My favorite part of Spoiler Alert was any moment we got to see Alex when he talked about Lauren. While I loved Marcus and April and their love story, Alex and Lauren shone so much brighter in even the short amount of time we saw them. That is why I was ecstatic to read this book about them and it lived up to the hype- it was better than the first in the series.

Lauren is assigned to make sure celebrity Alex behaves after he engages in a bar brawl. While they are at first hesitant about the other, their witty banter and playful conversations grow into something more.

Alex and Lauren were a great couple to focus on. They were very different from each other but I could still see how they fell in love and I adored how they grew to know themselves better the more they fell in love.

I love Lauren so incredibly much. I really appreciated how she wasn't conventionally attractive and knew that and was ok with who she was. The way she dealt with criticism and hate about her looks was realistic and I think few authors would have written about that in such a great way without it being cheesy.

Alex is unlike any male character I have read before and I adored him for that. Reading about him growing as a person was as rewarding as the main love story (which was seriously adorable).

My main complaint about this book is the pacing. First of all, I felt like the beginning relied too much on the reader knowing what happened in Spoiler Alert and while I remembered everything, I wish this book explained everything more without expecting the audience to fill in the gaps with what they had read previously. I also think this read like two different books. Before and after the convention and while I loved both parts, they read differently from one another which put me off a bit.

Overall, this book had a lovely romance between two flawed but spectacular characters who realized that loving themselves is as important as love one another. Olivia Dade is great at writing authentic characters and I will happily read any other book she writes and will go back and read her previous works.

My favorite addition to the series by far! I cannot wait for book 3. Their chemistry flew off the pages, and the banter was ridiculous. I give this book 5 smoking hot stars. Loved the plus sized rep, and loved how they immediately recognized something in the other than no one else did. This book truly gave me All the Feels!!!!!

I loved loved loved this book. Maaaybe even more than Olivia Dade’s, first hard to say 😉. This is a great book for anyone who feels self-doubt or is unsure of their rightful place in the world. I read the entirety in one sitting, it was unput-down-able! This story really is a heart in book form. 💜🖤

I can’t wait for what comes next from Dade. Big Harpy Energy for Life!! #CroneGoals

character-driven, engaging, realistic-fiction, romance

I so thoroughly enjoyed Olivia Dade’s Spoiler Alert when I read it earlier this year that I was happy I’d missed its original release in October 2020 because it meant less time to wait for the next book in the series. When my request for an advance copy of All the Feels was approved, I tried to put off reading it for a while so that it would be closer to the release date and I wouldn’t have to wait so long for any future books in the series – I wasn’t able to hold out too long. As with Spoiler Alert, Dade’s upcoming novel All the Feels is both a celebration and critique of modern entertainment and fandom culture. It’s thoroughly hilarious but also gets into more serious topics like mental health and domestic abuse.

Alex is almost finished filming his final scenes of the final episode of the final season of Gods of the Gates which means he’s almost beyond the demands of his contract. Except that he had an altercation at a bar and was arrested which has drawn the wrong kind of publicity and showrunner Ron has decided that Alex needs a babysitter, specifically, his cousin, Lauren – who was supposed to be on vacation – for the duration of post-production, the press tour promoting the final season, and all the way through till the final episode has aired. As much as she can’t stand her cousin, she also finds the money too good to pass up while she takes a prolonged break from her work as an ER therapist to figure out her next career move. After getting off on the wrong foot, Alex and Lauren find they enjoy one another’s company but Alex’s impulsivity threatens to get him into trouble in ways that even Lauren can’t stop. Will Alex’s attempts to defend Lauren cost him his reputation and career?
Allusions to the famously disappointing final seasons of Game of Thrones are clear as day (even to me, someone who never watched the show and only knows the basic plot points and character arc), particularly through Alex’s Gods of the Gates character, Cupid who ultimately returns to fight alongside his mother and grandfather, undoing seasons’ worth of character development that had him leaving their abusive clutches. But what Dade does so well is use that allusive similarity and spin it into a deeper exploration of domestic abuse through Alex’s character and the guilt he carries over what he sees as failing his mother (and through his job on the show, impressionable viewers). It makes the link between fiction and reality more solid, both on and off the page.

