Clube Exclusivo

by Lise Gold, Madeleine Taylor

Olivia Whitaker perdeu tudo. Sem o cartão de crédito do pai para sustentá-la e sem diploma universitário, ela tem sorte de conseguir um emprego como garçonete em um clube privado de Londres. Enquanto se adapta à nova realidade, sua prioridade é reconstruir a vida — então, quando conhece uma cliente linda e intrigante, Olivia fica dividida entre o desejo e o medo de perder o emprego.

Aisha Al Zahid é uma incorporadora imobiliária rica que gosta de relaxar em seu próprio clube. Depois de voltar de Dubai, onde visitou a família, a nova garçonete chama sua atenção e, sempre determinada, ela vai atrás do que quer. Assumida em Londres e no armário em Dubai, ela vive uma vida dupla, e relacionamentos sérios nunca estiveram em seus planos. Mas o que lhe falta em conexões emocionais, ela compensa na cama — e está ansiosa para mostrar a Olivia seu lado dominante.

Olivia também não tem interesse em nada além do casual; já foi traída tantas vezes que não deixa ninguém se aproximar. Mas os jogos de Aisha no quarto exigem um certo nível de confiança. Será que essa conexão física intensa pode se transformar em algo mais profundo? E Aisha conseguirá encontrar coragem para unir seus dois mundos?

O amor nem sempre chega na hora certa e, como as rosas, às vezes a vida precisa murchar antes de poder florescer novamente...

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, BDSM, LGBT, Erotica, Contemporary, Lesbian Romance

440 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 27, 2023

About the author

Lise Gold is an author of lesbian romance. Her romantic attitude, enthusiasm for travel and love for feel good stories form the heartland of her writing. Born in London to a Norwegian mother and English father, and growing up between the UK, Norway, Zambia and the Netherlands, she feels at home pretty much everywhere and has an unending curiosity for new destinations. She goes by 'write what you know' and is often found in exotic locations doing research or getting inspired for her next novel.

Working as a designer for fifteen years and singing semi- professionally, Lise has always been a creative at heart. Her novels are the result of a quest for a new passion after resigning from her design job in 2018.

When not writing from her kitchen table, Lise can be found cooking, at the gym or singing her heart out somewhere, preferably country or blues. She lives in London with her dogs El Comandante and Bubba.


Reviews

[Corporate Slave · Rating 5 out of 5]

DO NOT READ iN PUBLIC! Incredibly hot with amazing MCs.. really enjoyed this :)

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
I listened to the audiobook version of Members Only. Narrator Tessa Stavers did a good job conveying the emotions and moods well.

Olivia Whitaker, raised with the proverbial golden spoon in her mouth, lands hard on the ground of the reality of the working majority of people when her father is arrested and she doesn't have a dime to her name. Not only does she have no more money, but most of her friends also turn their backs on her. As a waitress in a private members-only club in London, she now tries to build an independent life. She has vowed never to be dependent on one person again. But there is this very attractive, reserved, respectful, obviously rich woman who behaves so differently from the rest of the clientele. Is it worth to risk her job and get this women to know personally?

Aisha Al Zahid is a property developer in London and is the owner of the club where Olivia works. She enjoys the free life in gay-friendly London in contrast to her closeted life in Dubai, where she comes from, and her family still lives. After a stay in Dubai, she notices the new employee on her first evening back at the club. Not only is she beautiful, but she also has a special aura about her, and this arouses Aisha's curiosity.

The story of two women who find themselves in unfamiliar situations. Olivia is working for the first time in her life and quickly realizes what a meaningless life of luxury she had lived before, where she didn't care about anything except the next party. Today she sees how empty her life actually was. The transformation from a party girl to a responsible woman is shown very well and I was happy about every little success she has.

Casual no-strings sex was Aisha's credo until now, but suddenly there is Olivia, who awakens completely new feelings in her. Not only is Olivia's attraction very strong, but she also awakens her protective instinct, something Aisha has never felt for a woman before. Can she balance Olivia's drive for independence and her own desire to do everything she can for her?

Self-reflection and finding out what you really want from life, trust, and daring to love are beautifully told in this story. Also, the two women learn to express their feelings, insecurities, and fears and find ways together. Without much drama and unnecessary fuss. The hot sex is the icing on the cake.

