Curvy bodies, chubby bodies, fat bodies—all bodies are good bodies! And one of my favorite ways to celebrate that, especially during summertime, is with body positive romances where plus-size girls get all the happy endings. All of them. These protagonists are not here for your fat shaming, narrow-minded beauty standards, and they’re here to tell you so. Whether standing up to parents or reality TV judges, these ladies are not interested in your bad body opinions. K-Pop competitions with fat girls dancing and singing their way to fame—and love—not to mention fanfic writers falling for the actors from their favorite TV shows. Let’s just say this list has got it all. I don’t know about you, but I’m more than ready for these adult and YA plus-size romances to read this summer!
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
After a near-death experience, chronically ill computer geek Chloe Brown has decided it’s time to get a life. And she’s got just the plan to make that happen. In comes Redford “Red” Morgan, a bad boy with tattoos and a motorcycle—just the type of person Chloe needs to help her on her quest to live a little on the wild side. But there’s more to Red than meets the eye. And as he helps Chloe on her mission to rebel, she starts to realize they’re not so different deep down.
Hibbert is a master of adorable, steamy romances, and the second book in the Brown Sisters series, Take a Hint, Dani Brown, features a curvy bi witch who gets more than she bargained for when she sets out to find a no-strings-attached friend with benefits. Trust me, these sisters will melt your heart.
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
Popular plus-size fashion blogger Bea is just as obsessed with the dating reality show, Main Squeeze, as everyone else. She just wishes it showcased a little more body positivity. But when she’s offered the role of next season’s star, with all the contestants vying for her affections, she can’t say no to a chance to change some minds and get a free hot air balloon ride. And drama shouldn’t be a problem because she’s determined not to let any actual feelings get in the way. But as soon as the cameras start rolling, things get complicated fast. Especially when Bea realizes that there’s a guy—or two or three—who just might be worth risking her heart for.
Melt My Heart by Bethany Rutter
Being the fat twin, Lily Rose is used to people paying more attention to her sister. Like her sister’s new summer crush, Cal, who is cute, sweet, and everything Lily should be into—so why isn’t she? Instead she’s more worried about University tearing her and her best friend Cassie apart. Not to mention all the time Cassie’s spending with Cal’s best friend, Jack, and her own confusing feelings about Cassie. So much for one last relaxing summer.
I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee
Big ambitions of becoming the next K-Pop star drive Skye Shin to audition for America’s newest talent competition: You’re My Shining Star. Her mom wishes she would just stick to singing instead of trying out as both a dancer and singer. Because of course fat girls can’t dance. But Skye’s ready to show the world what she can do. And when she earns a spot on the show, she’s determined to prove all the haters wrong, from her own mother to one of the show’s illustrious judges. And with some surprising friendships with her competitors, including the Insta-famous Henry Cho, she might just come out of the competition with even more than she bargained for.
No Big Deal by Bethany Rutter
Emily is a lot of things other than just fat—stylish, cute, hilarious, not to mention an intelligent student about to ace her last year of school. But everybody else seems to think being fat should hold her back. Not Emily, though. With an epic new crush and a great year ahead of her, she’s ready to face anything. The more time she spends with Joe, the more doubts start to creep in. Especially with her mom trying a new fad diet every week. In the face of overwhelming pressure to change, Emily has to fight to stay true to herself and who she is. Shouldn’t be a problem—after all, she’s pretty great.
Knit One, Girl Two by Shira Glassman
A fluffy Jewish F/F romance about a curvy wildlife painter and a small-batch yarn dyer who fall for each other over a love of colors, creative inspiration, and kosher food. Exactly the kind of cute, comfort read we can always use more of.
If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann
Winnie is used to people giving her weight loss advice “for her own good” in her small hometown, but her dreams extend far beyond the county lines. She’s determined to save her granny’s diner and take it over herself one day. But first, she has to find the money to keep it running. A televised cooking competition might just be the answer. Too bad her formidable grandmother doesn’t want her to enter. With her dreams and her future on the line, though, Winnie’s determined to enter the competition and win big.
Desire and the Deep Blue Sea by Olivia Dade
After breaking up with her boyfriend, Callie is suddenly in need of a fake boyfriend for an episode of HATV’s Island Match. And her smitten co-worker, Thomas, is all too happy to oblige. Callie isn’t worried about falling for the absent-minded librarian who makes her days at work a stress-induced nightmare. But Thomas is determined to convince her a week of pretending at romance isn’t nearly enough. And maybe, just maybe, their time on a tropical island is exactly what the two of them need to unwind and come together.
Soft on Soft by Mina Waheed
A soft, sweet romance featuring two fat leads falling for each other. June may post viral makeup looks online, but in real life she prefers to stay in with her cats. Her anxiety just makes going out too painful. But there’s one thing—or one person, rather—who just might make taking a risk worth it: Selena Clarke, a model/actress who is basically sunshine personified, loves cats, and somehow manages to soothe June’s anxiety. All it would take for June to get the girl of her dreams is stepping a little outside her comfort zone—and for Selena, it just might be worth it.
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade (October 6, Avon)
When a fandom friendship moves into the real world, fanfic writers April and Marcus find themselves falling for each other IRL. Only April doesn’t know Marcus is the friend she’s been talking to online for years. Or that the famous actor from her favorite TV show is the same person who betas her Gods of the Gates fan fiction. But when a twitter thread goes viral for all the wrong reasons, Marcus asks the beautiful cosplayer out for dinner—only to realize she’s the same woman he’s been secretly longing to meet for years. If only he didn’t have to hide his true self for fear of losing his job. After all, his confidentiality agreements don’t exactly allow for badmouthing the show’s choices on fan forums or writing fix-it fics.
Sweet, steamy, and every fanfic writer’s dream. This romance is such a fun take on a fan/celebrity relationship with all sorts of body positivity.
Further Reading
9 romances featuring fat heroines, 5 fat-positive YA novels, fat-positive queer YA books, and body positive books for children.
