I enjoyed this book, though the romance honestly took a back seat for me compared to all the other pieces of the story. I cared about that part, and was happy with the end, but I cared more about the resolution of the other story lines than the romance. I loved the friendship of the women and their support of Katrina. I also really enjoyed the character development throughout the book. Katrina and Jas are both complex characters dealing with deeply personal problems and the author does a good job of explaining them to the audience without making them into caricatures of people with PTSD or anxiety. I also loved the theme of family throughout the book – both the family you are born into and the family you make for yourself.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Synopsis: Girl Gone Viral follows Katrina King, an ex model turned reclusive investor who craves privacy above all and her dutiful bodyguard Jasvinder who helps maintain her safety. On one rare outing Katrina shares a table at a crowded coffeshop with a beautiful man. This completely innocuous interaction is live tweeted by a woman sitting near them with a meet-cute spin and suddenly Katrina has gone viral on twitter. As the internet hunts for her identity, her bodyguard Jasvinder whisks her away and as they hide out together on his family farm the two must come to terms with their mutual pining.

Katrina is a really wonderful and fascinating character. I loved that she was a sappy romantic who loved to cook for her friends, was obsessed with animals and always willing to swoop in to save drowning businesses. She also has a panic disorder and anxiety, I really loved the discussions around therapy and how her friends supported her whenever she had her panic attacks. The care with which Rai treated mental health in the book was really great and extended to our male lead as well. He is a veteran with ptsd and his subtle journey to accepting support and opening up to the possibility of therapy was lovely. Both Kat and Jas are really caring and selfless people which i think helped them mesh well as a couple because they wanted nothing more than to make sure the other was happy and comfortable. Additionally I liked the emphasis on family and how difficult those relationships can be, as well as found family dynamics, it was very wholesome.

Onto the plot:
So the social media aspect of this provided some interesting discussions on privacy and how terrible the internet tends to be with boundaries as well as the really flexible nature of the social discourse online. HOWEVER, I do feel that in a way it felt slightly underdone. The anxiety that Katrina has about possibly being doxxed in the internet's frantic search for her identity is a very valid concern, but something about the way it was written didn't make the danger feel imminent to me. My heart was never pounding worrying for her safety and I must admit that I kinda hoped it would be more exciting because of the bodyguard aspect. This book really is not exciting at all if I'm honest, it's more slow and meandering but nice in it's own way. AlsoI felt like some of the stuff regarding Jas's military past coming back to haunt him felt slightly shoehorned in and I never mustered up enough feeling toward it to care about that side plot personally. But I did enjoy the discussion of Jas unpacking some of his trauma.

Now to talk about the romance itself:
Jas and Kat have been pining for each other and the mild angst of that was cute, when they finally came together I admit I was hoping for a more fiery union but I think these characters are two very soft people and the gentle and understated nature of their relationship reflected that. I do think however, that similarly to The Right Swipe, there was not always enough focus on the romance. There is so much going on in the character's lives and career wise which I personally found fulfilling but it sorta made the romance feel drowned out at times and I think Rai could have cut out some of the fat and given us more domestic goodness and scenes of the couple interacting to sell us on the fact that they are a great couple (they are but it could have been emphasized more).

Overall it was really enjoyable and really the little things I'm pointing out didn't necessarily hinder my enjoyment but I want to make sure everyone goes in with the right expectations.

Cw: parental abuse, emotional abuse (past), veteran with ptsd

Alisha Rai's Girl Gone Viral was completely delightful. The first book I read of hers was last year's The Right Swipe and it was fun to revisit the characters from that book. Again, Alisha has created characters to root for who have difficult backstories, which makes a happy ending that much sweeter. Her characters are just so likable and the relationships (romantic, family, and friendships) are beautifully written.

Katrina is a former model who was emotionally and psychologically abused by her father/manager. Her bodyguard, Jas, has been with her for nine years, and he does an excellent job of looking out for her—because it’s his job and because he’s in love with her. After a stranger in a cafe tweets about a fabricated meet cute between the anonymous Katrina and a guy she shares a table with one crowded morning, she needs to escape so that her privacy can remain intact. Jas invites her to his family farm. In the classic “there’s only one bed” version for the extremely wealthy, Jas and Katrina finally make a move. But can her fear of her father and his coping mechanism of burying all feelings deep inside prevent this new relationship from sticking?

The relationship vibes are good and on par with The Right Swipe. But Katrina’s extreme optimism and wealth are highly unrealistic. Her “former teen model + tortured soul + escapist marriage to a not-creep + kidnapped and returned home after the ransom was paid + silent investor to struggling start-ups + actually only visits a few places due to panic disorder” is just a tad too far suspension of disbelief for me. Like, I get that this is a romance, but Rai takes an few too many liberties for my tastes.

Diverse reads:
- Katrina is half-Thai-American and half-Euro-American. She suffers from panic disorder and severe anxiety.
- Jas is third generation Punjabi/Mexican-American. He suffers from PTSD.

