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Butterfield Institute
Lip Service
Lip Service is the seductive new novel that everyone is talking about. Crackling with eroticism and suspense, Lip Service probes the secret world of phone sex and one woman who becomes empowered by what she discovers there. Not since Erica Jong's Fear of Flying has a novel so masterfully examined the relationship between sexuality and identity.
On the surface, Julia Sterling's life seems blessed. Married to a renowned psychiatrist, living on Manhattan's tony Upper East Side, Julia deeply loves her stepson, and is forging a career as a journalist.
When a writing job exposes her to the world of phone sex, Julia glimpses a world that stirs her erotic fantasies but threatens her carefully constructed reality. As she explores her emotional and sexual connections to the men she knows and several she will never meet, she confronts evil, perversity, and her own passions.
Tracing the currents of desire, illusion, and psychological manipulation,Lip Service is an astonishingly vivid glimpse into one woman's inner life. At the same time, this electrifying thriller grips the reader as it builds toward a battering climax.
On the surface, Julia Sterling's life seems blessed. Married to a renowned psychiatrist, living on Manhattan's tony Upper East Side, Julia deeply loves her stepson, and is forging a career as a journalist.
When a writing job exposes her to the world of phone sex, Julia glimpses a world that stirs her erotic fantasies but threatens her carefully constructed reality. As she explores her emotional and sexual connections to the men she knows and several she will never meet, she confronts evil, perversity, and her own passions.
Tracing the currents of desire, illusion, and psychological manipulation,Lip Service is an astonishingly vivid glimpse into one woman's inner life. At the same time, this electrifying thriller grips the reader as it builds toward a battering climax.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
30 people are currently reading
687 people want to read
About the author
M.J. Rose
89 books2,291 followersNew York Times Bestseller, M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother's favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice... books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.
Her most recent novel, The Last Tiara, will be published Feb 2, 2021
Rose's work has appeared in many magazines including Oprah Magazine and she has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, WSJ, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com
The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Reincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and currently serves, with Lee Child, as the organization's co-president..
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
September 6, 2012
I received this book from the publisher for review.
I really enjoyed this book.
Julia grew up with a father who was a therapist so she was always analyzed. When she struck out on her own in college she realized that she didn't really know who she was and that all of the decisions she had made up to that point were made to make her parents happy. She became sexually promiscuous and finally had a mental breakdown and ended up back home.
There, she met Paul at a party at her parent's house. He was a colleague of her father's and her father fully supported her dating and eventually marrying Paul. Paul is a single widowed father. His wife died in a tragic horse riding accident. He constantly treats Julia as though she is a patient instead of his wife. Julia does have a very good relationship with Paul's son Max though.
She is also very close to an old college friend, Jack. She still keeps in touch with him over the phone.
Paul is very conscience of appearances and Julia fits into this world well because she has been a people pleaser all of her life. She puts on a mask to the world when she is at his side at parties and events. At one specific event she runs into Sam Butterfield of the Butterfield institute and he approaches her to write a book with him about a new sex therapy that he is working on at the institute. She agrees, but Paul is completely against her doing this. She keeps everything from him and actually becomes a phone sex therapist behind his back. She begins to realize who the real Julia is and realizes that her marriage is doomed.
This story is so good. There is so much suspense and there's a little twist that I didn't see coming. I really enjoyed it. If you're looking for a suspenseful page turner with some sexy scenes, this is the book for you.
I really enjoyed this book.
Julia grew up with a father who was a therapist so she was always analyzed. When she struck out on her own in college she realized that she didn't really know who she was and that all of the decisions she had made up to that point were made to make her parents happy. She became sexually promiscuous and finally had a mental breakdown and ended up back home.
There, she met Paul at a party at her parent's house. He was a colleague of her father's and her father fully supported her dating and eventually marrying Paul. Paul is a single widowed father. His wife died in a tragic horse riding accident. He constantly treats Julia as though she is a patient instead of his wife. Julia does have a very good relationship with Paul's son Max though.
She is also very close to an old college friend, Jack. She still keeps in touch with him over the phone.
Paul is very conscience of appearances and Julia fits into this world well because she has been a people pleaser all of her life. She puts on a mask to the world when she is at his side at parties and events. At one specific event she runs into Sam Butterfield of the Butterfield institute and he approaches her to write a book with him about a new sex therapy that he is working on at the institute. She agrees, but Paul is completely against her doing this. She keeps everything from him and actually becomes a phone sex therapist behind his back. She begins to realize who the real Julia is and realizes that her marriage is doomed.
This story is so good. There is so much suspense and there's a little twist that I didn't see coming. I really enjoyed it. If you're looking for a suspenseful page turner with some sexy scenes, this is the book for you.
August 31, 2012
Julia Sterling is the wife of Dr. Paul Sterling. Her husband is a psychiatrist. When Julia met Paul, she was seeing a psychiatrist. So when during the beginning of their marriage when Paul would treat Julia more like one of his patients then his wife, this would explain why Julia dealt with it. As the years passed however, Julia wanted Paul to see her more as his wife and not as his patient. This included being sexual in the bedroom. They have no relationship. Paul does not even want to touch Julia.
Julia is offered a chance to write a book. It is about sex and therapists. In order to truly do the book justice, Julia decides to take a course in learning how to be a “phone sex therapist”. Soon, Julia is talking to many clients.
