On the plus side

By Jenny L Howe
Release day: December 25th

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶️

Everly Winters is a receptionist at a design and marketing firm whose favourite colours to wear are grey and navy. Everly has spent years avoiding and disappearing into the background because people have said she is too loud, too much and too fat. Then one day, the hosts of her favourite outer and inner makeover show one into the office to tell her that she is their next project. Everly is hopeful that the program “On the Plus Side” will allow her to chase her career dreams, push her outside of her comfort zone, and help her rediscover who she is after years of hiding. The problem is that once episodes start to air, the show seems more interested in her office crush, James, and creating a false love triangle with the adorable lumberjack cameraman, Logan, who has been her shadow for all of Everly’s episodes on the show.

I really loved this book and how it dealt with its overweight mfc. The makeover show doesn’t tell her to lose weight to be happy or wear things that will conceal her lumps and bumps. It really tries to encourage her to wear what she loves and what makes her feel good. It was so refreshing. The love triangle piece (not normally my favourite trope) was well done and non-traditionally, and Logan is absolutely book boyfriend goals!

I related so much to so many of the things that Everly is going through in the book. I have certainly walked into many shops and known right away that nothing was going to fit me. Im glad that our society is moving away from only carrying straight-sized clothes, but as Jenny L Howe tells us in this book, there is absolutely more work to be done.

It was a great read for plus-sized and straight-sized people and was written really well.

Read this book if you enjoy:
Makeover shows
Co-hosts who banter
Adorable lumberjacks
Books about body image issues
Books about self-discovery
Books with no third act break up!!!!!
Plus-sized positivity
Dogs (so freaking cute)
Workplace romances

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the free e-arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

'On the Plus Side' introduces us to Everly Winters, a character who, after losing her grandmother, has always preferred to stay under the radar. But her life turned unexpectedly when she was picked for a reality TV makeover show, 'On the Plus Side.' The journey that follows, under the guidance of the show’s vibrant hosts, a crafty showrunner, and Logan, the moody cameraman, is one of self-discovery and embracing her uniqueness. Everly's growing feelings for Logan complicate matters, especially with the prospect of revealing her transformation on national television.

Everly and Logan, as the main characters, are relatable and well-developed. Everly's internal battles, especially with being told she's too much, make her an incredibly relatable character. As the love interest, Logan is given ample depth, exploring his motivations and challenges. Their romance is beautifully written, unfolding naturally on the page without the typical third-act drama, showcasing how well they complement each other.

Thank you to St Martin's Press for the eARC!

This was such great read! I enjoyed getting to know Everly and all that she represents. Even though she has been trying to hide her true nature of being loud and dressing in things that normally a larger person might not wear, her true colors tend to come out. She seems like someone I would love to meet and would love to get some of that confidence. The development of the reality show and how it is behind the scenes seemd to be pretty realistic. Thoroughly enjoyed this story and highly recommend it!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

Everly Winters is perfectly happy living her life unnoticed. That is until someone secretly nominated her to be in the next season of her favorite makeover show "On The Plus Side." Her quiet life has now turned upside-down and will soon become very public. Overwhelmed by the reality of being in a reality show, she forms an unexpected friendship with grumpy, plaid-loving cameraman Logan Samuel.

I found Everly's character relatable and admirable. It wasn't easy for her to get out of her comfort zone, what more show it on reality TV, but she braved through the process. She found her confidence and learned that she isn't too much. It was a bonus she also found love. Logan is a definite book boyfriend. Underneath the grumpy exterior is a kind and wholesome cinnamon roll.

Overall, an enjoyable read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC! This book was so much fun. The story was powerful and resonated so much with me! The romance was adorable and the banter of course was hilarious. I highly recommend this book!

On The Plus Side is my first Jenny L. Howe but it won’t be my last. The story follows Everly who is picked to be on her favorite reality show: On The Plus Side. It’s all about plus-sized people getting a makeover but not in the way you might imagine. The two hosts help them tackle their insecurities and unlock their inner confidence.

