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How to Get a Life in Ten Dates
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 party 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 men or women--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?
With her sister's engagement party 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 men or women--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?
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2024
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January 12, 2025
**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Jenny L. Howe for an ARC of this book!**
Haleigh Berkshire is already fed up with love...and at only 25 years old, you can only imagine what the last 10 years have delivered to leave her THAT ready to throw in the towel. So many of her potential mates can't seem to accept her for who she is (anxiety and adulting fears included) and then of course, there's the one that (sort of) got away...her best friend, Jack. Although the duo finally took things to another level one night years ago in college on a trip, the end result wasn't good. It was so messy, in fact, that the two established 10 'rules' to help keep the boundaries in place and repair their best friendship. Structure seems to be working for them, and they settle into their new normal...although one (or both of them) MIGHT just have some feelings left over...
Nevertheless, Haleigh is almost excited for her break from the dating hamster wheel...until her sister announces her engagement. An engagement, of course, means an engagement PARTY and Haleigh feels strong-armed into bringing along a 'plus one.' Much to her chagrin, her friends and family decide that THEY can try to find the perfect mate for Haleigh to bring along not only on this occasion, but potentially the person who will end her dating woes for good. They have 10 chances to make it right and Haleigh needs to go along with all of their choices, no questions asked. To her surprise, she actually begins to ENJOY some of the dates (and let's face it, some of the disasters make for pretty amusing stories!) and hope begins to return to her heart. But when Jack starts pointing out some of the many, many flaws he finds with each and every potential romance (especially one that is RIFE with promise), Haleigh starts to wonder if all of the 'rules' are such a good idea after all. Has her plus one been by her side all along? Or is Jack simply jealous of the person 'encroaching on his turf' who could TRULY be Mr. Right?
I've read all three of Howe's novels thus far and sad to say, I am still waiting for one of them to rival her first. While had its moments, I missed all of the quippy, witticisms present in , and found the plot a bit thin and the characters 'On the Trite and Stereotypical Side' instead. And it's also a bit hard for me to say, but I don't feel that this novel at all lived up to the promise its premise offered...and I found myself so disappointed in the MC's choices that I sort of lost interest halfway through her Decathlon of Dating.
I think part of this is due to bad timing - I had the pleasure of reading Sophie Cousens' , which is ANOTHER book about family setting up the MC with dates of their choosing mere weeks before picking up this one...so I felt like I was being sent the Temu version of the story after swooning about the real deal. Where Cousens' heroine was mature, real, accessible, and JUSTIFIED in her frustration with the dating scene, she was also in her THIRTIES and recently divorced. Howe's character Haleigh has all of the jaded frustration...but NONE of the life experience. At 25, she is seriously ready to tap out. 🙄 I mean, this IS sort of stereotypical behavior for young people, to have believed they have seen and done everything worth seeing by this age...but the contrast was overwhelming, and unfortunately, hard to ignore.
Haleigh's issue seems to be a whole lot less with not finding the perfect partner, and a lot MORE with not being content with her life and secure in her convictions, good or bad. She resists 'adulting' (heavy, heavy sigh), although I'm not exactly sure what she thinks the alternative is...? She finds reasons to write off many of her dates immediately (even the good ones!) and frankly, the bad ones are so comically bad they aren't grounded in any sort of reality at all. Meanwhile, rather than being SUPPORTIVE, her best friend essentially sulks in the background and mucks up the works. It's hard to say more without giving anything away, but the relationship between these two characters reminds me of one of those couples in high school that would break up and get back together again, over and over, but yet still believe they were each other's soulmates even though CLEARLY the relationship was unhealthy. It's a relationship that is, at its core, hard to root for...and don't get me started on the "DISASTER" of Hawaii. (Which didn't seem much like a disaster at all...rather just a halfhearted attempt at the miscommunication trope without the proper depth.) 😒
And then there's the One That TRULY Got Away...and my boatload of disappointment about that. 😢 (Yes, boatload is the ONLY correct unit of measurement here!) I won't say any names or drop any hints, but there is one of these individuals that seems spot-on for Haleigh...until they just all of a sudden AREN'T. They are so kind, supportive, genuine, etc. and bring next to no drama to the table...until quite randomly, on one date, they miraculously become SO DIFFERENT from Haleigh in every way that there is no POSSIBLE way they should be with her anymore and she drops them like a hot potato. I found this almost offensive to the reader: we spend so much time getting invested in this character...and for what? Just to have OUR hearts broken?! 💔 Color me crushed. (And Haleigh's nasty, nasty mother made Cruella De Vil look more like Mrs. Claus...maybe this lack of empathetic and caring parenting is the REAL reason Haleigh's such a mess!) 😣
And while I know Haleigh thought the key to 'getting a life' was her 10 dates...I think she probably should have just focused her energies on taking 10 job interviews instead.
3 stars
#HowToGetALifeInTenDates #JennyLHowe #SMPRomance #StMartinsPress
Haleigh Berkshire is already fed up with love...and at only 25 years old, you can only imagine what the last 10 years have delivered to leave her THAT ready to throw in the towel. So many of her potential mates can't seem to accept her for who she is (anxiety and adulting fears included) and then of course, there's the one that (sort of) got away...her best friend, Jack. Although the duo finally took things to another level one night years ago in college on a trip, the end result wasn't good. It was so messy, in fact, that the two established 10 'rules' to help keep the boundaries in place and repair their best friendship. Structure seems to be working for them, and they settle into their new normal...although one (or both of them) MIGHT just have some feelings left over...
Nevertheless, Haleigh is almost excited for her break from the dating hamster wheel...until her sister announces her engagement. An engagement, of course, means an engagement PARTY and Haleigh feels strong-armed into bringing along a 'plus one.' Much to her chagrin, her friends and family decide that THEY can try to find the perfect mate for Haleigh to bring along not only on this occasion, but potentially the person who will end her dating woes for good. They have 10 chances to make it right and Haleigh needs to go along with all of their choices, no questions asked. To her surprise, she actually begins to ENJOY some of the dates (and let's face it, some of the disasters make for pretty amusing stories!) and hope begins to return to her heart. But when Jack starts pointing out some of the many, many flaws he finds with each and every potential romance (especially one that is RIFE with promise), Haleigh starts to wonder if all of the 'rules' are such a good idea after all. Has her plus one been by her side all along? Or is Jack simply jealous of the person 'encroaching on his turf' who could TRULY be Mr. Right?
I've read all three of Howe's novels thus far and sad to say, I am still waiting for one of them to rival her first. While had its moments, I missed all of the quippy, witticisms present in , and found the plot a bit thin and the characters 'On the Trite and Stereotypical Side' instead. And it's also a bit hard for me to say, but I don't feel that this novel at all lived up to the promise its premise offered...and I found myself so disappointed in the MC's choices that I sort of lost interest halfway through her Decathlon of Dating.
I think part of this is due to bad timing - I had the pleasure of reading Sophie Cousens' , which is ANOTHER book about family setting up the MC with dates of their choosing mere weeks before picking up this one...so I felt like I was being sent the Temu version of the story after swooning about the real deal. Where Cousens' heroine was mature, real, accessible, and JUSTIFIED in her frustration with the dating scene, she was also in her THIRTIES and recently divorced. Howe's character Haleigh has all of the jaded frustration...but NONE of the life experience. At 25, she is seriously ready to tap out. 🙄 I mean, this IS sort of stereotypical behavior for young people, to have believed they have seen and done everything worth seeing by this age...but the contrast was overwhelming, and unfortunately, hard to ignore.
