<b>Fat Positive and Lovely</b>

Note: The author, Jenny L. Howe, wrote an author’s note regarding the use of the word ”fat” in this book. It is used throughout the book as a “neutral descriptor” and as a means of reclaiming the word.

Everly Winters has been nominated for the show, “On the Plus Side” by an unknown person. The reality show is like a combination of “What Not To Wear” and “Queer Eye For the Straight Guy” but for plus-sized people. Everly spends a lot of time tamping down her natural reactions and desires because she worries that she is “too much” for people. Howe captures this feeling that is perhaps familiar to many readers with a lot of sensitivity. Many of Everly’s feelings are caused and perpetuated by Everly’s mother which makes it really hard to stomach at times.

Everly is drawn to cameraman Logan from the beginning and he seems to feel similarly towards her. The only seeming hindrance to a match between the two is Everly herself as she worries that a relationship with the burly and sensitive Logan will detract from her journey on the show. Everly wants to concentrate on herself and her growth into a confident woman and artist.

The more the book progressed with the mutual pining I couldn’t help but wish that she’d see that she could both gain confidence and develop a relationship with Logan.

Unfortunately there’s also a sub-plot with James, a co-worker that I felt detracted from the central love story with Logan. It’s not exactly a love triangle but it is distracting. Everly also gets weirdly angry at a point in the story and I just thought it was odd.

I had a hard time getting through this book. I found it a bit of a slog. I just think if it had a bit of a lighter touch that I would have enjoyed it a little more. I did appreciate the idea that Everly only needs to be made over in respect to her attitude towards herself. I recommend this book to readers who are in the mood for a fat positive love story that concentrates on confidence.

I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

This was a cute read that mostly worked for me, but I just didn’t connect with like I’d hoped. I absolutely loved What Not to Wear when I was younger so I was really excited by the premise of this book. It took me a little while to get into this and ultimately it was a solid 3-star read. I liked Everly’s character, but I found the Logan/James drama to be a little much for me. I didn’t love the act 3 conflict and was a bit disappointed by how it was resolved too. I’d certainly read more from Jenny Howe, but will likely not recommend this book in particular.

“Even when she was at her most confident, ‘pretty’ and ‘fat’ felt like polar opposites. She could look killer, fierce, hot, cute, whatever. Anything but pretty.”

On the Plus Side by Jenny L Howe
Pub Date: December 26, 2023
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟(4/5)
Spice: 🌶🌶🫑(2.5/5)

Review:

Everly lives in a small town on the cape that she grew up in. She works as a receptionist at a local design agency where she regularly helps out her co-worker James. When she’s not working, she’s hanging out with her best friend/sister-and-law Becca. Together they watch a reality tv show that focuses on transforming plus size peoples lives. One day at work, Everly is surprised as the newest client featured on the tv show. She gets swept up in the transformation process with the hosts Jazzy and Stanton and lumbersexual cameraman Luke. Everly wants to focus on finding herself and her art career but show runner Sady has other plans for Everlys arc.

I loved this story. I’m a sucker for a plus sized protagonist. Growing up, I loved watching what not to wear and now I love queer eye. This story is that. It’s SO GOOD. There are totally unexpected twists and some good steam. Seeing Everly work through her insecurities and grow as a person outside the romantic portion of this story was so great.

Jenny L. Howe’s writing style is so easy to read. I have already put her first book on hold at the library. Looking forward to what she writes in the future.

If you like:
- New England
- Reality shows
- Dogs
- Pizza

QOTD: what is your favorite reality fashion show?

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martins Press for proving me with an eARC of this novel.

Everly is a plus size woman, as per the title, who is chosen to participate on a reality show that show participants the fabulousness of larger size people. Being a woman who is plus size myself, I continually emphasis the fact that we are all more than numbers on a scale, no matter where we fall - overweight, underweight, just right. Her coworker crush turned out to be quite the jerk with his motives for what he did. I enjoyed this story.

On the Plus Side is a story of being authentically yourself and finding love (self-love and romantic) along the way. Jenny L. Howe does an amazing job of representing a plus size heroine who loves herself but also struggles with her image. Everly is loud, bold, and an artist, but she’s repressed all three things for years. Content-ish to fade into the background, to modulate her voice, to work as a receptionist rather than go for a design job she wants, and secretly moon over a coworker, Everly is shocked to learn she’s been chosen to be on her favorite reality show, On the Plus Side. The show’s vibrant hosts are a whirlwind, pulling Everly outside her comfort zone and making her face what she’s hidden about herself. Also along for the ride is plaid-wearing cameraman Logan, who is better than any fantasy Everly had about her coworker.

