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The Velvet Pouch
Holly Hill′s SUGARBABE, the true and very sexy story of Holly′s search for a sugardaddy to bankroll her day-to-day expenses in exchange for sexual favours was a runaway bestseller. Now, Holly returns with a daring new story about what happens when she embarks on a new sex-periment: allowing her boyfriend to sleep with other women in a ′negotiated infidelity′ arrangement...
As the self-styled poster girl for ′negotiated infidelity′, Holly and her new boyfriend D draw up a contract and framework for sleeping with other people, including a ′tell all′ clause after each and every encounter. Their spare room is used for sex with other partners (D calls them ′Play Partners′) and both eventually stumble upon Sydney′s underground sex world. D loves seeing Holly desired by other men and she feels the same way seeing him lusted after by other women. Holly also explores same-sex relationships and reveals exactly what it′s like to explore the body of one′s own sex for the very first time.
Contrasting with Holly′s and D′s growing notoriety in the Sydney sex scene are Holly′s relationships at work and with friends. She develops a crush on a beautiful colleague with surprising results. Acting in the roles of ′sanity barometers′, her friends provide intelligent debriefs, as well as issues of their own. As Holly and D continue to dangle each other as bait to a seemingly endless supply of willing sexual partners, they become more attached to each other, enjoying their partner when it is through the eyes of another.
However, Holly starts to notice subtle changes in their relationship. She becomes increasingly defensive, paranoid and jealous of D′s ever growing list of sexual conquests. She begins to wonder if ′negotiated infidelity′ is a hopeless cause...
As the self-styled poster girl for ′negotiated infidelity′, Holly and her new boyfriend D draw up a contract and framework for sleeping with other people, including a ′tell all′ clause after each and every encounter. Their spare room is used for sex with other partners (D calls them ′Play Partners′) and both eventually stumble upon Sydney′s underground sex world. D loves seeing Holly desired by other men and she feels the same way seeing him lusted after by other women. Holly also explores same-sex relationships and reveals exactly what it′s like to explore the body of one′s own sex for the very first time.
Contrasting with Holly′s and D′s growing notoriety in the Sydney sex scene are Holly′s relationships at work and with friends. She develops a crush on a beautiful colleague with surprising results. Acting in the roles of ′sanity barometers′, her friends provide intelligent debriefs, as well as issues of their own. As Holly and D continue to dangle each other as bait to a seemingly endless supply of willing sexual partners, they become more attached to each other, enjoying their partner when it is through the eyes of another.
However, Holly starts to notice subtle changes in their relationship. She becomes increasingly defensive, paranoid and jealous of D′s ever growing list of sexual conquests. She begins to wonder if ′negotiated infidelity′ is a hopeless cause...
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2013
5 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 23, 2020
Very insightful and contemplative; its a shame Dino and Holly did not work out. Am left unsure if i believe in the idea of negotiated infidelity.
May 17, 2013
I have read both Holly's previous books. Sugarbabe I liked a lot, Toyboy was enjoyable but wore thin, this new one is right back up there with Sugarbabe as a good read. I literally could not put it down. Read the whole thing over two days.
As to the content - this is a book 50 Shades of Grey wishes it was, and it's real. It won't be very everyone and there is a lot of very graphic sex here, so be warned.
I can't say I believe in much that Holly does, but it is compelling reading. Holly is very likeable and honest in all her books. Though I would not follow many of her choices, and actually I think she has a sex addiction problem and probably also low self esteem. She is constantly saying how attractive she is and everyone wants her. Well, she is an attractive woman and looks much younger than she is, but it smacks of trying to convince herself. Probably due to sad events in her life which she talks about here. As someone else who's been there, I can recognize it in her. I don't believe she is truly conceited for a minute. I think she is covering a lot of hurt and insecurity and looking for validation by putting herself in some quite dangerous situations.
I like Holly enough to feel concerned for her. She states she is into safe sex, but some of her actions indicate otherwise.
The men are a whole other issue. Blatant lack of respect for women. Ryan's clowning behind Stacey's back and Dino! Can I just say, not with someone else's six foot pole! I've seen pictures of him too, and he's really not all that. Holly could really do better for herself and it makes me sad that she sees her real value as all being about sex. This book is a fun read, but it's someone's life too, and honestly I felt like I was reading about someone's life spiraling out of control by the end. If you replace all the sex with drugs, it really is the same thing - addiction.
As to the content - this is a book 50 Shades of Grey wishes it was, and it's real. It won't be very everyone and there is a lot of very graphic sex here, so be warned.
I can't say I believe in much that Holly does, but it is compelling reading. Holly is very likeable and honest in all her books. Though I would not follow many of her choices, and actually I think she has a sex addiction problem and probably also low self esteem. She is constantly saying how attractive she is and everyone wants her. Well, she is an attractive woman and looks much younger than she is, but it smacks of trying to convince herself. Probably due to sad events in her life which she talks about here. As someone else who's been there, I can recognize it in her. I don't believe she is truly conceited for a minute. I think she is covering a lot of hurt and insecurity and looking for validation by putting herself in some quite dangerous situations.
I like Holly enough to feel concerned for her. She states she is into safe sex, but some of her actions indicate otherwise.
