The Make-Up Test continues the trend of featuring a main character who is smart, independent, and ambitious. Allison is a grad student, on the way to achieving her dream of a career in academia. When she discovers that her ex, Colin, is not only in the same program, but is also her rival for an esteemed position, her ordered world gets titled on its axis. There is other family drama, too, as well as the pressures of grad school, making everything even more complex. This novel of second chances is compelling and heartfelt, a tangle of emotions.

I was intrigued by the second chance/enemies to lovers in a university setting premise, but I was captivated by the writing style and the author's voice. I'll admit this book made me cry more than I wanted it to, but the depth and heartache, both romantical and familial, allowed me to get to know the MC Allison on such a deep level and pull for her happy-ever-after in a big way. There were times I wanted to strangle Colin and he was redeemed with an inch of his life but when he was sweet, it was chocolate fudgy goodness. I know a lot of romance readers don't love a lot of side plots, but I absolutely loved the Alison/Jed and Colin/grandpa subplots and thought they added so much to the story. The body positivity rep was handled very well. I'd advise people to check out the content warnings because there could be some triggers. I already look forward to Howe's second book!

Beach read meats One to Watch?? Had me hooked!

I love the English Literature vibes of this entire book and commend that both characters are in graduate school. I also had no idea this was a second chance romance!! It’s always interesting unearthing the past of two characters with a second chance trope! This was an interesting read that combined the love of English Literature with the modern contemporary romance genre all in one!

How cute is that cover too??

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the earc in return for an honest review

Who would have thought medieval lit could be so intriguing? This was a cute book about second chances. Allison and Colin have a second chance at love with a grad-level prize on the line. Jenny Howe's debut novel was cute, witty, and a quick read. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital arc of this title.

This book… sigh. I really wanted to love it!!! The synopsis was perfect and I love books set in higher education/books about books! My problem was I just did not like the main male character/love interest. It made it really hard to root for the love story. I grew to really like Allison, and was rooting for her. The ending wasn’t the one I wanted, however it was at least satisfying for her! It was an easy read, and I don’t regret picking it up one bit! But Colin, ew.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this book. I really think this one comes down to it not being for me. I liked the curvy rep and literature references, but I really dislike the miscommunication trope, which seemed to be the major of the relationship between the main character and the love interest. I think that is why I had such a issue connecting to the story, relationships, and characters. I think if you like academics rivals, set in a college, a second chance relationship, and don’t mind the miscommunication trope, you should check this book out. 3.5 stars ⭐️

I did really like the concept of the book. Two PhD candidates that were former lovers, competing as TA's for a spot with their professor to have her be their advisor. It had the premise for a great enemies to lovers at the beginning. I found that I did struggle with some things in it.

At first Colin was so unlikable as a character from his past transgressions in the relationship he had with Allison, that I was not invested in them as a couple. I did see a lot of growth in Colin and how he did evolve and change. However, I felt that Allison did not have much growth from the beginning of the book until the end. She was quite negative and argumentative throughout the whole book, and I didn't see much growth there.

I did enjoy her diverse group of PhD friends and their hangouts. If you really love academia then I think this book could be for you since it really shows the process someone goes through during their PhD program. I also liked that there was plus size rep in this book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchanged for my honest review.

The characters were frustrating me already and I was honestly kinda bored, so I checked out some spoilers and figured I should quit while I was ahead. While I can appreciate the history that was shown between Allison and Colin at Brown, they make a horrible couple and it ruins the entire book. They do not have a healthy or respectful relationship and should not be together.


I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was so cute! A wonderful romance, filled with witty banter, delightful characters, and just enough steaminess. A must read for romance lovers!

The Make-Up Test is a second chance romance set in academia, with a little enemies to lovers within that second chance. I really appreciated Allison as the main character, a very intelligent 23 year old who, while larger in size, actually loves herself and is very body positive in her own appearance. I do think she could be a little "everyone's against me" self absorbed in her thinking (ie stealing something she'd worked so hard for even tho technically it was an even playing field), but she is still a heroine we can all root for to succeed.

Overall the story had a lot of promise, being full of some of my favorite tropes, but the relationship between Allison and Colin just fell a little flat for me. While I do believe he was working on himself and had changed after their original breakup, he was just portrayed as such a bad ex boyfriend that I almost wished this was solely an enemies to lovers story instead of adding the element of second chance romance.

In the end, tho, this was a quick and enjoyable read - 3.5/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the digital ARC for review.

I am not sure how I feel about this book. My first issue is that the main character is in a PhD program but her junior year of high school was during the pandemic. I guess it takes place in the future? The break-up relied heavily on the miscommunication trope, and it was a little childish. Well-written but just wasn’t my favorite.

