I was a big fan of Alisha Rai's previous novel, The Right Swipe, so I was very excited to read Katrina's story. I had high expectations, and Alisha met every one of them. Both Katrina and Jas have been through a lot, so when they open up and give into their feelings, they come together beautifully. This is a well-written, emotional, engaging read that will leave you thoroughly satisfied.

Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai: Former model turned angel investor, Katrina only wants privacy and to enjoy her life on her own terms. Her much needed privacy was rudely taken from her when a supposed ‘do-gooder' captured what they believed to be a ‘meet-cute' while at the local café.

Being crippled by anxiety for most of her life Katrina has been making a conscious effort to immerse herself into regular life. Deciding to stay for a while after her therapy session to enjoy a cup of coffee and some people watching, turned into Katrina being the focus of said people watching. When a cute stranger asked if he could share her table in the crowded café, being the nice person that she is Katrina obliges. However the couple at the table next to her seems to take this act of kindness as the starting of what could be an epic romance. Snapping a pic of them together and then going on to post said picture on Twitter while fabricating their version of the meet-cute. While in reality nothing came of this supposed meet-cute, as Katrina has been secretly in love with her bodyguard Jas all this time.

When news breaks that the entire internet is now in search of the mysterious #CuteCafeGirl, Katrina fears her much need anonymity will soon be ripped away from her. Wanting to do anything to help ease the tension for the woman he has secretly loved, Jas suggests that they go to his family’s farm for awhile, or until all of this social media hype dies down. What started as a getaway from the social media circus turns into the two growing closer and uncovering their mutual attraction, all while dealing with Jas family and all that came with him leaving them for his life as a bodyguard.

I loved the story Rai built for us with this multilayered romance. I loved Katrina’s character and her love for cooking for the people close to her and her pure giving nature. Even with her anxiety disorder always at the corner of her mind she did not let it over rule her. Rai did a very good job at portraying life living with anxiety and all the hurdles that come with it. The tone of mental health continued with our male lead, Jas, who as a veteran was dealing with his own PTSD, and the prospect of therapy and opening up about his past. Both characters are incredibly selfless and that is seen in the way that they are both nurturers.

This novel deals with a number of heavy issues ranging from mental health, privacy or lack there of in a world of social media, sexuality and family dynamics. Rai has done a wonderful job at touching on each of these topics and shinning light on their serious nature. I think she has done a good job at showing how most people would not or rather do not take into account the levity of their actions in the social media world that we live in.

I absolutely loved Girl Gone Viral, this novel was an enjoyable read with a cute love story woven into important issues.

4 Stars / 3 Steam Fans

I will say straight away that I enjoyed Girl Gone Viral more than The Right Swipe!! I was still quite frustrated with the pace of Girl Gone Viral, but I was able to relate to Katrina and Jas and their issues. Katrina is dealing with past traumas when she is set up in her safe space to have her picture taken, and that social media post throws her into the spotlight again. Jas is Katrina's bodyguard dealing with traumas in silence. They both have an attraction to each other that they spend entirely too long coming to terms with during the story. I did appreciate that only a few social issues throughout this story and they didn't feel thrown in to check the boxes. I think Girl Gone Viral was a streamlined story that felt more together but still left me a bit frustrated.

Video review available in Week 19: May 3 – 9 weekly book reviews.

For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.

A very cute story about a meet-cute that wasn’t. Katrina unexpectedly goes viral after a stranger captures her ultimately sizzleless interaction with a man she just met and spins it into an elaborate fantasy complete with wedding bells. Katrina has worked hard to maintain her privacy after a brief career as a model ended when she abruptly leaves her abusive father to marry a rich man. Now a young widow, her budding feelings for her body guard are made even more complicated by the overnight sensation of #cafebae. There is frank talk of mental health challenges by both of the couple throughout.

Overall a light fun romance but there were a lot of things happening that I felt weren’t resolved adequately.

First, the romance. The romance was very sweet and wholesome, but didn’t have any heat for me. They have been around each other for years in a employer/employee relationship so they’ve developed a deep trust and respect towards one another. I loved that about them. Jas has seen Katrina when she’s struggling with her panic disorders to know when she might need to take a break or need her medicine. He is very in tune with her needs. Likewise, Katrina has learned to depend on him and she feels secure with him. That said, I felt there was a lack of chemistry between them because both characters have really mild personalities. In particular, Jas felt one-dimensional so when they finally did get together it lacked chemistry.

I wouldn’t say this is a romantic comedy as there aren’t many funny moments. Katrina and Jas do not engage in any flirty banter. Jas is far too reserved and professional. I’d say the beginning half is more fun since Katrina is trying to figure out why she gets the “zings” when she’s near Jas. Additionally we see her hanging out with her friend Rhiannon and roommate Jia which is fun. I loved Jia and I hope we get a story for her too.

I liked the whole CafeBae viral premise. Katrina values and relies on her anonymity to conduct business, keep her toxic father away, and to manage her panic disorder. This all gets put in jeopardy by a nosy person who live tweets a casual conversation she has with a stranger sharing her table. I felt it got wrapped up nicely.

However, I felt like the author introduced a lot of things about both Katrina and Jas’s personal traumas, but didn’t really fill the reader in on what exactly happened. There was just too much personal trauma mentioned for each character that wasn’t resolved. It got a bit messy and I wished the author had stuck with just one or two and gave proper attention to those. For example, the author kept alluding to what happened to Jas but doesn’t actual explain in detail until towards the end when it gets addressed abruptly. However, I feel the author did a good job with showing the PTSD and after effects of having gone through trauma, especially with Jas.

The weakest part of the book for me was Jas. He is so quiet and reserved, I didn’t really get any idea of what his personality is like. Other than being Katrina’s security and being there for her, I didn’t know much about him. He even talked to his brother and grandpa in the same reserved way he talks to Katrina. His grandpa was the only one who brought out a spark in him. Jas was a flat character and that hurt the romance in the book.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read but not one I’ll remember. Both Katrina and Jas are really good people. You get the sense that they have kind souls. It was kind of wholesome in that way. However, I preferred The Right Swipe as both characters had strong personalities and the chemistry between the two was amazing.

Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own!

I'm gonna say it. Katrina and Jas's story is far more interesting than Samson and Rhiannon's ever was. I loved these characters and their dynamic SO much more. And I LOVED how this normalized being unexperienced with sex as an adult. We need more of that in rom coms. This is so fun. Please read it.

Trigger and Content Warnings: Non-graphic discussion's of the following -- child abuse and manipulation, meal restriction, kidnapping.

As a big fan of Alisha Rai, it pains me to not finish one of her books, especially since I was highly anticipating GIRL GONE VIRAL. I loved THE RIGHT SWIPE, and I had such high hopes for the second book. I mean, bodyguard romance? A curvy heroine who loves her body? Sexy hero with a beard? Sign me up!

Sadly, I just could not get invested in the story. I read about half of the book and absolutely nothing was happening. It’s rare that I am this bored by two characters. I didn’t feel any chemistry between them and I found the multitude of subplots distracting. I think I could have forged on if I felt any zing between Katrina and Jas. They barely had a half hug and they didn’t pine quite as much as I was hoping for.

I think my biggest problem was the “mystery” of Jas’ military thing and Katrina’s marriage. I felt like I was only seeing part of both characters, and it was the boring part. I am mildly interested to hear about how Katrina’s first marriage worked, but not enough to keep reading.

Overall, I am a big fan of Ms. Rai’s writing. I know I will continue to anticipate her future books, this one was just a miss for me.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

I was lucky to receive an ARC of Girl Gone Viral and then had to hurry and read The Right Swipe so I would meet the Katrina when she was first introduced by the author. I thoroughly enjoyed Katrina and Jas’s love story. Something about two damaged people working through their issues to find love just melts my heart. I feel like Alisha Rai did an amazing job with character development.

I wanted to like this so much more than I did. Kat and Jas were both so likable on their own but I was bored by them together. That, combined with the ending feeling rushed left me wanting more than the book provided.

Oh this book was so adorable! It grabbed me right from the get go. It was adorable. It has one of my favourite tropes. I loved the characters and the slow burn. The angst is mild and there isn’t a whole lot of back and forth, I think I would have preferred just a smidge more to make it more… explosive? Lol. It was building up and I was there for it and then it was super sweet and cute and I liked it, but I don’t know. something was missing for me. I do think it worked for the characters though, they were both very sweet and soft and it fit for them. So I can’t complain. I didn’t really feel like the romance was overshadowed by other stuff, perhaps because the main characters are always together and dealing with all that other stuff together – the only time I feel like the romance is overshadowed is when the main characters aren’t together a lot. In this one, we got to see them figure things out and deal with things and grow as a couple through those things. So I don’t think it hindered the romance at all. Anyway. Bottom line, it grabbed me immediately and I thought it was totes adorbs, though it did fizzle just a tad bit for me towards the end. I really enjoy Alisha Rai’s writing and will read anything she publishes.

I just could not get into this book, and I tried on multiple occasions. The chemistry didn't seem to be there, which is a necessity for a romance read. On top of that, I put a lot of stock in the back story of characters. The way we get to know these characters, here and there, throughout the story did not pull me in. Overall, it just wasn't for me.

All the feels. A deep and moving slow burn romance. Characters are complex and realistic. The love story rings true; it is sexy, compelling and satisfying.

4 Viral Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
This is an excellent look at all that is happening in the world right now. How many times have we fallen for a story about someone famous saying there is a romance or break-up or some other thing. The internet/social media focus on everyday lives has wormed its way into our own.

