Review Detail

LOVE GOES VIRAL is a YA Romantic Contemporary from the minds of Camille Stochitch, Alexander Berman, and Estelle Laure. It’s a dual POV between Love Thompson, a social outcast turned popstar, and Austin Grey, a down-on-his-luck boy next door. Austin accidentally saves Love’s life when she falls during a performance, landing right into his strong arms. From there, he saves her again as she encounters one PR crisis after another. The problem is, Love isn’t exactly truthful with Austin about her intentions, and before she has the chance to come clean, they’re both already in too deep.

I adore the way the plot sets up Love’s rise to fame. It’s such a wonderful redemption arc that many young performers who actually pursue their craft can understand. Cue Chris, the talent agent, who doesn’t really care about Love, other than the money she can make for her, and Damien, the celebrity who uses Love to help his star rise, and Love has to overcome more than just the difficulty of getting her foot in the door. What I really appreciate about her journey is the accuracy of what each new level of success brings with it.

Austin’s chapters are a bit more compelling, in that his struggles are way more relatable to most people, so they provide a nice balance to Love. Even though his family is going through a rough time, I like how kind and spirited they all are, especially the younger sister. That said, what would have really made this story sing (*pun intended*) is streamlining some of the back-and-forth Love inflicts on Austin, which slows down the pacing and softens the heartbreak and stakes.

Overall, though, LOVES GOES VIRAL is a fun twist on the “small town girl ends up in Hollywood” as well as influencer culture. It demonstrates how curated social media can be, often, far from reality. Most importantly, this book shows people that you never truly lose when you follow your heart.