Received an advanced reader copy of this book.

Enjoyed the writing style, liked the characters, a lot. I like reading about strong women who are there for each other, and develop true friendships. It's not easy, honestly.

There were a couple of editing mistakes that sort of put me off the book, I seem to obsess over them. And the ending was not my favorite at all. I wish it had ended before the last chapter, in fact.

Dirty Book Club was an interesting read for me. It was a slow start for me, meeting the women involved in the story and specifically the Dirty Book Club. We meet four different women, though the story undoubtedly belonged to MJ, who’d given her life a complete overhaul after being passed over for a promotion she thought was hers.
The women of the DBC have all arrived at different points in their lives when we meet them, so we can learn right along with them, why they were invited to be part of the club. Lisi Harrison has written a beautiful story about female friendship—real female friendship—completely with brutal honesty, support and love. More than anything this was a story about how the right friendships can go a long way in help you achieve your goals, personal, professional and romantic.
But with all that being said, I didn’t love Dirty Book Club. It had all the elements that usually get to me, but for some reason this book didn’t hold my attention and I didn’t really feel anything for the characters. Despite the well written story and well developed characters.
There’s definitely a lesson in this story, but the story itself didn’t really light my fire. A solid effort.

While I liked the overall premise of this book, I didn't really enjoy the characters in the story. With the exception of MJ, everyone else in the book seemed interchangeable. Even towards the end of the book, I was getting character names confused. The overall story, however, was quite enjoyable.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This is a well plotted book that ultimately fits all the women, suburban, urban, country that have book clubs that are so much more...

There are a few things I dislike:

Watching any season of American Horror Story without The Supreme Jessica Lange.

A PSL with no whipped cream on top.

Waiting for a new season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

And most importantly . . . being super excited about a book, loving the first few chapters and then . . . hating the rest.

I began The Dirty Book Club on a wonderfully quiet Tuesday night. I grabbed my pint of Peanut Butter Swirl Ben & Jerry’s, put the baby to bed, took my bra off, and snuggled into my king-sized bed complete with vibrating and adjustable mattress. I pulled my iPad over to me and called up the new book I was scheduled to read and review. I’d been looking forward to this one. My last few months of reading have been mostly mid-grade novels and some dark YA thrown in, a few heavy books with even heavier content, and one superbly convoluted thriller. I needed a nice and easy chick-lit book full of steamy romance and secrets, and I was sure this was it.

The first few chapters went by so fast, it was a blur. I was on a roll. My husband popped his head in at some point to ask me a question and all he got was a grumbling mumble in response, as I was set on shoveling ice cream in my mouth while sliding the pages of this intriguing book onward, desperate to know what would happen next.

The premise : a group of girlfriends who have known each other since they were teenagers. Now in their 20’s, a few are married, children are on the horizon, and life is becoming a big stagnated. The women meet as often as they can around the heavily pie-laden tables of their Pearl Beach, California homes, and they spend time catching up on the ins and outs of their lives over drinks. They share stories of grief, rejection, love, hope, and promise. At the suggestion of one friend, they begin a book club. A secret book club . . . because at the time, the 1960’s were full of oppressing weights for women, and books as dirty as their martinis were seriously taboo. So, covering their dirty books with prim-and-proper jackets to hide their insides, the women vow to meet once a month at the full moon and discuss the books and effects each novel has. They also make a pact: that once the men in their lives kick the bucket (because men always go before the women), they will jet-set it off to Paris and spend the rest of their lives together among the handsomely French and eloquently decadent.

During the course of the book club’s meetings, the women are forced to face issues that they’ve hidden just as well as the forbidden books they’ve been reading. It’s funny how a silly book can change you, can help you delve into the deepest parts of yourself and face some serious realities. Infidelity, homosexuality, feelings of “I’m not good enough” and domestic violence are topics that make their way steadily around the table. The women all vow to share everything with one another with in the strictest of confidence, and to let no stone go unturned when it comes to their confessions.

But, this is only the first couple of chapters.

Fast-forward – and readers are introduced to M.J. She’s a New York blonde living to work, instead of working to live. After the tragic death of her entire family (of which she blames herself), M.J. has thrown herself into her job as an editor of City Magazine and is looking forward to her impending promotion as editor-in-chief. The only real connection she has to the outside world is her boyfriend, Dan, who is a doctor and an adventurer . . . and who consequently lives on the opposite side of the country. After her promotion takes a turn for the unexpected and worse, M.J. follows Dan out to California and his newly purchased cottage in Pearl Beach. She’s floundering in depression and anxiety, and has no idea what to do with herself.

