What do you think?
Rate this book
Sunshine: The Diary of a Lap Dancer
Meet Sunshine. That's her stage name. Follow her downstairs into the shadowy underworld of the so-called Gentlemen's Clubs, where men hide in dark corners and pay gorgeous women like Sunshine to take their clothes off. Follow her to the private rooms where the lap dances happen, the hustle plays out and the real money flows. Sit with her in the back room with the other dancers, her friends and colleagues, who laugh and cry and rake in the dollars and party as though a zombie apocalypse is on the horizon.
Sunshine tells us in her own brutally honest and audacious words what it's like to work as a stripper, both in Australia and overseas. Coming to TV in 2021!
Sunshine tells us in her own brutally honest and audacious words what it's like to work as a stripper, both in Australia and overseas. Coming to TV in 2021!
320 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2020
4 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 11, 2023
Review When is a sex worker not a sex worker? When is a memoir fiction? The author writes, "I just don’t want to do sex work. Strippers generally make more money than sex workers, and meaningless sex with strangers goes against my personal values. I haven’t indulged in many one-night stands; I’m not prudish, I just prefer to have a connection with an individual before the big event. It’s probably my one value that could be deemed old-fashioned, and it was fostered by my parents.
To me, you choose to be either a stripper or a sex worker, and there’s no grey area. If you perform any kind of sexual act with a man for money, you’re no longer an exotic dancer because you have crossed that line."
"Sunshine" as her stripper name is, has worked in clubs where men are allowed to touch the women's bodies, all except their 'pink bits'. She says she doesn't like working in those clubs but the money is so great. But she doesn't count this as sex work. She also had at least one girl-on-girl for money, but again this doesn't count as work. What she mainly does, is a bit of pole work although she says the men haven't come to watch the gymnastics and that it is the lap dances that bring the money in. It isn't really dancing though,
The first chapter was very off-putting. How to screw as much money as possible out of the customers at the strip clubs she worked in, all the different ways including wearing expensive undies but selling very cheap used g-strings to the customers for $50, $100 or more. She kept her earnings in her perspex shoes which had a slot for money in them. Eventually a customer, a scam artist, declares she has stolen money from him and seeing 2 $100 bills in her shoes, tells the manager that was the amount. The manager says she is guilty, pay the customer back his money and be thankful we didn't call the police.
The managers, always two, wherever she works, are equally intent on getting as much as possible off the girls who have to pay a fee to work in the club or a percentage of their earnings which makes the girls self-employed, but it is the managers who call the shots, make the rotas etc. A customer asked a manager why he looked bored with so many naked women around him. The managers said that 'it was on a par with viewing the same porno over and over, and as sexually appealing as masturbating with sandpaper.'
Well I guess if they aren't tempted they go home, faithful to their wives, unlike every other man in the world according to the author who warns that a man will even slip out of a hotel while his wife is sleeping for half an hour at a strip club, avoiding the too heavily scented or made up girls! Naturally, like the prostitute books I have read, she trots out that she is keeping the streets safe from girls being assaulted and raped as they get their jollies in the clubs. I have never bought this one. Strippers have long been a target of certain serial killers as well.
The tone rarely rises above the gossipy. It's like reading the script of a drama about strippers that hooks its viewers by having beautiful almost naked women in every shot. All the girls are clique-y and there are certain protocols to be observed in each club to get into the cool girls clique, not that anyone stays more than a few months anywhere. Everyone parties, everyone gets drunk almost every night, everyone does cocaine and everyone enjoys what they are doing. As the author says she is lazy and likes a lot of money, and this job pays very well and enables her to live well, hang around the pool, go to the spa, get plastic surgery and go shopping. It really sounds like made-for-tv.
Then there are the men. The managers are all terrible rip-off artists and bullies. The bouncers resent the girls they have to protect because they earn so much more than them. The boyfriends are rarely faithful, most of them live off their girlfriend's earnings while watching soap operas all day,and don't seem to be desirable in any way except they probably have the right size penises. With the exception of the author, it seems all the strippers are very promiscuous,
The author says that a lot of the men are missing part of their pinky finger, a sign they are in the Yakuza, and they are cold and somewhat threatening. I wasn't sure if this were customers or customers and management. The denoument comes when she is told she has to sign a three-month contract and they will hold her passport during that time. She hides in her passport by making a false floor under room's fridge whilst she does a final shift at the club (as she had left her credit cards there) and comes bsck to find her room turned over, but they didn't find her passport so she flies out the same night. Is truth stranger than fiction, or is this 'my truth'?
The Japanese have a different idea of what is erotic than other nations. Vending machines sell schoolgirls' used panties and a popular club is where girls, especially lesbians, vomit on each other. More strange and mostly unappealing Japanese erotica genres here.
