A queer romcom with a plus-size MC? Sign me the fuck up. Hell, Ms. Spalding, you did not disappoint. For Her Consideration was one of my most anticipated reads, and I'm forever grateful for being able to acquire a NetGalley ARC. It was a sweet and genuine romcom with a couple whose relationship did not feel forced. Everything about them fitted together like a perfect little puzzle. My favorite part? Nina was relatable and represented a part of the queer community that gets left out in many stories. Occasionally, I felt like Ari wasn't as well-developed as she could've been. Still, it all worked out exceptionally with how her character came off and how Nina interpreted her.
All in all, I think this book is a must-read for everyone who enjoys cute Hollywood romcoms!

This is a sweet and thoughtful sapphic romance set against the backdrop of the Hollywood "biz."

What I liked:
• Fat girl rep (yes, I use that word to destigmatize it)
• Well-developed characters
• An ex you can really pour your hatred into
• Colossal chemistry between Nina and Ari!
• A peek behind the scenes of Hollywood. Nina has a job I never would have known actually existed.
• First person narration
• Found family - one of my favorite things
• Lorna!

What I didn't:
• Nina splits with her ex and then drops off the face of the earth for three years but her friends, who now say they missed her so much, didn't bother to try and find her? For THREE YEARS?? They accepted rumors that she was dead?? Not buying it.
• I really wanted to see Ari's point of view. I think it would have benefitted the story overall.
• Nina's boss repeatedly tells her that Ari is a difficult client. But we never get to see that on the page. Ari seems perfectly lovely from what we're shown.
• The third act was…not the best. It's one of those break-ups that make absolutely no sense, something that could have easily been solved with a simple conversation.

Overall a good read that I would recommend despite its issues.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Kensington Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding is a sweet plus sized, sapphic Hollywood romcom that explores heart break, learning how to love yourself and live authentically, and how to accept love from others – romantic, platonic, and familial. The rep in the book is truly phenomenal. Spalding explores in depth what it means to both be physically, unmistakably queer, as well as the dismissal that often happens when you’re not identifiably queer presenting – the joys and hardships of both. She explores the joys of queer friendship, and the struggles of living in the spotlight as an out and proud person. How meaningful seeing that representation is to people of all ages.

She also delves into the realities, both good and bad of being a fat woman, especially a fat, queer woman. I loved that while Nina was confident in her body, that didn’t stop her from acknowledging that her feelings about her body didn’t change the struggle of living in a fat body in a society that didn’t love or accept it.

To be honest, while I loved the representation in the book, and there was nothing wrong with the writing itself, I struggled with the plot. I just couldn’t understand Nina’s reasoning for changing her entire life, abandoning all her friends. Without spoiling I don’t want to get into her reasoning for it too much, but when we learn everything that was said to her to convince her she had to abandon everything I just couldn’t buy that it was enough to make her drop her friends for three whole years without a word. And if her friends loved her so much, why did they not try showing up in person to find out why she was trying to disappear? Why did they just give up when she started ignoring their calls and texts? I just feel like I wanted something a little more for the situation to be that drastic, but that’s just me.

The romance was so sweet, and I loved Ari and Nina together so much. They had undeniable chemistry, and watching Nina try to rationalize away Ari’s obvious flirtation as nothing more than friendship was so much fun. I was obsessed with the entire friend group, and I loved every time they were all on the page together. Overall, I would definitely still recommend this book to anyone looking for a sapphic or plus sized romance and I can’t wait to get my hands on my physical copy for my collection of fat romances!

for her consideration by amy spalding: 4.5/5 stars

happy pub day to for her consideration!

i really enjoyed reading this. the voice is casual and made me feel like i was listening to a friend tell a story, which is fitting because there’s a lot of friendship and found family in here. i love a hollywood romance, especially by someone who clearly loves los angeles as much as i do, and while i know santa clarita isn’t small town, it was still really refreshing to read a romance where the city is beckoning someone back. lately it feels like there’s been many books about city women moving to a small town, and as a city girl i loved reading about city people who love the city.

