Laura J’s review of To Fat and Back by Beverly Rae
Paranormal Romantic Comedy ebook released by Samhain Publishing 5 Aug 08

The “warning” for this book grabbed my attention and since I tend to pick up all the romantic comedies that I can I wanted to read this book. Another plus was that the author Beverly Rae is a new author that I had been wanting to try, but just never got around to reading anything by her. I was expecting a lot of laugh out loud moments, but unfortunately they were few. However I did find characters that I liked and despite the “warning” being somewhat misleading to me I liked this book.

After a rather nasty practical joke by a co-worker Carrie is mortified and fed up. She has lusted after her best friend’s boyfriend, Michael, for some time but when he appears to be a part of that joke she decides to do something and that results in an injury to the object of her lust. An odd neighbor of Michael’s gives him a pill to heal his arm overnight, but that pill has a strange side effect giving Michael a chance to experience being judged by his now large appearance rather than what’s inside. Reluctantly recruited by Carrie to help care for Michael in his time of need is Billy, Carrie’s co-worker and best friend who has loved her for some time.

Carrie is a wonderful character. Many times throughout the book she could have stooped to the level that some of her co-workers did, but didn’t knowing how it made her feel she didn’t. In fact she took it upon herself to try and help Michael feel better about his sudden weight gain by trying to remind him that he is still the same guy on the inside. I really liked her although she was a lot nicer to Michael than he deserved. I also saw Carrie grow more comfortable with herself.

Michael was a jerk and a bit of a surprise ending (at least to me) I didn’t see it coming, got what he deserved. I loved Billy, Carrie’s co-worker, best friend and the man who loves Carrie for who she is on the inside. I found him very patient and encouraging with Carrie.

While I was disappointed that there wasn’t as much humor as I expected based on the “warning”, I did like the emotion that Ms. Rae brought to story and will be checking out some more of her books.

Grade: C

Summary:

True love is better than infatuation.

Carrie Flannagan dreams of Michael the Magnificent, the office hunk. He can have his pick of women, and his pick isn’t Carrie, the office chubby. He’s only got eyes for her best friend, Shiloh of the slender, smokin’ hot body.

When Carrie accidentally-on-purpose breaks Michael’s arm, a self-professed sorceress with a secret agenda of her own gives him a pill to magically heal the bones. That little pill also has an accidental-on-purpose side effect—one that makes him balloon to over three hundred pounds. To Carrie’s surprise and delight, he turns to her for emotional comfort. But those new layers of fat on his body reveal a side of him that wasn’t part of her fantasy.

Billy Whitman will put up with almost anything to be near to Carrie, even if she sees him only as a blend-into-the-background, dependable friend. Even if it means putting up with her fantasies about Michael, and being the clean-up man as Michael’s life falls apart.

For now, he’s willing to bide his time, hoping she will someday see the light—the light of love in his eyes.

Read an excerpt here.