January

Calendar Girl #1

by Audrey Carlan

It’s really simple. I needed money. A lot of money. One million dollars to be exact. The amount didn’t matter. All that mattered is that at the end of that price tag held my father’s life.

No money. No life.

The time limit was one year. On January 1st I had to pay up or my Father was going to be killed.
When you’re faced with an ultimatum like this, you do whatever you have to do.

And that’s exactly what I did.

The job…Exquisite Escorts. My role, serve as high priced arm candy to anyone that can afford the $100,000 price tag for a month of my company. Sex is optional (for me) and a 20% increase on the price.

***
Mia Saunders just barely escaped a paltry life back home in Las Vegas until she gets the call that her Father has been beaten to within an inch of his life for not paying his gambling debt. Problem is, the lone shark is her lousy, ruthless ex-boyfriend. Another guy in a long line of men she’d fallen head over heels for. Not anymore. Mia’s mission is simple. Serve as a high-priced escort for her Aunt’s company and pay monthly against her Father’s bad debt. A month with a rich man who she doesn’t have to sleep with if she doesn’t want to? Easy money. At least that’s the way it was supposed to go.

Each installment in the Calendar Girl Serial will release every month throughout 2015. The stories will feature Mia, told from her perspective as she continues her journey as an escort to twelve clients in twelve different locations.

This book is designed for audiences 18+ due to language and graphic sexual content.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Erotica, New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Fiction

136 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 2, 2015

About the author

Audrey Carlan is a No. 1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author. She writes stories that help the reader find themselves while falling in love. Some of her works include the worldwide phenomenon Calendar Girl serial, Trinity series and the International Guy series. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages across the globe.
She lives in the California Valley, where she enjoys her two children and the love of her life. When she’s not writing, you can find her teaching yoga, sipping wine with her “soul sisters,” or with her nose stuck in a sexy romance novel.
If you would to hang out and learn more about my books, find me here:
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The Keeper of Gods - https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/s...
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AudreyCarlan
FB Reader Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/Audre...
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BookBub - http://bit.ly/AudreyCarlanBOOKBUB
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Reviews

[Maggie Mcgary · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never actually write reviews either here or on Amazon, but I am so baffled by this book's popularity and great ratings that I can't not weigh in. Well written? Hot? Fun? Amazing? Positive? The main thing this book made me feel was sad. Sad that prostitution is being celebrated as a great, positive career for a strong woman. That a woman being rented out monthly is being presented--and embraced--as a fun, hot thing. That you can't find a bad word written about these books anywhere online--just that they're so fun and hot and well-written and great, despite the fact that this book was anything but any of those things. I'll leave it at that...but suffice it to say I won't be reading the rest of the series.

[May R · Rating 4 out of 5]

UNA NOVELA FRESCA Y QUE APORTA ALGO NUEVO AL NEW ADULT

Calendar girl 1 es la primer parte de una trilogía que tiene una idea general muy original. Es una novela que empieza fuerte, que engancha y atrapa todo el tiempo y que deja con ganas de más. Me ha gustado mucho todo su planteamiento y creo que puede gustar al público de la literatura New Adult.
Como digo, es una novela muy original. El tema de las “escort” no está tocado en literatura New Adult y además tiene muchos ingredientes que la hacen incluso más original y diferente. El tema “escort” puede ser polémico, pero queda bien definido en la novela y se ve que no se fuerza a las chicas a acosarse con nadie, sino que es una decisión que ellas toman y que no es condición obligatoria realmente para realizar su labor. Por lo que, en resumen, está tratado de manera sana y es muy original.
Otra cosa que hace a la novela original y diferente, y que a su vez creo que rompe estereotipos y que creo que hay que darle cabida es el tema del sexo sin amor y del amor no romántico. La protagonista se enamora de su primer cliente, Wes y sigue enamorada de él toda la novela. Y sin embargo, mantiene relaciones sexuales con Alec, su segundo cliente, sin remordimientos y defendiendo que tiene derecho a hacerlo. Me parece genial que se rompa con ese mito de la literatura erótica de la exclusividad, creo que es genial. Se naturaliza totalmente y se defiende que ella tiene derecho a acostarse con quien sea aunque esté enamorada de Wes y éste de ella. Y me parece genial que se empiece a hablar de estos temas tan normales y tan poco tratados e idealizados en la literatura erótica y New Adult.
Por otro lado, la historia se divide en tres partes claras: enero, febrero y marzo. Los tres meses en los que discurre la misma. Me ha gustado que estuviera bien marcada esa división y que cada mes sea como un relato diferente dentro de la misma historia. Mia va de persona en persona y nos cuenta 3 vidas diferentes en esos capítulos. Eso hace que la trama no decaiga, puesto que si una ya se está haciendo aburrida, sabes que va a cambiar en cualquier momento al siguiente mes.
Los personajes están muy bien construidos. Mia es un personaje redondo, con una profundidad muy buena y que está construida sobre el dilema que le supone el salvar a su padre. Alec es otro personaje muy curioso, redondo, con sus aires diferentes y originales. Wes es probablemente el personaje más tópico, y aún así se desmarca de varios tópicos y se hace querer. Y por supuesto el drama de Tony y Hector es todo un giro de trama, puesto que esperamos que Mia conozca a otro buenorro y que se lo tire; por lo que le da otro aire a la historia y un lavado de cara.
En resumen, Calendar girl 1 es un muy buen comienzo de trilogía. Tiene muchísimos ingredientes para triunfar, atrapa muchísimo, deja con ganas de saber más y tiene unos personajes muy interesantes. Es un lavado de cara y aire fresco para la literatura New Adult.

[Page · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just can't get over the stupidity that kickstarts this book.

What kind of a loan shark demands a million dollars from someone he knows doesn't have money?!?! Look, I get him physically hurting the dad for not paying him back. That's between them. Although, really, if a loan shark wants his money back, beating someone to an inch of death pretty much guarantees that person is not going to be able to earn anything - and thus pay off the debt - anytime soon. But to then threaten to kill the dad's children if they don't give him a million dollars - when he's dated the daughter and knows she's broke?! How the #$(& is that any kind of sustainable business strategy, even for a loan shark?