my one piece of criticism for this book was all the tiki references. more often than not, tiki is a non-pasifika person’s wet dream of pasifika, mixing cultures and fetishizing the people and practices of pasifika people. “cocktails” or “mixed drinks” are fine if you’re talking about alcohol, and in an age where we’re supposed to be more critical of our habits, a tiki bar made me roll my eyes.

i will be buying a physical copy of
this book and recommending it to friends. it releases today! thank you netgalley and kensington for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Breakups suck especially when you think you found the one who actually just wants to change you and now you’re full of self doubt. This hilarious story starts off with Nina getting her heart shattered by the one person she thought she’d spend her life with. Taylor made Nina a twelve-point list of things Nina did that she needed to work on. (Harsh) Fearing that all the items on that list were true after the breakup she leaves and moves to the Suburbs leaving her past life and friends behind thinking they will side with her ex and that Nina is the problem or she will hurt them. Skip to 3 years later and Nina works from home replying to famous/ Hollywood stars emails so they don’t have to. One star Ari feels like the email don’t exactly meet her personality and wants to meet which Nina’s boss agrees and they find out Ari wants to hangout with Nina so they can get to know each other and hopefully Nina’s email will feel more like they actually came from Ari. In hindsight it does sound like a good idea that is if Nina wasn’t such a fan girl of Ari. They really hit it off and start to date though Nina’s insecurities thanks to Taylor’s list hold her back. This novel is full of comedy, love, self awareness, and characters making mistakes because who doesn’t? This was one I couldn’t put down and also didn’t want to end.

Read from October 9th to October 12th, 2022. Written on October 12th, 2022

I don't think I've ever read such a queer novel. This was so amazing I am still a little hungover.

I can't remember the last time I read a book with so much love between characters. To have a book with such amazing friendships really makes a strong foundation in these types of stories and this story did not disappoint when it came to that.

Nina Rice, the main character and the one whose POV we read, is queer and curvy, something I don't read usually in books, and I love that combo so much! The fact she embraces her body with love and the book provides us with really sweet moments about what she wears and how she feels or other characters feel about that is so important, especially since, like I said, it's not everyday I read a book that embraces body positivity so much. Also, she wants to be a screenwriter and I love that we share that in common. Seeing her struggle with a script and her fears and ambitions for her future bring a sense of relatability as a reader. I love that she has her problems (pointed out "perfectly" by her ex-girlfriend, Taylor) but she learns, or tries, to deal with them. It sets her back sometimes throughout her story, but she manages to pull through and tries to see herself the way other people do.

The romantic interest, Ari Fox, is one of the best romantic interests I've ever read. She is funny, flirty, honest and, even though she is a famous, or well-known, actor, she is amazingly down to earth and easy-going. The way she embraces the ones who matter into her life with so much ease is so sweet to read (almost makes you wish you were her friend too). I love that she also has her struggles but, with time, she learns to ease them, even if they don't stop being a part of who she is.

This book honestly has a bit of all I love about a good romance story: Queer characters/moments (lots of!), friendships, supportive family (Lorna is my favourite character, no discussion), cuddling and kissing (and more!), and just tons of loving moments. Plus an awesome car, but that's just an extra. I do wish the characters laughed a little less, it was sort of constant and some times a character would not even say anything funny and someone cackled or shrieked or just laughed. It was a bit weird, but apart from that (and some small writing errors, which is normal for an ARC) this book is captivating and a great read, I'm so fortunate I got to read it.

Signing off,
B.

(Free ARC from Net Galley and Kensington Books that I chose to review after reading)

This is a very (very) low-angst romance set in Hollywood between an up-and-coming starlet named Ari and Nina, the woman who writes her emails. Nina is still recovering from a rather brutal breakup, one that not only moved her out of the city but also alienated her from most of her friends. As a result, much of the story centers on both Nina reconnecting with her friend group and her budding relationship with one of her talent agency's buzziest clients. Much of the story is pretty smooth sailing until you eventually get to the inevitable conflict you see coming from almost page one.

I think I personally was in the mood for something a bit more angsty or had a little more substantial conflict, so it was hard to initially get into this one. Once it clicked though, I did enjoy it. The writing is very funny and all of the side characters are great. I also appreciated how real Nina felt and as a result it was easy to understand her character's motivations and decisions (even when they were frustrating).

