Mayday

Lovestruck Librarians #3

by Olivia Dade

Passion Between The Stacks

Helen Murphy loves her supportive family, her close-knit circle of friends, and her part-time job at the library. What she doesn't love: the fact that she's a thirty-six-year-old near-virgin who lives in her parents' house. Eager to move out and reclaim her independence at long last, she's determined to get the library's new Community Outreach Coordinator position. Even if that means working side-by-side with the one man she desperately wants to avoid--Niceville's ambitious mayor Wes Ramirez, who happens to be her only previous lover, and the source of her greatest humiliation…

Wes needs to make up for his disastrous one-night--actually, make that one-hour--stand with deliciously nerdy librarian Helen. As they plan the city's upcoming May Day celebrations together, he'll try to prove he can do better, in bed and out. It may take every bit of his creativity and determination, but their budding romance has already gone down in flames once . . . and he'll be damned if he'll let Helen go a second time.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction, Plus Size, Chick Lit

242 pages, Paperback

First published May 10, 2016

About the author

Olivia Dade grew up an undeniable nerd, prone to ignoring the world around her as she read any book she could find. Her favorites, though, were always, always romances. As an adult, she earned an M.A. in American history and worked in a variety of jobs that required the donning of actual pants: Colonial Williamsburg interpreter, high school teacher, academic tutor, and (of course) librarian. Now, however, she has finally achieved her lifelong goal of wearing pajamas all day as a hermit-like writer and enthusiastic hag. She currently lives outside Stockholm with her delightful family and their ever-burgeoning collection of books.

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If you want to find me online, here’s where to go!

Website: https://oliviadade.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OliviaWrites
Newsletter: https://go.oliviadade.com/Newsletter

Reviews

[Ivy Deluca · Rating 4 out of 5]

QuickShot Review [3.75 stars]
I completely binged this series and I’m feeling a bit gluttonous. Going into this book, I had several concerns that are tied to spoilers that I had, since I read the last book first and there are events that happen here that do impact that last book. Without going into those spoilers, I think the sensitive situation was handled very well and didn’t impact my overall enjoyment of either romance.

That said, Helen and Wes’ romance isn’t my fave. I mean, the friendships and the banter, still clicks and is still enjoyable. The love is a tad insta and the obstacles are more internal than external drama, all things that I love. I even find the gender swapping of stereotypical behaviors thoroughly enjoyable. I even ultimately believe that Helen and Wes love each other.

However, their first encounter certainly leaves a bad taste in my mouth that isn’t fixed by his actions later. Mostly because I didn’t quite buy his reasons for his love for Helen, a person he didn’t even know existed in any way, shape or form. I wanted to believe him, but it took a long time for me to do that. Could this be because I was still biased against him? Probably. However, the female friendships are still fantastic, and the overall tale eventually comes together, so I’d still recommend for those who enjoy strong female friendships in their romances.



For more reviews, visit

[Samantha Bilodeau · Rating 2 out of 5]

First, the things that I liked about this book.

There was some fun banter between Wes and Helen. At times, they felt well-matched for one another. Wes' "plan" was an interesting idea and the buildup generally worked. All of the information about the May Day holiday and its traditions was a fun touch.

But...

The ages didn't feel right for this to me. The way they acted, the points they were in their lives... It felt more appropriate for people in their twenties than for people in their mid/late-thirties (and I say this as someone in her early thirties). Helen's "dream" was not just small, it didn't even seem to make much sense for someone her age. She just wanted to "work with books" and support herself... Working in a bookstore would have been fine with her. But there were no other jobs in bookstores or libraries for over hundreds of miles? That's asking for quite a suspension of disbelief. Her lack of considering jobs outside this didn't make me take her very seriously either, unfortunately. If she loves books, why not consider trying to work for a publisher? If supporting herself was so important, surely there were administrative opportunities available somewhere within 400 miles of her? :/ Something like this wouldn't ordinarily be all that important, except that it was such a big deal to the plot that she couldn't possibly work anywhere but at that library because there was no other work for her anywhere else.

I also couldn't really understand why exactly Wes cared so much all of a sudden. They had basically no history that he was aware of, aside from a "one-hour stand." Being apologetic, sure. Caring to "win her"? Hmm. The ridiculous jealous behavior didn't seem to work for me either.

Which brings me to the other thing that just didn't work for me: The sex. The language and behaviors felt jarring to me once things of sexual nature came up. You would get grandiose emotions that felt a bit over the top, and then things like "I want to eat your pussy" and "He couldn't wait to feel her warm pussy pulsing around his cock." I'll admit that, generally, I cringe when I read "pussy" and "tits" in romance novels, but I can look past them most of the time.

In this, though, so much of everything was just about lust and sex. Wes didn't woo Helen. He got her off. They were either at work, or getting each other off somewhere (handjobs in cars, cunnilingus in the mayor's office, "dry humping" in a public pool...). It seems that even Helen's previous virgin status was just another thing to excite Wes and had very little baring on the plot.

Overall, I felt like there was a lot of promise here. I liked the author's voice, and the characters were all fine. The issues encountered were interesting and not too crazy as to be unbelievable. Unfortunately, I need to toss this into the "Not for Me" pile.

If you are someone who enjoys jealous alpha males, borderline-smutty sex scenes, and insta-lust then this is very likely the book for you!

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My opinion is my own.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review also found here http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is May 10th, 2016.

This story is the third instalment in the Lovestruck Librarians series but can be read as a stand alone. While I did read the previous book, it was not required to enjoy this one.

What I like about this series is that the female leads are not the stereotypical beauty queens that you find in so many books of this genre. The character in this story was still beautiful but also real. She was not a stick figure and shopped in the plus size section of the department store. Although don't even get me started on what is considered a plus size these days, I could go on for hours but that would be fore a different blog. What I am trying to say is that the everyday female can identify in at least some way with Helen because we are all beautiful, flaws and all.

Wes took a while to win me over. His lack of self esteem really was a turn off for me. He did however grow stronger as a character as the story progressed.

If you like a little steam in your stories then this one delivers. As the synopsis says, Wes is determined to make up for a less than stellar "performance" and thinks of multiple ways to make this happen. There is no lack of steam within these pages.

An entertaining read.

[Maria Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mayday is the third entry in the Lovestruck Librarians series, a small town romance series centered around a lovely group of women friends who work for the local library in varying capacities. Having enjoyed the first 2 stories in the series, I was looking forward to this one as well, especially with the promise of a good grovel required by the hero. Anytime the male characters screws things up at the get-go I want to see him redeem himself appropriately (which may or may not involve sex) and with this author’s penchant for comedic interplay with her characters, I knew I’d be in for some laughs along the road to true love.

Helen had a crush on Wes, now the town mayor, in high school, though he didn’t seem to know she existed. They were both into swimming competitions, but Wes was by far the more accomplished and ended up with a scholarship to college, while she stayed in town. An injury at school wrecked his chances of future competition, but he still made something of himself, becoming Mayor with dreams of moving on to bigger and better places. Helen on the other hand, lost her book business in the economic downtown and is working a part-time job at the library, having had to move back in with her parents. When she runs into Wes at a bar late one night , she digs up her courage and approaches him. At this point, he’s got a pretty big reputation as a playboy, and true to form, he seems interested in a night with her. To her dismay, though, it’s a wham, bam, thank you ma’am sort of operation that leaves her well, satisfied in one manner, but disappointed in him and herself for making what was obviously a big mistake. To her humiliation (and partly relief, because he wasn’t that good in bed), he drops her back off at the bar with an apology and the knowledge that it was a one-time thing not to be repeated. 10 months later, Helen is trying to get a full-time job as a community outreach coordinator, and it involves working with none other than Wes in a professional capacity. Since that time, Helen has done her best to forget the incident, but unknown to her, it was the catalyst Wes needed to make some serious changes in his life. He knew that he had disappointed Helen, and sincerely regretted what had happened between them. He felt that at that time he wouldn’t have been a man worthy of her, but since then he’s made some different decisions in his life, put to rest his player ways and become a better person. He’s been wanting the chance to prove to Helen that he’s a changed man, and hoping for a second chance with her. Now that they have to work together, he’s got a plan in place to make up for his mistakes. Will Helen be willing to forgive and forget? And more importantly, will she give Wes a second chance?

