In Out of the Blue, our heroine Preslee is informed by her doctor that she needs to improve her diet and exercise to keep from having very serious problems in the future. She joins a gym and on her first day she accidentally posts a live video of herself walking on and then almost falling off a treadmill. Luckily the gym’s owner Adam is there to save her. Surprisingly, the viewers of her Antiquing vlog loved it and wanted more updates about her health and fitness routines and progress.

Adam convinces Preslee to let him be her personal trainer and they obviously start spending a lot more time together. He even offers to help her with her crush, Josh. The synopsis of the book implies it’s a fake dating situation but really Adam just flirts with her in front of Josh a few times (which was a little disappointing - I love a good fake dating story!) While she starts out infatuated with Josh, it’s Adam she falls for. Adam was instantly attracted to Preslee but also committed to not having a personal relationship with a client, so there was an element of a forbidden relationship to the story as well, at least on Adam’s side.

I loved all of the body positivity messaging in this book and that Preslee’s journey was about becoming more healthy and not just about looking thinner. Preslee and Adam were cute together and they definitely challenged one another in different ways. It was nice to see Preslee’s personal growth and new confidence as she dealt with a lot of personal and family issues while also starting on this health journey. I didn’t love the final conflict in the story because you knew from the instant it was mentioned that it was going to be a big problem. But I did enjoy the way things came together in the end.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to @readforeverpub @netgalley and the author for an advanced ebook and final paperback copy of this book for review!

A fantastic, page turning read! From start to finish I was hooked and didn’t want it to end. I loved the characters. I loved the sizzle between them and I loved the journey! Definitely a 4 star read!

This was a heartwarming dual perspective, open door romance featuring a plus-size heroine looking to improve her lifestyle choices in light of a prediabetic diagnosis. Cue the hot personal trainer who agrees to help her in exchange for social media spotlights. Of course he fails to disclose his initial motives for working with Preslee and this leads to conflict (of the kind that's not my favorite). I did find Preslee really relatable, she suffers from a lack of confidence and has a lot of negative self talk. Adam was great at trying to help her build her confidence though and he was pretty much a perfect book boyfriend. Overall an enjoyable read with a decent level of steam! Much thanks to NetGalley and Forever for my advance review copy!

I am so thankful to read a book where the heroine starts her health journey due to actual medical concerns rather than solely based on trying to fit social norms. Preslee was sucha relatable character and her thoughts about her body and her health journey felt so familiar.

I adored Adam and how genuine he was. He fell for Preslee from the get go and wasn't afraid of those feelings, despite hiding them in order to try to keep their relationship professional. I loved his goals for his gym and those who worked out there and his desire to give EVERYONE a safe environment to work out.

Overall this was a fun, slightly steamy romance that tackled some complex topics without being too preachy or too flippant. The characters were great and the world building made for a great read.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review

Forced to make some changes to her lifestyle by her doctor, Preslee joins the only gym in her small town “The Body Shop.” During her first session, she struggles with the unfamiliar equipment and has an unfortunate accident on a social media live that embarrasses her. Adam, the gym owner, feels sympathy for his newest member but also a pull of attraction for the gorgeous Preslee. In an attempt to bring more people into his gym, he offers to train Preslee for free. There were elements to this book I liked: plus size representation, focus on healthy living, small town romance. There were also elements that I struggled with and overall I felt took away from my enjoyment of the book: the fact that crash dieting/over exercising were briefly addressed and pushed to side, focus on weight loss throughout book instead of overall wellness (this was resolved at end but I felt like very briefly) and unrealistic expectations of weight loss. I also felt the chemistry between Preslee and Adam was lacking….there was so much build up that led to one steamy scene then conflict was immediately inserted. I also literally rolled my eyes at their resolution of said argument. It didn’t feel realistic at all and their interactions felt forced. Thank you so much to Forever and Netgalley for my copy.

Funny, sassy and feel good. I loved how emotionally raw Preslee was because she is a very realistic character that is easily relatable to any curvy women struggling with self esteem and confidence. Just like her I HATE going to the gym for fear of others judging me and making fun of my inexperience working out. It really brings down my drive to do a workout even a simple cardio one and leads to me giving up every single time. Preslee has inspired me (through the help of Adam) to not give a damn what others think and to love my body.

Out of the Blue
2.5 Stars

Thoughts:
- I think a lot of things for a great book was there but the writing/dialogue seemed a bit stilted/forced almost? So it just didnt end up working out

Loved:
- Consent! So good
- Focus on general wellness over weight loss

Didnt Love:
- Though the ultimate goal was wellness weight loss was the discussed goal if that makes sense? Preslee started her journey to work on her overall health and hopefully prevent diabetes but then the shift is towards weight loss- thats the only thing discussed.
- I also think the way that fitness was pushed was a bit forceful I think the start was a bit aggressive— I think it would have been better/healthier if it had been a slower more gradual process which Adam backtracks to at some point but I think it doesn’t take away from how it started
- The use of the phrase “good carbs” I think we really do need to move away from moralizing and demonizing foods
** I will say that most of what I just mentioned was limited to one/two scenes but I still felt like they needed to be addressed.

