I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Plus Size Player by Danielle Allen Series: Curve #2
Also in this series: Curvy Girl Summer
on June 10, 2025
Pages: 368
Narrator: Wesleigh Siobhan
Length: 12 hours and 54 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: NetGalley
Buy on Amazon, Buy on Indigo
Goodreads
Julie Murphy's If the Shoe Fits meets Talia Hibbert's Take a Hint, Dani Brown--USA Today bestselling author Danielle Allen brings another steamy, witty novel about finding the perfect partner--and how sometimes what you're looking for is right in front of you.
“I only spend time with people I enjoy. I only do things I want to do. I only have sex with people who get me off. So, my time is never wasted and my energy stays high.”Nina Ford doesn’t like to put all her eggs in one basket. She works multiple jobs, she enjoys multiple hobbies, she dates multiple men.
In her thirty years of life, Nina has never come across a man who has all the things she’s looking for.
She loves fun and excitement—and she has a man for that.
She loves confidence and humor—and she has a man for that.
She loves intelligence and ambition—and she has a man for that.
She loves passion and romance—and she has a man for that.
She’s always been content rotating a few men in and out of her life to get her needs met. But when Russell Long, her designated “Fun Guy”, shows her that he’s good for more than just thrills, it seems too good to be true. Nina finds herself in a predicament.
She's found everything she's ever wanted in a career in one job.
She's found everything she's ever wanted in a partner in one man.
Inevitably, her eggs are bound to get cracked.
Like her back.
Review
Danielle Allen’s latest romance hits different. Her heroine, Nina Ford, treats life like an investment portfolio – diversified. Multiple jobs, various hobbies, and a carefully curated roster of men, each serving a distinct purpose. It’s a strategy that’s worked like a charm, until those pesky feelings show up uninvited.
What makes this book shine is how real it feels. Nina isn’t your typical romance protagonist – she’s messy, complex, and completely unapologetic. Allen writes with the kind of wit that makes you snort-laugh in public, while delivering steamy scenes that’ll have you checking if anyone’s reading over your shoulder.
The book nails body positivity without preaching. There’s no dramatic transformation or “learning to love yourself” montage. Instead, Allen weaves self-acceptance naturally through Nina’s story, making it feel authentic rather than forced.
Sure, the middle drags a bit, and some interesting subplots get left hanging. But these are minor bumps in an otherwise smooth ride. Allen, drawing from her background as a professor and life coach, gets people – their quirks, their fears, their desperate attempts to keep love at arm’s length.
At its heart, Plus Size Player is about finding love on your own terms, even when it messes with your carefully planned life. It’s smart, sexy, and refreshingly real. If you like your romance with a side of actual human behavior, this one’s for you.
4.5/5 stars – Highly recommended for anyone who’s ever tried to spreadsheet their way through relationships (you know who you are).
