Cover Image: All the Feels

All the Feels

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Member Reviews

I enjoyed this book a lot! It’s the second book in the Spoiler Alert series. We met the main characters, Alex and Lauren, in the first book but this book could easily be read as a standalone.

Alex Woodrow is a famous, gorgeous actor, on TVs biggest show, who gets into trouble due to his lack of self-control. He has ADHD and seemingly never stops talking. Alex applies an “all or nothing” attitude to every situation. There are no gray areas for this guy. He feels like the show runners have destroyed his character, and he lashes out.

Lauren Clegg is a therapist, on a break from a difficult job, in Spain. She stops to see her cousin, who is one of the show runners on Alex’s TV show and is hired to watch over him and keep him under control. Lauren is plus size and has suffered from comments about her looks for years.

As they spend time together, with Lauren living in his guest house, they get to know each other and develop strong feelings for one another. When Alex is offered an opportunity that doesn’t include Lauren, he turns it down without speaking the her, and she goes back to her pre-Alex life. Making their relationship work will require changes from them both, if they’re brave and in love enough to try.

I loved how Alex grew to love Lauren by getting to know her inside. He turns her weight and looks into the things that appeal to him. Lauren is comfortable in her skin and it was great to see a character who values what’s inside rather than outside. I recommend this book, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Hollywood star Alex has always been a little bit "extra," but after his last stunt lands him in jail, production for his TV series sets him up with Lauren, a handler to help eradicate his recent bad publicity. After the pair call a truce, the pair finds a groove, until a fan crosses the line and sends Alex spiraling into old ways. With both of their backs against the wall, Alex and Lauren must work together while also trying to ignore their big feelings for each other.

This opposite attract romance started off strong with its fun first line. I got definite early seasons Kevin from This is Us. At times, Alex is oblivious to reality and completely caught up in his stardom. He's used to people falling all over themselves with his lines, but Lauren bucks that tradition and it rattles him. Just like Kevin's transition in the show, as you read, you realize just how misunderstood Alex is and Lauren is the only person to truly stop and listen to him. I really enjoyed how the pair bantered back and forth. Alex needles Lauren incessantly and she dishes it right back.

Unfortunately, I had some issues with the book. In the first couple of chapters, there are a ton of condescending and unflattering descriptions of Lauren's appearance, including describing her like a bird, and emphasizing how short, round, and soft her body appears. While Alex does have reasons why he uses these, the descriptions felt over the top and lacked the strong body positive feel that I was hoping for with this book. For someone in their mid-thirties, Alex was portrayed as a man-child, living in a castle. As the story progresses, you get to witness his intelligence, but it's downplayed a ton, showing off his unflattering qualities more than his positive ones. He waves so many red flags throughout the book, that as a therapist, I felt like Lauren should have been able to see through, but unfortunately she didn't. It also felt like both Lauren and Alex were competing to see who could be the most selfless martyr in the relationship, constantly going overboard to prove their feelings in unhealthy ways.

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Last year I read Spoiler Alert by this author, and All the Feels is set in the same world but follows different characters who had only episodic appearances in book 1. I have to be frank and state up front that I did not like the first book. In fact, I DNF’ed about half way through. My main problem with it was the insta-love and I just hated all the sex scenes. Something about Dade’s writing just did not agree with me.
Now on to book two. In All the Feels, we follow Alex and Lauren’s story. Alex is an actor on the same TV show that we learned about in book one. Lauren was hired by the studio to be his minder and keep him out of trouble. I enjoyed this book much more than the first one. Largely, I would say it is because the romance between Alex and Lauren develops gradually over a span of several months. They get to know each other’s backgrounds and become friends before any romantic feelings emerge.

That being said, I do still have some issues with Dade’s writing and I think I can now put my finger on what it is. As in book one, we have the heroine who has a larger body and does not fit what would be normally considered the standard notion of beauty. The hero on the other hand, is unbelievably fit and sexy. In addition, in both books the hero has a minor learning/medical disorder. Marcus had dyslexia and Alex has ADHD. What I find a bit uncomfortable is that on the one hand the author seems to want to challenge the established standards of beauty that in romance novels would be exemplified by a gorgeous, fit, slender heroine. On the other hand, her heroes tend to be unrealistically (think, literally movie star quality) beautiful and sexy. The narrative repeatedly emphasizes the hero’s “lean limbs” and “fit body”. So I am not sure why she literally applies this double standard to female and male characters. Also, I was not sure why she needed to endow both of them with learning/mental health disorders. Was that to balance out their gorgeous bodies?

The other thing that grated on me was the fact the author repeatedly called the main heroine “ugly”. Now, Lauren might have irregular features, or be plain, or unremarkable looking. But ugly? I do think this author needs to tone down her descriptions a bit.

