Big Girl Panties: A Novel

Main character needs a shot in the arm after losing her husband. She needs a makeover--to lose weight and a makeover besides. Well known trainer takes her on as her project and after a lot of denial admits he has feelings for her past friendship. Turns out he has a secret--his idea of slap and tickle is spanking. She doesn't know what to do but kinda likes it all the same and doesn't want to lose him. She is ready to leave the area and go back to OR and is on the plane and he turns up on the plane and wins her back.

This book was confusing for me. On one hand, I liked it and on the other, I really did not. I could see what message the author was trying to convey to us. Te problem was that Ms Evanovich had a bit of a problem communicating that message in a way that was clear and convincing. This book was by no means a comedic book. It dealt with very difficult issues – widowhood, morbid obesity, a lack of self-respect and even bullying.Holly has never been a thin woman, and with her body type, she never will be. However, the fact that she recently nursed her husband through a long bout with cancer has not been kind to her figure. One day as she is flying home from Toronto, she has the bad luck (or it could be good luck) to sit next to one of the most handsome men she has ever seen. The ticket taker wanted Holly to buy two seats to accommodate her butt, and of course, Mr. Adonis (Logan) sees her as fat, sloppy, pathetic and possibly smelly. Now mind you Mr. Adonis (Logan) is a personal trainer to athletes and fashion models. He is a serial dater of 6-foot tall blonde-haired snotty, stick figure women, sorry I mean beautifully slender models. Holly sits next to Logan they get to talking and by the end of the flight Logan decides to take her on as a client.Some parts of the book are truly wonderful, there are believable conversations between the protagonists, things happen to move the story in the right direction. Then there are parts of this book that you may be wishing to pluck out your own eyeballs – parts where the protagonists are not acting like the mature adults the reader knows them to be.The sexual interludes can be hot one moment and downright silly the next. Ms Evanovich decided to make a pair of secondary characters, fetishists and does not do a very good job with it.The ending is somewhat trite and clichéd, but we finally get to the meat or the heart of the issues that both Holly and Logan have, and while Holly’s answer to adversity this time is to walk out and go back to a hated life, things do work out in the end. You will have a bit of difficulty stretching your disbelief for this book and I think that that is the main issue I had with it. I know it is fiction and it is romantic fiction to boot so we get to play in a different playground than other authors play in. But even though it is fiction, the main part of the book still has to be believable and I’m afraid that this book strays just a little too far from credibility for my taste.

Holly had been secluding herself from society ever since her husband died, but a chance meeting on a plane changed her life. She became more social and decided to do something about her weight gain.Her personal trainer became more than her personal trainer, and she got to meet some people she never would have met before.BIG GIRL PANTIES was an ok read for me. It isn't normally what I read. There was too much romance in it, but it was very entertaining.It wasn't bad at all for a first book by the author. The characters were believable, and the plot flowed nicely. If you like romance as well as some fun, you will want to read BIG GIRL PANTIES.My rating is based on the fact that I normally don't read this genre, so don't let it keep you from reading it. 3.5 out of 5.This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation in return for an honest review.

As the niece of Janet Evanovich, I was more than willing to give debut author Stephanie Evanovich the chance to impress me. The premise of this romantic comedy, Big Girl Panties, seemed promising. I much prefer a protagonist with average attributes and I looked forward to Logan shedding his bias to recognise that beauty is more than skin deep.Sadly, while I think the writing was fine in general, I really struggled with particular elements of the story.Primarily I was disappointed at the negative messages inherent in the relationship between Holly and Logan. Though the author makes an attempt to frame the issue of Holly's weight with reference to health rather than attractiveness, it is a half hearted effort. At its core, the story still relies on the stereotype of the fat (and therefore ugly), lonely, jolly girl who, only after losing weight, becomes someone worthy of sexual attention and happiness (and the hot guy).What had me almost toss the book aside though was the scene (just after the halfway mark) where Logan, with the encouragement of Chase, decides to spank Holly for talking back to him. Spanking is supposed to be a consensual activity within the terms of a loving and trusting relationship for the purpose of sexual arousal, it is not about disciplining a woman for a perceived slight. This scene not only soured me on Logan (and Chase and Amanda's relationship) but also Holly, as while she slapped him in outrage, minutes later she is ashamed and embarrassed because 'Logan has done nothing but help her' and the scene segues into their first sexual encounter.Despite the temptation to put the book aside I kept reading hoping that Evanovich would turn things around somehow. Unfortunately, while Logan may eventually fall in love with the curvy Holly, there is no evidence that he has changed his attitude regarding 'fat' and should Holly ever gain back a few pounds I'm not convinced the relationship would survive. Meanwhile, Holly ends up staking her entire happiness on Logan's acceptance of her and that is never healthy.While I think Stephanie Evanovich was aiming to present an entertaining romantic comedy, in the final analysis, for me, Big Girl Panties was a disappointment.

