This was such a refreshing read! I've waited so long for a 'normal' lesbian relationship romance. It even had the clichè reunion - I'm here for it.
Well written, loved the pace and I adored the self growth for Ciara. I do wish we could have seen a little more Sugar in action - it would have been fun to explore that.
I enjoyed the ending... although it seemed rushed - that could also be because I didn't want it to end.
Overall, wholesome, surprisingly non-trashy romance.

Well this was a star of a book - i went in with no expectations and it was such a fantastic read.
Here we follow Ciara who works in a local coffee shop but has been sugaring on the side to help pay for her fathers medical bills. That is until she meets Charlie and she starts to think that maybe sugaring isn't all it's cracked up to be . . .
I absolutely loved this romance. It was clear from the start that there was chemistry between Ciara and Charlie and they were a great couple. It was obvious from the get go what the massive issue was going to be between the two of them but it definitely didn't detract from the story and I loved being able to see the build up to the inevitable consequences. I also really enjoyed the involvement of Ciara's family and getting to learn more about them and their inclusion in the story.
There was a lot on going on at some points in the story but I didn't feel like it was all overwhelming and I enjoyed the additions to the story that they brought. I would 100% recommend this if you're looking for an LGBTQIA+ romance booK!

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

There is nothing I love more than a millionaire romances. Charlie and Ciara's relationship develops intensely from the first moment they meet (while Ciara is on a double date with someone else). From there it's a whirlwind of a relationship that happens in the span of weeks, but the whole time Ciara is harboring a secret.

I loved this book overall. From start to finish it kept me entertained as Ciara is a sarcastic and witty main character and Charlie as the love interest gave as much as she received. I really enjoyed all of the background WLW characters as much as the main two characters as well. I think that overall they added to the story and helped our main two along with figuring out their feelings.

My only negative takeaways are that Darren needed more retribution for his actions in the end (I don't think he got nearly what he deserved). But overall I think that the plot and the flow of the story moved along quite well.

Amazing!!!

Ciara joined the Sugar Girl app at the same time as her best friend Tracey. Now with Platinum status she has her pick from exclusive and wealthy clients, which is helping pay for much needed car of her father, who is being cared for by her sister. When she accidentally meets Charlie, an entrepreneur, who just happens to a good friend of one of Tracey’s latest clients, Ciara finds herself tangled in falling for Charlie and not being able to tell her about her Sugar Girl career, which leaves Ciara with a difficult decision to make, Charlie or Sugar Girl?

I loved this so much! It was exciting and fun, a little bit daring, and deeply heartfelt and emotional. There was so much packed into the story that I was hooked from the very first chapter and couldn’t wait to join Ciara on this emotional adventure. It went through everything from the completely outrageous and glamourous to the down to earth reality that is usually hidden away behind the scenes when a story focuses on someone like Charlie and someone with a job like Ciara’s at Sugar Girl.

There were so many moments where I just felt for Ciara, a few where my heart broke, and a few others where I was on the edge of my seat wondering if Charlie was going to discover what Ciara was trying to hide before she had a chance to tell her. There were also so many unexpected moments, they just hit and I was never ready for any of them. Some were amazing, like something out of a movie, and again others just broke my heart.

Charlie and Ciara’s story was certainly one filled with angst and drama, it was completely emotional and so moving. I fell in love with them the moment they were introduced to each other and I really hope we see more of them in future stories. This was the first story I read by Emma L McGeown and it certainly won’t be the last, I was completely blown away! I can’t do this story justice with a review, it really is one you just have to read and experience for yourself!

Ciara is a barista in Dublin, but needing to meet her family’s financial obligations runs a side hustle as an escort on an app called “Sugar Girl”. Everything is great until she meets Charlie and suddenly the side hustle is now increasingly losing its appeal not to mention the fact that she’s been lying to Charlie this whole time.

This book turned out to be a surprising read. Given the premise, I think I made some foregone conclusions about the plot line. The first half of the book was good about backgrounding and setting up who Ciara and Charlie were. I also appreciated the fact that it wasn’t lust at first sight given Ciara’s occupation as an escort, but actually took the time to build it into a slow burn as they learn more about each other. I think both MCs had great chemistry which made the angst portion engaging.

Given their entire relationship was built on a lie, I knew the “break” was around the corner and I think it added a good tension to the story and kept me reading. I think the nice twist with Charlie made this plot a little atypical from a reactions and next stage perspective and was definitely a plus point in making this a unique story.

Minor irritants through the story happened to be around the use of the word “Sugaring” as a verb, it was a little cheesy cringey to be honest and kept popping me out of the narrative.

