Set on You is the debut novel for Amy Lea and I really enjoyed it. This was romcom at it's best!

This story follows Chrystal, a full-figured, half-Chinese gymstagrammer who teaches self-love. Her popular Instagram channel promotes fitness beyond weight loss. When Scott, her gym nemesis-slash-arrogant fireman, unexpectedly turns up at a blended family event, the rivalry - and their heat - racks up to ten. Between reps at the gym, the internet microscope, and personal emergencies, Crystal and Scott discover they're both more than meets the eye.


I can't wait to read more from this author.

I'm impressed Set on You is Amy Lea's debut novel. It's a book I took a chance on because I'm a sucker for rom-coms, the enemies to lovers trope, and I've spent a lot of time in gyms over the years. I'm not really into the whole fitness influencer (or influencers of any type) thing because it usually feels fake to me, but I was curious to see how that would work in a rom-com. Even when I was annoyed with that aspect, it worked well. Really well.

Crystal and Scott meet when Scott "steals" Crystal's prized piece of equipment at the gym. It's hate at first site. They begin to play this game of annoying the crap out of each other at the gym each day. I absolutely loved these hijinks! This part of the story felt so fun and fresh. This could have gone on for 75% of the story and I wouldn't have been mad. I loved how much it frustrated Crystal and how it ended up leading to an explosive chemistry between her and Scott. After all that animosity, their friendship/relationship turned super sweet and adorable. There were ups and downs, but I thought everything was written very well by Lea. 

Another thing I loved were all of the supporting characters. Crystal has some great, supportive friends in her sister, Tara, and fellow curvy influencer, Mel. Scott has some fun fireman friends. Crystal and Scott's grandparents were so freaking adorable and funny. There's also a sweet moment between Crystal and her dad. Oh, and I can't forget Scott's dog. I want him.

I need to go back to the fitness influencer part of the story now. There are Instagram posts written by Crystal included. At first, they kind of annoyed me. Like I said before, I'm not a fan because sometimes these things sound preachy and I don't necessarily find them inspiring. They bugged me because I just wanted to be back with Crystal and Scott and their antics. For most of the story, the comments on those posts were the most interesting thing for me. It wasn't until a specific moment toward the end that I had my aha moment with this aspect of the book. When that happened, I had BIG feels about the direction the author chose to take. It was a direction I approved of, but it also brought up some personal stuff for me surrounding weight, the culture of weight/weight-loss, and specific memories. I'm still trying to work out those thoughts and feelings in my head. 

Set on You is one of those books where my review could go on and on dissecting everything about it. It's such a well written story full of romance, funny situations, and deeply emotional moments. It's one of those illustrated cover rom-coms that is actually a rom-com like advertised, but also serves up a small helping of women's fiction. It's kind of a crossover of the two genres with a heavy emphasis on the rom-com. The only thing I could have wanted from it that I didn't get was Scott's POV. There were times where I would have loved to have known what was going on in his head. Don't get me wrong, the story was still perfect without that. I'm excited that this is Lea's debut novel because I have a feeling things are only going to get better from here with her writing and it's already stellar.

"I don't think confidence and self worth is something you magically attain.And you don't simply hold onto it forever like a tangible object.It's fluid.You can be confident in every aspect except one.Or something could happen and all your confidence can be shattered in an instant"

Thank you so much to the publisher for my advance digital copy!

Set On You is a refreshingly adorable and heartwarming romance that you will realize you have been reading it with sweet smile plastered on your face all the while you read the book. Amy Lea drops an amazing debut and is going to leave romance readers anticipating for more of her books, her writing is crisp, easy to follow and impactful. Her take on body positivity in the internet era puts so many things in perspective that we might have been doing unintentionally everyday. Crystal Chen a half-Chinese curvy Fitstagrammer makes a whole career out of her social media promoting fitness and self love, its hard not to love or relate to Crystal although at times she can come off as frustratingly stubborn but that is what makes her character authentic, she is also witty, confident and a go getter

Scott Riche, a firefighter with body made of steel aka the cocky gym nemesis aka stealer of dumbbells and workout space had to be the most genuine and patient person in the history of patient people.I absolutely loved his character which is multi dimensional, it is quite contrasting to Crystal's grumpy demeanor, he is the sunshine to her grump but what makes his character thought provoking is how he takes some of the events from his past to mold himself. I loved watching these two characters being vulnerable in each other's presence and while their romance starts off as an instant attraction, Amy Lea takes time to develop their relationship naturally. In other words the romance is fun, sizzling and serves on all fronts ;)

Set On You is going to make it to the "favorite romances" shelf of the readers. I cannot wait for Tara's story next(psst..she is a Bookstagrammer too)!

