To be completely honest, the cover of this book didn’t draw me in, but I requested this ARC at the recommendation of Ali Hazelwood. It turns out, this masterpiece Deserves to win all the awards for the sexiest, hottest love scenes - like you may need to put this down for a minute to take a walk, then come back and sweat some more.
Owens’ depiction of Alec Kim is nothing short of literary mastery and the subject of my greatest fantasies (haha!). Protagonist and heroine Gigi is strong-willed, driven, courageous, emotionally vulnerable, hilarious, and the female character of my dreams.
Deserving of all 5 stars (and then some), and I anticipate this will be hugely successful, especially to fans of Helen Hoang and Ali Hazelwood (love them too).

I have been seeing nothing but rave reviews for this book, and I am happy to say it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved this book! I flew through it in one day. Once I started, I did not want my put it down.

This book is super hot and steamy, but the author does it in such a classy way. The authors writing is great and the chemistry between the characters was off the charts. I loved both the characters in this book. Usually I am not a fan of one night stands it insta love, but it actually worked well in this book! This book is fast paced and you will fly right through it. I highly recommend checking this one out, especially if you’re a fan of open door romance.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 stars
4/5 steam

This book is GREAT. If you like a steamy contemporary romance that you can't put down this needs to go on your TBR. For my KU steamy reads pals - this book is for you.

This book is:
- Childhood best friend's older brother
- Celebrity romance
- Just a one night stand... or more?
- Forced proximity
- Whirlwind romance

There are so many lovely moments where I actually squeeeed into my pillow. You are really rooting for the couple the whole time and love getting to see them fall deeper in with each other. Their chemistry really sparks off the page and it was just so fun to read. Highly recommend.

CW: Mentions of sexual assault (the FMC is a journalist investigating a club with assault and drugging), nothing explicit on page

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am so glad I took a chance on this book - I was hooked from the start and devoured this in a single day!

What a wonderful story about falling fast and hard in a relationship while also dealing with real life situations that can get messy.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Gallery Books and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

You have to distance yourself from reality a touch to love this one. It’s worth it when you do. Isn’t that what a good book is all about, a vacation from you life?

This book came highly recommended and it more than delivered.

I love love loved Gigi and Alec. She’s smart and fun. He’s charming and loyal. Together they have childhood history and instant chemistry and so much adorable likability that it was almost disgusting. I loved Eden and her reaction to everything. And while there are other secondary characters, this story is firmly Gigi and Alec’s.

Plot wise, it was so good. The time frame is specific (which I appreciated) and their connection was fantastic. I enjoyed the balance of sweet and serious and even the angsty breakup didn’t get me down. The last few chapters were perfection, only best out by the epilogue.

Overall, this was a story that I devoured with characters that were so easy to root for. I woke up thinking about this story and reread the ending several times before I could close the book.

FYI: sexual assault and rape is a main topic that Gigi is working on for an article. There are no on the page scenes, but discussions about drugging women and them being videotaped while raped

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

The problem with Scandalized is I didn't buy anything that happened in it. It's an odd collection of tropes and plot ideas that never feels cohesive and the characters feel only 85% fleshed out. I didn't buy that a journalist with the LA Times whose roommate is a big fangirl wouldn't have seen an image of her childhood best friend's brother who is an internationally famous TV star, especially considering that roommate has a t-shirt with his face on it. I didn't buy that a supposedly workaholic rising star in investigative journalism would spend so much time lounging around in a five-star hotel suite banging a guy she essential just met in the midst of working on the biggest story of her career. I didn't buy that since it's her first major story her editor and legal and everyone else wouldn't be involved in every step of the process, thereby preventing the contrived low moment. I didn't buy either fight the MCs had (the first when Gigi found out Alec is famous and confronted him, the second when screwy journalism reported something that made Alec look bad) nor how quickly they made up and everything was fine. Perhaps most important of all, I didn't buy that the MCs should be together forever. They clearly have physical chemistry (lots of hot sex scenes, there's a plus) which is expected to do the heavy lifting in getting the reader to root for these two to have an HEA. It was such a missed opportunity for a build of emotional connection, conflict, and pining given their circumstances.

The writing style was fine, so I do think this author has potential. She just needed a different story, maybe. The jury's out on whether her future books will be for me.

This was a really fun and fast-paced read!

