Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! I always enjoy Olivia Dade, but this is my favorite from her yet! When Athena is dumped by her fiance, she is left with a 10 foot wide house in Harlot’s Bay that she bought for a wedding present. She moves in to only be confronted constantly with her ex-fiances brother Matthew - who was the one who convinced him to dump Athena.As she comes up with revenge strategies, she realizes that Matthew is actually much nicer than he seems and attraction follows! This book was hard to read at parts with very serious content warnings - but overall, this book was really sweet, particularly the care that Matthew gives Athena when she’s struggling with depression. Some of those caregiving scenes were so tender and sweet, they’ll stick with me for a long time. Matthew is my new standard for book boyfriends. I had some issues with this book that I won’t bring up here because of spoilers, but overall this book is a solid 5 stars because I laughed, cried, and loved the characters' growth and happy ending. I recommend this book for fans of Olivia Dade, mental health representation, contemporary romance, and great banter.

Olivia Dade strikes again! This book was sweet, funny, and full of heart. Her protagonist reads like a fully fleshed out person and her love interest is adorable and perfect for her. Their conflicts are believable and the plot was a lot of fun, even during the harder parts of the book. Highly recommend!!

I was really looking forward to reading this book but I was a little disappointed. I didn’t love the premise, two brothers and she falls for the wrong one. It felt disjointed to me and i had to make myself finish the book, 3 stars.

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

What a wonderful start to a new series by Olivia Dade! Dade continues to shine and embrace body diversity through her heroines. Dade's writing is sensual, engaging and romantic. Her characters are charming, and dimensional with relatable problems. I also found that Dade took a lot of care while developing this story and her heroine's depression. At First Spite is delicious and emotional. This novel really explores what it means to have a soul mate or someone who truly connects with you and makes you a stronger person. I loved this small town feel. I loved our hero, he is sexy and caring. I loved our heroine who is bold and smart. I loved watching these two grow together as they learn that they might be the perfect partner for the other. Dade imbues this novel with humor and heart even while exploring how depression can effect someone's every day life. I love that this novel was not all about the easy and sexy part of falling in love, I love that we see the hero care for the heroine when she is unable to take care of herself and her space. If you are looking for a romance that shows both the hero and heroine at the highs and lows, and learning how to understand and support each other, than this novel is for you.

I would highly recommend this novel and Olivia Dade. I am excited to watch this series grow and blossom!

What a delightfully sexy, swoony, emotional read. Olivia Dade is such a master of contemporary romance and that continues to be the case here with what might be my new favorite book from her, ever. Too many laugh-out-loud lines to count, and genuinely was waiting for the moment when these two kids finally got together because HOO BOY, it was worth the wait. I’m in love with the new start to this series and I can’t wait for more.

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

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I LOVE LOVE LOVED Olivia Dade’s Spoiler alert series so I was excited to get her latest on @Netgalley.

So I’m not a big fan of the whole ex-fiancé’s brother storyline. ESPECIALLY when he was the one trying to break them up 🤮 but Dade makes it tolerable.

The spice was spicing but otherwise, not my favorite of hers.

I did love the plus size FMC and the mental health representation but that was about it for me.

I wouldn't say this was bad, per se, but there was just something... unsatisfying about the second half of this story. For me, I just didn't like the trajectory of the story after the setup. Nothing was done poorly, and I think the more sensitive topics that were broached here (past loss of a family member, current battles with depression) were handled gracefully-- but it just didn't quite work for me.

Preface: This really hurts! Olivia Dade is one of my auto buy authors. I absolutely love that she includes characters that are plus sized and/or have mental health issues. However, due to recent events in my life, I am struggling with depression and this book triggered me. I don’t normally get triggered from books, so I wasn’t expecting to hit me like it did.

At First Spite follows Athena, Johnny, and Matthew. In the beginning, Athena and Johnny are engaged when he calls off the wedding shortly before the big day…all because his big brother, Matthew, tells him to. Athena then moves to Harlot Bay into the house she bought as a wedding gift for Johnny, but who ends up being her neighbor? Matthew Vine the Third.

I wanted to love this one, but in the end, I was frustrated with the choices that were being made by all of the characters. I don’t think either brother deserved to be with Athena. I almost DNFed this one, but I ended up finishing it out only to be disappointed in Matthew’s choice.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Olivia Dade, Avon, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

First, how cute is the cover?! Second, I really liked this book. I enjoyed and connected with both Athena and Matthew. Athena was a nurturing, caring character. The way she took care of Matthew made me swoon.

The banter was amazing. The spicy was spicing. I laughed more than once while reading. But it is also a rollercoaster of emotions, so strap in and enjoy the ride.

This book really got me in the feels. We have Athena who is engaged to be married to Johnny. She was excited to start their new life together in the small town of Harlot's Bay. The only damper on their plans is Johnny's brother, Matthew, who has vehemently opposed the union. Matthew has basically raised Johnny and is always looking out for him. He doesn't believe the match is a good one and doubles down on this after meeting Athena at their engagement party. After he's successful, with Johnny breaking off the engagement, Athena finds herself living next door to her ex in a 10-foot wide "spite" house. And Matthew on the other side of that.

