Reviews with content warning for Death - On the Plus Side

This is such a great book about a plus-sized character finding her sparkle, learning it’s okay to take up space, and that she’s not too much. There is some fat phobia directed at the main character, but it’s really such a beautiful read. Hope to see more plus size protagonists from Jenny Howe and others!

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meshell's review

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funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

On the Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe was cute and funny, and an easy, feel good read. I couldn't put it down and stayed up well past my bedtime to finish it.

I thought the main characters, Everyly and Logan, were both people to root for, and I was cheering for their love on the sidelines. I am not into reality TV, or makeover shows, or any of that stuff, but this was a fun imagining of what that might look like in a fat-affirming environment.

I found the instances and descriptions of fatphobia in this, appropriate and not-gratuitous. The main character wasn't 100% body positivity rah rah in the beginning, but she also didn't hate herself, which I think can sometimes be a fine balance in stories centering fat experiences in fiction, but something that I think the authour did really well. I thought some of the situations in the story were also very relatable more broadly.

I loved the character growth from start to finish - it also felt like the natural outcome of what was happening in the story.

The grumpy cinnamon roll is a romance trope I am fond of, so that hit the spot for me. There are a few spicy bits in this novel, I didn't find them particularly explicit, but they were also not fade to black.

Some serious themes in here that were touched on, and offered as a heads up in the beginning of the story, and most of these circumstances didn't just feel plonked in there for arbitrary reasons, but meshed well with who the characters became, their motivations, and some of the ways they responded to the world.

Over all, I thought this was very enjoyable and well done. There were a few points in the story that gave me pause, but not enough to be hugely negative. If you know too much about the tattoo industry, you might need to suspend some disbelief, but I didn't think that was a biggie. There are a certain amount of fantasy outcomes here, as in any romance, and I think books like that are very comforting and just a worthwhile respite from reality.

Thanks to Netgalley, and the publisher for an early copy of this book. It's coming out December 26, 2023.

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thaliareads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for this ARC!

Ever since the death of her grandmother, who had been her biggest cheerleader, Everly has been perfectly happy to fly under the radar and avoid extra attention. Everything changes when someone nominates her for her favorite makeover show, ON THE PLUS SIDE. Not only is the show giving her an unprecedented opportunity to rediscover herself and her style, but it is also giving her the ability to further explore her interest in making her art her career. While being behind the camera may turn out to be more than she bargained for, she begins to enjoy her newfound camaraderie with the grumpy cameraman Logan. However, will this develop into something more than friendship or will Everly finally have the courage to go after the office hottie she’s been crushing on instead?

I adored this book so much! I really appreciated the emphasis on the fact that Everly was never trying to hide her body, she was trying to hide who she was to avoid the attention that would lead to rejection based on her skills or her personality. I also appreciated that the novel structure itself mirrored Everly’s wishes for her story arc on the show, focusing on her goals as an artist over “improving” her love life. I also thought that it was nice that the author showed that even people who may not appear it externally can still have their own battles with their views on their bodies. This book also surprised me with some twists and turns I hadn’t anticipated that really made it even more interesting. Overall, Everly shone brightly as she reached for her goals and showed the true depths of her talent. As for Logan, all I’ll say is that like Everly I’m a sucker for a man in flannel and I love the way he was always truly seeing who she is and understanding what she was trying to reach for.

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