This book was fine, and the representation was good, but it didn't really hit for me. I had a hard time believing in the romantic relationship/chemistry between the two main characters.

I had very mixed feelings for the first half of this book, but I loved the second half and how everything wrapped up! Being open and honest about fatphobia isn’t always easy to capture, but I really appreciated Everly’s conversations with her mother in particular. A lot of my own life was mirrored in these different scenarios. Logan was 10/10, *chef’s kiss* especially when compared to gross, ill-informed James

Thank you NetGalley and Griffin books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5 on here)

I read Howe’s debut The Make Up Test and really enjoyed it so when I saw her sophomore novel being published I knew I wanted to get my hands on it and I am so glad I did. While I really enjoyed her debut, I just have to say that I enjoyed On the Plus Side a whole lot more! I love how Howe is so inclusive with her writing and makes her characters so relatable. There were many times where I was laughing out loud with the banter and the way the characters interacted, but I also love that Howe doesn’t shy away from the more serious and deep topics. Overall, this was such a good sophomore novel and I still cannot wait to see what Howe has for us in the future!

Book Review: On The Plus Side
Stare: 4 x 5
Author: Jenny L. Howe @jennylhowe
Publisher: St. Martin‘s Griffin. @macmillanusa
Thank you @Netgalley for the ARC

On The Plus Side is Reality TV show for plus side makeovers. Everly Winters is a plus side girl who gets nominated to be on the show. Everly is a sweet introvert who wants to stay out of the limelight. She loves this shows and knows that it will help he come out of her shell and pursue her dreams of becoming an artist. Everly currently works as a receptionist at a marketing design firm. She accepts the invitation to be on the shows and her life is turned upside down. She first has to meet everyone. Sadie the Show- runner/Boss
Jazzy the stylist/makeup artist/host
Stanton the Host/event guy
and Logan the grumpy camerman

Then there is Everly’s family, her mother and brother and her best friend Becca who is married to her brother. Her mother is quite something. Seems that she is always putting Everly down and comments about her weight constantly.

As the shows start to film, Everly had cameraman Logan following her every move and she is not too happy about it. But as the shows starts to progress the fun banter between her and Logan evolve. The show also tries to exploit the relationship and between Everly and her coworker James buy making it appear to be more then it is. This doe not sit well with Everly. As time goes by Logan and Everly become closer and closer.Sadie the show runner sees this attraction as does the audience. The shows also shows other aspects like Jazzy and Everly going though all her clothes and then Everly trying on new clothes. It even shows Everly getting a tattoo. It not only provides new wardrobe and styling for Everly but it also has events and projects for Everly to do that will help her become more confident. So the big question is as Everly and Logan start to become a due will the call off there budding romance or will it bloom in full?

This book doe not focus on the “fatness” of Everly but it focuses on the person who needs help embracing who she is and what she wants. A person’s shape should not define you and stop you from going after what you want. As a plus size person, it was so nice to read about a topic being plus size in today’s world.

Everly is chosen to be on the makeover show On The Plus Side. She hopes this will help her gain her confidence and maybe catch the man in the office she has been crushing on for a while. As she makes her transformation, Everly's eyes wander to the camera man. Sady, the shows producer, uses some film of interaction with Everly and Logan to help the shows ratings/views. But will that interfere with her new found like/love of Logan?
Opinion
It has been a while since I laughed out loud at a book. This one had me rolling in tears of laughter in several different parts. It is truly a heartwarming story that celebrates larger women. This book quickly went to my "reread" shelf because I enjoyed it so much.
Many thanks to Net Galley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

On the Plus Side
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Jenny Howe

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Spotify Audiobooks and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Everly Winters is perfectly happy to navigate life like a good neutral paint color: appreciated but unnoticed. That’s why she’s still a receptionist instead of exploring a career in art, why she lurks but never posts on the forums for her favorite makeover show, On the Plus Side, and why she’s crushing so hard on her forever-unattainable co-worker. When no one notices you, they can’t reject you or insist you’re too much.

