I love Olivia Dade's characters SO much. They are funny, mature, and so darn realistic. Her newest release might be her most intimate and vulnerable book to date.

Athena is in her upper 30's with two masters' degrees yet she cannot seem to land on the career of her dreams. She has sold all her belongings and is planning to relocate to the small coastal town or Harlot's Bay, when her fiance abruptly ends the engagement. Unfortunately for the couple, and her fiance's infuriating older brother who she partially blames for her breakup, she is now stuck as their neighbors living in very TINY 'Spite House' she recklessly purchased as an ironic wedding gift. While her ex gallavants solo in Hawaii on their honeymoon, Athena decides vengence must be served on her new neighbor: Dr. Matthew Vine III. She signs him up for marketing campaigns, messes with his house numbers, and blares monster smut through open windows at top volume. However, ruffling Matthew's feathers in unexpectedly more difficult than she anticipated. Especially when Athena falls into a depressive episode, Matthew keeps helping her! He keeps checking in, connecting her with new friends, putting in a good word for local job openings, and he's an amazing conversationalist. Is it just his guilt over breaking up her and his brother or could there be something more than a spark with her ex-fiance's older brother??

I loved this romance! However, full disclosure, while the initial banter and pranks are hilarious, this book morphs from rom-com to include one of the most on-page realistic depressive episodes I've ever read and it definitely wrecked me/unleashed my own emotions. Dade does this with exceptional care, and Matthew literally needs to publish a manual on 'how to support a loved one when they are depressed'. Additionally, Matthew is also working through the off-page death of his sibling that led to the dissolution of his family and thrusted him into a parent role for his younger brother. That being said, their friendship, and then deeper romantic connection, was hard earned through conversation and consistently supporting each other!! The on-page steam is classic Dade, meaning incredibly hot, but it was a slow burn/occurs late in the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Publishing for my e-arc in exchange for my review. I will be posting my review to IG during pub week!

Another stunning, stellar plus sized heroine romance. Full of forced proximity, sexual tension, and delightful heat, this book will be a great edition to any romance lovers shelf.

I'm loathe to give this review but this book was a mess and not at all consistent with Dade's previous works.

MCs were neither likeable nor unlikeable- I never mustered enough of an emotional investment to really care. The plot had so. many. threads that it was just a knot. Is this enemies to lovers? Is the focus mental illness? Grief? Second chances? There was no satisfaction with the resolution because *nothing* felt fully resolved or explored. The HEA fell flat on its face and had me rolling my eyes.

Olivia Dade is (usually) a very solid writer but I can't even fake enthusiasm for At First Spite.

NetGalley provided the ARC, opnions 100% mine.

First book to land on my Best of 2024 watch list. Olivia Dade's AT FIRST SPITE took me on a roller coaster ride of emotion. Anger, hope, heartbreak, joy, snark (Athena, you're a master), sadness, monster erotica (couldn't stop laughing), murder dolls (I feel ya, Matthew), and more. I was snort laughing one minute, mopping up tears the next, and reaching for a fan (the steam...so delicious) in between. I could not have loved Matthew and Athena more. Their flaws. Their fears. Their creativity (so hilariously creative). Their good hearts. Their slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance. By the time I turned the final page I felt like their personal cheerleader. I just wanted to hug both of them.

I've come to expect 5-star reads from this author but this book is special. I'm already eager to experience it all over again.

Note: Dade tackles some tough topics in this one - including severe depression and grief (death of a child/off page and before the story begins) - and does so in a raw, realistic way that figuratively lays open the character then slowly, carefully, realistically, stitches them back together with love, medical care, kindness, and a gentle hand.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased review

I loved this book! Olivia is great at writing real characters and this book is no exception! I just reviewed At First Spite by Olivia Dade. #AtFirstSpite #NetGalley

At First Spite is about Athena, who has just bought a spite house that is only 10 feet wide, as a wedding present for her fiance, so he can expand his own house. Unfortunately, the wedding is off, and she now lives between her ex and his brother, Matthew, who convinced him to end the engagement. Naturally, she decides to make Matthew's life as hard as possible while she figures out what to do next.