ARC thanks to @netgalley

This was such a cute and inspiring read. first off the plus sized representation was on point and done very tastefully. I love the academic enemies to rivals vibe the author does this so well. The main characters have lots of depth and internal struggles which make them relatable and the banter was very amusing. This book is great for lovers of the love hypothesis, soulmate equation, how to fail at flirting and book lovers. Because just like the examples I listed the main characters demonstrate very well that you can have and happy ending and still advance and succeed at your career too.

This grad-school romance has some Anne Shirley/Gilbert Blythe vibes in its better moments but it the plot is a little sleepy and I wish that the side characters were given a bit more time on the page. There are probably some good inside jokes for Medieval Lit people in here. #NetGalley #ARC

The Make-Up Test by Jenny Howe covers a lot of my favorite tropes: second chance romance, enemies to lovers, with a side of forced proximity, and plus size representation

Allison Avery is a hard-working and determined grad student who is starting a TA position with a professor who teaches her dream subject. However, quickly Avery find herself in an unlikely situation when it is announced that there will be two TA positions and the empty seat is being vine to Colin Benjamin. Colin and Allison dated through undergrad but split due to Colin’s competitive personality (and other reasons that justified a break up).

I was really looking forward to this book. I ADORED Allison’s character and how she was plus size but it wasn't sold as "she's plus size its amazing anyone loves her" which is what you usually get. I loved that she was an academic. I really didn't like Colin's character. His sweaters and hair gel had more personality IMO.

Overall, this is a good enjoyable book.

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

Being so far removed from this stage of life, I had a hard time relating to the vibe of this story. It’s well written with fat positive representation. I just couldn’t connect.

Thank you for the ARC to read and review..

Read if you like:
❤️ Quirky Romances
❤️Heartfelt Stories
❤️ Second Chance Romances

This one was ahhhhhhhhhhhh soooo good! I loved every minute of it and completely devoured it!

I love that we get a MC that is so smart and educated and that this is leaned into as it is tough to be a highly educated and career driven women and date.

I loved how this story brought her around to her path for her education and career and added in romance but didn’t diminish her strengths where other romances have diminished the characters when they were seeking love and career.

This one also has several TW areas discussed so be sure to check those out prior to reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe is a solid debut novel by the author and is a second chance romance with a flavour of the forced proximity trope. Overall, this was an easy read but I found that I didn't really root for either main character and didn't really understand their history or attraction to one another.

Allison Avery and Colin Benjamin (exes from college) find themselves in the same graduate program and are ultimately forced to compete for a coveted TA position with a professor who teaches Allison's dream area of study. I was really looking forward to this book as I like books set in a professional setting - especially an academic setting. Overall, this was enjoyable but I felt like neither character's motivations were very fleshed out. The author's attempt to explore body image issues through a confident Allison is laudable though which I why I rate this book higher than I would.

Enemies to lovers- I love to see it! Allison and Colin are both competing against each other in an academic setting. With books like this, you know there is some underlying tension (if you know what I mean) and its always so fun to see what happens as the characters realize they have feelings for each other. Give me a forced proximity trope mixed in and I'm good to go. Thank you to the publisher for giving me a chance to read a digital ARC of this book!

Allison hasn't seen Colin since they broke up at the end of her sophomore year in college. Now she's surprised to find that he is a first year PhD student in the same program she is starting. And since she last saw him, he has switched to her specialization and wants to work with the same advisor she does.

This felt much more enemies-to-lovers than just a second chance romance. There was more anger and hard feelings than sadness and regret. Even halfway through the book, I didn't really see a connection between Allison and Colin. They thrived on competition, but not necessarily in a way that brought them together.

I was impressed with much of the accuracy in the description of graduate school. But I was caught off guard by the timing of the pandemic. Allison said that her year of online learning was in junior year of high school, meaning that the current year for the book would be fall 2026.

This is very much a new adult romance. The characters read young and didn't grow as much as I would hope. I recommend it for those who enjoy the college setting and like a happily for now.

Thank you to SMP Romance and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up

Loved the academic setting and watching Colin and Avery go from lovers to enemies back to lovers. Even with the rivalry.

While I related to Avery’s view of the world as a plus size woman who also has issues with her dad, that’s where it ended for me. I struggled a little with her always jumping to conclusions, but I understood the WCS lists.

I also enjoyed seeing the growth of friendship between Avery and her best friend Sophie as they both ventured into adulthood and how that might change their paths. Avery making grad school friends and teaching while Sophie is a badass plus size fashion designer. So much fun getting glimpses into them.