This story was packed with heart and I can tell the author really put her soul into it. I really loved Everly’s story and that she wasn’t ashamed of her body. It was refreshing to read that she loved every inch of herself, she just needed to remember why.

And Logan. Cinnamon roll Logan. LOVE.

Some parts dragged a bit, but I still really enjoyed the story. It was definitely heart warming and I’d read more by this author

On the Plus Side features a Queer Eye-esque reality TV show with the added bonus of the guest falling for the cameraman. Unfortunately, there was just SO much going on. It felt like 15 different storylines happening at once with little pay-off. The love story could have been great. The commentary on self-confidence and self-love could have killed it. The family dynamics really could have worked. The scandal of a TV reality show taking advantage of its stars could have worked. Instead it was all just kind of blended together.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Griffin for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A genuinely lovely read! This was soft and cozy and left me feeling good. I think that’s such a necessary thing with romance books. It was funny, heartfelt, and realistic!

I absolutely adored the book. The characters felt real, and their struggles felt real. The challenges of being on a reality television felt over the top, but that seems to track with how reality television operates, so it was appropriate. I love to see diverse body size representation in romance.

I have not looked up and info about the author, but it's clear to me that they understand what it's like to be a fat person, not only being out in the world, but also the logistical and physical challenges of being in a larger body. It's a refreshing perspective that is often not represented in media and when it is it is often very negative.

I would definitely recommend this book.

Disclaimer: I was given the opportunity to read and review this wonderful novel by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

CW: fatphobia, internalized fatphobia influencing parenting decisions, the filming of sexual acts w/o consent, parental abandonment, loss of a close relative (cancer)

This book voiced every thought I’ve ever had about myself. I relate to Everly, and her successes felt like my successes.

I felt privileged to join Everly on her journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Seeing Everly go from being a shy woman who couldn’t even form full sentences around her coworker to a woman who makes sure her needs are taken into account and her thoughts are heard was an amazing journey. It was a plus that she met Logan through the experience.

I REALLY loved this book and all of the effort that went into it. It’s wonderful to see plus-sized individuals, like myself, represented in literature.

Honestly if I could give this 6 stars I would, I really enjoyed this book so much! I related to so many moments, laughed, teared up, had goosebumps and had to fan myself off a couple times too. Basically I felt all of the feels! Howe might easily be one of my nee favourite authors and I cannot to read more of what she writes!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars!!
Loved, loved, loved this book! I mean, who doesn't love dogs and cinnamon roll grumpy men?!

Recap:
Everly is a receptionist at a marketing firm and is nominated by someone to get a makeover from her favorite show, On The Plus Side. She has been hiding behind the receptionist desk for years, waiting to take a chance with her artistic talent and become a designer herself.
When the show arrives for her 8 week long makeover, she ends un creating a connection with camera man Logan Samuel, a grumpy, lumbersexual, dog loving, cinnamon roll of a man. Throughout their time together, Logan and Everly become close - but will their relationship be used to narrate a story Everly does not want to tell?

Review:
This book was fantastic. I love plus size representation and a woman who does not need to change who she is at her core to feel loved and part of a community. I also love reading about men who appreciate women for who they are, not for how much they weigh. The story was entertaining - including the most charming couple of hosts. Why does this not exist in real life?! There was no unnecessary conflict, no random 3rd act breakup that did not fit the narrative - just a fun, different, entertaining story about self and love and acceptance. Highly recommend!

Read if you like:
Grumpy / Sunshine
Reality TV Shows
Plus Size Representation

Thanks so much to netgalley for this ARC!

This romantic novel starring Everly, a plus size heroine checks so many boxes for me. Kudos to Jenny L. Howe for writing a character that is so relatable. I loved her journey on the reality tv show and the quiet way her relationship with Logan grows.

Highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this steamy romance about a woman looking to find herself again after personal tragedy. I liked the reality tv angle and Everly and Logan are so cute together!

Everly works as a receptionist when she really would rather be working on graphics and design work. She is used to being hidden and wants to stay that way until someone nominates her to be on the next season of On The Plus Side where they help people change their lives with new wardrobes and address fears they haven't yet. She had the biggest crush on her coworker until she met Logan, who is the grumpy cameraman who follows her around. Their connection gets picked up by another person filming the show and becomes a running storyline in her season. Everly is scared to let the world see her connection with Logan so she tries to hide it.

I love books that have plus size representation and more specifically characters who love each other for who they are as a person and not for fetish reasons. Logan's grumpy attitude seemed so broody and how he was able to open up for Everly and show her who he really was was adorable. There was some open door spice so be prepared for that. Overall, I thought it was a really cute, easy read!

Enjoyed this relatable Adult Contemporary read. Am becoming a big fan of author Jenny L Howe's writing style and inclusive tales.

#NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com

On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe

I absolutely love this book. It broke all barriers of self. When you want to shy away from your true self and when life is not going as planned. This book is one of my favorites and I'm definitely going to grab this when it's released.

I just reviewed On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe. #NetGalley
[https://www.netgalley.com/member/book/288188/review]

I loved so many things about this book. As a fat girl myself I felt I could relate to Everly on a lot of her personal feelings. I also loved the story line and the reality tv show bit. I also liked that there wasn’t a third act breakup I always find that really annoying in books. I brought my rating down a bit as I thought there were a couple pacing issues the beginning of the story seemed to drag out a lot. Giving a lot of details, I do love details. However we get to the end of the book and it felt so rushed and like we were just trying to get to the end. I also wanted more of a wrap up to the whole tv show aspect, I don’t know how necessarily but it seemed like she said we’ll see you in court and everyone went on about their day. I like the ending it just didn’t feel like enough. Overall though I enjoyed the book and would definitely pick it up again, and more books by this author.

“𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎’𝚜 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏.”  

Overall Rating: ★★★★☆  
Spice Rating: 🌶️  
   
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: An ARC of this book was provided to me from the publisher through Netgally. While I am forever grateful for the opportunity to review these books, I will always be honest with my reviews.  
 
I got through this book in a day! It was beautiful, and I loved the plus-size representation. As a plus-size girly myself, it’s so important to get not just representation but a GOOD representation. I liked that the author addressed heavy topics while keeping the book light and fun. When the book started, and I realized the MC would be on a reality TV show, I ALMOST dnf’d the book, but I’m so glad I continued reading because it worked well with the storyline. Now can I have my own personal Logan??  

https://www.instagram.com/p/CteypsAvzlQ/ <- Instagram Review

I will be posting my review on TikTok, and Amazon closer to the publication date!

On the Plus Side is the story of a girl who is nominated to be on tv show that focuses on helping fat people find themselves. The premise of the show was super interesting and there was a lot of good diversity and representation amongst the characters. However, the main character, Everly, was never fully developed for me. I definitely identified with her perceiving herself as “too much”- too loud, too emotional, etc- but I wish the author had done more the show us those character traits. Aside from a few conflicts, we don’t see that in action as much as I would have liked.

All in all, I think she was a relatable heroine, if not incredibly dynamic, and the love story was sweet. It was frankly refreshing to see a male main character who expressed some insecurity about his appearance- it’s an incredibly rare thing in the genre.

I would try another by this author. Overall a nice way to spend the afternoon. : )

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin’s Publishing for providing this arc for an honest review.

I loved this book. This is the most honest representation of a plus size character I’ve read. Everly was so relatable and the On the Plus Side backdrop was perfect for her journey.

Love triangles, queer characters, characters of colour, and even a non-binary casually added to the mix. This book was amazingly inclusive and super relatable. I could see myself in Everly through every page. And the tropes! Grumpy-sunshine, getting caught in the rain... It was delicious. I could also see that this was taking the show "What no to wear with Stacey and Clinton" and crossing it with the Queer Eye reboot of the 2020's. Loved the concept.

Amazingly cute story

4 stars!

This was such a cute and wholesome book.

I am a plus sized woman myself, and found myself relating to a lot of what Everly was going through/had gone through. I am also a huge fan of Queer Eye, thus I really enjoyed the theme of a makeover show. I'm also an animal lover to my core, As you can see, this book had a lot of things I enjoy and could relate to, which made it a very enjoyable and interesting read.

I really enjoyed the writing style and will definitely be checking out her other book - The Make-Up Test.

What a delightful read that includes a medium many of us know well - reality TV - through the lens of a protagonist who isn't often given airtime or space. Everly was given depth and constantly pushed to be treated as an individual with her own dreams, desires, and goals absent of a love interest. It's not that love doesn't matter, however, and there was plenty of real estate given to Logan and James throughout the novel. I found myself rooting for Everly on her journey back to herself, even in the moments where the details felt redundant and overemphasized. All of the interludes included on the "Read-It" platform (nice pun for Reddit) didn't move the narrative forward or provide color/nuance, but again, these slight low notes didn't minimize my appreciation for Howe's overall storytelling. Great appreciation to the folks over at NetGalley for allowing me to review this novel before it debuts later this year.

This book is a breath of fresh air! While it's the perfect mix of rom and com (I laughed hard many times!) it also manages to be refreshingly realistic. You can't help but root for Everly, a protagonist who is strong, outspoken, and stands up for herself in a way that will make you scream, "Yes girl! Good for you!" I sometimes find the miscommunication trope to be frustrating, and I love that Howe avoided this altogether by creating two leads who say exactly what's on their minds. It's clear that Howe really understands her characters; the decisions they make feel authentic because they are so well-drawn. I also loved that there was no contrived third-act break-up. Instead, these characters have fun, enjoy a (very!) steamy romance, and learn to navigate the world together. I can't recommend this enough!