Big Girl Panties

Evanovich’s incredibly entertaining debut mesmerizes with wit, heart, and intelligence as a spirited large woman breaks out of her shell in a thin-obsessed world. Holly Brennan, widowed at 32, is worn out after months of caring for her dying husband and seeking consolation in food. She surprises herself by saying yes when personal trainer Logan Montgomery, a Greek-god lookalike, offers to help her break some bad habits. Logan is impressed by Holly’s spunk (and embarrassed by his initial inclination to sneer at “the fat chick”), and he sees their partnership as a win-win situation: Holly will get back into the game of her own life, and he will enjoy watching her transformation. Shedding pounds and emotional baggage, Holly begins hanging out with Logan’s image-conscious friends, but the commitment-phobic trainer turns surly when others find her attractive. An explosive sexual encounter confirms their chemistry and budding love, but an intentional misspoken word and a party prank force both to confront their last barrier to happiness. Quality writing, memorable characters, hot sex scenes, and an emotionally satisfying story add up to a marvelous gem. Agents: Andrea Cirillo and Meg Ruley at Jane Rotrosen Agency. (July)