Love at Full Tilt / Jenny L. Howe / Book Review

LOVE AT FULL TILT

Lia Baker knows Fableland lore like the back of her hand. So she isn't surprised when she wins a spot in the legendary theme park's fiftieth-anniversary scavenger hunt. She's more surprised she convinced her mom, who struggles with severe anxiety, to let her go to the park at all.

With her best friends by her side, Lia is prepared for the best week ever. Not just because it is her first time actually setting foot in Fableland and not just living vicariously through the films and online forums (though that's part of it). This scavenger hunt comes with a cash prize for the winner, an eye-boggling number that would mean Lia would be free to chase her dreams (even if that means leaving her mom's crushing oversight and losing her parents' support).

So Lia can't afford any distractions. Not even a really cute one like Mason. Teaming up with him is just practical. He grew up in these parks. He knows the secrets the forums only whisper about. And with her knowledge of the films and favorite characters, they make the best team. But there's only one cash prize at the end...

THOUGHTS

This book is really cutesy and fun, just like the cover promises. I loved the theme of striving to be yourself, to figure out how to live the way you want (even if that means breaking out of the expectations that have been placed on you; even if that means making difficult conversations and confrontations unavoidable). Was this book mind-blowing and revolutionary? Absolutely not. But what it does, it does really well.

PROS

Pro-Body	This book is body positive but in a way that really highlights the reality of being plus-sized. This book doesn't just say, "Oh, I'm plus-sized and happy" and move on. Lia's struggles are real, and while they aren't constant (because she's a person living her life, with all kinds of ups and downs), they definitely play a role in the way she experiences her story. And I appreciate that.
Park Magic	Jenny L. Howe does a really good job of capturing a sort of magic in this theme park (one that I, personally, have never experienced in a real theme park, which usually aren't my thing). It feels very Disney-esque but specifically through the lens of an ultra-fan, which makes it all the better. But add in the strange fantasy lore to this park and the extra attention to detail given when food is involved, and this does sound like the vacation of a lifetime!
Generational Woes	Lia's mother suffers from an anxiety disorder, one that's pretty severe, and this anxiety affects Lia's life in a big way. This book does a really good job of balancing the more whimsical, romantic, cutesy plot of the scavenger hunt with this background plot of her mother's unchecked mental health. It can be hard to read at times, because it is a hard reality for Lia to bear. And I like that the weight of the burden that has fallen on Lia's shoulders is such an integral part of the story. It might be hard to read sometimes, but it is important, too.

CONS

As cute as this couple is, there's really nothing laid out in this book to connect them. Don't get me wrong. I liked them together. But their attraction feels very... superficial. It feels very quick. It feels very... cute. But cute isn't always enough.	Insta-Love
This book starts as a girls' trip, and it develops into a vacation romance. This is absolutely not a trajectory that I am against. But I would have liked Lia's friends to be more, you know, developed, given where we started. They're not exactly two-dimensional friends. They don't develop beyond the initial sketches we get of them in the opening pages, because Lia spends so much more time with her love interest. And I would have liked to see a fully fleshed-out cast of ladies here, because that's really refreshing in a romance. Alas, I didn't get it.	Friendship Faults
This scavenger hunt really is only for top Fableland fans, and unfortunately for me, Fableland is fictional. If you're hoping to follow along, to work out the clues as the competitors do, this isn't the book for you. You'll get the lore drops if and when you need them, but putting the pieces together step by step isn't likely to happen (since you won't have those pieces until the puzzle's put together). Don't get me wrong. This wasn't a major detractor from the book, but in an ideal world, I would have had just as much fun with this scavenger hunt as these characters did. And that just isn't possible.	No Hunt For Me

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7/10

Fans of Ashley Schumacher's The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway will like this body-positive romance with a touch of on-theme magic. Those who enjoyed Joan F. Smith's The Half-Orphan's Handbook will like how this book mingles escapism with the reality of living in a broken world.

Details Publisher: Delacorte Romance Date: July 22, 2025 Series: N/A Add to Goodreads Buy it HERE

Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.