This book is absolute bananas. Really not very good writing and a plot that had me rolling my eyes. It maybe should have just stuck to being a podcast? I guessed everything coming from a mile away.

Dirty Diana by Jen Besser and Shana Feste blends the genres of erotica, romance and relationships to tell the story of discovery and self awareness in a woman who has begun to believe that that part of her life was only a memory.

Summary -

"...I close my eyes tight and will myself back into my body, into the rolling waves of pleasure. I desperately want to get back there, to the heat between us.
But I am somewhere else now.
My eyes fly open. I'm staring directly into the face of my husband, sleeping beside me. I'm not in a tent or beneath the stars. I'm in my bedroom, between the crisp pin-striped sheets.
The heat I feel is not my own desire but my husband's breath, warm and stale, against my face. Each time he exhales, he makes a noise like a tiny bicycle pump futilely trying to blow up an enormous life raft.
I shut my eyes tight, trying to force myself back into the dream, to the tent, to the cold, starry night.
It's no use. I'm awake now..."

Diana Wood has a job she likes and a husband she loves. Together, she and Oliver have a daughter they adore. The couple spends almost all their time together, even carpooling as they work in the same office. But they have slid into a comfortable kind of love. A love that is there but lacks the flame it once had. Diana and Oliver haven't had sex in months and their intimacy has somehow been replaced by a cozy reliance. They love each other but struggle to express it and Diana is becoming restless.

"...I know how important sex is to a marriage--there is no shortage of essays about the topic--but it's like, the more important I'm reminded it is, the less enjoyable it becomes. And these days, when I think about sex with Oliver, I get a fluttering, panicky feeling, like I'm inviting trouble. Like I'm knocking on the door of a haunted house and waking up the ghosts inside..."

Diana takes a trip to Santé Fe to visit an old friend and what she finds there are memories of a torrid and passionate love affair with Jasper, a photographer who's pictures were displayed as art in the galleries she worked in. The memories of Jasper reminded Diana of who she once was and how she once felt.

When Diana returns home she decides to explore the feelings that have been reawakened inside of her. She begins interviewing other women about their sex lives and using those fantasies as the muse in her paintings. She begins to discover she is not alone in her frustrations. But is it possible for Diana to reclaim the woman she once was? Without destroying the life she already has?

Review -

At first glance Dirty Diana looks to be a fun and sexy erotic novel about women's fantasies. Reusing the reliable trope of a married woman's frustrations with her sex life and the belief that grass is always greener elsewhere.

But the novel goes way deeper then that and the exploration of Diana within herself and not so much her marriage is what drives this tale and raises it well above the average story in this genre. The sex and the fantasies become secondary to the inner turmoil Diana is going through and her need to have it all back.

A terrific window into heart of a woman who on the outside has it all, but within, has so very little.

A great read.

Wow, this book was hot. I was quickly invested in the story of these characters. Despite the several fun and very spicy scenes, there is also deeper content with perspectives and feelings that are very real and relateable. I like the strong female perspective, with an honest view on life, relationships, marriage, love, and sex, as well as reflecting upon and being confronted with the reality of how one changes as an individual between early adulthood and middle age, what is gained and what is lost. Its refreshing to be confronted with these feelings and doubts that are honest and raw. I couldn't put this book down as I read more about Diana and her exploration of desire. But the book ends with a cliffhanger! I can't wait for the next book in this series and to read more about Diana!

OK, so I am not a fan of books that don't give resolution to the story. This one doesn't, but I knew ahead of time that this was Book 1 of 3, so I can give some latitude. Overall, I was absolutely invested in the tale. I could empathize with the characters, and their emotions and feelings were well presented. This was certainly a steamy book - those scenes were erotic and appealing.

Very good start to this ongoing tale.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

3⭐

Man oh man, do I have mixed feelings on this book. The ending was a CLIFFHANGER but the beginning was a bit slow to start and reminded me a little too much of the show Sex/Life... even down to the identical plot and the little surprise at the end. I also felt there was a little too much telling rather than showing and some of the scenes that were meant to be erotic felt overly clinical when the narrators kept say “I did xyz. Then I did xyz. I also xyz.” When it came to characters, I was attached to pretty much every character OTHER than the FMC and her horrible husband, and I found her very difficult to sympathize with at times (though maybe that was the point?) and her husband was WASP-y, privileged, and as insufferably self absorbed as she was.

