Swoony, Curvy Love Stories
Celebrating National Plus Size Appreciation Day
October 6 is National Plus Size Appreciation Day—a chance to celebrate bodies that don’t fit the narrow, airbrushed mold. As a plus-size romance reader and writer myself, I can’t tell you how much it matters to see curvy characters not just exist on the page, but thrive. To be desired. To take up space in every sense of the word.
Romance, at its best, tells us you are worthy of love exactly as you are. And these three books deliver that message with all the spice, tenderness, and happily-ever-afters a reader could want.
Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade, narrated by Kelsey Navarro
Nobody writes fat-positive, funny, heart-melting romance like Olivia Dade. Ship Wrecked gives us Maria and Peter, two actors on a Game-of-Thrones-style set, forced into close quarters (and onscreen intimacy) for years. Maria is unapologetically plus size, vibrant, and sensual—and Peter? Let’s just say he can’t stop noticing. This one’s witty, tender, and gloriously steamy.
Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore, narrated by Elizabeth Jasicki
Part of A League of Extraordinary Women, this historical romance is rich in feminist themes, social upheaval, and (swoon) a gruff, complex Scottish hero. Hattie, our heroine, is curvy, clever, and not afraid to wield her sharp tongue as much as her wit. Seeing a plus-size woman as the center of power, romance, and historical intrigue? Yes, please.
My Kind of Trouble by L.A. Schwartz, narrated by Victoria Connolly, Grayson Owens
A slick conwoman meets her match in a hot and nerdy small-town librarian, in this author’s debut romance. When she falls in love with the town, the librarian, and herself, so will you.
When plus-size characters take the stage as romantic leads, it’s more than just a love story—it’s a reclamation. It tells us: your body doesn’t disqualify you from passion, joy, or intimacy. You deserve main-character energy, not just sidekick status.
So today, in honor of National Plus Size Appreciation Day, I’m raising a glass (and probably a brownie) to these stories and the authors who write them.
Have you read a romance that made you feel seen in your body? Drop me your recs—I’m always on the hunt for curvy love stories to add to my shelves.