For Her Consideration, by Amy Spalding
emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0

This is such a sweet and funny celebrity romance that plays out in a way you wouldn't (totally) expect.

Our main gal Nina is recovering from a terrible break up from a toxic ex that's made her question her worth. She retreats from her friends and life in LA and basically hides out in her aunt's condo in the suburbs, working from home and not seeing friends for like 3 years. Instead of following her dream to write for TV shows, she ghostwrites emails for celebrities at an agency. She ends up working really closely with Ari — an out and proud actress who's making waves and is up for an Oscar. Ari has some issues with emails Nina is writing on her behalf, so she recommends they spend time together so Nina can learn her voice better. If you're a romance fan, can probably guess what happens after that. ;)

One thing I loved about this book was that it gives equal weight to friendships & family relationships as it does the central romantic relationship. It's so important to remember that our lives are made up of many relationships and we shouldn't prioritize one over the other.

I also really loved:
• The found family, the genuine relationships and the honesty between friends.
• The banter (it was so fun)!
• The food and drink and location descriptions! And how it was set in Hollywood but was still a little removed and people were more normal.
• Lorna. That's all.

Other thoughts:
• Loved Ari, and can see why she thought she was doing the right thing. I liked that the breakup was both of their faults. (Though I think Nina’s unprofessionalism and using work to handle personal things was a lot worse.)
• Just wanna give the main character a hug. So glad she’s finally getting therapy after that fucking terrible ex girlfriend.
• Also I pictured Kimiko Glenn as Ari the whole time? So that's my fancast for Ari.

This is a story about the stories we tell ourselves.  When Nina Rice's last girlfriend, Taylor, broke up with her, she not only dumped Nina but provided a list of all the ways that Nina was selfish and impossible to deal with, not just for Taylor but for all their friends.  Since then, Nina has given up on romance, her friends, and her dreams of becoming a writer for TV.  Instead, she decamped for an LA suburb, where her great aunt is letting Nina live in her condo.  Nina is focused entirely on her job managing the email correspondence for celebrities represented by the talent agent she works for and on her weekly lunches with her great aunt.

One day, Nina is surprised when she is called to a meeting with Ari Fox, one of the celebrities whose email she ghostwrites.  Nina has long admired Ari from afar, as one of the few actresses to make a career being out and proud since her earliest role on a high school drama.  Now on the verge of likely winning an Oscar, Ari is a rising star.  But according to Nina's boss, Ari is one of their most difficult clients.  When Nina meets Ari, she feels an instant connection and the two soon strike up a friendship ... or maybe more.  Ari seems interested in hanging out with Nina, but Nina is sure that, at any moment, she will realize that Nina is not worth hanging out with, as her ex-girlfriend made abundantly clear.  Despite Nina's worries, the more time they spend together, the more Ari seems interested.  A potential romance with a movie star seemed equally unlikely for Nina as ever reconnecting with her old friends, but somehow Nina finds herself in the midst of both -- even as she feels, and acts like, she is one wrong move away from losing her relationship and friends all over again.

This novel was highly enjoyable!  The premise of the book is a delight, and the author did a superb job of executing it.  Both Nina and Ari are multifaceted and engaging characters, and it is fun to go on their personal and professional journeys over the course of the book.  Within the endearing romance story, the book is also an incisive examination of relationships. The author did an excellent job of capturing the self-doubt that plagued Nina after the cruel way her ex broke up with her and the way it led her to isolate herself from her friends or any lasting romantic or platonic connection -- and how the story Nina told herself about herself in the aftermath of her breakup continued to affect her romance and friendships even once she reengaged.  As readers, we can see just how charming Nina is, even as we see that Nina is unable to see herself in the same way and how she often acts self-destructively as a result. I also particularly appreciated how the author explored Nina's friendships and took those just as seriously as the romance as the heart of the book. 

Strongly recommended!

Overall, this was a fun quick read. Although romance was a key focus there was also lots about friendship and the main characters octogenarian aunt played a big role in the book which I loved. I also loved the queer, body positivity focus.

A few minor things—the characters often repeatedly called each other by their first and last names, which no one does that much in real life. Also, some things about Nina’s work in a celeb talent agency and not telling her boss, when it’s such a public industry had me waiting for the other shoe to drop, so it did feel somewhat predictable.