The ending of the book is predictable. The bad bf is gone, after admitting to screwing 10 or 15 other women whom he likes degrading with acts that he would never do to the woman he loves and wants to be his future wife. A billionaire takes her out to lunch, and handily her solicitor (lawyer) is in the same restaurant and they decide to open their own club so that Sunshine and her friends will not be bullied by the managers at the, presently, only upscale club in town. Meanwhile Sunshine quits and goes into an office job and now, respectable, means Orion the psychiatrist again and there they are lovey dovey, cuddled up under the duvet for a happily ever after. The End.
I have no idea if the book is true or not, it mostly reads like it was dreamed up by an ex-stripper and a second-rate soap opera writer. There is no depth or insight in the book, little feminist episodes seem to be inserted for credibility and don't ring true. But, outside of the first chapter which had me cringing with her avarice and her contempt for the customers, the djs, the bouncers, the managers, the boyfriends, men in general, it was quite entertaining and would make a good beach read.
I wish the author well. She now has everything she ever wanted. 36D breasts, an ultra-dark tan, straight white-blonde hair and a boyfriend named Orion. 3.5 stars rounded up because it would be churlish not to after all the author went through, if she did.
__________
Reading Notes Nothing but contempt for the customers and lots of instructions on how to get the most money off them. It has an exact parallel with Your Table Is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maître D'. Amazing how I pick up two books with the same lietmotif.
To me, you choose to be either a stripper or a sex worker, and there’s no grey area. If you perform any kind of sexual act with a man for money, you’re no longer an exotic dancer because you have crossed that line."
"Sunshine" as her stripper name is, has worked in clubs where men are allowed to touch the women's bodies, all except their 'pink bits'. She says she doesn't like working in those clubs but the money is so great. But she doesn't count this as sex work. She also had at least one girl-on-girl for money, but again this doesn't count as work. What she mainly does, is a bit of pole work although she says the men haven't come to watch the gymnastics and that it is the lap dances that bring the money in. It isn't really dancing though,
Because the night was beyond busy, we strippers were able to bump up the prices. I told him it was $150 for a ten-minute dance, or $300 for twenty. He pulled out three hundred and asked if he could also tip me with some American dollars he had left over. Does Joan of Arc see visions?The strippers favourite customers are Americans, nice polite men who spend money like water.
I began the dance by taking off my bra and giving him a motorboat: a stripper term for jiggling your breasts lightly across a man’s face in rapid succession. This is one of the only ways a stripper is allowed to touch a customer in the private rooms of the NT.
I then kneeled on the floor and arched my back over his knees, my hair trailing down to his ankles. Eventually, I slithered into the chair opposite, took off my undergarments and opened my legs in a flexed vee. See, a lap dance isn’t a dance per se: it involves moving from one sexy pose to another, while leaning as close as you can to a customer without touching them in a sexual manner. A swish of hair across the face, a brush of a hand against theirs, but no stimulation of genitalia.
I pretty much do the same succession of poses every time, each one a hint that another clothing item is about to come off. The talent is in the build-up. You want to leave the nudity to the last song, otherwise it gets really difficult and boring as you try to entertain them with something more than the main event: a view of vagina.
Let me try to tell you about the kind of excitement a US Navy ship brings to a small city. The troops are everywhere you look: perfect specimens with flawless bodies and faces that rival those of Calvin Klein models. They have money to wipe their arses with. They are unfailingly polite and charming. They say things like, ‘May I have the honour of a hundred-dollar lap dance, ma’am?’ rather than the Australian mantra of ‘Show me ya gash for a twenty?’Not that she would want to work in the US, as she says that
The best thing about stage dances is that you get to keep all the tips, without paying any commission to the club. Stage dances add up: you can sometimes make a few hundred from them by the end of the night. Australia has it quite good in this sense, at least compared to the US; as I learned when I worked there, they follow a stupid tradition of tipping one dollar bill at a time.Reading this book, I can't be sure it's not fiction. Every chapter ends on a cliff-hanger as it were. The ending with the knight in shining armour called Orion is forseeable from very early on, although she doesn't actually date him until almost the end. Strangely I do know a psychiatrist in Australia who fits the physical description she gives called Orion! His parents used to live on the island on a boat.
The first chapter was very off-putting. How to screw as much money as possible out of the customers at the strip clubs she worked in, all the different ways including wearing expensive undies but selling very cheap used g-strings to the customers for $50, $100 or more. She kept her earnings in her perspex shoes which had a slot for money in them. Eventually a customer, a scam artist, declares she has stolen money from him and seeing 2 $100 bills in her shoes, tells the manager that was the amount. The manager says she is guilty, pay the customer back his money and be thankful we didn't call the police.
The managers, always two, wherever she works, are equally intent on getting as much as possible off the girls who have to pay a fee to work in the club or a percentage of their earnings which makes the girls self-employed, but it is the managers who call the shots, make the rotas etc. A customer asked a manager why he looked bored with so many naked women around him. The managers said that 'it was on a par with viewing the same porno over and over, and as sexually appealing as masturbating with sandpaper.'
