This is a cute, cozy, friends to lovers, second chance romance. I love the idea of Jack always saving Haleigh from her bad dates, it was sweet but I’m not sure if most readers would figure it out right away where Jack is going with this, like I did.

I was a little bit nervous about having to go through the ten dates with Haleigh as the questionnaires are very predictive about who’s going to workout or not. Fortunately, the author did a good job of saving us from all the cringe moments!

Character development in this book is definitely in there as the characters needed it to figure their stuff out. There was not much banter but there was such great chemistry between the main characters that you’d keep wondering like all their nosy and concerned people why they’re not together.

Cute, fun romance. Haleigh is in love with her best friend. They tried having a relationship once. Things didn’t work out. In an effort to get over him and to stop her parents, sister, grandpa, and roommate nagging her about dating she lets them each choose dates for her. She has to give each date an honest effort. If she doesn’t find someone to date then everyone will stop nagging her about her dating life. 99% sweet 1% spice.

Haleigh Berkshire is tired of dating as a plus-size woman and ready for a break—until a scheme to please her family throws her back into the dating scene. But when her best friend Jack starts sabotaging her dates and unexpectedly throws himself into the mix, Haleigh is forced to confront whether risking their friendship for love is worth it.

This was a cute, quick read for me. Jenny Howe has a sweetness to her characters which makes them feel like real, fleshed out people. I thought the mental health rep was really strong in this book, as someone who suffers from pretty bad anxiety. The dates themselves were absolutely fantastic, particularly the one with Scooter. I was absolutely cackling while reading. When Jack sets her up on the bad date, I cracked up. Really liked Brian too!

I loved that it was a second chance romance, with a fat, bisexual (or pan? I don’t think it’s fully defined) woman who has an array of amazing people around her. I really loved her friendships. I also liked the sweet ending.

*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC to review.*

How to Get a Life in Ten Dates is a charming, heartfelt rom-com packed with humor, diversity, and emotional depth. Haleigh is an honest, relatable protagonist, and her journey of self-acceptance and growth is compelling. The dates are so fun, and I really enjoyed Jenny L. Howe’s sharp writing and storytelling.

While Jack and Haleigh’s chemistry shines, his occasional impatience with her quirks felt a little inconsistent, leaving me a bit conflicted about their second-chance romance. The Boston setting is really fun, and Howe’s writing style blends wit with genuine emotion. I would have loved a stronger ending, but this is still a fun, uplifting read perfect for rom-com lovers.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Who do I email to make this book become a movie? This story felt like the perfect vibes of an early 2000’s romcom (my fav) and I binged it in two days! There are many reasons why I loved this one but it all starts with Haleigh Berkshire, the amazing FMC. She’s hilarious, I’d love to be friends and go book shopping with her! Having family and friends set you up on dates would definitely not be for the faint-of-heart but it would also be entertaining-ish to see who your family would set you up with. I was SO invested in Haleigh’s dates and the wild ride they were, while also just wanting Jack to step up and be like “Don’t bother with the dates. It was always me!” Obviously the story would be a bit anticlimactic if Jack did that. The story felt slightly predictable, but sometimes predictable is good, especially if the story and characters are enjoyable, relatable and entertaining.

Ever feel like you're underwater/battling upstream, not just failing with your goals, but just getting by?
As this title suggests, that is the struggle of the heroine of this story, Haleigh Berkshire.
As a freelance editor and dog walker, her financial situation is not stable.
She has had supremely bad luck with online dating - one date brings an emotional support bird to their date. Sounds kind of funny, until it's not.
Her sister, Joey, is good at everything. And has just invited Haleigh and a plus one to her wedding.
And finally, she struggles with anxiety during high stress situations. See all of the above.
Time for Haleigh to get her shit together, aka "get a life".