Thank Netgalley and Kensington books for providing a free copy of this book to me in exchange for an honest review.

Throughout the book I genuinely enjoyed the side characters, they all had entertaining personalities and made me laugh. I liked there was a lot of character diversity in the book. As for Nina, she irritated me so much with how she thought she was a ticking time bomb to destroy all relationships around her. This happened at multiple instances, and I found it ruined a lot of the story since it kept getting brought up. At every minor inconvenience, Nina runs from her problems in the most toxic and overreacting way. Nina decided to abandon her friends for 3 years when her girlfriend —who hadn’t been friends with them beforehand— broke up with her. Her friends were also too welcoming toward her. Ari deserved better. I really would have liked to go more in-depth about her life.

The writing wasn't the most descriptive but the way that the story was told was from Nina’s point of view, therefore it felt like I was let into her brain and her thoughts and the way she thinks. This book is very character-driven, and at some times I found it boring.

Many queer stereotypes were pushed and acknowledged in the book, but some of them seemed to be unusually out of nowhere and some that I have never heard about. This book adds to the many other books that have sapphic couples and are centred around Hollywood.

Nina Rice is one of the unsung heroes of Hollywood, working for a talent agent answering emails on behalf of clients--all while wishing she were a television screenwriter. But after a devastating breakup with the woman she thought she was going to marry, Nina has put her draft script in a drawer, distanced herself from her friends, and holed herself up in the suburbs. But when one of the agency's clients, indie darling and up-and-coming queer icon-actress Ari Fox requests a meeting, Nina can't help but be starstruck. And is even more startled by the possibility of a friendship, or even something more. And this new path may even be enough for her to get back her old self, too.

Nina and Ari are two incredibly fun and fascinating characters. I love a good celebrity romance, and this one is a bit different--it features a star-on-the-rise, rather than a bona fide super star. It means we get to live in the world of Hollywood, but without the press invasions of privacy and outside influence. I liked this different take on a classic trope. This book is also a great representation of found family, and shows some amazing relationships in a supportive LGBTQ community. Nina's friend group is A+ squad goals, for sure.

Thanks to Kensington for my ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

4.5/5⭐️

If I could describe this book in one word, it would be queer because GODDAMN was this book ever queer as hell. And I was there for every page of it.

When aspiring screenwriter Nina Rice is left traumatized and alone after a devastating breakup, she finds herself risking her heart and post-breakup recluse lifestyle when she falls for her famous client, Hollywood star Ari Fox. For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding is a story of love, heartbreak, trust, insecurities, friendship, family, and true-to-life experiences of what it means to live as a queer person.

What I loved most about this book was its queer representation. There is undoubtedly more than one way to be queer (as can be seen in CJ who is non-binary and not necessarily monogamous as well as Phoebe and Biance who chose a more traditional lifestyle of marriage and the nuclear family). But this book somehow managed to put what it means to be queer onto paper. Most sapphic romance books, of which I am an avid reader of, either make being queer the entire storyline or refuse to acknowledge it at all. Spalding conveys what it means to live every day as a queer person (coming out as a never ending process, finding a chosen family within the community, yearning to see yourself and others like you represented in the media) while not making it the whole plot of the novel. This is the queer representation we have been waiting for and I hope it’s only the beginning.

Moving on to book specifics, I loved so many things about this book I can’t possibly name them all. The relationship between Ari and Nina? Adorable, everything I want in a relationship and more. The spice? Hot as hell when present but I can always use more. Nina’s (and now Ari’s) chosen family? Hilarious, unique and so so REAL. This book covered so many topics, from moving on from bad breakups to finding your chosen family to moving past insecurities and accepting love. It was a rollercoaster of a novel and I’ll be damned if I wouldn’t ride it again and again.

