Insatiable is set to be one of the most talked about books of the year. The debut novel from Daisy Buchanan is about Violet. Wanting to enhance every aspect of her life from work to sex she is on the look out for new opportunities. That comes through Lottie, who welcomes Violet into her life and with the help of her partner Simon are able to offer Violet everything.

Buchannan’s writing is very quick witted. Her observations and style speaks to a millennial audience. The reality of what she has and wants constantly being an issue toyed with as this new life is dangled in front of her. I am not the target audience for this book and I never quite bought into the relationship, the job or the main crux of the novel. I found much of it bordering on ridiculous and felt that detachment far to great to take any real enjoyment out of the novel. However Buchanan is clearly very talented and I would happily read her future writing projects. It is a book that will get people talking and is sure to be a hit when it’s released in 2021

This book was highly addictive, the kind of thing you could inhale in one sitting. It was in turns funny, sexy and sad, and the author strikes the perfect balance between salaciousness and tenderness. It's filthy in parts (in a good way) but equally, there is so much understanding for Violet and her motivations that I think, in the hands of a lesser author, could have been lost amongst the sex scenes.

Violet was a wonderful character; even though we may not all have been in her exact position (... no pun intended), I think everyone can relate to her desire for more, and the ways in which she tries to take control of her life when everything feels as though it's spiralling. Her story and her situation was so nuanced, and I loved the way it unfolded as we learnt more about her history whilst we watched her navigating her present with Lottie and Simon.

I would have liked a bit more build-up to the ending; I personally felt it came a little out of left-field - there were hints dropped but I didn't really feel the depth of emotion for that part of the story in the same way as the other areas.

Pretty good. A fun read rather than anything more substantial.but convincing characters.and good sense of place

I absolutely adored this. One of the best books I've read in ages. Although Violet was flawed, I didn't find her grating or irritable like I have done with characters like this in the past. Very well written and would recommend,

A fascinating erotic novel showcasing what would happen if a 26-year-old female history of art grad fell in love with a couple dangling a job in front of her.

I loved how the narrative treated bisexuality - at no point was it seen as a curiosity or discussed at great length. That said, the ending felt a little rushed and almost came out of nowhere.

Would recommend to anyone looking for a novel that centers female sexuality and desire.

Being such a huge Daisy Buchanan fan, especially with her amazing podcast, I was so excited to be approved for this ARC and it did not disappoint.

Insatiable follows the story of Violet, a young women, and her struggle to escape a life that she hates. This covered so many taboo topics in a refreshingly honest way. It taught importance lessons about learning who your friends are, and how to feel accepted as well as accepting yourself. Violet is a very likeable character whom I feel every women in their 20s can relate to at some stage!

The thing I love most about the character is how unashamed she is to be a women, and to highlight that women should not be shamed for wanting to have casual sex. I feel like this is a topic that is not often covered within other novels.

Overall, this book was both funny and dark in the right amount of places and I would definitely recommend this to a friend!

This book is raunchy with a capital-R. Does anyone say raunchy anymore?!

There are *a lot* of sex scenes in this book and initially it felt a bit uncomfortable but as I continued through the book, I realised it was because nobody really writes about sex and what women want and feel - I realised I always see women in novels being the centre of male thoughts and feelings - this is about a woman who goes and has sex because she really wants sex - This novel is unashamedly written by a woman about a what a woman wants. The novel references Lace by Shirley Conran and I know that Buchanan is a Jilly Cooper fan but the women in this book have far more agency ( on the surface at least) than many of the women written. by Cooper and Conran - but I feel reassured that Daisy sought influence from the masters.

Essentially, this book is a love story, it explores how the lovers come to terms with this and their journey in getting there. It explores the pressure on women to conform to stereotypes and female friendships and how powerful they are - in good and bad ways.

I raced through this book and enjoyed devouring it - though 8 hours after finishing it, I'm still not sure how I feel about it - the characters aren't very likeable, but who says that makes a good book.? What I can say is that I'm still thinking about it and that can only be a good thing

Also, though I read the book on kindle - I love the cover!

An interesting addition to the millennial fiction boom. Buchanan writes with unabashed joy on the trials and tribulations of a 20 something Londoner trying to catch a break whilst falling into an obscure non relationship / polyamorous set up with an older wealthier couple and their swinging friends. The scenes were viscerally constructed and dove into a number of issues; eating, sexual desire, trauma, that a lot of readers will find interesting and distressing in the same breath. On a sentence level, it wasn't always clear the authors intent, with some quips falling flat, and on occasion leaning into unhelpful stereotypes. the plot was the largest propellent of the story, giving me enough intrigue to power through all 3oo pages in 24 hours.

