I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for the following review.

The good parts of this book are probably obvious from the cover -- plus-size representation, body acceptance message, and the like. I did genuinely enjoy the main character's story arc and appreciated the slow-burn relationship unfolding.

What bothered me -- the reason I'm not giving this 4 or 5 stars -- is that the messaging was just TOO heavyhanded (if you'll pardon the word choice). Like, I GET IT. I don't think we boost fat acceptance by talking constantly about wanting more fat acceptance. Everly's struggles around her self-conception were relatable but just too tryhard for my tastes. And because the fat acceptance message was the central theme, rather than the story itself, this book was a very slow read for me.

Ultimately, I enjoyed the story but wanted this book to be more plot driven (and, tbh, much steamier) than it was.

The first read of mine from this author and I was completely blown-away! On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe is the story readers didn’t know they needed: find love and be your authentic self, no matter what size you are.

Meet Everly Winters. After the loss of her grandmother, she prefers to blend in versus standing out. This changes when she is nominated for her favourite show, On the Plus Side. She’s going to get a makeover on reality TV makeover and embark on a journey of self-love and regaining her ability to stand out. Along the way she meets Logan. He’s the grumpy cameraman on the show, but Everly didn’t come her to find love… did she?

I read this in one sitting because Everly became my bestie, and you can’t leave your bestie when they need you. And Everly needed me to stick with her story until the end. So I did. I’m “too much” too (to the wrong people). I found it incredible how Howe used the concept of reality television to provide an alternative perspective on fat representation and how a person wants to present themselves to the world.

Howe spoke on heavier topics (grief, self-expectations, etc.) and countered them with grace and humorous themes that leaned toward the lighter side. The fat representation was very well-done and I found it to be extremely realistic and relatable. As someone who spent over a decade working in the fashion industry, I can attest to the fatmisia. Across the globe I have witnessed a systematized discrimination or antagonism directed against fat bodies, and it’s a disgusting practice.

The romance was written so well… chef’s kiss. It was steamy (had me blushing more than a little), funny, emotional, and be in my top reads for this year. How it made me feel stuck with me and honestly, this is a new favourite and I cannot wait to add a physical copy to my home library. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun book that really focused on body positively. It was cute and an easy read. It did have a bit of predictability though, but I still enjoyed it!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a reality TV junkie I LOVE make over shows. I love that this book was around a TV show that was all about self love and empowerment - Queer Eye for the Straight Guy meets What not to Wear - two of my favorite shows. Everly Winters was an amazing lead and her growth throughout the book was just so amazing. Learning to love herself and trust herself again with her dreams of being an artist, her job and her love life was so amazing. I loved how she fell in love with Logan slowly and they had such great chemistry and communication and out right hilarious moments.
I adored Logan. I loved the representation of a hero that isn't Alpha Macho and perfect. But he is perfect in his love of Everly and his dogs and his job and how he stood up for what is right.
I loved the twists and turns of the taping of the show and how it didn't have the blow up between her and Logan that I thought was coming. She trusted him even when things weren't looking good. That type of love /respect and mature relationship is so refreshing in a rom-com. I think the cliché thing would have been to have them breakup over what she thought happened with the dressing room but it didn't and I was so happy. It made this a 4 to 4 1/2 star book for me because I love that they really fell and love and trusted each other not to break up at the first sign of trouble. It shows her growth that she knew she could trust him.
I really enjoyed the body positivity and self love aspects of this book. The work for your goals and love your self message was so great. This is just a feel good book and was an amazing read.
I would highly recommend to lovers of Olivia Dade books, reality TV, cinnamon roll lumbersexuals and books with an amazing feel good message.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's for letting me review this book.

I always love to see plus size representation in books! Not my favorite book but I could picture many people loving it. The pacing was a little off for me and felt a little too young for my liking.

Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”



Love it!!!!!

Queer Eye meets What Not to Wear in this adorably funny rom com. Every Winters plays it safe. Safe with her job, men her family, and her friends. Until one day, she finds out that she is the next star of her favorite makeover show, On the Plus Side. There she meets grumpy camera man, Logan, and start to believe that, maybe, just maybe, she doesn’t have to play it safe anymore.

