Kate Davies (11)Reseñas

I really liked the writing style of this novel. It’s funny yet honest. Will definitely read more by Davies again.

A collection of fairy tales stripped of most of the familial conflicts and sanitized to insipidness. It's a tragedy that Lucille Clerc's beautiful illustrations are attached to this lame writing.

Received via NetGalley.

I feel no connection with Julia. I felt like there was no real character development and that's something I struggled with throughout the book. The only real development was her deciding to embrace being a queer woman and even that was not the greatest. I have an issue with it because she decided to become a queer woman because she had bad sex.

I enjoyed the first half of this book but it started going down hill when Sam was introduced. That relationship was really cringe-worthy because of how abusive the relationship is. Sam was very manipulative and took advantage of Julia's innocence.

It was hard to write this review because I did like the writing. The work flows so good and made you want to keep reading. I would be very picky about who I recommend this book to. If you are easily offended, this book isn't for you.

The first portion of In At the Deep End starts off on a lighter note. Especially more Rom-Com as Julia explores her sexuality as a lesbian woman. Julia is able to connect well with a group from swing class and is able to get their love and support in her new journey. However, the tone of the novel quickly turned heinous when a relationship with Sam began.
The rest of the novel if filled with graphic, non consensual sex scenes, and a gross display of manipulation, leaving Julia in despair.
I found most of my enjoyment came in the development of more minor characters such as Julia's Mum and Dad and her best friend, Alice.
As a whole, it did represent varying perspectives of the LGBTQ community; but with the abuse and rape, the book left me feeling unsettled and unsatisfied.

Julia has had enough.

The only thing she hasn’t had enough of is orgasms; she hasn’t had proper sex in three years.

So, when Julia gets invited to a warehouse party in a part of town where trendy people who have lots of sex go on a Friday night, she readily accepts. And that night she meets someone: a figurative artist, who also happens to be a woman.

She finds her tribe at queer swing dancing classes, and guided by her new lover Sam, she soon discovers London’s gay bars and BDSM clubs . . . and the complexities of polyamory.

Soon it becomes clear that Sam needs to call the shots, and Julia’s newfound liberation comes to bear a suspicious resemblance to entrapment . . .

Thank you Goodreads and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a chance to read this book!!

This is the first LGBT book I have read. That I can remember at least. The beginning of the book was good funny and easy to get into. The middle was iffy and the ending was surprising. To me the book came off as a coming-of-age book. I think that is mostly because Julia is just starting to find out who she is. But it was an ok book. Happy reading everyone!!

I was gifted the galley at the bookshop I work in, and I wanted to like this more than I did. I really, truly did. It was marketed to me in prepublication as a "fun queer sexy read" and it was only....sort of those things. Following a young woman who, in her adulthood, comes out as a lesbian, falls into a queer artsy crowd, and then endures an emotionally manipulative, abusive relationship, "In at the Deep End" doesn't seem to know which kind of book it wants to be when it grows up. The first act functions as a coming out narrative (which is important, even if it feels familiar), spurred on by the fact that our protagonist Julia has not had sex in literal years, has beyond mediocre sex with men, and then spends the night with a talented lesbian painter who serves as her "awakening" of sorts. She begins a community LGBT ballroom dancing class, and loves it, and I wish that this had been explored more; instead, the second act is about falling in love with a daring, devilish up-and-coming artist, Sam, who runs the relationship on her terms only. Some kinky sex, a lot of BDSM (which I suppose serves a narrative purpose but leaves a really, really terrible taste in my mouth, especially coupled with an abusive relationship) and a third act that doesn't commit to catastrophe or a happy ending but middles around somewhere between them, this book had the potential to be a lot of fun but doesn't really land well for me.

This is my first lesbian fiction. I literally, read everything and this was definitely a first. It's hilarious, raunchy, sad and a love story. Julia is a character that you really can care about and cheer on. She never has felt like she's had a successful love life. It really makes her feel depressed and anxious. One night, she decides to try something different. She goes home with Jane and discovers that being with the ladies is more her style. She meets Sam, who introduces her to polyamory, SM, underground sex parties and all sorts of things. I'm so glad my family didn't see what I was reading, it's very detailed. I thought the author did a wonderful job of really telling Julia and Sam's story even with all the intense sex. My copy said #NSFW and I would agree!

This reminds me of the podcast “My Dad Wrote a Porno”

Hilarious, British, gay and really not that sexy.

It was bloody brilliant.
I laughed at so much in the book, and as someone who generally really mystery and fantasy I don’t usually laugh when reading - that’s for stand up and cat videos online.

I love that the relationships where not portrayed in some perfect light to make lgbt seem safe and comfy, that manipulative relationships are everywhere.
This felt read, raw and hilarious

A huge thank you to @hmhbooks for the reviewer copy

In at the Deep End centers on twenty something Julia who has been single and lonely for the past three years. She lives in the U.K. with her roommate Alice. Julia always wanted to be a dancer but after an injury she took a job as a civil servant. She thinks sex is overrated and wonders if she will ever find passion and true love. She also misses dancing since it is such a part of who she is.

