I've been reading a lot of socially charged books with heavy subject matter and serious issues, so I was delighted to be approved for One to Watch, which, by its amazing cover and fun blurb, I couldn't wait to start. 

Bea is a plus-size fashion blogger recovering from a broken heart when she agrees to star as the first plus-size contestant on a Bachelorette-esque reality show. In doing so, however, Bea realizes she'll have to confront all of her insecurities (as well as relentlessly cruel trolls  in front of millions of viewers, and while she's not expecting to find love, a few of the twenty-five eligible bachelors surprise her, drawing her into a journey of self-discovery, healing, and *maybe* a new beginning. 

Right off the bat, I loved this book. I was surprised by how much I love this book. I am not a romantic reader. I've never watched The Bachelor. Give me horror, serial killers, and haunted houses--that's my wheel house. In my own writing, I rarely explore the lighter side of romantic relationships, and I can't remember the last time I saw a new rom-com (although, admittedly, I will watch How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days any time it's on). BUT. I devoured every page of One to Watch with gusto. Part of it was Stayman-London's writing style and structure. Interspersed with Slack channel discussion, text exchanges, interview transcriptions, blog entries, Insta comments, and TMZ articles, it was so much fun to get a realistic impression of what this would be like out of the narrative realm. Anyone who follows plus-size bloggers or Insta models is familiar with the criticism. If it's not a bashing over supposed health concerns or fetishism of the body, it's violent or offensive or downright lude. Ashley Graham, for example, a Sports Illustrated Cover Girl, receives the most disgusting comments, people critiquing and shaming her body, held to some impossible beauty standard. Bea is no different, and getting a taste of what it would be like for her to star in such a mainstream spotlight gave her vulnerability and an authentic voice I loved. 

In some ways, this is one of the most personal reviews I've written, as many of Bea's insecurities and hardships could've been taken from my own life. Growing up, I could never share clothes with my friends or shop at the hottest stores.  I compared myself to thinner women. I had similar internalized beliefs about the correlation between thinness and beauty. Hell, even when I started working out, I became obsessed with the scale. It didn't matter how I felt in the clothes--and boy, do I love fashion--what mattered was how other people saw me, and that is something Bea struggles with in relatable detail. 

Another thing I really loved about Bea was her interactions with Marin, Lauren, and Allison. Yes, she does physically compare herself to them, but she also doesn't let it be a competition. She doesn't break others down to make herself feel better. She's confident and poised and makes herself open to their feedback, trusting them with her inner bad thoughts and worst feelings about herself. This is so rare in a friendship, and in a book about female friendships, and if I fell in love with anyone, it was them. 

And also Asher, but I digress. If this is ever turned into a Netflix series, I have two words: MANNY JACINTO.

As for the romance, there is no short supply, and while there were several cheesy, predictable lines, and I wasn't thrown by the conclusion, I swooned. The supporting cast of male characters is well developed and hilarious. Her brothers are gems. I'd read an entire book of their text snippets any day. And I wasn't disappointed with the bachelor lineup. I enjoyed her conflict over her to choose and why, and what it meant in terms of her own self respect and worth. 

As an end note, I will say that you do not have to be plus size to relate to Bea. She struggles with so many relevant issues that every woman struggles with that it's impossible not to find something of yourself in her (or her friends, for that matter). Overall, One to Watch *IS* one to watch. Hilarious, honest, and charming, Bea's journey to love is one you don't want to miss. 

Big thanks to Random House and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

This review will be published on the below-mentioned blog and other social media sites on July 3rd.

Book Title: One to Watch

Author: Kate Stayman - London

Genre: Fiction / Women Fiction

Publishing Date: 07 July 2020

Line Summary:

Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger, who got a chance to participate in the reality show called "Main Squeeze", which is fantasy dates with 25 men to find love! The story travels on the journey of Bea on this reality show as a Plus size woman!

