They don't know it but they are on a collision course with each other, three women who will change each other's lives:

           Rubenesque Ruby wants to be thin and craves her mother's and society's acceptance almost as much as she does food.  But every time these opposing desires start bickering in her head, the food demons win out and she finds herself agonizing as each bite she consumes carries her farther away from her size six ideal.  Anxious to love something other than food Ruby fixes her eye on her gorgeous coworker, but her low self esteem keeps her from trying to reach out to him.  Or to any man she wants.  Up until this point the peaks of her romantic experiences have been flatter than Kansas, and the only men in her life now are her lackluster ex-hubby and her gay pal.

           Bootylicious Wanda is anxious to make it big in the plus modeling world, but she has three strikes against her: size, age, and race.   Add to that a snotty, rich, daddy's girl coworker who undermines her at every turn, Wanda will be lucky not to wind up in the slammer for wringing the chick's neck.

            Luscious Simone is dying to get out of the local TV news racket and into the limelight of the entertainment industry.  Literally.  She even figures the notoriety of leaving behind a trail of boy toys might add to her cachet.  But she's got tunnel vision where her career is concerned and doesn't see that her life is unraveling around the edges.  Living fast and furious might be her ticket to the top--or to six feet underground.

            This book has a great cover!  It's sexy and sassy, colorful and eye-catching.  And most importantly it doesn't downsize the big girls.

            The story is funny, has interesting characters, good plot twists, and a great if not completely pat (the way I like it) ending.  Yet it takes the time to insert insightful comments on various social issues rather than deliver up pure fluff.

           The characters have some flaws that render them unlikable at times, but it's these same flaws which make them leap off the page with realism.  (The author also did a great job nailing down the behavior and  innermost thoughts of an unhappy-to-be-fat woman.)

             I slurped this story down in one sitting.  So honestly, the few technical issues I saw barely registered with me as I was so anxious to keep cruising along.

Warning: there are some coarse words, eating disorders, and sexual references in this book.

If you liked "The Way It Is" you might also enjoy "Love at Large", "Inappropriate Men", "The Fat Friend", "All of Me", "The High Price of a Good Man", "Good in Bed", "Jemima J.", "Sisterhood Situation", "Etta Mae's Little Theory", or the "Odelia Grey" series.