SET ON YOU is Amy Lea’s debut novel and it is a delight! It’s a contemporary romance that focuses on fitness, features a plus size heroine and her sexy gym rival, but that also shines a light on the unfair standards our society has when it comes to beauty and anyone who isn’t a size zero.

The protagonist Crystal Chen is a biracial curvy fitness influencer. The gym is her happy place and she doesn’t go there to lose weight. She goes there because she loves to lift weights. Being strong and healthy is her goal. Her social media channels are devoted to supporting others like her who aren’t a size zero but who are looking to improve their overall fitness. She posts workout tutorials and lots of support and encouragement. Crystal is such a fabulous character. I loved that she embraced her curves and that she worked so hard to inspire others and keep them motivated to achieve their goals. I also liked that even though she’s so inspirational, she also comes across as a realistic and relatable character, and sometimes she’s a downright hot mess.

The romantic element of the story is fresh and fun too, as it centers on Crystal and her gym nemesis. Crystal is meticulous and regimented when it comes to her gym workouts. For that reason, she doesn’t take too kindly to Scott, the new guy at the gym, a sexy firefighter who seems to be going out of his way to be annoying, even taking equipment that she is clearly about to use. Now I’ll admit that some of Scott’s antics were a little juvenile, but it was hilarious watching him get under her skin, especially when she starts referring to him as Squat Rack Thief. It’s pretty obvious that Scott is attracted to Crystal and trying to get her attention, and it’s equally obvious that no matter how mad Crystal gets at the Squat Rack Thief, she is pretty obsessed with him.

The evolution of their relationship is adorable too. Crystal and Scott are forced to relate to each other as something other than rivals when they realize that Crystal’s grandmother has been dating and wants to marry Scott’s grandfather. Getting to see each other outside of the competitive gym environment really helped take their relationship to the next level. Crystal begins to think of Scott in ways she never would have imagined, while Scott becomes one of Crystal’s biggest supporters when it comes to both her career and her fitness, working out with her and even helping her film workouts for her social media account. Both of their families are great too, and I especially enjoyed watching the grandparents embrace a second chance for love. They were so sweet together!

Aside from the fun rivals to lovers romance, Set On You also does a lot to tackle those unfair perceptions about size and beauty and it offers some interesting commentary on the body positivity movement and the effect internet trolls and haters can have on a person’s self esteem. As much as I enjoyed the romance between Crystal and Scott, Crystal’s work to inspire others and to honestly talk about her struggles with her own perception of her curvy body really made this a powerful read in addition to being a super fun one. If you’re looking for an entertaining and timely read to toss in your beach bag this summer, definitely check out Set On You!

This book was a bit tough for me to rate. I thought I was going to love it because the main character was curvy and I love when there’s different forms of representation. But I felt like there was *something* missing. I have no idea what, and I think it’s a me problem. Anyway, that’s where I landed with it. Also, this review is going to be insanely long so feel free to roll your eyes at me and move on. I’ll understand.

I absolutely loved the writing! I thought it flowed so easily, and I really enjoyed the Instagram posts scattered throughout. I liked that Crystal, the main character, was an influencer on IG. That’s such a unique profession that I don’t often get to read about, so I found that to be so fun. I also loved the secondary characters and found that they were a nice addition to the story.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t really get on board with Crystal. I did think a lot of her inner monologue was hilarious, but I struggled with her reactions to things. I also didn’t understand the conflict near the end of the book and I really felt like she was overreacting. And I grew tired of hearing about how attractive Scott was. I get it, he’s muscly. The constant focus on his looks actually took a lot away from his character for me. I stopped picturing a man and started picturing a muscly blob.

I was hoping that I would feel a connection to this book because I’m an overweight woman (and I NEVER see myself as a lead in books/movies/shows…I can think of two examples where the fat girl isn’t there for comedic relief). Anyway, Crystal was only ever described as curvy, and it was made abundantly clear that she ate super healthy and worked out all the time. Maybe I’m more triggered by body stuff than I realized, but I felt an undertone of shame for those of us who are bigger and really struggling with motivation and food addiction and yes, we are big because of it.

I feel like I’m rambling. And the author did a wonderful job of trying to represent others. She wrote a great story, and I’m sure many of you would love it. I really do encourage you to give it a try!! But for me, my issues stem deeper than I realize and I didn’t get as much out of this one as others might.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for my eARC! I have posted this review on my Goodreads and my Bookstagram account (@janinesbookcorner).

This was such a fun easy read. The characters were so relatable and their chemistry was something you could feel. If you love instagram, bookstagram, romance with enemies to lovers, self love or firemen this is one for you.

I seriously cannot wait for the rest of you to meet Crystal and Scott. ​​​​​​​​
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I LOVE LOVE LOVE me some enemies to lovers. ​​​​​​​​
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I am obsessed with their gym rivalry and banter. ​​​​​​​​
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I was also super grateful for the topics Amy wrote into this book about body shaming, social media, and overall self love.

I enjoyed this promising romantic comedy debut.

Scott and Crystal were a cute book couple. I especially enjoyed Scott’s character, he seems like the perfect book hero. Plus, the reader is not left in any doubt about Scott’s muscular physique!