TW / sexual assault, misconduct, baby loss, death of a child, drug use,

Violet has messed up. She’s friendless, anxious, and alone in London where she has a terrible job and no plans for her future. When she meets Lottie and her husband Simon, Violet is drawn to them in a way she can’t quite explain. Soon, she is pulled into their world of expensive meals, expensive London apartments, and wild sex parties. As time passes, and Violet becomes more enmeshed into this life, the cracks begin to show and she must make the choice between what is right and what is easy.

I absolutely adored this book. It sucked me in for three straight days and I had an absolute blast. It’s shockingly explicit, utterly hilarious, and heartbreakingly sad all at once. My favourite part of the book has to be our protagonist and narrator: Violet. Her mixture of wit, snark, and suitcase of emotional baggage reminded me of Phoebe’s Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag. While Violet has less self-esteem, she’s certainly just as quick and clever. It’s a joy to read and I found myself screeching with laughter multiple times.

That being said, Daisy Buchanan also touches on more serious topics. Violet’s eating disorder is shown in just as graphic detail as the sex that she has, and sexual assault is a heavy feature of the second half. These topics are handled with clarity and respect, and pack an emotional punch to a book that deals with greed in all of its forms. However, Violet’s eating disorder is shirked at the end of the book, an unsatisfying element of a novel that is otherwise in control of its darker elements. This didn’t impact my rating, however, it may be something for readers to consider before purchasing this book.

Overall, I had an unbelievable amount of fun reading this book. It was surprising in some of the best ways, and left me desperate for more of the author’s writing. I imagine that this is going to be one of my favourite books of the year, and it’s only January.

An exquisitely painful exploration of the twenty-something Violet's desire for more; more sex (there's a lot!), more adventure, more fulfilling career opportunities, more money in the bank, just more, more, more. However, like the eating disorder she suffers from, more is not necessarily the answer. As Violet navigates her way through a life, where it feels as though everyone else has the instruction manual except her, her thoughts and experiences will resound with many readers and hopefully win Violet a legion of fans. She makes mistakes, has adventures, starts to appreciate her good qualities a little more and develop her own agency. She also has a lot of sex (did I mention that?). It's a charming, funny, sad, thrill of a book that deserves to be on everyones 2021 must read list.

I would like to thank Net Galley and the publishers for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I don’t recommend reading this book on public transport, but I certainly recommend reading it. It’s filthy but funny and entertaining and shocking and weirdly relatable. Wanted to shake some sense into Violet while mothering her at the same time. We waste so much of our twenties thinking people a bit higher up on the food chain have it all sorted and figured out and then get there and realise that they are also full of shit.

This book came to my attention as I regularly listen to the author’s podcast and thoroughly enjoy it. When I saw she had written a novel, I was intrigued.

I’m not sure quite how I feel about this book. The writing is bold and explicit, which I don’t have an issue with at all. In the beginning, I thought it was going to be a real romp and a lot of fun, and there was some real laugh out loud moments. But then the tone changed, and I felt sorry for Violet, the main character. She is offered a new career opportunity, but it comes with strings attached from a highly charismatic yet manipulative couple. Although she seems to know what she's getting into sexually, her actions made me feel uncomfortable. I think this was because Violet is vulnerable, not the most confident of people and engages in self-sabotage.

At 55, I'm probably not the target audience for this book, and although this is fiction, the book did make me reflect on the challenges that women face in a world of Instagram and Tinder where all is not quite what it might appear to be.

There are some wonderfully observed moments in this book and some great writing. The ending didn’t sit quite right for me based on what I’d learnt about Violet during the course of the novel, but that said if Daisy Buchanan writes another novel, I’d certainly be happy to read it.

Having been locked up for ten months due to a pandemic I have now reached a point where the glancing touch of an Aldi cashier's gloved hand is the height of erotic tension. 'Insatiable' is most definitely pre-Covid; all those bodies, fluids and not a trace of sanitiser, there could well be masks but not medical grade.

So to the story - I spent quite a lot of time internally screaming 'NO' - these people have got lying swines written in big letters on their foreheads, RUN, VIOLET, RUN. As it is a book Violet could not hear me or see the huge flashing warning signs so she carried on and got mixed up in a very complicated sex heptagon.

In the acknowledgements Daisy Buchanan does thank her parents, bat asks them not to read the book - which is a fair summary of the content.

It takes a miracle to grab my attention and hold it at the moment, but this novel really did - and what's more, it had me frequently laughing out loud. Yes, it's very explicit, and depicts non-conventional sexual relationships, but they do exist, just not visibly. Some parts are very sexy, some sad or shocking, but it's written with emotional intelligence, not for cheap thrills, and it doesn't only speak to young women.

