Pat Ballard, the self-described “Queen of Rubenesque Romance,” herein tackles an entrenched stereotype of conventional romantic fiction — the perpetually
skinny heroine — and successfully turns it on its bony derriere.
This collection of ten short stories feature women who are just that: all
woman. There’s not one ultra-slim fashion model in the bunch. Their curves are
all there and they make no apology for them, whether these ladies work their own cattle ranch, run an antique store or work as an executive secretary in the big
city. What this means is that the vast majority of romance aficionados can
relate very well to these shapely women who dare to wear larger dress sizes. Better yet, the handsome heroes depicted all appreciate curvaceous heroines,
too.
In fact, some of these short stories could be more appropriately labeled
“coming-to-terms” tales since they feature a young woman’s search for
self-esteem that isn’t skin deep. In “Freedom” Molly’s boyfriend Mike is shocked when he discovers she comes from a family of large-sized women, because Molly
has been starving herself for years in order to remain thin. When Mike issues an
ultimatum that after they marry Molly had better not gain any weight, she realizes that he only loves her for her outward appearance and not because of
who she is. Armed with this knowledge, she dumps him and eventually finds peace
within herself and with her size.
Ballard doesn’t pull punches. She shows her heroines exhibiting ample will
and tenacity to tell off those who would shame them into becoming something they
aren’t just to blend in with society's narrow-minded notions of beauty. There’s
no guilt in being a big, beautiful heroine in Dangerous Curves Ahead,
and that is itself a formula for a classic happy ending.
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C.APPEL • FEARLESS BOOKS
8-10/04