Synopsis: When Gigi, a journalist for the LA times, is stranded at the airport, she crosses paths with Alec Kim, her 13-year-old crush and childhood best friend’s older brother. The connection between them is instant and what follows is a steamy and intense one-night stand. It also turns out that Alec is a famous BBC/ KDrama actor, and Gigi does not make the connection until they land in LA, and she is one her way home. With only two weeks in LA for work, Alec and Gigi decide to make the most of their time together but what happens when the feelings turn into something way more…

Thoughts: I’m not usually one for insta-love, but it worked well with the plot as Gigi and Alec had a shared past and knew their time together was limited. As other reviewers mentioned, this is an open-door romance, so do not read this if that’s not your thing, though I don’t think it’s any more steamy than Helen Hoangs, Roni Laurens and CL’s Wild Seasons books. I appreciated how the love scenes were well executed and not just thrown in for the sake of it. I also appreciated the author’s note regarding sexual assault, as Gigi was investigating a case throughout the course of the book that made the premise a bit heavier but connected her to Alec’s life all the more. There were times where I was itching for more in depth convos between the main characters, particularly ones that dived into their pasts. I also thought the epilogue was a bit choppy and had no cohesive timeline. Still, a very well done debut!

Read if you like:
-One night stand turned more
-Insta love
-Best friends brother
-Celebrity romance
-Sizzling chemistry and open door scenes

This book made me realize the extent to which I love a book where the couple is actually together for most of the story! While the book mostly takes place over two weeks, it somehow manages to feel like a long and vast love story between two people made for each other, no matter the circumstances in their life.
I loved the great mix between focusing on Alec and Gigi while also developing the side characters like Eden and Yael.
Also, the use of nicknames is realistic and made the characters come alive! I mean the fact that them calling each other “Alec” and “Gigi” makes this story so much more relatable to anyone who has lost contact with someone who knew a different version of yourself than someone would meet today.
The last 15% of the book had my heart in my throat, but it was a great kind of tension!
Overall, I loved it!

Five stars, five million bazillion stars! An instant new favorite. It made me laugh, cry, and pulverized my heart. I want to reread it immediately. I already pre-ordered my copy!

This story is magical, sweet and so deliciously sexy. I died of love a thousand times, the characters bewitched me, they are perfect together.

Georgia goes to London for a story she is investigating, but she is stranded in an airport when she goes back to LA because her flight is cancelled, there she meets to Alec Kim, the older brother of her best friend Sunny in childhood, and for whom she had a crush. But they haven't seen each other in many years and sparks fly between them, their attraction is instant, and what starts out as a one-night stand turns into a complicated mess because they want more than one night and because his family is somehow involved in the story she's writing.

Omg love the sizzling chemistry between them, their passionate and steamy scenes are off the charts, in a league of their own, plus Alec is the sweetest guy in the world, I fell in love with him, they are so cute together, they made me swoon so hard!

This author left me captivated, bewitched, and so in love with this book. Scandalized is like a cross between the movie Pretty Woman and a Kdrama, it's the perfect mix of passion, feelings and scorching hot scenes.

Highly recommended for fans of
Childhood crush
Insta Love
One-night stand
Spicy
Steamy
Sweet
Celebrity romance

I'm obsessed with this book. Holy cow - this is how you do insta love and write chemistry between two people. Those fireworks on the cover? Yeah that's the chemistry between the two. So good!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: gaslighting (prior relationship), investigating sexual assaults including drugging (recounted on page but did not happen to MC)

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f celebrity romance
-childhood crush
-insta attraction
-one night stand that turns into more
-this is just a hookup
-stttteeeaaammmy

So many friends have recommended this book to me and it lived up to my expectations and more. Gigi is exhausted, needing a place to stay when her flight is cancelled, and who should she see but her former bestfriend's older brother and her child hood crush, Alec. A shower, and an offered hotel room later and they hook up. And oh my does this book never let up on the sexual tension going from zero to sixty and I loved every moment of it.

This book perfectly built the intimacy on top of the steam. These two crashed together, figuring things out, not perfectly but in honest ways and it was fun, adorable. I loved how they both figured out the other's lives, Alec's as a movie star, and Gigi's as a reporter. Figuring out their friendships and lives and how the other could fit in, you know just for two weeks.

