After loving Curvy Girl Summer, I was excited to dive into Plus Size Player—and it absolutely delivered! Danielle Allen has a gift for writing confident, relatable characters with heart and heat.

Nina is bold, fun, and living life on her terms. I loved her unapologetic attitude and how she embraced her power and curves. The dating roster concept was entertaining, but it was clear from early on that Russ was different. Their chemistry was chef’s kiss, and I found myself rooting for them from the start. It was no surprise (but very satisfying!) to see them grow into something real.

What I appreciated most was how the story balanced romance, career ambition, and body positivity. Nina’s journey as a plus-size influencer felt fresh and empowering without being preachy. The spice? Just enough to make you blush and keep flipping the pages.

If you’re into flirty, feel-good romances with confident women and swoony men, this one’s for you!

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the gifted copy!

ARC Recieved: NetGalley
Publishing Date: June 10, 2025

Why 4.5 instead of 5? A couple pacing moments where I wanted just a little more emotional build-up, but that’s me being picky. I still devoured this in one sitting and grinned the whole way through. If you're looking for a romance that’s sexy, smart, and full of unapologetic Black joy, Plus Size Player is it.
Plus Size Player is Danielle Allen doing what she does best: giving us a heroine who knows what she wants, a hero who matches her energy, and a romance that sizzles while still feeling real and grounded. Nina Ford is confident, funny, and refreshingly self-assured. Watching her navigate career goals, complicated dating dynamics, and unexpected emotions was a joy.

The banter? Sharp.
The spice? Top-tier.
The chemistry? Immediate and undeniable.
And the representation? Chef’s kiss.

"I might be fat, but I'll never be the bigger person." IKTR!!

The Curve series from Danielle Allen continues in this second book where we follow Nina who enjoys dating & keeps a roster of men as she's not sure if just ONE man could satisfy all her requirements. She's having a good time and I related a lot to her viewpoint on dating as I felt the same way when I was in the dating world. Get what you want from multiple men until the one that may have it all finds you.

I loved her parents and the relationship she had with them as well as their marriage dynamic. Her parents' interaction was so cute. It's always great to get a healthy couple dynamic and see some Black love with them just enjoying each other. Also, it was refreshing that Nina's parents weren't pushing her to settle down.

Back to Nina! She is hilarious, very confident and a goal getter! I laughed out loud a lot with this book. I also probably needed a fan throughout because the chemistry and spice is amazing! It gets hot while reading this one (especially with the audiobook). All right, helicopter scene! Not giving any spoilers, but I will say that the man who becomes her main character is someone easy to fall in love with as a reader. The strength and assurance that he exudes just makes you want to root for him.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend it. Now I can't wait to read about Jazz!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC!

Plus Size Players follows Nina’s quest to find love. She believes she cannot possibly find everything she needs in a single man so she is actively dating and has en massed a rotation of men. There is one particular man, Russell, the fun one, who she can’t resist. Their chemistry is off the charts! The spice is off the charts! And now she is conflicted on whether she wants to pursue a relationship with him and drop her rotation or continue on dating!

Fun and Flirty, Plus-Size Player continues to impress after the first in the series, Curvy Girl Summer. Nina and Russ are spark from the beginning. This fast-passed romance will have you hooked from the first chapter.

Okay this was a hard one, I was into it but also foudn the lead characters incredibily frustrating and naive

This book was such a fun read! The narration was phenomenal! Nina is the plus size player who is also a model. She is at the cusp of getting everything she has ever wanted career-wise. She also has a nice rotation of men who meet her various needs. The fun one, the romantic one, the smart one. From the start the chemistry between Nina and Russ, the fun one, sizzles! Their relationship builds into a passionate romance that feels both steamy and genuine. The spicy scenes are so well-crafted, striking a perfect balance between sensual and emotional connection.

I was so excited to receive an ARC of this audiobook from NetGalley! Wesleigh bodied this audio & made the story come to life!