Haleigh's issue seems to be a whole lot less with not finding the perfect partner, and a lot MORE with not being content with her life and secure in her convictions, good or bad. She resists 'adulting' (heavy, heavy sigh), although I'm not exactly sure what she thinks the alternative is...? She finds reasons to write off many of her dates immediately (even the good ones!) and frankly, the bad ones are so comically bad they aren't grounded in any sort of reality at all. Meanwhile, rather than being SUPPORTIVE, her best friend essentially sulks in the background and mucks up the works. It's hard to say more without giving anything away, but the relationship between these two characters reminds me of one of those couples in high school that would break up and get back together again, over and over, but yet still believe they were each other's soulmates even though CLEARLY the relationship was unhealthy. It's a relationship that is, at its core, hard to root for...and don't get me started on the "DISASTER" of Hawaii. (Which didn't seem much like a disaster at all...rather just a halfhearted attempt at the miscommunication trope without the proper depth.) 😒
And then there's the One That TRULY Got Away...and my boatload of disappointment about that. 😢 (Yes, boatload is the ONLY correct unit of measurement here!) I won't say any names or drop any hints, but there is one of these individuals that seems spot-on for Haleigh...until they just all of a sudden AREN'T. They are so kind, supportive, genuine, etc. and bring next to no drama to the table...until quite randomly, on one date, they miraculously become SO DIFFERENT from Haleigh in every way that there is no POSSIBLE way they should be with her anymore and she drops them like a hot potato. I found this almost offensive to the reader: we spend so much time getting invested in this character...and for what? Just to have OUR hearts broken?! 💔 Color me crushed. (And Haleigh's nasty, nasty mother made Cruella De Vil look more like Mrs. Claus...maybe this lack of empathetic and caring parenting is the REAL reason Haleigh's such a mess!) 😣
And while I know Haleigh thought the key to 'getting a life' was her 10 dates...I think she probably should have just focused her energies on taking 10 job interviews instead.
3 stars
#HowToGetALifeInTenDates #JennyLHowe #SMPRomance #StMartinsPress
August 6, 2024
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞-𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰! ♡︎
𝟑.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝟒 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬
⋆⁺₊⋆ “jack knew her face, her heart, her soul. so many tiny little threads wove them together, creating a tapestry that could bend and twist but never break. jack was her person. haleigh was his.�
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐭 𝐫 𝐨 𝐩 𝐞 𝐬: child hood best friend, friends to lovers, second chance (kind of?), love triangle
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐩 𝐥 𝐨 𝐭: haleigh has had a hard time dating for awhile and she’s secretly still in love with her life long best friend, jack. five years ago, they tried to date but it didn’t work out so they now have 10 rules for their friendship to keep it platonic. in order to get over jack once and for all, she challenges her family and friends, including jack, to set her up on 10 different dates. it gets complicated when their rules get broken during the dating challenge.
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝: this is my first book by Jenny L Howe, and i was very happily surprised! overall, i really like her writing style she’s kind of like a mashup between lynn painter and emily henry! all of the dates that haleigh went on were very well written and funny and i like how they were all distinct and unique. some of them were hilarious! haleigh is also so funny i love her. another thing i like about this book is the focus on mental health. the author did a great job touching on anxiety and how it can affect day to day life and relationships. also i LOVE jack he is such a great book bf. what an amazing friend and person
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞: i knowwww that this is a part of haleigh’s character development but in the earlier parts of the book it drove me crazy how she was tearing everyone else down in her head and being such a negative person. idk it got annoying really quickly. but by the end, haleigh became a lot more confident and secure and it was a lot more enjoyable to read! also one small tiny thing is the author repeated several phrases so many times haha it just got old
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐨 𝐯 𝐞 𝐫 𝐚 𝐥 𝐥: i really liked this book! it was so funny and quick-paced which made me not want to put it down. i will probably reread it down the road when it releases and i can get a paper copy! i definitely recommend to anyone looking for a cute funny rom com!
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
—ĔĔĔĔ�
⋆⁺₊⋆ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: cutie cute cuteness! rtc SOON
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: my first arc! 🥳
𝟑.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝟒 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬
⋆⁺₊⋆ “jack knew her face, her heart, her soul. so many tiny little threads wove them together, creating a tapestry that could bend and twist but never break. jack was her person. haleigh was his.�
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐭 𝐫 𝐨 𝐩 𝐞 𝐬: child hood best friend, friends to lovers, second chance (kind of?), love triangle
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐩 𝐥 𝐨 𝐭: haleigh has had a hard time dating for awhile and she’s secretly still in love with her life long best friend, jack. five years ago, they tried to date but it didn’t work out so they now have 10 rules for their friendship to keep it platonic. in order to get over jack once and for all, she challenges her family and friends, including jack, to set her up on 10 different dates. it gets complicated when their rules get broken during the dating challenge.
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝: this is my first book by Jenny L Howe, and i was very happily surprised! overall, i really like her writing style she’s kind of like a mashup between lynn painter and emily henry! all of the dates that haleigh went on were very well written and funny and i like how they were all distinct and unique. some of them were hilarious! haleigh is also so funny i love her. another thing i like about this book is the focus on mental health. the author did a great job touching on anxiety and how it can affect day to day life and relationships. also i LOVE jack he is such a great book bf. what an amazing friend and person
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞: i knowwww that this is a part of haleigh’s character development but in the earlier parts of the book it drove me crazy how she was tearing everyone else down in her head and being such a negative person. idk it got annoying really quickly. but by the end, haleigh became a lot more confident and secure and it was a lot more enjoyable to read! also one small tiny thing is the author repeated several phrases so many times haha it just got old
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐨 𝐯 𝐞 𝐫 𝐚 𝐥 𝐥: i really liked this book! it was so funny and quick-paced which made me not want to put it down. i will probably reread it down the road when it releases and i can get a paper copy! i definitely recommend to anyone looking for a cute funny rom com!
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
—ĔĔĔĔ�
⋆⁺₊⋆ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: cutie cute cuteness! rtc SOON
⋆⁺₊⋆𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: my first arc! 🥳
December 12, 2024
How to Get a Life in Ten Dates by Jenny L Howe
Contemporary romance. Same world as prior book On The Plus Side. This book stands on its own with a couple minor references to the other book.
Haleigh Berkshire has been dating for a decade without really connecting with anyone. She’s only twenty-five and tired of one bad date after another. She needs to find a plus one for her sister’s engagement party and would prefer to take her best friend Jack, but they made a list of rules between them after a disastrous weekend in Hawaii together. Haleigh agrees to let her friends and family set her up with a series of dates, hoping they know her well enough to make a good match.
Very little comment, discussion or concerns about her being plus sized. The reason for this is in the beginning author’s note. Haleigh’s main insecurities are about her job and her lack of dating success. And since we know going into the story that she’s still a bit in love with her long-time best friend, her dating woes aren’t exactly surprising.
Haleigh’s date with Bradley Cooper (not that one) was amusing mostly because of the name qualification every single time it or he was referred to.
Overall, a touching second chance romance.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Contemporary romance. Same world as prior book On The Plus Side. This book stands on its own with a couple minor references to the other book.
Haleigh Berkshire has been dating for a decade without really connecting with anyone. She’s only twenty-five and tired of one bad date after another. She needs to find a plus one for her sister’s engagement party and would prefer to take her best friend Jack, but they made a list of rules between them after a disastrous weekend in Hawaii together. Haleigh agrees to let her friends and family set her up with a series of dates, hoping they know her well enough to make a good match.
