"Change the title to 'How to Become a Jenny L. Howe fan for Life' because that's what this book did to me!" --Jo Segura, USA Today bestselling author of Raiders of the Lost Heart and Temple of Swoon
In this charming new rom-com from Jenny L. Howe, a young woman who's fed up with dating challenges her family and friends to set her up on ten dates, but gets more than she bargained for when her best friend adds himself to the roster.
Dating as a plus-size woman has been exhausting for Haleigh Berkshire. Sure, she's only twenty-five, but she's been doing it for a decade, and she's beginning to think it's time for a sabbatical. It doesn't help that she's been madly in love with her best friend, Jack, for years--but one disastrous weekend in college taught her the hard way that they'll never be more than friends.
With her sister's engagement celebration fast approaching, and her friends and family nagging her about a plus-one, Haleigh and Jack do what they do best: scheme. Haleigh agrees to let her friends and family set her up with ten people--and she's sure that, once none of them prove to be good matches, her loved ones will finally let her fade into romantic retirement in peace.
To her surprise, some of Haleigh's dates go better than expected, and for the first time in forever, she's actually having fun. Until Jack starts breaking all the rules they'd made to mend their friendship in college. He produces a laundry list of flaws for everyone she likes, crashes some of her nights out, and finally shocks her by throwing himself into the mix. Dating Jack has always been the dream, but Haleigh is afraid of the reality. Is it worth risking her best friend for something that may have never been meant to be?
Praise for How to Get a Life in Ten Dates:
"Howe creates characters to love and is able to keep the reader guessing all the way through. Love and laughter abound in this joyful read." --Booklist (starred review)
"Inclusive and charming... readers in the mood for a big-hearted and amusing rom-com will want to check this out." --Publishers Weekly
"Jenny L. Howe's How to Get a Life in Ten Dates felt like a '90s rom-com in the best possible way--show me a montage of hilariously bad dates and I will eat it up every time. I loved watching Haleigh and Jack try to navigate their relationship as friends to lovers back to friends and then maybe, hopefully, back to lovers again. I was rooting for them so hard! " --Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers
"How to Get a Life in Ten Dates is giving me life. With a beautiful emphasis on mental health and plenty of humor, it's a trippingly relatable romp that you'll tear through faster than speed-dating." --TJ Alexander, author of Triple Sec
"How to Get a Life in Ten Dates tickled every inch of my romance bone: it's swoony, clever, hilarious, touching, and sexy. Haleigh and Jack are so stinkin' cute that I found myself shouting 'you're perfect together, now kiss!!'. Talk about fated mates, these two are meant to be together and I loved every minute of their journey as they discovered it for themselves." --Taleen Voskuni, award-winning author of Sorry, Bro and Lavash at First Sight
"I'm a sucker for the 'I need to date a bunch of people because of x reason even though what I really need or want is right in front of me' microtrope, and Jenny Howe gave me everything I wanted and more! Change the title to 'How to Become a Jenny L. Howe fan for Life' because that's what this book did to me!" --Jo Segura, USA Today bestselling author of Raiders of the Lost Heart and Temple of Swoon
"Howe writes with such lightness and warmth and charm - every moment of this book felt like sinking into a sexy, hilarious hug. She never disappoints." --Charlotte Stein, author of When Grumpy Met Sunshine
"Howe perfectly blends rom with com in How to Get a Life in Ten Dates. Cringy dating disasters keep the pages turning, and the friends-to-lovers relationship keeps you hanging on to the very end. A pleasurable, lighthearted romp!" --Suzanne Park, author of One Last Word
"How to Get a Life in Ten Dates has everything I want in a romcom: a bisexual heroine you can't help but root for, a hilariously meddlesome family, an absurd wager, a believable love triangle, and so many laughs. Howe has written a hysterical and gorgeously queer coming of age romance. As much as I was rooting for Haleigh to find romance, I was also rooting for her to find herself. I dare you not to fall in love with this book." --Alison Cochrun, author of The Charm Offensive and Here We Go Again
Praise for On the Plus Side:
"Smart and funny...this one's a must read, y'all." --Book Riot
"Howe dazzles with this pitch-perfect rom-com about learning to love oneself at any size...timely, humorous, and heartfelt." --Publishers Weekly (starred)
"Everly is presented as beautiful, capable, and the star of her own story. A romantic comedy that's both cozy and empowering." --Kirkus Reviews
"Jenny L. Howe knows 'fat' isn't a dirty word and doesn't shy away from using it...adorable [and] wildly compelling." --Buzzfeed
"Folks standing up for what is right always makes for a good story, and the friendship-to-love relationship between Everly and Logan is fun and fulfilling. For fans of All the Feels by Olivia Dade and Curves for Days by Laura Moher." --Booklist
"Featuring a curvy heroine finding confidence while falling in love, Howe's latest is a fun mix of What Not To Wear and Queer Eye. Recommended for fans of Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade and The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun." --Library Journal
"Rom-com readers will appreciate the diverse cast of characters, with plenty of LGBTQ+ representation as well as the inclusion of a funny, realistic, and imperfect family...as rare and refreshing as it is important." --Shelf Awareness
"A fun and fresh romance following a plus-sized lead...the ultimate cozy read." --Culturess
Praise for The Make-Up Test:
"Enemies-to-lovers, set in academia, with the pitfalls of imposter syndrome to navigate? Yes, please! A sweet, fresh spin on how the third time's the charm." --Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here
"Original, clever, sizzling...I'll read anything Jenny L. Howe writes!" --Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis
"A delightfully sweet second chance, rivals-to-lovers story wrapped up in a cardigan, sprinkled liberally with Beowulf and Chaucer references, and garnished with cat socks." --Jen DeLuca, author of Well-Met, Well-Played, and Well-Matched
"Heartfelt vulnerability wrapped in a sexy cardigan...The Make-Up Test is an A+." --Denise Williams, author of How to Fail at Flirting and The Fastest Way to Fall
"With clever writing that makes her grad school rivals simmer and spark on the page, Jenny L. Howe has crafted a love story that feels not just swoony and heart-stirring, but achingly, breathtakingly real." --Rachel Lynn Solomon, bestselling author of The Ex-Talk and Weather Girl