I love Jenny's personality. That's why I knew I would love at least one of her books. The Make-Up Test, while still a great book, was not the fit for me. But this. This was amazing. I adored Haleigh, related to her anxiety and love for dogs, her penchant for being indoors versus out, but most of all her sense of humor. Haleigh is overall such a relatable character, there's one quote below especially that resonates with me, about how when you're feeling good or happy, you stop and wonder when the second shoe will drop. That is exactly how I live my life and it is so hard to snap out of that line of thinking. The only thing I struggled with Haleigh on was how in her head and self-centered she can be. For example, on many of the dates she doesn't seem to think about how her dates may also be nervous and like she's not giving them any benefit of the doubt. I like that all of the dates were unique experiences, none seemed too close to another like the author ran out of ideas and modified something she had previously used. I love how fast paced this book is and how easy it was to read. And I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the current characters to what they were like five years prior, you can really see their growth. I'm very excited to see what's next from Jenny Howe!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

How to Get a Life in Ten Dates is a friends-to-lovers, second-chance romance that features mental health, LGBTQIA+, and fat representation. Haleigh is tired of dating as a fat woman and really wants a break. However, Haleigh’s family insistently pesters her about coupling up. When she needs a date to her sister’s engagement party, Haleigh sets up a scheme to go on 10 dates chosen by her family and friends. If she does not find a relationship from these dates, they will finally allow her to be single in peace.

How to Get a Life in Ten Dates starts out strongly with a blend of heart and humor. I love that Haleigh creates a survey to get to know her dates prior to meeting them. I felt like the dates themselves were pretty representative of modern dating, especially with the inclusion of some truly cringeworthy dates.

As I previously mentioned, I really appreciate the representation in Howe’s novels. Haleigh’s entire identity is not wrapped up in her being fat, anxious, or bisexual, which is refreshing. In addition, Haleigh’s journey of self-discovery felt truly authentic and deeply relatable. However, I did find her to be immature and self-centered at times.

I have seen a lot of people criticize Haleigh because she hates “adulting” and also feels like she needs to have her life figured out at 25. I personally think their criticism is harsh, and they seem to have forgotten what it was like to be 25. As a neurodivergent person, I feel no shame in saying that I also hate doing adult tasks and frequently struggle to do them. And no one I know enjoys paying bills. I definitely felt like I should have a solid 10 year plan at 25 and freaked out that I did not.

Part of my enjoyment of How to Get a Life in Ten Dates was curbed by Jack, Haleigh’s best friend who is secretly in love with her. First, let’s just note that the two of them have codependency issues. But beyond this, Jack is a little toxic. He never tells Haleigh his feelings until she is in a successful relationship with Brian. Only then does Jack aggressively insert himself. To be honest, I liked Brian a lot more and would have preferred Haleigh end up with him. There was also more on-page chemistry with Brian compared to Jack. I found there to be a lack of tension and build-up to Haleigh and Jack coupling up… which left me uninvested in the final 20 percent or so of the novel.

Still, I thought the novel was well-written. I am also figuring out that second-chance romances are not my cup of team, especially when the initial romance occurs off-page.

Overall, I enjoyed How to Get a Life in Ten Dates but did not love it like I hoped I would. If you enjoy second chance romances, I would recommend it. Yet, I would recommend Howe’s On the Plus Side over this novel.

Haleigh, a plus-sized woman, has had a hell of a time in the dating world. She had a brief fling with her bestfriend, that went terribly wrong, but she still harbors those feelings for him - they have rules in place, though, that neither can break so that they can maintain their friendship. She is on the verge of calling off dating, when she gets the invitation to her sisters wedding party. Her friends and family want her to bring a plus-one. She allows her family and friends (her mom, sister, grandpa, roommate, and bestfriend, Jack) to set her up on two dates each. If she does not connect with someone after that, she is calling off dating. Most of the dates are disastrous, but some of the dates turn out to be fun and she even ends up making a connection. Until Jack makes himself Haleigh's last date. Haleigh then has a choice to make... risk losing a friendship forever or the potential to gain something she has always wanted.

I LOVED this one! Haleigh was incredibly relatable and her friendship with Jack was so sweet. I love a good friends to lovers story.

Such an enjoyable holiday romance! I didn't enjoy the main character in the beginning but liked how everything came together in the end.

"How to Get a Life in Ten Dates" by Jenny L. Howe is a charming and uplifting rom-com that delivers all the feels! Following a quirky, heartfelt journey of self-discovery and romance, this story is packed with relatable characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and swoon-worthy chemistry. It's the perfect mix of humor and heart, reminding us that love often shows up in the most unexpected ways. A must-read for fans of lighthearted and feel-good romance!

Thank you to @smpromance and @jennylhowe for the ARC and to @spotify for the ALC!
Jenny L. Howe is one of my favorite authors and I had the privilege for being part of the street team for How To Get A Life In Ten Dates, one of my most anticipated reads of 2024.
This book is everything! I absolutely adored the FMC. She was vibrant and relatable - it's always nice to see a plus size FMC whose story doesn't revolve around her weight (also the bi-rep - incredible!) I love a good romcom and this felt like a classic one while being firmly modern.
The FMC, Haleigh, had so much emotional growth and her journey was the focal point of the story. The various dates she went on were so much fun and I loved the idea of her family selecting all of the suitors. The spice was satisfying, the tropes were great (friends to lovers, second chance) and I all-around adored this book.
How To Get A Life In Ten Dates is out now!