The men are a whole other issue. Blatant lack of respect for women. Ryan's clowning behind Stacey's back and Dino! Can I just say, not with someone else's six foot pole! I've seen pictures of him too, and he's really not all that. Holly could really do better for herself and it makes me sad that she sees her real value as all being about sex. This book is a fun read, but it's someone's life too, and honestly I felt like I was reading about someone's life spiraling out of control by the end. If you replace all the sex with drugs, it really is the same thing - addiction.
February 16, 2025
An intriguing glimpse at sex in "swinging" Sydney. Eye opening if fetish and multiple partners is your thing
May 11, 2013
While I haven't read either of the previous books in Holly Hill's Negotiated Infidelity series, I really enjoyed her latest book The Velvet Pouch. While it is the latest book in the series, it can be read as a standalone from the previous two books.
What I loved about the book was that it looked at a topic that very few females would feel comfortable talking or even writing about; the subject of negotiated infidelity while in a relationship. The Velvet Pouch takes the reader through Holly Hill's own personal experience of this tricky subject and I love her honest and open views on how this affected her. Yes, this book contains a lot of naughty and explicit scenes and yes you will need an open mind to truly understand why Holly chose to do what she did but that makes it all the more interesting.
While the book took a little getting into once I was around 50 pages in I was hooked and I really wanted to know how it would all end up. I would defiantly recommend this book and will be reading her previous novels in the series as soon as possible.
What I loved about the book was that it looked at a topic that very few females would feel comfortable talking or even writing about; the subject of negotiated infidelity while in a relationship. The Velvet Pouch takes the reader through Holly Hill's own personal experience of this tricky subject and I love her honest and open views on how this affected her. Yes, this book contains a lot of naughty and explicit scenes and yes you will need an open mind to truly understand why Holly chose to do what she did but that makes it all the more interesting.
While the book took a little getting into once I was around 50 pages in I was hooked and I really wanted to know how it would all end up. I would defiantly recommend this book and will be reading her previous novels in the series as soon as possible.
February 16, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is a challenging read for anyone who has firmly fixed ideas of what marriage and long-term committed relationships should look like. Personally, I like having my conceptions about the way things should be challenged regularly.
Holly presents an empassioned case for negotiated infidelity in her book, and proceeds to live the lifestyle to the fullest. Whilst the book contains many graphic depictions of sex scenes, it's the diary entries of raw feeling and thoughts-as-they-happen that I thought really made this book quite unique and accessible as a woman. As far as whether her experiment works or not, I felt the first half of the book was a bit like a wild joyride through what you might imagine the ultimate in honesty, truth and promiscuity might look like in a loving committed relationship, but by the end of the book, I felt like I was watching a train wreck.
Despite the occasional error, I really enjoyed the conversational style of Holly's writing, and particularly enjoyed the opportunity to have a peek into her life.
Holly presents an empassioned case for negotiated infidelity in her book, and proceeds to live the lifestyle to the fullest. Whilst the book contains many graphic depictions of sex scenes, it's the diary entries of raw feeling and thoughts-as-they-happen that I thought really made this book quite unique and accessible as a woman. As far as whether her experiment works or not, I felt the first half of the book was a bit like a wild joyride through what you might imagine the ultimate in honesty, truth and promiscuity might look like in a loving committed relationship, but by the end of the book, I felt like I was watching a train wreck.
Despite the occasional error, I really enjoyed the conversational style of Holly's writing, and particularly enjoyed the opportunity to have a peek into her life.
June 9, 2013
First off I would like to say that this book is not the type of book that I usually read.
In saying that it wasn't a bad book.
It just wasn't what I thought it was when I requested it.
My bad.
I did like how the author handled the subject matter.
It reminded me of Sex in the City and Fifty Shades of Gray.
Although unlike Fifty Shades of Gray this book actually had a story and a plot.
It's a sex text where as Fifty Shades of Gray was a fanfic and a very bad one at that.
No plot or story all it was, was sex, sex and more sex.
I liked that the main character didn't just write these manuals but she lived them.
I loved that this book took place in Australia.
Women and Men weren't shown at their best.
This book was a little to real for my taste.
The feminist in me loved it
When the characters rebeled against society.
It was freeing.
The characters were real easy to relate to.
They were every day Joes.
In saying that it wasn't a bad book.
It just wasn't what I thought it was when I requested it.
My bad.
I did like how the author handled the subject matter.
It reminded me of Sex in the City and Fifty Shades of Gray.
Although unlike Fifty Shades of Gray this book actually had a story and a plot.
It's a sex text where as Fifty Shades of Gray was a fanfic and a very bad one at that.
No plot or story all it was, was sex, sex and more sex.
I liked that the main character didn't just write these manuals but she lived them.
I loved that this book took place in Australia.
Women and Men weren't shown at their best.
This book was a little to real for my taste.
The feminist in me loved it
When the characters rebeled against society.
It was freeing.
The characters were real easy to relate to.
They were every day Joes.
July 20, 2013
Different from your typical book about open-relationships, truly engaging, raw and emotional, and opened my mind to the ways of 'negotiated infidelity'. Not a bad idea after all!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews