In Ship-Wrecked, we meet more stars of the TV series Gods of the Gates. This time the main characters are plus size co-stars filming together on a deserted island six years after having a one night stand. He’s pined for her ever since that night, but she refuses to love someone who won’t put her first.

After reading the first two books in the Spoiler Alert series, I was equally excited and apprehensive about starting this one. In Spoiler Alert and All the Feels, the male main character is neurodivergent and his diagnosis becomes his entire personality and character arc. Fortunately, Ship-Wrecked seemed to diverge from that formula. Instead, Peter is given childhood trauma, abandonment issues, and an amusing fear of cows.

Overall, the book was good. The big picture of the romance was sweet. The spice was good. The cameos of the rest of the characters from the Gods of the Gates universe were nice. The timeline was a little choppy and hard to follow at times. The story was told from a third person point of view, but occasionally seemed to switch from Peter’s POV to Maria’s POV without feeling intentional.

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley/Avon.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I absolutely loved Spoiler Alert when I read it a couple of years ago. And then All the Feels was long but good. But Ship Wrecked just felt long...and it is at 400 pages long for a modern romance novel.

In this story we are following Maria, a Swedish actress making her American debut on Gods of the Gates (think fictionalized Game of Thrones but Roman gods), and Peter, her introverted and pessimistic costar who hates cows. The book starts off with an incredibly steamy one-night stand between Peter and Maria (so not a spoiler, because the action starts on the first few pages), and then at some point Peter and Maria realize they will be costars on GOTG. Either I am dense, or the writing style was kind of confusing, but apparently the slow burn of one-night stand to kind of tense coworkers to friends to lovers spans 6 years (AKA the first 200 pages). I didn't realize it was a 6 year timeline until I was at page 150...oops.

There are some good things in this book - plus-sized representation for him and her, introversion representation (is that even a thing -- don't we kind of all know what introverts are by now?), and foster family/adoption.

My biggest issues, besides this being essentially 2 stories in one (the first of their time on set, and the second after the show wrapped - which could have been 2 separate books), is that Maria and Peter fall flat for me as characters, and I got mixed messages about their love for one another. I get that it is supposed to be playful, but her nickname/term of endearment for the man she supposedly loves with all her heart is skitstovel - which means shit-boot. And it's not like he ended up stepping in poo to earn this moniker...nope...she just decides he's a shit boot. Also, Peter is apparently deathly afraid of cows - it's mentioned repeatedly throughout the book, but there's no context or character building of why, just that he is. For some of the things that Dade spends painstaking care to walk through, other parts feel rushed or just thrown in.

I did like the scene where Maria and Peter go to Sweden. And I liked the scene with the two of them at the charity event that Alex (from the previous books) sponsored. But other than that, this felt a bit of a slog to get through, and I didn't understand how Maria and Peter's characters (Cassia and Cyprian) fit into the Gods of the Gates world because they are apparently fictionalized characters in an Irish island while the rest of the show takes place in Rome? I dunno...so much of this just felt disconnected to me. Oh well!

A taste of Wisconsin and Sweden with an adorable romance.

Maria and Peter had a one-night stand. Then the next day they find out they'll be spending the next six years filming on a desolate Irish island together for Gods of the Gates. Peter doesn't want to risk his career or messing up the set, so they decide to try to be friends. But the last night of filming results in them giving into their feelings again. Peter is going back to Hollywood and Maria is returning to Sweden, so how can they possibly end up together?

I have really enjoyed all the books in this series and this one was no exception. Maria is very outspoken and will fight to make sure that no one else can control her body. Peter is just trying to survive in his career, which results in his own difficulties. They both really need someone else to understand them, so it's sweet to see them work on that for each other. Olivia Dade also infuses so much of her experiences in Wisconsin and Sweden into this book which really made those locations come to life. I've never been to Stockholm, but the portrayal of Madison, WI was very accurate!

I think the conflict (third-act breakup) was my least favorite part. Both Maria and Peter were being kind of frustrating and I feel like they went backwards a lot as a couple. I know that this definitely happens, but I wanted to see them keep growing instead! It did work out eventually, which was good, but it was annoying for a bit in there.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I love seeing stories with positive representations of people of all shapes and sizes without it being the whole point of the story. We also got a peek at the couples of the previous books and it was great to see them again. If you've enjoyed the other books in the series, you should definitely read this one too.

Olivia Dade is one of my favorite authors, so let me tell you I SCREAMED when I got an advanced copy of her latest...Ship Wrecked. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for gifting me this to read ahead of pub day!!