On the Plus Side is a perfect, little rom com. It addresses fat shaming and body image without becoming too heavy or reflective for a romance novel. The dynamic between the characters was so real, I’ll be forever devastated that I don’t get to meet Jazzy and Stanton. And the romance was just the right amount of steamy and swoon-worthy. I would recommend this for any fan of What Not to Wear who wished that the show was a little less shallow and a little more about loving who you truly are. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

I somehow got it in my head that this book was about a Bachelor type plus size dating show. I was way off, but that’s on me. This story follows Everly Winters, a plus sized girl whose life can basically be described as stuck. She’s living in the apartment above her brother’s garage, she’s got an unrequited crush on a co worker, she’s working a job she doesn’t even like, and she’s so content living life in the shadows that she only lurks on the forum for her favorite show (and never participates). Everly randomly gets nominated for her favorite show, On the Plus Side (roll credits lol) and life essentially transforms from here. While the show helps her find herself, she also ends up finding love with the cameraman, Logan. Despite clearly having no idea what I was about to read, I could relate to so much to Everly. I spent early parts of the book tearing up because I could either relate or I needed to hear what was said. 2% in and I had already highlighted an amazing quote, “Because no matter who we are and what we look like, we all deserve a mirror. We all deserve to be understood. We all deserved to be seen.” UGH. My heart. I loved watching Everly slowly transform into a more confident version of herself. I loved that she was finally seeing herself the way those around her saw her. I loved Logan and how fiercely he defended and protected her, truly until the very end. He’s the definition of ride or die. This book isn’t super steamy by any means, but it is open door and Logan and Everly do have a few steamy moments. I loved his love of dogs and his story about his tattoo. I read the content warnings in the email for this book, but somehow still didn’t realize how affected I would be about the dog stuff. I lost my dog nearly two years ago and I’m emotional even just typing this. I love how Logan tended to adopt older dogs cause he knew that even though he would lose them sooner, they still deserved love. And I get sad even thinking about his childhood dog, even though this is a fiction book lol Since I had the whole idea of this book wrong, I had no idea how it would go. I think the conflict made sense even though I thought it was going to go in another direction. I’m glad there was no third act breakup. And honestly, while there is romance in this book, I wouldn’t necessarily call this a romantic comedy. It reads more like women’s fiction with a side of romance. I was also very emotional for most of the book. Overall, I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. It’s nice to read about some body positive heroines and see them get the guy. And even though she does get the guy (a pretty great one), this book wasn’t really about getting the guy to me. It was mostly about getting herself back. That’s why I would consider it women’s fiction over romance. Either way, It was a good read with some great representation.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Very enjoyable and easy read. It took me a while to get into the book, but once I did, I love it. I love the plus size representation the book has and was very relatable.

Ok, my review for this books starts before the story even begins! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Author’s Note at the beginning of the book! I would describe myself as fat, but as she says, it’s just a visual descriptor; there should be nothing inherently good or bad about that word. I’m sure it could be easy for some to take offense at that word, but as a person who truly is at peace within herself, I can’t find any offense in the word.

I have finished the book, and it is now one of my favorite books I’ve ever read! I appreciate how the main character struggles with herself, but not in a way the reader might expect. In the beginning, I was rooting for one thing, but that quickly changed! In fact, what I wanted for the main character changed as she changed and developed into herself. As I approached the end of the book, I was wondering what the last minute conflict could possibly be, as I found it to be completely unpredictable! It was amazing that Everly found only love and support when she needed it most.
Being fat can be difficult for some people. I love that there were several viewpoints about this. This story is for ANYONE who has ever been made to feel inadequate because of the way they look; who has struggled to feel represented in the world. Ultimately this is a story about being your WHOLE self, being honest with yourself and those around you. It’s not about boosting your self-esteem so you like how you look, it’s about being authentic so you like who you ARE. I know as soon as I post this review, I will think of so many things to say, but I will end with two of the (many) quotes I highlighted as I read:
“People see you the way you see yourself!”
and “You can’t love yourself until you can actually be yourself.”
Jenny L. Howe, thank you for an amazing story!!

I LOVED this book! I myself am on the bigger side and I adored and admired the confidence of both the female and male leads while still lending them the space to vent the frustrations of living and dating in this day and age without looking like a photoshopped model. The supporting are just that... SUPPORTIVE! They don't lie to her, instead they boost her confidence and support her in every way. I recommend you give this book a shot! It was amazing!

This book was absolutely delightful! This is the first book I have ever read, or seen for that matter, specifically about a plus size female main character. The title of the book is what caught my eye and the cover is brilliant as well. This book was a fun read, the storyline flowed nicely, and it had depth as well. There were some tough things that Everly had to work through, but she was never alone in having to do so. Having that support makes a huge difference given that Everly had all but no self-confidence, The author created a great storyline that flowed seamlessly from beginning to end. She left no loose threads. I appreciate that the author gave a nod, prior to the beginning of the book, she will be using the word "fat" and explains that she does not mean it in a derogatory way, as people may have perceived as such. I will not be using the word "fat" in my review for personal reasons. I will refer to the book as OTPS(On the Plus Size) in my review.

Everly Winters, the fmc, is chosen as a contestant for a show called "On the Plus Side". where plus sized contestants are nominated by others in their life and Everly will not know who nominated her until the end. (In the same way as the show "What not to Wear" but finding out the who and the why of the person that did the nominating at the end.) Everly is honestly completely overwhelmed at first when the show's hosts show up at her work (gasp). The premise of OTPS is the nominees are given not only a physical makeover, but also, and this is the great part, the shows two hosts address the mental and emotional aspects of being a larger person. There are several outings where each of the hosts personally spend time getting to know the contestant, The hosts themselves are plus size as well. Jazzy and Germaine, the show's hosts, are absolutely fabulous! They take the contestant outside of their comfort zones, in an effort to show them that being large does not have to dictate what you do, what you wear, where you go, who you talk to. etc. Jazzy and Germaine guide Everly into coming up with a positive and unique word for how she will now refer to herself. (I loved that.)

I do not care for reality tv shows in general. This show's reality crew were genuinely the nicest most supportive people. They were there for Everly at every turn (and yes, it was believable.) The main character, Everly Winters was someone that I would totally hang out with. She was funny, smart, kind, and loyal. I was rooting for Everly the whole time and in awe of all that she addressed and accomplished in her life during those 5-6 weeks. I would recommend OTPS to anyone who enjoys the Grumpy and Sunshine, Forced Proximity and HEA tropes, This book is unique, I loved it and I am giving it 5 stars!

As a plus size woman, I hesitantly but hopefully approached this book. For a chunk of pages in the middle, I was a little stressed about where it was going, but I should have trusted Jenny L. Howe. I had read her previous book, The Make-Up Test, and enjoyed it thoroughly. In this book, she really delves into the heart and soul of our plus size heroine, Everly, and this Stella got her groove back and then some! I loved the show she created (now if only it was real!) and the two hosts who sound like the best kind of humans. Her love interest, Logan, is a grumpy-on-the-outside cinnamon roll who loves dogs and I immediately loved him too. If you are torn about this book or are halfway through and not sure how you feel, please keep going. The payoff is so worth it. Even just off the page I was so proud of Everly by the end and so thrilled to see a "one year later" final chapter. Beautiful, powerful, and delightful work, Ms. Howe.

So this book is described as “What Not to Wear and Queer Eye meet All The Feels” and those are some big shoes to fill! But guess what?! Somehow Jenny L. Howe does it! As I was reading this book, I immediately fell in love with Everly, who is just minding her own business working her routined life and cruising the fan sites for her favorite plus-sized makeover TV show, On The Plus Side. When the show ambushes her life, it’s absolutely bonkers adorable and she meets the quiet, grumpy, but oh so cute and hot, Logan. I loved the banter between Everly and Logan and this book was such a feel-good, positive book, I wish I could read it for the first time all over again! I loved it and would recommend to anyone looking for fat positive rep or just an adorable, fun, and cute rom-com!

