Book Review: Set on You by Amy Lea

About the Book:

Title: Set on You

Author: Amy Lea

Page Length: 384

Publication Date: May 10, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Books

Synopsis: A gym nemesis pushes a fitness influencer to the max in Amy Lea’s steamy debut romantic comedy.

Curvy fitness influencer Crystal Chen built her career shattering gym stereotypes and mostly ignoring the trolls. After her recent breakup, she has little stamina left for men, instead finding solace in the gym – her place of power and positivity.

Enter firefighter Scott Ritchie, the smug new gym patron who routinely steals her favorite squat rack. Sparks fly as these ultra-competitive foes battle for gym domination. But after a series of escalating jabs, the last thing they expect is to run into each other at their grandparents’ engagement party.

In the lead up to their grandparents’ wedding, Crystal discovers there’s a soft heart under Scott’s muscled exterior. Bonding over family, fitness, and cheesy pick-up lines, she just might have found her swolemate. But when a photo of them goes viral, savage internet trolls put their budding relationship to the ultimate test of strength.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

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My Review:

Set On You is such a fantastic contemporary romance! It’s heartwarming and funny and sexy, and the messages and writing are fantastic. The story highlights the ridiculously unattainable beauty standards many people compare themselves to as it follows Crystal, a curvy fitness influencer, and Scott, a firefighter, who meet by chance at a local gym when Scott swoops in and steals Crystal’s favorite squat rack. Crystal is less-than-impressed by the new gym member. However, when Crystal meets Scott again at a family gathering, she realizes she might be seeing a lot more of this arrogant Chris Evans lookalike.

As the pair gets to know each other, the sparks begin to fly, and Crystal and Scott find themselves connecting over family wedding preparations, silly texts messages, and gym workouts. But what will happen when a viral photo threatens their relationship?

Crystal is such a wonderful protagonist, and I love her journey. In the author’s note, Amy Lea stresses how important it is to show women of all marginalizations who embrace self-love and body positivity, and we see that in Crystal. A confident and optimistic woman, she loves who she is and what she does. She has worked hard to eliminate harmful and fatphobic stereotypes, and she’s a positive force in the fitness world. I love her determination and compulsion to help others. However, she still has insecurities and fears. She is a well-rounded and realistic character, and she doesn’t gloss over the difficulties one goes through when on a health journey. It isn’t always easy, and the road is often full of obstacles and setbacks. I like that the story focuses on being healthy and embracing yourself and not necessarily conforming to societal pressures.

Scott is fabulous as well. He’s hunky, awkward, and a little bit nerdy, and beneath the arrogance and swagger, he’s super sweet. Throughout the book, Scott is compared to Chris Evans. Enough said. Scott and Crystal’s grandparents, Crystal’s sister and parents, and other secondary characters in the story are also interesting and well-developed. I think Crystal and Scott have relatable and realistic relationships and family situations that resonated with me. New relationships, parental pressures, meddling family members, health scares, and more enhance the characters and show the complex and rewarding connections in both Crystal and Scott’s lives.

The chemistry between Crystal and Scott is charged from the beginning. Whether they are bickering, competing, or sharing a sexy, tender moment, the sparks fly. They have such a great connection, and their banter is fantastic! For various reasons, the pair agrees to wait a few months to take their relationship to the next level. So, they develop a wonderful friendship in the hopes that it will lead to something more. And it sure does! They have a super swoon-worthy love story. I adore their text messages and flirty conversations, and their romantic scenes are steamy!!

I also love how the story includes Instagram posts and comments, as well as text messages. It shows the realities of online culture, both good and bad. The online bullying that Crystal and Scott endure is true to life and, sadly, what we often see on social media. The text messages between Crystal and Scott show how close they are becoming, and I especially loved the cringe-worthy pick-up lines. They are so funny and sweet.

A story about self-love and acceptance, Set On You is a wonderful contemporary romance. I look forward to reading more by this talented debut author and am so grateful to NetGalley, Spark Point Studio, and Berkley Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Rating:

Favorite Parts:

The romance!

The messages.

The writing style.

Favorite Lines:

Don’t allow people to put you into positions that make you feel less than.

Confidence and love for yourself are ever-changing.

There’s a difference between speaking up and letting their ignorance have power over you.

Don’t let anyone else dictate your worth. Ever.

Recommendations:

I would recommend that you check out the content warnings before reading the book, as subjects like fat phobia, fat shaming, cyber bullying, and more are addressed.