This book was actually really fun. There is a fat protagonist and while there was a little bit of fatphobia from other people, we didn't have to worry about her being self-hating and there wasn't much that was explicitly anti-fat besides the family anti-fatness and 2 other isolated situations--no concerns about being unlovable or not hot. Just wanted to get that out of the way bc that often makes fat romances unreadable.

This is a second chance romance that i gave 4 stars to--very unusual for me as it's a very disliked trope in my heart. But i thought it was done well and convincingly, and with almost no explicit "I have never been able to have a good and real relationship bc i was always still in love with you" mess. This book was, i think, better for being solely from the perspective of the MC.

I think everyone in this book should get therapy.

4.5 stars - Great debut by the author!

I've really been enjoying romance novels set in the master/PhD space lately, as it's something that I haven't seen a whole lot of and suddenly they seem to be popping up everywhere - and this one was no different. I liked Allison as a main character and all that her story had to offer. The second chance romance, the rivals to lovers trope, her dealing with and loving her body, watching her gain new friends and feel like she's losing old ones, and the messiness of her family. It was a great book overall, and with Allison & Colin in the middle of it, the story really took flight.

Oh my sweet lord! I’m melted, swooned, euphoric after reading this sweetest, quirkiest, smartest, most heartfelt romance! I’m over the moon! This is FREAKING AMAZING! I literally devoured it! My favorite tropes enemies to lovers and rivals to lovers blended in fantastic references from medieval literature passages made my nerdy grey cells dance! Those fiery and well approached literature debates between main characters were most delicious symphony for my soul! I fell in love with this book!

Second chances love story perfectly fit with the execution. Avery: who loves challenge, high IQed and EQed heroine, emotionally abused by her own father for her size and academic choices she’s made, is tough, hard worker, doing everything she can to climb the academic ladder, finally accepted to her dream PHD. Program: she definitely deserved it!

But she finds out she assigned to TA for the same professor with her ex boyfriend who hardly forgot. Colin Benjamin: competitive, smart, highly achiever man dumbed her two years ago is back to work with her. She tries her best ignore him because he did unacceptable thing to her and now he acts like her friend. How dare he?

And their professor makes an announcement: there’s a career changing research trip opportunity but only one of them can take this chance. This means they have to compete with each other! Their academic futures depended on this research project!

As they spend more time together, Avery realizes the self involved rivalry changed so much in two years. She cannot avoid him anymore because he works too hard to compensate the mistakes he’s done to her!

Could he really change and turn into a better version of himself? What if there are things he didn’t tell her? Could she open her heart to him at risk of getting broken one more time ?

In the beginning I was really pissed off Colin as soon as you learned about Avery and his shared past but he slowly earned my love by groveling to get his girl back. His character’s evolvement , his efforts to learn from mistakes were well portrayed. I wanted to hug both of the brainy MCs so tight!

Sensitive issues like body shaming, psychological and verbal abuse, parental neglect, dementia were realistically approached.
So many awwws, wows and deep sigh moments later, I dabbed my tears and smiled deeply! I had an amazing reading time!

Overall: I am so happy to add another brilliant author to my reading list! I cannot miss any books this smart author writes! She definitely made my week! Earning my 5 chivalry, medieval stars!

Millions of thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this FANTASTIC digital copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

i am lowkey just a smidge upset with this book 🤧 i wanted to love this so much. it literally has everything i could want in a novel: fat mc, second chance romance, academic rivals. and while i did enjoy reading this, i just felt like everything fell short for me. the plus size rep was great, i really loved how allison was comfortable in her own skin and how her story wasn’t about losing weight or becoming accepting towards her body, if that makes sense. and i also loved the academic setting. even though i hate it in real life, i loove college based novels bc they make college seem much more intriguing than it actually is lmao. i’m also an english lit major so i appreciated the medieval lit discussions, considering i had to read and analyze those same novels. and i did really like the authors writing- it was easy to fall into and i loved the way she described things. but truthfully that was about all i enjoyed. the whole romance just did not work for me, and i think this would’ve been better of not as a second chance romance but just as a rivals to lover’s situation. from how allison described her previous relationship with colin and how he made her feel and how her friend talked about it too, it seemed like that was a really toxic relationship. and even though colin “changed” after the two years they were apart, there was still a lot of miscommunication/lack of communication and i just really did not vibe with that. i also think this book could’ve benefited from being dual pov, because i really had a hard time connecting with colin and felt like he was kind of just a meh character. i also didn’t really like how allison treated her best friend in the book, too. i think overall there was just so much of the miscommunication/lack thereof and that was really frustrating because it felt juvenile in this book, despite everyone supposedly being 23-25? idk. i’m a very character driven reader, so when i don’t like the main characters it kinda ruins the whole thing. i know i am complaining a lot, but in general, this was a pretty cute and fun read and i definitely recommend it if any of the tropes sound up your alley, but it just wasn’t what i was hoping for, unfortunately :(

A big thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Jenny Howe, and NetGalley for an ARC of “The Make-up Test” in exchange for an honest review.

