Love, Trolls, and Acceptance : Set On You Review

As someone who prefers reading and watching extremely light content like rom-coms and chick flicks, I was thrilled to discover Amy Lea’s latest addition to her influencer series a couple of months ago. This cute rom-com: Set On You, initially seemed like the perfect choice for my next Kindle binge. It featured a classic enemies-to-lovers setup with plenty of gym banter and steamy encounters between the protagonists, Crystal Chen and Scott.

Crystal Chen, a curvy fitness influencer who built her career by shattering gym stereotypes and mostly ignoring the trolls, is the star of the story. The plot revolves around her rivalry with the extremely good-looking Scott as they battle for gym domination and, predictably, fall in love amidst all the banter. For the first 70% of the book, it felt like a typical rom-com—light, entertaining, and perfect for my taste.

However, just when I was eagerly anticipating their happy ending, the story took a surprising turn. Crystal decides to make her relationship with Scott public, only to face a backlash she had not imagined and was not ready for. This unexpected twist threw her into a spiral of self-doubt, making her question if she was a fraud for promoting body positivity while struggling with self-love herself.

Through heartfelt conversations with her friends and family, Crystal realizes the importance of self-acceptance over forced positivity. She learns that respecting our bodies and accepting our flaws is the key to true self-love.

In today’s world where brands are aggressively promoting “body positivity” and trying to appear inclusive with extra sizes and influencers are constantly talking about "self-love" and "gratitude" every day. Do we actually love our bodies every day?


Aren't there days when your favourite pair of jeans doesn't fit you anymore, or when your partner is judged by the society for being the settler (HIMYM reference)? When you just know in your heart that today your skin is not "skinning" and it is going to take that extra amount of courage to go out of the house. Doesn't the world feel gloomy and unfair?


The constant push for self-love on social media can sometimes feel toxic, not allowing us to acknowledge when we don’t feel great about our bodies. The pressure to constantly love our bodies can be overwhelming, and it’s comforting to know that it’s okay to have days of self-doubt. While reading this book, I realized that acceptance, not forced positivity, is the true path to self-love. (Of course, I knew this, but sometimes you forget, and some beautiful authors remind you of it.)

I came across the best line when Crystal poignantly says, “I’m beginning to respect the image I see in the mirror, even if I don’t love it all the time.” This sentiment struck a chord with me. I’ve had birthmarks, stitches, and scars that signify the life I’ve lived, and I respect that now more than ever.


"Set on You" beautifully captures this journey of self-acceptance, showing that respecting our bodies, flaws and all, is more important than forcing ourselves to love them every single day.

PS: Even though I have revealed the twist mostly, I would still recommend you all out there to read the book just for the last 3-4 chapters. Trust me, it will feel like a warm hug.

Comments

  1. Anju MedirattaJune 17, 2024 at 11:12 PM

    Self love always lasts forever in the era when definition and terms and conditions keep on changing every day as we are in a progressive world. So true that Self Respect is a mendate.
    Good blog. Setting new benchmark

    ReplyDelete

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