At First Spite by Olivia Dade
✒️ Author: Olivia Dade
🔗 Series: Harlot’s Bay, Book 1 (but works as a standalone)
⭐ Rating: 4 / 5
🌶️ Spice: 1 / 5. Open door, emotional intimacy, moderate explicit scenes
🎭 Genre: Contemporary Romance, Plus Size, Small-Town, Comedy
📜 Format Read: eBook
📖 Length: ~386 pages
If you’re a mood reader like me, you know the struggle of being in a book slump. Sometimes, all it takes is the right story to pull you out and give you that heartwarming joy again. Enter At First Spite by Olivia Dade, a rom-com that wraps you up in the literary equivalent of a cosy blanket fort — warm, inviting, and filled with giggles that could wake the neighbours!
Is This for You? (Tropes & Vibes)
Read it if you love:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- Second Chance at Life / Post-Breakup Rebuild
- Slow Burn with Sharp Banter
- Vibes: small-town chaos, emotional healing with humour, petty-spite energy
- Dynamic: Prickly heroine × guilt-ridden, quietly intense hero
- Character Types: messy but determined FMC; grieving, emotionally locked-down MMC
- Setting: Harlot’s Bay, a quirky coastal small town with nosy neighbours and an unhinged romance-book club
Plot & Characters:
I went in blind, and I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised. Athena’s character development? So good, I half-expected her to leap off the page and thank me for believing in her! And then there’s Matthew… sweet, infuriating Matthew. He’s like a cupcake with a hidden vegetable. You think he’s predictable, but BAM! There’s unexpected depth that leaves you both swooning and rolling your eyes.
Humour & Dialogue:
The dialogue is witty, hilarious, and had me laughing out loud so much that it could count as an ab workout. Athena and Matthew’s banter? Gold medal-worthy! Olivia Dade navigates the line between humour and heart effortlessly, making At First Spite an absolute gem in the rom-com genre.
Relatable Adult Characters:
The best part? This novel features relatable adult characters dealing with real-life problems. No high school drama, no billionaire escapades, just people in their 30s with bills to pay, responsibilities to manage, and real-world struggles. It’s refreshing to read a romance where the characters feel real, grounded, and still manage to charm the socks off you.
Final Thoughts:
In summary, At First Spite by Olivia Dade is a delightful slice of cake that reminds us life can be sweet, especially when served with a side of laughter. If you’re in a slump or just need a joyful pick-me-up, this is the book for you. Grab your copy, snuggle into your favourite reading spot, and prepare for a charming, hilarious read that will leave you grinning like a fool.