Athena felt like a fully formed character. She is sassy and resilient but also has real problems and challenges. I enjoyed the contrast between Matthew's gruff exterior and his secretly super-sweet inner character. He can't help but watch over Athena and make sure she is okay. And when Athena is decidedly not okay he steps in as any classic cinnamon roll hero would do. The banter between these two is great. The chemistry is real. The character growth is wonderful.

For content warnings, there is reference to depression and the loss of a sibling. Having been there myself, I found the scenes surrounding depression worked really well and were handled with such care.

Olivia Dade always delivers a great story however this one feels extra special. I loved the small-town feel of the book and the townspeople that come into Athena's life. I'm super excited to have more to read in Harlot's Bay in future novels.

Olivia Dade’s At First Spite is the first in her new contemporary romance series Harlot’s Bay, named after the residence of the characters in Harlot’s Bay, Maryland. It’s a romantic comedy, but does deal with some pretty heavy emotional themes (the author prefaces the story with a content note). If a book can make me laugh, make me cry, and linger in my memory for days, it’s a winner and well deserving of a Desert Isle Keeper rating.

Athena Graydon thought her engagement to Johnny Vine and a move to Harlot’s Bay was going to be the first notch in climbing a ladder to a more stable and successful life. But overhearing Johnny’s brother Matthew tell Johnny that the engagement was a mistake, and Johnny’s subsequent dumping of her strikes a blow to her plans and her self-esteem. If only she hadn’t bought the tiny house - nicknamed the Spite House by local residents - that’s next to Johnny’s as an engagement gift for him with all her savings! The plans to combine the two houses into one are now irrevocably broken. Athena is stuck with the house as her own, and lo and behold if it doesn’t bring her right back in the vicinity of her nemesis Matthew, who, infuriatingly, lives across the alley facing her.

Job hunting in the local town leads to few prospects, though Athena does manage to get some temporary jobs. All the while she thinks and acts on ways to spite Matthew for his interference in her relationship with Johnny. What she doesn’t know is the reasoning behind Matthew’s actions and words, nor does she know to what lengths he is going behind her back in the attempt to try to make amends.

Matthew feels terrible about how Athena feels, even though he’s convinced that they would never have been a happy couple together so it was the right decision for Johnny to break up with her. He also feels guilty about his attraction to her, something that had started before he knew exactly who she was. Now it’s double the guilt, for ruining her life AND being attracted to his brother’s former fiancée. Gradually, thanks to their close proximity and Matthew’s kind and attentive manner, Athena is able to forgive him and friendship blooms, followed eventually by deeper feelings. But can Athena trust Matthew with her heart after having him break it once already?

This romance has several deeply emotional scenes that intersperse with the more comedic and funny moments. It’s clear early on that Matthew is grieving a loss that has affected him since he was a child. He is very protective of Johnny, having become a surrogate parent when their parents divorced, and as such, he’s always acted more in Johnny’s best interests rather than his own, leaving him frustrated, exhausted and lonely most of the time. The character reminded me of Martin in the author’s Teach Me (a top ten book of mine in 2019) – a really nice guy challenged by life’s often difficult circumstances. Having Athena across the alleyway from him is temptation and torture. But he goes out of his way to be friendly and pleasant to her in public and supportive in private, gradually winning her over to understanding that he really isn’t the bad guy she’s made him out to be. And maybe, just maybe, he might have been right that marriage to Johnny would have been a mistake.

By mid-point in the story, Athena’s thoughts and actions have slipped into something more serious than ‘the blues’ and Matthew’s concern for her as she goes missing from the public eye has him braving his own fears to check up on her. Athena is clinically depressed and the author does an admirable job of describing her condition, the circumstances leading up to and during the episode, and the hard work of pulling herself out of it with the help of therapy and Matthew’s attention. It’s heartwrenching and heartwarming all at once. But the end result is to put Athena on a better path, and one from which she can now see a future with Matthew and a chance to really put down roots in Harlot’s Bay.

The secondary characters are well-rounded and add those small town details one expects with a few exceptions – namely that the surly baker Karl likes monster erotica and listens to it in his bakery at full volume prior to opening hours, and that some of the residents have formed a Nasty Wenches book club that exclusively reads erotic romance. This definitely adds to the comedic parts of the story. The character growth of Athena, Matthew, and Johnny (who is away on the pre-planned and paid for (by Matthew) honeymoon trip without Athena when she moves into the Spite House but returns to Harlot’s Bay) is sometimes painful but believable and leads the way towards a satisfying happy ending for everyone. At First Spite is definitely a contender for my top ten list this year and is highly recommended. I eagerly await the next in the series!