Well I guess if they aren't tempted they go home, faithful to their wives, unlike every other man in the world according to the author who warns that a man will even slip out of a hotel while his wife is sleeping for half an hour at a strip club, avoiding the too heavily scented or made up girls! Naturally, like the prostitute books I have read, she trots out that she is keeping the streets safe from girls being assaulted and raped as they get their jollies in the clubs. I have never bought this one. Strippers have long been a target of certain serial killers as well.
The tone rarely rises above the gossipy. It's like reading the script of a drama about strippers that hooks its viewers by having beautiful almost naked women in every shot. All the girls are clique-y and there are certain protocols to be observed in each club to get into the cool girls clique, not that anyone stays more than a few months anywhere. Everyone parties, everyone gets drunk almost every night, everyone does cocaine and everyone enjoys what they are doing. As the author says she is lazy and likes a lot of money, and this job pays very well and enables her to live well, hang around the pool, go to the spa, get plastic surgery and go shopping. It really sounds like made-for-tv.
Then there are the men. The managers are all terrible rip-off artists and bullies. The bouncers resent the girls they have to protect because they earn so much more than them. The boyfriends are rarely faithful, most of them live off their girlfriend's earnings while watching soap operas all day,and don't seem to be desirable in any way except they probably have the right size penises. With the exception of the author, it seems all the strippers are very promiscuous,
‘When you say small, exactly how little are we talking?’ Candy asked.Sunshine on discovering that her boyfriend has been unfaithful to her yet again, decides to leave and contacting a friend in Japan flies there. She finds her friend has enrolled her in a stripper agency, the club to whom she is hired to makes up the rules as they go along, fining her for all sorts of infractions it is impossible to predict. The customers are allowed to squeeze, lick and suck the dancers, except for their 'pink bits'. She is told she has to let them. Things go from bad to worse and she is told that she must have two regulars by the end of the month, and she will be expected to get drinks money out of them as well as dance money and screw them too. This club is all about sex work.
Jade thought about it. ‘Not much bigger than the tampon, really.’
‘Oh, I hate that!’ Row cried. ‘Isn’t it just the worst? When you go home with a really good-looking guy and he has a big toe between his legs?’
‘Yet he seemed so confident …’ said Jade.
‘I’d rather a smaller tower-of-power than a huge one, though,’ Belle put in.
I nodded. ‘True. Nobody likes a party-size penis.’
‘Or a bent one,’ Rowena added. ‘I seriously dislike it when their cock is off to the side. It creeps me out—like a diviner looking for water or something.’
‘But you don’t want it looking like a chestnut either,’ I said.
‘What’s a chestnut?’ the girls asked.
‘Too small. All ballsack, snake hidden.’
‘Oh, I call that the fried egg,’ said Row.
The author says that a lot of the men are missing part of their pinky finger, a sign they are in the Yakuza, and they are cold and somewhat threatening. I wasn't sure if this were customers or customers and management. The denoument comes when she is told she has to sign a three-month contract and they will hold her passport during that time. She hides in her passport by making a false floor under room's fridge whilst she does a final shift at the club (as she had left her credit cards there) and comes bsck to find her room turned over, but they didn't find her passport so she flies out the same night. Is truth stranger than fiction, or is this 'my truth'?
The Japanese have a different idea of what is erotic than other nations. Vending machines sell schoolgirls' used panties and a popular club is where girls, especially lesbians, vomit on each other. More strange and mostly unappealing Japanese erotica genres here.
The ending of the book is predictable. The bad bf is gone, after admitting to screwing 10 or 15 other women whom he likes degrading with acts that he would never do to the woman he loves and wants to be his future wife. A billionaire takes her out to lunch, and handily her solicitor (lawyer) is in the same restaurant and they decide to open their own club so that Sunshine and her friends will not be bullied by the managers at the, presently, only upscale club in town. Meanwhile Sunshine quits and goes into an office job and now, respectable, means Orion the psychiatrist again and there they are lovey dovey, cuddled up under the duvet for a happily ever after. The End.
I have no idea if the book is true or not, it mostly reads like it was dreamed up by an ex-stripper and a second-rate soap opera writer. There is no depth or insight in the book, little feminist episodes seem to be inserted for credibility and don't ring true. But, outside of the first chapter which had me cringing with her avarice and her contempt for the customers, the djs, the bouncers, the managers, the boyfriends, men in general, it was quite entertaining and would make a good beach read.
I wish the author well. She now has everything she ever wanted. 36D breasts, an ultra-dark tan, straight white-blonde hair and a boyfriend named Orion. 3.5 stars rounded up because it would be churlish not to after all the author went through, if she did.
__________
Reading Notes Nothing but contempt for the customers and lots of instructions on how to get the most money off them. It has an exact parallel with Your Table Is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maître D'. Amazing how I pick up two books with the same lietmotif.
