When an author has penned a fabulous and well received series such as the one featuring the unforgettable Callaghan sisters the pressure is really on when it comes to the next novel and fulfilling readers high expectations. Having raved at length over those five,funny, feisty, family oriented gals it was with slight trepidation that I plunged into Kristen Bailey’s newest romcom. Would it deliver in terms of witty, belly laugh inducing dialogue? Would I experience that ‘like at first sight’ feeling when introduced to the main character? Would I feel so thoroughly entertained as to have a smile plastered across my face and feel buoyed up with happiness for the duration of the novel? Yes, Yes and Yes! I really should have had more faith as this author has a natural gift for creating characters who ooze loveliness, enabling you to engage wholeheartedly with them and the storyline as it progresses.

When it comes to setting the tone Kristen Bailey doesn’t beat around the bush. Her aim is to ensure you have a damn good giggle and that’s precisely what happens the minute you dive between these covers. NO PRUDES ALLOWED BEYOND THIS POINT! She’s straight in there with an opening scene guaranteed to score the first laugh of many, catapulting Josie Jowell into the spotlight as she discusses strawberry flavoured dildos with her best friend Tina. CEO of The Love Shack, a company selling all kinds of paraphernalia designed to add oomph to peoples sex lives, Josie is also the daughter of two former porn stars. Surrounded and supported by a warm loving family and a network of super loyal, friendly work colleagues, Josie should be feeling inordinately proud of her achievements, who she is and where she comes from. Instead, owing to the manner in which her last relationship ended, singleton Josie, for the first time ever feels shame and embarrassment over her day job and her parents colourful past. Maybe in future she should keep this aspect of her life under wraps if she’s to ever find the man of her dreams? So when, at a Halloween party hosted by her soap star brother Sonny she meets fellow ghostbuster attired Cameron and the sparks begin to fly, secrecy seems to be the only way forward.

There’s a real buzz (nothing to do with the dildos!) about this romcom, thanks to a good energy surrounding the characters (with only a couple of exceptions) and the refreshingly frank and open minded attitude adopted towards sex. I honestly don’t know what’s more funny about this storyline; all the dildo dialogue and the saucy silliness or the hilarious scenarios that ensue as a result of Cameron (from an incredibly strait laced family) and Josie’s worlds colliding. You couldn’t find people with more contrasting backgrounds than these two! Expect some hot under the collar moments as well as some candid confessions as it becomes increasingly difficult for Josie to hide behind those little white lies!

I love the fact that Kirsten Bailey writes such strong, independent, inspiring women characters who also aren’t afraid to show their vulnerable sides. They might all have their wobbly moments, Josie included but you’ll never find any wilting wallflowers gracing the pages of this author’s books. It’s positive role models all the way. As much as I instantly wanted to befriend Josie (I could easily imagine sharing a bottle of wine with this woman and putting the world to rights) and was charmed by Cameron, revelling in all the romantic moments the couple share, I was just as smitten with her lovely folks. Josie’s dad and his alter ego Fabio is a character and a half. As for Josie’s mum, well she is an absolute legend! Even nan gets in on the action when it comes to keeping a lid on the truth! Family is EVERYTHING in Kristen Bailey’s novels and that for me is part and parcel of their appeal.

Always UPBEAT, always HILARIOUS, definitely NAUGHTY, life feels that little bit brighter and your worries a little bit lighter after reading one of Kirsten Bailey’s novels. I’d be happy to recommend Great Sexpectations to those romantic souls who favour a touch of escapism as it definitely hits the spot!

My thanks as always to the publisher Bookouture and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

I am really sad to say that I DNF'd this one. I was really excited about it, but I just had a hard time getting into it. I think that from what I did read the writing was not bad, it was actually pretty good. I just had trouble relating to the characters and actually liking them. Maybe someday I will pick this one up and give it another try, but it will not be any time soon.

I am going to give it a three star review, because, again, the writing was good. I just did not enjoy the characters.

