As a plus size woman, I often have a hard time reading books with characters who are plus sized because of the way that they are portrayed. That was not the case with this book. I had SO much fun reading about Everly. The story was fun, quirky, emotional, cute, romantic, and just all around a great time to read!

Everly Winters enjoys her quiet life. Kind of. She wants to be an artist, but lacks confidence. She hides her body so no one will notice her. She pines for her Thor-like co-worker, but won’t act on her feelings.

But each week, she can escape into her favorite reality makeover show, “On the Plus Side.” Then, one day in the office, she’s surprised by the show’s hosts (Jazzy and Stanton) who announce that she’s been nominated to be on the show. Huzzah!

A whirlwind of events follows, and Everly finds herself being followed by the show’s grumpy, handsome, heart-of-gold cameraman Logan. The more time they spend together, the more sizzling the electricity between them becomes.

While Everly’s confidence grows thanks to the show’s hosts, she decides maybe she can have everything she wants and maybe being noticed isn’t a bad thing. But starting a romance that’s being filmed for everyone to see? That might be more than Everly bargained for.

This book will, I’m sure, be comped to “One to Watch,” which came out in 2020. It, too, has a plus-size protagonist on a reality show. Sure, there are similarities, but when the story is done well, who cares? And “On the Plus Side” has a charming and entertaining story and great characters. I want to be best friends with hosts Jazzy and Stanton! I wouldn’t mind if Logan followed me around, either. And the storyline between Everly and her mother was a little heartbreaking but well-written.

The one thing that threw me off a bit were the social media asides. The placement of them seemed a little random and didn’t really fit with the chronology.

Overall, though, this book was a winner.

Really enjoyed this story. I think that sometimes plus size heroines are just a thing that is not really explored but this book just delivers a deep and insightful story. The characters and the romance are just so lovely to see.

I sat on this review for a few days, trying to figure out how to put into words how much I enjoyed this book. It brings everything I was looking for in a romance book. I also connected with our main character Everly.

Our main character Everly is perfectly happy choosing the safe path. Not moving up from secretary to a career in art. Not putting herself out there to find love. Not posting on the fan forum for her favorite reality show, On the Plus Side. She is content with fading into the background and not being noticed.

Until one day someone nominates her to be a part of the new season of On the Plus Side. Suddenly thrust into the spotlight with hosts who are extroverted she finds comfort in the show's kind but grumpy cameraman Logan. Soon, Everly realizes that he’s someone she doesn’t mind being noticed by and enjoys not fading into the background around him. When their growing connection is caught on camera, it sends the show’s ratings through the roof. Learning to embrace all of herself on national TV is hard enough and now she could be caught with a heartbreak with the world watching as well.

Their love is sweet, spicy, and overall made me want to feel love again. The author did a great job at plus-size representation in this book, making it so relatable. I cannot wait to read more by this author

Thank you Netgally and St. Martins Press for providing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I love to see plus size representation in books so I pick this gem right up. This was a cute read, I couldn’t put it down.

3.75 (Rounded Up) ⭐️ || 3 🌶️

Having relatable characters is always incredibly refreshing, and Everly was just that! If What Not to Wear and the Princess Diaries had a secret affair, this would be their love child. In a literal sense, "She would accept her fate as the Mia Thermopolis of On The Plus Side". Honestly, I wasn't hooked until the second half, but overall the book was a cute read!
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As an actual fat person, it’s very healing to hear some of my struggles reflected in fiction. Even at my biggest (and currently most confident) size, it’s difficult to explain to straight-sized friends how it feels to live in a body that is not represented in the mainstream. I feel the author truly captured this and brought it to good light!

"It was so much easier to think about clothes with someone who understood. If she tried to make fun of these outfits with Becca, her best friend would have insisted Everly looked good in all of them. Because that was the only way she knew how to deal with their size difference. Instead of acknowledging that Everly was fat, Becca tried to deny it out of existence".
"But your opinion mattered to me. You're my mom. And the way you talked about my body, the way you looked at me, tried to hide me, tried to teach me to hide myself, that hurt. That damaged me."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this e-arc for an honest review!

