Idol Minds (Idol Romance Series)

Wasn’t sure how Salvo would merge Jason and Tae Hyun’s worlds. Each protagonist gets their own chapter depicting their day to day lives with nothing alluding to either character even knowing the other one even exists. As the story unravels we get to see the fun and clever circumstances that bring the two character together. At first Jason’s character comes off as the bad boy type and we soon find out he’s also smart, charming and comfortable in his own skin. Can’t remember when my crush for him even began. Tae hyun is the quiet and more reserved out of the two, resembling a little more of his South Korean culture. It was more than delightful reading how these two opposite personalities eventually learned to play well with each other (in more ways than one). Salvo clearly outlined their magnetic attraction for each other which added chemistry to their detailed lusty sex scenes and gave dimension to their relationship outside of the bedroom. There’s a sprinkle of witty humor with a few sexy puns throughout the book. Salvo also introduces Korean honorifics during Tae Hyun’s chapter and again when the Story takes Jason to Korea, such a small yet effective thing to add to the story. There was also a side character named Diego who is a sex worker and though Diego is a side character he was infused with depth and humanity which Salvo gets snaps and claps, well done. Over all the characters were well written the story wasn’t without obstacles to overcome. Enjoyed the world building in this book, one example is how this particular corporation curated their K-Pop stars in order to maximize mass appeal. It was fun reading about the competing boy bands, girl groups and their hit albums/singles. Back to the main characters, as a reader it was great to see my Hollywood bad boy and K-Pop star become lovers who team up agains the odds. Such a great and fun book to read.

Books 1 and 2 review: This is such a cool, unique contemporary romance series, and I’m so happy that I picked it up. Salvo, who is Korean, really delivers on a fascinating, well-constructed context for Tae Hyun and Jason’s love story. The core of this series is its exploration of the demands and challenges of queer celebrity life and how traditional Korean culture impacts the characters’ careers and personal lives. Though parts of both books take place in LA, most of the story is set in South Korea; similarly, the focus is on Tae Hyun’s idol career more than Jason’s acting one. Between these points and the exploration of the characters’ Korean versus Korean-American experiences, Salvo delivers a deep dive into Korean culture, complete with more than a few winking nods to K-drama and BL. It was so fun and interesting to read, and I am eagerly awaiting more. In book 2, Tae Hyun is publicly out (so is Jason, for that matter) and has gone solo with the help of Jason’s newly formed production company. This book is a fair bit darker than book 1 because our MCs have to deal with a vengeful idol management company trying to disrupt preparation for Tae Hyun’s first solo tour. In contrast, though, Tae Hyun and Jason are solid, and ugh! I loved how in love they were in this one. I definitely had to get used to Salvo’s writing style in book 1. They’ve got a direct, dialogue-forward style without a lot of the mushy interiority that I tend to love in my romances. As a result, it took a while for me to get invested in Tae Hyun and Jason’s romance. The flip side of this, though, is that our MCs are wonderfully openly communicative with each other, both outside the bedroom and in, and it is so satisfying.

This book is definitely good for a quick read. I read the book in bed before going to sleep, a bit in the morning, and finished it fairly quickly. If you're looking for a quick romance between two male leads with a good ending, this story is fairly good. As a former K-pop listener and someone who studied Korean for a while, I enjoyed the concept of two famous people, especially a Korean idol, falling in love since it's not very common, almost unheard of, for an idol to be out (though, Holland is a gay Korean singer, worth checking him out since he worked hard to fund his own debut since no company wanted to sign an openly gay idol). Yes, the story does have some common tropes attached to it, but it's still an overall enjoyable book since I enjoy happy endings. 이 책은 모든 점에서 훌륭해서 추천해주고 싶었어!

At first, I didn’t know if I was gonna like this book, but it turned out to be one of my best reads. I love the interaction between the characters and the chemistry is great .

It's a shame I read this so fast. Completed it in two days and was left wanting so much more. I'm adding this author to my favorites list. I loved how the author introduced both characters and then brought them together. Clashing personalities only highlighted their similarities. Flirtations lead to the two MCs fulfilling each others needs, physically and emotionally. And not rushing into sex after their first encounter brings trust and a comfortable reliance on each other. The feels are there along with great world building and good character development. It's all tied together into a great romance novel that is a rare gem. I really enjoyed this book and will look for more by this author. I'm sure you will too.

I loved the main characters and the surrounding supports. The story was well developed and presented. However, I wanted a slower burn for the physical between the main characters. It felt rushed to me. It could be personal preference, but I love the chase. I think a good opportunity for flirt scenes was missed. Otherwise it was excellent.

If this story hasn't been made into a live series it should be. Well balanced plot, good characters, didn't get too angsty, which is great. I prefer upbeat stories that still have meat on the bones. Great job on a debut novel.

This is the first time I have read the work of this author. Being a huge K-pop and Asian drama fan I was drawn to the story. With main characters who are very three dimensional, as well as a fast paced plot it was a delightful, easy read. This would make a wonderful BL series.

It's easy to read and quick to pull you in. Fast paced, too. I enjoyed the way he layered the story ... keeping the reader wondering about back stories of the two leads. I would have liked a bit more padding of the secondary characters' personalities, but that's it. Now, onto book 2, I wonder who we follow this time?

Esse livro é muito lindo. Foi uma surpresa incrível. Muito doce e meiga a forma como esse escritor conta a história, mas sem deixar de ser um romance adulto com tudo que tem direito. Eu li em um dia. Não conseguia parar. O romance é muito bem desenvolvido e o casal é ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥, hot e cute ao mesmo tempo. Não vejo a hora de começar o livro 2.

If you enjoy the BL genre but would love one to focus on the life of one of your favorite kpop stars - idol minds is perfect. It's clear it comes from someone who loves the drama genre, kpop, and is queer - which is a huge plus. I will be recommending this to all my fellow queer men who may be looking for more sexy fiction actually authored by queer men.

I have not ready any books set in the K Pop world and in South Korea, but from page one I loved this book. Whilst this was a great read, it also highlighted the pressures of any celebrity come in out and how some celebrities are treated as property of the studio. Jason Park whilst portrayed as a bad boy had a lot of internal walls and spending time with Tae Hyun help show the type of person he really was. What can I say about Tae Hyun , what a sweety. I loved his character. I felt what happened to him before he joined the military made him stronger and though it took time, became the person he wanted to me. This was a new to me author and I am looking forward to what they do next

Liked throughout. Shows how bad is the pressure of being gay in a showbusiness environment and more so in the K-pop world.