Review: Weightless by Kandi Steiner
Note: This ARC was provided by Southern Belle Promotions in exchange for an honest review.
Where do I begin with this book? Kandi Steiner is one more of those authors whose past works I already have waiting patiently for me to peruse on my e-reader, having bought them when they went on sale on Kobo some time ago. It took me signing up for the release blitz for her latest standalone novel, Weightless, which falls under the new adult (NA) romance category, for me to experience her storytelling, and what an experience it was. The story of an eighteen-year-old young woman who is in a limbo of sorts in her life and deciding to take some semblance of control, if only through her weight, in the beginning and then later discovering just how far she's come and how much more in control she is of her future and the journey she was on was one I couldn't merely empathize with; it was a story that I recognized all too well.
Natalie Paxton is going through a few changes in her young life, some she welcomes more than others. Having her boyfriend of two years end things and then immediately begin dating another girl who just happens to be thinner than her still has Nat reeling. When her mother suggests that she sign up with the Poxton Beach Country Club's resident trainer in order to get in shape and get Mason Carter back, Nat finally decides to bite the bullet. Her trainer turns out to be Rhodes, who was a senior when she was a freshman in high school and had a reputation as a bad boy and got into his fair share of trouble before. Almost everyone has only ever known him by his last name and as curious as Nat may be of him, the perma-scowl on his face and his reticence makes it clear he isn't looking to become friends with his client.
But surprisingly, there are cracks to Rhodes's cold and stiff facade. With invitations to his apartment so that he can show Nat that healthy food can be easy to prepare and satisfying to consume and offering up bits and pieces about himself, Nat wonders if they can now classify themselves as friends. However, Rhodes's ever changing reception when they're together has her increasingly confused. He pushes her away most of the time, but there are those rare moments where he can't seem to help himself, the desire to deepen the interactions and strengthen the connection blatant in the way Rhodes looks at Natalie. He tells her that he isn't a good person and that he isn't the kind of man that should be with someone like her. But this summer is one of change for Nat, and she refuses to be weighed down by others dictating her fate.
Proclaiming I loved this book doesn't seem enough to encompass just how much Nat's story affected me. Her story was both touching and inspiring, not just because I could relate to the whole weight loss aspect of it. Nat was at a loss, akin to a boat moored to the shore but wanting to be let loose in order to explore whatever is beyond the horizon. She doesn't think she's good enough to be given even a cursory glance, but with Rhodes's encouragement, her self-image shifts, first in small increments, but when combined, the new Nat takes shape. She becomes his Bug and he becomes her William. I so adored these two and their story was already a fantastic one, but the twists Kandi Steiner added made it far better than I could've hoped for. I am highly encouraging you to read Weightless, which is now a five-plus-starred 2016 favorite. ♥
Release Date: 16 June 2016
Date Read: 16 June 2016
Learn more about Kandi Steiner.
Purchase Weightless on Amazon.
"You're weightless. The world hasn't touched you yet. You're not heavy with the weight of pain, and guilt, and selfishness." He shook his head, biting his lower lip in that same way that made my skin heat just moments before. "You're light. Don't ever lose that. Don't let the world weigh you down like them." He shifted, looking away. "Like me."
Where do I begin with this book? Kandi Steiner is one more of those authors whose past works I already have waiting patiently for me to peruse on my e-reader, having bought them when they went on sale on Kobo some time ago. It took me signing up for the release blitz for her latest standalone novel, Weightless, which falls under the new adult (NA) romance category, for me to experience her storytelling, and what an experience it was. The story of an eighteen-year-old young woman who is in a limbo of sorts in her life and deciding to take some semblance of control, if only through her weight, in the beginning and then later discovering just how far she's come and how much more in control she is of her future and the journey she was on was one I couldn't merely empathize with; it was a story that I recognized all too well.
Natalie Paxton is going through a few changes in her young life, some she welcomes more than others. Having her boyfriend of two years end things and then immediately begin dating another girl who just happens to be thinner than her still has Nat reeling. When her mother suggests that she sign up with the Poxton Beach Country Club's resident trainer in order to get in shape and get Mason Carter back, Nat finally decides to bite the bullet. Her trainer turns out to be Rhodes, who was a senior when she was a freshman in high school and had a reputation as a bad boy and got into his fair share of trouble before. Almost everyone has only ever known him by his last name and as curious as Nat may be of him, the perma-scowl on his face and his reticence makes it clear he isn't looking to become friends with his client.
But surprisingly, there are cracks to Rhodes's cold and stiff facade. With invitations to his apartment so that he can show Nat that healthy food can be easy to prepare and satisfying to consume and offering up bits and pieces about himself, Nat wonders if they can now classify themselves as friends. However, Rhodes's ever changing reception when they're together has her increasingly confused. He pushes her away most of the time, but there are those rare moments where he can't seem to help himself, the desire to deepen the interactions and strengthen the connection blatant in the way Rhodes looks at Natalie. He tells her that he isn't a good person and that he isn't the kind of man that should be with someone like her. But this summer is one of change for Nat, and she refuses to be weighed down by others dictating her fate.
Proclaiming I loved this book doesn't seem enough to encompass just how much Nat's story affected me. Her story was both touching and inspiring, not just because I could relate to the whole weight loss aspect of it. Nat was at a loss, akin to a boat moored to the shore but wanting to be let loose in order to explore whatever is beyond the horizon. She doesn't think she's good enough to be given even a cursory glance, but with Rhodes's encouragement, her self-image shifts, first in small increments, but when combined, the new Nat takes shape. She becomes his Bug and he becomes her William. I so adored these two and their story was already a fantastic one, but the twists Kandi Steiner added made it far better than I could've hoped for. I am highly encouraging you to read Weightless, which is now a five-plus-starred 2016 favorite. ♥
Release Date: 16 June 2016
Date Read: 16 June 2016
Learn more about Kandi Steiner.
Purchase Weightless on Amazon.
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