ARC Review: Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

My Review:

Spoiler Alert is a fun and refreshing contemporary romance. I love April’s character! She is sassy, strong-willed, and intelligent with a fantastic sense of humor. Marcus is interesting, as well. Talented, smart, and honorable, he is often misjudged. Marcus and April have a lot in common. Both have difficult family lives and deal with insecurities, yet they both persevere. Marcus is thought of as a shallow, handsome star, but no one takes the time to learn who he really is, not even his family. April is generally confident but is often harshly judged because of her weight. Both characters are judged by their appearance and are hurt by people’s misconceptions, which connects them even more.

The romance between April and Marcus is fantastic! It is both sweet and steamy, which I love. Marcus hates being judged for his appearance or his name, and he identifies with April, who is looked down on because she is overweight. They both put up walls to protect themselves from the harsh judgment of others, especially their awful parents. However, Marcus and April are real with each other. They both let down their guards and accept each other without judgment or reservation.

One other aspect of the book that I like is the use of online conversations and interactions as well as scripts. Being able to read past chats between Marcus and April adds depth to the story and characters and makes you see how connected the couple feels.

The story also highlights the power of social media. Early in the story, April is fat-shamed after posting a cosplay picture of herself. The cyber-bullying she endures is malicious, and, sadly, realistic. Conversely, the story also demonstrates how social media connects people that wouldn’t otherwise know each other. I like that the good and bad elements of social media are equally examined.

Spoiler Alert is a great story for readers who enjoy contemporary romance with well-developed characters, fan fiction humor, and a steamy love story. Though it is a fun read, the book also tackles serious issues like fat-shaming, bullying on social media, body positivity, dyslexia, and more with delicacy and realism. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishers for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Rating:

Favorite Parts:

• The romance, of course. Team April and Marcus!!!

• I love how the book pays homage to fandoms and fandom culture.

• The strong messages about body positivity, standing up for yourself, and being true to who you are.