What a stellar debut! A fun take on academia with ALLLL the romance tropes!

Years after their college romance, Allison and Colin are reunited when they are battling for a spot working with a literary professor in their prestigious PhD program while simultaneously TA-ing her class together. When their professor announces the opportunity to attend a career defining research trip - with only one spot open - the two are left in a competitive battle that is bound to evoke some unresolved feelings.

This was a super fun read! I loved all the touches of academia with a bookish twist. I think anyone who has had that grad school experience will really connect with the book as I did! It was a tad slow through the first half (think slow burn) but definitely worth finishing - especially for the 🔥game of scrabble! Overall, a cute second chance, enemies to lovers story with all the charm, quirkiness, sweet banter and fun academic setting!

The Make-Up Test is a body positive second chance romance that I couldn’t put down! Exes Allison and Colin are competing against each other for a huge academic opportunity after both being assigned as TAs to the same professor.

The story went back and forth between Allison and Colin’s days as a couple and present days as academic enemies, which I typically love. However, it was a bit confusing since there was not a clear distinction until after you’ve read it.

Overall, it was a cute story but a little underwhelming simply because of how immature Colin continued to be, a bit disrespectful even.

4.25⭐
PG-13 verging on R for steamy scenes

My mind is still REELING after the last 10% of this book!! For a debut author, Jenny shows her readers that she truly know her craft from a subtext heavy Scrabble game to a true "how can they get together after this?!" moment. This book had me feeling all the emotions and I was just truly impressed.

This is the nerdy grad school plus sized lady rivals to lovers, second chance romance novel of my dreams when it came to exploring medieval literature and figuring out if men can be trusted (the jury's still out). If you thought The Love Hypothesis unrealistically represented grad school, this is the book you need.

But in addition to romance, Jenny also explored what it meant to grow up as Allison's old friendships evolved and new friendships were formed as well as how to deal with a parent with fatphobia. While sometimes the characters felt juvenile, I think that was showing how people grow after college and I think it was captured perfectly. There were just so many interesting layers to explore in this novel.

I enjoyed this book though I think Colin still has a few too many red flags for me to fully root from him and Allison. They're young and will need to work more on how to become partners because it's not cool to ice out your partner during a big situation. But still, Jenny L. Howe showed true craft within this novel and I cannot wait to see what she does next.

Umm... this book was not was I hoping it to be at all. The premise sounded so good but oh my God, the book was just... not it. I love books set in academia with my whole heart, but The Make-Up Test just straight up disappointed me. 😭

I really liked reading about Avery! But Colin? urgh. He annoyed the hell out of me and I couldn't get over any of the things he did on the past. I am honestly, just done with jerks in romances 😂 Avery deserved so much better! I was honestly more invested Avery's character growth more than the romance.

2/5 stars overall.

I enjoyed this book and wanted to find out how it would turn out, though the female main character did not seem to grow, change or take accountability throughout the story. It was entertaining and held my interest.

Alright, how can you not fall in love with Allison and Colin! This second chance love story was fun competitive and hilarious!

I love academic settings normally in a darker romance vibe but they way this was written was so fun and hilarious you wouldn’t help but route for both Allison and Colin the whole time. I never wanted one to win over the other I just wanted them to stop fighting and give in to the heat and love between them!

It took some time but it was worth it and it was so sweet! My heart melts just thinking of this book. Definitely pick it up and give it a go. It’s such an easy read has all the right stuff!

The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe is a smart, tender second-chance romance between Alison and Colin — ex-college sweethearts turned hostile co-teaching assistants in their PhD program several years later. This debut absolutely shines. From Howe's realistic rendering of today's academic landscape to the charming details she sprinkles throughout (like the goat who follows Alison home one day), I enjoyed this book from beginning to end.

One of the loveliest things about this book is the way that Howe handles relationships. Yes, I'm talking about the way she writes the relationship between Alison and Colin, but also how she handles Alison's relationship to her best friend, her mom, her tentative new friendships and herself.

I also appreciated reading about a fat heroine who wasn't on a journey of self-love or weight loss for once! Alison is a "normal" woman who happens to be fat AND still has more good self-esteem days than bad ones. Her weight is never an issue between her and Colin. It's just one aspect of her appearance, one that's neither good nor bad. It just is. More of this please, publishers!!

