I tandem read this book in ebook and audio formats, and I ended up really enjoying myself once the story got going. Even though the story jumps RIGHT IN on the plot, I found it took awhile (nearly 25%), to really feel like I was into the story (that's usually when I'd decide to DNF or not). I was endeared to the characters quickly after that and believed in the story Jenny was telling.
Audio: 3.5 stars
eBook: 3.75 stars

Read this if you love:
- plus sized content
- reality tv shows
- healing
- body positivity
- self discovery
- with a little bit of spicy

Things I loved:
- Logan
- The self discovery journey Everly went through, both on camera and off, with her new mentors from On the Plus Side, Logan, and with her family and her best friends
- Reddit threads and comments
- Logan's dogs and Everly's brother and BFF's animals
- Everly deciding to chase ALL of her dreams, even when people important to her (ahem her mother) think she needs to focus and/or slow down and/or protect herself from public ridicule

In terms of the audio... I thought the narration was good. The pace felt slow for me when I was listening, so perhaps I would've just stuck to the ebook if I went back and did it again. It's at no fault to the narrator, however, because I think the story just would've connected better with me had I read all the words instead. I loved how the narrator played all of the characters and really felt the chemistry between Everly and Logan.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and audio production company for early access to this title as both an ARC and an ALC. These are my honest thoughts.

Books with representation are so important and I loved that this main character could positively represent so many women out there. Everly is plus size and not feel settled in her life. With an unsupportive mother, an unreturned crush, and undesirable living arrangements, she feels down on herself. One of her outlets is her favorite show, On The Plus Side,

She loves to watch but never expected to get nominated to be on the show, This turns her life upside down but also allows her to start to grow. It's a beautiful story and one I still think of often.

I really adore this author and this book! It was so fun and cute! I loved the main character and her journey to finding herself again! Everly was so relatable to myself. She was strong, creative, and smart. I liked her relationship with Logan and how he supported her and loved her the way she was! The build up was amazing! I seriously loved everything about this book! I can’t say enough good things! I can’t wait for what’s next from this author!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book from the very first page. It was fun, but also dealt with deeper things.

As a Plus Size woman, there are little to zero times that I actually can see myself relating to any character when reading romance novels. On the Plus Size finally gave me character that I absolutely felt connected to. Her experiences with friends, family, dating, shopping, fashion, work, and just being a fat person in the world were all things that I could finally relate to, that I wasn't even sure were how other people felt. Her sense of not having a community was expressed in a way that I had never been able to articulate and I was surprised with how touched I was by reading this story.

As far as romance books go, of course they all have a certain degree of predictability so I often find after a while, that they all blur together. This was different for me though. The connection between Everly and Logan was fantastic and so lovely and they were a couple you really wanted to look out for. Also, my not so secret guilty pleasure love of reality TV was so satisfied as well. OTPS was a type of Queer Eye show but for the plus size/fat community and it was something I wish really did exist.

I don't often look at other reviews of books, however, I was curious here and while some of the negative reviews were exactly what I was expecting, they were also still a bit disheartening in the fact the some people still didn't seem to get the whole point. Some of the reviews from people who I usually always agree with completely disappointed me, but weren't surprising coming from the fact that they were not a part of the plus size/fat community. They call Everly whiny, and they make comments about how they think this is promoting a way of life that "should not be celebrated" and its just still annoying and sad to see all of these comments from people who say they actually read the book. I saw one comment who is actually a very close friend of mine, who said that she couldn't get into it because the perspective wasn't realistic and she felt that people didn't behave or think in the way that the author had written Everly. She said that she didn't see the relationship as Logan and Everly as very believable. Now I know she may see my review and think I am calling her out, but you expect more from people who know you, and who you thought might have a better understanding. The reviews I see posted here are mirrors to some of what Jenny L. Howe wrote as the fictionalized reviews of OTPS, and how telling is that?

I am sorry for all of my rambling, I just really got sucked into this and maybe I am just in my feelings about it. I really hope Jenny L. Howe continues with stories like this one though, because I would love to read more.

MANY thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I just put in an order for a physical copy because I definitely need a "shelf trophy" for this one!

“On the Plus Side” had been sitting on my TBR pile for a while, courtesy of an early access copy from Netgalley last year. In the grip of a reading slump, I regretted not diving into this gem sooner.

Everly Winters steps into the spotlight on Season 3 of her beloved reality show, “On the Plus Side.” This program is more than just about self-love for plus-size individuals; it's a journey toward rediscovery and confidence. Little did Everly know, it would also unveil the possibility of love and acceptance.

