Bo And Willowdean's Relationship In "Dumplin'" Was Completely Different In The Book

Spoilers ahead!

1. First off, Bo and Willowdean have an entire summer romance, complete with weekly trysts near an old abandoned school.

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In the movie, the two just share one kiss before Will insists that they can't be together.

2. Also, Will never tells Ellen about her fling with Bo.

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It's a huge plot point in the book that Will and Ellen grow apart. Keeping her relationship with Bo a secret creates a lot of that distance.

3. Will ends her summer romance with Bo when he lies about attending her school in the fall.

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Bo attended a fancy private school on a basketball scholarship; we even see him interact with some of his former classmates in the movie. When he loses his scholarship, he attends Will's school and they even share a class together, where Bo gives Will many forlorn looks of love.

4. When Will breaks up with Bo, she also quits her job at Harpy's.

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She gets a job at a place called The Chili Bowl across the street.

5. Will has an entire other love interest named Mitch.

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She and Mitch, a football player, share a class together and he asks her out on the first day of school. They go on a few dates and spend a lot of time together. Willowdean thinks that she should be with someone like him because he's "big like her," but she realizes that size doesn't matter. She decides they should just be friends and pursues a relationship with Bo.

6. Lucy's cause of death is revealed.

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In the book, it's revealed that Will's aunt, Lucy, died of heart failure caused by her obesity. There's a flitting line in the movie where Rosie says, "If she had taken better care of herself she might still be here." This affects Will deeply, and puts a strain on her relationship with her mother.

7. Will learns about Bo's home life.

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Bo is a much more fleshed out character in the book. Will visits his home and meets his dad, stepmom, and younger brother. She even attends church with him and meets his former friends.

8. Bo dates another girl.

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In the movie, Bo tells Will that while Bekah asked him to a dance, he said no. In the book, Bo says yes and he and Bekah are casually linked for several weeks.

9. Ellen makes new friends and they're cruel to Will.

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Ellen befriends her coworker Callie, who becomes one of the book's antagonists. She drives a wedge between Will and Ellen, and frequently makes comments about Will's appearance. She's only seen briefly in the film.

10. Ellen loses her virginity.

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Will and Ellen's relationship becomes strained when Ellen decides to have sex with her boyfriend, Tim. It's also one of the many reasons that Will keeps her relationship with Bo a secret.

11. Rosie makes Will's pageant dress.

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Instead of being dressed by Dale and Lee, Will's mom buys her a dress and makes alterations for Will. This was a huge moment for their relationship.

Did you spot any other differences between Dumplin' and the Netflix adaptation? Tell us in the comments!