Plus Size Player is sexy, messy, empowering, and laugh-out-loud funny—a contemporary romance that flips the “player” trope on its head with a heroine who knows exactly what (and who) she wants. Nina is magnetic, confident, and downright iconic, while Russ? Let’s just say Big Daddy Russ had me giggling, blushing, and kicking my feet at 3am.

🏷️ Tropes You’ll Find:

The “player” is the heroine

Plus-size influencer main character

Workplace tension (with a no-fraternization clause)

Semi-public spice (!!)

Protective but tender hero

Black joy, confidence, and unapologetic self-love

Blush Meter 💖💖💖💖💖/ 5

Spice level: Let’s just say semi-public encounters had me nervous someone was going to call HR. The tension is thick, the chemistry is ridiculous, and Russ knows how to take care of business. Very spicy, very swoony, not for the faint of heart.

TAK Girlie Rating: ★★★★★

This book is messy in the best way—funny, heartfelt, empowering, and deliciously sexy. I couldn’t put it down. Danielle Allen balances comedy, chaos, and tenderness so well, and Nina is one of the best plus-size heroines I’ve read in contemporary romance.

Nina is not the “quirky fat best friend” stereotype we’ve all been forced to sit through. She’s a powerhouse: a successful plus-size fashion influencer with a rotating roster of men who each bring something to the table—and she owns it. She’s not apologizing for her desires, her standards, or her choices. That confidence radiates off the page, and Allen lets her be sexy, funny, messy, and real without ever making her a punchline.

What I loved most? Nina refuses to shrink herself. She claps back when people try to undermine her, she sets her boundaries, and she stays on her roster until she’s ready to let go. There’s such a refreshing honesty in that, especially for a plus-size heroine, and it made me want to stand up and cheer.

Now the love interest, Russ. Oh, Russ, my heart. I thought Ahmad in Curvy Girl Summer was the blueprint, but Russ is the whole damn renovation. He’s playful and fun, but also fiercely protective. He doesn’t just tolerate Nina’s shine—he adores it. He wants to be in her orbit, even when she keeps him at arm’s length. And the duality? The caregiving softness balanced with the assertive, I want you, and I’m not afraid to show it energy? Swoon city.

The chemistry between Nina and Russ is off the charts. And the thing is, it’s not just physical (though yes, the semi-public trysts will test your blush tolerance). It’s the way they see each other, push each other, and, eventually, choose each other. Russ doesn’t try to tame Nina, and Nina doesn’t shrink to make him comfortable. That mutual respect makes the payoff so much sweeter.

From Nina’s hilarious inner circle to her complicated but very real relationship with her mom, the side characters feel lived-in and vibrant. The banter made me laugh out loud, but the quieter moments hit just as hard. Danielle Allen knows how to make you swoon and reflect in the same breath.

And I have to talk about her writing. She’s funny—like, actually, audibly laugh-out-loud funny. But beneath the humor is a current of tenderness, of care, of love for her characters and for the Black plus-size women she writes for. You can feel it in every line.

This is a romance that celebrates pleasure, self-love, and joy without sacrificing messiness. Nina doesn’t need saving, but she finds someone who loves her exactly as she is—and that’s what makes this book sing.

Final Thoughts

This was everything I wanted and then some. Sexy, hilarious, empowering, and deeply swoony. Nina is a heroine who steals the spotlight, Russ is a hero who worships her, and Danielle Allen cements herself as an auto-buy author. If you want a contemporary that delivers both steam and substance, Plus Size Player is it.

📚 For Fans Of:

Curvy Girl Summer (first in this series)

Talia Hibbert’s unapologetically joyful heroines

Messy, sexy, laugh-out-loud contemporary romance

Kennedy Ryan’s blend of heat and heart

Until the next swoon-worthy story… happy reading and happy romancing! 💕

RUSSSSSS!!!!!!

That is all.

RUSS!!!!

jk jk who would I be if I didn't let you know how much I loved this story?!

I finished reading Plus Size Player a couple of weeks ago and it was sexy, cute, funny, romantic, with the door open all the way just like I like it!!

