Noni Blake is a 36 year old teacher from Australia who is having mid life crisis. She's unhappy, floundering unsure of what the future holds. She decides to go on a six month sabbatical to Europe to hopefully reconnect with Molly, the one who got away. What follows is a journey of pleasure and growth and lots and lots of sex.

This book has SO MUCH SEX. It is a romance after all, but wow. Good sex, bad sex, questionable choices revolving around sex, and lots of one night stands. To be honest, it was a bit much for the first part of the book. But you get used to it while reading.

The characters are fun and interesting. Noni has real issues with body image, love, insecurities and the future. It's very relatable even if you are in a stable relationship. There are a lot of couples in this book that mirror real life: gay men with kids, hetero couples without kids, bi-sexual women with different partners.

The theme of learning to love one's self and doing what makes you happy regardless of society and family pressure is a good one. It's hard to be honest about what we want or are thinking. It's hard to love ourselves and not give in to the doubting voice in one's head. Watching Noni go through this process makes it feel like maybe anyone can do it.

Avoid this book if reading about sex makes you uncomfortable. But you probably wouldn't pick up a romance if it did. Otherwise, definitely worth the read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

It turns out that this book did not suit me. This is more a personal bias than anything else. What I can tell you about this title is that the writing style is at times on-going and repetitive. At the same time it throws you into things quickly but without much explanation on what it is going on. This book is for those that do not mind one night stands and jumping into sex whenever possible without much forward thinking about it (I claim I have issues here so this is my bias showing). However, this maybe a great read for those that like different romance then the typical male/female only ones. I admit that I like Noni as a character but could not get past the whole idea of the “pleasure quest.” Yup, this is really my dislike of the novel because no one was bold enough to say that it is a dumb idea. Because in truth there really are dumb ideas.

Well written, and thoroughly engaging! Draws you in from the very first page and makes you want to keep reading. There’s a lot of explicit sex, so if that’s not your thing, steer clear. I found Noni to be a perfectly flawed and relatable woman.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely adored this book! Noni Blake is the most real, relatable character I have ever read and her journey to loving herself and finding the things that truly make her happy is not only hilarious and heartwarming, it is also something that I could relate to on a level I haven't before. From her disastrous dating encounters, to finding out that she is enough I could not put this book down and I will recommend it to everyone! So happy that I was able to get my hands on an e-arc. Will definitely be purchasing a copy in the future to read again and again.

This is such a cute book! Loved the storyline and laugh out loud funny parts. The characters are so relatable and have you drawn in from the very beginning. Super cute fun read!
Thank you to netgalley for the the arc in exchange of an honest review.

A lot of us can relate to Noni Blake -- we've spent much of our lives trying to make other people happy and have neglected our own pleasure in the process. That's why so many readers will identify with this book! Noni decides to make it her mission to live for herself, and this story describes her hilarious journey. Lots of fun and a great read!

It's Been A Pleasure, Noni Blake by Claire Christian is a real delight. Noni is smart and sexy. She heads to Europe on a "pleasure quest." Noni is set on having all of the experiences she can, and she does. She meets and experiences men and women abroad - including a Viking. It's the perfect escapist read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for sharing a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

It's Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake is the tale of a woman coming back into her own after a difficult breakup and heart wrenching loss. It's been 18 months since Noni broke up with Joan and she's dissatisfied with everything, her lack of a love life, her job, and her general environment. As she reevaluates her life choices, Noni decides to reconnect with lost opportunities from the past, leading her to adventure, travel and the finding of her true passions. I wouldn't say the story in unique, but it's an enjoyable journey and there are a few twists on the familiar theme. For American readers, Noni is Australian, and travels through England and Scotland,; it's always fun to get a glimpse of a different culture. Noni is bisexual, so the relationships she has and pursues are with both men and women The sex scenes are frequent and fairly graphic, not judging, but I am a librarian, so that does affect to whom I would recommend this book. It's fun to watch the character grow, cope with the residual sadness from her past relationship and find her happily ever after. I was given an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Noni Blake is still recovering from a break up with her girlfriend of 9 years. After a night with her best friend and making a "should have boned" list, Noni embarks on a quest. A rom-com about self-discovery and being true to your inner voice. I liked that the main character was bisexual. Maybe this will become a more mainstream trend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harleqiun/MIRA for the digital ARC!

