This book definitely delivered what it promised! If you're looking for a sizzling gay romance featuring asian characters, this is it for you! I also enjoyed the kpop/korean entertainment industry dimension to this book since i am a huge kpop fan.

Es un libro ligero y sencillo de leer. El género de romance gay. Los personajes están bien construidos y demuestran lo que deben pasar los idols

There is so much that I have to say about this book, first and foremost, I really enjoyed the story. I was definitely surprised by some of the backgrounds of the main characters but it made them seem more realistic. This is the first book that I myself have read that is like this and I was definitely happy and sad for our MCs as they went through their trials and tribulations.

This an interesting and romantic story that is full of charismatic characters and twists and turns. I liked the main characters and most of the supporting characters, they were all interesting. I reallt enjoyed reading it.

This has got to be one of my favourite romances of 2023. The premise was tantalising - a K-pop star and disgraced actor have to work together so that one can improve his image and the other can learn how to act - and it delivered on every front. I'm not sure if it can be classed as enemies-to-lovers, but it's certainly dislike-each-other-at-first-sight to lovers, which was *chef's kiss*.

This book has pretty much everything going for it. The writing was great, Tae Hyun and Jason were both likeable characters that you root for from the outset, and the palpable tension as they begin to realise their growing attraction is exquisite. The plot is simple but gripping, with twists and turns that kept surprising me and drama that felt real, rather than contrived for the sake of a third-act breakup. I wish I could go back and read this book for the first time again because it was so good!

I was given this arc after it's released date which is why this review is later than most. I absolutely loved this book so much! I've really been into kpop and Korean dramas/actors for a while, not to mention boy love dramas, so this was absolutely perfect. I loved how both Jason and Tae Hyun were struggling with things from their pasts that were making things in their present difficult. They are two very unlikely people that are brought into each others lives, and I loved seeing how their relationship developed. I never wanted to put this book down. It was wonderful. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book.

Idol Minds, the sizzling gay romance debut by KT Salvo, takes you on a wild journey through the glitzy realms of Hollywood and K-pop. Brace yourself for the complex and captivating characters of Jason and Tae Hyun, whose conflicting motivations only intensify their irresistible attraction. Prepare for some steamy scenes that will leave you breathless!

Enjoyable, great pacing, exciting settings kept me hooked. Fun novel that will be the perfect beach read. Thank you Net Galley for ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

This book was good, but not great. It tells the story of Jason, a washed up actor, and Tae Hyun, a K-pop idol who just returned from military service. They're both gay and eventually become boyfriends, but have to hide their relationships from the public and even people at their company. Through miscommunication, the argue and it puts strain on their relationship, but it has a happy ending. The sex scenes weren't anything special. Yoo Mi is my favorite character in this book, she is so lovable. If you're a K-Pop fan, you might want to give this book a try.

This book was really enjoyable. I thought it was a quick read and i liked the steam. I liked getting to know both characters and getting to kind of take a peek behind the kpop curtain. One of the characters felt unlikeable in the beginning and i liked that.

3 stars for "Idol Minds" by K.T. Salvo

Jason Park, a Hollywood actor with a reputation for being difficult, ends up back in the one place to which he swore he'd never return (working on an adaptation of a movie pivotal to his career's virtual end, no less). Mentoring Tae Hyun, a Korean Idol with a broken heart and a conniving ex, could either change his fate or leave him wishing he'd kept his word and stayed away.

Holy moly was this ever a good example of love interests as literary foils! With Jason having leaned into his bad boy image, he's used to not caring what people think of him, whereas Tae Hyun (an Idol with a micromanaged image) constantly feels the pressure of how important appearances are to his company and success. Their different personalities mixing with their similar hearts makes for a sweet, fiery, and interesting match.

This is indeed a steamier book with oodles of graphic sexy time and not much build up, which would probably be grand if that's your preference! Alas, I've really become a fan of "slow burn" romances, so I do wish to acknowledge that this was probably not the right book for me. I did end up wishing there was more about their day-to-day lives once in each other's orbit, and less of the sex, haha.

However, with interesting characters and interesting settings, 'twas an overall enjoyable read regardless!

*Thank you to Jetspace Studio and NetGalley for the review copy!

I snatched this book up for the Kpop and MM mash up, and though it wasn't exactly what I expected, I still enjoyed it. Just like a Kdrama would be done, the romance and chemistry in this one is a bit more subtle and not loud and in your face. The spice is certainly there as well as a bit of "who did it?" to keep you guessing and pulled into the story. It's slow at moments, but it's still a good read and a story that's worth diving into in you like Kpop/Kdramas.

Idol Minds is a steamy gay romance between two people who have been hurt very badly in the past.

Jason Park was a popular actor that started spiraling after he was fired from a movie due to his onsite blow-up. Woo Tae Hyun has returned to being an idol after serving the required two years military term.

They meet when Jason is hired as Tae Hyun's acting coach. Sparks fly and they start off on the wrong foot. I loved that they learned to communicate and are able to get through to each other. This was an enjoyable and steamy read.

Book Review for: "Idol Minds" by KT Salvo
Source: ARC from NetGalley
Score: 4.5/5 stars

The book "Idol Minds" follows Jason and Tae Hyun as they are brought together for a film which leads to them falling in love and working through trauma from previous relationships.

The book is an "enemies" to lovers story that integrates Korean (entertainment) culture and tells a love story between two male stars who must live a life of secrecy.

