In at the Deep End

Omg! Finished this over Christmas and have come to a conclusion: this book is SO satisfying!! Just the kind of drama/romance I needed - it's all about gaining confidence in yourself and not allowing people to push you around. It's about finding yourself and knowing what makes you happy and content. It's about knowing the difference between what you WANT and what you NEED.

Every single character in this book is portrayed in a realistic, honest and yet hilarious way.
Excellent writing :)

A 180 from the normal 'women's fiction' books about romance! We follow Julia over the course of about a year or so through her sexual awakening, realising after three years of celibacy that there's more to life than boring sex. Well written, the characters are likeable and charming in places and the situations seemed very real. I liked that not everything was rainbows and we see the ups and downs.

Wow this story is jam packed with sex!! It felt relevant and modern, with relatable characters and hilarious situations- S&M parties, drug fuelled raves, house parties and an unsatisfactory office job make this story of self and sexual discovery so brilliant and funny. Despite being a married heterosexual, I found myself at times imagining a parallel universe and what it would have been like to make this discovery for myself. Incredible read and definitely a 2019 must read.

Perfect for fans of Emma Morgan, Dolly Alderton and Bryony Gordon.

This is a hilarious book with a somewhat dirty sex description in every chapter. It's like reading a book version of GIRLS.

Beware of the inevitable tears at the end, though!

Thank you NetGalley for this one-night-stand page-turner adventure in exchange for my honest review.

Julia was an interesting character to follow. I was intrigued at how she finally realized that she is in fact a lesbian as I had preconceived notions that the person in their teens would know this - so it was really fascinating to see how she learns who she really is.
It was also very educative to see how she stumbles into a mentally abusive same sex relationship with a partner who is all about control. I liked the way her true friends and family try (with Julia resisting) to help her.
It was lovely to see her find a truly caring relationship.

I must say that some of the graphic descriptions of lesbian sex were quite a revelation to me too, so I can clearly say that I enjoyed reading this book whilst gaining quite an insight (education) about true lesbian relationships.

Meet Julia. After three years without sex, her sex life is about to get a whole lot more interesting.
I really loved this story of Julia’s life- her mundane job at the department of health, her relationship with her parents as she embarks on a lesbian relationship, her opinionated counsellor Nicky -but most of all her self-deprecating and laugh out loud humour. And I laughed out loud a good few times!
It also has its fair share of pathos as Julia starts to question whether her dream relationship is really an abusive one.
Yes, this novel is sexually explicit, but i didn’t find it salacious or even particularly sexy! It’s one element of Julia’s quest to get her life together and of the power dynamic in her increasingly toxic relationship.
It’s one of those books you wish would go on and on because the narrator feels like a friend.
Thoroughly recommended, but not for the prudish!

Absolutely hilarious, fantastic and even though it’s only January a good bet for one of the best books of the year!
Touchingly funny, deep, sexy and a little heartbreaking. Fully recommend.

First book of 2019 and an eye opener! Julia is mid-twenties, lives in London, works for the Civil Service. In At the Deep End is the story of Julia becoming aware and active in her sexual identity and I'm thinking Kate Davies may earn some toasters with this. Other great things about the book: it is funny, there is minimal time spent on brand names or the narrator's appearance, it is relatable and full of good friends. Not Shades of Grey with lesbians, though as advertised lots of sex, drinking, some drugs and uncomfortable relationships. Recommend.

I read a lot of booker prize winners and capital L literature and was looking for something light. This did not disappoint. In fact, I read it in two sittings and absolutely loved it. It's got explicit lesbian sex, it's well written, it takes place in London, it's EXACTLY what I wanted to read without knowing it. While it's an engaging story, it's also sweet and nasty and just an enjoyable read.

Davies really nails complicated relationships.

The only thing I will say about it, is Sam using babes all the time is annoying but makes sense.

Got a copy from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm not quite sure what I was expecting from this book but the description and what I'd heard so far made me desperate to read it... and I'm so glad I did. It wasn't always possible to read in public, especially when sat next to someone who kept reading over my shoulder but I was picking it up at every opportunity. Boy did I learn a lot!! There were parts that I could relate to, parts I wanted to try and parts I just went... oh wow. The number of quotes and snippets I sent to my boyfriend it was almost like he was reading along too. Hilarious and honest the whole way through and so well written. 5*!!!

