I love a good second chance romance and THE MAKE-UP TEST was a thoughtful and enjoyable read!

I liked the way the relationships in the book were written – watching Alison and Colin’s growth as the developed a new relationship with each other and the portrayal of Alison’s relationship with her dad was poignant, incredibly relatable, and a fresh take on navigating challenging or unhealthy relationships.

Overall, I thought it was a solid debut!

The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe is set against a background of English literature. This friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-rivals-to… undeniable chemistry will take your breath away and sweep you off your feet. The Make-Up Test is a fun read with plenty of bickering, overcoming prejudice, and forgiveness.

DNF at 26%.

This book was hard to follow. Jumping back and forth from one timeline to the next for long stretches and then you are back to another. I feel like I read so much but didn’t even get that far. I feel like it was trying hard to be too progressive. Hitting all the political, racial, sexual orientation ideas as it could.

Just wasn’t for me.

I really enjoyed the female protagonist in this book. Allison is mature and very aware of her true self. But the male protagonist Collin was really difficult for me to like. Even when the reveal comes out midway through the book I still couldn’t find myself rooting for him. I guess what I’m saying is I would’ve preferred this book to be a dual POV. Maybe that way I would’ve understood his motivations more. I was really impressed with Jenny Howe’s writing especially since this is her first published book. I thought she did an amazing job writing a plus size heroine who is accepting of her body and sexuality but dealing with her own insecurities. Overall I enjoyed this book but I wish I liked the main male character more.

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was fine. I wasn't in love.

What didn't work: Random pandemic references, the FMC was kind of arrogant and unlikeable in my opinion, and I really hate the miscommunication trope, which is really all this was.

What did work: I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers set up, all the academic vibes, second chance romance, literature references, and the corgis. Corgis will literally make anything better.

I have such a difficult time with second chance romances because the couple broke up for a reason, usually a pretty good one, so why would you go back to that? This was a particular bad breakup and I still can’t figure out how Allison could have ever forgiven Colin the first time and gotten back together with him. Still, their nerdy romance is cute and as far as relationships go, they have some cute banter and interesting situations to get themselves out of. There is a lot of fat shaming in this book and Allison handles it well. There’s also a lot of insufferable conversation among intellectuals that just irks me. I get you’re smart. You’re all in a PhD program. I’m trying to get lost in a book, not read so much “discourse” on academic topics.

I liked the story. I just didn't warm up to Allison until pretty far into the book. Colin was a much more likable character. This was probably because we didn't know Colin from the previous relationship in which he seemed to be pretty egotistical. We get current Colin and he is much more relatable. Allison was way too competitive & cruel for a while. I still think this is a good story and worth reading. You just might have to gut it out through some of the issues in the beginning.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

This was a solid contemporary debut. I really enjoyed the academic setting, the body positivity on the heroine's part (she is comfortable and accepting of herself even if other people aren't), and the doggy side character. The writing style worked well for me, and there was strong character development. There could have been better communication between the main characters regarding a few central issues/conflicts, but overall I enjoyed this book and would read this author again.

Allison gets into a PhD program and becomes a TA to a professor she admires, one who can further her career in academia as a medieval literature professor. Unfortunately her ex, Colin Benjamin, is also in the program. This is a second chance romance with a fat female protagonist. I am totally on board with being who you are and proud of your body and even though Allison professed this I don't feel like she owned it. At one point it was mentioned that her and her mom had a thyroid condition. To me that felt like a cop out, like I am fat but can't help it when I would bet that most fat people just eat a lot and love food like me. I found medieval lit totally something I could not identify with and found those discussions boring. Her dad, Jed, was a horrible human and he just seemed a distraction to the rest of the story. Most importantly I don't think I liked Allison or Colin. I didn't like how they kept things to themselves and found them to be immature. Even Sophie, Allison's roommate, could have been more of a support but all we know about her is she designs plus size clothing and leaves fabric all over the house. It was a pleasant enough read but more like 2.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

Being from/in academia myself, I wanted to love this book, but unfortunately there was just too much wrong.
Do you know that awful ex boyfriend that was terrible to the heroine in the past and/or present in romance books? Well, this book has that ex-boyfriend… and it is the hero. Colin Benjamin is the definition of a mediocre white male. Why is Allison giving him another chance? Why is that the plot of the book?

Everyone in Allison’s life was so awful to her. Her mother forces her to have a relationship with her shitty father, and her father calls her fat all the time and underestimates her job, but then after he dies it’s revealed that he had her on a pedestal at work.

The worst for me was how a smart woman in academia basically makes herself small and blames herself for a mediocre man's ego being hurt. No thanks.

TW: Fatphobia, death of a parent

Thanks to St. Martin Press and Netgalley for my ARC.

The Make-Up Test is a cute, academic rom-com, with an exes to loves trope. Intertwined with PhD classes and family health / drama, this was an quick and easy read! Highly recommend if you enjoy exes to loves tropes, romantic comedy stories, and stories of that similarity.

Overall, I would recommend this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I tried very hard to get into the book..but unfortunately couldn't gel with the setting of the book which is important to me .. I will definitely give this one another try after a couple of months till then it stands as DNF.

DNF read to 20% and skimmed to 30% before stopping..
I was ready to DNF on page one when I was supposed to believe that Allison made it through an undergraduate program and into a PhD program without having a laptop. I should have taken it as a sign and stopped there, but no I' am a glutton for punishment and kept reading. Allison is immature and unlikeable but she has nothing on Colin who is one of the worst MMCs I've ever encountered. He is an immature, sleazy, lying, know-it-all scumbag that no amounts of hazel eyes can redeem. Top the book off with an abusive father and a whole lot of fat-phobia and this book is a giant NO from me. I've looked at reviews from others and it doesn't look like this book is going to improve at all, so I'm stopping and will never pick it up again. It's not worth any more of my brain power.
DNF. do not pass go. do not read this book or anything else by this author.

