‘On The Plus Side’ by Jenny L. Howe
Published: December 26, 2023
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance
Format: E-Book
Spice Level: 
Stars: 
Synopsis
Everly Winters is perfectly happy to navigate life like a good neutral paint color: appreciated but unnoticed. That’s why she’s still a receptionist instead of exploring a career in art, why she lurks but never posts on the forums for her favorite makeover show, On the Plus Side, and why she’s crushing so hard on her forever-unattainable co-worker. When no one notices you, they can’t reject you or insist you’re too much.
This plan is working perfectly until someone secretly nominates Everly for the next season of On the Plus Side. Overwhelmed by the show’s extremely extroverted hosts and how much time she’ll have to spend on screen, she finds comfort in a surprising friendship with the grumpy but kind cameraman, Logan. Soon Everly realizes that he’s someone she doesn’t mind being noticed by. In fact, she might even like it.
But when their growing connection is caught on camera, it sends the show’s ratings into a frenzy. Learning to embrace all of herself on national TV is hard enough; can Everly risk heartbreak with the whole world watching?
My Thoughts
Jenny L. Howe can make the word fat into something beautiful, strong, and magical. ‘On The Plus Side’ was able to capture how I feel or felt in life being a woman of the plus side. Seeing these shows on TV that do a makeover type thing in real life it was nice that she made this show not just about the makeover but shows how the person can be true to themselves and shine bright like they should.
‘On The Plus Side’ doesn’t have the lead character Everly acting like it’s all roses and magic while she was on the show. Jenny was able to show the dark side and how someone can make a great idea like what the show was supposed to do into something dark and soul-sucking. But without that show, Everly wouldn’t have been able to find the person that she was always meant to be. It was also nice to see the relationship she had with her mother grow and change for the better.
That growth is something that caught my attention when reading and it made my heart grow in seeing it. It was great to see this and made a smile appear on my face. It also helped to have the side characters be supportive of Everly and there for her, and know that this amazing and magical person was hiding and needed to come out and shine.
Romance wise this book had the right ship from the start and there was no third-act breakup. I have to say when I get to that part in a book I know it’s coming but it is still hard to get through when you know they could have worked it out. Seeing Everly and Logan be able to not do the third act breakup was just a huge relief. Their relationship got even stronger in the third act and showed how much they were able to make each other stronger.
This book has been nothing but amazing and is a solid five stars. I loved this book so much the stars are made out of gold. I’m serious when I say I love this book so much because I’m going to pick up a physical copy and read it again. You need to pick up this book. The feeling and emotion Jenny was able to have the pages tell is writing that only comes around every so often. And don’t worry she was able to give us a few scenes that were able to give this book a nice one on the sizzle level. To be honest I was okay if this book didn’t give us any of that with how it was. But having that sizzle was a nice bonus.
‘On The Plus Side’ will be available wherever you get your books on December 26, 2023. So head to Amazon and click that pre-order button because this book will be the perfect thing to read in your post-holiday haze.
**I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC copy of this book. Getting the ARC Copy did not influence my thoughts on the book as they are all my own.**
The post Book Review – ‘On The Plus Side’ by Jenny L. Howe first appeared on The Lost Coffee Mug.