Quick light fluff read.

Stephanie Evanovich… Stephanie Evanovich… Why does that name sound so familiar?Yeah, you won’t find it in her official bio, but Stephanie is, in fact, the niece of that other well-known literary Evanovich. Good news! Her debut novel, the cleverly-titled Big Girl Panties, should find favor with Aunt Janet’s fans. When I heard the premise of the novel, my first thought was of Jennifer Weiner, and while Evanovich isn’t the seasoned pro that Weiner is, it’s another good comparison. Zaftig heroine + comedy + romance is a winning formula.Holly Brennan is the novel’s eponymous big girl. Widowed in her early thirties, it’s easy to empathize with the weight she gained during her husband’s illness and in the two years since. She’d wanted a roomier seat in first class, but wouldn’t you know the only seat available on the packed flight between Toronto and New Jersey is next to an Adonis with dimples. He’s as thrilled as she is. The Adonis, it turns out, is personal trainer Logan Montgomery, and he’s actually a lot nicer than his initial impression would indicate. Before either knows what’s happening, Logan has offered to take her on as a client and help her slim down and get healthy. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that lives are changed.Evanovich’s characters are appealing, and it’s easy to become invested in their relationship. She’s also exploring a dynamic that both Bridget Jones and I can relate to: an average-looking girl involved with a far more traditionally-attractive man. Is there a woman in America without body image issues? She may be the one that can’t relate to Holly’s struggles. For the rest of us, it will be all too easy to empathize.Big Girl Panties is a light and diverting read. The humor is far less madcap than many a chick lit novel, and therefore requires a little less willing suspension of disbelief. Still, if I have one criticism it would be that some of the novel’s situations and the characters’ actions felt contrived. This was especially the case as the tale drew to a close. Nonetheless, I didn’t let that take away my pleasure in a sweet romance.Speaking of, let’s talk about sex. Some readers want their fiction as pure as the driven snow, while apparently there’s this whole other market hungering for fifty shades of I-don’t-know-what. I fall somewhere in between, but I have to admit that my eyebrows were raised when there was a fairly graphic sex scene just a few pages into the book. That was not an indication, it turns out, of a non-stop barrage of sex, but be forewarned that there are several rather explicit passages. We all know that writing erotica is hard to pull off. There are a few lines here that’ll make you groan—and not in a good way. (Note to self: Select “Smutty Reading of the Month” to share with book club.)Debut novels are a mixed bag, and Ms. Evanovich has some room for improvement, but she’s off to a great start. Despite a few criticisms, Big Girl Panties was a truly enjoyable and entertaining read. I consumed it happily in a day, completely caught up in the lives, loves, and laughs. Ahhh, if life were really like this, I’d actually go to the gym…

I actually enjoyed this story more than the few I've read by her famous aunt. The fluctuations in the characters' emotions and situations encountered were smoother, and reflect the social mores of today's 25-35 year olds.

