It has taken me a little longer than usual to write this review, because to explain in words how much this book means to me is a tall order. When I picked up Howe's first novel last January, I thought it was just a nerdy romcom, another underrepresented genre I identify with wholeheartedly. And it was. But it also included fantastic #fatrepresentation. It was one of the few times I've read a fat character who wasn't trying to diet or apologize for existing. And fat is the one thing in our society that people can openly shame you for and many people don't care.

Yes, I know about the body positivity movement. But for every person like myself and Howe, it seems like you find another five telling you why it's bad. But this sophomore offering, "On the Plus Side," is a love-letter to every plus-sized person who has ever doubted their worth and huddled in a corner trying to take up less space. We should hand this to every fat kid who has survived the brutality that is high school.

I connected with Everly from the start. My mom and grandma put me on every diet that existed and diet pills as a teen. Being a mom now, I'm working hard to break that toxic cycle, so characters like Everly are vitally important for parents like me. I've never enjoyed reality shows, but I'm a fan girl. If my favorite celebrities showed up on my doorstep OMG. And, I'm always here for a good love triangle. But, Oh boy. This is a doozy!

The work Howe is doing is so important. Are her books fun romances? 100%. If you're looking for super fun romcom to get lost in, pick it up! In fact, I think you should also pick up her first novel, "The Make-up Test." Personally, I'm still pining after the MMC from that one. He was more my type. But these books are also making a difference. By showing plus-sized women who are comfortable with themselves, Howe is helping us raise a generation who don't know what it's like to be a slave to toxic diet culture. And, as a fellow writer, reader, mom, and woman, I am excited to be even a small part of that.

Who's It For?

This is another one of those times that I want to just say humans! But that's probably not true. It's definitely a good read for romcom lovers. If you love a slow burn, pick it up. If you like reality shows, yes. If you want to read about a plus-sized heroine who is unapologetic about her size, this is for you.

Content Warning: Fatphobia, online bullying, emotionally abusive parent, mentions of cancer and death of a loved one, brief mention of death of a pet, adult situations, adult language, betrayal, diet talk,

This was a charming read, much like the author’s first book, the Make-Up Test, and while I enjoyed the representation and fun plotline, I found it difficult to connect with the characters for some reason. The storyline was good – maybe a little overdone – but it still worked. I just could not find myself experiencing the charm and swoony vibes that many romance novels are bringing these days and it could just very well be that it was the holidays and I was exhausted when I had the chance to sit down and read it.

While it may not have grabbed my attention like I had hoped, I’m sure readers will not be disappointed in this one.

Thank you to Jenny L. Howe, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book for an honest review.

I love the concept of this one - I’m all for more romance with plus sized heroines! However I’m finding this one extremely slow to start and repetitive - I feel like I’ve heard the concept of the show explained over and over and over and over again and not much forward progress. Ultimately decided to DNF. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free review copy.

This was a great slow burn, friends to lovers with a strong female lead, this was both heartfelt, funny, and full of great emotional depth. I think this was a great representation of what it's like to be plus-size in today's environment.

I will be withholding all reviews and promotion for St. Martin's Press titles and their imprints until the publisher addresses the concerns of BIPOC and Muslim creators who are being stalked, harassed and feel unsafe due to the actions of a racist employee.

Book 2 of 2024 - ✅! Thank you to NetGalley, Jenny L. Howe, St. Martin’s Press & St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC of On the Plus Side in exchange for my honest review!

Jenny L. Howe is an author that has been on my list since her debut, The Make-Up Test, was released. While I have yet to read it, I’m so glad that I was approved for On the Plus Side.

This own-voices rom-com was a great way to jump back into the genre that I love so much. Everly Winters is selected to participate in On the Plus Side, a reality TV show touted as a mix between What Not to Wear and Queer Eye (both shows that I love and have watched countless episodes of). While a fan of the show, Everly has had a habit of making herself small since the death of her biggest supporter - her grandmother. Though she’s a huge fan of OTPS, she’s hesitant at first, but decides to be on the show…though much to her chagrin, the showrunner takes many liberties with her story, namely - creating a non-existent love V - all in the name of good TV.

