Cover Image: Great Sexpectations

Great Sexpectations

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Member Reviews

The story of Josie and Cameron. When they meet, neither is honest about who they really are, so with secrets being kept can they have a future together?
A fun read.

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Great Sexpectations is hilarious. I haven’t laughed so much in such a long time. It is full of very interesting characters that are so easy to visualise. If you are reading this by a pool or on a beach beware because you will laugh out loud. Hysterical and brilliant 10/10

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Kristen Bailey has a wonderful way of creating likable characters from the main characters to even the side characters. Great Sexpectations has all that and more. The book is down right funny but also has a lot of heart. It's a magical combination that makes the book an absolute joy to read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this title.

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Your parents are ex porn stars and you're the CEO of a sex shop, just what can go wrong with introducing your new love interest to the family?

Full of laugh out loud moments, a crash course in sex toys...definitely not one for the prudish 🤣 Me, I loved ecvery minute of reading this book and I can't wait to read more of Bailey's books.

What a fantastic cast of characters. I loved the chemistry between Josie and Cameron, and their favourite film being Ghostbusters!

Sexpectations fulfilled!

Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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This was a unique and quirky take on the romance genre and I really enjoyed it.
It's the first book that I've read from Kristen Bailey but it certainly won't be the last.
There was some great banter and I definitely found myself smiling and chuckling along as I read this.
I enjoyed all of the characters but Nan was 100% my favourite.
I also really appreciated the sex positivity in this book.
You may go into it thinking that it is going to be super spicy/steamy but it wasn't at all. So I wouldn't let the name or blurb make you think that it is too much in that sense.
There were a couple of plot points that didn't really go anywhere but that didn't really affect my overall enjoyment of this story and book.
If you're looking for a fun, heartwarming but somewhat different read, or at least different to the regular rom-com style books I typically read, this is definitely one to pick up.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Thanks to @netgalley @bookouture
& @kristenbaileywrites for this #gifted
e-Advanced Reader Copy of Great Sexpectations.

After Josie got dumped by her ex through a note on the fridge, she hasn’t let herself get close to anyone. But then she meets Cameron at a Halloween party...
Cameron the curly haired dazzling video-game designer seemingly has the same encyclopedic knowledge of films as Josie - it seems like fate but is it to good to be true?

Only time will tell how Cameron deals with the teeny problem problem that she lives at home with her ex-porn star parents, or that she works for their sex toy empire. Can she hide the truth from him? Surely Josie's not the only one with secrets?

Only time will tell if they can make it work...

This was just a fun read!
● The closeness of Josie and her family was sweet.
● The banter between Josie & Cameron was super fun.
● The vulnerability shown was nice to read & added another dynamic to the book.

Rating ~ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. 5/5

💭 If you enjoy romantic comedies then this one is for you!

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Great Sexpectations' by Kristen Bailey.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Kristen Bailey, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 28th July 2022.

This is the third book I have read by this author. I have also read 'How Much Wine Will Fix My Broken Heart?' and 'An I Allergic To Men' which are books 4 and 5 in 'The Callaghan Sisters' series and which I loved and would definitely recommend.

I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing and hilarious synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'The perfect romantic comedy for anyone whose love life is more extinct than dinosaurs, and for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Emily Henry.' I am a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Kristen Bailey and if this is half as good as' How Much Wine Will Fix A Broken Heart?' and 'Am I Allergic To Men?' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 23 chapters. The chapters are medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in England, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. The fact that this book is based in Ireland is even better as I have been on holiday in England many times so may even recognise some places Kristen has set the book around.

This book is written in first person perspective and the main protagonist is Josie. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on.

'Great Sexpectations' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Kristen discusses/includes strong language and sexual content. Due to these I would recommend reading age of 16 plus.

OMG!!!! I CANNOT REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I LAUGHED SO MUCH!!! What an absolutely page turning, refreshing, laugh a minute read!!!! It is perfectly written to hook the reader in and the title, cover and synopsis is perfect for the storyline.


