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knunderb's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Great read! I loved the chemistry between Marcus and April. And loved the fat representation and an example of a woman who sets firm boundaries and doesn't let others violate them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Sexual content
Minor: Emotional abuse
proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Marcus Caster-Rupp is a star in the popular TV show "Gods of the Gates", where he plays the demigod Aeneas. To get rid of his frustration over his character he secretly writes fanfiction anonymously. If someone finds out he’ll get fired.
April Whittier is a geologist and has always hid her fanfiction writing to everyone. But she's decided that hiding is over, and when she posts on Twitter her photo goes viral. Both supporters and trolls comment her plus size and when Marcus sees her picture he asks her on a date to spite her bullies.
I've already read "All the Feels", the second book in the series, but they play out at the same time, so it doesn't really matter in what order you read them.
I really like both characters, and the chemistry between them feels real, although they seem like an ill-matched couple. Marcus isn't only hiding his fanfic writing. He plays a role in public, to make everyone see him as a very handsome, but shallow and not too bright, actor. April is plus size, but proud of her body. I like the positive body attitude, but the author also shows what prejudice and snarky comments they often have to face. Marcus makes sure April knows that he loves her body just the way it is (the sex scenes are VERY explicit - it almost had me blushing in my solitude!).
I've never read fanfiction and don't know much about that world, so those parts I found quite uninteresting. Since this is a romantic comedy it was mostly predictable, but that's no real disadvantage in these kind of books. I'm being entertained for the most part, and Isabelle Ruther does an excellent job narrating. I definitely want to read "Ship Wrecked", the next book in the series!
April Whittier is a geologist and has always hid her fanfiction writing to everyone. But she's decided that hiding is over, and when she posts on Twitter her photo goes viral. Both supporters and trolls comment her plus size and when Marcus sees her picture he asks her on a date to spite her bullies.
I've already read "All the Feels", the second book in the series, but they play out at the same time, so it doesn't really matter in what order you read them.
I really like both characters, and the chemistry between them feels real, although they seem like an ill-matched couple. Marcus isn't only hiding his fanfic writing. He plays a role in public, to make everyone see him as a very handsome, but shallow and not too bright, actor. April is plus size, but proud of her body. I like the positive body attitude, but the author also shows what prejudice and snarky comments they often have to face. Marcus makes sure April knows that he loves her body just the way it is (the sex scenes are VERY explicit - it almost had me blushing in my solitude!).
I've never read fanfiction and don't know much about that world, so those parts I found quite uninteresting. Since this is a romantic comedy it was mostly predictable, but that's no real disadvantage in these kind of books. I'm being entertained for the most part, and Isabelle Ruther does an excellent job narrating. I definitely want to read "Ship Wrecked", the next book in the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Sexual content
julia51's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Sexual content
renpuspita's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I read one of this book's review that stated the story feels like a self-insert pairing with Nikolas Coster-Waldau (you know, Jamie Lannister) and..somehow I agree. Heck, Marcus full name, Marcus Caster-Rupp kinda rhyme with Coster-Waldau, lol. I really, REALLY want to love Spoiler Alert. I bought the book because I like the cover, the representation of plus size woman since I'm myself also fat too, the premise that seems interesting despite I'm not that familiar with fanfiction world. However, April kinda grated my nerves. For a woman age 36, a same age with me when I read this book, she acts like a teenager or in early 20-ish when it's come to her treatment to Marcus. I got that her low self-esteem issues come from fat-shaming that she received from her parents, but I hate that mostly she assumed things regarding Marcus's act to her.
At first, when Marcus invite April to do a workout and she bristled, she internally accused Marcus based on her own interpretation without try to confirm with him first. Then, when April want Marcus to accompany her in her family home but Marcus choose with her estranged father instead in a ploy to protect her feelings, April getting hurt because again..assuming things even she said it's her own fault. Girl, this is a con-rom not a science fiction, please communicate properly since April and Marcus are adult in their latest 30-ish. Don't expect your significant other can guess your thoughts if you don't talk to him. When it's come to the climax in which Marcus confess that he's April's fanfic best friend, Book!Aeneas Would Never, I just feel tired with the drama. Marcus think that he's a drama queen, while the actual drama queen is April.
