Abby Stern has finally made it to a point in her life that she can accept her plus-sized body and be happy with herself. Sure, her career is still a question and her relationship with her childhood fat camp boyfriend is getting more serious than she's ready for, but she still has her bike and the freedom it provides. Even though they grew up in similar fat shaming situations, Abby can't help but feel judged by Mark, who's now half his former size and his diet strictly regimented. When he starts pressuring her to move in with him, she's happy to get a reprieve and time away in the form of a two week bike trip through New York to Niagara Falls. But then who should show up but her mother, who's always pressured her about her weight, and a Sebastian, a one night stand from two years ago that she can't seem to forget.
This book is full of a diverse cast of characters, from the group of elderly bicyclists to a troubled teen with a secret. I thought the bike trip setting of this story was unique and interesting, the alternating chapters between characters kept the story fresh and gave a different perspective, and the scenery descriptions were beautiful. The only thing I didn't like was how often weight and fat shaming were mentioned. Even though Abby claims to have accepted her body size, her perceptions of herself and how she thought other puerile judged her were very negative. Overall, however, I did enjoy the book and will recommend it to others.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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