Girl Gone Viral audiobook

it is 2:39 in the morning, so i will make this quick. REALLY HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH THIS. HERE’S WHY:- the whole bodyguard romance thing is new to me, but i tend to like the general trope where one character is taking care of the other (bc of injury, illness, bad day, literally whatever) soooo this entire concept *really* did a lot for me lol- even tho jas was katrina’s employee, it never felt like there was a power imbalance, especially bc it was addressed/considered multiple times. they complimented each other well & it felt like katrina took care of jas as much as he protected her- THERE IS A SECLUDED FARM. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. MORE FARM ROMANCES PLEASE. - valid criticism of the casual/widely accepted invasions of privacy that happen thru social media so often - positivity surrounding therapy and the main characters’ mental health (ptsd, anxiety, panic disorder)- motherfucking communication!!!! that shit is WHERE IT’S AT- very nice hug related content very enjoyable

4.5 STARSI have been so excited for Girl Gone Viral – for Katrina’s story – ever since reading and enjoying The Right Swipe. And after having finished GGV, I can say this is another success in the Modern Love series! But what else did I expect from Alisha Rai? I loved this story. Jas and Katrina are the sweetest cinnamon rolls and I adored their slow burn romance! If you’re in the mood for something fluffy that will make you feel all the bubbly feelings, you need to read this book.In case you didn’t know, this is a BODYGUARD ROMANCE! A trope I don’t read that often, but love all the same. Jas has been Katrina’s bodyguard and protecting her for years, and both have been pining for each other for almost as long as they’ve known each other. There is plenty of longing and unrequited (but actually requited) loved between the two of them. Then Katrina goes viral on Twitter against her will, terrified of losing her privacy, and Jas sweeps her away to his secluded farm out in the California countryside. FINALLY, things start to heat up now that they’re in such close proximity together (and Katrina gets to accidentally see Jas shirtless a time or two).Katrina and Jas are such pure characters. They are kindhearted and selfless people, which is the main reason why neither of them ever brought up their feelings to the other until now. Their romance is just so… SOFT. I loved the dynamic between these two characters who have known each other for YEARS, so they know all about the other person’s quirks, likes, and dislikes. There is also plenty going on outside of their adorable slow burn romance, with the tweets and the people behind them showing up all over the media, and Jas’ family conflicts, particularly with his grandfather, who wants Jas to inherit his farm.I think I liked this even more than The Right Swipe. I know I’ve seen some reviews say that the romance was overshadowed (which I felt in TRS) but in GGV it never really felt that way to me! I didn’t mind at all that we get a ton about the viral tweet and Jas’s issues with his family, mainly because Jas and Katrina are always dealing with everything TOGETHER. They are such soft, lovely, complex characters and if you love the bodyguard trope, I can’t recommend this book enough!

Can we start by giving snaps to Alisha Rai for making lube sexy? This is the energy we need for Romancelandia in 2020Anyways, this is a lovely slow burn of a book. I absolutely LOVED both of the main characters (and was of course thrilled to see Rhi again), and I appreciated how each of their mental health issues were so meaningfully incorporated into the plot. I am a sucker for a protective hero who is also kind of a cinnamon roll-- this book actually reminded me quite a bit of One Night with Her Bodyguard by Noelle Adams, which is a favorite novella of mine. I will say that this book did suffer from the things that kept me from just fully loving her previous book, Hurts to Love You- love the characters, love the conflict, love the family dynamics.... but I wasn't fully sold on the actual transition into a relationship from the two main characters and there was not enough of a denouement. Both of these books were slow burn type tropes, so I wonder if this is just something that doesn't click with me for how she handles this kind of story?Still, I enjoyed myself immensely in this book, would definitely recommend, and I'm hoping for a book with Lorne (if there's not already one?)