Rating-4.5

READ IF YOU LIKE:
-Enemies turned Friends to lovers
-Reverse grumpy x Sunshine
-Hilarious banter and witty texting
-Curvy rep, Mental Health awareness, Cyber harassment
-Unique take on body positivity and social media influence
-Adorable gym dates
-Michael Scott's Gifs ;)

Ahhh, this book! Puffy hearts! Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me an e-copy of SET ON YOU by Amy Lea.

Crystal is a body positive influencer who meets Scott, a firefighter, in the gym. They start out as gym nemesis, but their relationship turns into a lot more when their grandparents become engaged.

While I think we may be heading into a bit of a saturation with body positive plots (I'm not meaning this as a bad thing, but some follow a formula), this one was different because this is a character who genuinely loves working out. She doesn't do it to lose weight, she does it because it makes her feel good.

Often we see these type of feelings about the gym from men, but Crystal is amazing. She loves building her strength. She's also not counting calories and accepts she's built different.

But, she's really not all that different because she's actually an average size for today's women. And that's what makes this book enjoyable. She's not trying to mold herself into something tinier.

When a post of her and Scott becomes viral, those self-doubts creep in for Crystal and that's when she's forced to analyze her true feelings about her size and society's expectations.

So, Scott is incredible and all women could use a positive man like Scott in their lives. The little things he does for her throughout the story and when he reveals just how long he's had feelings for her - tear emojis all day long.

I also enjoyed how Crystal was able to MATCH up to Scott's gym workouts. It wasn't her trying to dial down her strength or let Scott be the go harder gym participant. She was AS good and even BETTER than he was. I loved their little competitions.

I rate SET ON YOU five out of five stars.

I loved this book! Amy Lea has such a fun and witty voice in this story that kept the pace quick and kept me laughing. Gym nemesis trope is such a fun concept and I loved the angst between these two.

I always want characters to communicate and open up and it’s frustrating when they don’t and it causes a rift. But overall I liked the story and can’t wait for more from this author.

I’m a sucker for cute romcoms and this was all of that and then some! I found the main character to be relatable (how refreshing).

Do you believe in "love at first dumbbell set?" This debut romcom has heart, substance and steam! This was full of sweet and sexy moments... and a steamy public moment might I add. Aside from the steamy romance with a Chris Evans look-a-like, there’s a beautiful message about accepting and respecting your body, the ups and downs of being a social media influencer without it feeling heavy. Reader will laugh, swoon and root for Crystal until the very last page! Crystal and Scott are gym couple goals! Seriously there is so much to LOVE about this book!

Read if you like:
» curvy, fitness influencer
» Chris Evans look-a-like & dog daddy
» gym nemesis to lover
» text & DM messaging
» fitness innuendos
» 2000's pop culture references
» cheesy pick up lines
» banter & steamy shenanigans...
» female empowerment