This plan is working perfectly until someone secretly nominates Everly for the next season of On the Plus Side. Overwhelmed by the show’s extremely extroverted hosts and how much time she’ll have to spend on screen, she finds comfort in a surprising friendship with the grumpy but kind cameraman, Logan. Soon Everly realizes that he’s someone she doesn’t mind being noticed by. In fact, she might even like it.

But when their growing connection is caught on camera, it sends the show’s ratings into a frenzy. Learning to embrace all of herself on national TV is hard enough; can Everly risk heartbreak with the whole world watching?

My Thoughts: This was an endearing, sweet, and heartwarming contemporary romance. The plus size representation was phenomenal. The book was released late last year. Everly gets nominated for the show, On the Plus Side. On the Plus Side is a reality makeover TV show that specializes in plus size individuals, helping them make over their wardrobe, finding their voice, and finding the thing that makes them shine. The fictional show reminds me of Queer Eye blended with What Not To Wear. She has always been unnoticeable, and is thrown into a very noticeable show with extroverted hosts. A surprising relationship with the cameraman, Logan, who has become her cheerleader that boils over into the show, national TV, when the ratings soar, are they soaring for the right reasons? Can Everly keep the blooming relationship from the media? This follows the tropes of grumpy/sunshine, reality TV,

This was a dual narration. Everly is reserved, introverted, and lives in a shadow of what she could be. Logan is very grumpy, tough exterior with a soft interior, while being charming. As we all know, reality really isn’t reality as much as it is orchestrated reality, the same falls true for our fictional reality show. I really wanted Everly to come more into her truth but it seemed she still wanted to impress others, instead of just standing in her truth. The relationship between Everly and her mother was difficult to read, and happens more so than not. The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, intriguing, and creative. The author’s writing style was complex, steamy, swoony, funny, and perfection. I am grateful that Howe stayed true to her plus size representation. I loved how the relationship conflict came from external sources, it made it much more organic and not the “third-act breakup” we typically see.

I had the pleasure of having the digital and audio ARCs for review. When a story both makes me laugh and cry, I call that a win. I love Howe’s interpretation that shape/size does not matter, it does not define you, and only you can mark your mark on this world. I loved her prior work, The Make Up Test, and this one was just as wonderful. I highly recommend picking up this book!

I loved this book so much!!!!!!!!! It is so empowering to women everywhere. Women all sizes can relate to this story & will love it.

Plus size rep, reality TV and romance, sign me up!

- Plus Size FMC
- Reality TV
- Forced Proxmity
- Family Trauma
- Chasing Lost Dreams
- Spice (3/5 🌶️)

Everly has been content with her basic job and bland wardrobe, she’s focused on doing what she has to and keeping her talent to herself because its the safe option. When the hosts from her favorite make-over show surprise her at work, she doesn’t know what to do with herself, but she can’t pass up the opportunity.

Logan is the quiet camera man that is just supposed to be there to make the show happen, but he can’t help himself but to assist in building the new clients confidence.

This story touched on hard subjects in a tactful but real way. I connected to Everly and her back story so much it made it seem even more real. I enjoyed this whole book.

Romance, reality TV, fashion and fighting fat shaming? I am in.

I really enjoyed this book even though it did feel somewhat unrealistic. Most of the book was fairly predictable, but a twist at the end moved the book from a 3.5 star to a 4 star for me.

I did like the peek behind the scenes at the unreality of reality TV. I do wish there had been more development of Everly’s growth throughout the whole book instead of just at the end. The whole theme of pointing out fat shaming even within people’s own families was on point. The romance was fast, but I thought that Everly and Logan were a cute couple. I look forward to reading more from Jenny. Howe.

4/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of this book.