Part of this life plan is to find a suitable date for the wedding.
The obvious choice is her BFF, Jackson Brooks. But after a wild weekend of crossing the friendship line and testing their sexual compatibility, both were too nervous to ruin their friendship. Rules were set, so he’s not an option.
Instead, Haleigh decides to let her family and friends set her up on dates, 2 each for a total of 10. Spoiler, most don't go too well. Emphasis on MOST.

I think it was clear where this story would lead, but I will say, there is a love triangle aspect that had me wondering who was right for Haleigh. In the end, it is not clear if the choice was always obvious, or if the author just made it so with some small issues that came up near the end, but yes, the result is somewhat predictable.

As a final note, I will say I loved that Haleigh was both plus sized and bi-sexual, but those themes aren't part of the plot. They just are who she is, take it or leave it.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a positive message.

This was a really cute and quick read which was fun. I absolutely loved all of the different representations in the book, and the diversity and depth of the characters. The FMC, Hayleigh, was so incredibly negative at the beginning that I really struggled - that did seem to settle down later, which I did appreciate, but it was hard initially. I really enjoyed how all of the dates were written, and just the overall writing style as it reminded me a fair bit of how Emily Henry writes! All in all this one was a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc. in exchange for my honest review.

Thank yo to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for an early copy of this book. I really enjoyed it and read it in one sitting. I liked the "bigger" size being represented. I would definitely recommend this book.

💚 Oh the pining! Thank you to @stmartinspress for the sneak peek at this. It’s out this coming Tuesday, December 10th. Ok, all of these books have the longest titles but this is ‘Is She Really Going Out With Him?’ meets ‘People We Meet On Vacation.’

💚 This is a friend to lovers romance (with a dose of a love triangle) and when I tell you these two are pining… they have been piiiinnnniiinnng their entire lives. Normally that drives me crazy but it honestly works for me here.

💚 Haleigh is over dating, but she knows her family and friends don’t want to hear it. So she agrees to let her mom, grandpa, sister and two best friends set her up on two dates each before they let her take a dating sabbatical. Let the bad date hilarity ensue. There’s an emotional support cockatoo y’all.

💚 I loved this story. And I loved Haleigh’s personal journey here too. She shows a lot of growth! This one has…
- friends to lovers
- slow burn
- body positivity
- laugh-out-loud moments
- great side characters

💚 Many of you know I’m writing my own novel and, if you don’t know, my character also has a bigger body! So I love to read great books about these characters and know that they can thrive. This is my second Jenny L. Howe book and I absolutely cannot recommend them enough. Again, this is out Tuesday. Is it on your TBR?

📖: How to Get a Life in Ten Dates- a standalone

✍️ By: Jenny L. Howe-I read On the Plus Side and gave it 4 ⭐

📃 Page Count: 308 eBook

🗓️ Publication Date: 12-10-24 | Read 12-6-24

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press| St. Martin's Griffin, and Jenny L. Howe for this ARC💚! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

🌎Setting: Boston, MA

Genre: Rom-Com, Adult/Women's Fic

Tropes: plus size h/body positivity, LGBTQIA+ rep, in love w/ BFF, matchmaking, pet friendly, love triangle, family drama, book lover, male/female friendship

☝🏾POV: 3rd person, single

⚠️TW: fatphobia, mental health issues-anxiety and depression

💭Summary: Haleigh is ready to go on a dating sabbatical, but her family and friends think she just hasn't met "the one." Her and her BFF Jack have been friends since 2nd grade but in college they crossed a line that could have ruined their friendship. They have "rules" in place to keep their friend boundary. Together come up with a scheme that will get Haleigh's family off her back about finding true love. She will allow her family and friends to pick two dates a piece for her, but they must complete a questionnaire, they must know she's fat (her wording), and they must know it's a setup.

🚺Heroine: Haleigh Berkshire-25, a part-time freelance editor and dog walker. She's facing financial insecurity while looking for a new job and an apartment.

