B As In Beauty-Alberto Ferraras

B As In Beauty
Alberto Ferraras
Grand Central Publishing, Apr 2009, $13.99
ISBN: 9780446697897

Cuban-American Beauty Marie Zavala is tired of the world judging her by her waistline just because she is forty pounds over the so called norm. She has tried everything to lose the excess, but fads come and go, diets and exercise come and go, but her weight remains the same. B is ashamed of her body.

She really tanks when she overhears her boss at the Manhattan ad company commenting negatively about her size; even worse her waistline apparently will prevent her from receiving a well deserved promotion. B has had enough with the put downs. Her best friend Lillian the petit suggests she do a remake of the entire B. Russian-American Tax accountant Natasha Sokolov offers her work to show off her voluptuous body to men who will pay for a big woman. B accepts the deal of spending time with big body worshipping males only her first client is disappointed when he sees her as he insists she is too small to be anything but a fashion model.

B AS IN BEAUTY is an entertaining contemporary tale starring a woman who fans will root for as she begins to not accept her size, she learns to accentuate her assets. B is the star, but the kindhearted madam-mentor somewhat steals the show with her tutelage. The irony that B is too small adds humor to a profound tale in which the heroine learns beauty is only skin deep.

Harriet Klausner