January 18, 2021
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
If you want a fast paced, attention grabbing book..something quick witted, and eye popping here it is. This book pulls no punches it tells it as it is, including all the nitty-gritty details from an insider’s view. It has shock value and it’s not for the faint hearted.
There’s also lots of attitude and clever wit, it’s informative and Sunshine (stage name) is an engaging story teller! Sunshine: The Diary of a Lap Dancer gives you an insight into stripping from the eye of an actual dancer.
We go on Sunshine’s personal journey which weaves itself seamlessly as it shines the spotlight on the stripping profession. The book answers the questions a lot of people have - How much do these girls really make? Is it all glamour, drugs and alcohol? You might even be surprised to learn what’s illegal in Australia concerning the profession.
The story told has it’s far share of drama, which is a lot!!! It would make a great TV soapie! Loved the friendships, the travelling aspects from state to state and Sunshine’s overseas stint in Japan - scary stuff!
Overall a well written, entertaining and confronting read that will have you hooked!
I wish to thank Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the book
If you want a fast paced, attention grabbing book..something quick witted, and eye popping here it is. This book pulls no punches it tells it as it is, including all the nitty-gritty details from an insider’s view. It has shock value and it’s not for the faint hearted.
There’s also lots of attitude and clever wit, it’s informative and Sunshine (stage name) is an engaging story teller! Sunshine: The Diary of a Lap Dancer gives you an insight into stripping from the eye of an actual dancer.
We go on Sunshine’s personal journey which weaves itself seamlessly as it shines the spotlight on the stripping profession. The book answers the questions a lot of people have - How much do these girls really make? Is it all glamour, drugs and alcohol? You might even be surprised to learn what’s illegal in Australia concerning the profession.
The story told has it’s far share of drama, which is a lot!!! It would make a great TV soapie! Loved the friendships, the travelling aspects from state to state and Sunshine’s overseas stint in Japan - scary stuff!
Overall a well written, entertaining and confronting read that will have you hooked!
I wish to thank Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the book
August 28, 2022
I tend to give memoirs 5 stars and that's not without a good reason. I've gotten my mittens on some really good ones lately and this was no exception. I find the field of sex work, and women (and men/others) who devote their time to it very intruiging. It's something that it's still very taboo for many people and I love that more and more people starts speaking up about it and telling their side to it. As memoirs go, this was jaw dropping at times but also hard to stop listening to. Not only sunshines and rainbows. Very well narrated as well
December 17, 2020
Spanning a period of about a year, Samantha C. Ross invites the reader to share her experiences as she gyrates, stumbles, and skips her way between ‘Gentleman’s’ clubs in several Australian states (with a quick, scary jaunt to Japan), in Sunshine: The Diary of a Lapdancer.
Sunshine’s journal entries are candid, funny, provocative, unapologetic, and engaging. At times it’s quite an outrageous tale of excess as Samantha AKA Sunshine tends to embrace the party lifestyle indulging in a lot of drinking, and the occasional recreational drug, but it’s also an intimate portrait of a woman, and her friends, in search of adventure, happiness and true love.
As long as it is their choice to do so, I personally don’t have any issue with someone who decides to strip for a living. While the profession is often perceived as either glamorous and easy, or tawdry and dangerous, the truth, it seems, is somewhere in the middle. Sure the money can be great, Sunshine regularly earns double, or even triple, an average weeks wage in less time, but it’s harder work and takes more skill than I imagined. It’s also a profession that seems to take a heavy toll on personal relationships.
I found the behind-the-scenes look at the profession to be interesting, from the various laws that govern the behaviour of both the women and their patrons, to the (high school-ish) hierarchy and unspoken rules that govern the change rooms and floor. In many ways a strip club is a workplace like any other, with it’s share of WorkSafe regulations, awful bosses and entitled customers, though few offices permit drinking champagne and spirits on the clock.
Providing unique insight into a lifestyle few will experience, Sunshine is an entertaining read, and may go some way to altering your perspective on the women who choose the profession.
Sunshine’s journal entries are candid, funny, provocative, unapologetic, and engaging. At times it’s quite an outrageous tale of excess as Samantha AKA Sunshine tends to embrace the party lifestyle indulging in a lot of drinking, and the occasional recreational drug, but it’s also an intimate portrait of a woman, and her friends, in search of adventure, happiness and true love.
As long as it is their choice to do so, I personally don’t have any issue with someone who decides to strip for a living. While the profession is often perceived as either glamorous and easy, or tawdry and dangerous, the truth, it seems, is somewhere in the middle. Sure the money can be great, Sunshine regularly earns double, or even triple, an average weeks wage in less time, but it’s harder work and takes more skill than I imagined. It’s also a profession that seems to take a heavy toll on personal relationships.
