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shortforvalkyrie's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I found the sex scenes more embarrassing than steamy, but I generally enjoyed this book!
Moderate: Fatphobia
lisacanteven's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Started reading Olivia Dade with At First Spite and loved it. This one didn't quite hit like AFS did. I did enjoy it, but I just didn't feel the chemistry between the characters. Maybe it's because the man was blonde- who really knows. I did love the fat rep, and I thought it was very well done. As a fat woman, I appreciate how Dade portrays her fat characters. I wouldn't mind the male love interest being fat as well eventually.
The way Dade wrote about April's parents almost did me in. I feel like she put my parents on the page. I just wish I could be as bold and strong as April. I wish boundaries came that easy to me. I'm working on it in therapy. And it sounds like April had done a lot of work on boundary setting as well. It gave me hope as someone who is working too. I love emotionally mature characters, in romance especially.
However, I did not like a main aspect of the plot.I don't condone how long the secret between the two of them was kept. I knew there would be a third act breakup, and the closer it got to the end without the secret coming to light the less I knew I would like the book. I do not like a quick and rushed third act breakup. In fact I would say we should retire that trope. I also hate when characters sleep together and one is keeping a huge secret. YUCK. I think what I hid behind the spoiler tag is what really prevented me from connecting to this story. I found myself hardly listening during the whole second half of the book because I was mad at a main character and anticipating a 3rd act breakup the entire time.
And then half the pages left after the breakup were spent on two side characters who I assume will be in the next book. But there were a lot of pages that could have been spent resolving the conflict so that it wasn't done in mere sentences. Pacing was weird. Idk how to explain it more than what is under the spoiler tag. Pacing was very weird.
I'm not sure if I would have read this if I had known what it was like beforehand because I'm not a fanfic girly. I don't think there is anything wrong with fanfic, but it's never been my scene. However, I am glad I didn't know because I actually found this to be a very enduring look into a fanfic community. I enjoyed learning about a topic that is very unknown to me. I would be interested to know how readers feel who are in those communities. Does Dade do a good job representing that?
I will continue this series because I do think I really would like this series if the plot does not include the tropes in this one. Harlot's Bay is superior though, so if you haven't read At First Spite, you should asap.
The way Dade wrote about April's parents almost did me in. I feel like she put my parents on the page. I just wish I could be as bold and strong as April. I wish boundaries came that easy to me. I'm working on it in therapy. And it sounds like April had done a lot of work on boundary setting as well. It gave me hope as someone who is working too. I love emotionally mature characters, in romance especially.
However, I did not like a main aspect of the plot.
I'm not sure if I would have read this if I had known what it was like beforehand because I'm not a fanfic girly. I don't think there is anything wrong with fanfic, but it's never been my scene. However, I am glad I didn't know because I actually found this to be a very enduring look into a fanfic community. I enjoyed learning about a topic that is very unknown to me. I would be interested to know how readers feel who are in those communities. Does Dade do a good job representing that?
I will continue this series because I do think I really would like this series if the plot does not include the tropes in this one. Harlot's Bay is superior though, so if you haven't read At First Spite, you should asap.
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia
julia51's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Fatphobia and Sexual content
sammietee's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Fatphobia
lenaricharz's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
the_rabble's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is the first romance book I've reread for kicks. It slaps.
The plot is very fun and I highly recommend for fat people, neurodiverse people, fanfic writers of all stripes, anyone who was invested in Game of Thrones (the crew gets love while D&D's analogs get dragged immediately and often) or other book-to-series adaptations. There's also a solid amount of geology imagery and puns.
Both main characters are extremely charming, complete people with relatable traumahe has dyslexia, she's fat, and they've both been independently emotionally terrorized by their parents.
Dade doesn't cut corners on how the experiences of her characters would impact their choices and emotional states while maintaining characters that feel like smart, emotionally intelligent adults. The relationship's emotional and physical intimacy is top notch, which is noteworthy during afalse identity plot.
It's pretty fun.
The plot is very fun and I highly recommend for fat people, neurodiverse people, fanfic writers of all stripes, anyone who was invested in Game of Thrones (the crew gets love while D&D's analogs get dragged immediately and often) or other book-to-series adaptations. There's also a solid amount of geology imagery and puns.
Both main characters are extremely charming, complete people with relatable trauma
Dade doesn't cut corners on how the experiences of her characters would impact their choices and emotional states while maintaining characters that feel like smart, emotionally intelligent adults. The relationship's emotional and physical intimacy is top notch, which is noteworthy during a
It's pretty fun.
Graphic: Ableism and Fatphobia
renpuspita's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I read one of this book's review that stated the story feels like a self-insert pairing with Nikolas Coster-Waldau (you know, Jamie Lannister) and..somehow I agree. Heck, Marcus full name, Marcus Caster-Rupp kinda rhyme with Coster-Waldau, lol. I really, REALLY want to love Spoiler Alert. I bought the book because I like the cover, the representation of plus size woman since I'm myself also fat too, the premise that seems interesting despite I'm not that familiar with fanfiction world. However, April kinda grated my nerves. For a woman age 36, a same age with me when I read this book, she acts like a teenager or in early 20-ish when it's come to her treatment to Marcus. I got that her low self-esteem issues come from fat-shaming that she received from her parents, but I hate that mostly she assumed things regarding Marcus's act to her.
At first, when Marcus invite April to do a workout and she bristled, she internally accused Marcus based on her own interpretation without try to confirm with him first. Then, when April want Marcus to accompany her in her family home but Marcus choose with her estranged father instead in a ploy to protect her feelings, April getting hurt because again..assuming things even she said it's her own fault. Girl, this is a con-rom not a science fiction, please communicate properly since April and Marcus are adult in their latest 30-ish. Don't expect your significant other can guess your thoughts if you don't talk to him. When it's come to the climax in which Marcus confess that he's April's fanfic best friend, Book!Aeneas Would Never, I just feel tired with the drama. Marcus think that he's a drama queen, while the actual drama queen is April.
I also dislike how Marcus try to protect April's feeling. Reading how he' try to be careful regarding of what he will said or will act toward April make me stressful because I KNOW how it's feel to be Marcus. How you always second guessed your actions regarding your loved ones's feeling, since you scared that you will hurt them since their egos apparently as fragile as a glass. I know that both Marcus and April comes with so much emotional baggage and the trust between them is a thing that hard to be earned. I just don't like how it was written because what Marcus try to do best for everything hit too close to home. A funny thing because at first I think I will relate to April because our sameness in physical matter and how I too often got fat-shaming with people around me, but turn out that I feel sympathetic more toward Marcus. As for how Marcus portrayed to be a feminist and a green flag man walking bordering to "too good to be true" category it's can be perceived as author's wish fulfillment and I don't mind it. This book is clearly a fiction and we need some escapism in our fiction. Although, I agree with a reviewer that state that Marcus's identity as fanfic writer is sketchy as best. Like..if I find an actor suddenly become part of my community fandom I will really freaked out.
Despite the characters weaknesses, I did enjoy the fanfic parts since I'm not familiar with it. I also liked that April is a geologist consultant since I once studied geology in my civil engineering class, although I wish the geology parts will be explained more but seems like Dade want to focus to April as a fans of the show Gate of Gods. I also think some of criticism toward the final season of Gate of Gods that derived from the source materials might be mirrored the fans frustration feelings towards last season of Game of Thrones. I'm not watching GoT (yet), but I knew the disappointment that ensues. The steamy sex scenes are well written and I can said that it's one of the plus point of this book. Dade sure knows how to write a scorching hot sex scenes, phew. Although...yeah, things proceed so fast since you can said that what happen to Marcus and April can be considered as an insta-lust at first, so if you love your romance to be a slow burn sadly this book didn't have it.
Next book is about Alex Woodroe and I do like his devil-may-care attitude. But, since I feel that Spoiler Alert is just a so so and some part irritated me so, better to not have a high expectation for book 2 and 3 (that I already bought 🥲).
At first, when Marcus invite April to do a workout and she bristled, she internally accused Marcus based on her own interpretation without try to confirm with him first. Then, when April want Marcus to accompany her in her family home but Marcus choose with her estranged father instead in a ploy to protect her feelings, April getting hurt because again..assuming things even she said it's her own fault. Girl, this is a con-rom not a science fiction, please communicate properly since April and Marcus are adult in their latest 30-ish. Don't expect your significant other can guess your thoughts if you don't talk to him. When it's come to the climax in which Marcus confess that he's April's fanfic best friend, Book!Aeneas Would Never, I just feel tired with the drama. Marcus think that he's a drama queen, while the actual drama queen is April.
I also dislike how Marcus try to protect April's feeling. Reading how he' try to be careful regarding of what he will said or will act toward April make me stressful because I KNOW how it's feel to be Marcus. How you always second guessed your actions regarding your loved ones's feeling, since you scared that you will hurt them since their egos apparently as fragile as a glass. I know that both Marcus and April comes with so much emotional baggage and the trust between them is a thing that hard to be earned. I just don't like how it was written because what Marcus try to do best for everything hit too close to home. A funny thing because at first I think I will relate to April because our sameness in physical matter and how I too often got fat-shaming with people around me, but turn out that I feel sympathetic more toward Marcus. As for how Marcus portrayed to be a feminist and a green flag man walking bordering to "too good to be true" category it's can be perceived as author's wish fulfillment and I don't mind it. This book is clearly a fiction and we need some escapism in our fiction. Although, I agree with a reviewer that state that Marcus's identity as fanfic writer is sketchy as best. Like..if I find an actor suddenly become part of my community fandom I will really freaked out.
Despite the characters weaknesses, I did enjoy the fanfic parts since I'm not familiar with it. I also liked that April is a geologist consultant since I once studied geology in my civil engineering class, although I wish the geology parts will be explained more but seems like Dade want to focus to April as a fans of the show Gate of Gods. I also think some of criticism toward the final season of Gate of Gods that derived from the source materials might be mirrored the fans frustration feelings towards last season of Game of Thrones. I'm not watching GoT (yet), but I knew the disappointment that ensues. The steamy sex scenes are well written and I can said that it's one of the plus point of this book. Dade sure knows how to write a scorching hot sex scenes, phew. Although...yeah, things proceed so fast since you can said that what happen to Marcus and April can be considered as an insta-lust at first, so if you love your romance to be a slow burn sadly this book didn't have it.
Next book is about Alex Woodroe and I do like his devil-may-care attitude. But, since I feel that Spoiler Alert is just a so so and some part irritated me so, better to not have a high expectation for book 2 and 3 (that I already bought 🥲).
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Bullying
booksandteatime's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Emotional abuse
thereadinghammock's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I love Marcus and April's dynamic. Their communication was so nice, and befitting of two adults well past the drama of dating in one's early 20's. I totally understood Marcus's hesitancy telling her he was her internet best friend, because first-- who would believe him?? Second the threat to his career, the legal actions?? But the eventual blow up when it came out was 100% expected, and 100% as heartbreaking for both of them as anticipated. I'm glad April was able to unpack a lot of that on her own and it didn't require Marcus to grovel for them to find their way back to each other. While the fanfiction angle didn't strike gold for me as a reader, I appreciated the love letter to AO3 that was so much of this book.
Graphic: Fatphobia and Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming
krzzykitty92's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Fatphobia