While I loved Olivia Dade's "Spoiler Alert", this book, as well as her second in the series, "All the Feels", fell flat for me. Maria and Peter's romance was solidly told, but the chemistry between them felt forced, and there wasn't enough conflict to keep my interest.

I love stories like this. Coworkers become lovers to enemies, but where does all of that built up frustration go?! Oliva Dade is an auto buy author for me, making the heroine a believable character who is sure of herself and not going to let men take her down. Loved this one!

I had never read an Olivia Dade book however she is one of my friend's favorite author and that plus the description of the book had me so excited to read this. I really enjoyed it and I want to go read the other books she's written. The only part I did not like was the time jump because it was mentioned so quickly I missed it and was a bit confused. Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it.

once again, olivia dade proceeds to blow my mind with her romances. she writes for the mutual pining girlies, for the angsty girlies, and, most especially with this series, the nerdy fanfic girlies.

her books make me miss the good-old-days reading AO3 fics of my favorite tv shows, and it made my fandom heart so warm and cozy.

like all her books, she has plus size characters who are just living their lives and it’s awesome.

maria and peter have my heart and they will have yours too. they literally invented mutual pining and banter.

some tropes for your consideration:
one-night-stand to co-workers
slow burn
forced proximity on a literal island
friends-to-lovers
mutual pining
age gap

we love to see it! and of course there was the fanfiction tropes and fandom meta moments that had me laughing out loud.

olivia dade always makes me cry and she always makes me yearn for a love like her main leads. this was the perfect ending to the Spoiler Alert universe and as sad as i am to eave it, I’m glad all of our faves are happy and in love.

thank you Avon for the physical ARC (!!!!) and NetGalley for the eARC of this incredible book for an honest review.

I fell for Peter immediately. The moment he said his mother used to call him a “champion grudge holder” I knew I was smitten. He was just so socially awkward and adorbable!

His relationship with Maria is definitely a slow burn, which is impressive since they are in the middle of a one night stand from the very first page. But we get so much character development! Both Peter and Maria were so easy to relate to once we dive into their back stories.

While this book is in a series, it could technically be read as a standalone but I wouldn’t recommend it. The side characters feel so integral to the story and you’ll feel a little lost if you haven’t met them before.

My favorite part of Ship Wrecked? The body positivity. It’s rare that both the hero and the heroine are overweight and I loved that they accepted themselves and each other for who they are.

Ship Wrecked doesn’t beat out Alex as my favorite but was still a wonderful read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the review copy.

I absolutely adored this book. Spoiler Alert was one of my favorite contemporary romances of the last few years and even though All the Feels didn't really work for me, I was immediately hooked back in to the world of Gods of the Gates, this time through co-stars Peter and Maria.

In one of my favorite meet cutes ever, Peter and Maria meet before they have even auditioned, ending up in bed together only to meet again at a chemistry read for the second season of Gods of the Gates. Of course the two of them nail it and end up on a partially deserted island off the coast of Ireland for years as they film their scenes...increasingly intimate scenes...over the course of six years.

We get glimpses of their relationship in the years between their first meeting and the last season, six years later, and while their chemistry is established, the two of them have been hands off, deciding to focus on their careers. Although they haven't allowed themselves to be together, the absolute PINING the two of them do is exactly the type of thing I like in a romance novel. Tension and chemistry and a whole lot of passion. Eventually the two of them film their last scene and are free to be together. But will their pasts and past traumas prohibit them from truly being together?

Maria and Peter were so much fun, whether bantering about Swedish and American customs or just being comfortable and intimate with each other. They both complimented each other so well and I loved the glimpses we get of their text messages among other things. Ship Wrecked continues Dade's fluency in fandom culture and the glimpses we get of that are delightful.

Maria and Peter have had very different experiences in Hollywood and in entertainment and very different experiences dealing with the fatphobia almost inherent in those realms. I loved the way the two of them dealt with that throughout the book and in general, this was such a mature but also fun romance. Two people who found each other and are able to be what the other person needed. Does it get better than that?

This might be the last book in the Spoiler Alert universe but Dade has a huge fan in me.

Thank you so much to Avon books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved the first book in this romance series, but the last two in the series have been very lackluster for me and a bit too long.

This series has been a joy to follow and this book is no exception. Having characters with realistic attributes gives everyone a chance to see themselves as a romantic lead -- a true gift for many readers.

Thank you @avonbooks for a copy of Ship Wrecked which is book 3 of this series and can be read as a standalone but of course, you get a better context if you read them together.

I love how the book started with a hot sex scene and how they learned they will be costars together. I love the tension and how they became friends first in the story.

I felt the time jumps with the texts and the 6 year gap made the story feel disjointed. I love Maria and what a strong woman she is and standing up to what she believed.

I was really looking forward to this one since I liked the first two books in the series, but I was kind of disappointed. It started out really great and I was loving the sexual tension between Peter and Maria. Then came the time jumps. I was not a big fan of the time jumps and how many there were. it really took me out of the story and was kind of confusing at times. I did like the romance over all and the spicy scenes were fun to read. I also liked the body positivity in this one and how much Maria stood up for herself in the movie business. I was not a big fan of the amount of political topics that came up. It just seemed so unnecessary. Overall, it was an okay book. It wasn't my favorite, but I didn't hate it either.

This book was… a mess. It started off strong- like hilariously starts mid thrust in a sex scene and continues to be funny throughout. And we love love love body positivity. But the pacing of this book was awful! It randomly jumps 6 years ahead 40% when the whole premise is the show location/filming? But then decides to do flashbacks to cast member text messages from characters we don’t know half way through? It made no sense and difficult for me to finish it.

This book started out with a bang...literally. But it was a sssslllloooowwww burn after that. I enjoyed this third novel in the Gods of the Gate series. However, it was not as good as the other two in my opinion. I did love Maria who at all times is her unapologetic and unwavering self. Whether she had to go up against Hollywood producers, fans or general public, she did with a firm but gracious response. She was a positive presence on the set but stuck to her guns when it came to her work and her body. Olivia Dade creates some amazing female main characters in this series. As with the others, the sexy parts are quite spicy and detailed.

I received a complimentary copy of this book by Olivia Dade from Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to review another of this author's fantastic books..

https://www.instagram.com/dani.reads.too.much/
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This one started out very slow for me - to the point where I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to finish it. BUT, thankfully I’m stubborn AF and have to finish a book. After I got through the first little chunk, I got into it. It ended up giving those sweet emotions that definitely make you swoon.

Tropes we see in this are workplace romance, forced proximity, grumpy sunshine, and a second chance romance. There’s even some plus size positivity brought into it thanks to the FMC being a big advocate for loving one’s body.

This book follows Maria and Peter, two actors that end up working together long term on a TV show after a one night stand. And it isn’t even like there’s a break in between the one night stand and when they end up working together - so it kinda starts out as enemies to friends to lovers. Not only do both of our main characters have a past that still haunts them, it also recognizes that it’s a big part of them and we get to see the characters grow while working through their own stuff. The banter between these two was amusing as hell and even the interactions with the supporting characters played such an important role for both Maria and Peter.

Maria is the definition of a sassy FMC. She takes no shit from anyone, but will protect those she loves at all costs. Then there’s Peter, who’s kind of like a… sweet sweet golden retriever. He thinks he’s doing the best thing and doesn’t realize some of the harm by not standing up for those he cares about and what he truly wants from life. I think this one ended up surprising me, but in all of the best ways. Once I got out of the slump, I was able to breeze through the rest of the book and couldn’t put it down.

Following one hot night together, Maria and Peter are stunned to encounter each other at the casting call back for a GOT-style show. Between hurt feelings and the reality that they will be costars on a remote Irish island for the foreseeable future, they remain friends (without the benefits) for the length of the show, all while getting to know each other and fight battles (sometimes) together. Maria comes from a very tight-knit family who support her no matter what; Peter, on the other hand, has virtually no support system and desperately clings to his career and the opportunities a show like this can offer. It’s not until the show ends that they finally have a chance to see if they can fit into each other’s lives and goals.

It feels strange to say that a book that starts off with a one-night-stand is a slow burn, but after that first encounter, this is the slowest of slow burns (we’re talking YEARS of pining). I think this is my favorite of the three Gods of the Gates books. Both MCs are fat and their differing comfort levels with that fact really resonated. When the producers try to make them lose weight, Maria is fully willing to just walk. She loves herself and her body and isn’t willing to risk her health for her job. Peter is so insecure about his job and his need to be liked that he can’t back her up and then feels shame for the betrayal. But my absolute favorite parts of the book (besides the love scenes) are all of the group texts and meetings with the rest of the cast. I genuinely laugh out loud when they’re all together and would love to watch THAT show (even if I would absolutely pass on GOTG).

God I love Olivia dade. Every book she writes is soooooooooo good. The spice level 10/10. The representation 10/10. The nerdy-ness 10/10. I highly recommend her books to any and everyone. Can’t wait to get this in print

Ship Wrecked wasn't quite as good as Olivia Dade's earlier works. The last third of the novel seemed to drag on a bit. I did enjoy how she brought all three stories together and weaved them into the very end of the book during the convention scene.

