3.5⭐️ Such mixed reviews on this one! I wouldn’t go as far as saying it was a love/hate situation but that does embody the rollercoaster I went through as far as my interest.

I am thankful to have gotten the eARC for free from Netgalley and St Martins Press so I can leave my voluntary review.

On one hand it’s great to normalize different body sizes in media in general but I prefer it just be as opposed to be hyper focused on the size of the person. This book is a bit better than some others I’ve read where it doesn’t get too bogged down in her being plus sized however it is still a prevalent thread through her mentioning getting outfits from her roommates job. That job is a reality show called “on the plus side”. Honestly if the show was mentioned one more time I was going to scream. Especially since the book wasn’t about the show at all and we didn’t have real details about it. That’s actually a book I would have preferred to read.

The bizarre part? While her weight is mentioned at the beginning of the book, during the actual dates you never see it mentioned as an obstacle at all. That’s what the description of the book talks about in how it impacts her dating life. It doesn’t. Or at least it’s never mentioned how it impacts things. So much that she talks about how her bad dates have nothing to do with her. The disconnect from the book jacket description to what’s actually on the page is huge.

On one hand the dates that she went on were hysterical. A bit out there in the realistic category but still a fun exaggeration of a bad date. But on the other hand are families that much in single people business that it’s all about them being in a relationship? It’s like she had no value beyond that.

I also liked her relationship with Jack for the most part but the miscommunication trope (with Jack and with others) was too much. However there were part of the book that just got slow and I got disconnected, put it down and read another book before returning to it in an effort to just finish it and clear it from my NetGalley.

So I rated it right down the middle. I think that many will like it and find it endearing and possibly relatable. It’s really predictable for sure but that’s ok.

The book comes out December 10th 2024 so it may be a great quick read to have for the holiday season, especially if you’re single and lonely.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Love Haleigh and Jacks relationship, I wish that we got to see more of them than the dates she went on. I would have been fine just reading Haleighs summary of each date when she told Jack about them.

Similar vibe to How to lose a Guy in ten says. Good storyline and characters. Minor sections felt cringy but overall good.

I breezed through this book quickly. It felt light and “easy,” both of which I appreciated. Overall, a really fun summer read!

I also appreciate the portrayal of anxiety and depression that the author wrote about, including the impact they can have on work, relationships and just day to day life. The ending was predictable (but aren’t all chick-flick type books anyway?) but I didn’t mind at all because really, it’s what I was rooting for.

Loved reading the wonderfully written romance story. Even though Haleigh secretly loves her best friend, Jack, she agrees to let her family and friends set her up with ten dates. Read the highly recommended and must read riveting story.

I really, really loved the representation in the book, even though we are getting better more and more in this point, it still warms my heart when I read a *well done* book with characters outside the standard that society has created. Unfortunately, I felt a little overwhelmed while reading (but I want to make it clear that this was something completely personal) because I'm the same age and have the same questions as Haleigh. I unfortunately can't tell if the book focused too much on the same topic or if it was just me who cared too much but I wish it had been a little lighter in that point.

I always appreciate an author who takes the time to write a plus size character who is comfortable in her body and her whole existence is not about her body size. I also love that there was LGBTQ+ rep with both the FMC and side characters. I thought this was a sweet book. I laughed out loud at one of the dates while in public. haha! Were the dates an accurate representation of dating as a plus size woman always? no...but that is explained in the beginning of the book. She even gets a love triangle which is interesting. The mental health representation was accurate and thoughtful, and it really showed the way anxiety and panic can spiral and create a domino effect. It also displayed what coping mechanisms and thoughtful support from those around you can do. I thought the book did a good job of showing the main characters connections but maybe would have loved to see even more flirting and banter to keep with the light and fun vibe. This maybe would have helped to balance out the depth in the mental health topic. Overall, I enjoyed it. 3.5 stars

This was such a joy to read. I wanted to read the arc for the authentic fat representation, but this book really convinced me that Howe is also really talented at romance, banter, and wit. I really fell in love with these characters and I’m so happy that we have this kind of book out in the world.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of how to get a life in 10 dates.

I thought Haleigh was a really well written character. I thought she came off really realistic. I did wish that she ended up with Brian instead of Jack.

Overall this is a cute easy read.

A 3.5 —
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This Rom-Com romance was cute, funny and the MC was relatable and quirky. I was right along with Haleigh hoping she'd get her happily ever after. After all, dating as a plus sized woman in your 20s can be hard!

Jack was truly her perfect match, although I was a little disappointed she kept looking for things that were wrong with Brian. But... Their happily ever after was definitely predictable without adding in a love triangle. I wished Jack would have told her the truth before sending his best friend on a horrible date #9 just to wrap them up. Somehow, even when they proposed the date-pocalypse, I knew that her and Jack would still somehow end up together. It's sweet how they compliment each other.

It was great seeing a relatable, quirky, well rounded main character with anxiety, financial problems, just trying to make it through life and find love against all odds of her ten dates.

And the cover is sooo cute.

2.5 stars
Plus size woman fed up with dating asks her family and friends to set her up. 10 dates total and then they can't bother her for 6 months if it doesn't work out.

This book was eh to read and overall just ok

Thank you NetGalley for the arc

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a great book! This was such an enjoyable read. It was quick and easy and so fun. I liked it more than I thought I would. My first by this author but won’t be my last.

This was so cute and fun and also handled some VERY real topics of anxiety, imposter syndrome, OCD, and depression. I loved Haleigh and Jack’s genuine friendship and the fact that in spite of their history they were determined to continue being good and reliable friends to each other. They balanced each other out well and were so in tune with (most of) each other’s emotions that it allowed them to be vulnerable even when they wanted to hide from everyone else.

Haleigh is so brave because I would never have gone on the second dates after half of the first ones. Where did they find these people 😭 we are in the trenches y’all.

This was a good, light read that wasn’t too airy but also didn’t try to be too intense. I love a book that strikes a good balance of humor and earnestness and doesn’t feel forced or overwhelming. I genuinely enjoyed this!

Haleigh is a hoot. She’s chaotic, funny, charming, and caring. I really relate to how she feels about where she’s at in life. Though I have the job with the 401k and job success, I feel behind is so many other aspects of life. I think a lot of us feel like Haleigh, comparing ourselves to others and feeling like we don’t measure up. But Haleigh is more than enough and is doing just fine. At 25 you’re not supposed to have everything figured out. Props to the author for making this character so relatable to being a 20 something. Because man it’s hard.

I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. I was really excited about this book with the description and its rating. To be honest, I just had a hard time getting into it.

Thank you NetGalley and S. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.


I love the relatability of this novel! I also had the pleasure of briefly meeting Jenny Howe and boy does her personality translate to the page. The FMC being tired of dating and wanting to call it quits but I LOVE that her friends had other plans for her. I love friends to lovers and maybe Jack is just that person.

At 25, a decade into dating with barely any luck, Haleigh is ready to take a break from dating. A sabbatical of sorts. But her friends and family have other plans for her. She ends up going on dates of their choosing and some of them are quite the disaster. Several disasters are of the bird variety from being pooped on to stealing her food. The arrangement is starting to feel just as hopeless as being on the apps. And to make it all worse Haleigh is still conflicted over Jack, her best friend since 2nd grade. But Jack and Haleigh have rules, 10 rules for not ruining their friendship to be exact. Rules that keep them from crossing the line from friendship to something more. Will Haleigh find the perfect suitor among these men or will Jack get in the way?

Haleigh is a hoot. She’s chaotic, funny, charming, and caring. I really relate to how she feels about where she’s at in life. Though I have the job with the 401k and job success, I feel behind is so many other aspects of life. I think a lot of us feel like Haleigh, comparing ourselves to others and feeling like we don’t measure up. But Haleigh is more than enough and is doing just fine. At 25 you’re not supposed to have everything figured out. Props to the author for making this character so relatable to being a 20 something. Because man it’s hard. Thank you NetGalley and S. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jenny L. Howe does it again with "How to Get a Life in Ten Dates." The story follows a female MC determined to take a break from dating, but her family and friends insist she tries one last time. Each loved one sets her up on a date, leading to a series of hilarious and relatable encounters.

Howe's writing is engaging and funny, and she creates likable characters you can't help but root for. The representation of bi-/queer characters and the experience of navigating family pressures in your 20s add depth to the story. Plus, the plus-size representation is fantastic, portraying life and love authentically.

With a charming early 2000s romcom vibe, laughable bad dates, and a sweet friends-to-lovers plot, this book is a delightful read. It's a solid 4-star rating for me, and I can't wait to see what Jenny L. Howe comes up with next! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Cute story about the struggles of dating and being plus sized.. I didn’t love the book but thought it was an okay read.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Y'ALL. The way I resonate with this book...I loved it so much. Not only am I plus-size, but I am also what could be referenced to as "extraordinarily tall" for a woman. Like can this book be my life? I need people to pick out dates for me!

In all seriousness, this was super cute and fun and I had plenty of laughs throughout. I found it to be incredibly relatable for me and I really enjoyed it. I would highly recommend to any of us girls who are struggling through the dating scene of today. So fun - four stars!