This is such an enjoyable, uplifting and impactful book!
This is a book everyone will enjoy!
The writing is fabulous! And the characters are so relatable!

This was a lovely, thought provoking, and somewhat unconventional romance novel. I was expecting something like Eat Pray Love, with lots of traveling, indulgent experiences, and solo reflections. Instead, pleasure seeking Noni stays in the UK for most of the book, and finds a few people she spends most of her time with. They were great people, just not the direction I expected the book to go, so it took me awhile to find my groove with the book.

I wasn’t fully invested until about 50%, as Noni’s ideas about things that bring her pleasure and mine are wildly different. I wasn’t living vicariously through her the way I hoped to, but I can see how this would be the perfect book for some people. I didn’t have any emotional investment in her early casual hookups because she didn’t either. Once she started leaning into the emotional bonds she was forming, I was all in.

I do appreciate the idea of being really intentional about curating a list of things that bring you pleasure and being intentional about enjoying them, and believing that you deserve to enjoy them. Noni’s internal journey of learning to value herself, both inside and outside of her relationships with other characters resonated with me, and I’m sure would resonate with a lot of other folks too.

Thanks to Netgalley for this advance copy, all opinions are my own.

Thank you for the opportunity. Unfortunately, this was not the book for me. While I think this book could really resonate for some people, I was left adrift and unconnected. Again, I appreciate the opportunity.

I read this book as an arc through Netgalley. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity. However, the thoughts that follow are my own.

Keywords: LGBT+, Bi-con, romcom, inspirational, body-positive

This book resonated with me in a way I wasn't expecting and was honestly unprepared for. Especially considering that I almost put it down and walked away early on. Within the first act, I really struggled with the titular character Noni Blake. This novel is frequently compared to "Bridget Jones' Diary," a book I've never been fond of personally, and Noni's early self-deprecating mindset and interpersonal awkwardness were really hammering home that Bridget Jones comparison. But before I scare you away with my early grumpiness about this book, let me tell you that "It's Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake" not only gets better but becomes the true pleasure that its name suggests.

I gave "Noni Blake "four stars out of five because of that early frustration, but this book has become a recent favorite. If you're a character-driven reader, then this is going to be such a satisfying experience—Noni's journey from awkward to self-actualized is one of the most validating and empowering character arcs I've read in contemporary fiction.

Stuck in an only vaguely-satisfying job as a high school counselor and still smarting from the end of a long-term relationship, Noni Blake starts to imagine "what if?" What if those people I had the opportunity for love (or at least a good time) hadn't passed me by? Feeling inspired, Noni tries to track down those folks on her f*ck-it list, including her ultimate missed opportunity in love, Molly, who runs a hostel in Europe. Nothing goes as planned in Noni's adventure, which ends up being set largely in the UK. Without dropping any spoilers, Noni discovers that love isn't in the place she expected but the real adventure is finding it in yourself first. Sounds cliche, I know, but this book made me laugh uncontrollably and sob into a pillow mere pages later. I promise the emotional depths are there.

For me, this was an emotional read that took me by surprise. It was sex-positive, body-positive, and dealt with anxiety and grief so beautifully that it was humbling. I also loved that Noni was in her mid-thirties and didn't have it all together; instead of that being the pivot point for depression or stasis (something I think mid-thirty-something female characters are too often subjected to in literary fiction) Noni changes everything and sends the message that you're life isn't over after a certain age. As someone who struggles with anxiety, depression, and a healthy self-image, Noni Blake was relatable but also so inspiring.

There's so much I want to gush about in this book because there are some scenes that just hit home or had me in a swoon. I hesitate to say too much in case of spoilers, but I do want to emphasize the value of all of Noni's relationships in this book. Yes, there's a dynamite romance component with some deliciously steamy scenes scattered throughout. But I also valued all the types of love you get a peek into throughout the novel—found family, deep friendships, long-term marriages, and parent-child dynamics—all of it shows up in meaningful ways. There's just so much more to this book than I anticipated and it's meant more to me than I can say. Thank you, Claire Christian, for writing a book I didn't know I needed!

I received a copy of this book to review from Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.
An interesting idea behind this story. The writing was good with some funny parts. The MC was quirky and no nonsense but seems full of contraindications which makes it difficult to follow the story.
On the whole, an OK book.