Nina is the epitome of living her best life! She's dating casually, having fun building her career, kicking it with genuine friends, take no ish from anyone, she's reliable, she's honest and I just love her!

Now Russ! This man climbed to the top of my book bae list by page 30 and did not let up! He just kept getting better and better, almost to a fault! He knew what he wanted and made some over the top sacrifices to build the life he wanted with his woman and you know what? Nina deserved!

Another fave from @authordanielleallen Loved this one!

Danielle Allen is a new auto buy author of mine! This series has culivated my heart and i adore these characters and stories so much. I was so excited for this arc after reading curvy girl summer and this is a 5 star series that i would recommend to anyone!

I love a Danielle Allen book down and this one was no different. Nina was my girl and I loved everything about her!! Russ did what needed to be done ok!!!! I can’t wait to finish off this series cuz the way these first two have hit!!

This book gave me mixed feelings. I enjoyed some parts, but it also really dragged on. I see the attempt at doing something unique with the storytelling, but it didn’t get me as invested. I enjoyed book one more and still look forward to the next book.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

Danielleeeeeee!!!! This was such a great follow up to Curvy Girl Summer. Listening to Nina's story was so fun and I loved how we got to see the inside look of her content creator career. It's still such a new space that seeing it represented in the way it was in this story was nice to see. Of course the spice was on point too and I mean it was high in the sky (IYKYK) teehee. I love how these characters are so unapologetically themselves and that they clap back with no shame and will put people in their place if needed. Can't wait for the next book in the series!

I am a big Danielle Allen fan - and this one is no different! Her books are so fun and sexy.

I enjoyed this one - I love books that celebrate women and their bodies and feature strong characters.

Danielle Allen knows exactly how to make me giggle and KICK MY FEET! I need me a Russel ASAP for myself AND a Nina too because why choose ;)

This review has been submitted in exchange for access to a free digital ARC of this novel.

Growing up I adored reading any romance novel that I could get my hands on but it wasn’t until my adulthood that I started seeing women who looked like me as the FMC of those novels. The instances where plus size women, the main focus of these novels is so often how the plus size woman has to change herself for the MMC to love her. They are often about losing weight and learning that the only path to happiness is to become skinny. Ms. Allen’s work turns that usual formula on its head.

The story of Nina and Russ focuses on how bigger women deserve to have it all. Nina knows she is that girl and the men in her life tell her on the regular that she is that girl for them Russ goes so far as to change his entire life to make sure that he got to keep Nina. So often plus size women are expected to shrink themselves to fit into the role society ascribes to them, reading about women that are not required to do that is a gift.

Danielle Allen’s Plus Size Player is the second in a series, but it stands on its own. A powerhouse of a woman being the leader of her own life is not always a story we get to read, especially for it to be a plus-sized, Black woman. Danielle Allen gives us just that in Nina Ford.

Nina’s story is not one of self-deprication, low self-esteem or trauma. She is empowered, self-sufficient, creative, and bold. Plus Size Player is an ode to a woman in control of her body and her life. It highlights falling in love through a process rather than desperation and thirst.

My favorite part of this story is how Nina handles herself when jealousy, envy, and digs are attempted and quickly shut down. Plus Size Player is an excellent read overall with just a couple of wrinkles. The reference to ‘lips crashing’ is seriously overused. Other than that snafu, Plus Size Player is a fun read with a satisfying closure.

Danielle Allen brought the heat and romance with Plus Size Player. Allen once again does a great job of showing a confident, sexy, plus size woman. Nina Ford knows who she is and what she wants in a potential relationship. Nina’s interesting career and her spicy escapades makes this story a true page-turner. Plus Size Player is a perfect mix of romance, unexpected twists, and spice that makes you ready for the next installment in this series.

Nina is living her best life as a model/ content creator. She fills her days with content and the multiple men on her roster. When a dream opportunity comes along, she wonders if she can fulfill her dreams in life and in love.

I really enjoyed this book. Nina was a firecracker. I loved that she didn't let clowns play in her face. She was about her business.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to laugh when reading a love story.

