This was a super-cute follow up to The right swipe; I loved all the characters (and would gladly read books about each of them!)

**I recieved an ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
Kat has not had an easy life. She lost her mother young, was abused by her father, and married young to escape him. She was kidnapped, scarred, and left with debilitating panic attacks and a fear of crowds.
Jas is a vet. He suffers from PTSD but has put aside all of his needs to make sure that Kat is safe.
There were so many things that I loved about this book.
Neither of the main characters is perfect. They are scarred and flawed. They have pasts that they are unsure how to deal with and feelings for one another that they don't know how to move forward with.
Both are caretakers in different ways.
There is not a moment that "fixes" everything.
I loved that they are awkward with one another and that they have to clarify how they feel.
I loved that when there are sexy times, they are realistic. Smells, tastes, sounds are not ridiculous or over the top..
I also loved that this story is about both of them in equal measure. They are equally important to the story and to the HEA.
I can't wait to read Jai's story.

I absolutely loved The Right Swipe (which features Rhiannon and Samson as the main characters) and I was super excited to find out Girl Gone Viral was happening and that Katrina (Kat) would be our main character in this book. I really loved her in the first book so I've been eagerly anticipating reading her story.

Katrina doesn't like leaving her house and she sometimes has panic attacks. When she does go somewhere, her bodyguard Jas is the one who accompanies her. We do learn a lot of Katrina's backstory and gain insight into her panic attacks and why she is afraid to leave her house, and it was eye opening and definitely made me feel for her.

Kat and Jas have been employer/employee for about a decade and Jas was actually hired by Kat's late husband. So imagine our surprise when we discover that Kat and Jas have secretly had feelings for each other!

I absolutely loved the slow burn of this romance. It kept me turning the pages wanting more, more more! And yes, it is steamy but there also isn't a ton of romantic scenes. Which actually is ok, because we spend a lot of time building the relationship aspect and working on some issues to be able to come together and move forward.

I also would really love a Doodle in my life and I'm jealous Kat just had Doodle basically land in her lap. And no, I'm not explaining who that is, you'll just have to read to find out.

Jas was sweet and I loved reading his point of view throughout this story. His backstory comes to light during this read and I really enjoyed it as well, even though it made me sad too.

Overall, I highly enjoyed reading this book and if you love contemporary romance, definitely check this one out!

RATING: 5/5 STARS

GIRL GONE VIRAL was adorable! It was just the slow-burn romance I was looking for. Katrina and Jas were the sweetest, most kindhearted characters. I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop from client-and-bodyguard to couple-in-love. I like dual POV chapters in romances when they are done well; in this novel, both main characters' personalities shine.

I was excited that this book was so open in addressing mental health, the benefits of therapy, and the importance of an accepting community of family and friends. Katrina and Jas individually experienced traumatic events and I thought how Alisha Rai touched on the negative impacts of that was well done. And bonus points for the diversity! This book was inclusive of different ethnicities and sexualities.

This was my first time reading this author, and she had me hooked. I will definitely be checking out her other novels!

A sincere thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Social: @_shelf.awareness on Instagram

Girl Gone Viral is the latest entertaining book by Alisha Rai, although this one is more of a romance than erotica.
Her characters are well-developed and endearing, and like in Swipe Right, they have timely and realistic issues that modern women and men can relate to. As always I appreciate her inclusivity and diversity with character demographics and background, which is so important at this time, especially with RWA's recent inappropriateness.
Girl Gone Viral keeps me as a Rai fan, and I look forward to the third book in the series (which I assume will be about Hijabi Jia).

Thank you for the ARC!

Loved this title more than even the Hate to... books! I devoured it as quickly as I could and was then immediately sorry it was over. Hope there are more to come in the series.

I loved it. LOVED IT! Alisha Rai's "Modern Dating" series has been the most relatable thing I've read all year. The first book, The Right Swipe, tackled ghosting culture, as well as the #MeToo movement and women in tech. This one discusses the lack of privacy in a world with 24/7 news cycles, wildly popular social media platforms and video cameras in everyone's pocket.

Katrina, our heroine, goes viral in a #PlaneBae-inspired Twitter thread when a nosy cafe patron imagines a meet-cute between her and a retired model. Katrina, not only loves her privacy, she requires it for her well-being and mental health. Herself a former model with a traumatic past, she has recently been working through her agoraphobia and and doing what she can to maintain a sense of security. That's also why she keeps Jasvinder Singh in her employ. 😉 Jas has served as Katrina's bodyguard for nearly 20 years. We learn he is the strong, silent type and has amazing good eyebrows. I loved him from jump.

Katrina and Jas make a v. cute couple who don't realize they're in love with each other. (Yes! Give me all the pining!) And while both are a bit out of practice when it comes to relationships, that never becomes a source of contention between them. (I really, really, REALLY loved how, at times, they'd both just be like "yeah, I may suck at this but I want it to be good for you.") Beyond the romance, they provide each other with solid support as they work through their individual demons: Katrina and her desire to remain out of the spotlight and Jas and his demons surrounding his military experience. I have to say that one of the things I love most about Rai's writing is that her novels frequently include practical tools you can use to improve your own mental health.

