The description of the book had me excited to read The Spoiler but unfortunately I ended up DNF'ing at the 25% mark. I understand the frustration Roslyn must have felt (as someone who has OCD herself) to find safety in isolation. The idea of Tristan being someone who could kind of pester her out of her shell and help her with the unknowns was an idyllic tool for the romance and character development but it came off more as aggressive bullying in my opinion. I never would have thought I would say there was too much banter buuuuuut--there was too much banter. Tristan constantly showing up in her space--her room, her date(s), everywhere she asked him not to be felt invasive to the point of stalkerish. And he couldn't tell her how he felt and she couldn't see how he felt about her even though everyone told her numerous times and she couldn't stop staring at his mouth.
I think I could have liked the book if those had been toned down a bit.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book. It's not a bad book but just not for me I guess. I didn't really follow along with the timeline and it was hard to follow which was flashbacks and what was their present day. The characters were also not the most likeable.

This book I thoroughly enjoyed. There were some inconsistencies with the plot but overall could be overlooked because I couldn’t put this book down. If you’re looking for a steamy build up of chemistry, hockey players, long time pining and an all in all compelling and fun read, this is definitely the book for you. This enemies to lovers will have you feeling all the emotions.

I’m struggling with this book review and having a hard time understanding how people can rate it so high…
I think the OCD representation was the only good thing in this book.
Both characters were really unlikable. They didn’t respect each other and just refused to communicate… Chapters would end mid-action so their necessary conversations wouldn’t happen. Or one character would just stop talking and leave… it made me question the ages of the MCs.
I just was never convinced of how Rose’s family members handled her and her OCD. You can’t tell me that her well adjusted, “normal” parents can’t convince this girl to try therapy? Or never bring it up? And her ever present brother, aware of everyone’s feelings, can’t intervene and stop Tristan’s plan? A plan that has been quite ineffective for many years?
Miscommunication and jumping to conclusions are typical for this genre but in this book they were too far-fetched.
Thank you to L.E. Todd and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked the concept of the plot but I ended up DNF 2/3 of the way through. Rose was an incredibly unlikeable character and very annoying. I kept feeling like she deserved the spoilers. The pace of the story was good but the overall story with very little build-up just wasn't executed well.

I had to DNF this book. It began with very unlikable characters and a disjointed plot at the start. Rose struggles with her OCD and the man we are meant to believe is her love interest is constantly triggering it by giving her spoilers for her most important comfort of period movies. She is constantly upset about this to the point of yelling and wanting to move out because her older brother constantly has him over even though he goes into her closed room and desk drawers to find a way to provide her more spoilers. All of this is done with her brother doing nothing to help her and telling her this is harmless. What made me stop reading was the scene where we flash back to 2004 at a hockey game where Rose begins scolding other girls at the game for having a reaction. As someone who also grew up with a brother who played hockey it was so off putting to see her trying to gatekeep watching a high school hockey game.

I don't think this author is a bad writer because I kept wanting to try but the characters were what turned me off.

This book was amazing. It had some great mental health representation. And the story and written were really easy to get into!

I loved the premise of the Spoiler. It got me so excited and definitely could’ve been a book I really loved. Unfortunately the execution was not that good in my opinion.

First of all I got this as an arc. So my version might not have been the final version but if it is, the formatting is incredibly messy. Sentences are cut in half and spaced. It looks a bit
like this.
The sentence just continues below making it seem like it’s the end but no. Often there is a blank space in the middle of a sentence making it a whole new alinea. I got often confused and this was a big part of why I lost interest.

The other reasons were the fact that the writing was not my thing. We immediately got dropped into the story without much back ground story. It all went so fast and I couldn’t keep track anymore. I would’ve liked more build up.

Next are the characters. Because the writing was so fast I didn’t connect with the characters and all their reasonings. I kind of understood why Tristan spoiled every movie but I didn’t care or did I think it was realistic. I’m sorry. (Also I’m sorry but Tristan is a red flag.)

I didn’t love this book as much as I hoped but I feel like the more books this author writes the more they’ll improve and I’m excited to try their future stories later.

Thank you to the publisher and to netgalley for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book! I read it in two sittings, it was so easy to read and I found it so hard to put down. I loved the FMC Rose although I did feel like grabbing her and screaming ‘why can’t you see what everyone else see’s!!’ Although I know a main part of her story is that she has OCD and she has episodes etc. I do also feel like that’s not all we got from the character and I don’t feel like it was the main focus for her which is really nice, Sometimes things like that can become the whole characters personality and you don’t get to see much else! Rose’s Brother Rob was such a good big brother it was so lovely how they were best friends as well as siblings and concidering this is a brothers best friend book I feel like he was so good with it all. He sat back and only intervened when needed and I love him for it! Then on to the MMC Tristan … at times he frustrated me I’ll be honest but just because he wouldn’t get to the point and get his words out, I loved how he tried to help Rose and as the book goes deeper you really do see how much he was trying to help her feel more herself and less Routine Rose. I really was not getting all the quote drops they felt random to me since I havnt really watched or read where most references/quotes came from but at the end!! Oh you know why he kept dropping quotes and it was the sweetest thing ever!! Overall I feel like the plot of the book was nice and easy to follow but still had a few little bumps along the road that added in the drama, it was well written and the spicy side was a good amount not too much to often but when it needed to be there it was there. I would definitely recommend this book!

