also be laughter, tears and love!

This is a journey to happiness that comes from within, of taking chances and of learning to love oneself, flaws and all. Eye-opening for all readers, off-putting for others, you will not find super heroes, you will find normal humans who never found inner peace until one tragic death gave a new lease on life to others.

In a contemporary world where something seems to upset everyone, obesity is an easy target, but these women will finally begin the journey to becoming less of a victim and learn to take control of their own lives, stop making excuses and discover that life is made up of choices, moments and chances taken.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Berkley!

Publisher: Berkley (August 7, 2018)
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Genre: Women's Fiction
Print Length: 480 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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Just Another Book Bitch's ALWAYS SPOILER FREE REVIEW

In an effort to keep this spoiler free I'll keep this short (ish) forgive my lack of quotes I had so many saved and accidentally deleted them from my phone *CRIES ALL THE TEARS* and we're talking tattoo-worthy, life-changing quotes and they're ALL gone😭! But the good part is, that I know this book will speak to you, 'Good Luck With That' has definitely made my #RequiredReading list. I was swept up in an emotional landslide, freeing a new piece of myself page by page. The author's captivating story of friendship and the villains they face was heartbreaking and inspiring. I found the characters to be a living breathing bible of emotional truths.

Emerson, Georgia, and Marley met for a brief moment in time but built a bond that linked them forever. The struggles and loss they endure brought me to tears. This is my first time reading this author (I know, I know, you can shame me later...) and I am blown away by the depth of her characters and the raw emotion she was able to instill. So much so that I'm scared to read anything else. This book is so brilliantly written that I can't imagine her ever living up to the bar with which I have elevated her to...

What author Kristan Higgins did in the novel 'Good Luck with That', was show us the open, gaping, festering wound inside many of us and (in this readers opinion) showed us a way to help those wounds heal... I may go so far as to say 'Good Luck with That' could be your spiritual awakening if you'll let it be. A time to say I lived through this and I for one am a stronger person for it. The journey and hardships documented in this fictional tale could be that of you, your neighbor or your best friend. This story and the topic it faces is usually hidden behind closed doors. Yes, we see the random empowering woman video or campaign here and there and then it's on the back burner until the next time we feel like jumping on the social media bandwagon of injustice. This book covers epic truths about addiction, love, and body shaming. About how the world outside and the monsters within shape how we see ourselves and others while instilling the hope and courage to conquer those demons. This is an emotional and difficult read, to say the least. You will find yourself in this book. Maybe even multiple times. The spirit of these girls and those they come in contact with live inside us. Some may be hard to face (honestly, MANY will be hard to face) but face them we should.

Kristan Higgins is one of my favorite authors and her skills in writing are without question. She has most recently been writing Women’s Fiction so fans of Ms. Higgins romantic comedies will have to adjust to a very different tone. This book tells the story of three young women: Emerson, Georgia, and Marley, who met at a youth camp for overweight kids and formed a lifelong bond. Two of the main characters in this story live in a small upstate New York town which is the same setting for some of Ms. Higgins’s other books in this genre. Emerson’s part of the story is told from the perspective of diaries after her demise.

After Emerson passes away at a young age from being morbidly obese, Georgia and Marley reevaluate their sense of self endeavoring to follow a bequest of sorts from Emerson. Their whole lives have been circumscribed by their body images, and also in Marley’s case, guilt over a twin sister who died in childhood. While these women have successful professional careers, their personal relationships are sadly lacking. Georgia had a chance at happiness with the love of her life, but her own private demons shattered that relationship. Marley’s big Italian family loves her, but her mother’s morbid insistence on forever grieving over the lost child makes her question whether she deserves happiness. Georgia and Marley’s set about on this quest to go beyond self-imposed strictures and do things way out of their comfort zone regardless of others’ opinions in order to honor their lost friend.

In some ways this book is one big pain fest making it a very challenging book to review. Ms. Higgins makes some very salient points about weight loss, body shaming, and our culture’s treatment of those, especially women, with weight issues. One of her obvious goals is to remind women that we are more than what other people think of us. Those with less than perfect figures in a culture of model thinness being the ideal are discriminated against while suffering ill treatment from society that is demoralizing and harmful. Women of all shapes and sizes are hurt from body image problems real and imaged. I expect this book will create quite a bit of conversation on these issues.