Despite (or maybe because of!) being a male about the same age as Julia's dad I really loved this book. I half expected something along the lines of Fifty Shades (which I didn't finish) but this is funny, honest, and very well written. I found it very hard to put down. I spend a lot of time in London and I appreciated the locations for much of the action. The sex (there is a LOT of sex) is told like it is. No chance of this book winning the 'bad sex award'!

All the reviews I have seen so far have been from women readers. Men, don't let that put you off! This is one of the best reads I've had in a long time. Brilliant!

Thoroughly interesting perspective on life - a little direct in places but I think that goes with the territory. One can't help but keep turning the pages to see what happens next - very enjoyable, ideal holiday reading.

what can i say
it's funny, it's cute, it's dirty, it's honest

There is not much more you can really add! it's very detailed and it does have a lot of humour in it.
this book is like Marmite! you'll either love it or you'll hate it :)

Hilariously funny!
I wanted a light read and this did not disappoint. Julia was a very likeable character and I felt myself warming to her immediately. It was great to join her on her journey of realisation.
Definitely a guilty pleasure I thoroughly enjoyed!

In at the Deep End is a brilliantly funny and honest read, and a book that not only makes a nice change from the many crime/ thriller novels I read, but also is so great that I will be buying copies for all of my friends.

This novel has lots of situations I can relate to, or I’ve heard discussed by people I know, so for a lot of it I smiled as I read main character Julia's thoughts and experiences, and really identified with her as a late twenties woman.

Julia realizes that she’s gay and Kate Davies writes so fantastically that I felt like I was experiencing everything with her, through her eyes. It made me laugh at countless points, and most importantly it made me really care about Julia and what might happen to her as well as being entertaining to read. It's also very crude at times, which just made me love this novel - and Julia - even more. Frank and funny are two excellent indicators of a brilliant book!

In at the Deep End is a fun, straight-talking and entertaining read with some brilliant characters. It's easily a five-star read for me and I'll definitely be reading more from Kate Davies in the future!

Julia, a civil servant in the correspondence department in London, shares a flat with her best friend Alice and her boyfriend Dave. Grumpy from being kept awake most of the night by Alice and Dave’s sex noises her mood is further soured by Alice pointing out that she hasn’t had sex in three years. Determined to change that, Julia sets off on a mission to meet people and bring about some changes in her life. What she doesn’t expect to discover is that she’s perhaps not straight after all. What follows is the entertaining, and sometimes poignant, sexual awakening of a 26-year-old who finds herself in at the deep end.

Julia is a wonderfully complex character. She’s funny, self-deprecating in a witty way and unflinchingly direct. She also lacks confidence sometimes, doesn’t always express her anger when she should and goes with the flow when she’s really not comfortable with the direction. Essentially, she’s perfectly human. She’s seeing a therapist (in training, because she was cheap) who calls a spade a bloody shovel. She’s sure therapists should be more supportive and give less advice but then, you get what you pay for. She’s a contract worker and has never applied for a permanent position because then when people asked her what she did she would have to answer, “civil servant”.

There’s a fantastic cast of secondary characters that further enrich Julia’s journey. She corresponds with a 96-year-old WWII veteran who writes in regularly to complain about the health system. Owen, her colleague, and Alice are steady sounding boards. Her therapist is combative, her friend Cat flits in and out of London bringing another level of quirkiness with her. Julia’s parents need to be in their own special category. And then there’s Sam, who is a powerful presence.

I loved reading this. I started off by laughing at the wittiness and unusual turn of phrase and as it progressed I found I was still enjoying the turn of phrase but undertones kept changing. There is explicit sex which is more descriptive than erotic or romantic. This is a great debut and I’m looking forward to more by this author.

Book received from Netgalley and The Borough Press for an honest review.

In at the Deep End by Kate Davies a four-star read that will rock you. If you like your writing gentle and soft, then this isn’t the one for you this was crude and honest and fantastically brilliant. This one had me grabbing my kindle and announcing to my work crowd with a crazed look on my face and going ‘I’m diving in and I may not come out alive or at least not without blushing’ they are used to my brand of crazy and know it takes some to get me blushing with my lunch time reading. This one had me blushing and snorting, Julia is such a great character you will have a hard time not loving her, her journey is a tough one but its also revealing in many ways.

A fun romp of a book! Sometimes thought that it was a bit self consciously rude and in-your-face but the story underneath that was a good one. TW; gaslighting and abusive relationships but they were dealt with really well and realistically. Enjoyed this and would recommend!