The Spoiler Alert series is so fun, sexy, hilarious, and inclusive and Ship Wrecked is the perfect third book. The Gods of the Gates series has grown, and the two latest castmates are Peter and Maria. Who meet for the second time at their audition. The first time was their one-night stand the night before, of course! And since Maria snuck out in the middle of the night, Peter is less than pleased that they will be filming together, on an island, for the next several years.

This book zigged where I thought it would zag a number of times - it is actually over the course of many years, not just that first season, which is so often not the case in romance. Their relationship felt really earned, as they went through a lot of conflicts that in a lesser book would have been the main hurdle.

Dade does such an excellent job and making her books inclusive, particularly around body image. She doesn't shy away from it, which I think is so important. Unfortunately, it is far too unique, particularly in this genre, to have two fat characters.

Peter is from Wisconsin (!) and you know I LOVED every reference: Culvers! Cheese! Custard! Bestill my little sconnie heart.

This was just fantastic. I couldn't put it down and was texting friends to preorder it. Truly thankful to be able to read this early and cannot wait to see what Dade writes next!

This was a super cute, quick read for me! As I’ve come to expect with Olivia Dade, all the side characters were very endearing and I loved seeing their side stories. I was a little frustrated at times with Maria and Peter’s communication skills but overall I really enjoyed this!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my digital ARC.

Book 3 in an interconnected standalone series (I have only read books 2 and this one- story easy to follow). Good writing, good characters with depth and development.
A few parts got a little wordy (I do think some parts could be trimmed down). Overall easy read with some deep topics. Maria dealing with the show runners trying to control her weight was absolutely AMAZING to read. I love how strong and set in her ways Maria is. I love how Dade portrays her plus sized characters. So many badass women in her books. Good storyline. No crazy climax or resolution, but the story is enjoyable.

Pretty good spicy scenes, multiple scenes, explicit and complete. 18+
Always check content warnings.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this digital ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the ARC of this!

I am obsessed with this series, and this was such a fun return to some familiar faces. This kept me smiling throughout, just like the previous books. Absolutely adorable, but it didn’t catch me emotionally the same way the other two did. That said Maria was an ICON. Her fat-positive, not willing to shave for the patriarchy attitude was perfection.

Olivia Dade does. not. miss. Another sweet and spicy romance in the Spoiler Alert universe -- every installment is a true delight! Maria and Peter's relationship is high on tension, with perfect payoff. The story felt a bit more disjointed than Spoiler Alert and All the Feels, but the romance was just as compelling.

Olivia Dade really knows how to write characters with chemistry. I really liked how our characters' story began and how it ended, with plenty of misunderstandings and emotional scenes in between, though I think it took a little longer to get there than it needed to. Our main leads, Peter and Maria, feel so much and express those feelings in such different ways but they go together so well! If only they'd just realize it and go for it!

Olivia Dade always has such excellent plus size representation but I was super pleased that in this addition both leads were plus-sized. I really enjoy her writing style and the way she writes characters, I'll always come back for more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this story. I loved Peter and Maria and watching their story unfold.

Maria was an amazing female lead and really never let anyone walk all over her, she was such a strong person. She never failed to stand up for herself and what she believed was right.

I absolutely adored Maria’s family and how they came together, her family was one of the greatest fictional families ever.

Peter grew a lot over the course of the book and I enjoyed watching him learn from his mistakes and take everything in stride.

I absolutely cannot wait for this to be published so everyone can enjoy it- keep your eyes peeled November 15th!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I was excited to continue this series with Peter and Maria’s story.

As a caveat, this series is based on a fantasy television show and fanfic, neither of which are things I’m particularly interested in. But I’ve devoured and enjoyed each book in this series.

All three books in this series are 🌶️, but this one started that way right out of the gate (not mad about it). I strive to have Maria’s self confidence! I appreciate the body diversity in this series, but really enjoyed how in this book, it was barely made any sort of issue. The conflict was based on differing priorities and styles of communication, building trust and unpacking past experiences to understand how they shape us as people - almost too real?? Also, did I mention 🌶️🥵🌶️??? If you liked the previous books in this series, I highly recommend continuing. Hoping we get even more!

This is the last book in the series but my first read by this author. I was able to read this as a standalone.
I really enjoyed the characters in Ship Wrecked. Their dynamic changes a lot throughout the book: lovers, enemies, friends, and then back to lovers. It was quite the roller coaster but made reading about them a lot of fun.
I think the characters were really well developed and were relatable. I particularly liked Maria a lot.
The relationship was paced perfectly. I felt the slow burn was necessary considering how the one-night stand ended plus being co-stars. It added the perfect amount of mutual pining and sexual tension. Dade definitely had me anticipating the spicy scenes!
A very enjoyable romance that I will recommend to romance readers!
I would give this a try if you want to read: fat characters representation, grumpy/sunshine trope, one-night stand, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, mutual pining, slow burn romance, and steamy romance.

