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!

After Danielle Allen dropped her summer hit 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 last year, I couldn’t wait to dive into her 2025 release 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫, and I’m here to tell you, she delivered another banger! This book is sizzling hot and absolutely perfect for summer.

Our girl Nina is a force. She proves that plus size is anything but boring. As a confident influencer making waves in the fashion world, she uses her platform to empower others while keeping her personal life separate from her public persona. She’s dubbed the “player” in this story, but honestly, she just knows her worth and keeps her options open. That is until one of those options becomes the choice.

I absolutely loved Nina and Russ together. Russ was so intentional and thoughtful, planning dates that showed he genuinely cared and wanted to impress her. Their chemistry was undeniable, and while they faced challenges that forced them to proceed with caution, it only added to the tension and steam. If you’re looking for a hot, steamy summer romance to pack for your beach or poolside reading, this is the one.

And let’s talk about the audiobook, pure fire with a favorite narrator Wesleigh Siobhan. Hearing Russ draw out “Ninahhhh” had me melting every single time. The narration was spot-on, bringing even more heat to the story. No matter how you consume this is, audio, ebook, or paperback, the story absolutely shines.

I’m already counting down until the next installment: 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐳!

I know I said for a long time that Curvy Girl Summer couldn’t be topped………. But I just hadn’t read Plus Size Player yet. Cuz BABY! This one is most definitely my favorite now lol But first let me give you some advice before you start this…. Get a pen and paper because Nina (and Danielle Allen) will give you a master class at being a player.

Ok so the best thing about this was the characters. I LOVED Nina. She was a mess lmao I loved the way she was so business savvy. I also loved the way Allen made content creating look in this book. I know some people think it’s a bunch of pictures all the time or being “stuck to that phone” and I just don’t think they really know what all it entails. This showed the long hours, having to know and figure out contracts which work for you, keeping up with a calendar, and so many other things. It’s a lot and those that do it don’t deserve to be talked down to. I also loved that Nina was a plus sized goddess that didn’t take shit from anyone. Co-workers, photographers, and even waitresses. She let everyone equally have it and I loved that. She was a no nonsense person and she stayed that way the whole book.

The love interests were pretty cute. I’m not going to say much, for fear of spoilers, but they really were all cute. They all brought something she was looking for. And together they would have made the PERFECT man. But I think she forgot that she already had all of that in one person already. And let me just tell you, I was mad af at her for dating all of them. I kept shaking my head and telling her, girl I’m bout to wife him if you don’t lol She was trippin lol

The romance was hot! I had to put my head in the freezer for a minute. But they also had me like scratching my head. Like the what in the world was that opening scene? Ain’t no way they didn’t get caught lol But there is spice in this and I mean for real spice lol The party? Yeahhhh lol

This book was so much fun. I can’t imagine how feral I’m going to be for the next one. That one is a sports romance and the color cover is greenish so we know that’s a nod to the Eagles and y’all know me, I LIVEEEEEEEEEEE LOL So basically, this series is quickly becoming a fave and I can’t wait!

If you want a spicy forbidden romance, this one is for you!

The heroine is a fashion influencer who has always had a roster of guys she dates and spends time with, but now she's catching feelings for one of them. She's trying to juggle this relationship while landing a really important contract with a brand to be a brand model. The heroine is a plus size model, so she faces quite a bit of adversity from the industry, her peers, and complete strangers she just meets while she's out. I did love how much the hero worshipped and adored her, and their chemistry was insane!

I don't normally love books about influencers, so that wasn't my favorite part of this book. The first half of this book really just followed the heroine through her job and dating a few men, so it felt more on the women's fiction side. But once we got her to admit her feelings about one man and the forbidden aspect came into play, I was hooked!

This was a very fun and super spicy read. The vibe between the characters were always there from the start and I'm glad they realized it before it was too late.

Being that this was my first read from the author I was pleasantly surprised at the writing!

We get a front-row seat to Nina’s dating life and I was HERE for it. Her mom encouraging her to truly DATE and settle IN? I loved it! Especially since Ninas dating style is quite similar to mine: Enjoy it while it’s fun, and keep it movin’ when it no longer serves you. Simple, smart, and minimal stress.

I really enjoyed the chemistry, banter, and romance in this story. The way Nina was poured into and loved out loud was *chef’s kiss*. The energy was truly leaping off the page.

Now, I will say some parts of the story felt a bit repetitive but it didn’t take away from the joy of seeing Nina, a confident plus-sized queen, be unapologetically herself, thriving in her career, and living her best dating life. I highly recommend 💕

(If you haven’t read Curvy Girl Summer —-like me 🤦🏾‍♀️ read that first, although it’s not absolutely necessary.)

Danielle Allen’s Plus Size Player was a refreshing and empowering read. I loved seeing a confident, independent woman unapologetically take center stage and be celebrated for exactly who she is. The story offers a fun, romantic journey that validates plus-size women as fully worthy of desire, joy, and love—something that is still too rare in mainstream romance.

That said, I did find myself pausing at the repeated moments where the main character faced derogatory comments about her weight. As someone who is not plus-size, I recognize that I may not fully understand the frequency or weight of these experiences in real life. However, it did feel a bit overwhelming that nearly every turn included someone making a rude or backhanded comment—“pretty for a fat girl” being a prime example. While I understand the intention to reflect real bias and microaggressions, it sometimes felt like overkill, and I wondered if it detracted from the strength and joy in the character’s story.

Still, the core message was powerful, and I’m grateful for the perspective this book offered. It reminded me how important representation is—and how necessary it is to hear these stories from voices that live them. A bold, affirming, and much-needed read.

I love everything Danielle Allen writes!! If you loved Curvy Girl Summer this is the perfect follow up. I really enjoy just how contemporary and relatable these stories are. What made this book stand out for me was the plot itself. It reminded me so much of America’s Next Top Model in the early 200s. I was invested in the forbidden romance and seeing the FMC, a full figured Black woman, get her happy ending!

Definitely worth the wait and a top reads of the year for me. Not only is Danielle Allen a master at writing but she’s a master at giving us beautiful outspoken black women FMC that take no bs from anyone. Nina Ford falls in line with the other strong FMC’s . Nina is a plus size model/influencer surrounded by other models society deems deserving of the opportunities Nina is snatching. Nina is constantly tested due to her size and look yet that doesnt phase her from her passions ,goals, and deciding the path she takes when it comes to her love life. I wont spoil the book but just know we call all take a few chapters out of Ninas sexy…very sexy love life.. Danielle Allen has given us another top rated book. Highly recommend.

omg i loved this so much! i loved nina, she's sassy and so unapologetically herself. she's what i strive to be. i love the plus size representation -- i want to see more of it in books! this series is so fun, can't recommend it enough!