i’ll start this review off by saying that this book was definitely not for me it was on my tbr for a good bit and i really liked the premise but ultimately the story and characters were what let me down.

i really liked the writing it’s obvious that the author is talented and the pacing of the story was great but unfortunately it just didn’t live up to what i expected. I will say i really appreciated the mental health rep in this book though and its always something great to see.

a few things i disliked about this book wa the characters, plot and just cringe spice scenes. the two mc’s are just incredibly immature and have zero chemistry more so our mmc tristan (tbh he just annoyed me), the plot was dumb i thought maybe he would spoil a few movies in the past but not THAT many and for that long.

thank you to NetGalley and Sword and Silk Books for the arc!

Thank you to LE Todd for sharing “The Spoiler” with me as an ARC reader! I was very excited to get my hands on this book: movies, romance, mental health representation. And overall, the book didn’t disappoint. I really came to love Rosie and Tristan - and their many years long story.

I gave this a 4 star because occasionally I found the text jumping between scenes without warning and it was a touch jarring. I think this book could have benefitted from dual POV, but I also think that about most romances, ha! Rosie and Tristan were great, though I occasionally found her desire to get back at him to be so overwhelming (although I understand it became part of fighting back against her OCD). Some of the more dramatic family scenes felt a bit forced but I understand that including them helped showcase Rosie’s compulsions. I also think that their feud got a little ridiculous by the end; but again - I know why it has to be drawn out that way! It's worth it in the end!

Overall, it was a sweet read featuring the brothers best friend trope, enemies to lovers, and again: some great mental health awareness! I’m always a huge fan of that! Also, if you love period drama movies, then you’ll definitely enjoy the banter and move quoting in this book. So much fun!!!

Rose Maraczek loves movies which has been an obsession since she started in high school. It began when a box of movies appeared on her doorstep and she discovered the relief they could give her from her debilitating OCD. Tristan Moore, Rose’s former crush and her brother’s best friend, is the bane of her existence. He annoys Rose as he is always at her house, dropping spoilers which she hates. She is so annoyed that she decides to find a new apartment, However, when he reveals that he was the person who left all those movies for her years ago, she is determined to get her revenge on Tristan.
The issue of OCD is handled well in this story and I was impressed that this was a debut novel. The concept for the novel, focussing on films was such a treat, and I loved how it intertwined with the romance between Rose and Tristan. An added dimension to this book was the relationship between Rose and her brother, which was quite sweet and well developed.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book which is saying a lot as I don't normally pick Romance as my go-to genre. I thought the characters were well-written and felt relatable within the setting. You start to go through all the emotions with the characters in this book from yelling at them to realise something, to hating them for being so dumb.

I enjoyed the Shakespearean quotes dotted through this book, as someone who loves Shakespeare it made the book even more relatable for me but if you don't know Shakespeare it won't affect your reading of this book.

I will add L.E. Todd to my must-read authors list and will watch for her other books.

The one thing I will say is it seems that my copy was not formatted correctly for my Kindle so the chapter headings took up 3 pages and made the book feel a bit clunky but that is more on the formatting, not the book itself and I assumed it was because it was a proof.

This book actually surprised me honestly. I knew I would love it simply based on the tropes listed, but I found myself liking it a lot more than I expected.

I’ve seen that a lot of people weren’t the biggest fans of the MMC, but I adored him from the very beginning. He was charismatic, a little annoying, and absolutely obsessed with the FMC. What more could I ask for? He was definitely a complicated character for sure, and by no means do I agree with his decisions, but after learning about the reasoning to his choices, I could understand where he was coming from. Did he make good choices? No. However in his mind he thought that he was being helpful.

The FMC frustrated me, but it was because it was written beautifully. I really read the story as if I was her. I felt her emotions; the anxiety, the frustrations, the anger and the compulsiveness from her disorder. I was worried how the author would represent OCD but it thankfully wasn’t bad! Truly, it felt as if I was experiencing the same emotions as the FMC was throughout the book and it really put me in the headspace that she was in.

The relationship between the FMC and her brother was honestly adorable, I have no complaints. They had each other's backs but also let each other learn from their own mistakes. I especially like how, despite knowing what was going on between the two MCs, the brothers let them figure timings out on their own rather than meddling. I really did appreciate that a lot more than I expected.

