jennifer weiner's debut novel.

I decided to go back in time this week. All the way back to 1999 and Jennifer Weiner's first novel Good in Bed (Cannie Shapiro Book 1) where Weiner herself wrote an updated introduction in 2011 giving background about where her first novel came from and how she got where she is today (well, in 2011). I am a huge Weiner fan presently, but you never know how a debut novel is going to turn out. My honest opinion? Love. I had some doubts along the way about where this story and Cannie were going, but as a whole, it's a love.

Cannie (Candace) Shapiro is a twenty-eight year old size sixteen (truly funny) writer recovering from a breakup that was on her terms. She asked her boyfriend of three years, Bruce for a break for good reason, which turned into a break up for good reason, and sent her into a deep dark depression wondering if she made the right decision and if anyone was going to ever love her again. Bruce, who is also a writer, got a gig at Moxie (a Cosmo type magazine) writing a series of articles on relationships from a man's perspective, Cannie or "C" as he likes to call her, being his muse. Which wouldn't be as embarrassing if his first article wasn't based on him loving a larger woman and how difficult it is doing so in our society in addition to C's insecurities. The novel continues on while Cannie goes through some life changing events that I'm not going to get into as it will ruin the story.

After the introduction I read by Weiner, I am wondering how much of this novel is based on her real life. If so, being a plus-size twenty-something woman sounds pretty amazing.