While Everly can’t imagine why she was picked, she makes the most of it while trying to gain some of her inner confidence back while dealing with a work crush, a stagnating career, and the grief of losing her grandmother. Of course, things get even more hectic when she starts to develop feelings for a cameraman for the show.

This book ended up surprising me in a lot of ways as it tackled so many different issues. When it came to Everly, she was dealing with rejection on all fronts but she didn’t let it define her. She did need a bit more confidence but she gained that internally versus a relationship. It was just so great to watch her blossom as a character.

In addition, the romance between her and Logan was so sweet. These two had chemistry from the very beginning and I couldn’t get enough. These two had a friends-to-lovers vibe going on and it was a delight. I also adored Everly’s best friend Becca and the two hosts of the show as they were so great.

Honestly, the third-act conflict wasn’t too bad but it did annoy me a lot. While I do know it probably does happen, it made me so angry. Then again, some reality show elements can be hit-or-miss so that might have been a me problem. Either way, I ended up enjoying this one and I think On The Plus Side is a great one to either pick up before the new year or add to your spring TBR for 2024.

ON THE PLUS SIDE

Cuuuuuuute. That’s how I would describe this. Body positivity and learning to love oneself. Sunshine working with a grump. Fairy godmother style hosts.

It felt like a hug, a Hallmark movie, and body positivity had a baby…who also fell in love, but I suppose that would be covered by the Hallmark movie component.

And art! A passionate main character who has to overcome her mother and her own limiting beliefs to access her dreams.

Cute, cute, cute.

Solid 4.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I very much enjoyed it. I did not realize how much I needed to see plus size representation like this story delivered. I disagree with the claiming of the word "fat," it does not empower me and is an ugly word. However, everything else I loved and hope this story becomes a series with more plus sized folks getting the On the Plus Side treatment from Jazzy and Stanton or just more from the two main characters.

3.5 stars

Everly isn't living her best life, consistently content to play it safe and blend in. Until one day, she's nominated to be on her favorite show: "On the Plus Side," which is like "What Not to Wear" or "Queer Eye". She gets the opportunity to examine her life and find love not just with one, but two potential dream men. But there's a price to fame as well. Will Everly finally find the strength to stand up for herself and take everything she truly deserves?

This was an often deep and thoughtful book. I enjoyed experiencing Everly's journey to find love with James, her hunky co-worker, as well as Logan, the show's camera man. The show forces Everly to push boundaries and live outside of her comfort zone. It was really powerful to watch her wrestle with her past, speak her truth, and come out of all of the drama a full-fledged, confident woman.

There's definitely romance in this story, along with some sweet and steamy scenes. I'd also argue that this could be considered women's fiction because this book is about Everly as a woman who is coming into her own. Having a relationship is one part of that. I applaud the author for taking pains not to turn Everly merely into a vehicle for finding an HEA with a man, but for finding and loving HERSELF. I was hoping to have a bit more fun with this story, and the uncomfortable scenes with Everly's mother and the way the show evolved made it hard for me to sometimes enjoy this book. I also had some trouble connecting with Everly as a character, sometimes unsure of her motivations.

Bottom Line: If you want to read about a woman who overcomes obstacles and achieves self-love while finding the love of her life as well, this book is for you!

Trigger warnings: fat shaming, difficult mother/daughter relationship

I'd like to thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.
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I wasn’t the biggest fan of The Make-Up Test, but I liked Howe’s writing, so I still wanted to give On The Plus Side a shot. I am a sucker for books that incorporate live entertainment, and Queer Eye is one of my favorite shows, so I figured I would be in for a treat with this one. Everly is a likable main character, struggling with finding her place in the world and how to comfortably navigate life as a plus sized woman. She finds herself as a guest on her favorite reality show that centers around life makeovers for people who look just like her, by people that look just like her. She didn’t expect to meet the impossibly cute and sweet cameraman, Logan, as well though.
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Everly’s struggle was relatable, and I was a fan of Logan’s right from the start. Their relationship moved much faster than I was anticipating, I wish we got to see more of their connection or even Logan’s POV for some chapters. The producer’s treatment of Everly was unfortunately believable, as reality TV can be a very twisted version of the truth. I wasn’t expecting the ending; the twists kept me engaged and guessing.