So, you can see why there would need to be some good groveling in this book, with the opening few scenes dealing with a less than satisfactory bedroom encounter, including a brush off at the end! While that makes Wes seem like a real jerk at the beginning, it is a necessary component of the story because it’s that one night together that is a wake-up call for him. He’d seen Helen in the bar and thought she was beautiful – but also didn’t believe he was worthy of her or any kind of relationship with her the way his life was at the time. But he does try to make it up to her – first, behind the scenes, by getting funding for the library that she was working at part time, and was something the library desperately needed, and then by pulling up his bootstraps and working hard at getting the community back in the public eye by rejuvenating the downtown and planning festivals to get tourists and money moving to local businesses. Helen and Wes end up working together on a community festival to celebrate Mayday, complete with a Maypole, spring traditions involving romance and flowers and bringing some much-needed tourism to the town. There are several humorous scenes involving some of the citizens who don’t approve of the symbolism of fertility wrought by the ahem ‘pole’ and the ‘flowers’ that slide onto it, making for lots of laughs as they work at making the festival a success.

Wes has a plan to recreate more than just a good night with Helen. He wants to banish the mistakes of the past and prove to her that he can be a generous and thoughtful lover. To this end, there are several steamy scenes as he goes about this, making Helen feel loved and appreciated. In fact, it’s almost too much for her. Wes is being ‘courted’ in a manner of speaking by a councilor from a town 5 hours away, hoping that when his mayoral position is up in the fall, he’ll consider moving and doing for this new place what he’s done for his hometown. Helen worries about falling in love with Wes who has so obviously changed for the better, and also that his dreams of ‘bigger and better’ don’t coincide with hers of small town living and being an independent woman. As the story moves forward, it’s obvious that something’s going to have to give if they are going to end up together, and the question of whether it will be his or her dream makes the story a little bit tense as it nears the end, and you wonder how it will all work out to a happy ending. But of course it does, and we end up with a very satisfactory story, a sweet and sexy romance about forgiveness, generosity of spirit, and making new dreams come true. 4 stars.

This review appears as a blog post at http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...

A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute read, a very cute read!

Helen is a very relatable character and I loved that. I loved that she was described as an everyday woman with curves and a vivacious attitude and she sounded so realistic that it was easy to bond with her.

Helen wasn't the only one I ended up loving. Her close friends sound like a complete riot and that too is relatable because I was reminded of my own.

Dade just made me jealous that I never got to be a librarian!

[Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a thirty six year old virgin isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, so when Helen sees an opportunity to lose her V card to the man she has been lusting after since high school she takes it. But thinks don’t quite go as she hoped and an hour later she finds herself completely disillusioned and disappointed and vowing never to see him again, which is a little difficult as he’s Wes Ramirez, the town’s mayor. Which, makes it awkward when she is sent as the library’s representative to help with the mayday celebration that Wes is planning. Wes can’t believe the mess he made with Helen, he needs to show her that he is not that selfish guy she met in the bar, she’s made him a better man and he has a plan to prove it.

This book was just what I fancied, an easy reading, sexy sweet romance, great for kicking back and relaxing with. This is actually the third book in this series and although I haven’t picked up the others, I am definitely willing to give them a try next time I am in the same mood. It had that cute small town romance vibe and although Mayday doesn’t really stand out from the crown of other small town romances, that didn’t mean I enjoyed it any less.

What I did really like about this book and put a smile on my face? The fact that Wes was awful in bed the first time they got together and rather than Helen having a transcendent cherry popping experience, instead she is left wondering what the fuss is about when her vibrators do a better job. Of course, that does mean Wes is left later in the book having to prove that he can do better than her B.O.B, luckily he more then proves her toys defunct.

