Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade | Fandom Romance at its Finest!! ft. a couple that writes fanfiction

This review will be posted on the blog, One Way Or An Author, on October 5, 2020!

CAN THIS BOOK NOT? To be quite honest, I loved every aspect of this book and found a new author to look out for. Marcus and April are absolutely adorkable, and reading from their perspectives made my heart ache in the BEST of ways. Whether it’s because of April’s strong exterior/soft interior persona, or Marcus’s insecurities and fake celeb personality, these characters have really struck my heart. I love them both individually, and I love how they are as a couple. Full of sparkling wit and fun modern references, SPOILER ALERT pays homage to fandom culture through a romance between a fanfiction-writing celebrity and his beta-reading writer friend and fan. Let the fun begin!

The book starts with both April and Marcus finishing their last days at their job. For April, it’s moving from field work as a geologist to something more office-friendly (and hopefully with a more healthy work environment where she can actually BE herself). For Marcus, it’s finishing his filming of his TV show Gods of the Gate, which is a Greek mythology fantasy with Game of Thrones energy in their following base. At the end of the day, April writes her Gods of the Gate fanfic with the community she’s in, including Marcus’s internet persona. Neither uses real names. When April transitions jobs, she finds the courage to post a cosplay online and immediately gets fatphobic comments. Because Marcus is such a kind soul, he asks her out on Twitter (totally fanfic worthy) and finds out she’s his beta reader during their date! Here’s the thing: he doesn’t really want her to find out…

“Somehow, through fandom, he’d discovered who he was. His own interests. His own talents and possibilities, after decades of pretending to be someone he wasn’t, believe he was someone he wasn’t.”

April is just awesome, hands down. She’s a really strong and capable woman who knows her worth despite body insecurities - a lot of which came from her parents’ pressure growing up. And honestly… I empathize with April so much. Sometimes it’s hard to love yourself when the people who are supposed to be rooting for you are trying to change YOU, as a person. This extends back to her previous romantic relationships as well. I told you April was strong though, right? In SPOILER ALERT, she recognizes that being fat doesn’t define her as a person, talks out about her experience with fatphobia in the fandom community, and seeks healthy relationships that don’t include fat-shaming. Go her!!

Marcus, on the other hand, has major golden retriever energy. During interviews, he pretends to be dim-witted so the spotlight isn’t on him (he’s super humble as well! OKAY softie??). This stems from his childhood of disappointing his prep school parents when he didn’t exactly have a learning curve due to his dyslexia. To cope, he put up a light-hearted facade of someone who doesn’t know/doesn’t care about a lot of things… which he actually does! It’s a protective mechanism for him, and one that April sees through (even if his co-workers and parents can’t). Dade’s execution of April and Marcus learning more about the other and becoming vulnerable is just spot-on. While the pacing may seem a bit fast, I’m also like, “When sparks fly like that… take advantage!”

“‘But I want to know YOU. Marcus Caster-Rupp, not Aeneas. I want to know YOUR story. I’m attracted to YOU. Because what’s hidden, what’s real, is always more interesting and important to me than appearances of performances.’”

Marcus and April’s romantic relationship is just so sweet and soft and lovely and loving. I love how they’re perceptive of each other’s feelings, and their open communication; I love how Marcus NEVER fat shames April and loves her body; I love how April can see past Marcus’s fake personality and coaxes his actual personality out of him; I love how they both love knowledge and are always learning things and are kind of dorks. Something about their relationship brings all the butterflies out in me.

Finally, their friendships top off the story. Aprils slowly finds her fandom people, while Marcus also has his own support through close co-workers. The small bits of fanfic are also a delightful addition to the main story. Overall, if you’re looking for a contemporary romance that will make you laugh and smile from both witty dialogue and swoon-worthy interactions, then spoiler alert: you’re going to love this one. I know I did!

Trigger/Content Warnings: fatphobic language, estranged parents

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for the review copy!