Holly was out of town getting the last of her late husband’s affairs in order. Logan, was out of town working as a trainer for his elite clientele. Logan, the hot good looking trainer, was upset about his small seat on the plane when an overweight, and disheveled Holly sat next to him. This was exactly what they did not want to happen. After talking on the plane Logan realized there was more to Holly than meets the eye. He offered to help her train and lose weight. Holly found herself needing a change and anxiously took him up on the offer.The characters started a great friendship, all the while the ugly duckling was turning into a beautiful swan. Even the handsome Logan could not deny that there was a great change in not only Holly’s appearance, but in her self-esteem. Holly hit a roadblock and Logan was more than happy to help her pick up the pieces.I really enjoyed this book, we are just as much on a roller coaster ride with this couple as they are in for a ride. I loved the friends first dynamic with Logan and Holly. I enjoyed meeting Logan’s friends in the book. They were truly genuine people. This was a humorous romance story in my opinion and a great read, not to be missed.Rating: 4.5Heat Rating: HotReviewed By: RaeCourtesy Of My Book Addiction And More

BIG GIRL PANTIES was a nice romance that had everyone looking below the surface. Widowed Holly Brennan had turned to food after the death of her husband. On a airplane flight from Toronto to New Jersey, she meets Logan Montgomery who has a very successful career as a personal trainer. It was not at all love-at-first-sight. Logan has a type - tall, thin, blonde - and Holly is none of those things. Holly sees this beautiful, buff guy and knows that he is way out of her league. But he offers to train her and she accepts.Through several workouts, Logan and Holly get to know each other and Holly develops a crush but Logan remains oblivious. However, they soon start hanging out as friends with his friends Chase Walker and his wife Amanda. They begin a relationship but Logan is still keeping the relationship secret. He has a number of issues of his own regarding body image to deal with. As is usually the case in romances, there are misunderstandings where each of them hurts the other before they manage to work their way to a happy ending. I liked Holly very much as a character but it took me quite a bit longer to warm up to Logan. I was put off by the way he treated his relationship with Holly and by his general slowness at recognizing that he was falling in love with her. I also thought that Chase and Amanda's relationship with its borderline kinkiness detracted from Logan and Holly's story. Fans of slow building romances will enjoy this story about two very interesting people.

A quick, easy beach read. I'm not so sure that I appreciated all the negativity regarding being overweight, and that it seems you can only be attractive and beautiful once you have lost the weight and turned into a swan... but nonetheless it was enjoyable and I liked seeing the relationship grow and change throughout the book. Worth a read if you want something light.

Logan Montgomery is a hot-shot personal trainer to many popular athletes, including his best friend and major league baseball star Chase Walker. When overweight Holly Brennan sits next to him on a flight back home, he is annoyed.Holly is thirty-two year old widow who, after nursing her husband through a painful, deadly illness, turned to food for comfort. She and Logan begin a conversation, and after he learns of her history, he offers to help Holly get back into shape.Logan loves nothing more than shaping the human body, helping people become a better physical specimens, and he feels that Holly could be a good project for him. Holly has had enough of sitting around and is ready to get on with her life- and besides, Logan is very easy on the eyes.Chase's wife Amanda feels that Holly could be the woman who could capture Logan's heart and begins to include Holly in their little group. Logan is a playa with women, but he enjoys spending time with Holly and they have an easygoing rapport with each other.This is a romantic comedy, so of course the question is will Logan and Holly become a couple? (If Amanda has anything to say about it, the answer is a resounding yes!) They have many obstacles to overcome, and watching them maneuver the course is a great deal of fun.Big Girl Panties is a sexy, steamy, sassy debut novel from Stephanie Evanovich. I'm a big baseball fan, so I loved that Chase is an MLB player and I adored his relationship with his spunky wife Amanda. They have a little sexy secret that becomes public knowledge when a videotape of them is leaked to the press (think a little 50 Shades of Grey), but their marriage is rock solid.Chase and Amanda were my favorite characters, and I had the opportunity to speak with the author (who is so delightful and friendly) and she told me that we would be seeing more of Chase and Amanda in the future. That made my day!This novel is one that should be read near a pool or a shower, so you can jump on in and cool off after the hot sex scenes, but it also has a lot of heart. In a touching scene, Logan helps Holly clean out her husband's stuff. That brought tears to my eyes.Holly and Logan are terrific characters, and I liked that they both have some flaws. What starts out to be Holly's journey ends up being a journey for Logan too. The life he thinks is so good is really missing something essential.I read this in two sittings, and it's a fantastic and funny beach read. It will bring a smile to your face and make your heart race a little faster. And it make bring some business to personal trainers.

