Confessions of an alleged Good Girl is a YA RomCom that takes the reader on a Journey through some very delicate subjects!

I think there definitely needs to be more books with Gynaecology related themes as these conditions just aren’t spoken enough about - nor do you learn about them at school!

This is the second book by Joya Goffney I have read and I really enjoyed it!

This is such a cute YA enemies to lovers-ish romance book with amazingly written realistic characters made even better by the greater plot than just the romance. Monique's friendships, ex-boyfriend, relationship with her family, and religion are also explored in a really great way that can bring exposure to these themes for readers,

Monique is the daughter of a black Baptist pastor. She has the 'perfect' boyfriend who after their last failed attempt at sex, dumps her. Then she finds out she has a medical condition and decides to fix her body to be able to have sex and get the boy back. She finds unexpected allies in her frenemy, the ultimate church girl Sasha and the town's 'bad boy' Reggie.

You can just feel the southernness in the protagonist's voice, the protagonist who is confiding in us. The narrative is an intimate, heartfelt and many times smile-worthy insight into this young girl's life. Raised in the church and has to act like it, she doesn't really feel it. There is awkwardness, humorous situations and inner turmoil because her desire to be perceived as a good girl is at odds with who she really wants to be.

Can a narrative be carefree and solemn and honest and fun, all wrapped together in a wonderful package? Yes, if it's Goffney's exquisite writing. I love the sort of quirky and 'nailed it', figurative speech.

The characters of Reggie and Sasha (both of who I loved by the way) are great examples of 'don't judge a book by its cover' or better yet, the stereotype appointed to them. Their antithesis complements the story and plays well off the protagonist's insecurities and inevitable acceptance. And when things get explosive, which is also inevitable, you will not expect but absolutely love the heart-squeezing turn this tale takes. I admit to sobbing a little.

Brings awareness to a condition that is not well known, the importance of sexual education, sex positivity and body positivity. Also evaluation of our relationships as to how healthy they are for us. Makes us think about what makes someone or something good. Should we care about what people think, how they perceive us?

An unlikely trio, in a sort of adventure, to save Monique's sex life, that gifts us with a wonderful tale of growing up and into your true self.

I couldn’t put this book down.

Like literally, i stayed up till 4am because this book was so compelling to read. It’s fast paced, funny, and super well informed.

There are multiple topics that ‘Confessions of an alleged good girl’ delves into: vaginismus, toxic relationships, and how religion impacts people differently. (+ so many more)

Without giving spoilers it’s hard to rave about how much i enjoyed this book. It was somehow sex positive and completely wholesome at the same time. It carries such an important message about women empowerment and how their health is often over looked by a male prioritised society.

We see that people aren’t who we initially decide they are, there’s always more to the story and without having that perspective we misjudge them. A major vibe when we have lgbtq+ representation as a naturally occurring situation; not overlooked or dwelled on, just existing like they actually do.

I especially adored that the book didn’t end with everything being resolved and beautifully fixed, it’s definitely a happy ending but you can read between the amount of fun and sudden understanding to see that there is still so much to be worked out and a lot of healing needs to take place. I appreciate that loose ends were tied up but there are still questions for me to think about long after reading.

I need a physical copy of this so I can annotate all the point that’s made me laugh, cry, and mostly feel seen and understood.

This book is about Monique as she struggles through a medical condition while trying to hide it from her Christian parents.

This was a great book that brought awareness to medical conditions that young girls were probably curious about.

Goffney really brings to life how hard it is for young girls, who struggle with body images, and how to work through that.

I loved the plot and supportive Reggie and Sasha were of Monique without barely knowing her at first, they’re true friends and everyone deserves someone like that.

This book made you feel a whole load of emotions. One minute you were smiling, then laughing, then angry or disappointed then finally you were crying.

Overall I give this book 4.25 ⭐️’s. I will definitely be reading Goffney’s first book “Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry”

Thank you to NetGalley, HotKey Books and Joya Goffney for this ARC

Wow! I flew through this book and I am so loving how Ya and teen books are now being written!

This book focuses on a girl who is a pastors daughter who has always been told sex is bad, has a boyfriend and is seen as a ‘good Christian’. However, there is so much more than that. This book is about self growth, female empowerment, being the master of your own body, sex education, sex positivity, positive and healthy relationships with partners and family alike. It’s about trust, and being no one but yourself and be I afraid to say what you need and do what you want.

This book is a book that I wish was around years before. It is so refreshing to read and so positive. Honestly, I am in awe. All girls and boys should read this, even grown adults who may never think of picking this book up. It has so much value for all women (and men). These things need to be spoke about more and gosh that ending! Honestly trying not to spoil the book but women looking out for each other and ahhhh I love it!