This is a great book if you are after something heart-warming, quirky with a little heat to go with it. I have never read any books by Olivia Dade before, but I am sure to give her another try soon.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! It’s not quite a second chance romance as Helen and Wes only had a one night stand before he botched everything. But it does mean he has to do a whole lot of groveling to show that he’s changed and he’s worth taking a chance on. And he does a lot of pining in the process, which is only fair given how many years Helen had a crush on him and he never noticed. Helen was a goddess and she deserved to have someone who fully appreciated her. I’m glad she made him work for it, even if part of that was just protecting herself and her own insecurities. This was quite moving in places, although it didn’t wind up making me cry. Helen’s plight really got to me though! The May Day festivities were delightful, especially the giving of trees and flower hearts, and I loved Helen’s librarian coworkers.

As much as I enjoyed it, there were some poor language choices, including lines that were transphobic, bierasure, and possibly acephobic. (Details in content notes below.) This was first published five years ago and I presume Olivia would leave those lines out, along with the gender essentialism and ableist language, were she to write it today. I also hope she’d write her characters of color differently. As in, make it clear that they are POC. Wes is biracial but for the majority of the book, his last name (Ramirez) is the only indication we get. At 61%, we learn his mom is white and his dad is Latino. Which, oof on not getting this information until so far in and for not using his specific ethnicity. At 91% Wes thinks about his dad’s family being from Mexico. We never hear what Wes thinks about being biracial or if there are other Latinx people in town or what his experience was like growing up, which is even more odd since we’re told his parents faced some racism for being in an interracial marriage. He pretty much functions as a white character. We’re told at various points that the town is diverse or that there’s a diverse showing at the town hall meeting but no specifics on what this means. Helen’s best friend Con is Asian but the only reason I know that is because I already read Con’s book. The only context clue in this book is her last name, which isn’t good enough. Some of this could be a publisher decision, which is frustrating, or a function of where things were at five years ago.

Character notes: Helen is a 36 year old white fat part-time reference librarian. She’s a redhead and wears glasses. Wes is a 36 year old biracial Mexican American mayor, swim coach, and swim instructor. This is set in Niceville.

Content notes: toxic parents, internalized fatphobia, criticism of MMC’s sexual history in oped column (countered), penis and vagina humor and commentary (especially around May Day origin story), phone sex, on page sex, alcohol, gendered insult, gender essentialism, ableist language, MMC’s mom got pregnant as a teen and his parents blame him for limiting their dreams/prospects, purity culture via May Day objector (countered), transphobic line (kind of countered) town crank fighting the May Day event says “Girls don’t have penises” regarding girls being allowed to give trees as May Day gift; the conversation is redirected and no one seems to agree with him in terms of gender essentialist views but this line was not explicitly countered either, in part because he insists the trees and heart gifts represent penises and vaginas and the town insists they don’t, manhood used as euphemism by secondary character, bierasure and possibly acephobic line “So you slept with a few women.” She shrugged. “Most guys with your level of extraordinary hotness do. Unless they’re gay. Or monks. Or living in a burrow underground amongst the Mole People.”, scar from past shoulder surgery, secondary character’s ex cheated on him with his best friend, mention of how previous mayor diverted city funds to his mistress, reference to racism parents experienced regarding their interracial marriage (white mom, Mexican dad). mention of someone’s father recovering from West Nile virus, reference to past corporal punishment by nuns at school

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Alcohol consumption
Teen pregnancy recounted & discussed
Scar from past shoulder surgery

[bookedrightmeow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mayday is book #3 in Olivia Dade's fun Lovestruck Librarians series, which follows a group of librarian friends. This is my favorite book in the series so far. As always, Dade excels at wit and banter, to the point where I found myself snort-laughing quite a few times. But Mayday also made an emotional impact on me and I love it when a book can make me both laugh and cry.

Helen Murphy is a part-time adult reference librarian. She loves her job, but sorely misses the independence that comes with having a full-time career. Previously, she worked in a bookstore, but after she was laid off, she had to move back in with her parents to make ends meet. She has been looking for a full-time job for the past few years, with no luck.

So when Helen learns about a new Community Outreach Coordinator position at the library, she's excited. Not only does the job sound like a perfect fit for her, but it would also bump her up to full-time status. There's just one catch: in order to bolster her credentials for her interview, Helen has to plan the upcoming May Day celebration with the local mayor, Wes Ramirez.

