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The Sugar Game

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Sugar Daddy websites, promising young women money, fun and independence are among the fastest growing sites on the internet. But what really goes on? Is there a dangerous reality below the surface?

The Sugar Game is a novel that takes readers behind the curtain and into the lives of two young women who rush headlong into the world of the ‘Sugar Baby’.

But once they are in, can they get out again?

Jessica and Holly don’t want love, they want independence. They don’t want predictable, they want adventure. They don’t want a relationship, they want to play.

Jessica and Holly’s friendship was as inevitable as sunrise, and hungry for life beyond sleep, eat and repeat, they land in the bright lights of London.

When Holly stumbles across a sugar-baby dating website, a glamorous world of entertaining wealthy men lures them in. They make their own rules, choose an alias and the Sugar Game begins. Jessica’s pursuit of independence is rocked when Jerod, a workaholic scientist opens the door of her latest date. Jessica’s mask slips as he loosens the grip on her stubborn heart. But when he pulls back, her insecurities flare, what is he hiding?

A shadowy figure from his mysterious past may have the answer. What he reveals locks Jessica into a dangerous conflict, putting her security on the line. Determined to find the truth, she battles between her heart and head.

Whatever choice she makes, this is not going to be easy. As rules get broken, will the girls ever win the sweet futures they signed up for?

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 22, 2021

1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read

About the author

Ashley Brown

3 books3 followers


Ashley is a London based author and writing coach. Turning her back on a career in law led her to becoming a notorious jobslut, inspiring her first book, published in 2018. She has completed various writing courses with Michelle Danner in LA and Faber & Faber.
The Sugar game is her second novel. She believes a sense of humor is the only seatbelt required for a creative life, pursued with infectious optimism. Her writing is inspired by the rollercoaster of life, fueled by coffee and an insatiable sweet tooth.



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5 stars
5 (19%)
4 stars
12 (46%)
3 stars
6 (23%)
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1 (3%)
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2 (7%)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Jill Pickle.
411 reviews11 followers
December 27, 2020
This fast-paced thriller smacked of Pretty Woman with a little bit of the corporate-espionage movie Duplicity in there--so if you're a fan of Julia Roberts, this book's for you! Full of humor, voice, and scandal, The Sugar Game is a short, easy read that you can devour in one sitting and get a glimpse into the oft-misunderstood Sugar Daddy/Sugar Baby world. I've heard rumors that there are planned sequels and am anticipating their arrival!
1 review
December 17, 2020
This book captivated my attention and has many twists to the story. I will be surprised if it is not made into a film
Profile Image for Laura Nelson (Tangents and Tissues).
777 reviews73 followers
January 25, 2021
***3.5 stars!***

Well, that escalated quickly! Let’s face it, it’s not often that I’m at a loss for words *snorts*. Especially when it comes to a book, but, oh my days, did Jessica (and Holly’s) story leave me speechless when we took a left turn I. Did. Not. Expect.

Now, granted *nods*, the synopsis is cryptic. Then add that to that of the cover?! My natural bookish inquisitiveness (alright, I’m nosey – what of it? *shrugs*) kicked in *smirks* My lips are somewhat sealed – *whispers* let’s just say, if you enjoy cross-genre reads then this one is for you.

It’s safe to say these two have many a tale to tell since entering the World of Sugar. They set their rules for a reason, but a few are about to be sorely tested when Jess meets her latest Sugar Daddy, Jerod. I would say let the adventure begin, yet this time it’s more like misadventure. However, Jess can tell you all about it herself before I put my size sevens in it.

Jessica’s story is one of love and friendship – about looking beneath the facade. If you can’t be true to yourself then when can you be?

Full of drama and suspense (intrigued?), TSG is a quick intense read which (like my favourite donuts) left me wanting more *laughs*.

Greedy? Moi? *nods* Agreed!

I was left with a few unanswered questions and don’t even get me started on the ending. Don’t be alarmed – it’s not a cliffhanger in the conventional sense. More of a ‘WTH now?’ kind of way. Put it this way – I need Book Two pronto.

*sigh*

Beware the sugar rush... the comedown can be dangerous *winks*
1 review
January 3, 2021
Such a great read, the characters drew me in straight away and I was invested in “what happens next?” This was a fun new world of sugar to jump into, leaving you asking the question, is sugar as sweet as it seems? Can't wait to read the next book as the epilogue sounds like the girls adventures have only just begun.
Profile Image for Amanda.
1,260 reviews11 followers
December 18, 2020
A peek into the world of sugar babies! This book was so well done and the story was amazing. I could not stop reading it! Definitely a different type of story.
Profile Image for Harisa- EsquiredToRead.
1,309 reviews25 followers
December 12, 2020
2.5 stars rounded up because I enjoyed the overall plot and twists. Also enjoyed exploring the world of Sugar Babies mixed with Corporate espionage. A fun mystery!

However, writing was a bit weak. There was no real tension built, things just happened super quickly. I think a POV of Holly and a bit more foreshadowing and tension building seasons would’ve really really helped this.

Romance also happened way too fast and I just didn’t really buy it. But that’s the price I often pay for mixing my mysteries with romance.
Profile Image for Katarina.
878 reviews22 followers
January 4, 2021
I liked this book. The story was different, and had me fully engaged from the first page.
The writing is something that could handle a bit of improvement in regards to characters, pace, and editing, but that didn’t bother me. A couple of spots in the book where a bit confusing and I had to go back a few pages to understand what was happening. That didn’t really bother me either, but I did drop a star for those reasons.

I still recommend the book. The cover is fantastic, the setting is unusual and intriguing, the plot is fun and fresh.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC.
Profile Image for Michaella Dieter.
Author 13 books237 followers
January 16, 2021
This is my first book by this author. Finding my review a little harder to make, due to this not being the usual type of book I read.  I struggle to class this book into a category; I wouldn't really class it as a romance (although there are romantic elements to it)...if it was a movie, it would be under "drama".

The Sugar Game is well written, and almost comes across as a memoir. The main character, Jess, "breaks the fourth wall" a couple of times, further cementing the memoir feeling.

Taking place around a decade ago, The Sugar Game tells the story of two young women who go to London to start living their dreams. To save up for the dreams, they become sugar babies, and the reader gets to follow along their journey of friendships, nightlife, sugaring and falling in love...with some surprise turns along the way.

If you're looking for a clean read that explores friendship, family and love, I would definitely recommend this one.
3 reviews
December 28, 2020
Great read, the characters drew me in, and I finished it straight away - I was always wanting to know what happens next. Always fun to dive into someone else's world, and the characters let you experience the highs and lows of sugar life without actually having to go through it yourself. I like the set up that allows for more stories to come from this one. Can't wait to read the next book. And I could see this being a fun Netflix series!
Profile Image for Hannah May Book Reviews.
449 reviews20 followers
January 15, 2021
Title: The Sugar Game
Author: Ashley Brown
Publisher: Cameron Publicity and Marketing
Pages: 185
Rating: 3/5

A huge thank you to Ashley Brown, Cameron Publicity Marketing and Random Things Tours for letting me read and review The Sugar Game.

Synopsis:

Jessica and Holly don’t want to live an ordinary life. They don’t want love, they want independence and adventure, so when Holly stumbles across a Sugar-Baby dating site the girls are lured in, they make their own rules and the Sugar game begins. However, Jess soon crosses paths with a captivating Jerod and her Sugar-Baby façade begins to slip. Jessica becomes close to breaking the rules she made with Holly, but just as she starts to let her guard down, Jerod pulls back leaving Jess confused and unsure of her feelings. A mysterious stranger reveals to Jessica that Jerod may actually not be all that he appears to be and determined to find out for herself and uncover the truth, Jessica finds herself in the midst of a dangerous conflict. She must battle with her head and her heart and suddenly the Sugar game doesn’t seem so sweet afterall.

Review:
First things first I must comment on the eye catchy front cover, it definitely captures your attention. Along with an intriguing description The Sugar Game sounded like it could be a fun read that is a little wild in places and I was excited to explore. This sounded like a read I have not experience before and I was very intrigued about the topic of the Sugar world.

I found the tone of the book to be light hearted instantly and the writing style was easy to connect with. The chapters weren’t too long which I appreciated as it meant I did not get overwhelmed. I also appreciated how the story pretty much kicked off straight away, I liked that we were off from the get go and the pace continued at a good rate throughout.

I was looking forward to getting to know the characters and their stories. I enjoyed watching how Jessica developed, she went from being very closed off to letting her guard down and embracing her emotions. As for Jerod, I was captivated by him just like Jessica. One thing I adored about him was the fact he was a book lover too. As much as I enjoyed Jessica and Holly’s friendship, I have to say Jerod was the one who stole my heart in this read, I really connected with his character.

I found at times there was part of this read that was rather meaningful, some of the authors writing really hit home, such as, “Do what you love, then you never work a day in your life.” And “Every emotion is temporary.” I feel these words will stick with me for a long time.

The plot wasn’t what I was expecting which was a welcome surprise as it was a mixture between a Romance and Mystery. I also didn’t expect there to be so many twists and turns! I was generally unsure at times as to how the story would unfold and I found I was doubting myself at times, I like a book that can keep you on your toes.

The mystery element was very fun, the story didn’t get too deep, it was nice and easy yet there was plenty of drama and scandal to keep your teeth sunk into. I found The Sugar Game to be a very easy going read and as a result I managed to read it in one sitting. I had a lot of fun exploring the Sugar world!
Profile Image for Jade.
202 reviews16 followers
December 24, 2020
I requested this book on Netgalley because THE COVER !! It's the first thing that catches your eye, and it's absolutely stunning. It's sweet, colourful, and is bound to attract readers. The theme, sugar daddies and this whole industry, is also interesting and uncommon enough to make me curious about the book.

However, unfortunately, these are about the only things I liked about The Sugar Game.

The first thing that struck me is the lack of construction in the narrative. I felt like the author was trying to say too many things at once, and kept switching between subjets, without real transitions or reasons for that. This is what disturbed me the most, especially at the beginning.

After that, we also are introduced to several abreviations : SD for sugar daddy, FM for First Meeting, etc. I understand it's so that the author doesn't have to write it fully constantly. However, as a reader who kept putting the book down and up again, I kept forgetting the meanings of them and always had to go back in the book to have the full words. It's a little thing, but that can be a little annoying.

Still, I kind of got used to the points above, and then BAM, the whole thing turns into some kind of spy-ish book. It wasn't brought well, and it felt like a kid's vision of what espionage is. This is what made me kind of give up on the book. All of a sudden, some random dude comes to meet the MC to tell her he needs her for an undercover mission and proceeds to give her EVERY LITTLE INFO on the man she needs to research, without her having agreed to it...

Lastly, the characters were straight out of the 90's/early 2000's. The girls especially are walking clichés, which made me want to hit them throughout the whole book. Maybe I shouldn't have pushed to finish it. The MC and her best friend are just some kind of Bridget Joneses but, you know, not quite there yet. There's a whole vibe about them that screams "I'm superficial" but of course they think they're smart etc. when they're really not. Here's a litteral quote from the book that made me realize that The Sugar Game was definitely not for me :

"What was I going to do ? Rewatch "Sex and the City" and eat ice cream ?"

Yeah, so that was it for me. To be honest, it might make a cool series or movie. But the narrative construction makes it kind of hard to read as a book. I mean, it's a peculiar style that wasn't for me, but who knows, maybe you'll enjoy it.
Profile Image for Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews.
1,311 reviews110 followers
January 23, 2021
First, I want to thank Ashley Brown, Cameron Publicity and Marketing, and Random Things Tours for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

Ashley Brown introduces you to the world of Sugar Babies and Sugar Daddies in her latest book The Sugar Game! This is a book that exceeded my expectations. I thought it would be a fun easy read but it turned out to be deeper than that. I loved it.

Asya Blue created such a fun, exciting and bold cover design for The Sugar Game. It was spot on for the title of this book! Kudos for coming up with this idea!

Sugar Babies live a unique lifestyle and have to keep their private life (including emotional feelings) and professional life separate. This can sometimes pose a problem depending on how you look at the situation.

There were many comical lines in this book that cracked me up. Especially the ones mentioned about NY as I live there.

My heart broke for the similarities to Jerod’s and Rebecca’s loss and how the storyline was tied together. However, at the same time was fascinating with what Jerod was trying to accomplish and why. This out of all the storylines in the book was my favorite.

It is also interesting to learn why Rebecca went into this business in the first place.


Profile Image for Jaffareadstoo.
2,942 reviews
January 28, 2021
Jessica and Holly are best friends who always look out for each other. They both sign up to a sugar-baby dating website and it's not long before they are both inundated with requests for meet ups from wealthy men. Holly and Jessica choose their own alias and play the game by their own set of rules, each conscious of their own safety. However, when Jessica meets the enigmatic business man, Jarod Harris, the whole idea of keeping emotionally detached goes by the board and Jessica is soon swept into a very dangerous world. Struggling between what's in her head, and not her heart, Jessica has some difficult decisions to make and the author explores this dilemma with a realistic edginess.