🚺Heroine: Jackson "Jack" Brooks- 25, project manager at a medical insurance company that he's stressed out about

🎭Side cast

• Stanton-Haleigh's roommate, runs On the Plus Side reality show

• Christine-Haleigh's mother

• Roger-Haleigh's grandfather

• Josephine "Joey"-Haleigh's sister, getting married to Whitney- both graduating from Harvard

• Brian Lee-a veterinarian Haleigh goes on several dates with him feeling a spark.

🤔My Thoughts: I loved that the characters' sexualities weren't an issue. Haleigh dated men and women, had a gay roommate, and a gay sister. She was body positive while acknowledging she is not everyone's type. Both her and Jack suffered from anxiety and saw a therapist, which was very mature of them. I liked all the dates Haleigh went on-the bird guy and Ethan were the funniest. I don't know about BFFs hooking up because it never seems to turn out right. People are fickle and I'd rather keep someone reliable on my side than have a brief infatuation. I identified with Haleigh and Jack's work situation. I spent years at a job that was a nightmare. My mental health suffered until I got the courage to leave. Like Haleigh I worried about my finances but with family and friends help I was always okay. The scene between Haleigh and Brian was so heartfelt that I wish all let downs/breakups were that simple. This book had a HEA that allowed Haleigh and Jack to make new rules for their happiness.

Range of emotions: 😬🤔🙄
🌶️: Spice 4/5
😭: Emotion 5/5
❤️: Couple 4/5
⭐️: Rating 4/5

A fun, sexy friends to lovers, second chance romance featuring a relatable, messy fat FMC and her best friend, Jackson who she is afraid to risk taking a real shot at love with after their one week vacation fling didn't work out. I really enjoyed the dual generalized anxiety rep and the OCD rep in the MMC. The mental health aspects of this book were very strong and played a significant part of the story.

Equally steamy and heartfelt, the way the FMC lets her friends set her up on a series of blind dates ended in some hilariously disastrous scenarios and the pre-date quizes were priceless! I thought Haleigh was a great plus-sized FMC who was content with her body despite the extra challenges it posed when it came to dating.

There were also great cameos from the author's other books but this can definitely be read as a standalone too. With excellent narration by Billie Bryant, this is a perfect book to pick up for fans of authors like Olivia Dade, Julie Murphy or anyone who enjoyed Sophie Cousens' latest, Is she really going out with him? Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book so much! It had so much depth with the mental health rep and I felt so seen with both characters that had anxiety and how much it mirrored some of my own. Jenny always delivers on fat representation that makes me feel seen and safe when reading.

4.50 stars
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TW: Mental illness, Fatphobia
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Haleigh knows how dating as a plus-sized woman can be disastrous, she's been on enough bad dates that she wants to take a break. Another thing that's stopping her from finding someone? She's madly in love with her best friend: Jack. After a whirlwind romantic week together in College, they've both decided that they're better off as friends.

As her sister's engagement party fast approaches, and constant nagging from friends and family, she and Jack do what they do best: scheme. Haleigh agrees to let her friends and family pick 2 potential suitors for her to go out on dates with, in hopes that one of them will be her plus one to the event. She then begins this journey of self-discovery all while trying to get her life on the right track.

I see myself a lot in Haleigh and get where the character was coming from, especially concerning body insecurities when it comes to dating. As much as this tugged at my heartstrings, I couldn't help but laugh out loud countless times. Especially at all of the bad dates she went on, not meaning that her setups were bad people - just odd dates to go on. Her plan is stumped when Jack throws her a curveball and sets himself up as the last date.

By this point she's got a good thing going on with a veterinarian named Brian - I enjoyed the love triangle plot point, I was rooting for both of them at the same time, but deep down knew what the outcome was going to be. I'm really glad we flashback to the week in Hawaii and what tore Jack and Haleigh apart, it's hinted throughout the book that whatever happened broke up their friendship for some time afterwards. I will say that both of our characters at that point were young, and yes, the situation probably could have gone differently. The break allows them both to grow and work through their struggles with therapy and other tactics.
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I would like to thank St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, Jenny L. Howe, and NetGalley for a copy of How to Get a Life in Ten Dates in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, How to Get a Life in Ten Dates is scheduled to be published on December 10th, 2024. Pre-order your copy now.

