Book Review: One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London
I’ve been in a reading slump. My usual preferred genre, fantasy, has just seemed like a huge commitment. I haven’t even been able to re-read my favorites. I decided I needed something fun and light-hearted, maybe a little ridiculous and indulgent. So, when babes.in.romanceland posted their review of One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London, I thought it sounded perfect.
I didn’t expect it to change my life.
So, the basic synopsis is this: Bea is a plus-sized fashion blogger. She posts a critique of her fave reality show, Main Squeeze, which is basically like The Bachelor/Bachelorette, and it goes viral. Then the show’s new producer asks her to be the next Main Squeeze. She’s the first not skinny, relatively normal person on the show’s history. Will she find love???
Sounds cheesy, right? But I wanted something to make me feel happy. I need more chubby women in my fiction because I’m a chubby woman. I don’t watch reality dating shows, but the reviewers on that Bookstagram account haven’t steered me wrong yet.
So, a good chunk of the book is a scathing critique of reality TV, Hollywood beauty expectations, and how people treat fat people. It doesn’t shy away from it: there are internet trolls and mommy bloggers concerned about health. The show sets up Bea to be humiliated to make viewers empathize with her, and she is completely blindsided.
Bea also has to deal with her own self-sabotaging thoughts about her own worthiness to be loved. But it doesn’t imply that it’s all in her head and everyone really loves fat people. No, she has these thoughts because of all the horrible ways she’s been treated her whole life. But she does find that there are people who really do love her body.
Some of the comments Bea receives are painful to read, especially as a fat woman. It hits too close to home. Just this weekend, some internet troll messaged me on Facebook to say “hahahahaha gross” about my appearance. I’ve had plenty of strangers laugh at me or make snide comments. Bea talks about the importance of being loved completely, not “in spite of” her weight. Oh, man. It led to some good, validating talks with my husband, who apparently really does love every part of me.
Bea also has to learn to let go of a relationship from her past that is slowly destroying her. Also relatable.
So, there are four or five main love interests in the book. And none of them are perfect. I kind of shipped Bea with all of them, and they all pissed me off at varying points. Because they’re human. And for most of the book, you really aren’t quite sure how it’s going to end.
I think the most interesting part is the creative way that Stayman-London plays with Point-of-View. This is one of the things I love as a reader and author. The POV shifts back and forth from third-person limited to third-person omniscient. BUT the omniscient part happens through things like: blog comments, text chains, interview transcripts, commerical transcripts, blog posts, and news stories. You might think it sounds hard to follow but it really just works! Then Bea’s POV is told in a normal narrative style. It’s brilliant, honestly.
I also adored the representation in the book. Asexual aromantic character? Check. Bisexual, polyamorous man? Check. Lesbian BFF who isn’t a stereotypical butch? Check. Characters of varying races? Check.
It’s fun. But it also made me reflect on my own experiences and self-image in a really painful but empowering way. It made some things click for me.
This books is obviously great for readers of contemporary romance. But I would also recommend it for:
writers who want to play with POV
people who love reality TV and reading stuff on the internet
fat people
people with self-esteem issues
Well done, Kate Stayman-London! I couldn’t put it down. Literally my only complaint was that I wanted more sex instead of “fade to black.” But it was so good, I didn’t even mind. Thanks for getting me out of my book slump.