Altogether, I loved the book. I will surely be picking up a copy once it releases!

It was interesting to read a book about a character with OCD. I feel like that term is overused in today's society, so it was interesting to see a more personal interpretation of what it actually feels like to live with such a disorder. However, I felt like this was used en lieu of actually characterizing Rose. I wanted her to be more than just OCD, more than just a fan of period movies, and I didn't feel like I was ever given the chance to actually fall in love with her character. Tristan also had a lot of potential as a character that I don't feel was realized. He came off very immature and possessive. I wanted to fall in love with these characters, but I couldn't.

Tose’s OCD has defined her life. Tristan is Rose’s brother Robbie’s best friend, who is always hanging out with Rose’s family. Rose and Robbie go to college and end up living together, and Tristan is ALWAYS there - spoiling the plots to movies that bring her some peace. Rose has had enough, and is determined to get revenge. Rose’s plan backfires, and she quickly realizes she is falling for Tristan, and fast. I thought this book did a wonderful job of providing insight into living with OCD, how it affects Rose’s life, and the lives of the people who love and support her. There are misunderstandings, bad communication, and some heartbreak, but through it all, Tristan doesn’t give up on Rose. The Spoiler had great banter, amazing references to the 2000s, and characters I did actually care about and want to see happy. Rose was more than her OCD, as Tristan always knew, but it was great to see Rose finally start to see that. Overall, I recommend adding this to your TBR!

Rose loves watching period dramas, thanks to a box of them she found in her room one day in high school. She constantly rents and watches them as it helps her escape from her reality of having OCD. Tristan, her former crush, and brothers best friend, makes it his mission to constantly spoil them for her even though she hates it. Once she realizes it is him who left the box in her room, she plans to destroy him by using his own game. Will her plan work or will she fall for him again once she figures out more of who he is and why he started spoiling movies for her in the first place?

Unfortunately the slow burn in this book was too much for me. I felt like just when I thought the romance would happen, it kept slipping away and then when it did happen it was only for a second until it was gone again. Good thing there was an epilogue. I know that the spoilers were the theme of this book but the main male character kept spoiling movies constantly even though he knew she hated them even though it riled her up to the point where she would scream, it was exhausting. I see the vision of the book but I don’t think it was executed very well. I think getting more information into Tristan’s background and family, would’ve given a better understanding of what he was going through and why he did what he did.

This story touched on mental health and the depths of it. It’s not usual that a book has mental health representation so kuddos to the author for that. I also liked how the author emphasized family and friendship in this story. Overall it was a decent read, I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading YA books, and enemies to lovers, as well as slow burn tropes.

ARC REVIEW: The Spoiler by L.E. Todd

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

SYNOPSIS: Rose loves movies, specifically period dramas. Her obsession began when a box of movies mysteriously appeared at her doorstep. These movies became an escape for her and a way for Rose to control her debilitating OCD. Rose hates spoilers and her brother’s best friend, Tristan, never misses a chance to spoil a movie for her. When Rose finds out that Tristan was the one who left the box of movies at her doorstep all those years ago, she vows to destroy Tristan Moore.

A SLIGHTLY SPOILERY REVIEW:

This was a 5 star book to me until around 75% in when there was a third act break up even though they weren’t even really together because neither Rose nor Tristan think they’re good enough for the other. This could’ve all been fixed if Tristan would have learned how to talk to Rose and Rose would have learned how to listen. The level of miscommunication in this book is off the charts.

I do not understand how Rose didn’t get that Tristan liked her in the first place. He was so obvious (and borderline creepy) about it. He was always invading her personal space. He crashed her dates with another man. He went out of his way to figure out what movies Rose was watching to spoil them. The signs were there for years. She just didn’t see the signs due to her insecurities surrounding her OCD.

Her OCD diagnosis plays a huge part of Rose’s story. In the beginning, her entire identity is that she has OCD and she likes movies. During the course of the book, Rose realizes that she is more than her OCD. OCD is just a part of who she is. It is not all she has to offer. I thought her diagnosis was handled with care and realistically.

Lastly, I am here for all of the movie references. I am, like Tristan and Rose, a movie person, who gravitates more towards period pieces. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves enemies to lovers and slow burn romances.

The Spoiler was interesting spin on the classic “brother’s best friend” romance with references to period dramas - I definitely have a lot more movies I would like to check out! I also appreciated the representation of mental health struggles (OCD).

However, miscommunication and assumptions were repetitive themes and could be extremely frustrating, for example Rose’s obliviousness and Tristan’s inability to speak. The excuse for Tristan’s behaviour was also quite weak. I would have loved to see Rose’s character development by making friends outside of her brother and Tristan and creating her own life.

Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable and pleasant read.

This is a very cool read with mental health and movie references. The style of writing is engaging 3,5. The plot is 3,5. Themes, characters and mood 4,5.