"On the Plus Side" by Jenny L. Howe is a refreshing and heartwarming contemporary romance that celebrates self-acceptance, body positivity, and the journey to love oneself. The story follows the protagonist, who navigates the complexities of modern dating while grappling with her own insecurities about her body.

Howe’s writing is witty and engaging, bringing humor and relatability to the narrative. The characters are well-developed, with distinct personalities that resonate deeply. The protagonist’s journey towards self-love and confidence is both inspiring and realistic, making her experiences relatable to readers of all backgrounds.

The romance unfolds in a charming and believable way, showcasing the challenges and joys of finding love in a world that often prioritizes superficial ideals. Howe skillfully tackles themes of body image, societal expectations, and the importance of surrounding oneself with supportive friends and family.

The pacing is well-balanced, with a mix of lighthearted moments and poignant reflections that keep readers invested in the story. The dialogue is sharp and often humorous, adding depth to the relationships and making the characters feel like old friends.

Overall, "On the Plus Side" is a delightful and empowering read that will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled with self-acceptance or sought love in a judgmental world. Jenny L. Howe has crafted a novel that is both fun and meaningful, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary romance and those looking for an uplifting story.

I was interested in reading this as a plus size romcom fan, but this was… something. I know it is a makeover show, based on What Not to Wear, but that also killed this for me. The pacing was all over the place, and the overall story was… not great.

I think this story will help so many women feel seen and appreciated!

3.5-4 stars
Everly has spent her entire life trying to blend into the background so she won’t be criticized for anything, mostly her weight. When she unexpectedly becomes the new star of her favorite reality show, On The Plus Side, she is thrust into the spotlight as the hosts help her to overcome her fears and embrace herself. As she moves through the filming process, she becomes friends to one of the cameramen, Logan. When the showrunners attempt to make her life seem like something it’s not, Everly must decide whether she wants to fade into the background, or stand up for what she wants.

Overall, this was a cute story. It wasn’t anything overly amazing (to me). I appreciated how it showed the behind the scenes of what probably does happen on most reality tv sets and how things can easily get twisted. I also enjoyed Everly’s character arc and how the hosts were truly there to make sure she was seen.

However, I didn’t feel like the relationship between Everly and Logan was organic. It felt forced for the sake of the story and the spice was definitely not needed.

I think there are people who will absolutely devour this book, especially with the plus size representation that Jenny put in here!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and #netgalley for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

**This review was delayed due to the St. Martin's Press boycott. I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.**

This was a fun read with a plus size heroine who didn't size-shame herself but still struggled with being herself. I've had some books where the plus-size characters unnecessarily fat-shame and insist they must lose weight and the character development revolves around that. Everly's journey is much more focused on reclaiming her confidence, pushing herself to take risks, an confronting the way people have hurt her.
The side characters are fun, especially the tv show hosts.
Now onto the romance. I loved how it started with a bit of the grump-sunshine trope and evolved. The way Logan can't contain himself after telling Everly to not break the 4th wall, is fantastic. This book is low spice with a few explicit scenes but nothing very lengthy. Much of the relationship build is focused on them opening up to each other and their banter/chemistry. I also like how Logan stick by Everly throughout.
Overall this book kept me turning the pages and cheering the couple on. It was a fun read with positive messages about taking chances, following your dreams, and loving yourself.

I really enjoyed this story. It had fresh ideas and I loved the main relationship. I will definitely recommend this to others.

On the Plus Side brings together lots of fun things (makeover shows, friendships, and lumberjack-esque heros) and mixes them together to give you a story of loving yourself, inside and out, and finding love along the way. I liked the story, and I really enjoyed the cast of characters. There was. lot going on throughout the story, but it was a lot of fun.

Everly is all of us in our teenage adult years. Young, with big dreams, but not quite sure how to pursue them. We’re trying to figure lots of things out: our jobs, our friendships, our future partner, but it’s not always easy. Luckily, for Everly, there’s On the Plus Side a makeover show focused on fat people, providing a place for show guests and viewers alike, a place to see fat people thrive. I honestly think this would be such a fun show in real life. When Everly is nominated she’s excited to be a part of the show she’s been a long time fan of, she’s both ecstatic and nervous. Will she be brave enough to let her true self be aired out.

While this story was sold as s romance, it really toed the line. I don’t think the romance was the main plot of the story, but it wasn’t 100% B plot either. The focus of the story was really on Everly, and because of this the romance was part of it, but it could have been close to the same story without. Usually, I don’t really enjoy the type of stories where we kinda see the FMC through the trials of her life, but I liked this one, perhaps because she wasn’t going through lots of sad catalysts for her growth.

While I feel like this story and the journey it took me on, I was disappointed by how it all wrapped up. The story ended up being overdramaticized and it felt like it was just for the sake of it. It also wasn’t something happening in the relationship (which goes back to my point about this story toeing the line). It made the story a little less enjoyable for me and took away from the makeover show concept.

Despite its flaws, On the Plus Side is one of those stories that reminds you to love yourself and love well along the well. It has the representation so often lacking from romance novels with a fun concept added in to boot. I am curious to check out another book by this author because I’m not 100% sure if we vibe yet, but I’d love to find out.

