Member Reviews

I DNF’d at like 80%. I love the body positivity, but I just didn’t care enough about the characters. I think it’s a “me” problem rather than poor writing, though. Yay reading slumps.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Olivia Dade can do no wrong, I am convinced. First, we had a fan and a famous person, then we had a coworkers to lovers one-bed situation, and now we have the long game friends to lovers that was so tender, so lovely, I cried. More than once.

I think that I got a little muddled with Maria's unmovable reasoning for what she wanted out of Peter, but I do think that they came together in the end in a satisfying way. I love love!

4 stars.

Was this review helpful?

My full review will be withheld until HarperCollins Publishers reaches an agreement with the HarperCollins Union. At that time my review will be updated with all my thoughts included.

Was this review helpful?

This was one of Olivia's best books! The characters grow in all the best ways and I loved the found family aspect. Sometimes it took the main characters so long to get to the point and I always feel like they could just TALK more instead of always being so assuming with each other - but that makes for realism and conflict resolution that I love! If you loved the other books in the series like I did, then you will love this!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the publisher and to Olivia Dade for a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I previously really enjoyed the first two books in the Spoiler Alert series, although I enjoyed All the Feels far more than Spoiler Alert. Ship Wrecked follows Maria and Peter who are both plus sized cast members in the fictional Gods of the Gates show and had a previous one night stand before becoming coworkers. The first half of the book was a little slow for me but it really picks up after the time jump. I enjoyed getting to experience events from the previous two books but from an alternate point of view. The romance here is steamy but also thoughtful, much like the previous two installments. It deals with feelings of abandonment, adoption, death of parents, and financial stability. Tackling so many issues at once seems like a recipe for disaster but Dade handles it well. My only complaint would be the pacing of the book where the beginning feels a little too long and the third act feels a little rushed.

Was this review helpful?

This book is the third in this series by Olivia Dade, a follow up to Spoiler Alert and All the Feels, following Maria and Peter, both of whom work on the show “Gods of the Gates,” which has been heavily featured in each book of the series.

Let me just say that I love these books. I love the fandom elements. I actually even love that it is decently obvious that the show in the books has a lot of similarities to “Game of Thrones,” including the final season train wrecks of plot and characterization, but that is a discussion/rant for some other day.

I loved how confident and secure in herself Maria seemed to be. She knew she was a bigger curvier woman, and she knew what she deserved and what they could or could not make her do regarding her size. I don’t know. Maybe as someone who is technically classified as obese, I relate to characters who also aren’t pencil thin. Like, sure, I know I could be healthier, and losing a bit of weight would be better for me, but I also am still decently healthy. It’s just kind of nice to see healthier body positivity in stories.

Not that Peter and Maria didn’t have to deal with some plot issues focused on their size, because they did, but I feel like it was handled in a real way. Sure, yes, Peter was ready to begrudgingly cave under the expectations of role and contract and all that, but Maria fought for herself, fought for both of them, standing up against the unreasonable desires of the showrunners.

Honestly, I also enjoy that each book in this series deals with interpersonal relationships and anxieties and disabilities and representation. Peter is socially awkward. It takes him a while to feel comfortable around a crowd of people and to open up. Maria basically pulls him along into spending time with cast and crew, and you get to see him becoming a part of the group, which is cool.

I just like that there is so much diversity and acceptance and differences in characters and family groups and just all of it.

And while neither Maria or Peter write fanfiction, as was a bigger part of the plots in the first two books, they are sent a number of fics to read during the course of this book, and they do read and discuss them, which I still find to be really fun.

I don’t know if there’s going to be any more in this series. I don’t know how that would work, considering that books two and three dealt with wrapping up filming and then doing the convention and press for the final season of “Gods of the Gates.” It was the connecting thread of the series. Sure, I guess technically we could keep following the cast members as they start new roles and such, but I don’t know.