I love a good reality show based rom-com book! This book was funny and very relatable! I enjoyed the characters's development and all of the sweet romantic moments so much!

On the Plus Side is a fabulous contemporary romance. Everly Winters is comfortable in her sniffled routine when out of the blue she is ambushed by her favorite reality tv hosts. On The Plus Side is a popular, plus sized focused makeover show. Think What Not to Wear with a focus on the guests entire life (not just fashion). The show also happens to bring along a handsome, gruff and very funny cameraman named Logan.

I loved Jenny L. Howe's writing. It is full of humor, depth, embracing who we are and what we want from life. Love the representation of a plus side heroine. I also love the romance that springs from friendship and mutual desire to support one another.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the early read. All opinions are my own.

This book was exactly the fuzzy, feel-good story I was hoping for. It was such an engaging read (I could barely put it down!) full of characters you can’t help but to root for. We follow Everly, a fat receptionist, who has been nominated to be on the reality TV show On the Plus Side, a size-inclusive makeover show similar to Queer Eye. Over the course of the story, Everly is pushed outside of her comfort zone to help build her confidence and get her back to feeling like herself. Along the way, she just so happens to develop feelings for the hot, lumberjack-esque cameraman.

I loved the focus this book had on more emotional topics (grief, complicated relationships between mothers and daughters, etc) that were interspersed with the lighter topics. It gave the book, and the characters, depth and was ultimately, really well done. I really appreciated how the author focused on Everly’s confidence within herself. The focus wasn’t on her size or having her lose weight, which is common in media, but was instead on Everly finding that inter peace and confidence that comes from who she is as a person.

The characters were another strong suit of this book. The slow build up to Everly and Logan was executed well and I especially appreciated the lack of a third-act break up. Instead, the third act conflict focused on something they could tackle together as a team, which is a refreshing change from other romcoms. The side-characters were also well-written and fleshed out. A solid 4 star read.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Genuinely sweet romance about a plus size woman finding love in an unexpected setting. Sweet and heartfelt without being saccharine or corny. Loved it!

Everly Winters is content with living her life like a neutral paint color—appreciated but rarely drawing much attention. Because of this mindset, Everly finds herself still working as a receptionist instead of pursuing a career in art. She quietly observes but rarely participates in the forums for her beloved makeover show, On the Plus Side. Additionally, her deep crush on a co-worker remains unattainable. Everly believes that by staying unnoticed, she avoids potential rejection or being deemed too much by others.

Everything goes according to plan for Everly until an unknown person secretly nominates her for the next season of On the Plus Side. Suddenly, she finds herself overwhelmed by the show's vivacious hosts and the prospect of spending ample time on screen. However, an unexpected friendship with the grumpy yet kind cameraman, Logan, provides solace. Everly realizes that being noticed by him is something she doesn't mind at all—she might even enjoy it.

Their blossoming connection inadvertently captures the attention of the show's viewers, causing the ratings to skyrocket. As Everly grapples with embracing her authentic self on national television, she must confront the question: Is she willing to risk heartbreak while the whole world watches?

“Everly, I can’t breathe when you laugh.”

I get incredibly nervous reading books based on plus-sized women because I am a plus-sized woman. It's difficult for an author to handle that in the correct way, while also getting it pretty accurate for what the reality of life is as a plus-sized woman. To be frank, they're usually unbearable to read. This book absolutely nailed it. I felt like I could've been reading my own thoughts, and I loved Everly so much. Logan is amazing, and so are the hosts, as well as the concept of the book itself.

This was incredibly well-written, funny, sweet, and the perfect amount of spice for a book like this. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC, and I hope to read more from this author very soon.

To all my plus-sized readers, this is a good one. For all readers who aren't plus-sized, read this anyway. It's that good.

I absolutely adored this book more than what I thought I would. Myself being on the heavier side, seeing a book that represented how I looked instead of your averages “she’s very thin” etc type of descriptions of females in majority of books, it made me feel good to finally see a description of how I look like. Such a great read.