Very little comment, discussion or concerns about her being plus sized. The reason for this is in the beginning author’s note. Haleigh’s main insecurities are about her job and her lack of dating success. And since we know going into the story that she’s still a bit in love with her long-time best friend, her dating woes aren’t exactly surprising.
Haleigh’s date with Bradley Cooper (not that one) was amusing mostly because of the name qualification every single time it or he was referred to.
Overall, a touching second chance romance.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
August 1, 2024
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC for this book.
A grown-ass woman, Haleigh, complains about "adulting" and says she wants no responsibility, but she really, really needs to be in a relationship so that she can have a plus-one to her sister's party so everyone doesn't think she's a loser. Which she surely isn't... And how dare her family offer her stable jobs or express concern about her lack of income or maturity? They just don't understand that she's on the verge of making it as a freelance editor. Even though she doesn't really have many clients. Haleigh's first date was cute but not sufficiently interested in her discussion of spikey penguin tongues, causing Haleigh to need to be rescued by her suspiciously masculine-sounding mother on the phone. Because no one so far has met Haleigh's standards, she decides to allow her family and friends to set her up on 10 dates. Her best friend, who finds himself inexplicably mute whenever he even thinks about having a mature conversation and telling her how he feels about her, asks to join in and watch as the woman he loves dates other people.
Despite my best efforts, I DNF'd this book. The writing is okay. It still needs editing, but it is an ARC, so that is to be expected. The main character was just very unlikeable to me. Early in the book, Haleigh is on a date with a woman, and the insecurity is seeping out of her... which would be fine if she didn't criticize her date for everything. She never stops to think that her date is also a human being who might be half as awkward as Haleigh is, and maybe she's just a little nervous at the beginning of the date. Instead, Haleigh decides the woman is boring, texts an SOS to her friend, spits out mortifying animal facts, and skips out on the date. She then proceeds to complain that people don't want to date her because of her weight and don't bring anything to the table when SHE didn't bring anything either and then ditched her date. Haleigh also doesn't seem to love herself, and she self-admittedly wants to run far away from responsibility and hates "adulting" (ew), so I just don't understand why she is trying to date in the first place.
I suppose I also just don't find the premise of an ex-hookup/friend of many years being incapable of simply communicating like a normal person that he has feelings for Haleigh. Why go through such a round-about process that involves watching her date 9 other men instead of having a conversation? That's just kind of embarrassing.
I found this book extremely boring/cliche in a bad way, and I just couldn't get through it.
Writing: 3
Characters: 1
Plot: 2
Setting: 1
Enjoyment: 1
A grown-ass woman, Haleigh, complains about "adulting" and says she wants no responsibility, but she really, really needs to be in a relationship so that she can have a plus-one to her sister's party so everyone doesn't think she's a loser. Which she surely isn't... And how dare her family offer her stable jobs or express concern about her lack of income or maturity? They just don't understand that she's on the verge of making it as a freelance editor. Even though she doesn't really have many clients. Haleigh's first date was cute but not sufficiently interested in her discussion of spikey penguin tongues, causing Haleigh to need to be rescued by her suspiciously masculine-sounding mother on the phone. Because no one so far has met Haleigh's standards, she decides to allow her family and friends to set her up on 10 dates. Her best friend, who finds himself inexplicably mute whenever he even thinks about having a mature conversation and telling her how he feels about her, asks to join in and watch as the woman he loves dates other people.
Despite my best efforts, I DNF'd this book. The writing is okay. It still needs editing, but it is an ARC, so that is to be expected. The main character was just very unlikeable to me. Early in the book, Haleigh is on a date with a woman, and the insecurity is seeping out of her... which would be fine if she didn't criticize her date for everything. She never stops to think that her date is also a human being who might be half as awkward as Haleigh is, and maybe she's just a little nervous at the beginning of the date. Instead, Haleigh decides the woman is boring, texts an SOS to her friend, spits out mortifying animal facts, and skips out on the date. She then proceeds to complain that people don't want to date her because of her weight and don't bring anything to the table when SHE didn't bring anything either and then ditched her date. Haleigh also doesn't seem to love herself, and she self-admittedly wants to run far away from responsibility and hates "adulting" (ew), so I just don't understand why she is trying to date in the first place.
I suppose I also just don't find the premise of an ex-hookup/friend of many years being incapable of simply communicating like a normal person that he has feelings for Haleigh. Why go through such a round-about process that involves watching her date 9 other men instead of having a conversation? That's just kind of embarrassing.
I found this book extremely boring/cliche in a bad way, and I just couldn't get through it.
Writing: 3
Characters: 1
Plot: 2
Setting: 1
Enjoyment: 1
December 18, 2024
Concept for the sequel: Jack and Haleigh realizes that their attraction to each other come completely from proximity and they don’t actually have any chemistry with each other romantically. They break off the engagement and Haleigh goes back to Brian who is ten times better for her every way.
June 29, 2024
2.5 stars
This one had a lot of potential but unfortunately fell flat for me. It was an okay read.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This one had a lot of potential but unfortunately fell flat for me. It was an okay read.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2025
�.˚� 3 stars ✮�.�
� Thank you to St. Martins Griffin for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
i was looking forward to reading this romance as childhood friends to lovers is the main trope, and while I am a firm believer in enemies to lovers this trope has been rising on my list of favorite tropes.
the dates that the main character Haleigh went on were actually really well done. i’m someone who’s been with my boyfriend since high school and I’ve never wanted to go on a ton of dates even before him, but honestly how many different people Haleigh met was really fun. i know in the real world dating is complicated, but each person she went on a date with was so unique and i think the author did a good job differentiating them.
my favorite date she went on was definitely Brian, he seemed to be really enthusiastic about her and it appeared that they had good chemistry - but that’s also where i had a problem with this book. while I definitely saw the appeal between Haleigh and Jack as I enjoy childhood friends to lovers - but they were really different. and there was one point in the story where she was deciding between Brian and Jack, and she went on a date with Brian and all of a sudden he seemed so different. it felt almost unfair, and like the story was just adjusting to let her and Jack end up together. that’s what sort of threw the book off for me from being a really great read.
don’t get me wrong I did like Jack - when she got upset at one point he took her to a bookstore and told her to choose books for herself and one for him to read. he cooks for her, plays video games with her, and has been with her through a lot. but i wish the author had made their coming together a little more natural.
i did really enjoy her family though, and seeing their dynamics as they picked out dates for her. they were definitely not perfect, but what family is? the love they had for her came out in many ways and it was so fun.
� trigger warnings: fat shaming, depictions of anxiety and depression, depiction of panic attacks, death of a family member mentioned
� Thank you to St. Martins Griffin for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
i was looking forward to reading this romance as childhood friends to lovers is the main trope, and while I am a firm believer in enemies to lovers this trope has been rising on my list of favorite tropes.
the dates that the main character Haleigh went on were actually really well done. i’m someone who’s been with my boyfriend since high school and I’ve never wanted to go on a ton of dates even before him, but honestly how many different people Haleigh met was really fun. i know in the real world dating is complicated, but each person she went on a date with was so unique and i think the author did a good job differentiating them.
my favorite date she went on was definitely Brian, he seemed to be really enthusiastic about her and it appeared that they had good chemistry - but that’s also where i had a problem with this book. while I definitely saw the appeal between Haleigh and Jack as I enjoy childhood friends to lovers - but they were really different. and there was one point in the story where she was deciding between Brian and Jack, and she went on a date with Brian and all of a sudden he seemed so different. it felt almost unfair, and like the story was just adjusting to let her and Jack end up together. that’s what sort of threw the book off for me from being a really great read.
don’t get me wrong I did like Jack - when she got upset at one point he took her to a bookstore and told her to choose books for herself and one for him to read. he cooks for her, plays video games with her, and has been with her through a lot. but i wish the author had made their coming together a little more natural.
i did really enjoy her family though, and seeing their dynamics as they picked out dates for her. they were definitely not perfect, but what family is? the love they had for her came out in many ways and it was so fun.
