Muffin Top (A BBW Romantic Comedy)

Loved it. Made me aware of some of my own baggage

I loved it. A BBW romance where the female doesn’t go hating herself the entire story. She’s fierce! And her match is a big bear. And together they get their happily ever after.

Loved this book!

Great great story loved it all!!! Loving the whole series

I adored this book. Muffin Top was what I think of as a “best friend book.” The type of book that I will most likely pick back up often, and tell everyone I know about. While it was fun and full of the witty dialogue I love, it also had advice and encouragement that I think we can all use once in a while. Frankie and Lucy’s story had that little extra something that will stick with me. That little something that reminds me I’m awesome. That we all are. If you are looking for something sassy, fun, and full of characters you never want to part from, definitely check out this book. The sparks flying between Lucy and Frankie alone are enough of a reason to give it a shot.

Muffin Top by Avery Flynn is the second book in her heartwarming and real Hartigans series. This is Frankie Hartigan and Lucy Kavanagh's story. Frankie is the oldest of the many Hartigan siblings. A firefighter and a hot hunk of hero. Forced to take some of his allotted time off instead of continually letting it build up to keep himself busy, he has no idea what to do with himself for three entire weeks. When a chance encounter at their local bar drops him into a conversation with his brother's girl's best friend, Lucy - he is amazed at how simple the conversation is. How casual and easy. With no immediate plans to try and bed the girl, and with her take no crap laid-back attitude, he is actually enjoying a conversation with a person of the opposite sex. He would even say they could be friends. Shocker. Lucy is a curvy girl and is has zero problems with her body. When Frankie Hartigan inserts himself into her High School reunion week events back in her home town she doesn't know what happened or why she's allowing hi to go, but there's just something about him. At worst she can ogle him for the week. But what starts out as friends ends up as much more. Between his instinctual chivalry and her take no crap attitude they're a kick-butt team. Lucy has her issues and they get in the way of her realizing what the situation actually is without her perception filtering it into something it's not. Frankie is awesome. Cannot wait for more Hartigan crazy. Up Next, Tomboy. Enjoy!

If you haven't read Butterface (why the heck haven't you?!?!) you can read this one, I STRONGLY suggest you read it before Muffin Top, but they’re both standalones. Read! If you did read it, this is the story of Lucy, Gina’s best friend. She doesn’t do or have anything small, she has a big personality, an even bigger rack and she is a plus size women. When she was at a bar waiting for Gina, a guy comes up and suggest that if she was eating a salad, she might improve from a 5 to an 8. Now, let’s be honest here… it doesn’t matter if you’re ok with your size, when someone points out that you are fat and it’s something you have been dealing with it your whole life it’s something that is going to bother you A LOT. Fortunately Frankie Hartigan appears and saves the day, because well, you know when you encounter a person like that on the street when you are doing your business without bothering anyone, it can definitely rend you speechless. So, Frankie sits with her and they share a lovely meal, he realizes that this was the first time he has had a conversation with a girl without trying to get laid. The most girly part of me is offended by that, but the feminist in me is happy that this story is not just about the looks. So… she ends up telling him that she is planning to go to her reunion but she isn’t that sure that she should go, I mean, to relive the bullying? No thank you! But he practically invites himself to the reunion and she just goes along with it, they travelled in a car for almost two days to get to Lucy’s house. And that’s the beginning of the book. I loved that Lucy was so down to earth, I mean she was far from perfect but it was so easy to relate to her, at least to me. I had have problems with my weight my whole life, the feeling that you get when someone asks you: “are you sure you want to eat that?” it’s awful and it never goes away, even when you know they are not saying it in a bad or offensive way, it’s an everyday struggle. I loved the way Lucy was portrayed in the book, what you will or just read in the book is real, those are the feelings that you get. I loved the insecurities that she had, because it was in a way about her, but also about what Frankie would want and that’s a really mature thinking. So often you read a book about “fat characters” that are describe as if they were teenagers, and those situations are not only for them, the adults also struggle about it. Now Frankie… OMG!! I just loved him so much!! I love that this book wasn’t insta-love, they first got to know each other BEFORE he developed feelings for her. He started to feel a physical attraction to her when he REALLY looked at her for the first time, but it wasn’t just about that you know? That was awesome and it’s not every day that you read about a more real situation, it was perfect! I do have to say… I hated Lucy’s dad a little bit, he wasn’t a bad person but he is supposed to be a psychologist and I had a conflict that he didn’t know what was happening in Lucy’s mind all those years, but well, the shoemaker's son always goes barefoot. And that ending!? I was swooning so hard, Frankie is the master in romance.

This is a story about excepting yourself for who you are and not worrying about what others see on the outside. I loved this story because it throws away the norm of what a romance heroine should look like and explores the science of attraction. Lucy is a big girl who has been through a lot regarding her weight and has become defensive rather than let anyone hurt her again. Frankie is a hot fireman who sees past Lucy's body to the person inside but has a tough time getting Lucy to believe him. This story is heartfelt, steamy and thought provoking. Every romance loving woman out there should grab this book and enjoy Frankie and Lucy's journey to loving themselves and loving each other. (