Big is Beautiful: A Review of B as in Beauty

B as in Beauty
Alberto Ferreras
Grand Central Publishing
2009
This week I read B as in Beauty by Alberto Ferreras. Earlier this week I said I was going to try to lighten up. I saw this book reviewed a few places, and I loved the cover so I was happy to give this chick lit a go. Read it in one sitting. Okay, it's chick lit, a genre I don't normally read but I said I was going to lighten up, right? Okay.

This light read is funny and the strongest element of the book are the dates Beauty goes on with the exception of her serial date which turns romance. Pretty formulaic there even with the quirks. I really appreciate that Beauty comes to appreciate her body and stiffens her spine at work. And I'm all for greater diversity in all genres so a Latina mama lighting up the escort business was a nice change.

What I didn't like: Wasn't crazy about the profanity. It isn't gratuitous but it doesn't add anything either. Before reading this, I thought it was YA appropriate but the fetishes in the book puts this in the adult arena for me. There are no explicit sexual descriptions but the fetishes are clearly adult material. The racial stereotypes made me wince a little mostly because I felt they were pat and unnecessary. I didn't mind that they were politically incorrect (I'll take honesty over false courtesy) but I didn't find them funny, and I think they were suppose to be. Really bored with the whole conflict between Beauty and her boss. I've had my share of office politics and frustrations of not being valued for what I bring to the table, but the author fails to add anything fresh to this dilemma.

Still, overall, I'm glad I read it. I met a goal by finishing it and writing about it. It did have its moments and Beauty does learn to love herself. Major plus. She finds love being her big beautiful self. And for that alone, I'd recommend it.