The only thing holding me back from giving 5 stars is Nina. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Nina and see myself in her as a queer, plus size, sometimes socially awkward woman who is still figuring out what to do with her life. BUT, by the end of the book, her lack of communication skills and insecurities were driving me NUTS. Anyone who knows me knows that the miscommunication trope is the bane of my existence. If Nina simply talked to her friends, to Ari, about her insecurities and worries from her past relationship then there would’ve been no conflict in this book. I know a book needs conflict and that she has trauma and needs therapy and book characters aren’t supposed to be perfect. I can acknowledge all that and still not like it because f- the miscommunication trope. Like girl, JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER FOR THE LOVE OF HAYLEY KIYOKO.

Anyways, this book placed queer people in the leading roles instead of relegating them as token side characters, and I hope other story tellers (authors, screenwriters, directors, producers, etc.) take note.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ghostwriting email correspondence for celebrities? Is that really a job cause that sounds awesome. Nina has a new client and has been asked to spend more time with her to be able to write her responses better. And they go on a series of outings (dates). Would have liked dual povs to have more than Ninas pov she may not have been the most reliable narrator. Her ex did a number on her self-esteem and view of herself and after 3 years she has not recovered. Going so far as to tell her that if people don't know they will find out, making her doubt every interaction. Toxic relationships can disguise themselves as being helpful. Not all personality types can coexist let alone have romantic relationships but to tell the person they need to be more like them basically is so unfair. She finds someone and they hit it off but she immediately thinks back to the laundry list of faults and sabotages herself. Luckily she has a huge group of friends that keep texting and knocking on her door since she is a retreat inside herself type, doesn't want to burden or thinks her friends can see all the faults. Loved her found family with her Great Aunt and all her friends. When you are in a slump you don't always think clearly and to have a group of friends to pump you up and tell you to go get the girl is great!
And cheers to all the Karls out there!

Read if you:
💚 Curvy mc
💙 Boss/employee
💜 Celebrity/normie romance

Thank you netgalley and kensingtonbooks for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Such a delightful and fun read!
Set in Hollywood, it explores a celebrity romance, found family, growth and has great fat representation. I loved the chemistry between Nina and Ari, they’re so likable I found myself smiling every time they interacted. Nina’s relationship with her aunt Lorna and friends was also warm and enjoyable.
However, although I was invested in their happiness, the pace and repetition had me disengaged at times. I also really wish we could have gotten to know Ari more overall, I was left wanting more. The third act breakup was weird, silly and unnecessary in my opinion, but it’s an overall solid sapphic read!

This was such a sweet read. As someone who feels invisible sometimes it’s great to read a love story about someone like me. Nina’s love story is sweet. At times the story feels absurd but it all comes full circle at the end.

I'm here for the curvy rep, the lgbtq rep, and the therapy rep! Nina had a lot of issues and I appreciate that finding a girlfriend wasn't what solved them. I did find it odd that when she ghosted all of her friends... they just let her? There was just an overall inconsistency to this book- in its pacing, in its characterizations, in its humor. This book was okay.

I thought For Her Consideration is a lovely rom-com to enjoy on a slow Sunday afternoon. The narration isn't very fast paced and sometimes I was a little confused by the way some things are explained, but overall I really enjoyed this quirky love story.

I’ve been a fan of Amy Spauldings book and her adult debut is spectacular. It’s the sapphic romance I’ve been wanting to read. It s about taking risks both in love and career wise and it’s a perfect LA love story.

3.5 stars.

For Her Consideration had a tiny bit of the boss/employee vibe (Nina works for a company contracted by Ari) and I could get into the secretiveness/taboo of their relationship.

Ari is an up and coming actress and Nina essentially writes emails for her. When Ari has questions about the emails, they meet up and their relationship blossoms from there. Nina is getting over a bad break-up and seems a bit like the “useless lesbian” meme in that she can’t see how into her Ari is, but I still enjoyed the buildup.

I loved Ari. Everything is told from Nina’s perspective, but Ari seemed like an amazing, giving, caring partner. Nina…had a few flaws. I could never understand why she had ghosted her “best friends/nearly like a sister” for THREE years! For Her Consideration promotes the “found family” trope and yet, with one incident, Nina drops them all. And after the third act break-up, she does it again. Long story short, I enjoyed the side characters and Ari much more than Nina.

But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy For Her Consideration, because I definitely did. I just wish it had been executed better. I’ll be keeping my eye for more from Amy Spaulding.

Thank you to Kensington Books for the review copy.