e-ALC, 05:52:47
Narrated by: Ella Lynch
Release Date: March 4, 2026
Published by: Dreamscape Media
Read from: March 25, 2026
Stand-alone
Source: Netgalley (I received this ALC free from the publisher and Netgalley. This did nothing to influence my review!)
Content Warning: Fatphobic Language
For Readers of: Contemporary, Most Anticipated, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Sports, YAA sporty, feel-good, body-positive rom-com pits a plus-size teen against her bullies to prove what she already knows—that she has exactly the right stuff.
Sixteen-year-old Ruby has worked hard to be happy in her body, even when other people—including her brother and her PE teacher—insist there’s something wrong with her for being fat. All Ruby cares about is hanging out at the skate park this summer with friends. But her brother’s bullying words get under her skin, and in order to prove to him (and her impressionable little sister) that fat girls can do anything, Ruby finds herself signed up for the annual 5K Dawson Dash. There’s just one problem: She can’t run. The cute new boy next door can, however, and when Ollie offers to help her train, Ruby takes him up on it, even if it means he’ll see her at her sweatiest and most vulnerable. Young athletes of all stripes, especially those marginalized in sports due to body differences, will find a hero in good-humored Ruby. With its all-audience appeal, her joyful story delivers upbeat romance and affirmation that our bodies are just right, just the way they are.
*MY THOUGHTS*
Ok so I have been waiting on this book since like last year! As soon as I read what it was about I knew I needed to read this. And now that I have, I can say my radar on books I think I’ll like is definitely still in tact lol
Ok so the first thing that pulled me in was the fact that it was a sports romance. And to make it better, the sport was running! (I hate that there’s not more of these, so I grab them up whenever I see one. And I loved this one! She spent her time training for a long distance run in a way that actually made sense. I loved that Rutter didn’t shy away from all the times Ruby wanted to give up, and when she showed that the build up to up your staminia is scary, but also so rewarding.
The romance was ok. He was a little hard to read. Like he mostly seemed like her coach. The chemistry wasn’t really there. Which was so weird because the ending was so good! He did say some really sweet things too, but ANY good human would say these things. And like she was mostly taking care of herself against her asshole brother. Idk they felt more like friends than anything to me.
The body positive message in this one was kick ass tho! She proved that just moving your body, no matter what it looks like, is fine. This is something that all people need to see and hear. It doesn’t matter what your body looks like, you can do all things! I was glad this was shown in a YA novel no less. Definitely not a lot of them with this message.
This was a good read with a good message, I just wish the romance had seemed better. Y’all pick this up and let me know what YOU think!
Overall. I give this