Withholding my review until Harper Collins strike is over. Withholding my review until Harper Collins strike is over. Withholding my review until Harper Collins strike is over. Withholding my review until Harper Collins strike is over.

While I loved Olivia Dade's "Spoiler Alert", this book, as well as her second in the series, "All the Feels", fell flat for me. Maria and Peter's romance was solidly told, but the chemistry between them felt forced, and there wasn't enough conflict to keep my interest.

I love stories like this. Coworkers become lovers to enemies, but where does all of that built up frustration go?! Oliva Dade is an auto buy author for me, making the heroine a believable character who is sure of herself and not going to let men take her down. Loved this one!

I had never read an Olivia Dade book however she is one of my friend's favorite author and that plus the description of the book had me so excited to read this. I really enjoyed it and I want to go read the other books she's written. The only part I did not like was the time jump because it was mentioned so quickly I missed it and was a bit confused. Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it.

once again, olivia dade proceeds to blow my mind with her romances. she writes for the mutual pining girlies, for the angsty girlies, and, most especially with this series, the nerdy fanfic girlies.

her books make me miss the good-old-days reading AO3 fics of my favorite tv shows, and it made my fandom heart so warm and cozy.

like all her books, she has plus size characters who are just living their lives and it’s awesome.

maria and peter have my heart and they will have yours too. they literally invented mutual pining and banter.

some tropes for your consideration:
one-night-stand to co-workers
slow burn
forced proximity on a literal island
friends-to-lovers
mutual pining
age gap

we love to see it! and of course there was the fanfiction tropes and fandom meta moments that had me laughing out loud.

olivia dade always makes me cry and she always makes me yearn for a love like her main leads. this was the perfect ending to the Spoiler Alert universe and as sad as i am to eave it, I’m glad all of our faves are happy and in love.

thank you Avon for the physical ARC (!!!!) and NetGalley for the eARC of this incredible book for an honest review.

I fell for Peter immediately. The moment he said his mother used to call him a “champion grudge holder” I knew I was smitten. He was just so socially awkward and adorbable!

His relationship with Maria is definitely a slow burn, which is impressive since they are in the middle of a one night stand from the very first page. But we get so much character development! Both Peter and Maria were so easy to relate to once we dive into their back stories.

While this book is in a series, it could technically be read as a standalone but I wouldn’t recommend it. The side characters feel so integral to the story and you’ll feel a little lost if you haven’t met them before.

My favorite part of Ship Wrecked? The body positivity. It’s rare that both the hero and the heroine are overweight and I loved that they accepted themselves and each other for who they are.

Ship Wrecked doesn’t beat out Alex as my favorite but was still a wonderful read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the review copy.

I absolutely adored this book. Spoiler Alert was one of my favorite contemporary romances of the last few years and even though All the Feels didn't really work for me, I was immediately hooked back in to the world of Gods of the Gates, this time through co-stars Peter and Maria.

In one of my favorite meet cutes ever, Peter and Maria meet before they have even auditioned, ending up in bed together only to meet again at a chemistry read for the second season of Gods of the Gates. Of course the two of them nail it and end up on a partially deserted island off the coast of Ireland for years as they film their scenes...increasingly intimate scenes...over the course of six years.

We get glimpses of their relationship in the years between their first meeting and the last season, six years later, and while their chemistry is established, the two of them have been hands off, deciding to focus on their careers. Although they haven't allowed themselves to be together, the absolute PINING the two of them do is exactly the type of thing I like in a romance novel. Tension and chemistry and a whole lot of passion. Eventually the two of them film their last scene and are free to be together. But will their pasts and past traumas prohibit them from truly being together?

Maria and Peter were so much fun, whether bantering about Swedish and American customs or just being comfortable and intimate with each other. They both complimented each other so well and I loved the glimpses we get of their text messages among other things. Ship Wrecked continues Dade's fluency in fandom culture and the glimpses we get of that are delightful.

Maria and Peter have had very different experiences in Hollywood and in entertainment and very different experiences dealing with the fatphobia almost inherent in those realms. I loved the way the two of them dealt with that throughout the book and in general, this was such a mature but also fun romance. Two people who found each other and are able to be what the other person needed. Does it get better than that?

This might be the last book in the Spoiler Alert universe but Dade has a huge fan in me.

Thank you so much to Avon books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved the first book in this romance series, but the last two in the series have been very lackluster for me and a bit too long.