This just wasn’t for me. I’m not a big theater/Shakespeare geek to begin with, so I couldn’t relate to the characters or story at all.

Two exes who were competitive throughout their relationship which inevitably ended it two years ago are in the same graduate program. Colin broke up with Allison because he had to think about himself. How selfish of him, but it was all about self-preservation. Their competitive streaks continued throughout this book, which was ultimately both a rude awakening and a grand confession. I feel like if Colin had just been honest from the beginning, neither he nor Allison would have been so miserable, but self-preservation was all Colin could think about in the wake of all the sacrifices his mother and grandfather made for him. I loved that the author made Allison with a strong personality who was comfortable in her fat body, bringing body positivity to the forefront. Not only did Allison have to deal with Colin on a daily basis, but also with the fact that her father didn't accept her for who she was and the body she so proudly defended. In essence this story was about forgiveness for Colin, for Allison, for her father and mother. Beautiful!

I’m going to start with the positive: the bones of this story are good, an academic rivals to lovers second chance romance with a plus size lead is something I want more of and I also felt the plus size/fat representation was well done and accurate to the lived experience (coming from someone who lives it).

Now time for the negatives, first and foremost Collin(the male MC) is THE WORST. He’s the worst romance hero I’ve ever read and I honestly believe I hate him. He’s a whiney, entitled, lazy, mediocre white man who has gone under Allison’s (female mc) nose at every point to undermine her achievements and take accolades that should’ve been hers as his own. He’s the villain of this story and I truly wish the ending had been him being held accountable or maybe just pointed out all the privilege he has over Allison (a fat woman). He was honestly enraging and at the end OH MY GOD I wanted Sophie to have a come to Jesus moment with Allison when she apologized to Collin for STEALING HER IDEA (a pattern for him at this point tbh just copying everything Allison does), and get Allison into therapy and end with her happy and alone thriving. Allison also isn’t the most likable character but nowhere near as blood boiling as Collin (though her parents are, ugh).

2 stars

⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Allison Avery is just starting her Ph.D. in medieval literature at Claymore University - her literal dream. She lives with her best friend who's in fashion design school and even though they've been friends for years, it's beginning to feel like they're growing apart. As if the stress of grad school and possible outgrowing her best friend isn't enough, Allison also has to deal with family drama with her parents; mostly her dad who hasn't really been there for her. Oh, and why not throw in the fact that she get stuck being a TA with her ex-boyfriend Colin.

Colin and Allison dated for a time, but when Colin dumps her because he wants to focus on his education Allison is understandably wrecked. She barely finishes the semester and has just finally started getting back to normal when Colin is suddenly thrown back into her life. However the more Allison and Colin work together and are forced into mandatory bonding nights with other classmates, feelings start to creep their way back to the surface. Colin seems to be a changed person and Allison can't help but notice. When Allison's dad has a medical emergency, Colin drives her home and even stays with her while her mom waits at the hospital. Will Allison find out just how changed Colin is or will she discover things haven't actually changed at all?

Congratulations to Jenny Howe for being the first author to make me cry while reading a book. The scenes about Allison's dad were a little too relatable for me. But, on a happier note I LOVED THIS BOOK. One of my favorite books of the year. I loved all of the characters, I loved the banter between Allison and Colin, I loved all of the nerdy references, all of it was perfect. My only tiny little complaint is how Allison handled the presentation situation. I also understand that it's just how she reacts to things and it was easy to come to the conclusion that she did at first. This is such a well-written book and I highly recommend it!

The makeup test
What an interesting original idea for a book. Two exes find themselves competing in their Medieval Lit grad school program for a shot at the same chance to work with a professor who can open doors for them and help further their career. I loved this plot set up, not to mention that there’s fat rep and a big enemies-to-lovers vibes. The writing is filled with Middle English works, nerdy references, and enough Chaucer to make any English academic swoon. However I had some difficulty with The Make-Up Test. As a heroine, Allison should have everything going for her: she’s smart, driven, confident in her own skin despite ugly remarks from her father and a particular guy in her cohort, and really knows her Medieval literature. Something about her just never made me a fan though (perhaps I would have felt differently with a dual POV). I didn’t feel like she was someone you could get close to, metaphorically like a cactus, and therefore had trouble in the romantic aspect because I wanted to see all the reasons why Colin wanted Allison. Instead it just felt like it was an assumed “they’ve been together before and never forgot about each other” thing. The pacing reading this book was off for me. The first 60% of the book felt like a slow climb without the tension of the “will they or won’t they” get together aspect. The circumstances that bring Colin and Allison together finally seem like the perfect opportunity (almost one bed trope! Sick-bed family trope!) and I felt like the book took off once we hit this point. In fact the third act break-up really worked and seemed extremely valid to me; I kept wondering how these two would make it work. And then the ending just kind of left me feeling like I needed an epilogue or a bit more.
I’d give The Make-Up Test high marks for the writing, style, and original ideas, but feel like the characters needed a bit more likability and reader connection. Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, this book was not a good fit for me. I found the main characters to be very immature and unlikable. I had such high hopes but eventually had to DNF it around the 60% mark. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

I would probably bump this one up to 3.5 stars if I could. It's a cute enemies to lovers romance with a mild spice level. I had a bit of trouble with finding both the main characters somewhat immature, but I liked the setting of the book and I felt like the pacing was good.