there's a lot of people on the internet rn all up in arms about "tropification is ruining books" and lemme tell ya, it is CLEAR those asinine fools have never read the utter perfection that is Ship Wrecked

Of course, thats likely bc this isn't out yet, but I digress😂 lemme tell ya why this book is easily one of the best i've read this year

something i've struggled with in recent contemporary romance is that they can sometimes feel like they're either so painfully close to the agony that is real life that I have to work to just finish the book, or it's such an absurd, almost caricature-like story that it feels entirely removed from reality & fails to make me feel anything meaningful. But damn, Ship Wrecked manages to both be a delicious, trope filled romp (forced proximity!! oops my hot 1NS is my new co-worker! slow burn! friends to lovers! shy boy and sunshine gal! workplace romance! truly its jam packed with tropey goodness) AND the emotional core of the story is deeply resonant & beautiful🥹

Bc yes, this is a book about two fat hotties meeting in a sauna & banging it out only to find out the next day that their hookup from last night is their new coworker, who they will be forced to spend the next six years angstily pining over while they film a fantasy TV show on a small, remote island😍 the fanfic nods are delicious, the banter is fantastic as always, there's just so much of this book that feels like candy floss— soft and sweet and a little bit magical💖 BUT at the same time, this is a story about what it means to truly be seen & be loved😩 like the way Maria gently cajoles Peter out of his shell & helped him grow closer to the cast?!???! And how he realized he was such a lil dummy & flew after her to profess his love bc she was what he really needed, not his dad's idea of financial security/"arriving" as an actor??? the Skitstövel of it all???? MY EMOTIONS!!!

I also really loved the way Dade depicted Maria's relationship with her body in this book— she's confident, comfortable, she knows she's sexy (which I LOVE more ppl need to be like this, i wanna be more like this) and i couldn't get enough🙌🏻

Thank you so much Avon for giving me the chance of reading Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade (#3 in the Spoiler Alert series). I am still new to her, but I love love her stories. I was aware of the plus-size female character, but not about the male character, I love this, even though my abs are my thing. Maria and Peter's relationship was awesome because it wasn't an instant love story, there was a slow burn, and they took their time to know each other. Enjoyed their texting, and how their traumas/flaws were handled in the story. Thank you so much again for sending me a physical copy of this eARC.

Oh my gosh, I just finished and I am swooning SOO HARD!! This was a character driven story, which I happen to love most. Olivia Dade is a new to me author but after reading this, I am definitely going to be reading her previous works. Highly recommend picking this one up!

Ship WRecked
by Olivia Dade
Pub Date: November 15, 2022
Harper Voyager
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
# 3 in the Spoiler Alert series.
I love this series!
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…
These characters are both fat and have no intention of changing. The whole series is full of laughter, drama, romance, and behind-the-scenes shenanigans. I liked that there was a slow-burn romance between Maria and Peter and they both had things to overcome in their past. The characters from the first two books all came back as well. Highly recommend this series to all romance lovers.
If you liked the first two books in this series you will like this one!
4 stars

I might have squeed when this one showed up in my NetGalley queue. Dade, author of a series of Gods of the Gates themes stories based on a fictional epic (and possibly epically bad) fantasy television series, their stars, and their love interests, has done it again. I might or might not but definitely did read it three times even through my TBR pile is through the roof.

Ship Wrecked focuses on the story of Maria, a Swedish actress brimming with insults, jarred herring and body positivity, and her Viking-esque also full-bodied co-star Peter. Their meet-cute is a one-night stand that starts in a sauna and ends with Maria sneaking out the next morning… only to bump into Peter in the casting session. Having been left before, and never quite measuring up to his father’s dreams for him (hint: not acting) makes the rejection sting all the more and he plays it cool. Their talent and chemistry land them the roles that launch them into superstardom. Over multiple seasons of a shipwrecked story arc that leaves them filming remotely with a skeleton crew, Maria wins Peter over to friendship, not realizing his slow burn for her. When filming is finally over, and they are free to risk a crash and burn they give in to their passions, expecting geography will separate them, but an unexpected press tour forces them to stay in proximity, but meet one another’s families as well, waaay too early into a typical romance, but somehow, just right for their six-year friendship.