Overall, this story bellied my expectations of the plot line given the premise and delivered a fun read.
3.75🌟s

Ciara Reilly hasn't had much luck in relationships or love, so in order to supplement her income and be able to help her family; Ciara turns her good looks and youth into being one of the top sugar girls in Dublin. This means she has access to the elite wealthy clientele of Dublin. Expensive gifts and dinners coupled with the casual dating suits her just fine. But this all changes when she meets Charlie Keller, a beautiful entrepreneur who has no idea Ciara is a sugar girl. After an instant connection would Ciara's feelings for Charlie be enough to leave her side job? Or will the secrets leave her with a broken heart again?

This book is in first person, which I was not expecting but I actually enjoyed. I really like how you get to know Ciara in the first chapters. You get a sense of how down to earth and real she is. How her family is everything to her. I really liked that. Also, I really enjoyed how her relationship with Charlie starts and evolves. The chemistry was great and I kept you wanting more. I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends.

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

Interesting premise and had moments I enjoyed, but the book didn't hook me like I had hoped it would.

I did love that their was love and relationships outside of hetro ones!

This book took me a while to establish a connection to the main characters and the story. The book picked up pace in the second half when Ciara and Charlie faced some issues that tested their relationship. Overall though, I think the reason that I had a tough time establishing an affinity for the story is that everything between Ciara and Charlie was built on lies and deception and nothing close to love. Also, the frequency of the use of the word “sugaring” began to irritate me as the book continued. 3 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an okay story but mainly my issues with the plot won out for me. It felt like the author threw darts at a trauma dartboard to get the character's back stories--and this seriously detracted from genuine conversation. I also personally have a problem with the fact that the POV changed 89% through the book. Overall, just not for me.

'ARC provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher (Bold Strokes Books) in exchange for a honest review'

**'Telling a really good and successful story must be precise and have an enlightening plotline..

Stirring read!
Vivid, deeply moving and immersed in a first person point of view setting, 'SUGAR GIRL' tells the tale of this sweet unflinching intimate love story from the sculpted villages and streets of Dublin to the busy streets of Australia -- from falling in love to heartbreak to taking that leap of faith for Love. The storyline is also finely-tuned even a bit fickle yet still reads like an intellectually emotionally charged visual narrative.
Given the title and synopsis, readers should have an open mind and not think that it's about eroticism or something close to this, instead the storytelling is crafted in this surrealistic style of a developing romance between two ladies; one rich the other a call girl or sugar girl.
For every chapter the story kept on unfolding revealing more and more about each of them (Ciara & Charlie) along with the varying secondary characters, each with their own side story --- this is also where I think the pace is left up to the readers because Ms.Geown laid out the intricacies
of the how & why at their first run-in, their attraction was so telling. For every interaction there was this sexually charged energy between them that nothing else mattered. Because of wanting to be with Charlie, Ciara did try setting herself free from many of her inhibitions then tried discovering whatever inner confidence needed to put her other life aside for love but..
Overall, 'SUGAR GIRL' is utterly endearing to read with reverberating resonance of the Truth.
A highly recommended book!

Ciara works at cafe but to keep her family out of debts she works her way up to being one of few Platinum Girls where she gets to choose her wealthy clients. Charlie and Ciara meets on a failed date but somehow surprisingly they both start to grow closer but Ciara have a choice to make tell Charlie what she do for living or lose her. Ciara and Charlie do have chemistry I like how Ciara is with her family it’s hard to watch someone you love lose themselves. Overall good read.



I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

2.5/5 stars

I was really excited about reading this book but it wasn't as good as I expected it to be. I didn't feel any chemistry between Ciara and Charlie and their relationship was just not it. Maybe it's just me who felt that way about the MC's.
The thing I liked in this book was Ciara's family dynamic. The way they both cared for their father was really heartwarming.
Overall this book isn't for me.

3/5 stars

Sugar Girl is the first book that I've read by author Emma McGeown. It follows Ciara, a sex worker/escort who uses the money she makes as a sugar girl, and millionaire CEO, Charlie, in Dublin. Ciara ends up meeting Charlie on a failed blind date, but has to lie about her real profession. As their feelings grow stronger for each other Ciara has to decide how to be honest especially as she starts to really like Charlie.

I really really wanted to like this book especially because I was really drawn in by the blurb. However, I wish that the main characters were both flushed out more separately and also in their relationship together. I felt like their actual relationship was pretty rushed and so when the third-act breakup happened it felt like it kind of came out of nowhere.

This book surprised me in a good way. 1st person POV isn’t always my favorite but it worked here. I was drawn into Ciara’s world and the chemistry and plot kept me going through the end. At times some things were repetitive and Ciara bordered on immature, but just when Ciara was about to lose credibility, McGeown roped her back in and elevated her character. I liked the complexity of Ciara’s feelings about being a sugar girl while also navigating actually dating someone, and her reasons for joining the business and sticking with it. The book had more depth than I expected given the blurb. I also liked Charlie. There were a couple things that didn’t fully pan out, like why Charlie was painted as a player, but overall she seemed like someone I’d want to know. I also liked the way the author handled the rising tension between the women and the aftermath. It seemed plausible and reasonable considering both characters’ realities and motivations, and more nuanced than some others I’ve read. I liked it!