First I have to be completely honest and admit part of me was sure I wouldn't like this. I dnf'ed the first book in the series, The Right Swipe a few months ago but I made the decision to give this author another try. While I couldn't finish it, was an issue with characters and the relationship building more than anything else, the writing was really nice and I loved the diversity. So, when I saw the arc of Girl Gone Viral available to request, I decided to go ahead and request and thought this was the perfect time to give Alisha Rai another try and I'm so freaking glad I did it. I loved this and connected in ways that I haven't with the first book in the series and I think for people like me, that couldn't get into the first book, this might be the perfect read.I really liked both main characters, in particular I thought Jas was one of the sweetest main characters/love interests I've read in awhile. I thought he'd be cold and aloof at first but he was so caring and precious. He was such a selfless person that almost made me want to shake him because he was just too damn good. I really appreciated and enjoyed all the talk about trauma, PTSD and panic disorder. I thought it was handled well given that's such an important part of the story and its characters. The pacing of the romance was perfect, it was almost a friends-to-lovers but also not and having all that pining and earning mixed with the slow-burn was everything I hoped for. The side characters were so amusing, I loved every single one of them and I wished to see more of Jas' family. Even though his relationship with them was so strained it was so refreshing to see how they worked in their issues and learning to be more honest with each other. I also enjoyed the talk about the internet and how people react and feel entitled to strangers' lives in it. There was space to touch and talk about it more in depth but the story didn't miss anything and it was just enough to make us question how we also might get caught in thinking something is harmless and fun, while invading someone's privacy. This wasn't perfect, some particular scenes and dialogues made me cringe a little which took me out of the story sometimes but didn't make this any less enjoyable. Definitely recommend and will continue this series and picking up books by this author, if will be a hit or miss I don't know but I'm willing to try out because when it's a hit sure is great!I was provided an ARC via Edelweiss Plus in exchange of an honest review.

CW: Extreme social anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, talk of past parental abuseMore of a 4.5 but I’m definitely rounding up. I wasn’t gonna read this book until nearer to its release date, I just wasn’t feeling interested in diving into a new epic fantasy world right at the beginning of the year, so obviously I decided to go for my other favorite genre - romance. As of Jan 6th when I’m writing this review, RWA has been going through shit for almost a couple of weeks and many many authors of color have been relentlessly voicing their opinions about the structural issues regards to racism in the organization and how hard they’ve been working to make it inclusive but it just all seems like for naught. While I can’t contribute much because I’m only a reader of romance, I decided I can atleast read the latest romance novel by my favorite author of color Alisha Rai. And as always, this book was excellent. The Right Swipe was one of my favorite romances of last year, and because I really liked Katrina in it, I definitely had high expectations from this book. But Alisha completely hit it out of the park this time. The story captured my heart right on the first page and then never let it go till the end. It’s an engaging love story of two people who’ve been through a lot in their lives and the I can’t describe the joy I felt when they were able to finally express their feelings for each other. This is a story about hope and kindness and I’m so glad I got to read it. My only slight niggle is that a couple of subplots didn’t feel completely resolved, but I guess it’s ok if we consider that the characters are still a work in progress. This book has so many important themes that are discussed and I loved how sensitively the author manages to explore all of them. The PTSD, extreme anxiety, panic attacks - everything is dealt with honestly- how difficult it is to live with them but also how they can be managed with access to therapy, medication and a support system. I particularly loved the importance the author places on having a supportive friend group, people who are unconditionally there for you whenever you need them and how family is whatever we make it to be. The author also talks about how it’s very easy to get cynical in our current world but sometimes, keeping hope alive in hearts and being kind to each other might help us move on. But definitely the most important theme of the story is about privacy in our world of social media and viral videos. We’ve really seen this happen many times - someone takes a video or photo of someone else in a public place and talks about the conversation they are having or spin a tale about a probable meet cute or just about anything else - and these tweets go viral. While they make for some fun when we read them, we never really do think about how the person who has been photographed and whose private conversation has become a social media trend actually feels about it all. Even if the whole situation played out in a public place, what right do we actually have to expose someone else to the toxicity of the internet without caring anything about their boundaries and privacy issues - there is absolutely no consent in this situation and it’s truly horrifying when we carefully think about it. I’m glad the author decided to talk about this issue in the book. The characters are always memorable in Alisha’s books but this book is just at another level. Katrina may have a lot of mental health issues but she has done a lot of work to devise her coping strategies, design her life in a way that minimizes possible triggers, and tries everyday to push her boundaries a little more. But despite everything, she is an extremely kind hearted person who wants the best for everyone and maybe, finally is ready for some happiness herself. As the story progressed, it was wonderful to see her assert herself more, talk about her needs and expectations and trying to not let her past hold her back. Jasvindar may fit the typical romance hero trope of a grumpy bodyguard with a tragic past with his own issues of PTSD, he is also an extremely nice and considerate guy and hates talking about himself, but will do anything for the sake of Katrina. They both really are the perfect couple and it was amazing to see them finally open up and talk to each other about themselves and also just be a bit silly. This is a very slow burn relationship with many years of friendship behind them and I really loved their dynamic. I also love how much emphasis there is on consent throughout. The side characters in this book are absolutely wonderful. Rhiannon and Lakshmi make appearances again and they are their usual badass selves. Rhi and Jia are such supportive friends and it was so nice to see all these women take care of each other. Jasvindar’s family was a delight to get to know. They are so warm and loving but also stubborn and their bickering and arguments felt very familiar. Sam and his friends Dean and Harry also make an appearance and it was nice to see Jas trying to make new friends and try to build a support system of his own. To conclude, this love story is sweet and beautiful and there’s no way you won’t love these two softhearted characters. It’s an amazing slow burn with deep friendship and also pretty tame, so don’t expect Alisha’s usual sexy and angsty times. But this book also tackles a myriad of important issues with a lot of sensitivity and I think I’ll definitely recommend it more because of them. I know Jia is getting the next book and I’m really excited for it but I also badly want Lakshmi’s book. Please make it happen Avon !!!

