On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe
Genre: romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
Format: ebook (eARC) and physical copy

🧡 Fat-positive - plus size FMC
🧡 Flannel-loving, silent, grumpy MMC
🧡 Reality TV setting (think Queer Eye meets What Not to Wear)
🧡 Dog lovers

I loved that Logan seemed moody/grumpy but actually is a cinnamon roll. I LOVED how much he loved his dogs and wanted to help senior dogs. How could you not fall for him?!

Everly’s character development was great! I was rooting for her and so happy to see her regain her confidence.

I liked the commentary on reality tv and how even if it seems realistic, there are still lies, half-truths, and manipulation.

Something that bugged me about the book was the clothing descriptions at times - for someone who is supposed to be on a makeover show, some (not all) of her new clothes seemed a little out of date in my opinion. I’m all for unique outfits, but sometimes they made me cringe.

No 3rd act break-up?! INCREDIBLE. 🙌🏼

I really enjoy Jenny L. Howe’s writing, fat-positivity, and characters. I’m officially a fan.

A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for my eARC of On the Plus Side. It’s available now!

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, heartwarming and kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Everly Winters was just sitting at her desk in reception, answering the phone for the marketing firm she worked for, when two of her reality tv heroes came through the front doors. Stanton and Jazzy were the hosts of On the Plus Side, the makeover show that helps overweight individuals find the ways they hold themselves back from what they want and transform their lives. It’s not about losing weight, it’s about being proud of who you are, where you are, and going after your dreams.

Everly had been a fan of the show since it premiered, and she lurked on the message boards where the superfans shared their thoughts. She never thought that she would be on the show, but as she thought about what it could do for her, Everly wanted to be on the show. She wanted to get back to her artist roots. She wanted to do more for a job than answer phones for other creative people. Everly wants to put her graphic skills to work for her, to create logos or book covers or maybe even design tattoos.

Everly had been all set to be a part of an artists’ Collective several years ago, but her greatest cheerleader, her grandmother, had succumbed to cancer weeks before Everly was going to put her art out there for everyone to see. But she had lost her nerve, and she’d been hiding ever since. She work dark colors. She worked as a receptionist. And while she flirted with a guy from work, she would never dream of asking him out. The show could change all of that.

But as the days go by, and the episodes start to air, Everly realizes that she was hoping they would be focusing her episodes on her art and recovering her voice and her space in the art world. However, they seem to be focusing on her crush on her coworker. She tries to tell them she wants to make her story about her art, but the chemistry she is having with cameraman Logan is hard to miss, and it gives another layer to the potential love story.

But in the end, it’s all up to Everly to decide how to use this opportunity. She’s the one who will still be there when the show moves on. She is the one to decide what happens in her relationship with her mother, with her brother, with her best friend, with her art. And it will be up to Everly to decide whether she has room in her life for love, and if so, which guy will be the one to win her heart.

On the Plus Side is a fun look at reality makeover shows and how they choose to tell their stories. And it’s also a look at what it means to be overweight in a world where most of the media acts like being fat is a moral failing. The story is interspersed with comments from the message boards and articles about the show, adding real-life commentary about what is going on in Everly’s life and what goes on in the daily stories of anyone who struggles with being different.

I’ve been “plus-sized” for a long time, so I know what’s it like. I loved Everly’s story of reconnecting with her authentic self and building her confidence to find the life she wanted. I enjoyed how fat-positive the story was, while staying true to reality (there will always be internet trolls), and I thought that the ending was particularly satisfying. There are lots of clothes and several dogs, and so much heart to On the Plus Side. If you’re a fan of reality makeover shows and want to be on the inside, then this will be a must-read.

Egalleys for On the Plus Side were provided by St. Martin’s Griffin through NetGalley, with many thanks.

I don’t know about you but I love a good makeover show. Even better a book about a makeover show! This was such an enjoyable one!

Thank you #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

DNF @ 38%

Unfortunately this is a DNF. I really struggled to get into this book, despite really loving the premise. By the 30% mark I wasn’t invested in the characters and I wasn’t vibing with the writing. I also really disliked the “twist” on how the show decided to portray Everly. I stuck it out for a bit longer but realized this book just wasn’t for me.

Although this book revolves around the story of a plus-size woman, Everly who goes on a reality makeover show refreshingly the show is not about losing weight. Rather it is about being one's best self without changing one's physical characteristics. It is such a lovely original spin on the topic. Both the book and its smart capable, good-hearted heroine are quite inspirational. Anyone who ever thought they were less than or let other people make them think they were less than because of their looks particularly their size needs to read this book!