Danielle Allen delivers a confident, sexy, and emotionally layered romance in Plus Size Player—a must-read for fans of body-positive, empowering stories that don’t play by the rules.
Our heroine, Nina Ford, is the moment. She’s a plus-size influencer and model who radiates confidence and owns every inch of who she is. Nina isn’t here to shrink herself or apologize. She’s open, honest, and thriving—personally, professionally, and even romantically, thanks to her unapologetic “rotation” of men. Yes, that’s right. Nina dates on her terms, and she’s not afraid to say it.
When a modeling opportunity comes her way, it could be a game-changer for her brand and visibility. But with success comes pressures she has to navigate. And just as the spotlight starts to burn brighter, so does her connection with one of the men in her rotation: Russ Long.
Russ isn’t flashy. He’s steady, real, and unexpectedly perfect for Nina. What begins as part of her no-strings roster quickly turns into something deeper. But navigating that shift isn’t without its bumps. Nina and Russ are forced to confront what it really means to choose someone—not because you want them, but because you need them in your life.
What makes Plus Size Player shine is how grounded and authentic it feels. Danielle Allen never turns Nina’s confidence into a gimmick. Instead, she gives us a heroine who embraces the word fat without shame, who celebrates her curves, and who refuses to be boxed in by society’s expectations. Nina is a powerhouse, and watching her fall in love without losing herself is the kind of narrative we need more of in romance.
And Russ? He’s that quiet kind of hero who sneaks up on you—until you realize he’s exactly the kind of man who deserves a woman like Nina.
If you’re looking for a steamy, emotionally satisfying romance with a body-positive heroine, Plus Size Player belongs on your TBR. It’s empowering, swoony, and refreshingly real.

I sort of feel terrible giving this such a low rating but I truly did not enjoy my time with this. Which surprised the hell outta me because I loved book one. For me the romance just did nothing for me, there were some cute grand gestures and plenty of "hot" sex but I found myself skimming the sex and unmoved by the gestures because the dialogue between russ and nina just gave me nothing. There was far to much summarization, "we did this and we did that and i laughed so much that day and we connected so deeply over this topic" like okay I would like to laugh too, I would like to see more of those conversations and moments that grew their relationship to the level of emotional intensity that we see throughout the book.

Also on a personal level I resented the fact that we missed those beginning stages of their relationship: the first meeting, the first date, first fuck. I feel like seeing those initial moments would have helped me care more for them as a couple as things progressed but I simply never got attached to them. In addition to all that, their relationship was very lustful and while I appreciate an FMC getting some good D usually, I just didn't care much about their sex life because I didn't care about them as a couple. It felt like at a certain point every shared scene was a sex scene or they exchanged some dirty talk that left nina soaking her panties. I just wanted to feel more than I did for them as a couple. I never felt excited turning the pages, or anticipated their next scene together, I just felt bored throughout.

Then, I cared soooo little about the fashion element of this story as well, in theory I'm exceptionally happy for all of nina's career successes achieved in this book but I found so much of it tedious to slog through. The book felt repetitive and drawn out in many ways. Not a read I enjoyed unfortunately but I feel bad about potentially swaying people not to try it. I don't believe it's bad on a technical/craft level, it just wasn't my cuppa. So despite my qualms, try this book if you like stories about influencers, forbidden workplace romance elements, lots of sexy times and want to see a beautiful black woman treated well and spoiled by her man.

Delicious, romantic, decadent! Plus Size Player kept me on my toes and in my feelings. Danielle Allen knows how to deliver a Capital R Romance that is swoony, sexy, and full of grown folks falling, fumbling, and loving out loud.

The chemistry between Nina and Russell is so immediately off the charts, one wonders why a gal keeps a roster? He was THE ONE off rip, baby! Russ was handsome and charming and fun.

Danielle's writing is so smooth you may as well call it velvet. So much banter, real talk, quotable line...I genuinely lost track of time with this book. There’s real vulnerability as well, with characters who don’t just talk about current issues but actually unpack it in the pages, mess and all.

Allen does plus size romance right. An authentic celebration of the full body, sexy AF and never once feeling like a side plot or afterthought. If you’re looking for a romance that feels like dessert but still sticks to your ribs, THIS THE ONE.

