dnf @ 20% I’m sorry i just couldn’t get into this one; why was everyone so pretentious? the premise sounded so good, second chance romance? sign me up! but this one was just too much for me maybe one day I’ll give it another chance but today is not that day

Reviews Posted September 3, 2022
Goodreads
Storygraph

I really tried this one. I put it down twice, thinking I was going to DNF it but kept convincing myself that it deserved another chance. Eventually, I released at the halfway point that this book was just not doing anything for me.

I found all the characters boring, and I had a hard time caring about anything they were doing. I also could not get invested in romance for the life of me. And I can’t really explain why this book was so hard for me to get into. Maybe it was the writing, but I was defiantly sad that I didn’t end up like this.

This was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed the academic setting (especially perfect for back to school season) and really appreciated that we had a fat main character that was comfortable with themselves. Some aspects of the plot didn't totally work for me, but overall I had a fun time.

I really enjoyed this one! And I'm loving all the romance books we're getting set in academia. I need more!

I thought Allison and Colin had a really intriguing dynamic. I'm a sucker for academic rivals, and this definitely delivered on that front. It was made even more juicy by the fact that they were exes, so the second chance element elevated the angst factor.

I also found Allison's relationship with her father compelling and heartbreaking, but also real. I felt so bad for her to be put into a situation where her mother wants her to have a relationship with her ill father despite all the hurt he's caused her, as well as their family. It's such a complicated situation to be in, when a parent you sort of hate is dying. I think this storyline wrapped up in a way I didn't expect, but ultimately felt right.

Overall, this was a great read and I can't wait to see what Jenny L Howe comes up with next!

I had to DNF this one at about 15%. I wasn't super keen on the author's writing style, and it wasn't engaging me yet. I even stepped away from it and then came back to it to make sure it wasn't just my mood, but I still just couldn't buy in. Sorry!

Allison Avery is on her first year of her Ph.D. program studying medieval literature at Claymore University. She soon realizes her ex-boyfriend, Colin Benjamin, has also been accepted into the same program. To make matters worse, he's also been assigned to TA the same professor as Allison. Allison has a competitive nature and loves to win, but so does Colin. So it's officially game on. To add fuel to the fire their professor announces she can only take one of them on a career-changing research trip.

A family emergency has Colin and Allison on a late night road trip that ends up with them spending a weekend together. As Allison starts spending more time with Colin, she begins to wonder if they are better off working together as a team instead of constantly competing against each other. What will happen if they fall for each other again and Allison has to choose between a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a second chance at love?

The Make-Up Test is a second chance, academic rivals, enemies to lovers romance. I was was so excited about this novel, but unfortunately it just fell short for me. I did not like the main character, Allison, at all. She was bratty, spoiled, selfish, and under the impression that she's better than everyone and that everything is owed to her because she works hard. Allison and Colin have zero chemistry. When reading a romance book I want to feel the chemistry between the characters and Allison and Colin have no chemistry at all. In fact they spend most of the book in a toxic relationship, always competing and arguing. There's also a lot of literary references in this book that are very academic, which some readers may find off-putting. One of the only positive things that I can say about this book is the fact that the main character is plus sized and she is not ashamed of her body.

The premise of the book was so promising, a nerdy romance novel, a second chance at love. But Colin just wasn’t it for me, he is HORRIBLE!!! I felt like they didn’t even need to do the second chance at love, Allison had her own issues it was too much at times, I ended up feeling so bad for her, but then again I loved how the author didn’t make this an easy romance to like, meaning that these are things that happen in real life, this love-hate relationship after being in a relationship with someone and then breaking up, and then getting back together, the family issues (by the way I hate her father), and Allison’s need to always be the best because of her situation, it was just a lot.

Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Colin is THE WORST!! But I still found this to be cute, and I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers. Plus, there's something about romances set in school that I just adore for some reason. I'd give this a 3.5 if I could.

I have a lot of conflicting thoughts about this one, that's for sure.

Allison Avery is determined to earn her Ph.D. in medieval literature. But it seems history is repeating itself when in walks Colin Benjamin, the ex-boyfriend who majorly disrupted her goals two years prior.

First of all, I loved this academia setting. It was filled with history that gave a cozy vibe to this rivalry romance. While Allison is incredibly smart and driven, Colin had the charisma with students, and initially I really enjoyed their insecurities with wanting what the other had.

I was completely into this story ... until the third-act conflict. I adore stories with realistic, flawed characters, but with repeated toxic behaviour, these two were simply not ready for a happily-ever-after. I'd say lots of growth still needed to happen both individually, but especially Colin. Oof.

