Member Reviews

This is an adorable coming of age story with a pretty accurate (in my opinion) representation of a plus size young adult. It hit home in a very special way for me.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Romance for the advanced copy!

I just know 16 year old emily would have absolutely adored and loved this. I love YA and this was just the sweetest books ever. I can see so many teens seeing themselves in these characters and just having this book to lean on. It tackled so many issues that teens experience in such a gentle way. I am also a HUGE disney lover so the setting was so perfect. I really enjoyed this one and it’s such a great coming of age YA novel!

Thanks again to NetGalley and Delacorte Romance for the advanced copy!!

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I recommend reading Love at Full Tilt to anyone who likes amusement parks, rivals to lovers, summer romances and plus size heroines.

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Love at Full Tilt by Jenny L. Howe is a fast-paced, swoon-worthy rom-com that’s equal parts reality TV chaos and second-chance romance. When Tess, a former plus-size reality star turned academic, is forced to team up with her ex, Sam, for a cross-country race, sparks—and plenty of banter—fly. With delicious angst, slow-burn tension, and a heartfelt emotional payoff, this one’s a must-read for fans of road trip shenanigans and love that’s worth the detour. I loved it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars)

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Thank you so much to Delacorte Romance for an early copy of Love at Full Tilt! 💖
As someone who has read and loved Jenny L Howe's adult plus size romances, I was unbelievably excited to read her young adult debut! I am also obsessed with the fact that this is a plus size young adult romance, which is everything I would've needed and loved when I was younger! 😭 There are a lot of themes of coming of age, finding yourself and your dreams, anxiety, grief, and so much more! But at the same time, the book is full of light hearted jokes and action/adventure through a theme park!
There was also an aspect of suspense that was crazy! I had no clue how the puzzle pieces of the story were going to fall into place and this caused me to not want to put the book down! I may or may not have read 83% of this book in one day... 👀 I also just loved the romance between Mason and Lia, that they kinda found their "homes"/safe places in each other and it's so sweet and cute! I really loved the balance of fun + friends + family + romance and it made such a well rounded story!
I cannot wait for more Jenny L Howe young adult romances!🫶

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Lia is Fableland's ultimate superfan. So much so, that even though she’s never been there, she’s chosen to participate in their 50th anniversary scavenger hunt, where the grand prize is $50,000. For Lia, this money could be her ticket to finally living the life she’s always wanted—one of her own choosing, not the one her parents have mapped out for her. She brings her best friends Tess and Issy along to help with the hunt, but also to make the most of their final summer together before Tess and Issy head off to college. Lia is determined to be the first to complete the scavenger hunt and claim the prize, until she meets Mason. Both Lia and Mason need the money for different reasons, and both are intent on reaching the finish line. But will their growing friendship—and a potential romance—get in the way, or will they discover something even more valuable than money?

When I first picked up this book, I was skeptical. Tagged as a young adult novel, I wasn’t sure it would have the depth to hold my attention. I’m happy to say I was pleasantly surprised. The story introduces Lia, a young woman navigating the challenges of becoming her own person while grappling with family expectations, friendship dynamics, and body image issues. It’s rare to see romance novels that feature plus-sized characters, and I was concerned this representation might feel forced. Instead, I found Lia’s experiences in a plus-sized body to be incredibly relatable to my own journey as someone who doesn’t fit the typical ideal. Some scenes broke my heart, and I couldn’t help but wish books like this existed when I was younger—perhaps my own confidence would have blossomed much earlier.

The pacing was spot on, and the book was incredibly easy to read. The situations in the book felt authentic, as if they were drawn from real-life experiences, which added depth to the characters. The backstory provided enough context to understand the story without feeling overwhelming. Overall a charming, easy read.

While there is romance in this story, it’s sweet and innocent, without any steamy scenes. So, if you’re someone who enjoys a bit of spice in your novels, this one may not be for you. However, if you’re looking for a light, heartwarming read that addresses real-life struggles and emotions, this could be the perfect book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Random House Children’s/Delacorte Romance for providing the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

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It was a cute book but I might not be the target audience. I would recommend it to a younger audience who would most likely receive it better. Thank you for the opportunity to review!

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As this main charge lives in Boston, I thought it would be appropriate to write my review while vacationing in Boston. This book was such a fun read. I have never been to Disney World, but I kept picturing Lia and Mason in that setting as they ran around Fableland to solve clues for the 50th anniversary celebration.

