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.

Book Summary

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?