Pretty Face by Mary Hogan

Hayley hates living in California; the beaches, the bikinis, and all the pressure to fit in really dig in at her and she resents it. It's especially hard when you're a fat girl and you're having all of this scorn thrown in your face. That's why Hayley jumps at the chance to spend a summer in the Italian countryside; away from her harping mom, annoying little brother, and all the stupid drama of American life. While Hayley's there, she realizes that it's okay not to fit the form. It's all about being yourself and loving the skin your in and what better place to discover and enjoy all this than in beautiful, scenic, Italy? Add a cute boy who adores Hayley for who she really is and Hayley knows that this will definitely be a summer to remember.

Awww! This book was just too cute. I think I expected it to be a little more deep and meaningful than it was, but I think the light and fluffy style of the book was a nice change. I began out thinking that this book was going to be like The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things which I've reviewed on this blog and which really was a nice, deeper book addressing the same issue of obesity, but this book was more of a coming of age story. It tells how Hayley finds her place as a woman with curves. And I liked that we got to see that side of it and that Hayley learned that although it's not great to be super large, it's okay to be round and enjoy food. None of us are required to fit the stereotype thinness that's pushed on us by the media, but rather we should do what we think is best for our bodies and our lives. And I think that that message, along with the very cute plot line really helped this book tell its story. I liked it a lot. And with that being said, I do have a few complaints. I think that I would've have liked the story to have been a little bit longer and more detailed. I feel as if it all moved a little too fast and we didn't get to meet the characters and learn about them enough. Also, I didn't think that Enzo (the boy Hayley falls in love with) and Hayley's relationship was believable enough. It was all a bit brief and it just didn't have that special spark that makes you think; wow, that really is love. Also, I don't think that the cover fit the book at all. The whole book is set in scenic Italy and you can't guess that from the cover which kind of bugs me. Other than that though, Pretty Face was a nice, fluffy, and highly enjoyable read that has enough sustenance to pull readers in and keep them hooked for the entirety of the story. I really liked this book and I would definitely recommend it as a feel-good summer beach read.