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A review by bethanycrowepowell
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
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
4.0
This tropelicious romance marries fandom escapism with intensely felt angst in a sweet (if well-spiced) fast read.
I am a fan of Talia Hibbert's Brown Sisters books, and found a great companion to them in this series, launched by our fabulous fat cosplaying heroine April and dyslexic fake-Hollywood-himbo secret fic-writer Marcus. I enjoyed the fact that even while trope-aware some of the turns in their relationship that are so clearly mapped out by good drama writing were delivered on fully. I'm a sucker for alter egos as romantic rivals, and the angst of having kept a big secret (of the alter ego) was on point.
Good fun, with neat representation that grappled with real world issues in a nuanced way.
I am a fan of Talia Hibbert's Brown Sisters books, and found a great companion to them in this series, launched by our fabulous fat cosplaying heroine April and dyslexic fake-Hollywood-himbo secret fic-writer Marcus. I enjoyed the fact that even while trope-aware some of the turns in their relationship that are so clearly mapped out by good drama writing were delivered on fully. I'm a sucker for alter egos as romantic rivals, and the angst of having kept a big secret (of the alter ego) was on point.
Good fun, with neat representation that grappled with real world issues in a nuanced way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia and Sexual content
Minor: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, and Body shaming
Our heroine knows she's taking a risk posting her cosplay, but it's never treated as foregone conclusion that she gets online hate for it. She grapples with parental body shaming from a standpoint of having worked hard to accept herself but having to draw boundaries to protect herself. Her partner is always affirming, and she confronts folks in her fandom about fatphobic tropes in their writing to mostly positive responses. This series represents different levels of comfort and acceptance of bodies and neurodiversity, which I appreciate, and while Marcus and April both deal with unaccepting parents, other protagonists deal with different kinds of emotional baggage. I love when an author is thoughtful on a level of their body of work, not just at a book level.