I had a hard time getting through this and I hate that I feel that way. I was so excited about this book but I found myself not liking the main character at all. I know it was part of the story that she didn’t know what she fully wanted and took the trip to Europe to find herself but I just felt as though she was all over the place. I’m glad everything came together at the end though! 2.5

Sometimes a book goes a little too far in trying to show a character's low point. That was the case in It's Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake. It's really hard to read about a character choosing to sleep with a white supremacist on her way to self-discovery/self-love.

Not for me.

Rating: 1.5

I hated the main character. The writing style is extremely annoying and repetitive. Overall, this book just isn't for me.

It wasn't for me. I didn't like it. I thought it was going to be a cute lgbt romance but i didn't like it.

It’s Been A Pleasure, Noni Blake is the second novel by Australian novelist and playwright, Claire Christian. Eighteen months out of a nine-year relationship, Noni Blake is still, unintentionally, celibate, until a one-night-stand with the firefighter. The tragic event that follows is the impetus to stop “putting on twelve kilos, dyeing my hair too dark, spending way too much money on therapy” and start trying again.

The result of a late-night drinking session with her best friend since third grade, Lindell and his partner, Graham, is the list of the Should-Have-Boned. Ever her sounding board for all things, Lindell supports and encourages her to take the big step: Europe, and the last name on that list, Molly. “Doing this may disrupt the very comfortable fabric of my life. And that’s petrifying, because I’m very comfortable here. I know how things work. How I work. I’m happy being relatively unhappy.”


When Molly becomes a major disappointment, Noni’s unfailing London friends step in to comfort and distract, and an Edinburgh retreat results in Noni’s Pleasure Quest. This includes quite a lot of sex, a trip to Amsterdam, a tattoo (and encountering a Viking-like tattoo artist, Beau).

It’s likely that Noni, both in thought and action, will initially strike the reader as immature: thirty-six going on sixteen. She lacks self-esteem, has body image issues, fails to listen to the inner voice, and makes poor decisions, some of which she justifies with “Sometimes we need to experience things to know they’re what we don’t want.” She does, eventually, get it together (“I feel like an idiot for thinking diving into my past would change anything about the present”), even if she spends way too long in angsty self-analysis.

There’s copious use of expletives which, while perhaps fitting for the characters and their cohort, may bother some readers, as may Noni’s rampant promiscuity and the explicit sexual descriptions. But Christian does have a way with words: “Like I’m a blob of paint and a brush has come in and swirled me in a perfect circle” and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

Christian does give her characters some wise words and insightful comments: “I think aging is actually just about getting used to yourself, you know? Getting used to the way you are, the way you work, the way you process things, the weird things that make you unique. I think we spend so much time early on figuring that out. Or fighting against it.” While it won’t appeal to everyone, Claire Christian’s second novel is funny and ultimately feel-good.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing.

It really was a pleasure reading this magnificent novel. Some of the best sex scenes I have ever read -- but that is not what Noni learns seeking pleasure is all about. She goes on a pleasure quest, to do what makes her feel good and she learns that this is about making choices based on her intuition. I wrote out so many quotes, it was almost like a self-help book but hugely engaging and quirky, and full of the most gorgeous humans.
Thanks to Netgalley and Text for a copy of the ARC.

It doesnt support or open after I download the pdf version of it. It's also not showing in my shelf in netgalley and I cant open it to read Please look into the issue and if you can send me the pdf in my mail ID- taniagungunsarkar@gmail.com I cant read the book from here. Please look into the issue

Oh my god, where do I even start with this book?! Okay, first of all, A MILLION STARS FOR THIS WONDERFUL WONDERFUL BOOK. Secondly, I have never felt more seen by a book than this one and I can’t tell if I’m glad that it got to my truths or if I’m horrified about that. But all of that doesn’t matter when this book was so damn beautiful.

“It’s Been A Pleasure, Noni Blake” is a story about love, but not just romantic love. It’s about platonic love with friends, it’s about loving the people that you’ve lost, but most importantly, it’s about loving yourself. The amount of self-love in this book will make anyone happy and to have a group of people who support you through your best and worst times is just the added bonus.