Let’s get right to the point.
I loved this book.
When I was done reading it, I had a huge smile on my face, and I was inspired to do a bunch of squats. Well, three squats. But I did them with intention.
The heroine of this book, Crystal Chen, makes a living as a social media influencer and personal trainer. She is a plus sized fitness icon, and her platform is based on self-love and total acceptance and celebration of her curves and a healthy lifestyle.
Her love interest is a sexy firefighter named Scott who starts out as her gym nemesis (Guys, this is truly a Thing. My gym nemeses were never sexy firefighters, though. They were dudes who would drop their weights to the floor or grunted louder lifting thirty pound weights than I did birthing my children. I hate those guys.) Their frenemies-to-lovers vibe gets harshed though when it turns out their grandparents just got engaged!
It’s a fun plot, the characters are delightful, and there is lots of gym talk and sexy times. What set this book apart are two things. One, the writing is deceptively good. You don’t even notice the skill until you’re halfway through and thinking how well the whole things flows. A very nice change of pace from some of the clunkier contemporaries out there.
Second, the themes that Lea tackles so deftly and with such consideration. Although not a main plot point, she does touch on Crystal’s experience as mixed-race and how that also works towards shaping her world view as well as her relationship with her parents. There are quite a few scenes exploring family in this book and they are all nicely rendered. She also explores Crystal’s relationship with social media and how it impacts the way she treats herself and others. We all do cursory examinations of our social media usage, but Lea does a great job delving even deeper into the pitfalls as well as the benefits of curating yourself and then exposing the aftermath to thousands of strangers.
A fun, thoughtful, and thoroughly enjoyable contemporary romance. I highly recommend Set On You to anyone who wants a smart, sexy read.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
A fun rom-com with strong message of body positivity and mental health.

Set on You hits every mark! Amy Lea has written a witty, endearing, deeply felt rom-com that delivers memorable scene after memorable scene, some hilarious, some empowering, some smoking hot (like so hot it's a good thing Scott is a firefighter), and several all three at once. Crystal's voice is unforgettable too. She's a fabulous character, strong and funny, but also capable of self-reflection, vulnerability, and change. The premise is so fun--gym nemeses discover their grandparents are getting married--and the story itself met all my expectations for an enemies-to-lovers gym romance, down to the sweaty reps and locker room showdowns. But Set on You was also so much more than I expected. The family dynamics are rich, warm, wonderfully authentic, and finely drawn. Fitness culture is thoughtfully, compassionately interrogated. Ultimately, the book is about self-acceptance. Crystal and Scott don't surrender to an irresistible attraction (although they are both irresistible and the attraction is intense). They make a choice about who they want to be, together and as individuals, and their HEA is a beautiful thing to behold. I can't recommend this book highly enough!

This was a sweet, funny, and swoony romance! I loved being inside Crystal's head, and she and Scott were adorable together. A fun romance in a unique setting!

Ready for your next romcom obsession? Amy Lea’s got you covered with her debut release!

This was everything I wanted in a rivals to lovers romance!
- an attractive yet arrogant gym nemesis
- Slow burn 🔥🔥🔥
- witty banter for days
- competitive work out sessions

Crystal is a curvy fitstagrammer spreading self love and acceptance! As a bookstagrammer there were many relatable moments with some of her social media struggles (I’m looking at you Instagram algorithm)

Being a curvy girl who’s been hitting the gym, this hit so close to home. It’s taken months of retraining my brain and remembering that working out doesn’t have to be, and shouldn’t necessarily be, only for losing weight. It’s to feel good about yourself, to embrace the body you have and the incredible things it can do. Heck, this book had me motivated to hit the gym in a way I’ve been missing for the last few weeks! Hello, 9pm workout anyone?

Scott Richie is the love interest I’ve been waiting for. Patient, genuinely kind, supportive, and all around just a really great guy to everyone he knows. I desperately wish this was dual POV because dang, what I would give to be seeing certain scenes play out in his POV!

Overall I’m blown away by this debut and already eager for more from this author!

Crystal is a fitness instagram influencer - one who promotes body positivity and self acceptance. She is a "curvy" girl and has a large following due to her relatability. She meets Scott at her gym and they immediately get off on the wrong foot. She considers him the "Squat Rack Thief" and he quickly becomes her nemesis.
Crystal and Scott eventually find common ground and begin to form a friendship - due in part to forced proximity. Crystal promotes self-acceptance and is actively sharing messages and posts that encourage others to love their bodies - not matter their size. She tells herself that the "trolls" don't matter and that their comments do not have an effect on her at all. But when a photo of Crystal and Scott goes viral and the response isn't very pleasing, she has to face the fact that maybe the opinions of strangers on the internet are hitting hard than she realized.

