Love love love! Easy read, funny, heartfelt, realistic, frustrating, sweet, funny (I know I already said that!). I've been really loving Jenny L. Howe's books and I can't wait for the next one!

I actually really, really loved this one!
Being a plus-sized girlie, I can be very picky about how we’re portrayed in these types of books, but I really feel like the author got it pretty spot on.
I loved that the point of the show isn’t just “a makeover” - it’s also about learning to embrace yourself as you are and achieve your goals.
I really loved Everly’s energy and humour, and I loved seeing her grow more confident with herself as time went on.
I wish Logan had maybe opened up a bit more at times, but he definitely had the grumpy bit down 😂
This was really well written and easy to follow along with! An easy 4 stars from me.

I expected this to be a funny rom com and while there were plenty of laugh out loud moments, this book also was incredibly tender, emotional and sweet. Everlys journey was so amazing and I was so proud of her for growing the way she did

Thank-you to the author, St Martin's Press, and Net Galley for an Advanced Reader Copy. This is the story of Everly and her journey of self discovery (at least to me).
We open with Everly at work with her "crush" coming to her for help on his projects. The makeover show- On the Plus Size crashes into her workplace. Everly is overwhelmed at first. We see cameraman Logan being there for her. Now Logan is a bit of a grump and Everly is a bit of sunshine.
The plus size helps her discover her talents that she had hidden. Everly also had grief of losing her grandmother. We see her begin to blossom and become confident in her abilities.
She gets a tattoo from an artist that Logan knew. The show sees the chemistry between Logan and Everly plus the coworker James and markets it as a love triangle.
Everly after a night of drinking makes her move on James. It ends with him admitting something and then becoming just colleagues. Logan attends to her and what was beneath the surface bubbles to the forefront of this book.
I appreciate this book. I wish we could've had dual point of view in this story. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed but I did enjoy it. 3.5/5
Stars

I chose this book as it is about a plus-sized woman. The last thing she ever imagined is that she would end up in front of a camera. This is my first book by Jenny Howe. It showed the struggles that plus-size women deal with and I love that Jenny chose to write a book about a plus-size woman. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Publishing for the ARC. I am leaving this review and is my own opinion.

I really loved this book. I enjoyed Howe's debut, but felt like this was a much stronger book. I really understood Everly and loved the way her journey progressed. She was fun and witty and surrounded by really great characters. I can't wait to see what Howe comes out with next!

Wow - I kicked my 2024 reading off on such a high note! On the Plus Side quickly grabbed my attention and held it until the very end. This is one of the most relatable books I’ve read in a very long time which made it one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time.

As a plus size woman, the struggles that Everly, the main character, goes through are things that I went through, as well. Her character was extremely well thought out and I appreciated that the author made her multi-faceted and interested in multiple things which I have not often seen in books recently.

If you’ve ever struggled with your body image and/or like you didn’t deserve space in this world, do yourself a favor and read this book!

A cute, emotional, and romantic body-positive story in a fun setting!

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Griffin for an early copy.

On the Plus Side is a quick, easy, feel-good delightful read. With the perfect plot for fans of Queer Eye, make-over shows, or honestly any reality television show- the ins and outs that took place truly opened up some hidden darkness that you don't often see in the binge-worthy 'reality' shows.

Everly was a fabulous main character and her unapologetic, authentic personality really shined throughout this story. Her humor, wit, and sexiness take center stage and it's hard to picture a more lovable leading lady. Her barriers include not 'going for it' in the art industry and watching her face those hurdles and gain even more confidence in her self as a professional and creative mind was really wholesome and endearing. The romance and tension here is hot and swoonworthy, we've got the grouchy dog-rescuing cinnamon roll of Logan who just so happens to be one of the main camera men for the show Everly is participating in.

This is easily a binge-worthy read that will leave you looking at yourself with kinder eyes and smiling at the end. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy.

On the Plus Size was such a great read and I really enjoyed this book. I always appreciate a book about plus size characters, being a plus size woman myself, they tend to resonate more than books about size 0 models. I loved how the author incorporated confidence, self-worth, and the need to love who you are into this novel. Kudos for a well written and very relatable book!

On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe

Thank you to @stmartinspress, @netgalley, and @jennylhowe for the #advancedreadercopy of the book in exchange for my #honestbookreview. This book is available now.