Julie thinks the reason she hasn’t fell in real love is because she’s been going for the wrong gender- she quickly falls into her first lesbian relationship head first (literally!). This is sizzling hot, but shows us that regardless of gender, life and relationships aren’t always rosy on the other side.

WARNING - This book contains graphic sex scenes - not an issue for me but just be careful there aren't children creeping up behind you to see what you're reading!

Aspiring to be a lesbian Fifty Shades of Grey, In at the Deep End is a voyage of lesbian awakening and sexual discovery for Julia, who's never found sex with a man particularly satisfying.

All changes when she meets Sam - but as the two embark on a relationship, things turn dark and Julia is out of control. Can she achieve a place where she is comfortable and confident?

A fast-paced, thrilling and highly graphic read.

Julia is lost - she's a Civil Service contractor who isn't sure that's what she wants to do, she's single and her flatmate is having great sex just next door and she still isn't sure who she is after having to give up ballet when she was 19. Deciding to start living a bit, she starts exploring her sexuality more - especially as her attempts to have sex so far have all been unsatisfactory - and throws herself in to a relationship with artist Sam and new friends at an LGBT swing dance club.

Occasionally very funny, there's some pretty detailed sex (maybe not the book to lend my mother?) as Julia and Sam head to sex clubs (the In at the Deep End of the title), as well as some great new friendships - particularly through the dance club. It's not all fun though, it's also a portrait of how a controlling relationship takes hold and I thought that bit was particularly well done as it creeps up on Julia - I could see it happening and was wondering how it was going to work out.

If you are wanting a laugh look no further than In at the Deep End

This book is utterly hilarious.

Although I will say this, it isn't for the faint hearted, some of the sexual language used is quite crude in places but for me it just added to the humour.

An easy read that is clearly written to entertain.

Julia has been celibate for three years and when the dry spell breaks, it isn’t anything to write home about, to put it mildly. And it isn’t just her sex life that’s lacking. No longer able to pursue her dream of dancing professionally, she’s stuck in a dead-end job. When she meets Sam, Julia is in at the deep end as a new lesbian – introduced to a world of gay bars, BDSM and polyamory.

I read somewhere that Kate Davies set out to write a version of ‘Girls’ for lesbians, and I think she’s realised her goal. Julia’s voice is unique, warm, hilarious and utterly relatable. Whilst the sex, drugs and parties are all plentiful and no holds barred, the voyage of self-discovery in this novel goes far beyond sex and sexuality. It’s a nuanced and at times heart-rending exploration of the intensity of first loves, coercion, guilt and jealousy.

The changes in Julia’s life touch every corner of it – from her relationships with her family to her job, her past and her ambitions for the future. We see a woman not only getting to grips with a new understanding of her sexuality, but settling into a life which is altogether changing shape to meet the person she is becoming.

This book is as frank, filthy and funny as billed and I read it in a couple of days flat. An abundance of laugh-out-loud moments, a rounded cast of characters and a tangled central relationship is a winning combination that kept me coming back for more.

I'm not quite sure what I was expecting when I requested this book, but I have to say I was intrigued... I did have to read it in small spurts rather than in one or two sittings, as some areas were rather graphic!
I certainly have more of an idea about particular erotic activities now!
And I definitely had to be careful that my child wasn't trying to read over my shoulder!
A sometimes funny, sometimes uncomfortable read, but a page-turner, nonetheless!

Really enjoyed this, the characters were relatable, sadly some of the sex scenes were also relatable! Read the whole thing in the bath, turned into a prune, but enjoyed every minute!

Great fun read. Plot and characters are strong and well written. This is a proper page turner.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Harper Collins for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review

I loved this. Fast paced, hilarious and ridiculously frank, this is a story about (lots of sex and) love in modern times. The main protagonist and her supporting cast are deeply flawed and richly drawn humans which you can really identify with. Highly recommended.

This was a fun and filthy read and I'm glad to have been given the opportunity to read this book. Julia is a great character, she's not happy and wants to get out their and find what she's missing. She attends a party and meets Jane who then makes her question if she wants a man or woman. She soon realises women are for her and embarks on a relationship with a woman called Sam. Julia ends up in a whole new world, with frequent visits to sex and bdsm clubs thrown into the mix. This really delves into the relationship between Julia and Sam and how their love affects the lives of Julia's friends and family.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To start the year, I wanted a light, funny read and initially this book didn't disappoint. The first few chapters had been actually 'laugh out loud' funny. The kind where you can't hide the grin on your face whilst on your daily commute. I really liked the main character, Julia and found her really relatable. Mid way through, the story did change a little to quite a chilling read one as you see the workings of a toxic relationship. It didn't make me want to stop reading but I do think it lost it's lightness which perhaps changed this from being a 4 star read to a 3.5.

