At First Spite: A Harlot's Bay Novel
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 fiancé 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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Community Reviews
Edit:
This is my favorite Olivia Dade book to date. It’s an authentic and heart-breakingly beautiful depiction of how depression can bring you down and how those who are close to you and love you can help lift you back up. Matthew is such a nurturing and loving hero and I loved seeing him take care of Athena and, eventually, turn those same traits back to himself. I loved Athena’s sass and spunk. She was funny, sweet, and incredibly real. While I didn’t expect a book about revenge to turn into a hurt/comfort story, I’m so glad that it did. I loved this book so much and can’t wait to read more from Harlot’s Bay.
Tropes: hurt/comfort, slow burn, close proximity
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Olivia Dade has been on my list of authors to check out for a while, and now I'm looking forward to reading more! This book was a lot of fun. I did find that certain areas of dialogue or humor would have worked better if they had been trimmed a little, but that didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. This is for romance lovers who embrace the silliness of the genre. I think the audiobook narrator did an alright job, but I may have preferred reading the text myself in this case.
Content Warnings:
Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Medical content
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