Such a cute and real rom com story with diverse characters and a unique plot line.
I love that the author tied real issues into this making it a more fulfilling read,

This book is such a good followup to The Right Swipe. The focus on mental health was so timely and appropriate. Can Alisha Rai ever do wrong?!

I enjoy Rai's contemporary romances. The characters are complex, the action makes sense, and endings are always satisfying.

Katrina King has retired from the public eye. She doesn't venture far from her house and only to a few public places she feels safe (the backstory is sparse, but explains her current agoraphobia). Suddenly pictures of her are going viral and she the star of twitter's latest invented "meet cute." Hiding out with her bodyguard forces them both to consider what they're hiding from and how to confront ghosts from their past in order to build a future.

This is definitely a book I would consider rereading, which is a short list!

I read an eARC through Netgalley.

I absolutely adored this book! I was instantly drawn in by the diversity in the characters and the open discussion of mental health issues. Kat, is a former model who has experienced a traumatic event you learn about through the narrative, and suffers from PTSD and anxiety. She is engaged in exposure therapy and actively working on improving her mental health. Jas is her bodyguard, and has been with her for many years, he is quiet and powerful, but he has his own traumatic past as a veteran who was deployed in Iraq. Throughout this novel these two learn how to communicate with each other but also how to become the best versions of themselves and improve their lives. This is my first Alisha Rai book and I was blown away. It is very refreshing to see the increase in diverse narratives throughout the romance genre. I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and voluntarily give my review

I was absolutely thrilled to have won this arc after reading The Right Swipe. To be honest, I loved this book way, way more than the first book in the series. There is so much chemistry by Jas and Katrina and I adore that they lean on each other in all aspects of their lives. I also love that they do struggle with their own demons but both attempt to fix their own situations before turning to the others. The smut was also perfect! 10/10 would recommend

To put it mildly, this was a snoozefest and before I knew it, it was dropped before I even reached the halfway mark. I'm pretty sure I was more interested in the whole #CafeBae and #CuteCafeGirl concept a bit more than the actual storyline. But kudos to the author for featuring diverse characters since they're a rare gem nowadays.

This is the sequel to The Right Swipe I was hoping for. Characters were well developed, there was such a great representation of consent, and I loved that both hero and heroine were damaged but managed to make it work.

I was a little worried about reading this as I haven't read the first book in the series- still waiting on that library hold. I had no problems with having jumped right into book two. In fact, I can't wait to go back and read the first one. I loved the story of Katrina and Jas. I loved that it talked a lot about PTSD and mental health. Great read!
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for the arc. I am voluntarily leaving a review.

I FFFFLLLOOOOOOVVVVVEEEDDD the first book! A new author to me that I love the story, the characters and everything in between. And Alisha did not let me down in this second installment that had me laughing, crying sometimes, and loving that partnership between Katrina and Jas. They have this way of making you really invest in their story and what is happening around them.

I am so excited to what else Alisha has in store for us because her writing has a special place in my heart now!

I picked this one up as someone who's read the Forbidden Hearts series, but not the Right Swipe. But overall, I'd consider myself an Alisha Rai fan.

There's a lot Rai does so well, and she continued to do that here. Think:
- Portrayal of mental health concerns (here, PTSD and panic disorder) - especially destigmatizing therapy
- Diverse but not cookie-cutter characters
- Showing women to have agency

Yet, I just didn't love this book. The couple has been pining for each other for years, so we don't really see their relationship develop. He's 39 years old, but their interactions sometimes made it feel like they're in their early 20s (nothing wrong with that, but new adult romance really isn't my thing). The romance felt secondary to what was going on in their personal lives. On one level, I appreciate that, as it's probably true to life, but it was one more reason why I didn't quite buy their connection. I think ultimately that's what stopped me from truly being able to love this book - it's hard to spend hours rooting for a couple when you have no idea what makes them good together, or why they should be together.

Perhaps my expectations were too high: This is Alisha Rai, after all - which might have been unfair to the book. I'd like to reiterate that there was a lot done well in Girl Gone Viral. I'm hopeful it'll be more of a hit with other readers.

Content warnings: PTSD, panic disorder, recollection of emotional abuse, invasion of privacy, blackmailing description and attempt, assault

I was generously provided an ARC by the publisher for an honest review.

Alisha Rai is one of the authors on my ‘always buy’ list. Her novels always put forth a unique story with equally memorable characters. Rai’s earlier books are also smoking hot. Like, do not read in public hot. However, Girl Gone Viral moves away from Rai’s comfortability with NC-17. In this novel, Rai constructs a hot but also deeply emotional tale of lovers living and ultimately thriving with mental illness.

In 2016, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, an anxiety disorder, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of repeated sexual victimization. On my worst days, I believe that I am unlovable. On my best days, I believe that maybe there is someone for me. Someone who will love me inspite of my symptoms and chronic mental illness. I read romance novels because I love love and because I want to feel like it’s possible for me to also find love. In a weird way, I feel like Girl Gone Viral was written for people like me— people who are afraid that their mental illness makes them unloveable.

