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pucksandpaperbacks 's review for:

If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

 TW: Food descriptions, Asthma attack, fatphobia, emotionally abusive, HP references

I liked this and will read more of Kann's work, but it felt like the plot wasn't concise. The author introduces the cooking competition, but we don't really see it until the end of the book. I would've liked it to have been the whole story. Instead, we learn about the town of Misty Haven when she is crowned Summer Queen against her own will and we see her working at her grandmother's diner, Goldeen's.

I did like the conversations about fatphobia and biases. Winnie was a great character. I love reading books with complex characters who are straightforward and that's exactly who she is! I also liked seeing her relationship with Kara as they are both in a Queer Platonic Relationship. However, I do think their argument could've been dealt with better. The book shows all types of love; platonic, romantic, and sibling love. 

I read this via audiobook and can't recommend the audiobook enough. It's a full cast and the narration was great. If you like books set in small towns, I recommend this one!