I just finished On the Plus Side by Jenny L Howe and here are my thoughts.


Everly Winters blends into the backdrop. She’s an artist who works as a receptionist, she wears neutral colors and lives above her brother's garage. It’s all perfectly mediocre. That is until someone nominates her to go on her favorite makeover show, On the Plus side. She spends more time in the fandom message boards, than doing anything else.

This could just be the kick Everly needs to get her life into the fast lane. The problem is, the producer wants to portray this love triangle and Everly is not comfortable with it, especially since the cameraman seems to look at her and really see her. She doesn’t want to hide who she is when he’s around. Can she figure herself out without the idea of love getting in her way?

I loved this book. Everly is my kind of MC. She’s smart and quick witted. I love that she learns to fall back in love with herself. It was magical to watch. I really enjoyed the concept of the show too. Makeovers for people with a fuller figure to love themselves as they are. They don’t just get you a new haircut and some clothes, they help you expand into whatever areas in your life that need a little nudge. For Everly, it was her career. It was so cute, watching the build up with Logan, the grumpy cameraman. I love that he is an animal lover and has his own body issues.

I wasn’t a fan of when she found out who nominated her and why. It didn't feel natural to me and a little far-fetched. That was literally my only gripe with the book. Everything else was amazing. I loved the banter between Everly and everyone she came into contact with. She is a class act in my opinion.

I loved the ending. It wrapped up perfectly for me and I could definitely be up for a sequel one day. Would love to see how their lives turn out. This one was definitely on my top 10 of 2023!

5 stars. Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my gifted copy

#ontheplusside #jennylhowe #romcom #stmartinspress #smpinfluencers #ebook #booklover #bookclubfavorite #romancereader #romanticbook

2.5 Stars
Just an okay romance read, I didn't really care for either MC or the "read it" blurbs at the end of some of the chapters. It's always nice to see plus size representation in romance though and I did like the reality TV show concept (loved the Queer Eye vibe).

Happy pub day to this book!

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

It’s the last Wednesday of the month (year!), so that means it’s book review time! I decided to try a little romance this month, something outside my comfort zone. On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe was released from St. Martin’s Griffin yesterday (the 26th). As usual, I must thank them and NetGalley for access to an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Let’s do the thing.

On the Plus Side follows Everly as she struggles to find herself and to start living instead of existing. When the crew from her favorite reality TV show arrive at her job looking for her, Everly gets thrown right out of her comfort zone in order to help her become her best self. She loves it at first, but after seeing how real reality TV is (or isn’t), she begins to doubt one of her favorite things in the world. But is she strong enough to stand up for herself? And, of course, it wouldn’t be romance without a dude or two tossed in.

The plot. There’s a crappy love triangle and you know right away who the endgame is because one dude is a douche and the other is literally perfect. The whole reality TV aspect is about a show that helps fat people realize they are allowed to exist and be comfortable with themselves and that they are beautiful/fierce/handsome/all of that. There’s family drama and trauma and all the usual things needed to make a nice little book. My biggest issue with the plot is that it’s supposed to be so body positive, but both the potential love interests are muscular gods, which is fine but annoying. There’s a spot where the perfect dude doesn’t want to take off his shirt because he doesn’t have a six pack, which is supposed to be a big sensitive moment, but I guess I’m not sensitive because it was just stupid to me. But overall, the plot was cute enough. Oh, and there are a couple of fairly graphic scenes. That’s fine for me. I just wasn’t expecting them. It was like “oh, hey there, mini pr0n.” So, if you pick up this book and don’t like on-the-page sex, be prepared.

As far as the characters go, Everly is very dramatic and acts like no one has ever felt these feelings before. No one could possibly understand. Anyone who says anything nice to her doesn’t actually mean it. I tried very hard to care about her, but couldn’t really manage it. The rest of the characters were cookie cutter stereotypes that did no growing or changing. Logan is perfect from the get go. It’s not even clear why he’s in love with Everly. Book magic, I guess. The villain is an unrepentant bitch. Everyone else is just there to make Everly look good. So, while the plot was fine, I wasn’t a fan of the characters.

The writing was decent. It made for a pretty quick read. Nothing spectacular. No quotes stood out. But it was smooth and didn’t try to be something it wasn’t. It was just a quick, cute read.

Ultimately, On the Plus Side was just kind of meh. I didn’t hate it, but it’s nothing I’ll ever think about again. I gave it a shot and now I know it’s a thing that exists. That’s about it.

Overall, I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. If you enjoy romances with cookie cutter characters and a cute but standard plot, check it out. If not, you’re not missing anything.