Highly recommended to all romance fans. I loved it
I won this Audio in a book give away, a big thank you to Lise Gold

[Clara Addicted to sapphic books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️A good old story where the player who never did relationships settles down for THE one. I loved Olivia’s character : she hit bottom, but she is strong and determined. Aisha is protective, thoughtful, and really successful. Initial sexual tension was definitely there with some stolen glances. Gold gives you some really steamy sex scenes with light BDSM and a dominant/submissive relationship. I am usually not really into these things, and this one was perfectly dosed for me. The chemistry and dynamic between them were just on spot. After the initial “physical-only relationship” comes the protectiveness and feelings; it’s very sweet to read. The relationship is not the deepest I have read, but it is really healthy with open communication and no games. I am so used to writers giving me a third-act fight that when the relationship evolves smoothly like this, I am even more tense, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Gold doesn’t play with the reader’s heart. Although I don’t think useless fights for the sake of drama is necessary, I like a touch of tension around the couple to keep me on my toes, but I didn’t find here.
Aisha’s character shows that being gay is still not something everyone has the luxury to live openly in some places in the world. Be reassured, Gold chose an optimistic POV.
If you are looking for something angst-free, romantic with spice and chemistry, this book is perfect for you.

[lauraღ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Nothing in your future will ever burn again,” I promise her. “I’m with you forever if you’ll let me.”

3.5 stars. I have never actually disliked a book by Lise Gold, but the last several that I've read from her just haven't lived up to my expectations. That's both in terms of things that it failed to do, and things that it included when it really did not have to. I always know what I'm in for when I pick up one of her books: low angst, a lot of focus on the relationship, personal growth and no overblown conflicts. Since this one is also co-written with her erotic pen-name, I also expected that it would be sexy. And all in all, I still really did like this, but I know I could have liked more.

Olivia is a one-time heiress and party girl who is now at her lowest; after her father was jailed for fraud, her family has lost all of its money, and now for the first time in her life she has to work and make a living on her own. Aisha is a wealthy business owner from Dubai, and when making one of her usual visits to London, she meets Olivia, one of the new waitresses in her exclusive, members only club. Heated rendezvouses slowly turn into more, even though both women are determined that they don't want a relationship right now. I have no notes about the physical component of the relationship; it was so swoony, so sexy, really artfully and sometimes tenderly written. Aisha is just the kind of domme that I like, one who doesn't take things too far, and doesn't extend the play outside of the bedroom. The first parts of the book were really hot.

But I was missing a lot of the emotional component. I feel like there were several times we were simply told what the characters are feeling, told that they had this great connection, told that they had all of this overwhelming chemistry, but honestly, unless they were in bed, I didn't feel it at all. That thankfully did change in the later parts of the book, when they shared some really lovely moments together, and their relationship grew in meaningful ways, but it was almost too little too late? I would have preferred to have more foundational events actually showing us where this attraction came from, because I barely felt it. That is what was really lacking for me. Even some words/phrases used to describe their feelings were a little banal; things that you've definitely heard before in other books. ("I think of her when I wake up and she’s the last thing on my mind before I fall asleep.")

Another quibble I had was the entire question about wealth and class. But it's hard to describe exactly what about it dissatisfied me. Olivia comes to this conclusion that wealth isn't necessary for happiness, but that rings a little hollow when she ends the book with a millionaire girlfriend, and she is in almost as privileged a position as she was years ago. Rings even hollower when she admits that her father's fraud has cheated people out of life-changing retirement money. Obviously, she has changed and grown a bit, learned some hard lessons about treating others equally and doing things on her own. But somehow, I still felt like we came out of this book with a veneration for wealth that left me cold, but also with useless finger-wagging about how one shouldn't need money. That bit about Olivia's father in the end was really trite. I don't know if I'm expressing myself well. It's a subject that has a lot of nuance, but its treatment in the book was one-dimensional.

Also, I was a little irritated with how unnecessarily judgemental both main characters could be. Especially Olivia, since the point of her story is that she has supposedly learnt and grown so much. I absolutely don't mind her pushing back against the rich, especially when they're disrespectful to her, but there were a couple moments where she made comments about people's plastic surgery or the way they dressed or the things they chose to drink, that were just mean and nasty. I couldn't reconcile that with the supposedly changed person that she was. There was just a bit of 'not like other girls'-adjacent stuff that was annoying.

