I really enjoyed Plus Size Player—it was so much better than the first book. One of the biggest improvements was how fatphobia was handled. It didn’t feel unnecessary or overdone. When it did show up, it actually helped explain Nina’s character and gave insight into her world, rather than just being there for drama.

Nina was super likeable. I loved how clear she was about what she wanted and how she rarely backed down. That kind of confidence is so refreshing to see in a main character. And Russ? I actually loved him. He was such a great match for Nina—confident, supportive, and just really cool. Their dynamic worked so well.

It was just an okay read for me. Somewhere along the way, I got a bit bored. I really struggled to feel any real connection between Nina and Russ—it just wasn’t clicking for me. The drama? Honestly, it felt unnecessary. And the fatphobia/fatshaming? Way too much. I wasn’t expecting to read all that, and I definitely didn’t want to. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I absolutely adored Nina’s story! Plus Size Player is a love letter to all of the unapologetic curvy girlies who go after what they want. Nina is both effervescent and gritty. She pulls no punches are can read a hater for absolute filth! Nina and Russ developed in such an organic and heart tugging way. This is definitely THE black romance of the summer!

Plus Size Player was IT!

I loved Curvy Girl Summer, but I really ached for the fatphobia shown to Aaliyah and how she struggled to grapple with it. Baby, Nina wasn't having NONE of that! I'm paraphrasing what she said: she might be big, but she'll never be the bigger person! When people went low, Nina went to hell. I loved that for her. Nina was smart and confident and knew exactly what she deserved and what she wanted. I loved that she stuck with her roster of mens until she was ready to let them go and not a second sooner. Even the way she pushed back against her mom when it came to her career was very refreshing and unique to her in a way that made me root for her endlessly.

Russ was so bae. He was truly so special. Even when he got on my damn nerves I loved him so very much. I thought Ahmad was the perfect man, but Russ did not play about Nina or people disrespecting her. The way he just wanted to be in her orbit and took what she gave him until he felt like it was the right time to ask for more was delicious. He also had a very tender caregiving side to him that balanced out how assertive and fun he was so I felt like he was very dynamic and balanced so that when he started to panic at a certain point it was clear that it was his panic and anxiety speaking, not him.

This book had me kicking my feet in the air and giggling and cheesing at 3am. I was addicted and read this in one sitting! Danielle Allen is truly one of the funniest authors around right now. She has such a skill for storytelling and creating characters that are very realistic and close to my heart as a plus sized Black woman. This series is one of my favorites of all time!

Thank you so much to Tor Publishing Group, Bramble, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

5 ⭐️s
3.5 🌶️

I'm so glad I haven't read Danielle Allen's first book so I have something to go back. After reading Plus Size Player I NEED more of her writing ASAP! I believe I've found a new auto-buy romance author.

I loved sassy plus size model Nina Ford. She's sexy and not about to let anyone put her down for her size. Russ is the perfect companion for her although there were times that his possessiveness got on my nerves. I did feel that the ending wrapped up a little bit too quickly especially for the potential conflict that was brewing. I look forward to seeing more of Nina and Russ in the next story as side characters. If you couldn't tell Plus Size Player in the second novel in the Curve trilogy by Allen. It can easily be read as a stand alone, as I did. I'm looking forward to going back to Curvy Girl Summer and reading Aaliyah's story. I can't wait for the trilogy to conclude in 2026, but I really hope this trilogy isn't the last we hear from Allen.

Thank you to Bramble (via Tor) and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

5 very enthusiastic stars for Plus Size Player!!! I love this world & friend group Danielle Allen has created! Nina's personality was so vibrant and I loved reading from the POV of a character who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go out and get it. Also fun to get more of a gender swap in the role of the player here, as we love women in male fields etc.

Danielle Allen's voice is fresh and fun and better than ever, and this spicy romcom is the perfect summer read.

my friends call you which one🙂‍↕️ and he makes her see stars on the first date which is on a helicopter first 3 chapter. this book was everything i needed and more. danielle allen never fails to impress me and ill be forever sad i don’t have a russ 🫠 or where to don’t one. even if having the same confidence as nina

Danielle Allen does it again. Plus Size Player is a celebration—of confidence, self-love, body positivity, and what it means to be the main character in your own damn story. This book is a slow burn in terms of romance, but don’t be fooled—there’s plenty of action along the way.

At first, I found myself wondering, “Okay, where is this going?” But if you know Danielle, you know to trust the process. And she delivers. The characters are deeply developed, their vulnerabilities feel honest, and their chemistry is both believable and hot.

The protagonist is everything I want in a lead: bold, funny, unapologetically herself, and navigating life with the kind of mishaps that make you laugh out loud but also root hard for her. The result is a story that feels grounded and empowering, while still bringing the heat.

If you're here for stories that center plus-size women as sexy, complex, and deserving of love without compromise—this one is for you.

I was really interested in the premise of this, but unfortunately the execution fell a bit flat. The story felt like it was more plot than anything else and the writing was very repetitive.

I love Russ and Nina together even though she fought her true feelings for him right until the end. I think that this was even better than Aaliyah’s book. Nothing but grown and sexy vibes.