Finally, I find some of the dialogue between friends incredibly jarring: lots of profanity and sass to the point of rudeness. Yes, I get it, they are close. It does not mean they should be constantly calling each other names. Maybe I live under a rock, but it reads very unrealistic and frankly, makes me cringe.

Many romance novels have unrealistic plots and situations, but in Dade’s writing they seem especially contrived and over the top. I did like this book better than book 1. My rating is 2.5 out of 5 stars and I think I am done with this author.

An e-ARC was provided by NetGalley.com

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This was a very well-written romance. The characters were both believable and likeable. The dialogue was witty and the chemistry between the characters was great. The domestic abuse part of the story seemed a little heavy-handed, but not enough to take away from the overall good book.

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I have been waiting a long time for this sequel to Dade's Spoiler Alert and it didn't disappoint! I really like that the plot here is basically happening in a parallel timeline to the first book, so there were hints of Alex and Lauren in the first book as well. Lauren is an ER psych clinician who needs a break from her incredibly stressful job, so she decides to vacation in Spain, where she is coerced by her (total jerk of a) cousin into being a handler for one of the stars of the epic Game of Thrones style (but with a mythology focus) tv show for which he is a showrunner. Alex, Lauren's new charge, is a famous, handsome actor with ADHD and a lot of guilt issues, and he has run into some bad press for getting into a bar fight. He agrees to work with Lauren and sets about breaking through her cool demeanor and they become friends. Lauren's appearance is a focus of the book, and she is described as fat (by herself and by other characters) and ugly (by other characters), with a beaky nose and a round body (her description). As they grow closer, mutual attraction grows, but there are issues when Alex cannot fight his urge to defend Lauren when people criticize her. He's got a huge hero/savior complex (which is explained in the book), but he usually doesn't think through the consequences of his actions, which end up causing some career catastrophes. They're a fun couple and I think Dade handles both of their characters (and their past traumas) with care.

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Received an advanced copy.

A cute and charming follow up to Spoiler Alert, which I loved. I was thrilled to see at the end that Lauren and Alex would be next because the glimpses we got of them were interesting. The first half of this book is on a parallel timeline to most of Spoiler Alert, which makes it a fun sequel if you've read the first, and then the second half is a road trip book lovingly sending up fanfiction tropes. I enjoy two people looking out for each other and opening up. This was ultimately a very sweet story full of people forgiving themselves and growing and it made my heart happy to read!

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It's fine.

In the great fanfic tradition, there's not really a plot. Alex and Lauren wander through one scenario after another, reacting to events and having woobie moments. For those of us still cranky about Game of Thrones, there are some great swipes at D&D., but otherwise? This is fine--just not memorable.

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I LOVED this book! Can I just say that Alex is my favorite?

I really enjoyed Spoiler Alert and was looking forward to All The Feels but it was so much better than I hoped. Beyond Alex’s humor and at times outrageous behavior he is the sweetest person. Lauren was a great character who could stand toe to toe with Alex (which was exactly what he needed). I really loved her witty comebacks and how much they just enjoyed pushing each other and spending time together. There were plenty of bumps (and steamy moments) along the way.

This was a book that I inhaled and thought it was really well done. Just as with Spoiler Alert, I appreciate that this was also a body positive book. While Lauren struggles a bit with her confidence she has some fantastic growth, which I adored and I cannot wait to read more from Olivia Dade in the future.

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All the Feels is my first Olivia Dade book -I loved it! The main characters Lauren and Alex, were the best! Lauren needs a break from her ER therapist job and is hired by her cousin to keep the famous actor Alexander Woodroe in line after he had an emotional explosion at a bar. Lauren needs to make sure Alex avoids another scandal. As Alex and Lauren spend more time together, they develop a friendship which leads to something more.

As myself, I appreciate having a novel with a plus-size heroine in this romcom. I loved this romance blooming between Lauren and Alex and it gave me “All the Feels” I wanted! There were also some much needed steamy parts so it was the complete package for a romance novel!

Thank you, Avon and Harper Audio, for my complimentary copies for my honest review.

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Olivia Dade knocked it out if the park again with another cutesy romance that will have you reaching for the chocolates and celebrity relationship dramas trying to find yourself the next available A star. It was a fast paced read but some bits felt a little flat. Overall a fun time!

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After Spoiler Alert, its safe to say that I had very high expectations when it came to this book. Its also safe to say that those expectations were blown to bits by this story and its characters. Alex’s endless charm and devil may care attitude warmed me to him in Spoiler Alert, and I loved getting to know the real man behind his public persona. His kindness and protective instincts are swoon worthy, as is his loyalty to those he loves. He may have not always gone about things the right way, but his actions were usually rooted in love. Wren was such an amazing MC. Her character growth in this book was perfect in every way. It takes a strong person to not only realize their worth, but also fight for it. Wren has that strength and more, even if she may not realize it. I really loved reading about how that strength continued to grow and mature over the course of the story. The banter between her and Alex was one of my favorite parts of this book, and the spice scenes were incredibly steamy and so well written. As with Spoiler Alert, the underlying message of body positivity and self acceptance is highlighted in a powerful way, and its nothing short of amazing. Really enjoyed this one! *I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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Thank you Netgalley for the E-ARC!