But these books are fun and geeky and romantic and dramatic and because of some of the elements of the show the characters work on there’s some fantasy in it too. I just love reading them, and I do kinda hope that there’s more coming.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Netgalley for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This follow up to Spoiler Alert and All the Feels, while still containing charming characters, did not live up to its predecessors. The pacing and the time it was set felt off. This book begins several years before the others, but then there is a time jump that is not fully clear which takes it to the same time as the others. I wish this has been clarified a bit more as you are reading as I found it distracting.

In addition, the framing narrative which these books are set, the show Gods of the Gates, somewhat falls apart in my opinion. While other characters fill at least somewhat recognizable roles in which you can infer what is going on with them especially if you have knowledge of Greek and Roman mythology or the plot of the show is not that important, the couple in this book, Maria and Peter, are both acting in the show as the book progresses and I found it very distracting that I had no idea what these characters were or what was going on until several chapters in. This is clarified by a news blast which Dade incorporated into many of her books, and I believe this one or one announcing the casting call for their characters should have opened the book to set the scene. Opening with the scene she did is fine on its own and throws you into the story immediately which I normally do not mind, but it does not fully work in the instance.

While the characters were likeable and many jokes they made were funny, they fell flat compared to the other couples in this series. And their third act breakup seemed silly and not realistic compared to the ones in the other books.

I have to say I was disappointed in this read compared to the others but I did not dislike it enough to rate it too low.

Was this review helpful?

I think this was a cute romcom! Definitely loved the style and the writing. Totally worth checking out!

Was this review helpful?

I have relatively recently become a huge fan of Olivia Dade, namely when I was approved for All the Feels, the second book of this same series. I quickly had to add Spoiler Alert to my library and absolutely devoured it. I wasn’t sure I would love this one to the same level I loved the others, but I was very wrong. As an extra extra luscious lady myself, there aren’t too many books written about people with our body type but Olivia Dade has been an amazing and very much welcome addition to the contemporary romance scene.
Shipwrecked follows the story of Peter and Maria, two plus sized stars of the series that brought us the heroes in the first two books of the series. It starts with a one night stand that turns into a series of somewhat hilarious events that lands them both on an island off the coast of Ireland as romantic costars in a highly rated fantasy show. Maria and Peter, who still secretly have the hots for one another, must navigate the ins and outs of a working relationship that includes body shaming by producers, a dolphin with a penchant toward violence, and salty licorice.
What I loved about this was that Maria was totally okay with being a luscious Swedish bombshell, while Peter had the true struggles with accepting his robust body. Regardless, I am a lover of large men and loved that Dade decided to bring these costars to my ereader screen. The struggles they faced as lovers later (Spoiler Alert?—this is a joke. If I’m spoiling this for you do you even read romance?) are all regarding how they will maintain their romance and coming to terms with compromise and self-acceptance, respectively. All things that everyone in all their bodies tend to struggle with.
As much as I say that I love this as a luscious person, I think those who are leaner would also enjoy it very much. The struggles that fat people face are often the same that skinny people tend to face. Self-acceptance, compromise, belief in our abilities as humans, how to navigate potentially long distance situations, how to be in a relationship. That’s what I loved most about this installment. It really explores those issues in a cogent and important way that is universal. So if you aren’t sure of yourself, or you’re lean, or you’re luscious or you just want a fun romp filled with broody heroes and herring-wielding ladies of the gorgeous type, pick this up. Dade gets you.
Thank you so very much to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Olivia Dade for the advanced copy in exchange for this review. It was a fun couple of days and I can’t wait for the next!

Was this review helpful?

Withholding my review in solidarity with the HarperCollins Union workers and their strike for a fair contract.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely love Olivia Dade's work, and Ship Wrecked was by no means an exception. It was exactly what I wanted -- just steamy enough, and with characters I couldn't resist myself.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 Stars out of 5.
This is the 3rd book in Olivia Dade's Spoiler Alert series. You do not need to read the books in order they can all be read individually. I haven't read the previous two books by Dade so this was my first time being introduced to all of these characters. I enjoyed the plot for the most part but there were times where I felt like the book kept dragging/ could've been cut short. The characters to me were just all right nothing super wowing for me. I liked the relationship between the two characters and how they grew together. I will still read the first and second book in the series to see how they compare to this one. Overall, I think you would enjoy this book if you liked her previous two/ the characters in those books or just looking for a slow burn friendship to lovers relationship I suggest checking this book out.