Everly Winters has a confidence issue. Due to her size, she lacks the conviction in herself to chase her dreams. But when a close friend nominates her for the makeover show, On the Plus Size, she is forced to evaluate how she dresses, how she acts, and make changes to have the confidence to seek out those dreams:
Love.
Success.
A new career.

The hosts of the show, Jazzy and Stanton, do everything right to make Everly come out of her shell, and set goals for herself. This isn’t a show about weight loss, but more about being comfortable in one’s skin and not letting one’s size hold them back. I loved this theme and how supportive they were in her journey. In addition, Everly develops a romantic interest in the process, which is sweet until someone tries to manipulate it for ratings. Typically reality show drama.

Despite the anxiety of having her life judged, Everly is very brave through the whole process and really grows as a character, which I admire. She sticks up for herself repeatedly, and isn’t the shy girl that fangirled when Jazzy and Stanton first met her. She has a take charge attitude and that gets her noticed in a big way. And those dreams can finally become a reality. Overall, a great romance with a positive message.

Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress and @spotify for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

On the Plus Side was a gem of a book. It was a heartwarming story focusing on plus size people. Everly makes a wonderful transformation, and Logan was swoonworthy from the get go. This is a story about a woman finding her way after being lost for a long time.

Author Howe created a realistic storyline and very likable characters you want to root for.

The audiobook was narrated by Zura Johnson, and she was very easy to listen to. I think she did a great job bringing the story to life.

4 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #stmartinspress #spotifyaudiobooks #netgalley #goodreads #ltbreaderteam #ontheplusside #jennyhowe

I wasn't able to get into this so did not finish. It felt very issue- rather than character-driven, which is always frustrating but especially so when I care about the issues being discussed and wish they had been complimented by deeper characterization and more realistic dialogue.

This is such a sweet, heartwarming story. On the Plus Side is a fictional makeover show a la Queer Eye but focusing on plus size people. Everly makes such a transformation over the course of the book (and show). Immediately I kinda hated her mom for how she treated her, even if it was from a place of love. It reminded me of my mom and her mom, although they too worked through their stuff eventually. Logan is swoon worthy and who doesn't love a bearded man in plaid? lol.
Personally I wish the producer Sadie wasn't named Sadie because she's not my favorite character, lol. But then what tv producer is ever anything but morally gray if not morally bankrupt. This story balances the sweetness of the romance and Everly re-embracing herself and the drama of how produced "reality" shows actually are.
This is a wonderful read!

I loved this book so much. I loved that the author was able to say fat as a descriptor rather than a negative term, which is something I’ve been working on in the last few years. I also love that there were steamy open door scenes involving a plus size woman, this is very hard to find in romances.

Everly used to be confident, recognizing that her talent and her attitude would carry her far. However, after a beloved family member passes away, she found she lost her spunk and perspective, allowing other people’s opinions to carry too much weight. The story begins with Everly doubting her artistic ability, even though she has much to contribute at the agency, where she works as a receptionist. When she is selected to appear on a reality show, her entire world does a 180, as she starts to realize how much more is waiting for her, if she would only get out her own way

Howe has written a story about a woman finding her way after being lost for many years. Her story arc is realistic, and in my opinion, one many people can relate to, regardless of whether their self-confidence has been affected by weight or other factors. Mixed in the story is a wonderful romance as well as family dynamics. I can see someone enjoying this book as a summer read, or a book club delving into it, given the many side stories and subplots.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and have written an objective review.

While embracing all the wonderful tropes that make a romcom delicious, by bucking the standard conventions and demographics of her female lead, Howe provides a fresh face and well overdue representation in the genre. What's more, her love interest demonstrates what is in many ways a better representation of a male lead who is complicated, layered, and unbothered by societal norms and who is in many ways, a more accurate depiction of an everyman than we often see in the genre. And while she addresses shame culture and pressure, Howe never shames her character, and instead develops a full-formed woman who indeed has insecurities like all people but who finds and embraces who she is, unabashedly seeking the life she wants and deserves,

A reality show featuring plus size women and celebrating their lives and bodies... yes please. When Everly becomes the focus of the show, she learns how real or scripted it actually is and who she can actually trust. Grumpy cameraman Logan becomes her closest ally and the chemistry between them is off the charts. I loved this one!

