Colorado Springs hit an unseasonable 75 degrees last weekend, and I took full advantage by reading on the back patio with a cold drink in hand. The warmth made me crave a fun summer romance, something light and laugh-out-loud funny. I grabbed Curvy Girl Summer on a whim, and within the first chapter I was cackling so loud the neighbors probably wondered what was happening. Sometimes the best reading decisions come from following the weather's lead—and this book delivered exactly the sunny, spicy escape I needed.
Plot Summary
Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen is the first book in the Curve series, published in 2024. After a one-night stand with her clingy ex, Aaliyah James has an epiphany—she's done with casual hookups and situationships. At almost thirty years old, she wants a real relationship. When her family implies that her personality and body might be "too big" to land a man, Aaliyah doubles down and claims she has a boyfriend who loves her curves. Now she has seven weeks to find someone to bring to her big birthday celebration. After being stood up on a blind date, she meets Ahmad Williamson, the charming local bartender who suggests she try online dating. He offers to be her wingman, vetting her dates at his family's restaurant. As Aaliyah navigates the wild world of dating apps filled with catfish, fetishizers, and red flags, Ahmad is there with drinks, playful insults, and surprisingly good advice. But the more time they spend together trading barbs and genuine conversation, the less interested Aaliyah becomes in swiping right. This hilarious, steamy romance proves that sometimes your perfect match is the person who's been roasting you all along.
Why I Love This Book
I love how Curvy Girl Summer made me laugh out loud constantly. The banter between Aaliyah and Ahmad is top-tier—they roast each other mercilessly from page one and never let up. Their chemistry is explosive, and watching them deny their feelings while clearly falling for each other was deliciously frustrating. Aaliyah is confident, hilarious, and unapologetically herself. She's not looking to change her body for anyone, and Ahmad makes it clear he finds her absolutely perfect. The book tackles fatphobia from family members head-on, showing how damaging those "well-meaning" comments can be. I appreciated the authentic representation of online dating disasters and how the author balanced humor with more serious themes of self-acceptance. The steamy scenes are scorching and frequent, starting from chapter one. The slow burn between the main characters despite the high heat elsewhere made their eventual coming together incredibly satisfying.
Who Will Like This Book
If you enjoy contemporary romance with hilarious banter, plus-size representation, slow burn tension, friends-to-lovers vibes, and high heat, you'll love this book. It's perfect for readers who want laugh-out-loud moments balanced with genuine emotion and steamy scenes. Fans of bartender heroes, protective heroes who act as wingmen, online dating chaos, and heroines with amazing friend groups will eat this up. The book starts with an explicit sex scene, so be prepared for high spice throughout. Readers looking for body-positive romance where the heroine doesn't change or lose weight will appreciate this story.
⚠️ Trigger warning: explicit sexual content, fatphobia from family members, body-shaming comments, one-night stand with ex, online dating harassment, fetishization, discussions of weight and appearance, family pressure, catfishing experiences.
Tagged As
contemporary romance, Curve series Book 1, plus-size heroine, curvy girl romance, body positive, bartender hero, friends to lovers, wingman trope, slow burn, hilarious banter, online dating, dating app chaos, protective hero, Black romance, family pressure, turning 30, summer romance, explicit, very steamy, open door, HEA, 2024 publication, Danielle Allen, multiple steamy scenes, catfish, fetishization themes
Steam Level
This book is extremely steamy and starts with an explicit one-night stand in chapter one. Multiple detailed, open-door intimate scenes throughout with various partners before the main couple gets together. The sexual content is frequent and graphically described. When Aaliyah and Ahmad finally get together, the heat is off the charts. Definitely for readers who love high spice levels and explicit content from start to finish.
