Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC of this novel. I thought this was super cute and I really enjoyed the confidence evolution of Everly. It felt like a real person reclaiming themselves and an interesting look at some reality TV and how it is not quite reality. The relationship with Logan is very sweet and I loved the end of it. Give this a read! 4 stars.

DNFd at 21%.

Objectively this book is really good and I liked the writing style. Just not for me right now. I didn't feel connected to the characters or anything.

*Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley earlier this month. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to read and review it before its release.

Rate: 4-Starts
Spice: 1.5 Chili Peppers

I really enjoyed this book. As a plus-sized woman, it is always nice to see representation and Ms. Howe did it well. I really enjoyed how Everly bloomed in this book and how she found herself again. From quiet and unsure to funny, sexy, confident, and assured she became. I love her relationship with her brother and sister-in-law/best friend and Logan, wow, and o boy, did I love Logan and how thoughtful and understanding he was and how he wasn’t so blind that he couldn’t see the wrong in what was happening despite trying to be loyal.

Everly relationship with her mom is unfortunately true for so many of us. Even when our moms are plus-size too, they don’t always go about protecting us in ways that don’t hurt us. I hated James and I’m really glad that was a non-triangle.

The spice was minimal and glossed over a lot hence the 1.5 peppers.
This was a cute book and I really enjoyed reading it.

I loved this book! Has it all, characters you root for, relationship growth and evolution, reality tv drama, dogs, and more.

On the Plus Side centers around Everly, with her getting ambushed to participate on a more inclusive version of what not to wear. She's been in a bit of a rut but will the show pull her out? Nothing quite like she expected.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

I loved this book, it was an honest portrayal of being fat in today’s world. Evelyn Winters is nominated and chosen to be on her favorite reality makeover show, “On the Plus Side”. The show remakes her appearance and wardrobe, showing her how to flatter her figure.
They also help remake your life, by getting into old hobbies and getting out to meet people.

Evelyn always wanted to be an artist but in her mind it wasn't secure. She’s got an online Etsy shop where she sells jewelry, and the show allows her to wear her own pieces

She also has an unrequited crush on a coworker. As the show starts and cameras follow her everywhere, she makes friends with the cameraman, Logan. At the same time, she finds out her work crush isn’t all she thought he’d be.

Evelyn is embarrassed when the cameras catch the growing relationship between she and Logan and she wonders if reality TV is for her, especially when the producers try create a love triangle where none exists.

I enjoyed the behind the scenes look at reality tv, especially the roles the producers play. This is a well done romance that you’ll enjoy, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

A little queer eye, a little what not to wear, and a story that was mostly surface level. As everly embarks on her journey on the reality show on the plus side (side note, how could you not see that it was the douche canoe that nominated her! 😆) Overall the aspects of the book that I think were meant to be empowering, instead came across as seeing how many stereotypes could be include. There could have been a lot more depth to the confidences that Everly had, rather than playing up any possible insecurities she might have (like her example of how her and her mom got the same advice from grandma but internalized it in completely opposite ways). I had some high hopes for the romance, but for as much as there were longing glances, there wasn't really a lot of chemistry. Even with the fade to black scenes, there was plenty of chance to play up the steam, and the depth to her growing relationship with Logan didn't quite hit the mark. All that to say though, for the reality tv/lifestyle show lovers, this very well could be the book for you!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review!

This was an adorable and heartfelt story about a woman becoming comfortable in herself and finding love where she least expects it. I enjoyed the pace of the character growth for our lead character. I also liked seeing a more vulnerable side to our male lead character as well. It was sweet and heartwarming. I can't wait for more by this author.

Thanks so much to Jenny, NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review 💕

I’ve been eagerly awaiting this book since reading Jenny’s other book, The Make-Up Test, at the beginning of the year. This was so worth the wait!

Everly is happy to hide in the shadows of life, just drifting by and okay with doing so. She lives vicariously through the people on her fave show, On the Plus Side, a plus-size makeover show. When she’s nominated for the show and gets a spot, she’s shoved out of her comfort zone and is adjusting to not only being seen by those around her, but the whole world. Throw in a cute but surly cameraman, Logan, and a cast of fun characters to make her shine, Everly has her hands full with figuring out what she wants out of life and how to get it.

Everly was so much fun to read about, and while I normally prefer dual POV, this one was perfect as is. You really get to see her transformation mentally as she becomes more confident in herself. I also liked that while it was a “makeover” show, it didn’t depend on changing her appearance just because she’s fat. They focused on making her comfortable regardless of what everyone else thinks about her and just improving her life so she’s fully happy and living to the fullest.