I found the behind-the-scenes look at the profession to be interesting, from the various laws that govern the behaviour of both the women and their patrons, to the (high school-ish) hierarchy and unspoken rules that govern the change rooms and floor. In many ways a strip club is a workplace like any other, with it’s share of WorkSafe regulations, awful bosses and entitled customers, though few offices permit drinking champagne and spirits on the clock.
Providing unique insight into a lifestyle few will experience, Sunshine is an entertaining read, and may go some way to altering your perspective on the women who choose the profession.
December 31, 2020
Funniest read I've had in years.
A damm good book especially if like me you'd gone away for the weekend, yes it's one of those books you can't stop reading it !!!
Such honesty and obvious accuracy of an occupation most of us thought was sleazy and unhealthy but no it's a job like a receptionist in communications a bit of a friend helping others get off drugs then networking to find more employment whilst collaborating with what used to be termed 'white collar workers' in prospective jobs as in physiotherapy etc.
Hopefully we'll be reading more books and soon by Samantha C. Ross a refreshing change on the book shelves....
A damm good book especially if like me you'd gone away for the weekend, yes it's one of those books you can't stop reading it !!!
Such honesty and obvious accuracy of an occupation most of us thought was sleazy and unhealthy but no it's a job like a receptionist in communications a bit of a friend helping others get off drugs then networking to find more employment whilst collaborating with what used to be termed 'white collar workers' in prospective jobs as in physiotherapy etc.
Hopefully we'll be reading more books and soon by Samantha C. Ross a refreshing change on the book shelves....
August 27, 2021
I was a bit nervous about reading this as a man, and to some extent, for good reason. There's plenty of examples why males earn a bad rap in this book. The author does point out though, that these bad apples (and dickheads), in no way tarnish her appreciation of non-dickhead men and relationships.
I found out about this book when every female at work seemed to be reading it, and sniggering quietly to themselves. We also watched the author, Samantha, on television at work while she appeared on various morning shows. After so many of my coworkers raving about Sunshine, and seeing the author as sharp, funny and humble, I admittedly developed a crush and bought the book. Then proceeded to laugh my ass off from finish to end. The story drew me in from page one, the descriptions are eye-opening, and the way some men act, as well as the stripper's personal thoughts on it, were mind-blowing. It's light and deep at the same time. And a realization that the women who take their clothes off live normal lives outside of the clubs, with family, tears, break-ups and judgement - though Sunshine completely lacks apology for her sassy persona and sarcastic observations. The part about running from the Yakuza was a bit unsettling, learning what dangers women can face in this line of work. My only regret is not finding out who the celebrities are, but I'm guessing that was probably a legal issue.
On the whole, I loved it though. It's the kind of book you can read again six months later and find more to laugh over. I think the coming TV show will be entertaining - cant wait to see who plays Sunshine. Jodie Comer would probably be perfect!
I found out about this book when every female at work seemed to be reading it, and sniggering quietly to themselves. We also watched the author, Samantha, on television at work while she appeared on various morning shows. After so many of my coworkers raving about Sunshine, and seeing the author as sharp, funny and humble, I admittedly developed a crush and bought the book. Then proceeded to laugh my ass off from finish to end. The story drew me in from page one, the descriptions are eye-opening, and the way some men act, as well as the stripper's personal thoughts on it, were mind-blowing. It's light and deep at the same time. And a realization that the women who take their clothes off live normal lives outside of the clubs, with family, tears, break-ups and judgement - though Sunshine completely lacks apology for her sassy persona and sarcastic observations. The part about running from the Yakuza was a bit unsettling, learning what dangers women can face in this line of work. My only regret is not finding out who the celebrities are, but I'm guessing that was probably a legal issue.
On the whole, I loved it though. It's the kind of book you can read again six months later and find more to laugh over. I think the coming TV show will be entertaining - cant wait to see who plays Sunshine. Jodie Comer would probably be perfect!
March 14, 2021
Firstly, loved that it was an Aussie who wrote this. There's something about reading a book set in the Country you live in and you can visualise as well as understand the culture she's describing. I kept wanting to know who all these "celebrities" were that she hinted to, throughout her career. Sunshine certainly has a great sense of humour and had me giggling at her "rhetorics" to certain people and situations she found herself in. Actually, she summed up one year in her Downside quote which ends each Chapter - "if this year were a drink, it would be colonoscopy prep." Think we could all relate that one to 2020 covid year we've just been through.
Loved the glitz, glam, cash, drinkies, friendships and lingerie throughout the whole book, enough so that I actually thought I wished I delved into that profession when I was in my 20's. I didn't have the extrovertness enough to pull it off like she did. Seems like the men who run these Clubs are all douchebags as well as the men behind the scenes who attach themselves to the women working hard to earn a living.
A real eye opener was the Chapter of her time living and working in Japan. As I said to my Hubby, it's turned me off going back there. His remark was "you won't be going there to strip!". True, so when it is safe to travel, I'll be steering clear of stripjoints.