I would recommend as a holiday/vacation read.

Twitter was right - this is not a book suitable for public transport! I snorted, laughed and blushed my way through this book. Although sold as dirty, I did not expect the level of detail and the amount of sex in this book. It was definitely eye-opening!

In at the Deep End was an entertaining but important book about coming out, finding your place and the dangers of a manipulative relationship. I loved Julia. She read like a modern day Bridget Jones figure, and I loved to hate Sam. There are so many relatable and recognisable characters here that you're guaranteed to be chuckling along as you read.

My only issue with the book was that I didn't particularly enjoy the writing style, and felt it could have been written a little better. I also thought that some of the sex scenes were unnecessary and didn't really add anything to the book.

This was a wild romp of a read and I'm looking forward to seeing what the author does next!

My thoughts after reading 50% of the book were 'how on earth did I select this book as one to review and read on Netgalley UK'? My answer was and still is 'I have no idea'. Being a man in my early 70s, born and bred in Yorkshire, reading a book explaining lesbian sex in great detail seems a long way from my normal category of book (crime/psychological thriller) - but, on the plus side, I would now be able to provide a talk in any northern WMC about advanced techniques in lesbian sex!!
HOWEVER ...... I found the book to be extremely well written with wit, humour and one-liners as good as I have read anywhere.
My conclusion from the book is that lesbian sex seems to be far more exciting and rewarding although I did have some doubts that such carefree females would have such extremely emotional feelings over girlfriends/partners but then I have no experience on which this comment can be based.
The first half of the book seemed to me to be a guide to lesbian sex full of fun and the second half seemed to be a combination of a controlling partner versus a partner so much in love with the former. The only disappointment was that the book seems to peter out at the end with a sort of 'happy ending but not quite' feel. I would have preferred the author/authoress/female author (please choose any one of these) .to have provided a 'wow not expecting that ending'. This leaves me wondering what the subject of the next book will be!

Julia is in her mid-twenties and going through a bit of a sex drought. After an unsatisfying attempt to get back in the game, she begins to look elsewhere for gratification and makes a life-changing discovery about her own sexuality.

The character of Julia is well developed and there is much to enjoy in this book, particularly the humour with which the novel is narrated. As Julia navigates her new lesbian encounters and relationships, the reader warms to her and wants her to find happiness. I'll admit I found the sex and drugs elements quite graphic, but this adds to the authenticity of Julia's experiences. Although this is a book about sex, it's also about friendship and love and there are lots of examples of strong female support networks, which I thought were very positive.

I'd recommend this book wholeheartedly, although suggest that you avoid if you are easily shocked!

A sort of gay Bridget Jones, this is a fascinating and very entertaining snapshot of life in the lesbian scene.
As angst ridden but funny as any account of young people struggling to cope with the complexities of the dating scene but with the extra dimension that this is not boy/girl but girl/ girl.

A funny, light hearted read. Very well written. Raunchy scenes but nothing over the top. Looking forward to readings more by Kate Davies.

In at the Deep End wasn’t the raunchy comedy I was expecting from the cover and the pieces of marketing I have seen so far. It was a much more nuanced exploration into the nature of relationships and how we give ourselves up for them. I still enjoyed it a lot, and it was great to see people of genuinely diverse sexual identities represented in a piece of commercial fiction.

This starts off like chic lit with the standard Bridget Jones-alike voice: self-deprecating and a bit self-consciously quirky, but about halfway through it gets more serious as Julia is forced to confront the fact that the her loved-up relationship is toxic to the point of abusive. The sex is pervasive and racy without being porn-y, and there are lots of rah-rah girly friendship scenes. Entertaining and feel-good by the end.

After living for 3 years without sex, Julia discovers she's a lesbian, and takes us on a thoroughly riotous romp through her new found, sexually liberated life. This book is so graphic, it actually shocked me. And I'm generally unshockable! It would not do for prudes, but me? I loved it. Whilst there is also a deeper, darker under tone to this story, as book touches on abuse within a same sex relationship, the vast majority of it is utterly hilarious. In fact, I embarrassed myself several times by snorting loudly whilst in completely inappropriate surroundings. Great stuff!

It's funny, sweet, incredible sexy and ultimately really thoughtful novel about relationships and how they can go wrong. For all of its outrageousness there's a lovely subtlety to this one too.