This story had potential for me, but I don’t think I vibe with Jenny L. Howe’s writing style. I just couldn’t get into this one.

I liked the idea of this book and I really liked the representation however I just felt like it could have been more? Just like Everly wanted to be more of herself but was afraid of being seen as too much I feel like that was accurately portrayed in this book because I felt like it should have been more. Slightly missed the mark for me.

*I received a free ARC from NetGalley*

🎧 Audiobook Review: On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe 🎧

This heartfelt and empowering story by Jenny L. Howe totally won me over! 🎀 The protagonist's journey is full of charm, humor, and a beautiful message about self-love and body positivity. The audiobook narration perfectly captured the emotional ups and downs, making it such an immersive experience. I couldn't stop listening! 😊

If you’re looking for a feel-good romance with depth and heart, On the Plus Side is a must-add to your TBR! 💖

Thank you St. Martin's Press for granting me access to this title!

#AudiobookReview #OnThePlusSide #JennyLHowe #BodyPositivity #FeelGoodReads #Bookstagram #RomanceReads

Ive had this on my ARC shelf for a year. I wish i got to it sooner. Because one i love books that revolve around reality tv. And second was the character was plus size. Not anlot of authors write about plus size characters it was refreshing and i could actually picture myself as the character. Also i disliked the mother who always said i did it because i loce her i hid hereay because people would make fun of her. I really wanted to get inthis book and slap her. But over all the writing is good the narrator was awesome. I switched between the ebook and audio. Sadly have to do tjat a lot lately because of my bad eye sight

As a plus size girly myself, I really appreciated the representation and overall message the story was trying to tell its audience. I just cant help but feel there is SOMETHING missing from the story. I really only felt connected to our FMC, and even with her I think I just wanted a bit MORE. More plot, more character development, more banter and dialogue. I'm still giving this 3 stars

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

I read Howe’s first book and thought it was just fine, so I wanted to give her next book a chance. Unfortunately, I liked this one even less. While I do think she has great plus size representation and body positivity, in general the writing is really lacking for me. Some of the wording she used crossed the line from cheesy to cringy and it was a little tough to read.

I thought the idea of this show was great, but some things just didn’t interest me - like the renaissance fair. I find that books that are made to be like reality tv don’t usually work, especially if the authors try to incorporate some sort of internet pieces (forums, tweets, magazine articles). It always feels cheesy and out of place. In this one we had some magazine articles and “readit” forums and they just did not work.

I also found that the characters did not stand out to me. Everly isn’t very exciting, but we do know more about her than Logan. We know next to nothing about Logan, other than he’s quiet, wears flannel, and wants to open a rescue for senior dogs. He just seemed like a prop for most of the book and is super forgettable. I really didn’t get any romantic chemistry between them because he just didn’t seem real. I think the author tried but it just didn’t come through.

This will probably be the last book I read from this author because I’m just not impressed by anything I’ve read so far and wouldn’t recommend them to others.

I really love books by Jenny Howe. I enjoy her representation of plus size women and this one didn't disappoint. I really resonated with Everly's character and how if you don't make a splash, no one can reject you. I'm very unlike Everly in the sense I'd never go on a makeover show, but she does after being secretly nominated. It's her favorite show so she kinda knows what to expect, but she is overwhelmed by all the time she'll be seen on tv and the extroverted hosts of the show. I enjoy the romance between Everly and cameraman Logan. It's sweet but also a bit steamy.

I really enjoyed this book!! I truly saw so much of myself in Everly, and when you find yourself in a character, it makes the book resonate even more deeply.

Thank you to NetGalley and Jenny L Howe for sending me this arc for review!

I loved this book! Been a plus sized woman, it was refreshing to be able to read about a FMC that is the same as me.

This book really took back the word “fat” and took away any negative connotations associated with it. I felt empowered and seen through reading Everly’s story.

The story was a lot of fun, and it actually didn’t really end the way I thought it would, which was a nice surprise.

I think this book is incredibly important for today’s society and it makes me proud for the first time in my life to be a plus-sized woman.

I really wanted to like this book and there are definitely parts of it that I enjoyed but overall the plot was not well conceived and I desired so much more from it.

This book handles mostly fat representation, I can’t talk specifically if its accurate or not because I’m not fat. Did love that Everly didn’t hate her body, she loved it and who she was. She just lost her light after her grandmother passed away and her how her identity was tied to her grandmothers support. The toxic family in this book made me want to cry, especially when mom are their child’s biggest critics.

This book sometimes felt too much for me. The way Everly is struggling with her identity after the passing of her grandmother made me want to sob most of the time.

I also think that the romance parts of this book made me swoon. They are just these little moments between them and the connection. I was swooning and rooting for them and for Everly to find herself and love herself.

I like the pace of this book, the relationship and the message. I enjoyed this so much.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jenny’s plus sized romances hit different always. She’s such a joy to read, and her representation is so wonderful. I loved the setting of the book and it was just so wonderful!!

DNF. Will hopefully come back and try again at another time. I really wanted to enjoy this but I struggled to get into it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.