I hate yall had to wait until today to get your hands on Danielle Allen’s Plus Size Player.

I was blessed to receive an ARC from NetGalley and Bramble Romance. I LOVE that this book takes place at the same time as Curvy Girl Summer. I enjoyed having both sides to the conversations/situations between the girls.

I was grinning and rubbing my feet together from beginning to end. Nina was self assured and knew not only what she deserved but exactly what she wanted. With that I say Nina, you better get your man! I ain’t want to hear about no one but the fun one! I love a man that leads with action and not just words. Russ was very intentional about Nina and the way he was written secured his status as a top tier book boyfriend.

If you’re looking for a feel good romance, with plenty spice, a confident plus size fashionista, supportive community and a swoon worthy man this is the story for you. Run to your nearest book seller and secure your copy today!! I cannot recommend this book enough. I give it 5 stars, 5 chili peppers and stamp it as one of your top reads this year.

A huge thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an early access copy to read. I knew when I read Curvy Girl Summer and was introduced to Nina that she was a real one. Nina Ford is everything I dream to become! She is confident, proud, a true friend and confidant, she knows her worth and will correct you if make a sly remark about her body. I’m so glad that we as the reader were allowed to see her day to day life as an influencer. Her body positivity was so beautiful to read. I love the relationship she has with her parents and especially the sage advice her mom gave her. I loved seeing Nina’s progression to being the ultimate player and thought at the time she needed four men to equal the perfect man. Then to see Nina wrestle with that thought of one being “the one” because all she thought she needed and was looking for was in him.
This book had me smiling every time I sat down to read, I giggled, I kicked my feet and oh man, the spice was spicy with a capital S! I don’t think I’ll read another romance book that made me feel like this one! Ms. Allen set the bar high with this one!

✨QUICK SYNOPSIS: Nina (Aaliyah’s best friend from “Curvy Girl Summer”) is a 30 year old plus size model and social media influencer. She is currently dating several men at once. She has never had one man who was everything she needed until she spends more time with Mr. Russell Long.

✨MY FAVORITE QUOTE: “When I say you’re my escape, I mean my freedom. When I say you’re my escape, I mean I can be myself with you. When I say you’re my escape, I mean that whenever and wherever we’re together, it’s the only place I want to be.”

✨MY THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this book and it’s probably my favorite book of the series so far. I love how confident Nina is. Mr. Russell Long is a good man Savannah! That man stepped down from his position to be with her 🥺 I gave the book 4/5 ⭐️. This book releases tomorrow, June 10th.

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to Bramble Romance for the e-ARC.

I really enjoyed this! This is a slooooww burn, in terms of relationship but action is definitely happening in the process! Russ was everything! I loved him so much as a MMC. Admittedly, in the beginning, I wondered ok where is this going. There is some fat shaming and it bothered me. Although it’s not my personal experience, I don’t like to see people, especially women mistreated in anyway. In my mind I’m like are people really this nasty and rude??? And the answer is yes! I enjoyed how Danielle Allen used this as an opportunity for body positivity. Nina was a strong, confident, and fierce FMC. I can’t stand a weak FMC and Nina was everything but weak. I was rooting for Nina ans Russ the whole time and was glad they found a way to make their love work for them.

This is the second book, in an interconnected standalone series. I did NOT read Curvy Girl Summer and I didn’t feel lost. So for anyone else who wants to read this, and hasn’t read Curvy Girl, I think it’d be perfectly fine to do so, though I always recommend reading books in order for a better experience! I will definitely be reading Book 3 when it comes out and circling back for Curvy Girl Summer

First of all, can we talk about representation? A plus-size Black woman as the confident, sexy lead? Yes, ma’am! I was here for every second of it. The chemistry between the main characters was 🔥—fun, playful, and full of tension that actually built instead of rushing straight to the spice (which was so freaking good, by the way).

What I loved most was how the book showed body confidence without turning it into the WHOLE “issue.” The heroine knows she’s fine, she knows her worth, and that energy? Inspiring. The romance felt real, the banter was on point, and there were moments that legit had me smiling at the pages like a goofball.

So why 4 stars instead of 5? A few parts felt a little predictable, like I saw some of the twists and emotional beats coming a mile away. But honestly, I am not a romance girlie so take that with a grain of salt!

Honestly, this book was amazing. It was funny, romantic, and sexy in all the best ways! I love reading romance novels about nuanced and complicated female characters like Nina. Nina is a woman who knows exactly what she wants, she has a beautiful and edgy spirit to her, and doesn’t care anything about other opinions of her and how she lives her life! She doesn’t necessarily care about finding the love of her life and getting settled down, more so about getting what she wants from every interaction she has with men which is very exciting. Nina definitely gives me rich auntie vibes. I personally feel las if her and Russell are a match made in heaven, he’s definitely the type of man she should’ve been seeking out the entire time! I enjoy that we are getting so many novels in 2025 about black women being loved so profoundly and aggressively innocence, it’s truly a beautiful thing to witness. Loved this book!

Player, No More!

