Review: Chasing Ginger by Marie Lavender

My Review:

Chasing Ginger is a fun and entertaining romantic comedy about a woman who takes a pill that is supposed to make her instantly sexy to men. When a date night goes chaotically and dangerously wrong, Ginger is rescued by Lance, who is instantly smitten with the voluptuous beauty. However, does Lance really like Ginger, and how will he react when he learns about her miracle pill?

Ginger is such a relatable character. She is smart and independent. She looks good and feels good, but she doesn’t fit the societal mold. She isn’t thin, and she doesn’t have a perfect body. Ginger deals with self-esteem issues, self-doubt, and insecurities. As a plus-size woman, Ginger faces prejudice and judgment, and, because of the life-long shame that comes with being a big woman, she often questions her worth. She basically resigns herself to the fact that she will end up alone because she believes men don’t find her body attractive. She also gives up her dream of becoming a singer and has trouble believing that Lance finds her attractive. How terrible is that? Sadly, this is reality. There are some excellent social statements in this book about prejudice, body shame, the desire to be accepted, and loving the skin you’re in that I think will resonate with readers.

As a curvy woman myself, I totally relate to the conflicting emotions that Ginger often feels. Confidence is very easily stripped away when people constantly consider you less than because of your weight (or for any other reason). However, between Lance and The Misfits, Ginger slowly tries to see herself as others see her – as a beautiful, vivacious woman. This proves difficult, considering the years of shame and judgment she’s experienced even at the hands of her family.

The way Lance feels about Ginger and the way that he talks about her is positively swoon-worthy. He is sure of what he wants, and, intuitively, knows he must be patient. I love how much Lance admires Ginger and how attracted he is, not just to her body, but to her. He sees the whole woman, and he likes what he sees. In turn, Ginger sees more than just a handsome face and money, which is a change for Lance. As a wealthy man, he often attracts the wrong kind of woman, and he finds Ginger refreshing, honest, and sincere. What’s interesting is that Ginger and Lance both feel undeserving of each other and have to examine these feelings before they can truly give their hearts to each other. They make a wonderful pair, and I love their budding relationship.

Ginger also receives support from The Misfits, a fantastic group of loyal and supportive friends. I love this unique group of women. They are all unique and dynamic individuals, and they are a strong and supportive unit. I can’t wait to learn more about each woman in the future books in this series!

This is a fun contemporary rom-com with great characters and a sexy romance. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

---

Rating:

Favorite Parts:

• The romance, of course!

• The messages about loving yourself and resisting body shame.

Favorite Lines:

Going for what you want in life isn’t supposed to be easy.

Who are you really hiding from, Ginger? Them or yourself?