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rlpdean's review
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, and Fatphobia
amanda_reads89's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Body shaming
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
lisacanteven's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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? Yes
3.5
Started reading Olivia Dade with At First Spite and loved it. This one didn't quite hit like AFS did. I did enjoy it, but I just didn't feel the chemistry between the characters. Maybe it's because the man was blonde- who really knows. I did love the fat rep, and I thought it was very well done. As a fat woman, I appreciate how Dade portrays her fat characters. I wouldn't mind the male love interest being fat as well eventually.
The way Dade wrote about April's parents almost did me in. I feel like she put my parents on the page. I just wish I could be as bold and strong as April. I wish boundaries came that easy to me. I'm working on it in therapy. And it sounds like April had done a lot of work on boundary setting as well. It gave me hope as someone who is working too. I love emotionally mature characters, in romance especially.
However, I did not like a main aspect of the plot.I don't condone how long the secret between the two of them was kept. I knew there would be a third act breakup, and the closer it got to the end without the secret coming to light the less I knew I would like the book. I do not like a quick and rushed third act breakup. In fact I would say we should retire that trope. I also hate when characters sleep together and one is keeping a huge secret. YUCK. I think what I hid behind the spoiler tag is what really prevented me from connecting to this story. I found myself hardly listening during the whole second half of the book because I was mad at a main character and anticipating a 3rd act breakup the entire time.
And then half the pages left after the breakup were spent on two side characters who I assume will be in the next book. But there were a lot of pages that could have been spent resolving the conflict so that it wasn't done in mere sentences. Pacing was weird. Idk how to explain it more than what is under the spoiler tag. Pacing was very weird.
I'm not sure if I would have read this if I had known what it was like beforehand because I'm not a fanfic girly. I don't think there is anything wrong with fanfic, but it's never been my scene. However, I am glad I didn't know because I actually found this to be a very enduring look into a fanfic community. I enjoyed learning about a topic that is very unknown to me. I would be interested to know how readers feel who are in those communities. Does Dade do a good job representing that?
I will continue this series because I do think I really would like this series if the plot does not include the tropes in this one. Harlot's Bay is superior though, so if you haven't read At First Spite, you should asap.
The way Dade wrote about April's parents almost did me in. I feel like she put my parents on the page. I just wish I could be as bold and strong as April. I wish boundaries came that easy to me. I'm working on it in therapy. And it sounds like April had done a lot of work on boundary setting as well. It gave me hope as someone who is working too. I love emotionally mature characters, in romance especially.
However, I did not like a main aspect of the plot.
I'm not sure if I would have read this if I had known what it was like beforehand because I'm not a fanfic girly. I don't think there is anything wrong with fanfic, but it's never been my scene. However, I am glad I didn't know because I actually found this to be a very enduring look into a fanfic community. I enjoyed learning about a topic that is very unknown to me. I would be interested to know how readers feel who are in those communities. Does Dade do a good job representing that?
I will continue this series because I do think I really would like this series if the plot does not include the tropes in this one. Harlot's Bay is superior though, so if you haven't read At First Spite, you should asap.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia
lenaricharz's review
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? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
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
booksandteatime's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Emotional abuse
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
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
cor_luz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia and Body shaming