I really enjoyed this book. On the surface it seems like the traditional romance theme of heavyset woman loses weight to make the good looking guy fall for her but it really is so much more than that simple theme. Holly is flying home from a meeting related to her late husband and his estate when she is seated next to Mr. Perfect Logan. Holly is frazzled inside and out and when Logan sees her he dismisses her as another overweight loser. Logan is basically a nice guy and starts a conversation when he sees how tense Holly is about takeoff. Logan is an elite personal trainer with a knight in shiner armor complex and he offers private sessions to Holly to help her “break some bad habits”. Holly is still getting adjusted to life without her husband and being financially independent.Holly shows up at Logan’s gym and works on getting herself healthier. She and Logan develop a friendship and she meets his most famous client, Chase, and his wife Amanda. Their story is a quirky one and adds a little spice to the book. Chase is a MLB player and one of Logan’s best friends. Amanda and Holly become friends and Amanda decides to do a little matchmaking.What I liked about this book is that Holly decides to improve herself for her own reasons, not to snag a guy. She has issues relating to her family and her late husband that she needs to put behind her and getting control over her own body helps her work though those issues. I also liked the fact that holly remains real. She does not transform quickly into a stunning sexpot. She still struggles with self-esteem issues even after she successfully loses a lot of weight. She is attracted to Logan but sees his perfection as making him unattainable for any kind of serious relationship. Logan is very supportive but he has issues of his own to deal with, including his affinity to a type of woman who Holly can never turn herself into. He also has that whole Svengali transformation thing to get over. Until both Holly and Logan can be totally honest with themselves about their expectations in a relationship, it can never be right.This is a nice romance with some funny twists added into the story. The ending is very satisfying but doesn’t go beyond the scope of believable. I think this is the author’s first book and I look forward to future offerings.

Stephanie Evanovich? Is she...? Yes, let's get that out in the open right away - they are indeed related - Janet Evanovich is Stephanie's aunt. Big Girl Panties marks Stephanie's debut. Holly Brennan is a young widow who has fed her sorrow with food through the years of her husband's illness and death. While returning home from finalizing some of his accounts, she is bumped from a first class plane ticket to coach. She knows the seats are smaller and of course hers is beside the most gorgeous man.....Who turns out to be personal trainer Logan Montgomery. Who on a whim, offers to takes Holly on as a client. And Holly, surprising herself, accepts. It turns out that Holly is a natural in the gym. And she starts to see results. And Logan starts to see Holly in a different light..... Holly is a very likable character - of the four main players, she is the one I enjoyed the most. Evanovich's basic premise isn't new, but I'm not sure how I feel about a character's self worth being based on their physical appearance. Scratch that - I am sure - I didn't like it. Holly does rediscover, remake and redefine herself. Some of it is emotional, but most of it is based on and from her physical changes. Although she and Logan start off with friendship, Logan's interest turns physical when he realizes she is quite attractive - and other men are noticing. Again, this jaded old reader didn't find him to be of a catch...yes, he's physically attractive and apparently has a voracious sexual appetite, but his being ashamed to be seen with Holly (when she's down to only 20 pounds overweight) was enough to cement my opinion. Further efforts to redeem himself didn't wash with me. And maybe I'm just reading way too much into what is meant to be a fun, light-hearted read. We start off with what looks to be exactly that, but it quickly moves into mommy porn territory. We're introduced to Logan's best friend Chase and his wife Amanda, who enjoy a spanking good time together - literally.Evanovich does attempt to explain this sexual choice, but I truly grew tired of it by the end of the book. I'm one of the few people on the planet who did not read Fifty Shades - it's a genre that really doesn't grab or hold my interest. Holly's sexual reawakening is generously covered by Evanovich in Big Girl Panties with much description. Fans of this genre will most certainly enjoy it. Me - I choked on my tea at some of the descriptive passages....'willing wet cavern' was a memorable one. Evonovich does include several solid pieces of advice regarding weight loss, reasons for overeating and some strategies as well. An interesting debut - but a planned second book - "... the backstory to the secondary characters in Big Girl Panties. I think they're deliciously fun and was thrilled when my editor agreed. Think Prince Charming with a kink finding his princess", won't be on this reader's TBR list.

