Veronica is an outgoing, ambitious actress who leaves her small town theater for the big time world of Hollywood, where she’s in for a big shock. She’s gorgeous and talented, but she’s also overweight. In her hometown, she was well-known and well-loved, but in LA, looks count for everything, and Veronica’s weight is enough to keep her from getting jobs that she wants. She’s left behind great friends to follow in her late mother’s footsteps, pursue her dreams, and escape the wedding date set by her father and his long-time girlfriend, as well as her recent unemployment and the absence of any female roles in the upcoming play at her local theater.

Veronica goes to stay with an old friend in Hollywood, hoping for some support, but neither her friend Reed nor Hollywood is what Veronica optimistically expects them to be. Vee deals with some tough situations, but she’s not the sort of girl to give up easily or to let her self-esteem be permanently bashed by the starve-yourself culture of Hollywood. Veronica is a fantastic character, and I loved reading her story.

C. Leigh Purtill does an awesome job of tackling the tough issue of body image and our culture’s idea of beautiful as unhealthily thin. Veronica is an awesome girl, someone I’d really like to know! The story in All About Vee is engaging, and the book is a pleasure to read, if not particularly remarkable in its writing style or anything more literary. It’s fun, it covers important issues, and you will never be disappointed that you read it.