Loved a glimpse into Sunshine's world. Very entertaining read.
Loved the glitz, glam, cash, drinkies, friendships and lingerie throughout the whole book, enough so that I actually thought I wished I delved into that profession when I was in my 20's. I didn't have the extrovertness enough to pull it off like she did. Seems like the men who run these Clubs are all douchebags as well as the men behind the scenes who attach themselves to the women working hard to earn a living.
A real eye opener was the Chapter of her time living and working in Japan. As I said to my Hubby, it's turned me off going back there. His remark was "you won't be going there to strip!". True, so when it is safe to travel, I'll be steering clear of stripjoints.
Loved a glimpse into Sunshine's world. Very entertaining read.
March 5, 2021
Samantha C Ross's diary is an eye opening account of her profession as a Lap Dancer. 'Sunshine' shares her account of her life as a stripper in several Australian Gentleman's Clubs. I thought this true account of Sunshine's life was interesting but I did not warm to her at all. I think Sunshine and the girls came across as self-centred, bitchy and shallow. I enjoyed learning about the behind the scenes life of a stripper but do not envy their lifestyle choice at all!! Thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC.
July 7, 2022
The title of this book grabbed my attention, and I was immediately curious. I've never seen a lap dance and know little about what goes on in strip joints, so I think I was expecting this book to be a bit racy/sexy ... titillating? Which it was at turns but really at it's core is a great story filled with fascinating insight into the world of strippers. Its presented as a true story, but there does seem to be some embellishment. The emotional rollercoaster that the author goes through does feel very real and honest.
As an Aussie I may be biased towards Australian authors and Australian settings, but I'm rating this a solid 5/5 stars. The book won't be for everyone, as there is likely to be things to jar everyone, whether it be the drugs, sex/ual references, stripbar settings, or even the protagonist's character. But then hey, the title overtly refers to lap dancing. You've been warned.
As an Aussie I may be biased towards Australian authors and Australian settings, but I'm rating this a solid 5/5 stars. The book won't be for everyone, as there is likely to be things to jar everyone, whether it be the drugs, sex/ual references, stripbar settings, or even the protagonist's character. But then hey, the title overtly refers to lap dancing. You've been warned.
September 29, 2021
Amazingly funny, reads like a novel and I hope that this story happened in real life because the ending was beautiful!
March 28, 2022
60 pages into this book and I’ve probably rolled my eyes more at the narrator than I would’ve a time-wasting patron of the strip club I work at.
The narrator sounds like a boomer with the constant references to lateral whorephobia, classist remarks, misogynistic, homophobic and ableist “jokes”. I make a point to consume as much material written by sex workers (something this author desperately seeks to seperate herself from, making some truly ugly remarks about FSSW that can only stem from a place of deeply internalised whorephobia), and I was on a good streak with Rita Therese’s “Come”, Tilly Lawless’ “Nothing But My Body” and Bella Green’s “Happy Endings”, all INCREDIBLE pieces of work.. until I borrowed this trashy pile of BS.
Ross wavers between gross fetishisation of her coworkers and experience as a SEX WORKER (because selling any adult services falls under the umbrella of sex work, whether you are doing full service or not), and seriously misguided opinions that I’d expect only from somebody who’s never actually worked in the adult services industry?? If you are reading this in the hopes to get an insight into the true lives of a sex worker/stripper/whatever, put this trash down. It couldn’t be further from authentic and reads like a teenage fiction. Yuk, yuk, yuk. Not worth a second of your time and please do not for a second think that this moron’s musings represent the industry or community this writer stakes claim to.
The narrator sounds like a boomer with the constant references to lateral whorephobia, classist remarks, misogynistic, homophobic and ableist “jokes”. I make a point to consume as much material written by sex workers (something this author desperately seeks to seperate herself from, making some truly ugly remarks about FSSW that can only stem from a place of deeply internalised whorephobia), and I was on a good streak with Rita Therese’s “Come”, Tilly Lawless’ “Nothing But My Body” and Bella Green’s “Happy Endings”, all INCREDIBLE pieces of work.. until I borrowed this trashy pile of BS.
Ross wavers between gross fetishisation of her coworkers and experience as a SEX WORKER (because selling any adult services falls under the umbrella of sex work, whether you are doing full service or not), and seriously misguided opinions that I’d expect only from somebody who’s never actually worked in the adult services industry?? If you are reading this in the hopes to get an insight into the true lives of a sex worker/stripper/whatever, put this trash down. It couldn’t be further from authentic and reads like a teenage fiction. Yuk, yuk, yuk. Not worth a second of your time and please do not for a second think that this moron’s musings represent the industry or community this writer stakes claim to.
May 4, 2021
I actually wanted to read this after I saw this author on TV. I thought she was witty and bold, as not many people would talk/write about their lives stripped bare - especially one lived naked.