I also dislike how Marcus try to protect April's feeling. Reading how he' try to be careful regarding of what he will said or will act toward April make me stressful because I KNOW how it's feel to be Marcus. How you always second guessed your actions regarding your loved ones's feeling, since you scared that you will hurt them since their egos apparently as fragile as a glass. I know that both Marcus and April comes with so much emotional baggage and the trust between them is a thing that hard to be earned. I just don't like how it was written because what Marcus try to do best for everything hit too close to home. A funny thing because at first I think I will relate to April because our sameness in physical matter and how I too often got fat-shaming with people around me, but turn out that I feel sympathetic more toward Marcus. As for how Marcus portrayed to be a feminist and a green flag man walking bordering to "too good to be true" category it's can be perceived as author's wish fulfillment and I don't mind it. This book is clearly a fiction and we need some escapism in our fiction. Although, I agree with a reviewer that state that Marcus's identity as fanfic writer is sketchy as best. Like..if I find an actor suddenly become part of my community fandom I will really freaked out.
Despite the characters weaknesses, I did enjoy the fanfic parts since I'm not familiar with it. I also liked that April is a geologist consultant since I once studied geology in my civil engineering class, although I wish the geology parts will be explained more but seems like Dade want to focus to April as a fans of the show Gate of Gods. I also think some of criticism toward the final season of Gate of Gods that derived from the source materials might be mirrored the fans frustration feelings towards last season of Game of Thrones. I'm not watching GoT (yet), but I knew the disappointment that ensues. The steamy sex scenes are well written and I can said that it's one of the plus point of this book. Dade sure knows how to write a scorching hot sex scenes, phew. Although...yeah, things proceed so fast since you can said that what happen to Marcus and April can be considered as an insta-lust at first, so if you love your romance to be a slow burn sadly this book didn't have it.
Next book is about Alex Woodroe and I do like his devil-may-care attitude. But, since I feel that Spoiler Alert is just a so so and some part irritated me so, better to not have a high expectation for book 2 and 3 (that I already bought 🥲).
At first, when Marcus invite April to do a workout and she bristled, she internally accused Marcus based on her own interpretation without try to confirm with him first. Then, when April want Marcus to accompany her in her family home but Marcus choose with her estranged father instead in a ploy to protect her feelings, April getting hurt because again..assuming things even she said it's her own fault. Girl, this is a con-rom not a science fiction, please communicate properly since April and Marcus are adult in their latest 30-ish. Don't expect your significant other can guess your thoughts if you don't talk to him. When it's come to the climax in which Marcus confess that he's April's fanfic best friend, Book!Aeneas Would Never, I just feel tired with the drama. Marcus think that he's a drama queen, while the actual drama queen is April.
I also dislike how Marcus try to protect April's feeling. Reading how he' try to be careful regarding of what he will said or will act toward April make me stressful because I KNOW how it's feel to be Marcus. How you always second guessed your actions regarding your loved ones's feeling, since you scared that you will hurt them since their egos apparently as fragile as a glass. I know that both Marcus and April comes with so much emotional baggage and the trust between them is a thing that hard to be earned. I just don't like how it was written because what Marcus try to do best for everything hit too close to home. A funny thing because at first I think I will relate to April because our sameness in physical matter and how I too often got fat-shaming with people around me, but turn out that I feel sympathetic more toward Marcus. As for how Marcus portrayed to be a feminist and a green flag man walking bordering to "too good to be true" category it's can be perceived as author's wish fulfillment and I don't mind it. This book is clearly a fiction and we need some escapism in our fiction. Although, I agree with a reviewer that state that Marcus's identity as fanfic writer is sketchy as best. Like..if I find an actor suddenly become part of my community fandom I will really freaked out.
Despite the characters weaknesses, I did enjoy the fanfic parts since I'm not familiar with it. I also liked that April is a geologist consultant since I once studied geology in my civil engineering class, although I wish the geology parts will be explained more but seems like Dade want to focus to April as a fans of the show Gate of Gods. I also think some of criticism toward the final season of Gate of Gods that derived from the source materials might be mirrored the fans frustration feelings towards last season of Game of Thrones. I'm not watching GoT (yet), but I knew the disappointment that ensues. The steamy sex scenes are well written and I can said that it's one of the plus point of this book. Dade sure knows how to write a scorching hot sex scenes, phew. Although...yeah, things proceed so fast since you can said that what happen to Marcus and April can be considered as an insta-lust at first, so if you love your romance to be a slow burn sadly this book didn't have it.
