Fiction Vixen is pleased to welcome author Rissa Brahm today.

Hot Reads Featuring Curvy Heroines

Surreal. Curvy Barbies™? Megan Trainor’s real-woman attitude with her big, bold, and beautiful lyrics? Curve models and conversations on “body-shaming”? All of it would have been laughed right out of the extra wide door if thought of or mentioned when I was growing up.

Society’s views of the “acceptable” or even “desirous” Female form has, no doubt, morphed toward the more “realistic” over recent years. Less skin deep and more true-to-life—though we’ve still got a long way to go before truly leaving 36-34-36 behind. But in the media, music, fashion, education and yes, even in our Romance novels, the acceptance of real female body types has been trending toward the positive. Appreciating—even, dare I say celebrating—real women and all their dips and curves, in all their natural, unsymmetrical glory is actually happening. In real life!

So, about those curve-centric romance reads…

I am a rather recent romance-novel convert. Reading ’em and writing ’em. As I tear through the contemporary romance greats and dive into newer hot reads, too, I’ve hunted for all shapes and sizes of heroine.

I’ve read quite a few wonderful authors who feature the BBW—Big Beautiful Woman. Jennifer Weiner’s Good in Bed, Jasinda Wilder’s earlier Big Girls Do It series, On the Plus Side by Tabatha Vargo. So they are out there. And I feel comforted for myself—and for my daughter—that the world is widening its scope on the full glory of the female form.

Here are my favorite hot contemporary romance reads with strong-and-curvy female protagonists:

Charlotte Stein’s Curveball:

This British novella drew me in on sentence one. Judy, our heroine, is strong, sweet, really funny, and introspective. Introduce Steven the perfectly imperfect,
rough around the… man boobs, hero. His foot-in-the-mouth blather gets our plump and spirited Judy showing her true spunk and wit. Out at sea with nowhere to go but into the water—together?—tension then organic flirting lead to friendship which morphs to super tingling-hot sexy time.

Stein’s writing did something more for me than just feature a curvy female lead. Her portrayal of Judy pulled me in so wholly that I stopped seeing Judy as a stereotypical “big girl”—she and I became just…a woman. A full, real life woman with passions, insecurities, strengths, wild thoughts and feelings. As for the sensuality of the story, Stein’s sex scenes made me quiver to-the-core. Hot and heartfelt, I’d gladly read more of Stein’s curvy tales.

Favorite Quote:

“He can see me. It’s just that I’ve never been seen like this before.” I saw Judy too.

The Curvy Sister (A BBW Cowboy Romance) by Jordan Bell

The Curvy Sister (A BBW Cowboy Romance) by Jordan Bell, is a novella with a big, bold, believable heroine and stellar writing quality to match. Cassidy, the betrayed curvy sister, was dynamite. Relatable, and gorgeous in my mind, the fight in Cass made me hot, even before hot-hero Jason King entered the ultra-tense picture. The fire roared hotter from there. From this quick—but deep read—I will read more of Jordan Bell’s work for sure—she has a whole line up of curvy reads going on.

Stand out quotes:

Of Cassidy’s sister—“She looked so small and fragile…all bird bones and a tiny mouth.”

“This was an exploration, a long journey across every hill and valley, every soft swell and new spot that made me arch and gasp into his mouth.”

“…when he caressed my body and felt the rumples and bumps and swells I hid from everyone else.”

Too Much Temptation (Brava Brothers series Book 1) by Lori Foster

Another supremely well-written romance. Quick-paced with natural, organic build. Fiercely loyal Grace Jenkins—with all of her perfectly plump “endowments”—runs to defend Noah Harper, her rich, socialite employer’s grandson, after being betrayed by his fiancé, and then thrown under the bus by her. More terrific conflict runs through the story as Noah works to convince Grace of her full-figured—and glorious—worth…and his lust, then realized love for her.

The way Foster paints Grace—physically, emotionally—and Noah’s image of Grace, is as beautiful and real and refreshing as the love that builds between them. Really loved this read.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“True, Grace was overweight, at least by modern, model-thin standards. But now her ripe body was against his, wiggling as she tried to get even closer, and he felt every single generous female curve.”

“She reminded him of a Grecian statue.”

So, there’s my short list of my favorite contemporary romances starring curvy and voluptuous heroines.

A final thought

Oscar Wilde said, “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” If readers read (and romance authors write) more curvy BBW women, I believe societal perceptions will shift more, and faster. The more female protagonists whose curves and dips and dimples and natural rolls are loved and accepted by romance heroines themselves, and are also appreciated, adored—devoured, even!—by our favorite hot book boyfriends, the more we women—and our daughters—will stop the body shaming. We might even start the self-loving, body-pleasuring and relishing! So to start, be on the look out for different sizes and shapes in your romance novels, because the art and impact of a romance novel has power, power to shape our views, ignite our passions, and open our hearts.

Can you recommend some more beautifully normal heroines—“real-woman” shapes and sizes?

And what other attributes do you feel romance leading ladies are lacking? Comment below!

Luscious Bonus Links:

Music:

Meghan Trainor’s All About the Bass and Me Too

Articles:

Curvy super heroines in movies

Body Shaming

Non-Fiction Reads:

Come as You Are by Dr. Emily Nagoski

Big Girls Do It Running by Jasinda Wilder

Be sure to check out Rissa’s Giveaway at Goodreads.

Guest Post: Romance with a Twist…and a Curve was first published on Fiction Vixen