Dan encourages her to make friends and so she travels as far as next door where she meets Gloria, a spicy Jewish housewife who enjoys a good martini and an even better slice of gossip. But soon after their meeting, Gloria hitches a plane to Paris with her girlfriends, leaving M.J. without the neighborly advice she’d wanted to become accustomed to, leaving a gift propped up on her doorstep instead.

Gloria has left her spot in the Dirty Book Club to M.J., just as her friends have left their spots to a woman of their own choosing. There are a couple of rules, the first one being — you’re either all in or you’re all out, and it takes some convincing to get everyone to stay on board. But secret meetings in a curious bookstore partnered with prosecco and hidden letters placed delicately in each book means M.J. will have something to get her out of the house at least one night a month, and she’s not willing to let the other girls just give up without a fight.

Addie, the promiscuous bombshell who’d rather spend her time flagging down her latest conquest really hates the idea. Britt, the real-estate agent with twins and a lazy husband dragging her down doesn’t see the point. Jules, an event planner and liaison of love for a hotel, who can’t seem to solidify love for herself, could be on board if the others were there with her. It takes a little persuasion and a lot of alcohol, but M.J. plows ahead.

The four women grudgingly agree to meet once a month on the full moon and discuss their books, and maybe allow their fellow girlfriends into a slice of their lives.

The Dirty Book Club is the first adult novel by famed YA author, Lisi Harrison. The self-proclaimed participant in a dirty book club of her own, Harrison is best known for her mid-grade series The Clique and Monster High.

While I absolutely adored the premise and the beginning promises of the book, I found myself so let down as the chapters began to melt into one another. The characters were at times so hard to relate to and sometimes to even like. I found myself baffled at more than a few of their choices, which were a combination of predictable and non-sensical, almost as if the author could tell that she was making the women too mundane and as a result, fruitlessly attempted to spice them up with subplots that went nowhere. I was most interested by the first group of women, the founders of The Dirty Book Club, but despite the hint that there would be more of them and a greater depth to their stories, it all fell short. Deciding to throw in unemotional and disconnected letters by way of forming relationships with their predecessors seemed silly, and at times made a mockery of real issues. The ending felt rushed and forced, which was really a shame, as I felt that there was so much to dive into with the characters and their lives were so worthy of a build, to just end it the way it did seemed strange and realistically unresolved.

In the end, so much was left on the table and to be desired, and so I was left disappointed. I have to regretfully give this book 3 out of 5 stars. I had such high hopes those first few chapters, but The Dirty Book Club didn’t grow the way I so desperately wanted it to.

I thought the idea of such a club would make for an interesting read. I enjoyed the original book club characters but not the modern version.

I'm always looking for new authors to try, and the premise for The Dirty Book Club by Lisi Harrison really grabbed my attention. There's nothing better than a book about bonding with friends, especially when they all have a unique story to tell. The beginning sort of through me for a loop though, and I have to be honest and say that I got a bit bit confused with all the different characters. Almost so that I thought I was going to have to write them all down just to keep everyone straight. As the story progressed, I did learn that everyone in the DBC, past and present, did have a purpose, but it just seemed a bit overwhelming at times.

I really liked M.J. and Dan and following their relationship--from M.J. dealing with the not-so-promotion to Dan going across the world for a surfing trip with his buddies. The way they reacted to one another throughout their relationship felt real and very believable.

There were scenes that made me laugh out loud then others that had me wondering where the heck the author came up with that idea. The author certainly took a unique approach to make this original, but there were times that I felt the story was overwrtiten and it took away from me completely enjoying it.

The secondary characters (that made up the DBC) were totally opposites--some I liked (Britt) and some I disliked (Addie) but they all served a purpose to bring the story together. Overall, this was just an okay read for me.

**ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The Dirty Book Club by Lisi Harrison


Lisi Harrison’s The Dirty Book Club is a sublimely well-crafted story and incredibly fun; it is just an all-round great read.

From the secrets of the Club passed down through a generation we are treated to a powerful story of friendship and bonding that develops first among, and then between the generations. The intimacy gained in discussing dirty classics is enough to propel each woman to open up and lay bare their own feelings and help guide each other through enough tough self-reflection to accept the past, or to take on the future without fear. All through the story these women learn from each other--in ways you would not expect--how to be true to themselves.

Throughout, Ms. Harrison treats us to robust character development, effortless writing, and exquisite turns of phrase that had me highlighting their cleverness at each occurrence. Subtle sarcasm and laugh-out-loud humor are in abundance as the characters explore their own and each other’s loves, lives, and relationships aided by group discussion of each intimate Book Club read.