We have an engaging heroine, clever dialogue, and a decent, if predictable, plot. The premise is amusing and the overall rom-com vibe is upbeat, while still allowing for a bit of edge here and there. I enjoyed that the emphasis was less on swoony romance and more to the effect that it takes a village, (of friends and family), to get a good romance going. It's also nice to remember that humor is a big part of sex positivity. A fine and diverting entertainment.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

The story
Josie is the CEO of the sex toy company started by her parents. The responsible one in the family, she keeps things going for her staff and her family. When she dresses up as a Ghostbusters character for her brother’s Halloween party, she meets Cameron who is also in a Ghostbusters outfit. They connect over their shared interests but Josie keeps her parent’s identify from him for months, and the work that she does.

My thoughts
I love the truly honest way that Kristen Bailey writes her characters. I loved the Callaghan sisters’ stories and Josie and Cameron’s story is just as beautiful. For a story with a sex toy business and ex-p@rn stars as parents, there is so much love and kindness spread around, very little shame and lots of honesty. It’s a happy, entertaining read that I just loved. ❤️

🔹 My take: 4/5

🔸 Meet Josie Jewell, 26, owner of a thriving company ‘The Love Shack’ that deals in sex toys. Her parents were previously porn stars and this profession of theirs did create hindrance in Josie and his brother Sonny’s life during their teens. Josie has isolated herself post she was dumped by her ex Mike and has given her whole and soul to growing her company. Enter Cameron Cox, who is a video games designer and bumps into Josie in a party in funniest circumstances. They both are hiding secrets & telling lies without knowing that slowly they are getting closer and closer with each passing moment. Until one day when the secrets come gushing out in worst of situations and they both are heart broken. And then enters host of people who jump in to make things work for them since they both are so adored among family and friends.

💫 This was a very hilarious read and I chuckled at lots of places when Josie used to have her mind chats or Nan (her granny) used to be verbal about her anger. I was amazed by the storyline and the execution which makes it a standout from other romcoms. The family dynamics of Jewell family was so heart warming and my heart reached out to Cameron for all the lack of support he had from his loved ones. The misunderstandings are actually lovely rather than irritating which makes it more fun to read.

💔 The only thing I found unconvincing was the inability of MCs to clarify their standing or justify their lies in spite of multiple opportunities to do so. But I guess you can ignore that aspect since all is fair in love & war.

💗 I would definitely recommend this to people who like smut free romances with dash of laughter sprinkled on it generously.

Thank you @netgalley @bookouture @kristenbaileywrites for gifting the eARC in exchange of honest review.

This was definitely a quirky read. The first half of the book seemed to be trying a little too hard in my opinion to be trendy and over the top. Josie experienced a betrayal by her ex-fiancé who gave her the reason of not being able to handle her family, her job, her life. Josie’s parents are former porn stars and she works at a super successful sex toy shop. Once she meets a man, totally her type- Cameron, things shift. She lies about who she is and her family and pretty much everything. This frustrated me because although I understand it’s been used against her in the past, it was such a silly thing in my opinion to have dragged out so long in the book. Like it was not a big deal. Overall, I think the book tried to throw in way too many trendy things, to name an additional few - YouTube influencers collabing on a dildo, cos-play conventions, demanding vegans- just for the sake of having it in there. It seemed a little forced. I do have to give it some credit though- some characters were absolutely hilarious, mainly the Nana. Loved her.

sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs
Meet Josie Jewell. Her parents met and fell in love when they worked in the adult film industry. They stopped working there to get married and raise a family. They started a business called The Love Shack. You can guess what type of business they own. 😉

As an adult, Josie now runs the business. Josie's ex, Michael, broke up with her because of her job, her family history, etc. This really effected her self esteem.

A few years later she met Cameron at a Halloween party. He thought she worked in catering and she didn't correct him. One lie turned in to many as time went on and she didn't tell Cameron many major details about her life and her family.

When Cameron finds out Josie wasn't truthful the relationship ends. Will they reconnect or is the relationship over for good?

ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ
I absolutely adored this book. I laughed so much reading this book. Josie's parents are very open and say what's on their mind. Her nan is the same way. They were a hoot!! The way Josje talks to herself in her head is hilarious 😂. It was such an easy fast read. Seriously, there isn't anything I need to say other you should read this book.

There was an underlying message to just be yourself! Don't be ashamed or embarrassed. Don't try to be someone else. You are the best YOU in the whole wide world!

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪғ
💥 you love romcoms
💥 happy endings make you happy
💥 you enjoy books that make you laugh out loud

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a cute romantic comedy set in the UK. I enjoyed the family dynamics that were used to create an interesting plot for the book; it was reminiscent of a liberal/conservative Romeo and Juliet but without the death and a great deal less histrionics. The driving conflict of this story is a lie so if you aren't a fan of the miscommunication trope in books then this is not the book for you. There is also a bit of a twist to the book when a lie of omission is revealed. While I enjoyed this novel I know that I will not be rereading it. That is why I have rated it lower than a 4 star. I enjoyed the character's in this novel and their growth. The character's were my favorite part of this reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of Kristen Bailey's "Great Sexpectations", slated to release on July 28th, 2022!

This novel is about Josie Jewell, who was dumped by her (ex) boyfriend Mike via a note on the refrigerator. Ever since, it's been difficult for her to allow herself to truly get close to any potential new love interests. Josie also has some secrets - her parents are former adult film stars and she herself works at "The Love Shack", a sex-toy shop. Because she has been bullied all throughout her childhood by her peers because of what her parents do, Josie always tries to delay explaining her parents' careers to others, and it usually comes back to blow up in her face.

Josie's brother Sonny also gets married in this book, a large portion of the plot focuses on this. It also focuses on Cameron, whom Josie meets at the beginning of the story during a Halloween party at her brother's house. They both manage to hit it off because they are each accidentally wearing matching Ghostbuster-themed costumes. Also, Josie may have seen Cameron's ex and his best friend/roommate going at it like rabbits in a bedroom.

The tone of this book is absolutely hilarious, and you definitely don't want to miss out on reading this one! Overall, I rated it a 4.5/5 stars!

While cute, there was nothing that really WOWed me about the book. It was fairly predictable and in all honesty, I would have liked it to be longer to go into more detail about what happened during the challenges

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book. I couldn't put it down and read it in almost one sitting. I can't find anything about this book I didn't like. But the best part was the characters. Each of them were truly so lovable, sweet and funny.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the arc of this book.

Great Sexpectations was hilarious. Josie’s parents used to be porn stars, her brother is a soap star and she’s the manager of a huge online adult toy shop… but then she meets Cameron and he thinks she’s in catering… Josie doesn’t correct him and one lie leads to another that leads to another…

I haven’t read a book in ages that actually had me laughing out loud like this one did. Josie’s family are brilliant. I especially loved her Nana! I loved the quick wit and personalities of all the characters and the close relationship they all had gave me the warm fuzzies.

If you are a romcom fan then this book is a definite must read!

As always, massive thank you to netgalley for the chance to read this early for an honest review.
I am a massive fan of Kristen's writing. She always has me laughing when i read her books so i knew this book was going to be no different. I absolutely love Kristen's writing style, its just so real, definitely a piece of me.
After readimg the series Kristen wrote, i was sad that that series wasnt continuing but this book definitely had all the hilarity of the previous series. All the characters amd relatable, and likeable, accept for one or two, but these are all definitely my sort of people, especially nan, so you can really get into the story because of how likeable to characters are.
Kristen really has a talent with her writing style and i shall continue to read each and every release she brings out.
I really hope there will be a series for the whole jewell family because that would be brilliant.
This book is a massive 5 stars for me, excellent writing, great characters, just the right amount of happy and sad, and lots of laughs along the way. I knew just from the first page that this was going to be a brilliant read.
1000% recommend, read it as soon as you can

Great Sexpectations by Kristen Bailey is a lovely and charming read about a heroine with a conflicting life style and quite an unusual family.