This book is for anyone who loves:
❤️‍🔥 Contemporary romance (FYI: Open door scenes)
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Second-chance romance
🙁 😊 Enemies to lovers
💻 Academic adversaries
🗣️ Witty midieval era references and puns
👪 Plotlines involving academia and/or family drama
👑 A satisfying happily-ever-after

I can't wait to read whatever else Jenny Howe writes!

Note: Please be aware of the trigger warnings this book contains, including: grief, death (on page), illness, emotional abuse, binge drinking and family estrangement.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me the chance to read and provide an honest review of this book! I will be posting this review to my social platforms, Amazon and B&N listings and on GoodReads.

Immediately, I was drawn to this book because it involved an academic setting and a plus sized main character. Howe is new to me as an author, so I didn't have much of an idea of what I would experience.

The Make-Up Test is a second chance romance. Allison is a highly intelligent, competitive woman. She's tough and hardworking. Counter to her is Colin. Her ex-boyfriend and academic competition when they are both are assigned as TAs to the same professor. The two quickly find out that the professor is offering a career altering research opportunity. They will have to compete for their future, work despite their broken history, and in the meantime fight the feelings that still remain.

The premise is really something that appeals me. I love seeing strong, intelligent women. When that woman is plus sized and makes no apologies for her size, even better! Unfortunately, Howe's writing style was just a miss for me. I know people who would absolutely love this book, it's just not me. While it was a fun read, I found the characters entirely too immature for my liking. I found this even more difficult especially given they were in a highly competitive academic setting. In addition, I could see what Howe was trying to do with the characters to reconcile their relationship. I suppose that the idea is that the main characters have changed since they were last together, especially the Male MC, Colin. Unfortunately, I had such a dislike of Colin, I would have really preferred a situation where there was eventually no reconciliation, and instead, Allison continue independently, stronger, happy, and successful.

Overall, the book was an okay read for me. I just couldn't connect to the characters or even support their relationship. That being said, I did enjoy part of the book. I was glad I read it, I just wasn't hugely invested.

4.5 stars! ⭐️

Likes:
😒 Enemies to lovers
❤️‍🩹 Second chance romance
📚 Academia vibes
🙎🏻‍♀️ Plus size & chronic illness representation

I loved this one! This was such a fun enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance, which are two of my favorite tropes, while also dealing with some heavier topics in a really careful way. I loved how the relationship between Allison and Colin developed, you really grasped both characters and their motivations and rooted for them, even when they were arguing! I also loved all of the sides characters and how supportive the friendships in this book were. I was surprised this was a debut as it was so well done, and I will definitely be reading more from this author!

TW/CW: Death of a parent, dementia, chronic illness, fatphobia, misogyny

For the first 80% or so, this was mostly a cute but standard rivals to lovers / second chance romance story. I absolutely loved the grad school setting and how Allison was navigating her insecurities within and outside of school.

What really stood out to me was how much I disliked Colin, yet still liked Allison and Colin together. That doesn't happen to me often- usually when I dislike one character in a romance, I dislike the whole book, so it really felt like a testament to Howe's writing that I was still enjoying the book despite my dislike of Colin.

And then that lecture happened.

Without spoiling anything, I really hated how that entire situation was handled. It felt really immature and unhealthy on the part of both of the characters, and I went from liking Allison and Colin together to rooting against them. It was frustrating how much more quickly things could have been resolved with basic communication- was Colin really that oblivious?

Somewhere between a 3 and a 4, but I'm rounding down just because the ending was so unsatisfying.

Despite the ending, I was very engaged in the writing, so I'd be interested in reading another book by Howe.

Wow, what a delightful debut of a book. I follow Ms. Howe on social media for some time now and was counting the days for this book. I absolutely loved this gem of a book.
It was a cute romance between Allison and Colin. Allison was in her Ph.D. program and studying under her hero Wendy Frances. Unfortunately her ex boyfriend Colin was also in the program with her. To add to the drama her adviser Wendy can only choose one to take with her to study in Wales and they had to settle that with a huge presentation in front of Wendy’s lit class.

Now I’m not too familiar with (my term “old”) pre 1800 literature, but it all sounded intriguing. Add into the mix of drama was Allison’s father that was sick and her mom’s interference with that complicated relationship, and her best friend Sophie who was drifting apart with her own life as a designer. Now Sophie at times was a selfish friend, but it was understandable that life does change after college. Even so she was a good friend.

