PLOT:
Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed "Dumplin'" by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American-beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy's, the local fast food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn't surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she'll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin' is guaranteed to steal your heart.

THOUGHTS:
Let's talk about the cover first. I think I've never talk about book covers before, though sometimes its a basis why I want to read a book or why I buy a book.

The cover is very simple, not so much graphics and doesn't have elegant fonts for the text. It's very in your face. Obviously, the curvy girl is none other than Willowdean in all her curvy glory wearing a sultry red long dress, fat but proud!

The story mostly revolves around the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet beauty pageant. Willowdean's mom is an integral part of it, being a former winner and its main organizer. Along with Willowdean, some other unconventional contestants, join the pageant, inspired by her actions. As being on the same wagon, the girls form a touching friendship, from supporting each other on how to go about in the pageant to going to hilarious road trips.

While building new friendships, other relationships of Willowdean have been falling apart. She and her mom had not always seen eye to eye and her joining the pageant caused more strain in that relationship. With every chapter and with every changes with her bestfriend's life, Willowdean can't help but feel that she and Ellen are drifting apart which ends up in a cold war. As with her love interest, Bo, they had a good thing going but, with some personal issues, it also fell apart too soon.

All things come to a good end though as Willowdean finds and understands herself through the process of preparing for the pageant and with the help of Dolly Parton, everything was placed as it should. She and her mother became close, she became friends with Ellen again and of course she got the guy.

This book has given me nothing but warm and fuzzy feeling because of its positivity and humor. It's a look back at long standing and budding friendships, and most especially it message of loving oneself could not resonate any louder.

Rating:
★★★☆☆

Quotes: