ARC Review: Good Luck With That by Kristan Higgins

“This is, I realize, the unique thing about Higgins’ writing; she can make you laugh and cry in the same book.”
~ Under the Covers

I picked up this book because I was in desperate need of a Women’s Fiction book that was actually a Women’s Fiction book. Oftentimes, Romance authors who try to write Women’s Fiction just end up writing another Contemporary Romance and try to pass it as something different. However, I was thrilled when I started this book and discovered that it truly is written as a Women’s Fiction novel.

Now, I didn’t realize this when I read this book, but there is a lot of controversy surrounding this release. A lot of other early reviewers were bashing this book and author because they claim the book has fat-shaming and fatphobia in it. They view it as disgusting and offensive and although I can admit that there is fat-shaming in it, it’s usually done by other characters towards the heroines of this novel to evoke sympathy and emotion.

This book surrounds around three girls who are overweight and are undergoing some serious health and self-esteem issues. For me, it was this topic that made this book more of a Women’s Fiction novel rather than a traditional Romance. We see how these girls go through everyday life struggling with their weight and the negative stereotypes that come with it.

If I’m being totally honest here, this book was hard to read and it wasn’t because the writing was bad or anything like that. It’s because of all the emotions in it. By the end of chapter two, I was bawling already. But the story also contains a lot of charm and humor as well. This is, I realize, the unique thing about Higgins’ writing; she can make you laugh and cry in the same book.

This must’ve been a really hard book to write because of its sensitive subject matter. Some people will definitely find it offensive, but this is a topic that doesn’t often get any attention because most authors would be afraid to tackle it. So in a way, I commend the author for even having the guts to write it. Because despite all the bad things that happen to the heroines simply because of how they look, this is, at the end, a story of self-acceptance. Everyone fights their own battles and in order to show a character’s development and growth, both the good AND the bad need to be showcased to create a full story. The emotional journey of finding happiness and self-worth is what makes this story uplifting instead of shameful.

So, those are my two cents on this topic. I enjoyed the book and the rollercoaster emotions. But if you think you might find this to be a sensitive topic for you, I would skip it.

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[about-author author=”Kristan Higgins”]

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