The premise of this story sounds light, and I was nervous about how that would play out in a romance between a woman and her ex's brother. But even though this book is laugh out loud funny, I wouldn't call it light. Matthew has a very complicated (although loving and close) relationship with his brother Johnny, having essentially raised him after the death of their younger brother. Athena struggles with depression, and her financial situation is somewhat precarious for a large part of the book. These are people with real struggles, but they're also incredibly kind and have an immense capacity for love and fun.

I really enjoyed the way Athena's teasing brought Matthew out of his shell, and the depths of humor and kindness Matthew had. I was half in love with both of them by the end of the book, and I even ended up caring a lot about Johnny, who was struggling to find himself as much as Matthew and Athena. The town of Harlot's Bay and the people in it are incredibly charming. The final grand gesture was dramatic but also really personal and thoughtful, and the epilogue was pure happiness.

I have a love/hate relationship with third-person writing and this one was in the latter category. Also not connecting with the FMC at all. Putting it down for now, might pick up later.

At First Spite by Olivia Dade is about a woman caught between two brothers who both love her. Athena meets Johnny, the younger brother first and falls in love. Older brother Matthew objects to their engagement and eventually Johnny gives in to his brothers warnings and dumps Athena one month before the wedding. Athena had left her job and given up her residence at this point so she is left with nowhere to go except for the "spite house," a sliver of a house built on to the side of Johnny's townhouse and across the alley from Matthew's house. At first Athena is determined to bounce back from this unwelcome situation but money and employment woes contribute to her downward spiral into deep deppression. And who should come to her aid, to help her begin her climb back to health but Matthew. Meanwhile Johhny has been working hard to better himself so that he might be worthy of Athena.

Olivia Dade is magical sorceress who lures us into her books where we soon find ourselves lost and helpless to do anything but keep turning pages as she pulls us along, our hearts torn with sympathy for the characters's travails. This particular book shows us how trust precedes intimacy and is necessary for achieving true intimacy. Other issues explore the far-reaching effects of trauma, the importance of support for people struggling with mental health issues, the pain and joy of personal growth, and deep strength of family ties. All of this is mixed with a healthy serving of humor and an assortment of quirky, easy-to-love characters. My only complaints would be that the language was salty more frequently than I personally like and that the sex scenes, while a beautiful depiction of a joyful and loving relationship, went on a bit long. These are small things that are a matter of taste and not quality. They didn't stop me from reading every minute I could until I reached the happy and very satisfying ending.

Sadly this book is a tad of a miss for me. The premise just didnt call to me - the brothers that is. I couldnt help but get the ick.

Thank you for this ARC!

TW: grief, accidental death of a child (off page), clinical depression

I love Olivia’s Dade’s books! We love plus size rep. But this book is so relatable- who doesn’t read or stay busy 24/7 so that we can’t have a single thought? Just me? Okay anyways, moving on. Athena has just been jilted a month before she was supposed to get married to Johnny and move to a town called Harlot’s Bay. She bought a Spite house as a wedding gift and has no where else to go after quitting her job and using up all her savings. Well guess what? Her ex-fiancés older brother, Matthew, convinced his brother to break off the engagement. And what Athena didn’t realize when moving to Harlot’s Bay was that she would be living in right between her ex fiancé AND his older brother. Matthew feels horrible for his role and ends up spending time with Athena and helping her however he can. But hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! The pranks!!! So funny. Also I want to read every Sally Brazen novel referenced in this book. They made me laugh so hard!

I actually can’t wait for Johnny’s book

Overall rating: 4 ⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️

Athena is struggling after breaking up with her fiance and moves into the house that she bought for him. Unfortunately this house happens to be next door to the ex fiance's brother (Matthew). Who she believes is responsible for the breakup of the first place. So she decides to absolutely annoy him and every way possible.

