From the publisher:
A sexy romance about a plus-size sweetheart who gets a full-life makeover after a brutal breakup and falls for the incredibly hot contractor renovating her home.
Savvy Sheldon spends a lot of time tiptoeing around the cracks in her life: her high-stress and low-thanks job, her clueless boyfriend and the falling-apart kitchen she inherited from her beloved grandma—who taught her how to cook and how to love people by feeding them. But when Savvy’s world starts to crash down around her, she knows it’s time for some renovations.
Starting from the outside in, Savvy tackles her crumbling kitchen, her relationship with her body, her work–life balance (or lack thereof) and, last but not least, her love life. The only thing that doesn’t seem to require effort is her ride-or-die squad of friends. But as any home-reno-show junkie can tell you, something always falls apart during renovations. First, Savvy passes out during hot yoga. Then it turns out that the contractor she hires is the same sexy stranger she unintentionally offended by judging based on appearances. Worst of all, Savvy can’t seem to go anywhere without tripping over her ex and his latest “upgrade.” Savvy begins to realize that maybe she should’ve started her renovations the other way around: beginning with how she sees herself before building a love that lasts.
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NEWS 4 SAN ANTONIO – “February Book Picks: Love, laughter and literacy”“A heartfelt, hopeful, and humorous exploration of the importance of learning to love yourself…a joy to read.” –Booklist, STARRED review
“This novel is a paean to self-care and support systems . . . A true highlight of the book is its depiction of food, as Savvy is a great cook, and McCoy delights in describing the delicious dishes she whips up. . . . Full of positivity, good food, and love.” —Kirkus Reviews
“McCoy populates Savvy’s world with a diverse cast of immediately endearing friends and family, especially besties Joan and Maggie, who reinforce positivity and love for Savvy and help her prioritize the things that make her happy. With a focus on heartbreak and reflection, Savvy’s story has every flavor of love. McCoy is sure to win fans.” —Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3QZbBwM
I love seeing a debut author get so much love; and in this case, it is well deserved. Savvy is a complex character and she carries this story. Her love interest is Spencer, who she originally thinks is homeless. Once they get past that, there are still issues, mostly stemming from Savvy’s insecurities.
Savvy is a plus-size Black woman who was in a relationship for six years, and when her boyfriend dumps her he tells her it’s because she’s too fat and works too much. Pretty horrible, to say the least. Savvy decides to get her “revenge” body on and starts hiking, playing tennis, and doing Bikram yoga. As she and Spencer get to know one another, they constantly run into her ex at every turn. Fortunately, Spencer is most understanding and Savvy’s best friends always have her back and then some.
I loved watching Savvy learn to love herself. The home renovation and the cooking were just bonuses for me. I admit to skimming the pages-long descriptions of tennis matches, but that is a minor complaint in an otherwise excellent debut. I am looking forward to seeing what McCoy brings us next.
9/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
SAVVY SHELDON FEELS GOOD AS HELL by Taj McCoy. @HarlequinBooks; Original edition (March 22, 2022). ISBN: 978-0778311843. 320p.
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