This was so good! I think the second book is still my favorite, but I had a great time.
The slow burn? Yes.
The friend to lovers? Yes.
The fact that they were CO-STARS??? Yes!

Shipwrecked by Olivia Dade (Spoiler Alert #3) 4 stars

I confess that I haven’t read the other two books in this series, but I found this one to be engaging and funny. I kind of got a “Game of Thrones” vibe about the so called series that the actors were working on. I love a HEA and this one did not disappoint (Maria and Peter rule) I will have to catch up and read the other two books in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for this ARC.

Spoilers:
In "Shipwrecked", the third installment from Olivia Dade's Spoiler Alert series, we find ourselves back on the set of Gods of the Gates. While "Spoiler Alert" and "All the Feels" both feature plus sized heroines, we finally get a plus sized leading man to star along our equally curvy leading lady. After Maria and Peter's one night stand, the two suddenly realize they are going to be cast opposite each other in the roles that might make or break their careers. We follow the two as they fight their attraction to each other for the next 6 years of Gods of the Gates filming and catch up to where the other 2 books end: the final season. With the show now complete, the two finally have nothing standing in their way.

I honestly, enjoyed "Shipwrecked" but the spark was not as strong as Dade's other two couples. Peter and Maria's eventual relationship felt obvious and the crisis they have to overcome is the reality of working Hollywood couples. I did love that we finally had a large dude that was described as large for more than just his muscles. Overall, I finished the book feeling like the couple had a nice happily ever after and have hopes of another book in the series.

In Ship Wrecked we meet Peter--an almost Viking like actor--waiting for his big break. He hopes filming this movie with co-star, Maria, will be just what he needs.
As they film on a remote island they get tangled up in situations not in the script.
Does the light hearted connection have enough to make it on the mainland.....or is Maria a really good actor?
And, yes, this is a curvy-girl romance, but I don't think that needs to be said as other romances don't need labels. Yes, I love seeing myself represented but I also think if we say 'plus size heroine' then we should also say descriptors like "too thin female lead" or "male character with unreal 6-pak" . Just saying.

Maria and Peter have a one night stand...and then become co-stars on the legendary Gods of the Gates franchise. They're required to spend years filming on a small island with a tiny crew - and all of that time they keep their hands to themselves. But on the last night of filming, they finally give in. Peter, though, is headed back to Hollywood, and Maria is headed back to Sweden. Can these two star-crossed lovers figure things out?

I liked Maria a lot - she's a strong character who decisively knows who she is and what she wants from life. I did not care much for Peter, as he spends a lot of time just ruthlessly devoted to his career and making money. The other books in this series are stronger than this one is, although this is still enjoyable.

This book was so close to perfection. I have really enjoyed this series and I might be the odd person who adored Spoiler Alert. In any case, I was thrilled to get an ARC of Shipwrecked but a new job and various life situations meant I am reviewing it a month after release. I have really enjoyed the representation in this series and it continues in Shipwrecked. I adored Peter and Maria. If you have read my reviews, you know that I adore character growth. Both Peter and Maria have emotional baggage related to their childhood. It interferes with their relationship and they both go through character growth.

The story starts off scorching hot. I loved the beginning. I adored the scenes on the Irish island involving filming the show. I really loved both Peter and Maria were fat characters but that was really secondary to the book. I struggled with pacing after filming ended even though that is where the character growth occurred. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I am hopeful that the author has plans to tell the stories of other cast members and am thinking I know whose book is next.

I enjoyed this book but it didn’t blow me away.

I’m not a fan of overlapping timelines and the timelines of this book overlapped with the time lines of the books in the other series.

I am sad this series is over and I loved that this book featured 2 plus size characters.

DNF @ 37%

I made the attempt to read this having not read the previous books in the series and felt like I was doing myself aa disservice. I will likely come back to this title in the future.

Another great rom-com from Olivia Dade in the Spoiler Alert series! This is a fun and spicy slow burn. I love how Olivia Dade writes plus sized female main characters and Maria is no exception. I love Maria and Peter’s relationship and watching it develop. Overall I would definitely recommend this one!

I have loved this entire series and this book is no different. Maria and Peter are such a great paring. He's grumpy and brooding on the outside but deep down he's a cinnamon roll. She's soft sunshine but doesn't let people walk all over her. This entire book was perfection, the time gaps and pining, the dynamic between Maria and Peter, the side characters. I will always welcome Alex's chaos and Chara's dazzling personality and the amazing cast of characters Olivia Dade has brought to life in this series.

I just loved this book from beginning to end! It took me a bit to fix it in time with the previous books, since it’s not in sequential order like the previous two were, but it does not detract. I loved the characters and the slow burn was very well done! Olivia Dade is a favorite of mine, and this book did not disappoint in the least!

Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Olivia Dade for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I was excited to read this one because of the gorgeous cover and it was super cute. It follows Maria and Peter after their one-night stand and how they decide to reunite. They’re going separate ways though, so things probably won’t work out… right? They end up working out and it turns into a warm, fun, romantic story. I think fans of the author and her other books will enjoy this one!

No man is an island…even if Peter tried his damnedest. Lemme splain.

Peter and Maria meet in a sauna, have a smoking hot one night stand, and Maria leaves Peter flat, which hurt Peter he’s ngl. And then they turn up at the same audition for parts on Gods of the Gates, a very popular TV show. Now they have to work together. And deal with those pesky feelings while acting out their enemies to lovers storyline. And to no one’s surprise and a lot of shippers’ deepest fantasies, romance happens.