Both Athena and Matthew are very flawed individuals and those flaws are very much portrayed on page. They're both struggling with grief and loss in very different ways. And have learned how to cope also in very different ways.

The portrayal of Athena's depression felt so incredibly real and raw. The depth that it affects her and those around her was heartbreaking but very well done. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this book.

This book is equal parts, beautiful and romantic, as well as being heartbreaking and reduced me to tears. But in the end is an incredibly beautiful and well told story.

Thank you to Netgalley and @Avonbooks for an arc of this book.

Cute slow burn enemies-to-lovers with representation of clinical depression in the FMC, Athena. Athena was almost married to her fiance when the fiance's brother, Matthew, convinced him to call off the wedding. At that point, she had already purchased a tiny sliver of a row house next to said fiance, uprooted herself from her job, and moved away from her family and friends. So, what's a girl to do? Well, when Matthew finds out what's been happening with Athena, he takes a step into helping her along.

Slow burns and enemies-to-lovers are both super hit or miss for me, but I enjoyed this ride. I love the plus-size and mental health representations. The depression in the book feels very, very real, so just know that going in.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts.

This is my favorite Olivia Dade book to date. It’s an authentic and heart-breakingly beautiful depiction of how depression can bring you down and how those who are close to you and love you can help lift you back up. Matthew is such a nurturing and loving hero and I loved seeing him take care of Athena and, eventually, turn those same traits back to himself. I loved Athena’s sass and spunk. She was funny, sweet, and incredibly real. While I didn’t expect a book about revenge to turn into a hurt/comfort story, I’m so glad that it did. I loved this book so much and can’t wait to read more from Harlot’s Bay.

Tropes: hurt/comfort, slow burn, close proximity

A Blurb: After her fiancé breaks off their engagement, Athena Greydon is forced to move into the narrow Spite House she impulsively bought for him. Living in the ten-foot-wide house, she discovers her ex's home is attached, and his judgmental brother, Dr. Matthew Vine the Third, resides only a four-foot alley away, making her revenge plans more complicated as she finds herself drawn to him.

My Thoughts: Just finished my first Olivia Dade book and I'm hooked! This story was humorous and entertaining, but also deep and depicted the lows of depression. The caretaking moments hit me right in the heart, and Matthew working on healing his inner child was everything. Only thing I wanted more of was exploring their friendships with the side characters.

TW: severe depressive episode (on page), anxiety, death of a child/sibling (past, recounted on page), parental abandonment (past)

Read If You Love:
- he falls first
- ex’s brother
- forced proximity/neighbors
- hate to love
- opposites attract
- plus size heroine
- depression rep (immaculate care taking)
- monster erotica

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC!

This was a great start to a new series that has me so excited for book two. I thought that the way Athena thought about her body and was portrayed as a fat FMC was wonderfully done. I thought Athena’s depression was handled with care and Matthew’s growth and development logical and heartbreaking at times. I hope Johnny gets his own book eventually after he grows up more

I love enemies to lovers and the premise sounded good, but man, that FMC did everything she could to be unlikeable. She came off as contradictory, whiney, and entitled. So this one did not work for me. I encourage you to start with Spoiler Alert instead, that was a ton of fun!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing this advance reader's copy for an honest review.

Wow, this was a really cute story that I'm not entirely sure how to rate since it was so zany that I was bewildered at times. I think it's a solid 3.75-4 range. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!
Without giving too many spoilers away, I really like the main characters and their progression throughout the story, Olivia Dade has a way of writing women without making their whole existence subject to their physical appearance. Matthew truly annoyed me, especially in the beginning, but I appreciated the deeper delve into him and his path to healthier boundaries and to happiness. The last minute issue in the final arc made me upset (why does every romance story gotta do this??) but the resolution was hilarious and fit the story and the characters so well.
I'm really looking forward to the next story in the cute town that Olivia Dade created!

