Thank you Gallery/Pocket Books and NetGalley for the review copy; all opinions are my own!

SCANDALIZED brings the heat, high emotion, and a fast-paced plot. Watching Gigi and Alec stumble into each other's lives and recognize each other as (her) childhood best friend's brother/(his) sister's childhood best friend, then falling into a whirlwind romance was very steamy and also surprisingly sweet. Throw in the celebrity romance dynamic (Alec is a rising film star), the intensity of Gigi's investigative reporting (she's working on breaking a story that will change the trajectory of her journalism career), I was sucked in and read it in a day. The connection between these two is instant, their passion is on fire, and their story feels dramatic in the best way, perfectly suited to the intensity of both Gigi and Alec's personalities, lives, and lifestyles. If you're looking for hot, fast-paced romance, this is it!

Content Notes: investigative reporting uncovering sexual assault and rape at a club (in past, briefly revisited on page), toxic relationship with partner and former friends (past, briefly revisited).

Hooo boy did this book deliver exactly what I was looking for. After seeing some early Bookstagram hype for this debut, I dove right in.

Georgia is an investigative reporter returning home to LA from London when she runs into Alec Kim, the older brother of her childhood best friend. They have a passionate one night stand and head their separate ways when Georgia realizes her family friend Alec is actually international super star, Alexander Kim. Alec’s in LA for a few weeks and so he and Gigi decide to spend their limited time together. When Alec reveals that he has some clue to the story Gigi has been working on, everything blows up in their faces and they have to navigate the mess to find their way back to each other.

This book had elements of brothers best friend, age gap, second chance, and celebrity romance. The insta love was strong - the whole book takes place over two weeks - which was my least favorite part. The steamy scenes are excellent (and many!) and Gigi and Alec have sizzling chemistry. I’d definitely read whatever Ivy Owens writes next based on this very strong debut.

Content warnings: see authors note at the beginning of the book. The female MC is investigating a series of sexual assaults. None happen on page or to main characters but there is some discussion of the story she’s investigating.

Thanks to Gallery and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! This was one of my most anticipated reads this year and it did not disappoint! The chemistry between Alec and Gigi is pure fire. The plot of this book was not what I was expecting going in. I like the character development of both characters and enjoyed the writing style as well. I’m generally not a fan of single pov romances but this is one of the exceptions.

Georgia is trying to get home from an exhausting trip to London where she has been investigating what could be a career-making article, but when her delayed flight is cancelled and she can’t get a hotel room she is not in the best state of mind. When she sees Alec, a man she knew in her childhood, they fall into an all consuming kind of passion and an insta-love/lust kind of relationship ensues. What she doesn’t realize is that her old friend is insanely famous (and even her roommate fangirls over him). Alec is only in town for two weeks, and they both agree that they can commit to being together for the two weeks and then end it.

If you are looking for a super spicy insta-love story then this one will fit the bill perfectly. Georgia’s passion for her job, and her relentless pursuit to find justice for the people involved in her story was amazing. Watching Alec navigate his busy schedule and trying to fit time with Georgia was eye opening as to just how difficult it is to be constantly in the public eye. It was everything I love in a spicy romance, and I loved everything about it!

Thank you to Gallery Publishing for gifting me anARC of this book!

I truly cannot believe this is Ivy Owens debut novel. Everything about it was perfection: the banter, the steam, the emotions, the backstory. All of it just pure perfection.

This one is instant attraction and a one night stand that turns into so much more. I usually prefer the slow burn type of books but Alec and Gigi’s connection feels so real and inevitable. Their chemistry is just out of this world and the way he treats her 🥺🥺🥺

I wish I could start this all over again and I w

Insert all the fire and pepper emojis here! "Scandalized" is spicy, sweet, and perfect for any fan of novels that turn up the heat. Ivy Owens has delivered!

I picked up Scandalized hoping for a fun romance about rekindled relationships with a happy ending. I would say the book mostly delivered on that. There is one major element I would change, but I enjoyed my time reading it and would probably read it again.

Scandalized was mostly what I expected it to be. I enjoyed the main character’s development as the story progressed, and the little twist in what her childhood friend’s career turned out to be, even if it felt a bit cheesy when you consider what his sibling's career is. The main character’s career is fun to watch unfold, especially as she breaks her big story and the fall out of that. I am also super appreciative of the content warnings Owens has at the beginning of the book and feel they accurately represent what I read.

My one negative with the book is that I don’t think there was enough time spent on what was pulling them apart. The flurry of motion after the big reveal all felt a bit rushed, which was odd because I thought the rest of the book was perfectly paced. I think an additional chapter might’ve helped the final act feel similar to the rest of the book in that regard, but otherwise, the plot was well done and never felt like a slog to get through. I read it all in two sittings, and that was only because it was late and I really needed to stop reading the first time I sat down.

This book has some series spice and I am all for it. Each scene was well written and felt like it came to a natural conclusion, rather than a forced length to meet the page count Owens had in mind. I sometimes struggle with the line between tasteful and trashy in romance books, and this one was tasteful all the way.

I would recommend Scandalized to anyone that loves a good romance. The epilogue provided a great end to the vision in my head, which is always a great way to finish. The story felt pretty believable, especially as far as whirlwind romances between long-lost friends do.

Holy moly was this book HOT. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a romance that balanced its heat with its swoons. Usually one out weighs the other, or lacks the other I should say. But this book here? Brought them both in full force!

It’s a story about old childhood friends that meet up again randomly one night as they’re stranded at the airport. What begins as an insanely hot night, quickly unfolds into a much more complicated story. Their romance was a whirlwind fantasy that came with a heavy price.

Usually insta-love stories are not my thing, but I think the reason why this one worked for me is because both characters were aware of how insane their insta-connection was, it was brought up many times. So in some ways, recognizing that & navigating their circumstances because of it, made it more authentic for me.

The steam is definitely on the page! Multiple times. It was insanely hot, yet very swoony too. It’s rare to find both levels in a good romance these days. I was very, very pleased with the ratio in this novel. If you’re looking for an interesting side story that gave substance to an already deep romance, this is definitely the book for you.

5⭐
R for some serious 🌶️🌶️

Alexander (Alec) Kim is the perfect man and I will not be taking any questions at this time. I was thoroughly obsessed with this book within the first 20 pages. Starting off with only one hotel room and best friends brother tropes that then turns into famous person/not famous person is basically all the things I could want in a book that just makes my brain turn fuzzy with enjoyment.

Georgia runs into Alec at a hotel after a cancelled flight (relatable) and recognizes him as her childhood best friend's hot brother who's even hotter 10 years later, but she doesn't realize until the morning after that he's also a bonafide British and Korean movie star. Do you see why I'm hoping up this book so much?! Do you really need more than that blurb to convince you to read it? This plot is just a romance lover's dream and this book delivers on all of the vibes it promises.

The banter, the descriptions, the lines about what it's like to fall in love with someone, just all of this book was gold. It's clear Ivy Owens (a pen name for a famous romance writer) knows her craft well and she made this book a complete joy to read. It was satisfying and heart wrenching and lovely in all the ways a book should be and it will be in my top 5 romance books of the year. If you love romance, you absolutely must read this one!!

Content warnings for sexual assault and gaslighting mentioned as occuring off page.

I loved this one! For those who like a lot of spice 🔥🔥🔥 this is for you. I loved both MCs and how their story evolved. It was well written. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

In my ongoing mission to discover as many remarkable new voices in Romance as possible, I came across this glorious, sparkling gem of a book that you’ll want to push into the hands of everyone you know. Whether the idea of a celebrity falling for an everyday person is your tropetonite, or you’re just a sucker for the ‘famous life’, there is something about this story that is both wonderfully fanciful, and also completely relatable. What begins as a one-night stand between two old childhood friends—one of them a hugely successful actor, and the other an ambitious investigative journalist on the verge of a career-making scoop—quickly deepens and evolves into something more for them both. But fame and anonymity don’t go hand in hand, and soon, both their lives are thrown into precarious waters as scandal hits home. I rarely read a book cover to cover, twice in the same week, but this one I did.

Keep reading » https://natashaisabookjunkie.com/2022/08/05/review-scandalized-by-ivy-owens/

Oh wow I loved this! I’m not usually a fan of instalove but you can’t help being drawn in by Gigi and Alec! From the first meeting when they’re flight is delayed they’re so drawn to each other. I loved their connection, chemistry and the steam level! I was also drawn into the storyline with Gigi’s article and Alec’s connection. I didn’t think I was a big fan of celebrity romances, but I absolutely loved this one! Alec/Alexander Kim was swoon worthy!

If I had my way, I would’ve read this in one sitting without putting it down. It was a very addictive read! I really enjoyed the writing and I can’t wait to see what Ivy Owens writes next!

Scandalized
Ivy Owens
4-4.5 ⭐️

“You’re going to make me love you, aren’t you.” “I’m sue going to try.”

A hot and steamy one-night stand between childhood friends Gigi and Alec turns into something more. When a scandal threatens to tear them apart, they must decide how hard to fight for love.

Wow! How is this a debut novel!? The writing, the characters, and the steam were all so well executed. I even loved the insta-love which I am not normally a huge fan. I had to go double check myself to make sure this was in fact a debut novel . Scandalized was a fast paced, addicting, swoon-worthy romance that hooked me right away. The chemistry between Alec and Gigi was explosive from the very beginning and it never cooled off. It’s no wonder I couldn’t put this book down. 🥵 Can’t wait to see whats next by Ivy Owens.

