What would you do if you had the chance to go on a date with your celebrity crush?!

April Whittier finds herself in this situation in Olivia Dade’s Spoiler Alert. April loves writing fanfics about Gods of the Gates & making her own Lavinia costumes for cons! April finds herself in a viral moment when she shares a picture of herself in one of her Lavinia costumes & is shocked when Marcus Caster-Rupp, the star of the show & her celebrity crush, asks her out for dinner. Is it all just a publicity stunt or does April have a chance at true love?

When I read the synopsis for this one and saw the cover I knew I had to read it!! A plus sized main character who stands up for herself and her body?! Yes please 🙌🏻 I thought the storyline was super cute and engaging and really connected with April. I’ve always struggled with my body image throughout life and love the approach taken with this book. The steam in this one was top notch and we all know I’m here for open door romance! This one definitely didn’t disappoint in that department!! Such a fun, steamy romance and gets 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Spoiler Alert was my first read by Olivia Dade and I can assure you it won't be my last!!

Hello fanfiction! My nerdy self was jumping up and down with glee because I love to read it.

The story begins with a scene of Marcus filming the series finale of 'Gods of the Gates', a very popular book series turned into a tv series. All this talk about these books really had me wanting it to be real so I could also become a Aeneas and Lavinia stan!!

I found I really loved how genuine and flawed the hero was. He was this steamboat actor who wasn't perfect by any means. He's dyslexic and hearing about his journey in discovering his dyslexia was heartbreaking at times.

April is a plus-size woman who loves who she is, body included. This was beautiful to read and I loved that she didn't want to change. She knew her worth and what she deserved.

These two flawed characters couldn't be more perfect for each other! They balanced one another out and everything felt so real. Also, the secondary characters were great as well. I hope Alex gets a book next, ekk!

Spoiler Alert was sweet, fun, heartfelt and steamy. If you're a lover of fanfics then this book is something you should definitely pick up!! Truly excited to read more of this wonderful author's books!


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

I absolutely LOVED this book. It gave me all the feels with its themes of found families and being accepted for who and what you are. The snippets in between chapters (of online conversations in fan chats, of fan fiction, or truly HORRIBLE screenplays, etc.) made me smile every time. Marcus and April are two characters who will be staying with me for a long time--I read an ARC to review for Library Journal and absolutely cannot wait to read my print copy when it comes; I can definitely see myself re-reading this again in the future after that. Many times.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I absolutely LOVED this book. It gave me all the feels with its themes of found families and being accepted for who and what you are. The snippets in between chapters (of online conversations in fan chats, of fan fiction, or truly HORRIBLE screenplays, etc.) made me smile every time. Marcus and April are two characters who will be staying with me for a long time--I read an ARC to review for Library Journal and absolutely cannot wait to read my print copy when it comes; I can definitely see myself re-reading this again in the future after that. Many times.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I know this one is very popular, but I just had such a hard time getting into it. I love and appreciate the inclusivity of a curvy heroine, but I was so lost with all the fandom stuff that I just never connected at all. I would love to try to pick this one up again in the future, but for now, it's a DNF for me.

I loved this book. All of the game of thrones references were hilarious. The convention experience was so relatable. The characters were lovely and funny and charming. I will be coming back for a reread.

Wow, this book! The hotness level is off the charts but so is the angst and the romance. I adored Marcus and April so much! The author made them come alive in my imagination and I could feel their pain and fears. The way their relationship develops from online friends to real life strangers to lovers is so beautiful. I love how the author has addressed the issue of body shaming and absolutely adore how strong Olivia is in the book and the way she stands up for herself. I am already re-reading the book and I highly recommend this book.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

This was an absolutely delightful and fun read! I loved the characters, the exploration of fandom, and the format with the online community. If you love rom coms, steamy scenes, and good people winning, you will love this new title from Olivia Dade. I cannot WAIT for the next book in the series!

Not Bad at all. Giving this 3.5 stars.

You really have to get into accepting the story ARC for what it is, a fan fic within a fic. It did take me a few tries to entrench myself into the fandom world with Marcus and Olivia, and once there everything was manageable. I find both characters to be strong and fierce especially Olivia and how she has to constantly handle fat shaming. Both sets of parents for Olivia and Marcus are shitty little shits who constantly puts them down and doesn't give an ounce of support. Through it all though, they power through, finding strength in each other and their shared love for fanfic.

Charming, sexy romance. Full of body-positivity, humor, and great chemistry, Super delightful, really enjoyed it.

THIS. BOOK. IS. SO. GOOD. The writing jumps off the page from the very first sentence. It's like you're right there, immersed in the scene with the characters. Like you're breathing right along with them, feeling everything they feel. Like you're not actually reading at all, just living the story.

Plus it's got the Cinderella aspect that makes it extra fun if you like that sort of thing. (I like that sort of thing.)

