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Mayday

(Lovestruck Librarians #3)

Olivia Dade (Goodreads Author)

3.53 · Rating details · 242 ratings · 46 reviews

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 Coo ...more

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Paperback, 242 pages

Published May 10th 2016 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

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Start your review of Mayday (Lovestruck Librarians, #3)

Jan 16, 2017 Ivy Deluca rated it really liked it

Shelves: nerdy-love, bbw

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 a ...more

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Apr 01, 2016 Samantha Bilodeau rated it it was ok

Shelves: contemporary-romance, netgalley, virgin-and-experienced, alpha-male

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-thir 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. ...more

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Apr 16, 2016 Terri rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley

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 ...more

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Apr 17, 2016 Maria Rose rated it really liked it

Shelves: second-chance-or-reunion-romance, fully-reviewed-books, sexy-as-all-get-out

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 wi 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. ...more

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Apr 22, 2018 Maria rated it liked it

Shelves: e-book, i-heart-my-public-library

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! ...more

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Apr 23, 2016 Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) rated it liked it

Shelves: genre-contemporary-romance, sweeter-than-honey, small-town-romance

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 ...more

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Dec 28, 2016 Tiffany Reads It All rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own, ebook, made-me-cry, would-read-again, 2016

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 h 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. ...more

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May 10, 2016 Under the Covers Book Blog rated it liked it

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

...more

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Dec 20, 2016 Jackie rated it liked it

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, i ...more

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Jan 07, 2017 ⚜️Trea rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: challenges-2017, series-challenge-2017

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 be ...more

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Jan 28, 2017 Samantha rated it it was ok

Shelves: contemporary, romance, adult, 2017, own-nook

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. ...more

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Jul 02, 2019 Jenn Cunha rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-netgalley

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 ...more

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Mar 10, 2016 Shari rated it liked it

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. ...more

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Jun 08, 2019 Emmi rated it liked it

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. ...more

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Oct 07, 2019 Shawna rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019, ebook, fr

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. ...more

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Dec 23, 2020 Medlibrarian rated it liked it

This should be a 3.5 rather than a 3 but Goodreads doesn't do half stars so there we are.

It's a romance novel and there are still some hard to believe premises going on, but the writing in this series is getting better and the characterizations are getting better. I would have preferred something a little more complex than (view spoiler), but on the whole this is fun escapist fare. ...more

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Dec 31, 2020 Laura rated it liked it

Shelves: romance

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. ...more

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Jan 28, 2017 Melinda M rated it liked it

Shelves: done, first-reads-done

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.

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Jun 01, 2017 Claire rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017

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. ...more

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Sep 29, 2019 Holley rated it really liked it

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 :) ...more

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Feb 25, 2018 Cecelia rated it liked it · review of another edition

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.

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Apr 30, 2018 K rated it it was ok

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. ...more

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Feb 02, 2019 Jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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. ...more

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Dec 27, 2018 Ellie rated it really liked it

Best fat rep I have ever read!

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Jul 30, 2019 Lisa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019-read, ch-fav-heroines, ch-great, ch-fav-heroes, em-gimme-smut, gr-rom-contemporary, type-my-faves, trope-second-chance, trope-enemies-to-lovers, trope-workplace-romance

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

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Sep 30, 2019 moon lit rated it did not like it

Shelves: never-going-to-finish, xxx, xxx-contemporary

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

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Jun 22, 2020 Michelle Halber added it

Shelves: did-not-finish

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 23, 2020 Kate (kate_reads_) marked it as dnf · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf-2020

DNF at 23%

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Feb 25, 2021 ASHLEY (It Was AK) rated it liked it

A solid 3.5

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Jan 01, 2019 Mahaley Beaty rated it liked it · review of another edition

Wes and Helen are former classmates who hook up one night because Helen wants to lose her virginity to him. Anyways, he does a terrible job because he is full of self pity at the time and they don’t speak again for 8 months.
In the mean time Wes has decided that she is the woman for him and works to change his life so that he is worthy of her. As you could imagine, she is not quite having it since she believes that her being “fat” is what turned him off.
Anyways, I do believe that Wes makes up f ...more

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About Olivia Dade

Olivia Dade

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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, ...more