Are you looking for a cute, fun, sexy, and wholly heartwarming romantic comedy to kick start your summer reading? Do you need a light read as you hit the treadmill or rowing machine at your neighbourhood gym? Then Amy Lea has written the book you need to add to your to-be-read lists, and it is called, Set On You.

Set On You follows a curvy fitness coach and influencer, Crystal Chen. Crystal has built herself a successful business as a body-positive influencer and fitness guru for curvy women. She is proud of who she is and her journey to love her curves and hopes to spread that positive energy to her followers. However, Crystal is not entirely without her flaws. For example, her romantic life has hit a wall. She is coming off of a brutal breakup with someone who treated her horribly and is getting tired of the string of Tinder dates she has endured. Just as she is about to put the breaks on men, she encounters THE guy.

Sparks fly with a hottie who rudely interrupts her at her self-proclaimed sanctuary, the gym. What will start out as a fierce battle for dominance at the gym will morph into something a bit more steamy, involving a different kind of workout with gym hottie (Scott), who Amy Lea describes as a Chris Evans lookalike. How will Crystal handle this challenge?

Crystal Chen is a protagonist many will enjoy reading. She has an inner voice that is very relatable and an aspirational outlook on life, and she does indeed shatter stereotypes. I know that I felt very encouraged by her even though she is a fictional creation. Lea does a great job balancing the aspirational aspects of her protagonist and grounding her in reality. As an influencer, Crystal is intimately aware of the hostility toward the plus-sized community. How Lea explores this type of humiliation with her character’s growth without ever having Crystal regress in her acceptance of her body is refreshing. Crystal is not a stone wall that slings and arrows bounce off of; she is a person. She is a fully realized person with thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams, and desires.

Speaking of desires, the romance is charming, well done and oh, so sexy. My one slight complaint is that this book could have given readers a bit more if Scott had a few chapters from his perspective. There are small moments where Crystal does acknowledge that she and Scott are not physically compatible according to ridiculous societal standards; however, she pushes against that once things start heating up. However, it would have been nice to gain Scott’s point of view and allow him to express his attraction to Crystal. There is also a great deal of depth to the character, granted he belongs in the “You look photoshopped” category of men (see Crazy, Stupid ,Love to get the reference). Lea, through her protagonist, spares no details when describing Scott’s impressive physique. It would have played nicely into the narrative that curves are sexy if the reverse was offered for Crystal, who is also very attractive. Despite the lack of Scott’s point of view, what we do get is plenty to get you giddy and excited for Crystal.

Set On You is a quick read. There is plenty to enjoy and plenty to contemplate. I appreciate Lea not allowing the moment to discuss authentic and serious topics like social media and body image bullying to slip away. I am even more appreciative of the fact that Crystal never feels the need to change her body because of it. The book takes on mental health and the struggle of being a “strong woman.” Strength is not determined by how much burden rests on your shoulders, and asking for help and leaning on others is not a sign of weakness. These are not only essential lessons that Crystal must learn but Lea’s readers too. These lessons go beyond body-positive influencers because these are lessons for all. Set On You is so fun to read and revisit because Crystal has a complete arc that will leave you satisfied with the conclusion.

Reading Set On You was indeed a wonderful time! It is a perfectly balanced book that gives you everything: a cute enemies-to-lovers romance, family dramedy, a deep character study, and a steamy love scene or two. It is the type of book that I hope the producers of The Hating Game or 50 Shades of Grey consider adapting because it is truly a dire world if we have to contend with more 365 Days in this world. We need a Set On You adaptation ASAP because that locker room scene cannot only exist on the page (I am just saying!).

Set On You is now available wherever books are sold and also available in e-book format.

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