I love love loved this book. I loved watching "what not to wear" when it was on and this was even better! I loved the representation of "fat" people and the love and care this book was written with for people who look like me. I can't wait to read other things by Howe (this was my first). The banter was beautiful and so much fun to read. I laughed and snickered the whole way through. I will absolutely be reading this again!

I loved this book. Jenny L Howe has become an auto buy author for me. I love that Everly was starting to gain the confidence and courage that she needed. There can never be enough plus size female main characters. I love that Logan was described as a flannel wearing man he gave me cinnamon roll man vibes. I can’t wait to read more from this author and will definitely be recommending this author to customers.

A plus size MC? You know I'm going to pick it up! You mix that with a Queer Eye / What Not To Wear inspired makeover show and you have essentially marketed it directly to me. Howe definitely has me all figured out. LOL

Everly (great name BTW) is content with being a wallflower. She is content as a receptionist while using her talent to help out her attractive colleague, James, whenever he needs it. (We all know a James, am I right?) She's even content to lurk in the shadows of the fan forum to her favorite show, On The Plus Side... until she gets nominated to appear on it. Now Everly has to decide how to handle this new attention while still fighting against those that continue to keep her confidence low, like her critical mother. What follows is Everly's personal growth and a journey to really find who she is and what it is that SHE wants instead of what other people expect from her. Throw in a love triangle between her hunky office mate and the grumpy but lovable cameraman, and you have yourself a delightful read.

I'm always an advocate for positive representations of the fat/plus size community in literature and movies, and I feel that Howe was successful with her depiction of Everly. I look forward to reading more by her!

Rating: 4.5/5, rounded up :)
Content Warning: Emotional Abuse

After the last reality TV plus size book I read that I didn't quite love, I'll admit I was a bit wary going into this one that has a similar premise. But I was still very much intrigued. As a fellow plus-size girly, I'd love to see more plus-size MCs, and this premise still sounded fun and cute to me!

And oh my goodness! This was so much better than I expected! I had so much fun reading this one.

I found Everly super relatable. I could see a lot of myself in Everly, not only in how she saw herself as a plus-size person but with her passion for art too, especially as a graphic designer myself. Seeing her want to test out a variety of design areas and art avenues to see what she likes the most couldn't have felt more real for me. I felt very similar when I first started out as a graphic designer. Even to this day, I enjoy trying out new projects and seeing what new things I can create. This part was by far my favorite part of the book to follow, seeing all the art. It just made my designer heart so very happy!

Apart from the art and design, I loved watching Everly fall in love! Though she wasn't looking for love and pushed the show to focus on her art and not sexualize her, I still enjoyed watching her find love.

Speaking of the show, as I mentioned, I was wary to see how this premise would play out based on the last plus-size reality TV romance I read. But I was pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns. I didn't find this book predictable, which is often something I see when it comes to romances. Everything I thought might happen, it was like the opposite happened instead. I never knew what to expect. But I found this to be so entertaining to follow and read!

If you enjoy books set around a reality TV storyline and enjoy plus-size MCs, I highly recommend picking this one up!

This was SUCH A GOOD BOOK! It has leads with cute chemistry that builds naturally over time, is set around the filming of a reality show, and is all about celebrating and empowering fat people. There's not a lot more I could want. This is my first book by Howe and I am definitely going back to read her debut soon. Her words, both in the story and in the author's note at the start, are powerful and important for those of us who are fat living in a world made for straight sized people. Also important for those who aren't fat--read this to help you understand some of the things we experience. And I write this as a smaller fat disabled woman who only experiences some of it compared to those larger than me. From the author's note: "Being fat is a varied and complex identity, the same as any other, and we need stories that represent the host of different experiences and feelings that come with living in a fat body. For me, challenging fatphobia through my stories means creating main characters who love themselves and feel comfortable in their bodies, no matter their size."

I was not able to finish, Had to DNF this book. The writing was a little difficult for me to get into.

I loved loved this one. It was smart, funny, and a perfectly paced rom-com. Also, more curvy heroines, please!

I was a bit nervous going into this book because I DNFd the debut by this author but this one was so much better! In this one the author excels at showing what the experience is like in a plus size body. It felt realistic and incredible relatable. It also had me with the romance and the laughs - I can't recommend it enough!

Jenny Howe, I love you! This is one of the best rom coms I’ve read in awhile. I love how she writes plus size women (as one myself).

Thanks for making me feel seen!

Thank you to net galley for the ARC

A story that explores the growth of a main character as she finds the courage to stop hiding herself and show the world her talents and who she really is. A perfect read for those who love to read stories centred on reality shows.