Flash back to a little less than a year ago and a disastrous one-night stand, starring none other than Mayor Wes himself. The last thing Helen wants to do is work alongside the guy who rejected her--after his lackluster performance in bed, to be honest--but she really wants this job. So, Helen and Wes begin their collaboration to make this the best May Day celebration that Niceville has ever seen.

Helen and Wes actually went to the same high school, but they certainly didn't run in the same circles. Helen was a shy, nerdy, plus-sized girl, while Wes was a stereotypically popular jock. As adults, their one-night stand was ill-fated but after they discover that they'll be working together, Wes is determined to make it up to Helen. And Wes sure knows how to give good grovel.

In turn, Helen feels the weight of their temporary arrangement. Wes has big dreams--ones that extend beyond Niceville--but is there a place for Helen in that life? As they start to fall hard for each other, Wes seeks to convince Helen that he's the right man for her--not just for the short term, but for always. *feeeels*

There's so much to love about this book: multilayered characters who I grew to care about, hilarious scenes involving Maypole mishaps and phallic protestors, and a well-rounded ensemble cast of characters, both from previous books as well as upcoming.

There's also an important subplot involving Wes and his tenuous relationship with his parents, which is another source of my aforementioned feels.

Mayday is an emotional story that brings with it a good dose of laughter, some seriously hot sexy times, and a few happy tears. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

[Under the Covers Book Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a thirty six year old virgin isn't all it's cracked up to be, so when Helen sees an opportunity to lose her V card to the man she has been lusting after since high school she takes it. But thinks don't quite go as she hoped and an hour later she finds herself completely disillusioned and disappointed and vowing never to see him again, which is a little difficult as he's Wes Ramirez, the town's mayor. Which, makes it awkward when she is sent as the library's representative to help with the mayday celebration that Wes is planning. Wes can't believe the mess he made with Helen, he needs to show her that he is not that selfish guy she met in the bar, she's made him a better man and he has a plan to prove it.

This book was just what I fancied, an easy reading, sexy sweet romance, great for kicking back and relaxing with. This is actually the third book in this series and although I haven't picked up the others, I am definitely willing to give them a try next time I am in the same mood. It had that cute small town romance vibe and although Mayday doesn't really stand out from the crown of other small town romances, that didn't mean I enjoyed it any less.

What I did really like about this book and put a smile on my face? The fact that Wes was awful in bed the first time they got together and rather than Helen having a transcendent cherry popping experience, instead she is left wondering what the fuss is about when her vibrators do a better job. Of course, that does mean Wes is left later in the book having to prove that he can do better than her B.O.B, luckily he more then proves her toys defunct.

This is a great book if you are after something heart-warming, quirky with a little heat to go with it. I have never read any books by Olivia Dade before, but I am sure to give her another try soon.

*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Suzanne

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[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet, not too eventful small-town romance between the town's attractive but somewhat insecure male mayor and one of its part-time librarians, a plus-sized woman who's lusted after the guy since high school. The size issue isn't really an issue; the heroine worries that their one-night stand doesn't progress any further because of it, but it's really because the hero realizes he was just using her and she doesn't deserve it. Later, when he has time and head space to want a deeper connection, it's full-on wooing. The only small problem is whether the two will be living in the same town at novel's end or not, and how their job situations might impact their romance's future.

I'd never heard of one town trying to woo another's mayor; does this really happen in the small-town Mid-Atlantic states?

[⚜️XAR the Bookwyrm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good installment in the series, but it wasn't that great either. Many of the problems I'd had with the previous books had been cleared up: it was a longer story, I could connect with the characters, but it also had the added bonus of showing us more of the community at large, which I enjoyed. The thing of it was, it all felt very bland to me, there was nothing that blew me out of the water about it all. I'll definitely continue with the series, but I'm not sure it will improve much beyond this.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't particularly object to the set up of this story - consenting adults have awkward, less than satisfactory one night stand sex & part ways all the time - but I did have a hard time buying what happened after. Even as a firm lover of second chance stories, I just had a hard time buying how Dude Being Bad & Asshole in the Sack = Motivation to be a Better Mayor, and unfortunately, that really kept me from buying his subsequent infatuation and the rest of the plotline as well.

