Pop Culture Punch

Not too much time has passed since my friend handed me Spoiler Alert, so I was kind of surprised when she mentioned that Olivia Dade already released her next novel set in the same world as her previous work. Trust me, I can say right now without any hesitation, that if you liked Spoiler Alert, then you’ll definitely enjoy All the Feels.

Rather than Marcus and April’s story this time around, Marcus’ friend, Alex, is the one in the spotlight. Him and his brand new handler, Lauren. Right off the bat it’s clear that Alex is intrigued with all of Lauren’s asymmetry, but is kind of furious he’s being assigned a minder. The assignment came from a bar fight, but no one bothered to ask Alex his side of the story. From Lauren’s perspective, she needs a break from her time spent providing therapy to ER patients. Her time there was intense, so taking the job of watching over Alex first in Spain and then in Hollywood seemed like the perfect distraction.

Too bad she learns right away that Alex might be more to handle than she anticipated. Not that he’s going around punching people, but he has an anger that shows itself in verbally defending the people he cares about. Apparently that includes Lauren, to her surprise. And kind of to Alex’s surprise, too. All of that would seem kind of chivalrous if those outbursts wouldn’t be a threat to Alex’s career. Even more, Lauren doesn’t really want defending. Having an asymmetrical face, and the body of a small bird, she’s used to being the butt of mean comments, but she mostly ignores the jabs, because why spend life being angry all the time?

It’s clear they both have a bit to learn about themselves. Yes, Alex’s aggressive reaction to protect people stems from not realizing his mother was in an abusive relationship, but he needs to stop blaming himself and essentially overcorrecting on Lauren’s behalf. Lauren, while her outlook on ignoring the haters is noble, she should also defend herself sometimes. People need to know they can’t get away with being awful to other people. Of course, all of this self-discovery is happening parallel to a budding, but slow-burn romance. Being that Lauren technically works for Alex in the beginning, she casts her feelings aside and focuses on the task at hand. Once Alex kind of screws it all up for himself, they decide to give it a go. Similar to Spoiler Alert, the detailed intimacy in this book kind of surprises me, but that’s just proof I’ve read too many young adult romances.

All in all, I probably like this book just as much as Dade’s first work, Spoiler Alert. Both books manage to take an “average” girl and get her into some fun adventures. It’s also inspiring to read about someone I can relate to get the guy by just being herself. And being yourself is sexy! Like I said at the start, if you liked Dade’s first novel, or if you’re really into fanfiction, then check out All the Feels, too!