The narrative skillfully captures the struggles faced by plus-size individuals, delving into the emotional chasm Everly experiences with her disapproving and disappointed mother. This mother-daughter dynamic touches upon universal themes of happiness and self-confidence being eroded when those closest to us become our harshest critics.

The book resonates with powerful messages—“Love should not hurt” and “Beauty comes in all sizes.” These reminders to love and embrace oneself are crucial, emphasizing that a thin body is not the universal answer. Genetics and health conditions, often beyond our control, contribute to our diverse sizes. The narrative also urges us not to hastily judge others, as everyone carries burdens hidden beneath the surface. A message of kindness reverberates throughout.

Jenny Howe skillfully dismantles the stereotype that only a particular size is beautiful. “On the Plus Side” stands as a celebration of body positivity, a timeless theme. Regardless of size, the book affirms that true victory in life lies in being healthy, confident, and content with oneself.

This is a must-read for individuals of all sizes, and I eagerly await more books that challenge norms and shatter stereotypes.

I read ON THE PLUS SIDE by Jenny L. Howe over the holidays and I've been thinking about it ever since. It reminds me a bit of One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London (which I also loved).

The TV show premise doesn't always work for me, but Howe executes it really well, all while balancing the main character's deep emotional journey with humour and, of course, the swoony romance. I think Logan may be one of my favourite love interests on 2023!

ON THE PLUS SIDE is out now!

A fast read about reality vs unreality television, that is shows that manufacture drama for ratings focusing on a show about fat women overcoming the stigma of size to find confidence, success, and love in their daily lives. The characters have compelling personalities and highly empathic personalities and bring spirit and angst realistically into the story. There’s also plenty of puppy and kitty love and protection to amp things up. Altogether a charming romance that leaves a reader feeling good.

Everly Winters plays it safe until her favorite show crashes into her office and forces her out of her comfort zone and into the arms of a cameraman. This was such a cute, fun story and I loved how much it talked about self-empowerment. Though I don’t relate to Everly’s struggles with weight, some of her revelations hit me and made me think about my own life. My only challenge was the portrayal of the TV show and how it talks about empowerment…but then you see it’s only selling stories. I wanted more for the audience than a journey being a “narrative” (even though I know that’s how reality TV works). Overall, great for fans of romcoms who also want to do some self-reflection.

Thank you, @stmartinspress and @netgalley, for the review copy!

Synopsis:

Everly Winters is perfectly happy to go through life appreciated but unnoticed, that's why she's still a receptionist instead of exploring a career in art, and why she lurks instead of posting in forums for her favourite makeover show, On the Plus Side, and why she's crushing so hard on her unattainable colleague. Until someone secretly nominates her for the next season of OTPS. Overwhelmed by the extroverted hosts, she finds a surprising friendship with the grump cameraman, Logan. When their growing connection is caught on camera, the shows ratings go into a frenzy. Learning to love herself on national TV is hard enough; can Everly risk heartbreak with the whole world watching?

Review:

I knew I was going to love this book after reading the Author's Note at the *start* of the book where she talks about reclaiming the word "fat". I wish people didn't see it as a bad word because let's be real, some of us are fat - which doesn't mean that we aren't beautiful, smart, athletic or anything else, but people often react in a way that says otherwise. Everly is a beautiful, fierce, FAT and bold FMC and I loved reading about her and following on her journey of finding her *best* self all while falling in love. I enjoyed the hosts of the show, as well as Logan, the perfect grumpy sunshine. I highly recommend this book to everyone, fat or not, because we all need to unlearn the negative associations we've made with fat bodies, and if you've ever felt insecure about anything, you'll be able to relate to the FMC.

I received this copy in exchange for an honest review.

On the Plus Side is a friends to lover, reality show based story that has likeable characters and a good flow to its plot. I enjoyed the chemistry and moments between the main characters and also the supportive squad that they had around them. I also liked that it included plus sized rep and encouragement of liking oneself- body, mind and soul.

This was a fun, cute read. It wasn't anything overly special to me, but I enjoyed it. I think there wasn't enough adventure in it. Probably a mood issue this time.

Due to St. Martins Press refusal to address the remarks made by their employee regarding Palestine, I will not be reviewing this book on social media. This in no way has anything to do with the author. But I refuse to support anything from SMP because of their refusal to address a major issue at hand.

