Ok, full disclosure...I actually listened to this one before the Dr. Helsing series. I know, I know; the betrayal! But in my defense Dr. Helsing was fresh in my mind and seemed like the best place to start. However, One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London was the book that initially hooked me on Audible.
Are you looking for the perfect feel-good confidence booster? Want a heroine you can really root for and multiple men to bash? Throw in a trashy, heavily produced reality show and you’ve got One to Watch. Think Drop Dead Diva playing Kate Winslet in The Holiday meets The Bachelorette. A mad mashup, for sure, but hear me out.
Our story starts in Paris. The perfect setup for romance, right? Only romance isn’t what our main character Bea finds while studying abroad in the city of love. What she finds instead is...herself (and obviously some delicious pastries). Bea goes to Paris overweight and timid. Hiding behind baggy clothes and a less than stellar self-image. Cue an adorable street market and a magic cape wielding merchant. Ok, she's not really magic but she might as well be because she asks our heroine the all important question; "who is the woman's style you most admire?" And thus, our girl is reborn.
Picture from my trip to Paris in 2015
Cut to Bea post-college. She seems to have it all. An adorable bungalow in LA, a successful blog, and thousands of Instagram fans praising her body positivity. And yet, Bea's stuck in the ever cliched "in love with her best friend"/"hung up on an unavailable guy" rut. After both a spectacular and devastating hook-up with he who must not be named (barf, Ray), Bea is left heartbroken, and what better way to wallow than indulging in your favorite guilty pleasure? In Bea's case, the trashy reality tv show
Main Squeeze 🍋.
One guy or girl and about 20 or so suitors jet setting around the world on overly romantic dates. Rife with well scripted drama and cat fights galore. Sound familiar? Cough, The Bachelor, cough.
I'll admit I was late to the final rose game by about 15 years. I mean I’d tuned in here and there. How could I not? Bachelor Nation seems to be everywhere. But I wasn’t a fan. It was way too cringey for my taste. It wasn’t until my best friend and OG Bach viewer convinced me to watch Nick Viall’s season that I understood the appeal.
How can you not slightly enjoy shit like this happening... 👇
Despite the heavy edit, there's something that pulls you in. Main Squeeze in Bea's world is no different and One to Watch knows it. In fact, one of the best parts about the book is the peek behind the curtain of the reality show. We meet Lauren, Main Squeeze's new show runner (think Rachel & Quinn from UnReal). She's ambitious, whip smart, and as direct as you'd expect. She has an agenda, which involves casting Bea as Main Squeeze's first ever plus-size lead.
Record scratch; Bea Schumacher, a "fat" woman, is going on television to date 20+ men. Are there trolls? Yes. Is it disgusting? Double yes. But is it realistic? Unfortunately. As someone who isn't a size 2, I can relate. Granted, I'm not a size 16 either, but that doesn't mean I haven't experienced a taste of what being a "bigger girl" is like. I've been called a fat bitch by a guy in a bar. Told my body type was something men were too shallow to consider right now. Embarrassingly been asked if I was pregnant when I wasn't and more than a few times been ashamed of my food choices in public. Bea knows the feeling all too well.
Throughout her time on Main Squeeze she's confronted with men who fetishize her, give out unwarranted "health" tips, and outright mock her. It's an unpleasant glance into toxic masculinity and unrealistic beauty standards. Now, I could rant and rave, but I'm sure it's wholly unnecessary. Why? Because, dear reader, I'm sure you're familiar enough with both. Hell, if you've watched the Bachelor or Bachelorette you're practically an expert on both subjects! Why do all the girls look the same? And when they don't, why do we find ourselves picking apart their differences? Don't we want better representation?!
Answer...we do. But society tells us we shouldn't want it. We should keep fantasizing about the ideal. Hold that manic pixie dream girl to that pedestal. Keep greasing the mold because no one wants to see ugly. And being fat, we're told, is the ugliest thing you can be. But let's be real. There are so many worse things to be than fat. Rude, ignorant, cruel, greedy, and vain to name a few. So, I think it's about time we start acting like it because the backlash Bea faces as Main Squeeze's new lead is all too realistic. (Ex. MAGA hat wearing dickwads commenting 🐷 on plus-size pictures).
At times I found myself rolling my eyes. Wanting to reach through my phone and shake this fictional character, so she'd buck up, give herself more credit and get her groove back. But then I thought...shit, I do this too. We all do! I hold myself to an unfair standard and beat myself up for bullshit reasons. It's time to make like Bea and stop hiding. I want to try on confidence for a change, and what better time than at the start of my shot girl summer! I'm fully vaxxed, baby! And now I'm blonder, badder, and ready to re-enter the world with a bit more pizazz curtesy of One to Watch.
Ultimately, a warm and fuzzy romance with all the frills. A relatable lead, pop culture references and a well deserved ending for all. More books about girls liking themselves, please!
P.S. This book doesn't end with Bea pushing herself to lose the weight in order to find love. That concept can fuck right off.
Overall rating: A-
Audible Link: https://www.amazon.com/One-to-Watch-A-Novel/dp/B081P1XPVQ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=one+to+watch&qid=1623380629&sr=8-1
Catch Me: Sipping a blended bev
Shoutout to: Ola Salon for the fresh chop (Am I Greta Helsing yet?)
I'm Over: Men 😜(except the hubs, he can hang).
Up Next: Panic by Lauren Oliver
Our trip to Paris 🇫🇷🥐🍷
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