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Felice Stevens

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The Shape of You Kindle Edition

by Felice Stevens (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Too big. Too fat.
All his life Eric Sontag has judged himself on his size, believing love and friendship aren't in the cards for someone like him. Tired of being alone and scared of his doctor’s warnings, he enrolls in a nutrition support group, determined to change his life. When a beautiful thin man sits next to him, he can’t believe they have anything in common, but conversation between the two soon proves first impressions aren’t always what they seem.

Drifter. Loner.
Corey DeSantis has always been the scrawny waif; he’s tired of struggling with his art and with life. Scarred by the disappearance and death of his drug-addicted mother, he doesn’t wish for love, believing it will bring him nothing but pain in the end. Now his only hunger in life is his desire to paint…until a health scare and his mentor force him to attend a nutrition class where he meets a man who piques his interest. One drunken kiss later, Eric is all Corey can think about.
The same, yet different.

An unlikely friendship is born with both men wanting more but afraid to listen to their well-guarded hearts. When Corey receives shocking news leaving him angry and helpless, it’s Eric he leans on, to help see him through, while a surprising career opportunity finds Eric leaning on Corey for advice. One night of explosive passion leads to a second and soon neither man can imagine a life without the other. Life is shaped by the challenges accepted and roads not taken but as Corey and Eric walk the path together, they’ll discover the most beautiful destination of all. Love.

Print length

280 pages
Language

English
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On Kindle Scribe
Publication date

27 June 2017
File size

1695 KB
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Product description

About the Author

I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, My characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love. I live in New York City with my husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of my own. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there are bound to be a few bumps along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B073FKRXH7
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1695 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 280 pages

Best Sellers Rank: 372,423 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 12,998 in Gay Romance eBooks
- 14,692 in Gay Romance
- 101,979 in Whispersync for Voice

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Felice Stevens

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Felice Stevens writes romance because what is better than people falling in love? Her favorite part of a romance novel is that first kiss…sigh. She loves creating stories of hopes and dreams and happily ever afters. Her stories are character-driven, rich with the sights, sounds and flavors of New York City and filled with men who are sometimes deeply flawed but always real.

Felice writes M/M romance because she believes that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Having traveled all over the world, she can safely say that the universal language that unites people is love. Felice has written in a variety of sub-genres, including contemporary, paranormal and has a mystery series as well.

Felice is a two time Lambda Literary Award nominee and the Lambda Literary Award winner for Best Gay Romance for her book, The Ghost and Charlie Muir.

To keep up-to-date on all things happening, join Felice's Newsletter and get a free book!

https://tiny.one/Felicenewsletter

Follow her on BookBub: https://geni.us/FeliceBB

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SMorris

The Shape of You

Reviewed in Australia on 10 July 2017

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This was a gentle & beautifully written story. The two men Eric & Corey both had sad pasts but found love & beauty in each other. Absolutely loved this story.

Reviewed in Australia on 8 July 2017

A good story of oposites attracting. The guys have both health problems to over come with their weights. The mental anguish they both suffer from the public is there from both sides. Eric and Corey have unexpected news crop from there pasts that may challenge their diets and programmes. I good book and story..
Eric was 36 overweight librarian his Dr told him he had to eat better. Attending a naturalist programme was a start to being healthy.
Being partnered up with Corey a gorgeous guy sitting next to him.. When Corey made the first move after class with a kiss. Corey didnt eat and lossing weight really he was a mess..working as a artist assistant /model. His boss making him attend the programme to help gain more weight instead of lossing it. I enjoyed reading this.

Reviewed in Australia on 4 July 2017

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The beautiful story of two profoundly wounded by life, fragile men and their growth into themselves, each other and love.

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MikeC

I wanted to like this story a lot more than I did.

Reviewed in Australia on 18 August 2018

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As a friend of mine said to me the other day when we were discussing this book; "Nothing says romance like crippling emotional problems."

I wanted to like this story a lot more than I did. I found both Eric and Corey tedious. If it wasn't 'no one can love me because I'm too fat,' it was 'no one can love me because I'm a messed up, skinny scrambled egg,' to 'I love you but fully understand why you can't love me because I'm fat/thin,' to 'and then someone in passing made another nasty comment about him being fat and he lost all his confidence, instantly.'

The story is about an overweight librarian, Eric, who joins a nutrition class where he meets underweight painters assistant, Corey. The two strike up a nice dose of instant-lust and are soon having a beer. The rest of The Shape of You follows as the two become unlikely friends, Eric has no friends, he's fat. Corey has no friends, he is too skinny and messed up. Their friendship eventually gives way to love.

There were a couple of storylines that drifted around the main couple; the return of Corey's mother from parts unknown, and an Uncle of Erics who stopped talking to Eric's father long ago that never really did anything but provide page filler for the story. The Uncle storyline never got off the ground at all.

I'm glad I finished The Shape of You, but not so much that I read it. It had potential, but the two characters were so wrapped up in their darkness the HEA ending didn't make for a satisfying conclusion.