Dade’s male characters are real and flawed, and always have something to overcome: Marcus’s dyslexia, Alex’s ADHD and anxiety. For Peter, it’s a social ineptness that leaves his unable to make small talk or form friendships. Outgoing Maria seems to see through his surly mask and without taking on his emotional load, facilitates the crew forming a sort of family while on location, and helps Peter open up and make connections. He makes the mistake of not sticking up for her once, and then finds ways to keep her safe during some dangerous and dramatic filming moments. While they fundamentally disagree on the value of their job, it is cynical (or savvy) Maria who recognizes the choice to cast fat actors may have been to have them dramatically lose weight for their storyline, and she flat out refuses. And to be clear, she has her own hangups and issues and needs to resolve them. When Peter gets offered a job filming on location in another country, will Maria be forced to abandon her dreams to follow him, or to abandon her love to pursue her own path?

This warm, funny, sexy novel also dips into themes of abandonment (her adoption in late childhood, the death of his mother and rejection from his former fiance) and details the making of a television series. Body issues are dealt with handily–not jus challenged, but denounced–Maria refuses to starve herself or shave for the gig, no matter what the producers want, and is armed with an iron-clad contract, suitcases full of snacks, and a social media following for support.

One of my favorite part of these books is the reintroduction of past characters through their group chat thread. The exchanges are delightful and true to form and Dade manages to both remain true to the characterizations and move their stories forward. Bonus: the cover art is by the same artist as the previous two books, and is just perfect. Also: Why isn't this series called Gods of the Gates?

Tropes:
-Age Gap
-Actor/Actress MCs
-Enemies to Lovers (kinda)
-Forced Proximity
-Texting

The Good: There are a lot of good things in this book. It’s filled with body positivity (both MCs are chunky), which is both new and appreciated. The romance was very enjoyable to read, even though I didn't like Peter much in the beginning. Once he starts to develop more, it gets even better

The formatting of this book was also very interesting. It told us about the past in many ways, including text message conversations and fan fictions. I found the fan fictions to be particularly amusing, because they were formatted to be like AO3 (which is mentioned) and include the tagging system. The book is kind of slow burn, especially if you consider the fast pacing of the book. The climax was also really well written and one of my favorites so far.

The Not-So-Good: I felt like the pacing was just a bit to fast for me. I do understand that there is a lot to fit into a singular book, it just seemed a bit rushed. The main thing that took a hit was Peter’s character development. He developed nicely, but the writing for it wasn’t really balanced. He didn’t really go through anything to change, he just was suddenly much better. It might just be due to the pacing as there are large time skips, but I just didn’t think it progressed naturally. The reasons behind his development definitely needed to be expanded on more.

Overall: I really enjoyed this book. It’s not my typical read, but I was given a copy from Netgalley (un-biased review). I felt like I learned a lot and the romance was really cute. I want to be more like Maria. You can also tell that the author has been to therapy because they are very wise and write dialogue like a well adjusted adult.

I think this is one book that I would re-read, which I think says a lot for the book considering it's not my typical read. I really enjoyed their banter in the later chapters and their romance was very sickeningly sweet.

Pace: Very fast paced.

Hero Rating: I liked Peter Reedton. He rated at 3.5 stars for me, which surprised me. He is very infuriating in the beginning. By that I mean he was a completely typical and realistic man. Tearing her down to build himself up, doing little things instead of apologizing, the usual. Later on in the book though, he becomes an actually enjoyable character though. He develops very nicely, as I have mentioned. I really liked who he was by the end and how he treated Maria.

Heroine Rating: Maria Ivarsson is honestly a queen. I’m obligated to give her no less than 4 stars. She is very in control of herself and her life. I wish I was as put together as Maria. She is confident in who she is, and she doesn’t let anyone control her. Maria is an icon of body positivity and modern feminism. She makes her own choices, not at all influenced by societies norms.

On top of that, she is the kind of person who lights up a room. She brings everyone together and she is so kind and compassionate. I really enjoyed her deep thinking and reflections in the book. Maria is a very amusing and lovable character.

Triggers: Not really.
-Age Gap (25 and 36)
-Death of Parent (past)

POV: Third Person

In preparation for this ARC I read the other two books in this series (Spoiler Alert and All the Feels). Out of all the female protagonists, Maria is by far my favorite. She is confident, joyful, sardonic, hilarious and authentic. What set this book apart for me from the previous two is that both protagonists were fat. It just added an extra special element to the story. The six years of pining were lovely, and thankfully not as long or drawn out as I anticipated. If you liked the previous two books, you'll enjoy this one too. Another fun read from Dade.

Maria and Peter had a one-night stand and the next day they both show up for a call back to be on the hottest TV show on right now, Gods of the Gates. They will be playing opposite each other, but their one night of passion ended with Maria leaving without a word. With all their emotional baggage Maria and Peter misunderstood each other from their second meeting. After 6 years of playing opposite each other on an Irish Island, Maria and Peter have become friends, but both want more. Can they get over their drama and become the relationship that the whole world sees happening, jarred fish and all?
I love this series! First a big thank you to the publisher and netgalley.com for the pre-pub copy of this book! These characters are fantastic. The whole series if full of laughter, drama, romance and behind the scenes shenanigans. I liked that there was a slow burn romance with Maria and Peter and they both had things to overcome in their past. I love that the characters from the first two books all came back as well. Highly recommend this series to all romance lovers.

This book starts off with a bang... but the smutty kind. Of which, I am here for.

There is so much to love about this book. Actually this series in general. Each book has a fat main character and Ship Wrecked actually has two main characters that are fat.

Ship Wrecked starts off with our two main characters, Maria and Peter, having a one-night stand. Maria ditches him in the middle of the night thinking she won't see him again. They are both extremely shocked when they see each other waiting to audition for an extremely popular show.

Their story begins from there. This book actually takes place in the time span of about six years, if I'm not mistaken. They begin their career on Gods of the Gates as kind of "enemies" because Peter is really pissed that Maria just up and left after their night of fun. It takes them a while to finally get along and become friends.

Of course, they end up being more than friends eventually.

I'm not going to lie... I think this is my least favorite book in this series... which makes me sad. I wanted to love this one so much. I just wasn't a fan of Maria. I didn't like that she would assume that Peter wouldn't pick certain jobs just because of her, even when knowing that his work is very important to him.

I'm hoping there are more books in this series. Although, I feel like it may be completed now!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

I really enjoyed this book! The fact that they are co-stars and have this sexual tension that’s always there. The pet names that are used are so cute I literally was swooning… the waiting you had to do throughout the entire book waiting for these two was well worth the wait! Thank you to Avon and Netgally for the ARC #ShipWrecked #NetGalley

I had such high high hopes for this one but my dreams were kinda crushed. I don't want to be too mean because I absolutely loved and five-starred the first two books in this series but something about this book just makes it seems like the first draft. The time skips are so abrubt I mean we go from the two actors audition day to 6-months into film and then BAM 6 years later in the show. What the missing years leave you without is all the buildup in their relationship. I'm sure it's easy to suspend your disbelief and "just know" that they've been lusting after each other but what we directly have is them lusting after one moment we were allowed to see sixxxxx yeearrs agooo. It needed more. On the positives, man do I want to watch Gods of the Gates so bad.

Well, well, well, this one was unexpected. And so, so fun.

This book is really character-driven, and I loved the relationship between Marie and Peter. There is a fantastic amount of tension as they figure out what type of relationship they want to have, and the ride we go on with them is a really great one.

There is a lot of body positive representation in this book, and we need more of that.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a wonderful story of 2 castmates that fell in love. This story spans the whole 6 years of filming and shows such growth of the characters. I also adored all of the cameos of the characters from the first 2 books. Overall a really great read!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced review copy of “Ship Wrecked” by Olivia Dade. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Full disclosure I have already preordered this book but getting approved for an eBook ARC was so exciting I ended up reading it as soon as I could! I’m such a fan of this series and I feel like I need to go back and reread it since this book is taking place at the same time as the first book.

The story follows actors on a Game of Thrones type of series. After three books, I keep forgetting this isn’t a real show. The author is so skilled at adding in those script details to make readers feel like they should be able to IMDB these actors. But this story was a bit separate from the others as the actors are filming their scenes over the course of six years on a stunning remote island.

The beginning just kind of throws you in with a sex scene. I almost would have rather started with the auditions. Though I’m not against steamy scenes, I found it a bit jarring how the book started. I didn’t know enough about the characters yet.

The way the couple goes from one night stand lovers to enemies who have to work together was an interesting setup. Peter had a long way to go with how he acted after Maria left their night together with no contact information. He had a long redemption in my mind and it made it hard for me to root for the couple at first. I did love and relate to Peter’s social awkwardness.

Maria is a gem! I just adored her and wanted all good things for her. She was so funny and secure in herself and her worth. I liked how she showed Peter how to value himself too.

The third act breakup came really late in the book and felt kind of forced. I feel like I’ve been having this issue more and more with romances where the third act breakup is rushed and it doesn’t feel like there’s enough time to wrap things up before the happy ending.

This book doesn’t really work as a standalone as it builds on things you learn in the previous books. It almost seemed like this could have been the second book? But I would definitely recommend all of the books and I’m going to reread the first one soon.

4/5 stars

The third volume in Olivia Dade's series about the loves and lives of the stars of a fictional prestige fantasy television series, 'Ship Wrecked' follows two of the actors in the show, Maria Ivarsson and Peter Reedton. Added to the cast in the second season, Maria and Peter act almost exclusively with each other, supported by a skeleton crew on a remote Irish island... ideal circumstances for falling in love, honestly. But their time together is complicated by the one-night stand they shared just before being cast. Peter was sure he wanted more with Maria, but she walked out on him without a second look, triggering his fundamental fear of abandonment. He assuages his hurt feelings by turning his surliness up to 11, and at first there seems to be no hope that he'll come around. Over six years of filming together, Maria's constant warmth and charm and campaign to open him up to the easy affection of friends and colleagues finds purchase, and soon their feelings for each other are undeniable. After a long slow burn, they come together. Complications ensue, realizations are made, HEA achieved.

Olivia Dade specializes in writing romances featuring fat women, and 'Ship Wrecked' is no exception. She sure-handedly features the body positivity movement without minimizing the real challenges fat people face in the world. This story is notable for portraying a fat woman falling in love with a fat man, and refreshingly, neither of them deals with body shame. Each partner appreciates the physicality and sexuality of the other in a way that's #goals. Aside from the positive social messaging, this book suffers from expository dialogue, hyperbolic prose, an overreliance on herring gags and Swedish idioms, and a low-conflict climax. As always, Dade writes characters with real and deep and believable emotional baggage, but in this case it wasn't enough to outweigh the obviousness of the compromise Maria and Peter eventually come to. If you're looking for your Olivia Dade fix, this book's precursors, 'All the Feels' and 'Spoiler Alert' are worth a reread, but alas, 'Ship Wrecked' runs aground.

Many thanks to Avon and NetGalley for the eARC.

Swoony head, puddle on the floor.

That's what Olivia Dade does to me. From Spoiler Alert to this upcoming release, Ship Wrecked, I'm head over heals for her charming and heartwarming romcoms.


The pining, the chemistry, the sweet moments, the funny parts and everything in between, that's what I call a romcom. A strong and inspiring heroine and a brooding but cinnamon roll dreamy hero, it wrecked *pun intended* my romance craving soul.

I love how Olivia Dade discusses important topics in these standalones with such gentleness, quietly but powerfully. From conversations on fatphobia, grief, toxic family relationships, to foster system discussions, everything was covered in an impactful way while keeping this story sweet and fun.

A Viking god and a Swedish princess? Star crossed lovers filming a series on a deserted island for six years? A one night stand so magical, but you left without a note only to meet again in these circumstances? Olivia Dade has done it again with this book! Peter and Maria are so fun and perfect. Fast romance for when you just need something quick! Give it a try!!

I will read anything Olivia Dade writes forever.

I really enjoyed how these two characters were developed both as individuals and as a couple. It was unique in how the book literally started with a bang and then ebbed and flowed from there. I did miss getting to see how their friendship developed over the years - I wish we would've gotten snapshots of that. Maria was an A+ bad-ass character, the kind that most people want to be. Peter was a little frustrating but I warmed up to him quickly. I'll be recommending this one to lots of people once it comes out!

I really enjoyed Peter and Maria as characters. Peter is taciturn and a socially awkward. Maria is bold and a bit stubborn. I loved the lovers to friends to lovers trajectory of their relationship. The reason for the third act break up did not work for me. I found Maria to be unreasonable and the solution to their issue felt contrived.

Thank you Avon for providing a review copy of this book.

This book wrecked me!

I really fell for this one. I was a bit hesitant to start, but OMG, I just love these two together!

Peter is so uncomfortable in his own skin but these two together are fire. Ship Wrecked is funny as heck, smoldering hot, and super sexy! Dade fires up this story with so much detail, wit, and energy you cannot wait to turn the next page!

I simply fell for this story! This is definitely one that you will re-read several times to catch every nuance of the powerful, yet subtle humor and exquisite storyline. I have so much love for this one!