It is a typical love story only different in a fact that main character is working is a entrepreneur with sex toys. Her parents used to work in a porn industry so she is dealing with some insecurities when she meets a new guy that she really likes, after a hurtful breakup she had had.

It is easy to read, there are many funny moments Banter between protagonists is humorous and engaging. There was a certain amount of chemistry between main characters but it wasn't sizzling in any way.

I really liked side characters, they created a homogenous group around our heroine that was so touching and heartwarming. She also has to deal with some personal issues with family members, to overcome her long burried hurts and figure out how to reveal the truth to her beloved.
My main problem was that while I understand why she dragged out some things it went on for too long. On the other hand it created some very funny situations.
I enjoyed reading this book and while it is set at Christmas time I feel that it can be read and relished during any season.

I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would when I started it. The characters are great. Josie is a quirky character I thoroughly enjoyed. The romance was fun. There was plenty of humor. The sex business aspect was both unique and had a great message. This is an author I'd definitely read again.

Great read! If you're looking for a rom com with a h who owns a sex toy company and H is a video game developer with fun shenanigans and hilarious family members, you're in the right place!

Josie owns a sex toy company and her fiance dumps her with a cruel note. To drown her sorrows, she goes to a party where she meets a video game developer and they just hit it off. But, does she tell him what she actually does for a living? No. To top it off, he has super conservative parents but how long is she gonna keep her secrets?

I totally enjoyed reading this book. I giggled and devoured this book. I really liked Josie parents, they made me laugh so hard. Gotta love liberal parents. If you want to wind down after a day of work, this book is perfect!

4.5 Stars - This book was a cute rom com. It is not a slow burn but I wouldn't say it's insta love either. The resolution was at the eleventh hour which stressed me out. I really appreciated how the entirety of the book encompasses how sex shouldn't be some shameful secret thing. And you really see the main character have to struggle with that even though it was something they had gotten past when they were younger. While the story does focus on the relationship, I felt like the larger focus was on that concept of not tying shame to sex and being yourself.

Someone say Kristen Bailey - hell ya! I was devastated when The Callaghan Sisters Series came to an end so it was a no brainier I’d want to get my hands on this one so I was more then delighted to take part in the booktour. Kristen always has a great spin on her storylines that just brings that extra spark to the read. She brings the fun, laughter and she has such a talent for the way she writes her characters and there quirky ways. As you can read this is another one that ticked all the boxes for me. I loved the back story, the loveable characters, the antics and the feel of the characters as a whole. Flew through this one just like her other reads and it wasn’t unusual to hear me laugh out loud. I’ve only ever read her books but I find them so funny in written format so I reckon they would be even better in audio. This ladies books are a must read if you like quirky storylines that brings the humour. 


Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read #GreatSexpectations

This book was interesting and I liked the main character and her whole family. I just wish there was more plot and more depth to their relationship. I feel like we only got glimpses of them together and would have loved more conversations. It was enjoyable.

I absolutely loved Great Sexpectations it’s an empowering and hilarious read that I simply could not put down.
From the first few lines alone, I knew this would be funny and Bailey had me laughing out loud throughout.

Josie Jewell is a hard-working, really kind, and considerate boss who has an absolutely heart of gold – despite having it broken two years ago when her fiancé upped sticks and ran off with her savings.

Since the horrific break-up, she's moved back in with her hilarious parents, who are former adult film stars and founders of a multi-million successful sex toy store, The Love Shack (which Josie currently runs).

When she (literally) bumps into video-game designer Cameron Cox at a Halloween party dressed in the same costume, they quickly bond over their shared love of movie trivia, and soon, sparks fly.
So far so good, so what’s the catch?

Josie's keeping her family business and her job a secret and soon her lies begin to spiral out of control. But she soon learns that Cam is keeping a big secret of his own.

This story is about much more than Josie and Cam and their fledgling romance, it’s about sex positivity and education, strong familial bonds, toxic relationships, friendships, and stamping out archaic views!

The sexual innuendos are left right and centre and absolutely hilarious.

I loved Josie and her entire family actually.

This is a light, fun read that is definitely NSFW.