My Review:

Absolutely fantastic debut novel! At first, it took me some time to get into this particularly unusual narration!  Included with a lot of chats, social media tweets, comments on blog posts, chat room conversations and podcast script, reality show script, etc, and I am not a big fan of this kind of narration and so I didn’t like it much! But after 50% of the book, I got a hang of it and by the end I adored it! The plot is simple and powerful! The characters are more natural with all human imperfections!! The first few events in the story were my least favorite! I hate adultery! Because of that, I couldn’t invest much in the story! But after half of the story, it gets more rapid and hooked us into it! And the final apology somehow diluted my initial hate! I appreciate the bold attempt with an unusual storyline and executed it well with all the perks and twists! It would be such a motivational story if you are not at peace with your body! Great job!

My Thoughts while reading:
I felt disgusted when I read Bea's involvement in adultery! I absolutely hate it! Being fat and feeling inferior is not an excuse for it all !! Though by the end she apologized I kind of can’t get over with it fully!

It’s tough for me to imagine the buzz around the reality show as I never watched a single episode of this type of show and never read any gossip about it! But once I got a hang of it, I enjoyed it!

Until the story gets into the reality show and the storyline familiar with the contestants it's kind of boring for me! I even thought of DNF it! So if you feel like that just hang some more time, to find an amazing story!

And the way it captures, behind the scenes drama and bitterness of reality shows and the tough part of being in it is amazing! It gives me a glimpse of the real-life behind reality shows!

My fav part in the story is the final chapters !they are absolutely delightful to read and felt right at every word! Plus size women, this is such a motivational story ( not in a boring way ) to read!

I wish more books to come like this to break the stereotypes and create awareness in the right way! For a debut novel, this book is an absolute pleasure to read and to celebrate womanhood!


Thanks to #netgalley and the publishers #randomhouse for this ARC. This review is straight from my heart not biased in any way!

One to Watch 
Kate Stayman-London 
Publisher’s release date 7/7 

Are you a fan of The Bachelorette? Reality TV? Social Media? Fashion?  This book’s for you!  It’s full of all of the above, PLUS more 😉 

Bea Schumacher is a popular plus-size fashion blogger with a good circle of close friends, a successful career and dedicated to bringing light to positive body image.  As a fan of the reality show, Main Squeeze, Bea posts about the lack of body diversity in the show.  The post goes viral and Bea finds herself chosen as the next star for the romance series.  
One thing lacking in her life is romance, so - what could possibly go wrong?

This is a light, fun romance with humor and current trends.  It’s also great look into the business of “reality” ahem - television.  I liked the character development, especially of Bea - her drive, doubts, decisions and snarky sense of humor!  My only issue was the length of the book.  With 432 pages, it went on far too long.  The main storyline length was perfect.  With the addition of tweets, podcasts, media reviews and such it just slowed down the flow of the story, bogging it down.  But all in all, it’s a good read by an experienced author and a fun summer book.  Get a copy when it comes out on July 7th! 

This one gets 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press for the complimentary e-ARC!

This book started off very strong, and I really did enjoy it. The problem was that towards the end the book got a bit repetitive, with Bea not being able to accept that people might actually like her for who she is. I was captivated at the beginning, unable to put the book down, but found myself disinterested by the end.

What an absolute joy this book was! I wasn't expecting a lot from this book, but it completely blew away my expectations. Bea is such a well-developed character, and will have you laughing and crying on the same page. I can't wait to read more from this author!

4.5 stars

I kept hearing rave reviews about this book and was so glad when I was selected to review it!

This novel follows Bea who takes a chance and becomes the first plus-sized "Main Squeeze" (which is the novel's version of The Bachelorette).  Initially she takes it on to boost her business and her self-esteem but the longer she continues on her journey the more she worries that her heart is in it despite her misgivings.  

I LOVED this book and loved that it featured a plus-sized woman who isn't trying to lose weight or go on mad diets.  Bea was completely relatable even when she's maddening.  She's a strong and wonderful heroine that I loved getting to know.  

This book is extra fun if you've watched The Bachelor or any of its off shoots.  I could easily imagine many of these scenarios taking place on the show behind the scenes (and in front of them too).  

I didn't want it to end and want a sequel stat of just Bea's brothers and their antics!  

Overall this was the perfect read during a pandemic and for the summer.  Easy, good and fun!  

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

One cape gave Bea the confidence to take on the world of fashion in her plus-size body. Bea's fashion blog is wildly popular, even though it has a section of trolls and haters. Bea takes high fashion and helps real people in plus-size bodies dress in comparable ways. After hooking up with long-time crush Ray and then being completely ghosted, Bea has slipped into a funk. After a Main Squeeze watch party and wine drinking with a friend, Bea posts a scathing blog about the lack of diversity in all levels of this Bachelor-like show. After the blog goes viral, the show attempts to rebrand themselves and bring Bea on to be the next main squeeze. Can Bea move on from Ray enough to make a love connection with her potential suitors?

I liked the characters and loved the romantic potentials. However, I never felt the spark/fire between Bea and any of the guys. I liked all of them, I just had trouble believing the romance. I think because there were so many potentials, it was difficult to root for one. I loved the additional diversity in this book, outside of the pseudo-reality tv version. The LGBTQ aspects were woven into the story as part of everyday life, instead of being a book about these aspects. Overall, it was a solid book.

So so good. It was really everything. Well-written, honest, funny, thoughtful, unpredictable. Fabulous, multifaceted main character and well-paced plot. Best rom-com I’ve read this year.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did because this is not the genre I normally gravitate towards. Oh my gosh. I am obsessed with this book. As a plus sized woman I find it so amazing that the main character is a size 20 and dealing with her insecurities. This book was fun, emotional, and fast paced. I will reread it every year. Thank you so much!

Very cute, fast, and fun, particularly if you have even a passing knowledge of Bachelor(WTE) franchise shows. The behind-the-scenes drama and plotting seemed totally realistic, and I loved the idea of following the first plus-sized ‘Bachelorette’ on her journey for love (or fame and fortune!). I didn’t love the faux news articles, tweets, slack conversations, and text messages threaded through the story - they just didn’t read as real to me - but small complaint about an overall joyful read. Thank you to a NetGalley & Dial Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

NetGalley ARC - I had major FOMO after not picking this novel for my Book of the Month choice! So I immediately asked the publisher for a copy to read. Am I ever glad I did!! This book was a TON of fun and satisfied my Bachelor/Bachelorette guilty pleasure perfectly.

Bea is a plus sized fashion blogger was is chosen to be the next Main Squeeze (aka Bachelorette). The show attempts to diversify for ratings and Bea plans to use the publicity for new opportunities in the fashion world. However, she stars to believe she might actually fall in love with one of the gorgeous men vying for her attention.

I absolutely adored this book, but it probably helps that I'm already a fan of all the drama on the show. One to Watch included the same ridiculous twists and turns, but it was also addressing the serious flaws with the show. The changes we see in this novel should absolutely be reflected in real life. I felt Bea was also an authentic character who clearly struggled with body image issues despite building a career on her look. Which is so true of so many women. We all deal with doubts about ourselves even when we're confident and independent most of the time!

In summary, a great summer novel that deserves a place in your beach bag!!

I loved this book.  As a size 16 I could so relate.  So many funny scenes.  An enjoyable read.  A spin n Bachelorette.

I rarely rate books in this genre five stars, but I loved every minute of this book! It sucked me in from the beginning. I loved the body positive, message, the mixed media format, and the plot based around reality TV. It was just plain fun while still having a great message. I will definitely be recommending it to many people!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! I finished this book in 5 hours. I could not put it down. There is just so much that I loved about it. The story line was great and I was completely invested. My line of thought was very in tune with Bea’s and every time she changed her mind about a suitor, I did too. 
I loved that the book highlighted struggles of being a plus sized woman, but didn’t make it focused on a male savior. 

Something that I think really pulled me in is the way that the story didn’t send the same message about needing to love yourself before finding love. It showed that if you have genuine people around you, love can facilitate self love organically. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading any future works by Kate Stayman-London.

I have been so excited for this book to come out and it did not disappoint! It's perfect for fans of The Bachelor/Bachelorette. While it is somewhat predictable, throughout the story, I did find myself pleasantly surprised at some of the plot details. This book was so sincere. Start to finish. You will be rooting for Bea all the way through.

This was a fast paced, enjoyable read. Perfect for summer and a must for fans of the Bachelor Franchise and those who appreciate fashion. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me this ARC.

this Book was SO GOOD!!! If you’ve ever watched the Bachelor or the Bachelorette and wondered what would happen if they had a woman bigger than a size 4 on the show - you need to read this book!!! It’s not just a romance novel; this book is about body-acceptance and learning to love yourself the way you are. Some parts were hard to read because people unfortunately do think really mean things about “plus-size” women. One to Watch’s main character is a Boss Bitch and a truly need a sequel!!! 5/5 📚 from me.

When I first started hearing about this book, I read the synopsis and thought it sounded too cheesy for me. Then I started seeing some really good reviews and decided to give it a shot. Glad I did! It’s a fun read for anyone who has ever watched the bachelor or bachelorette. It felt like I was reading a season of the show, and it was fun to root for the contestants and follow Bea’s journey. A few eye roll moments, but overall well-written and enjoyable. 3.5 stars. 

Thank you to Dial Press via Netgalley for an advanced copy to review!

One to Watch sounded like the perfect weekend reading and when I read the book summary I had high hopes! While it has been years since I have watched, I was an avid fan of the "The Bachelor" and many other questionable but totally entertaining "romance" reality shows for many years. And of course, even if you haven't watched, everyone knows how those shows go, the main participants are almost always stereotypically beautiful, which means they tend to be thin.

Bea is a stylish, confident, and adored woman who also happens to have legions on fans on Instagram as a "plus-size influencer". When she calls out Main Squeeze on their underrepresentation of the "American woman" and their lack of size diversity, she gets the chance to mix things up. She is chosen to be the star of the latest season of the hit reality show Main Squeeze, with the one caveat, she will do this to further her career, NOT to fall in love.

This all sounded so great and I was excited about the prospect of a leading lady in contemporary literature that also happened to be closer to the size of the "average American woman". I loved that she had body confidence and was excited to see where it took her when she was introduced to a group of 25 men vying for her love and affection. Unfortunately, this is where it went downhill for me...

Bea, normally in charge of what she presents on social media, is taken for a ride by both the producer of the show and some of the contestants. I was so excited for the chance for her to come across as the confident woman that she was, but instead, the fat-shaming and self-depreciation was almost unbearable. It was like Bea did a 180 from what we were presented at the beginning of the book.

While I get that some men really would be shallow enough to not be interested, even the "good guys" had enough red flags from the start it was hard to believe it could ever be genuine. This was such a turnoff, both in the presentation of Bea and also the one-dimensional presentation of the male contestants, who were unlikeable at best.

I also struggled with the fluidity of both the narrative and dialogue. While it creatively incorporated transcripts, texts, and news articles, it also made for quite the choppy reading experience. I enjoyed the premise, but the execution of this one just left much to be desired. This was a 

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for an advanced copy. I also purchased a hard copy through my Book of the Month subscription. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much @PenguinRandomHouse & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 07 July 2020)

SYNOPSIS | Bea Schumacher is a plus size fashion blogger who is approached to be the next star of the hit reality tv show Main Squeeze (essentially The Bachelor), however she has sworn off dating since she got her heart broken.

WHAT I LIKED:
- the mixed media format (live tweets, articles, interviews, podcasts)
- even though this is a romance there were some twists that I didn't expect
- literally felt like watching a tv show in my head
- loved the sneak peak into behind the scenes
- excellent representation within the side characters

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- there were too many love interests for me to be invested in any of them. I just didn't feel like I got to know (or root for) any of them.