Overall, this book was a solid read and I’ll probably hate read the next book because I NEED to know what happens next, but the similarities to Sex/Life were a tad too distracting for me to rate this book any higher than 3⭐. Is it worth the read? Sure, if you want to be entertained... but not if you're looking for deeper subcommentary on aging, love, sex and life.

Where to start?

First, thank you to the publisher, Random House and NetGalley for this eARC for an honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I found it incredibly engaging and interesting. There are similarities between this book and the Netflix show, Sex/Life, but not so much to where it feels redundant. Diana and Oliver seem like the perfect couple, but they are going through it—their biggest issue is lack of communication and being honest about the lack of desire in their marriage on Diana’s side. The unfortunate thing is Diana can’t help but be reminded of her former self and the vivid and sensual relationship she had with the mysterious, Jasper.

I loved reading about Diana and Jasper. I could see their situationship play out vividly in my head for the beautiful disaster that it was inevitably going to be.

However, reading about Oliver and Diana post strip club was rough. I hated the lack of honesty and the games that Diana was playing with him that seemingly backfired in her face at the end.

The only thing missing for me, which I know this is about uplifting the feminine perspective, but Oliver’s motivation in the end didn’t really make sense to me—to go immediately to the nice apartment, hanging out with Raleigh, and turning his back on his wife without asking for a divorce first. It just didn’t seem in line with his character, so a chapter from his POV would have cleared things up a bit.

I would definitely read the next book to see how things unfold with Jasper and Diana OR with Diana and Oliver.

This book was quite captivating with its unique premise and engaging dialogues between Diana and other women. The narrative includes a mix of steamy and sensual moments that are well-written. However, I found it challenging to connect with Oliver and Diana’s relationship, and it took some time for me to get into the story. I appreciated Diana’s growth as she embraced her creativity, though her struggle to maintain her relationship with Oliver felt out of sync with her evolving character. The ending was so intense that I found myself quite invested in the story's future direction. I'm eager to see what happens next!

This was an excellent and quick read. The writing was amazing and the characters were well developed.

Interesting insight on relationships and fantasies. The book is fun, flirty, and perfect for a quick escape. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Dirty Diana
By Jen Besser and Shana Feste

This is a strange book. Diana is a married woman who has grown away from her husband, to the point that she no longer wants to have sex with him. She appears to be bored with her life. She keeps comparing married life to the excitement she remembers having when she was young and single.

Diana is now 40 with a daughter as well as her husband Oliver. It seems that her husband is aware of her drawing away from him and doesn't understand why or what to do about it. What Diana perceives as an "existential crisis" is in fact common to most marriages at different times.

I found it very hard to relate to Diana. She seems to be quite self-centered, much more interested in her own satisfaction than in saving her marriage. I didn't finish this book, because I lost interest in Diana's issues fairly quickly. I just couldn't get overly invested in her problems.

The authors captivated me with their honest portrayal of marriage and its highs and lows. The protag takes a deep dive inside women's sexuality that read like a Penthouse Letters/Forum. The ending will keep readers wanting more. I know I do!

An interesting twist on relationships. Kept me wanting to see how things played out. Unfortunately the way it ended left you hanging so hopefully there will be another book to continue the story.

This was by far an interesting read. I really enjoyed the premise and the idea behind the conversations Diana had with women. There are some very sexy scenes and some very sensual moments. I had a hard time believing Oliver and Diana’s relationship. It took me awhile to warm up to this book, but love when she embraced her creating I started to enjoy her evolution. I do feel like her struggling to hang on to Oliver doesn’t mirror who she is trying to be. That being said, the ending left me yelling at the book. I will indeed wait to see what comes next!

