This just wasn’t for me. I’m not a big theater/Shakespeare geek to begin with, so I couldn’t relate to the characters or story at all.

Two exes who were competitive throughout their relationship which inevitably ended it two years ago are in the same graduate program. Colin broke up with Allison because he had to think about himself. How selfish of him, but it was all about self-preservation. Their competitive streaks continued throughout this book, which was ultimately both a rude awakening and a grand confession. I feel like if Colin had just been honest from the beginning, neither he nor Allison would have been so miserable, but self-preservation was all Colin could think about in the wake of all the sacrifices his mother and grandfather made for him. I loved that the author made Allison with a strong personality who was comfortable in her fat body, bringing body positivity to the forefront. Not only did Allison have to deal with Colin on a daily basis, but also with the fact that her father didn't accept her for who she was and the body she so proudly defended. In essence this story was about forgiveness for Colin, for Allison, for her father and mother. Beautiful!

I’m going to start with the positive: the bones of this story are good, an academic rivals to lovers second chance romance with a plus size lead is something I want more of and I also felt the plus size/fat representation was well done and accurate to the lived experience (coming from someone who lives it).

Now time for the negatives, first and foremost Collin(the male MC) is THE WORST. He’s the worst romance hero I’ve ever read and I honestly believe I hate him. He’s a whiney, entitled, lazy, mediocre white man who has gone under Allison’s (female mc) nose at every point to undermine her achievements and take accolades that should’ve been hers as his own. He’s the villain of this story and I truly wish the ending had been him being held accountable or maybe just pointed out all the privilege he has over Allison (a fat woman). He was honestly enraging and at the end OH MY GOD I wanted Sophie to have a come to Jesus moment with Allison when she apologized to Collin for STEALING HER IDEA (a pattern for him at this point tbh just copying everything Allison does), and get Allison into therapy and end with her happy and alone thriving. Allison also isn’t the most likable character but nowhere near as blood boiling as Collin (though her parents are, ugh).

2 stars

⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Allison Avery is just starting her Ph.D. in medieval literature at Claymore University - her literal dream. She lives with her best friend who's in fashion design school and even though they've been friends for years, it's beginning to feel like they're growing apart. As if the stress of grad school and possible outgrowing her best friend isn't enough, Allison also has to deal with family drama with her parents; mostly her dad who hasn't really been there for her. Oh, and why not throw in the fact that she get stuck being a TA with her ex-boyfriend Colin.

Colin and Allison dated for a time, but when Colin dumps her because he wants to focus on his education Allison is understandably wrecked. She barely finishes the semester and has just finally started getting back to normal when Colin is suddenly thrown back into her life. However the more Allison and Colin work together and are forced into mandatory bonding nights with other classmates, feelings start to creep their way back to the surface. Colin seems to be a changed person and Allison can't help but notice. When Allison's dad has a medical emergency, Colin drives her home and even stays with her while her mom waits at the hospital. Will Allison find out just how changed Colin is or will she discover things haven't actually changed at all?

Congratulations to Jenny Howe for being the first author to make me cry while reading a book. The scenes about Allison's dad were a little too relatable for me. But, on a happier note I LOVED THIS BOOK. One of my favorite books of the year. I loved all of the characters, I loved the banter between Allison and Colin, I loved all of the nerdy references, all of it was perfect. My only tiny little complaint is how Allison handled the presentation situation. I also understand that it's just how she reacts to things and it was easy to come to the conclusion that she did at first. This is such a well-written book and I highly recommend it!