- Second Chance Romance
- Enemies-To-Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- Academic Rivals
- Plus size representation

I LOVED this one!! I’m obsessed with graduate school romances currently since there’s only but so many. I feel like you only really see Academic Rivals in college romances and a lot in high school romances. I really adored the chemistry between the two characters and the way he cared for her. I loved the depth of the characters, the way our heroine struggles with the death of her father who she had a fraught relationship with. It recognizes the money struggles of grad students. The depth of our hero who just genuinely wants to make his grandfather proud. I read this one in a day and it was well-worth my time!

If you loved The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood and A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings you’re going to love this one!

3.5 stars
As you may have gathered from the title and cover, The Make-Up Test is an academic rivals to lovers romance for fans of books such as Beach Read. Although I never really fell in love with the author's writing style, the characters, premise and tropes were all very loveable, making this a truly enjoyable read. I highly recommend it to contemporary romance readers.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re craving a book like The Love Hypothesis but set in the English department, this one’s for you 📖

Okay, so we’ve got
📚Enemies to lovers AND Second chance romance
📚 Nerdy lit references
📚 Academia rivals
📚 Body positive/fat representation

As soon as I read the synopsis for this book I knew I had to read it! A plus-size main character who studies medieval literature? Yes please!

This was such a fun RomCom. I really liked both Allison and Colin’s characters and I loved the rivalry between them. I didn’t realize I enjoyed the academia setting until reading The Love Hypothesis but now that I’m 2/2, it’s safe to say I’m a fan.

Another thing I really liked that this book included was how adult friendships change once people start getting themselves established. It’s something I think a lot of long-term friendships go through but isn’t talked about enough, so I really appreciated that.

This one comes out in September 2022 and takes place during the fall semester so it’s going to be a perfect fall read. Make sure to pre-order your copy 😊

❗️TW: Fatphobic comments, death of a parent

Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress and @jennylhowe for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I DNF at 35%. I found the main character Allison unbearable. There wasn’t enough build up of the background to make me hate Colin; I just ended up hating Allison.

If you are into stories involving old loves and graduate settings, this book is for you! The plus-size main character is a refreshing change of pace, as are the flawed (a/k/a real) relationships. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

2.5/5 stars. I hate to do this, but let me explain. The way I decided to rate this book revolved around the concept of adding stars instead of subtracting them. So this rating basically means I enjoyed half of this book and disliked the other half.

Let's start with what I liked:
I thought the writing was great, and that was probably the main reason I kept reading. I also thought the main character was dynamic, and I appreciated the research this author put in regarding medieval literature, because the main character, and therefore the author, really knew her stuff. Additionally, I thought the toxic familial relationship between Allison and her father, including Allison's complicated feelings about it, was depicted in an honest and realistic way.

Unfortunately, I pretty much disliked everything else about this book. To be completely transparent, I don't typically read second chance romances, and this book made it clear that this trope is not for me. I could not understand what Allison saw in Colin the second time around, aside from lingering feelings from when they were first together. Allison constantly referred to the current version of Colin as "Colin 2.0," but based on what she revealed about the first version of Colin, this new and updated version seemed to be exactly the same. I really disliked his character, and I just could not understand the romance. I also disliked how repetitive this book got when describing their rivalry. I was constantly reminded of everything Allison was feeling regarding Colin, even though her feelings for him were not really changing. It almost felt like the story lacked substance regarding their rivalry, so the reader kept being told the same few things over and over. It made the book very hard to finish.

Overall, I wish I enjoyed this book more, but if second chance romances are up your alley, I would still recommend checking this book out!