I was absolutely landed to discover this absolute page turner!! After I had finished the last book in the 'Callaghan Sisters: series (absolute must reads by the way!!) I didn't think I would ever laugh at a book so much again. Well, Kristen absolutely blew me away with this one and I love Josie just as much as the Callaghan which I am mind blown about as I genuinely didn't think I'd find characters as amazing as them ladies!! I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVED this book which got me hook, line and sinker!! I absolutely devoured it in one reading and was completely absorbed throughout!! I will say one thing, you will never find a book like this again!!! Well, I mean good luck finding one which includes porn start parents, a Nan who swears like a sailor, strawberry scented dildos and insults that include the word pissflaps!!! Which, by the way Kristen, I would like to thank you for my favourite new insult!!! Absolutely bloody hilarious!!! I loved that it feels that Josie is talking directly to me over a cup of tea at the kitchen table. I coinldnt stop laughing from the first page to the end. I adore the fact that although there are quite sad moments and emotional times that within minutes Kristen has you laughing until you are in tears again. This book is a complete breathe of fresh air and is the perfect mix of 'Bridesmaids' and 'The Hangover' and 'Bridget Jones Diaries' but funnier!!!! I genuinely couldn't recommend this book any more!!!! This is the most hilarious book I have read this year, and more and if you are looking for a light hearted read filled with romance, alcohol, love, comedy, sadness, family and so, so much more you are in the right place!!

WARNING!!! GET READY TO LAUGH UNTIL YOU CRY WITH THIS UNFORGETTABLE, HILARIOUS, AND UNPUTDOWNABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR!

Kristen always creates such amazing, independent, inspirational and unforgettable characters and just as I loved the Callaghan sisters and all their amazing friends and family l absolutely loved Josie, Cameron and the rest of the amazing gang, especially Nan!!! They were all an eclectic mix and each one of them were realistic and strong. One of the best things about Kristen's characters are they are people I can relate to and they are all larger than life!!! I was completely invested in them all!! Starting with Josie who has former porn stars for parents!! She has achieved so much and creates such momentous moments with her planning but because of one dickhead she has become ashamed o her life and ends up getting herself caught in a tangle of webs when it comes to Cameron. Josie and Cameron make such a gorgeous couple and the romantic moments they share are beautiful but your constantly on edge wondering what will happen when the truth is revealed!!! Will the Perfect Ghostbusting couple survive?? Josie has such a beautiful support network of family, friends and colleagues and their relationships all shine through the pages. Johnny (aka Fabio) and Susie are Josie's parents and I warn you now not to drink any hot drinks while reading this book as some of the things these two (and Nan) come out with will make you spit your tea out!!! This book should really come with a danger warning!! This couple are the famous ex porn stars with a habit of embarrassing Josie. Would you be happy with your parents handing out condoms on Halloween? That's just the type of couple these are!! Absolutely hilarious and fantastic in every single way!!! When you start this book and think these two are bad we'll wait until you meet the infamous Nan!!!! Absolutely love, love, LOVE this no filter lady. If little kind old lady comes to mind when you think Nan well think again "pissflaps" as this lady takes no crap and will shame you until you want the world to swallow you whole!!! Just the type of woman I would love to add to my family!!! Let's not forget Sonny, Josie's soap star brother who may not be the best when it comes to looking after his money (who buys a bronze sculpture of a naked man for fun?), "Why So Serious?" may be his motto but he is funny, adorable and a fantastic brother to Josie. It's not only Josie, Cameron and the family that make this book the laugh a minute and unputdownable read that it is but also Michelle, Tina, Ruby, Brett and I could just go on. Needless to say these are some of the most amazing, unforgettable characters I have ever met and up with the best along with the Callaghan girls!!

So sit back, relax, grab the tissues (as you'll be crying with laughter, why else!!! Dirty mind!) and get ready to learn about glow in the dark condoms, strawberry scented dildos, vegan condoms, how it feels when your school friends have seen your parents in porn, butt plugs and much much more!! You won't regret it!! Fifty shades has nothing on Sexpectations!!!


A MASSIVE WELL DONE to Kristen on yet another HUGE success!!! I loved every page of your book and I cannot wait to read more of your past and hopefully future books. This is why you are my favourite author to go to when I need a pick me up and laugh out load!!

Overall a laugh a minute, heart warming, addictive genuine page turner that will have you crying with laughter.


Genres covered in this book include Romance Novel, Humorous Fiction, Love, Sex and Marriage Humour, Contemporary Romance, Family Sagas and Domestic Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of JoJo Moyes, Cecilia Ahern, Sophie Kinsella, Emily Henry, 'Bridesmaids', 'The Hangover', 'Bridget Jones Diaries', and anyone looking for one hell of a laugh!!!

319 pages.

This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews

#GreatSexpectations #Bookouture #KristenBailey #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
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Josie Jewell runs a very successful sex toy business that her parents (two former adult film stars) started and passed onto her at age 24. Her family is loving, open and accepting but other people aren’t always the kindest due to their profession(s).

While at a Halloween party at her brothers house, Josie meets Cameron and they bond over their shared Ghostbusters costumes and Josie helps to console him when Cameron witnesses his girlfriend and best friend/flatmate together and is crushed. However, Cameron mistakenly assumes Josie is there working with the catering company and she lets him believe it.