For some reason, I didn't very have high hopes for this book. I picked it up from my library just because of the Evanovich name. I was pleasantly surprised with it! When I started reading, I had no idea the book was about an overweight girl. (I don't know that I even read the title) I probably wouldn't have borrowed it if I'd known, but I would have really missed out. I loved each and every character in this story. It was great being inside their minds as they each overcame the difficulties they were facing. I love books that just leave you smiling when you're done, and this was definitely one of those!

picked at random for the author - pretty much a classic romance. The heroine is very fat and the hero is a personal trainer. Reasonably interesting - the thought that she could hit him and knock him to the ground when she felt insulted was very ordinary. Obviously the 'one punch can kill' message is not prominent in the US

Chick lit story about the odd pairing of an overweight female who constantly makes jokes at her own expense with an egotistical fitness trainer to celebrities. I enjoyed the book overall. Funny and well paced although I did see the ending coming.

I loved the story of Holly taking charge of her life again - working hard to become healthy and to work through her grief over the loss of her husband in more healthy ways. I was less enthusiastic about Logan's superficial focus on appearance. There is growth in both characters, but I ended up feeling like Holly was settling for less than she deserved.

I picked this up because my brain had a disconnect. It saw the last name of the author, and thought of the main character in one of the author's series, and computed it as Janet Evanovich, who I like for a light, nonsensical read (though I do prefer the audio so I can listen while driving and also enjoy the voices the voice actor uses in the telling.) Turns out, this is Ms Evanovich's niece -- her debut novel. While it did get a bit bogged down for me, it had some fun stuff, and an interesting opening portion. Since I've revamped my own exercise and nutrition routine (and lost probably 40 pounds I gained courtesy of medication, poor health, life circumstances) it was sort of interesting to compare what Holly was going through to my own path. But about half way, my mind kind of wandered. There was a lot of explaining about personal behavior choices (read "spanking in the bedroom") which lost my attention. But, as a debut novel, it was an interesting place to start.

Logan Montgomery is trainer to the stars. Holly Brennan is an overweight widow trying to put her life back together again. When Logan starts training Holly, they each start falling in love with the other. But can this relationship really last? Sweet and readable, but nothing outstanding.

The Good Stuff Sweet little story, good for a beach read Real life issues dealt with and protagonist doesn't become a skinny little girl and finds happiness - appreciated this aspect Has potential but should have been worked on more Steamy sex Holly is a delightful character - really cheered for her - but personally i think she could have done better than Logan who - um well - is a less than stellar guy in my opinionThe Not So Good Stuff Was irritated by Logan and his idea that Holly was a toy and some of the spanking shit between his friend Chase and his wife Story had a lot of promise but felt it was tooled by someone to be more romantic comedy - yup could totally see this as a romantic comedy Felt that their was way too much focus on heroines weight- like the fact that she wasn't your stereotypical heroine, much more realistic, but didn't like the constant references to her weightFavorite Quotes/Passages"Drug companies hawked pharmaceuticals with lists of side effects that sounded worse than the diseases themselves. Sure, you may becomes suicidal , but at least you can say you quit smoking.""But character? It had no price tag; no amount of money could buy it"3/5 Dewey'sI received this from William Morrow in exchange for an honest review

