Just finished Love at Full Tilt and it was exactly what I needed — cozy, emotionally satisfying, and so darn cute. 🩷 This YA story has relatable characters you can’t help but root for, plus a bit of nuance and depth to the relationships that made it feel real. Perfect summer read that hits the spot if you’re craving something sweet and heartwarming

I found a new insta-buy author! What a fun book! Jenny L. However created characters you can root for, and a plot that makes it impossible to put the book down!

This book was so cozy and emotionally satisfying! Jenny L. Howe always writes the most relatable characters, and Love at Full Tilt was no exception!

Oh man, do I love this book. I don't typically read YA and I was immersed in this story from page one.
This book has vibes of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants with a lot of Amazing Race. It's so. much. fun and has so much heart and soul.

Lia is part of a scavenger hunt at Fableland, the theme park that she loves, even if she hasn't been there in person. Winning the cash prize will give her the freedom to explore the future on her own terms. It's also a trip of a lifetime to make memories with her two best friends before they leave her to go college. I really enjoyed this friendship; the three deal with some pretty complicated things (like sexuality, mental health, finances) individually and together. I appreciated seeing life through Lia's eyes as a plus sized person in a standard size world.

Lia teams up with Mason who is the most cinnamon roll male character. There need to be more Masons in the world. I was dreading a third act misunderstanding/break-up but the way the narrative is handled was earned and realistic.

The whole theme park and cinematic worlds that Jenny L. Howe created are absolutely immersive and magical. My ARC did not have the map at the beginning so I'm looking forward to seeing it in the finished copy on release day. Basically, I want a season pass to Fableland.

Please can we have a adult Christmas romance set at Fableland? Asking for a friend.

Thank you Random House Children's | Delacorte Romance and NetGalley for the advance reader copy.
#LoveatFullTilt #NetGalley.

Ugh, this book was so good! I literally thought about it all the time when I wasn't reading it, and I was so entranced by the story and the characters when I was reading it.

Love at Full Tilt was magical. A homage to girlhood, friendship, and young love. Lia was an amazing leading lady, and I loved her friend group so much! The moments between her and Mason gave me butterflies and had me giggling while kicking my feet in the air. It was wholesome and adorable!! The differences between Lia, Issy, and Tess really made each character shine and have their moment.

The setting of a theme park really made this a great summer read (which I needed because it's hard for me to adjust to summer). And I also appreciated the representation of the struggles that a plus-size person may face in their life. While I fortunately couldn't relate to all Lia went through, there were moments or thoughts that resonated with me (like the plus-size geometry!!).

You can tell Fableland was inspired by Disneyland, but I think it was a great character of its own. Lowkey wanna go to Fableland, it seems more magical ✨

I absolutely adored this book!! The main story with Lia, her two best friends, her mom's anxiety, and new boy Mason was excellent. There was a lot of nuance to all of the relationships and a lot of needing to put yourself in the other person's shoes. What took this really over the top for me was the entire world of Fableland. It was not just the creation of the Disney-esque amusement park, but the entire filmography to go along with it. Each movie sounds incredible and lends such depth to an already well put together story. Highly recommended for grades 8 & up.

The way Jenny creates complex and relatable characters, especially with an emphasis on fat representation, is really important.

Characters like Lia, who are given space to follow their dreams and embrace their true selves, help challenge the traditional narratives around body image and self-worth.

Having a love interest like Mason who is a supportive, gentle presence is a refreshing change too. It’s not just about romance but also about showing healthy, empowering relationships.

There’s something really impactful about seeing plus-size women being the main focus of stories, especially when they're portrayed as multidimensional characters.

Thanks to Random House Children's for the advanced copy of Love at Full Tilt by Jenny L Howe!

In all honesty, it was a bit awkward reading this book while being named Leah and having had a teenage boyfriend named Mason too.

In truth, though, I've loved Howe's adult novels and their foray into young adult was just as good as I imagined it could be. The delicate balance of worldbuilding and plot was done wonderfully in Love at Full Tilt. I really enjoyed Lia and Mason's budding relationship and their commitment to each other, plus Lia's relationship with Tess and Issy at such an uncertain time in their lives led to a really well-rounded novel.

Jenny Howe’s Love at Full Tilt is the YA book I wish had existed when I was a teen. Howe always does a fantastic job of creating realistic characters who are complex and relatable, and most importantly, she creates accurate fat representation, which we need more of in literature.

The story of Lia, a plus size girl pursuing her magical dreams at Fableland is one that so many of us can relate to. She’s at a transitional point in her life, post high school graduation, friends are soon off to college, trying to be seen as the adult she is while her parents (especially her mother) still treat her as a fragile child that needs managing.

Lia figures out who she is and what she wants from life and pursues it with her whole heart, something that we as readers need to see, especially young readers who can relate even more to Lia.

I loved this book and hope to read more YA from Jenny Howe in the future.

This was such a fun YA summer romance that sees three friends participating in a huge scavenger hunt at a Disneyland esque amusement park in order to win a big cash prize. The main character, Lia is looking for a week long escape from her highly anxious and overprotective mother and also is the BIGGEST fan of all things related to the park and its various films and lore.

While there the three friends reveal secrets, bond deeper and Lia even falls in love with a fellow contestant. Great on audio, with excellent fat rep, ace/asexual rep (Lia's best friend comes out on the trip), anxiety rep and perfect for fans of authors like Julie Murphy and books like We could be magic by Marissa Meyers. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I will read anything Jenny Howe writes—Love at Full Tilt is another stunning reminder of why. This story is tender, empowering, and filled with the kind of representation I desperately needed as a teen (and still need now). Lia is a plus-size girl who gets to be the star of her own fandom-fueled adventure at Fableland, where she meets Mason—a soft-hearted, golden-retriever boy who sees and adores her exactly as she is.

It’s got all the best tropes: rivals-to-lovers, forced proximity, he falls first, fandom magic, and plus-size joy that isn’t centered on trauma. Lia’s size isn’t a punchline—it’s just part of who she is, and she still gets the romance, the banter, the big dreams. I cried multiple times because I saw myself so clearly in her.

This book is everything: joyful, emotional, and so important for readers of all ages who have ever felt too big for the spaces they were given. It belongs on every shelf.

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Romance, and Random House Children's for this advanced copy! You can pick up Love at Full Tilt on July 22, 2025.

What an adorable, heartfelt YA romance! Lia, our protagonist, felt so unbelievably relatable. After graduating from high school, she's struggling to balance her pipe dreams of working at Fableland, her favorite amusement park, while her friendships are changing and her parents' control is getting stricter. She wins an incredible opportunity to complete a scavenger hunt at Fableland for $50,000, and she sees this as the perfect opportunity to find her freedom and pursue her dreams.

But several factors affect her chances of winning, including the shy, sweet, nerdy Mason, who's also competing.

Love at Full Tilt really had me feeling all the emotions, from joy to stress to anger to swooning and kicking my feet giggling. Mason and Lia's relationship was so unbelievably sweet, and it was heartwarming to see them truly be themselves around each other. I also loved seeing plus-sized representation in a teen book, especially with the commentary Lia and Jenny make throughout the story. I felt seen, as a curvy girlie, and it was so refreshing to see my experiences on the page and our MC going through the same tumult of emotions I have.

Also, as a side note, I need Fableland to exist in the real world because it sounded SO AWESOME. I give so much credit to Jenny for crafting such intricate backstories for all the rides, parks, attractions, and movies (this is truly an ode to Disney lovers).

All in all, an adorable YA romance with a queer, fat FMC you can't stop rooting for!

This was my first Jenny L. Howe book, and I will say… this is a book I wish I had when I was younger. YA hasn’t been something I’ve gravitated towards as much in my adult years, but still - I really enjoyed not only the story itself, but the author’s writing style!

The world-building was well down regarding the details of the park, competition, and related media. The romance was believable and sweet, but I wish the main character's efforts had amounted to something more exciting than what happened. Overall, an interesting growth journey and exploration of friend and family struggles as well.

Love at Full Tilt might be my new #1 spring into summer book rec! It’s loving, inclusive, funny, interesting, fast-paced, and overall an amazing read. Jenny L. Howes brings you into this world of hers and makes it so you find it nearly impossible to leave.

Lia Baker, a plus-size 18 year old, will do anything to win the 50th anniversary scavenger hunt at Fablehand. Her two best friends and her have been watching their movies, reading their articles, and studying maps since they were little. And this is the last chance for Lia to get some well deserved money that would give her just an ounce of space between her and her planned out future: working at her parent’s furniture store while her friends dorm together at college. But when she decides to team up with another contestant, Mason, feelings start to get in the way of her real goal: winning.

This book was giving rivals to lovers but also friends to lovers in the most amazing way. Lia had my heart melting with every worried thought she had and Mason had me swooning everytime he spoke of how much he liked Lia. The pacing of this book was really good, allowing me to stay immersed in the story the whole time. I loved the idea of Fableland and how intricate this place was. Their love story was the main theme but allowed for another plot points to take place such as friendship struggles, troubling family dynamics, confidence issues, and dreaming so big it seems nearly impossible.

So make sure to go pick this book up when it debuts on July 22nd!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
This was one of the sweetest YA reads I’ve picked up this year! Lia and Mason’s clumsy, adorable meet-cute had me smiling right away. Mason’s calm, caring nature paired so well with Lia’s vulnerability, and I loved how quickly their connection deepened. Their emotional bond felt real, and their willingness to open up to each other was such a beautiful part of their journey.

In just a few days, both characters grew in meaningful ways—not just individually, but through their evolving friendship (and maybe something more!). I also appreciated how Lia’s friendships shifted and deepened, giving this story even more emotional weight.

Though some family elements were heavy and tough to read, they added authenticity and heart to the story. This book is full of growth, connection, and hope—perfect for fans of heartfelt, emotionally rich YA romance.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Jenny L. Howe for the arc💖. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanks to Netgalley & Random House Children's for the E-ARC! OMG! This was so cute! Loved both characters & the setting. Also liked the plus-size rep. A great YA debut by one of my favs.

I loved this book but was a little unwowed by a few moments in the book. A cute quick amusement park romance about finding what you truly want in life and love.

"It's easier not to want things. Your heart might not feel anyhting, but at least it can't get broken. There's nothing to break."

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this one. It's a fun YA contemporary with a sprinkle of romance and emotional/deep topics as well. I thought the things that the FMC were struggling with were written very well. Her relationship with her mom who was struggling with her mental health was great, and the discussion of body image/fatphobia was great as well. I think those parts were the best aspects of this book. However, the friendship and romantic plots were also really great. I think the setting provided a great backdrop as well. Overall, I just didn't get the five-star feeling, so it was a four star.

"I like knowing my body is strong and capable of the same things other bodies are. But I also know I don't fit the way the world wants me to. And that this is usually the first thing people see when they look at me."

Without a doubt my favorite Howe novel. She was born to write YA. It is very sweet, thoughtful, and fun. I enjoyed the character development, the friendship, and the romance.