Logan Montgomery is a personal trainer to the very rich and
very famous professional athletes. He is flying coach
from Toronto to Los Angeles only because there were no
first class seats available, and grumbling to himself
while trying to fit his wide shoulders and long legs into
the middle seat. Holly Brennan is a plus-plus sized woman
who is also used to first class seating, or if not she pays
for two seats. She is also flying from Canada to LA and
couldn't get in first class or buy two seats, and she is
seated right next to Adonis. Holly can tell by the
disgusted look on Logan's face that he is none too pleased
to be her seat mate. Nearly two years ago Holly was her
late husband's primary care giver during the final stages
of pancreatic cancer, and her best friend and solace was
food. She is still among the walking wounded and hasn't
slowed down on eating. The past two days have been
horrid -- she was held up in a meeting yesterday and missed
her flight home; therefore, her clothes are badly
wrinkled. While taking a shower this morning, she mistook
the body lotion for shampoo and her thick hair looks like a
rat's nest. Logan feels badly for this poor woman and is
ashamed of his initial reaction to her and begins a
conversation after noticing her white knuckles during
takeoff. Surprisingly, both Logan and Holly enjoy their
conversation and when the trainer learns why she is so
overweight, he offers to work with her. He assumes she
would not be able to pay his eight-hundred dollar an hour
fee, and offers her a very good deal. They live in the
same area of town, so there's no reason Holly should turn
down
the offer.
From their first session a strong friendship is born.
Logan admires her determination, wit, and the hundred-ten
percent all business effort she is giving him with no
complaints. Holly just admires Logan. In no time at all
Holly drops forty-five pounds. When Holly has a crisis at
one in the morning, she calls Logan and he rushes over to
help her.
Logan's best friend since they were roommates at college is
MVP baseball player Chase Walker. Chase's wife, Amanda,
is always trying to find the perfect woman for Logan -- not
the Barbie doll blondes he prefers. Amanda and Holly
become friends immediately, and Amanda helps her new friend
in buying a new wardrobe that fits, in applying subtle
makeup, and in getting a new hair style. Logan almost
doesn't recognize the new Holly, and isn't too enthused with
the improvements. Now the Walkers, Holly, and Logan are a
regular foursome at the ballgames, bar hopping, etc., but
our protagonists only consider themselves best of friends.
BIG GIRL PANTIES is a delightful character study, and
relationship driven story. There is a definite pathos
surrounding both Holly and Logan, and a beautiful joy in
watching them come to terms with their failings. Holly has
a gallows humor approach to her self-deprecation and Logan
realizes he truly is a chauvinist. From first page to
last, between all the well-structured characters, there is
humor, fantastic dialogue, understanding, friendships that
go the limit, and romance in several forms. This is an
entertaining and very enjoyable book.
Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich is a
rollicking and poignant romantic comedy about a young widow
who decides to get in shape...and winds up getting her
groove back—and a whole lot more!
Holly Brennan used food to comfort herself through her
husband's illness and death. Now she's alone at age
thirty-two. And she weighs more than she ever has. When fate
throws her in the path of Logan Montgomery, personal trainer
to pro athletes, and he offers to train her, Holly concludes
it must be a sign. Much as she dreads the thought of working
out, Holly knows she needs to put on her big girl panties
and see if she can sweat out some of her grief.
Soon, the easy intimacy and playful banter of their training
sessions lead Logan and Holly to most intense and steamy
workouts. But can Holly and Logan go the distance as a
couple now that she's met her goals—and other men are
noticing?