Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen
When I tell you this is the perfect beach read, I’m not exaggerating. You know those coveted moments when a book grabs a hold of you and grips you tight enough to fall into it, but somehow not as tight so that you can at least put it down for nuisances like adulting? lol That is what Curvy Girl Summer was for me. Whenever I picked up the book, whether on the beach, on the road, between work, or winding down from a long day, I seamlessly fell back into the story, characters, and plot. It was simultaneously a balm, hug, and the best type of TV show wrapped into about 350 pages.
Curvy Girl Summer is marketed as Bridget Jones meets Insecure. However since I’ve never really gotten into those movies, I think its more of Insecure meets Survival of the Thickest– the tv show on Netflix by Michelle Buteau.
The first chapter starts off with a bang 🥵😏🔥 and it hooked me. But there are quite a few reasons why this book has become an instant favorite.
Excellent MCs: Aaliyah and Ahmad, both individually and together are engaging, relatable, witty, hilarious–seriously I just about cracked up every time they had one of their verbal sparring matches– and so much more.
Aaliyah is a firecracker. She’s dealing with so much of what I know most Black women in their late 20s and early 30s are going through. I made a joke recently that I need these authors to stop writing my story without my permission. But what I truly appreciate about Aaliyah is how I relate to her so well. Whether it was dealing with loss and grief, being a plus-sized woman, the atrocities that is dating especially using those apps, or the complicated feelings that come from being a part of a complicated family, there’s so much about her that really resonated with me.
Then there’s Ahmad. He is somewhat of a mystery for the majority of the story. The mystery though is part of the reason I was hooked into the story from the first few chapters. But his personality shone throughout that mystery time and time again. I love how Allen smoothly introduces us to him. I’m also a sucker for authentic/accidental meet cutes lol
The Friendships: Aaliyah’s best friends Nina and Jazmyn were everything I love to read about Black women's friendship in books. In so many ways I saw my friendship groups. In fact, I was telling my sister the other day how much I saw her, our best friend, and I in all three characters. I love their humor and wit, how they support one another, and I lived for their sharp tongues when necessary.
Then there was Ahmad’s friends Leon and Darius. Let me tell you I cackled throughout all of their shenanigans lol But I loved how they brought Aaliyah into their fold, how they stayed down for their boy. Although we only get a chance to see them in really good and high moments, it is easy to intuit not only how strong their bond is but how much they support each other.
Other side characters - really only one in particular, Asia, Ahmad’s sister. Loved her, the end lol
Romance: Aaliyah and Ahmad definitely made us work for their romance. You know when you’re watching a show or a movie knowing the characters are end game but the characters are just to blind to it? So then you’re screaming at them to just get it together already? Well honey that’s exactly what you get with these two. They surely got on my damn nerves at some points but I also lived for the tension. However, the best and most important thing about their romance is their friendship. The way they cracked on each other, opened up to one another, and became each other’s safe haven, really set the foundation for when both of them *cough Aaliyah* got out of their own way and accepted their feelings. Not to mention the covert pining on Aaliyah’s end and the overt attraction on Ahmad’s lol
Normally I prefer a dual POV when reading romance. However, I’m glad that we were solely in Aaliyah’s POV. As aforementioned, Ahmad was a bit of a mystery throughout the book. And I know trying to figure him out helped keep my interest.
Notes on Grief: Now y’all know I’m no stranger to grief. After my dad passed, I was desperate for more books that truly showcased the dark side of grief. However, with books like CGS I am once again reminded that grief is not always so heavy, and that we truly aren’t alone. Both Aaliyah and Ahmad are dealing with their own journeys in the book. And it was good to see them maneuver and support each other in real and lighthearted ways.
Fatphobia: Now you know there was no way we’d get a book with a plus-size MC and not deal with fatphobia right? Some scenes, chapters, and characters truly upset me – I’m staring directly at you Chapter 10 and Uncle Al— there is something to be said about the genuine and authentic experience of being not only plus size but a confidant, Black, plus size woman. Being that Aaliyah and I wear similar sizes and that, solely based on the on the cover, have a similar body type, I won’t lie it was hard to read some of the filth thrown at her and it was even harder not to take it personally. Because although I’ve experienced my fair share of fatphobic comments, it has not been to the degree that Aaliyah did. But the backhanded comments, the audacity of men, and the caucasity of a few other characters got my blood boiling. However, that experience is true and I for one believe that books should showcase these hard conversations.
There’s so much more that I want to share but then I’d be treading in the spoiler waters and I certainly don’t want that lol
Overall if you haven’t figured it out yet I loved and highly recommend this book!