Review: Big Girl Panties – Stephanie Evanovich

They say that big girls don’t cry. But when the chips are down and the dip is gone, what can you do? Pull up your BIG GIRL PANTIES and change your life.

Holly Brennan didn’t expect to be a widow at thirty-two. She also didn’t expect to be so big. Through her husband Bruce’s diagnosis and death, food was the one thing she could always count on. Now, those extra pounds make flying coach more than a little mortifying-especially since she’s sitting next to Adonis himself, aka Logan Montgomery, a personal trainer to the country’s most famous pro athletes.

Though Holly doesn’t make the grade on his first-impression meter, Logan finds himself intrigued by her sharp wit and keen insight-a welcome change from the beautiful bubble-headed dolls he usually dates-and impulsively offers to get her back in shape. Ready to make at least one positive change in her life, Holly agrees.

To Logan’s (and her own) surprise, Holly turns out to be a natural in the gym. Throwing herself into exercise, the red head with the blazing wit and welcoming smile slims down into a bonafide looker with killer curves-and a new kind of hunger. Soon, the easy intimacy and playful banter of their training sessions lead Logan and Holly into the bedroom where they share their most intense and steamy workouts yet.

But can a man whose whole life depends on looks commit himself to a woman who doesn’t fit his image? Now that Holly’s turning other men’s heads, does she even need Logan anymore? Are they a couple built to last . . . or is this sizzling affair going to burn out fast?

Series:
Release Date: July 9, 2013
Publisher: William Marrow
Source: Edelweiss
Reviewer:  Shannon
Rating:

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Reviewer’s Thoughts

When I started this one, I immediately starting thinking this was similar to HE LOVES LUCY  by Susan Donovan (which I absolutely adore).  But Stephanie Evanovich take a little bit different turn in this ugly duckling (even though Holly doesn’t like that term) turned swan story.

Logan Montgomery, personal trainer to many of today’s top athletes, meets Holly Brennan on a flight home from Toronto.  He has some rather nasty inner monologue comments about Holly as he spies her coming down the aisle towards the middle seat open next to him, but he soon finds himself offer up his services to the woman who needs a little help getting herself on the right track.  Over the course of several months, Logan not only helps Holly with her fitness, the two of them become integral parts of each others lives…something Logan has been trying to avoid.

The writing style for this one take a little getting used to.  It’s told in the third person POV, but there weren’t logical breaks where you would know that another character was talking.  It could get a bit confusing.

I liked the story, but the characters weren’t a bunch that I really liked all that much.  Logan could be on overbearing or inconsiderate ass (or sometimes both of those things at the same time).  Holly flirted between being depressing, whiny or a way over the top bitch.  And then there was Tina, Andrea and Chase.  I couldn’t decide if I liked Tina or not and there were times where the Walkers just got on my nerves.

I liked most of the book, but I wished the characters could have been a little bit more redeeming at the end to make the HEA worth it.