He Loves Lucy

I love stories about chubby chicks...I don't love stories in which the chubby chicks feel compelled to loose weight to win the guy. BUT this one is beyond different. That said, let me tell you about this book. Lucy is an ad exec who wins an important account for a health club. A campaign is dreamed up that she would loose a LOT of weight and do it in front of TV cameras, AND receive a cash incentive for every pound lost. (every chubby chicks worst nightmare, let me tell you) Enter weight loss expert Theo (or rather Theo-dorable) a hunk of a trainer who will also get a cash incentive for her total pounds shed.

All of us who have read romance knows what's going to happen to them...I won't fudge and say it won't. And I won't give away any show more secrets, but what I will tell you is that the relationship they DO form is more true-to-life than anything I've ever read in a romance. You will pee in your pants laughing at some scenes, get so angry at times you want to chew nails (scenes with Theo's brother spring to mind), cry copious tears, cheer with Lucy and finally come to love Lucy, as everyones else has.

Read it - you won't be sorry. (at least I hope you won't *grin*) show less

An actually BELIEVABLE story about a plus size woman (I believe she starts out at 250 lbs and a size 22. As a woman who weighs within a 10 lb radius of 240 and is generally a size 20/22, clearly the author knows her stuff. Not like a certain other novel that shall remain nameless that talks about a woman so grotesquely fat that everyone stares at her and pities her and she's fat because she eats 6 bacon sandwiches for breakfast every day, and oh, by the way, weighs 200 lbs and is 5'9". Sure. But I digress).

Cute story about Lucy, a marketing exec who gets roped into being the guinea pig in a marketing gimmick for a gym, in which she engages in a challenge to lose up to 100 lbs in a year. Her interactions with Theo (her hunky personal show more trainer) are heartwarming, though at times they suddenly seem to flip an emotional switch and left me thinking "Wait, what just happened?" Lucy's story is inspiring (even though it's fiction) and made me re-examine some of my own life choices, and today I joined a gym, haha. I'd love if my husband would come work out with me and we could have the sort of partnership Lucy and Theo do, supporting, encouraging, and challenging each other. I also loved much of the supporting cast (like Theo's brother Buddy) and could take or leave others (Lucy's sister).

Some steamy bits, but more about the story than the sex. If you're reading this one aloud to your Grandma, you may want to skip a few choice pages. ;) show less

Can a romance book get any better than Susan Donovan's HE LOVES LUCY? I think not! From true-to-life characters, deep emotion, witty dialogue, and red-hot sexual tension, this book has the one thing that contemporary romances should have-everything!

Lucy Cunningham is a marketing executive for the advertising firm of Sherrod & Thoms. And she's hit upon the absolutely perfect idea for a gimmick for the Palm Club of Miami Beach, Florida-bring in an overweight woman, throw her into the capable hands of a personal trainer, vow to lose one hundred pounds in a year, and let the television show WakeUp Miami detail each achievement and setback. It was an excellent idea, until the powers-that-be decided that Lucy-and her two hundred and thirty show more some pounds-be the human guinea pig in this marketing campaign.

Threatened by the fact that she'll have to give up Milk Duds, extra-cheese pizza, and butter brickle ice cream, Lucy is overwhelmed by the task ahead of her. Sure, ever since the debacle of being the slump buster for Pitt State's football team, she's been eating herself into oblivion, and something obviously needs to change. But working with a Ken look-a-like named Theodore Redmond was never part of the deal!

From the first time Theo is forced to perform CPR on a candy-choking, overweight loudmouth by the name of Lucy, he's smitten by her courageous attitude and brave strength in the face of adversity. As for Lucy, being in the presence of Theo's male perfection is taking a toll on her already fragile hormones.

As Stephan Sherrod, her boss, comes close to having a mental breakdown over Lucy's sudden stardom and weight loss; as Theo's rebuffed coworker Lola DiPaolo attempts to bring down the Palm Club; as Lucy's brother, Dan, falls in lust with her new model friend, Gia Altamonte; as Lucy's sister, Mary Fran, goes through a marital crisis, you just know that HE LOVES LUCY is heading toward one heck of an ending!

Susan Donovan has taken a premise that might have failed, and turned it into a funny, poignant, truly romantic story. I love romance books that feature real-sized characters, and Lucy is definitely that. I have to admit that I was at first worried about Theo's feelings for Lucy-was he only going to fall head-over-heels once Lucy was a stick-thin version of her former self? As I learned, there was nothing to fear! At the end of the story, Lucy is still not a beanpole, and Theo shows that behind his gorgeous exterior lies a heart of gold.

Theo is the kind of hero I love the best, a mix of alpha male. Theo dropped out of medical school to care for his brother Buddy. Sixteen years old and born with Downs Syndrome, Buddy, is the kind of brother anyone would want. An athlete in the Special Olympics, his antics and no-holds-barred advice to his older brother are not to be missed.

The supporting cast of characters only adds to the charm of Lucy and Theo's story. An excellent book by an excellent author, HE LOVES LUCY goes onto my keeper shelf, in the to-be-read-again category. show less

He Loves Lucy was my first Susan Donovan novel and turned out to be a real winner. It's the story about Lucy who enters a contest to loose one hundred pounds with the help of Theo, her personal trainer. What sounds really stereotype here turned out to be a sexy, heart-warming and lovable story. I would rate this book only PG-13, but the few love scenes between Theo and Lucy were hotter than many I have come upon in the tons of erotic romances I have read during the last years. I absolutely adored the way how the author made Theo fall in love with the real Lucy. The one with the stretch marks and the funny, lovable character and a strong inner core. He Loves Lucy turned out to be a real comfort read, one I would turn to when I am in the show more mood for sweet and sexy, funny and adorable, great writing and lovely characters. A- show less

I read it years and years ago as a teenager and I remember liking it well enough to finish it but not being blown away. Still not blown away and now, coupled with dated references, it just didn't hit the spot. Still probably the most honest and generous book about a plus size character for this era though.

I simply loved this contemporary romance about a very overweight young woman who goes on TV as an advertising campaign to lose 100 lbs in a year. With the help of her gorgeous trainer, Theo Redmond, will she do it? Great story and the romance that develops between Theo and Lucy was sweet, albeit, farfetched, IMHO. Still, a quick and very enjoyable read. The characterizations were good and a thoughtful side story involving Theo's brother. I've liked everything I've read by this author and am definitely checking out the rest of her back list.

This book was absolutely hilarious! I laughed. A lot. Really...a lot. There were also a few poignant moments as Lucy discovered herself and her self-worth. I really enjoyed reading this one.

Even though Lucy needed a few lessons in boosting her self-esteem, she was one sassy lady from the beginning. I loved her character, she was funny, tough and addicted to Milk Duds. All these things are important to me.

Theo's character was disgustingly perfect. A gorgeous man raising his mentally handicapped brother, constantly volunteers for the Special Olympics and wants to be a doctor. If I wasn't so busy swooning, I would gag.

Theo's brother Buddy was an awesome character too, so sweet and innocent. He had Down's Syndrome, but that didn't stop him show more from having an always sunny personality, and he always dominated in the Special Olympics. Loved him!

The way Theo and Lucy came together was quite the roller coaster ride, sometimes funny, sometimes uncomfortable and awkward, sometimes emotional and always electric. I loved their chemistry, they definitely had sparks.

If you're a fan of contemporary romance, you should definitely give this a read! show less