I had the opportunity to download this book as a digital ARC from Avon and NetGalley.

I'm a nerd girl at heart. So I love to reading about people who are nerds and have nerdly interests. One thing a lot of nerdly people do is write fanfiction. Funnily enough I've never read or written fan fiction, even though I know the lingo, but I adore reading books about people who do. And that was the case here.

Almost everything about this book was completely adorable. The meet cute that was done both online and the real world. The fact that both April and Marcus were huge fanfic writers. The way they genuinely cared each other before even knowing what the other looked like and then how it grew when they met each other. The body positivity that April had throughout the book was inspiring as well Marcus's acceptance that his learning disability didn't make him any less intelligent than anyone out there. It wasn't as apparent when I was reading it but now, thinking back, one thing that set this book apart is that the journey of self-love was as important as the romantic one. Both Marcus and April still had work to do in that regard a lot of which came down to having to set boundaries with their family members. It is a hard thing to have to do.

Here's your warning that slight spoilers are ahead:
The one thing that did strike me is that a lot of their snags and pitfalls came from a complete lack of communication or not setting the proper expectations. They also let their past hurts have a lot to do with how they interpreted something that said by the other person. This happened more with April than Marcus with her understandable sensitivity to talk about food and not requesting to not be left alone when they visited her parents. And yes Marcus should have been honest about how they met but honestly, the thought of violating an NDA is terrifying, no matter how much money you make.. And someone as smart as April was should have known that. Yes in the moment she was hurt, and it was a rightful anger; but still....as pragmatic as she was, the Logic part of her brain should have chimed in harder. I will admit that this may have knocked off a star if that lightbulb hadn't turned on in her head at some point.

No more spoilers (heh sorry not sorry for that):
Ultimately though they realized they both messed up, they made their apologies and were able to move on. Marcus loved April just the way she was and vice versa. They bonded over mutual interests but also let each other have their own and encouraged them in that. They were also fiercely protective of each other to the point of acting as buffers between their respective parents which sometimes is more of a testament to love than one would think. This read had it all; a sweet and steamy love affair as well as self-love and realization that we do not have to change for anyone even our parents. . Five out of five....would recommend.

Spoiler alert (I am terrible I know), I'm pals with the author on Twitter and she was a panelist at the library virtual program I hosted this year, so I am a bit biased in this review. Others have also written better, more thorough reviews so please check them out!

But, for real, Spoiler Alert is a truly magnificent romance. You'll get weepy from the author's dedication and throughout, at times laughing through some misty tears and then swooning too. Dade writes such wonderfully sincere and sensitive characters, and April and Marcus are some of her best.

I'm charmed and delighted every time I imagine Marcus writing his fanfic, and mooning over his internet best friend. I'm but a casual observer of the fic communities, but this book both rewards the deeply invested fans and those like me who may be ready to jump in after reading this romance.

Plus, the secondary characters! I am so ready to hear more stories (ALEX) from these background baes.

Funny, tender, and wonderfully romantic, I loved this book so much.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reading copy!

Omg, this book is so good. Five huge stars. Not only a emotional love story but a soothing, snarky balm for aggrieved Game of Thrones fans everywhere. Zero pulled punches and I was delighted to the depths of my soul.

There’s so much going on his this book, in the best way, but basically here’s the gist: April, a fanfic writing geologist, shares a cosplay pic on Twitter and it goes viral. When trolls are trolly about her weight, the tweet catches the attention of Marcus, one of Gods of the Gates’ star actors. And he asks her out on a date. Little did the two of them realize, but they’ve been friends/falling for each other in their fanfic community for years.

Soooooooooo. Good.

It took me way too long to finish this book because my reading brain is sludge right now and it just won’t cooperate. Very frustrating. But please read this one! Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

April Whittier is starting a new job, and with it, she's turning over a new leaf. She is going to establish better relationships with her new coworkers, she refuses to be ashamed about her interests in cosplay, and she won't let anyone body shame her for being fat. Her first act is to post a picture of herself in cosplay of her favorite show on Twitter, which is immediately attacked by fat-shaming trolls. But it is seen by Marcus Caster-Rupp, star of the show, who asks April out on a date. It isn't until they're actually out on that date that he realizes he already knows her - because Marcus secretly also writes fanfiction and has been chatting anonymously with her for years.

While their attraction is a little too immediate for my taste, the way their relationship develops is really entertaining. Marcus and April have similar difficulties in their family histories, and it's sweet to see how they support each other in dealing with those things. It was also fun to watch the author's approach to fandom through Marcus and April's writing and interactions with other fans and actors. The lighthearted nature of the fandom contrasted a bit with the serious issues of body-shaming and ableism, but I appreciated both sides of the story just the same.

Spoiler Alert is a book about fandoms and fanfic, friendships, and self-image.

Marcus lives a double life. Primarily as one of the actors on a Game of Thrones-esque television series, but also as a corrective fanfic writer using an anonymous pen name.

April is a hard core fanfic writer, who has kept her love under wraps. But with some life changes going on, she has decided to make her fandom public. Which catches Marcus’s eye.

The main issues covered in this story are self-image (for both of them!), fat shaming (online and in person), online friendships (YAY Romancelandia!), and acceptance.

I loved the descriptions and outtakes of Marcus’s precious roles...they are hilarious! I would 1000% read them as stories! But I would’ve liked a little more closure on one side character’s situation…

This was my first book by Olivia Dade’s, and I will be reading more! This gets 4 stars.

Kudos to the cover! Too many book covers do not look like the description of the characters inside the book. Spoiler Alert is a contemporary romance whose main characters meet in the world of fan-fiction. It also has a true plus size heroine.

April is 36, successful in her field of geology and writes for and helps run a group of fan-fiction writers involved with a tv show similar to Game of Thrones. She is comfortable with her body, sexuality and abilities. April isn't looking to be changed but wants someone to love her for her.

Marcus is 39, gorgeous and plays Aeneas on the popular tv show. He has perfected his handsome but not bright persona that he shows the world. In real life he struggles with dyslexia and loves to write fan fiction for his own series. When April posts a photo on twitter and is mocked for her size Marcus asks her on a date. She isn't sure if it is for real or a publicity stunt.

Olivia Dade makes the fantastic setup believable. I think it helps that the author made her leads more mature. They are more resilient and ready to resist others that would put them down. For me the book slows down with the between chapters fan fiction. But only because the format and acronyms were new to me. To a fan-fiction fan it would enhance the authenticity of the book. I can read the fan-fiction and follow how it relates to the story. I also for the first time had to look up a definition of a word that was used repeatably in the fan fiction. (It set my grown daughter into gales of laughter.) It is great to never stop learning.

I will look forward to other books by the author. Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for an ARC ebook in exchange for a honest review.

In the awfulness that was the first week of October, Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade managed to provide an extremely fun and relatable escape. It's a contemporary romance that's well-written, authentic, and delightful. We're following geologist April, a superfan of the book and TV series Gods of the Gates (a Game of Thrones-esque series) who spends her free time immersed in fanfiction, cosplay, and fandom culture as a whole. A Twitter encounter with Marcus, the lead actor on the TV series and a closet superfan/fanfiction author himself, leads them to a real-life date--but it turns out that they're already close friends online, which Marcus soon realizes but April doesn't.

First of all, I loved that both protagonists are in their 30s; as a 31-year-old, it's sometimes hard to relate to contemporary romances featuring 22-year-olds, and I liked that both main characters are career-focused and looking to take themselves to the next level. I also related so much to April's struggles with reconciling her professional life and her personal life when it comes to fandom. There's discussion about how some hobbies are more socially acceptable than others, and how it's become normalized to talk about football with your coworkers but not things like fan conventions; even though Gods of the Gates is an extremely popular show, April worries her coworkers won't see her as serious or professional if they find out the depth of her interest. (Kind of like how, even though books are an integral part of pop culture, I didn't talk to my coworkers about going to BookCon; it's as though there is a perceived threshold of how much interest is socially acceptable to have about a particular topic). There's a lot to think about there with regard to feeling comfortable in your own skin.

Spoiler Alert is a great mix of relatable life and relationship issues with larger-than-life celebrity and fandom drama, and I think there are so many people who will be able to relate to one or both protagonists. I know that some readers don't love the romance trope of "one character knows something about the other but won't say that they know it," so it may bother some people that Marcus realizes that he and April have been internet friends for years but doesn't tell her, because he's worried about his fandom involvement affecting his acting career (especially because his commentary on the show he stars in has not been entirely positive). 

Definitely recommend to readers with ties to fandom, and to career-focused thirtysomethings looking to see themselves in a fictional character and enjoy a good romance at the same time.

I received an eARC of Spoiler Alert from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Avon for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

Trigger Warnings: parental abuse (emotional and verbal), mention of a co-worker being racist and misogynistic, parent being fatphobic, use of b*rber, parent being ableist, cyber-bulling.

This book is the perfect contemporary for those of us that don’t normally read contemporary. I apologize for wanting some magic in my life.

This book has the best fat rep. Let me remind people of something. Just because an author is plus size does not always mean the representation is going to be ethical and considerate. A lot of us struggle with internalized fatphobia and that’s very apparent in some books by plus size authors. This is not one of those books.

Dade does not shy away from describing the curves of April’s body. She shines the spotlight on April’s body like she’s very keenly aware that we shouldn’t be afraid looking at ourselves with love. To have a heroine so adamant that she be treated with love, not in spite of her body, is beautiful. April does not struggle with internalized fatphobia unlike what many ownvoices reviewers have stated for the heroines in previous publications, such as One To Watch.

April decides she’s had it with fatphobic people. She no longer wants to hide herself or her body. She enters a contest for her favorite fandom, Gods of the Gates (think GOT but a fantasy interpretation of the Aeneid). She dresses up as Lavinia and experiences an overwhelming amount of love but also cyberbullying. In response, the actor that plays Aeneas asks her out on a date. They actually have a really amazing time. But, he finds out she’s his beta reader for the a03 lavinias server.

Marcus is dyslexic. It takes him more time to think about things, particularly when reading. When he was young, his parents emotionally and verbally abused him. They actively still treat him like his career is worthless, insinuating that he is not worth unconditional love. They make him feel he’s something less for his disability. In a lot of ways his parents reminded me of my own teachers as well as my own father. It does a lot of damage to a person to be constantly told you’re stupid. When you grow up like that, you don’t have any self confidence. It’s an uphill battle trying to convince yourself that you’re worthy of love. It is hard to convince yourself you are intelligent when all you’ve known is abuse.

Marcus thinks April will not want to be with him. He’s not a very trusting person. Both April and Marcus have a lot of trust issues that they help each other through. They cry on each other’s shoulders, tell each other about their parents, and what they’ve endured in life because of their parents.

I love it when two people that have experienced something traumatic lean on each other and teach each other about relationships. It reminds me that those of us that have been through trauma mess up a lot but we’re still worthy of love.

I love that Marcus loves April’s body but doesn’t fetishize her as something exotic because of her largeness. He’s considerate to check his privilege and emotions in considering April’s feelings. He’s ethical about his online relationships by making sure everyone knows his age, gender, and sexual orientation. When he does mess up he doesn’t push her to try to change her mind but still makes sure to go through his mistakes by owning up to them.

Marcus is afraid of telling her. He likes April. He really likes her and doesn’t want to lose her. The more time that passes, the more afraid he becomes of losing her. Marcus is very soft and bashful. He’s relatable to me. They both are but Marcus’ experiences with ableism are very in line with a lot of what I have experienced. I don’t have dyslexia but I am neurodivergent. I relate the way he’s hiding himself from love.

This book is very cathartic to those of us that hated the way Game of Thrones treated women. It is very meta in that way. This is a book that is fanfiction about fanfiction writers falling in love only to realize one of them is the actor to their favorite fandom. It’s very four walls but cute about it.

I would like to speak about a problem that made up a lot of the novel. April doesn’t connect the dots until about 80 percent into the book. Despite this, April notes how similar Marcus is to her online friend. It is almost like a deliberate finger pointing over and over. We even get snippets of his stories echoing the very things that occured in their relationships. It feels a little like shoving the reader through the door. The author wants us to realize that April is thinking about it but isn’t assuming. Instead this makes her seem like she’s blatantly ignoring something even though it’s placed right in front of her.

Another issue I had has to due with a word that I did not expect to be in here. There’s a reference to North African Amazigh kings but the author uses B*erber, meaning barbarian and therefore a slur against Amazigh. It may not be well known but it is both an author’s and their editor’s responsibility to check ethics. It is my responsibility to check this to warn reviewers, particularly those that have been harmed by this word.

I also found it odd how BIPOC don’t really seem to have a place in this book but are brought up for what seems to be detail in the world building of Dade’s world without really considering making BIPOC more than just as a conversation piece. We barely get to know April’s former co-worker Bashir. The one time we do see him is through a conversation about a racist and misogynistic co-worker.

Another point that concerns BIPOC is the Gods of the Gates community conversation that SFF readers and Romance readers have over and over again. The historical inaccuracy conversation. I love that this is brought up but I would have loved it not to have been controlled by 2 white people in a book that is for the most only bringing up this conversation when BIPOC are mostly absent from the book.

I want to make it clear that even though I did have a lot of issues with some things that doesn’t mean I don’t still recommend reading this book. I absolutely recommend reading Spoiler Alert, especially for plus size readers. There’s also some problems as well and I want to be honest about that, especially for readers that may be harmed by these problems. This is a great romance but even great romances have some problems. I think Olivia Dade has an amazing talent. Once I picked this up, I could not put it down. Her voice is addictive and feminist. I needed to read a heroine like April more than I ever knew.

Happy Pub Day to “Spoiler Alert”, an absolute delight of a book! This was my first Olivia Dade book, and I will now be binge-reading all of her other books! It’s no secret that I am a lover of fanfiction – or actually, it was a secret when I was younger and embarrassed about it lol, but I have now embraced it – and this book was like reading a love letter to fanfiction writers and fans.

It follows April, a badass geologist (ROCKS!) and secret writer of ~usually erotic~ fanfiction for the popular tv series, “God of the Gates” (which definitely gave me “Game of Thrones” vibes). She has been hiding her fandom life from her “real” life, but after moving to the Bay Area for a new job, she decides to post a picture of her “God of the Gates” cosplay to her twitter – and it goes viral! When Marcus Caster-Rupp, the star of the show, sees her photo and asks her out to spite some online trolls, April agrees. But it seems like Marcus may have a secret fandom identity of his own…

This book actually had me laughing out loud at points – mostly during the interstitials. I loved that Dade included snippets of scripts, fanfic, and DM’s between the chapters. They were so smart, funny, and fun – while also showcasing the foundation of April and Marcus’s online relationship. I also snickered anytime there was very obvious shade thrown at “Game of Thrones” and its god-awful showrunners, as I was a fan of the show way back when. Along with the criticism of the sexism, ableism, and fatphobia rampant in Hollywood and mainstream media came genuine respect and love for fandom, which I really appreciated. Where a lot of writers poke fun at fanfiction and its fans, Dade instead writes her writers with care, appreciation, and a genuine understanding of the loving communities that fandoms can be.

Overall, I would heartily recommend this book! It was fluffy and fun, but it also dealt with some very important and very real issues including but not limited to: difficulties with parents, anxiety, dyslexia, fat-shaming, and loneliness.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for this amazing ARC!

This started off so, so promising! I gushed about it in my most recent vlog as I began to read. The little digs at GoT were chefs kiss (yes, I’m still butt hurt about the last two seasons), the fan fiction forums and fun reimagining of what Gods of the Gates could have been, the secret identities and anticipation of “when will they find out?!”: all of this promised an amazing setup. BUT a few things just didn’t work for me. Marcus, the star of Gods of the Gates who pretends to be an empty headed pretty boy, moonlights as Book!AneasWouldNever and developed a deep, years long friendship with UnapologeticLaviniaStan. Fate brings them together when April posts a full-body photo of herself in cosplay, trolls attack her, and Marcus asks her out on a date, completely unaware that she is his beta reader and internet friend. Problem #1 - The Secret Identity. Marcus finds out very early that April writes fan fiction under Unapologetic Lavinia Stan. His reason for not coming clean about his own secret fanfic persona is because of his job.... He trusts her with a ton of other very personal and private things about himself, but oddly doesn’t trust her to not ruin his acting career so that he can be open and honest while IN A RELATIONSHIP with her. Problem #2 - Undesirability as a plus-size woman becomes huge plot point, creates conflict, is harped on constantly. I know the world hates fat people. I don’t need it to be pointed out over and over again in my romances! Please, please can I have romances that don’t center weight as a personal conflict? There are a million other things that can be going on in a plus-size character’s life that has nothing to do with her constantly dealing with being fat-shamed by loved ones and strangers alike. It’s exhausting to read about no matter how realistic. I loved how April struggled with meshing her fandom-loving, cosplaying, fan fiction writing self with her professional life. Being open and honest about who she is and showing her face at cons without shame of being labeled “weird”. THAT is what I’m interested in!

If I had to pick one author I’m happy to have discovered in 2020, Olivia Dade is that author. Not only did she go above and beyond to get me an ARC of Spoiler Alert but her books are just phenomenal. I actually read Spoiler Alert twice already. The first time was months ago when I got the ARC and then read was just for me. The second was last weekend and that read was to write this review. Honestly, even after the second read, trying to find the words to describe how much I loved Spoiler Alert and what it means to me is difficult.

I’m a curvy woman. I’ve been a curvy woman since about puberty/ high school. I generally accept my body for what it is and do my best to find things to love about it. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t look in the mirror or at photos and wish things were different. I know everyone does. Seeing April on the cover of this book, seeing the other covers of Olivia Dade’s books, made me realize how rare it is to see a heroine with my body type on the cover of a romance. And in a romance where the hero loves her so completely and totally as Marcus loves April. For that alone, I will always love this book. There is decisions of fat-shaming in this book and toxic parental relationship around weight and they both broke my heart and set me, via April, free. April faces down her mother and demands that their relationship change or it’s over. She makes the incredibly hard decision to demand that her mother respects her wishes about her weight. That scene is so tough and yet expertly crafted. The love between April and her mom is there but it’s tinged by the toxic comments and the “helpful” tips that only serve to break April time and time again. To stand up to that takes immense courage and the realization that things need to change and the willingness to not compromise if they don’t. And that’s just one scene in this powerful and beautiful book. Marcus has similarly powerful scenes with his issues with his own parents.

April is a geologist and so much of her job is to look beneath the surface. That is the a running theme in the book. April is able to see beneath the surface of Marcus’s carefully crafted persona to the man beneath. Both April and Marcus are at the crossroads in their lives when they met. April is moving to a new job, one where she is determined to be open with her coworkers about her cosplay and fanfiction life. Marcus’s show, which has defined him for the last 7 years, is over and he needs to determine his next move.

When they meet, in the cutest way possible, a celebrity asking out a fan who is getting negative internet comments, the sparks fly once April digs beneath Marcus’s surface. Marcus has a big secret that he’s forced to keep from April even as their relationship progresses. I was hesitant about this part. I’m not the biggest fan of “secret identity” issues in romances. It breaks into the trust forming between the characters. I think Olivia Dade handled this really well and I didn’t get the sense of dread upon discovery that I usually get. I knew Marcus would find a way to prove to April his love and devotion despite this secret. And that while April will be hurt, and rightfully so, she will recognize that their previous bond will only make their relationship stronger.

There are just so many things I love about this book. The friendship between Marcus and Alex and their obsession with British baking shows and claggy sponges (so freaking excited for Lauren and Alex’s book next!) The bonds developing between April and her new coworkers. The little scenes from Marcus’s other movies. That I wanted and then didn’t want because of the ending, Gods of the Gate to be an actual show. And the fanfiction. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not really into fanfiction. In my early days of romance, I went through a phase of reading Pride and Prejudice fanfiction. It didn’t last very long because I discovered both that, A. people actually wrote books that were Pride and Prejudice fanfictions, and B. I starting reading more and more romance. So I was never in the fanfiction community. In many ways, the fanfiction community in Spoiler Alert felt similar to that of Romancelandia. Less writing retellings or AU of stories but the way people interact and how the stories are broken down and discussed and the excitement of book events and meeting people in person for the first time. So in that respect, the fanfiction scenes were familiar.

There is honestly so much to love about this book. My review could go on and on. But I think I should end it with a simple and heartfelt plea to read this book. I truly believe that there is something in this story for everyone.

Spoiler Alert is a complicated, sweet, steamy, emotional, romantic comedy that explores issues of hiding parts of yourself, self-esteem, self-identity, self-acceptance, learning disabilities, fat-shaming, freeing yourself from parental and societal baggage and damaging relationships, and learning to accept love without needing to earn it. Told with alternating flashbacks between the present and the past, the novel explores the development of the relationship between Marcus Caster-Rupp, star of popular TV show Gods of the Gates, and April Whittier, a huge fan of the show. Readers who are into online fandoms and fanfiction may get a kick out of the in jokes and the character’s fandom lifestyles which are captured from an insider’s perspective with lively, detailed, and colorful description with crisp writing and pacing that brings the story to life and keeps the story moving from beginning to end without any lags. The characters both primary and secondary are well-developed and relatable in their imperfections.

Both Marcus and April are living secret lives, but who would have thought that those secrets were so intricately connected. Marcus discovered fanfiction, writing fic for the show’s most popular ship on the Internet—Aeneas/Lavinia, as a way of dealing with his frustrations with his character Aeneas’ arc, but it became so much more to him. However, it must stay a secret, or it can cost him his career. April not only writes fanfiction for her OTP Aeneas/Lavinia, but she also creates and dresses up like her favorite characters in cosplay, both of which she keeps hidden and separate from her real life.

Plus-sized, April is brave, confident, independent, and at peace with her body, and she doesn’t have time for people in her life who cannot accept her without trying to change her. Tired of hiding her fandom life, she posts a picture of herself from a con dressed as Lavinia, which goes viral. The online community reacts to her picture with positive replies from supporters and cruel comments from trolls. Marcus sees the photo and the comments and asks her out on a date to shut the trolls down, at first.

While Marcus is seriously into April from the first moment he first sees her, April is not into it, or him, at all. I love just how much Marcus is all about April and her body and wants her as she is, especially since she is not just a few pounds overweight like usual in romances. Marcus is used to people being into him for shallow reasons and wanting him for the façade he puts on for the world without ever looking beyond it. But April just was not. Not only that, but she was determined to get past that and find the real Marcus. Once they get past their awful first date, the chemistry between these two is fiery and they provide balance for each other’s lives. Marcus and April helped each other reach that last step of growth that they had been needing to achieve, giving them the courage to do those things they needed to do to become their better selves.

With refreshing characters, a fascinating story, and charming storytelling, Spoiler Alert is a moving and entertaining love story that is not to be missed.

April is a talented geologist, but her true passion is writing fanfiction for Gods of the Gates, a series of books based on the Aeneid, which turned into a popular fantasy series on television. April’s favorite ship is Lavinia/Aeneas.

Little does she know that her best online fanfic buddy is secretly Marcus, one of the stars of the show.

Meanwhile, when Marcus sees April’s Lavinia cosplay photo on Twitter, he feels compelled to ask her out. She tells him about her fanfic, but he can’t bring himself to confess *his* fanfic identity.

Okay, I need to stop talking because I’m going to say too much. Needless to say, I loved the intersection of fanfic and celebrity dating. The interludes with snippets of fanfic are fascinating and it was surprisingly easy to immerse myself into a fictional fandom.

April is a plus-sized heroine, and while she’s far from the first, it’s so pleasant to see her comfortable with herself. She doesn’t hate herself, she doesn’t need a man to complete her life, she doesn’t need a makeover, and she’s not trying to lose weight.

Marcus might look like a Hollywood golden boy, but he’s far more complicated than he appears. As I’ve mentioned, he writes fanfic about the show that he’s on. He’s also dyslexic, which was a major source of contention for him growing up with two hyperintellectual professors who didn’t understand their son’s learning disability.

I would absolutely recommend Spoiler Alert. April and Marcus work so well together; their chemistry is amazing on so many levels, and they’re easily one of my favorite contemporary romance couples. The fandom aspect is spot-on, and all the fanfic references had me alternating between smiling fondly and nodding in agreement. I’m already looking forward to the next book in this series. Who does it feature? Lol, I’m not going to tell you—you’ll have to read the book.



I received a copy of this book from Avon/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Spoiler Alert is fluffy fanfic meets unexpected emotional depth. On the fluffy side, you have the gorgeous leading man of a Game of Thrones-type show asking out an ordinary woman after internet trolls attack her cosplay. On the less sunny side, you have two protagonists with realistic emotional baggage. Author Olivia Dade blends the light and the dark beautifully, making this a most enjoyable tale.

April is a geologist who has secretly been writing Gods of the Gates fanfic for years, mostly about her favorite ship, Lavinia and Aeneas. After years of keeping it a secret, April is finally owning her online alter ego and I loved her enthusiasm for her work and her fandom. She is also a plus size heroine and one of the things I loved most about this book is that Ms. Dade does fat rep so incredibly well. She gets how even someone who loves the way she looks can be hurt over and over, both by loved ones and hateful trolls. April is a strong, smart heroine with confidence but she can be incredibly vulnerable. She felt real, flaws and all. And her flaws are realistic ones, though sometimes unpleasant. She’s been hurt so often that when Marcus unwittingly triggers her she shuts down. But these flaws make her human and add depth; they also provided her the opportunity to grow.

And speaking of Marcus… *sigh* He has one of the softest hearts I’ve ever read in a hero and I just loved that about him. He’s been deeply hurt by people who should have loved him so he doesn’t let many come close. He plays the part of the handsome and sweet but incredibly dim actor and few see beneath the surface. Marcus is caring, considerate, and goes out of his way to make sure others are comfortable… He’s almost too perfect but that marshmallow heart just got me. It was sometimes hard to watch Marcus’s feelings get stepped on when he accidentally triggers April. But those ups and downs also helped him as he slowly comes out of his shell. He’s not happy where he’s at, but he’s afraid to let the real Marcus be seen. I was rooting for him every step of the way and I loved Marcus’s journey. From opening up about his dyslexia to watching his fanfic writing develop to following him as he decided how he wanted to shape his post-Gods of the Gates career, his personal journey kept me engaged.

The romance is the heart of Spoiler Alert and it was entertaining, though not my favorite part of the story. Marcus and April have instant chemistry once he stops playing a role and captures her interest. I liked them together and of course I wanted them to get their happily ever after, but I personally found their character growth to be more engaging. The obstacles in their path are primarily internal and though I won’t spoil the third act drama, it’s safe to say readers will spot it coming from the very beginning. Whether or not you find this satisfying is really a matter of personal taste.

Secondary characters round out Spoiler Alert wonderfully well. I enjoyed Marcus’s costars and would love to read about most of them. In particular, I cannot wait to see what’s in store for Marcus’s irrepressible best friend, Alex. All in all, I really liked Spoiler Alert; it’s sweet and fluffy but can pack a punch in unexpected moments.

This was my first book by this author and I loved it SO MUCH. Everything about it was fantastic and I'm still all up in my feels over it!

Marcus Caster-Rupp is an actor on a world famous fantasy television show. But, whenever he gets frustrated with his character's storyline, he takes to the world of fan fiction. Using his online handle, he's anonymous. He can write about whatever he wants and no one knows its him, which is perfect since his job would be in jeopardy if anyone found out! So he keeps his two worlds separate, until they accidentally collide.

April Whittier is a geologist, and as a consultant, she's always had to worry about being "hire-able." But, now that she has changed jobs, she feels free to let her geek flag fly. She writes fan-fiction about her favorite couple on the biggest show on TV. She also cosplays as characters, and has always posted the photos of her costumes without her face, to avoid any issues. Now that she is able to be more open, she's going to take advantage of it. But, when she posts her cosplay photo online, and there are some rude comments about her weight, the actor from the show comments positively on her post, AND asks her out! She's not sure this is real life, but she can't turn down his invitation.

April and Marcus had amazing chemistry right away, especially when he relaxed a bit from his typical public persona of "handsome and sweet, but dumb." But, when April confesses her fanfic handle to him, and he realizes that she is his best online friend, and they've been reading and editing each others fics for years, he doesn't know what to do! He can't reveal himself, because if she tells ANYONE and it gets out, his career could be over. But he feels he can't continue to correspond with her as his online persona, when he's seeing her in person as himself. It presents quite the quandary, since he DOES want to see her again. Even once they get closer, he isn't sure how to come clean about that one thing, though he does tell her so many other things he's never told anyone else: about his childhood, and his personal struggles. April also hasn't told him everything about her own struggles with her parents, and her plans for the future in that regard.

April and Marcus were so clearly perfect for each other, but they couldn't seem to get out of their own way fast enough to avoid the pitfalls they kept finding along the way. Each of them struggled with telling their truths about their pasts, and how it was affecting their present, as well as their possible future together. Both characters were so lovable, and had been hurt so much in the past, that I found myself always wanting to hug them.

There were SO MANY hilarious parallels to the Game of Thrones world in this story: the show, the books, the fandom, the fanfic, and especially the ship of Jaime and Brienne, aka Braime. While I agreed with some points made, and not necessarily with others, it was funny to see it dramatized in this way.

I really related to April as a character. Thankfully my relationship with my parents is not nearly so fraught or toxic, but I could always feel where she was coming from, and how their behavior was hurting her. She and Marcus both had to overcome TREMENDOUS trust issues, that had lingered with them throughout their lives, in order to find a way to be together for good. It was handled so well, and so believably.

The side characters here were so fun and interesting too! I'm SO EXCITED to find out that Marcus' best friend and co-star Alex will be the hero in the next book, along with his assigned "minder," Lauren. There was a big side-plot point regarding him that was left open that we will clearly see more about in his own book! I will be looking forward to it!

tl;dr: TEN THOUSAND STARS

Are you salty as fuck about how Game of Thrones ended? Have you spent time surfing the “Pegging” tag on AO3? (sorry Mom that I am talking about pegging on the internet again) Do you yearn for more fat romance heroines? Cease your peregrinations, your search is at an end! Olivia Dade is here for her you with her latest novel Spoiler Alert, which is all about a fat fanfiction-writing geologist who goes on a date with the star of the biggest fantasy show of our time (who secretly also writes fanfiction). It’s not Game of Thrones! But it’s definitely Game of Thrones! Please someone page the burn ward, as I will be delivering Benioff and Weiss to them posthaste!

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

I am very excited about this book but will endeavor to calmly ennumerate the reasons for my joy. A of all, I loved the representation of fanfic writers. Olivia Dade is obviously a woman with a healthy Marked for Later list on AO3 if you know what I mean, and it was wonderful to see not one but two protagonists for whom fandom is a joyful escape. Is it realistic? TO HELL WITH REALISTIC. I have not lived through half a year of pandemic to answer your quibbling questions about whether Oscar Isaac writes Finnpoe fanfic in his spare time (he does). April and Marcus Caster-Rupp write Aeneas/Lavinia fic for fun and I loved both that general premise and also the specific thing of the fandom believing that one specific character on the show enjoys pegging. This is the kind of fandom specificity I am here for in fiction.

Secondly, the romance was extremely lovely. Marcus and April are two people who, for vastly different reasons, have a hard time letting their guard down around new people. April has recently moved from a job that makes her miserable to one she believes will make her happy, and she’s resolved to be open about her interests, including fanfiction, but that doesn’t mean she’s not nervous about it. Marcus will, of course, risk losing all his future jobs if it comes out that he’s a fic writer, let alone one who’s been openly critical about the direction the last few seasons of his show have taken. So it’s extra great to see the characters being open and vulnerable with each other, even though you do know there is going to be a Reckoning when April eventually finds out that Marcus has an alternate identity as a close fandom friend of hers.

I also loved Dade’s depiction of one protagonist who’s fat and another who’s dyslexic. Both of them are adults who have officially figured out where they stand on weight and disability, and April in particular refuses to allow fatphobia into her life. It was great to see such a clear depiction of the fact that fatphobia and ableism are often/?always? rooted in the other person’s own issues. When April and Marcus talk about their parents’ disappointment in them, it’s clear that the parents aren’t responding to the children they have, but rather to some idea of what they wanted their own lives to be. It’s not about whether April and Marcus are happy or healthy or professionally satisfied — it’s about how they differ from what someone else, for reasons of their own, thinks they should be like.

Notably, this also means that Spoiler Alert is on the pro side when it comes to familial estrangement. I reviewed another romance novel recently that was more equivocal about the Regrets You Might Have around cutting off contact with shit family members, but Spoiler Alert comes down hard on the side of not hurting yourself by spending time with people who are supposed to love you but instead perpetually undermine you. That is my position as well! Feel free to set boundaries, beloved friends, and if your familial relationships are consistently more harmful than healing, it is a-okay to stop expending effort on them. April and Marcus know this on behalf of each other, but struggle to know it for themselves.

Furthermore, if like me you derive at least 20% of your enjoyment of romance novels from the hints that the author drops about other books in the series, you will not be disappointed in Spoiler Alert. Marcus’s co-star Alex is a loose cannon who has been assigned a minder called Lauren whom he finds very annoying OR DOES HE??? Alex also writes secret fic about his character, Cupid, getting pegged. Can’t say enough about the majesty of this character choice by Olivia Dade. I say again, TEN THOUSAND STARS, can’t wait for the sequel.

Run, do not walk, to your local book purveyor to purchase Spoiler Alert. I truly truly loved it.

Note: I received an e-ARC of Spoiler Alert from the publisher for review consideration. This has not affected the contents of my review.

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
Stand alone novel

Goodreads info: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50496918-spoiler-alert

Marcus is the star of a popular show called Gods of the Gates. He is also popular in the fanfiction world with an anonymous poster name. April is also huge into the fanfiction, creating many of her own and dressing up as a character from the show. She finally posts her picture for everyone to see, giving a real face and body to the well known fanfiction creator. This results in plenty of support and fat shaming alike. Marcus comes to her rescue by publicly asking her out on a date.

This was a little hard for me to get into, because so much of the book is based around their fanfiction love. I wasn't a big fan of the flash backs and message shots that separated the chapters. But when Marcus and April were together, I enjoyed it. I really liked April, she had a friendly, strong, and positive attitude. I liked the way she handled life in general, but especially people that troll people with some extra chub. I thought the relationship was made super believable and I definitely felt they were truly falling in love. Both have real flaws and baggage they have to deal with. I also was happy the story was focused on the romance of the couple and not a bunch of other crazy nonsense.

I also loved that it's written in 3rd person. I really wish more contemporary was written in this style. I feel so much more involved with the characters with that style. I give 3.5 rounded to 4. This book left me feeling good, positive body vibes, self acceptance, and love in my heart.

New favorite romance! Spoiler Alert was absolutely perfect and I'll be recommending it to every single romance reader I meet. It was fat positive and body positive; I loved that the book touched on fatphobia online and specifically within fandom communities. April was such a likeable character and I love how confident she was. This book also had sex scenes that normalized rolls and stretch marks, which was awesome.

The romance between April and Marcus was super sweet and swoon-worthy. In the past I haven't really enjoyed celebrity romance tropes, but Marcus was so sweet and real and down-to-earth that I didn't mind him being uber hot and famous. I also really appreciated the neurodivergent rep--Marcus is dyslexic and has struggled a lot with not meeting his academic parents' expectations for him. Marcus is an incredibly vulnerable character who keeps so much of himself hidden, and you'll just want to give him a big hug.

The Bay Area setting was wonderful, and I also loved the added touches about April's job as a geologist! Spoiler Alert also touches on issues like racism and sexism within the entertainment industry as well as the fandom community. I loved that Marcus was super feminist and took that into consideration with how he picked his roles. Game of Thrones fans will particularly get a big kick out of this book.

This is definitely one of the best romances I've read in 2020 and one of the first books to really hold my attention recently. I adored it and am definitely going to read more by Olivia Dade!

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade is a contemporary romance currently scheduled for release on October 6 2020. Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. While the world knows him as Aeneas, the star of the biggest show on TV, Gods of the Gates, he's known to fanfiction readers as Book!AeneasWouldNever, an anonymous and popular poster. Marcus is able to get out his own frustrations with his character through his stories, especially the ones that feature the internet’s favorite couple to ship, Aeneas and Lavinia. But if anyone ever found out about his online persona, he’d be fired. April Whittier has secrets of her own. A hardcore Lavinia fan, she’s hidden her fanfiction and cosplay hobby from her “real life” for years—but not anymore. When she decides to post her latest Lavinia creation on Twitter, her photo goes viral. Trolls and supporters alike are commenting on her plus-size take, but when Marcus, one half of her OTP, sees her pic and asks her out on a date to spite her critics, she realizes life is really stranger than fanfiction. Even though their first date is a disaster, Marcus quickly realizes that he wants much more from April than a one-time publicity stunt. And when he discovers she’s actually Unapologetic Lavinia Stan, his closest fandom friend, he has one more huge secret to hide from her. With love and Marcus’s career on the line, can the two of them stop hiding once and for all, or will a match made in fandom end up prematurely cancelled?

Spoiler Alert is a lovely romance that handles some hard topics with grace. Neither April or Marcus have the greatest relationship with their parents, and the self doubt and pain from their formative years has had a serious effect on them both. Marcus hides behind his good looks and charm, while April has decided to stop hiding all together. They each had issues, fears, and complicated feelings about themselves. Seeing them not just come together, but come to grips with themselves, their lives, their families, and their friends was so wonderful to see. Self confidence, weight shaming, dyslexia, family dynamics, and the wonders of fan fiction were all written about in such real and respectful ways that I would love this book even if the story was less than stellar. Thankfully, the story was wonderful and watching the interaction and growth of the characters, and the introduction of a wonderful cast of secondary characters, that I look forward to reading the next book from the author. In fact, I am a little sad that I am going to have to wait a year to read Alex's story- because I wanted that book about five minutes after meeting Alex in this book.

Spoiler Alert is a wonderful romance that will speak to just about everyone.

Marcus Caster-Rupp is a heartthrob and a lead actor in Gods of the Gates, a Game of Thrones fan-base type show. They’ve just concluded filming the final season and Marcus is highly disappointed because of the subpar scripts. So he gives himself an outlet, he writes Gods of the Gates fanfic under a secret identity, and if anyone found out, his Hollywood career would be over.

April Whitter is tired of hiding so much of her true self, that she loves cosplay and writing Gods of the Gates fanfic. She knows reputation is everything in her current field, so she’s never shown anyone her real-self. But now she’s got a new job and is slowly letting her in-person and online worlds merge, including letting her online friends her what she looks like.

When April takes a personal risk and posts a cosplay photo of herself on Twitter, one that reveals her larger size, several a-holes retweet it and call her names, tagging Marcus in the process. He stands up for her, calling her beautiful, and asks her out on a date to show those jerks he means what he says. Little does either know that the other is secretly their online, fanfic writing best friend.

Marcus and April are such a wonderful breath of fresh air. Both smart and talented, and each learning how to reveal their true selves to the world. April is confident and able to brush off the whispers and hurtful behavior of strangers, but takes a chance to open up to Marcus and her new coworkers. She’s also learning how to stand up for herself with her parents. She is blossoming as she allows all pieces of herself to merge.

Marcus is similar in many ways, but he hides his true self behind a public persona, wrapping it around himself like a shield. Around April, however, he can’t help opening up, which creates small cracks in his armor. He realizes quickly he’s head over heals and lets her in, yet he hides the one secret that he knows will end things.

I just love Olivia Dade’s storytelling. I love her characters - they have flaws, but are willing to admit when they are wrong - willing to stand up for what they believe in - willing to work on the hard parts. They make mistakes and move past them, growing stronger. And this is why Marcus and April work so well. Watching them accidentally hurt one other brakes my heart, but seeing how they deal with mistakes in such a mature manner brings me utter joy.

Spoiler Alert is a wonderful, fun romance staring two amazing main characters. Ms. Dade writes real, lovable characters, and I look forward to more stories set in this world.

My Rating: A-