I’ll admit, I had this one in my TBR pile for well over a year. I knew the story dealt with a woman whose best friend was facing some terrible odds with cancer. Not one to typically go for the tearjerkers (I have to be really in the mood for something serious), I put it on the back burner. And, boy, was I wrong. Sure, there’s some heavy stuff in this book, but mostly, it was hilarious!
Big Sexy Love by Kirsty Greenwood is now an instant favorite. As I went through the pages, I found myself in awe, giggling, and full out laughing. Every so often, I had to put the book down because I was just stunned by how clever Kirsty was in building out this story. So before you get hung upon the serious nature of cancer as I did, consider giving it a read.
About Big Sexy Love
Olive Brewster is perfectly content in her predictable life in the UK. She flies under the radar, opting to be nearly invisible and passive so she doesn’t have to deal with any changes to the life she’s lived for years. Same job. Same house. Same friends. Same everything.
But when her cancer-ridden best friend gives her a dying wish to hand-deliver a love letter to her “big sexy love” in New York City, Olive realizes that the safe existence she’s been accustomed to was about to be tested. Not only has she never been on a plane before, but she’s never traveled on her own. One might think traveling by yourself would be relatively tame, but not for Olive. From the moment she steps on the plane to New York, her life unravels in the most hilarious of ways.
Soon, flying under the radar is no longer an option. A cute guy she met on the plane uses her likeness in the most embarrassing of ways on a weekend comedy show. Then, she finds herself in a ton of ridiculous scenarios as she goes on her quest to locate her friend’s old flame. This story is full of characters, ups and downs, and self-discovery.
What I Enjoyed About It
It was funny, duh. Olive got herself in a pickle many times throughout this story, and even though some of the situations ended swiftly, the result of it followed her around New York like the plague. She was always trying to dodge people so she wouldn’t be called out for one of the many humiliating situations she’d find herself in.
Funny situations aside, the minor characters were also enjoyable. Sure, there was the other hero Seth who was charming and sexy, and his and Olive’s chemistry was fun to watch. But it was also some of the other characters that kept things interesting. For example, Anders is eccentric, but I loved him. Kirsty described him in such a way that I could distinctly picture him. And don’t get me started on Olive’s almost-sister-in-law. She sure knew how to be grating in all the right ways to get under your skin and make you want to slap her.
Lessons Learned
I think a lot of us can get caught up in what’s safe and steady. Olive was that and more. She avoided anything that deviated from her routine and orderly life. This book was humorous, of course, but it also showed that a lot can happen if you put yourself out there and take a chance once in a while. For Olive, many of those results were not favorable to start but led her to many new exciting things later in the book.
All throughout, I worried about Olive and what would happen to her if or when her best friend passed away. She was all she had, and I suspected she’d be lost without her. But in going on this adventure, she embraced a new life, new relationships, and a new future for her if her friend finally moved on to the great beyond.
Looking for an over-the-top, entertaining story with situations that make you cringe with embarrassment? Check out Big Sexy Love by Kirsty Greenwood here.
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