Olivia Dade’s books are addictively readable for me — once I start one I know I won’t be able to put it down until I’ve finished, even at the risk of my own sleep schedule. But this one was just so engrossing from start to finish! I really enjoyed the story concept of this romance taking place across the backdrop of the previous two books in the series, this secret on-set romance that was hidden from everyone else until the end. And truly, what made Peter and Maria’s romance so refreshing is it had nothing to do with their relationship being outed or exposed externally, but the more intimate dilemma of how to balance their careers with their futures together. This book took some risks — the time jump, the trajectory of their love story — and I was here for every single one of them. I hope this isn’t the last of the series (Carah and Summer’s book maybe?), but if it is I was immensely pleased by how this wrapped everything up.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

THIS WAS THE CUTEST.

I, a former Game of Thrones fan, will never not be amused by Olivia Dade's ability to channel her rage at the series' end into a three-book romcom series. This book didn't have a heavy plot to it and was driven almost entirely by character development.

Peter, a fat man and twenty-year Hollywood veteran, has been waiting his entire career to make it big. Despite his talent, he's never been seen as leading man material—that is, until Gods of the Gates casts him as Cyprian. Maria, a Swedish theater actress, is unapologetically herself. She has no interest in bending to the whims of Hollywood body shaming and misogyny, and her confidence attracts Peter immediately. They hook up for one night, but then she leaves... until they're cast as love interests on the same show the very next day.

The book takes place over a six-year timespan, with Peter and Maria going from lovers to annoyances to friends to lovers over the course of the story. The conflict is driven by their opposite perspectives on the movie industry and their childhood traumas—but also on their mutual desire for love and companionship.

Not gonna lie, if you weren't a GoT fan or never went through a fanfiction phase, there WILL be parts of this book where you're going to mentally black out. I, fortunately, was both, so I adored it <3

This series is just incredible and empowering. The first two books begin as enemies to lovers and as celebrity romances (and a bit of workplace romance too) – but this one started off as a fling, then to enemies, then to friends, then to lovers. It was also a workplace romance and a found family story at that.

Both Maria and Peter have so much emotional baggage to work through, that staying apart for the first half of the book does make sense. But it’s also a classic grumpy/sunshine where she tries to incorporate him into her optimistic happy bubble, and he loves it.

Toward the end, as they jumped forward in time a bit, it felt as though it dragged on a little bit – incorporating all of their coworkers and while listening to it, it was a bit too much all at once.

That said, this book was wonderful and I truly enjoyed both reading it and listening to it.

I really enjoyed the banter and friends to enemy aspect in Ship Wrecked. It was a nice, light read for me after reading several thriller, dark reads.
Plus sized characters? So nice to actually read a story where the characters aren’t all super thin.
Definitely a refreshing, funny and cute read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! After reading the two previous books in the series, I found this one to be a little repetitive. I'd love to see this author branch out a little more in terms of what her books are about.

This book was so good. Maria and Peter have a chance meeting and one night stand. Then they are forced to work together for the next six years. After their series wraps, they finally try to be together. I was so into reading about a main character who has a body like me. My only complaint is I wish we got to see more from the six years of slow burn.

I had read and loved the previous book and was quite eager to read this one.

I liked Maria and Peter well enough. On the surface, they're opposites, but they both just want a sense of belonging and family. There was some great banter and a good amount of chemistry, yet it still felt a bit one dimensional.

Plot wise, it was sloooooow. I struggled with the time jump (apparently I missed it and had to go back to find the mention). There was a lot a lot a lot of inner monologue and I wanted more conversation. Of course, I did love the group chats and seeing all of them together.

Overall, this was a fun story, but didn't quite hit the mark for me.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

oh my god, this book was fantastic. The pining, the tension, the everything. This was the first book I've read by Olivia Dade and I already know I need to go back and read the others in this series and her backlist. I absolutely loved the fat representation in this (especially since both male and female MCs were fat). Normally, you only see the female or male MC as fat, but this had both and I LOVED that. Yes, for wanting a guy with a little more meat on the bones! I can't wait to read more from Olivia Dade.

