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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
🔟ARC Review🔟
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
I have enjoyed other books by this author so I was excited to read this one and see what she had in store for her readers this time.
She did not disappoint!
This was such a cute read. Being a plus sized person myself, I could really relate to the FMC’s struggles with dating. People don’t realize how hard it can be for a plus sized person to date. It was nice to see this represented in a book as I could see myself in some of the situations and scenarios. Though no, I have never been set up on 10 blind dates.
This book had one of my favourite tropes too, the best friends to lovers. I’ve always loved this trope and wished for a male best friend to fall in love with.
Heartwarming, cute, a fun read overall!
How to Get a Life in Ten Dates by Jenny L. Howe releases Tuesday, December 10th, 2024.
This was too cute! I was absolutely in love with Haleigh and Jack from the beginning! I hope to read more by Jenny L. Howe as soon as I can! Thank you to NetGalley and to St Martin's Press for my digital ARC!
I really enjoy Jenny Howe's contemporary romcoms featuring fat protagonists. She also has "interconnected standalone" down pat: you could pick up any of her books and not feel lost. How to Get a Life in Ten Dates is about Haleigh, whose well-meaning friends and family keep getting on her case about finding a partner.
Haleigh is also dealing with her own feelings of financial anxiety since she's piecing together a living from freelance editing and dow walking. This is all exacerbated by pressure to find a plus-one to her perfect sister's upcoming engagement party. She asks 5 of her friends and family to set her up on 2 dates each (thus, Ten Dates). The book follows her on each date, most of which are awful. But Haleigh does end up in a love triangle with her BFF Jackson and one of the people she goes on a date with...
I really loved the structure of the book (we mainly see Haleigh out on dates) and I actually loved the love triangle: I could have seen it go either way, which is not usually the case. In fact I had delightfully mixed feelings on her ultimate decision. I'm glad she got her HEA, but I also think this is a good example of how there might not be just one soulmate out there for each person: she chose who was right for her in the moment, but if he hadn't been an option, she probably would have been happy with the other guy.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
Haleigh is also dealing with her own feelings of financial anxiety since she's piecing together a living from freelance editing and dow walking. This is all exacerbated by pressure to find a plus-one to her perfect sister's upcoming engagement party. She asks 5 of her friends and family to set her up on 2 dates each (thus, Ten Dates). The book follows her on each date, most of which are awful. But Haleigh does end up in a love triangle with her BFF Jackson and one of the people she goes on a date with...
I really loved the structure of the book (we mainly see Haleigh out on dates) and I actually loved the love triangle: I could have seen it go either way, which is not usually the case. In fact I had delightfully mixed feelings on her ultimate decision. I'm glad she got her HEA, but I also think this is a good example of how there might not be just one soulmate out there for each person: she chose who was right for her in the moment, but if he hadn't been an option, she probably would have been happy with the other guy.
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This one was pretty complicated! There was pining, second chance, new romance, blind dates. When we got some real competition I didn't know which way she was going to go!
Haleigh Berkshire is ready for a change. She's living in the spare room of a friend's place, she's working two part-time jobs that are going nowhere, and everyone around her is coupled up. Except for her best friend Jack. Jack who knows her so well, but because of the 10 Rules, they base their friendship on... will only BE a friend) Her mom and grandpa are frequently reminding her about how single she is. She's tired of dates that are going nowhere.
Haleigh gets the idea to let everyone in her life set her up on two blind dates to see that she HAS been giving dating a real try. And it is really time for a break.
So on and on Haleigh goes on these dates. Some funny, some boring, some normal but no spark. Then she gets set up with Brian. Brian, who loves animals like she does. Brian, who's pretty sweet and cute. And supportive.
Suddenly, it's looking like she's found a real someone. A someone who can help her get over Jack once and for all.
Through all of this, Haleigh is looking for a job that gets her out of the situation she's in. And possibly a new place, too. This girl is going through lots of upheaval.
One thing I was conflicted about is how adamant her family was on her finding someone. She was only 25, not anywhere near being a lost cause. But families are different.
Haleigh Berkshire is ready for a change. She's living in the spare room of a friend's place, she's working two part-time jobs that are going nowhere, and everyone around her is coupled up. Except for her best friend Jack. Jack who knows her so well, but because of the 10 Rules, they base their friendship on... will only BE a friend) Her mom and grandpa are frequently reminding her about how single she is. She's tired of dates that are going nowhere.
Haleigh gets the idea to let everyone in her life set her up on two blind dates to see that she HAS been giving dating a real try. And it is really time for a break.
So on and on Haleigh goes on these dates. Some funny, some boring, some normal but no spark. Then she gets set up with Brian. Brian, who loves animals like she does. Brian, who's pretty sweet and cute. And supportive.
Suddenly, it's looking like she's found a real someone. A someone who can help her get over Jack once and for all.
Through all of this, Haleigh is looking for a job that gets her out of the situation she's in. And possibly a new place, too. This girl is going through lots of upheaval.
One thing I was conflicted about is how adamant her family was on her finding someone. She was only 25, not anywhere near being a lost cause. But families are different.
Thank you SO much to St Martin's Press & St Martins Romance for the advance copy of this!
Thank you so much to Spotify Audiobooks for the complimentary audio!
This book will be out on Dec 10th.
I have been a fan of Jenny's works since her debut and my love of her work has only increased as each book comes out. This one is now my new favorite!
Haleigh was such a fun character to read throughout the book. I love the relationship between Haleigh and Jack. It was very evident from the beginning how close their and we learn through their friendship rules that something had occurred years ago that changed their relationship. Haleigh just felt so relatable being an adult but not feeling quite like an adult. And by that meaning feeling like she doesn't have things together compared to others. She is feeling the pressure to have a date to her sister's engagement party and one of the rules with Jack is they can't be each other's plus ones.
"You're amazing."
"I'm merely skilled with bath products."
"You're so much more than that, and you know it."
I love Haleigh's idea of having those closest to her pick her dates! It makes me wonder for myself who would my family and friends pick for me if I would be single. As much as I love Jack for Haleigh, I also really enjoyed seeing her interaction with Brian. He just seemed like such a great guy!! But it was just so hard to imagine Haleigh with anyone other than Jack. The way that Jack went about this was both cute and also annoying (not for readers but for Haleigh). "I hope it would help you see me. As an actual option, I mean."
I paired my reading with the audiobook and I thought Billie Bryant did a great job with the characters! She is a new narrator to me and I would listen to more from her.
Was this a little predictable? Of course but that is a romance book for you!
I still love the ride that romance puts us through to get to the happily ever after.
I cannot wait for her young adult book coming out in 2025 and of course her next adult book!
If you love a second chance, friends to lover, plus size romance - give this one a chance!
PS - We need a book about Brian! I feel like I need to see him get his happily ever after - please!
Thank you so much to Spotify Audiobooks for the complimentary audio!
This book will be out on Dec 10th.
I have been a fan of Jenny's works since her debut and my love of her work has only increased as each book comes out. This one is now my new favorite!
Haleigh was such a fun character to read throughout the book. I love the relationship between Haleigh and Jack. It was very evident from the beginning how close their and we learn through their friendship rules that something had occurred years ago that changed their relationship. Haleigh just felt so relatable being an adult but not feeling quite like an adult. And by that meaning feeling like she doesn't have things together compared to others. She is feeling the pressure to have a date to her sister's engagement party and one of the rules with Jack is they can't be each other's plus ones.
"You're amazing."
"I'm merely skilled with bath products."
"You're so much more than that, and you know it."
I love Haleigh's idea of having those closest to her pick her dates! It makes me wonder for myself who would my family and friends pick for me if I would be single. As much as I love Jack for Haleigh, I also really enjoyed seeing her interaction with Brian. He just seemed like such a great guy!! But it was just so hard to imagine Haleigh with anyone other than Jack. The way that Jack went about this was both cute and also annoying (not for readers but for Haleigh). "I hope it would help you see me. As an actual option, I mean."
I paired my reading with the audiobook and I thought Billie Bryant did a great job with the characters! She is a new narrator to me and I would listen to more from her.
Was this a little predictable? Of course but that is a romance book for you!
I still love the ride that romance puts us through to get to the happily ever after.
I cannot wait for her young adult book coming out in 2025 and of course her next adult book!
If you love a second chance, friends to lover, plus size romance - give this one a chance!
PS - We need a book about Brian! I feel like I need to see him get his happily ever after - please!
Haleigh agrees to ten dates with men or women arranged by her family and friends – they know her, don’t they? She is proud of her plus size body, knows she is beautiful but struggles when it comes to figuring out her professional life. She wants to have a date for her perfect sister’s engagement party which looms in six months.
Haleigh approaches each date with a great attitude yet still finds herself having to call her best friend Jack for a rescue more than once. They have decided to keep things in the friend zone after one steamy trip many years ago. Are those feelings over for Haleigh? For Jack? This is for them to figure out after the dates are through.
While there are some challenges with this book, I found it to be cute as I did enjoy the premise. I especially liked some of the ancillary characters. Billie Bryant did an excellent job on the narration in the audiobook. Many thanks to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the advance audiobook. All opinions are my own.
I am conflicted about this review. This wasn’t a bad read, but it wasn’t my favorite. I really enjoyed some parts, but others really irked me. For starters I loved the main character. I felt like she was under so much pressure from her family to get her life together, and I just wanted to scream at them that she is only 25. I certainly had a lot going on in my life at 25 and would not classify myself as having it all together. Kuddos to those who do though! I also really loved reading about all the dates that she went on. There were some really fun ones, and they were great. I loved that Haleigh was bisexual and dated both men and women. It was also nice to read a book with amazing anxiety rep. Okay now here’s what sort of ruined the book for me. The relationship between Haleigh and her best friend, Jack. He loves her, she’s not sure of her feelings for him after something from their past. It just felt like the miscommunication trope gone haywire for me. It was too much. Jack was clearly in love with her and she just ignored it all and flaunted the dates she was going on in his face. So very frustrating to read.
3.5 stars rounded up for posting.
Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.
3.5 stars rounded up for posting.
Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Haleigh Berkshire is tired of dating as a plus-size woman and ready for a break—until a scheme to please her family throws her back into the dating scene. But when her best friend Jack starts sabotaging her dates and unexpectedly throws himself into the mix, Haleigh is forced to confront whether risking their friendship for love is worth it.
This was a cute, quick read for me. Jenny Howe has a sweetness to her characters which makes them feel like real, fleshed out people. I thought the mental health rep was really strong in this book, as someone who suffers from pretty bad anxiety. The dates themselves were absolutely fantastic, particularly the one with Scooter. I was absolutely cackling while reading. When Jack sets her up on the bad date, I cracked up. Really liked Brian too!
I loved that it was a second chance romance, with a fat, bisexual (or pan? I don’t think it’s fully defined) woman who has an array of amazing people around her. I really loved her friendships. I also liked the sweet ending.
*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC to review.*
This was a cute, quick read for me. Jenny Howe has a sweetness to her characters which makes them feel like real, fleshed out people. I thought the mental health rep was really strong in this book, as someone who suffers from pretty bad anxiety. The dates themselves were absolutely fantastic, particularly the one with Scooter. I was absolutely cackling while reading. When Jack sets her up on the bad date, I cracked up. Really liked Brian too!
I loved that it was a second chance romance, with a fat, bisexual (or pan? I don’t think it’s fully defined) woman who has an array of amazing people around her. I really loved her friendships. I also liked the sweet ending.
*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC to review.*
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.50 stars
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TW: Mental illness, Fatphobia
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Haleigh knows how dating as a plus-sized woman can be disastrous, she's been on enough bad dates that she wants to take a break. Another thing that's stopping her from finding someone? She's madly in love with her best friend: Jack. After a whirlwind romantic week together in College, they've both decided that they're better off as friends.
As her sister's engagement party fast approaches, and constant nagging from friends and family, she and Jack do what they do best: scheme. Haleigh agrees to let her friends and family pick 2 potential suitors for her to go out on dates with, in hopes that one of them will be her plus one to the event. She then begins this journey of self-discovery all while trying to get her life on the right track.
I see myself a lot in Haleigh and get where the character was coming from, especially concerning body insecurities when it comes to dating. As much as this tugged at my heartstrings, I couldn't help but laugh out loud countless times. Especially at all of the bad dates she went on, not meaning that her setups were bad people - just odd dates to go on. Her plan is stumped when Jack throws her a curveball and sets himself up as the last date.
By this point she's got a good thing going on with a veterinarian named Brian - I enjoyed the love triangle plot point, I was rooting for both of them at the same time, but deep down knew what the outcome was going to be. I'm really glad we flashback to the week in Hawaii and what tore Jack and Haleigh apart, it's hinted throughout the book that whatever happened broke up their friendship for some time afterwards. I will say that both of our characters at that point were young, and yes, the situation probably could have gone differently. The break allows them both to grow and work through their struggles with therapy and other tactics.
-
TW: Mental illness, Fatphobia
-
Haleigh knows how dating as a plus-sized woman can be disastrous, she's been on enough bad dates that she wants to take a break. Another thing that's stopping her from finding someone? She's madly in love with her best friend: Jack. After a whirlwind romantic week together in College, they've both decided that they're better off as friends.
As her sister's engagement party fast approaches, and constant nagging from friends and family, she and Jack do what they do best: scheme. Haleigh agrees to let her friends and family pick 2 potential suitors for her to go out on dates with, in hopes that one of them will be her plus one to the event. She then begins this journey of self-discovery all while trying to get her life on the right track.
I see myself a lot in Haleigh and get where the character was coming from, especially concerning body insecurities when it comes to dating. As much as this tugged at my heartstrings, I couldn't help but laugh out loud countless times. Especially at all of the bad dates she went on, not meaning that her setups were bad people - just odd dates to go on. Her plan is stumped when Jack throws her a curveball and sets himself up as the last date.
By this point she's got a good thing going on with a veterinarian named Brian - I enjoyed the love triangle plot point, I was rooting for both of them at the same time, but deep down knew what the outcome was going to be. I'm really glad we flashback to the week in Hawaii and what tore Jack and Haleigh apart, it's hinted throughout the book that whatever happened broke up their friendship for some time afterwards. I will say that both of our characters at that point were young, and yes, the situation probably could have gone differently. The break allows them both to grow and work through their struggles with therapy and other tactics.