I adored Julia and the way she embraces everything with an almost naive enthusiasm and isn't afraid to take a chance on life. The depictions of friendships is just brilliant and the way the flaws in her relationship with her new partner are slowly revealed is very clever.

Follow Julia who is 26 years old and is single. She lives in London but has not had sex for 3 years. Julia decides her dry patch has lasted for too long and jumps In at the Deep End to have some fun in her life.

I was really attracted to the cover of this book. It shows two red chilli peppers arranged together to let the reader imagine they were labia. In at the Deep End gets off to a great start from the first paragraph by informing the reader of Julia’s sex life.

The writing style within this book is jolly and the mild humour will make you smile. For example…

Staring into my eyes, he went to push himself into me. He missed. ‘Jesus. That’s never happened before,’ he said. He picked up his penis and guided himself in, frowning as though he was trying to assemble a particularly tricky piece of IKEA furniture.

...In at the Deep End is a story told in the first person and this format is ideal for this book as it lets the reader walk in Julia’s shoes. It does not matter what gender or sexuality the reader has, because Julia tries many, many things for the first time and like her, you can enjoy what happens like a virgin too.

I liked how this novel was not just about sex. Character development of Julia was very good and I found it very easy to enter her world of work, flat sharing, friends and family. In at the Deep End is Kate’s debut novel but it does not show. Kate is a great storyteller and her book is an intelligent read. I loved all the observations and social commentary. I found the novel to be very well written and although there was a fair amount of sex within the pages, there was no dumbing down of language or content. This is a quality read that I found to be enjoyable, fun and informative.

In at the Deep End guides you into a lesbian lifestyle and demystifies how women can find love. This book allows the reader to access a lifestyle they may have no knowledge about, it is a kind of Lesbians for Beginners. Kate’s outline of sexual acts are told with skill and were not gross and do not make the reader feel uncomfortable.

I loved the explanation of the lesbian lifestyle and it’s culture. I now know the importance of a toaster to lesbians. Because of my age, work, family and friends, I already knew there were many different types of lesbians but this book also mentions by name the different types. Going about your everyday life would you be able to spot the differences between butches, femmes, pillow queens and bull dykes?

I thought the explanation of polygamy within the lesbian scene to be very helpful to heterosexual readers. I thought polygamists were just greedy people who wanted lots and lots of sex, with one partner never being enough for them. I have NEVER strayed away from my wife and would not dream of it. But In at the Deep End does offer the opposite view which helped me to understand why some people are polygamists when Kate writes…

‘I wouldn’t want to limit myself to one woman. It would be like only eating cheese sandwiches for the rest of your life. Sometimes you just want pastrami, don’t you? Which is why I’m non-monogamous.’

...I loved reading In at the Deep End and found it a pleasure to read. Kate’s writing is so good that I just imagined I was Julia and thoroughly enjoyed playing her part in this story. For an author to make the reader feel they are the central character of a novel is really good. For a reader to identify with Julia because they are a woman, or in their 20’s or a lesbian is very, very good. For a 60 year old, heterosexual married man to feel as though he is Julia having all this fun, is absolutely BRILLIANT. I felt really included and could live out a lesbian sex life from the comfort of my armchair. I thoroughly enjoyed reading In at the Deep End, so it gets the top score of 5 stars from me. Only thing is trying to keep a straight face when moving past red chilli peppers in ASDA but I can live with that.

Hilariously funny and delicious raunchy.
The main character was relatable and easy to get along with. The story was a fun one to read, with a lot of cringe worthy moments and laugh out loud capers.
A great read, thank you to Netgalley and Katie Davies for the advanced copy.

I honestly could not put this down, it was funny, really rude with lots of explicit sex in fact a real eye opener, though the sex parts were relevant to the story and not there just to shock. Really liked the main character. Most importantly it was really well written with a good story. Would highly recommend.

A frank and entertaining coming of age story with lots of interesting plot points - sexual awakening (primarily this), career twists and turns, friendships, marriage, family, mortality, learning to remake your life after disappointment. I could relate to a great deal of it. Fabulous characterisation, a little disturbing in places (SM, etc! Not my scene!) but overall very well written and hugely enjoyable.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a kindle ARC.

It’s Valentine’s Day and I want to share the love for this book. It is SO good! My favourite read of the year so far, and definitely in my top ten for best books ever.