Colin was presented as the bad guy but quickly proved that he had a lot going on and needed time. The romance between them was sweet and cute. They definitely took many curvy twists but the end was pure chefs kiss perfect. Lastly, I loved that the main character Allison had curves and was happy being herself after many years of fat shaming. I hope others can gain the positive message it sent. I know I did!

Overall, it was an amazing roller coaster of feels. It was a beautiful book and I definitely recommend it to everyone. Just be prepared for triggers of death and fat shaming.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had a difficult time connecting to these characters. The storyline was interesting, but it just didn't hook me the way I want a romance to.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Jenny L. Howe for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I cannot believe this is a debut book! The writing was amazing. The characters and character development were great. I loved most the characters and want to be friends with them in real life. I was cheering on Allison from start to finish! One thing I didn't like was at times the pacing was slow. But other than that, this book is fantastic and I cannot wait to see what Jenny writes in the future!

**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Jenny L. Howe for an ARC of this book!**

CALLING ALL EMILY HENRY FANS!

If you also enjoy all things literature, a second-chance romance, representation of all sorts, and have an affinity for corgis, you are the PERFECT CANDIDATE to take The Make=Up Test!

Allison Avery has always had to claw her way to success. Studying medieval literature was a brave career choice, and after many long hours and much perseverance, she has gotten into the grad program of her dreams at Claymore.

...Unfortunately, she winds up SIDE-BY-SIDE (quite literally) with her ex, Colin Benjamin. The boy she met in undergrad at Brown, before he not only broke her heart, but snatched a Rising Star award right out from under her. Of course, he is poised to upstage her once again when the two end up competing for a spot on an upcoming overseas research trip. Colin has far from lost his acerbic tongue, and Allison is already battling with her father's health struggles (her father, who has essentially fat shamed her for most of her life) and a drifting relationship with her roommate and bestie Sophie, will Allison be able to pursue her academic dreams AND possibly rekindle her romance? Or will she be forced to sacrifice one dream for the other...or will she, like a lost manuscript, be left feeling permanently unfinished?

Howe is a debut writer and an English professor with a (surprise) love for medieval literature, and as an English student, I was LOVING all of the nerdy English major jokes. There are the obvious references to Chaucer etc. but Howe tosses in some sly nods to Jane Austen (YES I saw that!) and my bookish heart was very, VERY happy. I feel especially connected to the world of academia after recently working at a college for a couple of years, so it was a pleasure to dive back into that world. The students Allison deals with were all very authentic and fun characters (and of course, the couple requisite jerks were present) and the friendship between Allison and Sophie was heartwarming and sweet. Howe also imbues the narrative with plenty of fat positivity, but nothing gratuitous. Allison is a balanced character, sweet, smart, thoughtful, and unfortunately a bit unsure of herself.

...Which brings me to my only quibble with the book...the character of Colin Benjamin himself. To start, he isn't likable. He hints at all of this lingering affection for Allison, but doesn't really seem to own his past behavior or SHOW Allison that he appreciates and respects her. As time wears on, this fades a bit, but at 84%, I had a JAW-DROPPING moment with him that almost had me writing off the character for good. While he does redeem himself to an extent, I think there was a missed opportunity for some more WORDS from him to explain his behavior would have been welcomed.

After skimming a few other early reviews, it seems some other readers are so disgusted with this character overall that they actively disliked the entire book. I don't know as though I can say THAT, because as someone who only reads romance occasionally, I'm not married to any certain trope, or interpretation of a trope, etc. Does Colin DESERVE Allison? No, maybe he doesn't. But like in life, sometimes one partner is 'better' than the other in certain respects. I don't think he's an out and out deplorable character, so for me, if he made ALLISON happy, that' was what was important to me as a reader. We don't know how he will continue to evolve as a person in this relationship, so it's anyone's guess if he will learn from his mistakes. I don't need to necessarily fall in love with the protagonist myself to thoroughly enjoy a romance story (though it's always a plus!) so for me, not a deal breaker. This IS a second (or possibly third) chance story, so know that going in!

Despite its flaws, The Make-Up Test kept me engrossed, smiling, (and at one point almost crying!) and cheering Allison on.

And the best part? If you're anything like me, you'll be page flipping so quickly, it'll only take a couple of KNIGHTS to read it!