I appreciate being approved to read The Make-Up Test from NetGalley.
The title and the cover alone are cute! The main character is plus-size and I believe the author did well in portraying this aspect. I only have one suggestion::

In the ARC electronic version, (Howe, 2022, Chapter 32, 82.8%).. It says - At least her puppy wouldn't outgrow her. Allison had all the food.. End paragraph.
I would omit - Allison had all the food. It doesn't seem necessary for that sentence to be included. It was reminding me of Jed's perspective of Allison being plus-sized.
.
Regardless, I still give this book 5 stars!

I loved Allison & Colin's story. Even though they are medieval literature PhD students, there is not anything overly nerdy to watch out for lol! A sweet second chance love story. I loved that Allison and her roommate are plus size gals. However, if I have a criticism of the book, it is that it went into her size and discussed being "fat" so much, it was overkill for me. As a plus-sized gal myself, I wish that the author would have referred to Allison as being large and then just let her be herself! Otherwise, I loved the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you @netgalley and @jennylhowe The Make-Up test was the 3rd 5-star book I read this year. I loved the character and the academic setting in a ph.d program. We see Allison go through the stress and love of studying Medieval literature, which is fascinating. Allison loves school, and she has applied to work as a TA with one of her favorite professors. But is stunned and upset when she finds out her ex-boyfriend is also accepted as a research assistant, and they are both competing to be mentored and become research assistants with the same professor. Alison never knew Colin was even interested in Medival Research, and now he is trying to take her spot.

Throughout the book, Allison has to deal with helping her mother and dealing with a sick father with who she did not have a great relationship. All the while Alison thinks she and Colin and dealing with their past and their bad breakup and building back their relationship. only for it to fall backward again.

The Make-Up test by Jenny L. Howe is a perfect, light-hearted read! Allison is working on her PhD in Medieval Literature under one of the best professsors in the country. She's eager to get the TA position, but much to her surprise, she's named along with another for TA, and it happens to be her ex, Collin. They had parted on very bad terms, 2 years prior and she was in no way eager to share a TA position, or any position with him! But when a family emergency arises and he's the only one there to help, can she count on him?

I loved this novel, it was a fun and uplifting read that shows that love really does win in the end. Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Allison shares an embarrassing moment she’d rather forget with a gorgeous guy at a party. She quickly learns Colin (said gorgeous guy) is in her classes and they quickly strike up a romance. Fast forward to the future and Allison is left standing heartbroken after Colin breaks up with her out of the blue but not before stealing the very award Allison has been trying for right out from under her.

Now Allison is accepted into her dream PhD program studying under a professor she has admired for years only to learn Colin has been accepted into the same program and is also studying under the same professor. When the professor announces a change in circumstances and that she can only take on one student this year and all out war between Allison and Colin ensues. 

Allison is a curvy girl struggling with some familial issues and drowning herself in academics. She to be completely relatable and I found myself intrigued by medieval literature (a topic I can assure you I don’t usually think about) based on her passion for the subject. At first, Colin appears to be a prick but once his backstory unfolds you can kind of sympathize with him a little.

Emphasis on a little because I don’t care how charming a man is I would not be okay with you swooping in on my dreams because you don’t have any of your own. In my opinion, if you love someone you find a way for you both to achieve your goals or at the bare minimum communicate with the person instead of leaving them blindsighted! Will characters in romance novels never learn…

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed a lot of aspects of Jenny Howe's The Make-Up Test. The humor was spot on. And the non-stereotypical main characters were refreshing.

Special thank you to St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC of The Make up Test .

Super cute cover caught my attention - and it was giving me all sorts of rom com vibes. The Make UP Text was so cute! It was warm, LOL moments, witty and a fun read! We meet Allison Avery, a smart, vulnerable young women and Colin Benjamin the academic cardigan wearing love interest. Love that it is set in academia. Great one liners, TW of mental health. This book really helped me get out of a read slump = overall enjoyable!

Jenny L. Howe did such a wonderful job on her newest, sweetest debut novel!
I would give this book a million stars if I were able to.

Two college exes, find themselves battling against each other—and their unresolved feelings—for a spot in a prestigious literature Ph.D. program.
What more could I ask for?

The Make-Up Test is A fun, engrossing romcom that caught my attention from the very beginning.
Jenny L. Howe's writing is fun, and fresh, and I fell in love with this story and its characters right away. 
Fun to read, engaging, with some laugh youth loud moments and very descriptive imagery made it feel like it was cinematic.
Not only did the author bring in a refreshing story, she created likable, relatable characters. Who I absolutely adored!
Jenny created absolute magic here.
A masterful romance. And from the first chapter I couldn’t put it down. I honestly didn't want to.
It was easy to feel every emotion that came from these characters.
A true gem. The Make-Up Test has climbed right up to the top of my favourite romance books.
I can't wait to read On the Plus Side.
This is an author to watch for. She is coming full force and I can't wait to see where she goes!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

St. Martin's Griffin,
Oh how I love you! Thank you for this amazing widget!
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.

