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Allison Avery has made it to her dream university and program: she’s a doctoral student in medieval literature at Claymore University in Providence, Rhode Island. What’s even better is that the professor she wants to study with has taken her as a teaching assistant and mentee. It’s exciting, a little nerve-wracking, and a lot of work. Not so great? Her ex-boyfriend from undergrad two years earlier has shown up in her program. And that professor she admires so much has taken on Colin as a TA too.
Colin was her competition in everything in undergrad, winning a big prize her heart was set on, and then he broke her heart on top of it. She didn’t expect to see him again, let alone in such close quarters. And now they’re vying for one spot on a research trip with their mentor professor. Allison’s treacherous heart keeps wanting to lean in to Colin, but her mind is telling her to just focus and win. The stakes have never been higher: this is her dream.
Colin seems different now, though, after two years. He’s kinder and more thoughtful and seems to be indicating he still has feelings. No, no! Focus! But could they have a do-over? Make up for what happened before?
The Make-Up Test is a sweet and smart love story. The graduate school setting with characters focused on medieval literature makes it a cut above the average romance book. It’s much like Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis that way. The characters are well fleshed-out and there is meat to the story. Allison is dealing with a father who has long not cared much for her dreams or appreciated her successes. She’s a plus-size woman who is body-positive and embraces all of who she is, and her father fat-shames her as well. The book is a strong debut. I just wish that more stories like this could be written with cleaner content. It seems like the publishing industry still doesn’t think there’s an audience for romance books that don’t give a LOT of detail in bed.
Rated: High. Profanity includes 33 uses of strong language, about 45 instances of moderate profanity, about 25 uses of mild language, and about 15 instances of the name of Deity in vain. There are a number of crude and vulgar references, including talk and a few humorous explanations of one character’s many cross-stitched vulgar sayings. Sexual content includes several sex scenes with a good amount of detail. Also to consider: The main character was belittled and fat-shamed by her father.
*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