� trigger warnings: fat shaming, depictions of anxiety and depression, depiction of panic attacks, death of a family member mentioned
January 13, 2025
This was so freaking cute. I was so torn because I thought Haleigh had great chemistry with both Brian and Jack, but I am a sucker for a friend's to lover story so I had a bit of a Jack-bias. Haleigh's frie ds and family setting her up for dates provided some much needed comedy and kept the lights coming. A super fun read and I was kicking my feet feom the cuteness.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
April 5, 2025
This was the kind of romantic comedy where I actually wanted the protagonist to end up with someone other than the main love interest (Justice for Brian).
It might have been three stars, but then there was a whole scene about how the main character doesn't know the song No Scrubs at music bingo because "scrub something" came out before she was born and maybe it was by Destiny's Child and I was so filled with rage, I nearly threw the book.
It might have been three stars, but then there was a whole scene about how the main character doesn't know the song No Scrubs at music bingo because "scrub something" came out before she was born and maybe it was by Destiny's Child and I was so filled with rage, I nearly threw the book.
August 6, 2024
Note: an eARC of this book was acquired via .
Unfortunately, How to Get a Life in Ten Dates was underwhelming, with a bland story and one-note characters. ☹️
I loved and think Howe is a great writer. In this book, though, the individual chapters moved quickly but the overall plot was both too fast (why is Haleigh expecting to get an engagement party date after, at most, two months of dating??) and also too slow (there was barely any narrative conflict and the main love interest was properly introduced close to the end). The main conflict stems from Haleigh and Jack (still) being in love with one another but being unable to admit it because they hooked up on vacation years ago and it ended badly. Then, after not speaking for months, they made a list of rules to prioritize their friendship over their romantic feelings. But now Haleigh desperately wants to bring a date to her sister's engagement party in three months, so she decides to give her "nosy" friends and family control of her (otherwise abysmal) dating life so that they will stop “harassing her� about why she hasn’t settled down. …And Jack, at the 75% mark, decides he’s a viable candidate.
Great! But I had two main complaints:
One, although Haleigh has diagnosed anxiety, Howe made her quest to “figure things out at 25� into The Worst Possible Thing To Ever Happen. I understand that the novel is written in Haleigh’s POV so things are going to seem out of proportion, but continuing to harp on Haleigh’s “inability� to “get her shit together� when she's so young just became annoying. Every little upset in Haleigh’s life was made out to be this high-stakes thing for which her overbearing mother and perfect sister judge her, and at some point, it moved from accurate character development to lazy writing. Having two part-time jobs is perfectly normal, even beyond 25. Living with a friend because you don’t have enough money to live alone is also perfectly normal. Comparing yourself to your “more successful� sibling is, again, perfectly normal. But Haleigh is 25!!!! A literal baby. Maybe if Howe had kept her sister aged 27 but made Haleigh 30 (or even older) then yes, not having full-time work and still living with a roommate and not having a person to be your plus-one to your younger sibling’s wedding� okay, I get it. Fine irl but much more narratively interesting.
Two, the disastrous vacation hookup between Haleigh and Jack happens YEARS before the start of the book, which means they stayed friends and pretended that hooking up didn’t change anything in their relationship—yet still insisted on rules so that they never cross that boundary again? HMMM. (Haleigh also pining for Jack? When, for all she knows, he’s moved on and doesn’t want to be in a relationship with her? Ugh.) Instead, we got a boring and predictable story where the romance between two people feels stale and all of their problems are fixed because they finally communicate after years of staying silent.
Unfortunately, How to Get a Life in Ten Dates was underwhelming, with a bland story and one-note characters. ☹️
I loved and think Howe is a great writer. In this book, though, the individual chapters moved quickly but the overall plot was both too fast (why is Haleigh expecting to get an engagement party date after, at most, two months of dating??) and also too slow (there was barely any narrative conflict and the main love interest was properly introduced close to the end). The main conflict stems from Haleigh and Jack (still) being in love with one another but being unable to admit it because they hooked up on vacation years ago and it ended badly. Then, after not speaking for months, they made a list of rules to prioritize their friendship over their romantic feelings. But now Haleigh desperately wants to bring a date to her sister's engagement party in three months, so she decides to give her "nosy" friends and family control of her (otherwise abysmal) dating life so that they will stop “harassing her� about why she hasn’t settled down. …And Jack, at the 75% mark, decides he’s a viable candidate.
Great! But I had two main complaints:
One, although Haleigh has diagnosed anxiety, Howe made her quest to “figure things out at 25� into The Worst Possible Thing To Ever Happen. I understand that the novel is written in Haleigh’s POV so things are going to seem out of proportion, but continuing to harp on Haleigh’s “inability� to “get her shit together� when she's so young just became annoying. Every little upset in Haleigh’s life was made out to be this high-stakes thing for which her overbearing mother and perfect sister judge her, and at some point, it moved from accurate character development to lazy writing. Having two part-time jobs is perfectly normal, even beyond 25. Living with a friend because you don’t have enough money to live alone is also perfectly normal. Comparing yourself to your “more successful� sibling is, again, perfectly normal. But Haleigh is 25!!!! A literal baby. Maybe if Howe had kept her sister aged 27 but made Haleigh 30 (or even older) then yes, not having full-time work and still living with a roommate and not having a person to be your plus-one to your younger sibling’s wedding� okay, I get it. Fine irl but much more narratively interesting.
Two, the disastrous vacation hookup between Haleigh and Jack happens YEARS before the start of the book, which means they stayed friends and pretended that hooking up didn’t change anything in their relationship—yet still insisted on rules so that they never cross that boundary again? HMMM. (Haleigh also pining for Jack? When, for all she knows, he’s moved on and doesn’t want to be in a relationship with her? Ugh.) Instead, we got a boring and predictable story where the romance between two people feels stale and all of their problems are fixed because they finally communicate after years of staying silent.
August 15, 2024
this started out so strong only to end on such a sour note for me
no offense to haileigh (fuckass name btw what happened to normal hayley) but i could never on my life feel good with somebody who made me feel that useless and awful just because he felt bad because he’s bound to feel bad again and i will handle the burnt of it HIS EXPLANATION DID NOT MAKE ME FEEL GOOD EITHER i do not believe him you don’t do this to people you love
it would’ve been amazing if he weren’t a little bitch to her honestly
anyway loved brian loved the writing style it’s just last 20% made me want to gouge my eyes out
thank u netgalley and co for the arc
no offense to haileigh (fuckass name btw what happened to normal hayley) but i could never on my life feel good with somebody who made me feel that useless and awful just because he felt bad because he’s bound to feel bad again and i will handle the burnt of it HIS EXPLANATION DID NOT MAKE ME FEEL GOOD EITHER i do not believe him you don’t do this to people you love
it would’ve been amazing if he weren’t a little bitch to her honestly
anyway loved brian loved the writing style it’s just last 20% made me want to gouge my eyes out
thank u netgalley and co for the arc
January 5, 2025
What a clever and charming friends-to-lovers and second-chance romance! I admire Howe’s consistent choice to spotlight plus-size main characters, along with her thoughtful inclusion of mental health and LGBTQ+ representation.