Olivia Dade has done it again! She is the QUEEN of fat positive representation. Her characters are whole people, motivated by love and pain, insecurity and loss. As much as it is a romance, it is also a story about the power of friendship. Peter and Maria’s story swept me away!

There are SO many reasons to love this book and this series! We are back in the world of Gods and Gates (think a Game of Thrones type cable show) and this time we get to see the relationship between co-stars Maria and Peter. If you’ve read any of the other books in this series, you may recognize the names from the epic text threads between all the co-stars of the show.

Maria has an amazing and steamy one night stand with Peter the night before it is revealed that they will be on screen love interests. The two film alone on an island away from the rest of the action of the show with only the film crew for company. Maria still wants Peter, but Peter is hurt by the fact that Maria left without a goodbye after their tryst, and keeps her at arm’s length.

Maria is a fiercely strong and independent woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers to get it. Peter wants to grow as an actor and is afraid to do anything to offend the show’s higher ups.

It isn’t a secret to anybody that I think Olivia Dade writes plus sized romance to perfection. Representation is so incredibly important in books, and I can’t tell you how happy it makes my heart to see women who are plus sized written about as more than just the fat comedic relief, but as a sexy and attractive woman deserving of love. I can’t say enough about this series and about this book! Thank you to Olivia Dade who continues to write romance that I crave about characters that aren’t widely written about in romances!

Thank you so much to Forever Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Ship wrecked by Olivia Dade is a 5 ⭐️ read. This new Rom Com is so refreshing and different than anything I’ve read before. For one, both of the MC’s are plus sized and super well developed.

Synopsis: Maria’s one-night-stand—the thick-thighed, sexy Viking of a man she left without a word or a note—just reappeared. Apparently, Peter’s her surly Gods of the Gates co-star, and they’re about to spend the next six years filming on a desolate Irish island together. She still wants him…but he now wants nothing to do with her.

Peter knows this role could finally transform him from a forgettable character actor into a leading man. He also knows a failed relationship with Maria could poison the set, and he won’t sabotage his career for a woman who’s already walked away from him once. Given time, maybe they can be cooperative colleagues or friends—possibly even best friends—but not lovers again. No matter how much he aches for her.

Thanks to @netgalley for the ARC.

#oliviadadeauthor #netgalley #netgalleyreview #romance #gameofthrones #bodypositivity #enemiestolovers #newrelease #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #quickread #island #beard #vikingstyle #swedish

I think we can all agree that Olivia Dade is amazing but this book was definitely my favorite of the series. I am such a sucker for strong, bad ass women and they don't get more bad ass than Maria. I loved that she was not only so body positive but she made very clear she didn't feel the need to conform to societal standards of beauty.

Maria and Peter are members of the Gods of the Gates show which has been a common theme throughout this series. I loved that this book took place over a series of years so you see the growth between them and how amazing Peter is in his desire for Maria but also his restraint and concern for her career and reputation.

While I loved the love story between the two, I really loved the way Olivia took these characters into a much deeper realm with Maria's back story and adoption and Peter's family dynamics.

I will read everything Olivia Dade writes. This book was such a wonderful read with such great characters and I can't wait to see what we get from Olivia next.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for providing the ARC.

After reading this book, I realized that Olivia Dade's books are not for me.

I really wanted to like Maria and Peter, but I found their personalities a bit grating. The fact that Peter decided to hold a grudge against Maria in the beginning because she left after a one night stand is testament. They were both not great and for different reasons.

The writing was also fairly bland, and didn't really engage me in the way that I wished. I felt this way when I read Spoiler Alert and now this book too.

Not a great read for me.

Hmm I wanted to love this, but it just wasn’t as good as I’d hoped it’d be. There’s something about Olivia dades writing that just doesn’t quite click with me ! All the Feels remains my favorite in this series !

Maria and Peter felt instant sparks when they first meet. After spending the night together, Maria leaves without saying goodbye…only to see Peter again at the casting of a new show Gods of the Gates. As co-stars, they will be on a remote and isolated island for 6 seasons.