Especially poignant is Ms. Harrison’s careful characterization of the growing bond between unlikely acquaintances of the second generation Book Club into lifelong friends.

If that’s not enough, Ms. Harrison treats us to a wonderfully written conclusion, deftly revealing the bonds between generations as the last of the Dirty Book Club secrets unfold.

Told in 3rd person past, this tale focuses on the lives of the women in the DBC, a group that has been together some forty odd years, and has used the member’s unwillingness and struggles with society’s expectations of what they should be, as they work toward the women they want to be. Few rules are set in stone, but they are all expected to trust one another on their journey to inner peace and love, and that means maintaining friendships and coping with difficulties. Of course, they must be open-minded and willing to let go of the conventional and accepted norms for behavior, allowing their true selves to shine. And what a shine this is!

I’ll admit, the story was a bit slow to start for me: we meet MJ who has just been passed over for a promotion that she wanted and was more than able to handle. She’s frustrated and hurt, and decides that now is the time to move with her boyfriend to California from the East, and take the time to decide what she really wants from life. Early on, she meets a neighbor, Gloria, and the two appear to hit it off. And then, a mysterious invitation to join the DBC arrives, and MJ decides to ‘see’ what it is all about. Here, the story took flight and added some mention (although little traditional discussion) of titles like Fear of Flying, Fifty Shades of Grey, and How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: none particularly shameful if one is a voracious reader, but still eyebrow raising in some circles. But far from discussing books, these women are sharing their lives, their struggles and good times, all on the way to redefining their lives and expectations, and finding that simple balance.

Each of the four women in the DBC are at different places in their lives, and as we get to know them, we start to see the reasons they were brought together, and just how much the friendships: open, honest and supportive, can serve to enhance all parts of their lives. While mostly focused on Gloria and MJ’s story, the friendships, the history of the club and how it helped and enhanced the lives of all who participated in the DBC. Heartfelt and wonderfully complex, the concepts of supportive friendships enhancing all aspects of your life, and finding the people who are vastly different coming together in a singular purpose of support and openness is a wonderfully strong message throughout.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” http://wp.me/p3OmRo-9nO/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

I was excited about the concept of the book. To me, it sounded like the book would focus on female friendships that developed through this Dirty Book Club. However, I was highly disappointed by the women themselves. I did not like any of them. I found them extremely judgmental. For instance, one woman judges her new friend for having a wet spot on her shirt.as if she is looking for friends that are perfectly coifed and polished. Not my kind of women. Then, the women just did not talk like normal women or friends do. They said things that sounded strained and fake rather than real. Finally, I also thought there were big gaps in the time. For example, one character eats a pan of pot brownies and is rushed to the hospital. Then, we immediately arrive at a scene a few days later. What happened at the hospital? Sorry, but I was not a fan.

When I read the blurb for The Dirty Book Club, I was intrigued by the premise, and when I started reading, I found the beginning both engaging and promising. Sadly, that fizzled quickly as I found less and less to like about main character, MJ.
Let me add that each of the characters have their flaws and that's okay. I didn't expect them to be perfect and several times, I've found the flawed characters in a story the most endearing. That was the case with the 1960's book club. Not so much with the modern day club.
MJ is rather disconnected from living life and that's understandable considering the the loss she's suffered. She throws herself into her career to keep from dwelling on that loss, which is also something the reader can empathize with and understand. As time goes on, MJ's long distance love interest, Dan, tries to convince her to move across the country so they can be together. This is where my problem with this character began. Things don't go as she's planned in her career, so she heads to California and to Dan. She then spends most of the story waffling between wanting to be with Dan and wanting to run back to New York and her job. Indecision, I can understand. She's spent considerable time on her career, but it came across like Dan was nothing more than a backup plan, the second choice. More than once, she asserts that she gave up her career and sacrificed for Dan, when that isn't the case. She gave up her career because things didn't go her way. She didn't get what she wanted, so she fell back on the second choice. Basically, I found her whiny and petulant, and I spent most of her story wishing Dan would wake up and send her packing.
The other characters in the modern day book club weren't exactly likable, but at least they did have some wit and even some charm about them.
By the end of this journey, I found the letters from the 1960's book club to be the most interesting parts of the story and the only modern day character that I really liked or rooted for was the good and giving doctor, Dan.
I will say the the author is talented and writes well, but this one completely missed the mark for this reader.

This proof copy was very kindly sent to me through NetGalley by Simon & Shuster.

I think three stars is me being generous. Maybe because the first quarter of this book had so much potential that was eventually just building up to…nothing.

This novel starts off explaining the existence of the DBC- aka The Dirty Book Club- started by four housewives in the 1950s in an attempt to read the racy and scandalous literature of the day without being cast out by the rest of polite society. They hide their books in covers for etiquette manuals, so they can explore the sexual texts they pick for their club. Sounds like a good premise, right? Except we don’t stick with that.

After twenty or so pages, the plot changes completely to follow four DIFFERENT women in the present day, who are presented with this book club after one of the older members leaves the country and decides to pass on the tradition to a group of younger women. The books that they read really does not effect the plot at all, with the exception to providing a location for these women to have conversations over alcohol.

My main problem was this book was there was so much set up and zero pay off. So many plots were started and explored over the course of a few pages, but they either receded into the background to make way for a completely different kind of plot, or were solved within a matter of seconds. Expositional dialogue a-go-go for the latter. This novel seemed to be the written equivalent of the daytime soap opera. You couldn’t go a few pages without a couple having a fight, or someone ending up in the hospital, or someone thinking they were pregnant, or something horrendous happening, which in a few pages we discover wasn’t actually the truth.

If books could have commercial breaks- this would be the coup de gras.

This is the issue with multiple perspectives; we never truly get to envelop ourselves in the story because we’re pinging back between different characters, unsure of exactly what they’re doing and what their situation is in. I think as a story I’d be much more interested in hearing about the women in the 1950s and how the book club affected their lives, rather than these four random women in the present who have little in the way of a connection with the actual book club. That might have been bad advertising in that sense.

‘The Dirty Book Club’ is not written badly. It’s structure is poor, however, and that means this book kind of trips at the first hurdle and doesn’t even get to transform into something good. At the end of the book, Lisi Harrison asks us if we love or hate the book- no matter the outcome, she wants us to blame the editor. And yeah, I do blame the editor. This book needs a lot of work. It seems to be trashy fiction with very little substance, attempting to be risqué with its mentions of sex, but really accomplishing very little.

Not the best. Disappointing, really.

I loved this book! This book made me laugh, smile and cry(good cry)! I really enjoyed the characters and felt that I could connect with them. I recommend this book to someone who is more open minded sexually and in general. I am a very open minded person and felt I could relate to a lot of what the girls discussed in this book. This book had me turning pages like crazy. I loved seeing the bond of friendships in this book and it was just what the doctor ordered for me! This book makes you want to have your own Dirty Book Club! Highly recommended!

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
The Dirty Book Club was the perfect antidote for a humdrum day. Lisi Harrison has written a book about friendship that made me giggle and wish that I could hang out the with ladies (both old and young) of the Dirty Book Club. The original members of the Dirty Book Club were four women who had been friends since high school and knew each other better than anyone else knew them. The revamped Dirty Book Club is comprised of four women who don't have that deep history but need each other more than they ever imagined. No topic is off limits within the confines of the Dirty Book Club. The only rule that matters is that there are no secrets in the book club.
I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent devouring this book.

I received an ARC of The Dirty Book Club from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Though the title may turn some away, or draw others to it as it were, for very different reasons, there is nothing "dirty" about this book. It's a book about female friendship: its purpose, its benefit, and its place within a very male-centric world.

M.J. is at an impasse after an expected promotion takes an unexpected turn. Feeling lost and confused, and still emotionally reeling from familial tragedy, she decides to put her career/life on hold and move in with her, to that point, long-distance boyfriend, Dan. He's recently purchased a quaint little beach cottage in Southern California, and is setting down roots.

When M.J.'s promotion goes south, Dan is more than happy to whisk M.J. away from her now unfulfilling life, and help her fix whatever is still broken within her troubled psyche.

Not long after arriving in Cali, M.J. befriends an elderly woman named Gloria.

Unbeknownst to M.J., that meeting will become the catalyst for her discovering who she is, what she's made of, and what she wants.

Each character in this book is central to what makes the story Lisi Harrison weaves work so well: Addie is the free-spirit who's looking for a place to land. Jules is the do-gooder, with the big heart, whose desire to do the right thing gets in the way of her seeing things as they are. Britt is the most seemingly "put together", but she's struggling to figure out how to navigate her inner Superwoman without succumbing to life's plethora of kryptonite.

All of them come together to form a bond that seems unlikely from the start, but totally believable given the circumstances.

It's a quick, delightful, read with plenty of humor to break up the emotional angst, and unavoidable drama, but it's also a book that speaks to the power of friendship--no matter where, or how, you find it.