I had really high expectations of this book. I know what M. J. Rose can produce and so I was excited to try her as an erotic author. Unfortunately I was not feeling this book at all. The phone sex scenes were not enough to keep me interested. The characters after a while got on my nerves. I found Julia’s husband, Paul to be really condescending. The way that he constantly psychoanalyzed Julia was awful. The way that Julia would put up with Paul was annoying. I found myself yelling at her in the beginning to just leave Paul. I know why Julia had her reasons but she did not need to stay.
I could understand how Julia became drawn to phone sex as she was not getting any. It was during these times that Julia really opened up. When the story was fully revealed and was winding down, I thought the ending was just ok. There was no real surprise that the reader could not see coming. Overall, this was not one of my favorite erotic novels. I think I will stick to M.J. Rose’s reincarnation series.
Julia is offered a chance to write a book. It is about sex and therapists. In order to truly do the book justice, Julia decides to take a course in learning how to be a “phone sex therapist”. Soon, Julia is talking to many clients.
I had really high expectations of this book. I know what M. J. Rose can produce and so I was excited to try her as an erotic author. Unfortunately I was not feeling this book at all. The phone sex scenes were not enough to keep me interested. The characters after a while got on my nerves. I found Julia’s husband, Paul to be really condescending. The way that he constantly psychoanalyzed Julia was awful. The way that Julia would put up with Paul was annoying. I found myself yelling at her in the beginning to just leave Paul. I know why Julia had her reasons but she did not need to stay.
I could understand how Julia became drawn to phone sex as she was not getting any. It was during these times that Julia really opened up. When the story was fully revealed and was winding down, I thought the ending was just ok. There was no real surprise that the reader could not see coming. Overall, this was not one of my favorite erotic novels. I think I will stick to M.J. Rose’s reincarnation series.
April 11, 2010
I knew the moment I saw this on the shelf years ago I just had to have this book and even after I discovered it was pretty sexually explicit (something I wasn't used to at the time) I didn't care. I kept reading because it felt so real...so full of identity, hurt, truth and honesty...
Julia is an unhappily married woman and the last woman in the world I ever expected to relate to or feel so bad for. When I first read it broke my heart and it still does...the way her parents and husband treat her like a child. She has a mind, but because she almost once lost it, no one wants her to use it now. She had a nervous breakdown in college and immediately went home and into therapy...and four years later straight into marriage.
Now Julia wants to resume her life, her career interests and maybe because of her sexless marriage and a need to find out what's normal and what's not when it comes to desire and wanting more, she decides to research what really goes on in the world of phone sex.
_Lip Service_ turned out to be very, very (very!) good, but never really reached the climax I thought it would
August 28, 2016
A deteriorating marriage to a man (Paul) who wants only a wife to look good, Julia takes on a job as a phone sex operator to research a book about treating men with sexual issues. Ostensibly the place she works for Sam Butterfield of the Butterfield Institute, a psychological therapy/research facility, but her good friend Jack thinks differently.
Taking on the persona of "Alice", this job changes Julia's attitudes toward herself, her husband, her friends, but at what cost? If she opens up about what she is doing to Paul, what will be the repercussions? Will she lose everything in the process? Including her stepson Max, who may be the only reason she and Paul are still together?
Yet, Paul has some secrets of his own, and Sam may know more than he lets on.
This is a story about a marriage in crisis and secrets and so much more as there is an element of suspense added in; altogether, it is a story that defies strict definitions.
Taking on the persona of "Alice", this job changes Julia's attitudes toward herself, her husband, her friends, but at what cost? If she opens up about what she is doing to Paul, what will be the repercussions? Will she lose everything in the process? Including her stepson Max, who may be the only reason she and Paul are still together?
Yet, Paul has some secrets of his own, and Sam may know more than he lets on.
This is a story about a marriage in crisis and secrets and so much more as there is an element of suspense added in; altogether, it is a story that defies strict definitions.
September 11, 2013
It looks like psychological erotica, or whatever you'd like to call this, is a good genre for me. The book was well-paced, solid on details and imagery, and unique in concept. I enjoyed reading about Julia's gradual transformation from obedient and hollow wife to someone more certain about her own sexuality and individuality. The symbolism present throughout this tale rang true for me and I enjoyed the tiny details that served as windows into the reality of the Sterlings' marriage. I'd be curious to read more of author Rose's more suspenseful work in the future.
January 21, 2020
3.5 stars I rounded up.
Easy read in a day book.
At first, I was shocked that this book was so progressive for being written in the late 90s. A therapy clinic specially for people who have been taught that sex is dirty and not natural, had fantasies they needed help understanding, or just for people who are trying to work things out with their partner. The way they helped a man who couldn’t be attracted to his spouse as a mother was a great example of how useful this could be in repressed society. The start of this book was fresh, and well on its way to 5 stars.
But unfortunately towards the end, it showed that it was indeed written in the late 90s and made the clinic bad, meanwhile her husband who was stealing and attempting to control her got off Scott free. Rose rushed and jumbled through the final plot points, including a ridiculous sting operation the MC found herself in the middle of for all of 5 pages and then was over.
I’d be interested to see this plot being taken another stab at now over 20 years later. One where they don’t demoralize the clinic and I dunno, actually put the real thief in jail.
