Skip to main content

Member Reviews

i loved this book so much!! i thought i knew what i was getting into with this academic rivals to lovers romance but it was so much more than that! this book explores family dynamics, female friendship, fatphobia, and mental health-and the ROMANCE! there were so many swoon worthy moments.
i can’t wait to buy this book once it’s released.

thank you so much to @netgalley for this digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Was this review helpful?

This book honestly made my heart happy I’m so many ways.

1. Romance set in academia is close to my heart as I myself am working on my PhD. It is nice to see characters that I can relate to, characters that think in a similar fashion to myself!
2. Neither the FMC or the MMC were the typical romance lead. Our lovely FMC, Allison is a brilliant, vivacious, plus-sized woman. I think Allison is a character that is relatable and approachable. And I just loved her brain and thoughts honestly! Colin, oh Colin. In no ways was Colin our normal leading male. He wasn’t this conventionally attractive alpha male, he was attractive in his quirks and his personality. I just really liked how these characters were out of the mold of what we are so used to seeing.
3. So much nerding out. While I’m working on a pharmacology PhD, I appreciate the thinking of all academics. This book is riddled with complex thinking and fun literature.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a sweet romance! (While sex happens, it is fade to black, so pretty appropriate for lots of ages!) I am really enjoying these academic romances and look forward to seeing more from this author!

Was this review helpful?

2.5 but rounded up to a 3

This book has all the tropes that I usually enjoy. Enemies to lovers and second chance romance. However, this book just did not do it for me.

Allison and Colin dated while in undergrad at Brown. They have not spoken in several years and are now in the same graduate cohort and have been assigned to TA with the same professor.

Throughout this book, I really enjoyed Colin’s story and found his cardigan wearing, therapy going self quite charming. He experienced a lot of growth after his time at Brown and I found myself being really drawn to his character. Allison is a different story. I found her to be difficult and rude.

Special thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

The Make-Up Test deals with Allison and Collin, two exes that reunite at their Ph.D program and compete for a spot on a research trip.

This was a nice experience and for once I got to read a book that deals with exes to lovers with a breakup that truly felt awful. Allison and Collin brought light to the feeling of being an impostor in what is supposed to be your expertise, a theme that we can all relate at some point of our lives.

And of course, the romance. Nothing to say except that they are one of the sweetest couples i read.


Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was expecting to LOVE this book however, it just fell flat for me.The characters were not interesting and the writing style was not good. The overall plot of the book is strong but the conflict/climax didn't do it for me.

Was this review helpful?

2.5/5 stars.

I was really excited when I saw this arc from netgalley come through but overall, it just wasn’t my vibe. This does not mean that it’s a bad book in any way shape or form, it just didn’t connect with me.

The writing was good and the story flowed nicely. I really loved that the mc, Alison, was plus sized. I love seeing other bodies represented in books. There are some heavy topics of body shaming and body insecurity in this book, so be mindful of that if that’s a trigger. I enjoyed seeing Alison grow to be more confident in her body.

Unfortunately, I just couldn’t connect with the characters, Alison and Colin. I honestly wasn’t a big fan of a Colin. He’s definitely not like most of the fictional men that I read and it was refreshing but still not my vibe.

I also couldn’t feel the strong connection between the two characters. I needed a little more chemistry and a few more wow moments.

Even though this book wasn’t up my alley, I do recommend checking it out if you’re into academic rivals and/or second chance love.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed the academia setting for this romance, along with the curvy girl representation. I was a little stressed about how things could go wrong for this sweet second chance couple, even though I was sure all would work out in the end!

Was this review helpful?

Second chance romance and rivals to lovers are two of my favorite tropes, so I was absolutely DYING to read this book as soon as I heard about it, and it was definitely a delightful read. I loved that the main character, Allison, is a fat woman who is confident in her body, something which is still not super common in romance novels. I also really liked the academia aspects of the book, since the author clearly knows her way around medieval English literature, and I honestly loved whenever Allison and Colin started arguing about Chaucer or courtly romance. Those parts of the book were obviously written by someone who has a lot of love for the subject. As for the actual romance, it did take me a little while to warm up to Colin–the circumstances under which he and Allison first broke up were very much his fault–but I ended up really liking their rivalry and how it gradually turned from genuine hostility to friendship and then romance. Also, she has a corgi and he has a cat and they're both named after types of cheese which is adorable. There were a couple things that didn't quite work work for me, such as the mentions of the COVID-19 pandemic being over (why even include that if the pandemic isn't at all relevant to the book?) and some parts where I wished Allison and Colin would just communicate better. Still, this managed to combine two of my favorite romance tropes into a delightfully nerdy and fun book, and I look forward to whatever Jenny Howe writes next.

