The Perfect 10

The main problem with Louise Kean's latest offering is the way it's described on the back cover. You will be let down if you buy this book expecting the fluffy romance that’s implied in the blurb. It does have a sort-of love story woven through, but the main emphasis is on something entirely different, and that is the lead character's weight loss and the subsequent changes in her life. In many ways, this book succeeds where Jane Green's 'Jemima J' failed - in tackling dramatic weight loss without being condescending - but if you have no experience of dieting, weight loss or obesity, you might find this one a struggle...

When we meet Sunny Weston, she's almost at her target weight after spending her whole life being fat. She's now finally realising that being slim is not going to solve all her problems. The Perfect 10 is a very interesting look at the way a woman feels after losing a lot of weight, and how her relationships and emotions change as a result. This is not a ‘sunshine and roses’ look at how life will all be OK if you're thin. On the contrary, much of it is taken up with explaining how becoming 'beautiful' just brings Sunny a whole new set of problems. The book is very insightful and seemingly written from experience, and I would recommend anyone who struggles with their weight should give it a go. Beware though, it might make for quite an uncomfortable read because it cuts quite close to the bone.

The narrative side of the story takes some getting into. The beginning is a bit muddled and I was almost halfway through the book before I finally 'got' it. I'm now glad I persevered, but as I say, don't expect a nice, simple romance. The love / hate relationship between Sunny and the male protagonist, Cagney, is almost secondary to the character study of the post-diet Sunny. The author doesn’t even pretend to put twists into the romance – it’s clear from the beginning what’s going to happen. The trouble is I didn’t like Cagney very much. His history seemed a little unbelievable, and I found myself thinking Sunny deserved much better. Other, secondary characters were better; Christian the gay video shop owner, Howard and Iuan, Cagney’s staff, and Sunny's unbelievably bitchy and unsupportive best friends. Anyone who's lost weight will know of friends like that!

Persevere with this book, and you will be rewarded. There are some very insightful moments, there’s no tacky moral ending, nor is there a ‘happily ever after’ rammed down our throats. Yes, it all ties up nicely by the final page, but lots of things are left for you to ponder. This is a real love / hate book in every sense of the word, but I recommend giving it a go if you’ve ever felt like all your troubles would be over if you were thin.

The Perfect 10 - Louise Kean (£3.99)

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