The makeup test
What an interesting original idea for a book. Two exes find themselves competing in their Medieval Lit grad school program for a shot at the same chance to work with a professor who can open doors for them and help further their career. I loved this plot set up, not to mention that there’s fat rep and a big enemies-to-lovers vibes. The writing is filled with Middle English works, nerdy references, and enough Chaucer to make any English academic swoon. However I had some difficulty with The Make-Up Test. As a heroine, Allison should have everything going for her: she’s smart, driven, confident in her own skin despite ugly remarks from her father and a particular guy in her cohort, and really knows her Medieval literature. Something about her just never made me a fan though (perhaps I would have felt differently with a dual POV). I didn’t feel like she was someone you could get close to, metaphorically like a cactus, and therefore had trouble in the romantic aspect because I wanted to see all the reasons why Colin wanted Allison. Instead it just felt like it was an assumed “they’ve been together before and never forgot about each other” thing. The pacing reading this book was off for me. The first 60% of the book felt like a slow climb without the tension of the “will they or won’t they” get together aspect. The circumstances that bring Colin and Allison together finally seem like the perfect opportunity (almost one bed trope! Sick-bed family trope!) and I felt like the book took off once we hit this point. In fact the third act break-up really worked and seemed extremely valid to me; I kept wondering how these two would make it work. And then the ending just kind of left me feeling like I needed an epilogue or a bit more.
I’d give The Make-Up Test high marks for the writing, style, and original ideas, but feel like the characters needed a bit more likability and reader connection. Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, this book was not a good fit for me. I found the main characters to be very immature and unlikable. I had such high hopes but eventually had to DNF it around the 60% mark. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

I would probably bump this one up to 3.5 stars if I could. It's a cute enemies to lovers romance with a mild spice level. I had a bit of trouble with finding both the main characters somewhat immature, but I liked the setting of the book and I felt like the pacing was good.

I really enjoyed this one. The fact that it involves graduate school is just a bonus! Thank you for the opportunity to read this one.

I really wanted to love this book, but I just could not get behind the FMC & MMC. I didn’t feel any chemistry between them, and I just couldn’t root for them.

I found the whole book to be a little on the boring side,

Thank you so much to Jenny L Howe, St Martin Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book!

I am so excited that more and more books with a female plus size MC is starting to be published. I am glad that I was able to get an advance copy of this.

Allison Avery is achieving her goals and got into the PhD program that she worked her whole life to get to. Everything was going well in her life until she sees her ex Colin Benjamin on campus. Upon seeing him, Allison immediately gets flashbacks of their past together and of course the ending of their relationship. They learn they would be working together as teaching assistant's to a professor, it forces them to have to put differences aside to teach a class on Medieval Literature. Let the fun begin!

"You' don't like happy endings?"
"I think the problem is more that I like them too much. No one gets that in real life. People deserve happy endings and not enough get them."

Allison and Colin. Colin was put through the ringer by Allison. I understand her reservation for not wanting to trust Colin but she could not get out of her own way to have a genuine relationship until the end. The character Allison was someone who I had a lot of issues with. I wanted to like her but it was just so hard. When she shined, she really did but the competitiveness was TOO much. I was feeling bad for Colin because she would just not let up. He was pushing back at her games. Don't get me wrong Colin was not perfect. Things would happen and instead of discussing before hand, kind of figuring to ask for forgiveness in the aftermath.

But with that being said, I really do love Colin and Allison together. There were so many swooon worthy moments and it made me really happy that Allison reconciled with Colin. I love the car ride and having the history he knew the complex relationship she had with her parents. There was a moment at the end when we found out he was at a certain place and it just made my heart melt. They brought out the best in each other and also the worse in each other. I really love how Allison tried her best to be there for Colin when he was going through family issues. I also loved that Colin loves Allison for all that she is - the good and the bad. Her size was never an issue between them. He loved her body as it was. And Allison loved her body for all that is was too.

I do wish we got an epilogue to follow up on the beautiful couple. Bonus content please?? : wink wink :

I was really proud of Allison for sticking up for herself and giving herself a boundary with her parents. I was upset at her mom for not respecting Allison's boundary back. The relationship with her dad was complicated as she was always showing up for him but he would not give her the respect she deserve.

I cannot wait to see what other characters Jenny has in store for us in the future!

This was a sweet debut with an enemies to lovers/former lovers trope added for good measure. While overall i enjoyed this book, I did find both main characters to be very immature and this was difficult for me to get past.

I didn’t really think or believe that they hated one another and the competing element became a bit overdone.

The Make-Up Test is a second chance/enemies-to-lovers story that I enjoyed.

Allison Avery and Colin Benjamin have history. They dated for a period of time and eventually broke up. Now they are grad students and are TA's for the same teacher putting them back in one another's world daily. They are both navigating the world of teaching along with navigating things happening in their personal lives, not to mention their relationship with one another. Will these two be able to make a relationship work for good this time?