So, Noni Blake is a 36 year old teacher. She’s slowly starting to recover from the end of her very long relationship, while trying to move on in any way she possibly can. One night stands galore fill her time, some of them exciting and some she would rather forget completely. But it all makes her realise something - she needs to do something else, get away and find herself. Leaving her job behind for a six month trip around the world does sound daunting, but for the first time in her life, Noni wants to be selfish and take some time for herself. Plus, she’s made this list and she wants to cross things off her list and reconnect with the one woman that got away. What could possibly go wrong?

I haven’t felt this connected to a character like I did with Noni. She’s the same age as me, she’s also feeling a little stuck in her life, she’s bisexual and she’s plus sized. While Noni has more game than me with both genders, her inner monologues spoke to me on every level. So Noni goes to Europe, taking the time she needs to find herself, where she reconnects with her friend Naz (who is honestly one of my favourite fictional friends of all time) and her husband Tom. But when she goes on a retreat with them, her original ‘fuck it list’ turns into a ‘pleasure quest’. Noni is going to find things in her life that give her pleasure. Not just sexual pleasure, but the kind of pleasure that makes you proud of yourself, makes you giggle with glee and honestly, pleasure that just satisfies every part of you.

Her journey takes her to places and through experiences and also into the arms of a very sexy Viking named Beau. He’s not really a Viking, but he’s got all the makings of it. And quite honestly, he’s so damn sexy that you wish he was real. Their first meeting is over a tattoo and it’s hilarious and entertaining and also incredibly sexy. But things with Beau don’t end there. It starts casual, grows into something more and evolves into a fling and well...you know the rest. But, Noni is still on her pleasure quest. And while Beau plays a big part in that, their time together is numbered. Beau and Noni don’t let that get in the way, they know what it’s temporary, they enjoy each other endlessly and for the first time in her life, Noni lets someone else into her life. Someone who hasn’t known her since she was a kid.

The book is filled with hot sexy times, awkward and hilarious sexual misadventures, a host of incredibly entertaining characters and the best quest to find yourself. Even though Noni finds a lot of her strength in Beau, her journey to really discovering who she is and what she wants is so damn beautiful to witness. Noni is sunshine personified. She enjoys everything, she’s fearless and she’s outgoing, she’s the kind of person that you wish you had by your side to push you to do things even if she’s not going to do them right away. Just everything about Noni was beautiful.

It took me so long to put my words down about how much I loved this book, but if you get the chance to get your hands on this magical story, please don’t hold back. It will change your life.

It’s clear to me that this book is well written and will be loved by many, unfortunately the writing style just isn’t for me and I’ve not been able to finish for a full review.

Based on the other reviews that have been written I’m in the minority and I’d recommend that if you’re interested in the book you should give it a try.

I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

We all know a disaster person (in my case, it’s me), but Noni Blake is definitely the cream of the crop for disaster people- and is the main character of It’s Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake! A funny, engaging, and light-hearted story, and definitely an interesting read for those who like a bit of a more carefree story.

Speaking of carefree- Noni Blake at the start of the book calls herself beige and basically not carefree. Two years after her separation from Joan, her long-term partner, she finds herself still trying to pick up the pieces. Even more so is that her most recent flirt is no longer around either, so that makes her feel lost. I loved how this builds the character of Noni Blake, as if she was some sort of true blue actual person, and it really sets the scene for the story to come.

Speaking of great characters, Lindel, Noni’s best friend is also excellent- wise in a friendly way, but also very encouraging, something I’d love to see in more characters in more books. Lindel and his partner Graham are such an excellent support system for Noni, and it just warmed my heart to read! Heck, they basically push her to take on ehr pleasure list, after sitting down one night and list their should haves and missed opportunities.

Following on from this list, Noni finds a way to make a quest for herself, to try find her inner zest (and by doing so, making some bold choices). Some of these bold choices were rather intimate and sexual in nature, and others were more general life choices, which sometimes even ended up with her going ‘nope’ - which I feel is important to touch in literature because sometimes you have to find what you do and don’t want in life. I love how this book touches on the topic of happiness in that way because we all need that little light in our lives.

Speaking of disasters, Noni feels that way in different kinds of ways- her job, her love life, even what she wants in life. Sometimes I feel like a disaster too, which makes me feel a little sympathetic. I also love how she goes and explores Europe and does wild things that I can only imagine doing myself. Heck, I’d love to even be able to leave my own city at the moment- but isolation does that to you. I love how she finds her purpose whilst in Europe, even though that sounds super cliched, but it’s definitely worth it!