Ending keeps me from recommending this one.
Easy read in a day book.
At first, I was shocked that this book was so progressive for being written in the late 90s. A therapy clinic specially for people who have been taught that sex is dirty and not natural, had fantasies they needed help understanding, or just for people who are trying to work things out with their partner. The way they helped a man who couldn’t be attracted to his spouse as a mother was a great example of how useful this could be in repressed society. The start of this book was fresh, and well on its way to 5 stars.
But unfortunately towards the end, it showed that it was indeed written in the late 90s and made the clinic bad, meanwhile her husband who was stealing and attempting to control her got off Scott free. Rose rushed and jumbled through the final plot points, including a ridiculous sting operation the MC found herself in the middle of for all of 5 pages and then was over.
I’d be interested to see this plot being taken another stab at now over 20 years later. One where they don’t demoralize the clinic and I dunno, actually put the real thief in jail.
Ending keeps me from recommending this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2020
I read this book because I thought MJ Rose seemed like an interesting author based on the Face Off short she did with Lisa Gardener.
At first I found the sexual talk a bit repulsive, and almost overwhelming, but the crux of the plot wasn't about that, and the horrific relationships she had were explored in interesting ways, her husband is a right weirdo.
Anyway interesting tale, I will continue too explore MJ Rose.
Butterfield #1
MJ Rose #2
At first I found the sexual talk a bit repulsive, and almost overwhelming, but the crux of the plot wasn't about that, and the horrific relationships she had were explored in interesting ways, her husband is a right weirdo.
Anyway interesting tale, I will continue too explore MJ Rose.
Butterfield #1
MJ Rose #2
August 6, 2023
I really enjoyed this little gem, for something a bit out of the box! It was a great mix of drama, psychological thriller and well-written erotica. Moved quickly with believable dialogue and good characterisation, especially the inner life of Julia, the narrator. Listened on audio, & the male and female characters voiced by same was top notch.
April 28, 2018
Something off the beaten path for me. I've had her "Butterfield Institute" trilogy for years, waiting to be read. Found this awhile back. Umm, there was some uplifting dialogue (3.5 stars), that takes place in Ms. Rose's debut.
July 22, 2023
A story about unhappiness in Julia’s marriage and how she stumbles into phone sex. I enjoyed Julia’s transformation into a more independent woman. An interesting read.
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 1, 2024
I enjoyed the idea of this book and it had a good plot. However, Paul was the worst kind of character and it almost didn’t make sense that she put up with him while there was almost zero effort he put towards the marriage. Most of the phone sex scenes were mild but I will never look at a cherry the same way again.
February 28, 2025
I hated Paul and Sam, some bullshit patriarch therapists who manipulates everyone at every turn especially Julie. They need to self diagnose themselves and understand that they are the ones that needs therapy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2025
Meh. 3.5 stars. The writing is decent. But the characters are unlikable, which is part of the story but I want to like characters more than hate them. You can still have a good story with likable unlikable characters.
July 20, 2018
Though equipped with erotic moments, the book truly centered around a theme of self-discovery and it captured the anxiety and delight one feels when stepping out of a box.
August 27, 2019
Different kind of book that I am used to reading. Interesting how all the characters came together. Would have liked a more detailed ending.
October 3, 2019
Goed geschreven, spanning kunnen vasthouden. En een echt heel onverwachte plot twist. Niet een hoogstaand roman maar ik heb zeker genoten.
May 9, 2022
Boring, couldn't finish, stupid
September 24, 2012
Julia Stirling has been content in her life until recently. Married to Paul, a psychiatrist turned professional fund-raiser, she has willingly assisted him in his efforts to promote his charity for Fathers In Trouble as a charming, if shy hostess. As a student Julia had a nervous break-down after a period during which she indulged in various and short-lived sexual encounters. Marrying the cool and emotionally detached Paul and allowing him to make her decisions for her while keeping her on medication has for a long time been her refuge from that past. Recently though she has started to question her detachment from life. After obtaining a degree in journalism she has been writing articles on a free-lance and part-time basis and this return to self-sufficiency is awakening other needs in her. Needs her husband won’t acknowledge or tolerate. When Julia meets Sam Butterfield during a charity dinner she is fascinated by what he tells her about his work at a renowned sexual research centre. When he invites her to write a book about the work the institute does with the aid of telephone-therapists Julia jumps at the opportunity and asks to be trained as such a therapist as a form of research. She is slightly taken aback when she discovers that the therapy provided is in reality a form of telephone sex but, once her initial shock wears of, she discovers that she is enjoying the way those phone conversations with sometimes desperate men make her feel. When one of her clients confesses to harming his step-daughter and needing her help in order to stop Julia is confused and conflicted. And because she has been keeping her research a secret from Paul, who doesn’t want her involved with the Butterfield institute at all, she is facing her confused feelings alone. And then there are the accusations made against Sam; is it possible that he is not just the charming therapist he appears to be? Julia has to make a decision that requires the sort of strength she hasn’t displayed in years; a decision that will have consequences not just for her but also for a lot of people around her.
I loved this book. I really enjoyed this story about a woman who has been repressing her true self for years and slowly awakens to everything she really is and can be. There is enough background information for the reader to understand why Julia has been happy to allow her husband to rule her life for so long, just as it is easy to understand why that has changed for her at this particular point in her life.
In fact, I am very impressed with this book. This story embraces so many genres; psychological thriller, mystery, erotica and romance all intertwine to bring the reader a powerful, seductive and suspenseful read. And M.J. Rose’s achievement is even more impressive when you realise that this was her first published novel, back in 1999. I did read other works by this author in the past and knew I liked her writing-style and stories, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that her earliest work is as good as those later books are.
M.J. Rose manages to create realistic characters it is easy to identify with even if their experiences are very different from the reader’s. The main character in this book comes across as a real person. The reader may not agree with every decision she makes but will be able to understand why she makes them.
The writing in this book is smooth and descriptive. The pictures painted of the surroundings are as easy to picture as they are symbolic of what is going on inside Julia’s head and heart.
The tension in this story slowly creeps up on the reader. What at first appears to be a rather sedate story almost imperceptively turns into a full-blown thriller. I found myself rushing to turn the pages while at the same time being very careful not to miss a single one of the well chosen words.
In short this was a fascinating and engrossing read by an author who has yet to disappoint me. My only regret is that it can be rather hard to find books by M.J. Rose in the bookshops here in Ireland.
I loved this book. I really enjoyed this story about a woman who has been repressing her true self for years and slowly awakens to everything she really is and can be. There is enough background information for the reader to understand why Julia has been happy to allow her husband to rule her life for so long, just as it is easy to understand why that has changed for her at this particular point in her life.
In fact, I am very impressed with this book. This story embraces so many genres; psychological thriller, mystery, erotica and romance all intertwine to bring the reader a powerful, seductive and suspenseful read. And M.J. Rose’s achievement is even more impressive when you realise that this was her first published novel, back in 1999. I did read other works by this author in the past and knew I liked her writing-style and stories, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that her earliest work is as good as those later books are.
M.J. Rose manages to create realistic characters it is easy to identify with even if their experiences are very different from the reader’s. The main character in this book comes across as a real person. The reader may not agree with every decision she makes but will be able to understand why she makes them.
The writing in this book is smooth and descriptive. The pictures painted of the surroundings are as easy to picture as they are symbolic of what is going on inside Julia’s head and heart.
The tension in this story slowly creeps up on the reader. What at first appears to be a rather sedate story almost imperceptively turns into a full-blown thriller. I found myself rushing to turn the pages while at the same time being very careful not to miss a single one of the well chosen words.
In short this was a fascinating and engrossing read by an author who has yet to disappoint me. My only regret is that it can be rather hard to find books by M.J. Rose in the bookshops here in Ireland.
January 24, 2025
Julia Sterling is in a sex less marriage. On the surface she seems to have everything, a good life, a wonderful step son, plenty money. Her hiusbands just shows no interest in her. She goes to work for Sam at the Butterfield Institute where she delves into the world of phone sex therapy. This in turn unleashes her own sexual feelings that have been hidden for some time.
As always with novels by M J Rose they are very racy and very close to the knuckle, so if you are easily offended then they are not the books for you. The book was very easy to read and although I had read it before it held my interest a second time around. A very enjoyable read and her books stay in my permament library
As always with novels by M J Rose they are very racy and very close to the knuckle, so if you are easily offended then they are not the books for you. The book was very easy to read and although I had read it before it held my interest a second time around. A very enjoyable read and her books stay in my permament library
October 1, 2012
GoodReads Synopsis: Lip Service probes the secret world of phone sex and one woman who becomes empowered by what she discovers there. Not since Erica Jong's Fear of Flying has a novel so masterfully examined the relationship between sexuality and identity.
On the surface, Julia Sterling's life seems blessed. Married to a renowned psychiatrist, living on Manhattan's tony Upper East Side, Julia deeply loves her stepson, and is forging a career as a journalist.
When a writing job at The Butterfield Institute - a sex therapy clinic - exposes her to the world of phone sex, Julia glimpses a world that stirs her erotic fantasies but threatens her carefully constructed reality. As she explores her emotional and sexual connections to the men she knows and several she will never meet, she confronts evil, perversity, and her own passions.
My Thoughts: I really got sucked into this story. A bit of history on me, I used to work for a 900# company way back in the early 90s…I wasn’t a phone operator, I was in the background building the program and dealing with the long distance carriers and the FCC. The phone sex operators in this story were using the phone as a means of therapy, rather than the way the 900 numbers were used in the 90s.
The story was riveting. Poor Julia went through a breakdown while in college. The only child of a rather renowned psychiatrist. It was through her father that she met her husband, Paul, her father’s protégé. Paul was drawn to her, but not for the reasons one would imagine. Paul has been more of a live in Dr. to Julia rather than a husband and Julia has allowed it. While researching her book for the Butterfield Institute that Julia starts to come out of her shell and really live. The research journey she undertakes opens up a new world for her in a number of different ways and we get to watch her blossom into a completely different person than the one we are introduced to at the beginning of the story. Her transformation made the book very hard to put down.
I liked Rose’s writing style and apparently this book is a prequel to a series she wrote about the Butterfield Institute. I will be checking out those books.
On the surface, Julia Sterling's life seems blessed. Married to a renowned psychiatrist, living on Manhattan's tony Upper East Side, Julia deeply loves her stepson, and is forging a career as a journalist.