I found Howe’s writing to be extremely vivid, and I raced through this book. Everly’s arc was so clear, and as a reader, you were rooting for her the entire time and you could see her growth, especially as it related to her self-esteem, dealing with her mother, her artistic abilities and her relationship with Logan.

I was honestly hoping for just a bit more spice, but I’d rate this about a 2/5 on the 🌶️ scale, and a 4/5 ⭐️ overall. I look forward to going back to The Make-Up Test, and reading more of Howe’s work! 🎥 👠 🎨 #NetGalley #OnthePlusSide

4.0

Setting: Massachusetts USA
Rep: fat protagonist and love interest, POC side character(s)

This is a great and uplifting romance featuring two of my favourite things - a plus size protagonist and a reality TV theme! I loved Logan and Everly was surrounded by a great cast of characters. Love the messages about body positivity and consent and that we all deserve love!

Everly Winters has been a fan of reality show On the Plus Side since its first season. She and other viewers love how the show focuses on fat people (note that this adjective is used merely as a neutral descriptive term and not a pejorative) gives them not just a clothing and hairstyle makeover, but a whole life makeover. It helps its “guests” really find their best selves and live life on their terms.

So Everly is shocked but excited when OTPS’s hosts show up at the marketing company where she works as a receptionist and tell her she’s the next guest. Granted, she’s a little nervous, too. She’s been living a bit more quietly for a few years than she had before her beloved grandmother’s death, choosing to blend in and not take risks. Is she ready for OTPS to bring color (literally) back into her life? No more neutral outfits, no more avoiding risks.

The experience does turn out to be liberating: the hosts are amazing people who live out loud and bring a great energy to Everly’s life. But from the beginning, the show brings more than she had expected — the cameraman, Logan, starts out gruff but then says kind and encouraging things to her. As time goes by, it’s clear the two have chemistry. And that even comes across when the shows start to air.

Problem is, the “love angle” of the show gets a lot of attention from fans and makes the ratings soar. But it could take away from what Everly wants from the experience: for it to focus primarily on the strides she’s making in reclaiming herself and working toward a career in art. Can she show the rest of the world that fat people can have full and happy lives (without ever thinking about losing weight) through this program? And can she claim that happiness while adding in a possibility for love?

As a plus-size person myself who was straight-sized when I was younger, I found so much of On the Plus Side to be refreshing and heartening. It’s inclusive in many ways with its characters, and Everly says several times how great it feels for her to be around others like her, to be able to try on and wear clothes that fit and feel good, to be supported for who she is. So kudos to the author for all of the heart she pours into this book.

On the other hand, I felt like some of the plot just didn’t work for me. The conflict near the end felt completely unnecessary; it didn’t fit with the rest of the book. Without spoiling it, something a bit outrageous happens, and I think the story would have been more believable and consistent in tone without it. I also liked Logan, but he went very quickly from “gruff,” “grumpy” and “curmudgeonly” to … not. (On that note, why in the world do I see so many romance books whose love interests are grumpy but hot men? Some kind of mini-sub-genre that’s popular now, apparently.) I think it would have worked fine making him just be the cameraman, who’s supposed to quietly do his filming, but in this case got involved.

Despite my problems with the plot, I love what Howe is doing with her books (I also read her first plus-size romance, The Make-Up Test; I think I liked that one better) and hope she keeps on going.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC on NetGalley

A fat romance that is hot, sweet, and very relatable to a certain type of reader. Sometimes when I pick fat romances, I am left disappointed by some element or another but Howe created a character and a narrative that I absolutely adored. A searing romance that also made me giggle and kick my feet. I waited with bated breath, wondering what the third act drama was going to be and I am glad the route Howe went. Something that created tension but the leads were able to tackle together rather than a third act breakup which didn't feel very fitting given the character's journeys. These are the fat romances I need in my life!