Was this review helpful?

2.5 stars. This wasn’t great. I will say I didn’t feel totally lost having not read books 1 & 2–I did try though. However, the epilogue was totally ridiculous in that respect. I loved Peter; such a hottie! And I loved Maria in all her larger than life confidence. Except the body hair. Didn’t love the bashing of America and how socialism is superior to capitalism. Boring attempt at wokeness/progressivism along with many, many other things in this. Also, this is book is too long. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

Was this review helpful?

I want to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook arc.

This took me a long time to finish at no fault to the book. My life has just been crazy and this book has been a great escape for me.

Peter and Maria are by far my favorite couple in this series. This series does follow all plus size female characters and while I love that the first two had typical sized male leads I loved that Peter was also plus size. The size of the characters wasn’t a huge plot point in the book either. It was bought up a comfortable amount of times.

I also loved the setting of this book. This book is set overseas where they are filming and I just found that so fun. I wish there was a little more description of the scenery but I also know that this author doesn’t typically focus on that.

I felt like some of the monologues were a little drawn out but for the most part I felt like the pace of this book was perfect. It was a little bit of a slow burn, and the 3rd act conflict was resolved really quickly. I also felt like it was pretty realistic of an issue and I’m happy with the resolution.

Over all I would highly recommend this book to a romance reader that likes plus size main characters with some smut.

Was this review helpful?

I did not finish this book. I have enjoyed this author's previous work, but for some reason I just couldn't connect with this one. It was a little too raunchy for my taste, which is surprising because I've read some very steamy books. It just felt like it was a little too much too fast, literally right out the gate and then I just couldn't connect with the characters.

What I did like before DNF'ing was the body positivity. Very much appreciate the anti fat-phobia in Dade's work and discrediting the stereotype that fat means inability to be sexual.

I don't feel that it is fair for me to put a star rating since I didn't finish the book; however, I have to through the app unfortunately.

Was this review helpful?

A great addition to the Spoiler Alert universe. This book opens quite literal in the middle of “love making” and masterfully still manages to be a slow-burn. What I love about Olivia Dades writing is that, although it has great romantic progression and to die for spicy scenes, the characters are still amazingly complex and go through so much growth throughout the novel. This books also has great Fat-Rep with not one but two plus size main characters.

Was this review helpful?

This was a cute book, but it definitely could have been more.

It started off hot and fast (I was not expecting that). I thought it would continue that way, but instead it slowed to a crawl. It also had time hops that just felt off. There were also times it almost felt like the author was trying to push certain things too hard, which would pull me away from feeling immersed in the story. I also felt like some things just didn't add up in the end either, leaving me frustrated in characters' decisions and the reasoning behind those decisions.

There were definitely good elements to the story with representation and some of the banter, but this story just wasn't for me.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for my copy of Ship Wrecked.
As a big fan of Olivia Dade, I expected a lot from this book and I have to say it absolutely delivered. I just loved Peter and Maria's dynamic with each other. I will admit that I had a little trouble at the beginning getting into it but once I was over that hump I could not put it down. I also love the tie-ins from the other books as well.
In this book, we follow Maria and Peter who had one night stand turn sour and even more sour when they have casted and forced to work together on the project in an isolated island.

Was this review helpful?

This was super cute. I feel like finally in this series we get to see how the show is made & actual acting! I also enjoyed the second chance romance of this! All the yearning! Overall I still think Spoiler Alert is my favorite in this series still but this one is a close second!

Was this review helpful?

The tensions and the emotions!!! I loved this so much. Olivia Dade has never disappointed. This book was fantastic and gave me everything I needed, most importantly, the plus sized rep I am always craving (as a plus sized person). The cover on this is one of my favorites of all time as well!!

Thank you #netgalley for an early read of #shipwrecked

Was this review helpful?