Enemies to lovers is my favorite romance trope. There were some excellent enemies to lovers scenes at the start of the book. However, for me, there was not enough enemy action going on–I could have used even more!

There is not just light and fluffy romcom themes going on in this book - the characters deal with some serious issues in their lives and their relationships. Speaking of relationships, I loved that the grandparents got their own second chance romance storyline.

This was a promising series starter and I will definitely be looking forward to the next book in the series.

3.5 rounded up

Thank you Berkley Romance and Amy Lea for my #gifted copy of SET ON YOU!

Set On You is a friends-to-lovers delight that features a curvy fitness influencer and a swole firefighter. Crystal has worked hard to build her Fitstagram following by being body positive and authentic. While she is doing her daily grind at the gym, she encounters the 'squat rack thief' who precedes to turn her world upside down. After some spiteful hijinks between them lead to sexual tension and a steamy locker room encounter, things get even more complicated when their worlds outside the gym collide. 

And here's a few of my favorite things about the book to tempt you to grab a copy for yourself...
- a relatable heroine with an inspiring body positivity message, it was very refreshing! 
- the Chris Evans/Hemsworth brother lookalike hero that was sensitive, encouraging, and loyal... SWOON 
- great banter and buildup with the characters, the chemistry was 
- a full cast of endearing side characters; I especially loved Crystal's sister, Grandma Flo and Martin

This was such a fun and quick read! It's an enemies to friends to lovers book and that might be my new favorite trio. There is something about watching two people meet on the wrong foot and seeing them grow closely as friends and then having it blossom into love. Crystal Chen built her career shattering gym stereotypes and mostly ignoring the trolls. She adores her family and her grandma is actually getting married! Enter firefighter Scottie who grinds her gears just a little at the gym. Turns out HIS grandfather is the lucky fiance. It's hilarious watching Scottie and Crystal banter and fall for each other.

But this book brings up a few things like online presence, bullying, self worth, anxiety and more. Crystal has a hard lesson to learn. That even though you've done everything on your own doesn't mean you have to do it alone. People are in your corner if you're willing to let them into the ring. And I'm saying this so that people who read the book and get into the third half understand why Crystal reacts the way she does.

Sometimes I think we as readers forget the characters in books have lived their own lives and have gone through either different or similar situations that causes them to react the way they do. Would I have reacted the way Crystal did? No but that's ME. Sometimes you have to remember to put yourself in the perspective of the character. This book taught me that. It also taught me that I don't have to LOVE myself every day. Some days are sunshine and some days are cloudy and stormy. What matters is that we can weather the storms.

By the way Scottie has a Captain America look so that's nice to imagine. And the shower scene: WOWZA!

I thought this was a decent read. I enjoyed the banter between our two leads. I didn’t really care much for the Instagram story bits, even though that’s such a critical portion to her job.

I thought the body positivity conversation was handled well, except I thought the ending conflict was extremely stupid. I enjoyed how our FMC got to her ending mindset but I didn’t like at all how it affected their relationship.

Fun and slightly steamy, it was enjoyable.

There are books I read that make me want to eat all the way through them, this one actually made me want to go work out! But I didn’t, I went and got a massage instead. Hey, I got the message from the story that self care is important too!
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Set on You, a romcom debut by Amy Lea is a great book to pick up during AANHPI Heritage Month as the protagonist and the author are Chinese. It is just a good book to read for any reason, but I am going to give you a big one. Check out this dedication…
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“ To everyone who rarely sees themselves represented in books and movies. To everyone who doesn’t conform to mainstream beauty standards. You are worthy of an epic love story. We all are.”
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Body positivity, self worth, acceptance, family as well as a pretty steamy romance all combine to make this romcom just a little bit more.
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The main character is a fitness influencer and it was fun to read about her interactions on Instagram. The fitness community must not be as wonderful as the Bookstagram community, even if they get money and we get books! I enjoyed how the protagonist eventually worked through the issues that arose from her being a curvy woman promoting fitness. Personally, I loved that she went to the gym to be healthy and fit, not for weight loss.
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I'd say this book was really solid! In my opinion, it kinda teetered between romance and womens fiction, much like Emily Henry's romances do, which was honestly more enjoyable to me. I wasn't a huge fan of the love interest as he seemed a bit cardboard-y (not much in the personality department) but I absolutely loved the main character and her journey as a plus sized fitness influencer. I loved her journey into (SPOILER) body neutrality/body respect which was something I could relate to a lot, and I thought the author did a great job of handling the social media/body size related conflicts which took place over the course of the novel. I will most likely talk about this on my page!

Short Synopsis: Body Positive Fitness Instagrammer Crystal has it out for the new gym patron Scott who keep stealing her favorite machines. When they run into each other at their Grandparents engagement party, Crystal and Scott realize they will have to get along.

My thoughts: This was such a fun read. The characters were well developed and their chemistry felt so real. I loved the cheesy pick up lines, connecting over a shared hobby, the families, and of course the dog named Albus Doodledore.

