Roses:
I like that this had a fun spin on a reality show that focuses on the plus size community. The hosts were fun and used creative ways to help the MFC in the story. I love how Logan became the real advocate for Everly during the show but also in their private moments too. At first I wasn’t sure if I would like Everly but as the story moved along there were moments that I really connected to her.

Thorns:
Some of the plot seemed to be really repetitive and didn’t go anywhere for a long time. I felt myself losing steam because it felt like I read this already. The spice was ehh. It either to be more or not at all.

Overall it was a good story with a not over done setting of the the tv show which I haven’t seen a lot of recently.

I picked this up because of the title and I live for plus size representation. This was quirky, cute and made me laugh. I really enjoyed this!

I was not a fan of the writing style for this book. DNF


******************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.*********************

Everly Winters is happy with her very quiet, mostly mundane life... sort of. Then out of nowhere she gets selected to star on in the 3rd season of her favorite TV show, On the Plus Side, which puts focus on big girls and bringing out their inner style and confidence. With Everly's privacy on the line, a sketchy showrunner, and a handsome but grumpy cameraman following her every move, Everly hopes she'll get anything out of this show without tarnishing her reputation in the process.

I liked this! It was definitely a cute little story with a couple sexy scenes and a lot of heart. Everly was not as lacing in confidence as she thought, but it made her stronger as a character in my eyes. She was not The Pathetic Girl for sure. I also loved Logan. I was a little worried that his romance would come off really weird (because he's always filming people... does he always fall for them?) but thankfully he was just a sweet, dog-loving, boyfriend material guy who was straight up whole-heartedly in love with Everly. I really liked the development of their relationship, even though I found the "show" aspect of the book a little strange. I don't know if I love show-mance books but that's a me thing.

I would recommend this to any romance lover looking for some plus-size rep!

Was this the most amazing thing I have ever read? No not really. Did it pass the time and was fairly enjoyable? Sure! Average plot with average characters. The romance was okay. I don’t think I will remember this book in a couple of days.

I thought this book was cute. I loved the premise and I loved seeing the character become more confident and stick up for herself.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This follows Everly, a plus sized artist who has lost her way after the death of her beloved grandmother. Everly is a talented artist and she used to have big dreams. Without her biggest cheerleader by her side, Everly has chosen to hide behind neutral colors and no longer take risks. She can't fail if she never tries for anything beyond her perfectly average existence. When someone nominates her for a reality TV show On the Plus Side that focuses on giving plus sized guests not only a wardrobe makeover but a life makeover, Everly is given the opportunity to revisit the girl she has hidden away and redefine her happiness.

This was such a heartwarming book. I loved going on Everly's journey of rediscovering herself and figuring out what she wants to do with her life. I found her story to be very relatable, and I loved watching her go from feeling like she was "too much" to feeling just the right amount through the support of her friends and the sweet romance she developed with Logan. I also loved that she got to define happiness for herself despite what she looked like. No one should close themselves off to make other people feel comfortable, and she faced that on her journey. It was so awesome to see her transform into someone who could advocate for herself in both personal and professional situations and throw caution to the wind a little bit here and there. This had great banter and side characters to add some humor and fun to a book that deals with some heavy topics.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. If you are a fan of the show What Not to Wear, this has a similar vibe. I'm not a big reality TV show person, but I loved that show. This had a fun romcom element, but also dealt with some very real issues. This is my first book by the author but I'm looking forward to reading more!a

Oh my gosh! This was so cute and funny! I loved the FMC so much and Jazzy and Stanton were hilarious! Very much recommend this one! It is one of the best Rom Coms I’ve read in awhile.

thoroughly enjoyed this book. this is the first book I've read by this author as well. This author did a nice job at representing the curvy/plus size gal which made it feel authentic.I really enjoyed Logan and Everly story. Book had both super sweet aspects but some spice as well. All in all was an enjoyable read for me.

On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe was cute and funny, and an easy, feel good read. I couldn't put it down and stayed up well past my bedtime to finish it.

I thought the main characters, Everyly and Logan, were both people to root for, and I was cheering for their love on the sidelines. I am not into reality TV, or makeover shows, or any of that stuff, but this was a fun imagining of what that might look like in a fat-affirming environment.

I found the instances and descriptions of fatphobia in this, appropriate and not-gratuitous. The main character wasn't 100% body positivity rah rah in the beginning, but she also didn't hate herself, which I think can sometimes be a fine balance in stories centering fat experiences in fiction, but something that I think the authour did really well. I thought some of the situations in the story were also very relatable more broadly.

I loved the character growth from start to finish - it also felt like the natural outcome of what was happening in the story.

The grumpy cinnamon roll is a romance trope I am fond of, so that hit the spot for me. There are a few spicy bits in this novel, I didn't find them particularly explicit, but they were also not fade to black.

Some serious themes in here that were touched on, and offered as a heads up in the beginning of the story, and most of these circumstances didn't just feel plonked in there for arbitrary reasons, but meshed well with who the characters became, their motivations, and some of the ways they responded to the world.

Over all, I thought this was very enjoyable and well done. There were a few points in the story that gave me pause, but not enough to be hugely negative. If you know too much about the tattoo industry, you might need to suspend some disbelief, but I didn't think that was a biggie. There are a certain amount of fantasy outcomes here, as in any romance, and I think books like that are very comforting and just a worthwhile respite from reality.

Thanks to Netgalley, and the publisher for an early copy of this book. It's coming out December 26, 2023.