There was a lot I liked and enjoyed about this debut novel from Jenny L. Howe. The one thing I have to say I struggled with with Colin. There was so much about his character that I just didn't like and I struggled to connect with him. One of the things I loved was how Allison was portrayed. She was comfortable with herself even in a larger body and that is so important to convey. I also liked how Allison grew throughout the book especially where her relationship with her father was concerned.

I definitely would be interested in future books by Howe!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

3.5 stars! *some spoilers abound*

I had to sit on my thoughts about "The Make-Up Test" by Jenny L. Howe for a few days. There's a lot to like here, but I also have several complaints about the book.

Allison and Colin are academic rivals. They also happen to be exes. Thrust back together again, can they overcome their past and have a second chance at love?

First, I *LOVE* that Allison is a plus-size protagonist. We don't see that enough in books, and there is some fantastic representation here! More of that, please! I also love the super niche collegiate setting that really took me out of my comfort zone and made me read up on some new-to-me topics. There is a decent amount of clever writing and banter, and I *love* the lover-to-enemies-to-lovers spin on the trope!

Many reviewers have questioned whether or not Allison's father is an authentic character. I've seen people say, "who could treat their child in such a manner?" "This is not sensible." "It's hard to imagine this being real." "What kind of parent/person is he to treat his daughter way?" I consider these people lucky not to know what it's like to have a father like this. I identified with this dynamic on a visceral level, so much so that it made me burst into tears on multiple occasions. It's as if someone extracted my experiences and wrote them down. It is heartbreaking knowing that someone else might have experienced the same things I did, even if they are fictional. Fantastic writing where her father is concerned.

What I don't love about "The Make-Up Test" is the immaturity of the main characters. Both Allison and Colin refuse to have an honest conversation with one another about...well, anything. While Allison is overly competitive and assumes the worst 99% of the time (sometimes for a good reason as she has been burned before), Colin is extremely competitive and shuts down, refusing to talk, not telling her what's going on, and not saying what he's thinking. It does not make for a productive friendship, let alone a romantic relationship. For people in Ph.D.-level education, they are incredibly naive and super childish. Apart from one or two scenes, it feels like Allison sees Colin as her only romantic option and forces chemistry that might not actually be there. The biggest negative about this book is that Allison forgives Colin not once but TWICE for plagiarizing her work (in some capacity). He basically gets off the hook academically, too! WHAT!!? At what university, on what planet, in this day and age, would that slide? Finally, this book heavily markets the fact that Ali Hazelwood called it "sizzling," but I can assure you, it's not."

This book was a mixed bag for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jenny L. Howe, St. Martin's Press, and St. Martin's Griffin for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review in any way.

"The Make-Up Test" is a great piece of fat representation in romance perfect for fans of Olivia Dade. We follow Allison Avery as she enters into a prestigious PhD program in medieval literature. She is a book nerd who is proud of her body, so I felt especially represented in her character. When she arrives to her program, she discovers her ex-boyfriend and academic rival from undergrad has joined her in the same program and, wouldn't you know, the same focus.

This book can feel a bit dense at times for people who are not experts in medieval lit, but it is so fun to see an author incorporate her own passions into her work. I really respected the way the author handled the complication of setting body-related boundaries with family.

Overall, this was a fun read and it's great to see fat representation becoming more mainstream.

Trigger warning for fat shaming, death of a parent, and terminal illness.

I was really excited for this book: it's academic, enemies to lovers, and has positive fat representation in a romance?? Sign me up! I thought Allison was great: a smart, driven woman who was determined to prove her deadbeat father wrong. Great! However, I could not get past Colin's character. I know that the love interest in an enemies to lovers story isn't supposed to be lovable from the start, but I wasn't rooting for the couple at all. I found Colin arrogant and obnoxious. I might try this one again in the future, but I just couldn't get into it enough this time around.

The Make-Up Test was a fun story about love and heartache, second chances, and misunderstandings!
Sometimes, we just don’t know what’s going on in love…even when we think we do!

In this second chance romance, Allison Avery has just started out in her Ph.D program with her dream mentor. The only hitch is that the last person she wants to see, her ex, Collin Benjamin, is also in her program.

