A Great Big Love – Book Review
Michelle grew up as an over-weight girl in Miami. Her parents took every chance to speak about her obesity, which was one of the reasons why she shifted from her home. Right from kindergarten she was backed by her best friend, Noel. She always stood for Michelle when anyone joked about her weight. Michelle took her job as Noel’s personal assistant.
Michelle is an unmarried 34 year old. She is great at calculating and sets daily schedules for her best friend. She pretends that her size does not bother her in anyway but deep inside she wishes to reduce her excess weight.
Michelle attends a weight loss support group every morning, led by Janice. A group of overweight people who rant about their size and listening to them makes Michelle feel a lot better. Michelle lost her self control and overate. As a result she collapsed for the second time. Noel rushed to Michelle’s place and took her to the General physician.
A small altercation between Noel and Michelle led to a change in Michelle’s mindset. She decided to lose all her weight and this time no one could stop her. In one of evening sessions of the weight loss support group she happened to meet Don. Don is a crazy person, as soon as he saw Michelle he got attracted to her eyes. A resemblance from his past.
Don gained weight only after a terrible incident in his life. He ate to fill the void in his heart. Don knew he could lose his excess weight but he didn’t have a purpose to. He flirts with Michelle and even sets an one sided date. Since then he appears around Michelle almost every day. He tries so hard to impress Michelle. On the other side Michelle cannot believe a guy has actual interest in her.
She feels Don would distract her from a path to healthy life style. She hides her true feelings for him. She even accuses him for mistakes he never did, with that hurt Don disappears from her life, And now she longs for him.
Will Michelle find Don again ? Will Michelle learn that the numbers on the scale does not define her?
“I’m not blind, Michelle, I see you. I just really like what I see!” – Alona Jarden.
My views
A Great Big Love was a very different read. Real life struggles and self worth was explained in a beautiful manner. Alona has great sense in humour and choice of words. I enjoyed reading some cute conversations in the book.
“I was born with a feminine birth-given right to complain my ass off. You, as a man, have a born right to listen. You can feel sorry for me and say, ‘oh, no, that sounds horrible,’ but you can’t tell me not to complain. That’s just the way nature goes.”
A Great Big Love is divided into 24 chapters. It is written in two point of views in an alternative manner. At first I found it difficult to adapt to the constant switch in Point of views, but later I realised this was done to show the different mindsets of two people who are tubby.
I could relate the story to reality. The characters were real. At times I rolled my eyes at Don, on obsessive he was. I liked Ian, he only gave positive vibes and made everyone feel good about themselves. Michelle feared change and she was never spoke her heart at times. The friendship between Noel and Michelle is very beautiful.
We must be comfortable with ourselves. Self acceptance is a positive message that we can take from this book ❤️
A great big love is a real life love story, which makes it even more better. I loved the ending. It made me so happy.
Plus sized and beautiful. ✅
A Great Read 🌸👍🏼
TITLE : A Great Big Love
AUTHOR : Alona Jarden
GENRE : Contemporary Romance
