Publisher: Avon
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 6, 2020
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. The world may know him as Aeneas, star of the biggest show on television, but fanfiction readers call him something else: Book!AeneasWouldNever. Marcus gets out his frustrations with the show through anonymous stories about the internet’s favorite couple, Aeneas and Lavinia. But if anyone discovered his online persona, he’d be finished in Hollywood.
April Whittier has secrets of her own. A hardcore Lavinia fan, she’s long hidden her fanfic and cosplay hobbies from her “real life”—but not anymore. When she dares to post her latest costume creation on Twitter, her plus-size take goes viral. And when Marcus asks her out to spite her internet critics, truth officially becomes stranger than fanfiction.
On their date, Marcus quickly realizes he wants more from April than a one-time publicity stunt. But when he discovers she’s Unapologetic Lavinia Stan, his closest fandom friend, he has one more huge secret to keep from her.
With love and Marcus’s career on the line, can the two of them stop hiding once and for all, or will a match made in fandom end up prematurely cancelled?
Spoiler Alert is fluffy fanfic meets unexpected emotional depth. On the fluffy side, you have the gorgeous leading man of a Game of Thrones-type show asking out an ordinary woman after internet trolls attack her cosplay. On the less sunny side, you have two protagonists with realistic emotional baggage. Author Olivia Dade blends the light and the dark beautifully, making this a most enjoyable tale.
April is a geologist who has secretly been writing Gods of the Gates fanfic for years, mostly about her favorite ship, Lavinia and Aeneas. After years of keeping it a secret, April is finally owning her online alter ego and I loved her enthusiasm for her work and her fandom. She is also a plus size heroine and one of the things I loved most about this book is that Ms. Dade does fat rep so incredibly well. She gets how even someone who loves the way she looks can be hurt over and over, both by loved ones and hateful trolls. April is a strong, smart heroine with confidence but she can be incredibly vulnerable. She felt real, flaws and all. And her flaws are realistic ones, though sometimes unpleasant. She’s been hurt so often that when Marcus unwittingly triggers her she shuts down. But these flaws make her human and add depth; they also provided her the opportunity to grow.
And speaking of Marcus… *sigh* He has one of the softest hearts I’ve ever read in a hero and I just loved that about him. He’s been deeply hurt by people who should have loved him so he doesn’t let many come close. He plays the part of the handsome and sweet but incredibly dim actor and few see beneath the surface. Marcus is caring, considerate, and goes out of his way to make sure others are comfortable… He’s almost too perfect but that marshmallow heart just got me. It was sometimes hard to watch Marcus’s feelings get stepped on when he accidentally triggers April. But those ups and downs also helped him as he slowly comes out of his shell. He’s not happy where he’s at, but he’s afraid to let the real Marcus be seen. I was rooting for him every step of the way and I loved Marcus’s journey. From opening up about his dyslexia to watching his fanfic writing develop to following him as he decided how he wanted to shape his post-Gods of the Gates career, his personal journey kept me engaged.
The romance is the heart of Spoiler Alert and it was entertaining, though not my favorite part of the story. Marcus and April have instant chemistry once he stops playing a role and captures her interest. I liked them together and of course I wanted them to get their happily ever after, but I personally found their character growth to be more engaging. The obstacles in their path are primarily internal and though I won’t spoil the third act drama, it’s safe to say readers will spot it coming from the very beginning. Whether or not you find this satisfying is really a matter of personal taste.
Secondary characters round out Spoiler Alert wonderfully well. I enjoyed Marcus’s costars and would love to read about most of them. In particular, I cannot wait to see what’s in store for Marcus’s irrepressible best friend, Alex. All in all, I really liked Spoiler Alert; it’s sweet and fluffy but can pack a punch in unexpected moments.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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