I read Joya first book excuse me while I ugly cry and really loved it . Qnd I have to say confession of an alleged god girl didn't disappoint.

Monique a Preachers daughter and being the girlfriend to a very popular boy I think that's pressure on its own, her parents don't believe in sex before marriage and her boyfriend wanted her to explore their relationship a bit more by having sex. But as he gets very frustrated he ends up dumping her and her way of winning back is to actually change everything about herself. She suffers with vaginismus something she feels she needs to change to win him back .

Well monique gose on here journey along with her friend sasha and bad boy reggie or not so bad should I say she starts to find that just maybe she needed to live herself for who she is not what others want her to be .

I did like the love triangle it really kept me intrigued and all I will say is never judge a book by its cover overall I think this book was absolutely wonderful it had so much, heart very inspiring a most of all is about learning to love yourself for who you are. I wish we had a book like this around when I was younger because I really think it could teach girls and boys of how it's ok just to be yourself and not have to be loved or liked by anybody else or should I say by the wrong people.

I give this book 5 Stars

I don’t know what I was expecting from this book, but it gave so much more. I knew very little about the premise before going in and I think that was absolutely the right choice. This is an outstanding YA read, and one I think is super important for young girls. Goffney really brings to life how hard it is for young girls, who struggle with body image, and how to work through that, and also that it’s okay to say no to sex. I adored Sasha and Reggie, their constant support of Monique was amazing, everyone needs friends like them. I’m personally not religious and I don’t know a lot about church culture but I think Goffney did a really good job of portraying the potential religious trauma that can be caused. Overall this is a super heartfelt read, really relatable and I think is such an important read for young girls

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5

Monique is 17, and a pastor's daughter in small-town Texas, with a seemingly extremely strict mother and a sister who escaped her oppressively overbearing upbringing.

When her long-term boyfriend splits up with her because she literally cannot have sex (29 attempts and counting), Monique goes on a journey of self-discovery as she learns about vaginismus. What follows is a beautiful and sensitively told coming of age story with emotional depth and a surprising amount of humour. It explores themes of religion, shame, sexual awakening and societal and familial expectations within a religious black community with sensitivity, while giving awareness to a little spoken about condition that some women struggle with. Monique, who isn't even supposed to be thinking about sex, let alone attempting to have it, cannot confide in her mother, and so help comes from a couple of unexpected sources.

I loved the characterisation of the teens. Joya Goffney effortlessly managed to encapsulate teen anxieties with her words. I think my favourite character other than Monique was definitely Reggie. His non-judgmental attitude and humour was so refreshing and I just loved the way he made Monique feel. I don't want to spoil too much, but I also adored the development of all three central teen characters, and the supporting cast of adults. It just goes to show. Never judge a book - and by book, I absolutely mean person - by its cover! This book left me feeling nothing but pure joy, and I cannot recommend it enough, regardless of your age.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating:
Emotional Rating: 💓💔😂🥰🥰

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*

I've just finished this and I already want to read it again even though I cried a lot.

I recieved this book as an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and joya goffney for the opportunity to read this book. Having loved the authors previous work I was looking forward to this one.

This book is about monique a teenager who's feeling the pressure of being the daughter of the towns only POC pastor as well as being, well a teenager. The other side of the plot follows her struggles to be physically intimate with her boyfriend due to a medical condition. Along the way she finds help in places she didn't expect it.
Why did I cry? I felt connected to monique, to a girl who just wanted to be able to understand her own body. To choose what to do with it and when. I won't spoil what exactly made me cry to but it was a beautifully written moment. Part of me feels like I should thank the author for writing this book for raising awareness for girls like us.

The characters in this book are perfectly written, especially sasha. I'd read a whole book about sasha. I'd also read one about myracle and her story. The way the author used perceptions to change the characters personalities as you find out more about them along with monique was brilliant and really takes the don't judge a book by its cover saying and uses it. No one is quite as they seem, especially the parents and the love interests. I don't want to say there's a love triangle because to me it didn't feel like one but the book does show the difference between a man who accepts you for how you are and one who thinks he's entitled to something from you and expects you to give it to him by any means necessary.

All in all I've given this book a 5 and will likely buy myself a physical copy immediately.

I really, really enjoyed this book! I also think it's so important for kids who just don't get taught any sex education at all. I really liked Mo as an MC, and I really adored Sasha and Reggie. I would have liked more Sasha if I'm honest and would totally read a book focused on her. This was such an easy, engaging read that I read this in less than a day (admittedly while I was on holiday).