As a plus size woman, I always love seeing representation in books. How to Get a Life in Ten Dates was such a fun story. I loved Haleigh's characters; both her body image representation and mental health. She was fun, down-to-earth, honest and real. Her best friend Jack is equally as great. I also loved that it was set outside of Boston (yay for Massachusetts!). Howe wrote characters that came to life and readers will find a bit of themselves in.

This is definitely one to check out.
Thank you St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

i loved reading haleigh’s story!

she was definitely a little annoying at first, but in an “i was that way at one point and hate being reminded of it” way. i think haleigh’s character growth was great and realistic and reminded me of some of the growth i’ve done over the last few years

the way different types of anxiety are shown in this book without any of it being seen as something that needed fixing is something i always love to see! same with main characters who love themselves and their bodies even when society might be telling them not to

the storyline itself is a little predictable - but that’s what’s comforting to me about rom coms. i like having an idea of what’s going to happen! the dates themselves were fun to read about and, though a little dramatized at times, relatable as a young adult trying to date lol

overall, jenny howe has once again written a book that i’ll turn to when i want something comforting to read with realistic, flawed characters and a storyline that’s just fun to read!

Oh Haleigh! She's been cobbling dog walking and free lance edition jobs together, living with her pal, hanging with Jack, and now she's got to get a date for her sister's big party. That sounds really shallow but this is a sweet story about finally admitting to yourself that what you really want is right in front of you. Dating has been disastrous so she agrees to go on ten dates with people chosen by her friends and family, ten dates that as you might expect, don't go as those who chose them thought they would. I liked Haleigh's questionnaire for her dates and each one was amusing. But Jack, her childhood pal and well, more, is always there in the background. I liked the sensitive way Howe addressed neurodiversity and anxiety and that Haleigh is so relatable. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. So what if it's a tad predictable- it's a fun read.

Haleigh is trying to get her life together, but she struggles to feel confident in her search for a more stable career. After endless disastrous dates, she agrees to let her immediate family members and some friends set her up on dates. One date went exceptionally well after a few dates that did not go well. I was so happy when that date worked out; she seemed pleased. Then, her best friend Jack came in to cause some disturbance. It upset me that after how he's treated Haleigh, he suddenly appears to have a problem with her dating. It's a cute story and I absolutely adored her friend Stanton and how much he's helped her.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the e-arc!!

I loved the concept of the various dates to get to know who your friends and family think is best for you; these were hilarious! I think my issue with the second chance is that, despite knowing her so well, Jack didn’t treat her well after their fling and got annoyed with her about things he knew were part of her personality. I think I would have liked this more if the ending had been different but I thought this was really cute.

This book was everything I wanted it to be and more!! I absolutely adore Jenny L. Howe and her book, On The Plus Side, is one of my all time favorite books! Haleigh is such a relatable character for me. The anxiety representation resonated for me and I really saw myself in that. I loved that Howe showed how Haleigh and Jack work on their mental health and how it takes trial and error sometimes. The dates Haleigh goes on are amazing!! I found myself literally laughing out loud multiple times!! The details Howe adds around living life in a bigger body are on point and are such smaller things that only people in bodies like this would realize (i.e. the standing on your tip toes to navigate through a restaurant). I will forever read and stan for Howe’s books! All three have been amazing representation to the plus sized community and I’m thankful for this.

Need a good rom-com? How to Get a Life in Ten Dates by Jenny L. Howe fits that bill perfectly! Follow Haleigh as she gets setup on ten dates by her family and friends to get them to understand just how rough it can be to find the right person. I highly recommend going on the second chance friends to lovers journey in this book!