And why the #^$(& didn't the title character, like, GO TO THE POLICE when her father is beaten and her life is threatened?!?! Especially when she knows who is behind it?! I know she's presented as having barely gone to community college, but anyone who has ever watched more than, say, four hours of television (because it's guaranteed at least two of those hours will be Law and Order re-runs) knows that extortion and putting someone in the hospital and murder are all kinds of felonies.

Is this supposed to make us like the heroine: "Oh, look, she's still a nice girl. She doesn't REALLY want to be an escort, she's coerced into it." But she doesn't really seem to struggle with her new career, morally or otherwise (which is fine. Hey, if I could earn a million dollars in a year by being an escort, SIGN ME UP. Really, what is so "edgy" about being an escort - especially if sex is only on your terms? I mean, being a contestant on The Bachelor feels far more skeevy to me - and there's no million dollars waiting at the end).

So there's no real conflict, the external goal - get the million dollars to pay off the moron loan shark - is ri-donk-ulous, and I've read this set up what feels like a gazillion times before. I'm so tired of badly written novels that all sound alike featuring the same cookie cutter "Oh, I'm so spunky and sassy but down on my luck yet so absolutely gorgeous that men see my picture and PAY to have little ol' me decorate their arm" heroine. Didn't I read this in Break, and The Arrangement? Or is my superpower the ability to pick up books with this trope - and can I exchange that superpower for one less stinky and more useful, like maybe the ability to instantly clean the cat's litter box?

Speaking of The Arrangement, the author seems to have gone to the H.M. Ward School of How Not To Write Speech Tags. There's an editor credited at the back of the novella. I'd want my money back.

And then there's the hero. Who can't seem to stop covering his mouth with his hand when he's trying not to laugh, like a tittering school girl. Sorry, not sexy. Oh, and his MOTHER picks out his escort for him. See, Wes is a screenwriter, which in this fantasy version of Hollywood makes him uber-powerful (oh, that's just so sweet. But so not real life). And Wes, for some inexplicable reason, needs his MOM to hire him an escort so he can avoid all those nasty golddigger whores that infect Los Angeles. And his MOM brags about hiring Mia! Really, really not sexy.

Serious sidenote: can we talk about the inherent misogyny in this novella? Nearly every female in this book not related to Wes or Mia - aside from the housekeeper, who Mia calls "Mary Poppins" but is described to look like Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast - is a shallow, catty, plastic bitch with no other purpose in life but to snare some clueless rich sugar daddy. And while I'm sure there are evil shallow catty plastic bitches out there who have no other purpose in life but to snare clueless rich sugar daddies, they do not exist to the extent they do in this book. Not even in L.A. Honest. (And can we lay off this sexist stereotype of Los Angeles?! It's a metropolis of over 18 million people, one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in the world. It has two world class research universities that rank in the top 25 of US schools, is home to thriving tech, finance and hospitality industries, is the largest manufacturing center in the US and has one of the country's busiest ports. Do some research and stop being so insultingly LAZY, authors).

Wes takes Mia to an important Hollywood networking party where she is surrounded by these women. Mia proudly announces she stopped twenty-four gold diggers from hitting on her employer, because those are the only other females at the party. The author doesn't ONCE stop to consider that perhaps women might also work in Hollywood. That women might go to parties to network. That women might be screenwriters and producers and directors looking to make connections, and not just between their legs. The misogyny in this book REEKS, and that's without Mia and her best friend calling each other "skank" and "ho." Like, maybe it's fashionable to call your best friend by gendered insults, but if you are trying to set up your heroine as ballsy and independent and strong, maybe lay off the sexism?

Maybe it's a silly thing to complain about, but these books are supposedly flying into readers' hands right now and I'm just...sad...that young women might read these and buy into how women are portrayed as real life. Sad and disheartened.

The book is laughable in its details. Things Google could have easily told the author are wrong. Wes supposedly writes blockbuster franchise films, so the director is going to let him direct the love scenes. Yeah, not if the Directors Guild of America has anything to say about it (and why the $%^# would anyone want a brand new director to direct love scenes, which require careful work with the actors?! If I were the studio financing the film, I'd pull the plug upon hearing these plans).

Wes's deal is to be paid a percentage of the budget: Yeah, but NO. Wes's salary IS part of the budget. Now, he may receive a percentage of the back end to sweeten his deal, but that's a percentage of the REVENUE, not budget.

Mia is excited because she might earn an extra hundred thousand dollars to pay her sister's college tuition for the year. Her sister goes to school in Las Vegas. Which pretty much means she's at UNLV, which costs around $7000 a year for in-state residents (and since they grew up in Las Vegas, no prob). Meanwhile, not even Harvard costs $100K a year.

OK, OK, these are really stupid nitpicks (and compared to the really egregious French in the second book, which I put down, not nearly as horrible. Here's a hint: Google Translate is NOT your friend if you want your character to speak authentic French. Something tells me an actual Frenchman would know the difference between tu and vous, and ma and mon). I know what you want to know: is the book SCORCHING HAWT?!

Well... *hold out hand, waggles it from side to side* Mia has a very annoying tendency to refer to her "O-trigger," even though at other times she seems conversant with the actual names for parts of her anatomy. There's the requisite insta-lust, of course, and Wes makes promises about what he's going to do to her from practically the first minute they meet, which for an escort who isn't required to have sex is rather...skeevy, depending on your tolerance for these things. Mia holds off until she starts to compare herself to golddiggers and feels rather sad and gross about using her looks for money - so of course she alleviates her bad feelings by hopping into bed with the guy paying her.

But, y'know, if you're just skimming for sexytimes, I've read worse. *shrug*

NFM (not for me). And not for anyone who has a healthy respect for literacy. And especially not for self-respecting women.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 Stars

I absolutely love serials. I love to complain about how they are taking too long on the next installment, but I refuse to give up the high I get from reading tiny pieces of a story at a time. I know I am crazy, but this love is legit.