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Monique is the golden girl; the preachers daughter, long term relationship with the coolest boy in school, she has everything she could want. Except, she's tried to have sex with Dom 29 times to no avail and he's sick of waiting, so he breaks up with her. This sets her off on a revolutionary journey to realise she has vaginismus, and with the help of her new friends, church goody-two-shoes Sarah and bad boy Reggie, she intends to fix herself for him.

This is an amazing story of religious guilt, building an honest relationship with your faith, self-acceptance, unlikely friendships, and the pressures to have sex on young girls. It's funny, heart-warming, and should be read by young adults everywhere - I really could've done with hearing some of the messages in here when I was a teen!

It's written amazingly well - the writing feels warm and realistic, and you really root for the characters. I'll be recommending this book widely!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I read this book in a day - if I hadn't had to put it down in between train journeys then I wouldn't have! This story is such a necessary one for every teenage girl (and older - I definitely didn't learn about conditions like vaginismus at school!). It's obviously a personal story for the author and it shows - Mo is a brilliant, well-rounded character, as are all the others, and I particularly loved the way Mo and Reggie's relationship is written. It also grapples with the intersection of sex and religion, which is always a delicate balance, but Goffney manages it with the utmost sensitivity. If I had teenage daughters/neices/cousins, I'd be buying them all a copy of this IMMEDIATELY.

I read ‘Excuse me while i ugly cry’ and honestly I was a little hesitant going into this book because I absolutely LOVED Excuse me. So i was nervous because I didn’t want this one to let me down and let me tell you, I WAS HOOKED from the very first few pages.

The writing is so addictive.

And the story, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? - sex positive, body autonomy, I love it!

And Reggie - what can I even say aside from swoon! WOW!

Goffney once again wrote a 5⭐ novel. It was full of laughter, romance, unexpected friendships, internal freedom, self discovery, heartache, and utter perfection. I was here for it, completely captivated by this page turner. Thank you, thank you Netgalley and Hot Key Books for an advanced ebook of one of my anticipated books for 2022 🥰🥰🥰

Joya Goffney does it again.

I LOVED to Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry. Now Confession of an Alleged Good Girl has solidified me as a Joffa Goffney fan for GOOD!

Monique is supposed to be a good girl. With her Dad being the preacher at church and her Mum being extremely strict she has always followed the rules. Even dating the town’s golden boy, Torn between obeying her parents' wishes of staying a good girl and giving herself a more intimate relationship with her boyfriend. What is Monique to do?

Monique is determined to make things work. We follow Monique as she embraces the journey of learning more about herself and her body with some of the most unlikely friends. Including the town's 'bad boy' and the church girl, she can't seem to get along with.

Goffney does an amazing job of creating leading characters with nuance and depth whilst keeping her stories so fun and light-hearted. Especially, with this story where Goffney discusses topics which are often shunned on.

I loved the story and Mo from the first chapter. Monique's voice is unique and candid. Mo is allowed to be vulnerable and unsure. Which would be genuine of any teen in Mo's position. Let's be honest learning about your body and sexuality during your teens is the most awkward and somewhat unnerving experience. Goffney captures this aspect of life through Monique's narrative so splendidly you can't help but root for Mo every step through her journey throughout the book.

Mo, Sahsa and Reggie aka the amazing chaotic friendship trio I didn't know that I needed but love them 110%. Perhaps my favourite moments of the entire story are when they're together. Gosh, those three together are hilarious high jinks.

But besides that, I love how Goffney showcases to readers sometimes you don't have to look quite so far to find people that will support you and love you regardless of what you/don't have to offer to people. Let's say never judge a book by its cover (sidenote: I LOVE THE COVER ART for this book) or ever base your value on what others want from you. Value you for YOU! I think such messages are so important for just teens but everyone. Goffney never shies away from being open and honest about the morals in her stories and I enjoy that so much.

Goffney just has a way of writing such down to earth, honest compelling narratives that leave you feeling good. Her works are the ones I wished I had when I was growing up. To be seen and reflected so honestly is amazing.

Now the romance.

Mo and Reggie and damn adorable. I loved their interactions and chemistry. I would say they are in ties with Carter and Quinn. Don't make me pick my favourite couple I can't! I love them both too much. Plus what's not to like about black teens just being able to fall in love and find their happiness together. I could go on all day about them if given the chance LOL.

To summarises...

Confessions of An Alleged Good Girl is a coming of age YA that brilliantly and maturely explores body and sex positivity and autonomy. The not-so-great views of sex and sex education. Raising awareness of vaginismus and the importance of access to sexual health information/services. Without a doubt will be of great value to those like Monique. Mix the above with great humour, friendships, family and a girl just trying to learn more about who she is to herself. You have a wonderful story in your hands.