I appreciated the perfect blend of heart and humor, especially the hilariously cringe-worthy bad date stories! The fresh take on modern dating culture was thoroughly entertaining, and Haleigh’s journey of self-discovery felt truly authentic and deeply relatable.
Was it predictable? Absolutely! But it was still delightful and a lot of fun!
I appreciated the perfect blend of heart and humor, especially the hilariously cringe-worthy bad date stories! The fresh take on modern dating culture was thoroughly entertaining, and Haleigh’s journey of self-discovery felt truly authentic and deeply relatable.
Was it predictable? Absolutely! But it was still delightful and a lot of fun!
December 11, 2024
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. As a plus sized woman myself, I LOVE seeing curvy FMCs. Honestly, a lot of the positives I have with this book stem from our FMC being a curvy woman whose entire identity isn't wrapped up in her size, insecurity, etc. I also liked the LGBTQ+ representation. Sadly, not much else really sticks out to me as something I enjoyed.
My primary issue was that I found Haleigh to be an extremely aggravating character to follow. One of her main personality traits is that she "hates adulting", and the story and fake-dating plotline hugely centers itself around this fact. This and the way she acts toward and about her dates were giving such immature energy, and it really grated on me over the course of the story and made it a bit difficult for me to root for any serious relationship.
Overall, it was an okay read. I'd recommend it if you want a lighthearted read with LGBTQ+ and plus size representation. For me, it's a 2.75 stars, rounded up.
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
My primary issue was that I found Haleigh to be an extremely aggravating character to follow. One of her main personality traits is that she "hates adulting", and the story and fake-dating plotline hugely centers itself around this fact. This and the way she acts toward and about her dates were giving such immature energy, and it really grated on me over the course of the story and made it a bit difficult for me to root for any serious relationship.
Overall, it was an okay read. I'd recommend it if you want a lighthearted read with LGBTQ+ and plus size representation. For me, it's a 2.75 stars, rounded up.
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 17, 2024
The reasons behind dating were not reasons at all�. Also 25 is still young. She was stupid with money�.
November 25, 2024
I wanted to get into this, but despite the main character being 25, she was the worst stereotype for a white millennial woman I have read this year. Sometimes I can go with the flow on those books, but you know it's bad when I, a millennial, I couldn't stomach it. She complained constantly about "adulting" and responsibilities. She harshly judged every person she dated as the very worst when she herself, was no prize. It was clear within the first 2 chapters she was meant for her friend Jack, and I honestly didn't think the journey would be worth it. I quit at about 35%. I think this book will definitely read well for a specific set of women, but I can't relate.
July 29, 2024
So, I just couldn't get into this book....it was likely me but I struggled with this one from start to finish and almost put it down for good. Long story short, I wanted Hayleigh to end up with the other guy, I said what I said. I also really wanted more from some of the secondary characters. It was humorous to see all the dates Hayleigh went on.
Thanks to Macmillan for the ARC!
Thanks to Macmillan for the ARC!
August 9, 2024
3.5/5⭐️ (rounded up on the scale)
2.5/5🌶� (open-door)
*This review has spoilers*
Things that were done well:
-The bad dates were hilarious. I found that some of the dates being potential matches, *just* not quite right, delightful.
-The "I've loved you my whole life" was SWOONY. Think “Invisible String� but make it a tapestry of their entire lives.
-Jack and Haleigh having such a long standing history and the small gestures made their love story feel more rich and have realistic depth (the book shelf.) They obviously love each other, there were moments that I was hollering, "Girl, he clearly loves you, you have a whole key to his house!"
-The exploration of anxiety, OCD, and mental health. I loved that the FMC and MMC both show traits and symptoms and use therapeutic measures to work through the symptoms of their individual mental health disorders. Additionally, it was nice to see the growth of the characters via the time jumps in the story. The characters in Hawaii five-years prior were much different and less healthy versions of the current characters. It was refreshing to see imperfect characters that were still working toward better mental health and supportive of each other.
-The FMC is plus-size and fully embraces her body. When I read "apron belly," I was so excited! Her sister being similar in size was refreshing too. Similarly to the mental health representation, the body type/size of the character was not an issue to be 'fixed' or saved.
-I really enjoyed the supporting characters and the banter they provided. Stanton was so funny and frank. "You know there's life beyond Jackson, right?" The overstepping family reminded me a little of the "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" vibe. The grandfather was adorable and curmudgeonly.
-The Love Triangle! I found myself rooting for both of the guys before the end. I was so conflicted and soooo invested!
Not so great:
-I desperately wanted more depth to the relationship between Haleigh and her sister. Like, why does Haleigh believe her sister thinks all of these terrible things about her? As the reader, I didn't find a solidified reason overall. This line of thinking does translate from time to time in Haleigh's relationships with other family members and with Jack, the overarching theme of I am "a mess." I am still unsure if Howe was using the shaky reasoning for Haleigh's feelings of hurt and resentment toward her sister as a literary device (maybe to display anxiety symptoms?) or there just wasn't enough to plausibly support the strained relationship with her sister.
-The big fight in Hawaii. I found myself frustrated with this being the issue that drove Haleigh and Jack apart. (I did feel similarly when I read Emily Henry's "People We Meet on Vacation," so this could just be a trope I am not a fan of in general.) Jack was definitely an ass to Haleigh and they both needed therapy/growth, but if they know each other so well, wouldn't they have worked this out far before all of this blind date business?
-The proposal timing gave me the ick. That day wasn't for them.
These critiques are minor at best because overall, the story was swoony and fun. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a funny second chance, besties-to-lovers rom-com.
Also. I sincerely hope that Howe writes a book for Brian. THE MAN WAS A CINNAMON ROLL ANGEL. She broke it off and he gave Haleigh a JOB ANYWAY. Like honestly, #justiceforbrian.
Expected Publish Date: December 10, 2024
A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Reviews posted on NetGalley and ŷ.
2.5/5🌶� (open-door)
*This review has spoilers*
Things that were done well:
-The bad dates were hilarious. I found that some of the dates being potential matches, *just* not quite right, delightful.
-The "I've loved you my whole life" was SWOONY. Think “Invisible String� but make it a tapestry of their entire lives.
-Jack and Haleigh having such a long standing history and the small gestures made their love story feel more rich and have realistic depth (the book shelf.) They obviously love each other, there were moments that I was hollering, "Girl, he clearly loves you, you have a whole key to his house!"
-The exploration of anxiety, OCD, and mental health. I loved that the FMC and MMC both show traits and symptoms and use therapeutic measures to work through the symptoms of their individual mental health disorders. Additionally, it was nice to see the growth of the characters via the time jumps in the story. The characters in Hawaii five-years prior were much different and less healthy versions of the current characters. It was refreshing to see imperfect characters that were still working toward better mental health and supportive of each other.
-The FMC is plus-size and fully embraces her body. When I read "apron belly," I was so excited! Her sister being similar in size was refreshing too. Similarly to the mental health representation, the body type/size of the character was not an issue to be 'fixed' or saved.
-I really enjoyed the supporting characters and the banter they provided. Stanton was so funny and frank. "You know there's life beyond Jackson, right?" The overstepping family reminded me a little of the "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" vibe. The grandfather was adorable and curmudgeonly.
