In at the Deep End

De: Kate Davies

Narrado por: Nicola Barber

A fresh, funny, audacious debut novel about a Bridget Jones-like 20-something who discovers that she may have simply been looking for love - and, ahem, pleasure - in all the wrong places (aka: from men)

Julia hasn't had sex in three years. Her roommate has a boyfriend - and their sex noises are audible through the walls, maybe even throughout the neighborhood. Not to mention, she's treading water in a dead-end job, her know-it-all therapist gives her advice she doesn't ask for, and the men she is surrounded by are, to be polite, subpar.

Enough is enough.

So when Julia gets invited to a warehouse party in a part of town where "trendy people who have lots of sex might go on a Friday night" - she readily accepts. Whom she meets there, however, is surprising: a conceptual artist, also a woman. Julia's sexual awakening begins; her new lesbian life, as she coins it, is exhilarating. She finds her tribe at queer swing dancing classes, and guided by her new lover Sam, she soon discovers London's gay bars and BDSM clubs, and...the complexities of polyamory. Soon, it becomes clear that Sam needs to call the shots, and Julia's newfound liberation comes to bear a suspicious resemblance to entrapment....

In at the Deep End is an unforgettably frank, funny, and racy odyssey through the pitfalls and seductions we encounter on the treacherous - and more often, absurd - path to love and self.

©2019 Kate Davies (P)2019 Recorded Books

red flag *trigger warning*

this book is good and the main character is hilarious. I laughed a lot, very English. the book is mostly about an insecure lesbian with a narcissistic partner. Goes through the stages of abuse someone would go through. very texted book. She becomes stronger throughout the book while exploring LGBT culture and finding herself.

Wildly Entertaining and Captivating

In at the Deep End was a wonderful read! It offered all the great parts of any book, BUT was way more spicy and captivating than any recent book I have read. I found myself driving around the block two to three more times, just so I could continue listening and of course to find out what Julia was going to do next!

Aside from the great plot line, I appreciate Davies inviting readers into the lives of queer folks. It was refreshing to read a a book (or rather listen) centered around queerness.

Looking forward to future pieces by Davies!!

Fun Lesbian novel, NSFW, set in England. lang warn

NSFW, enjoyable journey through one women coming out, finding herself, and growing. Sexual language warning

sweet and sexy

An interesting little book about kink, trauma, and healing. one of those books where youre not quite sure where it'll take you till you wind up at the end of it, a little sad and a little happy.

This reads like a horror novel

[SPOILERS]

Oof I don’t even know where to start. I’m not sure if I liked this book, but I did listen to it feverishly waiting to find out how it would end.

Julia has a hook up with a woman, which makes her question all of her previous sexual experiences with men and realizes she’s a lesbian. The book follows Julia exploring her new queer identity which is lovely. There are however a lot of instances like her roommate’s suffragette themed bachelorette party that feels like the book is trying too hard to prove that the characters are “woke” and feminists. Obviously you’d want the characters to be feminists, but I just wish it didn’t feel so cheesy at times.

Julia enters into a relationship with Sam which gradually descends into an abusive relationship with Sam trying to control every aspect of Julia’s life. Their relationship unfolds the way many abusive relationships do in real life, slowly. Sam begins to push Julia’s boundaries surrounding sex (so much of this), starts making decisions on her behalf, and eventually encourages her to abandon her friends. It’s a slippery descent into an absolutely horric power dynamic that leaves Julia consistently fluctuating between elation and devastation.

This reads like a horror novel. The entire time you’re praying that Julia will break up with Sam. While she realizes that Sam’s actions are often unreasonable she equates her actions to passion for most of the book. I’m really glad Julia leaves Sam and ends up with someone who values her in the end. I know how hard it is to leave an abusive relationship, but the ending feels a little bit rushed. I wish we got to know more about the person she ends up.

I have mixed feelings about this book, but it was definitely engaging enough for me to read this in two days.