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Blackbrew

This was a fantastic read from Felice Stevens

Reviewed in Australia on 12 July 2017

This was a fantastic read from Felice Stevens. I really enjoyed reading this book; it was well paced and had me thinking of what was to come in the pages ahead.

Felice Stevens introduces us to two amazing main characters Eric Sontag and Corey DeSantis; she took me on a journey with both characters and I connected with these characters right from the start. As the story progressed I hoped the growing friendship would blossom and that their separate demons would not ruin something on the brink of being a once in a lifetime connection.

Whilst a couple of scenes did feel a little rushed to me and I would have liked more details, the overall flow of the book kept me intrigued as to whether they would fall back into old habits. . Both characters have some very heavy baggage but carry it very differently.

If you are reading this m/m for hot, passionate sex scenes, there are a few scenes scattered throughout the book; however the strength of this book is the way the author builds the friendship of these two men, culminating in an amazing connection between the two. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

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The Word Nerd Reviews

A story of two damaged souls who find each other.

Reviewed in Australia on 8 February 2021

A gorgeous story about two badly damaged men, with body issues completely opposite to each other, but that complement each other perfectly.

I thought the author pegged Corey and Eric's insecurities perfectly. Neither was overdone or over the top, both had a very real basis, and both had experiences that can and do follow you well into adulthood.

It was beautiful to watch them both bloom under the other's love and attention, and that epilogue brought a tear to my eye, a beautiful ending.

HIGHLY recommended.

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Erryn Barratt

We all come in different shapes but want love

Reviewed in Canada on 17 April 2018

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This is the second time I’ve listened to this audiobook by Felice Stevens, narrated by Nick J. Russo. They are two of my favourites and together they have created a great book.

This story joins N.R. Walker’s ‘The Weight of it All’ and Cardeno C’s ‘Not a Game’ as one of the great books that use humour to address a fairly serious topic—weight.

Women have struggled, pretty much since…I don’t know…sugar and chocolate being introduced? The Industrial Revolution? All time? Weight shaming has also been around forever as well. In fact, in some instances, it is still considered acceptable to ridicule a fat person (often under the guise of ‘encouraging’ them to lose weight and become healthy).

Men also face these issues, but their battles are often ignored or minimized. Many of the psychological issues that drive women to seek comfort in food are the same for men – depression, loneliness, family drama, stress, pain, too little time to eat healthy, and more.

One scene in particular spoke to me. Eric has to get on a busy subway during rush hour. He is harangued by a guy for taking up too much space. I’ve been there. Less of the verbal abuse, but more of the ‘Oh, God, please don’t let that fat woman sit next to me’ looks. Or even worse, when I sit next to someone and the other person sighs heavily, snickers, or even gets up and moves. For the record, the subway seats are so small that even the smallest and thinnest people have to touch – but often I’m treated like I have a contagious disease. In my mind, I say ‘you think this is bad? You should have seen me when I was 125lbs heavier – you’re getting off easy…’ Then I deride myself for still being fat. Not as fat as I was, but still not what most people would see as ‘acceptable’.

So I understand why Eric is so upset that when he sees fresh-baked crullers, he reaches for one or two. As so often happens, the guilt that follows is overwhelming and the temporary comfort is gone, leaving acute shame.

However…

Eric gets a buddy in his journey to learn better eating habits. He meets Corey on the first day of a nutrition class. He’s surprised and wary when Corey proposes they be partners because the only thing Eric sees they have in common is being gay.

Corey is gorgeous. Thin, attractive, and perfect. Eric knows that Corey is out of his league and can’t figure out why the other man is even in the class.

Eric has the same blind spot that many people do – you can never be too thin or too rich. Well, Corey might not be rich, but he is too thin. In fact, his job is on the line if he doesn’t start taking care of his health, eat nutritiously, and gain weight. There are people who fight with being underweight. They may be anorexic, have an illness, a psychological issue with food, or even just be unable to gain weight (yes, this is a thing – I have a friend who struggled to gain weight for years).

Corey’s history, slowly revealed, shows why he battles with food. Eric’s relationship with food and its associations is also addressed, evoking strong emotions from me as I could relate to his pain.

Eric and Corey bond over the need to get healthy. They become a duo in both the mission and in romance. And although the sex – when they finally are willing to admit to the attraction – is hot and the men are physically attracted to each other, it was the emotional intimacy that gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling. To be loved and accepted is powerful. To be with someone willing to support you through a painful period of transformation is amazing. These men want each other to succeed yet both have moments of doubt—that they are capable of change as well as whether the other man really loves him. The end result is a happy couple who have beaten the odds.

Sometimes it’s not the number on the scale, but the happiness in your heart. Both men will always have food issues, but each now has a partner who will support and love him through all of life’s up and downs.

I did note that although Corey’s past was confronted, there was room for another story about Eric dealing with his. (Short story, anyone?)

There were moments of levity in the book, for sure, but it was the poignant moment at the end, when Corey gave Eric a special gift, that really cemented the book and the men in my life.

Loved it.

One person found this helpful

Zane Kage

Such a beautiful person, but always unhappy with what is on ...