This will be a great ready for the fall. A college campus in New England is the perfect fall setting. I could smell the pumpkin spice latte and crisp fall air as I read this book.

I did struggle with Allison and Collin's relationship. Allison made Collin sound awful, so it was hard for me to believe she fell for him again so quickly. I think dual POV would have helped me with their relationship.

Overall I enjoyed this book and think it will be great fall read!

A second chance romance? Allison and Colin are rival who were once a couple and now that rivalry is sharper than ever as then compete in a Phd program. I liked the academic part of this (medievalists!) but honestly- not so much with Colin. Allison is a well rounded (both literally and figuratively) character and I found myself asking why she would even care about him except to make sure she wins this time. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A diverting read.

There's a lot I loved about this novel. I especially loved Allison as a main character - she knows what she wants and how to get it, and she knows her own worth and how to stand up for herself. If I had to have one criticism, she might have been a little too perfect, but she still went through a lot of character development as well. I liked how the storyline of her working out that her father was abusive was handled - it felt realistic, especially when it came to her relationship with her mother as well.

I also really loved the setting. Allison is a PhD student for medieval literature, which makes up a fairly large part of the story, and I absolutely loved this, because I used to really enjoy my medieval literature classes in uni.

Having enjoyed pretty much everything about this story, though, I sadly didn't enjoy the aspect the story, being a romance novel, revolved around: the love interest, Colin. I usually love a second chance romance, but I did not like Colin and I did not feel like he had properly redeemed himself. I thought he was very selfish - he even said so himself in the book - and his character growth didn't convince me.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Make-Up Test caught me by surprise somewhat. I was somewhat excited for it, because I’m an English major (although I don’t have a PhD) and I’m also a fat woman, like both Alison and Jenny Howe. However, the way trends have been shifting in tradpub romance of late meant I dampened by expectations, lest I be too let down.
Fortunately, that was not the case. I really loved this book, for the most part, and while there are some things I would have wanted to be addressed, it left me with a huge smile on my face overall.
As expected, Allison is a woman after my own heart. She’s ambitious and with a drive to succeed in the realm of academia. I also appreciate how her identity as a fat woman is portrayed for the most part, showing she can be insecure and vulnerable, but she’s also generally confident in her own skin. One of her biggest vulnerabilities is her complex relationship with her father, who left her mother for another woman, and has ostracized her for her weight and ridiculed her academic and professional choices, among other things. I appreciate that this narrative wasn’t about her finding it in her heart to forgive him, and even says at one point that the heartbreak from Colin feels worse than the loss of her father at one point.
Colin is where I feel very confused, and it’s in large part due to the fact that the book is solely from Allison’s POV. There’s context given for “Colin 1.0” from the time they were dating, and how he was generally a selfish, smug person. The “Colin 2.0” of the book seems to respect Allison, in spite of their current academic rivalry and the fact that he wants to win as much as she does, although it does set up for some distrust later in the story to play a role in testing their relationship.
But this competition is depicted without much commentary on the immense sexism and other forms of bigotry that exist in academia. There’s a fleeting mention of racism from a nonwhite colleague, but everything else is implied, but not unpacked. Allison faces self-doubt at points of the story due to the way the odds are already stacked against her, as well as her own shortcomings. Meanwhile, Colin, while not lacking in intelligence (for the most part) or ambition, seems to almost skate by. There’s a moment when they’re on the outs where Allison questions whether he used a personal connection to get ahead, a claim which turns out to be unfounded, but there’s also an unspoken question of whether white male privilege has helped him to get ahead. The romance plot does culminate with him doing the “right thing,” but I’d have loved to see more of his inner thoughts, so I could get a sense if he truly was being genuine throughout, as well as see him unpack his privilege a bit more on-page.
Despite these issues, I generally really liked their dynamic and feel they worked well together. I feel it’s more of an HFN than a true HEA, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that they could work long-term with more work and growth.
Despite my mixed feelings about this book at times, I liked it overall, even if more for Allison’s personal arc than anything else. While I understand some of the choices might be divisive for some readers, I think you’ll enjoy it if you like romances centered on academia.