Perfect for fans on One to Watch. After years of blending in to the background, Everly is selected to participate on her fave fashion reality TV show. While she hopes this is an opportunity for her crush to notice her, it's actually the grumpy cameraman who starts looking more her way. Overall a fun, sweet romcom with very well done plus-size rep!

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martins Press for providing me with an Arc of this novel!
I absolutely adored this book. It has a unique plot line, great characters, and plus size representation!!
I flew through this and would definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a meaningful and fast-paced novel. It provides great romance, but more importantly, a journey of finding Everly finding herself and her passions.

Thanks to Netgalley for access to this E-ARC! This was really cute! Loved the plus-size rep and the romance was so good! Definitely recommend.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for this ARC!

I did not want this book to end! I I fell in love with Everly within the first few pages and really enjoyed the story and the other characters. I loved the representation for plus sized women.

Looking forward to reading more by Jenny L. Howe.

5 stars!

Everly Winters has made her world safe and small since the death of her grandmother, Helen. She works as a receptionist at a design and marketing firm, where she's close to her dream in art, but doesn't have to take the risk to pursue it. She has a work crush who's handsome and fun but prefers the daydreams to any real attempt at love. She wears black and navy to avoid being seen and shutters her big personality to stay out of anyone's spotlight.

That all changes when she learns that she's the newest participant on the fat-inclusive makeover show, On the Plus Side. Now, she needs to think about who she wants to be, from her career to her love life to her sense of style, all while surrounded by showrunner Sady, co-hosts Stanton and Jazzy, and the grumpy but sweet cameraman, Logan.

I had mixed feelings about Howe's debut, mostly because books about academia are hard for me to love, but I devoured this one in just one day. Even if you aren't fat, you'll resonate with so much of Everly's story and her willingness to shrink herself down to avoid being "too much." If you have ever struggled to accept your body, or had others struggle to accept it even if you do, you'll resonate with her struggles with her mom, who is just "trying to help" but does the exact opposite. The growth that Everly goes through while filming in the show is so real.

If you're only there for the romance, you'll also enjoy that too. Yes, Logan is a little grumpy to start, but he sees Everly from the moment he starts filming her and is able to show both her talent and his love in a hundred different ways through his lens. They navigate the challenging third-act conflict together, without a breakup, but with a lot of mutual support.

A word of warning, both grief and fat shaming (by the mother) are an integral part of the plot and they aren't always easy to get through. I definitely cried during parts of the book. However, they are handled with care and Howe is thoughtful in how she tackles them.

* Thank you to St. Martin's and NetGalley for access to an ARC in exchange for my honest review. *

On the Plus Side is Jenny L. Howe’s latest adult romance. Everly loves her favorite tv show, On the Plus Side, which is a plus-size makeover show that empowers and uplifts contestants. When she is nominated, Everly is shocked and her life changes overnight. Logan is the cameraman assigned to follow Everly around and capture every moment of her transformation. Logan is famous for his grumpy personality and Everly can’t resist trying to make him smile. As Logan and Everly grow closer, Everly starts to wonder about the romantic energy between them. With a showrunner who is focused on ratings, will Everly be able to explore their connection?

On the Plus Side is impossible to put down! I enjoyed Howe’s debut, but I loved this book even more. Howe’s writing is witty and filled with clever references. Everly is a very relatable character and I loved watching her find self-confidence and growth as the show went on. Everly is an activist for body positivity, but needs to learn to apply what she preaches to herself. I especially related to her strong relationship with her grandma and how that loss impacted her.

The show’s hosts feel like real people who you’d want to hang out with and receive advice from. Logan and Everly have excellent chemistry and lots of stolen romantic moments as the show films. Logan’s love of dogs was adorable and I loved his business idea. The pacing is excellent. The tension with James and the showrunner are incorporated well, but never steal the joy and happiness of the book.