Another element that I appreciate in Dade’s writing is the visibility she gives to common disorders, conditions, and to mental health. In Spoiler Alert, the hero was living with dyslexia and it was framed as a challenge that required some workarounds. In All the Feels, Alex has severe ADHD and takes medication to help him manage the challenges of his condition but it also celebrates the way his condition plays into his charm. For both characters, these challenges factor into their sense of identity and play a role in elements of the plot but they are not their sole defining trait. Through the novels’ heroines Dade challenges the slim, tall, statuesque romantic heroine stereotype but also addresses the mental and emotional impact of growing up having those impossible standards forced upon them. With Lauren and her work as a therapist especially, the importance of mental health and therapy rise to the surface. The most important factor about each of the relationships in these books is that the couples are very conscientious and protective of each other’s mental health, encouraging their partner to prioritize their personal well-being.

Though it was obvious at the end of Spoiler Alert that the next novel would focus on Alex and Lauren, I find myself having finished my advance copy of All the Feels without knowing for sure if there will be another book in this series (I’m really hoping the space left for an announcement to come is being reserved for that but certainty won’t come until the novel is officially released). There are plenty of other Gods of the Gates actors who’ve crept up that are viable candidates (perhaps one of the female cast members this time) but no one with an ongoing story that was alluded to and overlapped with this one the way Alex and Lauren did in Spoiler Alert. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

All the Feels will be available October 26, 2021.

All The Feels by Olivia Dade
⭐️Review⭐️ Thank you, @avonbooks for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

All the Feels is a spin off of last year’s delightfully popular Spoiler Alert. This series is following actors from a Game of Thrones-esq epic television drama that the actors feel is ruined by the producers in the final season. Spoiler Alert followed one of the actors writing fanfiction about the show (I do recommend reading book 1 since we are introduced to this book’s characters there) and now All The Feels continues the story of another cast member.

Things I loved about this book:
🏹Alex is a sassy pants delightful asshole that had me LOLing
🏹there’s some lovey sunshine-&-grumpy one energy here
🏹 watching Lauren learn to embrace her Big Harpy Energy (& seeing Alex support that BHE) was exceptionally sweet
🏹 we get a bigger glance at the Gods of the Gates cast in this book and really come to adore them, too
🏹if, like me, you aren’t a GoT fan, you’ll still be able to follow along 😅

From the publisher: Alexander Woodroe has it all. Charm. Sex appeal. Wealth. Fame. A starring role as Cupid on TV’s biggest show, Gods of the Gates. But the showrunners have wrecked his character, he's dogged by old demons, and his post-show future remains uncertain. When all that reckless emotion explodes into a bar fight, the tabloids and public agree: his star is falling.
Enter Lauren Clegg, the former ER therapist hired to keep him in line. Compared to her previous work, watching over handsome but impulsive Alex shouldn’t be especially difficult. But the more time they spend together, the harder it gets to keep her professional remove and her heart intact, especially when she discovers the reasons behind his recklessness…not to mention his Cupid fanfiction habit.

Such a cute story! I loved Spoiler Alert and this was a great follow up. Olivia Dade kills it with the character development, the representation and everything. Look forward to reading her future books!

All The Feels indeed! Alex Woodroe and Lauren Clegg were a match made in fandom!! He is this enigmatic, fast talking, hero who loves to antagonize Lauren Clegg his assigned minder. Lauren for her part can deliver a dry line and ignore Alex and his antics until she can't anymore and because obviously there was so much pegging fanfic and utter joy! Their banter and silly back and forth was adorable and established an epic trust and friendship above all else. Which also makes this a bit of a slow burn but it totally works for this couple and story. There were several laugh out loud moments and a few emotional lows. I loved that Alex was able to make himself so vulnerable with his close friends including Lauren and that the story encouraged strong friendships and professional help in the form of therapy and/or medications as appropriate for each person.

