"On the Plus Side" is a charming and uplifting read that will leave you smiling. It's a perfect escape for anyone looking for a heartwarming story about self-acceptance, finding your voice, and the transformative power of love. The relatable characters, witty dialogue, and positive message make it a delightful addition to the romantic comedy genre.

This book did an extremely good job with its representation. I enjoyed the storyline and how the events of the book played out. I didnt love the MMC very much, but besides that the book was fun! I gave it a 3 star and would recommend.

I read this book a couple months ago and I think the reason I waited to write this review is because I did not have strong feelings about it one way or the other. Seeing body diversity in romance books is always something I am looking for, so I did enjoy that aspect of this one, but something just felt off for me. It might have been the writing style that just wasn’t for me. I would still recommend this to others; just because it was not for me does not mean it isn’t for others!

a 4 star rating!!

with a sweet nod to queer eye but for plus-size folks, it was a good book with a lot of thoughtfulness written.

Evelyn is written well with a great character arc and her romance with the cameraman is sweet too. although it wasn't my favorite book, i am excited to add this to the growing list of books with plus-size main leads that i will be recommending to folks.

To be honest, my favorite part of this book was the format: a reality TV show and all that entails (online message board forums, charismatic and solution-oriented hosts, tv vs real life dichotomies and, of course, sexy lumber-sexual cameramen). I also deeply loved the note to the reader at the beginning of the novel, which put everything Everly goes through and went through as a larger woman into perspective. I thought it did an excellent job of letting the reader know exactly what they were getting into and why stories like these are so, so important.
I didn’t love Everly, though. I liked her character arc and the way she was figuring things out, but I found her initial lack of ambition a bit devoid of reason. I didn’t totally understand why she didn’t believe in her full potential and found it a bit frustrating that Logan, our very lovable male lead, had to make her believe in herself at times. That said, I understand that kind of a plot is totally necessary for a reality show-themed book that is also a romance and I still genuinely enjoyed reading it.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I was drawn to the plot of the On the Plus Side. Everly is surprised with the opportunity to be on her favorite makeover show! While on the show, she will undergo a life adjustment - take on challenges and step into a new her.

The story was cute but in the end there were some misses for me. Everly’s insecurities and self doubt were a bit repetitive. There was not great chemistry between her and the love interest. It’s a fine book, but not one I’d gush over.

I struggled to get into this book but i ended up enjoying it. I thought the fmc was a relatable character and i love what she represented. i would read more from this author.

I honestly put off reading this book for a long time because I was scared about how it would make me feel since I am in fact 'on the plus side' However I loved how the story was approached, and how the embraced Everly's differences, the way they wanted to make her feel comfortable, and be able to be happy and proud of herself regardless of how she looks. These can be hard things to do when you don't meet societal norms!

I loved the little bit of the love story and spice added with Logan it was a great storyline to be added and it even made me smile at times. I fell in love with their dog sanctuary idea, and closely relate to Everly's need to stroke soft dog ears in order to calm down because I have done that with my dog a time or two.

This book was beautiful, and we need more like them in the world.

I honestly enjoyed this book so much. Being plus size "fat", it's always been a touchy subject for me. After reading this, I truly see myself in a better light and embrace myself in whatever stage I'm in.. even if I'm fat! Shape doesn't define you.

I had such high hopes for this book; I loved watching What Not To Wear growing up and as a plus-sized woman myself, I am always willing to read and support curvy, confident FMC stories! However, this book fell flat for me. Logan seemed like a good MMC, but the grumpy exterior was way too overplayed and I feel like we didn't get to learn much about him. Everly also was obviously written to be insecure with her current life, but she felt very immature to me at times. The fashion in the book also felt very outdated for a book released in late 2023. Overall, this book definitely had potential but it wasn't my favorite. Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review this book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this early copy of On The Plus Side. I unfortunately had to DNF at 75%. There was a disconnect for me throughout this whole story. I felt lost, cranky and disliked the characters. Going into this book I was excited because I always love plus sized representation, but like I said before, I just felt disconnected from the story.

This wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s not for someone else. Sorry guys, this just didn’t do it for me.

Synopsis: Everly is the receptionist at a marketing/design firm when the hosts of her favorite plus-size lifestyle and makeover show surprise her at work ready to feature her on the show and makeover her life! Suddenly the crush she has on the hot designer at work is a huge feature of the show’s spin on her when she wanted to work on herself and her art. With the help of the shows two hosts and the grump cameraman who has stolen her heart, Everly finds what she was looking for (and more!), and overturns everything in the process.

Review: This story was cute and sweet, but there were a few holes in the plot lines. It was a bit repetitive at times with how much Everly doubted herself that it turned me off a bit from her. Plus the romance was slightly rushed and unrealistic. But I did like how the story was told from Everly’s perspective and through threads from the online forum for the show.

All in all, it was good not great, and if someone was looking for a romance, I’d suggest something else over this one.

This was a fun read! I enjoyed the development of Everly and Logan's story. Overall, it wasn't a bad follow-up to Howe's debut, The Make-Up Test.

In solidarity with my reader community, I will not be reviewing St. Martin's Press titles (including their imprints: St. Martin's Griffin) until they address the racism that was allowed to occur in their organization.

Reality shows are still a powerful influence on our society. As the world strives to be more accepting of others and embracing differences, reality shows are testing the waters with a diverse cast. In On the Plus Side, a makeover type show focuses on more than clothes and romance. Everly Winters has spent the last few years trying to make her life small as a counterbalance to her large size and personality. When she learns that someone has nominated her for On the Plus Side she is thrilled and terrified. Jenny L. Howe creates a romance full of self discovery, duel romance possibilities, and friendship. The behind the scene look at creating reality television is fascinating. This is Howe's second romantic comedy and there are two more scheduled for publishing in the winter. I am eager to keep reading her works.

Reality TV but with a plus sized twist. I love the character growth that went along with the romance. The characters are relatable and the topics covered make this story relevant.

# On the Plus Side
# 3/25/2024 ~ 3/26/2024
# 4.0 / 5.0

verly’s life isn’t going exactly how she wanted until she is surprised with being in her favorite show On the Plus Side. Through this experience she gains confidence, works toward her goals, finds herself, and maybe even finds love. I’d recommend if you are looking for a book about self discovery and loving yourself for who you are.

I really wanted to like this book. I was so excited for a strong plus size lead. Unfortunately it fell quite flat. The plot lacked enough action to keep the reader moving forward. I just didn’t want to keep reading. I didn’t feel like I cared about what came of Everly.

I love a romance with a plus size female main character, and this was no exception! super sweet and romantic I truly enjoyed