On the Plus Side was a delightful treat! Readers who love the grump/sunshine trope, make-over shows with a positive outlook (like Queer Eye), and lovable characters will enjoy this book. I’m looking forward to seeing what Jenny L. Howe writes next! Readers who enjoyed The Charm Offensive (Alison Cochrun), Spoiler Alert (Olivia Dade), and Talia Hibbert should check out On the Plus Side.

Thank you so much to Jenny L. Howe, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

Roses:
I like that this had a fun spin on a reality show that focuses on the plus size community. The hosts were fun and used creative ways to help the MFC in the story. I love how Logan became the real advocate for Everly during the show but also in their private moments too. At first I wasn’t sure if I would like Everly but as the story moved along there were moments that I really connected to her.

Thorns:
Some of the plot seemed to be really repetitive and didn’t go anywhere for a long time. I felt myself losing steam because it felt like I read this already. The spice was ehh. It either to be more or not at all.

Overall it was a good story with a not over done setting of the the tv show which I haven’t seen a lot of recently.

I picked this up because of the title and I live for plus size representation. This was quirky, cute and made me laugh. I really enjoyed this!

I was not a fan of the writing style for this book. DNF


******************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.*********************

Everly Winters is happy with her very quiet, mostly mundane life... sort of. Then out of nowhere she gets selected to star on in the 3rd season of her favorite TV show, On the Plus Side, which puts focus on big girls and bringing out their inner style and confidence. With Everly's privacy on the line, a sketchy showrunner, and a handsome but grumpy cameraman following her every move, Everly hopes she'll get anything out of this show without tarnishing her reputation in the process.

I liked this! It was definitely a cute little story with a couple sexy scenes and a lot of heart. Everly was not as lacing in confidence as she thought, but it made her stronger as a character in my eyes. She was not The Pathetic Girl for sure. I also loved Logan. I was a little worried that his romance would come off really weird (because he's always filming people... does he always fall for them?) but thankfully he was just a sweet, dog-loving, boyfriend material guy who was straight up whole-heartedly in love with Everly. I really liked the development of their relationship, even though I found the "show" aspect of the book a little strange. I don't know if I love show-mance books but that's a me thing.

I would recommend this to any romance lover looking for some plus-size rep!

Was this the most amazing thing I have ever read? No not really. Did it pass the time and was fairly enjoyable? Sure! Average plot with average characters. The romance was okay. I don’t think I will remember this book in a couple of days.

I thought this book was cute. I loved the premise and I loved seeing the character become more confident and stick up for herself.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This follows Everly, a plus sized artist who has lost her way after the death of her beloved grandmother. Everly is a talented artist and she used to have big dreams. Without her biggest cheerleader by her side, Everly has chosen to hide behind neutral colors and no longer take risks. She can't fail if she never tries for anything beyond her perfectly average existence. When someone nominates her for a reality TV show On the Plus Side that focuses on giving plus sized guests not only a wardrobe makeover but a life makeover, Everly is given the opportunity to revisit the girl she has hidden away and redefine her happiness.

This was such a heartwarming book. I loved going on Everly's journey of rediscovering herself and figuring out what she wants to do with her life. I found her story to be very relatable, and I loved watching her go from feeling like she was "too much" to feeling just the right amount through the support of her friends and the sweet romance she developed with Logan. I also loved that she got to define happiness for herself despite what she looked like. No one should close themselves off to make other people feel comfortable, and she faced that on her journey. It was so awesome to see her transform into someone who could advocate for herself in both personal and professional situations and throw caution to the wind a little bit here and there. This had great banter and side characters to add some humor and fun to a book that deals with some heavy topics.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. If you are a fan of the show What Not to Wear, this has a similar vibe. I'm not a big reality TV show person, but I loved that show. This had a fun romcom element, but also dealt with some very real issues. This is my first book by the author but I'm looking forward to reading more!a

Oh my gosh! This was so cute and funny! I loved the FMC so much and Jazzy and Stanton were hilarious! Very much recommend this one! It is one of the best Rom Coms I’ve read in awhile.