This was my first novel written by Jenny Howe! I myself am a plus size girlie so when I saw this book I immediately wanted to read it. I wanted to like the FMC but... I couldn't. Some of what Haleigh goes through and experiences is relatable, however, she was a bit negative which frustrated me a bit. A few things I enjoyed about the book was the mental health reps in stories, it makes the characters seem more real and I feel connected in a way and the dates were pretty funny to read. I liked her relationship with Jack BUT the miscommunication trope was a bit much. You're best friends! Overall, happy to have read the book - the story was cute!

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I started this but couldn’t finish. The main character wasn’t a good fit for me. Thanks for the opportunity.

What a fun and quick read! Refreshing to see a plus size main character in this cute rom-com. After a slew of bad dates, Haleigh is done with dating until her sister announces a big engagement party and shocker Haleigh needs to find a plus one. Her and her bestie, Jackson decide to have family and friends set her up on 2 dates each all the while her feelings for Jackson are in the back of her mind.

The dates are fun and very descriptive in the book. I found myself laughing and reminiscing of terrible dates of my past. Very well written and can’t wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Haleigh Berkshire is ready for a dating sabbatical, but her family and friends are determined that she finds a match. So, she enlists their help in setting her up on ten final dates, and then they’ll leave her alone—and let her be alone. She wasn’t expecting her best friend Jack—whom she has been in love with forever—to join in. After a disastrous fling in college, Haleigh doesn’t believe she and Jack can be together—but what if they can? Friends to lovers isn’t my favorite trope, but I really enjoyed it in this book because the author did a great job establishing the relationship, and I loved the supporting characters. Funny, sweet, and steamy, I read this as a #netgalley ARC, but you can check it out when it releases on 12/10.

Very cute read with good character development! Fun tropes and engaging writing.

Thank you NetGalley and Jenny L. Howe!

If you love early 2000s rom-coms, this is a book for you! Think Bridget Jones meets How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

Haleigh is trying to prove to her family and friends how abysmal the dating world is in 10 dates by having those closest to her including her childhood best friend and secret love of her life set her up on dates.

I thought this was a cute read, but I was left wanting a little more. It’s perfect if you’re wanting a quick palette cleansing read though.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Griffin for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Such a cute and quick read. Overall, I liked this book. There were definitely a bunch of different representations in the book so it had great character depth. There were a couple little places within the book where I needed a little more and a couple of places where I needed a little less.

As always, I appreciate any book with size representation. A very special thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love bisexual chaos. And a plus sized female main character? Oof, you got me Jenny Howe. My favorite part of this book was that the dating experiences were a little over the top, but honestly kind of realistic. Haleigh is honest about her body and isn't ashamed. Her anxiety isn't about how she's going to look on dates, her anxiety is about the future and finances. I loved that Haleigh was confident in who she was and what she wanted.

I also loved the friendship between Jackson and Haleigh, this is easily a friend to lovers' story, but the friendship was so lovely and support. The way that Haleigh had protected Jackson even when they were kids and that she would copy his OCD ticks to help him cope. Swoon. I hate the miscommunication trope, and this book avoids it like the plague. Jackson and Haleigh communicate and are mostly so healthy. The family dynamics felt really natural to me too. I liked that the sisters weren't super close, and that Haleigh felt so much pressure to get her poop in a group. Life is messy and I enjoy a book that embraces that.

The one plot point I didn't love was Haleigh's job search. She had a lot of anxiety about applying and looking for jobs, which is understandable. But the thing that really bothered me was the slip-up she made during one of the interviews was so easily resolvable. She could have just reached out via e-mail! Like if it was your dream job, wouldn't you fight a little? The argument could be made that the anxiety was crippling, but I just didn't get that feeling. It just felt like an unnecessary foil.

This is a fun, quick, romantic book. If you're a fan of friends to lovers, this is for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Griffin for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

3* for a queer & fat protagonist, mental illness representation, and a friends-to-lovers arc that’s easy to root for. But unfortunately, Jenny L. Howe’s How to Get a Life in Ten Dates didn’t click for me. The characters are complex and quippy but don’t feel real — protagonist Haleigh lost me early on when she put her bills in a shared freezer as an avoidance strategy, and never quite won me back.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing this e-arc.

I enjoyed this story very much and I really liked the characters too. I wasn’t always sure where the story was going but it ended in the perfect place and for that I am grateful.

How to Get a Life in Ten Dates is a tough one for me. On the surface, it's a sweet little rom-com that is entertaining and fun. Haleigh and her friends and family are interesting and mostly well-created. But there's something… off here. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book but there are things about it that bothered me.

For me, the ending felt a little too rushed, which was disappointing because the build-up had been so satisfying and well-paced. But the ending… like I said, it felt rushed and because it was rushed and because I have the type of brain that overthinks things, the ending felt a little toxic. I can't go into why without giving up major spoilers, so I'll mostly leave it at that. But let's just say, things that really needed resolving don't feel fully resolved, just papered over which worries me (which, hey - testament to Jenny Howe's writing talent - she created this character that I'm worrying about even after the book is over!).