Was this review helpful?

I had such high hopes for this book because I love a good academia based plot - but this fell so short for me. It read like a YA novel (while the characters were in Grad School they acted & spoke like they were in 9th grade) and honestly it seemed to make excuses for abusive/manipulative behavior.

Without spoiling the book I just want to add to anyone who happens to read this:
PLEASE do not ever make yourself small for the benefit of someone else. Just because someone has trauma does not mean they can walk all over you, manipulate you or take credit for ideas that are yours. Trauma is valid but it is not a excuse.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

4.5/5 stars

A new romcom set in the world of academia finds two exes competing in the same grad school program for one spot on a prestigious trip. Allison Avery has wanted to be a professor of medieval literature for forever. So she is shocked when she starts grad school to find the man that broke her heart years before is also in her program. moreover, they end up as TAs for the same professor! However, what first starts as a competition soon rekindles flames from the past.

This romcom was so cute! I don't understand the title because as someone who has been in liberal arts grad schools, papers are the focus, not tests? And I can't think of an actual test in the book... Regardless, this book had great chemistry, great character development, plus characters who love books! Very cute and would recommend as a sweet romcom!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I came for the fat rep and nerd vibes and stayed for the cast of characters and tricky romance. I loved how messy the relationship between Allison and Colin was, from their history to the grad life competition to the falling back together, apart, and together again. It felt like a true look at how turbulent-at-first encounters can turn into something much more meaningful and loving, if given a chance. I loved the cheeky banter, the swoon moments, and, of course, the dog!!

Was this review helpful?

The Make-Up Test is a second chance romance within academia which I usually adore. There was a lot of back and forth which didn’t read as angst but redundancy. This was an okay read for me.

Was this review helpful?

The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe is definitely not just a cute romance, but a story about how life and love are meant to be messy and imperfect. The novel centers around Allison Avery, a first-year medieval literature PhD student, who is competing against her ex-boyfriend, Colin Benjamin, for a teaching assistantship. Allison is fiercely competitive and has always strived to win and be the best, especially since her family and others have shamed her for her career choice and for being fat (which she is not ashamed of).

I loved the message about how we shouldn't strive to be "the best" since perfection does not exist. Rather, we should always strive to be better, both in life, our careers, and our relationships. I loved seeing how Allison handled this lesson in her various relationships with her family, best friend Sophie, and with Colin. I wished that she had been able to make up with her father before his death, but at least she got to hear that he was proud of her. Overall, this was a great read and I really enjoyed that it was set in graduate school. Can definitely relate to the pressure and imposter syndrome feelings there.

Was this review helpful?

An entertaining contemporary rom-com set in academia. Exes battle it out in the classroom, competing to further their careers in medieval literature. You can tell the author has done loads of research.

This story is a feast for the intellect and the heart. I wanted to crawl into the book so I could attend all these college classes and dive into these discussions about classical texts. I also wanted to hug these swoony, academic nerds with my whole heart. There's positive body rep, complicated family dynamics, laughs, tears, and heat.

Major props for writing star characters that are not mainstream beauties.

Was this review helpful?

Praise for Jenny L. Howe's debut novel!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's press for the eArc/opportunity to read this warm, funny, and heartfelt novel.

Please read TW ⚠️ at the beginning of the book.
Deals with expressed fat phobia by the characters; including a family member, mental abuse, parental neglect, death, and loss.

Our FMC Allison Avery- Grad student at Claymore and is a fat woman who loves herself in a society that clearly does not love fat bodies. She is strong, Beautiful, courageous, smart as a whip, funny, and does not take crap from anyone anymore! Especially now she realizes her college ex boyfriend is in the same grad program at Claymore. She will beat him at whatever cost.

Our MMC Colin Benjamin- Tall, lanky, nerdy, popular, and blonde alphahole/alphahero (he is a mixture of both). Broke Allison's heart when they attended college together at Brown. Now, that they are in the same grad program at Claymore together (and competing for the same TA position in medieval literature) he is out to prove he is changed man since his Brown days!