This story takes someone who has been hiding from the prying eyes as best she can with the fame she has in the financial world. The level of interest has warranted her having a bodyguard for many years. It is a fluke moment at a restaurant with a man for a few minutes captured by another diner that becomes the type of viral story she hides from.

Before she knows it, this conversation has taken on the level of Perfect Cute Meet and the hordes of media and rabid fans have decided this is the love of her life. Her bodyguard takes her away to his farm as the only way to stop the hounding and Twitter feed.

It is there these two who have known each other for years begin to reveal more of who they are. The way the author presented the serious issues of PTSD and panic disorder and anxiety was done with a deft hand.

We were also given a slow burn romance and it felt real. I appreciated who these people were and how they were willing to figure out how to get their hea.

A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

Review originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 4/23/20: http://foreveryoungadult.com/2020/04/23/girl-gone-viral/

LET'S GET IT ON with Girl Gone Viral (Modern Love #2) by Alisha Rai

Trigger Warning: There are some depictions of emotional abuse by a parent, and PTSD flashbacks caused by experiences a character had in war.

First Impressions

It’s clearly part of the same series as The Right Swipe and I appreciate that. Cartoon Jas and Katrina are super cute—though they would NEVER pose for an Instagram photo.

What’s Your Type?

Slow burn, friends to lovers, protective men, overcoming traumatic pasts, forced proximity, flirting with hay, you love the movie The Bodyguard

Dating Profile

Katrina King gained some notoriety as a model in her younger years before marrying an insanely wealthy older man to escape her father’s abuse. After her husband died, she moved to a secluded compound and invested her money wisely in worthy start-ups, like her friend Rhiannon’s dating app. She’s finally worked through many of her intimacy issues to realize she’s lonely for a certain kind of companionship.

Jas Singh was a former soldier-turned-bodyguard for Katrina’s husband, and after Hardeep passed she kept Jas on as the head of her private security. Not that Jas would’ve gone anywhere, because he’s been in love with Katrina King since practically the moment they met. He’d never do anything inappropriate to jeopardize his work relationship with Katrina, but when he hears she’s thinking of dating again, he can’t help but feel like he’s missed his shot.

Meet Cute

Jas and Katrina have known each other for almost ten years, so this is definitely a different kind of set up compared to the beginning of The Right Swipe, which started with a one-night stand. They have a solid employee/employer relationship, but lately Katrina has NOT been able to keep her eyes off Jas’ perfectly formed ass or the way he fills out those white button-downs so nicely. She’s realizing she’s been secretly in love with him for years, but she’s terrified to confess and scare off the one solid man she has in her life. Plus, she’s well aware she’s his boss, so she doesn’t want to cross any lines.

But then the “incident” changes things. An innocent conversation at a coffee shop between Katrina and cute-but-doofy stranger is turned into a faux rom-com by some attention-seeker’s twitter storm, complete with potentially damaging photos of Katrina. Now a woman obsessed with her anonymity is suddenly threatened with viral exposure—her worst nightmare. Katrina is desperate to get away, and the only place Jas can think of? His family’s isolated peach farm in Northern California, where he owns a house he never visits.

The Lean

I love a good pining situation, especially when the couple is forced together in unusual circumstances. Jas and Katrina are the only ones staying in his old family home, so compared to her compound where he has his own space to retreat to, they are suddenly all up in each other’s business. They both have their own hang ups that prevent them from making the first move or even realizing that they’re both warm for each other’s forms. Gimme all the tension!

They got together almost a little too early for my tastes, especially since I knew once they gave in to their passion it was going to be a done deal. But there was enough outside stuff for them to work through that it didn’t bother me too much.

Dirty Talk

“You don’t have to be gentle. Pull my hair. Show me what you like.” His words were muffled against her body, the puffs of air from his breath hitting her in a spot that made her body shake.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
His dark gaze met hers. He turned his head and nibbled at her inner thigh, making her stomach clench. “I don’t mind that kind of hurt.”

Ms. Perky's Prize for Purplest Prose

Nitpick, but at one point Jas “lifted her breasts and licked each nipple” and something about the term “lifted her breasts” is distinctly NOT sexy.

We Need To Talk

It’s Alisha Rai, so we’re gonna get our romance with a side of serious talk. Katrina’s past abuse combined with her panic attacks has made a hot mess of her psyche that’s taken years of therapy and quiet to heal. Luckily for her, she has the time and money to do so. She’s a very giving sort of soul, which pairs perfectly with Jas, who is also a nurturing sort, albeit the strong silent kind. Jas suffers from PTSD after a mission gone wrong where he had to testify a fellow soldier. He doesn’t trust many people and hardly anyone knows what he really went through. His family was a delight, even his rambunctious grandfather, and I liked how the forced proximity brought them into contact with Katrina long before Jas would have EVER let them meet.