Haleigh has pretty much given up on dating, but she needs a plus-one for her sister’s big wedding, so she gives her friends and family 10 dates to set her up, partially to get them off her back about how awful dating it. It goes all right, until her best friend Jack and long-time crush starts sabotaging them— after a ruinous fling years ago, is she ready to give Jack another chance? Cute and light, deals nicely with caring for each other’s neurodivergence (anxiety & OCD).

3.5 ⭐️

This one started out strong and I really was enjoying the overall premise. Where a group of people get to pick two people each for her to go on a date with. Each date have to fill out a quirky survey to get to know them better before hand. Meanwhile she is struggling with feelings for her bestfriend.

Some of the dates were pretty cute, funny, or quirky. I appreciated that the main FMC was bi and she had dates with both men and women. At about the 60% mark this book started falling apart. It was predictable where it was going but I just didn't feel that tension save chemistry between them. I found myself skimming the last 20% as I lost all interest.

I would be interested in reading more from Jenny Howe. The story was well written and I enjoyed the dialogue a lot. I find that the trope of them getting together off page prior to the story starting and then figuring out later what they are to each other just doesn't work for me I think that is what lost a lot of that build up tension that I enjoy in romance novels. It was a bit deflated before it even started.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I like life it not loved- I'm always down for a plus size (I hate that description) MC where it's not about her overcoming it or losing the weight it's just a representation of who she is - just her existence- haileigh needs a date she gets her people to set up 10 dates- something has to stick right? Until her bestie jack starts throwing curve balls a classic will they/won't they/ do they wanna type story- great LGBTQ+ representation and mental health also love to see that!

Friends to lovers are one of my favorite tropes. Communication was key for this couple and the author did a wonderful job bringing you into their world and vested in outcomes. This is my second book from this author and I will continue to seek them out as they do a wonderful job of inclusion.

hilarious rom com type book. first book i've read from this author and certainly will not be the last!!!

I love when I get to read a @jennylhowe early! Fun fact, we attended her debut launch and have loved Jenny ever since! First off, LOVE all the connections to her previous two books! I got excited every time a new reference appeared (so if you’ve read the others you will love this-if you haven’t, what are you waiting for?). This actually had a similar base premise as the Sophie Cousens I read earlier this month with Haleigh’s family/friends setting her up on dates. The dates were so fun to read and the underlying friends to lovers theme was so sweet (it’s my favorite trope!). I just wish the characters were a little older, when I was 25 I lived at home and had just started working full time at a starter job, so it made me sad that she felt like she was flailing. I guess perhaps I was too! Overall, cute story with lots of laughs and a whole lot of heart!

I’ve read all of Howe’s books and find her to be a consistent source of joyful, thoughtful rom coms. I enjoyed that this story wove in characters from her earlier novels while also serving as a standalone in its own right. I enjoyed the <spoiler>friends-to-lovers </spoiler> romance but felt like other plot elements were a bit lackluster. While the interconnected characters are cute, I hope Howe branches out a bit more in the future because her MCs and stories are starting to blur together for me. All told, this was exactly the cozy cute book I signed up for and I will be seated for Howe’s next ride.

This is such a fun and entertaining rom com. There are so many unexpected moments and I was laughing so much! Following along with Hayleigh on her disastrous dates sure kept me on my toes. So many funny and cringy moments. Jack is the best friend that every girl dreams of having. I just loved him so much! He’s so kind and caring and definitely has the golden retriever energy. I enjoyed this book so much!

3.5 Stars for How to Get a Life in Ten Dates by Jenny Lowe

This is my second Jenny Howe book, and as a plus-size reviewer, I absolutely love seeing plus-size love stories represented with authenticity and heart. Jenny Lowe creates characters that feel real and relatable, and her commitment to inclusivity is truly refreshing.

In How to Get a Life in Ten Dates, we meet Haleigh, who has been best friends with Jack forever. She’s harbored feelings for him for a long time, and they almost crossed the line once—but they’ve kept their friendship strictly platonic thanks to a clear set of rules. As her sister’s engagement party approaches, Haleigh’s family and friends take it upon themselves to set her up on a series of dates. While she hopes to find someone to accompany her to the wedding and maybe even a loving relationship, Haleigh ultimately learns more about herself and her feelings for Jack, discovering that sometimes the rules of friendship can—and should—be broken when love is involved.

There’s a lot to love about this book! Haleigh’s personal growth is inspiring as she learns to open up, accept help from those who care about her, and figure out who she truly is. Her relationships with her roommate and her family are a joy to read; they’re supportive, open, and heartwarming. I also adored Brian’s character—he’s mature, self-assured, and a great influence on Haleigh’s journey of self-discovery.

While there were moments where I wished Jack had shown a bit more maturity and bravery, I think his hesitations and struggles added a realistic layer to the story. It’s tough being in your mid-20s and figuring out who you are and what you want, and both Haleigh and Jack’s journeys reflect the uncertainty and growth that come with that stage of life.

One thing I would have loved to see is Haleigh taking a bit more from each date, learning and growing through each experience. But the dates were still fun to read, and they added to the charm of her journey.

All in all, this was a sweet and charming story about love, friendship, and self-discovery. Jenny Lowe’s writing is heartfelt, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story’s themes of personal growth and inclusivity. I’m excited to see what Jenny writes next, and I’ll definitely keep following her work!