Rating: 
Summary: OK
Review: This was an ok book. I think it was pretty stereotypical. I am 5'4" and 157 lbs., but I have a love life and lots of friends. It was fun to read though. It also gives me hope that determination can get you whatever you want.I didn't like Jemima, because she isn't very kind to overweight people.Even though she is one herself, she portrays them as being constant eaters. Some people really do have problems that don't relate to over-eating and under-exercising.And ::GASP:: some people are BORN overweight, like me!
It's not because you are a eating machine. Maybe in her case, but not in mine.And who says skinny is the only size to be beautiful? However, it was a fluffy novel. If you try to ignore the fat and thin people bashing(fat people are pathetic and thin people are shallow), you will enjoy it. I enjoyed quite a bit the first time, but the second time I thought it was kind of stupid.
Rating: 
Summary: 1 star given under duress! Should be 0!
Review: First off I agree with many of the other reviews that this book was not written well. It is irritating switching between 1st and 3rd person. I like many of the other reviewers am also overweight and was looking forward to having a character I could relate to but ended up being bitterly disappointed. I found this book to be offensive and unrealistic. I know this may come as a surprse to Jane Green but I do go out in public and I am even married. I find it hard to believe that I am the only overweight person in a healthy and even happy relationship so I will assume there are other overweight people out there also who did not have to shed 100lbs to meet someone special. Getting beyond the poor writing skills and obvious stereotypes of an overweight person (such as we all pig out 24/7). I will touch on the glaring errors. I find it hard to believe that someone as self conscious as Jemima would be seen eating 2 bacon sandwiches on her way to work. Also after working in a Doctors office I can attest that when someone who has been heavy her whole life loses a large amount of weight suddenly they do not automatically look like a supermodel. Most in truth are almost as unhappy with how they look naked after weight loss as they did before weight loss due to excess skin issues and sagging. Sorry to be graphic but its a simple truth. *SPOILER* Probably the most disturbing thing in the whole book is that the man she goes to be with in CA. He brings a woman over from England even though CA is full of beautiful women (or at least by the authors description) because he owns a fitness club and appearently is embaressed to be with a large sized woman. He does this even though he is in love with one and is obviously attracted to them given the photographs Jemima finds hidden in his room. Probably the only thing more pathetic is his girlfriend who allows him to cheat on her just to present an image. In essence saying she is an embarrasment and has no hope for anything other then a man who will love her in private. Jane Green should be ashamed of herself for writing such drivel. If you are in the mood for a fun, light, brit-chick book pick up the Shopaholic books by Sophie Kinsella instead. I do understand that this book was not meant to be more then light and fun but it does way more harm then good. Any fantasy book has to be grounded a little in reality for the reader to relate, this book is so far from realistic you will find far more things wrong with it then the few things I have mentioned. Besides according to the author if you are overweight like me you need every penny to buy food for your all night bacon sandwich and cookie binges.
Rating:
Summary: total crap
Review: I didn't even care about the body image message she wrote about,is size 14 really that unlovable of a size though? What bothered me the most is that she can't write. I know I could write this book better than she has, in fact, I am also certain that a drunk monkey could as well. The biggest perplexity of this book for me was if Brads( I think that was his name) girlfriend loved him so much and he OWNED a gym that she WORKED in for heavens sake, why wouldn't she lose the weight instead of having her great love fly some European internet chick. I mean if image was more important to him than fidelity, and she loved him that much, why wouldn't she have lost the weight that made her such an embarassment to him? Isn't this book based on the premise that you need to lose weight in order for a guy to love you? Whatever, total crap, avoid it. Rather organize a non profit and send the money you have have spent on her book to send Jane Green to quite a few community college writing classes, and send her editor to some classes too.
Please note that I have never posted a comment before, this goes to show how much her book irratated me.
Rating: 
Summary: Just enjoy the ride!
Review: Had to write a review because everyone I know is hatin' on the book. It was fun fun fun! I can totally relate to the character and even though you have to suspend reality time to time in order to accept what is happening- IT IS FICTION FOLKS- it is suppose to be fun in that way. It is really little more than a cinderella story, but hey, it is light and frothy and has way less calories than chocolate!