On The Plus Side is a rom com that has positive representations for the Plus Size individuals as well as the LGBTQIA+ community. I love the body positivity, representation, and the characters, except for well two of them but you'll find out who I am talking about when you read the book.

Adorable and fun and a HUGE improvement from the author’s debut. I had a much easier time liking the story and the main characters and investing in their love.

📖My Thoughts📖

There are many types of romcoms. They have different tropes, some are more serious than others, some touch on subjects that’s don’t often get talked about, some that are the happy fun ooshy gooshy kind that give you all the happy cozy thoughts that are so light hearted and happy you almost feel like you’re reading a fairy tale. I love romcoms for just that reason. You can read one based on what your mood is in that particular moment. You can pretty much always bank on some sort of hang up with the main character, a love connection at some point along the way, the little flare of drama, albeit sometimes it may be a little more dramatic than others, a fall out of some sort, and then we have the making up followed by the happy ending. How did this book stand out to me? It showed the trials and tribulations of a plus size female navigating through a life that she was content living, yet not completely happy with. We were able to see her grow and become more confident as time progressed. We saw her standing up for herself, putting herself out there and trying things she never thought she would. It showed immense courage and determination, something that all women, no matter what their size, tend to lack, but should have. We saw how one person’s past experiences caused another person pain even though the intent was to protect them from those same exact experiences. I think the reality show was a good addition to the book as well. We all know that reality shows aren’t 100% reality. There’s always some sort of script and editing going on behind the scenes. This showed not only that, but a glimpse of how a show may have started with the intentions of being something that so many people can relate to but turn into what always seems to ruin everything. Money and greed. They always lose focus on the initial idea behind it all and do whatever they can to get their ratings up, meanwhile disregarding the feelings of those involved. This book just kind of hit me a little differently than most romcoms do. I was that plus size girl before. I wasn’t even close to loving myself or feeling comfortable in my own skin. I don’t know, maybe this book wasn’t meant to be looked at in the way I did, but I found myself admiring Everly and wishing that while I was living that life, I had even a pinch of the confidence and fierceness that Everly grew to have. I think this was very well written and allowed us to reach into the depths of how people can be affected by other people’s actions, but still held on to that happy ending that we all desire when reading this genre.
Thank you Netgalley, Jenny L. Howe and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh how my hearts grows two sizes when someone writes fat rep right in a romance book. Jenny L. Howe absolutely nailed this book— and I absolutely adored it. This is out now, and was one of the last books I read in 2023.

What we have here:
- self love journey
- reality tv elements
- fat representation
- grumpy x sunshine
- no third act break up

The female MC is surprised to learn she’s been nominated for her favorite reality show, and the drama, hilarity, and heart breaking and warming moments begin! I think this is a refreshing take on a lot of things— including the typical romance format. The conflict here is outside the relationship, and there is no third act breakup. There is also a real self-discovery journey beyond the romance here, as well as some grief and familial healing moments. All in all, it’s a realistic, relatable story!

As someone who lives in a bigger body, I love to see a romance MC who is bigger too. Like anyone, it’s nice to feel seen and reflected in the media we consume. This book brought a smile to my face for sure.

I’d recommend this to any romance fan, but especially anyone who loved One To Watch or The Charm Offensive!

3 Stars I was really excited to read another of Jenny L. Howe’s books after reading The Makeup Test, one of my first NetGalley reads! The banter between characters is funny and Howe’s writing style is fun and quirky. A fun and easy read.

This was a lovely contemporary romance! I loved Everly and Logan as a couple. The found family elements were fantastic. I highly recommend!

This was a cute book, with a lot of plus size positivity! I enjoyed Logan and Everly. I think the only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the 3rd person POV which was borderline 1st person POV. It kept getting a bit confusing. The story was good, a bit long, but entertaining!