I enjoyed this one. I really liked the story with it being a reality tv show and the representation. The story was sweet but it felt a little lacking in the character development part and the romance. I think Everly is an awesome character and liked how we got to see some growth from her, but I was thinking there would be a little more than we got. Logan I felt like I knew so little about other than he loves dogs. Which hey, I’ll like him for that alone. But there wasn’t much to his character or the resulting romance between him and Everly, in my opinion.

A cute, quick read! I wanted to like it more than I did.

single POV
3/5 stars ⭐️
0.5/5 spice level 🌶️

I grew up being a fan or What Not To Wear, Queer Eye and How Do I Look? And this book took all of those things and added some RomCom spice!

Everly is a plus sized woman who does everything to hold herself back from being seen as “too much” which I can 100% relate too. As someone who is trying to live her best life in a bigger body, Everly’s relationship with her mom reminded me of my relationship with some of my family members. A lot of this book really resonated with me and really helped shift my perspective of myself. I love that Everly really came into her own and learned to embrace who she is. Learned to defend herself and be authentic.

I really enjoyed the little pieces we got with the show hosts and the relationship development with Logan. I’m always here for communication in relationships and I felt like that was done really well!


This was my first book to read by Jenny Howe and I really truly enjoyed it! I will definitely keep my eyes peeled for her future releases. Thank you to St Martins Press, NetGalley, and Jenny Howe for this ARC to read and review!

It's great to find a romance novel with a plus size character who is not the token, or quirky best friend. I enjoyed the humor and the heart and would recommend this book to anyone who struggles with insecurity, not just plus-size women. There's a great message about self acceptance and the cute romance is the icing on the cake.

On the Plus Side is a 10 out of 10 romance. This is the first book that I’ve read by Jenny L. Howe and it most certainly won’t be the last. I loved this book and the main characters so much. Everly and Logan’s characters were so well developed that they felt like real people. I loved following Logan and Everly’s story from beginning to end and seeing how they helped each other and watching their feelings for one another grow into something so special.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who is looking for an amazing romance. On the Plus Side was one of the best romances that I have ever read. It is a spectacular story that pulls you in from the very beginning, giving you a front row seat for Everly’s incredible journey.

To be honest, I read and enjoyed parts of this book, but some parts were too “woke” for me and others tried to hit a humor spot but it didn’t do it for me. The characters were somewhat well-developed, especially Everly who is the young woman participating in the makeover. On the other hand, I did not feel as though I got to know the cameraman well, although he was an interesting character and I did want to know more. The plot dragged a little, striving to make being fat acceptable and at the same time presenting a romance that wasn’t taking off at first. I would say that the pace was moderate. The story itself promised to be compelling, dealing with body image and acceptance and the author addressed those issues well but the style of writing would appeal to someone a lot younger than I am. The vocabulary was offensive at times and unnecessarily immature and sarcastic. Again, I think the author was trying for humor that did not hit the mark for me. All of that being said, the book was mildly amusing and dealt with a realistic topic, so kudos for that. My rating is a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 since I do think the book will appeal to a younger audience. I would not recommend it for a general audience because some of the content is off the wall and out of bounds for people who generally enjoy “clean reads.” If you are looking for a book to help you accept yourself, then this one might just be the one for you.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

If you were a fan of One To Watch this book is for you! What Not To Wear meets Queer Eye gives a plus-size spin to a familiar storyline. I overall enjoyed Everly's POV and it was great reading about her coming out of her shell. The storyline I resonated with most was definitely Everly's relationship with her mother. I felt so seen in those moments and I honestly wish there were more of them in the book.

Logan was great and it was awesome to see such unwavering support. There was some good spice to the scenes too. Overall I enjoyed the book but some parts felt rushed - especially the ending.

On The Plus Side is a fun grumpy meets sunshine with a bit of a love triangle thrown in rom com. Everly makes a great protagonist and I love the plus sized representation Howe brings to the book. I did find it over focused on that aspect of the main characters life though, and Everly became kind of one dimensional. While I find the book to be well written and a quick read, there were moments the pacing got thrown off.. mainly noticed that when beginning a new chapter the transition was a bit disjointed. At least for me. Overall it was a cute book with a meaningful message. A perspective I hope we see more of in rom-coms. Give me all the diversity. Love is love and I want to read all about it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review a complementary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3⭐️

Happy release day to On the Plus Side! Everly Winters is nominated to be on her favourite show, "On the Plus Side" a plus-size makeover show that transforms people's lives in more ways than one.

There were a lot of great aspects of this book, and I loved the representation, and the way Everly finds out different things out about herself along the way.