This is it - this is exactly what a girl like me is looking for in a romcom! No other books need apply. As someone who has been plus size for quite a while, Howe perfectly captured my feelings. The way society and well meaning individuals make you feel like you need to minimize or change to be accepted. I love the passionate stance and defending Logan had. And don’t even get me started on the senior dog story and the sanctuary idea - y’all, the way I SOBBED over that... I’m not a book boyfriend kind of person but this guy seemed quite dreamy. I just can’t say enough good things about this book! Everyone needs to read it!

TW: minor spice, exploitation, g*slighting, loss of a loved one, more

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ - 5.5/5

One of my life goals is to befriend Jenny L. Howe, because I see so much of myself in her heroines! On the Plus Side was reminiscent of What Not to Wear, a show I used to love. The concept of doing a similar show with only plus-sized leads, where the lead isn’t being told they need to lose weight or otherwise change physically was a message that I needed. Everly was so relatable, from her relationships with her friends and family to making herself invisible out of fear. I loved the relationship with the cameraman, who was so sweet and supportive, but not so perfect as to be unrealistic. I love that we’re beginning to get more representation of fat women in romance. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for early access to this book!

i do not watch reality tv so i couldn't get past the stupid premise of a makeover tv show. i need a book with substance.

I can’t rave enough about this book. Jenny L Howe gives us a wholesome, inclusive, heartwarming love story - with self love being the biggest point. The characters are charming, flawed, funny. The plot is unique and wonderful and heartbreaking all at the same time. This would be enough for a best seller on its own, but having it a fat-centric story where the characters are celebrated? It had me tearing up at multiple times. It’s so amazing to see the representation for the big girls. Without spoiling too much, Howe managed to masterfully show the struggle of the hero being the villain in someone else’s story, and vice versa. With a little spice and a whole lot of heart, On The Plus Side is the perfect read to kick of 2024.

I always, always love plus size representation, and this was no exception. However, the main story just wasn't my cup of tea. The love interest felt a little stereotyped, and parts of the romance and story just fell flat for me. I really wanted to like it, but overall, I just couldn't get into it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

Pros: Love how fat isn't a bad word in this book. You see someone wanting to just be accepted for themselves and another person wanting you to be someone who fits in. Although the intent behind fitting is to try and keep the hurt at bay but forget their words are cause a different hurt.

Cons: it really wordy and seems the same parts and thoughts are repeated numerous times in numerous chapters, so it feels whiney instead of uplifting.

I was unexpectantly struggling to get into this book. The synopsis describes Everly as someone who's just kind of trying to go through life unnoticed and I honestly could relate to that. However, I found the plot and the mystery of who nominated Everly into the show just hard to get into. Overall, this was a good book if you're looking for a classic romance.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I truly loved this. As a plus size woman, so much of what Everly experiences in this novel truly hits home: the insecurities, the body image issues, etc. And Logan, our MMC was a good grump, I just felt like we didn’t get to know all that much about him.

And the premise, a TV show with a little ‘What Not To Wear’ mixed with ‘Queer Eye’ and focusing on plus size individuals, was a cool idea. I liked it the same way I liked One To Watch. They take what we are all familiar with (reality TV shows) and put someone different as the lead. Someone we can see ourselves in. Someone that looks a little more like the average American woman.

This is for fans of Olivia Dade and Talia Hibbert 🥰

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffith and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute and quick read. I enjoyed the message throughout the entire book and how Everly’s inner voice continues to remind her that she is important and she loves herself and who she is. I love the reminder that we don’t have to have it all figured out or only have one job. Everly wants to explore and find what works for her, and that’s a very powerful reminder.

Logan was a good MC, but I also felt like we didn’t really get to know him that well. The conversations we had between him and Everly didn’t give much density to his character.

I will not be rating or reviewing this book or any of St. Martin’s Press print until the terms of @readersforaccountability is taken seriously. Thank you.

DNF'd at 50%.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this one. I even went so far as to picking it up two additional times after initially DNF'ing.

As a plus size girly, the premise of this really spoke to me. Unfortunately, the story just didn't live up to my expectations. Too many stereotypes and cliches that could not be redeemed by the romcom aspects that had true potential.