Author: Jen Lancaster
Publisher: NAL Trade
Goodreads Summary:
A Note from Jen Lancaster: To whom the fat rolls…-I'm tired of books where a self-loathing heroine is teased to the point where she starves herself skinny in hopes of a fabulous new life. And I hate the message that women can't possibly be happy until we all fit into our skinny jeans. I don't find these stories uplifting; they make me want to hug these women and take them out for fizzy champagne drinks and cheesecake and explain to them that until they figure out their insides, their outsides don't matter. Unfortunately, being overweight isn't simply a societal issue that can be fixed with a dose healthy of positive self-esteem. It’s a health matter, and here on the eve of my fortieth year, I've learned I have to make changes so I don't, you know, die. Because what good if finally being able to afford a pedicure if I lose a foot to adult onset diabetes?"
My thoughts:
Another book that made me laugh - this has been the time frame of humorous books for me, apparently. Lancaster's style was easy to read, and genuinely funny. Having just read Kargman's Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut, the differences in style and characters were so distinct! While Kargman had no compunction about using certain words, Jen spelled out any words that related to S-E-X or being N-A-K-E-D. It was like going from New Orleans to Disney World (which I actually did, on my honeymoon-worlds of difference in one trip).
I liked how Jen didn't want to really lose weight - she was happy with herself the way she was. She had great self-esteem and confidence, yet realized she was not the most healthy of individuals. I think she is relatable to most people, or at least anyone who has embarked on a weight loss journey and tried one or two of the different diets out there - I know that I have done quite a few of the things mentioned in the book myself! Throughout the book, Jen struggles, then gets serious, and then loses some serious weight.
I didn't like all the footnotes, and I had a hard time (still do) with the fact that this seems like a fiction book but is a memoir? A fictionalized account of the author's life? I am still slightly confused on this, I hate to admit. I also did not realize this was part of a series, but I never felt that I was missing anything not having read the books that came before this one.
My conclusion? Easy, fun read, with a pretty relatable character.
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