Olivia Dade is a hit or miss author for me, and unfortunately, this book was a miss. Teach Me was my first novel by her, which was a miss, but then I read All The Feels and loved it. Dade's writing style is consistently strong, and I really love her voice and narration. However, it's her characters that don't always resonate with me.

In this book, I didn't find the MCs to be relatable or particularly appealing. The FMC was born into wealth and is still trying to find herself, having been metaphorically drowning in every job she's had, and she feels staying in her latest job would have literally killed her. She hasn't had to be financially responsible for anything, relying on her parents for her education, her living expenses while she was studying for her degrees (PLURAL), her engagement party, and her wedding, She was very obviously more excited about the wedding than the marriage, as made obvious by her flirtation at her engagement party with her fiance's brother (she didn't know it was him at the time). Then fast forward in time, said brother convinced her fiance to break the engagement a month before the wedding and feels guilty about it. He seems like a much less appealing Darcy, although he seemed to have way more valid reasons to not think she was a good match for his brother than Darcy did. Quirky and a good match for her, but the start of their relationship just feels icky. And she is so mad at him but seems to take zero responsibility for her role in the entire fiasco. She actually states when we're in her POV that she had a promise of "financial cushion she needed to figure out her next step" with her marriage until it ended, and if that isn't the saddest reason to marry someone. Especially when she's clearly not hurting for money, there's no reason to marry someone for theirs but then act all offended that the brother had her pegged. In addition, she states she has wasted her parents' money *again*. AGAIN? How old is this woman?

I couldn't get behind her as a sympathetic FMC, the brother was not appealing as the backup candidate for her love life, and I just didn't like how their relationship started with him breaking up their marriage.

Three stars for the writing style. I think this would be appealing for others. Just not for me.

I don’t even know where to start other than: MOST BEAUTIFUL ROMANCE I’VE READ. Allow me to unpack this a bit more. At First Spite started off running, with Athena having had her engagement broken up a month before her wedding and because of fate (and her decision to surprise her ex-fiancé) living next to him in Spite House over at Harlot’s Bay.

The romance in this novel was so intimate that at certain points it made me cry because of how wholesome it was. Dade navigated heavy topics such as depression and self-loading with lots of compassion. You could feel that not only this novel had lots of depth but also lots of heart. The love in this book went far beyond physical attraction and I really enjoyed that. Feeling both Matthew’s and Athena’s insecurities and growth made me incredibly happy of having read their journey together. Plus, the sense of community in this book is was felt, and I loved how the story progressed in time.

This is a book that will stay with me for a whiiiiile. As much as it made me giggle, it also made me cry, and smile, and cringe, and get all the feels. Matthew and Athena were simply superb. I can’t wait to recommend this book to everyone!!

***TRIGGER WARNINGS: the main character deals with greif and depression***

At First Spite follows Athena whose fiancé Johnny decides to end their engagement. She was to move on from it. There is just one problem for his engagement present she buys him the town house next door. They were hoping to make both houses into one big house. Athena spent all her money on the house and has no choice but to move in next door. Not only does she live next door to her ex but his brother Matthew lives across the street. Matthew is the one that convinced Johnny to break up with Athena. Soon Matthew realizes that Athena is a great woman and wants her for himself. Will Athena want anything to do with him?

I have read multiple books by Olivia Dade. I usually love her books and think they are such cute romance books. This book in my opinion is her worst book. It lacked a lot of romance for a romance book. Like it took more than 60% of the book for anything romantic to happen. Instead this book was more on the serious side which is totally fine. But I thought like her others this was going to be a more lighthearted book. So I didn’t enjoy it has much. I do love that this book dealt with depression in a very honest way. I also love the plus size representation in this one. But if I am reading a romance book I want all the romance vibes. And since that did not have that I didn’t like this book. But I will keep reading books by Olivia Dade. Also how pretty is this cover.