I was drawn to the plot of the On the Plus Side. Everly is surprised with the opportunity to be on her favorite makeover show! While on the show, she will undergo a life adjustment - take on challenges and step into a new her.

The story was cute but in the end there were some misses for me. Everly’s insecurities and self doubt were a bit repetitive. There was not great chemistry between her and the love interest. It’s a fine book, but not one I’d gush over.

I struggled to get into this book but i ended up enjoying it. I thought the fmc was a relatable character and i love what she represented. i would read more from this author.

I honestly put off reading this book for a long time because I was scared about how it would make me feel since I am in fact 'on the plus side' However I loved how the story was approached, and how the embraced Everly's differences, the way they wanted to make her feel comfortable, and be able to be happy and proud of herself regardless of how she looks. These can be hard things to do when you don't meet societal norms!

I loved the little bit of the love story and spice added with Logan it was a great storyline to be added and it even made me smile at times. I fell in love with their dog sanctuary idea, and closely relate to Everly's need to stroke soft dog ears in order to calm down because I have done that with my dog a time or two.

This book was beautiful, and we need more like them in the world.

I honestly enjoyed this book so much. Being plus size "fat", it's always been a touchy subject for me. After reading this, I truly see myself in a better light and embrace myself in whatever stage I'm in.. even if I'm fat! Shape doesn't define you.

I had such high hopes for this book; I loved watching What Not To Wear growing up and as a plus-sized woman myself, I am always willing to read and support curvy, confident FMC stories! However, this book fell flat for me. Logan seemed like a good MMC, but the grumpy exterior was way too overplayed and I feel like we didn't get to learn much about him. Everly also was obviously written to be insecure with her current life, but she felt very immature to me at times. The fashion in the book also felt very outdated for a book released in late 2023. Overall, this book definitely had potential but it wasn't my favorite. Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review this book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this early copy of On The Plus Side. I unfortunately had to DNF at 75%. There was a disconnect for me throughout this whole story. I felt lost, cranky and disliked the characters. Going into this book I was excited because I always love plus sized representation, but like I said before, I just felt disconnected from the story.

This wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s not for someone else. Sorry guys, this just didn’t do it for me.

Synopsis: Everly is the receptionist at a marketing/design firm when the hosts of her favorite plus-size lifestyle and makeover show surprise her at work ready to feature her on the show and makeover her life! Suddenly the crush she has on the hot designer at work is a huge feature of the show’s spin on her when she wanted to work on herself and her art. With the help of the shows two hosts and the grump cameraman who has stolen her heart, Everly finds what she was looking for (and more!), and overturns everything in the process.

Review: This story was cute and sweet, but there were a few holes in the plot lines. It was a bit repetitive at times with how much Everly doubted herself that it turned me off a bit from her. Plus the romance was slightly rushed and unrealistic. But I did like how the story was told from Everly’s perspective and through threads from the online forum for the show.

All in all, it was good not great, and if someone was looking for a romance, I’d suggest something else over this one.

This was a fun read! I enjoyed the development of Everly and Logan's story. Overall, it wasn't a bad follow-up to Howe's debut, The Make-Up Test.

In solidarity with my reader community, I will not be reviewing St. Martin's Press titles (including their imprints: St. Martin's Griffin) until they address the racism that was allowed to occur in their organization.

Reality shows are still a powerful influence on our society. As the world strives to be more accepting of others and embracing differences, reality shows are testing the waters with a diverse cast. In On the Plus Side, a makeover type show focuses on more than clothes and romance. Everly Winters has spent the last few years trying to make her life small as a counterbalance to her large size and personality. When she learns that someone has nominated her for On the Plus Side she is thrilled and terrified. Jenny L. Howe creates a romance full of self discovery, duel romance possibilities, and friendship. The behind the scene look at creating reality television is fascinating. This is Howe's second romantic comedy and there are two more scheduled for publishing in the winter. I am eager to keep reading her works.

Reality TV but with a plus sized twist. I love the character growth that went along with the romance. The characters are relatable and the topics covered make this story relevant.

# On the Plus Side
# 3/25/2024 ~ 3/26/2024
# 4.0 / 5.0

verly’s life isn’t going exactly how she wanted until she is surprised with being in her favorite show On the Plus Side. Through this experience she gains confidence, works toward her goals, finds herself, and maybe even finds love. I’d recommend if you are looking for a book about self discovery and loving yourself for who you are.

I really wanted to like this book. I was so excited for a strong plus size lead. Unfortunately it fell quite flat. The plot lacked enough action to keep the reader moving forward. I just didn’t want to keep reading. I didn’t feel like I cared about what came of Everly.

I love a romance with a plus size female main character, and this was no exception! super sweet and romantic I truly enjoyed

I wanted to love this one. The pacing was soooo slow and the build up of romantic tension was equally as glacial.

I also felt like the same topics were hashed and re-hashed to death.

I love the fat MC and the whole premise of the story, but the execution of the story needed a little kick start.

I love stories with reality TV plotlines, and this one hit all the marks. The idea of a makeover show for plus-sized contestants is unique and appealing, and the main character, Everly, is so endearing. I also enjoyed the grumpy-sunshine romance. I'm excited to see what else this author brings to the table!

Will I ever get enough of romance novels about reality TV? Probably not. (Ironically, I don't really watch a ton of reality TV. Maybe this is why I love these types of novels so much.) Add in a plus size heroine and I'm sold.

I was fully invested in our main character, Everly's, entire journey in reclaiming her fearlessness, confidence, and freedom. Despite it being an emotional journey, and Everly having to experience fatphobia amongst other things, I did find most of this book to just feel good. Jenny L. Howe's mission and reclaiming of the word fat as just another descriptor word without any negative connotation was so refreshing.

I also have to mention our male love interest because swoooooon. Logan is kind and funny and just all around hot. I love that we got to the nitty gritty of his feelings, his passions, and his goals. He was just as much a main character to me as Everly was. Whenever they were together, or whenever Everly was talking about him, I couldn't help but feel giddy. I loved their relationship and was very happy with the ending.

Wow, what an incredible journey! 📚✨ From the first page to the last, I was completely immersed in the world the author created. The characters felt so real, their struggles and triumphs resonated deeply with me. I couldn't put it down! Highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an unforgettable read.

Another wonderful story from Jenny Howe. The fat representation is great and it was fun to read. She's becoming an easy auto-read author for me.

I love a good plus size FMC, so I was excited to get this book to review! I didn't think this book was bad, I thought the concept was good. If I had purchased, I might not have finished it because I did get bored. However, I pushed through because I wanted to give an honest review. The ending was cute and it was a quick read.