Short Summary: Ciara is a Sugar Girl/barista struggling to make ends meet when she unexpectedly meets gorgeous, wealthy Charlie. Neither is looking for anything serious but they can’t help that they click. Will they fit in each other’s worlds? Can they trust each other or will their secrets prove insurmountable?

Thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I thought the overall premise was good. This read like your normal rich/poor trope. I really did like the sugaring aspect of the story. This book is told primarily from one character pov so you never really know what’s going on in the other characters head, except in one chapter. It was well written and the dialogue for the most part was good. I don’t know though, the side characters felt a little off to me. They didn’t feel like the usual uplifting friend type of character. I think they were supposed to but they didn’t resonate with me that way. I’m excited to see what the author puts out next but this one was a little tough for me to get into.

This is a rich/poor f/f book that has you rooting for the sugar girl to find her perfect ending.

Ciara Reilly works in a cafe but her real source of income is through her sugaring. As a Platinum girl, she has attained a level of popularity and status but it’s basically a means to an end to keep her family going. When she meets the dynamic and beautiful Charlie Keller, she is rattled and thrown off her game by her attraction.

Charlie Keller is rich, confident and definitely does not lack ladies to warm her bed. Although she is enamoured with Ciara, she is hiding something.

I love books as such where underdogs get their day and love overcomes stigmas. The pair has plenty of skeletons in their closet and with challenges thrown their way by people closest to them, you can expect plenty of angst. It’s my second read from the author and would be looking out for her next.

I just reviewed Sugar Girl by Emma L. McGeown. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.

I read Emma McGeown’s first book Aurora when it came out a couple of years ago and loved it. Her second is a dramatically different storyline and I loved it just as much. I love when authors are able to write such varied work instead of falling into a formula where the characters feel like repeats. Charlie and Ciara had great chemistry together and I really liked them as a couple. The story is told from Ciara’s perspective so we don’t get as much interaction with just Charlie but it kept me rooting for Ciara. All the side characters were entertaining as well, and each added their own twist to the story. There was one twist I genuinely didn’t see coming and I loved being surprised at the last minute. I thought this was a great book and look forward to reading it again at some point along with Aurora.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected too, it was well written, with well developed characters and an engaging storyline. A quick, easy and fun read.

• Sugar Girl
• Emma L. McGeown
• MC Charlie Keller & Ciara Reilly



Ciara is barista by day, platinum sugar girl by night. Trying to help her family out of debt, Ciara becomes a sugar girl. She has a contract, clients and a list of boundaries. She is no ordinary sugar girl. helping her family pay off debt. She had worked up to a platinum status sugar girl. She works at Jerichos coffee shop with her good friend Tracy. (Also a sugar girl)


Tracey asked Ciara to a double dinner date with one of her clients and his friend Darren. During the dinner another friend of Darren’s shows up, Charlie. Ciara was uncomfortable from the beginning of the date. Tracy didn’t tell her everything that was surrounding this date.


Charlie is rich and beautiful. She’s very confident. She is an investor. Ciara was taken with her from the very beginning.

Charlie invited Ciara and Tracey to a house party at her home. Ciara did not want to attend the party, because at this point, Charlie is unaware that she’s sugar girl. Tracy convinces her to go to the party. Let the drama begin. There are many surprises that come out.

I don’t want to give away anymore, so check this book out! It’s a great read.



I wanted to make note of the story line with Ciara and her sister Sophie. Very touching.
Her dad was dealing with Alzheimer’s disease and they were trying their best to care for him. The supporting characters in the
story definitely help keep it interesting!



I received an ARC from Bold strokes books through NetGalley!Thank you to Bold Strokes Books!! 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. Ciara Reilly and her roommate Tracey are top tier Sugars (escorts) in Dublin. She’s been doing it for a while to help cover medical bills for her family. The work is done through an app, is consensual and specifically contracted for safety and security. Through Tracey she meets Charlie Keller a driven, bi-racial entrepreneur. This is almost like a reimagined story of Pretty Woman, although Charlie is never her client. The connection between the two is palpable. Yes it is instant attraction, but in a short three weeks both meet each others families and share quite a bit in the flow of conversation.

All but one chapter is from Ciara’s POV. And It is interesting to see her categorizing peoples moves and actions. I’m think part of this works for me because Ciara is never intimate with anyone besides Ciara during the story. And I had real feelings and related to dealing with a parent with memory issues. I don’t usually love wealthy/poor tropes because of power differences but I was left optimistic for their future together. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.