Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

As a fat person this book truly effected me at so many points. I feel like it is such a spot on g representation on how it feels to be a fat person, and dealing with that toxic relationship with your body and those around you.

It addresses the "how can that fat girl get that hot guy?" Which always is a thing and I also addresses the ways "well meaning" people can make you feel less than in the name of love.

It’s also funny, sweet, and a little sexy at times, the budding romance between Everly and Logan beyond wonderful and fun. I loved their chemistry and interactions. The addition of the reality show is also great, show how distorted and twisted they can be.

Everly Winter has lost sight of herself and has become content to just hide in the background. But when she’s given a chance to rediscover who she is after someone in her nominates her for her favorite reality television show, On The Plus Side, it maybe just the nudge she needs to stop being a wallflower in life and be the main character.

What starts as a dream come true, quickly becomes a much more difficult journey of self discovery; reconciling how she sees herself versus what people in her life expect of her. Navigating the truths of life, loss and love while being filmed will take Everly’s life in directions she never imagined, but will she come out of it with more than just a killer wardrobe and her story told to the masses?

Thank you to the author Jenny Howe for writing a complex, fat character that I relate to and have had so many of the same experiences as her when it comes to life and the way people view us plus sized woman, as well as how we often hide ourselves away instead of celebrating who we are. Also thank you to the publisher for making this book available to the masses and for giving me the chance toe read the eARC.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This book hit me hard at so many turns. It is a wonderful read, a great representation on how it feels to be a fat person, and dealing with that toxic relationship with your body and those around you. It’s also funny, sweet, and a little sexy at times, the budding romance between Everly and Logan beyond wonderful and fun. I loved their chemistry and interactions. The addition of the reality show is also great, show how distorted and twisted they can be. This will definitely be a book I reread again because it just left me with such a wonderful feeling.

This is an incredibly nice romance that's completely made for comfort reading. The heroine, Everly, is so relatable in how she is afraid to live her own life at the outset of the book. Seeing her come to terms with how she got off=track, even confronting forces in her way such as her too-flirty coworker and her mother, makes it so satisfying when she has the strength to believe in herself by the end of the story.

The love interest, Logan, might also just be the sweetest character ever committed to print. He's supportive! He's direct! He stands up for Everly before they're even together! And to top it all off, he's opening a sanctuary for senior dogs, which is just about the nicest thing a person could do. I really appreciated Logan sharing his issues with his body image, as well, as you usually never see male characters in romance having physical insecurities.

A major theme of the book is how difficult it is to live, exist, and be yourself as a fat person in a largely fatphobic culture. The narrative goes into detail about all of the large and small concerns without ever losing the fun and joy of Everly's personal journey. The makeover show that forms the bulk of the book's plot creates a brilliant space for Everly to escape those pressures temporarily, challenge fatphobic assumptions, and rediscover herself. The reality show production machinations (breaking news: reality show producers are shady, more on this at 11) provide just enough drama but really, this is a nice warm hug of a book about two nice people finding each other.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I really enjoyed Jenny’s debut “The Make-Up Test,” but “On the Plus Side” really levels up from TMUT, in terms of character depth and theme complexity. As much as I love romcoms as comfort reading, OTPS dodges a lot of the usual conventions of the genre (hello, no act 3 breakup!), and instead of the romance driving the plot, the romance is something that becomes possible as Everly embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

As a plus sized woman, I loved the positive fat rep in this book. OTPS looks at thin privilege and unconscious fat-shaming in a way that TMUT didn’t really. I also loved that there were multiple(!) fat characters in this book—mostly good people, one that was…not so good, so I liked the message that we fat people should be allowed to exist, some of us sometimes are a-holes, too.

Jenny’s debut was really promising, I thought, and OTPS really shows her growth as a writer. I’m looking forward to continuing to read her books as she writes them.

Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun read for anyone who has lived in a plus size body or loves someone who is plus size. It did a great job of incorporating common struggles in a relatable way. The main characters development was fantastic, with some twists and turns along the way. The epilogue was satisfying, but I’d definitely read more of these characters! Or— can someone please make this TV show a reality?!

~On thé Plus Side Review~
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4/5
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I love a good plus size rep book so i ofc had to request this book from netgalley! i’ve also been in a huge book slump and am hoping this will draw me out of it because the idea of a reality tv persona falling in love with a camera man seems so fun
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Pros:
+love the authors note at the beginning
+plus size rep!!
+broody men aka logan<3
+reality tv (guilty pleasure of mine)
+wanting to be striking instead of pretty!!!
+teasing
+logan being jealous i CANT
+DOGS
+acknowledging men can be insecure too
+surprise tatbilb reference
+marketing/designer corporate girly slay
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Cons:
-a bit repetitive at times
-mommy issues
-second hand embarrassment
-boooooo nasty capitalist exploitation
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overall i really enjoyed this book! i loved seeing the character growth and the relationship form. it had a solid ending and i came away satisfied despite it not going the way i thought it would.

Have you ever felt seen by a book?

I just finished my ARC read of On the Plus Side by @jennylhowe and I’m very emotional 🥹

As a plus-sized woman, I am very comfortable with who I am. But this book… just, wow. Everly is a character who embodies confidence, light, and love in such a powerful way. I don’t know that a main character has ever resonated so closely with me.

If you love What Not to Wear, lumberjacks (Logan is 😍🥵🔥), grumpy cinnamon roll main characters, and great representation, you should get this book. Beyond the shadow of a doubt, this was a 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 read for me.