Haleigh is a plus size bisexual woman who is trying to date in her twenties after a decade of unsuccessful dates. She is frustrated with the results she is getting from dating apps and the pressure from family and friends to find her perfect match so she challenges them to do better; to find her that perfect someone she has been searching for. After ten dates arranged by her loved ones she hopes they will finally acknowledged that it isn't as easy as it seems and allow some peace on the subject. Instead, she ends up going on some not so bad dates, and then her best friend start to go against all of their carefully crafted rules to maintain the peace within their friendship post hook-up.
My main complaint is that Haleigh is written like a woman in her later thirties who is struggling to find love but is supposed to be 25. As someone in their mid twenties who identifies as being very similar to Haleigh, I found her hard to relate to.
It is nice to see this representation of plus size queer women in their twenties written in traditionally published works.

Fun read! This was an enjoyable romance read with likable characters. I really loved how this book started off but I did feel like I kind of lost the story and interest as the book went along. Definitely recommend giving this one a try!

This book was a cute, quick read. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the pacing (at times too fast and too slow other times.) However, I enjoyed the sweet moments with the FMC and Jack, predictable though they were. This is my favorite Jenny Howe book of the ones I’ve read so far.

Totally passable rom com for a very different demographic from myself.

Didn’t connect with the characters. Found them mostly just vapid and uninteresting.

Plot moved well enough and I did finish it, but it was not memorable for me.

2⭐️

DNF — This one just wasn't for me unfortunately.. I wanted to like it, but the story was too slow, just not a page-turner to me.

Would you let your family & friends set you up on 10 blind dates? Haleigh does, and wow is it a wild ride!

4 stars out of ! This was super cute! I really have become a big fan of Jenny's writing!!

I love how all of Jennys stories have a plus size character in them. As a bigger girl myself, having that representation is so important and so refreshing to see! In my opinion, she does it really well too, making it known, but making it not too over the top also!

I loved this book! It was laugh out loud funny. Trigger warning: The use of the word "fat" early on seemed unnecessary, but was not prevalent during the book. I didn't notice it at least so take that with a grain of salt. I was caught up in the witty banter and rooting on Haleigh. As I reading I kept thinking it was predictable...and it was to an extent but a twist added in to keep the reader guessing the fate of Haleigh. Check this one out if you are into a light, humorous contemporary romance read with the themes of: Friends to Lovers, Second Chances, Love Triangle, Childhood Best Friend, Plus-size Romance. I'm looking forward to reading more Jenny Howe in the future. Also: this was the 2nd book in a series, but as I understand it just characters from the first book are mentioned. Fun, but How to Get a Life in Ten Dates stands alone.

Thank you to Jenny Howe, MacMillan and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overall this book was okay. I cannot say that I loved it, but I did finish it. I enjoyed the last 50% of the book more than the first 50%.

I generally love the friends-to-lovers trope, but this one did not follow a trajectory that I loved or felt like read as an adult romance. At times the FMC felt very childish.
I will say that I LOVED how the author wrote about anxiety with the FMC. You get to see how anxiety can wreak havoc on your thoughts about yourself and how others see you.

What a fun read! I loved the representation and banter of this one - I had plenty of laugh-out-loud moments paired with sweet ones for a great, balanced rom-com. I do wish we had more detail in the ending as it felt like it stopped short, but I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to more from Howe! Thank you for the ARC!

Haleigh is tired of everyone trying to set her up, so she makes a deal with her family and friends. Here's how it works: They can each set her up on one date (ten total dates), She promises to give each date her best effort. They have to stop trying to set her up if she doesn't find a connection after all these dates.

This leads to some hilariously awful dates and some that are just so sweet. Obviously, if you are a regular romance reader, you know exactly how this will end, but that doesn't make the journey there any less fun. I love how Howe writes her female main characters, flawed but fierce nonetheless. I can't wait to go on whatever the next adventure Howe has in store for us!

2.5 stars

This one had a lot of potential but unfortunately fell flat for me. It was an okay read.

Rating: 3.5
This adorable rom-com focuses on a 25-year-old plus size woman named Haleigh who is a self proclaimed mess. She’s lost direction in her life, career, and pinging after her BFF, Jack. She’s over the dating game and ready to take a sabbatical to get her life in order.

Tropes
- Plus size RepFMC
- Best Friends to Lovers
- Miscommunication
- Love Triangle
- Classic Rom Com Vibes
- Blind Dates
- Dog Lover
- FMC is a Freelance Copy Editor
- LGBT Rep
- Second Chance Romance

The plot for this novel was really fun. I quickly felt connected to the FMC and enjoyed the classic rom-com setup. It was giving When Harry Met Sally x Reverse-Down to You vibes. The bad dates were so funny and really had me rooting for our girl to meet mr.right. The focus on anxiety, OCD, and mental health for a couple of the characters also helped bring a realness to the story. There were some truly quotable moments in this one too. Overall, this is a feel-good and fast-paced novel that could be finished in one sitting. I would definitely recommend it if you like the romance genre!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was cute. It included friends to lovers, plus size rep, and humor along the way.

I felt the story rushed at the end and she didn’t end her relationship with Brian as she should have. Overall, I did adore this book, I can’t wait for more from Jenny Howe.