4 stars

I'll make this somewhat quick because unfortunately, I didn't like this book. I really wanted to but I felt like it missed the mark in many ways. I love that this book gives us a fat lead (more of this representation please!!!) and my English major heart soared over all of the Medieval Lit references. I also think that the conversations around being able to cut out a toxic person from one's life were for the most part, done well.

However, I didn't really like our two leads (Allison and Colin) and it was hard for me to root for them to get together. They were toxic together, in my opinion, and I had a really difficult time believing the circumstances surrounding their first sex scene--if you've read it, chat with me lol. Honestly, this is a second-chance romance but I would NOT have given that guy a second chance based on the crap he pulled during their first relationship. There was also just a lot of lying. Not a fan.

I would try this author again but this was a hard-pass for me.

CW: Fat shaming, misogyny, death of a parent

Allison Avery has worked her whole life to get into her dream graduate program studying Medieval Literature. Imagine her surprise when her college ex turned nemesis, Colin Benjamin—who did not have a Medieval Literature focus in his past iteration—ends up in the same program vying for the one mentee spot with the professor Allison has dreamed of working with. And it turns out he hasn’t even read the Canterbury Tales in its entirety (can I get a what?!?). Will Allison be won over by his charm again and take her eye of the prize? And was that his plan all along?? Insert evil medieval laugh—I’m sure that’s a thing.

There’s a lot going in this romcom that is more serious. We have a plus-sized heroine grappling with trust issues. And the father who left her and her mother for another family, the father who’s never had a problem making snide fat comments at his daughter’s expense, now may or may not have a life threatening heart condition. Allison isn’t sure how to process her feelings when he’s not someone she wants in her life to begin with, and grappling with her mother’s expectations doesn’t help. The book also explores the changing nature of friendship when life paths start to diverge and how hard it can be to let someone grow, but away from you.

Ultimately it was hard for me to invest in the romance. Allison has plenty of reasons not to trust Collin, but she comes off as a little prickly because the version we see of him is almost too perfect boyfriend-material wise. But graduate-student wise, I didn’t understand Collin’s arc and it was hard to root for him when his motivations seemed so surface level. I kept waiting for a twist that would make me understand his character, but it never came.

I think people who love Medieval Literature will find a ton to love in this book. I also don’t think enough stories address hard relationships with family members that don’t really get resolved, and I loved that aspect. I think so many people struggle with it and that storyline will really resonate.

🌟: 4.5/5
With an exceptionally executed second chance romance between two academic nemeses, a lovely group of supporting characters that you just want to be friends with, and a wonderfully cozy academic setting, this book is perfect to pick up as we are transitioning from summer to autumn.

I loved the academia setting of this story. I have read my fair share of college-set STEM romances, but I haven’t read many that feature literature students. This is closer to my field, which made Allison’s experiences so relatable. From the first line I was hooked, because I, too, get sick of hearing the word “hegemonic” in my class discussions. Allison and Colin’s discussions of medieval literature were fascinating to read, and their passion for the subject was almost tangible. It speaks to Howe’s power as an author that she is able to spark fascination in medieval literature theory and analysis within the reader.

I loved Allison as a main character. Her passion for her field is clear, and her insecurities surrounding her passion to become a professor were something that I directly related to, as someone considering going into teaching. It is a terrifying prospect, and seeing Allison come to terms with her fears and doubts was comforting to me. However, there were moments that she took some things too far, especially when it came to lying about her recitations to better compete with Colin. I generally don’t like the toxic competitive side of academia, but it is a reality that should be explored, and at the end of the day I could understand why Allison did the things that she did, which is why my personal dislike of her choices doesn’t affect my rating that much.

Mr. Colin Benjamin was a fantastic love interest. We can rave all we want about the Chris Evans-esque book boyfriends, but I honestly adore the gangly and nerdy boys in books. While I understand the reason that this book was single-POV, I would have been fascinated to see Colin’s perspective, both in the past and the present. It is so clear that he changes so much as a person, and that the boy Allison knew and loved in undergrad is not the same as the man she meets again in grad school. He was a love interest that had clear flaws that he overcomes throughout the course of the story, which makes me love him even more.

Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, and this one felt like a particularly effective execution. Allison and Colin did not break-up over any contrived miscommunication. Rather, their split was caused by very real mistakes made by the characters, obstacles that were necessary for them to overcome in order for them to be forced to grow and become the characters in the present that are so easy to love. Allison and Colin’s romance was so well-written that, if I didn’t have to be a responsible student and go to bed early before class, I would have kept reading until the small hours of the morning just so that I could get to their reconciliation.