Lastly, Wesleigh did her *thing* on the audio. I don't know why I was trying to listen to this at work. PSA, make sure you are good and ALONE, with a drank and a pack of cigs, as my friend Erin said.

We don't even smoke. IT'S THAT GOOD.

Highly recommend if you want to smile, squirm, and wish for your own version of Russ. I might like him a little bit.

OMG! I cannot say this loud enough, but EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK! Danielle Allen completely knocked this one out of the park! Plus Size Player is a complete and total 5 star read! Danielle Allen's writing is simply AHH-MAZING! I laughed until I cried while reading this book. Plus Size Player took me on the most joyous of rides as a reader, and I have to admit that I was sad when this one ended. I wanted more!

Plus Size Player focuses on Nina, a plus size model and influencer, who we met in Curvy Girl Summer (if you have not read this one...it is an absolute must read, too, but I digress!), and who loves to play the field. Nina has a guy for every occasion, shall we say, because she does not believe in settling for less than what her parents have or that one guy will keep her interest or be able to give her that type of love. So, she plays the field. Yet, as Nina goes through her motions and her dating fun, she refuses to accept that she already has met "The One" aka "The Fun One" aka Russell Long! Let me just say I absolutely loved Russell's character. Russell is the founder, CEO and designer of an clothing line that has burst on the scenes in a huge way. When Russell is with Nina, he is with Nina and he was not about playing any games. He was absolutely swoon worthy.

And Nina! Nina's character was simply fun, independent and sassy. I loved her character because she was a woman and not just a plus size woman or character. Her character was full and complex, and we experienced her changing views on relationships and what she wanted out of them throughout the book. She went from many men to one man and one man only.

If you are looking for the perfect summer read with a strong and beautiful heroine and a gorgeous swoon worthy hero with the best secondary characters...Danielle Allen has you covered with Plus Size Player! Again, friends, if you have not read Curvy Girl Summer...please grab it too. OMG I loved the update on our friends from Curvy Girl Summer, and I cannot wait for the next book in the Curve Series! Bravo, Danielle! Bravo!!!es! Bravo, Danielle! Bravo!!!

I adored Nina’s character! She’s a style influencer and she focuses on plus size fits. She’s very successful and doesn’t take any crap from anyone. She started off dating multiple guys at once since no one guy could satisfy her.
I loved her chemistry with Russ though. They definitely had lots of fun together. There was such great spice and longing.
Really enjoyed this one!!
They had some reasonable hiccups before they found their footing. But loved the way it resolved. The pining and longing (sternly staring) for the interim was pretty sweet though. There were so many friends, coworkers and models that also were adding so much!
I just adore this cover too!! ❤️❤️
✨I got to meet Danielle at apollycon this year. She’s so sweet! I even got a hug!

DANIELLE ALLEN HAS DONE IT AGAIN! SHES WRITING IT I’M READING IT! I LOVED SEEING MORE OF MY FAV CHARACTERS FROM CURVY GIRL SUMMER IN DEPTH AND IN FULL COLOR😂 One of my top reads of 2025, and unfortunately i will never be able to shut up about it!!!

I loved the first book in this series but this one was so hard to get into. This was had too much smut so I couldn’t get into the story.

Overall I did like this book, but I do have several thoughts!

What I liked:

The plus size representation in this book was great. There were several examples of bias that the main character experienced based on weight, and I felt them all deep in my bones. It's very hard existing in this world as a plus sized woman and the author did a great job at conveying that!

The chemistry between Russ and Nina was there! The spice and chemistry were very believable. I loved how he treated her with respect, and defended her when he needed to.

Her writing style was great! I loved the attention to detail, and way she described all the characters.

I loved the relationship she had with her friends, I wanted more!

What I didn't like as much:

I dislike the miscommunication trope, and I feel like there was a significant amount of it in this book, especially pertaining to the job situation. There was an easy solution in my opinion, so this aspect started to become tedious.

The spice was great, but I felt like it started to get redundant. The characters had great sexual chemistry, but I felt their emotional chemistry took the backseat.

This was really a 3.5 for me, but I rounded up since that wasn't an option!