Escape Into Reading's Reviews > Diary of a Contemporary Woman

I am a huge fan of reading little-known authors/unknown books. About 90% of the books waiting to be downloaded to my Kindle (I got a new one for Christmas and haven’t downloaded them all) are Indie Authors. I love picking up a book, reading it, and thinking, “Wow, this author is talented.” Of course, it does go the other way too, but for me, those are few and far between. I am happy to say that Diary of a Contemporary Woman was a massive hit for me. And its author, Lucy, has been an absolute doll.

Diary of a Contemporary Woman is a story about finding yourself and being comfortable with yourself once you do. Angelique is 34 and single for the first time in 15 years. This book follows the humorous and often crazy situations that Angelique finds herself in on her journey of self-discovery.

This book is set almost entirely in Brighton, England. I was intrigued by the author’s description of Brighton. So much so that I have it written down on my list of places to visit if I ever visit England.

It is full of English humor and sayings. It also clued me to a few things that I didn’t know. Like, Angelique ate her chips with garlic mayo instead of ketchup. I was intrigued, and if anyone has a garlic mayo recipe, please send it over. I don’t particularly appreciate dipping my fries (or chips) in ketchup and usually eat them plain.

Diary of a Contemporary Woman is a fast-paced book. However, the author did a great job of keeping the pace going as the book went on. A few times, it lagged (mainly around when Angelique’s mother made her announcement), but it picked back up.

I felt that the storyline was well written, and the flow of the book was great. The author was able to phase in and out of Angelique’s different situations without disrupting the book’s flow. That is critical for me because I tend to lose focus/interest quickly if that happens.

Angelique had a lot of sex in Diary of a Contemporary Woman. I wasn’t surprised by this, seeing that the book was billed as erotica. Some people might be turned off. But, seriously, don’t be. Sex is part of Angelique finding herself and is vital to the story.

I loved how Angelique’s relationships were portrayed. They were messy and drama-filled, which is how real-life relationships are. Heck, I even liked how her relationship with her parents and sister was realistic.

The end of Diary of a Contemporary was a little shocking. I was not expecting what happened to Angelique or its fallout. I also was not a fan of the cliffhanger. I hate them. But it did do its job, and I want to read the next book now.

I enjoyed reading Diary of a Contemporary Woman. I connected with the characters and loved how realistic they were.

I would recommend Diary of a Contemporary Woman for anyone over the age of 21. There is graphic sex. There is some mild violence. There is language.