This book was typical Dade fashion, an adorable romcom, but Dade added a lot more depth into this one. As someone who has struggled with depression and letting negative thoughts overwhelm them, this felt like a “Yes, exactly this” read. During Athena’s low times and spiral down I recognized a parallel between us. And the way Dr. Matthew Vine came in and supported her……(caveat it’s not the same for everyone) but for me Vine was the perfect partner. Dade’s writing in those chapters between the 2 mains, who were struggling with real life issues made me feel as if I was finally exhaling a breathe I didn’t know I was holding.

This book made me laugh and tear up, it was well done. It’s great to see authors stepping away from the usual troupes and writing about real life struggles. I’m giving this a 3.25 and thank you NetGalley & Avon for the ARC

I love Olivia Dade and her representation of plus-size girls like myself. Her books are very positive and uplifting to everyone and has amazing romance throughout.

i love olivia dade! give me a plus size icon anytime. the writing is funny and the stories are entertaining. im always happy to read a book by this author.

This book was EVERYTHING to me! I adored everything about this. Both of our main characters have some grump to them, and that worked really well for me. The depression representation, along with the representation of a supportive partner had me sobbing at work. Athena truly was a force to be reckoned with, and I love that she lived in the "Spite House" after being left by her fiance at the love interest, Matthew's insistence. Their chemistry is off the charts, but Matthew is truly the most supportive partner. The scene where he draws her a bath literally is the best scene depicting the truths of depression I have ever read. I will forever love Olivia Dade for giving the world this book. ALL THE STARS!!!!

This book was sexy, funny, and heartbreaking all at once.

Athena and Matthew's relationship starts out a bit rocky since Athena was engaged to Matthew's brother and he was trying to break them up...
Athena ends up single after Matthew convinces his brother to leave her. This results in her losing basically everything since she quit her job and spent all her money on a spite house that's located right next to her ex fiancé's home since she was under the impression that they were going to spend the rest of their lives together...

Athena and Matthew's relationship develops slowly and naturally. There is no instant forgiveness or excessive groveling that can sometimes turn me off as a reader. Dade takes us through Athena's grief while handling her characters depression in a delicate way. I like that Matthew slowly becomes a love interest and isn't immediately seen as a romantic option. They work though their issues first and clear up any distrust before making substantial romantic gestures.

Along with the sad parts, there were many laugh out loud moments in this book. I loved the use of "professor Google" and Athena's *spicy* book club. I found all the characters to be charming and easy to love.

4/5

Rounded up from 4.5⭐️

I loved this romance! As always, Olivia Dade writes another great, body positive romance. It was incredibly sweet, at times spicy, and overall so full of heart! I was reading it in between meetings, during bathroom runs all so I could read just one more paragraph.

I love how when reading romances you can let go of some of your morals. In real life, would I be okay with someone ending up with their brother’s ex-fiancee? No. I’d tell him to check his priorities. But in a romance, I will 100% root for them. And in this book specifically, the particular circumstances, plus Olivia Dade’s writing leave you with no scruples.

Depression plays a big part in this book and I really loved the way it was handled, it felt so real. Starting from just the dedication I was already starting to get feels. “For my husband, who climbed into the shower with me, grabbed the soap, and helped take care of me when I couldn’t take care of myself.” While depression is a big part of the story, it’s balanced well with lots of laughter, optimism and pranks in a way that it still feels lighthearted overall. I liked that therapy wasn’t presented as a fix-all solution. I appreciated that depression wasn’t just used as a single plot point, it was a part of who Athena was throughout.

Matthew is the sweetest of sweethearts and I found his cluelessness about memes and most internet related trends endearing. He’s so thoughtful and selfless, he makes for the best book boyfriend.

Although this does have a third act breakup, I think it aligned well with the characters and their situations. I don’t think it could have really worked out any other way.

Were there things that I found a bit eye-roll-y? Sure. Especially the chicken-man was a little too lame for me. But, it didn’t take me out of the book enough to matter.

I already know who I want book 2 of the Harlot’s Bay series to be about, and I will definitely be reading it.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

Olivia Dade knows how to tell a love story, this book is no different. Forced to move in a house between her very recent ex-fiancé and his brother, who encouraged the breakup, Athena has hit rock bottom. Not only is this a love story but also a story of a woman finding herself. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

No, this book is amazing wow. Like if you have the chance to read it, get it. Do it. You won't be disappointed. This got to me, I cried buckets of tears while reading it, feeling everything Olivia Dade wrote in the pages of this book. The romance is beautiful and special and so soft and everything. Matthew and Athena are perfect for each other and I'm literally so glad they were able to find each other.

Be in a good headspace but RUN DON'T WALK to pick this book up!

Is the premise ridiculous and unrealistic? Maybe. Do the characters act the way that's a little convenient? Yeah. But the representation in this book had me crying at work... I related to Athena on such a personal level, going through those dark days of depression, when the simple tasks feel like walking through sludge.

The bathtub scene? Wrecked me. Olivia handled such an intimate, personal moment, but still was able to keep it light with some humor.