Thank you, Jenny, for making me feel so seen.

3.5 stars and very mixed feelings.
So, on the one hand, this author absolutely understands what it means to navigate the world in a larger body. She presents us with a range of characters who have a variety of feelings about that reality. I love to see that. On the other hand, the reality TV setting is somewhat ineffectively captured, in my opinion. Our main character is almost comically naive to the manipulation within the process for being such a fan (not to mention, a general person who exists in 2023). There were also plot elements which were unresolved in a way which had me scratching my head, but I don’t want to give spoilers. All in all, an enjoyable read, but not something I felt compelled to keep turning the pages of.

This story was packed with heart and I can tell the author really put her soul into it. I really loved Everly’s story and that she wasn’t ashamed of her body. It was refreshing to read that she loved every inch of herself, she just needed to remember why.

And Logan. Cinnamon roll Logan. LOVE.

Some parts dragged a bit, but I still really enjoyed the story. It was definitely heart warming and I’d read more by this author

On the Plus Side features a Queer Eye-esque reality TV show with the added bonus of the guest falling for the cameraman. Unfortunately, there was just SO much going on. It felt like 15 different storylines happening at once with little pay-off. The love story could have been great. The commentary on self-confidence and self-love could have killed it. The family dynamics really could have worked. The scandal of a TV reality show taking advantage of its stars could have worked. Instead it was all just kind of blended together.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A genuinely lovely read! This was soft and cozy and left me feeling good. I think that’s such a necessary thing with romance books. It was funny, heartfelt, and realistic!

I absolutely adored the book. The characters felt real, and their struggles felt real. The challenges of being on a reality television felt over the top, but that seems to track with how reality television operates, so it was appropriate. I love to see diverse body size representation in romance.

I have not looked up and info about the author, but it's clear to me that they understand what it's like to be a fat person, not only being out in the world, but also the logistical and physical challenges of being in a larger body. It's a refreshing perspective that is often not represented in media and when it is it is often very negative.

I would definitely recommend this book.

Disclaimer: I was given the opportunity to read and review this wonderful novel by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

CW: fatphobia, internalized fatphobia influencing parenting decisions, the filming of sexual acts w/o consent, parental abandonment, loss of a close relative (cancer)

This book voiced every thought I’ve ever had about myself. I relate to Everly, and her successes felt like my successes.

I felt privileged to join Everly on her journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Seeing Everly go from being a shy woman who couldn’t even form full sentences around her coworker to a woman who makes sure her needs are taken into account and her thoughts are heard was an amazing journey. It was a plus that she met Logan through the experience.

I REALLY loved this book and all of the effort that went into it. It’s wonderful to see plus-sized individuals, like myself, represented in literature.

Honestly if I could give this 6 stars I would, I really enjoyed this book so much! I related to so many moments, laughed, teared up, had goosebumps and had to fan myself off a couple times too. Basically I felt all of the feels! Howe might easily be one of my nee favourite authors and I cannot to read more of what she writes!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars!!
Loved, loved, loved this book! I mean, who doesn't love dogs and cinnamon roll grumpy men?!

Recap:
Everly is a receptionist at a marketing firm and is nominated by someone to get a makeover from her favorite show, On The Plus Side. She has been hiding behind the receptionist desk for years, waiting to take a chance with her artistic talent and become a designer herself.
When the show arrives for her 8 week long makeover, she ends un creating a connection with camera man Logan Samuel, a grumpy, lumbersexual, dog loving, cinnamon roll of a man. Throughout their time together, Logan and Everly become close - but will their relationship be used to narrate a story Everly does not want to tell?

Review:
This book was fantastic. I love plus size representation and a woman who does not need to change who she is at her core to feel loved and part of a community. I also love reading about men who appreciate women for who they are, not for how much they weigh. The story was entertaining - including the most charming couple of hosts. Why does this not exist in real life?! There was no unnecessary conflict, no random 3rd act breakup that did not fit the narrative - just a fun, different, entertaining story about self and love and acceptance. Highly recommend!

Read if you like:
Grumpy / Sunshine
Reality TV Shows
Plus Size Representation

Thanks so much to netgalley for this ARC!

This romantic novel starring Everly, a plus size heroine checks so many boxes for me. Kudos to Jenny L. Howe for writing a character that is so relatable. I loved her journey on the reality tv show and the quiet way her relationship with Logan grows.

Highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this steamy romance about a woman looking to find herself again after personal tragedy. I liked the reality tv angle and Everly and Logan are so cute together!

Everly works as a receptionist when she really would rather be working on graphics and design work. She is used to being hidden and wants to stay that way until someone nominates her to be on the next season of On The Plus Side where they help people change their lives with new wardrobes and address fears they haven't yet. She had the biggest crush on her coworker until she met Logan, who is the grumpy cameraman who follows her around. Their connection gets picked up by another person filming the show and becomes a running storyline in her season. Everly is scared to let the world see her connection with Logan so she tries to hide it.

I love books that have plus size representation and more specifically characters who love each other for who they are as a person and not for fetish reasons. Logan's grumpy attitude seemed so broody and how he was able to open up for Everly and show her who he really was was adorable. There was some open door spice so be prepared for that. Overall, I thought it was a really cute, easy read!

Enjoyed this relatable Adult Contemporary read. Am becoming a big fan of author Jenny L Howe's writing style and inclusive tales.

#NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com