Description: ONE TO WATCH meets BEACH READ in this smart, swoony, romantic comedy, in which two college exes find themselves battling against each other--and their unresolved feelings--for a spot in a prestigious literature Ph.D. program.
Brief description: JENNY L. HOWE first started scribbling stories into black-and-white composition notebooks with neon pink pens when she was in junior high and never really stopped. In college, she decided to turn her love of books into a career by pursuing a Ph.D. in literature, where she spent the next few years studying bizarre and entertaining medieval romances. Now, as a professor, she teaches courses in college writing, literature, and children's media. When she's not writing and teaching, Jenny spends her time buried under puzzle pieces, cross-stitching her favorite characters, and taking too many pictures of her rescue dogs, Tucker, Dale, and Toast. She is the author of The Make-up Test and On the Plus Side.
Review Quotes:
One of "September's Top New Rom-Coms"--USA Today
One of the "17 Best Fall 2022 Books That You Won't Be Able to Put Down"--Cosmopolitan
One of the "Most Anticipated September Romances"--Goodreads
One of the "24 New Books You'll Want to Read This Fall"--Buzzfeed
One of the "30 Most-Anticipated Books of 2022"--Reader's Digest
One of the "Best New Romance Novels to Spice Up Your Fall"--PopSugar
One of the "17 New Romance Books You Need to Read This September"--BookRiot
"Featuring a plus-size heroine, The Make-Up Test provides some much-needed representation in the rom-com genre...sweet and funny." -USA Today
"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 "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
"Romance readers are sure to enjoy this highly recommended debut's fat-positive, rivals-to-lovers romp through academia. Perfect for fans of Kate Stayman-London's One to Watch and Jen DeLuca's Well Met." -Library Journal (starred)
"Howe's sparkling debut takes contemporary romance to medieval times...Romance readers yearning for brilliant plus-sized heroines will cheer for Allison's deft handling of fatphobic insults from haters trying to steal her shine." --Booklist
"This academia-themed love story from debut author Jenny L. Howe is recommended for fans of Beach Read and One to Watch. Bonus trivia: The book features at least one 'sexy game of Scrabble.' English majors are so weird." -Goodreads, "Readers' Most Anticipated September Romances" "Jenny L. Howe's The Make-Up Test delivers an irresistible rom-com with a side serving of academic rivalry." -PopSugar "Charmingly nerdtastic...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 "This second-chance romance is cozier than one of Colin's cardigans and lovelier than a crisp autumn day. I didn't know how badly I needed a sexy Scrabble scene in my life, and now I know I'd have been incomplete without one! With clever writing that makes her grad school rivals simmer and spark on the page, Jenny 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 "The Make-Up Test has all of the emotions of the roller coaster that's university life woven into its pages. The second-chance romance is a soothing balm to my heart, and the fat representation is exactly what I have longed to see in books. We need more stories like The Make-Up Test!" -Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties "The Make-Up Test celebrates being who you are and staying true to yourself while also acknowledging that it's incredibly hard when it seems like the world is working against you. A thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish! A perfect companion read for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Rachel Lynn Solomon." --Suzanne Park, author of So We Meet Again and Loathe at First Sight "Full of deliciously biting banter, laugh-out-loud observation, and heartbreaking introspection...While body positivity, frank conversations about anxiety, and navigating fraught parent-adult child relationships and friendships on the cusp of change are sure to be relatable, it's the bittersweet longing in Allison and Colin's slow-burn exes-to-friends-to-lovers relationship that takes center stage....By my troth, if this second-chance debut isn't on your TBR already, fie on you!" -Lillie Vale, author of The Shaadi Set-Up and The Decoy Girlfriend "Insightful, inclusive, and incredibly fun, The Make-Up Test is an absolute delight from beginning to end. Jenny Howe is a romance writer to watch." --Hannah Whitten, author of For the Wolf and For the Throne "Deliciously clever, delightfully romantic, and wonderfully honest, The Make-Up Test is the academic romcom of my dreams. By the last page, I was desperate to read it all over again--and sign up for a classical literature class." -Annette Christie, author of The Rehearsals "An honest and heartfelt story that will wrap you up like a warm cardigan." -Sonia Hartl, author of Heartbreak For Hire