I liked the Instagram Posts, included in this book. The fun shout outs about the fitstagrammers, the fashiongrammars, and my favorite… the bookstagrammers. The “realness” of the comments section; nice comments and of course some typical hate comments. I have to say, the bookstagram community is so kind as a whole, and usually there isn’t much hate going on!

Read if you’re a sucker for:
* Instagram
* Enemies to Lovers troupe
* Body positivity
* Firemen

if you’re a romance reader, make sure Amy Lea's Set On You is on your radar! I really loved this nemeses to friends to lovers romance between a firefighter and a fitness influencer. Scott and Crystal connected so well, the steam was FANTASTIC, and I thought the overall messaging was a breath of fresh air for the romance genre.
something I would've loved? Dual POV.
for fans of: Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams

reading vibes…
enemies to lovers
text messages in books
slow burn
firefighters
body positivity/self-acceptance
chris evans
fitness inspo

**make sure to check TW's before picking up!

A GYM romance! Say no more. Not only was this book so cute, it also motivated me to hit the gym! Highly recommend for all romance lovers, not just the active ones :)

Set On You follows Crystal, a plus-size fitness influencer. The gym is where she feels safe and she loves spending time there until her favorite squat rack, with the best lighting, is stolen. The same guy gets in Crystal's way multiple times and sparks fly at the gym. Then they realize their grandparents are getting married.

I love enemies-to-lovers and I think that Amy Lea did a great job establishing the animosity between Crystal and Scott. The body-positive aspect was done so well and I loved that Crystal's journey focused on being strong and healthy. I thought that Crystal was relatable in her struggles and her humor. At times I was bogged down by workout lingo and it reminded me of why I'm nervous about going to a gym.

I enjoyed watching Crystal and Scott fall for each, but I do wish that more of it had been on-page. I thought they were great for each other, especially since they would both rather stay in and hang out. I really enjoyed this and can't wait to read more from Amy!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had such high expectations for this one. I'm an avid gym goer and strength athlete, the squat rack is LITERALLY my favorite place, so I was really excited to see a romance in a gym setting!

However I was disappointed to see this book rely on tired, old, stereotypes of gym culture and people who go to the gym. This felt like a side eye degradation to athletes who lift while giving the public everything they believe to be true about gym rats. Disappointing.

Thank you to Netgalley for a digital arc in exchange for my honest review. I looooved this book. So much. I loved the main characters separately, I loved their chemistry, and I loved them together. I love how the author discusses “real jobs” and how to handle the scrutiny from others (especially family) when it’s not what your parents envision as a real job. As a plus size woman, I love the inclusivity of topics found in this book regarding plus size characters. The author made me reevaluate body positivity in the best possible way (if you read the book you’ll understand). So good. Loved it so much.

I am loving this book so much! I think this may be one of my favorites this year. There is so much I resonate with but most of all the lines and thoughts behind body positivity and societal norms around weight. I savored each word and line.
It has a little bit of everything
Enemies to Lovers
Steamy
Diverse- Asian protagonist & Asian family
Sister relationship

As a bookstagrammer, I have absolutely adored getting to know Amy and was thrilled to be a part of her traveling ARC team for her debut SET ON YOU.

One of my favorite parts of being a reviewer is getting to read books I've been excited about since before the cover reveal, and this one was at the top of my want-to-read list! Amy is such a gem and I just knew her debut would be incredible.

Ya’ll when I tell you I LOVE the energy of this book, I have been gushing about it non-stop — Scott + Crystal are the characters I needed to read!

Everything about this book from the romance to the self-love really spoke to me. I adored how Crystal’s life as a fitness influencer was portrayed. It was fun to see the story with different mediums through her posts which always added something special to the story. I’ve never so badly wished I could create fan art to “create” her Instagram posts — I know some amazing creators will and I can’t wait to see!

Props to amazing plus-size representation and a romance read unlike any I’d read before, highly recommend adding this one to your TBR! Scott definitely puts the 🔥 in firefighter & this one was just SO fun, even as someone who doesn't regularly hit the gym I was in love with the setting and romance on these pages, it worked so well for these two!

3.5 Stars.

It had a lot of great forward thinking and modern plot lines for the heroine. However the initial “pulling of pigtails” as flirtation of the hero didn’t totally jive with me. However however, that was also when, in the first half of the book, that everything felt the most cohesive, flowed, and gave great readability. And then the romance sort of fizzled, became cute but wasn’t as compelling. But I loved the setting and the message. Crystal’s deep dive into toxic positivity was especially appreciated. So, overall, it hit some good notes and I’d still definitely recommend giving it a try, but there were some shortfalls throughout.

Crystal Chen is a fitness influencer and has built her brand on strength; physical and mental strength. After her last breakup she turns all her attention to the gym and is annoyed to find Scott always there and always stealing her squat rack.
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These two are constantly at odds but she doesn’t expect to see him at an engagement party. Turns out it’s THEIR grandparent’s engagement party. They need to learn to make nice leading up to their grandparent’s wedding. They actually are finding how much they enjoy each other and push each other to be their best. They are becoming strong together, until a photo of them goes viral and they both learn how strong they really are.
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This was such a fun one and I loved the ending. Thank you to @berkleypub for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review !