I loved Everly’s journey. Her mother has pushed her to tame herself, to hide in the background, but Everly has a bold personality and style she wants to let shine. The reality show helps her reclaim herself and I loved that journey. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Everly show her art, to grow professionally as well as personally. As for the romance, she and Logan are an excellent pair. They have an easy chemistry and how can you not swoon over a guy who thinks you’re perfect just as you are?

On the Plus Side is a love story; self-love, romantic love, and the love between family, friends, and the community you build. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of Everly’s journey and I’m very much looking forward to reading more of Howe’s work.

A reality show that shows the plus size community in a beautiful light. Lots of family, romance, and community. I'm excited about her next books.

Everly lost her spark when her grandmother, and biggest cheerleader, died several years ago. Now she's working as a receptionist at a design firm (although she's way more talented than some of the designers), wearing clothes that hide her voluptuous figure, and living in a garage apartment of her brother's house. Her biggest vice is watching ON THE PLUS SIDE with her best friend and sister-in-law, Becca, and flirting with James, a designer at work who relies on her artistic advice.

Then one day she is ambushed at work by the producers of OTPS--somebody nominated her to be the latest subject of the reality show. Everly begins to get her spark back, and her budding relationship with Logan, the "lumbersexual" cameraman, shows how ill-suited James was to her. But she's uncomfortable with some aspects of the show's arc--notably focusing on her crush on James.

This is a fun book with relevant underlying themes and Logan and Everly will have you cheering for them. #OnthePlusSide #NetGalley

This absolutely delightful, body-positive and heartwarming romance has already been in the world for almost a WEEK!! Congratulations to author Jenny Howe - I adored it!

Everly Winters is very content to stay in the background. She has a perfectly fine life - lives in her hometown, in the apartment above her brother and her best friend's home. She has a job that pays the bills but doesn't challenge her. even though her coworker looks like Thor. She often struggles with her relationship with her mother - who has never seemed to accept Everly and her body. Then one day it is all turned upside down when the hosts of her favorite show, On the Plus Side, show up at her office with the news that she has been cast for their upcoming season.

What follows is a story of self-discovery, working through grief, and standing up for onseself - with the help of a sometimes grumpy but very sweet, plaid-wearing cameraman.

I am not shy about enjoying reality tv, though it is not often that books can translate a show onto the page. It worked so well here and didn't shy away from some of the seedier parts of the genre. We went on a real journey with Everly, and it was empowering to watch her stand up for herself and also put herself out there. The inclusivity and sensitivity to body image were also done incredibly well.

An excellent book to kickstart 2024!!

Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC - grateful I got a sneak peek for this one!
--
Will post to Goodreads, retail sites and my bookstagram @scottonreads

So there’s this interesting trend of romance books set in reality tv shows over the last couple of years, and the ones that I’ve read have consistently had the same kind of tension. They want to simultaneously be set in a cutesy reality tv setting and be a lighthearted romance while also critiquing the exploitative, voyeuristic nature of reality tv (which from my perspective you can’t really get around). The results vary, and this book did better than some others because it actually addressed the problems that Everly encountered on the show, but there ultimately still tends to be an element of glossing over the more underlying problems. Whatever, I’m sure this doesn’t bother everyone, but it’s always hard for me to put aside. But beyond that, this book did a lot of things really well. It unpacked fatphobia in a really great way and was a lot more diverse than I expected it to be. Also, I do love a romance that revolves around a deeply protective love interest, not to mention a character who secretly loves dogs. So generally perfectly nice, but not my favorite romance ever.

On the Plus Side is a story of being authentically yourself and finding love (self-love and romantic) along the way. Jenny L. Howe does an amazing job of representing a plus size heroine who loves herself but also struggles with her image. Everly is loud, bold, and an artist, but she’s repressed all three things for years. Content-ish to fade into the background, to modulate her voice, to work as a receptionist rather than go for a design job she wants, and secretly moon over a coworker, Everly is shocked to learn she’s been chosen to be on her favorite reality show, On the Plus Side. The show’s vibrant hosts are a whirlwind, pulling Everly outside her comfort zone and making her face what she’s hidden about herself. Also along for the ride is plaid-wearing cameraman Logan, who is better than any fantasy Everly had about her coworker.

I loved Everly’s journey. Her mother has pushed her to tame herself, to hide in the background, but Everly has a bold personality and style she wants to let shine. The reality show helps her reclaim herself and I loved that journey. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Everly show her art, to grow professionally as well as personally. As for the romance, she and Logan are an excellent pair. They have an easy chemistry and how can you not swoon over a guy who thinks you’re perfect just as you are?