Oh, do I have some thoughts on this one! Since lists are an important part of the book, I’m going to go that route with my review.

-Kristan Higgins has always been one of my favorite Romance authors. I’ve read all her romance books multiple times. Her last few books have moved into Women’s Fiction which I was resistant to. However, Higgins is a very talented author and despite some of the issues I had with this (I’ll get to those, don’t worry), I enjoyed almost every moment of reading it.

-We’ve all seen the pre-publication hate for the topic of Good Luck with That. I seem to remember the original synopsis was a bit different than it is now? I thought that’s why people came out so hard against it, but please correct me if I’m wrong. While I do have a level of trust in Higgins writing, I was still a little weary of reading this. I’m happy to say that while it still definitely had it’s moments, it was not nearly as offensive as I thought it was going to be. Yet another example of why people should not be allowed to rate a book before reading it.

-I felt like the main message of the story was really to live your life now instead of waiting for some arbitrary goal that may or may not ever be achieved. For the women of the novel, that was waiting to do things until they lost weight, but I think this idea will still be relatable to people from all walks of life. There was also a message that people of all shapes and sizes have a hard time with self-acceptance.

-I really liked both Marley and Georgia. They were very well-developed characters. There was never a time when I was sad to see the POV change between them. I also really loved Georgia’s nephew, Mason. He was so sweet and I loved his relationship with Georgia. I also enjoyed the romantic interests, Will and Rafe. Most of the rest of the secondary characters were not so great, though. Their behavior was so over the top that they didn’t feel very realistic.

-Even though the book was not as offensive as I expected, there is still a healthy (unhealthy?) level of fat shaming going on, as well as an underlying level of disgust towards the overweight. I feel kind of motivated to work out more and eat better, but not because I’ve been inspired to live a happier and healthier life, but because I feel straight up shamed into it.

–**Ever so slightly Spoiler-y on a romantic interest – but it’s something you will probably figure out much sooner than it’s revealed, anyways** One of the characters has PTSD and agoraphobia and I REALLY disliked how Marley responded to it. She was a tiny bit sympathetic, but mostly when she wanted him to go out somewhere with her she told him he should just get over it because “she’s worth it.” People with severe mental health issues like that cannot just “get over it”, no matter how much they want to please their loved ones. It felt incredibly insensitive and irresponsible how this whole plotline was dealt with and I really expected more from Higgins. I also thought it kind of paralleled a storyline with Georgia and Rafe, where he thought she shouldn’t be insecure in her appearance since he found her attractive. In that scenario, however, it’s conveyed how incorrect that line of thinking is.

-By the end of the book, I didn’t really feel like Good Luck with That was a “body-positive” or a “fat-shaming” book. It definitely had aspects of both, but the central message was really more about friendship, family, and living life to the fullest, despite your circumstances. I think fans of Higgins writing and Women’s Fiction will enjoy it. While there are parts that some may find offensive, the story really is about so much more than those parts.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars

This is only the third book that I have read by Kristan Higgins, I will be looking for more.

If you have ever cried when you look in a mirror-
If you eat your emotions-
If you have a list, "Things I will do when I am skinny"-
If you have an outfit that you want to wear again someday-
If you wish you could get a piggyback ride-
If you hope you can tuck in a shirt someday-
If you have ever suffered while trying on clothes in public fitting rooms-
If you have ever been stared at while eating in public-
If you have ever faced fat discrimination-
You have enacted habits to try to gain control-
You will feel this book.
The descriptions I have lived and felt every day of my adult life.
I needed this book.

16 years ago, 3 girlfriends share a perfect moment. Then it ends. Never to be same again.
All 3 are fat/heavy/overweight/metabolically challenged/curvy/big their entire lives.
This begins the story, but that is only the beginning. The story gets much deeper than this.
I wish that everyone would read this book, for insight, for understanding, and for truth.
I highly recommend this book! I want more!!

