This is such a great read. I have never felt so seen in a romance novel. Dade writes about the experiences large women in a world that wants them to stop taking up space. It is not the focus of the book, but there are definitely details that I have never seen in a romance novel before (such as how embarrassing and painful air travel can be).

At the same time, this is a funny book. I laughed out loud repeatedly and greatly enjoyed the banter between Alex and Lauren. They spend the novel becoming friends, then lovers, and then learning to love themselves. It is powerful and enjoyable. And for those who loves Spoiler Alert, don’t worry, this book has some fun fan fiction elements too.

I always used to be afraid to read romance novels that dealt with the lives of a plus size woman, as often she either has to undergo a makeover or the hero loves her despite her size. This book includes neither of those things. Lauren doesn’t miraculously change, and Alex loves everything about her. It was wonderful! Thank you Dade for another great book. Now I really wish her librarian series wasn’t out of print.

You don’t have to have read Spoiler Alert to enjoy this book, but it does introduce the characters and the plots overlap a bit. And, honestly, it is also a really fun read. So just read them both! You won’t regret it.

Trigger warning for discussion of domestic violence.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in return for a fair review.

First off, a huge thanks to NetGalley and Olivia Dade for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest and fair review.  I'm just getting back into officially reviewing books and I appreciate the kindness.

Now on to 'All The Feels",  We hear this a lot lately, that representation matters, representation in all forms, being able to see yourself as the heroine, or main love interest of a story isn't something you expect when you're short, round and not necessarily conventionally attractive.  I had high hopes  after reading the first book in this series, Spoiler Alert, then I saw the cover for this one and saw me, Lauren looks so much like me, I feel like I am Lauren, I am fragile, geeky, loving, ride or die.

This is going to hopefully be as spoiler free as I can make it.  The story overlaps its timeline with the first book, so we see all of our fave Gods of the Gates friends, and we explore their group dynamic and friendship further. 

The plot is full of all your favorite bits from various tropes. and we delve into even more tropes through fanfiction and AO3. It's the Olivia Dade we all love, her pacing, her cadence, very specific fandom references that I think we can all recognize and appreciate. And honestly, as a person who was really displeased with the last couple of seasons of GoT please know that no scorn is spared for their GoG counterparts the dragging is epically enjoyable.

The main characters are complex, and layered and it all unfolds at an excellent pace, popping in some surprises along the way. It's a must read if you enjoyed the first in the series, are a geek, love fanfic, or never thought you were the type of gal someone would pine for. 10/10 would recommend.

This book is addictive! Sooooo sweet!

The writing was wonderful and funny but it was also reflective and honest at times and the humor was evenly spread through the book, which is important for a good rom-com.
Alex and Lauren are both so well developed and so loveable, and their chemistry was THROUGH THE ROOF!

Overall, I loved this book and I can definitely see myself rereading multiple times it in the future.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

BIG HARPY ENERGY!!! Alex and Lauren are everything I was hoping for. They served the fanfic dreams, with a mix of snark and humor. If you want:
-grumpy sunshine but he’s the sunshine
-self love
-one bed trope
-ROAD TRIP
-friends to lovers
And more, this book is absolutely for you. I cannot rave enough about how much I enjoyed watching the relationship between Alex and Lauren grow, and seeing how they care for each other but also exist as individual characters. There’s a continued theme from book one of involving show details, fanfic, etc and it’s simply perfect. A 5 star escape for any nerd who dreams of love!

Olivia Dade does it again! I thoroughly enjoyed Spoiler Alert, and this was a great follow up. Alex was an amazing leading man, and Lauren was a totally relatable leading lady. This had some of my favorite tropes, although they're also the ones that make me the craziest (self-sacrificing, not communicating, THERE'S ONLY ONE BED!). I was intrigued by Alex in Spoiler Alert, and I was so excited to see his story and learn about Lauren's role in his life.

At the end of the day, I really appreciate that Olivia Dade writes romance novels that incorporate fandom, neurodivergence, and plus women and the men who love them. It's really hard to be mad about this.

LOVED THIS! The banter in this book was sublime! I loved Alex and "Nanny Clegg" so much. The characters were so real and relatable. The storyline was a fun return to the world created in "Spoiler Alert". So much fun and such a great read. Can't wait for another from Dade and this series!!

All the Feels is an appropriately titled book. I felt all the feels. Alex is pure chaos. He is fiercely loyal, loves hard, and just can't seem to keep himself from doing what's right, even (especially) at his own expense. Lauren is supposed to be his nanny, a shadow intended to keep him from spoiling the final season of Gods of the Gates before it airs. The thing is, Alex (along with all the other cast members) hates that final season, and when given the choice between his career and standing up against misogynist pricks, he chooses the latter. Despite her absolute bafflement at Alex's abysmal self-preservation instincts, Lauren begins to admire Alex, and the business arrangement turned friendship just keeps evolving. Perfect for any romance fan, All the Feels is a delightful follow up to Spoiler Alert!

Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for this eARC!

This was one of my most anticipated 2021 titles. I loved <i>Spoiler Alert</i>, and could not wait for this one. Worth the wait!

Alex and Lauren meet when she's assigned by his TV show (the same big-budget mythology epic from the first book which I would still like to be a real thing) to "mind" him after he has a little punching incident in a Spanish bar. Like his BFF Marcus, Alex writes fix-it fics about their show in his spare time. The fanfic is less present in this book than in the first, but still matters (and, yes, there's #onlyonebed).

Alex and Lauren's relationship, sparked by nonstop togetherness and a California road trip, is super sweet, and development as individual characters was satisfying. Also, I did love the concept of big harpy energy. I think anyone who likes Olivia Dade's past books will like this one!

Our hero was annoying. I enjoyed the fact that this book was body-positive for the MC and the hero neuro-divergent, but the antagonistic teasing was super grating for me.

This was a fantastic follow up to Spoiler Alert. We were lucky to get the beginnings of Lauren and Alex’s story in that book, and I was hooked. These are two excellent characters, written with depth and nuance. Highly recommended!

ok no joke i finished this in like 12 hours. it’s so quick-witted! alex and wren are one of my favorite couples i’ve read of late, possibly EVER, and the book deals realistically and sensitively with their struggles (ADHD, guilt, standing up for oneself, etc.). imo better than the first book in the series, and NOT to be missed!

#netgalley

I know I say this about every Olivia Dade book I read, but this time I really mean it. This is the best one! Frankly, this is the best book I've ever read. It's beautiful and hilarious and heart-wrenching and just plain fantastic. The way Olivia deals with plus-sized bodies echoes through my soul. Things I think about on a daily basis, are reflected in the words on the page. It's not just a one-off "she was curvy", it's "how do I navigate in a world that doesn't fit me".
It's touching and heartfelt and connects with me so much. Alex is adorable and I love him. He's an overzealous puppy and I really appreciated seeing someone who is just boundless all the time. He's so different from every other quiet, grumpy hero out there, and yet, he's relatable, he's your extroverted friend that just has a million things to say every time you see them.
I loved how funny this book is, I laughed constantly. I loved how sweet it is, how amidst all the chaos, there are moments of deep calm.
Most of all, this book just felt so REAL, despite being about a highly unlikely (she says bitterly, having already been crushed by the world) scenario. It made this cynic believe in magic, and that HEAs are possible for short, little bird-people like me.

This was an adorable sequel. Lauren and Alex are perfect for each other, and I loved getting the real story behind Alex’s behavior. Watching Lauren gain confidence was also empowering. I love this universe and hope for a third one in the series.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.