The latter half of the book saved things for me a little. As I said before, that's when I actually started to feel like the couple had an inkling of that emotional intensity that we were being told about. I liked the relationship between Aisha and her father, that shows that love and trust and understanding can be achieved even when there are societal and cultural roadblocks. The family relationships were all sweet. And again, it was all super sexy. But I still felt like this could have been so much more.

Listened to the audiobook as read by Tessa Stavers, who has a lovely voice, and she's pretty much the only reason I got this audiobook instead of just reading this book. And it was worth it for that at least. This seemed like it was going to be a sexy novel with a lot of emotional depth, and instead it ended up being a sexy novel that was a bit shallow. I do think my review makes it sound like I didn't like this, and that's not true; I did. I'm just sad that I feel so dissatisfied.

[OceaneZw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing.

I loved rediscovering so many little details on my second read.

The writing and pacing are perfect, but the plot is easily the best part. Everything feels realistic, and the cultural references are well balanced. They’re informative without ever feeling like a textbook.

Olivia and Aisha’s chemistry is undeniable from the start. Their communication is so healthy and refreshing, and their dynamic is special. Even with a power imbalance, they always respect each other’s boundaries.

Watching them gradually open up and trust each other was heartwarming. I also really appreciated that there’s no third act breakup. It’s so satisfying to see a couple work through challenges without ever considering separation.

Overall, if you want a cute, spicy romance with a realistic rich girl/poor girl dynamic, you’ll love this book as much as I did.

[Vita L. Licari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia's life has changed drastically! Thanks to her father's arrest and loss to all the wealth. She's happy to have gotten a job as a waitress at a members only club. When one of the regulars, Aisha, starts paying attention to her.
Aisha invites her upstairs to her apartment, knowing that they both only want casual. This is so HOT, and loving, as the 2 women fight their feelings for one another, but fail. I give it definitely 5 stars, I wish I could give more.

[Bárbara Sousa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited about this book, but I made the mistake of listening to the audiobook instead of reading and I gotta say the narrator kind of lowkey ruined the story for me, the voice tone was so monotone and boring that it didn’t make the story feel as great as I’m sure it is had I read it instead.

[ginger · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

Look. It's a Kindle Unlimited smut book, not a Pulitzer prize winning novel, so it delivered on its promise. Not at all world changing or particularly good, but it's definitely better than other smut books I've read that are so bad I can't even finish the first chapter. Was lacking in the smut department and too much gushy romance for me personally, and there was a large amount of detail in parts that needed very little, and large parts of it were repetitive. That being said, if you're bored and need an easy sapphic romance book to read for free, this is a decent option.

[RD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. The premise is nothing new (if I’m not mistaken Anna Stone’s debut novel Being Hers had a very similar set up) but there were some surprises and I liked both MCs.

The second half wasn’t as exciting. Mostly it was things just very quickly progressing from “Not wanting a relationship” to moving in and swearing eternal love after *six months*. I wish they had more interactions before we got to that point. A mix of sexy but also mundane but nope, once they were in, they were IN.

Since this was a collab with the author’s erotica pen name I also expected more on than front. Once they go official the erotica is basically done, with a short spicy scene towards the end to try and remedy that.

All in all, it was an enjoyable read, so I’m giving it 3 stars.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a light hearted read with a decent amount of 🔥, great chemistry between the mc’s and no third act break up. I can definitely recommend this book!

[m4r.iex · Rating 5 out of 5]

highlight!!

[bookster · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kinda boring

The characters were sweet and kind, and their sex scenes were very hot (albeit, too short in my opinion).
Other than that, their romance was quite boring. I really think the authors should've incorporated some angst. It would've been perfect for these characters and their background. Without it, they were too bland.
In addition, I kinda disliked most of the side characters. I felt most of them didn't quite add much to the story.

[Peppa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really into the first half of this book. The setup pulled me in!! Two women, both convinced they're not the type for relationships, slowly getting tangled up in each other in all the best ways. The chemistry was on point, and the way kink was introduced early on had me excited to see where it would go.