First off, to every man, and woman who reads this review - Shape/Weight doesn't define you.
The main character is universally relatable, and I loved how the author tackled topics like grief, family, and self-expectations/esteem. The author countered these topics with lighter humorous themes/overtones that made me giggle at times. i also teared up a time or two. I enjoyed the reality show type setting. it was just what i needed to get me out of a book slump. <3

Apparently I need to read more fat-rep novels because I related to Everly so much more than I expected to. I'm not in the same body bracket at Everly, but everything she felt, all her insecurities and the preference to stay hidden, even her experiences, I've felt those things myself. Her insecurities are my insecurities. I feel like I've had a therapy session reading this book.

And then there's Logan, my God. I would've preferred to have a little more resolution with James, but I loved watching Logan and Everly's relationship evolve and blossom. And I really appreciate there not being a stereotypical third-act-breakup, that the conflict had more to do with the reality show and Everly's growth as a character.

Now excuse me while I immediately go through Howe's backlist.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary romance📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
A cute and entertaining read with a great message

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Inspiring and relatable characters
Makeover/reality TV shows
Grumpy sunshine
Romantic comedies
Sweet yet somewhat steamy romances
Great banter

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Plus size rep
Logan!
Dogs with pasta names
The authors note

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Felt a little repetitive
The show aspect was kind of hard to follow
There was a lot going on

Thank you to St Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of my honest review!

Everly is a (fat) girl living her life as a receptionist at a design firm. She gets nominated to be on her favorite reality tv show which is essentially Queer Eye for the Straight guy but for fat girls. She discovers her true self along the way, addressing her relationship with her mother, the impact her grandma had on her life, and shoved into a weird love triangle for the sake of television.

I really liked this book overall. It touched on toxicity within the OTPS community, and a lot of other dynamics that I don’t want to spoil in my review.

I would first like to thank NetGalley, Jenny L. Howe, and St. Martin's Press, for providing me with an advanced copy of On the Plus Side in exchange for my honest review.

On the Plus Side follows Everly Winters, a plus sized woman working for a marketing firm as a receptionist who has spent years holding herself back from what she enjoys due to a lack of confidence because of her weight. Everly and her best friend Becca are avid fans of the reality television show "On the Plus Side" which helps plus sized individuals to find their confidence, redo their wardrobe, and chase their dreams. Everly was nominated to be on "On the Plus Side" and this book follows her journey to finding her confidence and loving herself enough to chase her dreams.

I have mixed feelings on this book but overall I loved the message that it sent across about being confident no matter your shape or size because "fashion is for everyone". I have definitely been guilty of not wearing clothing that I find beautiful simply because I do not feel confident, or am worried about what others will think about me, and this book helped me to change my perspective on that and understand that I deserve to wear what I want to as well. I think that reading this book would help others to feel that way as well and to earn their confidence.

There was a quote in this book referring to why Everly loves the beach so much, because it helps her to realize that the world is huge, and that whatever is upsetting her in the moment is just that: a moment. This ideology is the same reason I got my own tattoo, an airplane. Being up in the sky made me realize that the world is huge, and that whatever is causing me heartache or sadness was minuscule compared to how big the world is and that the moment will pass, and there will be so many other, happier moments to live and experience. Seeing this mindset expressed in this book was incredible and warmed my heart.

The plot of this book felt a bit all over the place and slightly unrealistic to what my assumption of filming a reality show would look like. We didn't see much of Everly's day-to-day life which made the book feel a bit rushed. There was a drama plot in the story line that also felt very forced in order to push along the ending of the book which slightly ruined it for me. I enjoyed the book, but I wasn't connected enough to the characters to the point of feeling their anger which is what I generally want from a book.

