Review: One to Watch

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have a confession to make—I am a reality show addict. It’s a guilty pleasure that has both entertained and plagued me over the years, so this, a book ABOUT my vice, called to me like a siren song.

Bea is a plus size blogger—and not that “I’m a size 14 and too big for the catwalk” kinda plus. No, Bea is truly a large gal, and she has the scars of humiliation to prove she’s been to war because of it. When a reality show that generally caters to the thin and self—absorbed (think Bachelorette) asks Bea to come on board and shake things up as the single lady looking for love, the stage is set for Bea’s emotional journey to tv stardom. She hesitantly accepts the challenge, is introduced to a field of 25 eligible men who have not been told she isn’t the typical contestant, and through a series of elimination rounds is expected to choose just one—a man who could potentially become her husband.

As a woman who has been both rail-thin, morbidly obese, and every conceivable weight in between, this hit home for me and triggered some feelings that were as difficult as they were painful. Author Kate Stayman-London doesn’t shy away from examining public prejudice when it comes to being overweight, and the result is gritty and sometimes tough to read. She draws back the curtain on what it means to be fat in a world that worships anorexic-looking models who look like they haven’t enjoyed a meal in months, and she taps in to the misogynistic “boys club” whose members, even as adults, snicker, sneer and bully large women.

Though the book is at times dark and sobering, it is also a story about learning who you are and to love the person in the mirror. It’s about taking a chance and discovering you are enough. Four stars for a solid read!




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