It is like nothing I have ever read before and that is fantastic! The writing is flawless, the storyline realistic and punchy and the sex scenes were relatable and realistic - not just erotica gone mad.

Whilst it made several over-shoulder-readers on the tube flinch (particularly when it came to the squirting scene) I loved it.

Can’t wait to see what Kate Davies delivers next.

Tender and beautiful tale of discovering real love after a controlling relationship with a narcissist. Hot and passionate, I recommend!

This book manages to be fun and crude but also surprisingly deep and meaningful. It follows Julia, a 26 year old woman who hasn't had sex in three years. She decides it's time to break her dry spell and adventures ensue. This is told in first person from Julia's point of view which means you get to truly understand her logic and torment. However this is more than just a rude tale about a young woman's sex life, it covers deeper issues including coming out as gay and experiencing gay dating and relationships for the first time. Plus drugs, heartbreak, impacts of BDSM and also... a lot of fisting. I really loved this book and wish something like this was around to read when I was a bit younger!

Don’t say the blurb doesn’t warn you. In at the Deep End is indeed extremely frank and deep down dirty. It is also gut achingly funny, tender, poignant and as a coming of age novel for the 21st Century, pretty unbeatable.
I wanted something different for my first read of 2019 and In at the Deep End with its LGBTQIA affirmation felt like an interesting approach.
Written in an engaging and slightly naïve voice, this novel begins in a traditional enough fashion with a young woman in a relationship that is bringing her no joy at all. In no time, I was laughing my head off, recognising some of the more awful moments I have had with fleeting relationships. It was great to revel in the female camaraderie, enjoying the rapport and sharing that marks out a group of close friends. But underlying this slightly Bridget-Jones-ish voice is someone more serious. A young woman searching for her sense of self; grappling for the first time with gender politics and struggling to find her own voice and sense of self-worth.
I know young women who have entered into the kind of toxic relationship portrayed here. It feels valid and authentic and while this is ultimately a highly enjoyable, well written feel-good story with lots of graphic sex, it is also a vivid portrait of one woman’s struggle to assert her sense of self-worth in a toxic relationship.
Funny, filthy, feel-good and frank, I loved this book for its authenticity and its honesty.

Inspiring, moving, refreshing, contemporary and intelligent... And somewhat educational. And yes, very very funny.
It is like indulging in "Girls" and "Fleabag" at the same time - entertaining and thought-provoking. I laughed out loud.

Thank you NetGalley and the Borough Press for this one-night-stand engrossing odyssey in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it! Recommend it! Will share it (i.e. give as gifts)!

P.S. If you loved it I would recommend to check out "How Do You Like Me Now?" and "Not Working".

Soooo funny I could not stop laughing at this book. Such a joy and am OBSESSED with the cover. Hot hot hot.

From the blurb, I thought this was going to be a lighthearted coming of age story.
I was wrong for all the best reasons.
This book explores sexuality in the best terms. The graphic arc may be a bit off putting for some, but there’s a reason that it’s there.
The most amazing thing about this book is how it explores emotional abuse. Where most books make big statements about the abuse from the offset, this starts off small and builds so gradually that it’s only when you’re really noticing it that everything goes wrong.
Absolutely brilliant.

Fabulously written, not my normal kind of read but I'm so glad I took the chance. The writing seemed effortless, perfectly flowing and paced.
I felt a whole range of emotions elated, deflated, ecstatic, enraged you name it I think I felt it all...
I will definitely look at future books from this author

I appreciate my review is later than I would have liked but hopefully I still add something to the discussion.

In At the Deep End launched amid much hype, thanks to the work of the publisher, and therefore I couldn't resist buying a copy for myself. The story follows Julia, who hasn't had sex in three years and is stuck in a dead end civil servant job. After a disaster of a date, where she is accused of breaking his penis, Julia realises that perhaps she's been looking for love in all the wrong places.

Oh my days, this book was filth. PURE FILTH. But its also really really good. It starts off funny, and then turns to filth, and then on to a serious note that I personally thought it did well. When I started reading In At the Deep End, I did not think I would love it as much as I did. After I finished it, I couldn't stop thinking about it and desperately wanted to talk about it with someone. In At the Deep End shines a much needed light on LGBT relationships and LGBT culture and it certainly taught me a few new things. I can see why its being compared to Bridget Jones but I honestly do feel it can stand on its own merits. It's not a book to read on public transport, but it is a book that I would definitely recommend. I can't wait for the author's next book and I am eagerly awaiting its arrival on Amazon so I can pre-order.