Sunshine begins with a year in the life of a stripper. Unlike most memoirs though, it's written in more a story form, which kind of reminded me of an X-rated Bridget Jones. I found the characters colorful and brash, the brutal honesty made me wince, and the misogyny in this particular world had me growling with frustration.
There are some surprisingly some real feminist values, a few hold-your-breath moments (dealing with the Yakuza and escaping Japan was an eye-opener), and a few sad entries where her self-esteem is compromised.
But you'll learn quickly Sunshine doesn't stay down for long. She's a brat, yes, frighteningly wily, for sure. However, that's what I loved most about this novel; its unapologetic. And Sunshine's self depreciating humor, along with her 'Philostripper' observations actually had me laughing out loud.
This book was like a naughty buffet without the calories. Wicked and wonderful. I cant wait for the TV series!
Sunshine begins with a year in the life of a stripper. Unlike most memoirs though, it's written in more a story form, which kind of reminded me of an X-rated Bridget Jones. I found the characters colorful and brash, the brutal honesty made me wince, and the misogyny in this particular world had me growling with frustration.
There are some surprisingly some real feminist values, a few hold-your-breath moments (dealing with the Yakuza and escaping Japan was an eye-opener), and a few sad entries where her self-esteem is compromised.
But you'll learn quickly Sunshine doesn't stay down for long. She's a brat, yes, frighteningly wily, for sure. However, that's what I loved most about this novel; its unapologetic. And Sunshine's self depreciating humor, along with her 'Philostripper' observations actually had me laughing out loud.
This book was like a naughty buffet without the calories. Wicked and wonderful. I cant wait for the TV series!
February 6, 2021
The writing in this book had an Australian accent as obvious as when you travel overseas and hear an Aussie talkin’ footy from across a crowded room of foreigners. This took me a few chapters to come to terms with - I always find it jarring in real life and it was just as jarring in written form. However, once that stumbling block was out of the way this was actually pretty good. A well put-together blend of insights, crazy stories, and surprising information (I did not know that strippers have a secret compartment in their platform heels where they can store cash throughout the night, did you?), and all of it unfolding along a narrative that felt interesting enough to be a bonafide plot. I wanted to know what happened next. I empathised with situations. I was tense in Japan and outraged in Cairns. And frankly, I was impressed and interested in these women, why they do what they do, and how they feel about it, because they would certainly intimidate the hell out of me if I ever met them in real life.
March 19, 2021
It may not be the most well written book ever published, but it’s certainly interesting. I found myself getting frustrated at some of Sunshine’s actions, such as stashing seafood in a ceiling tile of an establishment that wouldn’t let her order off menu, as well as supergluing a borrowed-and-never-returned stiletto to someone’s car as another form of revenge - you’re TWENTY SEVEN years old, not 13! - but still found myself turning pages. There seems to be an overuse of similes in an effort to appear witty and smart, which feels very forced and awkward. Overall, it’s an enjoyable, quick and easy to read insight into a different world
April 1, 2021
CW: ableism, racism
Hardly sex positive with the heavy sex worker shaming going on. Unashamedly xenophobic, use of the term
F*cktard and basically just boring. Yawns and eye rolls abound in this vanilla laden, backwater atrocity.
Hardly sex positive with the heavy sex worker shaming going on. Unashamedly xenophobic, use of the term
F*cktard and basically just boring. Yawns and eye rolls abound in this vanilla laden, backwater atrocity.
June 18, 2021
3.5 stars
January 5, 2022
Absolutely incredible, witty and hard to put down!
May 2, 2022
Very hard to believe that this book was released in 2020 given how badly it stinks of internalised misogyny & lateral whorephobia. If the repetitive and uninspired ‘quips’ handed out by the narrator weren’t embarrassing enough, xenophobia is heavily relied upon to prop up the lame aphorisms found the whole way through.
The whole book is ridiculous and unbelievable, and not in an entertaining way. The narrator is vapid & unlikeable, repeatedly using cringeworthy similes in an attempt to come across as clever, while the opposite is achieved. The stories within range from milquetoast to heinous, with the narrator's stunts reading as immature, entitled and at times down right disgusting.
It seems like the writer was aiming for some sort of “sassy”, “empowered” adventure but instead landed closer to the kind of self-absorbed, heteronormative drivel you'd expect from an old episode of Sex And The City, even whose writers had the good sense to at least attempt a culturally relevant reboot around the same time this book was released.
An understatement to say the dated, classist, ableist and insensitive ramblings contained within this "diary" are an absolute disservice to women and sex workers everywhere.
The whole book is ridiculous and unbelievable, and not in an entertaining way. The narrator is vapid & unlikeable, repeatedly using cringeworthy similes in an attempt to come across as clever, while the opposite is achieved. The stories within range from milquetoast to heinous, with the narrator's stunts reading as immature, entitled and at times down right disgusting.