I hoarded this ARC like a dragon hoards it’s gold because I knew it would be good and damn I was not disappointed.

This starts like fire and yet simmered down to a slow burn that built beautifully. Both Maria and Peter are fat, but that’s just a descriptor. It’s not the focal point, and while it factors into a certain plot point, it’s just one facet of the story. I cannot tell you how much I loved that. As a fat reader, I’m really tired of the stories that portray weight as the end all be all to a character’s motivation and Ms Dade really knows how to navigate that potential trope trap. When you’re looking for excellent fat rep, I highly recommend this series. But I digress.

The real emotional journey here is Peter’s. He has spent a good chunk of his life living like an outsider. He’s awkward, occasionally surly and so focused on his career he doesn’t quite realize how dark his life is, until Maria shines a light on his loneliness and brings him out of his shell as they grow to be friends and co-workers. While there’s some moments that made me cringe on his behalf, there’s never a time I didn’t understand why he acts the way he does.

Maria’s emotional journey isn’t as prominent, but I think that’s only because she knows herself and frankly, she kicks butt. I adored her and even at the dark moment, I loved her ability to realize her own issues while not just taking blame to ease Peter’s way. She values herself more than that and it was refreshing to see her refuse to compromise that. Plus her Swedish roots are deep and her pet name for Peter and the general Swedish cultural references were great.

But the real joy here is there’s an entire ‘verse that Ms. Dade has created in earlier books and continues to grow here. Family scenes are sprinkled throughout, and family bonds in all its forms, which were beautifully written. Plus I have to shout out the little fanfic interludes - they cracked me up.

This is the trifecta of heart, heat, and humor-everything that I ever want in a romance- and I couldn’t be happier to recommend this.

**ARC provided via Netgalley for review**

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this advanced reader copy. This book had things I enjoyed and things not so much!

I'm rating it 2.5 stars

Pros:
The pure art of being able to have sex on the first page but still make it an incredibly slow burn takes skill. I loved the fact this book shows your looks have nothing to do with being desired. Also, my favorite was Peters inner turmoil when he had to film the sex scene with Maria.

Cons:
Maria at time gives off the same vibes I disliked with April. Everything is her way and if people don't like it they are made to look like horrible human beings and just have to accept everything that comes out of her mouth. She doesn't have to see other POVs. I made the decision to DNF with a possibility of finishing. I am about 55% through and I am so bored I cannot finish. I cant even fathom what the rest could be about and I know it will probably be a third act conflict which I do not like so I don't even want to put myself through it

2.5 Stars

In the third installment of the Spoiler Alert series, we follow Maria and Peter. The novel begins with a steamy one night encounter that ends in Peter being left alone yet again. He’s feeling bitter, but decides to push it away in order to nail his audition. He lands the part, but his romantic interest on the TV show is the woman who walked out on him only a few hours prior. For the next six years, they must learn to live with one another in close quarters. When the show wraps, the two decide to give their relationship another chance.

I did not read the first two books in this series, so there were a lot of side characters that were introduced and fleshed out earlier in the series. I was still able to follow the storyline since Peter and Maria were new characters, but I was extremely confused in scenes where the entire cast was texting or hanging out and I didn’t understand their inside jokes or relationships to one another. I don’t recommend reading this series out of order.

I didn’t want the confusion with the rest of the cast to affect my review since that was an oversight on my part, but I still didn’t enjoy the moments of this book that were just Peter and Maria. I think the first half of the novel was strong, when they were filming the show and their relationship was back and forth. After the show wraps, they start dating immediately which was not what the book blurb led me to believe going into the novel. The second half felt more like a character study since a lot of the turmoil were the characters figuring themselves out internally rather than things happening between them physically. I didn’t really feel that connected to the characters by this point, so it was honestly boring for me to read and it took me forever to finish this book.

Overall, I don’t think this book was bad, it just isn’t what I look for in a romance. If you enjoy character heavy plots and internal struggles, then this is more for you. I wanted more drama, more moments between the two that weren’t just sex, and maybe a little explanation for the other characters so people just discovering this series (like me) can enjoy that aspect a little more. Meeting 5+ characters all at once through a text chain wasn’t the right way to tackle that.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc In exchange for my honest review.

This book definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. I loved the first two in the world built by Olivia Dade but this one just fell flat to me.

I didn’t feel that community presence as much as the first two. Also found it hard to connect with the two main characters. I really had to force myself to read this because their relationship lacked so much chemistry.

I love every book I have read by Olivia Dade. This book is no exception - I enjoyed it so much I read it twice before I reviewed it. The tension, the setting, the love the characters have for each other is AMAZING. And it's so nice to see characters (and scenes!) from other books make appearances. I highly recommend Olivia Dade to anyone who wants a good, plus-size romance.

I loved this book soo much that after reading it, I went and got this authors whole catalog to catch up on reading all her stories.
Fun and memorable characters and great storyline that has me vested on reading more from her.

Work and the holidays have kept me busy this year, but not too busy to finish reading Ship Wrecked.
While my review is a bit late to the party, this was an enjoyable read for me. Having not read the first two in the series, I found it wasn't needed to follow along. I did find myself getting a bit bored mid way through but I enjoyed the steamy sex scenes.

I loved loved loved this story!!

The mutual pining that goes on throughout their time together on the show was so well done. I loved the text messages between the cast, they added so much humor and fun.

Maria is such a strong FMC but still show’s vulnerability and I absolutely loved that so much. And Peter.. I love him. These two both felt so real.

I love seeing strong plus sized characters who love their bodies and don’t feel like they need to change in order to please others.