Even more so, I found the relationships and writing went down smoother than shaved legs (seriously have you ever felt just shaved legs? Bliss), and made even reading some of the saucier bits of the book easy to read.

If you’re looking for a romcom type book, but make it bi, this may be the type of book for you! I recommend it to anyone who is in desperate need of a holiday (or a mental escape at least), or a bit of saucy fun mixed with disaster people. I assure you, you won’t regret it a bit!

Rating: 8/10
(Review will be live on my blog on 19th October, and TBA on The Nerd Daily)

It's Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake
by Claire Christian
Text Publishing
*I was provided with an ARC in exchange for providing an unbiased review*

Within 2 pages of this book, I was on Noni Blake’s side. I felt immediately that I wanted her to succeed in whatever her adventures were going to be and I wanted them to happen right now.

Christian’s sophomore novel (but debut in the adult stakes) is warm and open-hearted, just like it’s protagonist. The aforementioned Noni is a teacher, queer, and just recently ending a sex drought of 2 years after breaking up with her ex, Joan, after nine years together. She’s trying to work out her next steps when she comes into some cash after selling the place with the ex and decides to follow up on cases of missed love from her past.

What plays out is a fictional eat, pray, love sort of travel thing, but without the bullshit. Noni is about getting into the meatier side of things and as a 36-year-old millennial, she’s fed up with nonsense and wants to explore and experience pleasure. I know she went 2 years without getting laid, but she gets it A LOT during this book. And it’s funny. I don’t know what it’s like to bed a man with rubber sheets, but I imagine I don’t need to now after reading this book.

This book was a wonderful palate cleanser. I’d been reading some heavy non-fiction (and some heavy fiction now that I think about it) and this book really helped me clear the pipes and rediscover how joyful fiction can be. I liked that identity and who Noni was wasn’t up for debate – her love of humans (men and women) was well documented and accepted. I loved that she didn’t really have a process of explaining being bi or queer. She just was.

This book is a rom-com in the truest sense of the word and it has heart (unlike a lot of rom coms). I really enjoyed Noni’s character growth and self-reflection. I genuinely laughed out loud multiple times (my god, the Kevin McCloud wide on conversation was sublime). And whilst some of the sex bored me, it was supposed to as Noni was also bored. Her mates are a real godsend and I loved them and their support of Noni. They felt genuine and well rounded and not just flat spaces for Noni to talk to herself to develop the next eureka moment. I wanted them to feel good and succeed with their hopes, along with Noni

I felt the conclusion coming, but I wanted it to wind up the way it did. Noni was a character I was really endeared towards. This will be on my list of fun summer reads for friends!

How does one being to summarise their feelings for a book like It’s Been A Pleasure, Noni Blake?

It’s been 24 hours since I finished it, and I am still trying to form the words that are good enough to comprehend how I feel, and how this book made me feel.

I love that Noni is unapologetically bisexual. And that she’s a disaster human because I feel like we can all relate to that just a little bit.

One of the best things about this book is reading Noni’s pleasure quest – her ability to just go for things, while still having the fear of doing them, and yet desiring to continue anyway.

Noni is ballsy, brave, has a wicked sense of humour and is someone that I’d love as a best friend.

This isn’t a very good review, but I thoroughly enjoyed every single moment of this book and I am so glad that I requested for an ARC (and was approved, too!) because this is a book I will be recommending to everyone I possibly can.

Noni Blake. What can I say. What a brilliantly raw and hilarious read. I felt so invested in Nonis self discovery. She is real and raw and so relatable. Thanks Claire so writing such a well formed character that most people can relate to at some level. Everyone needs a Viking after reading this and everyone needs a friend like Lindell.

This book was written amazingly, it has taught me such a new way of loving my self and others as well, was not the type of story I was expecting, is definitely not your typical romance or comedy, but is written in such a unique way that doesn't make you meant to stop reading. Lovely read would definitely recommend to adult friends and will continue to follow the author's writes.

a really quick, light, fun read that allows you to turn off your brain for a while. i enjoyed the pacing, and the characters. it was overall funny and enjoyable. a solid read