What I loved;
💜 Childhood crush
💜 Insta Love
💜 Celebrity romance
💜 Hella spicy romance w/a hint of suspense

Scandalized publishes August 23, 2022. Make sure to add this one to your list!

Thank you so much Gallery Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Scandalized is the debut novel for Ivy Owens, who “has been publishing bestselling romances for nearly a decade under a different pen name”. Scandalized is a sexy, angsty, but at many times sweet story about Gigi, an investigative journalist, and Alec, a TV star. He is her childhood best friend’s brother, but they haven’t seen each other in years until they run into each other at the airport. Instant chemistry leads to a one night stand…which leads to more!

This is the kind of book that sucks you right in with immediate intrigue about Gigi’s current investigation. It also has steam early on, which I always appreciate, but the one thing that kept me back from absolutely loving this story was that I didn’t feel the attraction/chemistry was believable until later on in the story. I felt like there wasn't enough backstory or reasoning for the instant/intense connection.

Tropes:
Best friend’s brother
Celebrity
Insta love

Content warning: sexual assault

Overall this book kept me hooked and I look forward to more from Ivy Owens! Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

This. Book.

I don’t even have the words to express how much I loved this! The steam, the tension, the banter, the conflicts.. so good. I love a celebrity romance / secret identity so this really was a home run for me. The writing was impeccable and I was so absorbed in the story!

This book captures everything I love about the romance genre. It has an interesting story, swoony romance, hot sex scenes, and it covers some serious topics.

I love a good romance where one partner doesn't realize the other is a celebrity, and here it's handled perfectly. Georgia runs into her childhood best friend's older brother at the airport after not seeing him for over a decade. Because she a journalist caught up in her stories, she doesn't know he's a famous actor. They spend one steamy night together and she finds out who he is afterward.

Later, she learns he has a connection to a huge story she's working on, involving women being assaulted in a London night club. It would have been easy for this storyline to overpower the romance angle, or vice versa but they both are equally weighted and work together well.

I liked Georgia and Alec separately but especially together. They had fantastic chemistry and complimented each other well.

I highly recommend this one for romance readers, and I'll be on the lookout for more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars

OBSESSED. Scandalized is a steamy, addicting romance with two lovable leads and a dash of mystery. When a one night stand between childhood friends, Gigi and Alec, turns into something more, scandals try to tear them apart. Gigi is an ambitious investigative reporter and Alec, it turns out, is a celebrity. Can the two overcome all of the obstacles in the way of their HEA?

The. Chemistry. Gigi and Alec have one of the steamiest relationships I’ve read in a book. Their chemistry is what makes this book unputdownable. I was glued to the pages and swooned my way through this romance. Alec is the dreamiest. A perfect man that could only be written by woman. Gigi and Alec will definitely be an automatic favorite book couple.

Scandalized is a spicy, entertaining, and heartfelt romance perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey and Lucy Score.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve seen this one all over the ‘gram, so I requested it and dove right in not knowing what to expect. This was a fun, quick read that was suspenseful, steamy and sweet and I could not get enough!

Read if you like:
✨Celebrity Romance
✨Insta-Love
✨(Former) Best Friend’s Brother
✨Sweet and Spice, and everything nice

I loved this author’s writing and how she made even the most ordinary things, like zippers lowering and metal belts, sound sexy. 🥵 The way they were like “this is a one night stand, okay?” To “two weeks and nothing more, okay?!” Was just perfect. 😭😭

I am absolutely head over heels for Alec and will happily add him to the always-growing list of book boyfriends. Our FMC is a lot of fun too; you can just ✨feel✨ their chemistry oozing off the pages and I rooted for their HEA the whole time. The progression of the romance felt natural, and they were so in tune with each other that I couldn’t help but adore them.

Thank you to @netgalley and Galley Books for an early copy of this! I’ve already pre-ordered my physical copy. This releases August 23rd!

Ivy Owens delivers as advertised in this book. She promises swoony characters, steamy scenes, and a little bit of heartbreak and hits every target. There was more than enough emotion and plot to keep me glued to the page. Delightful, easy read!
Thanks so much for the ARC!

Never in my life have I loved an insta love as much as this. I couldn’t stop reading. I intended to finish it in the morning and sleep but I couldn’t put it down.

Georgia and Alec are absolutely amazing together. Even though it’s fast it makes sense and it feels right. And good lord is it spicy 🥵 their chemistry was off the charts.

It was such an addicting read! I definitely recommend! Especially if you love celebrity, Insta love romances!