What to Expect:
Second Chance Romance
Academic Rivals
Grad School Romance
Lovers to enemies to rivals to lovers (very complicated and I love it)
LGBTQ+ Representation
Fat woman Representation (and to love all body types) ✊️

In the beginning of the story it was kind of redundant... especially in Allison's head. She thinks Colin is still hot but she hates him. This was said different ways multiple times. That was my only major flaw of this book. Besides that the story was lovely and exactly a story that we need for the climate of the world. It calls out white privilege.. especially white male privilege multiple times.. that had me pumping my fist in the air. Also, the confidence Allison brings to herself and to her body. I wish I had that growing up. I connected with her on such a deep level. Especially with her family bullying her and mental abusing her about her weight. I had that growing up and wasn't strong enough. So, I love this story... it teaches young woman that every body type is freaking beautiful. I loved Colin from the beginning. His sarcasm, wit, and demeanor was enduring. (Even though he was an alphahole in college. It shows that some people really can change). Side characters were great (even though ones I loathed). They rounded out the story!!!

I'm so happy to have read this book! And will continue to read books written by Jenny L. Howe.

Was this review helpful?

This was a pretty straightforward contemporary second-chance romance. What made it interesting for me as someone who works in higher ed was the setting in a competitive English PhD program in an elite school in the northeastern US. Allison Avery is a first-year medieval lit grad student at Claymore University who is shocked that her ex-boyfriend from undergrad, who stole a major academic award from her and dumped her for no reason before he graduated, is also in her cohort. Unfortunately, they are both selected as TAs for the primary medieval lit professor in their program, and quickly learn that they'll have to compete against each other for one spot as her advisee. This competition gets heated but they also realize that they still have unresolved feelings. All of this is happening while Allison's estranged father is sick and she's struggling to communicate with her mom about why she doesn't want him in her life. I did enjoy this, particularly as the portrayal of grad school felt very authentic, and I also appreciated the inclusion of fat representation. Content warning for fatphobia, verbal abuse, and death of a parent.

Was this review helpful?

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was invited to read this title from the publisher St Martin's Press. The plot synopsis interested me, However the second chance romance as a plot was weakened by a terrible male love interest. I wasn't convinced that Colin had changed and wasn't feeling the romance whatsoever. Typical communication tropes and unnecessary addition of Covid 19 mention that was not needed as it added nothing to the story. I wish I had liked this book and wish the author better luck in the future. I am very tentative about accepting any debut author titles in the future.

Was this review helpful?

The Make-Up Test is a second chance, rivals to lovers romance set in the world of academia. While I enjoyed reading the book and finished it, it’s not one I could see myself purchasing or reading again.

I would say the best part of the book was having a fat heroine comfortable with herself, but still showing some of the insecurities that can still pop up.

Other than that, I had a hard time getting myself emotionally invested into this story. The romance between Allison and Colin seemed to have some major toxicity because they were rivals in the same program, which was made worse when they agreed to just not talk about that part of their relationship. The ending also felt rushed with several story lines being resolved in what felt like just a few pages.

As a side-note, there are quite a few references to medieval literature in this book. While knowledge of it isn’t needed to read this book, I also felt sort of disconnected from a huge part of this book because of it.

*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC and provide my thoughts on it!*

Was this review helpful?

I think the best way to describe this book is “not at all subtle”. All of the themes, dynamics, and characterizations are blatantly and repetitively told to the reader. It’s obvious that the author knows a lot about literature, but it took up way too much of the page. I think a dual POV could’ve helped bring in more subtlety for both of the main characters. Unfortunately this was a miss for me.

Was this review helpful?

ARC BOOK REVIEW

The Makeup Test
By Jenny Howe

Publishing date: 9/13/2022

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 = Rounded to 4

Allison is grad school student, working on her Ph.D in medieval literature- she even landed a teaching assistant job with one of her idols.   Everything is going according to plan, until she discovers her EX BOYFRIEND Colin, has also been assigned the same teaching assistant job- this can't be happening right?! ( why is he even at her school?!)  Colin,  is the one academic challenge standing in her way-this can't be happening!!!

However, once their teaching advisor announces that only one student can remain her TA  and accompany her on a trip to to Europe, Allison realizes she must beat Colin. She deserves this- she is the expert! She didn't even know Colin liked medieval lit?

Hating Colin is easy.....until its not. After a night of drinking, he drives her 4 hours to see her dieing ( mentally abusive) father in the hospial and is....nice, thougthful, caring.....oh no. Is Allison falling for Colin again?! Will she be able to stop these feelings?! She HAS to beat him...she deserves this teaching position and trip to Europe. How will she navigate this? Can she keep her feelings seperate from her work?

Review: I liked this alot! It kept my interest easily, and I liked the college/academic setting. The story also tackled some real world issues such as,  "fat " shaming, mental abuse from family members, and plus size acceptance. I felt like I really related with Allison because I was once a plus size woman and felt the struggle.

This won't be a book that stays with me for a long time, but it was a pleasant read that was quick and flowed nicely.

If you like second chance romance, and enemies to lovers, give this a go !
.

Was this review helpful?