This is the first book I’ve read by Olivia Dade.
I absolutely love Maria and Peter! I really enjoyed the friends turned lovers trope. Ship Wrecked is a beautiful romance. The novel has dynamically developed characters, romance, spice, and is very relatable and body positive. You can feel the attraction and intensity between the main characters. I plan on reading more of her novels!

Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Olive Dade for this amazing eARC!

Thank you so much to Avon Books and Netgalley for letting me read an eARC of Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade! Ship Wrecked is the 3rd book in the Spoiler Alert series and y’all, I love this series so much! Olivia Dade has created some really great, really fun characters and I really enjoy the way that she’s able to write these stories that all happen at the same time and have some of the same events happening in each of them, without us feeling as though we’re getting those events repeated multiple times as you read the books. I’m a huge fan.
Ship Wrecked 4/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads: After All the Feels and Spoiler Alert, Olivia Dade once again delivers a warm and wonderful romantic comedy about two co-stars who once had an incredible one-night stand--and after years of filming on the same remote island, are finally ready to yield to temptation again...

Maria's one-night-stand--the thick-thighed, sexy Viking of a man she left without a word or a note--just reappeared. Apparently, Peter's her surly Gods of the Gates co-star, and they're about to spend the next six years filming on a desolate Irish island together. She still wants him...but he now wants nothing to do with her.

Peter knows this role could finally transform him from a forgettable character actor into a leading man. He also knows a failed relationship with Maria could poison the set, and he won't sabotage his career for a woman who's already walked away from him once. Given time, maybe they can be cooperative colleagues or friends--possibly even best friends--but not lovers again. No matter how much he aches for her.

For years, they don't touch off-camera. But on their last night of filming, their mutual restraint finally shatters, and all their pent-up desire explodes into renewed passion. Too bad they still don't have a future together, since Peter's going back to Hollywood, while Maria's returning to her native Sweden. She thinks she needs more than he can give her, but he's determined to change her mind, and he's spent the last six years waiting. Watching. Wanting.

His shipwrecked Swede doesn't stand a chance.

I really liked both Peter and Maria as main characters. I felt as though we got a totally different story with the two of them than we did with Alex and Marcus in books one and two, mainly because they were so separate from their co-stars for so much of the filming, but I liked how they were tied together with that story so well with the chapter breaks and R.J. and Ron, who were just as terrible as I remembered. I liked how strong and confident Maria was and how she did have some weaknesses, but Olivia Dade made sure to explore them in a way that made sense and showed what happened when neither partner listened. And the same was true of Peter too. They were such a solid main couple and I really liked how they interacted with all of the secondary characters too. Plot and pacing wise, I thought that everything was done really well- there was never a point where I was bored or thought things were slow and I really liked how 6 years of filming were skipped over and important parts were hinted back at in those chapter breaks. Overall, I really enjoyed Ship Wrecked and I think it was a great addition to the Spoiler Alert family. I highly recommend picking it up today!

Link to be added once post goes live

" But unlike Mom, I had enough time on this earth to find the partner I needed. Someone who’s not just my lover but my friend too. Someone who can understand me, as well as…”
"Love you. Someone who can understand you and love you. Someone like me. “

This book was a fun one to read. Right away it starts out with a bang! Literally they’re banging. 🤣 After that one night stand that Peter wishes didn’t end, Peter and Maria realize that they’re gonna be costars for the next six years. That they’re gonna be in close spaces for the upcoming years. I loved that while they didn’t evolve to more than costars they cannot stop with the lingering glances and the wanting! I also loved how protective Peter was of Maria! Sometimes their scenes could be quite dangerous and Peter was always looking out for Maria. Peter most of the time would be awkward talking to people and Maria would help him be more comfortable. I loved that she was looking out for him. Peter right away realizes that what he has with Maria special. I loved how he wanted to jump right away iinto the relationship when they had the chance. I did find at times that the book was a little slow but overall this was a sweet romance! But don’t let the sweet fool you. There are plenty of spicy scenes in this book!