Recently I read another book by Kristan Higgins, Now Than You Mention It, and I loved it. Her writing style and ability to connect with women in a real, honest way made me so happy. I was excited to read Good Luck With That, which comes out in August. Let me tell ya- IT WAS SOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!!!!! It's about three women- Emerson, Georgia, and Marley, who meet as teenagers at a weight loss summer camp and become lifelong friends. During the last day at fat camp, the girls create a list of things they'll do "when they're skinny." Several years later, when Emerson tragically dies, the other two girls are faced with the prospect of fulfilling Emerson's final wish: live out the items their wish list. 

The book alternates between Marley and Georgia's points of view, as well as flashes back to Emerson's diary, which is heartbreaking and explores her hopes, failures, and desperation to get her weight problems under control. Filled with humor, struggle, honesty, and friendship, this book had me laughing, crying, and reflecting on my own past struggles with weight loss and self-doubt. I LOVED all three of the main characters because they were each unique and yet struggled with their weight and self-esteem. I couldn't help but root for these girls, and felt so sad for Emerson and her struggles.

I know I say this a lot, but I ESPECIALLY mean it this time....YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!!!

5 out of 5 stars for Good Luck With That by Kristan Higgins, which will be published on August 7th, 2018. A big thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for letting me read and review this book!

Good Luck with That is the story of Emerson, Georgia and Marley who meet as young adults at a fat camp. The book follows the three of them (in flashback for Emerson, who has passed away) through their lives as overweight women. Dealt with in a sensitive manner, this book provides insight into what it is like to be heavy in a world obsessed with skinny. Higgins deals with issues other than just weight with tremendous insight.

I received Good Luck with That by Kristan Higgins in exchange for an honest review.

This book addresses a lot of issues! This book starts out 16 years ago with the friendship of three girls; Emerson, Georgia and Marley while at camp. We are then fast-forwarded to 12 years later and we get a look into one of Emerson's diary entries, then toggle back to the present time. Throughout this book, we are brought back and forth to the present day and Emerson's diaries. From the beginning, we are told that these girls are fat and bond over this. We learn that their mantra is to eat those emotions. We are taken through a journey of what makes each girl tick and why they essentially "eat their emotions". We are taken on a quest that Emerson has set forth for the two other girls to complete called the Things we'll do When We're Skinny. There are ten things on this list and we are taken through the girls performing these things. I am so saddened by this book, but it isn't important for everyone to be a size 0 or size 2, but it is important for everyone to lead a healthy lifestyle. Women's body images are changing these days with even Barbie getting on board with real life body images and realistic clothing. Another important thing that this book addresses is that we are all fighting a fight inside. We all worry about our BP and weight, but when was the last time anyone had a mental health check up? These three women all have issues that they have never dealt with and lead to their weight gain. This book really puts things in perspective for everyone. Life is too precious to eat your feelings.

I loved this book! Hilarious and quite moving. The characters absorb you into their world and you never want to put the book down. A wonderful summer read for the beach!

I put off reading this book for a while because after reading what it was about I knew it was probably going to be a painful read. I love Kristan Higgin's books though so I knew I wanted to read it. This book totally blew me away. It was the saddest and funniest book I have read in a long time and spot on when it comes to what can go on in the mind and life of a "fat" person. It is the story of three girls, Emerson, Georgia, and Marley, who meet at "fat" camp as teens and takes us through their lives as they get older. As I mentioned earlier, I laughed out loud several times and also cried a few times too. Fat shaming and discrimination in its many forms is prevalent in our society and is devastating. I can't praise this book enough for it's portrayal of three women who triumph in their own ways on their own terms. Loved it!

I loved this book! I laughed out loud and cried drippy-nose tears. It compelled me to think a lot about the prejudices and ugliness in our society toward overweight people. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT is thought-provoking and full of heart and is certain to be another NYT bestseller. Kristan Higgins' writing confidently guides the reader through her story, replete with life lessons, right to the satisfying end.

Good Luck With That follows the lives of Emerson’s two best friends, as they come to accept themselves for who they are, while living out the “bucket list” they had written together as teenagers at ‘fat camp’. Emerson’s diary entries to her thinner self are interspersed in the book and tell her story. As both friends live out and check things off the list, they learn more about themselves and those close to them. This was a great read full of so many entertaining characters.

This was the first Kristan Higgins book that I have read and I loved it. LOVED IT. It resonated with me as a 35-year-old woman and I couldn't put it down. I will definitely be reading more of her books.