Sex Romp Gone Wrong

by Julia Ridley Smith

In her debut story collection, Julia Ridley Smith navigates the currents and eddies of desire, sex, love, and relationships. These twelve highly accomplished stories are witty and accessible, intelligent and thought-provoking. A girls' week at the beach prompts hot tub drinking, awkward confessions, and a poignant reconsideration of friendship. A caregiver extracts a small repayment from her elderly patient for his long-forgotten role in the demise of her family. A young woman, new to New York City, finds herself in a complex but tacky love affair and reckons with the unfolding plot of her life. In the title story, a woman plots to conceive a second child while at a convention hotel with her husband and teenage daughter, both of whom have other plans. Smith’s stories will beguile and delight readers while at the same time exploring the deep and often difficult ties of family, marriage, and romantic love in modern life.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published February 6, 2024

Reviews

[lissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realistically how many sex romps actually go right lol? I loved these short stories for their brilliance and ingenuity. They were hilarious. I can’t remember the amount of times I burst out in laughter. I can however remember how many times I smiled, which was about 90% of the book. It was awkward with just the right amount of realism.

I applaud Smith for her tanacity and creativeness as you flowed and ebbed between each story. I was taken aback, gleefully.

It was about unrequited love. A couple not being able to properly meet to schedule their rendezvous in order to conceive a second child. A woman having an affair with an older man while craving another. Not being able to forget a could-have-been love. It’s all about the failed attempts. A dazzling tale of various people and faces all vying for different goals and achieving none. A blast! I needed more.

[Chris Bumgardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid collection of short stories. Yes, the name of the collection is more of a click bait. The titular story is one where nobody, in fact, has sex (spoiler). These stories aren't lurid, they're what I would call commonplace. As in, they're about a variety of normal people, doing normal things. There wasn't a single story that I'd consider incredible, but they were pleasant to go through. I could read another dozen, easy.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had so many gripping stories, and a few really quirky ones. It also had so many characters that I really felt for. Overall a 3.75 stars for me, and I’d recommend it!

[Jaime Ann Sanborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing better than a collection of short stories, spoken with the female voice. Though the title may fool you into thinking this is going to be a saucy beach read- it is nothing of the sort. This collection of stories is honest, authentic, and has no neatly tied bows. It is the raw female experience- as mother, daughter, lover, friend. The stories are simultaneously lovely and ugly- as is often the case with truth. Women are human. We do what we have to in this world. We don’t always want to be mother, daughter, lover, friend- under the microscope of men and societal expectations. We want the freedom to fuck up.

Highly recommend.

[Kayla DeToma · Rating 4 out of 5]

very enjoyable and fun short story collection! the title and cover don’t do it justice

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, witty writing. I am not typically a short story reader, but decided to give this one a try after recommendation from my local bookstore, M Judson. Glad I did.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

|| SEX ROMP GONE WRONG ||
#gifted @kayepublicity

"We felt we had a lot to be sad about, I guess. At least he did, and I caught it like the chicken pox."

Julia Ridley Smith's debut short story collection is funny and warm. In these twelve gripping stories about womanhood, marriage, family, friendships, desire, modern romance, the challenges of being alive, loss and regret there is much introspection being done by these characters, middle aged characters in that season of life and what it brings. I think what I liked most was these characters could have been anybody, they were diverse and ordinary everyday woman, mothers, wives, wanting things, sometimes getting thoes things, navigating life in all its challenges but written with wit and humor making it a delight to read!

For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong

[Meghan Coltrane · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought this book at a local bookstore because the author is from North Carolina and based on the title I thought it was going to contain spicy, juicy drama. Unfortunately for me, it’s not juicy, it’s not spicy, and I thought it to be mundane and pretty boring. I dragged myself through to finish. I think after reading this book, maybe short stories are not my vibe. I also think maybe women a generation older than me, with kids may enjoy it more than I did (as a childfree 35yo)

[Joanna Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reviewed this earlier and then deleted my original Goodreads account, so all my ratings disappeared! Oops!! Returning now to say: Julia Ridley Smith is a master of the short story. I loved this collection. So funny, so subtle, so wise. Such warmth, such knowing humor. Read this--you will love it too!

[Kylie Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 |

i must first say the title/cover design feel quite misplaced and unrepresentative of the contents!

a reminder that short stories are such a treat.

my favorites here were: Don't Breathe, Breathe; Sex Romp Gone Wrong; and Flown (which I'm realizing all share heavy mother-daughter/girlhood-to-womanhood themes with satisfying parallels between coming-of-age and aging)

[Anna Borders · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me 8 months to passively finish but it was fun. Not amazing by any means but it was enjoyable to read a collection of short stories and made me feel super girly and I liked that. Women are dynamic!!!!

[John]

(no 9 of 2024)

Well done!

[Jody Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are witty, wise, and no nonsense. What a treat, every one. There's a fine balance between funny and bracingly honest.

[Greta Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really brilliant collection of short stories about womanhood, across the age spectrum.

[Maura Toole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant, quite witty collection of stories by a dear friend, Julia, about the beauty and challenge and intensity of being alive -- eager to return to this book many times over!

[Aaron Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful and fun! Every narrator felt honest, and I liked most of them, but I believed them all even if I didn't trust them.

[Anthony Holliday · Rating 3 out of 5]

good short story collection. Nothing bad but nothing that really wowed me either.

[alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard

[Megan McCarthy-Biank · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories in Sex Romp Gone Wrong show off Smith’s talent for exploration, diversity, and introspection. And they are all connected through themes of desire, regret, loss, infatuation, spirituality, and more that women and children endure.

Read the entire book review on the Cantina Book Club website: https://cantinabookclub.com/review/se...

Listen to the interview with Julia Ridley Smith on the Cantina Book Club podcast: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-knjzw-1...