When a writing job at The Butterfield Institute - a sex therapy clinic - exposes her to the world of phone sex, Julia glimpses a world that stirs her erotic fantasies but threatens her carefully constructed reality. As she explores her emotional and sexual connections to the men she knows and several she will never meet, she confronts evil, perversity, and her own passions.
My Thoughts: I really got sucked into this story. A bit of history on me, I used to work for a 900# company way back in the early 90s…I wasn’t a phone operator, I was in the background building the program and dealing with the long distance carriers and the FCC. The phone sex operators in this story were using the phone as a means of therapy, rather than the way the 900 numbers were used in the 90s.
The story was riveting. Poor Julia went through a breakdown while in college. The only child of a rather renowned psychiatrist. It was through her father that she met her husband, Paul, her father’s protégé. Paul was drawn to her, but not for the reasons one would imagine. Paul has been more of a live in Dr. to Julia rather than a husband and Julia has allowed it. While researching her book for the Butterfield Institute that Julia starts to come out of her shell and really live. The research journey she undertakes opens up a new world for her in a number of different ways and we get to watch her blossom into a completely different person than the one we are introduced to at the beginning of the story. Her transformation made the book very hard to put down.
I liked Rose’s writing style and apparently this book is a prequel to a series she wrote about the Butterfield Institute. I will be checking out those books.
July 10, 2013
Julia Sterling is the ever faithful, devoted wife to a very strong-minded psychiatrist. Being the daughter of a psychiatrist, Julia felt she had taken the safe road in her marriage.
But when Sam Butterfield comes along and peaks her interest in suggesting she write a novel about his business and what services they offer, Julia starts to question if forever being in her husband's shadow is what she really wants or needs out of life.
I enjoyed reading this story, however, I found myself frustrated with Dr. Paul Sterling. I have a hard time with controlling men. At first I was annoyed with Julia as well, always accepting whatever he said as being the right way. Always doing things the way he says. Always believing she was fragil. Always reliving her mental breakdown while she was in college, never escaping or growing simply because her husband always looked at her like a patient, never a partner.
When she started doing the research for Sam Butterfield I saw a different Julia emerge and thus, became her fan.
Through the research of the book she's writing for Sam, she begins taking on jobs as a telephone sex therapist. Men call her and live out their fantasies with her, ones that perhaps they cannot at home.
Its when Paul discovers she is writing the book (when he told her not to), and how she was getting the information/research she needed, that she must decide if she wants to stay the doting/obeying/medicated wife and step-mother, or if she thinks its time to spread her wings and explore this new Julia, one who could be on her way to being in control of her own life. Will her friends accept what she is doing? Will the ramifications of her actions be as awful as her husband seems to believe? What will her step-son think?
These are all questions she must ask herself. Only when she finds the answers, will she be able to accept the new Julia or retreat back into the old one.
But when Sam Butterfield comes along and peaks her interest in suggesting she write a novel about his business and what services they offer, Julia starts to question if forever being in her husband's shadow is what she really wants or needs out of life.
I enjoyed reading this story, however, I found myself frustrated with Dr. Paul Sterling. I have a hard time with controlling men. At first I was annoyed with Julia as well, always accepting whatever he said as being the right way. Always doing things the way he says. Always believing she was fragil. Always reliving her mental breakdown while she was in college, never escaping or growing simply because her husband always looked at her like a patient, never a partner.
When she started doing the research for Sam Butterfield I saw a different Julia emerge and thus, became her fan.
Through the research of the book she's writing for Sam, she begins taking on jobs as a telephone sex therapist. Men call her and live out their fantasies with her, ones that perhaps they cannot at home.
Its when Paul discovers she is writing the book (when he told her not to), and how she was getting the information/research she needed, that she must decide if she wants to stay the doting/obeying/medicated wife and step-mother, or if she thinks its time to spread her wings and explore this new Julia, one who could be on her way to being in control of her own life. Will her friends accept what she is doing? Will the ramifications of her actions be as awful as her husband seems to believe? What will her step-son think?
These are all questions she must ask herself. Only when she finds the answers, will she be able to accept the new Julia or retreat back into the old one.
October 25, 2012
M. J. Rose’s Lip Service is the thinking woman’s erotica. This isn’t raunchy nonsense pinned together with a few weak plot points and vapid characters — a limp excuse for pornography masquerading as literature. No. I’ll be the first to admit I know little about this genre, but Lip Service worked for me as a mild thriller with some naughtiness.
Julia is interesting. We learn she had some sort of breakdown in college, an event that led to her “romance” with Paul . . . which is really no romance at all. A widower, Paul has a young son whom Julia adores, and the stability he provides is exactly what she needs at a shadowy point in her life. She’s looking for a rock, someone to keep her safe, and she finds it in her new husband: a man who works at keeping her quiet and calm.
That works for Julia . . . for a while. But when she’s introduced to phone sex therapy, she realizes how dull and colorless her life and marriage have become. Devoid of any emotional or physical intimacy with Paul, Julia’s mind is left to wander — and that’s where Sam steps in. As Julia learns more about the Butterfield Institute’s work, she’s a little scared at how invested she becomes in the process. Maybe too invested.
This book surprised me — in a good way. As I mentioned, it has plenty of steamy scenes for romance lovers, but at its core is Julia’s transformation. I really felt for her and hoped she wouldn’t stumble down a bad road, especially when she seems poised to break free of the past.
