Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: October 6, 2020
Format: Audiobook
Publisher: Avon
About the Book:
Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. While the world knows him as Aeneas, the star of the biggest show on TV, Gods of the Gates, he's known to fanfiction readers as Book!AeneasWouldNever, an anonymous and popular poster. Marcus is able to get out his own frustrations with his character through his stories, especially the ones that feature the internet’s favorite couple to ship, Aeneas and Lavinia. But if anyone ever found out about his online persona, he’d be fired. Immediately.
April Whittier has secrets of her own. A hardcore Lavinia fan, she’s hidden her fanfiction and cosplay hobby from her “real life” for years—but not anymore. When she decides to post her latest Lavinia creation on Twitter, her photo goes viral. Trolls and supporters alike are commenting on her plus-size take, but when Marcus, one half of her OTP, sees her pic and asks her out on a date to spite her critics, she realizes life is really stranger than fanfiction.
Even though their first date is a disaster, Marcus quickly realizes that he wants much more from April than a one-time publicity stunt. And when he discovers she’s actually Unapologetic Lavinia Stan, his closest fandom friend, he has one more huge secret to hide from her.
Review:
This was such a cute, fast and spicy read! I really enjoyed that the characters had developed a friendship with each other before their official meet-cute. Marcus seemed to be a bundle of nervous energy at all times which, honestly same. The inclusion of fanfiction seemed genuine and like the author was part of the community and really understood what it is people love about ao3.
A very refreshing romance book where April stands up for herself and demands the love that she deserves not in spite of her size but because she is a wonderful person who deserves to be loved no matter what. The spicy scenes were also really good, not too graphic but gives you the descriptions you want to see or hear in my case.
The author handles family dynamics with class and doesn't fall into the trope that you must love your parents because they are your parents even when they hurt you. Boundaries are important in every aspect of your life and to see two characters navigate that relationship change is a wonderful change. Forgiving people for what they have done in the past is great but that does not mean you should allow them to continue hurting you, I loved to see healthy relationships outside the main relationship.
The audiobook narrator Isabelle Ruther is great, she was able to bring the characters to life and felt like they were real people. She also had a quick pace so I didn't have to do my typical 2x the speed, so really enjoyed that as well.
🌶️ Spice Meter 🌶️ : 4 out of 5 Peppers
Final Thoughts: Overall this was a cute, quick, fluffy read and I enjoyed myself and the scenes. A good amount of spice helped move the plot along and was not there just to be there.
TW: Body shaming, Fatphobia
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