One v. minor concern I have is that Katrina and Jas' romance doesn't feel like the main event in the story, even though I REALLY want it to be. #CafeBae and Jas other conflicts take up nearly equal amounts of the story. I loved this romance and was only minorly miffed that I couldn't get more of it.

I've also been loving how diverse Rai's books are and this one was no different. It made up only a small portion of the story, but I really appreciated sense of history and legacy behind Jas' family. Definitely pick this one up when you can! I've already pre-ordered it for myself.

Katrina King is a former model, now a reclusive investor in start-up ventures. She has significant anxiety, and wants nothing more than to disappear in public. During her weekly outing to her local cafe, a busy dining area leads to Katrina sharing a table with a stranger. A fun, flirty conversation that ends with Katrina rejecting a dinner invitation is overheard, rewritten, and live-tweeted as the meet-cute romantic story of the year, including a photo of Katrina. While her friends assure her that they only knew it was her by the details and the fact that they see her on a day-to-day basis, Katrina panics that the general public may once again discover her and disrupt the life she has created for herself. Fortunately, her bodyguard, Jas, has a family home in the middle of a farm where no one will think to look for Katrina, even if they do figure out that she is the #cutecafegirl. Unfortunately, Katrina’s secret crush on Jas may not be able to stay secret in close quarters.

This was a fun, mostly lighthearted novel, nearly perfect for a long plane ride. My favorite thing about the story was that the big break-up scene that is pivotal to so many rom-coms never came. There was enough to keep the plot and story moving without manufacturing a misunderstanding between the lead characters, which is a fun switch up from the standard. The consequences of unwanted viral fame are deftly handled without feeling like Rai is sermonizing. So why not five stars? There are some instances, particularly around Jas and his grandfather, that seem a bit overdone, and then others, like the circumstances around Katrina’s previous marriage and her start as an angel investor, that are glossed over.
Recommended for: Fans of Jasmine Guillory’s work and modern romance novels.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

YAY! Another Modern Love book by Alisha Rai. I loved the last book in this series, The Right Swipe, and I was so excited to get this ARC to read the second one. I loved that ultimately I didn't have to know anything about the first book to enjoy this one. Katrina and Jas are the perfect duo, neither thinks the other would want anything to do without outside their professional relationship. Katrina is such a fascinating character and I loved getting to dive deep into her personality to find out why she is the way she is.
Jas is not your typical bodyguard. He's complicated, flirty, and totally head over heels for Katrina. The major conflict in this book is honestly one of the best parts about it. Our society thrives on those viral social media moments and I've never thought to think about the people going viral and whether or not they want it. It was an interesting perspecitve that changes how I feel about that a little bit.

Another perfect romance from Alisha Rai! The love story is wonderful, of course, but she tackles so much more here -- anxiety, PTSD, privacy and consent, internet culture, family expectations. It's funny, poignant, and full of lovable characters. I will be recommending this book widely, and it is a very strong candidate for a future book club pick!

I liked this one a lot, and it's timely, given the uproar in the romance world right now - she is Thai-American, his family is Sikh. And like with Rai's The Right Swipe, she addresses contemporary issues in a thoughtful and respectful way, with nothing cookie-cutter about her characters.

I liked Rai's first book in this series. I LOVED this one.
I found the storyline so poignant, and learning about the Indian-Californian farming experience was eye opening for me. It's a surprisingly deep romance given the light premise, and I applaud Rai for making the issues we dance around front and center in her books.

Move over Rhiannon and Samson and make way for Katrina and Jas!!!! A former vet and a former model, both of who come with their own host of trust issues make for an amazing couple in Girl Gone Viral. Oh, and did I mention he is her bodyguard?! Cue the Whitney soundtrack please.

Girl Gone Viral is now one of my favorite romances. Despite the fact that Katrina and Jas both had issues, they didn't play games with one another and were honest about their struggles - an issue I have with a lot of other romance novels - and I was glad to see was not the case here.

A few steamy moments, plenty of tender ones, and an internet viral sensation somewhere in the middle - Girl Gone Viral is just the romance we need for 2020!

Alisha Rai does it again with a sweet, sexy romance. Her diverse cast of characters navigate mental health, particularly panic attacks and anxiety, as well as what it means to live a private life in a world of technology that pushes people to be highly visible. Jas and Kristina are perfectly built for each other and their slow burn romance is lovely.

I think I enjoyed the Right Swipe more than this one because there was a little more external action in terms of the plot, but all of that is personal preference. I'd still flat out recommend this book for anyone looking for a sweet steamy read.

I really enjoyed this book. There were so many different layers to the story and the characters. I loved the chemistry between Katrina and Jas and that their connection had built over years instead if falling in love at first sight. Katrina's friends and Jas's family were amazing and I'd love to know them in real life. Sometimes the family you make for yourself is more important than the one you're born into. The story is hilarious, sweet, and at times heartbreaking and I will definitely be reading more of this author.

