TCF Book Club is currently reading big girl blitz Written by Daniel Allen We will meet this Saturday, May 30th, to discuss it in full. Reply now!The following is a review of Taylor’s work in progress. Spoilers ahead!
Hello, I’m Taylor. I am the resident Chief Story Stylist and TCF Book Club Guide.
It’s just the beginning. I’m only halfway through my second reading and I’m feeling all the emotions. DANIEL ALLEN’S BIG GIRL BLITZ is romantic, sentimental, and reflective. As the third installment of the CURVE SERIES, this story has settled seamlessly on our bookshelves.
Through the main character, Jazmine Payne, we explore both romantic and familial relationships. We dig deep into the hard work it takes for relationships to flourish and flow. Whether you’ve been in a relationship your whole life or you’re brand new, there’s always something you can do.
Jazmin is a high school teacher who dreams of writing her own book and possibly becoming a full-time author. She loves to write, but the title of author takes a backseat as her career as an educator takes up a large portion of her schedule. But football is her first love. She is the #1 fan of the Maryland Monarchs and knows the game inside and out. Her favorite person is definitely Aunt Addy.
Body image and the effects of fatphobia
The story of our girl, Jazmine Paynes, is not only about where she is now in life, but also about where she came from. The place where she grew up is exactly where she returned to her hometown, where she had fled to take care of her sick aunt. Jazmin grew up oversized and was bullied endlessly in her hometown as a teenager.
Despite her obvious discomfort, Jazmin agrees to take a week off each summer to visit her aunt. But this time is different. Because she has a lot of time for herself. She encounters multiple people from her childhood who don’t hesitate to badmouth her or act disturbingly disrespectful in public.
It’s not Jazmin’s problem whether she’s confident in her body or not. Although she loves her body, her hometown is the ultimate memory of a time in her life when she was ostracized for existing as a plus-size person.
Finding confidence as a plus size woman can be very difficult. Whether you grew up plus size or are experiencing your new larger body as an adult woman. It’s not easy to find your footing in society with a large body. Every day we encounter obstacles that try to take us off the path of self-acceptance and self-love. It could be that our families, co-workers, and mainstream media shove fatphobia in our faces every day. Revisiting the places that made your journey more difficult can have a huge impact on even the most confident person.
Experiencing fatphobia at an early age doesn’t just mean people will call you “fat” and act the same way. Constant bullying of someone’s body can lead to isolation, low self-esteem, and encourage others to perform the same harmful acts.
Many of us have similar stories, so I believe I have a valuable book for myself. Our protagonist faced all this as well. Jazmin’s courage and resilience are admirable. When she is confronted by the very people who ruined her high school, their behavior does not change in any way. Luckily, she wasn’t alone as she met Lamar Anderson just a few hours earlier. He made it clear from the first time they met that he had no problem protecting her.
Possibility of love after heartbreak
Jazmin has been divorced for three years and has no interest in dating. Being single has become her comfort zone. We’ve all had the experience of being alone and feeling so peaceful that we don’t want someone’s son to disturb our solitude. However, her friends and aunt have a different take on her situation and hope she gets back into the dating world and gets a chance to find love.
Enter Lamar. Our girls met him at a sports bar the first night they were back in town. Instant chemistry! They both love soccer, and the evening ends with them planning a “second date.”
Their time together, their conversations, and their personalities are all going very well, but Jazmin can’t believe that things can get any more serious. It’s clear to us, the reader, that Lamar is very intentional, but somehow Jazmin continues to doubt the depth of their relationship. We’re sure her marriage, which didn’t turn out well, had a lot to do with it. At every turn, she so far seems very hesitant to just let go and fall in love. She didn’t tell her best friend about him for months.
Lamar has easily become my favorite CURVE SERIES “book boyfriend”! Their story is only half through, so I’ll just say bad words for now, just in case. He is only 26 years old, at least 3 years younger than our FMC. He is completely immersed in his sports career, keen to advocate for others in his field, wink wink, and plays no games at all when it comes to pursuing jazzy.
The book club hopes that the daughter will accept love. The further into the book she seems to become, the more open she becomes to the idea of Lamar being hers, with the help of Aunt Addie of course.
Life and all its twists and turns
Auntie Addy is like a second mother to Jazmin. When Jazmine needs help, a boost of confidence, shelter, or inspiration, Aunt Addie has always been, and still is, her gentle landing spot. A bold and charismatic woman who lived her life to the fullest no matter what. Jasmine has always wanted to be like her.
Despite her declining health, she never stopped asking Jazmin for gigs and refused to take no for an answer.
All of our parents are lacking in some way, so having another safe person in your life is the ultimate cheat code, how lucky she is! Aunt Addie refuses to let Jazmin interfere with the good things with Lamar, and as a reader… Boy, are we grateful!
A lot of what Jazmine struggles with is guilt, her aunt enjoying life while she can’t, and we can only imagine the inner conflict that could cause. During difficult times, it’s important to find space for peace and quiet. No one is on autopilot 24/7.
What I want to see in the main character
Jasmine is very kind and considerate. She offers assistance to anyone in need and encouraging others comes naturally to her. As the story deepens, I would love to see Jasmine emotionally bring her loved ones into her world so they can support her. Jazzy is very closed off to her best friend Aunt Addy. And Mr. Lamar.
In the real world, many of us are unable to express support when we need it, or feel that we are emotionally vulnerable and therefore undesirable as partners or friends. That’s not true at all. Anyone who makes you feel that way doesn’t deserve to be in your life. Hopefully, Jazmine embodies to us the virtues of letting your guard down and showing up fully to those who love you.
Join us for the next TCF Book Club meeting this Saturday. Participation fee is free.
Enough about my thoughts. I want to hear your story!
Please invite us to the TCF Book Club this Saturday. Join me (Taylor) and the community of plus-size readers as we keep reading. big girl blitz: love stories, fatphobia, healing, Auntie Addie, and all the real-life topics this book raises for us plus-size people.
There are no filters. No judgment. Good conversations with people who understand it.
Saturday, May 30th | 1:30pm ET / 10:30am PT
TCF Lounge via Zoom | Participation is free! Please RSVP to get the Zoom link.
Source: The Curvy Fashionista – thecurvyfashionista.com