I loved this book. I didn't expect to love it, I just saw it on NetGalley and thought I'd give it a chance. I'm so so glad that I did.

This book is funny, sometimes ridiculous, totally relatable and so honest it can be uncomfortable. Like, squirming-in-your-seat uncomfortable. So uncomfortable I wasn't sure I was going to like it, even a little bit into it. But I loved it so much. It's such a charming story centered on self love and empowerment, filled with quirky characters and strong bonds. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, as there is a lot of sexual content and chances are high that some of it will make you feel weird to read. But it's so fun following this charismatic bi/pansexual protagonist as she tries to figure herself out and get to a place where she can feel comfortable in her skin and satisfied with her life. It's a lot of fun, with some too-close-to-home themes like self loathing, fat shaming, and having a difficult relationship with sex. But it also normalizes mental health and therapy, non-heternormative relationships, and self love. By the time you meet the main love interest, you can't help but fall head over heels for him. And as much as the HEA is wonderful, it is also so good to see Noni realize that her happiness comes from herself, from respecting herself, and from doing what feels right; rather than having it be from other people. I loved this book, and would definitely recommend it!

If you are tired of slogging along through 2020 (and who isn't by this point), then It's Been a Please, Noni Blake is the book for you. Tired of her somewhat boring life and job, Noni is spurred on by a missed romance to head to Europe for six months and rediscovered herself. A bit of Eat, Pray, Love without the praying and a whole bunch of the love, this novel really exemplifies escapism at its best and is sure to satisfy any reader of women's lit.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

This book is a great inspirational read. As we follow Noni on her ‘Pleasure Quest‘ to Europe to find what pleases her specifically- it gives the reader insight as to what we all need... to find ourselves again in the crazy world.

The journey was so much more, but the story warmed my heart to follow Noni and her emotional roller coaster.

This was a cute book and was quite different from other Harlequin novels I've read since this one has a bisexual main character. So, if that is not for you, then perhaps pass on this book. However, I really enjoyed it as a light palette cleanser between heavier reads. It is about time that we read books where women continue to go after their desires and follow their hearts, regardless of societal pressures. This book celebrates that and I really enjoyed it! The main character is likeable and the book was cute! Yet another wonderfully enjoyable Harlequin romance!!

I have discovered the antidote to the unmitigated disaster that is the year 2020, and it is IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE, NONI BLAKE. I inhaled this book in under 24 hours and feel soul-satisfied in a way I forgot existed. NONI BLAKE is a rom-com that's so much more than a rom-com; it's as much a character study as LESS and as much a travelogue as WILD, with the sweetness of Mhairi MacFarlane, the delicious heat of Sally Thorne, and the humor of every best friend you've ever gotten drunk with. It is, in a word, perfect.

When I say this book has it all, I am not kidding. In it, you will find:
- an average-bodied woman finding sexual empowerment and body positivity
- a Scottish book boyfriend for whom you do not need to travel through time
- healthy adult friendships
- A+ Bechdel Test score
- adventurous, consensual sex that is at times hilarious and at other times really, really hot
- situational comedy that will legitimately make you laugh out loud
- adults who talk openly about their feelings in an authentic, mature way
- portrayals of grief that range in severity from mourning the loss of an unborn child to coming to terms with years of self-criticism and negativity
- rich, descriptive prose that does not drag down pacing
- excellent plotting, perfectly balanced with the protagonist's complex internal journey

...the list goes on. This book is joy exemplified. I can't wait to give it to every woman I know. My only complaint is that the world needs this book immediately to inoculate us against the tidal wave of awfulness bombarding the globe, and yet it won't be released until 2021.