A delightful, humorous, and even spicy look at women’s relationships today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hopefully we all have at lest one friend that we can let loose with and be who we really are. Just tell it like it is and say anything and everything friend. Nothing is held back and all is a sworn to secrecy friend. The strong connection is evident for those that see you together friend.

That connection is a big part of this new book. A wonderful and fun look at two sets of women’s lives. Their interactions; belief in each other; support systems when everything goes astray. Their promises to each other and the secret book club that opens their eyes to another world.

This book is an awesome read. You can tell it was a labor of love. To be able to get the sarcasm just right. The bitchiness, the understanding, and finally the unwavering support is something we all wish we had in a friend.

Plus the book club and the secrets held within is a fabulous and witty idea that just made this book a delightful and a wee bit raunchy read that just made me laugh in so many places.

The author has crafted the perfect women’s fiction read. With a bit of romance, sex chat, men talk, and strong women’s support group feel, you have to join The Dirty Book Club yourself. You may find it holds the answers to several questions you may have but were afraid to ask.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Dirty Book Club is the story of the importance of friendship. Contrary to the book's name, it really is not about reading pornographic books.
We are introduced to two sets of friends: The original "older" group of friends: Gloria, Marjorie, Liddy and Dot, whose friendship tale is told predominantly in a series of letters set in the 1960's and 1970's. And the new younger group of friends who they join together and entrust their "club" to: MJ, Addie, Britt and Jules.
As a whole, I enjoyed the "older" group more than the "younger" group, mainly because the main character, MJ, is both unlikable and unbelievable in the way she is written. We are to believe that she has left her career as an editor of a major magazine in New York City, yet she comes across as unintelligent and lacking even rudimentary communication skills.
The author of this book, Lisi Harrison, has written a number of young adult novels, with The Dirty Book Club her first foray into an adult novel. I think it explains why the tone of the book is so adolescent, and perhaps why some of the story lines lacked believability.
Overall, this book is a light and quick read. Would I recommend it to a friend? Probably not. There are far better women's friendship novels out there.

M.J. leaves her stressful job, which she has given all of her time and energy, and follows her boyfriend to California. She ends up being bored out of her mind and she befriends her elderly neighbor. This neighbor has a secret!


Well, this book is exactly what it says. It is about a secret book club. This book club is unique in that it only reads dirty books and it is as funny as it sounds. The club also comes complete with a secret key, secret rituals and anonymity.

For this to be the author’s debut adult novel, I am very impressed! So many great things occur in this read. I love that the author incorporates how woman were in the past to how they are now. Also, how relationships have changed, yet have stayed the same, for the most part.

I throughly enjoyed the characters and their affect on each other. Some of the new members of the book club start off on the wrong foot. But, life or maybe it’s the book club tends to pull them together and make them stronger. The insertion of humor makes this a must read. It is the perfect blend of seriousness and flippancy!

These ladies solve all the worlds’ problems, plus a few of their own. Through many trials and hardships, these women come together and create a bond they never expected. This is a read about overcoming society’s expectations, friendships and the strength of women.



I received this novel from Netgalley for a honest review.

I had to read about 30% of this before I got totally invested in the characters but turned out to be a fun and quick romp about friendships and family relationships. Every once in a while a bit of raunchy content would arise but don't let the title turn you off of reading this. The books read in the club weren't what one would call "dirty"--unless you think Jong's FEAR OF FLYING, 50 SHADES OF GREY, and HOW TO MAKE LOVE LIKE A PORN STAR are on the prurient side--OK, the last one might be considered on the crude side. The writing seemed a little choppy but I enjoyed it and the ending was unexpected but very satisfying.

This might be a good fiction companion to Ann Hood's Morningstar: Growing Up with Books, and a readalike for The Accidental Book Club. Also, even though the books aren't discussed in detail, add this title to your list of books about books.

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced reading copy.
Note: This review is also posted on Edelweiss.

I am a big fan of Lisi Harrison’s YA series, The Clique, and was excited to be able to read her first foray into adult fiction.

Not disappointed! I loved this book. MJ is a New York gal who finds herself living in California with her boyfriend after her boss shares her big promotion with another employee. MJ wasn’t willing to share and decided to stop living on the opposite coast of her boyfriend.

He lives next door to Gloria whom MJ becomes friends with. Gloria and her three best friends have been part of a book club their whole lives. Once Gloria’s husband dies, they pass the baton on to four new girls, MJ being one. MJ wants the club to work badly because she hasn’t been able to make many friends in her new home.

This is a great story of friends and secrets and I highly recommend it!