I thought this book was charming and delightful! Marcus and April are two people who are meant to be together, and I loved the pacing and plot of this book as it told their story. Weaving in a backstory of fan-fiction, both April and Marcus had reasons to keep their personal and fandom lives separate, but it made for a revealing insight into their personalities as little snippets through conversations held as their online avatars. It's somewhat astonishing that we're still having conversations about size and dieting in 2020, and I appreciate Olivia's tone as she gave April her own voice in advocating for her ability to live her life as her own person, outside of judgement and criticism. From time to time I found the plot to be devious in it's callbacks to another famous, epic drama that was less well perceived in it's final seasons just as Gate of the Gods was in April and Marcus's world. Highly recommend, especially for those who enjoy well rounded characters, excellent storytelling, and steamy bedroom scenes.

This book is really fun and very different from anything else already out there. It is a romance set in the world of fanfiction. But honestly, even if you've never heard of fanfiction, you'll enjoy it. Great relatable characters, well-paced plot, and lots of good, positive things about body image and how it affects us and our relationships. That really adds some depth.

I’m officially an Olivia Dade fan. It only took one book. I can’t wait to read more. So many things to love about Spoiler Alert. I’ve always been a girl who loves mythology. The hero is an actor on a very popular mythology based show. He is such a hunk. Gorgeous on the outside and inside. The heroine is a curvy girl. Love that. I enjoyed her character. I love the fandom representation. This book is fun and heartwarming. I’m already ready for another one about that couple. It’s going to be good.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

I'm somewhere between a 4 and a 4.5 star on this... and hell, this was so much fun, let's just go with 4.5. I absolutely loved so much of what this book is about -- external conflict rooted in internet & fan culture; smart characters with nuanced portrayals; a slow burn that gets sufficiently steamy; meta textual interstitials that added a lot to the "fun" elements of the story; explicit consent; body positivity & rep for learning special needs... on and on. There really is a lot to like here.
I do think that some of the motivations seemed a little tortured at times, and that would occasionally take me out of the flow of the book. Getting into details on that score would be spoilery, so I will leave it there, but I do think some of the way the plot unfolds didn't flow as smoothly as I'd like. Other than that, though, this was such a fun book that I think will hit the spot for a lot of readers of contemporary romance

This was an amazing read that is exactly what a reader wants out of a contemporary romance!

While being an enjoyable “light” read, it deftly tackles many big issues. Fatphobia and fat representation, especially in the fandom/cosplay world was well addressed. Fanfiction was presented as a real and valid art form, created by writers with a solid grip on the issues inherent in writing with “borrowed” characters. Learning disabilities, all the subtle ways one’s blood family can be toxic and the complicated relationships celebrities have with fans are explored with insight and care.

The romance itself is at times sweet and sexy. Two very well developed characters with very real flaws fall in love and live realistic(ish) lives. The conflict is genuine and the happily ever after feels like a comfortable resolution.

This is a stand out contemporary romance that explores so much more. This was my first work by this author and I can’t wait to dig into her other books and series.

Such an amazing book which can perfectly address your geeky cells with cosplay, fan fiction premise, raise awareness about sensitive and crucial issues including fat-shaming, dyslexia, self-respect and acceptance, emotional parental abusing and finally melt your hearts with adorable protagonists and their pant melting, heart warming love story.

I was so sure after reading the blurb and seeing the incredible cover, I would truly love this book. Thankfully i wasn’t wrong this time!

Marcus Caster Rupp is a charming celebrity , a famous TV star stole too many fans’ hearts with his Aeneas character but everybody including his parents think he is just a pretty face: he is not smart, intelligent, he seems like just dim witted good looking guy.

They couldn’t be so wrong. He has a secret fan fiction persona helps him to come clean his frustrations about tv character. And April Whittier also keeps her secret cosplay hobby and her secret fan fiction persona as unapologetic Lavinia Stan, too. When people think Marcus is only a pretty face with no brain, they also see April with judgmental and biased eyes, criticize her with body-shaming and condescending insults.

But both of them are more than the narrow minded people can see. As they start to date, nobody believed they could last. Because a charming, gorgeous tv star cannot like an overweighted, ordinary geek girl. They are not compatible! Right?

Well, as a powerful answer to those vicious, pretentious and ignorant internet trolls: April and Marcus were so sweet together from the beginning. They had amazing chemistry. Their witty banters made me smile so many times. I adored them as a couple and the best thing about their relationship, they were so good for each other. They both learn to fight against their insecurities and their self acceptance improved. They encourage each other to be happier and better persons even though they keep their cosplay personas as a secret.

So this is not only a lovely romance story, but also a great, motivational, thought provoking feel-good book encourages us to learn to love our selves and discover our inner powers against the people who try to destroy our insecurities with judgmental opinions.

I enjoyed every second of it and I’m giving bright, full, shiny, self confidant 5 stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishers/ Avon for sharing this lovely ARC with me in exchange my honest opinions.

I was incredibly excited to read Spoiler Alert! From the gorgeous cover to the promise of fanfiction, I was hooked. Spoiler Alert was such a great romance, from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the body positivity, dyslexia representation, and the way fanfiction was expertly incorporated. For those who have ever written or read fanfiction, there will be some serious laughs and knowing smiles. If you’re new to the world of fandom, you will quickly be swept up! I liked that while Spoiler Alert draws on a fanfiction trope (celebrity meets fan), the story is unique. There is discussion of fandom life (both online and off), classic tropes, and toxicity in fandoms (in particular fat shaming).

April is a smart and confident character, from her job as a geologist to the intricacies of writing a canon-compliant fic. Marcus is a brilliant actor on many levels and I enjoyed seeing April break through his facade. While Marcus’ show is sadly fictional, you’re absolutely going to wish it was real! Spoiler Alert is filled with delightful moments of hilarity and sweetness. Both characters had high levels of emotional awareness, which is always fantastic to see. Dade demonstrates a deep understanding and knowledge of the world of fandom and fix-it fanfic.

Spoiler Alert made me laugh, smile, and nod with empathy. It was very well-paced and I was sad to reach the last page, but I’m already looking forward to a future book starring Marcus’ best friend. I highly recommend Spoiler Alert if you want a romance that deals with fanfiction, a confident heroine, body positivity, and an adorable couple. Spoiler Alert releases October 6, 2020. In the meantime, you can check out more of Olivia Wade’s work- I know that I will! Thank you to Olivia Dade, Avon, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book too cute!!! I smiled too much! I was too happy while reading!

I requested this ARC on a whim. The cover looked cute and I figured, why not? And I am so glad that I did because this book was all kinds of cute. It was also a very quick and easy read which I completely devoured in one sitting.

My favorite thing about this book is how it is both the epitome of a fluffy romance and yet touches on so many deep and realistic topics. Marcus and April are adorable together and I shipped it from the very first time I even saw the cover. But they are also people dealing with emotional abuse from their respective parents and upbringings. They are both dealing with how the world perceives them due to their physical images.

Everyone (even his parents) thinks Marcus is a dim-witted pretty boy with no emotional or intellectual depth, who has nothing to offer the world other than his looks. Everyone (even her parents) sees April as unattractive due to the fact that she is a plus-sized woman. Everyone is then constantly wondering if Marcus is only pretending to like her since they cannot wrap their minds around the fact that they could end up together.

It was great to see these things discussed between them. It was even better watching the characters develop into people that no only loved each other but also loved themselves and believed in their own self-worth.

I especially liked the way that April was portrayed as a confident woman who didn't much care what the world thought. It wasn't the power of love the suddenly turned her into a strong woman, she was always strong, Marcus just makes her happier.

Overall, I had a great time reading this and I look forward to reading more of the author's books. I smiled so much while reading this book. It was the kind of book that just makes you happy to read, you know? Also, this is getting a sequel starting Marcus' best friend, Alex. I knew from the moment he was introduced in the story that he was getting his own story (titled Slow Burn, coming out June 15th, 2021).

In the end, I totally recommend this for a quick, cute, and generally good read.

First off, I love a good geeky love story. So, I was instantly intrigued by this. This story reminds me of Ashley Polston's YA geek romances, but obviously with adults. We follow two anonymous virtual pen pals that chat through their preferred fanfiction site. Both Marcus and April have descriptive point-of-views. Also, I love to see a body-positive lead in general, and also it brings more diversity to the cosplay community. That's always great to see. Within a few chapters, it's already super cute. It's sort of like the old movie/musical "She Loves Me," where he learns they are fanfic pen pals but keeps her in the dark instead of filling her in. It's fun to read the actual fanfic throughout and their DMs, as a nod to the backstory of the characters and how they met. April is so proud of herself and confident, and I love to see that; even though she's not stick-thin, she still knows her value and deserves the world. Love to see it. It's definitely quite cute for a romance and plenty enjoyable.

I absolutely loved this book. The fat representation Olivia weird writes is so important. She has a special talent for writing multi-layered, flawed characters, and delivers the message time and time again that everyone deserves to be loved.

IN FLOVE with this story! The cover! I'm obsessed with it all!
A-dork-ably sexy, fun, nerdy and heartfelt, Spoiler Alert is the ultimate romance every reader of the genre needs to read.
A mistaken case of identity between a fanfic writer and her celebrity crush who turns out to be her fandom's online best friend. Gasp!

Olivia Dade had all my nerdy cells singing with this one:
the fanfiction, the online community, the online friendship, the online chats, the stans, the cosplay.
All of it brillantly layered with humor and astutely addressing themes such as fat shaming, body image, self-acceptance, dyslexia, representation, social media...

The romance between April and Marcus was #GOALS. Sweet, sexy, nerdy and just enough dirty.
Dade made such a bang up job pairing an unapologetic empowered yet sensistive plus-sized heroine with a male character in touch with his feelings, BOTH not afraid or too stubborn to reassess their actions (hero I conveniently decided was a perfect mix of all the "Chrises". Pine, Evans, Hemsworth, Pratt. Myeah.).

Spoilet Alert was SO FREAKING GOOD and satisfying I couldn't put it down! It was my first book by the author and I want—NEED— more!

This was so much fun! I think that a lot of people will identify with the main character and the romance was adorable. Highly entertaining

I really enjoyed the perspective of this book, but I thought sometimes the follow-through wasn't the best.
The characters were lovely, but I was confused while jumping between fanfic and irl

Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for this eARC

Um, I loved this, yes. The FANFICTION, the descriptions of FRECKLES, the JOKES!

This is basically a shop around the corner/You've Got Mail setup between two shippers of the same couple on an epic mythology-themed show...but Marcus is an actor who plays the Aeneas half of the ship. He is HOT and acts like a himbo, but has hidden depths. April is a Geologist by day and a DEDICATED member of the fandom by night. When she's bullied online because she's a fat woman who posts a cosplay picture, Marcus asks her on a date not knowing that she's his best friend in the fandom...

This book was sweet and funny and basically the ONLY THING I would like to read in a pandemic, which is a problem because I already read it. Both of the main characters are deeply kind and just reallllll nerdy and I want to be friends with them. Also I just want them to be happy.

Also, I WOULD like to watch this Mythology show made with an HBO-sized budget. Please, all we have is the movie Troy and it is not good. Animated Hercules IS good, but no one bangs. Maybe I should watch Xena?

Finally, this book has inspired some ill-advised ideas about dyeing my hair. Someone stop me. I would look cute as a redhead though, I mean, right?

I knew I'd love this book, but I had no idea just how fun it would be to read. The characters are fun and engaging, and Dade knows chemistry so, so well. This romance is a love letter to fandom and fan fiction specifically - the author is fluent and affectionate with the language of fandom, making deft use of the shorthand to expand the relationship and history. I hope there's more in this series, and there's a hint of who it might be. I look forward to seeing what Dade decides to do next.

Oh. My. Goodness. I was in such a reading slump and I picked this up on a whim and I am so glad I did! This was so smart and sweet and incredibly squee! Everything about this book was so wonderful. I absolutely cannot wait for Alex and Lauren's story.

Spoiler Alert is a swoon-worthy romance that every romance reader will keep talking about! It's definitely a page-turner with Olivia Dade's amazing characters and talented writing.

The story follows April Whittier, a fan of the show 'Gods of the Gates', as one of her posts of herself in cosplay goes viral and gets the attention of the star of the show, Marcus. April is such a fan that she writes fan-fic dedicated to the show. So when Marcus publicly asks her out on a date, she is excited and intimidated.

Marcus is the star of the show 'God of the Gates.' He is attractive, smart, and charming. When he sees a post from April, he is intrigued and wants to meet her. Their date doesn't go as planned but they have amazing chemistry. Things get interesting when she admits that she writes fanfiction because she is the woman that he has been beta reading for. Marcus decides to keep the secret to himself so hopefully, it won't backfire.

I loved that Olivia Dade gave us a female character that is real and has curves. April is comfortable in her body but still has her days where she lacks confidence and has doubts like so many of us. She gives readers an equally amazing hero in Marcus as he helps April see that she is perfect the way she is and deserves to be shown love no matter her size.

I also enjoyed the incorporation of fan-fiction. I loved that April and Marcus without knowing started their bond/relationship in a way that allowed them to be open and honest with one another. This only added to their chemistry when they were together.

If you love some steamy scenes in your romance, Olivia Dade doesn't disappoint!! Be prepared to fan yourself because things do get HOT!

I give Spoiler Alert 5 stars. It is a captivating romance that you won't be able to put down. It was so good that I already want to read it again. I can definitely see this book being turned into a Netflix movie or even a show!! This was my first time reading Olivia Dade and she has become my new favorite author!!

She has an amazing friendship with a fellow fan-fic writer that goes by the username Book!AenasWouldNever and he has really helped her writing improve.

As she

This was a super cute book. It was a fast read, with great characters. I will add this author to my must reads. Author has a great voice and character development.

Spoiler Alert is the first book I have read by Olivia Dade. Her books weren't on my radar until I saw my blogger friend Nick recommending her last release, 40-Love. She made that book sound magical, so when I saw Spoiler Alert I decided to read it. I am so, so glad I did.

I'm going to be completely honest here. I didn't read the blurb before starting the book. I didn't realize it had a fan fiction aspect to it. I'm happy I didn't because that might have put me off. Fan fiction within a romance doesn't always go well for me. It did in this book, though. Rather than take away from the story, it enhanced it. I love how it supported the characters and the romance.

That romance... SIGH. What an adorable romance. Marcus and April were utterly perfect for each other. I loved how Marcus could let his guard down with April. I loved how she didn't have to always worry about her insecurities and weight with him. They got each other and accepted each other for who they were deep down. It was such a pleasant experience reading their love for each other. I didn't even mind when they had some drama to deal with.

Individually, Marcus and April had things in their background that they struggled with. Much of it had to do with their parents. Having been someone's child and now someone's parent, I liked seeing how their childhood and adult experiences with their parents shaped them. How it all went down was great.

We don't get a ton of time with other side characters in this book, but there were a couple notable ones. Alex was hilarious. I am so curious about his working relationship with Lauren. I was pleased to find out they are getting a book. I also enjoyed April's co-workers.

There wasn't anything I didn't love about Spoiler Alert. I guess if I had to nitpick something I could say that there needed to be more between Marcus and April about the resolution of their problems. Still, that wouldn't make me give this book less than 5 stars. It was a fantastic read that I would highly recommend.