On The Plus Side is a funny, warm-hearted, empathetic look at the realities of not being what society defines as “normal”. It’s about personal introspection, insecurities, falling in love and re-falling in love with oneself.

Everly Winters is content with her life. She is a receptionist, loves art and creativity which bodes well at the company she works for. She has a bit of a crush on one of her co-workers. But she lives her life quietly, ever since her grandmother died.

Suddenly, she is thrust onto a reality show called On The Plus Side which helps overweight women with all aspects of their life. She loves the show but is horrified that someone nominated her (whose identity she is still looking for) to actually be a participant. The show tries to transform the person by giving them the tools to step out of their comfort zone with new ways of dressing, making them look inside themselves as well as having family involvement. This family thing makes Everly very nervous!

As Everly begins the process of having cameras film her all the time, she begins to open her eyes to the camera operator, Logan who is not only fabulously handsome, but kind and comforting.

But, having to look back on her life is not something she really wants to do. There is pain in that process. Her mother has always pushed her to lose weight so she could look and feel better, something she has always felt she didn’t need thanks to her late grandmother’s words of wisdom that she just always be her beautiful self both inside and out. She is nervous what her mother will say on camera!

Funny enough, Everly does begin the metamorphous process and starts to self-reflect and discover the person she used to be when her grandmother was alive. She also finds she and Logan have a great deal in common and begin having feelings, which because this is reality television, the fans as well as the producers think is fabulous!

But just as she is beginning to find the old Everly, and also perhaps love, it could all be taken away as the producers have a very different outlook on what is happening in her life! Is she strong enough yet to stick up for herself and every other past and future contestant of On The Plus Side?

This fantastic story is an honest, humorous yet serious look at being fat in today’s world which in this book is an ok word to use. Its thesis is to accept oneself, love everything about yourself because you don’t have to answer to anyone BUT yourself. Embrace who you are, not who others want you to be. And you are not alone!

Thank you #NetGalley #Griffin #JennyL.Howe #OnThePlusSide for the advanced copy.

I thought this book was super sweet!! I loved so much of it, and the reading experience was fun. I wouldn’t say it blew me away or gave me anything super new or exciting, but it was definitely adorable and worth the read.

I loved the use of the grumpy x sunshine trope, the fat rep, the reality TV setting, and the fact that there wasn’t a third act breakup! This story did a great job of flipping the traditional makeover show experience on its head and prioritizing Everly’s sense of self rather than her outward appearance.

My only complaint was about the conflict. It just felt…like it wasn’t a big deal? I also thought it was a little messy (the misuse of the term “defamation” was what stood out to me - didn’t she have an editor?) and the stakes felt too low. I wished the conflict was more contentious, but I did love that Everly got to affirm her newfound sense of self.

Overall, I would recommend this for anyone looking for a feel-good, easy read!

Everly Winters has been living her life trying to go as unnoticed as possible. This translates to taking a job which is not necessarily her dream, functioning in a world where she tries to be the opposite of “too much”, and not going for what she wants in an attempt to reduce rejection.

She’s a fan of a reality show that changes the lives of plus-sized people, “On the Plus Side” and while she lurks in the fandom forums, she does not actively participate. This all changes when an unknown person in her life nominates her for the show and they choose to follow her journey.

From here, she learns how to take up space, how to go for what she wants, and how to love herself.

The ending was a bit rushed for me, I would have preferred it to be more drawn out as I was enjoying the story. Overall, I thought that this was a cute book. If you’re looking for a fun little romance with a reality show twist, a fun cast of diverse characters, and an easy read, it’s a great choice!