The F Word

Available: April 25, 2017

Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was all excited for this book – I thought it was a novel about swearing. As I read through the tale, I quickly realized that the F word wasn’t my go-to adjective, but rather the other dreaded F word – Fat. It sounds like Olivia was rather large at some point (but I think she still suffers from some body dysmorphia and needs to talk to someone about that) and it still consumes her life. Every thing she does is so perfectly measured.; she is counting emotions as calories.

What I loved: What I wouldn’t do to have more scenes with Ben’s girls. Not only are the two youngest completely adorable as written, but his older daughter sounds like she was raised remarkably well and I’m always looking for parenting tips. An entire book on his backstory (2 failed marriages, lots of strong women in his life) would be an interesting read.

What I didn’t love: Olivia wasn’t the easiest character to bond with so I found myself not really caring about her. Its tough to realize that at a climatic breaking point in the story, all I was thinking about was “Ew… she’s sitting naked on the shower floor in the gym.” Everything else in that whole scene was wasted on me as I was doomed to think if you could get athlete’s foot on your lady parts. Jockette itch anyone?

What I learned: Olivia’s probably more like me that I want to realize.

Overall Grade: B