I absolutely loved this book. It's different to what I usually read in that It's an Adult Fiction Rom Com and I read mostly Young Adult Fantasy. The main character Athena is strong willed, smart, funny, loyal, hard working and just a really good person in general. She's always ready to through herself into her next challenge and never gives up. I love the dynamic between her and Dr. Matthew Vine the Freaking Third and how he looks out for her whether secretly or with her knowledge. The relationships she has with the other people in the small town are really special and you can tell them all love her and she loves them. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one!

At First Spite by Olivia Dade is a masterclass in the enemies to lovers trope, showing exactly how a relationship can so easily change, that the line between love and hate is so incredibly fine, so easily crossed.

If you're looking for your next 5 star read, I can almost guarantee you, it will be this one.

No one writes relationships like Olivia Dade. An tale of two stubborn individuals who learn to be stronger together. It's absolutely hilarious, utterly heartwrenching, and so beautiful I read it with tears in my eyes for the whole second half.

This book broke me, and the built me back up. It's such an honest and wonderful depiction of love, and all it takes to love yourself as well as someone else.

At First Spite is a enemies to lovers book about Athena who buys a house as a wedding gift for her fiancée. He then breaks up with her, which leaves her with this house she now has to live in. The house is right across the street from her ex-fiancee and his brother.

Sadly, I couldn't give this book more than 2 stars. I loved the idea of the Spite House and the book cover is gorgeous. The book was just too long and too dragged out. I couldn't get on board with the romance between Athena and Matthew. It was strange that Matthew wanted Johnny to break off the engagement because Athena wasn't 'wifey material' but then he suddenly cared about her, and she was okay with it. I also didn't like the random monster smut. It wasn't for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First off I love the plus size representation in this book, we don't get represented in books often so I really appreciated that.
This was a super sweet, quick and easy read that I flew through in just over an hour, I couldn't put it down and I didn't want too. I loved it

Received as an ARC in return for my honest review.

🏠 Ex-fiancés brother
🏠 Forced proximity
🏠 Forbidden/taboo
🏠 Enemies to friends to lovers
🏠 Mental health representation

The relationship between these two is just beautiful, I was swooning from start to finish. I’m so glad they got there happily ever after despite the hurdles and self deprecation along the way.

I hadn’t read a book by Olivia before this one and honestly I loved it, I will be reading loads more in the future is this is anything to go by. I also own the Afterlight special edition of this book which is just beautiful 🥰

I love a representation book, and one that brings depression to the forefront… LOVE. Matthew was a dream, the FMC was lovely. This book took a bit to get in to but it gave me the small town vibes I love

This book had a delightful heroine, a gorgeous small-town setting and I thought the depression rep was super well-done, and really refreshing to see a character's depressive episode portrayed so realistically and unflinchingly in a romance novel. Unfortunately, the romance arc between Athena and Matthew fell a little flat for me - it started out really promisingly, but as the story went on I just didn't feel his decisions were that realistic, and it took me out of the story slightly. Nevertheless, I'm excited to read more Harlot's Bay novels in the future!

Olivia Dade has such a way with words that every time I read one of her books, my heart just fills with joy. At First Spite is no different.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year but unfortunately it fell a bit flat. It wasn’t bad per se - I actually really enjoyed parts of it, but I just had trouble getting invested and found it very very slow at times.

Having said that, I absolutely loved Matthew and the way he care for Athena, especially when during her lowest moments, when her depression got really bad. It was heartwarming the way he put her first and cared for her, without second thought.

Overall, not my favourite of Olivia’s book but still enjoyable!

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to the Piatkus and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

There was a true romance to this. I found the author's depiction of depressive symptoms to be quite insightful.
It started off a little slowly. However, I felt like the second half really redeemed it. The main character's size plus body confidence, discussions about mental health, and small town vibes were all really appealing to me. I’m excited to read the next instalment of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Little, Brown Book Group Uk, Piakus for the opportunity to read this amazing book in exchange of an honest review.