Rating:
Summary: Thin vs. Fat
Review: A Review by Cassandra Being over weight tends to lead to having a very lonesome life. So Jemima finds herself on her computer at work. While online she discovers chat rooms and starts talking to this guy named Brad. He lives in California, owns a gym, and is absolutely gorgeous. However, Jemima lives in London so she didn't think she'd ever see him. Brad sent her a picture of himself and asked her to send him one of herself. Her friend, Geraldine, talks to a man at work and he edits her picture so she looks very slim and beautiful. Brad asks Jemima if she would like to come visit him. Immediately she goes to the gym and gets a membership. She wants this man to fall in love with her for no one else has before. Jemima soon discovers that someone could've loved her even if she was 100lbs over weight. In the book I really liked how Jemima was determined to lose weight for a man she didn't even know in real life. When I thought nothing else exciting could've happened something extremely strange did. Jemima knows all about self punishment now. To lose hundred pounds in two-three months is astonishing. Its true that thin people do look down on overweight people. Jemima's roommates had to be one of the cruelest people to her. They only wanted her so she could make them tea. Then there was Ben he worked with Jemima he was gorgeous. They were friends but Ben never knew how Jemima really felt. Eventually he went to work with a TV station so Jemima never did see him again. When Jemima was in California she met up with a certain someone I never knew she'd ever see again. I really liked this book because it was fiction but based on real life events. When you start to read it you don't want to put it down. I read the entire thing in one night because the events in it were the last things I would've thought would've happened. I recommend this book to a girl who is over the age of thirteen. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: if I could choose zero stars, I would.
Review: Yes, it's that bad. It may actually be one of the worst books I've ever read. Not only are all the characters completely unrealistic and two-dimensional, but the "message" of the book is horribly vile and vapid. I was initially intrigued by the premise--a commentary about body size and social status, and of exploring the idea of online love connections. But, this book told us that if you're fat, then you will have no friends, no professional future, no love life, but if you starve yourself and lie to become what you've previously scorned (airheaded social climbers), then everything will pretty much turn out great! I really liked Bridget Jones, Good In Bed, and other books of this genre (British working girl in her thirties, having a life, being funny), but this is bad, bad, bad. Please don't waste your time or money on this trash. You'd be better off with a Harlequin romance. For real.
Rating: 
Summary: For those first and third person issues ...
Review: Say what you will about this book ... yes, it does indeed portray female image issues in an odd and not altogether sympathetic light ... yes, many of the characters are cliche ... etc, etc, etc. I would, however, like to point out to those of you confused with the first/third person narrative style that it is of no small importance that Jemima's last name is Jones. I could be wrong, but Green calls upon the image of another literary Jones, one Mr. Tom Jones, to be exact, who's exploits were detailed by Henry Fielding in the 18th century novel of the same name. She seems to pattern much of her writing style and plot elements from Fielding throughout the work ... if you are curious, check it out, it is a very lovely piece.
Rating:
Summary: wish i hadn't wasted the money on this garbage
Review: Does this happen to you? do you see a pretty cover, read the back and think...hmm, interesting, then splurge on some crap paperback? I got sucked in!! This book was terrible. I agree with every person who found the switching from first to third person annoying and hard to read. 207 lbs!! oh my god she's huge!! and disgusting!! Her weight loss is completely unrealistic!! At 120 lbs she must look sick!! Not to mention the fact that she knows nothing about this guy Brad then travels helf way aorund the coutry, giving no thoguht to such dangers that may come to women dating over the internet. I'd like to comment on something I found missing from other reviews. The saddest character in this book is not JJ, it is poor, fat Jenny. Brad is what, loving her in secret, and keeping a skinny pretty girl on the side? Talk about a scummy man. What kind of love is that? It only seems to restate Green's idea that fat women don't have normal relationships. While I agree that women might enjoy a light airy read, they should not support the ideas upheld by this book, mainly, that women are pathetic without men, and all men are shallow pigs. When will women begin loving themselves? JJ is still a loser in the end. This guy didn't notice her until she shed that ugly weight and became the thin swan. Don't let your younger sisters get a hold of this book!!
Rating:
Summary: Jemina is an inspiring and fun read!
Review: I bought this book in Dublin, for a fun read on my travels, and that is what I got! The book introduces us to Jemina J when she is struggling with re-defining herself in many ways. I was worried that it may just be a book about an overweight woman who becomes thin and that changes everything. Luckily, it does not. Jemina is a likeable character right from the beginning and watching her evolve as a person is the best part of the book...the romance and the adventures are a bonus! Overall, a very fun read and excellent traveling companion....
Rating:
Summary: Save your money!
Review: Being a horizontally challenged woman my entire life, I was looking forward to cracking open this book and finding a kindred spirit in Jemima. What I found was a grossly exagerated character created by someone who has obviously never been fat a day in her life and cannot even imagine successfully what it might be like. Poorly written, boring at best (had to FORCE myself to finish just to see how this travesty would end) and laughable...but not in a GOOD way. Not to ruin the ending because you're not going to waste your money on this book anyway, but Jemima's life ends up hunky-dory after she starves herself, loses all of that disgusting weight and gets the guy of her dreams (who ignored her when she WAS fat). GREAT MESSAGE JANE!!!!! If you want a free copy I suggest you visit a landfill in Illinois where mine is probably resting.
| 