<b>Fat Positive and Lovely</b>

Note: The author, Jenny L. Howe, wrote an author’s note regarding the use of the word ”fat” in this book. It is used throughout the book as a “neutral descriptor” and as a means of reclaiming the word.

Everly Winters has been nominated for the show, “On the Plus Side” by an unknown person. The reality show is like a combination of “What Not To Wear” and “Queer Eye For the Straight Guy” but for plus-sized people. Everly spends a lot of time tamping down her natural reactions and desires because she worries that she is “too much” for people. Howe captures this feeling that is perhaps familiar to many readers with a lot of sensitivity. Many of Everly’s feelings are caused and perpetuated by Everly’s mother which makes it really hard to stomach at times.

Everly is drawn to cameraman Logan from the beginning and he seems to feel similarly towards her. The only seeming hindrance to a match between the two is Everly herself as she worries that a relationship with the burly and sensitive Logan will detract from her journey on the show. Everly wants to concentrate on herself and her growth into a confident woman and artist.

The more the book progressed with the mutual pining I couldn’t help but wish that she’d see that she could both gain confidence and develop a relationship with Logan.

Unfortunately there’s also a sub-plot with James, a co-worker that I felt detracted from the central love story with Logan. It’s not exactly a love triangle but it is distracting. Everly also gets weirdly angry at a point in the story and I just thought it was odd.

I had a hard time getting through this book. I found it a bit of a slog. I just think if it had a bit of a lighter touch that I would have enjoyed it a little more. I did appreciate the idea that Everly only needs to be made over in respect to her attitude towards herself. I recommend this book to readers who are in the mood for a fat positive love story that concentrates on confidence.

I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

This was a cute read that mostly worked for me, but I just didn’t connect with like I’d hoped. I absolutely loved What Not to Wear when I was younger so I was really excited by the premise of this book. It took me a little while to get into this and ultimately it was a solid 3-star read. I liked Everly’s character, but I found the Logan/James drama to be a little much for me. I didn’t love the act 3 conflict and was a bit disappointed by how it was resolved too. I’d certainly read more from Jenny Howe, but will likely not recommend this book in particular.

“Even when she was at her most confident, ‘pretty’ and ‘fat’ felt like polar opposites. She could look killer, fierce, hot, cute, whatever. Anything but pretty.”

On the Plus Side by Jenny L Howe
Pub Date: December 26, 2023
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟(4/5)
Spice: 🌶🌶🫑(2.5/5)

Review:

Everly lives in a small town on the cape that she grew up in. She works as a receptionist at a local design agency where she regularly helps out her co-worker James. When she’s not working, she’s hanging out with her best friend/sister-and-law Becca. Together they watch a reality tv show that focuses on transforming plus size peoples lives. One day at work, Everly is surprised as the newest client featured on the tv show. She gets swept up in the transformation process with the hosts Jazzy and Stanton and lumbersexual cameraman Luke. Everly wants to focus on finding herself and her art career but show runner Sady has other plans for Everlys arc.

I loved this story. I’m a sucker for a plus sized protagonist. Growing up, I loved watching what not to wear and now I love queer eye. This story is that. It’s SO GOOD. There are totally unexpected twists and some good steam. Seeing Everly work through her insecurities and grow as a person outside the romantic portion of this story was so great.

Jenny L. Howe’s writing style is so easy to read. I have already put her first book on hold at the library. Looking forward to what she writes in the future.

If you like:
- New England
- Reality shows
- Dogs
- Pizza

QOTD: what is your favorite reality fashion show?

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martins Press for proving me with an eARC of this novel.

Everly is a plus size woman, as per the title, who is chosen to participate on a reality show that show participants the fabulousness of larger size people. Being a woman who is plus size myself, I continually emphasis the fact that we are all more than numbers on a scale, no matter where we fall - overweight, underweight, just right. Her coworker crush turned out to be quite the jerk with his motives for what he did. I enjoyed this story.