Everly is nominated to be on her favorite makeover show, which she never saw herself doing. She's perfectly happy fading into the background and not being noticed, but this experience will bring her front and centerstage. She then develops a sweet friendship with the cameraman, Logan, who is an absolute sweetheart. Although he appears to be just a big grump, he is supportive, kind, and understanding and they both begin to develop feelings beyond friendship.
I really enjoyed the concept of the story and the message it was trying to convey. It's nice to see more real women being portrayed as the heroine of stories, and getting their happy endings as well. Everly was such an inspirational character and so easy to relate to. The author did a really nice job in focusing not on making Everly's appearance "better", but instead embracing herself and her beauty, both inside and out. Watching Everly find herself and fall in love was such great fun. The story is moving, but also light-hearted and while there are some serious moments, there are plenty of humorous ones to balance it out. This was a well-written entertaining and heartwarming story with endearing characters, and I am glad to have had the opportunity to read it.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a complimentary copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

On the Plus Size follows Everly Winter as she is cast to be a participant on her favorite reality tv show that makes over fat women. This show is beyond What Not to Wear and Queer Eye. It follows participants for several episodes as they receive help on all facets of their lives. Unexpectedly, Everly gets more than she bargained for when she starts falling for the grumpy camera guy. ⁣

I really enjoyed reading On the Plus Side. The concept for this book/the show is fantastic, and I desperately wish it actually existed. In addition, this book has some of the best fat representation that I have read, especially when it comes to family dynamics. It would be so refreshing to see fat people on television with no context of losing weight, but I digress.

With the exception of a few characters readers are clearly not supposed to like, I liked On the Plus Side‘s characters. In particular, Everly makes a great protagonist. She undergoes a lot of personal growth over the course of the book, allowing her to open herself up to love and the career of her dreams. While I did not love the unnecessary and pointless grumpiness of the male main character, I thought they had great chemistry and loved him going to bat for Everly. He received bonus points in my book for wearing flannel and rescuing elderly dogs. I just wish he had been as well-developed as Everly. ⁣

I did not really find any major faults with this novel. My one big critique is that there were far too many mentions of Schrodinger’s box. It is one of those things that, if you reference more than once, it really sticks out and becomes annoying. There was a handful of references to it, which just seemed weird.

Overall, I really enjoyed On the Plus Side and recommend it. If you love a feel-good book, have not read a book with fat rep that doesn’t include weight loss, or need a reminder of the insane audacity of cishet white men, pick up this novel.

Everly is pretty content going through life unnoticed and not taking big risks. But when someone from her life nominates her for On the Plus Side, a plus-size makeover show, all of that is about to change. As she goes through the season, there is a lot that overwhelms her introverted self. However, she finds comfort in the growing friendship with Logan, the show’s camera man. As that friendship turns into attraction, and as that attraction is caught on camera, more and more attention comes Everly’s way and she’s not sure she can handle it all.

I LOVED this book. A plus size makeover show had potential to go very wrong, but this was executed beautifully. The makeover was not about Everly’s physical appearance, instead the focus was all about growing her confidence to help her life unapologetically. Everly’s relationship with Logan was also amazing. The lack of drama between them was perfect - they really stayed a team even when that huge 3rd act conflict hit and handled it so maturely. Logan himself was so sweet. I also loved the behind the scenes of the reality show and all the side characters associated with the show added an extra layer of fun!

I loved listening to the audiobook which was narrated by Zura Johnson. She was easy to listen to and did a fantastic job bringing the story to life.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Spotify Audiobooks, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

I haven't loved reality show romances in the past but this one was fun and thoughtful with good chemistry and banter and real talk about fatphobia in the world

Overall, I enjoyed the book and the characters - especially the hosts! Jazzy and Stanton were a breath of fresh air. The chemistry between Everly and Logan was fantastic. I felt like the ending was a bit rushed - the conflict came too close to the end. And I wanted to see more interaction between Sady and Everly in the pivotal conflict scenes.

Unfortunate DNF at 14%. I got distracted by other books and feel no desire to go back and see what Everly is up to. I appreciated the premise and the size representation this story gives us, it just felt flat. While I only made it a short amount into the story, the male main character felt flat too. I've read some other reviews and it seems there are some other readers who felt that too. I also didn't love that Everly's mother harps on her size so much. I'm sure this is a very true to life mother/daughter relationship, but it felt a bit too icky and not something I was interested in exploring more.

There were so many moments when I was squealing and kicking my feet, which is rare for me! I laughed and cried during this book. As an animal lover, I fell even harder for Logan when he revealed that part of himself. Everly and Logan’s relationship was absolutely freaking adorable and I’m obsessed. The way Logan loved Everly is EVERYTHING. I want my own Logan 😫

There was the perfect mixture of romance and focus on Everly’s own issues. Everly’s flaws were so relatable and written so well. I seen myself in Everly so many times throughout this. I loved her character development. It felt real and I loved how Logan helped her through it all.

I can’t say enough good things about this novel. It was utter perfection to me. Logan is definitely my newest book boyfriend. And the whole reality TV premise? I loved it.

I loved everything about this so much! Everyone should add this to their tbr or just read this ASAP!