Originally published more than a decade ago and now reissued, Lip Service can feel a bit outdated at times -- just in terms of the technology mentions -- but it didn’t really bother me. No doubt bolstered by the success of those-grey-books-which-shall-not-be-named, M.J. Rose’s novel should find a ready audience. And it’s deserving of one.
Julia is interesting. We learn she had some sort of breakdown in college, an event that led to her “romance” with Paul . . . which is really no romance at all. A widower, Paul has a young son whom Julia adores, and the stability he provides is exactly what she needs at a shadowy point in her life. She’s looking for a rock, someone to keep her safe, and she finds it in her new husband: a man who works at keeping her quiet and calm.
That works for Julia . . . for a while. But when she’s introduced to phone sex therapy, she realizes how dull and colorless her life and marriage have become. Devoid of any emotional or physical intimacy with Paul, Julia’s mind is left to wander — and that’s where Sam steps in. As Julia learns more about the Butterfield Institute’s work, she’s a little scared at how invested she becomes in the process. Maybe too invested.
This book surprised me — in a good way. As I mentioned, it has plenty of steamy scenes for romance lovers, but at its core is Julia’s transformation. I really felt for her and hoped she wouldn’t stumble down a bad road, especially when she seems poised to break free of the past.
Originally published more than a decade ago and now reissued, Lip Service can feel a bit outdated at times -- just in terms of the technology mentions -- but it didn’t really bother me. No doubt bolstered by the success of those-grey-books-which-shall-not-be-named, M.J. Rose’s novel should find a ready audience. And it’s deserving of one.
August 27, 2012
I would start by saying I really enjoyed this book. I would follow that up by saying I don't think erotica is the right category for this book. The book was originally published over a decade ago, and times have changed as far as what people are willing to write and talk about. This book is a great story of self-discovery and, in a way, coming-of-age.
At college in her late teens, when Julia Sterling should have been working to discover who she was and what she wanted from life, she was instead having an emotional breakdown. As a result of that, Julia put all of her "bad self" in a box and tucked it neatly away to never be seen again. She is more than satisfied to only allow her "good self" into the world. Julia thrives on being a good daughter, wife, and mother because it keeps her grounded and stable. When Julia and her husband, a psychiatrist, meet she is more than happy to have a husband who wants to take care of her. She recognizes that her "bad self" made her fragile and leans on the support and care of her husband.
Years later when Julia is asked to write a book about a new form of therapy, phone sex, her "bad self" is intrigued. A combination of book research, her son leaving for college, and discovering some disturbing information about her husband, changes Julia. She begins allowing her "bad self" to peek out every once in a while and starts questioning what sort of damage she may have been doing to herself all these years that she has only allowed her "good self" to participate in her life.
While things are rapidly changing in her life, Julia discovers that who she is does not have to be good or bad but a combination of all her thoughts and feelings.
At college in her late teens, when Julia Sterling should have been working to discover who she was and what she wanted from life, she was instead having an emotional breakdown. As a result of that, Julia put all of her "bad self" in a box and tucked it neatly away to never be seen again. She is more than satisfied to only allow her "good self" into the world. Julia thrives on being a good daughter, wife, and mother because it keeps her grounded and stable. When Julia and her husband, a psychiatrist, meet she is more than happy to have a husband who wants to take care of her. She recognizes that her "bad self" made her fragile and leans on the support and care of her husband.
Years later when Julia is asked to write a book about a new form of therapy, phone sex, her "bad self" is intrigued. A combination of book research, her son leaving for college, and discovering some disturbing information about her husband, changes Julia. She begins allowing her "bad self" to peek out every once in a while and starts questioning what sort of damage she may have been doing to herself all these years that she has only allowed her "good self" to participate in her life.
While things are rapidly changing in her life, Julia discovers that who she is does not have to be good or bad but a combination of all her thoughts and feelings.
October 5, 2012
I've read M.J. Rose's Reincarnationist series, so when I was given the chance to read Lip Service, I jumped at it. This book is totally different from what fans of that series expect.
It deals with the phone sex industry and how Julia is drawn into it.
Most of M.J. Rose's books are thrillers or at least suspenseful. This book can only be described as psychological erotica.
The parts of the books when Julia is taking calls will leave you hot and bothered. M.J. Rose really knows how to write the steamy stuff. She does it better than a lot of romance authors putting out erotica.
But this story is more than just the phone sex. Julia has a history of mental illness, but her therapist husband is overprotective of her, when it's obvious that it isn't necessary. We don't know a lot about Paul, and I think that's what makes it hard to figure out what is up with him. There are definitely some holes in the plot around her relationship with her husband. The whole part of the IRS checking out his non-profit didn't get finished in the way I thought it would, plus there were so many issues in his relationship with Julia that didn't get addressed.
I couldn't quite understand why Julia stayed in her oppressed relationship. She was smarter and had the support of many people. It didn't make much sense to me, but her staying did help the story along, because you know there would be some climactic thing once Paul knew about her and the phone sex. I really liked Sam Butterfield's take on role playing and phone sex. It gave a different perspective to something that seems really sleazy.
Overall Lip Service was an enjoyable read. Not at all what I was expecting, but a good read, that kept me turning the pages.
It deals with the phone sex industry and how Julia is drawn into it.