This is my first Olivia Dade book, but I will read everything she writes from now until forever.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC I received.

This. Book. This book was fantastic and I cannot give it enough stars!!!

April is our Heroine. I know April, I know how she thinks, especially on regards to her fatness. This book did something many books have tried to do but have failed, and that is make a fat character who is relatable and not ashamed of her body, nor does she left other people shame her for her body. I LOVED THIS.

Marcus is our Hero. He is pure goodness with a cinnamon roll filling and he was just perfect!! There were do many times were he made me almost cry with his goodness. Please give me more men liked his beautiful soul on books!!

I think this is an important book for anyone who maybe feels unlovable or alone to read as it was heartwarming, sexy, and nerdy as hell and I loved it so damn much!!

This was everything I asked for AND SO MUCH MORE. Oh my gosh. I loved this book so much!

When this started, I really loved April's character. She's so body positive, but she does have her moments with doubt, which I found so realistic and relatable. No matter how confident you are in yourself, the comments and doubts from society are bound to still get to you. But I loved how she would still put herself out there.

Let's get to the real reason I loved this book. MARCUS. First of all, he's dyslexic and his journey with his dyslexia hurt my heart so much. As a teacher, his parents were infuriating and I just wanted to give him a big hug. I loved that representation in here and how he was able to still be such a talented writer and figured out forms of reading that worked for him. He was also so sweet when it came to April and I loved how he was just so into April. He would call his friend for advice about what to do with their relationship and it was just adorable.

While there was some conflict near the end that I usually don't enjoy, I loved the open communication April and Marcus had and how they had serious reasons for why they were disappointed in each other or hesitant to trust each other. There was just so much I loved about this book and I am already dying for Alex and Lauren's story! Is it Spring 2021 yet!?

As soon as I read the description for this one I knew I HAD TO READ IT. As a plus sized fan girl of pretty much all the things I fully expected to LOVE LOVE LOVE this one, and for it to be among my top reads of the year. Unfortunately that was not the case. For me the pacing was not good, and I was pretty bored and filled with regret for the first, oh, 40 percent or so of the book. While it did pick up after that and I actually began to really enjoy it, I feel like it happened a bit too late in the book. I know I am in the minority on this one, but for me the book was good but nothing special.

What I loved:
-April is a cool character, and I loved being able to relate to her so much. A plus sized geologist cosplayer who writes fan fiction and is confident enough in her own skin to accept a date with one of the hottest celebrities on the planet? YES GIRL. She is the kind of heroine we need in 2020.
-All the quirky movies that Marcus starred in, and the way they were outlined. That was probably my favorite part of the whole book, some of them were so absurd and had me completely cackling.
-Marcus' awesome support group and his friendship with Alex. Their love of GBBO was perfect.

What I didn't love:
-Marcus' family life and how they "dealt with" his learning disabilities.
-The aforementioned pacing issues

Final Thoughts:
While I loved April and the fact that she was basically catfished in the best possible way I don't think that the story itself was as strong as it could have been. Maybe my expectations were just too high. I wanted to love it, but it let me down.

I wanted to love this one, and I did! How refreshing to dive into fanfiction as a smart vehicle for a meet-cute, and blending in the love interest of the celebrity plus such rich realism in body image and body positivity in the romance. I couldn't be happier that Dad steered way clear of cliche and made this book FUN. It was a breath of fresh air, comfortable to hang onto for an extra hour or two of nighttime reading. I'll look for more of Dade's books, because this one was just the right kind of treat.

Wow - okay. Wow. I completely and wholeheartedly adore this book. Marcus & April's romance in 'Spoiler Alert' was perfect. Olivia Dade had me laughing, swooning, crying (!!), throughout the entire book.
I felt so incredibly SEEN in this book. I think that the cover art, and April's struggles with her figure and that perception from others, can really resonate with a lot of people. Not only that, but to wonder how the people who you care about, how THEY perceive you? That's not easy. And a geek-girl totally immersed in a fandom & fanfic? GIVE ME MORE.
And... Marcus? Altogether completely swoon worthy and to learn that HE writes fanfic too?! I can't.

I was waiting for the conflict with at capital 'C' for quite awhile and honestly I was nervous for it. I appreciated the work that went into it, and how it was handled & ultimately resolved (helloooo, this IS a romance! we GET our HEA!!). I really don't have any real critiques because I felt this love story in my bones. April's anxiety and her physical reactions and how she handled that anxiety was real to me.

I can't say enough about this book and I am already chomping at the bit to see what Alex gets up to <3

Many thanks to NetGalley & Avon for this eArc.