But somewhere past the halfway mark, things started to fizzle a bit for me. The emotional growth stayed strong, but the spice kind of faded, and the kink that was so promising in the beginning never really got the follow-through I was hoping for. I expected more heat and exploration between them, but the focus shifted more to the getting together part and that was it.

There were also parts that didn’t fully land, like the whole “money doesn’t buy happiness” message, which felt kind of preachy considering the ultra-lux setting. And the way Olivia’s father’s mess was brushed over with a fancy lawyer and short sentence? Yeah, that was a bit too neat for me.

Still, there were some really sweet, real moments, especially anything involving Aisha’s family or the baby storyline and I genuinely liked both leads. It just wasn’t as smooth or satisfying all the way through as I’d hoped. A solid read with some emotional depth and fun moments, but I definitely wanted more from the kink side and a bit more consistency overall!!

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet romance

Beautiful romance between a reserved business owner and a waitress who has an unusual background. Their worlds should be comparable but due to Olivia's Dad's actions, her circumstances have shifted dramatically and she is building a new life. Both characters are deep and intriguing.
The few sex scenes, Taylor's speciality, are spot on and beautifully erotic but the rest of the relationship is poignant and deep for the two women who both discover themselves through it.

So beautiful, I didn't want it to end.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

really good

When I read the blurb for this book I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy it, but I’m happy to say I loved it. The two main characters seem total opposites at first. The more you read you realise they actually aren’t as different as you thought. Being each end of the wealth scale means nothing. I loved that Olivia was determined to make it on her own and refused help from Aisha. Yes it would have made her life easier but that need to prove herself was a huge point in the book.
I only have one negative about this…it wasn’t long enough! I needed more…hopefully we get a second book or added extra at some point in the future.

[Chase · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 43% this felt like it was written by a straight man

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting over can be scary and rewarding…

4.5⭐️ Whew! This was quite the book! Well written. The spice was spicing. The flow was well paced. Nice growth for both MC’s. There are some light d/s, rich girl/poor girl, finding balance in life and love. Recommend!!

[Venuss · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.50📸

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable

I liked this book, but not as much as Gold's other ones. It just didn't click for me. The MCs were well developed and engaging, and the sex scenes were well written and hot, but I just had a hard time getting into this one. Overall, an average book.

[jaylin · Rating 2 out of 5]

wondering if i should stop reading this 18 pages in…. i’m hoping the writing gets better as it goes on. some people might really enjoy this kind of writing, but i think it’s just not for me :(

update: page 119 and this book still hasn’t grabbed my attention. i’d say the story is predictable, but there really isn’t much to predict. i knew going into it that this would be mostly smut but i still expected some kind of interesting plot.

i also didn’t really feel the sexual tension that it seemed the authors were trying to portray between the two characters, so if you’re someone who just wants something simple and smutty, then you’d probably enjoy this book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story with lovely main characters!

[María · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

Me gustó bastante, es cute pero bastante hot. Me gustaron ambos personajes, son muy lindas y me gustó mucho su relación.

[Tammy Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goid book

This is an emotional book. The authors have taken a rich person and now she has nothing but some material things from her former life. No friends because she has no money or status. Olivia is trying to survive in a ordinary normal day life as a waitress. Aisha is living a double life, one she is out and the other is she has to hide for her father and family. As the two come together one still wants independence and the other is starting to understand a relationship is important. A beautiful written and you can feel the love between the two characters and how each one adjust to their new feelings.

[Elia Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super sweet book with growth for both the characters and their families. I enjoyed the mutual respect for the lovers through different periods of their lives and how they meshed together perfectly in the end.

[tenthmuse ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

it’s very good!! really liked their relationship and the respect they had for each other (felt a little long tho)

[Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love over everything.

This was a great read. I want more of these characters. I have no problem recommending this book to my peers.

[Rey Hawke · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Katrina Gilles · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, I did not have high expectations based on the cover, but it actually had a decent story line and some cute moments. I liked it. It was 🌶🌶 though, especially in the beginning, just a warning.

[Selva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Esta historia es super plana, básicamente no tiene nudo
Lo que si estaba bueno es que Aisha era del medio oriente, sabemos lo que eso significa (guiño guiño)
Y al principio Olivia quería aprender a autoabastecerse