The only thing that could make Logan Montgomery's flight back home worse than being forced to sit in coach, is being forced to sit in coach next to the fat girl. But luck will have its way, as will fate, and he ends up sitting by unpleasantly overweight widower Holly Brennan all the way to Englewood, New Jersey... and there's just something about her that he can't put a finger on, that makes him want to keep in touch. He offers private training sessions to help her get back on track with her weight, which has significantly escalated since her husband's death last year. No matter that he has a celebrity waitlist and is very selective with new clients—he's going to change this girl's life. What he doesn't expect is for her to change his.As Logan begins to see the true resilience, strength, and maturity in Holly—as well as the delightful humor and instant likability, he begins to question the matter of beauty versus substance, something he's never had to worry about before, being fit, gorgeous, and famous as he is. Watching his relationship with Holly bloom was interesting because the two are such an unlikely pair. It is very rare to spot a fat woman holding hands with an athletic man in public, let alone in contemporary romance, but that's just the thing: you never see couples like that because society judges compatibility based off body type, based off appearance. Big Girl Panties shreds these expectations and overcomes the typical romance equation by so naturally and fluidly pairing Holly and Logan together. Readers will root for the couple—as unaccustomed to the sort as they are bound to be—and both Holly's sparkling wit and Logan's sexy, collected demeanor will make them instance fan favorites.Logan seems like the perfect guy personality-wise; even though he's known to be careless with women, I couldn't help but sympathize with him because, he's so humane, so decent. He isn't only every girl's strong, level-headed, handsome dreamboat, but also has a sincere, heartfelt persona to completely seal the deal. Holly isn't used to attention from guys who look like him, nor from guys who have as much experience, generosity, and will as he does, but she soon discovers that her slow-burning feelings for him come at a steep price: his extreme emotional unavailability and noncommittal affections.I think their relationship met a decline around the middle and by end of the book. It starts off really excitingly and humorously, but both characters become super angsty; there's lots of crying, lots of late-night worrying, lots of "does he like me???" and "DOES SHE LIKE ME" that I got sick of. Beyond the infuriating self-inflicted tragedy of their "forbidden" relationship, though, other doubts begin to seep in, too. Logan's obviously falling for Holly, but she can't help but wonder if he really like her for who she is, or if he's just prone to want to call her and show her off as his protégée, his one-time ugly duckling.Big Girl Panties held my full attention all the way to the last page because it's so engaging; Evanovich creates a funny, FUN character that you'd want to become best friends with. I was a bit conflicted over the book's overall message, however; while I think it's very important for all body types to be represented in commercial fiction—because not looking like a runway model doesn't make a woman any less beautiful—the way Evanovich pretty much dismisses skinny girls was a turn-off. The only likable female characters in the book, including Holly, are described as "full-figured," which itself isn't a bad thing, but being about self-image that Big Girl Panties is, I was disappointed to see so much skinny-shaming. It contradicts the compelling insights on superficiality and celebrity that are also presented.I absolutely loved how the romance developed, though. Logan is kind-meaning and warm, but detached and an absolute fool when things start to get serious. And the moment Holly Brennan squeezes into that economy-class seat next to him on the plane, it's clear things will begin to get real serious real soon.Pros: Witty and charming // Effortless tone // Holly is an original, genuine character // LOGAN!!!!! // I like the idea of the untraditional romance // Chase and Amanda's backstory is intriguing // Hilarious moments // Extremely hot sexCons: The central romance is about a "big girl" getting together with a gorgeous fitness instructor, but it only happens as she slims down...?? The message is just unclear to me // Some of the dialogue is unrealistic // Lots of unnecessary dread and lingering, not that much actionVerdict: Combining the introspective meanderings of women's fiction with the hilarious, sassy spunk of chick-lit, Stephanie Evanovich crafts an unconventional, but wholly absorbing romance, while touching upon important issues like fame, fitness, and the art of self-love. Logan and Holly's steamy relationship and Evanovich's delightful style will please readers, for sure. With fierce perspective and winning personality, Big Girl Panties examines the definition of true beauty, the impact of an unexpected other in your life, and the dangers of being quick to judge at first sight—or to judge by sight at all.Rating: 8 out of 10 hearts: An engaging read that will be worth your while; highly recommended.Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC!).

I gave this two stars because I finished it but really a 1.5 star story. Has all the elements of a decent romance but never quite gets there. Clearly this editor did the best they could with the crap that was submitted but the authors last name is the reason this one made it to print. Show don't tell -- I never got a feel for what these characters looked like and for a plot to be entirely based on "looks" that is critical. Logan looks like chocolate? Huh? Holly is fat, but not fat enough to need a seatbelt extension on a airplane? She loses over 40 pounds and keeps losing but we really don't know what she looks like or what size she is when she and Logan finally hook-up so how do we relate to them. The entire spanking/DOM storyline was overplayed and underwhelming. Even at the end of the story I still didn't feel like Logan loved her for anything more than his project. No epilogue to let us know if they make it past the next trip out in public?