First things first, this book is utter filth! Well written - but very sexually graphic - so if that's not your bag I would suggest you stop reading this review now!!

Here's the blurb:

"Stuck in a dead-end job, broken-hearted, broke and estranged from her best friend: Violet's life is nothing like she thought it would be. She wants more - better friends, better sex, a better job - and she wants it now.
So, when Lottie - who looks like the woman Violet wants to be when she grows up - offers Violet the chance to join her exciting start-up, she bites. Only it soon becomes clear that Lottie and her husband Simon are not only inviting Violet into their company, they are also inviting her into their lives.
Seduced by their townhouse, their expensive candles and their Friday-night sex parties, Violet cannot tear herself away from Lottie, Simon or their friends. But is this really the more Violet yearns for? Will it grant her the satisfaction she is so desperately seeking?
Insatiable is about women and desire - lust, longing and the need to be loved. It is a story about being unable to tell whether you are running towards your future or simply running away from your past. The result is at once tender and sad, funny and hopeful."
Within the first few paragraphs Violet is discussing masturbating in the toilets at work - and that pretty much sets the tone for the book! There is lots and lots of sex - solo / couple / threesome / group - but it's an integral part of the storyline, and doesn't feel shoe horned in every few chapters as it can with some books. It's also really well written and not 'clunky'.

Violet is clearly not in a great place - relationship wise (friends and ex fiancee) and not satisfied at work or with her living arrangements either - and so is very tempted by seemingly perfect Lottie and what she can offer - in more ways than one.

I felt quite sorry for Violet and was wanting things to come good for her in all aspects. She did, seemingly, make some daft decisions - but you could see why.

I suspect I'm far older than target market for this book - and Violet is very much a millennial - but I still enjoyed the book and wanted to see how everything would pan out. Whilst it is about sexual desire - it is also very much about friendship and support which is vital however old you are.

Overall I enjoyed the book a lot - so thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for my ARC.

I LOVED this book.
Super refreshing to read something involving romance which is not 'mid thirties girl with lightly glowing highlighter and quirky interest in crochet meets boy who loves dogs and works for a charity or something equally worthwhile, they have a troubled relationship but ultimately end up together'. There is nothing wrong with those kind of books but this is a sexually explicit, raw, interesting read about sex, relationships, friendships and self worth.

If love stories aren't usually for you or if you want to read about something other than monogamy, READ THIS. If you like your characters emotionally messy and not always likeable, READ THIS. If you like dirty books, READ THIS. Totally surpassed my expectations.

TW: Bulimia, sexual assault.

'Stuck in a dead-end job, broken-hearted, broke and estranged from her best friend; Violet's life is nothing like she thought it would be. She wants more - better friends, better sex, a better job - and she wants it now.
So, when Lottie - who looks like the woman Violet wants to be when she grows up - offers Violet the chance to join her exciting start-up, she bites. Only it soon becomes clear that Lottie and her husband Simon are not only inviting Violet into their company, they are also inviting her into their lives.'

This was incredibly well written as I went through various stages of loving and hating this character. This was a funny, sexy, at times cringy, awkward tale of navigating friendship, relationships and sensitively discusses issues around consent.

Definitely a modern-day Jilly Cooperesque novel for twenty/thirties readers - not one for your Nan or Aunt Karen.

Thank you NetGalley and Sphere for the eArc.

A funny and modern look at what it is to be young and lost and wanting in London with a lot of sex (this is a good thing, we don’t often see female protagonists express so much desire). Trigger warning: there is descriptions of eating disorders which could be difficult for some readers.

This is a book of two parts (both excellent). On one hand, the story of Violet- lost, struggling twenty something navigating a life where everyone else seems to know their place and she doesn’t, because she refuses to settle. Violet has lost her best friend, which is more heartbreaking than the end of her engagement to Mark. On the other it is spicy, erotic. The sex scenes (which re exciting and surprising and creep up on you but also don’t feel forced or out of place) are electric. There are so many different types of love interweaved into this book, which I wasn’t expecting. I felt frustrated at Violet and her choices in parts but they also made complete sense! I loved this book (just don’t read it on the commute!)

I absolutely loved this book.

When I started reading it, I thought perhaps it might be along the lines of Dolly Alderton's Ghosts, which I really enjoyed, but left me feeling pessimistic. In Insatiable, although the protagonist is just as flawed, I thought it showed how even in bleak times and confused lives, there are still fleeting moments of joy and humour to be found.

I also really enjoyed the exploration that 'great lives' are not always as they seem, and even when things look like they are falling into place, sometimes you have to fall apart to really find your peace.

I can't wait to read more fiction from Daisy!