It may have surprised some of my readers that I chose to begin my new Romance in Rehoboth series with Fat Girl, which is a lot different from The Flip. But I figured, why not? The books take place in the same area (Rehoboth Beach, Delaware) and feature a feisty, independent heroine alongside a hero who is actually a nice guy for a change (in contrast to those angsty alpha males who hide all their feelings and whom the heroine has to fix).
But then I got to thinking about it and realized there's another connection: The Flip has a #bodypositive message, just like Fat Girl.
Sure Sonnet Jayne is no plus-size heroine, BUT --
She used to be chubby when she was a pre-teen and teen, and now she's an exercise-obsessed vegan who is really worried about maintaining her svelte figure.
Anyone who has immersed themselves in diet culture knows there's a dark side to it. Preying on (mostly) women with low self-esteem and poor body image, the diet industry has a vested interest in making us feel unworthy. Do you think they want us to spend money on their products because they CARE about us? Uh, no. They care about making money, just like every other business in existence.
I'm not saying exercise is bad. Or that eating healthy isn't the way to go. No, they're both good things, actually.
But if you can't enjoy a meal out with friends, or you constantly stress over missing a workout, or you body-shame yourself when you gain a few pounds, then NEWSFLASH: that is NOT a healthy mindset.
Believe it or not, there are a lot worse things to be than overweight. But that's not what society would have you believe.
Andrew implores Sonnet to relax and let her body do its thing. He introduces her to a certain character you may remember named Claire Sterling, who is (after her journey in the book Fat Girl) a proud, unashamed plus-size woman. Andrew helps Sonnet see that there's so much more to life than worrying about her weight.
It's not just plus-size women who struggle with their weight or their self-image. Women of ALL shapes and sizes do, even ones with fit figures like Sonnet.
So -- is The Flip a body positive book? I'd like to think so. And starting on July 20th, you can "weigh in" and let me know your thoughts. Pre-order it here: ---> Bit.ly/TheFlipBook