[Shawna (endemictoearth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. This was good fat rep, and I like this cast of characters Dade has created. The virginity issue is handled in a unique way, and I think is resolved pretty well by the end. The other issues between the two main characters are stretched out just to the point of getting frustrated, but they are real issues that people face; however, the resolution is a smidge quick and neat. The writing is so good and the characters likable, so I didn't mind that much.

[Jenn C Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

So cute!!! And those love scenes! So hot!!! This story had everything I love - an older heroine who happens to be a little larger (and a librarian to boot!), and a hero who's determined to make up for a disastrous one-night-stand.

Helen is too hurt to consider that Wes might actually like her. After a terrible night (hour) together, she's very wary that he wants to spend time with her and even date her - and rightfully so. Watching her let down her walls to Wes was adorable and seeing the two of them work together to help their town was an added element to their relationship.

And I'm not kidding...those love scenes were some of the hottest I've read. Whew. Love a good librarian story.

[Shari · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Delighted Reader

For months now I have been fascinated with a series by Olivia Dade about librarians falling in love. Two books in, I picked up Mayday with so much excitement, but found myself feeling a little off and not very into a the story.

We start with a one night stand, but just any one night stand. Helen Murphy is a virgin, working part-time at the local library and living in her parents house after the bookstore she worked in went out of business. She steps out of her shell to approach the mayor, Wes Ramirez, at the local bar and within minutes they are leaving for his house. Now, I really didn't like Wes, he didn't worry about Helen's pleasure of deal with her virginity, but to give him some credit, she didn't tell him she was a virgin. Right afterwards, he takes her back to the bar and says some things she takes wrong, but anyone would have.

Leap forward months later and we learn more about the characters. Helen is up for a second part time position at the library that would make her full time with the two positions. To show she is the right person for the Community Outreach Coordinator position she takes on planning the city's May Day celebration. Who does she happen to have to work closely together? You guessed, Mayor Wes.

We also learn that Wes was having one of the worst days of his life the night he took Helen home. He's trying hard to be a good mayor, but everything just isn't going his way. The May Day celebration is his last ditch plan to revitalize the city. Working with Helen is a good thing, but he knows he hurt her emotionally that first night. He starts off with trying to be her friend, then onto being her lover and trying to correct all the wrong he has done to her emotions.

Let's get to business on what was off about this book and what was good about it too, because in the end it was just a good book, not great.

Helen and Wes are in their latter 30s, but they felt about 10 years younger in the story. Wes had a scholarship to college, but when he gets injured and unable to compete, he loses the scholarship and the money to continue college. He's not really into school nor great at learning, but I wouldn't say he is dumb. He comes back home and teaches swimming to under privileged kids when they challenge him to become mayor. So I guess I was wondering how he made a living just teaching swimming and buying his own house?

There there is Helen who was a thirty-sex year old virgin. She loves books. Working at a bookstore was a dream, but when it went under, she had to move in with her parents and take a part-time job at the reference desk at the library. She has looked for a job around the area, but there isn't anything in the area of dealing with books. She also doesn't want to move away from the area and has small town dreams. So she goes to college, works in a book store for .... years? Then moves in with her parents.

The two grew up going to school together, then spend years in the same town never really crossing paths and now a decade after college, Helen decides to hook up for one night with the mayor, losing her virginity and then moving onto another one night stand with a different man while Wes is trying to figure things out. It just seemed like they were younger than what the author wanted us to believe.

Second, Wes is a wuss. Now other way to say it. He is so insecure that I wanted to scream at times. He gets better over the course of the book, but I really didn't dislike or like him for more than half of the book. Hero...well, I never got that feeling. He falls hard and fast for Helen, but has to grovel a lot after what he said and did too her.

The May Day celebration is huge for both of their careers, so sometimes it bordered on ridiculous what they had to do to get it to go off without disasters. People are watching them both, for Wes a possible mayor position in another town and for Helen another part-time position that added to her current one would make her full-time.