-The Love Triangle! I found myself rooting for both of the guys before the end. I was so conflicted and soooo invested!
Not so great:
-I desperately wanted more depth to the relationship between Haleigh and her sister. Like, why does Haleigh believe her sister thinks all of these terrible things about her? As the reader, I didn't find a solidified reason overall. This line of thinking does translate from time to time in Haleigh's relationships with other family members and with Jack, the overarching theme of I am "a mess." I am still unsure if Howe was using the shaky reasoning for Haleigh's feelings of hurt and resentment toward her sister as a literary device (maybe to display anxiety symptoms?) or there just wasn't enough to plausibly support the strained relationship with her sister.
-The big fight in Hawaii. I found myself frustrated with this being the issue that drove Haleigh and Jack apart. (I did feel similarly when I read Emily Henry's "People We Meet on Vacation," so this could just be a trope I am not a fan of in general.) Jack was definitely an ass to Haleigh and they both needed therapy/growth, but if they know each other so well, wouldn't they have worked this out far before all of this blind date business?
-The proposal timing gave me the ick. That day wasn't for them.
These critiques are minor at best because overall, the story was swoony and fun. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a funny second chance, besties-to-lovers rom-com.
Also. I sincerely hope that Howe writes a book for Brian. THE MAN WAS A CINNAMON ROLL ANGEL. She broke it off and he gave Haleigh a JOB ANYWAY. Like honestly, #justiceforbrian.
Expected Publish Date: December 10, 2024
A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Reviews posted on NetGalley and ŷ.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This was my first Jenny L. Howe novel. It will not be my last. I am definitely going to check out her earlier works. While this book was a bit predictable, it was a cute and witty read. Characters were funny and I especially loved the dates!
Definitely a perfect beach read!
This was my first Jenny L. Howe novel. It will not be my last. I am definitely going to check out her earlier works. While this book was a bit predictable, it was a cute and witty read. Characters were funny and I especially loved the dates!
Definitely a perfect beach read!
November 30, 2024
This was such a soft and sweet friends-to-lovers/second-chance romance with amazing romantic chemistry and witty banter. The "bad" dates that Haleigh endured had me howling, especially the one with Scooter the emotional support bird! And props to Howe for creating a love triangle with two good options. This author always provides great body positivity and important representation, in this case anxiety was really well portrayed. I look forward to the author's YA debut next year!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
January 26, 2025
Cute rom com, but the pacing was way too slow. I had to force myself to get to the end. I even read 2 other books in between this one.
December 12, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an Advanced Reader Copy - pub date 12/10/2024. Haleigh is just 25 but, between her overachieving sister and her overly concerned mom and grandfather, she feels like she has already failed at life. She's a mess, she's underemployed, she doesn't have her own apartment, and (worse yet) she is caught in the chronic hell of endless first dates while harboring a passion for her best friend. When her sister announces her engagement party and Haleigh knows she is expected to bring a Plus One, she proposes a new scheme - 10 dates, chosen by her loved ones, given a fair shot by her, and they will all back off for six months if none of the dates work. The concept is pretty adorable and fun. The book also has plenty of rep for plus-size, mental health issues, and LGBTQ+. The writing is pretty good, too, and the author is clearly creative as all heck. The Bad Dates are the stuff of hilarious legend. Emotional support cockatoo? Yes, please. In theory, this should have ticked all of the boxes for me.
Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the bad dates and the writing, too many of the characters were either flat-but-inoffensive or actively-unlikeable. Haleigh, in particular, quickly annoyed me. For all of the therapy that she had supposedly been through, she was incredibly unprepared to interact with other humans. All excuses, no action, plenty of complaints. For someone so wary of being judged, Haleigh makes judging and assuming a way of life. The first date you see her on, even before the plot really starts, shows her giving up on a date within approximately 10 minutes because the other woman wasn't talking her ear off. So, yeah, not a great first impression for me, the reader.
When she calls her BFF to "rescue" her, we get to meet this paragon that she is hopelessly in love with but they can never be because of REASONS. (The reason comes as no surprise to anyone who has read a lifelong BFF romance). You can immediately see how they work together; codependency is a definite thing here but they also 100% know and accept each other's dysfunctions. Frankly, when it is just the two of them hanging, the book relaxes and is adorable. Jack and Haleigh click in a way that cuts down on her hyper-defensiveness, allows the playful parts of her personality out. With this so obvious and them both being adults, this should have made the book much shorter as they talked and decided to bypass the challenge and just date. The End.
But, nope, because Jack is kinda toxic in ways, too. His cooperation with therapy appears to be as, ahem, effective as Haleigh's. Plus he never says anything to her about being equally in love with her until she actually finds a really nice guy named Brian is very much into her. Only then does he decide to insert himself into the mix. Aggressively, I might add, and recklessly.
But it is a romance novel so we'll get our HEA but I, for one, want #JusticeForBrian. So pretty please, author, can you write another book where he gets his HEA? I like your writing. Just... not Haleigh and Jack.
PSnAlso has it ever occurred to Haleigh to wonder if her buttoned-up sister also suffers from anxiety but copes with it in a wildly different way than she does? Of course not. Because the only mental health problems that exist are hers and Jack's. Sorry, not sorry.
Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the bad dates and the writing, too many of the characters were either flat-but-inoffensive or actively-unlikeable. Haleigh, in particular, quickly annoyed me. For all of the therapy that she had supposedly been through, she was incredibly unprepared to interact with other humans. All excuses, no action, plenty of complaints. For someone so wary of being judged, Haleigh makes judging and assuming a way of life. The first date you see her on, even before the plot really starts, shows her giving up on a date within approximately 10 minutes because the other woman wasn't talking her ear off. So, yeah, not a great first impression for me, the reader.
When she calls her BFF to "rescue" her, we get to meet this paragon that she is hopelessly in love with but they can never be because of REASONS. (The reason comes as no surprise to anyone who has read a lifelong BFF romance). You can immediately see how they work together; codependency is a definite thing here but they also 100% know and accept each other's dysfunctions. Frankly, when it is just the two of them hanging, the book relaxes and is adorable. Jack and Haleigh click in a way that cuts down on her hyper-defensiveness, allows the playful parts of her personality out. With this so obvious and them both being adults, this should have made the book much shorter as they talked and decided to bypass the challenge and just date. The End.
But, nope, because Jack is kinda toxic in ways, too. His cooperation with therapy appears to be as, ahem, effective as Haleigh's. Plus he never says anything to her about being equally in love with her until she actually finds a really nice guy named Brian is very much into her. Only then does he decide to insert himself into the mix. Aggressively, I might add, and recklessly.
But it is a romance novel so we'll get our HEA but I, for one, want #JusticeForBrian. So pretty please, author, can you write another book where he gets his HEA? I like your writing. Just... not Haleigh and Jack.
PSnAlso has it ever occurred to Haleigh to wonder if her buttoned-up sister also suffers from anxiety but copes with it in a wildly different way than she does? Of course not. Because the only mental health problems that exist are hers and Jack's. Sorry, not sorry.
December 29, 2024
3.5 �
.25🌶�
Tropes Friends to lovers, it’s always been you, coming of age, second chance, anxiety rep, OCD rep, fade to black
Dual POV, 3rd person
This book was pretty predictable with low angst, but for the most part I enjoyed it. As a 40 something married woman I’ve moved past this coming of age part of my life and I don’t really know what the dating scene is like out there so it was harder for me to connect with the FMC. I did appreciate how Haleigh’s character was written as a plus size woman though. I have very high standards for curvy FMCs, and haven’t come across many I think are done well.