My first Olivia Dade was a total win. I loved the characters and how well flashed out they were. I found the romance to be so fun and charming and I couldn't help but rooting for them from the start!!

It's one of those books I will definetely think about in the future.

Loved this book, the story of Athena and Matthew. An opposites attract romance. Both such great characters, and I liked how it was told from both points of view.

I didnt think it was possible that any other book besides All The Feels could be my favourite Dade book, but she keeps surprising me. Straight away I knew this was going to be a winner. Its original, its funny, it depicts depression in one of the most raw and honest ways I've seen for a long time, it's SO romantic, it's sexy. It's everything a romance should be and more. I cannot wait to read more in the Harlot Bay series. Hopefully there will be more monster fucking too.

This is my first book from this author and I don’t think I’ll be reading anymore. The cover is stunning but the writing style wasn’t for me. It was unnecessarily wordy and the dialogue didn’t feel natural. I did love the plus sized protagonist and that she was confident in her body but her size wasn’t constantly mentioned. The depression representation was done well but it felt too deep and dark for too long to be a romance. I enjoyed the start but then it starts to drag and nothing much happens.

As for the characters I liked the side characters but I hated both Athena and Matthew. They were both so immature considering they are late 30s. I cannot wrap my head around him becoming obsessed with her after talking for 15mins at her engagement party to his brother. Add that to her flirting at her own engagement party. I just don’t understand why she got engaged. None of her reasoning made sense. Ignoring the whole ruining your brothers engagement only to steal his fiancee for yourself, Matthew was okay to start with but he soon became so needy. Also questioning if he lived under a rock because he doesn’t know anything about memes, famous characters, or songs.

I don’t think I have ever cringed as much as I did reading this book. Professor Google was funny to start with but it was so overused. The Monster erotica was bad and then we got the chicken man. The sex scenes also made me cringe. The bath scene started cute and then Matthew ruined it. By the end, I was team Johnny.

Another great book from Olivia Dade! I have devoured every book so far and this was no exception! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.

This book was so much more than what I was expecting, so so fun! I loved that Athena was plus size and I have to say I think that Matthew might be my new favourite book boyfriend!

Highly recommend! Also, how gorgeous is the cover?!

OML - I wanna be Athena when I grow up (might be a bit late wishing for this - I'm 48!). Athena has superpowers - buying a house to spite her horrible ex, tangling with unemployment, money worries. And then there is Matthew. Older brother of said duplicitous ex and her neighbour on the other side. She is now sandwiched between the brothers Vine!

Athena and Matthew are blooming brilliant together. They have sparks from the get-go, all whilst trying to avoid that same attraction. Matthew puts up this façade of uptight, serious Doctor but that man is a worshipper (IYKYK) - he gets on his knees many times for Athena! He also scales a building like Spiderman, even though he's scared of heights, just to check on Athena.

Athena is an icon for bigger girls everywhere.

This was my first ever book from the author. I’ve seen her name and books all over bookstagram for years so I was really excited to give this a go. First I just want to say that I really, really enjoyed her writing, she’s a really talented writer. As for the actual story I didn’t love it at all. I felt the first half was ok but after that I felt the story got really depressive and started to deal with a lot of heavy issues in great detail and that’s just not what I look for in my romance books. I also found both main characters just annoying. I think if you like a more deep and issue filled romance then you would really enjoy this one. I’m sad I didn’t like the book but happy I got to read the authors writing at least and I can say that I honestly really appreciated her writing style.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK, Piatkus for a free e-arc in exchange of an honest review.

This bok was everything i needed it to be and more- I really dont think im goig to love another romance book as much as i did this one. The messages in this is so important! The pining for each other is so important! The bathtub scene is so important! HAHAHA

-Plus size rep
-FMC doesnt always have her shit together
-Mental health rep
- Small town- great side characters
-Hilarious at times and heart breaking at others
-Dream boat MMC
-Mature main characters

I honestly could go on and on- I cant criticise the book in the slightest as for me its the perfect romance!