This was a very cute read focused on a plus size main character (which is always great to read about because I can relate) named Everly. She is going on the only lifestyle makeover show exclusively for plus sized people: On The Plus Side; which also happens to be her favorite show. Of course, she finds herself and love on her journey.

Overall, it was a quick, fun, easy read. I felt it drag a bit during some parts because I don’t really watch makeover reality shows much so I’m thinking that is the reason; just a lack of connection there personally. But! If those type of shows are your thing, I think you would really enjoy this book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

4.5!

Everly is a plus-sized woman you is currently a receptionist for a marketing company and living above her brother’s garage. When Everly is nominated to be a guest on a Queer Eye-esque reality show called On The Plus Side, she’s excited to flourish in some spaces that she hasn’t participated in for a while.

The viewers of the show (and the readers) get to see Everly’s relationship with herself grow through her creativity and art as well as figuring out a potential new career path.

I really enjoyed this! Everly was a great character and I really resonated with her fears of failing or falling. A fear of failing stops you from chasing after something you really want and I think this was a great portrayal of analyzes what may be holding you back and what you may want to change!

I don’t read enough reality tv based books I’ve realized but I think the premise was done well! There’s a realistic approach to the fact that this is Queer Eye-like rather than a dating show (like most reality tv show books I’ve read). The Queer Eye aspect allows for some great character expansion for Everly and sets up a good conflict for later in the book.

I think the pacing near the end felt a little fast to me but ultimately I think this wrapped up pretty well! I wish the epilogue gave a bit more and that there was a bit more with the Collective! I was happy with the way the romance played out though and the communication between Everly and Logan was really nice!

I really liked this book!

The romance was very sweet, but definitely a slow burn with very minimal spice. Still I loved the tender moments between Everly and Logan.

I really appreciated Everly's growth through the book. It felt realistic-- it happened over time and not without her own doubts. I also loved that she didn't NEED a man or to lose weight to develop as a character.


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I was excited to read it and was not disappointed!

Think What Not to Wear but plus sized! This novel represented plus sized is such a beautiful way. Not once did the content hyper focus on curves or folds that I have read in other novels with plus sized main characters - and I really appreciated that.

Everly is such a lovable main character and I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing her growth within the pages of On the Plus Side. Reading through her confidence gains with romance, art, fashion, and family was very heart warming. And I loved the little bit of spice that was sprinkled in, it was just enough for this novel!

I definitely recommend this one for those interested in reading something that is plus size friendly, but it truly is one size fits all and should be read by all!

I really enjoyed this book. It's a great cross between Queer Eye and What Not to Wear. I loved that Everly found herself throughout the book, and wasn't changing for a man, but in tandem with finding love. The main message was about doing the work on the inside, alongside changing her outer appearance in small ways that enhanced Everly's appearance and made her more confident. The conflicts were resolved through direct communication and matched with the ages of the characters. Not having silly miscommunications helped the integrity of the book and the believability of the relationships. I really liked that there wasn't a 3rd act breakup. All in all, this was a fun read and I saw a lot of myself in Everly.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC of On The Plus Side.

This book was such a pleasure to read! I devoured it. It was fast paced, had many interesting characters, and was full of witty dialogue, I loved the body-postivity message within the theme of the book and the reality of how difficult it can be to live your life authentically and love yourself while constantly being told you're either not good enough or you don't deserve to have what others have. This story was full of really honest moments -- from self doubt and negative feelings, to embarrassing situations. I loved the characters and appreciated that the storyline didn't go in the directions of Everly losing faith in Logan, but rather the two of them joining forces to deal with the situation. It was also refreshing to have male characters that also had body-issues.

I hate to compare authors but I mean this in the highest compliment that the writing will appeal to fans of Olivia Dade novels. The humor, plus sized characters, and romance are brilliant.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this arc in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book! The premise of the story was so fun (think Queer Eye for plus sized women), and I really like how it ended. The characters in this book were so easy to love, and I think that’s what made me love the book so much. Everly had such great personal development and never lost sight of who she truly is. Logan is the SWEETEST grumpy guy ever and sees the good in people. And Jazzy and Stanton are just so fun and kind! I just can’t get over these fictional people!

Very cute and fun read! Loved that there was no third act breakup, a very good representation of plus size experiences.

This is probably closer to a 3.5 for me. I loved Jenny L. Howe's debut, [book:The Make-Up Test|59808330]. It was witty, light, and the romance was spot-on. However, I didn't feel those things from <I>On the Plus Side</i>. While I enjoyed the premise of the makeover show, the initial chemistry, and Everly's journey of self-discovery, the story felt rushed. I wanted the romance to really build after that initial spark, but everything added up to insta-love which is one of my least favorite tropes. Really, that is a me thing more than anything — it's just my preference in romance, but I expected something more built up considering how the rest of the plot was unfolding. Ultimately, my concerns with this book fell to timing; the timing of the romance plot, the timing of the twist, etc. I think this could have shaped up to the perfect romance with better pacing.

Some things I did like included the chemistry between Logan and Everly, the relationship with Becca and Ellis, and the family relationship that was explored with Everly and her mother. All of these made for a more well-rounded story that wasn't just romance-focused. The filming scenes for the show were fun too, and I almost wish we could have gotten more of those!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

A quirky, realistic view of how people can do damage with their words unknowingly. Everly is a great character that many people can relate to no matter their background.