I wanted to love this book so much, but sadly something was missing for me. I’m no stranger to spice in a book, and I’m certainly no prude. However, I felt like this book tried a little too hard and it felt like borderline smut at times. And hey, I like a little smut once in a while, but I felt this was overkill. I felt like Diana’s story and her past got lost in trying to make every second about sex and her awakening. Her character also wasn’t very likeable to me. I know a lot of other people really loved this book, but it seems it was just a missed connection with me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

"Dirty Diana" by Jen Besser was an emotional roller coaster (in a good way). It was easy to emphasize with Diana's situation. I especially enjoyed the flashbacks of her previous life and relationship with her art and Jasper. I found myself getting really annoyed with Oliver. He gave up too quickly when it was clear Diana was trying so hard to fix things. But that's what makes the story so good. It was raw, sensual, heartbreaking and sometimes funny. I was really confused by the ending until I realized there will be a second book. I'm excited to read that one and find out about this cliff hanger.

I struggled with this one. Despite caring about the subject matter, I just didn't care for/relate to the character and it was so driven by the character that I had to push myself to read it. It wasn't a terrible book but it wasn't for me The topic of how to keep desire alive in a marriage or long term relationship is interesting as well as exploring women's sexuality

Absolutely loved Dirty Diana by Jen Besser and Shana Feste! While the novel is the perfect companion to fans of the podcast of the same name, it is also stands on its own as a whole and completely satisfying piece. A celebration of the oft-ignored topic of female sexuality and an intimate look at marriage and relationships. Despite having two authors (an element which can feel glaringly obvious in other works), this novel feels extremely consistent and flows beautifully. 5 Stars.

I really wanted to like this more. I had never heard of the podcast and started listening to it when the ARC was sent to me. That was a mistake, because the women’s stories and major plot lines of the book are all on the podcast. So, there was a point where I was just skimming the book to be done.

I did enjoy the part about Diana’s past (that’s not on the podcast).

Also, how some situations were dealt with seemed very immature to me…There was just something about this book that just didn’t click with me.

I’m just really disappointed because the women’s stories is what I was looking forward to, but I had already heard them, and one major spicy scene between Diana and Oliver was also on the podcast.

Not sure if I’m interested in reading the next installment, although the cliffhanger left me intrigued.

“Dirty Diana” is a compelling first installment in a series that delves into the life of Diana Wood, a woman caught between the safety of her marriage and the allure of her passionate past. Living in Dallas, Texas, Diana enjoys a stable life with a job she likes, a husband she loves, and a daughter she adores. Yet, the routine and complacency of her married life leave her restless, as intimacy and passion have dwindled into distant memories.

A trip to Santa Fe to reconnect with an old friend rekindles Diana’s memories of her former self—a vibrant, artistic spirit entwined with Jasper, a charismatic photographer who captured her heart and imagination. Inspired by this journey, Diana returns home determined to revive her sensuality and creativity. She embarks on a project, painting portraits of women and exploring their secret desires, which mirrors her inner quest to reclaim the passionate side of her identity.

While “Dirty Diana” is rich in exploring themes of self-discovery and desire, the pacing occasionally stalls, and the narrative can become repetitive. Nonetheless, it offers a thoughtful look at the complexities of maintaining personal identity within the confines of marriage. This novel is an intriguing exploration of whether it’s possible to rekindle one’s true self without unraveling the life carefully built around them.

I really struggled with this book, so I am thankful it was on the short side and relatively easy to read. I just disliked the main character so much and I just couldn’t get into it... I liked the younger version of the character a lot more and how the backstory was weaved into it and some of her relationship, so I powered thru…but then like the last third of the book is just very frustrating and the end of the book is even more frustrating as it ends in a cliffhanger.…yeah the spicy scenes were great but it feels like this book was mainly done so they could write those scenes and give a “meaning” … again I just couldn’t get on board with Diana, the flip flopping of like her mindset "I'm a victim" to "I caused this" to desperation was really annoying to read. And one of my biggest things was that even though it’s written by women, and it has some very interesting concepts and topics that do affect women that could have been explored, it still felt in the end like it was still a caricature of a woman, and super flat character and very cliche, so it was kind of a pointless journey… I definitely don’t think I’m in the target audience for this.