Now, I know sex is supposed to be good and dirty, but it felt off. He said the words and did the deeds, but I found it all to be crude for two people who seem uptight. I found Helen to be wound up tighter than a top and Wes, while a ladies man, just didn't do it for me.  There was a zero to sixty mentality for the way they fell in love and into bed. No background besides that one night and he is instantly in love with her.

So onto the good....the camaraderie of the librarians is fun and hilarious to watch. They get together for some of the celebrations and I laughed so hard. The group is made up of young and mature women all ripe to fall in love. Some have and it was a great way to revisit their stories without them taking over this one. These women were the saving grace for most of the book. I also like the look into a future story, although not the next one in the series.

Again, the story isn't horrible, it just felt off in a lot of ways. There are funny moments, some sweetly hot moments, but there were people I just didn't connect with over the course of the story. I am hoping this is a fluke in an otherwise great series I have grown to love.

This review was originally posted on Delighted Reader

[Emmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my second Olivia Dade read. While I didn't adore it the way I did Teach Me, I did really enjoy it. The characters are really relatable - like, not everyone is a billionaire. Sometimes people have setbacks and are underemployed or work in the nonprofit sector and have to be careful with money to make ends meet. It can be nice to fantasize, but it can also be nice to feel rooted in the real world.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I applaud the author's use of non-stereotypical characters in a romance, I had a hard time with the maturity of the protagonist when she has a one-night stand with the crush of her life and realizing that sex with him really wasn't all that good. She's just too philosophical about it. I don't really understand why she tolerated being set up with him again. Surely there are jobs in other towns that would appreciate a talented librarian such as she.

[Melinda M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mayday is book #3 in the Lovestruck Librarians series. It is written by Olivia Dade. The series follows
a group of librarian friends. It is well written with characters that make you laugh. It is a little too sexy for me but other then that it is a story that holds your attention and will make you think about librarians a little differently.

I received a copy thru a Goodreads Giveaways.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked getting a) a fat heroine and b) non-white love interest in this one, but this is definitely a little more on the Madcap Adventures side tone-wise, and not quite as strong as Driven to Distraction. Still fun, and I appreciate the author's commitment to well-written sex scenes that further the plot.

[Holley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light, steamy read. If you enjoyed the other books in this series, you should like this one. I like the character developement as well as background story for the hero and heroine.
I'm not sure I really believe a town would set a one term (4yr) limit on it's mayor, but ...
On to the next book in the series :)

[Cecelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I throughly enjoy the Lovestruck Librarians series. But, this particular book has been my least favorite so far. Helen and Wes were too emotionally immature for my taste. Both of them suffered from a complete lack of confidence, and it really made it hard to enjoy the story.

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was fine? Lots of thoughtful character development, but the writing was just a little flat/clunky. Not bad, but not something where I'll seek out other books in the series.

2.5 stars, with an extra .5 star for explicit consent rather than falling into the "they were drunk!" plot device.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia Dade it out of the ballpark with this one. Helen is a realistic woman. What I mean by that is that it's easy women readers to relate to her issues and troubles. Nothing is magically fixed, yet she never forgets who she is. Definitely a worthy read.

[Kate W]

Oh dear. I think I'm going to have to DNF this one. I'm sure Wes has his reasons for being a dick, but I am just not interested in them. The fact that he stood in her way when she was speaking to a large group for work is too, especially when it came after giving her bad sex and the cold shoulder.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished very quickly during vacation. this was a pretty sweet romance novel set in one of my favorite places (around books). Helen is so strong and sweet you have to root for her! had to read the entire set!

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best fat rep I have ever read!

[lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

- scREEEEECH
- 😩👌🏼💯
- mayor hero, librarian heroine
- sort of second chance romance??
- Wes is so hot
- this book is so hot

[moon lit · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can't finish. The two main characters are just so insecure and annoying.

[Michelle Halber]

DNF.

Nope. I wasn't loving the story to begin with, but chapter 3 where the hero uses his position to spend time and become friends with the heroine is an absolute hardline for me.