It seems like the writer was aiming for some sort of “sassy”, “empowered” adventure but instead landed closer to the kind of self-absorbed, heteronormative drivel you'd expect from an old episode of Sex And The City, even whose writers had the good sense to at least attempt a culturally relevant reboot around the same time this book was released.
An understatement to say the dated, classist, ableist and insensitive ramblings contained within this "diary" are an absolute disservice to women and sex workers everywhere.
January 17, 2021
This tale is a true depiction of an adult entertainer as a lap dancer stripper. Her stage name is Sunshine. It is written in a diary format showing the pros and cons of working in gentlemen's clubs. It's raunchy story sometimes dark, sometimes harrowing, but often filled with rollicking good times and girly fun and solidarity. It reveals secrets of how these places operate, the huge money that can be earned, and the difficulties of trying to have healthy relationships outside working hours. It also shows the competitive nature of some of the workers and the unspoken rules that some will breach to earn the most money and have the most regular customers. It travels the country and even shows a quick adventure in Japan which was quite an eye opener. I really enjoyed it but realise it's not for some who may not be so open minded about this choice of career path. If you like a good laugh and have a naughty sense of humour this one's for you
December 13, 2020
Sunshine is an invitation into the disturbing world of strip clubs and the people who work and visit them. Given the subject matter, its accounts of alcohol and drug use, sex and nudity aren’t unexpected but won’t be to everyone’s tastes.
However I found it a fascinating insight into the lives of lap dancers and the operation of strip clubs. The writing is clever, witty and incredibly candid; a warts-and-all look at Sunshine’s life, escapades and (mis)adventures.
It taught me a lot about a world I have no experience of and will hopefully reduce the stigma many of these dancers face when people learn of their profession.
However I found it a fascinating insight into the lives of lap dancers and the operation of strip clubs. The writing is clever, witty and incredibly candid; a warts-and-all look at Sunshine’s life, escapades and (mis)adventures.
It taught me a lot about a world I have no experience of and will hopefully reduce the stigma many of these dancers face when people learn of their profession.
February 4, 2021
Wow. Humans are an eclectic and fascinating bunch. I loved this book, because this woman is so different to me, she could be from another planet. I could never live a life like that, but I was definitely captivated by her wild stories. Reading about other people taking drugs and doing crazy stuff is about as unhinged as I get, and I am ok with that. I love to read about debauchery, but this way, I get to keep more of my brain cells.
July 30, 2021
Although this audio had a couple of funny sections, I found it lacked depth for an autobiography of lap dancer. I suspect that this career can't always be easy, but Sunshines portrayal lacked depth and I found I could not connect - therefore it felt like a waste of my time. I continued to listen hoping it would improve, sadly it didn't.
December 10, 2020
Sunshine gives an interesting insight into the lives of strippers. I found this book intriguing. I learnt an awful lot about why these girls choose this path and find it difficult to give up. Sunshine wrote her own story ...... its not for everyone but i loved it.
December 30, 2020
What an interesting book Samantha C Ross has certainly taken me into a world I knew about but never understood the going on,
Sunshine ( not her real name ) works in gentleman’s clubs she is a lap dancer, most nights the money is great but hard work,
Lots of drinking and drugs, and managers and bouncers that don’t like the girls,
Very cleverly written and certainly was an eye opener to me
Sunshine ( not her real name ) works in gentleman’s clubs she is a lap dancer, most nights the money is great but hard work,
Lots of drinking and drugs, and managers and bouncers that don’t like the girls,
Very cleverly written and certainly was an eye opener to me
May 4, 2021
Such a great read! An absolute eye opener into the world of lap dancing clubs, and so interesting to hear what really goes on behind the scenes. I love Le the authors super dry sense of humour and no holds barred approach.
October 5, 2021
Better than I thought it would be! My first impression was that it was a bit frivolous and silly but once I got into it and began to know the characters i couldn't put it down. Also this book has turned me off Japan for life ;)
September 22, 2025
I listen this as an audiobook and managed to get through 30% before giving up. Written by an exotic dancer, I found some parts interesting and insightful to a lifestyle which I have never experienced or understood, of course. But there wasn’t enough engaging material and penmanship to continue.
December 1, 2025
I really enjoyed this!
Candid, interesting and hella funny.
I learned a lot that I probably wouldn’t have had a chance to any other way 😁
I recommend this one for a light hearted in-between, after a heavy drama or thriller.
Her writing style is so accessible, a great book 🩵
Candid, interesting and hella funny.
I learned a lot that I probably wouldn’t have had a chance to any other way 😁
I recommend this one for a light hearted in-between, after a heavy drama or thriller.
Her writing style is so accessible, a great book 🩵
February 15, 2021
Quirky and I found it interesting ( I think I would be one of a few lol )
March 8, 2021
Reading this book was like having a giant hot fudge sundae with zero fat or calories! A real treat. Not a guilty pleasure, just a pleasure! Rock and roll, start to finish; very fast paced.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews