Wasn’t a fan of this. I was very intrigued by the plot but the whole thing felt like it was just running in place instead of to a destination. Oliver gave me the biggest ick and his whole wealthy southern family gave terrible vibes.
I didn’t mind the going back & forth as far as timeline went, but the problem was that the time jumping didn’t really provide any clarifying info. Never found out how any of the issues Diana was facing resolved & sometimes that’s okay based on the trajectory the character took throughout. But again this whole book felt like it was filler or something

Diana was an incredibly relatable character and parts of the story hit close to home for me as a mom and wife. I cannot wait for the next installment as this one was so well written and left me wanting more.

This was a complicated ride but Diana was a character I found highly relatable. There was that moment at the end where I slammed my kindle down because I had forgotten that this was part of a duology, my response was so dramatic. The character of Oliver to me was the hardest to empathize with, there was a definite complacency there that I found irritating. I cannot wait for the second half.

This is not the type of book that I would normally pick up, but I was excited to give it a try and I am glad that I did. Diana, a suburban mom, is finding herself in a rut. She is tired of the same daily life as a mom and wife, and reminisces on her younger days. As a mom and wife, so many parts of this story hit home with me. I cannot wait for book 2 to see what happens with Diana and her life. Fair warning: this book is very steamy and reminds me a lot of the show Sex Life.

Dirty Diana by Jen Besser and Shana Feste is a novel about Diana, a woman who is happy in her marriage, although she remembers a little too fondly a relationship she had when she was younger. So fondly that she blows up her marriage to try to find something of her former self, the artist and free spirit that she was before she settled into her conventional life. This is the first in a three part series so we don't yet know what will happen to Diana, but this novel did end with quite the cliffhanger!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! This felt like a mix of Gone Girl and The Real Housewives and I lovedddd it. I ate this up and I need more expeditiously. The tension and drama were so good and the relationships felt so authentic that it actually made me nervous when something new and anxiety-inducing would happen. It was also so sexy! Every steamy scene had me blushing and flustered like I was back to being 14 and reading Wattled fanfiction in my bedroom. I'll definitely be binging the podcast series and awaiting the next book!

Dirty Diana was a book I needed to read right now and didn’t even know it. It was captivating reading about a woman rediscovering her needs and wants. As well as reviewing what used to make her and where she is now. A marriage in trouble, where I could feel what she was experiencing. It was a gripping story that had me in the edge of my seat, and I seriously cannot stress how I wish book 2 was out now. I read this book in a day and can honestly say it one of my top books read of 2024.

Okayyyy this book was SO unexpected!!! It’s steamy and graphic and beautifully written and I’m kinda obsessed waiting for the next book…. I loved the way Diana was portrayed and we’re allowed into her thoughts on sex and what her marriage ‘should’ be. This book felt so raw and real. Characters are developed and personable. AND THE ENDING OMG I need more Jasper in my life

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. This book is the story of a couple whose marriage is coming to an end. They find themselves in the middle of their life struggling with work and family and little time for each other.

I am on the fence about this book. I can relate to where Diana and Oliver are in their lives. It happens to the best of us. I also liked the twists and turns, although I anticipated a few of them. I could have done without the many explicit descriptions. It was not for me. I am not sure if I will read the sequel.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Dirty Diana by Jen Besser and Shana Feste. I am not familiar with either author, but after reading all the positive reviews, I had high hopes for this book. Was it great, no, but it was a good read. It touched on the things that go on in couple's private lives. I think if the story had a more upbeat tone, I would've enjoyed it more. I was also shocked at the abrupt ending. There were so many loose strings, so I assume there will be a follow up book. I will be reading it!

Dirty Diana is a gripping story about a woman rediscovering herself as her marriage falls apart. Diana's struggle with her past and feelings for her ex-lover makes for an engaging read, filled with romance and spice. The book's emotional depth and unexpected cliffhanger left me excited for the next one!

Short, fast, enticing and not quite enough, DIRTY DIANA is the first in a series. Somehow I wasn’t fully aware that this book was the beginning of a saga and not a full story. There’s no question that the main character is engaging and well-described. Her concerns and issues seem well-realized, even if her particulars are a bit out of the ordinary. Readers will find it impossible to stop this book once begun and then find themselves shocked when they suddenly get to the end. What more can I say? The next book cannot appear quickly enough. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I tried but I just couldn't get into this book. I am maybe not the right demographic for this one, even though the description appealed to me.

Dirty Diana, a debut novel by Jen Besser and Shana Feste, is an amazing and imaginative story about a woman trying to save her marriage.

It starts with present day when she is an affluent wife and mother of a six-year-old and a financial analyst.

Then the story moves to earlier in her life when she was a starving artist with other jobs working for caterers and other artists and living with roommates to get by. At that time she also published a small artistic book about women’s sex lives that only had minimal sales.

The story then goes back to present day. It centers around the struggles between Diana and Oliver to make their marriage work but there’s plenty of interaction with their friends and his family and a therapist.

Diana also tries again successfully to resurrect her artistic career in her spare time.

This is a well written book that will make you think. It will surprise and delight you and is definitely worth reading.

This book was such a fun read! It was way steamier then I assumed it would be but it wasn’t just all sex and spice it has some real interesting characters and messages as well. Will be recommending for sure and adding to our library.

It took me awhile to get into this book as it's SO steamy, but I ended up enjoying it! Diana and Oliver make a sweet family with 6-year-old Emmy whom they both adore. But when visiting a swap meet, Diana discovers a painting by an old lover and begins to reminisce about the good times they had, even as her marriage has begun to feel stale. The novel moves from "now" to "then" as we see the cracks in her marriage and her journey to become the woman who takes charge of her life and loves.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This was an amazing book. It follows Diana through her two seemingly conflicting selves/lives - her present self in a somewhat stale marriage with a child and a job she's not passionate about, and her past self who was more artistically free and adventurous in her romantic relationships. It was an interesting take on a relatable and common push/pull narrative. The whole time, I wasn't sure if I was rooting for her to stay with her husband, or leave and be free to get back to her free spirit and roots. And, I love that the ending still kept me thinking and allowed me to fill in the blanks that I wanted.

What a dirty mind you have Diana, and we couldn't be more grateful!! Based on the podcast of the same name (also authored by Shana Feste), Dirty Diana is about much more than sex-but there's plenty of toe curling action. Dirty Diana explores how women can be made to feel their sex drives are dirty, and what this does to our self esteem, our view of the world, and our relationships. Diana and Oliver are in a rut unfortunately typical of many married couples-between their jobs, their house, and their child they haven't had sex in months. Diana tries to remedy this in ways that only serve to drive them further apart. Meanwhile Diana fantasizes about a previous relationship where sex was a top priority, and her needs were always met. Dirty Diana is similar to the Netflix show Sex/Life, although this seems more "personal"-it feels like a conversation you'd have with a girlfriend, probably exactly what the writers intended. Dirty Diana is the first in a three part series, and with the major cliffhanger at the end, the second book can't come fast enough.

Can’t wait for book two.

This book reminds me of Sex/Life on Netflix. Diana and her husband are in a rut. She’s trying to figure out what she wants. Her friend L’Wren is amazing and the ending with her is so good.
The ending of the book overall makes me wish book two was out right now.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC

This was so good!!!! Definitely thought it was going to be a very "housewife is upset with her sex life" type book, but it brought in so many other elements. It was also a quick read and I loved that about it, it didn't linger on about Diana's struggles and made them unnecessary long and create other subplots that are easily resolved, but instead wrapped up everything perfectly.