All the Feels a heart-warming Hollywood romance

I might not be an expert when it comes to a lot of stuff, but I do consider myself a rom-com connaisseur, based on all the books I've devoured over the last couple of years. That is why you will have to trust me, when I tell you, that "All the Feels" is one of the most special, sweet and unique rom-coms I've come across. Olivia Dade writes characters that are full of life and personality that you will understand and root for right from the start. What also deserves some extra praise is the fact that our male protagonist is neurodiverse (adhd), which is not something I've come across before in the land of romance. To feel all the feels... go read this book!

** 4.5 stars ** // Uff! Olivia Dade did it again! And the title says it all: I was ALL IN MY FEELS while reading this I really enjoyed this book. I would even go as far as to say that I liked it better than Spoiler Alert (which I would probably rate a tiny bit lower if I read it again today). It’s not technically a sequel, as Spoiler Alert is a completed story, but we meet Alex (and a sliver of Lauren) in Spoiler Alert. In All the Feels we get to see their story. I could relate sooo much to Lauren and all her feelings and thoughts, and I believe that I read this at the best possible time in my life, as it helped me realise so much about myself, and it had my thoughts realing. Olivia Dade in general has a big part in my personal growth. Her books really helped me to articulate my own feelings, emotions and thoughts to myself, which in turn led to taking so many steps forward - some huge, some small - in my personal life when it comes to healing. These books will forever hold a special place in my heart. But to actually review the plot and the characters: LOVED it! Both MC’s are very lovable and I enjoyed how their relationship developed. Alex has ADHD and he’s awesome! The way he treats the people around him is heartwarming to read. Lauren is just as lovely! She’s strong and capable and so good to and for Alex. It was also interesting to see that both of them struggle with a similar thing, yet they deal with it very differently. I also felt like the dual POV came so naturally and fit perfectly. There wasn’t one of the two I enjoyed more and they were both entirely their own POV’s, their own voices. It didn’t feel like the characters slowly merged into one – which is something that I read too often not to pick up on when it’s not there. As prefered by me, this is a slowburn and I was rooting with bith of them the whole time. Alex and Lauren are comfort characters for sure, and I can only hope to find someone who will look at me and think of me like Alex does with Lauren *swoon* While there is a moment where I wasn’t sure if I was going to like where the story was going, I think the author resolved it nicely. There’s a few clichés in there and I think she wrote them interestingly. They felt right within the story. Ultimately, I’m so very grateful for this book, and I’m starting a petition today for everyone to get their own personal Alex in their lives

„All the Feels“ is a slow-burn romance and the second book in Olivia Dade’s „Spoiler Alert“ series that can also be read as a stand-alone. Following a bar fight, actor Alex Woodroe falls out of favor with his production company. To keep him in line, they hire former ER therapist Lauren Clegg, who’s to keep an eye on him 24/7 for the forseeable future. Being polar opposites, sparks are bound to fly…but maybe also in a good way? I really wanted to read this book, because I rarely come across rom-coms with plus-sized heroines, which is a shame. I did enjoy the overall story and loved to see Alex and Lauren grow over the course of it. In my opinion, they are well-written characters with depth and, as far as I can tell, both their „hardships“ (for the lack of a better word) are portrayed and dealt with pretty authentically. What I will say, though, is that both of them are supposed to be in their late thirties, but especially Alex seems much younger. He’s rather whiney and childish at times, which seemed a bit strange to me. That’s not meant to be a critique, just an observation, though. If you read fanfiction, you’ll be aware that there are quite a few popular tropes that you won’t be able to avoid. So are our two main characters. It was hilarious to me that coming across said tropes „in real life“, they not only acknowledge, but rather embrace them wholeheartedly. Regarding the writing style, I have to say that it did not really click with me, but I can’t put my finger on why exactly. Also, there were a couple of scenes that felt rather cringeworthy/awkward to me, but thankfully not too many. Last but not least, I’d like to include a trigger warning for fatphobia and the mention of domestic violence. I recommend „All the Feels“ to fans of slow-burn romances with lots of banter and a bit of seriousness sprinkled on top. If you enjoy characters that aren’t run-of-the-mill, even better. I for one loved the plus-sized heroine and the way the hero deals with his ADHD.