There’s also plenty of discussion about internet infamy and the idea of social media consent. This book is, I’m going to guess, strongly based on that incident that happened on a plane about a year or so ago where a passenger live-tweeted about what she thought was a “meet cute” happening in the row in front of her. (If it wasn’t, then Rai is a prophet.) She took pictures and wrote out their conversations while hypothesizing about their burgeoning relationship, and it got a ton of views and news coverage. We all love a good love story, but in reality that isn’t what happened for those strangers OR for Katrina and the surfer bro she met at a café. And, hey, even if it WAS the beginning of a beautiful relationship, they did not give permission for anyone else to share in their story but themselves.

I also liked seeing a bit more of the characters from the first book, and I was also trying to figure out who we would focus on next. Will it be Jia, the silly but savvy YouTube star Rhiannon brought from home to live with them (she’s the sister of a character from a previous Rai series)? One of Katrina’s investment employees?

Was It Good For You?

It was! Though if you’re looking for a light, fluffy beach read, this ain’t gonna be it. There’s fun moments, to be sure, and the romance is satisfying and sweet, but it’s a hard-won happy ending for two emotionally fragile people who have been through the wringer and come out (eventually) stronger.

To start, I just want to say that I've been a fan of this author in the past, and I was excited when this series was initially announced. For the most part, The Right Swipe (the first book in this series) was decent, though definitely had some issues. Still, I figured I would give the second book a shot because I was curious about the heroine, Katrina, after learning a bit about her in the previous book. Unfortunately, this book just fell flat for me. The premise is promising, but the execution left something to be desired. Namely, romance.

Though I enjoyed the characters quite a bit, it felt like we just kept getting told that they were in love but didn't actually see why or when they fell in love. Only that they had been pining for years. Sadly, we don't get to see any of their romantic arc, because there was simply no room for it amidst complicated plotlines regarding PTSD, panic disorder, an abusive parent, going viral online, a traumatic military experience that included a court-martial, and family drama and expectations surrounding the family business. Individually, these backstories could contribute to an interesting story. But having them crammed all together onto just two characters without having room to really explore any particular arc left me unsatisfied and bummed out.

The main characters were likable but at times it seemed like their thoughts/actions belonged to different people. Overall the book was a pleasant diversion.

I loved Swipe Right by Alisha Rai and was so excited for the opportunity to read Girl Gone viral, the follow-up. This story revolves around Katrina King, a reclusive main character who has been thrown into the spotlight for an untrue story. When she has to flee with her boyguard Jas, to a peach farm, the story just evolves into that romantic comedy that these pandemic times are yearning for.

The humor keeps you reading and while it has some expected romantic comedy tropes, I appreciated how Rai keeps the story moving and the reader engaged. The ending was one I didn't expect but once read, made sense.
Highly recommend for fans of romantic comedies.

The publisher HaprperCollins Publishers generously provided me with a copy of the book upon request on NetGalley. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

The writing style was a bit difficult to get into at first but once I did I really liked these two socially awkward characters. It's written in kind of an airy, dreamy way and I like more grounded storytelling. The "girl gone viral" plot point was actually second fiddle to the bodyguard romance. I liked the peach farm setting, Indian family dynamics, and food porn. The sex was good. The male audiobook narrator had a really deep voice.

Alisha Rai delivers another sweet, fun, emotionally satisfying romance. I’ve been excitedly waiting for Katrina’s book, and I wasn’t disappointed. I love a good bodyguard trope, and while I figured out pretty early on that this book wouldn’t take on the usual elements of Real Danger/Suspense of most bodyguard romances, all my emotional needs were still met—the protection and devotion was still there. There were some great, character-building hurt/comfort moments that may have been lost in a more danger-oriented plotline.

Occasionally, some of the subplots felt a little shortchanged, but we still had plenty of time with our main couple and some awesome side characters. I really enjoyed this book—and I can’t wait to read whatever’s next.

I received a digital advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I always find it is hard for me to get into books written in 3rd person. It took me a good 8 chapters to be fully invested in it! I love the heavy focus about mental health and panic attacks, as well as PTSD. This book was a slow burn, which I always love! Katrina had some weird fascination with Jas’s eyebrows and it was mentioned in almost every chapter. Is that some kind of fetish I haven’t heard about yet?? I get that she hadn’t gotten some in decades but I didn’t know that was such a turn on. Anyways, I thought the past trauma issues were handled extremely well and talked about throughout. However as far as the steaminess goes, I was just not into it as much. I laughed at some parts. I felt a little bit of chemistry between Katrina and Jaas. It was enjoyable and I did enjoy learning about Jas’s struggles and his family. This is one of those books that I had high expectations for and it fell a little flat for me personally! I have seen some great reviews for this title though!