I liked Logan since he’s a grumpy yet soft MMC, and I loved that we got more of a backstory for him! He was so supportive of Everly and had his own goals that made him so lovable. They were the cutest together and I wish the slow burn wasn’t as slow so I could have more of them together!

Side note: the dryer scene though? 😮‍💨 Glorious, truly glorious.

I will continue to read more by Jenny, and I can’t wait to see what she has next!

Everly Winters was content in her safe bubble. She’s stayed a receptionist instead of a career in art, she lives in her brother’s garage, crushing on her Thor-like co-worker, and wears plain and shapeless clothes. Until someone nominates her to be the next guest on her favorite show, On The Plus Side. Everly soon discovers that she needs to be free, but this freedom can be a bit much. She finds comfort with the grumpy cameraman, Logan. But thins on the show are not quite what Everly thought, and Everly must decide on what path she really wants her story arc to be.

I loved this cast of characters so much! Everything Everly felt, I felt, and I was so excited to see her standing up for herself more than once. I also loved that neither she nor Logan were down with the “reality show” story arc. If you’ve read any of my reviews, I have a big pet peeve, and I was so happy that the author had the main character try to shut it down very early. This couple is official one of my favorites.

I love the idea of dog sanctuary, and how the world needs more of these. The world, in general, needs more of a lot of things. Having a novel that focuses on Everly and her journey with “fat”, and how she makes her own is STRIKING! I love this word so much! I think everyone should read this book. I think it makes everyone who reads it think twice about the word fat, but that no matter the body shape, everyone has the potential to be beautiful.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

On The Plus Side is the story of Everly, a woman who gets selected to be on a makeover show for plus size individuals. This book was so much fun. Everly was so incredibly likable and relatable and it was impossible not to swoon with the romance. And the reality show characters were such a hoot - they added the laugh out loud moments throughout the book. Such a sweet and inspiring story to love yourself and follow your dreams.

On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe is a book about the makeover of the main character, Everly. Everly has been selected to appear on her very favorite makeover reality show. She doesn't know who nominated her for the show but is determined to make the most of being a guest. She'll be made over physically and mentally to help her escape the rut she's been stuck in. Little does she know what the long-lasting and life-altering effects of her appearance on the show will be. Read and enjoy!

On the Plus Side by Jenny L Howe
Contemporary romance, or women’s fiction with romance. Plus size / fat shaming fighting back.
Everly Winters is perfectly happy wearing dark colors, living above the garage of her brother’s house and working as a receptionist. Since her grandmother died, and her mother’s constant reminders to lower her voice or questioning her eating choices, Everly prefers to have the focus pointed elsewhere. When her favorite television hosts appear at her desk and tell her she’s been nominated for a makeover of On The Plus Side, Everly realizes she is going to have to figure out what she really wants to do in life. Does she want to explore a career in art? How is this tv show going to rebuild her confidence? They seem to have focused on a male coworker as the main story but that is not what Everly thinks is important or really even relevant to her makeover.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook coy and an audiobook version. The narration is performed by Zura Johnson who does a phenomenal job of distinctive voices between Everly and Logan as well as other supporting characters. The tempo is a smidge slow. I listened at 1.5 which is the most comfortable conversational speed for me. I clearly heard Everly’s surprise, and frustrated moments during the performance as well as her mother’s seemingly disapproval and Everly’s BFF’s support. Jazzy especially came across as enthusiastic.

The storyline itself was a bit concerning initially but a restart helped me to focus on Everly, and not my own goals or life choices. (I’m happy, really!) The topic was handled well and while I thought the mother’s “helping” may be bit of a cliche, I’ve personally experienced it and seen it with friends so believe it played true.
The followers support of Everly’s post on the forum was immediate and super supportive. The kindness of the fans had me crying it was so nice.
A story of learning to be confident in who you are regardless of size, gender, race etc.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and publisher Spotify Audiobooks / @OrangeSkyaudio.

Out December 26th, Everly, the new guest on a popular plus-size makeover show has her style―and her love life―transformed. This story is fun, original and heartwarming.
✨️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.

✨️The main character, Everly, is truly inspiring and relatable. She has NO issues with her body, and she really makes the fat community take notice that there are many that aren't the perfect size, but we are still loveable.

✨️Several times, I giggled out loud, and multiple times, I got teary-eyed. Such an inspiring and moving story, but in a light-hearted way. Wonderful for others in the fat community seeking to find their self-love and confidence to realize they're "striking"! I've never felt more seen in my life.

✨️ This book is a full ☆☆☆☆☆ stars for this reviewer. ✨️

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

I really enjoyed the last book by this author so I was excited to read this one as well. This author is great at showing representation of plus sized women in a realistic and positive way and I love that!