The gist of this story is that Haleigh is trying to find a plus one for her sister’s wedding, and agrees to let her friends and family pick out 2 people for her to go on a date on to prove to said fam/friends that the world “out there� is actually as difficult as she’s saying, and not because she’s being picky.
It’s a cute storyline, and it was fun to tag along on her dates (some were hilariously bad), but her unwillingness to attempt adulthood really irritated me. I felt like she knew what she needed to do and had the answers but just refused to even try. I realize a big part of that issue is caused because of her anxiety/mental health but I found it frustrating. It also needs more spice.
My assumption is that this is a “not for me� book, and will be best for the college/recent graduate/early 30s crowd.
.25🌶�
Tropes Friends to lovers, it’s always been you, coming of age, second chance, anxiety rep, OCD rep, fade to black
Dual POV, 3rd person
This book was pretty predictable with low angst, but for the most part I enjoyed it. As a 40 something married woman I’ve moved past this coming of age part of my life and I don’t really know what the dating scene is like out there so it was harder for me to connect with the FMC. I did appreciate how Haleigh’s character was written as a plus size woman though. I have very high standards for curvy FMCs, and haven’t come across many I think are done well.
The gist of this story is that Haleigh is trying to find a plus one for her sister’s wedding, and agrees to let her friends and family pick out 2 people for her to go on a date on to prove to said fam/friends that the world “out there� is actually as difficult as she’s saying, and not because she’s being picky.
It’s a cute storyline, and it was fun to tag along on her dates (some were hilariously bad), but her unwillingness to attempt adulthood really irritated me. I felt like she knew what she needed to do and had the answers but just refused to even try. I realize a big part of that issue is caused because of her anxiety/mental health but I found it frustrating. It also needs more spice.
My assumption is that this is a “not for me� book, and will be best for the college/recent graduate/early 30s crowd.
December 24, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
This one started out strong and I really was enjoying the overall premise. Where a group of people get to pick two people each for her to go on a date with. Each date have to fill out a quirky survey to get to know them better before hand. Meanwhile she is struggling with feelings for her bestfriend.
Some of the dates were pretty cute, funny, or quirky. I appreciated that the main FMC was bi and she had dates with both men and women. At about the 60% mark this book started falling apart. It was predictable where it was going but I just didn't feel that tension save chemistry between them. I found myself skimming the last 20% as I lost all interest.
I would be interested in reading more from Jenny Howe. The story was well written and I enjoyed the dialogue a lot. I find that the trope of them getting together off page prior to the story starting and then figuring out later what they are to each other just doesn't work for me I think that is what lost a lot of that build up tension that I enjoy in romance novels. It was a bit deflated before it even started.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.
This one started out strong and I really was enjoying the overall premise. Where a group of people get to pick two people each for her to go on a date with. Each date have to fill out a quirky survey to get to know them better before hand. Meanwhile she is struggling with feelings for her bestfriend.
Some of the dates were pretty cute, funny, or quirky. I appreciated that the main FMC was bi and she had dates with both men and women. At about the 60% mark this book started falling apart. It was predictable where it was going but I just didn't feel that tension save chemistry between them. I found myself skimming the last 20% as I lost all interest.
I would be interested in reading more from Jenny Howe. The story was well written and I enjoyed the dialogue a lot. I find that the trope of them getting together off page prior to the story starting and then figuring out later what they are to each other just doesn't work for me I think that is what lost a lot of that build up tension that I enjoy in romance novels. It was a bit deflated before it even started.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.
December 10, 2024
I read On The Plus Side by Howe, so when I saw this book by Howe, I knew that I wanted to read it! How to Get a Life in Ten Dates follows Haleigh, a plus size 25 year old woman who seems to go on bad date after bad date. She and her best friend Jack devise a plan to get her family off her back � they each get to pick 2 people to set her up with, she goes on a date with each of them and if it doesn’t work out, she gets to take 6 months off from dating, and no comments from her family. Her mom, dad, sister, roommate Stanton, and best friend Jack each get to pick 2 people for her to date. Most of these dates go bad, but Stanton picks Brian who has promise. Jack and Haleigh tried being a thing once, but that didn’t work and put some rules in place. But now, he’s breaking those rules. He sets her up with a horrendous date, and then tells her that his second choice is himself.
This was such a cute and fun book to read. There were so many moments where I literally laughed out loud at some of the horrendous dates that Haleigh went out on. I felt really bad for her! I’ve been out on some bad dates, but none quite as bad as her! I loved the questionnaire that her dates filled out. Everything about this book was so creative.
The “love� triangle was nicely done as well. You could feel the inner turmoil that Hayleigh had when she didn’t want to lead anyone on. I appreciated that she wanted to be honest with the guys. Haleigh herself is an honest character. She doesn’t shy away from who she is on the inside or on the outside. While she is a plus size character, she doesn’t seem to put herself down too much. She’s accepting of who she is. She realizes that others may not accept her as is, but she doesn’t wish she was any different because of that. I love how she was portrayed.
There were some moments that made me heart stopped. Some swoon worthy moments. I’m not going to say with who because I don’t want to give anything away! Just know, this book is really good. It’s a quick read too because it’s that good. So, rom-com readers, you’re going to want to add this one to your TBR!
This was such a cute and fun book to read. There were so many moments where I literally laughed out loud at some of the horrendous dates that Haleigh went out on. I felt really bad for her! I’ve been out on some bad dates, but none quite as bad as her! I loved the questionnaire that her dates filled out. Everything about this book was so creative.
The “love� triangle was nicely done as well. You could feel the inner turmoil that Hayleigh had when she didn’t want to lead anyone on. I appreciated that she wanted to be honest with the guys. Haleigh herself is an honest character. She doesn’t shy away from who she is on the inside or on the outside. While she is a plus size character, she doesn’t seem to put herself down too much. She’s accepting of who she is. She realizes that others may not accept her as is, but she doesn’t wish she was any different because of that. I love how she was portrayed.
There were some moments that made me heart stopped. Some swoon worthy moments. I’m not going to say with who because I don’t want to give anything away! Just know, this book is really good. It’s a quick read too because it’s that good. So, rom-com readers, you’re going to want to add this one to your TBR!
January 24, 2025
Thank you NetGalley, Jenny L. Howe, and St. Martin's Press for this ARC copy of How to Get a Life in Ten Dates - in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
Haleigh Berkshire is a 25 year old plus size woman who is over the trials her dating life continually brings. She's looking for a break in the dating world when her sister gets engaged. Now the pressure of finding a plus one is higher than ever... but feels impossible considering that Haleigh has been in love with her best friend Jack for years. Haleigh reluctantly agrees to let her loved ones attempt to set her up on a series of dates - thinking that once they are done (an proven unsuccessful) - that they will finally get off her back once and for all about her dating life. But what she doesn't expect is to actually have fun... and catch the attention of the man she wants most - Jack.
This delicious plot had such amazing potential! I was sucked right in and couldn't wait to get started. This was my first time reading a novel written by Jenny L. Howe - and honestly it didn't meet the bar that I had mentally set for it going in.
Haleigh Berkshire was extremely negative as a person which took away from the enjoyment as a reader. Her mentally tearing others down in her mind made her feel more like a mean girl undeserving of the help her loved ones were offering - in my opinion. Being a plus sized girly myself - and facing the internal thoughts in my early twenties fearing of being alone -- I didn't share this same negative tone and perspective the FMC had. Everyone is different - but reading a character like this made the overall story line lackluster. I will give this author another shot in the future, but this one sadly missed the mark for me.