Next book is about Alex Woodroe and I do like his devil-may-care attitude. But, since I feel that Spoiler Alert is just a so so and some part irritated me so, better to not have a high expectation for book 2 and 3 (that I already bought 🥲).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Bullying
thereadinghammock's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I love Marcus and April's dynamic. Their communication was so nice, and befitting of two adults well past the drama of dating in one's early 20's. I totally understood Marcus's hesitancy telling her he was her internet best friend, because first-- who would believe him?? Second the threat to his career, the legal actions?? But the eventual blow up when it came out was 100% expected, and 100% as heartbreaking for both of them as anticipated. I'm glad April was able to unpack a lot of that on her own and it didn't require Marcus to grovel for them to find their way back to each other. While the fanfiction angle didn't strike gold for me as a reader, I appreciated the love letter to AO3 that was so much of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming
monicalaurette's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I thought this book was so fun and cute and I really wish now that I had read all of these books in the publication order. I devoured this book so quickly and there were so many cute moments between the two.
The declaration of love at the end of the book during the Con of the Gates was also really sweet and I really liked how that was the way Dade chose to bring them back together because it was, at least to me, a unique way to do that. Even though Marcus fell for April a lot faster than she did for him, I loved how head over heels he was for her and allowed his walls to crumble. Now we just need to work on men in romance books to use COMMUNICATION AND ALL OF THEIR WORDS BEFORE IT’S THE BAD TIME.
Should Dade write more in this interconnected world I’ll be one of the first to grab it because I loved all of these characters so much and I want to know more about what they are all doing. Mainly the biography MacKenzie is writing for Whiskers - I STILL WANT THAT!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Fatphobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Child abuse
for the 'Child abuse' one: it's more of how the parents spoke to the main characters while growing up instead of physical. so more mental/emotional abuse but it started when the characters were kids so yeahtardislibrary's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The fanfiction inspiration and storyline made this a fun and easy read. Cute even when I was rolling my eyes when the main character was being unfair and shutting down people immediately and without listening.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
diana_raquel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
“Please tell me people who look like us can be loved.
Please tell me people who look like us can be desired.
Please tell me people who look like us can have happy endings.”
This book has been on my radar for quite some time, due to the fact that involves the world of fan fiction. As a fan girl myself I found myself attracted to it. And the plus size representation was a plus!
I really enjoyed this book. Is it the best goddam romance that I ever read? No. But it is a light, cute, heartwarming romance about a fan girl meeting her celebrity crush that its also her online best friend. Its a good summer reading!
Tully recommend it if you want a light, cute summer reading!
Please tell me people who look like us can be desired.
Please tell me people who look like us can have happy endings.”
This book has been on my radar for quite some time, due to the fact that involves the world of fan fiction. As a fan girl myself I found myself attracted to it. And the plus size representation was a plus!
I really enjoyed this book. Is it the best goddam romance that I ever read? No. But it is a light, cute, heartwarming romance about a fan girl meeting her celebrity crush that its also her online best friend. Its a good summer reading!
Tully recommend it if you want a light, cute summer reading!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Cursing, Sexual content, and Body shaming
Moderate: Child abuse, Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Eating disorder
nicole_cob_reads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Body shaming
katherina_lei's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I was super intrigued by the plot of this book, but I did not like the writing style much. I did listen to the audiobook, so that may have added to it, but I generally did not like how overly descriptive the book was. You know the oft-repeated mantra, "show, don't tell" given as writing advice. Well this had a noticeably large amount of telling, and about things that did not add to the story or the prose. The number of little, meaningless things that were pointed out got to be a bit much, for example, when Marcus flops onto his "California king bed". Does it matter the size of his bed? No. Does it change anything about what happens in the scene? No. Does it add to the drama? No. Does it come up ever again?! No! It may not seem like a big deal (just 2 more words), but it happened so often that it was impossible to ignore.
All that being said, I did like Marcus quite a bit, and I liked Alex, despite him being a fairly minor character in this story. April is okay, she seems almost too perfect, except for her big decision that kick-starts the climax of the story. I will read the next book, because I am curious to read more about Alex, but I feel no desire to pick this up again.
All that being said, I did like Marcus quite a bit, and I liked Alex, despite him being a fairly minor character in this story. April is okay, she seems almost too perfect, except for her big decision that kick-starts the climax of the story. I will read the next book, because I am curious to read more about Alex, but I feel no desire to pick this up again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Quite a bit of explicit sex, but not super well written. It was very easy to "skim" the graphic pars, even when listening to the audiobook.