After a disastrous date and sexual encounter with a guy she meets on a night out Julia decides to venture out and see if she enjoys dating women instead of men. She starts going to gay clubs and putting herself out there when she finally falls in love. However, her new love interest is polyamorous and wants an open relationship and she tells this to Julia pretty early on. Much of the storyline then revolves on Julia’s new relationship and the changes it brings into her life.

I was surprised at how quickly I read In at the Deep End considering my trade paperback copy is 320 pages long. The story is infused with humor throughout and I laughed out loud and sometimes I cringed but there was not a dull moment. This one is not for the faint of heart, the sex scenes are very graphic. Julia goes to a SM club at one point.

I loved how the author wrote the dialogue. The supporting cast of characters, Julia’s friends and family, all added to the story as they weaved in and out of it. There’s themes of love, family, friendship, obsession and manipulation in relationships and I wondered how it would all turn out. As the book came to an end I thought it could have been be done fifty pages or so sooner but it all wraps up nicely.

In at the Deep End was well written, funny, entertaining and at times raunchy and shocking and I really enjoyed it.
https://bookwormnai.wordpress.com/2019/10/05/in-at-the-deep-end-by-kate-davies/

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Disclaimer: This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. I am under no obligation to write a positive review. My free copy of In at the Deep End by Kate Davies arrived courtesy of AmazonVine.

Timely that this read came out during pride month as Julia is suffering from a three year drought from sex. Immediately, upon hearing of Julia's conquests I thought to myself whether men were really for her.... I won't spoil the book but be prepared for a 50 Shades read packed with girl on girl action. Julia certainly finds her true self as the story unravels and learns about relationships along the way, but it isn't enough to lure the reader in on the story alone. That said, if you enjoyed the "other parts" of 50 Shades, this may be for you.

*Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I have to admit, I stepped outside my comfort zone with this one. But, that's a good thing! I love learning about new to me authors, and getting to know new writing styles and characters. Kate Davies definitely brought me all of that and more! She knows what to give readers to keep them hooked on the story, from start to finish.

Julia's character was perfectly full of flaws, and watching her "come out" and gain a girlfriend, was definitely a new experience for me. I loved watching her and following her story. I felt, often times, like I was her during the story, falling for a woman and experiencing new things in life.

I will say that if you are looking for a quick, light, wholesome read, this is not for you. But, if you want a 4 star worthy book that is filled with some angsty moments, some great characters and lots of graphically detailed scenes, then grab this book up by this talented author!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

The Least Sexy Sexual Awakening

I received a copy of the book for review.

This is a coming out story set in an enlightened, if snarky London. When the hero of this story, comes out to her mom, her mom says "I am delighted that you're a lesbian, Julia. All I've ever wanted is for you to be interesting. And now you are." Such millennial quips are a tiresome presence throughout the book, diminishing the raw moments. Does anyone actually talk that way?

This is a book about sexual awakening that is not the least bit sexy, perhaps because it is too busy judging kink and open relationships. After her first SM scene Julie feels both "fulfilled and revolted." Her reflection; however, deep dives into the latter. "She got a kick out of insulting me and scaring me and causing me physical pain." The scene was by all accounts consensual - with a standard safe word discussion. At the very end a more complicated and nuanced view arrives; however it feels largely unearned.

http://www.librarything.com/work/22423832/reviews/169456467#

Although I am not part of the target lesbian audience for "in at the deep end,"
the promise of a FUNNY alternative view of sexual freedom was initially attractive.

Oddly, the early humor was from straight man, hetero-marriage oriented Dave.
Much of the rest of the book surprised me. I somehow expected that lesbian sexual offerings would be more original and creative than the tired old gay and hetero male blech tropes of BDSM, water "sports," etc. Plus, licking a slimy snail is simply gross.

The plot moves right along, interweaving roommates, friends, parents, and job with increasingly repetitive "amazing" sex. By the time Julia and Sam arrived in Lyon
(a beautiful location for which we get only minimal description), I hoped that Julia was as tired of hearing only drunken sex conversations and a litany of annoying practices as I was. This is another reason why Dave was welcome - he had other things on his mind!

It would be welcome in a sequel to have other characters, like Cat and Ella, developed with a lot more compassion for the world, way less self-absorbed selfish thinking and behavior, and actual paintings included by a really good artist.

Julia never finding time to visit Eric was way too sadly predictable.

Also, why Sam thinks Julia is so "amazing" is never made clear.

Julia, frustrated dancer and depressed office-worker with the world's least exciting sex-life, suddenly finds her life taking a new and exciting turn after she agrees to go on a date with a woman for the first time. Within a matter of days she's joined a queer dance-class, made a bunch of new lesbian friends, and is cruising the scary butch artist Sam at a gay bar. The sex is miles better than anything she has ever experienced before, but it soon turns out that relationships with women are just as fraught with difficulty as those with men were...

This is one of those very funny books where you can never be quite sure how far the author is pulling your leg, written in a "Bridget Jones" comic mood but interspersed with episodes of very graphic S/M sex that swerve unpredictably back and forth between farce and seriously erotic. Davies obviously wants to subvert our expectations about lesbian fiction and the chicklit genre, at the same time as exploiting the conventions of romantic comedy mercilessly - there are chapters with headings like "No weddings and a funeral", "A dykey French lieutenant's woman" and "Love, actually?". And yes, the second of these involves a scene on the Cobb in Lyme Regis.

Great fun.½