They start getting to know each other further after that, bonding over comics and fandoms. Cameron’s family is awful and belittling but Josie’s family is delightful, close and welcoming and the whole lot of them were a hoot and a half to read about. I loved that Josie’s dad was openly emotional and cried a lot and everyone just accepted this as fact and never made him feel less than for this.

This book has great banter and humor and I felt myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion. I also appreciated how sex positive this book was.

As with any book there’s a conflict and in this instance I felt both parties should’ve been held equally accountable for hiding things from the other and not just one of them.

I had a really great time with this one; 4 stars!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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This was such a fun, light-hearted, easy and quick read. Pretty much all of the characters were funny but my favourite was definitely the nan - she was hilariousI I loved that the book discussed sex toys and the adult film industry and that it tried to normalise it all. It's not the usual type of book/story I read but ended up enjoying it a lot.

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Oh boy. Another hilariously funny and unputdownable novel from Bookouture and I still haven't learnt yet. It was not hilariously funny, it was simply light - hearted book throwing more human light at the porn industry.

The whole book was actually about one lie that we knew will see the light sooner or later and everything turned in circles around this lie. It quickly started top feel repetitive and boring. What the author was able to capture, though, was the brilliant and open family dynamics of the main character. For me, sadly, it was the Same old, same old, the plot dragged on and I won't fall for another promise of hilariously funny romantic comedy from Bookouture.

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I was so happy when I heard there was a new book from Kristen. Having loved all her previous books that follow the Callaghan sisters, I knew I was in for a treat with this.
This book has everything I love - the best humour, fab characters, great storyline, a bit of sauciness and hilarious dialogue that really did have me laughing out loud. I loved that there was a message of positivity around sex and some great, strong female characters. Although having parents who were once porn stars and now own a sex toy business seems quite out there, it felt very real and relatable which is down to the characters for sure. I enjoyed the family dynamics and how one family can be so close knit, honest and open while another can be very judgemental, and just not very nice. And Nan, well isn't she a character. I loved her and she reminded me of my own Nan. I was routing for Josie and Cameron from the very first meeting and raced through it to find out the ending.
Overall, an utterly brilliant, hilarious, heart warming and entertaining romcom that I highly recommend.

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Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I LOVED the Callaghan Sisters and was devastated when that series was over. I admit I am always nervous when an author starts a new series or has a standalone. However, I had no reason to be nervous on this occasion.

Kristen brings her trademark humour to this wonderful book. I absolutely adored all the main characters. Josie is such a sweetheart. She is so likeable and easy to identify with. I just wanted things to go well for her.

Josie’s family are the absolute best. They are so open, funny and at ease with each other. I honestly fell so much in love with them. Nan is my favourite. She is so funny and so wise.

Cameron, oh Cameron. What can I say about this kind soul. It’s obvious that Cameron and Josie are meant to be. They just get each other.

If you are looking for a hilarious, laugh out loud read then this is the book for you. Kristen has captured my heart again with this family and I can’t wait to see what new stories she brings us.

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This was a big ball of fun.  Josie and Cameron meet at her brother's Halloween party and when he mistakes her for the caterer, she doesn't correct him.  Her brother is a soap opera star.  Her parents were porn stars.  And Josie runs the family business selling sex toys and paraphernalia.  She isn't sure if that is too much to explain.  They hit it off and have lots of great sex (but note the book is not spicy) and start to fall hard except Josie hasn't cleared up their misunderstanding.

Two people that love Ghostbusters as much as they do as the leads in a romance.  Sign me up.  I smiled through the whole book at all the little details from how to market a dildo, the great quirky supporting characters down to Dave the dog, all the misunderstandings that arise and a couple you just can't help but root for.  I genuinely liked all of the characters.  And this type of story could have hit corny so easily and never did.  I loved the closeness of Josie's family and how she had so many people in her corner.

I have not read any books by this author before this one and I'm wondering why.  This was great and I can't wait to read more.  Trust me when I say you'll love rooting for Josie and Cameron.

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This book was absolutely, positively hilarious! I couldn’t put it down! I would love to be a part of the Jewel family and have a grandma like Nan, the firecracker that she is! The innuendos were abound in the book and I was all for it. I loved the body and sex positivity that this book displayed. There was a little bit of spice in this but the book took place around a sex toy shop, so it’s definitely for mature audiences. This book actually won me over from the beginning when it opened on the Halloween party and the characters dressed as Ghostbusters! My favorite holiday and one of my favorite 80s movies! This was my first book by Kristen Bailey and I can’t wait to read more!

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A big thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Wow just wow...what a crazy family!!! Crazy they may be but lots of love shown, which is not always the case. The chemistry in this book is great. It made me laugh-just remember not to lie! It's a hot mess. 4 stars

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My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Great Sexpectations’ by Kristen Bailey. I was invited to take part in their publication week blog tour. This is my stop.

Definitely not a Dickensian retelling… though is an extremely funny and sweet romantic comedy with a saucy premise. I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition.

Twenty-six-year-old Josie Jewell has been keeping her focus on work after being dumped a while ago by her boyfriend via a note left on the fridge. Oh and he emptied their joint savings account on his way out the door. He apparently couldn’t accept that her parents had been adult film actors and after retirement had built an online sex toy empire that Josie now runs.

Then at an extravagant Halloween party thrown by Sonny, her younger brother who stars in a popular soap opera, she meets Cameron, a gorgeous video game designer. They are both dressed as Ghostbusters and instantly bond over their mutual love of films. There’s only one teensy problem, Cameron assumes that Josie is there as part of the catering team rather than the celebrity birthday boy’s sister.

So, she delays telling him and delays, and delays .. and even convinces her family to play along. Her Dad assumes the name ‘Fabio’ as part of the ruse and invents an entire Italian background off the cuff. Still, it never bodes well when there is a secret between a couple like this.

This novel was laugh out loud funny, earthy and sex positive. It’s full of memorable characters and such funny dialogue.

In an important subplot Josie’s mother, Susie Jewell, works for a charity that promotes sex education and body positivity in schools. Of course, there are those vehemently opposed to this initiative.

‘Great Sexpectations’ was my first experience of Kristen Bailey’s writing and I plan on adding her to my list of authors to seek out when I am looking something light and entertaining to read.

Highly recommended though it may result in a few blushes…

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I smirked, I giggled, and I laughed out loud! What a complete breath of fresh air Great Sexpectations is. There is so much humour and love included in this book, I was smiling throughout. Josie has never been afraid of her parent’s past or what she does for a living - until now - until she thinks it might scare off the man she maybe likes - just a little bit!

Very much a story where our protagonist, Josie, just keeps digging herself deeper and deeper into a hole she soon won’t be able to climb out of, but with the love of her family and in particular her Nan, she moves forward with her life and takes us all along for the ride.

If you want your kids to know the truth about sex, then teach them young. If you don’t, then they will just guess, make things up for themselves and maybe get into trouble. This is what Josie’s Mum is trying to teach people, speaking in schools and on television and just attempting to educate the people who put their heads in the sand.

If you don’t want to read about sex toys (of which there are many featured in this book) then maybe Great Sexpectations isn’t for you, but if you want to discover what you might be missing out on, then grab yourselves a copy of this. It’s a laugh-out-loud book, full of sex positivity and ideal for women of adult age.

I am lucky enough to be a part of Books on Tour for this book, so thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Great Sexpectations by Kristen Bailey.

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Nah, fam, the levels of second-hand embarrassment I experienced while reading this were astronomical.

The synopsis was fun and intriguing, but when I actually started reading the book, I discovered I might not be a target audience of the story. Alas, a miss for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

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𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚.


I'm not sure how I feel about this novel.

I admit that the synopsis piqued my interest, but when I read the actual work, it was honestly boring and completely contradictory to how I perceived the synopsis.

Aside from that, I thought the novel was forgettable most of the time. The characters were also unlikable to me.

Overall, it was a disaster & extremely bland.

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Josie and Cameron may be kindred spirits, but sometimes timing, and circumstance, can make even the most promising connection more difficult than ever anticipated. This is such a fun, and very funny, book, and I really came to enjoy, admire, and care about all the main characters. I want a Nan! I also like that the story didn't shy away from how complicated and messy it would be to grow up with adult entertainers for parents, even if you love and fully accept them.

That said, there are some things that left me scratching my head. I understand why Josie concealed the things she did, especially because the relationship with Cameron was presented so ambiguously. Were they really together? Were they just people who liked each other and enjoyed hooking up (surprisingly rarely, given everything)? Without them ever establishing what they were to each other, her caution seems sensible. And if their relationship was real enough that she should have told him everything, didn't the same apply to him? That was kind of glossed over. Also, what the heck was Cameron thinking with that first outing??? It was well-written, but...who does that??? And are these people ever sober?

None of this stops this from being a very enjoyable read, though, and I'd heartily recommend it for anyone looking for a good story with some great laughs!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

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