I was pleasantly surprised with this first installment, mainly because the way the story is told it feels more like a complete story.

Mia Saunders is kind of a mess when it comes to love. I could tell very quickly that Mia is the type of girl who is in love with the idea of love. That is until true love screws her one too many times, now she is just ready to give up on the idea all together.



Now due to her father’s gambling debt Mia isn’t in a position to find love. Her father was beaten and left for dead as a threat to them, pay the million dollars or next time he will die. Mia and her family don’t have that kind of money, so she is left with one option: turn to her aunt’s escort service business.

Mia decides to take the plunge, she will be contracted as an escort for a month’s time. During that month she will stay with that one client, conform to his desires and be his every fantasy. At the end of the year Mia should have enough money to pay her father’s debt.

I loved this first client, Wes. I will be honest I am a little worried about what's to come. I liked Wes so much so I was ready to plan their wedding for them, but despite their chemistry in and out of the bedroom Mia still has to leave at the end of January.



I am pretty excited to see how things continue with this serial. So far I am really enjoying it. I like how the installments are longer and while this one really just setup the story I think there is a lot of potential for how the series may unfold. I can’t wait to continue reading and see what happens next.

Calendar Girl is a serial that will be released every month of 2015, telling the story of Mia’s life as an escort.

ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Veronica · Rating 1 out of 5]

- Possibili spoiler -
Non ho parole…
Queste pagine non possono essere nemmeno chiamate libro. Perché?
Perché non c’è una storia!

Dopo l’iniziale premessa, nella quale viene spiegato che Mia ha bisogno di soldi a causa del padre ubriacone e giocatore d’azzardo e “costringe” la ragazza a rivolgersi alla zia Millie, titolare di un’agenzia di escort, nelle restanti 100 pagine troviamo Mia e Wes (cliente del mese) che vanno a cene/feste/brunch/serate di gala, a fare surf, a fare un giro in moto e… scopano come le scimmie Bonomo (le quali fanno sesso in ogni posizione, in media ogni ORA E MEZZO e non disdegnano le orge e il sesso orale).

STOP.
Non c’è altro.

Forse nei prossimi mesi succederà qualcosa, ma non ho la minima intenzione di scoprirlo.

Quello che fa proprio acqua qui… è la protagonista!
Incommentabile ed imbarazzante!

Mia è una della serie “Predica bene ma razzola male”, anzi malissimo.
Nelle prime 10 pagine Mia si presenta e subito fa una pessima figura.
Ci spiega prestissimo quanto sia poco intelligente. Si è innamorata solo di delinquenti, traditori ed idioti.
E dice pure di aver amato questi 4 tizi.
Cara, quella si chiama attrazione e lussuria. Non è amore.

Infatti ognuno di loro, dopo aver fatto i loro comodi, ti ha mollata in 2 secondi netti.
L’ultimo poi ti ha mandato il padre in coma! Ma dai!

Comunque Mia se la racconta bene, infatti questo è solo lavoro , il sesso non ci sarà.
Ultime parole famose.

Infatti appena conosce Wes quanto dura? Vediamo un po’….
Ah sì, dopo 10 minuti sta già sbavando su quanto lui sia un super figo e la notte stessa si presenta in camera sua nuda e gliela sbatte sotto il naso. Ma "niente sesso?????"

E poi se ne esce con delle frasi…. tipo

“Rilassati Wes. Sono innamorata della tua lingua, per la miseria. Quindi ficcamela dentro e fammi venire, così potrò ricambiare il favore”

“Quando avevo notato che gli era venuto duro, mi ero affrettata a inginocchiarmi per occuparmi della cosa”

Che carina… Così altruista!

“Tecnicamente non ero una prostituta, anche se in effetti avevo avuto un rapporto sessuale con lui al nostro primo appuntamento, ma era stato perché ero arrapata, sola, e lui era sexy e mi sentivo giù.”

Sì, ma ti pagano! Quindi?

“Mi divertivo da pazzi, facevo sesso fantastico, senza il rischio che emozioni si mettessero di mezzo. Questa attività di escort era eccezionale”

E poi alla fine, assalita dai dubbi di lasciare Wes, arriva la chiamata della zia che le manda la foto del prossimo cliente e lei:

“Non avevo nemmeno lasciato Wes, e già stavo sbavando sul prossimo uomo della fila. Che puttana.”

L’hai detto tu…

“Wes, questa è una cosa che devo fare io, non solo per mio padre ma anche per me”

Certo, certo, non è perché sei solo affamata di…

State alla larga da questa roba qui!

[Geo Just Reading My Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Translation widget on the blog!!!!
O carte interesantă, ușor de citit, care nu te solicita, cu ușoare urme de umor. Mi-a plăcut foarte mult Wes, mi S-a părut un bărbat stabil, care știe ce își dorește în viața.
Mia este o fata încercată de viața, care rezista și face tot posibilul să-și rezolve problemele. Cu toate ca nu prea am fost de acord cu deciziile ei, mă întreb dacă acest an îi va fi sau nu benefic...
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....

[Gitte · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mia Saunders is struggling to make a pile of money (one million dollars to be exact) in order to pay her father's debts. If she can't, the entire family will be murdered. So Mia becomes an escort girl. In January, she helps a rich surfer dude to keep the gold diggers at bay, so he can concentrate on his work. And she has to live with him. Why exactly is still beyond me.

I have read many bad books, but this one took the prize as one of the stupidest I have ever read. The plot is thin and unrealistic, but that would be OK if the story was touching and well written. Which was not the case.

Where to start ...

Let's start with Mia. An awful smug protagonist. She repeatedly indirectly praises herself to a point where it's almost comical. For example, she goes on and on about how brilliant her best friend is, and then adds that they're very much alike. And later Mia describes how beautiful her aunt is, only to add that they are the spitting image of each other.