This is a cute, fluffy book that delves into the more serious issues of emotional abuse, fatphobia, and self-confidence in the face of adversity. I had a blast reading about Marcus and April; I love a couple that wholeheartedly supports one another, and April's confidence and her ability to stand up for herself had me cheering. I haven't dabbled much in fanfic or the fandom community, so I can't speak to how accurate the representation of the world is, but I really enjoyed this introduction to it.

It's not a perfect book for me. I wish Dade had delved into certain characters; April's Dad and Lauren, for example, had no lines in the book, but other characters refer to them often. I also felt like I didn't quite understand Marcus' pretty-boy image at the beginning of the book, though I know Dade tried to explain it. Regardless, it's an excellent representation of body positivity and self-acceptance, and the friendships have a lot of witty banter (my kryptonite).

Falling in love with someone you can’t see is a hallowed literary trope, the stuff of Greek myths and fairy tales. Almost equally ancient is the romance of mistaken identity—a cocktail of comedy and pathos deftly exploited by Shakespeare and Shaw, Cyrano de Bergerac and The Scarlet Pimpernel. In the age of dating apps, online avatars, and identity theft, the secret or borrowed identity finds fresh traction in three new romance novels.

Olivia Dade’s Spoiler Alert is a set in the mirror world of fandom, fanfic, and cosplaying. Gods of the Gates is a Game of Thrones-like fantasy television series loosely based on a series of bestselling novels, which are in turn loosely based on The Aeneid. Frustrated with his character’s arc, the show’s Aeneas, hunky actor Marcus Caster-Rupp, secretly writes brooding fanfic under the handle “Book!AeneasWouldNever” and bonds with an online fan community—especially cosplayer and fellow fanfic author April Whittier, a.k.a. “Unapologetic Lavinia Stan.”

IRL, April is a redheaded, plus-size geologist who may ogle Marcus onscreen but would never fall for his carefully constructed dumb-jock persona. She proves it when a viral Tweet brings them together for a publicity stunt of a dinner date: “His muscles were still rather impressive face-to-face, and he was very polite, and his hair was thick and golden in the candlelight, but Jesus, the tedium.”

Marcus, in turn, is drawn to April’s intelligence and curves, but terrified that she’ll see through his beefcake bluster, especially when he discovers that the smart, sassy stranger is his online BFF. “She made a goddamn living spearing through surfaces and discovering what lay underneath, and he wanted to remain undiscovered.” He’s plagued not just by personal insecurities stemming from his dyslexia, but by a confidentiality clause that could get him fired from Gods of the Gates if the showrunners find out about his online activities. While April delights in make-believe, Marcus can’t be authentic with her until he sheds several layers of pretense.

Dade affectionately skewers the fantasy genre and fanfic in general. She intersperses the story with excerpts from the characters’ hilariously horny fics, the baroque prose of the Gates of the Gods novels, the cast members’ long-running group chat, and the terrible scripts of the movies Marcus has made between shooting seasons. These include Manmaid (“about a half-human sea creature cursed to love a woman allergic to kelp”). There’s also Do-Si-Danger (in which he played “an arrogant, high-powered executive and accidental bystander to a gangland murder who assumed a new witness-protection identity and found ill-fated romance among homespun square dancers”), and Lindy Hope (“the inspirational—if entirely fictional—story of how swing dancing turned the tide of one World War II battle”). It’s tremendously fun, but Dade doesn’t sugarcoat serious discussions about dyslexia and fat-shaming in fandoms (and families).

I absolutely loved this take on the Notting Hill/Win a Date With Tad Hamilton trope. The characters felt fresh and remarkably alive. April's passion for her job as a geologist and her transition to a new work environment were definitely highlights for me.

I thought too many plot points in this book were convenient or added in purely for the sake of gathering woke-ness points. The main character April is a smart, plus-size, geologist with a lot of internalized trauma from her parents. We don't really experience her smartness or her love for her job. it seems thrown in there. She is deeply insecure and it takes a very slow 300 pages for her to believe that a beautiful guy could love her-- repercussions of said parental verbal abuse. Look, I'm all for representation, for having diversity of bodies and diversity of minds in novels--especially romance novels that have for a long time been very homogenous. But I don't know, everything about this book felt forced. Does a beautiful plus size woman need the most gorgeous man on earth to make her believe in love? Really? Marcus has dyslexia and he's basically a man in hiding. I don't get it? I have never heard of a celebrity deliberately playing dumb. Why is he still acting for his parents? Continuing to keep up a facade that is hurting him over and over and over again? If I'm being honest the behavior patterns that these very grown up characters showcase are juvenile, they lack any sort of emotional maturity and honestly the resolution comes in the last three chapters. There is practically nothing that changes other than they meet each other. I find it hard to believe that two people (one in her mid 30s and the other who is 40) suddenly grow over the course of a new three month relationship. This book was in one word forced. And it was simultaneously slow and underdeveloped.

That being said I do appreciate the representation.