With that said, the writing was solid. I love the way Jenny L. Howe incorporated heavier topics into the story, with Allison experiencing fat shaming and emotional abuse from her father. I'd definitely give Jenny L. Howe another try in the future. The story was great, but this romance had too many red flags for me.

dnf'd at 40%

I think it had a promising premise but it was not executed well enough to keep me engaged. I didn’t find myself invested in the story or characters and instead found myself skimming through most of what I did read.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I usually love and enjoy books like this and the premise was promising. The actual story? Just awful. Two annoying, immature characters that are competitive with each other in a PhD program and it becomes an enemies to lovers type story. I also did not think the chemistry of the two characters was good either. The whole book was just annoying.

Cannot recommend. I still like this author but this was not her best book.

Thanks to NetGalley, Jenny Howe and St Martin's Press Griffin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 9/13/22

This is going to be very short because there isn’t a single thing I liked in this book but since it was an ARC, I pushed myself to finish it.

You know that awful ex boyfriend that was terrible to the heroine in the past and/or present in romance books? The one that, if we’re lucky, gets punched in the face by said heroine or her love interest? Well, this book has that ex boyfriend… and it is the hero. Colin Benjamin is the definition of mediocre white male. GOD. How can someone be so awful? And that’s not the most important question here, that one should be why is Allison giving him another chance? Another TWO chances? Girl. That sounds like self loathing to me. MOVE ON. FIND SOMEONE BETTER. IT WON’T BE HARD.

Everyone in Allison’s life was so awful to her. Her mother forcing her to have a relationship with her shitty father even though she constantly told her she didn’t want to have anything to do with him? Her father calling her fat all the time, underestimating her job, but then after he dies it’s revealed that he had her on a pedestal at work? Her best friend getting defensive when Allison tells her it hurts that they’re drifting apart?

Allison, babygirl, you should have given everyone the middle finger by Chapter 3.

Rating: 1/5
Steam level: 1/5

Thanks to St. Martin Press for my ARC. I hope someone else enjoys this, but I truly didn’t.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦-𝘜𝘱 𝘛𝘦𝘴𝘵 follows Allison enroute to securing the place she's always wanted, i.e. working as a TA with the professor she admires. Her only issue? She's got to share her workplace with Colin, her ex she hasn't once forgotten about in the last two years.
And now the professor's declared that she can only fund one position which makes her and Colin rivals. Again.

- ~ -

No. Just 𝘯𝘰.

What even what the point of this story?

I've never been so confused and enraged simultaneously.

Our love interest Colin was initially, in lack of a better word, an ass.
And yeah his current self might be healing or trying to improve as a person but he still has a long, LONG way to go
However, atleast he's trying. I'll give him that.

My heart would go out to Allison but she wasn't exactly pure either. Although she hasn't had even a bit of a break. All her relationships are jagged.
She's distanced from her bestfriend, her mother is guilt tripping her, her father's almost non-existent in her life (but always present to insult her), and on top of it all Colin - the guy she's never quite forgotten is there reminding her of all the past she's desperately tried to forget.

And the WORST of all, no-one apologized. Sigh.

Also I didn't quite understand the literature references (which there are tons of), which is on me, I fully get that but it only added to more of my dislike towards the story.

Another thing, can we collectively decide to not mention the pandemic in fictional stories, just ruins the whole vibe for some reason.

- ~ -

3.17 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

I really wanted to like this book. I did. It was such an interesting premise, rival academics and exes end up in the same literature PhD program and TAing the same class, but the competitiveness and miscommunication just ruined it for me. And there was a lot of miscommunication, so much. I also felt at times that the female MC was just borderline mean, which I mean I'm glad we're starting to see more unlikeable heroines, but I just think at times this MC took it a little too far. I did, however, love the fat representation in this book and would love to see more in mainstream books. The other thing I'll point out is that this is definitely not a rom-com, even though it has a cute illustrated cover and a rom-com premise, it quickly delves into not being a rom-com, so keep that in mind when reading.

I cannot recommend this book as a romance lover. I ended up DNFing at 20%.

I found the characters to be extremely unlikeable. Would not recommend to anyone.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I love the idea of an academic setting and a curvy female MC. Allison is a really strong main character. However, I found the love interest to be really frustrating in this one. I didn't see Colin's appeal at all and there were some moments that really pulled me out of the story. The second chance romance trope isn't always my favorite and it just didn't work for me in this story.
I had high hopes for this one but it let me down a bit.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Make-up Test was a cute second-chance romance between Allison and Colin who are also competing against each other in order to have their professor be their advisor. Since they had previously dated and then broken-up this felt more like a rivals-to-lovers because of the emotions that were felt. I didn't really like either of the characters very much and it was hard for me at times to feel a connection between them. I did enjoy the glimpse into the life of a grad student and the friends were a great element. I also thought that the romantic gesture at the end was sweet. The best part for me was the fat representation.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my opinion.

The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe follows two academic rivals who also happen to be exes as they fight for their future in the academia.


I was so excited for this book after learning it was about two exes who also happened to be academic rivals, a trope that is not often seen in romance as much as it should be. Unfortunately I personally did not have the best time reading this and I’m extremely bummed about it.

From the begging it is understood that Allison and Colin did not part in the best way, and as this book is told from Allison’s POV it can also be understood that it was Colin who wronged her.

I started struggling to like Allison’s character from a little after Colin appeared(but I also think this was because the author did not explain why they broke up until wayyy after in the book and was very vague through out it, so I was very unbalanced from that point of view) and while she was mad and stand-offish with him(rightfully so) at first, she started to take literally everything Colin did personally and she seemed to think that everything Colin did was to spite her and when read her thought process in her head I admit she started to annoy me and at another point bore me because it was always the same cycle of, “he’s plotting against me”, “he’s doing it because he wants to steal my spot” and so on, when it was clear he was just doing his work in the university.

I felt like Colin was a little unbalanced too. One moment he was being cocky, and a know it all and the next he was swooning for Allison and then he was sad. I can’t say much about him because to me he like he was a bit of a secondary character and he felt plain(I hate saying this).

One thing for sure was that their were both incredibly immature and their relationship was a reflection of that, very unstable and at times toxic.

As for the romance, I didn’t start feeling it until like 60-70% of the book which was not ideal but once they were together it was cute. Also, I should mention that the climax of the book was one big miscommunication that left me a little whiplashed and it didn’t at all feel necessary.

I liked this story! I loved the plus size female main character who was so comfortable with herself even with people constantly shaming her. I enjoyed the medieval discussions in the academic world even though I’m not very familiar with it.⁣
⁣
The steamy scenes were 🔥 who knew SCRABBLE could be so Seggsy.⁣
⁣
I enjoyed that this was a second chance romance, nemesis to lovers, somewhat close proximity, with some family drama, and the death of a parent. ⁣
⁣
The relationship between these two with hot and cold, and even conflicting at times. I liked them together but sometimes I felt like maybe they weren’t great for each other. ⁣
⁣
Overall, I liked it and would still recommend reading it, if you like academia reads, medieval culture, and nemesis to lovers/second chance.⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Make-Up Test, a debut book by Jenny L. Howe, about two competing teaching assistants—who also happen to be former lovers—happily fulfilled that fall-ish school setting vibe I enjoy, making me even more ready to transition from summer to autumn.

The Make-Up Test is getting some harsh early reviews here on Goodreads, and while it’s not perfect, I found plenty to enjoy in this second-chance romance. It does feature one of the least favorite tropes, the miscommunication trope. If that’s a trope you refuse to read, you should probably skip this one. It seems like that’s where most of the harsher reviews are coming from. It’s not a trope that’s a hard no for me, as long as the story has plenty more to offer.

What I loved about this one:

The curvy woman representation! Allison is strong and confident and is okay with her body, despite her toxic father who has fat shamed her all her life. She’s made the decision not to have a relationship with her father, and is striving to combat the guilt of that decision, which is hard with her mother’s pleas to connect with him.

“Allison had once taken stock of every description she could think of for large bodies, and they were pretty much all food-related: pear-shaped, apple-shaped, juicy bottom, big melons, etc. It was disgusting. So, until everyone started referring to thin people as ‘asparagus-shaped,’ Allison would be curvy or plus-sized, or if she really wanted to watch people have a shock, fat.”

This story is romantic! While I didn’t always love Allison and Colin, or their relationship, it was steamy and heart-breaking. I felt the connection.

I loved the academic setting! I could tell the author wrote from experience—the setting is realistic, with authentic dialogue between the teachers and students, and believable interaction with the professors.

“She remembered everything, as if their entire history had been carved into her bones.”

I was impressed with Howe’s writing and would happily read another book by her. Give this one a try if you like an academic setting, body positivity, and second-chance romances!