Set on You was an interesting take on the fitstagram accounts and the lifestyle that comes with being an influencer. I thought Amy Lea did a great job of intersecting the physiological effects as well as the social effects of having a large online presence. Amy Lea made sure to recognize the hard work and time that goes into the job of being an influencer and never tried to minimize the effort they put into it. A fun, not too heavy read with an interesting look at the age of social media influencing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Crystal is an influencer for fat/curvy body positivity and fitness. She works out of Excalibur Gym and one day Scott appears at the gym, gets in her way, thus beginning their antagonistic relationship. And their attraction. At Crystal’s grandmother’s engagement party Scott and Crystal find out they are going to be related. But Crystal thinks he is a cheater so she continues her antagonism. But only for a while. They can’t stop their attraction.
This is a wonderful book on so many levels but mostly because it deals with fat and body image issues, something most of us, certainly many readers of romance novels, can relate to. Crystal and Scott are quirky engaging characters. Crystal makes some laugh-out-loud observations in this amusing tale. Scott is an endearing man and you root for their HEA. I would recommend this book to my patrons.

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Content: sexual content (skippable), profanity, potential triggers

Ugh. I was just not feeling this one. I don't like Crystal. Like, at all. Actually, I didn't love any of the characters. And the story was lackluster for me. Maybe I just didn't relate to the storyline being a white girl who grew up as a thin, albeit unpopular, stringy haired goon. I have become a "curvy" (in my case that really does just mean chubby) girl in my adulthood. The whole body positive thing felt way overdone to me, which I guess is kind of the point. But the thing that really bothered me was the way Crystal just cut Scott out after the backlash over the picture. An action which, if I understand correctly, she took on her own. And further the way she treated him after he responded to the trolls. Girls, we seriously need to just get over ourselves. Trying to handle everything in our lives without the assistance of our partners does not make us strong. It makes us stupid and self centered. If someone was talking about my husband and myself they way people were talking about Crystal and Scott? I would have said something for sure. In his defense. His. Because that is what you do for people you love. It's not a male/female/alpha/omega thing. It's a human value thing. It's a love thing.

!!! Netgalley, thank you so much for this early copy! I’m not going to lie, when the book description said something about them being “swolemates”, I didn’t have super high expectations, and boy howdy am I super glad to be proven wrong!

I am in LOVE with Scott and would like one of my very own, please & thank you.

Crystal Chen makes her living as fitstagrammer CurvyFitnessCrystal, advocating that exercise is for everyone. The gym is her happy place, until the guy she dubs Squat Rack Thief starts stealing her spots, getting in her video shots, and generally making a nuisance of himself. Too bad he's also cute. When Crystal's widowed grandmother announces that she's getting remarried, what are the chances that her husband-to-be has a grandson...who turns out to be Squat Rack Thief himself! Otherwise known as Scott Ritchie, firefighter and seemingly nice guy, at least around their families. But Crystal isn't ready to forgive his gym infractions so easily.

This is a sweet and steamy forced proximity, enemies to lovers romance. I loved the surrounding characters, especially the grandparents. It's great to see representation in romance of a curvy heroine who is already happy with her body, and the story doesn't focus on any kind of transformation. I really wish I could work out with Crystal!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

I have dedicated most of my life to not crushing on Chris Evans but everyone has their limits. SET ON YOU is mine. An escapist delight, with just the right amount of heat, and sprinkled with inspiring messages on self-acceptance, SET ON YOU is exactly what I want from a romcom.

I have been looking for a book that is like “The Hating Game,” and I think this one hits the mark. When it comes to romance, I want a female character who Is confident and witty and smart. Crystal encompasses all of these traits; their banter was priceless! I also do not like a romance book that you have to wait until the very end for the big kiss or for them to act like a couple. In “Set on You,” when he upset her, she told him immediately, which is what I want to read….not someone who stews and wonders what his feelings for her are. You knew they “fell in love” because they spent lots of time together talking and getting to know one another before it became serious.
Finally, the conflict was justified not some big misunderstanding that was silly.

Hot kisses and “more” were great! 😍

Highly recommend this book to people who love fun banter, a hardcore workouts, and a modern plot!

Great characters, very relatable, well written, and likable. Granted, I love the "bad first impression" trope in romance, and if you do too, than you will enjoy this book. I also really like that the main character is proud of her curvier body, we need this representation in romance. Bigger girls are lovable, too.