Most of M.J. Rose's books are thrillers or at least suspenseful. This book can only be described as psychological erotica.
The parts of the books when Julia is taking calls will leave you hot and bothered. M.J. Rose really knows how to write the steamy stuff. She does it better than a lot of romance authors putting out erotica.
But this story is more than just the phone sex. Julia has a history of mental illness, but her therapist husband is overprotective of her, when it's obvious that it isn't necessary. We don't know a lot about Paul, and I think that's what makes it hard to figure out what is up with him. There are definitely some holes in the plot around her relationship with her husband. The whole part of the IRS checking out his non-profit didn't get finished in the way I thought it would, plus there were so many issues in his relationship with Julia that didn't get addressed.
I couldn't quite understand why Julia stayed in her oppressed relationship. She was smarter and had the support of many people. It didn't make much sense to me, but her staying did help the story along, because you know there would be some climactic thing once Paul knew about her and the phone sex. I really liked Sam Butterfield's take on role playing and phone sex. It gave a different perspective to something that seems really sleazy.
Overall Lip Service was an enjoyable read. Not at all what I was expecting, but a good read, that kept me turning the pages.
January 18, 2013
Sex sells. That's the angle book marketers are aiming for with the cherries on the cover, but Lip Service might be a double entendre. I found Julia Sterling's transformation from a confrontation-avoidant, taken-care-of upper class New York wife into a stronger, more assertive, and freer spirit to be the more compelling story. Having had a nervous breakdown in college, Julia married Paul, a psychiatrist and her father's junior colleague. Their relationship reminds me of "The Yellow Wallpaper" until Julia, now 38, takes on a book project at a prestigious progressive sex clinic which involves research as a phone sex therapist. Through this process—without Paul's knowledge— Julia's spirit and sexuality is reawakened.
Some parts of this initially self-published novel are overwritten. One is first told, then shown through the dialogue, repeatedly. The phone conversations are not extremely stimulating, and the author chose to not describe Julia's masturbating after one session, leading me to the conclusion this story is more about Julia's inner transformation. Although parts of the plot seem frivolous at times, in retrospect they do neatly fit together. Part 3 takes the story in another, somewhat unpredicted direction, but Lip Service falls strictly in the romance genre. In short, a nice read about someone making a change in her life, spiced up with a hint of phone sex.
Some parts of this initially self-published novel are overwritten. One is first told, then shown through the dialogue, repeatedly. The phone conversations are not extremely stimulating, and the author chose to not describe Julia's masturbating after one session, leading me to the conclusion this story is more about Julia's inner transformation. Although parts of the plot seem frivolous at times, in retrospect they do neatly fit together. Part 3 takes the story in another, somewhat unpredicted direction, but Lip Service falls strictly in the romance genre. In short, a nice read about someone making a change in her life, spiced up with a hint of phone sex.
September 19, 2012
"Certain eastern cultures see sexuality not as a fall from grace but as a way to ascend to a state of grace, to a state of self-realization." ~ pg. 33
Lip Service is a sensual erotic book by international bestselling author M.J. Rose. Main character Julia Sterling is a married 38-year-old woman living in Manhattan, working as a journalist. To the public eye, she has a decent career and is loyal to her stepson, friends and husband of 14 years. Secretly, she is an accomplice to sexual refunctioning—helping people to realize their full sexual potential. Julia accepted an opportunity to co-author a book on sexual role-playing therapy. This out-of-the-ordinary writing job introduces her to the daring world of phone sex. It stirs up passion and fantasies in Julia that were long-forgotten.
The story takes place in 1996 and was originally self-published in 1999. In fact, M.J. Rose's Lip Service made history as the first self-published eBook. Atria Books chose the perfect time to re-release Lip Service, 13 years later at the peak of the erotic fiction Fifty Shades era. This sexual coming-of-age (pun intended) book is ideal for book clubs and mature women. M.J. Rose's writing is descriptive and enticing. There is an unexpected twist and ending that will satisfy readers.
Literary Marie of Precision Reviews
Lip Service is a sensual erotic book by international bestselling author M.J. Rose. Main character Julia Sterling is a married 38-year-old woman living in Manhattan, working as a journalist. To the public eye, she has a decent career and is loyal to her stepson, friends and husband of 14 years. Secretly, she is an accomplice to sexual refunctioning—helping people to realize their full sexual potential. Julia accepted an opportunity to co-author a book on sexual role-playing therapy. This out-of-the-ordinary writing job introduces her to the daring world of phone sex. It stirs up passion and fantasies in Julia that were long-forgotten.
The story takes place in 1996 and was originally self-published in 1999. In fact, M.J. Rose's Lip Service made history as the first self-published eBook. Atria Books chose the perfect time to re-release Lip Service, 13 years later at the peak of the erotic fiction Fifty Shades era. This sexual coming-of-age (pun intended) book is ideal for book clubs and mature women. M.J. Rose's writing is descriptive and enticing. There is an unexpected twist and ending that will satisfy readers.