*On the Plus Side* by Jenny L. Howe is a charming, feel-good novel that explores body image, self-acceptance, and the complexities of love and friendship. The protagonist, a relatable and endearing character, embarks on a journey of personal growth and self-love, which makes for an empowering and uplifting read. Howe’s writing is warm and accessible, and the humor sprinkled throughout adds a nice balance to the deeper themes.

However, while the story is enjoyable, it sometimes feels predictable, with familiar tropes and resolutions that don’t pack much of an emotional punch. The pacing can also be uneven at times, with certain plot points feeling rushed or underdeveloped. While the central romance is sweet, it doesn’t fully capture the depth or chemistry that would elevate it beyond a typical rom-com. *On the Plus Side* is an easy, heartwarming read, but it doesn't quite stand out in terms of originality or emotional complexity. Still, it’s a solid choice for fans of uplifting fiction with a focus on self-empowerment.

I love books that have a main character that is not stereotypical. I thought our main characters were likable and fun to read about their love story!

✨️ Ｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ ✨️

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: On The Plus Side
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Jenny L Howe
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬: 320

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐬:
• Reality TV Show
• Plus Size FMC
• Cinnamon Roll MMC
• Friends to Lovers
• Slow Burn

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
This is such a sweet story! It definitely has some Queer Eye vibes! Everly works as a receptionist who has a crush on a coworker but he just seems to be stringing her along. Unknowingly, she is nominated for her favorite tv show, On The Plus Side (by said co-worker). Everly struggles with her self image (thanks to her mom’s nitpicking about her weight/food preferences) and is hoping that this makeover will boost her confidence. While filming she meets Logan, a buff, grumpy, flannel loving cameraman. Sparks seem to fly between them instead of her finding a love interest on the show.

I enjoyed this book couple and while I did feel some sparks between them, it would have been nice to see more from the relationship. At times I thought that Everly was whiny/immature and I really wish that we would have gotten to know Logan on a more personal level. There definitely needed to be more character development/growth. I did feel like the plot got a little crazy for a bit with adding some drama to the script of the show but I just loved how supportive the audience/followers were to Everly. They really rooted for her - it was heartwarming!

Overall, this is a cute read and I would definitely recommend it if you like reality tv (romances). I look forward to reading more books by this author!

3.5 Stars Rounding Up

This book has been on my Netgalley for a bit and I haven’t picked it up. I haven’t been into romance in a minute, so I’m not the right person to review it anymore.

Not the book for me! I ready more than half but just didn't find myself excited to pick it up. I'm sure this would be a great, easy read, but that just isn't what I needed right now, I guess!

I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this work!

Wholesome, cutesy, and swoony. MMC is definitely on the more stereotypical side being lumberjack-y and moody... but a plus for the plus size rep! LOVED the use of the word fat and how it turned what is typically a negatively connotated word and turned it into more of a neutralized term that was just there like the word "the." The twist was something that I appreciated, although I kind of suspected it from the start, but it was a good way to incorporate it into the plot. I also really liked the fact the storyline focused on the character's interests and personality rather than their looks. My only negative is that it dragged in some spots and then flew like the end of a Super Mario Kart race at the end.. so rushed and no accountability! Overall, I'd read Jenny L. Howe again! Thanks for the opportunity!

This was my first book by Jenny, which I thought was fitting since it was her first published book as well, and it already isn’t my last. I’ve continued reading her books since and I’m loving them.

This is a fun reality/dating show story, and I think what I love most is how Everly stands for what she truly wants in life. She constantly redirects the angle of the story to be about finding herself rather than losing herself in a relationship.

That said, I can’t deny how much I love the man she ends up falling for. Logan is a behind-the-scenes man who is willing to step into the limelight for the one woman who captures his attention.

This was a fun read—even more fun through the audiobook—and I definitely recommend it!

Tropes:
- Plus size rep
- Dating/reality show
- Workplace romance
- Celebrity romance (kind of)
- Forced proximity

I really appreciated the balance of character, plot, romance, outside issues that were present in this book. Sometimes romance novels go too far down the angst path, or too far down the convenient-romance path, and this struck a good balance. The main characters had personal growth they needed to achieve that was unrelated to romance, making them well rounded characters. I really appreciate Jenny Howe books for having the plus size characters be more than just that;; they have whole lives and characteristics beyond that., yet they are still affected by being plus size and it's not just swept away quickly. Again, a good balance.

The romance was cuuute, kicky-feet giggly status.

Overall would recommend!

LOVED!!! We love a plus size main character! This book was so fun and fast paced! This confident woman was so inspiring and the romance was so sweet and comforting