e-ALC, 12:08:17
Narrated by: Stephen Dexter & Joy Nash
Release Date: November 25, 2025
Published by: HarperCollins
Read from: November 24-29, 2025
Harlot’s Bay, #2
Source: Netgalley (I received this ALC free from the publisher and Netgalley. This did nothing to influence my review!)
Content Warning: Cursing, Sexual Content, Emotional Abuse, Toxic Relationship, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Body Shaming, Fat Phobia, Panic Attacks/Disorders
For Readers Interested In: Adult, Audio, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Dual POV, Fat Leads, Sparkly Covers, Most Anticipated, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Second Chance RomanceIn the second installment of USA Today bestselling author Olivia Dade’s Harlot’s Bay series, a mistaken obituary leads to the reunion of two former high school crushes. Sparks fly in this hilarious grumpy/grumpy romance, packed with Dade’s signature body positivity and a delicious amount of spice.
Karl and Molly were never together. There was a time, right after high school, where it seemed like they might finally cross the line from friends to lovers…but instead, a foolish misunderstanding meant they never spoke again. Molly went to LA and got married. Karl stayed in Harlot’s Bay and bought a bakery.
The only connection the pair has shared over the years is painfully one-sided: Now divorced, Molly narrates monster romance audiobooks, and Karl is an ever-diligent listener, clinging to his only piece of the one that got away.
Still, Molly hasn’t totally left Harlot’s Bay behind. When she hears that Karl’s obituary has run in the local paper, unexpected grief prompts her to hop on the next flight to Maryland…where she finds Karl very much alive, the victim of nothing but an accidental obituary.
As the pair reunite, they finally hash out their missed connection. True, Molly isn’t quite ready to trust again, but Karl is determined to prove himself worthy of her faith and devotion. And as her remaining time in Harlot’s Bay ticks down, Molly, the habitual cynic, just might find that Karl, the cranky town curmudgeon, is impossible to leave behind a second time.
*MY THOUGHTS*
I was so excited for this book. I loved the first book in the spite house series so much! Once I knew this was coming I was thinking of it constantly, ready to dive in to it. And then…… I didn’t like it. It really made me so sad.
So the reason I didn’t like it was mostly the MMC. He was like this super grumpy guy and I mean he was like that to everyone. And he was also so sarcastic. And usually I would be ok with that if it was with everyone but the FMC, but she was included in his weirdness as well. And Idk, that just bugged me. Which is weird. Because I know people like different things, but I just couldn’t do that. He felt mean even if the intent wasn’t supposed to be mean spirited. There is some change towards the end, and I did like the way he let her take charge of her own life and convos with her ex, but still. He just wasn’t my favorite.
The romance was ok. I didn’t think there was chemistry between the two of them, but it worked for them I guess. The two of them worked really well together. And he was hella protective of her. But only when she needed him to be. The way he knew her moods and could predict what she wanted to eat and things like that. Definitely my favorite part of the two of them. He does change and isn’t so mean for the rest of the story, but it’s me that still has issues with him. My brain can’t comprehend forgiving someone that fast or that easily. I was really like forget that man and go get another one.
Now Molly wasn’t a pushover or anything. She gave him as much as she got. And the meet cute (for the second time) was hella hilarious. I had no idea where that was going with that lmao I laughed way too long and way too hard at this lmfao I loved her more than anything else in this book. She was nice and also had a weird ass sense of humor.
The other thing I didn’t like about this book tho was the plot. I still don’t understand what it was about. Her ex? Her just coming back to see him again? Her revealing who the narrator of those books actually is? It just felt like nothing happened. I know things happened, but it also felt like nothing. Idk it was just weird.
While this wasn’t my favorite Dade book, I’m glad I read it. I’m glad that I was able to get to the end of this series. But I am also glad that I got to see the fall out from a mistaken obituary lmao Definitely don’t think I’ll ever run into that again. So yeah… A win is a win is a win.
Overall, I give this