I loved how the book started out with Nina playing the field & truly being confident in herself, her dating life & career but it was easy to see why Russ earned the top spot of the roster, he was everything you want in a MMC. He was thoughtful, intentional, charming & romantic. The 🚁 scene- woo chile! You could feel their passion and chemistry through out the whole book!

Nina was unapologetic, witty & steadfast in her approach to dating & it was refreshing to see she was a plus size woman that had a healthy dating life & was admired by men that others deemed she was not worthy of due to her size. I love that her size never played as a negative with any of the men she had “on the roster.”

The only ick was the constant fat shaming comments by insignificant characters. It felt forced to drive home the fact that she was plus size but that was already understood and so it felt over kill.

Overall I loved It!

Danielle Allen delivers a confident, sexy, and empowering story with Plus Size Player. What I loved most was the boldness of the FMC. She knows who she is, owns every room she walks into, and isn’t afraid to prioritize herself. She has options and she knows it, but that doesn’t stop her from being serious about her career and open to real love.

This story isn’t about settling. It’s about choosing. Watching a plus-size Black woman be both desired and decisive was refreshing. The chemistry, the ambition, the balance of heart and heat? Chef’s kiss.

If you’re into stories where the main character is confident, career-focused, and still makes room for love that meets her standards, this one’s for you.

When I first started Curvy Girl Summer, by this same author, I had a hard time because of the body shaming. Friends convinced me to continue reading and I’m so glad I did because it made me such a huge fan of Danielle Allen! Plus Size Player was just as good! The audio was amazing and Wesleigh Siobhan was amazing per usual at bringing smut to life. I was locked in from the beginning. Great read!

Plus Size Playa was such a fun, confident, and empowering read! I loved seeing a plus-size character living her best life, owning her story, and embracing love and happiness without apology. The humor, heart, and authenticity in this book made it impossible to put down. It was refreshing to see body positivity celebrated in such a real and relatable way. If you’re looking for a feel-good story that will leave you smiling and rooting for the main character, Plus Size Playa is definitely one to add to your list!

We meet Nina, a confident woman, who is confident no singular man can satisfy every need of hers, having a roster of men that creates a perfect man. Nina is plus-sized, and knows she’s a catch, but she’s struggling with accepting that one of these men is perfect for her, beyond what she wants to admit. Nina and Russell’s chemistry is on fire. You are rooting for both of these characters, and you get caught up in their journey, and Nina’s journey. Their love is strong and their pull towards each other is magnetic. The narrator is amazing and brings the story to life, sometimes I feel audiobooks take away from the book, but this narrator definitely adds to the experience of the book.

Danielle Allen scores big with *Plus Size Player*—a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that serves heart, heat, and hilarious banter in equal measure. This book is an absolute joyride, especially for readers who love strong, confident plus-size heroines taking center stage in stories that celebrate their beauty, wit, and worth.

The story follows a curvy, no-nonsense leading lady who isn't here for games—unless, of course, it involves a certain swoon-worthy athlete who unexpectedly catches her attention. What follows is a flirty, slow-burn romance full of comedic mishaps, spicy chemistry, and refreshing honesty about body image and self-love.

Allen’s writing is smart, sassy, and brimming with charm. She doesn’t just give us a romance—she gives us **representation**. The plus-size heroine isn’t a sidekick or a comic relief character; she’s the star. She’s sexy, confident, and fully developed (pun intended), and her relationship isn’t about “settling” or “overcoming” her body—it’s about being adored exactly as she is.

The **humor** in this book is a standout. From witty dialogue to playful teasing between love interests, the book never takes itself too seriously—but still knows how to hit emotional beats when it counts. And the chemistry? Off the charts. This isn't just a fluffy rom-com; it’s a full-on, feel-good celebration of love, laughter, and living unapologetically.

In Summary:
*Plus Size Player* is a refreshing, sexy, and side-splitting romance that proves plus-size girls can be the stars of their own swoony, steamy, laugh-out-loud love stories. Danielle Allen delivers a rom-com that is both empowering and endlessly entertaining. If you're looking for a feel-good read with body positivity and big laughs, this one’s a must.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC of Plus Size Player

Plus Size Player was one of my most anticipated reads for the year after hearing about it and boy did it give everything it needed to give!! Now, I hadn’t read the first book in the series, nor had I read a Danielle Allen book before this one, but man am I glad that I had the opportunity for this to be my first because it truly set the standard!