Honestly this was very similar to The Fastest Way to Fall (which I enjoyed more) so if you read this but wanted a bit more from it I would really recommend The Fastest Way to Fall!

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read and review! All thoughts are my own!

In short: After getting the news that she was pre-diabetic, Preslee decides it’s time to take action & join a gym. Her goal is to get healthy, not to lost weight. See full synopsis on next slide.➡️

What to expect:
❤️Faking dating trope
❤️Plus size representation
❤️Great character growth
❤️Told from dual POV’s

My thoughts: Oh my, I loved this book and how much I saw of myself reflected in Preslee. This book was an excellent portrayal of what it feels like for a plus sized woman to enter the gym for the first time, the mental battles and comments we endure, the emotional eating, the fight to focus on health and not weight loss. At the same time I really enjoyed that Adam encouraged & challenged Preslee to see herself as he did; strong, confident & beautiful. I just wish it hadn’t taken her so long to realize that not everyone leaves her & stop doubting everyone. Overall I loved this book for the journey she took, the confidence she gained and the feeling she got from accomplishing a goal for herself.

I am always here for a romance starring a plus-size lead. As a plus-size woman who is also making some food and fitness changes for my health, I was interested to see how Alison Bliss would handle this romance, and for the most part I wasn't disappointed in the handling of fat rep in this one.

Preslee joins a gym in an attempt to lose some weight as her family doctor just told her she's pre-diabetic, and she wants to nip that in the bud. Adam is the extremely built, extremely sexy owner of the gym she joins, and he is very into Preslee from moment one. He thinks she's gorgeous exactly as she is, and is supportive of her weight loss journey because it's her choice for her body, and he supports her improving her overall health. There is a moment where he thinks about not wanting her to lose too much weight and lose her curves that was a smidge objectifying, but he's a dude in a romance novel so eh.

The chemistry between Preslee and Adam was cute at times. There's a little element of fake dating in here so you get some of that delicious "oops, feelings" and "did he do that because he wanted to or was he faking for show?" type of goodness. That being said, there are several spots where the pacing is pretty off, and what felt like big jumps forward in time.

This was a solid 3 stars most of the way through, but then the ending had me rolling my eyes so hard it quickly dropped to 2.5 stars, then 2. -_- Throughout there are some concerning issues that are just sort of brushed aside (disordered eating/crash dieting, excessive exercise), but then the final bout of depressive weight gain (20 lbs in a month?) without addressing that at all was just too much. I own one of the other books in this series but I'm not sure if I'll read it or not at this point.

This book is more than just a romance book. This book talks about self love and acceptance which I am all for. Preslee is a lady in her twenties who is curvy but when her weight starts to affect her health she knows that she needs to make some changes. Enter Adam the super hot gym owner and personal trainer. Of course there are twist and turns like any good romance.

So this book did a lot right and first and foremost I appreciate that just because Preslee is plus-size or curvy they do not try to make her into someone she is not, even the weight loss goal of fourth pounds was achievable. I loved that this was her decision and that it was for health and she overcame the issue of being prediabetic by dropping some weight and changing her diet.

The book in the beginning was a little slower moving but it was a good read overall. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance. This is the fourth in the series and can be read as a stand alone book but I’m now going back and wanting to read the others in the series now.

3.5⭐ rounded up.
I liked the story and the characters had chemistry with (for the most part) wonderful personalities.
My big downer is the same one I have with every plus size MC.
She needs more confidence. I want a curvy lady who isn't ashamed of her body or trying to lose weight in order to be more desirable. I have yet to come across a plus size characters who has all the confidence and bravado that most curvy ladies have in real life...or should have if they don't.
Much love to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for my DRC.

I loved that this dual POV story featured a plus size main character so I was super excited to read it.

This book started really strong, I felt like the first chapter was really relatable. Adam and Preslee had an immediate attraction to each other and had really great flirty banter. Unfortunately after the first 30% or so this story kind of lost its momentum.

One of my biggest issues with this book was the fact that the synopsis says that this book includes fake dating. However there is no fake dating in this book at all, there is a little bit of flirting in front of her crush, but honestly this book probably would have been a lot better if there was actual fake dating.

There were a lot of things that Adam did that really annoyed me, but I don’t have enough space to rant about them all.

I hate that there was a bet involved that only one of the main characters was aware of. I’m just never a fan of that kind of thing.

A big theme in this book is Preslee’s lack of confidence. I feel like she starts to gain more confidence in the 2nd to last chapter and then the story jumps ahead to a month later and we don’t really ever get to see that confidence on page and that was incredibly disappointing.

The last few chapters didn’t really flow and I felt a little cheated and the ending did not work for me at all.

In terms of steam: this was a slow burn with one open door scene that’s not super descriptive.

Although this is the 4th book in the series it can be read as a stand-alone.

CW: Crash diet, emotional eating, pre diabetes, fat shaming, parental abandonment, adoption, death of a parent.

Thank you to #netgalley and #grandcentralpublishing for this ARC. It goes live in the morning so I'm very glad I was able to squish it in! Access to the ARC was given in exchange for my honest review.