The story fairly sizzles along mixing together the strange world of sugar-daddy/sugar-baby relationships with that of a corporate mystery. The author writes well, with a good eye for storytelling, I especially liked the development of the best friend bond between Jessica and Holly. The way they each looked out for the other when times were tough just reiterated that the seemingly glamorous 'sugar' world could have its dangers, difficulties and dodgy dealings.

Coming in at just 185 pages, The Sugar Game is a quick, easy and enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Amna Waqar.
321 reviews9 followers
January 6, 2021
This book could have been so much better had it not been for the author's lack of stringing together a cohesive, constructive and sensible story. The book started off reasonably well, but ended up being absolutely stupid and absurd. There were too many dialogues and not enough character development. Things were happening out of the blue and I wouldn't even bother categorising them as twists and turns. The amount of times the abbreviations SB and SD were used, not to mention the word, 'babe' was off-putting.
I was given an advance copy, but dear God, was the book not proof read at all? As someone who teaches primary school children, I honestly found the mistakes extremely frustrating to read especially when it came to the use of the apostrophe. I couldn't believe that I was reading sentences like, "your like Tom Cruise." (it's YOU'RE). Also, the plural of Dad is not Dad's and "too busy looking out of the dam window." was just ridiculous (damn). These weren't the only mistakes; there were plenty of others.
I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Duckfacekim09 (Kim Howell).
446 reviews41 followers
January 15, 2021
"I remembered tastes, salty and sweet, smells from my first boyfriend's balls to Mum's Christmas pudding"

Firstly, I just wanted to say that the Author is super lovely and she had messaged me to warn me about the amount of mistakes in my proof copy, and I'm glad she did as they did slightly distract me from the story.

This book wasn't what I expected it to be. I looked at the cover and thought it would be a fun and sexy love story, but it actually contained very little sex, quite a lot of love (but not too much mush) and contained a lot of mystery/suspense.

It was fast paced with short and punchy chapters, and was a very short read at 185 pages. The whole way through the book you got glimpses at the sugar baby life and I'd love to read a prequel where this is explored in more detail, maybe with a bit more raunch.

If you like your romantic suspense books then I would definitely recommend this one.
Profile Image for Claire (c.isfor.claire_reads) .
301 reviews8 followers
January 22, 2021
Firstly, what an eye-catching cover, I love it. It's certainly one to get noticed. This is the first book I've read by the author, and synopsis for this book really peaked my interest. I wasn't sure what to expect but I quickly became engrossed in Jessica's and Holly's lives as Sugar Babies.

I loved the friendship and closeness between them both and how loyal they were to each other. The story line is fast paced and I was forever wanting to know what was going to happen next in their world of Sugaring.

I found the storyline fun and original and it certainly left the door open for a sequel, and me wanting to read more.
1 review
January 5, 2021
One part crime and one part romance, this book is full of
intrigue, suspense, and excitement centered around the mysterious world of sugar dating. This book has a unique plot line with unexpected but interesting twists that kept me fully engaged till the last page. I enjoyed the book during a long flight across the pond. This book also has the potential to turn into a movie script, so I will be keeping an eye out to seeing this in Netflix or theatre. Add this book to your listing and get to reading - I expect you will not be disappointed.
Profile Image for Bookshortie.
863 reviews60 followers
January 20, 2021
This book is about Jessica and Holly who have been friends since school. Jessica dreams of becoming a therapist and Holly’s dream is to become a fashion designer. They see an advert to become Sugar Babies and create profiles and their alter egos Rebecca and Chloe are created. As Sugar Babies Jessica and Holly live by a set of rules so that their real lives and their Sugar lives don’t merge or clash. However when Jessica meets Jerod she finds there's something different about him and she finds herself being Jessica rather than Rebecca when she is with him. This includes telling her about her non Sugar life which she’s never done with others before. Will Jessica break the Sugar Baby rules for Jerod? When a mysterious stranger takes a keen interest in Jessica’s new relationship with Jerod it’s up to Jessica to find out what their agenda is and when the truth is revealed will she believe Jerod or the mysterious stranger?