Plot:
The plot is straightforward and is a great back drop for the challenges the two have with their internal growth and love got each other. Jason has a bad boy reputation that has him having difficulty finding jobs. Tae Hyun is a successful music idol who has just come back from military service. The two are brought together for a film and they quickly become more than colleagues.

Throughout the story, the book discusses the conflict celebrities face as the industry forces them to be closeted in order to maintain their image and success.

Overall, there was great discussion of sexuality and the impacts of success on one's ability to be themselves.

Writing:
The book moves quickly and the writing holds up pretty well. Emotions are quick to flip-flop throughout the book and the experiences of each main character is straight to the point.

The only challenge I had with the writing is that we are supposed to image them speaking in Korean but it's not really alluded to often enough for one to even think the characters are speaking in another language other than English. It would have been easier to simply assume the characters speak English. It would be great to see a Korean version of the book.

Overall, the book moves quickly and is interesting throughout the entirety.

Characters:
Overall, the characters are likeable. The two main characters are so clearly actualized and are opposites of each other. It was really nice seeing how Jason has grown-up to be brash and a bad boy as a result of his past experiences; whereas Tae Hyun becomes a closed off and private individual as a result of his previous relationship.

The supporting cast is also strong and provide great opportunities to integrate the hierarchy of Korean culture.

Finale:
Overall, it was good to see a m/m romance that represented East Asians in a positive light. The book moves quickly and has strong characters to keep readers invested.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy of Idol Minds by KT Salvo. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

I DNFed this book at 24%. I didn't enjoy the writing style and there was more language than I really like in my books.

Idol Minds was the perfect blend of the Hollywood and K-pop industry, when it comes to their pros and cons. I loved how the author integrated these two different, but similar atmospheres together throughout the book.

Taehyun and Jason were just two broken sad boys who really needed each other, but didn’t know that. I loved how their first meeting didn’t go as planned, but then they found out that they were actually really similar in terms of personalities and right now they were in the same boat and just needed to get along.

I was rooting so hard for them throughout the book so when the big event at the 70% mark happened, I was like DAMN!! I definitely didn’t see the conflict happening so soon.

All in all, I loved this book and recommend it to any K-pop and romance fan. I can’t wait to read more from Salvo!

I just reviewed Idol Minds by KT Salvo. #idolminds #NetGalley
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Idol Minds is a book about a rising movie star Jason park who was Hollywood's golden boy and former teen idol that got dumped to limelight for something he has done.
Woo Tae Hyun a K-pop singer and dancer from the group XTC ,freshly returns from the army and wants to start his own solo career but the catch is that he needs to act in a movie to get his name back out and to get popular.

When these two stars are brought together , something more than friendship develops . would these idols fall in love or would they career make them fall apart?


KT Salvo's debut novel was beautifully written, he wrote his characters so realistically and at times i did got annoyed by Jason's behavior but other wise this book was quite captivating and i can't wait to obtain a physical copy of this book

I was super intrigued by this book after reading the synopsis because I'm a big K-drama fan, and a casual K-pop fan, so I knew this book was right up my alley. I think the author did a great job portraying the life of an idol/actor and the pressures that come with it, especially as a queer person. Being LGBTQIA+ is, unfortunately, still very taboo in a lot of Asian countries, and although Korea has been dipping their toe a bit more into queer representation in their media, there is still a long way to go.

Idol Minds was mainly a romance, but it did touch on some tougher topics as well (such as: homophobia, suicide, sexual assault/harassment, and abuse/neglect). Tae Hyun and Jason both have hit a rough patch in their careers, and they each have some skeletons in their closets that keep them skeptical of love. When they meet, sparks fly and it no longer becomes a question of if, but rather when. Still, with nosy paparazzi, vindictive exs, and homophobic entertainment companies, it seems that their love may be doomed from the very start...

Idol Minds had a lot of things that I love in a book: queer rep, spice, a little bit of drama, but a happily ever after, after all is said and done. I was hesitant at the beginning of the story because the characters weren't the most likable, but slowly they began to grow on me until I was rooting for them and their romance. All-in-all, Idol Minds was an enjoyable read and I look forward to seeing what KT Salvo comes up with next!

I really liked this book. Jason was not at all what what he portraited to be, he had more depth and had attitude. Tae Hyun was so sweet and was trying to forget his ex and trying to deserve the love Jason gave him. They were such a good couple and were so fantastic together. They made each other stronger and gave each other courage. The thing Tae Hyun did at the end, that took a lot of guts and Jason was there for him too, no matter what. I really woudn't mund to read about the Song brother's and/or Xiang, I liked them all, but not together, that's not necessary

If you enjoy the OTT tropes of K-dramas, Korean BLs, or Thai BLs do yourself a favor and read this book, you can thank me later.

Idol Minds is a fast-paced, dramatic AF queer romance novel. Jason is a Korean American Hollywood bad boy that goes to Korea for his last chance to work in the entertainment industry after a public brawl gets him blacklisted. Tae Hyun is a K-pop idol that has just returned to Seoul after completing his military service. Tae Hyun’s agency wants him to try acting while they work to release a solo career for him and Jason is hired to be his acting coach. Terrible first impressions and insta-lust lead to a beautiful love story.

Recommended for: fans of kdramas, KBLs, & Thai BLs; mm romance readers

Content warning: sexy times on page; profanity; cheating; suicide

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.