I genuinely enjoyed #OutOfTheBlue, it got a 3.75/5 from me, but I just lacked a depth to it for some reason. As a bigger girl (have been bigger my whole life) I loved seeing that representation. I also loved the conversation that Preslee and Adam had about not judging a skinnier guy wouldn't be into a bigger girl and vice versa. I'm currently dating a guy much slimmer than I and I'm learning to be more accepting of my body especially in intimate moments.

I did love this group of characters and instantly wanted more of them and was excited to see that this is actually book 4 of a series so I have three I could dig my teeth right into!

Good, fluffy book.. I just wished there had been more.

I was so excited to see a plus size heroine in a book! I will say that out of the entire book, I related to the first couple chapters the most!

We meet Preslee as she is getting up the courage to walk into a gym for the first time and sign up for a membership. Maybe we haven’t all been there, but I definitely have! You go in and you have no idea how any of the machines work and you feel like everyone is looking at you. It’s terrifying and embarrassing and makes you want to run as fast as you can.

So I really loved that part. As for the rest, I did enjoy the story, but I really wanted the story to be about Preslee learning that she was enough before her weight loss and after, but it did just feel like she was losing weight to impress Adam.

I did like Adam, he was a good guy with a good heart. And I did love his conversation about how even though he is fit and by standard, handsome, he does get stereotypes projected on him as well. I think that it is important to realize that we are ALL judged for things and it hurts.

The end really kind of lost it for me. It was a great read, but when I got to the end, the marriage proposal and them agreeing to move in together, but they’ve only known each other for 2 months at that point? That was just off to me. I wish it had just ended on them making up and continuing to date each other.

3.75 rounded to 4.

This was my first book by Alison Bliss and I really enjoyed the fun and entertaining read. I will warn you that body image and weight loss are prevalent topics in this book, so if those topics don't work for you, I would pass on this one. I think this book gave important insight to what motivates people to start going to the gym. What is a healthy motivation? Or something more dangerous? Bliss was able to articulate the struggles of a plus-size woman just getting started in the gym and Adam was near perfect to show that not all gym rats are a-holes. The book was sweet with a lot of great moments between the two leads. Of course there was a miscommunication/betting trope which I'm not the biggest fan of, but it was dealt with well for this story. All in all it was enjoyable and I would recommend. I didn't realize it was part of a character series so I am definitely tempted to read this author's back list!

I absolutely love this author and all of her books. And this is my favorite series. I love being able to read about a plus size heroine finding her true love, while dealing with real life obstacles. I can't wait for Alison's next book!

Fun, quirky and down right addictive! With the fourth book in her always humorous A Perfect Fit series Alison Bliss returns with a solid addition to the series with OUT OF THE BLUE. I was quickly hooked by Preslee's sincere personality, laugh out loud embarrassing moments and the sweet connection she and Adam have right from the start. I loved seeing a few of the guys from the series pop up in here, but I would have loved to have seen even more. Book 1 and 2 will still always be my favs, but Preslee and Adam did a pretty good job of hooking my heart.

I recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who loves a plus size heroine full of love, laughter and snark. Bliss is the queen of adding some sass to her stories!

To start I did not know this was book 4 in a series but I wouldn't have known at all and it works perfectly as a standalone. This books deals with body positivity which is a topic that I think needs to be more present in romance novels.

The story follows Preslee who joins a gym due to her health and her relationship both personal and romantic with Adam who is the gym owner. I loved Adam soooo much. He is just the sweetest and my new book boyfriend. This book also has one of my favorite tropes which is fake dating. After a horrible first session Preslee decided vlog and when it becomes viral she goes back and Adam becomes both her personal trainer and fake boyfriend. As they train and spend more time together feelings grow and its so sweet. I loved both Preslee and Adam and how they both are from each other.

This is a slow burn though so I wish the romance sped up a little but that's just my own personal taste.

Overall Bliss created a beautiful and swoon story I would recommend to anyone.

Copy provided by NetGalley And ReadForeverPub for my honest review.

Light, charming, and sweet!

Out of the Blue is a playful, steamy tale that mixes the kind, plus-sized Preslee, who’s determined to get fit now that she’s learned she’s prediabetic, even if it means she has to step into a gym for the first time in her life, and the hard-bodied, driven Adam, who may finally have found the perfect woman for him, curves and all.

The writing is amusing and cosy. The characters are engaging, considerate, and endearing. And the plot is a delightfully entertaining tale filled with family, friendship, undeniable attraction, sizzling chemistry, tender moments, quirky hijinks, self-discovery, and light drama.

Overall, Out of the Blue is a humorous, cute, feel-good read by Bliss that is the first novel I’ve read by this author but certainly won’t be my last.

First of all, I LOVE Adam. Literal perfection. He is the sweetest. Preslee, however, was a bit whiny for me at times. I get not being confident in your body but I wanted her to feel better about herself. I still liked her and I loved this book.

Short and sweet:
Plus sized MC
Cinnamon roll MC
Kind of fake dating
Spicy scenes

"I never said anything about this being only for one night". I almost screamed. Ugh. Highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the ARC!