Nina Ford had a particular set of expectations when it came to her social life. Her dating roster consisted of four candidates, whose combined personalities would make them the perfect man to settle down with. And that’s the last thing a player wants right? She also didn’t count on Russ Long, who from the start, put that roster theory to the test with every well executed gesture! This was an entertaining read that brought comedy, conflict, a few twists and a whole lot of heat as we got an up close view in the life of a social media content creator, turned plus model fashionista. Looking forward to Jazmyn's story to wrap up the Curve series! Danielle Allen's debut in the traditional publishing arena has been an epic success!

"Plus Size Player" is such a refreshing and fun read! Nina is a confident, complex, and relatable main character, and I loved how the story explored modern relationships in a way that felt both real and empowering. Danielle Allen’s writing is smooth, witty, and full of charm, making it easy to get lost in the story. The chemistry between the characters is great, and I appreciated the way the book celebrates self-love and confidence. This book got me out of a reading slump and I couldn’t put it down! If you're looking for a romance with heart, humor, and a heroine who knows her worth, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group and Bramble, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

This was one of my anticipated reads for the year and it didn’t disappoint me at all. (I lowkey love it even more than the first and I loved the first one BAD!)

Nina is a noncommittal dater. She has different men that satisfy her different needs and interests and is content with her rotation. She is a confident fashion influencer with a large following and gets an opportunity to work with a brand as a model.

I love how Danielle Allen writes her plus size characters. Nina doesn’t stand for the fatphobic comments, is confident in herself, knows her worth, and is genuinely respected and loved on, not fetishized. The side characters have slick things to say, but she delivers it right back and doesn’t dwell on it.

I enjoyed her relationship with her parents, especially her mom. They’re supportive for the most part, and she has a great relationship with them. Her mom is supportive and delivers some gems about life and love throughout the story.

Nina is so funny and quick witted. The MMC is thoughtful and just as funny, matching her energy, and I loved them both, separately and together. Their relationship is steamy and seeing their feelings deepen was everything. They’re my new favorite couple and my new favorites individually at the moment.

I loved how her friend group was weaved into the story and how it was timed to the events of the first one. It was cool reading about their friendship from a different POV.

I loved the pacing and where the story went. Half of the fun for me was not being sure of where it was going, because once it got there 😮‍💨. It’s why I’m not going into much detail about the MMC, even though he’s top tier!!!

Read for:

📷 Plus Size FMC

📷 Black leads

📷 Open Door

📷 She has a roster

📷 Single POV

📷 She is a fashion influencer

OVERALL

Overall, I give this a 5 out of 5 stars. If you can’t tell, I loved everything about it and I’m so excited for the next one.

Let me tell you about Ms. Nina Ford…..

I was blessed to receive an ARC of Plus Size Player by THEE Danielle Allen and her team at Bramble a few months ago. I was first introduced to Nina last summer in Curvy Girl Summer. From the first chapter in CGS Nina was my girl! Sis was sassy, sexy and spicy. I was excited to get to know her better!

Nina is a BOSS! She knows what she wants in a man and has no problem getting it from more than one, if that’s what it takes. She loves the dating game and is dominating. Like me, her girls are loving the stories and experiences Nina is having in the dating game. She has a man to entertain her every mood whether it is romance, intelligence, humor or just plain ole FUN!

Danielle has pinned another banger! She never disappoints and always empowers women of color! I am so in love with Nina. She is funny, stylish, beautiful and the homegirl every girl needs. She has no problems checking a h** for disrespect either! Nina is a curvy girl and can pull your man, his man and THAT man!!! And can’t a b**** in this world can take her man!!!

“The only thing you could take from me is notes.”
-Nina Ford

This is going to be a summer fav.

Not only is Nina thriving in her dating life, she has just signed a major deal as a brand ambassador with a major upcoming brand. She is a plus sized model that has social media on fire. Her sense of style and confidence caught the eye of Lori and has gotten her added her to the team of RL Fashions.

Nina always kept her professional life separate from her dating life, so running into the “fun” one at an event for RLF was shocking. Nina was there with the “romantic” one but would have rather been there with him! They both kept it cute as they were there for business! They knew they would see each other at the end of the night. What they didn’t know was, their careers in the industry would complicate their union.

Hours before Nina reported to her first day on the job, she had decided to exclusively be with Russ, the “fun” one. He had asked her to be his and she said yes! This was a big deal for Nina, she was leading with her heart.

But due to her type of work and Russ always on the road with work they both realized it would be challenging to be together.

Russ is a staple in the entertainment industry and Nina was an upcoming super model. As difficult as it was, both Nina and Russ understood that just as quickly as they became official, they weren’t.

Nina and Russ value their careers and reputations. And they vow to not let anything jeopardize all they have worked for.

Russ is determined to keep his image clean and Nina doesn’t want her hard work to be mistaken for privilege of being with a BOSS like Russ. She was THAT girl before she ever knew Russ, but the world of social media would never believe it.

Pick up Plus Size Player to see if Nina and Russ can fight the desires of their heart and keep it professional, or will they give in and follow their hearts and not let the stigmas of the entertainment business keep them apart.