What a delightful sequel to Spoiler Alert (a book I completely loved). I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought Alex was delightfully funny and Lauren a wonderful foil to him. I loved how confident Lauren was and how much of their conflict came from them just wanting to do what’s best for the other. I’m not the biggest fan of a slow-burn but this one felt perfectly paced. The cameos and mentions of Marcus and April were really sweet too.

This is overall just a really fun, breezy, easy to love romance.

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Thank you NetGalley and Avon or Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC of "All the Feels" in exchange for an honest review!

Everything about this book was unexpected to say the least. In the beginning, I will admit I was taken aback by how Alex describes Lauren as bird-like, short, and round. I thought it was a one time thing, the way he described her, but it wasn't. Alex continued to call her those things, and even went on to accidently calling Lauren ridiculous in front of her. From that point on I could not get into loving this book as much as I had hoped for. Their chemistry fell short for me, however I will also admit that I enjoyed the tropes that were included in "All the Feels."

For example this book included the grumpy x sunshine trope, enemies-to-lovers, and even the one-bed trope. I laughed and cried so many times while reading "All the Feels." Another thing that I enjoyed from this book was the body positive and mental health representation from the main characters!!

Overall, I both liked and disliked certain parts of this book, but in the end I found "All the Feels" to be a cute rom-com story of a big-shot actor and former ER therapist.

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A dramatic romance from author Olivia Dade of Spoiler Alert. This tale unfolds the beginnings of the romance between Alex, an actor on a hit TV show God of the Gates who has recently been arrested for punching someone at a bar, and Lauren, an ER therapist switching jobs in the midst of burnout. Both of them are facing their fair share of troubles in their work life and seeking change, but struggling to find themselves in order to make the appropriate change. Their chance encounter is the result of Lauren's uncle being the director of the show Alex stares in, who asks her to step in and "nanny" Alex so he doesn't mess up his career or the show.

Assumptions are made by those around them, including close friends and family, providing Alex and Lauren the chance to bond over feeling misunderstood and disrespected. They each see through the BS of the other and are able to help each other assert healthier boundaries in their lives. All of my concerns about unhealthy attachments were addressed by the end of the book, and I felt the characters were really given a chance to grow and develop together and apart. I didn't find their conflicts repetitive or otherwise irritating. Honestly, this was one of the best romances I've read in a while.

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‘All the Feels’ was book that I was itching to get my hands on simply because Alex Woodroe and Lauren Clegg came so suddenly into their own in Olivia Dada’e first book ‘Spoiler Alert’ that it was impossible not to want their story. But this doesn’t quite feel like a standalone however, as it runs concurrently or at least halfway through Marcus’s and April’s story from the first book, and remains in some way, a tribute to fan fiction and fan-driven stories revolving around tv shows, though its meta-reading, audience-centric freshness has waned slightly this time around.

‘All the Feels’ turned out to be a book of two halves: the first showcasing the volatility, impulsiveness of Alex Woodroe dragging the more measured, unsuspecting Lauren Clegg around, lurching from near-disaster to near-disaster until a train wreck really arrived in the form of self-sabotage. And it’s frankly, both terrifying and cringey to go through because you know that you’d be eventually wading through the burnt and blackened wreck on the other side.

Which leads to the second half of the book that ended up as a slightly calmer and more introspective half, after which led to a more sedate conclusion.

It was amidst this…noise in my head throughout the first half that I did find the story dragging on a little, all the while questioning why the premise seemed to be built on one of the producers hiring his own cousin (non-security-trained, between jobs) to be a minder seemed somewhat outlandish for a big production if they really wanted to help ‘keep an actor’ in line.

Suspension of disbelief aside, Olivia Dade however, pours loads of self-affirmation into both Lauren/Alex’s tale, navigating issues of fame and body size with the same kind of grace in her first book—similar as they can seem—as she unravels both their own issues and how they deal with them in the aftermath of the eventual meltdown. There’s much I like about Dade’s writing style nonetheless; there was just something a little more forced here than I’d expected, which left me a little undecided at the very end.

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I loved Spoiler Alert, but this felt like this book is victim of the sophmore slump. The chemistry between Alex and Lauren was so forced and Marcus was so rude. I never wanted to keep reading this book, which is always a sign I'm ot enjoying it. I likely would have DNF'ed this book even I didn't feel the need to finish it due to having an ARC. I don't plan on recommeding this book.