The cover of the book says "Her love life is about to get a major makeover" but for a majority of the book, Everly is adamant that this makeover is not about her love life. Her relationships do end up taking the stage, and I did enjoy reading about Everly and Logan.

Logan is your typical "gruff", handsome guy, and he immediately falls for Everly's infectious self. It is a bit insta-lovey, and I found it unrealistic that they'd understand each other so well after about a month or so. He did have some great lines though, and there was a good sprinkle of spice throughout.

Everly had some good character development, but I did find her behaviour a bit childish at times. Some of the plot lines were ??? (with her mom especially) and there were a lot of mentions of clothing that were described as "trendy" but were so off-putting I had to imagine something else. Thankfully she was able to achieve some of her other aspirations, which were fun to read about!

Overall this story was quick and cute, and can hopefully resonate with many people when it comes to body image issues. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Her body didn't need an apology tour."

There's no way not to root for Everly Winters as she navigates starring on reality TV with everyone commenting on every aspect of her body, her family and her choices in the uplifting character driven On The Plus Side by romance author Jenny L. Howe.

Someone's nominated receptionist Everly to be on her favorite show On The Plus Side where they're not so much about physical make overs but about emphasizing one's self worth and giving confidence to go after what you really want in life...or so Everly believes when she's cast on it.

Reading and listening to Everly's journey, the writer does a remarkable job of making you feel Everly's doubts and fears. When she says she, "... wasn't ready for her day dreams to become reality," I not only felt her fear of going for your dreams and failing at them; I've lived it.

As we meet her often overbearing mother we feel the absence of her grandma, her champion, whose death has left her beaten down. "Grief was hanging too heavy to fight back." Voice actress Zura Johnson captures Everly's pain, grief and fear with a poignant amount of humanity.

It's not all despair as Everly learns to stand up for herself but when she can't, quiet cameraman Logan does it for her. The flannel wearing, senior dog rescuing, lumberjack looking gentle giant sees Everly through a different lens (see what I did there?). Their chemistry is so strong that viewers start posting about it. All this attention has the producer creating a love triangle to boost ratings. It affects their relationship, their jobs and the future of the show.

There's fun, some steam, and conflict but most of all it's the growth of confidence for Everly that's the plus side of this sweet romance.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this one! Jenny did a great job of making Everly relatable and Logan was such a good guy. I loved the side characters too!

Everly is working as a receptionist at a marketing company and living her life in the 'neutral' zone. Growing up plus-sized with a difficult mother and an absent father, she's decided to blend in as much as possible so she doesn't seem like "too much" for people or demand any extra attention than she already does. She's an artist, but the death of her grandmother who always championed her art and fun personality has left her with a lack of confidence and motivation, so she doesn't step outside her comfort zone often, if at all.

Someone nominates her for her favorite plus-size makeover TV show and she decides to make the best of it, to find her confidence and herself along the way. While the person who nominated her did not do it for a great reason and Everly experienced some embarrassing moments while being recorded for the show, she also found a connection to the gruff cameraman with a heart of gold, Logan.

This was a heartwarming book & I loved how Everly stood up for herself and finally got everything she wanted and deserved. Thank you to SMP Romance, NetGalley, and Jenny for the ARC!

Where was this book when I was younger? I ask that because I have always been on the bigger side and always tried to hide in the shadows versus being in the spotlight. Like Everly, I was the center of teasing and bullying by classmates when I was younger. As such, I would pull back and try to stay out of their sight. It didn’t always work; we all know kids are cruel. We also know that after a while, that kind of bullying gets into your psyche and is hard to get rid of when you are older.

But about the book, the chemistry between Everly and Logan is easy to see from the beginning. There’s no doubt the relationship will happen, or it will get steamy. Speaking of steam, a couple of scenes in the book may be a bit steamier than some people may like. Let’s just say I have a new appreciation for the tumble dryer. LOL!

There are a few complex relationships in the book. One is the relationship between Everly and her mom. Their history is discussed, and as the book progresses, you learn the reasons behind Peggy’s treatment of Everly. Is it a perfect set of reasons? Not at all, but it does help the reader understand who Peggy is.

Another explored relationship is the one between Everly and James, her hot co-worker. While the relationship is relatively one-sided, it explores how shallow some people can be. That’s not to say James is a bad person, but relatively immature.

The one bad person in the book is one you think couldn’t be that bad when you first meet them. But as the story progresses, you can see how toxic they are. And, like me, you will probably rejoice in their downfall.

Overall, On the Plus Side is a fun rom-com! There are discussions about being fat and how that shouldn’t mean you don’t matter, that you can still be the center of attention, and not for negative reasons.