4.5 stars

I needed a “palate cleanser“ after a couple heavy historical fiction books, and this filled the bill perfectly! Haleigh Is a plus size bisexual woman looking for her happily ever after. It seems like it’s right in front of her, in the form of her best friend Jack, but after that incident in Hawaii, they agreed never to go there.

Frustrated by a series of bad dates, Haileigh asks her family and friends to set her up. with potential candidates for the love of her life. Some are distal failures some are pretty successful, but needless to say one is her happily ever after.

I liked this. Wanted to love it--I really enjoyed On the Plus Side--but there was missed potential here in both plotting and characterization. On the whole, I'd recommend this for someone who wants a nice friends-to-lovers story. It just left me wanting more.

Haleigh and Jack have been besties since elementary school, and Haleigh has been in love with Jack almost that long. It seemed like they would become something more when they were in college, but when that appeared to be a bit of a disaster, they vowed to go back to being friends...this time, with rules to maintain their platonic relationship. When Haleigh makes the decision (at the ripe old age of *checks notes* 25?!) that she wants to go on a dating hiatus, she gives her friends and family the chance to set her up on 10 dates to either help her find the right person or leave her alone to her spinsterhood. And when she starts to see glimmers of potential with one of her dates, Jack has to make a decision: will he leave her to enjoy her new romance or step up as a candidate himself?

The good: Strong fat, LGBTQ+ (at least one lead is bi- or perhaps demisexual, and there are several same-sex couples and dates), and mental health representation. Some funny bad dates, including one with an oyster that is haunting. Healthy adult communication between romantic leads.

The could-be-better: The central romance. It's a problem when there's more heat with the one you know she won't pick than the one she will. Some of that is due to the stakes being so obviously predetermined, for a romantic relationship we're told to care about half a book before we ever see the failed romantic attempt standing between Haleigh and Jack. There's mild awkwardness without any tangible explanation, and virtually no heat between them until Jack decides to jump in the ring. It was sweet they got together, but more in the "aw, good for them" way you'd think about acquaintances than a "thank god, because that sexual tension was killing me" way you want to see in a good first-person friends-to-lovers romance.

It's cute and predictable, which may be exactly what you are looking for. If you are looking to be moved by your romance, this may not be it. (Which is really hard to write because it had such potential!)

Whenever I find out Jenny L. Howe has a new novel out, I can't help but get excited. I've thoroughly enjoyed past titles of her including On the Plus Side and The Make-Up Test, and her latest effort is no exception.

"Dating while plus-sized" shouldn't be daunting, but instead it has left Haleigh feeling jaded and exhausted. She is ready to declare a dating sabbatical and just take some time for herself and hang with friends, including her best friend, Jack.

However, her sister's sudden announcement that she is getting married-soon-prompts Haleigh's family to inquire about her "plus-one" status-unceasingly. Not willing to be the object of pity, Haleigh reluctantly agrees to turn over the reins of her dating decision-making to her family and closest friends. They will each get the opportunity to set her up on a date with a person of their choosing. The hope is that after this experiment-ten dates total-Haleigh will have a date to the wedding and hopefully the potential for a new romance.

Haleigh cannot predict the hilarity and the awkwardness that ensues, including a rogue "emotional support" bird, zero chemistry, and dinner drama.

However, just as Haleigh feels that she found someone that she can take to the wedding and continue a dating relationship afterward, her best friend Jack decides to break their previously established friendship rules. Jack invokes the mention of the one night that threatened their friendship forever and introduced the idea of them becoming something much more than friends.

Is Jack declaring his intentions or is Haleigh setting herself up for heartbreak and hurt yet again?

Howe creates the perfect friends to lovers romance with realistic characters, captivating plots, and true heart. I loved this one!

Fun book! I am divorced and trying to date again is hard. People can be the worst. And it is tiring to sort through all the stuff with dating. I have viewed myself as a failure so many times. I liked the idea of allowing others who love me to set me up but I know they have different priorities than I do.

It was a bit predictable that Jack had set himself up as the 10th date so I knew that was who she would end up with, but I’m grateful that Brian handled things so well.

