I enjoyed this, though I wasn't entirely buying this person's art essentially being starting a podcast. I was kind of bummed that Diana gave up her life as an artist to interview people about their sex fantasies.

The story is solid and the part about the crumbling marriage super resonated with me, as did the flashbacks to Diana's youth when she was basically a different, more fearless person more in touch with her needs and wants (join the club, honey.)

I think I enjoyed the flashbacks more than the present day sections, since the marriage part reads slowly (since it's pretty apparent what's happening behind the scenes.)

Overall, I can see why women like this podcast and book. It's about reclaiming a part of yourself you may have lost when one settles into "the American Dream." Also a great illustration about how important communication is in relationships. Diana is slowly dying inside, but pretends its business as usual in front of her husband (he somewhat does the same.)

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

i think dirty diana is the perfect first installment in a series for most readers. the story features diana, a woman who secretly listens to tapes of the sexual goings-on of other women, feeling her age and also the decay of her marriage to oliver. the sex is gone, the magic is lost. listening to these tapes of the stories of other women is how she copes.

ultimately, i think most readers will love this, but it just wasn't my kind of thing.

i do very much see it's adaptability - i'm assuming that it has the same soapy kind of appeal as a colleen hoover or a taylor jenkins reid.

mostly i just felt grossed out by everyone's lack of communication, the violation of how diana used recordings of other people's sexual histories for her own benefit, and oliver just being a sex-obsessed man whose appeal felt very lacking in 900 different ways.

maybe if it was queer it would have worked for me better?

don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad writing, but ultimately just forgettable for me.

The ending got me. At least in the way that I wasn't expecting it, and I love that!!

The rest of the book was an interesting read about love, marriage, sex, and friendships. It didn't all fit together in my head to make it a great book, but it was an interesting story.

I'm not sure it's the kind of book for the people in my life, but I'm sure it'll find it's audience.

NetGalley provided me with an ARC of this book. I thank them for the opportunity.

Dirty Diana explores female sexuality in a real, bold and relatable way. Diana loves her husband and her daughter, but struggles to find her voice as an individual. Young Diana was a sexual woman who experience passion, mind-blowing sex and was entrenched in a world of art and erotica. Now, Diana struggles to remember the last time she had sex. The details are unique, but the story is extremely relatable.

Besser and Feste bring together powerful sex scenes and a fast paced and compelling story. In this first installment of a trilogy, Diana finds herself at a crossroads when her past comes walking in. I am eager to see what comes next for Diana.

An unexpected gem. I went into this book knowing it was related to a podcast, but knew nothing otherwise. I am happy to report that I enjoyed every second. I connected with the main character’s struggles to find identity and relevance in mid-life. The story also examines physical intimacy in such an approachable way. Inherently human. The story is beautiful, heartbreaking, hopeful, and sexy.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and authors Jen Besser and Shana Feste for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy of this novel.

Wow. This may be the next 50Shades meca of novels. Hold onto your shirts and skirts when reading thru this.

This book was interesting; however, I wish it had been advertised as a triology to begin with. It would have made more sense and been a more enjoyable read if I had known that.

This isn’t a book I’d normally pick on my own. I received an invitation from the publisher to read it and before I read the description i downloaded the book. As soon as I read the description I thought, “Oh no. I think this is going to push me well out of my comfort zone.” I started it with trepidation and quickly put it down in lieu of the audiobook, and I’m so glad I did.
Diana is your typical suburban wife and mom. She is a financial planner and her marriage to her husband Oliver is just fine, though she admits her sex life is lacking. While hunting for wrapped paper in the spare bedroom that has become a catchall for every odd and end in their house, Diana stumbles upon something from her past that makes her realize she has lost herself over the last 14 years. As she begins to remember that time in her life, she inadvertently pulls away from Oliver. When things implode she has to figure out which Diana she is: Buttoned Up Diana who works with numbers, has no sex life, and lives her life for others or Dirty Diana who was an artist, unafraid to explore in the bedroom, and painted the fantasies of other women.
I am really torn as to how I feel about this having finished listening to it. I didn’t particularly like Diana as a person and my thoughts on Oliver made a complete 180 turn from the beginning of the book to the end. I thought I knew how the book was going to end and when it didn’t end that way I was completely surprised. While I wasn’t smitten with this I will most likely listen to the second one since the story is clearly not over yet.
I had no idea this book is based on a podcast, but it makes complete sense that it is. Written through first person narrative we are taken on Diana’s journey of rediscovery. The interviews Diana conducts are really brought to life in the audiobook, though there are some pretty vivid (some being quite kinky) bedroom scenes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this. Dirty Diana hit the shelves on November 19th.

