The Make-Up Test by Jenny L Howe (2022)

Set in an English PhD program, this second-chance romance, enemies-to-lovers story focuses on Allison Avery and Colin Benjamin. The pair dated while doing their undergrad at Brown. They broke up because he won an award that she thought she had in the bag. It would have helped further her career and would have come with a $10K prize. It may sound petty but it’s legit: he knew how important it was for/to her, lied about his interest, applied behind her back, and if he hadn’t, she would have won. And right afterwards, he broke up with her. This might not have been as devastating as it was, if not for Allison’s fraught relationship (or lack of one) with her father. Allison‘s father is pretty much vacant from her life, and has always belittled her interests and her weight. (The man’s a real corker.)

From the beginning, it’s obvious that Colin wants to get back together. Allison‘s reluctance/hatred is understandable, but the man persists. It soon becomes apparent that he’s grown since the last time they interacted, grown in a good way, especially in his humility/vulnerability. (At one point in the book, I was really wondering how she was going to get past her distrust of him so that their relationship could move forward.) Their relationship is also complicated by the competitive tendencies of both. What really brings things to a head is their professor’s announcement that she can only have one of them as an advisee. So, it’s the competition for the prize all over again.

Howe really did a good job in capturing my enthusiasm for their interest: literature of the Middle Ages. It kind of makes me want to take an English class again. I mean, being able to analyze, dissect, and discuss traditional works with modern theoretical lenses sounds really cool. (Not cool enough for me to want to do homework, however.) It reminds me of how Jen DeLuca’s books (the Well Met series) make me want to work at a Renfaire - not something I ever thought I would see myself enjoying. 

While this was well written, it didn’t really get me in the gut the way other stories have. That may have been because of how much it reminded me of what my relationship with my dad used to be like. I don’t know if that’s what held me back from really connecting with the emotional oomph of it but it didn’t really strike that emotional chord for me. I can remember the anger she felt, but the memory has lost its sting. (I’m really glad that my relationship with my dad has improved beyond this, because it sucks.) I couldn’t help but think of how I handled her situation differently, and wished I was there to give her some advice. 

Because of this emotional reticence, I was a little surprised at how moved I was at the end, when Colin shows up in an actual suit of armor (Ned) and uses Chaucer and other words by authors from Middle Ages to express his love. (It still gets me right in the chest and makes me cry. Very verklempt.) I also think that the future for them both is bright. I can see them being hired by the same department of English because of how good they are together professionally. Plus, they both have really intriguing ideas. Since I work at a university, I know that couples hires are not unusual.

But, overall, that disengagement is what led me to give this a 3/5. I enjoyed it but I’m mostly apathetic; it’s not something I see myself re-reading (even though I really liked both characters, the tension/conflict was uncomfortable). This may strike a different cord with other readers (because it is really well written, and it did keep my attention), but that’s just how it worked out for me.