On the Plus Side is a love story; self-love, romantic love, and the love between family, friends, and the community you build. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of Everly’s journey and I’m very much looking forward to reading more of Howe’s work.

Didn't love as much as I hoped! I was really wanting to like the book but the setup seemed not believable and wished for more/faster.

**thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book**

On the plus side really aims for body positivity which I love. Although there were a few moments in the story that really made my skin crawl, overall my reading experience was enjoyable. I LOVED the growth of our main character, Everly. I must admit, the romance was pretty swoon worthy too. If you like quick reads with romance as a sub plot, give this one a try!

I love reading behind the scenes of reality shows, as a big reality show fan. Characters were very likeable, except for Everly’s mother who did have a legit redemption arc. I do wish we would’ve learned a little bit more about Logan aside from his affinity for flannel shirts and loving dogs. Their falling in love was very convincing, however, I do think the plot twist with the producer fell flat for me. I wish Everly would’ve followed her dreams a little bit more, for instance, the art show. I’m glad I gave this author another chance after not enjoying The Makeup Test.

i’m submitting the reviews for books by you that I already have, but I will never request another one. In October one of your employees made a horribly racist statement and you have chosen to do nothing about it. People have continuously asked you to say that you don’t stand with what the employee said, and you refuse to. This is not someone who I want to promote ever because you are sending the wrong message. These reviews will not be posted on social media because you don’t deserve the promotion. I hope that all of your authors move to other publishers because you are standing with a genocide. Watch this video for more information https://www.tiktok.com/@vivafalastinleen/video/7288407369313307947?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7211704101519296042

This was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed reading Everly’s journey of actually doing what she loves. The love story with her and Logan was so cute and it progressed so naturally. They both really saw each other and it warmed my heart.

On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe

Published: December 26, 2023
St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Women’s Friendship Fiction
Pages: 360
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

I love a body-positive book. Especially one that showcases plus-sized people. Everly Winters could be every plus-size person. The way she tries to dim her shine because few people see past her size.

This novel hits a lot of points beautifully. And I loved the romantic elements. I am always intrigued by books that take us behind the scenes of television shows, so that aspect was fantastic.

This book has a lot of heart. It made me laugh and cry, but I was glued to the pages. This was a charming story from start to finish, and I loved every page.

The book On the Plus Side was an enjoyable read. I would recommend any book written by Jenny L. Howe. Happy Reading!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.

4.5 stars!

I really enjoyed On the Plus Side. I really didn’t know how it was going to play out when there was a reality tv show involved, but Jenny Howe did a great job with this storyline!

The writing was refreshing. The characters were extremely relatable..The relationships that Everly had with her mom was super heartbreaking. I’m happy with how it ended, but the road to get there and the years spent misinterpreting things was so sad for both of them. And the co-worker, James, well, I don’t want to give anything away or ruin the story, but sometimes I just wanted to shake him and tell him to stop!

I think the best part of the whole book was Logan the cameraman! He was just perfect, in so many ways.

Overall I really loved this book and can’t read to pick up another book by this author.

***Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for an ARC copy in return for an honest review***

This book had admirable goals. I believe the author's intent was to normalize being overweight instead of continuing to stigmatize it. What happened instead at times felt like the character's weight being targeted as a weakness instead of pointing our her many strengths.

That said, I did like the basic storyline. It was an original feeling plot and I got on board with it. It was well-written and gave solid insight into the character's thoughts.

AUDIOBOOK: I also listened to the audiobook and found it to be quite good. The narration was solid and pulled me into the storyline. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for both the ebook and audiobook. I chose to review them and the opinions contained within are my own.

I love a Reality TV trope, and I LOVE the representation in this book! The writing is smart and fun and the characters are extremely likable and just overall well-written and real.

The story had a lot of moving parts, but managed to keep them all connected, and not once did I feel like there was too much going on. This is as much of a story of self discovery and living life to the fullest as it a hot AF love story.

Everly is honestly one of the greatest FMCS I’ve read in a while. She’s strong, and smart, and funny, and while it was hard to watch her try to fade into the background, it was also extremely relatable. We live in the age of reality TV where everyone thinks they have a say in other people’s lives from behind a keyboard, and this book does a great job of illustrating what that looks like.

IMO, Logan and Everly are OTP, and I ADORED every minute of their relationship and in watching it unfold. They’re both so REAL and vulnerable and just 👨🏻‍🍳 😘 🤌🏼.

Honestly, I was hesitant to read this because I didn’t love “The Make-Up Test”, but this book was PERFECTION and I loved it.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Since On the Plus Side is published by St. Martins Press, I will not be continuing with this book because of their silence against an employee's hatred towards Palestine. #SpeakUpSMP