If you’re looking for a medium-paced second chance romance that explores the nuances of grief, and forces the characters to address the fact that others are capable of change, then I highly recommend that you pick up this book.

review: the make-up test by jenny howe

rating: 4/5 ⭐️

you’ll love this if you enjoy:
- second chance romance
- academic rivals
- medieval (or any!) literature
- witty lit humor

as a fellow english grad student, this book COULD NOT BE more relatable. i was laughing out loud at jenny howe’s lit puns, iykyk. and if you do, then you’ll love this book. she NAILS all the different people in an english grad cohort — from ethan to link to mandy. and that’s one of the reason i loved this book so much: it’s authentic.

i thought the romance between allison and colin was so, so well-done. unlike a lot of other second chance arcs i’ve read (and i’ve read A LOT), i really enjoyed how each character owned up to the mistakes the made in past, and though definitely working to remedy those mistakes and change, were not perfect. so many second chance romances are like: wow my partner just made a magic 180 and now they never ever mess up! this was not like that. colin messes up. allison messes up. but they mess up ~in love~

now, this might be a rom-com, but it deals with bigger topics too — and does so with great care. allison hinges so much of her identity on being “the smart girl” and man, did i feel that. the PRESSURE we put on ourselves to be the best, the smartest, the prettiest, the funniest. what would happen if we stopped hinging our entire self worth one aspect of ourselves and started cutting ourselves a much needed break? howe explores this question and other topics like: grief, body image, academic pressure, and feelings of inadequacy. i don’t want to spoil anything so i’ll just say that each of these topics added incredible depth and layer to the story + the characters.

thank you to netgalley for my e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

Allison Avery has made it to her dream university and program: she’s a doctoral student in medieval literature at Claymore University in Providence, Rhode Island. What’s even better is that the professor she wants to study with has taken her as a teaching assistant and mentee. It’s exciting, a little nerve-wracking, and a lot of work. Not so great? Her ex-boyfriend from undergrad two years earlier has shown up in her program. And that professor she admires so much has taken on Colin as a TA too.

Colin was her competition in everything in undergrad, winning a big prize her heart was set on, and then he broke her heart on top of it. She didn’t expect to see him again, let alone in such close quarters. And now they’re vying for one spot on a research trip with their mentor professor. Allison’s treacherous heart keeps wanting to lean in to Colin, but her mind is telling her to just focus and win. The stakes have never been higher: this is her dream.

Colin seems different now, though, after two years. He’s kinder and more thoughtful and seems to be indicating he still has feelings. No, no! Focus! But could they have a do-over? Make up for what happened before?

The Make-Up Test is a sweet and smart love story. The graduate school setting with characters focused on medieval literature makes it a cut above the average romance book. It’s much like Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis that way. The characters are well fleshed-out and there is meat to the story. Allison is dealing with a father who has long not cared much for her dreams or appreciated her successes. She’s a plus-size woman who is body-positive and embraces all of who she is, and her father fat-shames her as well. The book is a strong debut. I just wish that more stories like this could be written with cleaner content. It seems like the publishing industry still doesn’t think there’s an audience for romance books that don’t give a LOT of detail in bed.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I loved the way the book handled fatness and bigger bodies. Body positivity in romance books has always been a sore subject with me. Romance readers are primarily women, and many books with fat main characters are almost preachy in their messages, as if fat women need to be told how much they should forget how society views them and just “love themselves”. This book handles it perfectly—the MC is comfortable in her body but the narrative acknowledges that it hasn’t stopped others (especially her father) from treating her poorly. She has insecurities sometimes, but she’s learned to love herself and does her best not to let that affect her relationship.

But on the topic of the relationship itself, I feel it fell flat. I just couldn’t get behind Collin and Allison no matter how much the narrative tried to convince
me they were perfect for each other. Maybe it’s because I couldn’t imagine myself for forgiving my boyfriend for actively sabotaging my educational career no matter is reasons, and maybe that makes me heartless. That’s okay. Did they have cute scenes? Yes, but I literally was rooting against them half the time. Academic rivals to lovers is cute when the rivalry doesn’t involve backstabbing and sabotage.

I give it a 3⭐️ for the representation, the writing, the literary commentary, and the relatability of the MC. The relationship, though? I have to pass.