I plan to share this book a day or two before release. I will come back to update this with a link and date when it is planned.

This book hooked me from the beginning and kept me guessing the whole time. I couldn't tell who she would end up with until the very end and even then my original guess wasn't right.

** spoiler alert ** This was a light fun read and I loved the concept so much! The framework of the 10 dates set up by her family and besties was chef’s kiss perfect! The anxiety rep was also very well done. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes but this one felt forced. I found myself cheering on Brian in the eventual love triangle. It felt too predictable for her to end up with Jack after all those years. The timing felt suspect (oh NOW you say something when she’s just finally able to start to move on) and the Hawaii miscommunication didn’t seem like enough to avoid their true feelings for that many years. So when she chose Jack after Brian didn’t like books, I was disappointed. The final chapters of their relationship renewed my interest in their love story but I do kinda wish she’d ended up with Brian, just to shake things up a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jenny L. Howe and St. Martin's Publishing Group, for allowing me to reach this book!
When a main character struggles with horrible dates after meeting them online, she comes up with a plan to engage those who know her best to set her up. Will it lead to success or will everything come crashing down? I wanted to keep reading this book to see what happened next!

Haleigh is tired of dating duds and wants to have a date for her sister's wedding. Also she has been in love with her BFF Jackson forever and really wants to get over him. So she asks her friends and family to give it their best shot, and she commits to going on 10 dates to find "the one." It's a nice trope but this book just wasn't for me. Some of the dates were funny, and then I liked the development of her really great date. And of course I wanted her to match with Jackson. But for me there was too much emphasis on Haleigh being fat and both Haleigh's and Jackson's anxieties. I get this will be super appealing for some readers, it just became an unnecessary distraction for me. And I love how modern romances are LGBTQ friendly in their cast of characters, but Haleigh enjoyed dating both men and women and that just isn't my jam.

ARC from NetGalley review

DNF: Started and stopped very quickly. I honestly should’ve read the authors note first, because the content was just not it for me. I really tried to go in open minded but I lost interest very quickly

I absolutely loved this story line. The dates were absolutely hilarious (the bird was probably my favorite), the additional love interest and how she picked her plus one (don’t want to giveaway spoilers), even though you knew it was coming, you felt like there was a chance it could go another way until the end. I was still uncertain she selected wisely until the boss/meltdown chapter. I enjoyed this book and can’t wait to share it!

The premise of this book is pretty simple: After a string of bad dates, Haleigh is ready to call it quits on the whole dating thing and just be single a while. That is, until her always-perfect sister announces her engagement party, Haleigh will need a plus one. She and her BFF, Jackson, come up with a plan: her family and friends set her up on two dates each, and if there are no love matches, then none of them get to complain about her singleness for at least six months. Haleigh’s sure this is the key to freeing herself— of her dating woes and lingering romantic feelings for Jackson.
I highly recommend this book as a lover of romcoms, positive fat representation, and characters with creative careers making it out there. I am now and always a fan of Jenny L. Howe’s work, and I look forward to her future work!

An adorable romp with 90's rom-com vibes. I was a little worried about the love triangle of it all, but I came out thoroughly enjoying it!

DNFed this book 75 page in. It wasn't holding my interest. I typically enjoy friends to lovers but this style felt too over the top "It was too easy to blur the lines between 'friends' and "something more' when they were dressed up and surrounded by other couples."

I'm all for a happy ending romance book, but this book gave us the love too early instead of seeing the friends fall in love.

Thank you letting me review for free.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Publishing group for an eARC. Haleigh is tired of all the bad dates. She wants a break from dating but her family thinks she is too picky. Her and her best friend Jack come up with an idea to let those close to her set her up on dates so they can see how hard it is. Haleigh will go on 10 dates set up by others and if nothing works out she gets six months of no dating. It starts out as she predicted with bad dates but then she gets set up on a good date. Then her best friend Jack throws himself into the mix. Haleigh needs to decide if she should try this new easy romance or give her best friend a chance. A cute romance with childhood best friends. The beginning was a little slow for me but then I got pulled in and really enjoyed this romance.