This book did not shy away from showing the steam and it was great, it did not feel like too much, it built along with their relationship, deepening as they fell for each other and it was just beautifully done. I was rooting for them so much even with the twists and turns of the end. I adored all of the little things they were obsessed with the other, how they just enjoyed being around the other, couldn't stop holding hands, checking in, and just being adorable. I can't wait to read more from this author and honestly can't wait to go back to reread this one. If you're looking for a steamy read definitely check this one out, beautifully written, with just the right amount of intrigue.

Steam: 4

This book was very good and had a lot of potential but fell flat for me.

I know everyone has their own taste and how comfortable they are with sex on the page. For me personally, I don't mind as long as it is part of the story. There is a point where it, in my opinion. can become excessive. Scandalized was SOOOO steamy and I see that and I looooot of drooling emoji's all over the reviews so far.

Ivy's writing was SO good and I was incredibly invested in actual story going on and the relationship between Alec and Gigi (when they used words) but it seemed like everything disappeared in the world because one or both of them was horny. It felt way too much to the point that I forgot there was an actual (pretty sad and disturbing) story line that started this whole thing. Overall, I didn't enjoy how everything seemingly was solved as long as they could jump each other. I gave it 3 stars because Ivy's writing is so good, just wish I realized I had picked up more erotica than a romance/fiction novel and that is on me.

I rarely like books where one of the main characters is a part of the Hollywood scene as I can never relate to it but I didn’t feel that way with this book. I also was not expecting the amount of spice! And WOW it was hot!!! I do believe that the third scene climax plot was absolutely crucial for the story and I am happy it wasn’t dragged on for so long. Wish we got more romance in the epilogue but it was fun nevertheless.
Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

There was so much to love about Scandalized! Let me count the ways:

💜 our two main characters, Gigi and Alec. They were so freaking adorable!! 🥰 I loved the two of them together and thought they complemented each other so well. Alec is a dreamboat (I kept picturing Adam Driver as Alec, for some reason 🤷🏻‍♀️) and Gigi is so hardworking and always tries to do the right thing. I empathized with her a lot!

💜 the side characters. Eden, Yael, and Sunny were all fantastic!! I think Eden especially should get her own book 😊

💜 THE STEAM 🔥🔥🔥 Wow wow wow, I was NOT expecting so much hotness right out of the gate! That first scene in Chapter 3 was 🥵🥵🥵 what I really liked was that the steam did not take away from the general plot of the story. It only added to it!

💜 the Jupiter scandal was very engaging and interesting to read about. I was anxious as I read because I knew something bad was going to happen once Gigi had finished writing her story about it. But it all came together in a satisfying way 🙂

Overall, I’d say this is closer to 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 thank you to Net Galley and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

This was such a stunning debut!

This had a lot of things going for it that I don’t normally enjoy:

✔️Celebrity romance
✔️Single POV
✔️Instalove

But none of that mattered. It was a gorgeous, tender romance between childhood friends who meet after a chance encounter when their flight is canceled. They share an extremely sexy night together while waiting for their rescheduled flight. It was honestly some of the best steam I’ve read in a long time. After the connection they shared, neither is willing to let the other go despite all the circumstances complicating their relationship.

It was instalove, but I totally felt the connection. It didn’t feel forced or too fast the way instalove normally does, I was right there with them because the chemistry was amazing. The heat level is off the charts. It’s not just one and done, it’s spread throughout the book in the most delicious way.

The plot is sleek and twisty and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them navigate this new relationship. There’s a great cast of supporting characters, a lot of emotion, and did I mention how steamy it is?

A perfect fast paced read for the summer. I can’t wait to see why Ivy Owens does next if this is just the start!

Loved Scandalized! It hooked me from the beginning with its strong heroine and compassionate hero. Fantastic childhood friends to lovers trope and I couldn't put it down. Kate Clayborn is probably my favorite romance authors and Ivy Owens is a very close second. I look forward to reading her future writing!

I was really excited to snag a copy of this ARC! I heard a lot of good things about it from fellow bookstagrammers. I did like it a lot - it's bingeworthy, swoony and definitely steamy! I loved the different representations - AAPI and LGBTQ+ characters. What didn't work for me was the instalove trope and at times very unnatural dialogue. I was also hoping for more banter. Overall, it was a good read and I'm looking forward to more from Ivy Owens!

CW for sexual assault investigation. So steamy! Loved the instalove between the MCs and those sexy scenes!!! Couldn't put this book down and definitely enjoyed