Read if you like:
Dual POVs
One night stand
Forced proximity
Costars
Mutual pining
Hero falls first
Protective hero
Open door romance

Overall, a great read.

What worked for me:
The characters were really lovable. On the surface it seems like sunshine/grump, but it's more than that if you look a layer deeper. Maria's straightforward and blunt, she's not bubbly, but she's definitely one to look on the bright side of things. Peter is more solitary, takes a while to warm up to people, yet is ambitious and concerned about his status and perception. Very multi-faceted characters who have dynamics I'd find in real people.

The fat representation was excellent! (As it is with all her books I've read..) It's really refreshing. I like that this book is pretty blatantly against fat-shaming, and fatphobia is condemned in the text. The scene where Maria refuses to lose weight for her role made me want to pump my fist in the air to cheer for her.

I liked the interludes with tweets/fan fiction/cast group chats. Those are great, even though they'd be a bit clunky in an audiobook.


What didn't work for me:
The pacing. I think the issue came because this plot had to fit into the timeline already established in the other books. There were too many jarring time jumps, and long periods where nothing would really happen to move the relationship along.

Peter has been working consistently in Hollywood for 15 years, and now he’s finally landed his big chance – he’s going to play Cyprian on the huge hit Gods of the Gates. His leading lady, Maria, a newcomer with little television experience, would be perfect if it weren’t for the fact that they shared an amazing one-night-stand the night before the final audition – one in which she slipped away without a word. Now the pair must work together as castaways on a remote island.

Ship Wrecked is the third title in Ms. Dade’s fabulous Spoiler Alert series, but can be read as a standalone. The books all feature cast from a fictional mega show (think Game of Thrones) and partially overlap in time. Peter and Maria’s story starts well before the previous books in the series, but catches up as the story progresses.

Peter and Maria’s romantic journey takes years to come to fruition. While they start as frenemies (he’s hurt that she left him like she did), they eventually become close friends. There is strong sexual tension, but they don’t want to ruin their working relationship, so they agree not to cross that line. The first half of the book takes place in this “friend zone.” It’s a slow burn, but the progression allows readers to better understand the characters. Maria is very confident and doesn’t need the show to feel successful, unlike Peter who is conditioned not to rock the boat out of fear of losing his job. The show runners are assholes, and this causes tension between Peter and Maria when the show runners make demands on the pair. I like how conflicted Peter is. He’s proud of/fascinated with Maria’s ability to stand up for herself and even him, and he feels awful when he doesn’t do the same.

I really enjoyed both main characters. They are both lovely people, and I loved being submersed in their lives. Their banter is fun and made me chuckle. I wanted to be part of their tight knit group. I love Maria’s self-awareness and courage to stand up for herself. She has insecurities but her weight and lifestyle are not among them.

I liked getting to see Peter and Maria together, both as friends and then as lovers, for so much of the book. They connect so well from the beginning, and even though we had a wait for them to get their HEA, I love that they were together in some capacity for nearly the entire story. When they finally connect, I honestly felt like the book was complete, and it wasn’t even half over. The second half allows the pair to grow as a couple and also face their demons (most of which belong to Peter). It takes a loss to realize what is truly important.

Ship Wrecked is another wonderful story from Ms. Dade. A slow-burn romance that starts with a one night stand and waits six years to finally hook up. I adore Ms. Dade’s ability to create honest characters that I care about. I highly recommend any of her books.

My Rating: B+

DNFed at 70% -- I really enjoyed the relationship and characters in the beginning, especially their banter and the attention Dade gave to their experiences as fat actors. They reminded me a little of older versions of Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows. Peter especially was relatable for me, and both were lovably realistic.
Unfortunately, I think six years was too much of a time jump and it feels strange that these years are completely skipped over despite Peter and Maria filming together almost every day. The plot started dragging on at that point, and after the "Swedes vs Americans" jokes were recycled for the 500th time I found it hard stay interested. Then again I'm currently in a reading slump so not much is holding my attention -- it's a credit to Dade's engaging characters that I stuck with it for this long.