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While I like spoiler alert, I didn’t love it but this was wonderful. Super cute, great representation and the one bed trope!

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Seeing events from Dade’s “Spoiler Alert” from an entirely different perspective was enriching. This book (and series) is wholeheartedly for fans of body-positive reads and those who can enjoy some Roman-mythology based television alongside some fan fiction.

Whereas in the first book when we had Marcus and April navigating their tumultuous start – filled with miscommunications and obstacles, the second is the series stars Alex and Lauren.

Alex is famous, working alongside Marcus on their hit TV show, but Lauren just so happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. In an attempt to take a vacation for herself, she gets roped into visiting her cousin, which then turns into an adult babysitting position when Alex acts out and risks his career and the future of the show.

Now working for the talent, Lauren has to figure out how to maintain her reputation and keep Alex from destroying his. But there seems to be far more beneath Alex’s surface than Lauren had anticipated.

Lauren is described as ugly over and over again. To some extent, it was a bit much at times, but if ever a book is about not only loving people for who they are over what they look like, but ALSO the fact that there will always be someone out there who will love you for you – appearance and all … well, this book is it.

I loved reading this one and piecing parts of it together with the first. I do recommend reading them back to back though, as I had to jog my memory about some of the events in the first book since it had been awhile.

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All the Feels returns the reader to the fictional show, Gods of the Gates. I maintain that I really would love this show to become a reality as it sounds like it would be amazing! While this is a sequel to Spoiler Alert, the reader could read this as a standalone. The main characters from the previous installment, April and, especially, Marcus, make appearances either in reference or on page throughout this novel, but their story is not necessary to fully enjoy this one. Lauren and Marcus both make appearances briefly in the other novel, so I loved that they now have the chance to become the main characters.

Alex is the best friend of Marcus and co-star on the hit show Gods of the Gates where he plays Cupid. Alex has experienced a public setback after an incident at a bar in Spain where he is filming. Enter Lauren, an ER therapist who is taking a break to Spain and visiting her cousin, Ron, one of the showrunners for Gods of the Gates. Ron enlists Lauren to watch over Alex to ensure his public image improves. Lauren and Alex do not start on the right foot, but they are now forced to spend time together. I love this trope in any story. It is a great plot device where characters get a chance to connect when they might have initially dismissed each other and missed any relationship (platonic, romantic, etc.). In addition to the tropes being presented to the reader, Alex is a huge fan of tropes and I love how they are woven into the story.

One thing that I felt was a missed opportunity was an interaction between April and Lauren. Both are confident plus-size women, who, like everyone, suffer some insecurity. This is especially the case when they are the love interests of conventionally good-looking famous actors. Since April is in a relationship with Marcus, it would have been nice to have a dialogue between her and Lauren once a possible relationship with Alex is on the table. For me, who is plus-size and together with someone in similar shape to Marcus or Alex, I have friends who are in similar relationships and together we can vent, discuss, and bond and I would have loved to see that with April and Lauren.

The story is told from both Alex and Lauren’s perspectives, which I loved as it gave a nice look at their motivations and thoughts. Alex has ADHD and takes medication for it and the story does a great job at integrating how this affects his life. He also has a lot from his past that affect his actions in the present. Lauren additionally has a lot from her past that has shaped her current self. Both characters were complex and felt natural. The attraction between them is present at the beginning, but I would have liked a little more progression before they reached the desire to be with each other. While I loved that they wanted to take the next step in their relationship, it felt a little sudden between their friendship and constant sexual attraction.

Overall, I loved this story as not only is it amazing to read about a plus size main character, but also I loved the integration of professional burnout. Both Lauren and Alex love their individual jobs, but they each have many pressures that given added stress. Lauren and Alex are fantastic characters as individuals and I loved the connection they share. They got to know each other and built a great foundation through their interactions. Marcus and Alex continue to be great best friends, although there is one scene with Marcus that I wish to know more (I do not want to spoil it, but if you read it, then you will most likely know which one I am referring to with him and April). I love this series and would love to see more installments added. This novel was an excellent addition to the series and I cannot wait to read more from this author!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Avon, for the opportunity to read this heartwarming and enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

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Readers fell in love with the charming Alexander Woodroe--best friend and co-star of Marcus Caster-Rupp, the hero of Dade's "Spoiler Alert"--and witness the spectacular crash and burn Alexander purposefully triggered in retaliation for how his friend and handler, Lauren Clegg, was treated at the hands of the producer of the hit show "God of the Gates". Now, in "All the Feels", readers can see what exactly Alexander and Lauren were doing during the events of "Spoiler Alert"... and how they handle the fall-out of Alexander's moment of heroism and vengeance... and "all the feels" that they have developed for each other.

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