Mia is also very good at giving advice to the people she encounters. When she meets a woman who is sad because she misses her old job, where she worked with children, Mia suggests that she could begin working with children again - or have children herself! Amazing advice - she should become life coach! But she should probably also stop by a therapist - her father is in a coma and a gangster threatens to kill Mia and her sister, but she doesn't seem upset. On the contrary, she is quite excited about her new wardrobe and the hunky surfer dude.

The book is filled with errors. Typos and outright mistakes. For example, when surfer dude sends her a text message with information about where and when to meet, she reaches for her iPhone to get directions. No, dear Audrey Carlan, if she just read a text, she doesn't need to reach for her iPhone - it's already in her hand! And then there's the time when she shakes her head and says, "Yes, it's fine". Try to shake your head while saying 'yes'. It's very difficult to do. Whether it is the fault of the author, or an error in the Danish translation, I could not say.

On top of that, Calendar Girl is tedious. That's almost the worst part …

My blog: The Bookworm's Closet

[Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was somewhere between a 2 and 3 stars for me. The writing was basic at best. The plot predictable and lacked anything new. It's pretty woman all over again except there isn't one guy. The intrigue is how will she pay off her debt and who will she end up with. Unfortunately, there are better written books with more uniqueness for less than 2.99 for 100 pages. For what it is, it's way over priced. Maybe at 99 cents or free I would read on.

[Paulo Ratz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seriously?
Ok, mas quero continuar lendo mesmo sendo ruim.

[isidora crni biser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Baš sam se bila naoštrila da je ovo neka dobra i žestoka erotska priča,a ono...blah.
Ženski lik katastrofa, površna, jedno radi, drugo misli, treće govori. Sve je zbrzano, naivno napisano, a većina sex scena prekinuto. Konstantno potenciranje "Imam velike grudi, imam veliko dupe,sexy sam, lepa sam." Okej shvatili smo.


Nije loše, nadam se da će priča postajati bolja. Ovo je prva od 12 priča, svakako nameravam da nastavim da čitam dalje, jer me zanima sa kakvim ćemo se muškarcima sresti. Ovaj "Januarski" momak je bombončić

[Steelwhisper · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tries to sell that prostitution is just fine and sexy. The author failed to establish neutral boundaries and thus manages to support rape culture.

[Marieke | Marieke's Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mijn eerste boek van het jaar is een feit. Van deze serie lezen we elke maand een deel met BooksEverAfter en ik heb er zin in :) Dit deel vond ik in ieder geval erg vermakelijk. En het leest ook erg vlot! Ik heb het boek binnen 2 uur gelezen.

Mia vind ik een leuk personage en Wes mocht er ook zeker zijn. Ik ben wel benieuwd of deze serie 12 boeken lang hetzelfde is, misschien dat het dan saai wordt. Maar dat ga ik volgende maand merken, want dan lees ik zeker weer mee.

[Maria Lavrador · Rating 4 out of 5]

Não sou grande fã de literatura erótica mas aqui podemos mais falar de um romance picante. Personagens limpinhas, lavadinhas, com as quais quase nos podemos identificar... Vou ler os outros. Não sei se os 12 mas alguns. Como são pequenos, leem-se com facilidade. Quem gosta do género, é um livro a ler, ou para quem quer iniciar-se neste tipo de literatura

[Kristīne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Katru reizi, kad vīrietis romānā atver prezervatīva paciņu ar zobiem, tīnis manī krindžo, jo skolā mums mācīja, ka tas nav droši! I should know! I have a Kid!

Nav tas sliktākais erotiski romantiskās izklaides paraugs, bet nav arī tas labākais. Ir mazliet humors, ir arī miklās biksītes un galvenais varonis praktiski ir Hemsworths. Bet emocionālais un attiecību sižets diezgan paviršs. Staņislavskis arī neticētu šīm attiecībām, jo citējot galveno beibi, šī tiešām nav "Jaukā sieviete", un viņa nav arī Džūlija Robertsa. Lai gan Džūlija nav mana mīļākā aktrise, viņas tēlā nevar neiemīlēties. Kalendāra meitenei un viņas Hemsvortam viss kaut kā pārāk ātri un paredzami samīļojās. Šī gan ir tikai pirmā daļa, latviešu izdevumā iekļauti trīs mēneši, vēl autorei ir 200 lappuses mani pārsteigt.

Stulbi pie šī izdevuma komentēt tulkojumu, bet ja nu kādam ir plānā lasīt, mākslinieciskais redaktors ir pastrādājis gana labi, amoriskie apraksti nav pārāk tizli (latviešu valodā man tie vienmēr šķitīs kaut cik tizli), beidzot ir saprašana, ka varoņiem nav jārunā pareizā literārā valodā, un tiek pieļauti tādi vārdi kā džeks un mobilais. Pa kādam fallam gan tekstā tomēr gadās, un es tagad mēģinu atcerēties, vai angliski lasot, šī vārda lietojumu sakarsētās ainās esmu redzējusi, man šķiet, ka nē, bet varbūt kļūdos. Bija atsevišķas epizodes, kurās tulkojuma dēļ pazuda emocionālā intensitāte, jo angliski lasot, ir daži atslēgvārdi, kas vienmēr ievada noteiktas darbības, bet izvēlētie latviešu vārdi nebija pietiekami stipri.


BTW! Te beidzot ir "action" uz moča (es skatos uz tevi, Anete!)

[Ana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Huid de este libro si lo veis. La vida es muy corta para desperdiciarla con semejante despropósito.

Mia es una chica que no ha tenido suerte en el amor. Cada uno de sus novios ha sido un gilipollas y el último se lleva la palma, puesto que prestó a su padre un millón de dólares y éste lo gastó en juegos de azar. Ahora no tiene dinero para devolver el préstamo, por lo que su ex yerno le da tal paliza que lo deja en coma en el hospital y Mia hereda la deuda; debe pagarla bajo amenaza de que a ella y a su hermana les pase lo mismo que a su padre. Para ello, comienza a trabajar como escort en la agencia de su tía, debiendo pasar un mes con cada cliente acompañándoles a fiestas y diversos actos sociales, sin el compromiso de acostarse con ellos.