Reviewed in the United States on 28 June 2017

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Can you find forever in a nutrition class? Eric and Corey did.

What a breath of fresh air! Finally, a story about weight issues that feels real - one that is told with depth, with heart, with emotion.

Eric, who battled weight in a way that most are familiar with, won me over immediately. Watching him struggle to lose weight properly, wrestle with self-esteem issues, fight to be healthy, I was drawn to him from the start. Such a beautiful person, but always unhappy with what is on the outside. I think many of us have a little bit of Eric inside.

Corey was the enigma. Beautiful on the outside, no one would suspect how fragile he is on the inside. Needing to gain weight, Corey also struggled to eat right, to get healthy. As layer upon layer was revealed, I saw that he, too, doubted himself. He, too, had self-esteem issues. In some ways he was so much more broken than Eric. I think that's why I fell for him so deeply.

Each on the opposite end of the spectrum, but needing the same thing, to be loved for who they were inside. From strangers to classmates to friends to lovers, they came together in a story with some of the most heartwarming scenes I've ever read.

Normal people with normal problems. With realistic outcomes. There was no easy fix. Eric and Corey don't miraculously end up looking like body-builders. They fall off the wagon, but they get back up again. And they keep going, just like the rest of us.

Yet another well written book from Felice Stevens. What beautiful characters. What a beautiful story. How do I love Corey and Eric? Let me count the ways....These two have found a place in my heart, and they are not going anywhere anytime soon.

13 people found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Wonderful and uplifting

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 August 2018

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Books where people struggle with issues, be it weight or illness quite often are full of angst, they can be hard but rewarding to read, but this one was really easy to get invested into and to just enjoy. When they meet at a class on nutrition, Eric doesn't think he has anything in common with Corey, but as their friendship develops, he discovers that the bad relationship with food affects Corey at least as much as it does himself. It takes courage on both sides to open up, to be candid and honest, but the reward is not only regaining a zest for life, but love and acceptance.

ulla

Hoffnungen und Träumen haben nichts mit dem Aussehen zu tun …

Reviewed in Germany on 15 July 2017

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Eric vermeidet es in den Spiegel zu schauen. Er kann den fetten Kerl, den er dort sieht, nicht leiden. Als er sich wieder einmal bei einem Diät-Kurs anmeldet, lernt er den extrem schlanken Corey kennen. Der hübsche Kerl hat ja bestimmt alles, aber kein Gewichtsproblem! Denkt zumindest Eric. Zwischen den unterschiedlichen Männern entwickelt sich langsam eine Freundschaft, die für beide immer wichtiger wird. Aber kann man einen anderen Menschen lieben, ohne sich selbst zu mögen? Eric und Corey haben einen weiten Weg vor sich …

„The Shape of You“ von Felice Stevens ist … einfach toll. Sie erzählt die Geschichte von Eric und Corey sehr sensibel, ohne jemals sentimental zu werden. Da die beiden sich in einem Kurs kennenlernen, der sich mit gesunder Ernährung befasst, spielt diese natürlich in dem Buch eine Rolle. Man hat aber niemals das Gefühl, mit erhobenem Zeigefinger belehrt zu werde. Vielleicht sind einige Dinge ein wenig zu optimistisch geschildert, aber das hier ist schließlich kein Erfahrungsbericht sondern eine … zuckersüße Romanze.

Eric und Corey kämpfen mit ganz unterschiedlichen Vorurteilen, die ihr Selbstbild schon lange beeinflussen. Sie können zunächst nicht wirklich nachvollziehen, was der jeweils andere an ihnen mag. Es ist einfach wunderschön mitzuerleben, wie die beiden nach und nach begreifen, dass sie sie lernen müssen, sich selbst zu mögen, weil sie sonst niemals offen für die Lieben des jeweils anderen sein werden.

Felice Stevens erzählt die Geschichte von Corey und Eric manchmal ernst, manchmal mit einem augenzwinkernden Humor. Aber sie stellt niemals einen ihrer Helden bloß oder macht ihn lächerlich. Man sieht Eric und Corey immer als das, was sie zu allererst sind: Menschen. Männer mit Hoffnungen und Träumen, die gar nichts mit ihrem Aussehen zu tun haben.

Das Buch nimmt von der ersten Seite an auf sanfte Weise gefangen und hinterlässt ein gutes Gefühl. Dafür gibt es von mir 5 Punkte und eine Leseempfehlung.

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Pontiki

Love found in a common necessity

Reviewed in Canada on 20 March 2024

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At a nutrition class, Corey and Eric meet, battling the two extremes of weight problems. At first Eric doesn’t get why Corey is there, but when they start talking, they have a lot in common with how and why they struggle with eating.

Eric gains confidence through Corey’s interest in him because he embraces his shape and the warmth of his body. Corey faces his feelings about his Mom leaving him as a child when she reaches out and they talk, all with Eric’s support and encouragement.

It’s great to see both of these men grow as individuals, facing their feelings and the cruelty of others, seeing themselves as they each see each other, as valued and loved.

Well written with a good understanding of eating issues, digging deeper into the subject rather than giving a superficial view.

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