Allison Avery shows up for her first day of her PhD program at the top of the world. She's starting her dream program to study medieval literature with the opportunity to work under a professor she has long admired. Except then, in walks in Colin Benjamin, her ex-boyfriend from Brown who she hasn't seen in 2 years since they broke up. Allison is peeved that he is there, and wonders why he is, but resolves to ignore him and move on. Then Allison and Colin find out that they will both be TA's for the same professor, which also has a career-making research project attached to it that only one of them can earn. This pits Allison and Colin against each other, but they also have to find a way to work together and in doing so, they find it hard to resist one another and Allison begins to wonder if they have a second chance at love after all.
I really liked this book, there was lots of banter between characters and it was fun to read. The inclusion of the medieval literature could be more difficult to understand at times since it is a little more obscure, but it honestly helped with the story and the quirky personalities of the hero and heroine.

Sigh. I wanted to love The Make-Up Test. I loved the author’s note at the beginning so much. A story set in academia with a fat heroine - and a note to make sure we know fat is just one aspect of who she is and the story isn’t about losing weight or learning to love herself as she is because she already does. YAY to all of that!!!

I also really enjoyed the writing at the start. However the characters and the story didn’t follow through for me. Second chance romance is often a miss for me - and even more so in this case where the characters are being mean to each other. It was just annoying me and making me cringe. After seeing reviews from some trusted friends - I don’t think it’s going to get better so I decided to call it quits here and DNF. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe

Allison Avery has been accepted into her dream Ph.D. program at Claymore University, studying medieval literature under a professor she’s admired for years. Balancing grad school with a social life is challenging but Allison is driven to be the best student due to her father's indifference about education. Allison is stunned to find Colin, her ex-boyfriend, is also in the grad program and vying for the same internship. Colin broke Allison's heart when he "stole" the undergrad writing award out from under her. This is a lovers-to-enemies-lovers troupe with lots of drama in between.

What I liked about this book was all the meta-literature references (think Beach Read and The Roughest Draft). I had a challenging time with Colin's character and shadiness which may have impacted my enjoyment of the overall book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a sweet second-chance romance in a new adult collegiate setting.

Allison and Colin had a whirlwind romance during undergrad. But Colin broke Allison's heart when he graduated. She's been trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered self-esteem ever since, and the last thing she needs is for him to show up in her PhD program as a fellow candidate. In order to earn her PhD in medieval literature, Alison will have to compete with Colin for an exclusive TA position and research opportunity.

Alison is furious, because when they were together, Colin seemed apathetic about her devotion to Chaucer. He seemed dismissive of her study of texts he deemed archaic and overtly moralistic. Now he's her primary rival for the mentorship and the future she's fought tooth and nail for her entire academic life.

As the two of them battle it out for accolades, a side of Colin emerges that makes her skeptical of his intentions. He seems proud of her, and supports her when she doesn't expect it. As the intensity of their competition heats up, so do their buried emotions.

Will the ultimate selection for the prestigious position completely invalidate their reconciliation? What does their reconciliation mean? Is it a fling with an end date, or are they reconnecting to build a tenuous future despite the obstacles they face?

Recommended for fans of Book Lovers and A Brush With Love.

I really enjoyed The Make-Up Test and I felt connected to the main characters pretty quickly, which is huge for romance for me. Being plus size, I thought the character was written well and felt real, as well as the plot and other characters felt good throughout the book.

I would highly recommend!

I love a good romance and all that is involved with keeping the lovers apart until they can be together. However, In Jenny L. Howe's debut work The Make-Up Test I was so stressed out about the conflict that it caused me a great deal of anxiety. The tension kept me reading and of course I enjoyed the ending, but gosh it was stressful knowing what was going to happen and the long build up to their misunderstanding. Howe utilized several popular romance tropes in enticing ways and I look forward to seeing what else she writes.

The Make-Up Test has things I would absolutely love - grad school setting (take me back to college but minus all the assignments, please!), second chance romance, plus size heroine, former lovers/academic rivals but it just didn't do it for me. I think Allison's character is awesome, except for the end of the book where she literally makes our other main character question his entire future. She's smart, driven, and plus size/body positive. It always warms my heart when an author writes a fat MC whose flaw isn't that they're fat and that they need to learn to love themselves as they are. The author also noted fast shaming from the perspective of a parent and I was really thankful for that. I saw a lot of myself in Allison, especially in her perfectionist/I have to be the one to save myself kind of attitude. However, the male MC, Colin, just wasn't it for me. I don't really understand what Alison saw in him and didn't find his descriptions/mannerisms attractive. There is a scene where he is described as being naked but with his cardigan on, and I just kept picturing him with his dookachu peeking out from beneath the sweater while he was Winne the Pooh-ing it...no thank you. I thought the third act breakup/makeup was weak and lacking in real substance. I'm glad the author gave us a happy for now because I just don't see how these two can work together in the future. Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin, and Netgalley for an eArc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Such a funny,I mean serious LOL funny, story. Full of love, friendship, family problems, this book is a great pick for a weekend read. You won’t want to put it down.

Give me a rom com any day of the week and I will eat that ish UP!

Second chance / enemies to lovers - bing bang boom

SWOONWORTHY

This book is going to work for a lot of people, and it's also not going to work for a lot of people (yes, of course, I know, like many books!). The more time that you have spent in academia, the less that the ending of this book will work for you. Without getting into spoilers, if you have ever been in a situation where someone who was (for all intents and purposes) working less than you, less qualified than you, and less experienced than you didn't play fair, you will probably be just as angry as I was. The overall message of needing to cast aside your own career and ambition for love is something I just don't love.

Additional notes: This book does mention the pandemic. It does deal with themes of an emotionally abusive parent (and tries to redeem them after the fact.).

It really bums me out to give this 2 stars because I was really looking forward to it and the writing was great. Unfortunately, the messaging and some aspects hitting a bit too close to home ruined it.

I unfortunately wasn’t able to get through this book and DNFed at 30%. I didn’t find myself invested in the characters or their backstory, but I enjoyed the academic setting and I think it would be a cute story for anyone who enjoys the academic rivals trope. I also think the book could’ve benefited from a dual POV.

Second chance romance! Enemies and rivals to lovers! In an academic setting with references from medieval literature. So excited to read what Howe writes next!

This was a really entertaining read. Alison is the character I would want to be. Colin is the perfect foil for her in this slow burn, second chance romance. Reading the two complete for the adviser spot and watching them realize that they were meant to be together was just bookish fun.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a solid book. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It fell right in the middle of everything for me, but I think it is a book that I would reread if I was on a plane or taking a beach vacation. It was light and it didn't make me think or feel too hard which makes it the perfect vacation read, if I'm honest.

I don't particularly gel with the author's writing voice, but I liked the characters and the story well enough. However some of the descriptions of Colin were definitely cringy. Based on the cover, I don't think the words fit the image and that is one of my biggest pet peeves when reading. If you're telling me the male main character has black hair but your cover model is blonde.... no. Please don't.

Anyway, I'll definitely be checking out what Howe writes in the future. And hopefully more plus sized heroines are involved because I love seeing my body size represented in romance!

My feelings are hurt. I did not like it. As a bigger girl, I am excited for books with representation of self love and celebrating all body types, having them seen as beautiful. I was all in for this book. I was not prepared to absolutely hate the MMC and barely tolerate the FMC. To each their own, but I am sorry, the cardigan obsession? What is that? I don't know any guy in their twenties that would rock a cardigan daily. On a not so petty note, COLIN BENJAMIN SUCKED. He is one of the worst book boyfriends I've ever read. Everything that he did to Allison and the way that he did it angered me. I felt like Allison had no backbone when it came to most of her relationships, but her relationship with Colin takes the cake. There's no way in hell I'm going to get back together with a guy who basically stole an award from me and then broke up with me. Nope, nope, NOPE! I also couldn't get past the medieval study talk. It just wasn't for me and that's okay.

Thank you netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Jenny Howe for this arc in exchange for my honeys review.

Thank you to the publishers for sending me this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

I wanted to enjoy this. The writing style reminds me of the younger end of YA books. There are so many cringy lines and scenes. There is no chemistry between Allison and Colin. All of the occurrences that take place between the two leave me asking why on earth would they like each other? It is just illogical. Somehow, this book reads more as a contemporary than a romance as well.

I would not recommend this book.

This is a mix of enemies to lovers and second change love and forced proximity. Throw in some competition and it's bound to result is sparks. And every romcom reader loves sparks. Althought, I'm not sure what one would do with a doctor of medieval literature... This book has so much to digest. All good, no worries.

If you love Romcom and competition, I definitely recommend checking this out!

I was excited to read THE MAKE-UP TEST, because of the academic setting and plus size character rep. Unfortunately, the combination of immature characters, toxic behaviour and the miscommunication in the third act made this a miss for me.
Academic rivals Allison and Colin, who also happen to be exes, find themselves in competition for a spot in the same Ph.D program. Colin somehow gets into Allison’s program despite previous lack of interest and now somehow is at a level that he can compete with her? The rivalry has a lot of immature moments that felt out of place for their age/education.
Colin was so toxic, the reasoning behind breaking up with her originally and then what happens in the end. It was hard to root for him and get behind him ending up with Allison.
I didn’t like how everything seemed to be Allison’s “fault” and she had to be the one to accept toxic behaviour. Some of the other issues Allison faced were tied up too neatly.
I enjoyed the writing style of the Make-Up Test and would try another book by this author, but unfortunately the plot of this particular book didn’t work for me.
Thank you St Martin’s Press for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Make-Up Test is a testament to second and third chances in love and finding the strength to stand up for yourself first no matter what.

Allison Avery is determined to be the best at school. Growing up in the harsh environment her emotionally absent father set, Allison decides she's going to show him she can achieve her dreams and become a PhD and college professor. Everything is on track for her until she meets Colin Benjamin in undergrad. The two have a whirlwind eight-month romance until he unceremoniously breaks up with her after claiming a school honor she didn't even know he applied for. Now she's moved on and ready to tackle her graduate career when Colin resurfaces in the same program, and with the same professor as their mentor. The two enter a new competition for one advisee spot, but this time things are different and Colin is determined to show Allison he's changed.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review from St. Martin's Press, and it's because of that I powered through the book, as it didn't necessarily grab me at any point in time. It's a solid 3.5 star read for me as I spent my time reading it wondering what the final conflict would be, weighing the options of the predictable to unpredictable. There was a lot of repetitive paragraphs and themes brought up over and over again that I found myself skipping over. Overall, it was an okay read with a happy ending for the main characters, but lacked an epilogue that would have tied it all together nicely.

This was such a sweet, heartfelt read! I really loved the second chance romance, rivals to lovers tropes in this book. I also really enjoyed the deeper conversations that Allison and Colin had with each other, I felt like I really got to know both of these characters and it made the book feel really relatable. The book even somehow made medieval literature interesting to me, which is saying something! Overall, this was a fantastic read!