I have loved this series so very much, but I think Ship Wrecked is my favorite. It absolutely sucked me in from the very first page and had me sighing in swoony relief by the end.

Maria and Peter have a memorable one-night stand until she leaves in the middle of the night, leaving no trace behind. Fast forward to the next day when they are auditioning together for Gods of the Gates and their chemistry together on screen and off is undeniable. Soon they're shipped off to a deserted island to shoot the show and their success basically keeps them there for six years. Peter has sworn not to cross any boundaries while their coworkers, but by the time they reach the wrap party, all bets are off. What follows is a really beautiful, at times hilarious, journey of what it means to commit yourself to another person while pursuing your dreams and their happiness.

There is so much to love about this book. I was a huge fan of the interludes filled with texts, scripts, and fan fic - it adds such a fun dimension to what could be a heavy story at times. The timeline jumps took a bit of an adjustment but I never felt taken out of the story or confused. Olivia Dade's fat rep is just excellent in all her books, but I especially loved how well it is done in Ship Wrecked with two fat characters. I want Maria's confidence when I grow up! There were just SO MANY FEELINGS in this book. Time spent working through challenging family situations, uncovering each other's histories and woundings, figuring out each other's needs, etc. It's beautiful and heart-wrenching at times and only once did I want to smack Peter upside the head for his lack of emotional intelligence at times. Finally, it was great spending time with the Gates cast we've met in other books. A little heavy on Alex and his chaotic energy, but the side characters especially on the island added a lot to the story.

Content warnings: Maria is adopted and her abandonment and foster situations are explored in detail which could be traumatic. Peter's mother died after a struggle with depression and his relationship with his father is very strained ever since.

I voluntarily reviewed an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I adored these characters! Peter and Maria are so relatable, and Maria is hilarious. The island setting and The premise of filming a TV show in a remote setting were highly entertaining. This is a very enjoyable slow burn but the second half had some pacing problems for me: extraneous scenes that didn’t move the story forward, particularly around cons. I realize now these pieces were likely intended to highlight characters from the previous books in the series, but I read this book as a stand alone so it didn’t add value for me. Even so, I plan to read the rest of the series now.

It’s the last visit to the Gods of the Gates set in this series finale!

Peter and Maria end up being costars after a steamy one-night stand, in which Maria ghosted Peter and he got in his feels about it.
They had plenty of time to figure it out and create a working relationship, since they worked on a remote island together for SIX YEARS.
When filming wraps, they finally give in to their sexual tension and give coupledom a try.

I loved the fact that BOTH leads were plus sized and not insecure about it at all. In fact, they fought against Hollywood’s insistence that they be skinny or typecast.

Maria and Peter were just adorable in general, singularly and together.

The setting of this was so immersive, most of this book takes place on the island with a small cast of characters. I found myself missing it whenever the setting switched to Sweden or LA.

Now, I had to take off a star because that last quarter break-up was obnoxious. I understand it is following the formula, the problem I had was the reasoning for the break-up itself. Very weak sauce.

Fortunately, it was overcome easily and overshadowed by the lovely wrap-up scenes.
I’m going to miss this series, but it was fun while it lasted!

P.S. I’m still holding out for Mackenzie to find a cat Daddy for Mr. Whiskers, because cat ladies deserve love too! (Has anyone written a fanfic on this yet!?)


Check it out, when it hits shelves, 11/15/22!
A big thanks to the Publisher & NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the first two books in Olivia Dade's Spoiler Alert series and I'm delighted to say that the third one, Ship Wrecked, joins the others as being one of my favorite reads this year. Thanks to @netgalley, @avonbooks and @harpervoyagerus for early access to this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

✔️ Second Chance
✔️ Workplace Romance
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Entertainment Industry
✔️ Grumpy/Sunshine
✔️ Fat Rep

I love the combination of second chance romance and forced proximity. The angst! The pining! The good memories of the past in front of their faces 24/7. The coworker dynamic and "keeping things professional for the sake of the show and workplace harmony" while also longing for more is just chef's kiss.

I loved both Peter and Maria and adored how they could both completely get each other at times and also completely misread/misunderstand each other at other times.

I also loved how Olivia wove in fandom and shipping here. Also seeing Alex and Marcus from earlier books was delightful - love all the characters in this world.

Loved that Peter and Maria were also successful actors with not-traditional fitness mag Hollywood bodies, and that their bodies are described as beautiful and sexy.

This book (and all books in this series) delivers on the emotion, the humor, and the spice. Another winner - 5⭐️.

Steam 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