In the end this was an epically perfect romantic comedy with all the right swoon and laughs.

The story touched on subjects of ADHD, domestic abuse, fat shaming, bullying, and self loathing/sacrifice, therapy, professional burnout. As always, Olivia Dade gave each subject a good amount of attention and respect.

For readers of Spoiler Alert, about 40% of this book takes place during the events of that book which is a fun glimpse into that story too. And just like spoiler alert, this was a beautiful body positive / girl power story that made me swoon.

Thank you Olivia Dade for telling these beautiful, inclusive stories for women like me.

A great companion/sequel to Spoiler Alert. I really enjoyed reading Alex's story and how his and Lauren's romance played out. I do wish the romance started earlier and we had more of it. Also the steam in this book was equally great!

Oliva Dade continues delivering sexy, geeky fun in the follow up to her bestselling hit Spoiler Alert. Feels features another actor from the fictitious Gods of the Gates TV series, another unapologetically fat female lead, as well as a heaping dose of fandom goodness, but still manages to be a charmingly unique story. When the showrunners decide impulsive actor Alex Woodroe needs a minder after he gets into a bar fight, ER therapist Lauren Clegg finds herself on the job. Dade’s characters are immensely likeable and funny, providing many laugh-out-loud moments. She doesn’t skimp on the steamy scenes; this book is definitely not for those who prefer to avoid explicit content and a treat for those who enjoy it!

I felt like the romance was moving too fast. The hero immediately felt protective and drawn to the heroine when I felt like it needed some pacing. And something about the writing style felt a little too formal to me, where I had the thought “people don’t really talk like this.”

Another Garden of the Gods book!! This is a story of an actor with a bad reputation (of course there’s more to this than meets the eye) and his minder who is coming out of a complex situation. There is much more than meets the eye here! TW for mentions of domestic abuse and fat shaming. Overall this is a very satisfying story with an excellent ending. I also loved the mentions of the other story happening at the same time, which I also enjoy. I hope there are more books in the series!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars | CW: fat phobia, past mentions of abuse

I did not know how much I needed a book about a man who writes fan fiction. Could this be my new standard?

Once again, grumpy and sunshine coming together to make an absolutely adorable book. When Alex Woodroe, a successful actor, is embroiled in a bar fight, he’s tasked with a minder, Lauren Clegg. Lauren is as no-nonsense as Alex is golden retriever, and their dynamic is amazing from the start.

There are so many things to love about this book. The dialogue is incredible. I’m in awe of writers who can write funny as fuck dialogue without it coming off as pandering or cringey. The fan fiction elements are literally SO GOOD. Like what’s better than having a one-bed trope? A character who LOVES one bed tropes.

I also adore that Alex figured out his feelings first and wanted to go out of his way to make Lauren comfortable with her own burgeoning feelings for him. Say it with me now, communication!! These two were always talking about situations where they’ve possibly overstepped or unknowingly hurt each other, and it was so healthy. Alex’s ADHD and Lauren’s expectations that she shouldn’t be put first caused some hang-ups that they always worked through, and we love to see it.

This is definitely a slow-burn, but I think the lead up is worth it. It also lets the characters really figure out what THEY need individually, and I think Dade handles that really well.

I haven’t read Spoiler Alert, but I definitely will because of this! Loved it!

I was really rooting for Alex and wren before I picked this book up but Alex was one of those unlikable characters that I can’t seem to get behind. Maybe just try therapy? Book one was really well done and I had high hopes that fell short, unfortunately

Alexander Woodroe plays Cupid on God of the Gates, a hit tv show nearly done with its final season. Alex is handsome and honest with his emotions (also he has no off switch). But after an incident in a bar, the showrunners hire Lauren Clegg, a former ER therapist, to babysit him until the final season is out for public view. Lauren is taking a vacation away from the ER when her cousin asks her to babysit an actor who keeps letting his emotions run his life. Lauren is short, round and has a face like a bird. She has been told her whole life that other people matter more than she does so she has stopped taking offence to peoples comments about her. But these two very different people now have to live together.