Overall, I gave this book a 2.5 star rating (rounded up to a 3 for Goodreads) due to a lack of connection with the characters and a plot that felt slightly rushed and forced. I would however absolutely recommend reading this book simply for the message that it sends to readers regarding confidence and accepting yourself regardless of what others might think. I loved the mindset that Everly gained and feel as though every single person should read this book in order to hear the amazing quotable lines.

This is a excellent book if you are looking for plus size representation. I loved the plot of a "Queer Eye" style reality show helping plus size people gain confidence and change their lives. I loved Everly and Logan, and this was a great and easy read. Thank you to publisher and netgalley for a ARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was browsing NetGalley and saw the blurb for On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe. A romantic comedy with a plus size heroine? Yes, please!

I’m usually more of an historical romance reader so I kept putting off reading the ARC because its release date is a ways away (12/26). After having read it though, I wish I would have read it sooner because it’s one of my favorite books of the year!

I’ve not been on the thin side much since puberty so Everly spoke to me. There were times I was cheering for Everly and times she moved me to tears like on wardrobe day when she was talking about the loss of Grandma Helen.

OTPS is a slower burn than I normally read, but it fits the story. It seemed to me that it took until about 64% of the way through the book before the two MCs truly get physical.

OTPS has so many life lessons and quotable scenes! I have a new goal to be more myself regardless of what others might think. I’m going to try to be more accepting of myself and wear what makes me feel striking (to borrow Everly’s term).

I love love love Logan’s dogs. No spoilers, but they (especially Ravioli) add an element of realism that made me laugh out loud. Speaking from experience, doggus interruptus is a real thing 🤣

Sundae’s Sanctuary is the cherry on top. I have fostered dogs, and I must take after Logan because I ended up keeping two of my fosters I thought would have a hard time finding good homes, including one who was a senior citizen puppy mill survivor.

The plot twist at the end caught me by surprise, but it fit the story perfectly. I strongly recommend reading On the Plus Side!

I received an ARC from the author via NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. The opinions expressed are mine.

I generally don't read stories with fat protagonists, not because I have negative feelings against fat people, but because of the way they are portrayed, always playing the victim, something like "I'm fat, no one could love me like that." However, the protagonist of On The Plus Side, Everly Winters is a character in which we can all recognize some of our defects or virtues. She is a strong character who has been silenced most of her life and in the makeover show On The Plus Side she has been able to re-find her own voice and make herself heard loud and clear.
It is a strong story, funny at times and also moving, with which most readers will be able to identify.
I thank the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

On the Plus Side has quickly jumped to top of my list of plus size heroine books. I think the whole concept is absolutely ingenious and I can only hope someone decides to make it real! The book follows the main character as she is chosen for the plus size version of what not to wear. They make over not only her style but they also take her through self discovery exercises to figure out who she is at her core. Every plus size person has had the idea that we are only our weight and Everly has another heavy thing to deal with. She's trying to exist in a world that isn't made for her with her one guiding light, her grandmother, no longer on Earth. She has no idea who Everly is and hopes On The Plus Side will help her become Everly 2.0. I am envious of all of the self discovery that Everly got to go through and oh yeah there's not one but two love interests and sex scenes!!!! I absolutely love when plus size romances include sex scenes, because we are deserving of feeling desirable! I relate so hard to Everly and her struggle with her mom and I appreciated the way the author described those feelings. It was sensitive and also showed Everly doing self reflecting and not just blaming everything on her mom. This was the perfect plus size romance for me from cover to cover.

Everly is a contestant on a makeover show for fat women (I personally loathe the term "plus-size" and find it reductive and annoying, so I will be using the word fat here). She meets grumpy lumberjack cameraman Logan and they fall in lurrrrve.

There was a lot to enjoy about this book - I'm always a fan of a fat lady getting some action and thought Everly and Logan's relationship was sweet. Some of the reality tv parts didn't work for me - mainly because I don't watch much of it and even I know that they are going to manipulate the narrative and use whatever they can get their hands on to manufacture drama and boost ratings, so Everly's sense of betrayal that they weren't telling her story exactly as she wanted felt overly naive. That said, this was a fun, quick read that I'll be recommending.