Jenny L. Howe presenting “On the Plus Side: A Novel” in conversation with ALECHIA DOW

Harvard Book Store welcomes JENNY L. HOWE—author of The Make-Up Test—for a discussion of her new novel, On the Plus Side. She will be joined in conversation by ALECHIA DOW—award-winning author of The Sound of Stars and A Song of Salvation.

About On the Plus Side

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?

Praise for Jenny L. Howe

“Featuring a plus-size heroine, The Make-Up Test provides some much-needed representation in the rom-com genre…Sweet and funny.” –USA Today

“What happens when you have to go against your ex for the chance of a lifetime while studying in the same Ph.D program? Tension and sparks, that’s what!” –Cosmopolitan

“Jenny L. Howe’s comedic timing shines in this debut.” –Reader’s Digest, Editor’s Pick