a big thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I read the first book in the series before picking this up and I have to say I liked book one better. It was nice to see the characters of Alex and Lauren (that were side characters in the first book) have their own story, but Alex is a lot to take in and I never really felt like I got to know Lauren. I think it was a great concept of two polar opposites getting together, but seriously I was wanting more from Lauren and less of Alex and his ever increasing need to be constantly in charge and moving. Everything has to be his way. And why would showrunners hire an ER therapist to watch an actor who is out of control? Something just wasn't right there. I was glad that the Pegging talk was kept to a minimum in this book (especially with how much Alex mentioned it in book one as a side character).Overall I liked the story, but its not something I would read again or recommend to others.

Alex is allegedly a reckless and impulsive star, Lauren is burned out by her high-stress career and an obscene amount of money from her terrible cousin to babysit him for a few months doesn’t seem so bad, so she takes the gig.

On the surface, Alex is also a god, or at least he plays one on TV, a “delightful asshole” according to his friends. At first glance, Lauren isn’t conventionally attractive, she’s cool and emotionally impassive, soft and round with bird-like features.

But, underneath, Alex has a giant, open heart and he thinks Lauren has the most beautiful eyes he’s ever seen. And, slowly, he starts breaking down the walls she’s built to protect herself from the emotionally brutal job she does, and from the insults she’s weathered from the outside world.

The more Lauren learns about Alex, the more she knows what a supremely good man he is, fierce and loyal and kind and smart, and yes impulsive, but his seemingly reckless behavior comes with very good reason.

Soon, the pair are quietly pining for each other, each convinced they aren’t what the other wants or needs. But, on a road trip (say it with me) THERE’S ONLY ONE BED, and their true feelings come to the surface. Can they sort out their obvious differences and less obvious issues in time to take a real shot at a life together? I mean, you know how this goes, but you’re going to have a good, *spicy* time getting there!

I am undone. I really loved this book, the relationship between Alex & Lauren, and the way their own struggles with issues of guilt and self-worth were handled. And yes, there is plenty of heat (and implied pegging) when Alex & Lauren finally get together. Ending this review on a big, ol’ contented sigh, Olivia Dade just works for me, I guess.

I read and loved Spoiler Alert so I was beyond excited to get my hands on Alex and Lauren’s story in All The Feels!!! I love Alex and Lauren and their relationship. And I just love Olivia Dade!! I love how her stories feel so familiar yet so different, I love how she really takes her time having two people fall in love. It really just prolongs a beautiful and fun journey! I also love love love the heroine. It is so freaking amazing to be able see body positivity in romance books. Time to break the mold and Olivia Dade is doing that!!! I can not wait to read more!!!

I loved her last book and this one didn’t disappoint! This was so cute! I can’t wait to share with all my book loving friends how cute this was. Definitely be picking up a copy

I did not enjoy this book unfortunately- I loved spoiler alert but ended up not finishing this one. In theory both characters seemed like people I'd love reading about but in the end they fell flat and it did not feel like they were connecting.

I love this author and this book did not disappoint! The characters were lovely and unique, and the plot had just the right balance of trope-iness with things I haven't seen in romance before. A bit of a slow burn but worth it!

SO FUN! Olivia Dade is such a humorous, sharp writer and her voice is almost unmatched. I’ll now have to go and read everything she’s written.
Lauren and Alex have phenomenal chemistry, they are grumpy/sunshine supremacy. I especially love that Lauren is the quiet, stoic one and Alex is the goofy charmer (oh my god I love Alex, my sweet, ADHD chaos gremlin).
Dade masterfully weaves fun rom-com antics in with some heavier themes, and always manages to balance the both of them. This is fun, sunshine-y goodness with some real heart tugging moments.
If you love characters who support each other through trauma, have wickedly smart banter, and some real fun seggsy times, All The Feels is for you! Bonus points of you love a fat, unconventionally attractive MC whose whole identity isn’t hating that they are fat and not conventionally attractive!
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the digital ARC!