4.5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @hotkeybooksya for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl comes out on the 3rd May 2022.

Please check trigger warnings as needed before reading.

Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl was such a fantastic YA read! It was so different from other books in this genre and yet still really relatable. I felt it really tackled some topics that can be hard for young women to talk openly about and having stories like this is important. Whilst sex is the main focus of this book, I think the fact that Monique suffered from Vaginismus, made it so much more interesting. It highlighted a condition I'd never heard of before and did so in such a considerate and thoughtful way!

I also loved how this story approached different relationships. I loved how each relationship Monique had with her parents, her family, her friends, and even her boyfriend developed and changed throughout the book. I think it was great to see how Monique's eyes were opened to toxic behaviors and how she realised it wasn't okay, all on her own rather than having someone tell her. Her growing self-awareness was really enjoyable to read and I liked how much she grew as a character and how uncaged she became.

The romance element was also so sweet and adorable. I loved Reggie as a love interest and his bad boy/troublemaker persona was so much fun to read. I loved seeing him getting into all kinds of strange situations and bringing the girls along with him for the fun for it. It was nice to see a different side to him as well, as he became sweet, thoughtful and considerate of Monique and her feelings. Their chemistry was adorable and I loved them together!

The other thing I really enjoyed about this novel was the importance placed on loving your body for what it is and knowing that self-worth comes from within, rather than other people. I loved this message and I wish it had been more prevalent in YA books when I was growing up!

Overall Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl is a great and fun romance novel with some really important and prevalent messages!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Joya Goffney, I LOVE YOU!!!

I have been suffering from this condition for years and it's nice to know that I am not alone. Unlike Monique, my condition started after traumatic childbirth and 7 years later I am still suffering due to a lack of knowledge on this particular disorder which I will now endeavour to change.

I was practically crying towards the end because it felt like I was understood and I now know what I need to do.

I truly felt for Monique in this and how she felt like she couldn't be heard because I have been there. This is such a light-hearted book about something we should have been told about long ago. We know about erectile dysfunction and how horrible it is for men so why aren't we told about vaginismus which is almost the direct opposite?

After reading this please know that I will be calling the GP's surgery as soon as it's opened to see if there is another route I can take because just grinning and bearing it as there are no specialist therapists here to help isn't working.

This is a book I will be recommending to not only other women but to my doctors so that can hopefully forward this on to other patients. Only because I don't have a Sasha to help me.

This was the book I didn’t know I needed. It gave me EVERYTHING. Joy, laughter, tears, an opportunity for self reflection.

Joya Goffney tastefully explores important topics of teen sexuality and the highs, lows and pressures that come with it. How our traumas and teachings can end up creating a (literal) physical barrier to exploring sex.

There are so many opportunities for learning wrapped up within the relationships of this novel. You will feel every last emotion as if you are Monique.

This is easily one of my top reads so far this year and the easiest 5⭐️ I have given.

Monique and Dom look perfect from the outside, the preacher’s daughter and the golden boy who everyone loves. In reality, they’re trying to have sex, but Monique’s body isn’t cooperating. When Dom tires of waiting, it spurs Monique into action and she discovers she has a medical condition. She can be fixed! And that means she can win Dom back…

I wouldn't normally pick up a book about a preacher's daughter trying to fix her broken vagina and get her boyfriend back, bit since I liked Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry so much, I gave this a go. It was just as good as her debut.

Vaginismus is a protective reflex where the vagina goes nope to things going up there. As well as making sex difficult, it also gets in the way of using tampons and having smear tests (or whatever they’re officially called now). It’s not always a conscious fear triggering it either, in Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl, Monique has internalised the idea that sex is bad. She’s had a religious upbringing and her parents oppose sex before marriage. But she wants to have sex.

It's an important thing for young women to learn about, and if that has to be done through YA fiction, so be it. Because knowing this is a condition and that something can be done about it will relieve a lot of distress.

While Monique starts out wanting to get Dom back, and as a reader I was all screw him. Well, not literally. But the story really focuses on friendships and not judging a book by its cover. She learns that the goody two shoes church girl she resents turns out to be the biggest help of all, and her parents judge Reggie based on one mistake. He’s the bad boy and Dom’s the good boy, but who’s the one pressuring their daughter into sex?

She also comes to realise her parents are fallible human beings. Maybe her dad isn’t perfect and her mother is hard on her for a reason. I thought her mum was terrible at the start, and maybe it’s a bit overdone, but I welled up when she stepped up to the challenge in front of her. Her dad wants her to get back together with Dom, meddling in their relationship. He never considers that sex is what’s getting in the way.

Joya Goffney writes with fun and compassion on difficult topics and I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for her books in the future.