Believable characters and situations. Pretty funny too!

Why I read this now: Because I'm an idiot.UGH. this book was just so terrible, I don't even know where to begin... The heroine is annoying and weak and her back story is so cliched and unconvincing... The hero is annoying and an a-hole and dumb as a box of rocks. If they were real people, you'd be glad they took each other out of circulation, but you'd hope they couldn't have children to replicate their crap DNA. And there was a whole side story about a couple that was into spanking... WHAT? I mean, I'm not a prude, but it was so out there as far as the rest of the novel went, I couldn't figure out why it was included, unless this terrible, terrible writer was paid by the word. The writing was so awkward and smacked at times like she had a thesaurus next to her computer and liked to use it randomly because some of the word choices were just bizarre. Anyway, I should have known better than to listen to it considering the title includes one of my least favorite words in the English language.So yeah. Not recommended.

Logan, a personal trainer and Holly, an out of shape widow meet when they are unfortunately seated next to each other on a flight home. They end up talking on the way home and Logan is a little surprised by her wit and personality so he offers to help her get in shape -I think your imagination will help you fill in the blanks! This is a great book! I asked for the hardcover for Christmas to put on my permanent shelf.

I find I'm pretty hard on books. I really expect a lot and after reading the reviews of this one, I didn't have high hopes. I was wrong. I loved the hero and heroine as much for their flaws as for their growth. I loved the sidekick couple and how high profile people were made real. I left this story wanting more which I think is the most you can ask for from a novel.

Listened to the audiobook, BIG GIRL PANTIES, by Stephanie Evanovich, narrated by Katie Schorr, which was quite engaging!

A chick lit full of humor, sex, romance, fame, baseball hunks, and lots of laughs - a girl’s journey from her miserable life to a healthy and fit one with one chance meeting of a guy on a plane.

Not only did she learn from him, she also was able to teach the hot guy a lesson in life as well. Look forward to reading more from this new author, Stephanie Evanovich (after all, she has a great start with Janet as her aunt).

Cozy, enjoyable, but predictable.

Not bad, not great. This one was just good for me. I was hoping for this one too be a lot more humorous than it actually was. It had a few quick laughs, the romance was just OK for me. This one took me longer to read than it should have. I just couldn't quite get into it.

First off you should know that I HATE the phrase "big girl panties" with the fiery passion of 100 suns! Isn't it amazing that I even picked up this book at Hastings? The embarrassment suffered by my husband when taking it up to the counter to purchase was absolutely priceless!

I bought the book because I thought it was a cute idea: big-ish girl Holly meets personal trainer Logan (described as "hotter than Lucifer's loincloth") on a plane. After chatting a bit he asks if he can take her on as a client and help her to get healthy. Outwardly she's not his "type" at all, but she is witty and kind and strong and eventually he falls for her. That's the gist of the book.

Holly is so relatable and likable as a character, it's impossible not to root for her. She's never been a thin woman but has had some recent tragedy in her life and has just "let herself go" (pardon the cliche.) Logan is an honest guy who likes his life a certain way even though he doesn't really seem to understand himself all that well. Holly basically turns his world upside down, but in a good way.

Big Girl Panties is really well written and just a good, fast read. It is one of those books that illicits strong emotions from the reader - I personally alternated between laughter and tears. Any book that can do that for me deserves 5 stars, but I'm giving this one 4. The end of the book has Holly fleeing Logan to go back to a life that was hell on earth for her and I just couldn't "see" Holly really doing that. It is the one thing that didn't ring true for me and it made it hard to enjoy the eventual happy ending.

I recommend Big Girl Panties (HA! sounds so funny!) if you're looking for a fun story with that all-important happily ever after. I really enjoyed reading it and will probably pick up the next book Stephanie Evanovich writes.