I absolutely loved this book and these characters. I am so glad to see diversity among characters and the stories behind them were so beautifully well written. I really enjoyed how much of the history of the farm and the grandparents and the museum was in this story. I enjoy romance stories and I’m the typical white lady in her 30s reading it but why does every romance book, author, and character have to be like me! The world is nothing like me and there are so many people writing now and I am so HAPPY that these characters are being written and PUBLISHED!! Finally!!! More women and men are finally being represented in the romance genre and I love it and this story is so beautiful and fun. I love the farm and the horses and the family. I love this author and I can’t wait to read more from her!! Terrific!!

I think Alisha Rai just murdered me. That last line was EVERYTHING.

It's not a secret that I'm an Alisha Rai fangirl and so it's not really surprising that when I got an ARC of Girl Gone Viral, I almost screamed despite being in court at the time. (Yes, I check my email while I'm in the courtroom, but listen, there's a shocking amount of downtime for me in that room.) Anyway, after Avon/Netgalley made my whole day, I told myself I would wait until I survived 2019 to actually read the book, but lol, that was actually definitely not happening. I think I did make it a month though, so kudos to me for that. And then I read it and... I absolutely adored it. I think I may even have liked Girl Gone Viral more than The Right Swipe, which is high praise given that The Right Swipe was one of my top ten 2019 releases. So let's break it down, shall we?

To set the scene: Katrina King is a former model with a heavy past who doesn't really like to leave her safe spaces for fear of having a debilitating panic attack while in public. But one day she is at her favorite local coffee shop that is much too crowded and a random man asks to share her table because of the crowd. A potential meet cute? Well, that's certainly what the random woman at the table beside her decides and she starts live tweeting their interaction, full of exaggerations and embellishments, including a happy ending. When Katrina finds out, she freaks out and Jas Singh, her gorgeous bodyguard suggests they go hide out in a cabin he owns. The two of them both have feelings for the other they are convinced they can't act on, but, um... Things happen.

Why I loved it: I mean, first of all, did you know mutual pining could be done this well?? I think I'm just so accustomed to it being one person pining for a long time and the other person just discovering the other person as a romantic partner that this mutual pining thing kind of caught me off guard and I loved it. Secondly, no one does family angst the way Alisha Rai does family angst and Jas has family angst to spare. It's incredible and I especially adored how his relationship with his brother is handled. Third, the friendships in this book are so great. I loved seeing Samson head out to talk to Jas and make an effort to pull Jas into his group of bros. And Katrina's friendship with Rhi and Jia is really great. Fourth, I just really liked this slow burn realization that they (Jas and Katrina) could go for what they want (each other) and it would be okay. I loved seeing Jas be there for Katrina when she was having a panic attack. I loved seeing Katrina grapple with her mental health and always try again.

My Quick Squabbles: I do think, like with The Right Swipe, that the end feels a little rushed. There are quite a few narrative threads that feel open in this book and that's not necessarily bad, but it's an interesting choice.

Overall: But honestly, I loved this book. I think Katrina and Jas are great characters and I really liked them together. I want to re-read the book again because of how much I enjoyed my time with it the first time around. So I definitely can't wait to have my own finished copy!

I really loved Rai’s Book The Right Swipe so was happy to get this ARC to read. I really liked Jas and Katrina. I thought the topic was relevant in how the internet affects our privacy. This was a solid follow up. I will recommend this to library patrons.

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 interesting character.. I loved that she believed in romance and enjoyed being around her friends and cooking. I love that she seemed like she had a really good heart. She was trying to save a business that wasn’t very successful. She also has a panic disorder and anxiety which I can relate with, I really loved the discussions around therapy and how her friends supported her whenever she had her panic attacks. Rai was in the military and dealt with PTSD. I like that both the characters were relatable on that level. I liked the story it was cute! And I liked the ending!

I received a free E-Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Katrina King is a woman, who would prefer to live her life out of the spotlight. So when an innocent talk with a stranger at a local cafe turns into an internet viral phenomenon , Katrina King is willing to allow her bodyguard/friend, Jas Singh to take her to place to hide until the whole thing blows over. Katrina isn’t sure she can trust her instincts when it comes to love—even if Jas’ every look says he wants to be more than just her bodyguard… But can being alone with her secret crush be the opportunity she needs in order to make her move?
First, I would like to say I really enjoyed this book. It really reflects the times we live in and I believe it will resonate with this current generation! The characters were well written and were flushed out really well as the story moved along. I thought the pace of the story was really good. The author did a great job creating a slow burn between two characters, who were so well suited for one another. I loved how Katrina and Jas both had a painful past, but were able to grow and support each other through the obstacles of the situations that arose due to the consequences of others' actions. The author had a great use of language without an overuse of extra details or filler. The author was very mindful of discussing emotional and mental abuse when Katrina talked about her past and her father. I felt the ending was a little rushed and did not feel the whole situation with Jas' grandfather was necessary, but it made for a good laugh. Overall, I would recommend this book to people who love social media or love a slow burn between a bodyguard and a client. I will look forward to reading more by this author in the future