Lo he abandonado al 55% (y eso que es corto; así de malo es que ni haciendo un esfuerzo he podido seguir) pero tengo que desahogarme porque he leído tal cantidad de chorradas que mira, que no puedo (spoilers everywhere, ya sabéis).

Empezando por el detonante, esto ya es absurdo. ¿Qué clase de negocio es extorsionar a una persona que sabes que NO tiene dinero y que NO te va a poder pagar? Muy mal construido; una excusa cualquiera para meter a Mia en ese mundo.

La narración también deja mucho que desear. Me ha puesto de los nervios leer en cada página lo guapo, sexy, etc, que es Weston, el cliente de enero. Me enteré la primera vez, ¡no hacía falta repetirlo cuatrocientas veces más! Aparte de que desde el primer momento que lo ve, Mia ya suda por él y es capaz de distinguir todos los músculos de su cuerpo así como a kilómetros de distancia. Qué ojo de halcón...

Hablando de Mia, es imposible conectar con ella. Lo único que hace todo el tiempo es rumiar lo de la deuda, qué bueno está Wes, cómo triunfa con las mujeres, qué modelito lleva puesto, qué zapatos tan maravillosos... Mira, es que no quiero tener nada que ver con mujeres como esa, qué queréis que os diga. Le acaba de conocer ese día y ya orbita en torno a él; no porque sea su trabajo, sino porque ha perdido las bragas y no sabe dónde. Y aparte, ¿personalidad? ¿Qué es eso? Si me preguntáis cómo es Mia, no sabría qué responder. Sólo sé que quiere ser actriz y que le gusta follar. Y que es una zorra que juzga a todas las mujeres del libro, cosa que en la situación en la que ella está, no se puede permitir. Además, la misoginia latente es simplemente asquerosa. Menos Mia y una chica que le cae en gracia, todas son rubias oxigenadas, operadas hasta el dedo gordo del pie y se comportan como zorras. Me da tanto asco leer estas cosas... y más aún sabiendo que lo ha escrito una mujer.

Otra cosa que me fastidia es la contradicción tan grande que es la protagonista. El punto es que el sexo no entra en su trabajo como escort, es totalmente opcional pero si se acuesta con sus clientes, recibe un 20% más. Y lo jodido es que ella estaba muy preocupada porque no quería ser una prostituta pero en cuanto vio la foto de su primer cliente, se quitó las bragas casi al instante. ¿Contradicción? ¿Dónde? Es opcional, pero al fin y al cabo le están pagando = prostitución. ¿No? O sea, que por el primer tío buenorro que se le pone delante, tira a la basura todos sus principios.

En fin, es que no entiendo por qué parece que, por norma general, se le exige menos a la novela erótica en cuestión de calidad que al resto. Que el objetivo es llegar al tema y narrar situaciones que no encontramos en otro tipo de libros, vale, pero eso no es excusa para construir unos personajes tan planos y con un estilo tan pobre. Que parece escrito por una niña de doce años, hombre (una niña muy avispada sería). Ni tampoco para crear situaciones tan irreales y absurdas. Hay que tener un mínimo de respeto por el lector, que se deja su dinero en comprar inocentemente esta bazofia... Y por esos pobres árboles que dieron su vida en vano.

[Åsne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read something else. Life is way too short for this book.
I am ashamed to have read this.

[Beau Zee - Maton · Rating 3 out of 5]

First read: 24-07-2016/27-07-2016
First rating: four stars

Re-read: 01-01-2017/01-01-2017

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

More a 1,5*

This book is chosen by our bookclub for a year round read along (every month one book).
I'm not a fan of chicklits, and this book sounded terrible to me, but I decided to give it a fair chance, because books have surprised me before.

The story is about Mia, a girl who's father is in great debt (a million dollars). The people who he owns money, knocked him into a coma, and threatened to kill him and go after Mia and her sister if they didn't pay. To pay this debt off as fast as possible, Mia takes a job from her aunts business, as high class escort. She doesn't have to sleep with the men if she doesn't want to (though she does get extra money if she does).
At first Mia is not eager to do it, but it isn't so bad after all. On her first job she is hired by a very rich and handsome producer named Wes.

This book contains a lot of sex. Seriously a lot. Even more than in Fifty Shades of Grey.
It's not something that bothers me in books a lot, but in this book it was ALL THE TIME, and pretty harsh.
In this book Mia seems kind of shallow " Besides, have you seen the shoes i've scored? Hot as hell!" and she keeps calling her best friend ho/slut/skank/ugly.
I did like Wes though, he was really nice to her.

Even though this book is super shallow, i'm going to try to read along next month, because i'm curious if Mia will develop as a person.

[Pick a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recebi da Verus Editora a prova do livro. Obrigada!

O livro será lançado no Brasil dia 20 de junho de 2016.

3,5 " Lembre-se de mim" estrelas

Eu tô meio que num dilema comigo mesma agora a respeito da nota.  O final foi ótimo. Me senti satisfeita com a história, entretanto pra chegar aí demorou.

O começo não me cativou. Cheguei a achar o texto bobo, fraco e odiei que a autora não dava nome aos bois. Chamar as partes femininas de fenda, feixe... Sério? Pelamor!!!! É um livro erótico, torne a escrita sexy e não que faça eu revirar ou olhos (no sentido ruim).

Sério eu quis largar o livro no começo, mas, também, quis saber o motivo de tanto sucesso em cima desse livro lá fora. Então, continuei. E, para minha surpresa - Graças a Deus!!! -  os 50% finais deu uma melhorada gigantesca! Chegando ao meu dilema. Pra mim, o começo merece... hum... 3 estrelas. E o final 4. Tão tá bom... vai ser 3,5.

Mia é um garota com seus 25 anos que  precisa enfrentar um trabalho "doloroso" para pagar uma dívida de seu pai. Ela precisa reunir mais de um milhão e por isso decide aceitar uma proposta de se tornar uma acompanhante de luxo. 100 mil pra ficar um mês com cada cara. E é ai que ela se torna A garota do calendário.

Wes, é o seu primeiro. Seu janeiro. Um roteirista de cinema de sucesso, lindo, descontraído e que precisa de uma pessoa que o ajude a afastar as "piriguetes" para que ele possa se preparar e reunir com as pessoas importantes do mundo do cinema para seu próximo lançamento. E é aí que Mia entra. Sexo não faz parte do contrato, mas não tem como resistir a Wes.

Como dito antes, no começo achei o texto piegas. Odiei o tique dele de toda vez que fosse rir tinha que colocar a mão na boca. Isso me irritou muito. Mas,  a medida que ia passando as páginas, ia esquecendo essas irritações e o Wes aventureiro, divertido e gostoso, sem eu perceber,  acabou me conquistando.

A interação dos personagens ficou muito boa. E as cenas de sexo, então? Quentes, quentes, quentes. Isso não dá pra negar. ( Claro, tive que mandar meu cérebro esquecer as "fendas" pra poder curtir essas partes).

Eu não sei dizer o que mudou. Talvez o carinho dos dois um pelo outro aumentando, o fato do mês estar acabando e o tempo dos dois também, foi me trazendo mais pra dentro da história, tanto que quase perto do final eu não queria mais que tivesse outros livros, que tivesse outros meses,  queria que a história do Wes e Mia fosse pra frente.

Será que todo mês vai ser assim? Eu vou gostar do cara é ficar triste - junto com a Mia - por ter que deixá-lo? Será que ela vai ter um final feliz com algum deles? E só o fato de estar curiosa com isso me faz querer ler a série toda.

A história é simples, apesar da sinopse fazer parecer que é pesada. O livro não foca tanto no terror, no medo da Mia dos agiotas ( tem sim, mas não é o foco) e fica mais na história do casal.

O que mais curti, de verdade,  foi que a Mia é uma pessoa normal. Não é magrela. É curvilínea. E saiu do estereótipo da beleza padrão. Ela se veste impecavelmente com o Wes, mas ela é uma mulher de camisetas de banda, coturno, jaqueta de couro e moto.

A Mia é forte e dona do seu nariz. E tudo o que ela faz ou deixa de fazer é sua escolha. Em tempos de debates sobre mulheres fortes, curti que o livro deixa isso claro.

A garota do calendário é um romance erótico curtinho, tem menos que 140 páginas e, no geral, diverte. Recomendo pra quem gosta de livros deste estilo

Meu telefone emitiu um sinal sonoro no bolso de trás. Eu tinha recebido uma mensagem de texto. As pessoas estavam se acomodando antes da decolagem, então pude ler a mensagem de Wes. (...).

- (...) quero te desejar boa viagem. (...) Te ligo em breve. Lembre-se de mim.

--------------------------------------
* Pick a Book
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[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

Money can make people do things they never dreamed of... and that’s the premise of the first book in Audrey Carlan’s Calendar Girl series, January. It’s an interesting one, because I am so used to the neat, HEA that so many romance novels offer. And I gotta say, Ms. Carlan NAILED it.

Mia Saunders is in desperate need of money. Not just a little bit. A whole damn lot. And if she doesn’t get it, her Dad will pay the ultimate price. With no other option, Mia turns to her Aunt Millie and her high priced, escort service.

Sex is optional and comes with a bump in pay. With one year to make $1,000,000 and pay off the debt, Mia has choices to make. And when she meets her first client, Wes... Well, January has the potential to be one hell of a month.

This was a KILLER start to Ms. Carlan’s monthly series – it launched Mia’s story with fireworks, sizzle, sex (oh my, the sex) and off-the-charts chemistry. January explained Mia’s predicament, it opened the door for a year’s worth of stories – so many options, so much potential – and it gave me strong, sassy, lovable Mia, and kind, handsome, rich and oh-so-fine Wes.

I am utterly intrigued at how this story will progress each month, because Mia and Wes together were the kind of couple you root for, that you want need to get their happily ever after, and yet... it’s only just beginning. Argh! If this book had been a bit longer, January would have been an excellent full-length standalone book. Instead, it’s a kick butt start to a serial and I, for one, am thrilled to be getting one a month from one of my favorite authors.

So, is it February yet?

~ Beth, 5 stars

[Anete · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mia Saunders ir diezgan vieglprātīga 24 gadus veca dāma, kurai mīlas dzīvē diezgan neveicās. Pēdējais viņas vīrietis izrādās ne vien baigais maita, bet arī nelegālais augļotājs, kuram Mias tēvs ir pārādā ne vairāk, ne mazāk, kā miljonu, ko, protams, nevar atdot. Tēvs tiek smagi piekauts, un nauda tiek pieprastīta no viņa abām meitām, Tā nu Mia uzsāk gaitas eskorta biznesā, kas ļoti parocīgi pieder viņas tantei.
Sāku lasīt, jo Kristīne solīja action uz moča! Ziņoju - action uz moča bija, jo Mia ir melnmaitaina skaistule uz Suzuki GSXR600, un tad jau nekas cits neatliek.. Bet jāsaka godīgi, pat šī aina šķita visai antiklimātiska... Nu nav jau nekvalitatīvi uzrakstīts teksts, bet kaut kā garlaicīgi. Ja tāds ir janvāris, tad nevaru iedomāties lasīt vēl 1100 lpp par atlikušo gadu.

[trestitia ⵊⵊⵊ deamorski · Rating 2 out of 5]

kızın başka erkeklerle yatacağını ve 12. kitapla istediği şeyi elde edeceğini farkettim, resmen ucuzluyor seri. Gerçi şöyle bi bakınca işlerin 10. kitabında değişip 12.de aradığımızı bulacağımızı görebiliyorsunuz DA NE GEREK VAR. böyle bi erkek ziyan edilmiş. Mükemmel bir aşık, olağanüstü bi centilmen ama bu da gavat (gavatın kibar bi tabiri var mı ya üf kendimi varoş gibi hissediyorum). Göndermiyorum ulan desene!
Yani en azından ikinci kitap atıyorum başlasaydı ya Wes'in kızın peşine düştüğü sahneden itibaren fln fln.

Libidolar için yazılmış bir seri, genelde itirazım yok da, sevmiyorum ben bu ortada bir söz dahi olmasa da 'sharing' mevzusunu. Polygamy'e bile alışamadım.

Ayrıca short story anladım da, kesmemesi gereken yerlerde kesilmiş bence bazen. Romantizm öldüren. Hayır zaten short erotic story'sin bari yaz da okuyalım...

Direk 12'ye atlar, seriyi de geceleri iki çift aşk sözcüğü duymak için okurum belki. Muhtemel. Büyük olasılıkla. Kesinkes.

[İlkim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Her ay başka bir adamla geçirilecek maceralarmış, malesef benlik değil. Ruhum romantik o yüzden seriyi burada bırakıyorum.

[Audrey Carlan]

I hope you'll take Mia's journey alongside me this year as she finds herself, saves her Dad, and figures out what true love really is. Ms. Mia is a character unlike any that I've written. She's very real, snarky, casual and just a bit kick-ass. I'd have to say she's the type of girl you want to either be, or be best friends with.

Each installment of the Calendar Girl Serial will be released one a month. The books will be between 75 and 150 pages and will each be set at a whopping 99 cents. I want this serial to be affordable to the reader and something you can go back to a year from now, start from the beginning and enjoy the ride all over again with a fresh perspective.

As with all my books, they are erotic and aim to please...the reader!

My greatest hope when you read Mia's sojourn through this year is that you feel something. For her, for the guy, for yourself.

Namsate friends.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oke. Dit is zo'n boek waarbij ik baal dat ik de achterkant niet had gelezen. Ik zat even in shock toen ik door had wat voor boek dit was; een erotisch boek dus.

Deel 1 van een serie van 12. Voor elke maand 1.
Dit is de eerste maand dat Mia gaat werken als escorte, om snel geld te kunnen verdienen. In deze eerste maand beland ze bij Wes, een interessante, knappe scenarioschrijver. Een maand lang moet ze doen wat hij van haar verlangt.

Ik ben niet zo van die verhalen waar een vrouw minderwaardig is aan de man. Dat was dan ook gelijk een domper in dit boek. Op zich vond ik het verhaal zelf wel interessant en ik ben ook wel benieuwd hoe Mia volgende maand gaat overleven, maar ik ben niet zo weg van het erotische aspect in dit boek. Jeetje wat een heftig taalgebruik. Geen boek om in het openbaar te lezen, tenzij je je rode wangen van plaatsvervangende schaamte anders kunt verklaren.

[Océano de libros · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mia Saunders tiene que pagar las deudas de juego de su padre si quiere que su familia respire tranquila; necesita mucho dinero es por ello que trabajará durante un año como escort. Cada mes trabajará para un cliente en concreto que la llevará a distintas situaciones y lugares.
Por donde empiezo…sí, quería evitar esta serie pero me regalaron la primera novela y al final me pudo más la pesadez o vagancia de ir a cambiarlo y pues nada, aquí estamos.
Yo ya tenía la mosca detrás de la oreja por ese ensalzamiento y potente marketing que me recordaba a esa famosa trilogía de BDSM (de la que di cuenta y en la que caí como una mosca) y también por todos esos comentarios superpositivos de la gente y es que terminado el primer libro no llego a entenderlo.
El mundo se va a la mierda. No puedo creerme que a la gente le encante/fascine este libro donde se denigra totalmente a la mujer con el personaje de Mia (mira, me salió la vena feminista que creía no tener). Donde se celebra o ensalza el tema de la prostitución como algo de lo más normal. Porque aunque se recalque que una escort no es una prostituta creo que se cuentan con los dedos de las manos las que no ofrecen su cuerpo a cambio de dinero y eso señores se llama prostitución.
¿Es que la mujer solo sirve para el sexo?, ¿a eso se reduce todo? A mí no me gusta, me parece que es denigrar todavía a la mujer mucho más y esa obligación supuesta de la protagonista, ese acto que no quiere realizar parece que al final le encanta. Tiene la posibilidad de dejarlo y no lo hace.
Lo que me da más pena es que una mujer escriba esto y que todo sea de lo más normal y “divertido”, parece que las mujeres no podemos conseguir cosas si no nos rebajamos a ese nivel. Porque no por ejemplo la protagonista puede ser una joven que se embarque en una competición de póker para conseguir esos millones de dólares. No, es mejor que sea tonta, con pocas luces y que se abra de piernas con todo el que se le pase por delante. Así amigos tenemos para rato escenas de sexo. De verdad que poca imaginación y originalidad, así es como me he cansado de estos libros romántico – eróticos sin sustancia que siempre nos cuentan lo mismo.
Al comenzar a leer no me inspiraba ni la historia ni la protagonista, llegó un momento que incluso hasta me engañó, pensé “bueno, quizá la chica tiene su carácter, la historia puede ser buena…” pues fue dar comienzo a su primer trabajo y se me vino el mundo encima, una catástrofe de dimensiones épicas.



La protagonista es para echarle de comer aparte, es como una choni, tiene poco cerebro y es bastante (como dirían nuestro abuelos) ligerita de cascos, a estas alturas yo la catalogaría como ninfómana (eso que ella no quería, se vio obligada jajaja).


Una cosa es la liberación sexual de las mujeres pero lo de esta chica no es normal y menos si proclama un enamoramiento por cierto personaje y que ella recalca constantemente que no vende su cuerpo.
A la primera de cambio la chica pierde las bragas por todos (yo creo que ve una fregona con patas y se lanza) y cada uno de esos hombretones que no pueden ser sino hombres ricos e inteligentes y además con una belleza que deslumbra. Nooo a la chica no le ponen a un vejete que babee, tenga una barriga enorme, le apeste el aliento y que tenga “un miembro” poco destacable; todo aquí es muy de color de rosa, así cualquiera ¿no? JA.

Sobre los personajes…
Mia se presentaba como una chica que da caña, algo mal hablada, motera (a ver, si no es capaz de mantener el equilibrio sobre unos tacones no la veo yo en una moto de gran cilindrada, vaaamos a otro con ese cuento) que es muy decidida.



Yo la he visto como una chica poco inteligente y sobre todo una chica fácil (una cosa es ser liberal y otra…) porque es que se entrega sin siquiera conocerlos, a los dos minutos ya ella está en faena. Parfavar jajaja.


Después esta chica quiere ser actriz y le dice a uno de sus trabajos que no puede desnudarse ¿¿?? WTF!!!



Wes Channing. Bueno aquí la autora le quiso dar un toque juvenil y luminoso con esa faceta de surfero y moviéndonos ahora en el mundillo del cine pues Wes es guionista. Me da pena por el chico porque le miente descaradamente (ya sabréis a que me refiero).




Lo que me revienta es que todos y cada uno de los personajes quede encandilado con esta chica que la verdad no tiene nada de especial, bueno, que es algo malhablada. Así tenemos también a Alec Dobois, un pintor francés que vuelve a deslumbrar a la prota sobre todo con su equipamiento viril, digo, con su arte y su cámara ;) ella será su musa, no podía ser de otra manera.



Lo único positivo y bueno de esta serie es la fecha de su publicación, en unos pocos meses tendremos la serie al completo, ya quisiera yo que con otras trilogías y series (de mayor calidad) fueran así y no nos dejaran en la estacada.


Definitivamente no seguiré comprando la serie, no vale lo que cuesta, si me la prestan lo leeré nada más que para ponerla de vuelta y media (o no, ya veremos cómo se presenta), jajaja porque la conclusión de la serie será más predecible que el fin de una película porno.




Al final de todo hasta le coges simpatía a esa rubia atrapada en un cuerpo de morena (no se mosqueen las rubias que todas no son tontas) porque a la pobre se le van los ojos con tanto pibón, y es normal; así que no busquéis una historia romántica al uso porque ésta no lo es, pero tampoco busquéis la gran obra de la literatura de todos los tiempos.



Bueno ya lo dejo que le he dado mucha caña a la chiquilla, jajaja.

[Janey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well this is an interesting premise.

Mia Saunders needs a million dollars to save her father from his gambling debt. With him currently in a coma, she climbs under the wing of her Aunt Millie, who just happens to run the exclusive Exquisite Escorts agency. Offering her the next year, enjoying a months stint with a new guy, sounds almost doable.

Here we meet Mia and her insecurities, and the delectable Weston Charles Channing the third, who turns out to be completely divine.

Its an easy read, albeit predictable with plenty of added cheese. There was a little development needed, I feel, following me coming across comments like ”a good rogering” and ”all kinds of water godish'

But my main comment has been saved for last….For a long time, I have a very guilty secret passion for Around the World in 80 Men, where I have read 27 out of the 39 books currently issued. This follows a feisty young escort around the globe, who tends to each man’s needs within a different country. She has spunk by the barrel load, she has her favourites, and her story is infuriatingly addictive. And because of that, I can’t help thinking that this offering doesn’t quite reach the mark of my secret Morgan.

Because of my experience of Morgan & her travels since early 2013, I sort of can’t help the comparison..

[Tuba Özkat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Herkesin severek okuyup yüksek puanlar verdiğini görünce ayrı bir hevesle almıştım kitapları... Aslında bizde çıkmadan önce İngilizce olarak indirmiştim, ama okumamıştım. Çıkınca alayım dedim, ikisini birden aldım.

Aslında konu olarak farklı ve hoş bir kitap. Karakterler de fena değiller ama kitap kısa olduğu için süre olayı biraz bende inandırıcılığını kaybetti. Yani hiç kimseyi istemeyen, ilişki yaşamak istemeyen adam o kadar kısa süre içinde nasıl?...... Yani ne bileyim bu tür konular kısa anlatıldığında bende hiçbir inandırıcılığı kalmıyor, o zaman da zevk alamıyorum.

Ya tamam... erotik mi, ok... Ama bu kadar da olmaz. Kitap 136 sayfa, seksekseksekskeskeks olmayan kısım yok.

Bir de penis demek bana çok anatomik geliyor, anatomi dersi gibi. Bir adamın öyle kendinden geçmiş, beyindeki bütün kan güneye gitmişken "penisim şöyle, penisim böyle" diyeceğini sanmıyorum. Çevirmekten korkmayın, onları çevrildiği şekilde bırakmaktan korkmayın editör arkadaşlar... Millet cock,dick yazıyor, bizim... penis. Penis ne amk? O ateşli anlarda adamın bile öyle dediğini okuyorum gülme geliyor :D Tabii bir de "alet" olayımız var, sormayın gitsin...

[Adriana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

I've read countless romance/chicklit books, so it's not like don't like cheesy romance novels. I even expect a certain level of cheesiness.

But this book did not deliver. I found the premise of her father being in the hospital and her having to find a million dollar within a year not really plausible. And she doesn't even seem nervous about it!

Lack of depth and story whatsoever. You don't really get attached to Mia's character either. Some hot scenes here and there, but I've seen better.

Very disapointing!

[Elke · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ik geef niet snel een boek 1 ster. Helaas kan ik voor deze niet meer geven. Ik miste enige vorm van diepgang. Nou wil ik niet zeggen dat ik de meest literaire boeken lees, maar iets meer mag je toch wel van een boek verwachten. De schrijfster dacht waarschijnlijk 'sex sells'. Die vlieger gaat echter niet altijd op. Erg jammer, want had deze reeks graag met Books Ever After gelezen.