OBVIOUSLY LOVED. The sex that oozed from these pages (plus the other emotions) was dynamite. I have the ARC of #2 waiting! Thank you NetGalley & Dial!

Spicy for sure! This was definitely a read I couldn’t put down because it had me wanting to know what would happen next. The relationship between Oliver and Diana was heartbreaking yet realistic in how long time relationships take work on both sides. I enjoyed seeing how the friendship between Diana and L’Wren ran deeper than I anticipated and am really looking forward to what’s next.

This was something, It was messy and I just did not enjoy it. At all.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

To be honest, it took me a while to get into this book. It’s incredibly descriptive & character driven, sharing the hardships of relationships and places in this world. I was captivated by the last few chapters which tied parts of the plot together.

Dirty Diana is a story about Dianas empowerment and awakening while dealing with the litany of issues occuring around her. She overcomes them all and showcases her strength and perserverance in times of great strife that should comfort readers looking for strength in their own lives.

Reading this I felt a lot like Diana having sex with her husband: bored and just bracing myself until an unclimactic end. Only, unlike Diana, I had no intent to pretend I enjoyed myself.
The disconnect was too great. Did she ever even love her husband? Because a lot made it feel like he was just a desperate final choice, which pretty much eliminated any empathy that would have come with her sudden realization that she longed for the carefree life she lived in her twenties. If anything, it reads more like a midlife crisis than an epiphany that there could be so much more to life than the everyday mundane.

I really wanted to like this book but I couldn't get into it. The premise of the book sounded interesting but I didn't connect with any of the characters and had to DNF it at around 40%.

Thanks to The Dial Press for an advanced copy of Dirty Diana by Jen Besser and Shana Feste which came out in October. I listened to this while I was in Spain and this is book one on the trilogy inspired by the Dirty Diana podcast.

I hadn't heard of the podcast before reading it. I really liked the full cast narration and it's felt like it helped bring this book to life. It was different than I expected but powerful about love, marriage, sex and our desires. The characters aren't ones you really want to root for but you're hooked on wanting to know what happens next. This book does end on a cliffhanger but the second book Diana in Love comes out in February and I am looking forward to listening to the audiobook!

Diana is stuck in her marriage. She and husband Oliver are going through the motions, but not connecting. They've always had a strong emotional connection, but the intimacy has disappeared. Diana begins flashing back to her younger years, when she had a passionate relationship with fellow artist Jasper. She also misses her creative work - she published a book of paintings tied to women's stories of their most sensual moments.

This was an engrossing drama! Diana is at a crossroads and I enjoyed the back-and-forth between past and present. Now a buttoned-up parent, Diana reflects on her younger years when she was more adventurous and carefree. The story felt salacious, not only in the many sexual descriptions, but also an honest look at a struggling marriage. There were portrayals of therapy sessions and Diana's innermost thoughts. It was super interesting and hard to put down! The ending left on a cliffhanger and I am looking forward to the next installment!

I know characters don't have to be likable, but I disliked Diana from the first two chapters and it just never stopped. Then it seemed like they decided to make Oliver an ass by the end just because. Diana was just completely selfish and immature. So much of her issues could be resolved by simply having a conversation like a adult. You're mad because your husband isn't clairvoyant? *insert eyeroll here* She seemed so dead set in being immature, that I just lost all respect and interest in her very early on. It is not a series that I would continue on with.

Not the biggest fan of this one. I couldn’t seem to connect to Diana & her husband. Definitely a lot of sex in this, which isn’t surprising given the title. The premise is interesting. Not sure what the next book will bring.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy & I give my review freely

the perfect one sitting read! both light and pacey but also an emotional and honest mediation on female desire. the ending had me at the edge of my seat and I'm beyond excited for the next volume