What intrigued me about the book was the synopsis. As soon as I read it I wasn't sure what genre it would fall in as I’d not read anything similar before. This wasn’t the book I was expecting which means I enjoyed it all the more. It was interesting to delve into Jessica and Holly’s world as Sugar Babies but also get a glimpse into their every day lives. At the same time it was also interesting to see how Jerod’s story unfolded which added depth to the story and added a sense of intrigue. The story ended on a bit of a cliff hanger so I am very much looking forward to the sequel.

A story that gave me Pretty Woman and Alias vibes from the outset with an original plot. If you like books with a bit of romance, intrigue and a bit of sugar then this is the book for you.

I received a gifted copy of this book for an honest review.
Profile Image for Lin Perrett.
297 reviews101 followers
January 24, 2021
This book had more of a storyline than I first expected. One of the main rules of being a Sugar Baby is do not fall in love. Jess is about to break that rule when she meet Sugar Daddy Jerod. This leads to a dangerous adventure that leaves her best friend Holly in danger. I found this book fun and easy reading.
Profile Image for Michelle Fairchild.
476 reviews4 followers
December 8, 2020
This story started great. It was captivating to be thrown into Holly and Jessica's world of being sugar babies. It's a world not many women would dare venture into and yet fascinate by what this world might entail. Thrown caution to the wind is what Jessica did every day of her life. However, this fun roller coaster came to an end about 20% into the book. The story turned into a horribly told spy movie with bad dialogues. The story became unbelievable and it just doesn't make sense. If the "bad guy" has a way of leaving his dirty work untraceable, how is it that one of the girl can just disappears. She had no training of any type to go off grid. Yet the "bad guy" just let her go. If this story were to stick to following Holly and Jessica in their lifestyle, it would have made for a great read. However, it is quite disappointing.

Thank you to Cameron Publicity & Marketing Ltd and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Karen Andrew.
776 reviews55 followers
January 21, 2021
Jessica and Holly’s friendship was inevitable as sunrise. Hungry for life beyond sleep, eat and repeat, they land in the bright lights of London. They don’t want love, they want independence. They don’t want predictable, they want adventure. They don’t want a relationship they want to play. When Holly stumbles across a sugar-baby dating website, a glamorous world of entertaining wealthy men lures them in. They make their own rules, choose an alias and The Sugar Game begins.
Jessica’s pursuit of independence is rocked when Jerod, a workaholic scientist opens the door of her latest date. Jessica’s mask slips as he loosens the grip on her stubborn heart. But when he pulls back, her insecurities flare, what is he hiding? A shadowy figure from his mysterious past may have the answer. What he reveals locks Jessica into a dangerous conflict, putting her only sense of security on the line.
Determined to find the truth, she battles between her heart and head. Whatever choice she makes, this is not going to be easy. As rules get broken, will the girls ever win the sweet futures they signed up for?
Review
WOW I loved this book. It was fast paced and gave you an insight into the lives within some of the big cities.
It is well written and unlike anything I have read before.
It's a short read so perfect for an afternoons reading.
Since reading this book I have built up a great friendship with @ashleyloubrown and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.
Profile Image for Vikkie.
520 reviews36 followers
January 16, 2021
Wow!! Just wow!! This book should come with a warning, it is absolutely impossible to put down. I have devoured this gorgeous books in just 2 hours! 
Ashley Brown is a new author for me, but one that I am adding to the list of favourites! I have been completely pulled into the plot of this one and been completely unwilling to leave until I'd finished. This book is so well-written, I feel as though I have been right there with the characters. 
I love Jess and Holly. Their fierce friendship reminds me of my own friends and I absolutely adore that Holly calls Jess out on any crap. Both characters are likeable and realistic in a way that you can really relate to them. 
This book is completely unique to anything I've read previously and I'm so thrilled to have found a new author that is able to pull me into the pages. 
I am so excited for more books by this author. This is without a doubt a five star read which I haven't been able to put down! I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Hannah.
114 reviews13 followers
March 6, 2021

Well this book caught me by surprise and was really unexpected. I have to admit when I saw the cover and read the synopsis I immediately thought this would be a gushy romance, how wrong was I! I read this book within 24 hours I couldn’t put it down. I absolutely adored the friendship between Jessica and Holly it was so beautifully portrayed that no matter how much rubbish life throws at you as long as you have someone who gets you that’s all that matters and will help you get through the day.

Thank you so much to Anne Cater and Cameron publicity & marketing for sending me a copy of this book and letting me take part in the blog tour.

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