4.5 stars. This is a delightful New Adult Contemporary, set in graduate school where Allison and her ex, Colin, must work together as TAs (teaching assistants) for the same professor. Competing against is each other is nothing new, but as time goes on, Allison's old feelings for Colin start coming back, and maybe he's no longer as awful as she remembers.

When the publisher offered me this ARC, I had extremely high hopes. I’ve spent a decent bit of time in the English literature side of academia, and while I’m now studying a different field, I do still very much miss it. And on top of that, we’ve got an academic rivalry going on! In the end though, while this book does deliver on a lot of what I was expecting from it, it entirely fumbled the ending, and there were also a few writing choices/quirks that kept frustrating me throughout.

For the majority of this book, the only thing that frustrated me was certain aspects of the writing style. The biggest issue I had here was the random use of Covid-19/a pandemic, with references sporadically mentioned throughout the book. It was such a rare occurrence that it was entirely unnecessary to even write the pandemic into this book’s story world, in my opinion, as the only times it was even brought up were to mention that the MC’s junior year sucked due to it, that she still carried a mask ‘just in case’, and that her dad considered it just a flu and that everyone else had overreacted. It added absolutely nothing to the plot and only served to take me out of the story, as I tried to ponder the timeline of the book and the necessity of these references. For other readers, these small lines will be enough to not even bother reading the book (fairly), as it can remind them of the traumatic events they might have experienced during the pandemic. Additionally, seeing a story world that is safely beyond the pandemic can be frustrating for readers, because we ourselves are still stuck in it. It’s better all-around to simply not even mention it if there is literally no point (and there isn’t!) to these small mentions, as a lot of us read romance to escape, not to be reminded of the struggles of our own real worlds. On top of this, there are also many moments where the writing style feels overly opinionated, which serves to push away readers that don’t agree. This might sound a bit like nitpicking, but when this genuinely caused me to put the book down and text the people around me for their opinions, I feel like it’s a valid complaint. (Some examples of these texts: ‘Do you consider Dr. Martens to be boots?? Because this author seems to not?’ and ‘Wait do people generally not like the actor for Anakin Skywalker in the prequels? Because I’d always assumed people generally liked the guy in the Star Wars fandom and yet this random love interest hates him enough to rant during an entire movie about it’). All of these are throwaway lines that add absolutely nothing to the plot or characters in any way at all but occurred frequently enough that I kept being taken out of the story. It just was not something I’d really encountered this frequently in a story like this before, and just kept frustrating me.

Honestly, for most of this book, I was sitting at around 3 to 4 stars rating, 4 when I was feeling nice and enjoying the banter, and a 3 when those writing quirks were just especially taking me out of the book. I was still having a genuinely nice time, seeing all these literary references (even if I was never into medieval lit myself), and watching the characters grow together despite their rivalry. But then, I hit the final 20% of this book and it just, collapsed for me. I think it’s largely due to too much going on that by the end, it was impossible to properly tie everything up in the space left. Most of the side plots suddenly felt like they had a bow stuck on top of them and all was good now (especially true for the friendship and father side plots), and the rush made some wrapping up feel more ridiculous than sweet or cute (namely the romantic plot resolution). The worst part was that all of this was happening at a funeral, the presence of which felt sudden enough on its own, and logically it did not make sense that everyone came to the funeral to wrap up all these story plots. We just kept having a resolution occur only for it to be quickly shoved aside, just so the next thing could be resolved, all the while the MC is accepting condolences? And lastly, I was just extremely frustrated with how the romantic relationship broke apart and was fixed in this last bit, and personally it relied just way too much on the MC just plain ignoring the love interest, and the love interest being, very not smart in the way he chose to do things, even if he’d seen how things had gone down similarly before.

Overall, I had really high hopes for this book, and it just didn’t end up working for me in the end. While there were aspects I enjoyed, especially the academic settings and references + having a fat MC where the focus wasn’t on her losing weight, and she loved herself as she was, they were overshadowed by, everything else. I may give another book from this author a chance in the future, but this one just wasn’t for me!