Girl Gone Viral pairs a heroine with a several panic disorder with her body guard whose PTSD prevents him from returning home to his family. What is interesting about this novel is that the conflict at the story has nothing to do with either characters’ mental illness. Although mental illness affects the ways in which these characters respond to conflict or change, mental illness is not portrayed as something that must be conquered or vanquished for the lovers to come together. I wish I had better words to convey how deeply grateful I am for this respectful and considerate handling of mental illness. In so many spaces, mental illness is portrayed as a hindrance or a weakness. Rai shows us that mental illness is simply a fact of someone’s life. And that someone who loves you will not only accept the symptoms of your mental illness, but will work with them in order to provide the best support possible.

Alisha Rai utilizes her characters’ dialogue to actually demonstrate for her readers how to support a loved one with mental illness. For example, Rai’s hero Jas always operates from the assumption that Katrina knows what is best for herself and her mental illness.

“After the incident that had scarred her, Katrina had made it plan she wanted nothing more than to disappear. Jas had done his best to give her what she needed. If she wanted to stay in her house forever, he’d facilitate that. If she wanted to venture out, he’d have her back there too. She was a grown, smart woman. She knew what was best for her.”

There is also another beautifully written scene where a supporting character helps Katrina manage an anxiety attack by walking her through a grounding exercise. In addition to showing readers what support looks like in real time, Rai literally provides the tool for her readers. One can read this scene and then immediately implement the tool in their own life.

I enjoyed Alisha Rai’s newest novel, Girl Gone Viral, and I feel confident that most readers will also appreciate Rai’s wit and respect for mental illness.

Final Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendation: Once you’ve finished the novel, take a look at your health insurance and see if you can find a therapist! If you can’t find one in-network, see if your community offers low cost or free mental health services. RAINN is an excellent resource to identify these options.

To be honest, this book fell into the sophomore slump for me. I enjoyed it, but I thought that the first one the right swipe was amazing and it could have been my fault that the sequel didn't live up because I had to high of expectations.

Girl Gone Viral is the second in a series by Alisha Rai, but you don't need to have read the first one to appreciate this story. Katrina deeply values her privacy, so when she is surreptitiously captured flirting in a coffee shop and the interaction goes viral, it sends her into a bit of a tailspin even though her identity hasn't been revealed. Her long-time security guard, Jas, whisks her off to his family farm to escape for a bit, and lo and behold they've both been pining for each other for years.

Katrina's past was hinted at in The Right Swipe, and is fully developed in this book. I cheered her on as she realized she identified ways of managing her anxiety and especially her "I can take up space" epiphany toward the end! I wish Jas's family history and trauma had been given more attention. The whole trial/pardon issue felt like it was built up and then not brought to completion and then all the discussion about the parade/ceremony and we don't even know if he made it?

Overall, I wanted more from this book. I would have liked to see quicker resolution of the viral encounter and more time spent on developing the relationship and exploring the history of the characters more. Since Katrina and Jas have a long history, we just take it for granted that they love each other - we don't get to see that love develop or build much at all.

Thanks to HarperCollins/Avon Books for the advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback!

Link to GoodReads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3050332290?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

She does it again. I am such a fan of Alisha Rai after reading The Right Swipe and was so happy to see Katrina overcome her anxieties and find love of her own. A must read and I can’t wait to recommend it.

#netgalley #girlgoneviral

⭐⭐⭐⭐😍

Alisha Rai's follow up to The Right Swipe. I was approved for a bunch of books on Netgalley at the same time, but I was most excited about reading this one. I really enjoyed the first book, and I think Girl Gone Viral is just as good!

Alisha Rai develops 3D characters, both primary and secondary. Her "world" includes people of different backgrounds and sexual orientation... It's weird that this is so unusual, but it is with most fiction (esp rom). For this reader, it is a delight to read books from a non-white POV.

The story is (Law&Order 🎵dun-dun🎵) ripped from the headlines... Remember when that wildly insensitive woman on Twitter documented an interaction between 2 strangers on her plane... Like with pictures and implied the start of a relationship... Well, that's the plot of this book.

It takes the concept and draws it out to portray how an invasion of privacy like that effects people. Katrina is agoraphobic and fiercely protective of her identity. She retreats with her adorable bodyguard, Jas (vinder! So.Asain romantic hero? Yes!!) to his secluded family farm. There, the romantic storyline plays out.

I love the portrayal for friendships in this novel, both male and female. I appreciate how careful the author is to describe problematic tropes (damsel in distress) and allow her characters to follow or subvert them in their own way. There is so much attention paid the these characters emotional lives, so that while everyone is ridiculously rich, they still feel like people.

Enjoy reading it!

I loved this book even more than the first in the series, which I wasn't sure was possible! Alisha Rai is truly one of the best in the romance game right now and does humor, heart, and heat so incredibly well. Katrina and Jas were both such sweet characters and I was immediately invested in their happiness. I love the way Rai deftly explores heavy issues like PTSD and childhood trauma without feeling forced or trite at any point. Her characters have such rich backstories and fully-formed personalities that make the reader fall in love with them as individuals as much as as a couple. I am so eager to read whatever Rai writes next!