*4.5 stars*I loved this so much. Alisha Rai just excels at writing characters who feel real and human and complex and interesting, and who you can’t help but root for. The romance itself was super sweet and felt so natural. Loved getting to see the characters we know and love from the first book in this series, too! Plus, a large part of this book is set on a peach farm??? Like, how much cuter can it get???

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Full review HEREThis was such a good romance book, I really enjoyed it.This is the second novel in a companion series, but you don't have to read the first one to enjoy this story.I appreciated very much how Alisha Rai included so many important and serious themes in her narrative, such as an abusive parental figure, PTSD, panic attacks, and the right to privacy in the era of social media. I think they were all dealt with in a good and deserving way. I like when a romance story isn't only about the couple, but also about their own life and problems.I also really liked the two main characters, Katrina and Jas. Throughout the book we got the chance to discover that Katrina came a long way and I felt so proud of her and how far she had come. Jas was also dealing with his own issues and I think they were given quite good resolutions.Lastly, but not least, I enjoyed how the concept of family was included in this novel. Sometimes the people you love the most in your life are blood related to you and sometimes they're not and that's totally fine too.If you're looking for a good romance, I definitely recommend this one!

This one was very different from book 1 but I still liked it. If you don't remember, Katrina was the silent partner and friend to Rhiannon, the heroine in book one of this series. We got the little tidbit about Katrina being a recluse, but not the fully understanding as to why.In this sequel, Katrina is trying her hand at making a love match. However, she isn't finding that zing of attraction that she feels when she is around her bodyguard Jas. She is determined to find someone who returns her affections so when a chance meeting occurs with a handsome stranger at a cafe, Katrina strikes up a conversation. What happens as a result exposes the very private Katrina on the internet. To buy time for the attention to die down, Katrina's bodyguard Jas whisks her away to his family farm and that is when both characters really begin to open up and see what's been in front of them the whole time.The writing was really engaging and dynamic. The author deals with their mental health issues with sensitivity and grace, so I was really able to empathize with the main characters. Katrina and Jas were dealing with issues that made trusting others very difficult but they clearly don't have trouble trusting with each other. Their subplots with their respective families added another layer of intrigue to this story. I learned a few cultural things thanks to Jas's family. The grandfather reminded me of my own.The pacing of this story made the romance more believable because these are very cautious and skittish individuals. Imagine a turtle slowly poking their head out of their shell and being to take steps. Each step revealed the characters were always aware of the other and tried their best to meet the other's need. They were pretty good at communicating with the other. The dual pov made the romance more authentic because the reader got to follow the character's mental and emotional journey. I thought there was an excellent balance with the romance and their individual growth/healing. I am always a fan of love stories where the characters grow and make the choice to fight for their own happiness. I enjoyed the slow burn and ultimately the happy ending. This series proved to be a hit for me and I can't wait for the next book.Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

this is one of those books you start and cannot stop until you've read the very last word. it's also one of those books you're thankful to read when things get a bit too hard in the real world. it was both adorable and complex, it dealt with some very hard subject, such as ptsd and panic attacks, and although I can only speak for the anxiety representation, it felt good to read about this aspect written so well. (4.25)

4 Stars for Girl Gone Viral: Modern Live, Book 2 (audiobook) by Alisha Rai read by Summer Morton and Brian Pallino This story is a take on the bodyguard trope with a modern twist. Not only does the client suffer from anxiety but so does the bodyguard. He can’t be around guns and loud noises. Fortunately she doesn’t need that much protection.

THE PINING IN THIS WAS LIKE A SHOT OF SEROTONIN STRAIGHT TO MY HEARTcontent/trigger warnings: (view spoiler)[parental abuse (mentions), ptsd, anxiety & panic attacks, mention of death of a parent, kidnapping (hide spoiler)]rep: indian mcs* & cast, m/m side characters*i am like 99% sure that katrina is indian... Do Not Know For Sure tho