Nina was such an unapologetically body positive individual, and I love how that was portrayed throughout the book as well as how drive she was in her profession. She never let the haters get to her and stood all ten toes on her beliefs.

This book was also very spicy. The scene was well-written and honestly felt real. Nina and Russ were such a lot match in my opinion

My only real complaints about the book are the unsolicited body shaming that happens multiple times in the book. I totally get that this does happen to individuals but the number of times it happens to Nina, especially from random strangers, was just triggering for me.

One of the main highlights of this story for me was the audiobook narrator. Wesleigh Siobhan did an absolutely stellar job bringing this story to life and made this book so much more enjoyable.

Humorous and witty! Danielle Allen has done it again. Plus Size Player “plays” on none of the tropes usually associated with a plus size heroine. She isn’t sad about her size nor are her friends and family down on her about accepting any/all suitors because of it. Instead she’s a model who dates multiple people (to fit her needs for fun, intellect,  humor and, ambition) and is clear about what she will and won’t accept. 

Russell’s “the fun one” but wants to punch more holes on her dance card than she might be ready for. Russell is definitely #mymanmymanmyman worthy. 

I loved this second book in Curve series and the narrator Wesleigh Siobhan didn’t miss! I look forward to book #3.

Thanks to NetGalley for this e-arc (audiobook). Book drops June 10 2025.

This was a follow up to Cury Girl Summer. Now I didn’t read book 1 (went back to read once I finished) but this story was so well written you didn’t need to, to understand what was happening.
Great examples of healthy dating, healthy friendships, great work life balance Nina was winning. She had her future ahead of her and love wasn’t on her agenda until it was. The dynamics between her and one of her causal relationships took a turn down that relationship road. She took the leap she was avoiding with the “fun one” until life gave them a hand they couldn’t hide from. This book was such a good read.

Loved, loved, loved Nina & Russ! It felt like I was a true witness in watching their love story unfold! I loved watching Nina develop and I love the way Russ showed up !

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgally for the ALC of Plus Size Player.

This book was so spicy and funny and I loved it. Russ loved him some Nina in all the right ways. The plus size representation was also refreshing and realistic because people do act some type of way when bigger bodies enter the chat!

Oh and the narrator Wesleigh Siobhan, rent was due because she is the only one that could have brought this story to life.

This is my 2nd Danielle Allen book since I read Curvy Girl Summer first and I can't wait to read more.

4.5 🌟's

I would die for Nina.

I love this series and just had the best time reading this! This was SPICY, and even though semi in-public spice is not typically my thing, it all worked here!

Nina and Russ were such a joy to read about. I love how fearless she is and how she doesn't let anyone bring her down. There are so many books about plus size characters that make them seem sad, and the fact that Nina has so much self love and has men falling over themselves for her is exactly the type of plus sized representation I want all books to have. She and Russ had such great chemistry, and I was rooting for them the entire time.

My biggest gripe is just on a personal level. I work with a lot of apparel brands, and I have never seen any brand function the way RLF does! Of course this is fiction and it doesn't actually matter, but it was hard not to be distracted by how ridiculous this company was.

I do think I still like Curvy Girl Summer a bit better, but this was a great follow up. I am patiently waiting for book 3 now!

This book right here!!! The audiobook had me laughing, grinning, and blushing. The way the story unfolded captured my attention fully. The banter between Nina, Russ and the other characters was beautiful crafted.

Nina’s confidence and determination to continue living her life her way made her relatable and just a joy. Russ will make you swoon!

The narrator captured the essence of Nina and was able to bring the story to life. Danielle Allen truly knows how to craft a hot, funny, and entertaining story!

Thank you so much Net Galley, Danielle Allen, and McMillan Audio for an ALC of this phenomenal story!