Loved the concept of this one! Getting chosen to be on a plus sized makeover show? So cool! I really liked Everly and related to her a lot. It was nice to have such a relatable character with representation as the FMC in this one.

I won’t spoil it, but such a cute story with a great concept. Imagine being chosen to be on a reality show about makeovers for plus sized women which just happens to be your favourite show! Loved the storyline.

A great, fun read especially for those looking for plus sized girl representation!

4.5 stars~

This was such a cute romance. I absolutely flew through it and almost read it entirely in one sitting. I loved the reality show vibes, and it reminded me of if What Not to Wear also focused on lifestyle changes as well and it was just overall very nostalgic for me thinking of it that way. I loved Logan and seeing his support for Everly and watching their relationship develop throughout. I think I wished the ending was a bit longer and we got a bit more detail maybe. I also liked the inclusion of articles and online comments that were at the end of chapters. I always loved reading them!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

4 Stars

I really enjoyed this story!
I fell in love with Everly from the first page. She is relatable from the beginning. I struggle with allowing myself to be “who I am” as I feel it is too much for others, and I just want to blend in, like Everly. Seeing Everly gain her confidence and become more herself, was an amazing story. I was excited to see what Everly would do for herself and what she would make her next step. I was rooting for her till the very last page.
Now for the romance. At times, it felt like this was the book's main point, which was a good storyline. I just enjoyed it when the focus was solely on her growth. I enjoyed Everly and Logan’s dynamic. It is a Grumpy x Sunshine trope, which I enjoy. But I felt like by the end, the author put too much emphasis on making sure that you (the reader) know that he is grumpy.

Things I did not enjoy…
James. I did not like him from the very beginning. And I still don’t like him.
The third act conflict. There was an okay lead-up to it. But it felt really big to be very quickly fixed. This is usually what happens in rom-coms, so it is okay—just not my favorite thing.

Extra Note: There were 3 explicit sex scenes. They were well-written, but I was definitely surprised that they were in the story! So I just wanted to give a heads-up.

I enjoyed this story about Everly, who works as a receptionist at a marketing/design firm, has a rocky relationship with her mother and is nominated to be on her favorite TV show On The Plus Side.

The TV show is documentary-style and follows Everly through her daily life and helps her with a personal and career makeover. As the filming carries on, she finds herself drawn to Logan, the sexy cameraman, filming her good and not-so-good moments.

The story was funny, compelling, had mostly well-developed main and side characters and had a lot of good messages. I do wish Logan had been more three dimensional.

I received this Digital Review Copy from St. Martin's Griffin Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review. This is that review.

I really enjoyed most of this story. Very cool romcom that gives Queer Eye and What Not to Wear a run for their money. Everly was quite the heroine. I thought she was very relatable and an all around likeable character. We don't often see the journey of women on the plus size openly and unapologetic-ally loving themselves and I think Howe did an excellent job with the portrayal. All the of the side characters were great except for Everly's mom and the show runner. I loved Logan so much. I have a thing for the grumpy MMC and he did not disappoint He was always 100% there for Everly and it's admirable.

I really enjoyed On the Plus Side. It was clear as day that What Not to Wear influenced the show within the book, but Jenny L. Howe really improved upon its format. As a plus sized woman, I am delighted to find such a realistic reality concept coupled with a scorching hot romance. You may not think you’re down for a laconic lumbersexual, but do get acquainted with Logan. He was so hotly protective and complemented Everly so well. She fully evolved into her funny, confident, sexy, savvy self for all to see throughout the course of the book. I liked that Everly was basically right at the precipice, she just needed a push/support to get her into true self-acceptance and love. And my lord was her relationship with her mother realistic, it was so me and my grandmother. It may be triggering for someone currently in that situation, but it was cathartic for me. The only part of the book I didn’t care for was the character of James. His work behavior towards Everly was fully believable (been there), but his ultimate motivations and actions were kind of unrealistic. It was just confusing. Also? I am so old if the tv host was named after a Sex and the City character!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book gave me all the feels! If you are on the plus side you know how your size makes you want to hide and not shine because you are already so seen with just your size. Everyone has their own opinion on bigger people and we have been programed to believe our worth comes with our size and the bigger you are, the less worth you should have. We know better to know that shame does nothing to encourage change and yet so many people do this.
Everly is so relatable, and her feelings about her size and just her are also relatable. All the little voices in your head, Everly speaks them in this book. Whether it is wondering if you are good enough for your family, your job, or even for the opposite sex (or whomever you like) our size makes us question all these things.
The drama with the show makes a good story but it also feels so real too.
Love the dynamic between Everly and Logan as well. Such a good book! Can't wait to read more.