Both Lia and Mason have good reason for wanting the win the grand prize 🏆. Lia is working towards a new life, hopefully working for Fableland and Mason wants to go to school. Lia is with her friends as a last girls trip before the two friends head off for school. However, Lia “meets” Mason when she tripes over his long legs while he was reading and that is when the spark is lit for these two.

I don’t like to give a lot away, but they end up working together to solve clues and while doing that build a friendship and possibly more while hanging out. Both of these characters are relatable and I loved reading how their relationship grows. I also loved the description of an area of Fableland at the begging of each chapters. I have always been very lucky 🍀 to get ARCs of books and I am so happy I got this one also. Thank you @netgally

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This was a cute coming of age read with characters that were relatable. Lia and her friends set off on an adventure of a life time. This is their last summer together before going separate ways. I am always looking for more plus size representation and enjoy when I find a book that is well written for plus size girlies who want a plus size heroine. Thank you NetGalley and Random House, as well as the author, for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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Jenny Howe is a go-to author for me for adult romance so I was excited for her first YA and I was not disappointed! Love at Full Tilt is swoony and fun while having fully-realized, emotional characters. It hits all the right notes of an upper YA romance. Highly recommend.

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Love at Full Tilt gives you Disney theme park scavenger hunt with an adventure of a life time, and a cute partner. Lia and Mason together make a sweet dream team, and this story has you along on their journey with them.

Thank you netgalley for an arc of Love at Full Tilt by Jenny L. Howe

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This was such a cute story and I absolutely loved it! I loved the whole Disney meets Wally World aspect of it and enjoyed that it had its own lore and universe while still referencing familiar pop culture areas. I also really loved how the FMC was curvy and embraced it instead of falling into the pitfall of constant self loathing. If you want a cute romance with excellent chemistry and banter and appreciate a confident and curvy FMC I would highly recommend this book!

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This YA novel by Jenny L. Howe was a sweet ride! I appreciated how much effort the author put into creating a Disney-esque locale and cinematic universe for the characters to explore and compete in. I admit I was occasionally lost in the fictional Fable Industries lore, but the story of love, friendship, and family was absolutely lovely. Howe did a great job with representation across the board, and really brought to life the challenges of loving a family member with mental health struggles. Props for the ace representation as well!

I'd recommend this book for lovers of the Disney's films and parks, and to anyone who wants to escape into a brand new universe that feels familiar at the same time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House, as well as the author, for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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this is such a cute, fun book. i love these characters together.

this is a plus-size fmc written well! i love that she isn't 100% full of self-hatred for being plus sized. the concept of this book is so cool too. i love how it hints at d*sney movies but they are also their own stories and lore.

i had a wonderful time reading! thanks to #netgalley for the opportunity to read it early! ♡

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Howe's work is phenomenal. It is a pleasure to read YA and adult stories that she crafts. Love at Full Tilt was a well-written coming of age story that I could get lost in. I liked the fun setting and the way the characters were interacting with witty banter. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

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My love for this book is so immense. It is so delightfully nerdy and unapologetic in loving the magic that comes from stories, from theme parks, and from being able to love something so fully. Not only that, but it so earnest in it's depiction of fatness, in dealing with wanting to branch out into your own and trying to define yourself by your own standards. There is just so much to love about this book, and I adore it all.

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I'm incredibly grateful that I was able to read this via NetGalley.

This book is everything a YA romance should be. You get to see friendships as they should be- safe places to land when your world feels like an out of control roller coaster. You get to see her through the eyes of a boy that loves her exactly the way she is and pushes her to embrace her life. You get to see a moms struggle with severe anxiety. And you get to see a girl introducing herself to adulthood.

I devoured this book because I loved all of the characters (except for Erica, she can kick rocks). I wanted to be a part of their journey because it felt so true to life and so heartwarming. I will definitely be reading more of Jenny L. Howe's books!

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I absolutely needed to read a cute book after being overstressed this month.
I just love when characters are nerdies and that the “world” they like is the main subject of the plot.

Thank you again for the e-arc! I had such a great time reading it.

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This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

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I *loved* this book. The author somehow manages to pack in an entire theme park, complete with movies, history, and lore, without making things confusing or cumbersome. It's a great mix of history with modern technology.

The author also manages to mix in how complicated relationships can be (or get), between friends, family, and love interests. A little bit of angst, but a lot of growth for almost everyone in the book. Many hard truths are told.

I only feel like Lia's mom's anxiety was brushed off a little at the end. But overall I am really happy with the way the story went.

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