At First Spite:A Harlot'S Bay Novel by Dade

At First Spite:A Harlot'S Bay Novel (edition 2024)

by Dade (Author)

Series: Harlot's Bay (1)

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
102	5	268,648	(3.94)	6
Fiction. Literature. Romance. Humor (Fiction.) HTML: A Library Journal Romance Pick of the Month Bestselling author Olivia Dade welcomes you to Harlot's Bay in this delightfully sexy rom-com about a woman who buys the town's famous Spite House, only to realize the infuriating man she can't stand lives right next door�and their unwilling proximity might spark something neither can ignore. When Athena Greydon's fianc� ends their engagement, she has no choice but to move into the Spite House she recklessly bought him as a wedding gift. Which is a problem, for several reasons: The house, originally built as a brick middle finger to the neighbors, is only ten feet wide. Her ex's home is literally attached to hers. And Dr. Matthew Vine the Freaking Third�AKA the uptight, judgy jerk who convinced his younger brother to leave her�is living on her other side, only a four-foot alley away. If she has to see Matthew every time she looks out her windows, she might as well have some fun with the situation. By, say, playing erotic audiobooks at top volume with those windows open. A woman living in a Spite House is basically obligated to get petty payback however she can, right? Unfortunately, loathing Matthew proves more difficult than anticipated. He helps her move. He listens. And he's kind of...hot? Dammit. Matthew may not regret ending his brother's engagement, but he does regret what the breakup has done to Athena. He'll help her however he can. If that means finding her work, fine. If that means enduring nightly steamy story hours, so be it. And if that means watching Athena through their windows a bit too often and caring about her a bit too much...well, nothing can come of it. She'll never forgive him. Even if she did, how could he ever tell his beloved younger brother the truth�that Matthew wants the very same woman he encouraged Johnny to leave? .… (more)

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Member:	vpicinich
Title:	At First Spite:A Harlot'S Bay Novel
Authors:	Dade (Author)
Info:	Avon (2024), 400 pages
Collections:	Your library
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At First Spite by Olivia Dade

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There are a lot of laughs in this book, a good many of them hang on the multitude and flexibility of the monster pricks of the Sadie Brazen books within the book, as the ex-fiancé connects with the brother of the man who dumped her - on his insistence, has some interest and heat on its own, but not quite enough to make a soufflé of a set of relationships that ought to shipwreck. (

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quondame | May 28, 2024 |

Olivia Dade is back to being my favourite author. I felt so seen in this story about a woman who switches jobs every few years because she gets bored. She feels like a failure now that she's in her 30s, which is something I felt like before I committed to theatre. I also felt for her counterpart who lost his childhood in raising his brother and doesn't know how to stop being in that position. (It took my sister saying to me outright "you're not responsible for us" for me to get there.) Add in the trademark Dade humour and I'm so there.

I also love how in both these characters we see traits that aren't common in romance (although thankfully more so now). There's so much I loved I can't categorize it all. I love this new world she has created and I guessed who'd be the focus of the next book. Cannot wait! (

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mktoronto | Apr 4, 2024 |

When Athena Greydon bought the Spite House in the small town of Harlot's Bay, she intended to gift it to her fiance as a wedding present so that he could finally knock it down and expand his townhouse. But then said fiance dumped her two weeks before the wedding and Athena had no choice but to move in since she'd sunk every last penny of her savings into the down payment. Now the Spite House is living up to its name as she's next door to her ex-fiance, and even worse, across the alley from her ex-fiance's brother Dr. Matthew Vine, who played a major role in convincing her fiance to end the engagement. And now Athena keeps bumping into Matthew everywhere and while she'd planned to spite and despise him until the end of time, he keeps on doing the kindest things...

I think I can officially be labelled an Olivia Dade fan now. This newest romance is an utter delight. Both Athena and Matthew are wonderfully crafted characters who have flaws and baggage but whom you can't help but root for. The community Dade creates in Harlot's Bay is also charming as heck, with plenty of supporting characters who are quirky but endlessly entertaining. The steam level here isn't as high as some of Dade's other novels, as Athena and Matthew's romance is a slow burn enemies to lovers. However, to tide you over there are several sections when characters listen to monster erotica audiobooks (largely used for comedic effect - most effectively). My only caveat is that (as mentioned in Dade's content awareness note at the beginning of the book) there are some pretty vivid descriptions of a character dealing with depression, so keep that in mind when picking it up. An excellent contemporary romance that I highly recommend. (

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MickyFine | Mar 9, 2024 |

I think with this book Olivia Dade has firmly solidified herself as the Jennifer Crusie successor that I've been missing lo these many years. It has all the feels. All the body positivity. All the super hard depression sucks and the interior voice sucks and people can help. And an absolutely hard beautiful sweet and funny love story to boot. I love the characters. I LOVE the monster porn theme. I love the hilarious absurdity and the sweetness and the community and the messages -- all the messages that are about self-love, and about taking care of the people around you and about taking responsibility for your own harms, and about letting other people love you. It's a joy of a book.

Advanced reader's copy provided by Edelweiss. (

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jennybeast | Dec 4, 2023 |

Well-written, believeable, heartfelt, and heart-wrenching romance. The heroine is fat, but nothing is made of it. Both the hero and heroine have emotional problems that they need to work through--and they do it together. Have tissues handy, and be prepared for the extensive quotations from monster-fucking romances.

Recommended. (

)

readinggeek451 | Nov 5, 2023 |

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At First Spite

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2024-02-13

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Fiction. Literature. Romance. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:

A Library Journal Romance Pick of the Month

Bestselling author Olivia Dade welcomes you to Harlot's Bay in this delightfully sexy rom-com about a woman who buys the town's famous Spite House, only to realize the infuriating man she can't stand lives right next door�and their unwilling proximity might spark something neither can ignore.

When Athena Greydon's fianc� ends their engagement, she has no choice but to move into the Spite House she recklessly bought him as a wedding gift. Which is a problem, for several reasons: The house, originally built as a brick middle finger to the neighbors, is only ten feet wide. Her ex's home is literally attached to hers. And Dr. Matthew Vine the Freaking Third�AKA the uptight, judgy jerk who convinced his younger brother to leave her�is living on her other side, only a four-foot alley away.

If she has to see Matthew every time she looks out her windows, she might as well have some fun with the situation. By, say, playing erotic audiobooks at top volume with those windows open. A woman living in a Spite House is basically obligated to get petty payback however she can, right?

Unfortunately, loathing Matthew proves more difficult than anticipated. He helps her move. He listens. And he's kind of...hot? Dammit.

Matthew may not regret ending his brother's engagement, but he does regret what the breakup has done to Athena. He'll help her however he can. If that means finding her work, fine. If that means enduring nightly steamy story hours, so be it. And if that means watching Athena through their windows a bit too often and caring about her a bit too much...well, nothing can come of it. She'll never forgive him. Even if she did, how could he ever tell his beloved younger brother the truth�that Matthew wants the very same woman he encouraged Johnny to leave?

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