How To Get A Life In Ten Dates offers a delightful and relatable dive into the ups and downs of the modern dating scene. From the very start, I found myself laughing out loud at Haleigh Berkshire’s misadventures and rooting for her to find her own path amidst the pressures of family and society.

At just twenty-five, Haleigh is exhausted—not only from the relentless cycle of dating but also from constantly being compared to her overachieving sister, who’s fresh off the bar exam and engaged to be married. In an effort to get her family off her back about bringing a plus-one to her sister’s engagement party, Haleigh hatches a scheme: she’ll go on ten dates, each arranged by someone close to her. She’s convinced none of them will pan out, and then she can retire from the dating scene with a clear conscience.

The dates themselves are a rollercoaster of hilarity and surprise, and I loved following Haleigh through each one, eager to hear her recap everything to her best friend, Jack—who, of course, has his own complicated history with her. The narrative deftly shifts between present-day events and past reflections, revealing just enough about Haleigh’s past at the perfect moments. This technique not only kept me engaged but also deepened my understanding of Haleigh’s fears and desires.

What I appreciated most was Haleigh’s journey of self-discovery. Watching her navigate through her dates, and more importantly, the emotional complexities of her relationship with Jack, felt authentic and rewarding. Howe captures the essence of what it means to resist societal pressures and embrace one’s true self, making this not just a fun read but also a meaningful one.

Final Thoughts:

If you’re looking for a book that blends humour, heart, and a dash of romance, How To Get A Life In Ten Dates is a perfect pick. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best way to find yourself is to take a chance on the unexpected.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

I will say I almost DNF’d this book pretty quickly. Which I rarely ever do. A weird guilt thing about not finishing books - however I plugged along and glad I did.

How to Get A Life in Ten Dates, was a fun summer read and one that has turned me on to trying others by Jenny L. Howe.

The dates were funny, Haleigh’s friends were great, and as a girl that went from “friends to lovers” in real life, I’m a sucker for the trope.

Overall it was an enjoyable read. Thanks NetGalley for the e-ARC.

I honestly cannot speak highly enough of this book! I have never felt more connected to a female main character in a romance novel than I did to Haleigh. From her inner dialogue to her anxiety, her money struggles, her body type and how she explained dating as a plus-size woman in today’s world. Jenny hit the nail on the head with this book! I absolutely just became a Jenny Howe fan. I finished the entire book in one day, I couldn’t put it down!

Haleigh is a plus size woman who finds it hard to date in the modern world. She has been trying to date for 10 plus years and she is thinking of taking a break to see if that will help her luck.

This was cute if a little ridiculous, and even given that the fundamental conflict between the main characters (their respective mental health conditions mean they respond to adversity and conflict in what appears to be incompatible ways) appears to be unfixable, I enjoyed the premise and the plot. This does feel like a book that you would most enjoy if you are a person who likes watching dating reality TV and watching people go out on dates. 3.5 rounded up.

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

Who cannot relate to a bad date or dates? We should all take notes from How To Get A Life In Ten Dates. Haleigh is having a rough go at it. She is a young plus-size woman with horrible anxiety, brought on by her previous job ( more on that later) trying to find a romantic partner. She has a best friend, Jack, who makes the perfect couple on paper. ( And almost did ) until one passionate night together thinking it would finally lead to something, but it does not. To save their friendship they make a list of rules about that night and find a way to return to their close friendship. After so many bad dates she is ready to give up.

Haleigh's sisters' pending nuptials are coming up her family and friends are bugging her to bring a plus one, so to shut them up once and for all, she decides to let them each set her up with a date and if after those ten dates, she still has not found anyone they all have to leave her alone. She is so sure they will be bad and she will win.. but will they? They all have their favorites and we read about some crazy first dates. Even Jack is in on it, but he starts to fill her head with all the dates' flaws. The last date turns out to be something she does not expect.. I enjoyed this book and all of the different characters Jenny writes about. It was easy to picture each scenario.

One last thing I liked about this book is the discussion of mental health. We always talk about mental health but this is the first time I read a book where the job brought on anxiety and stress which I don't think gets discussed enough. And I appreciated that. A lot of times we stay because we think we have to but we don't.