Haleigh Berkshire is a 25 year old plus size woman who is over the trials her dating life continually brings. She's looking for a break in the dating world when her sister gets engaged. Now the pressure of finding a plus one is higher than ever... but feels impossible considering that Haleigh has been in love with her best friend Jack for years. Haleigh reluctantly agrees to let her loved ones attempt to set her up on a series of dates - thinking that once they are done (an proven unsuccessful) - that they will finally get off her back once and for all about her dating life. But what she doesn't expect is to actually have fun... and catch the attention of the man she wants most - Jack.
This delicious plot had such amazing potential! I was sucked right in and couldn't wait to get started. This was my first time reading a novel written by Jenny L. Howe - and honestly it didn't meet the bar that I had mentally set for it going in.
Haleigh Berkshire was extremely negative as a person which took away from the enjoyment as a reader. Her mentally tearing others down in her mind made her feel more like a mean girl undeserving of the help her loved ones were offering - in my opinion. Being a plus sized girly myself - and facing the internal thoughts in my early twenties fearing of being alone -- I didn't share this same negative tone and perspective the FMC had. Everyone is different - but reading a character like this made the overall story line lackluster. I will give this author another shot in the future, but this one sadly missed the mark for me.
February 17, 2025
The pining in this book was off the charts. The reader only gets Haleigh’s perspective, but it is no surprise that the pining is on both sides - how she can even doubt it is a mystery to me.
Putting my thoughts together for this one is a little tough because, while I did not dislike it, it was not my favourite of Howe’s books - and I have read the other two that she has released and will definitely read more. The author does a great job representing plus-size characters and it’s refreshing to see this in books. This book also includes representation of LGBT+ characters, as well as very well handled anxiety rep.
The story does center around trying to find a successful relationship in a world where it can be tough to weed people out from dating apps. While trying to find that special someone, Haleigh agrees to be setup with people of her family and friends� choosing, all the while pining after her best friend Jack. This book delivers on the second-chance and friends-to-lovers aspects, but I didn’t connect with these characters as much as I have with the author’s other books. I can’t quite put my finger on why. I think that I really would have liked to get inside Jack’s head and see him bust out some more moves to win Haleigh over and to make his intentions even clearer to her - a failed grand gesture could have been fun.
I would, however, recommend this book to people that enjoy the tropes mentioned above, as well as some of the other positives that I mentioned above - the book has some good rep. I rate this in between 3 and 4 stars, so 3.5.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.
Putting my thoughts together for this one is a little tough because, while I did not dislike it, it was not my favourite of Howe’s books - and I have read the other two that she has released and will definitely read more. The author does a great job representing plus-size characters and it’s refreshing to see this in books. This book also includes representation of LGBT+ characters, as well as very well handled anxiety rep.
The story does center around trying to find a successful relationship in a world where it can be tough to weed people out from dating apps. While trying to find that special someone, Haleigh agrees to be setup with people of her family and friends� choosing, all the while pining after her best friend Jack. This book delivers on the second-chance and friends-to-lovers aspects, but I didn’t connect with these characters as much as I have with the author’s other books. I can’t quite put my finger on why. I think that I really would have liked to get inside Jack’s head and see him bust out some more moves to win Haleigh over and to make his intentions even clearer to her - a failed grand gesture could have been fun.
I would, however, recommend this book to people that enjoy the tropes mentioned above, as well as some of the other positives that I mentioned above - the book has some good rep. I rate this in between 3 and 4 stars, so 3.5.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.
March 2, 2025
I am finding a lot of new favorite authors lately, and I think has to be one of them! is everything I love in a rom-com because it is hilarious while also having lots of depth. Like a Hallmark movie, it is likely you will see where this one is headed, but that doesn’t take way from the enjoyment of it. The dogs 🐶 in the book are adorable, and questionnaires the men have to fill out to date Haleigh are priceless. Howe’s humor felt much like my own, and I appreciated that she made anxiety a part of the story. There is a bit of spice, but it wasn’t overly spicy, and I felt like it fit quite nicely into the storyline.
I loved how authentic the characters in How to Get a Life in Ten Dates were and I don’t think there was anyone better to voice the audiobook than Billie Bryant. She hasn’t narrated much yet according to Libro.fm and I need her to voice more romance stat! She did such a wonderful job with this book and perfectly portrayed Haleigh from beginning to end. I also loved the growth that the characters (especially Haleigh) went through, and by the end I was a little teary over it. I will definitely be reading more of Howe’s work ASAP!
Read this if you enjoy romance books featuring younger characters (our FMC is only 25), a focus on fat (not derogatory here) women trying to find love in a tough dating world, and a dose of family drama.
My Spice Rating: 🌶🌶
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I loved how authentic the characters in How to Get a Life in Ten Dates were and I don’t think there was anyone better to voice the audiobook than Billie Bryant. She hasn’t narrated much yet according to Libro.fm and I need her to voice more romance stat! She did such a wonderful job with this book and perfectly portrayed Haleigh from beginning to end. I also loved the growth that the characters (especially Haleigh) went through, and by the end I was a little teary over it. I will definitely be reading more of Howe’s work ASAP!
Read this if you enjoy romance books featuring younger characters (our FMC is only 25), a focus on fat (not derogatory here) women trying to find love in a tough dating world, and a dose of family drama.
My Spice Rating: 🌶🌶
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
August 2, 2024
I always appreciate an author who takes the time to write a plus size character who is comfortable in her body and her whole existence is not about her body size. I also love that there was LGBTQ+ rep with both the FMC and side characters. I thought this was a sweet book. I laughed out loud at one of the dates while in public. haha! Were the dates an accurate representation of dating as a plus size woman always? no...but that is explained in the beginning of the book. She even gets a love triangle which is interesting. The mental health representation was accurate and thoughtful, and it really showed the way anxiety and panic can spiral and create a domino effect. It also displayed what coping mechanisms and thoughtful support from those around you can do. I thought the book did a good job of showing the main characters connections but maybe would have loved to see even more flirting and banter to keep with the light and fun vibe. This maybe would have helped to balance out the depth in the mental health topic. Overall, I enjoyed it. 3.5 stars
December 8, 2024
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.*
January 1, 2025
Just gotta say at 23 you do not need to get married lmfao
A fun quick quirky romance!
these kinds of books are some of my favorite niche, there's such a fun quality about these books.
the characters were so fun, our dates were hilarious and so fun. I need Netflix to get on this movie ASAP cause I need this as a movie!!!! it's just such a classic little Rom-com! the anxiety rep was great it felt real and relatable.
Very Happy to have this as my first book of 2025!
the audiobook was great! I really loved the narrator she fit the sassy-ness of the main character perfectly and just really brought Haleigh to life.
Thank You Netgalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the audio copy!! All opinions are my own!
A fun quick quirky romance!
these kinds of books are some of my favorite niche, there's such a fun quality about these books.
the characters were so fun, our dates were hilarious and so fun. I need Netflix to get on this movie ASAP cause I need this as a movie!!!! it's just such a classic little Rom-com! the anxiety rep was great it felt real and relatable.
Very Happy to have this as my first book of 2025!
the audiobook was great! I really loved the narrator she fit the sassy-ness of the main character perfectly and just really brought Haleigh to life.
Thank You Netgalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the audio copy!! All opinions are my own!
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