Today, I'm hosting a tour stop for Picture Perfect Blog Tour
hosted by Inslinger PR. But first, here's a little about the book.
Title: Picture Perfect Author: Alessandra Thomas
Published: Self | March 26, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance, NA
Goodreads | Amazon
Fashion design major Cat Mitchell has a closet full of gorgeous clothes - and not a single thing fits. After two years of runway modeling for easy cash, an accident shattered her lower leg bone and her self-esteem in just one swift fall. Ten months of no exercise, prescription steroids, comfort eating and yoga pants meant returning to campus as a size twelve instead of her former size two.
When her gorgeous long-time friend with benefits sees her for the first time after her accident and snubs her in front of all her friends, Cat’s self-image hits rock bottom. Her sorority sisters all insist that she looks gorgeous, but all Cat sees is the roll of her stomach when she sits down, or the dimpling at the back of her thighs that wasn't there last year. Cat’s therapist prescribes something radical to stop the downward spiral - nude modeling for a nearby college's human form drawing classes.
When Cat faces her fears and bares it all for the class, she realizes that she's posing naked in front the most gorgeous, buffest guy she's ever seen in her life. He asks her out after the class, and after one steamy night together, Cat's absolutely smitten.
Nate’s pretty close to perfect – he takes Cat rock climbing when he discovers that it makes her feel strong and becomes a great chef after he learns that the perfect pesto sauce makes her swoon. Cat starts to feel like her old self again - confident and beautiful - as long as Nate's around. Even when he discourages her from entering the Real Woman Project, a design competition for plus-sized apparel, she reasons that he's just trying to prevent old body image wounds from splitting wide open again.
But when Cat goes home with Nate for Thanksgiving, she discovers something shocking from his recent past that proves that he hasn’t always been so encouraging of women of all shapes and sizes. Cat has no idea what to think, but she does know one thing - this might destroy their relationship before it's even had a chance to get off the ground.
Before Cat can figure out whether the real Nate is the sensitive, adoring guy she fell in love with, or an undercover asshole, she'll have to finally feel comfortable in her own skin - even if it means leaving him forever.
Review:
That was not what I was expecting and I say that in the most positive way. Picture Perfect really surprised with it's ability to be so relatable to every girl. I'm sure we all have again a few pounds at some point in our lives and even moved up a size or two and didn't feel comfortable in the new skin. I know I have. It is the most degrading feeling and I can't even count the number of times I had to buy the sweater tops in different styles or sit at a perfectly angled pose when hanging out with friends to hide the extra bulge. So I get it. I get Cat. And I loved her story, it really touched my heart.
Cat Mitchell is a fashion designer student who models side by side for extra money. She was a perfect size girl with great friends and a hot boyfriend but that changed when she got into a riding accident and broke her left leg. Being in therapy for months caused her to gain few pounds or 60 and completely loose her self-confidence. Cat transformed from a skinny girl to a size 12 which is not that much in terms of an average dress size but for Cat, it was catastrophic. It didn't help that her jerk of a boyfriend calls her fat ass and dumps her in front of everyone. It was horrible, but I love that at the end of the day she pulled herself together, found happiness, got a wonderful boyfriend and proved everyone that she can still be the old Cat but in a body she loves and embraces.
One of the things that really made me like this book was an interview the author did for one of the tour stops in which she explain her inspiration for the story (Source), and I loved her answer. Not a lot of people would think about writing a story based on a character who is so inseure all the time, but Alessandra made it happen without making Cat sound whiny. That was very commendable or I would have hated Cat. Anyway, besides all the body issues, Picture Perfect is a very hot and steamy novel. I loved Nate! He was so freaking perfect. My favorite scene was when Cat and Nate meet at an art class where she poses nude. Very awkward yet simply hilarious. They balanced one another as a couple and I loved seeing them together. Picture Perfect is a highly recommended novel. I loved the story, I loved the message it conveyed and I would encourage everyone to give this book a try. It was so worth it!
A Copy was provided by InkSplinger PR as a part of the blog tour, for an honest review.
About the Author
Alessandra Thomas
Alessandra Thomas is a New Adult writer who swears she was in her twenties yesterday. Since she's not, she spends her time looking back on her college years fondly, and writing sexy stories about guys and girls falling in love and really living life for the first time. When she's not writing, you can find her with a spoonful of ice cream in one hand and the newest New Adult release in the other.Alessandra Thomas
Giveaway
Enter to win 2 signed paperback and 2 digital copies of Picture Picture by Alessandra Thomas.
I loved it! Don't forget to enter this giveaway!
Just fill out the rafflecopter below.
Good Luck!!!
Follow the tour here.