Literary Marie of Precision Reviews
September 18, 2013
This was a good all-around thriller/mystery type story. It wasn't a murder type story. It was just about a woman who lost her true self and hid behind her own masks. Married to a man who only cared about himself (he was a psychiatrist just like her father)and his image of who he wanted her to be: a maid and babysitter to his son and a representative to his own business needs and contacts. Then she's asked to write a book about one of her husbands charity donors sex institute. There she becomes involved in phone sex becoming what they title a phone sex therapist. All the time, she's trying to figure out who she is or which one of her personalities is revealing itself while she engages in these phone fantasies with other men. But then she receives a disturbing phone call from a man who asks her to hurt him so he will stop hurting his step-daughter. Then she wants only to make sure the girl is helped from this monster of a man. She's also establishing a different relationship with a male friend she's had since college before her mental breakdown. I wanted to scream at her so many times she was doing such stupid things. And then the way she let her husband treat her was horrendous. He always treated her as one of his patients instead of a wife. It did end nicely even though I would have liked to see a little more into her future life.
August 27, 2018
*Lip Service *is the seductive new novel that everyone is talking about. Crackling with eroticism and suspense, *Lip Service* probes the secret world of phone sex and one woman who becomes empowered by what she discovers there. Not since Erica Jong's *Fear of Flying* has a novel so masterfully examined the relationship between sexuality and identity.
On the surface, Julia Sterling's life seems blessed. Married to a renowned psychiatrist, living on Manhattan's tony Upper East Side, Julia deeply loves her stepson, and is forging a career as a journalist.
When a writing job exposes her to the world of phone sex, Julia glimpses a world that stirs her erotic fantasies but threatens her carefully constructed reality. As she explores her emotional and sexual connections to the men she knows and several she will never meet, she confronts evil, perversity, and her own passions.
Tracing the currents of desire, illusion, and psychological manipulation,*Lip Service* is an astonishingly vivid glimpse into one woman's inner life. At the same time, this electrifying thriller grips the reader as it builds toward a battering climax.
August 28, 2012
I received a copy of Lip Service courtesy of NetGalley.
Julia is the wife of Paul, a psychologist, that treats her more like a patient than his wife. Years before, when she left her carefully scheduled and sheltered routine for college, Julia had a bit too much fun and lost control of life, causing a nervous breakdown. That put her in therapy for 4 years, introducing her to Paul. Since becoming Paul's wife and stepmother to his son Max, Julia has been the perfect wife and mother, never acting out. Then one night at a fundraiser, she meets Sam, a sex therapist. She decides to collaborate on a book with him about his practice, as well as become a 'sex therapist' via phone sex, just so she can experience first hand what she will be writing about. Turns out Julia rather likes the phone fantasies, and it liberates her, waking her up to how sexless her marriage is and how stiffed she feels.
Lip Service was slightly erotic, but since reading Fifty Shades, I'm not sure anything else is going to make me blush. I enjoyed the mystery and love story in this book. I read it in one sitting, so it obviously caught and held my attention. And I was relieved that Julia finally recovered her backbone and stood up to her husband about the way he doctored her.
Julia is the wife of Paul, a psychologist, that treats her more like a patient than his wife. Years before, when she left her carefully scheduled and sheltered routine for college, Julia had a bit too much fun and lost control of life, causing a nervous breakdown. That put her in therapy for 4 years, introducing her to Paul. Since becoming Paul's wife and stepmother to his son Max, Julia has been the perfect wife and mother, never acting out. Then one night at a fundraiser, she meets Sam, a sex therapist. She decides to collaborate on a book with him about his practice, as well as become a 'sex therapist' via phone sex, just so she can experience first hand what she will be writing about. Turns out Julia rather likes the phone fantasies, and it liberates her, waking her up to how sexless her marriage is and how stiffed she feels.
Lip Service was slightly erotic, but since reading Fifty Shades, I'm not sure anything else is going to make me blush. I enjoyed the mystery and love story in this book. I read it in one sitting, so it obviously caught and held my attention. And I was relieved that Julia finally recovered her backbone and stood up to her husband about the way he doctored her.
August 18, 2012
Review written for www.books-n-kisses.com
This is a re-release of a book from 1999 and the first thing the reader will notice is some of the dated references (sitting next to JFK Jr., debating banning cigarette tv ads, etc). I found myself forcing myself to read this book and I think it has something to do with the time line. While 1999 was not all that long ago the era was so different. Phone sex was a huge thing before the internet and the references to some many now not so current subjects was distracting. I can see how maybe at the time this was erotic and sensual but not much anymore.
The story has to do with Julia and her psychologist husband and the power he holds over her. In this day in age we would have claimed she was emotionally abused. This is also a coming into your own story and while I can appreciate that this story is written as if the character is sitting on the shrink’s couch.This is the first book by M.J. Rose and she has gone on to write many books but I think re-releasing this book was not a wise decision.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a re-release of a book from 1999 and the first thing the reader will notice is some of the dated references (sitting next to JFK Jr., debating banning cigarette tv ads, etc). I found myself forcing myself to read this book and I think it has something to do with the time line. While 1999 was not all that long ago the era was so different. Phone sex was a huge thing before the internet and the references to some many now not so current subjects was distracting. I can see how maybe at the time this was erotic and sensual but not much anymore.
The story has to do with Julia and her psychologist husband and the power he holds over her. In this day in age we would have claimed she was emotionally abused. This is also a coming into your own story and while I can appreciate that this story is written as if the character is sitting on the shrink’s couch.This is the first book by M.J. Rose and she has gone on to write many books but I think re-releasing this book was not a wise decision.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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