Sugar Baby is the new and refreshing book from Celine Saintclare and a must read!

We meet Agnes who is working with her Mum cleaning houses when she spots their clients daughter Emily an Instagram party girl. Emily decides to take innocent Agnes under her wing as a new 'sugar baby' - meaning she gets paid to dine and party with rich older men.

The book feels very real and relevant, also very believable as I have seen with my own eyes these clubs, girls, men and parties described in the book.

I loved how fresh, exciting, different and powerful the story was, and even though it was shocking in parts this built up the realness of it for me. The writing, flow and style were also on point and I devoured the book quickly!

I have already recommended this book to many of my friends and will continue to do so. A great summer read for this year.

"Sugar, Baby" was such an engaging and complex read! In her novel, Celine Saintclare explores topics that require masterful observation skills and sharpness. There are complicated mother-daughter relationship's intersections with faith, race and poverty.

And there is sex work, capitalising on one's beauty and youth, but also desire for sex itself. Agnes' introduction to the world of sugar babying is quite an interesting one, as it seems like she's more of a passion project for one of her mother's cleaning client, which also introduces an interesting dynamic. For model/sugar baby Emily, who came from money, sex work is more of a pass-time, for Agnes sex work will become her sole source of income.

For Agnes, who has the experience of being othered by her peers, treated as a third wheel, being a sugar baby gives a sense of power and also a glow-up. Separated from her mother and trying to navigate her new lifestyle, she experiences the moments of triumph but also major setbacks. There are a lot of grey areas to explore, including potentially traumatic events that the protagonist is not able to process when they're unfolding.

What I found especially interesting, was the narrative choice of first-person perspective that was executed well, according to Agnes' age. Even though she's observing certain dynamics and events (like Yomawu's behaviour during an eventful night out), she's not capable to make a meaning of what she's seeing. That is being left for the reader to figure out and interpret.

Overall, I found "Sugar, Baby" an interesting exploration of sex work, that wasn't neither glamourising, nor daunting this experience.

★★★★☆

As someone who is definitely not a party girl or a big drinker, this was so much fun. I feel like most teenage girls at SOME point have thought about sugaring and had the opinion that it probably wasn't that bad - I mean, expensive lunches, frequent gifts, big pay days for very little work - what is not to like? But this book really highlights the duality that comes with being a sugar baby; an interesting take on something that could very easily go down the route of SA or violence.

Instead, Saintclare discusses the roles these girls have to step into, the stereotypes they portray with very little power or voice of their own because, god forbid, young women have opinions. Adding the main character, Agnes's, ongoing religious guilt surrounding sex embedded by her zealous mother is just the icing on the cake.

[SPOILER!!] The ending lacks ever so slightly for me - it would have been nice to see Agnes with a bit more hope and prospects at the end, to reassure us that she had come out of her crazy summer on the other side. But maybe that is the point, because, ultimately, what 21 year old girl knows what the hell they are doing in their life?

This was a rollarcoaster of a read about today's trials and tribulations of womanhood and sisterhood, Christian guilt, mother daughter relationships, internalised misogyny and forgiveness. I particularly enjoyed Agnes' internal thoughts about her mother and her relationship with God, and watching her self perception change. This is a novel of self discovery in a society that offers women few paths to find it, and offers insight into how women can support each other to get there. Celine Saintclare is an author to watch out for, and I will be reading her again!

With a dark humour and at times even darker plot, book, this was such a fun read. The characters felt really raw and real and I loved how the plot makes you question a lot of things mainly: how much is money worth to you? and how long can you fake a lifestyle? A really thought provoking read I can see becoming a big hit.

Beautiful writing, fully fleshed out realistic characters, and darkly funny. I really enjoyed this! Also, stunning cover!! Obsessed.

That dreamy cover! It’s superb, and it’s a case of when judging a book by its cover that turns out to be absolutely the correct call. I’ll be looking out for more writing from Saintclaire. This is an intimate deep-dive into the sugaring lifestyle. Every time I thought things might be a little gilded for effect, the characterisation brought me back to full investment in Agnes’s trajectory. It comes across as so real. Let’s just say I’m considering ordering a lavender and pumpkin spice perfume and I’m now following Helmut Newton fan accounts on socials.

Agnes, every move monitored by her strict religious mother, is recruited into the life of "sugaring" - essentially, high-class sex work - by the woman whose house she cleans.

I thought Sugar, Baby was well written and I flew through it. I have to admit, I was waiting and hoping for something meatier in terms of plot, but it turned out this isn't that kind of book. It's more about Agnes's emotional journey in finding her independence and figuring out her place in the world. I enjoyed it!

#SugarBaby #NetGalley

Really enjoyed this book - Agnes works as a cleaner with her mum Constance who is fiercely religious and very strict - work means she crosses paths with the beautiful Emily and soon Agnes is taken into the world of model Emily and her equally glamorous friends . Agnes is introduced into the life of being a Sugar Baby - older rich mean who want an ‘arrangement in return for an allowance. Agnes loves life - suddenly she has designer clothes bags and an amazing glamorous life barely thinking of her mum and sister she left behind . However when you look behind the surface is this life any better than that of an escort or prostitute - a thought proving read very apt in todays society where young girls look up to the glamorous life and all the luxuries that go with it

Really enjoyed this - I’d seen a few bookstagram accounts reviewing it and couldn’t wait to get hold of a copy, so really pleased to have had an ARC.

Agnes as a character is flawed and at times unlikeable, but there’s also a relatable innocence to her. I also found it intriguing how her lifestyle seems fun and glamorous to begin with, but as we (and she) learn more, it becomes dirtier and seedier.

Really enjoyed it and would like to read more of Celine’s work.

I loved everything about this book!
I highly recommend for everybody who enjoys a good read.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Sugar, Baby is Celine Saintclare’s first novel and it is told in first person from Agnes Green’s POV. Agnes is 21 and she is a cleaner with her mother. Her mother is devoutly religious and very judgemental of Agnes. Agnes feels a little insecure as her best friend Jess is at university but she feels like she is going nowhere due to her being a cleaner. Then she meets Emily whilst she is cleaning Emily’s mothers house. Emily is a sugar baby and is living a luxurious life. She gets Agnes in on it and Agnes soon starts enjoying the same lifestyle. But she soon realises the cost that comes with dining older men and faking a lifestyle. This was a very intriguing novel and I requested the arc because I’ve never read a book involving this lifestyle before. It was written well and the story flowed. The beginning was a little slow for me but then the novel soon took off and I couldn’t stop reading it. It was so compelling and fascinating. Agnes gets into some uncomfortable situations but the way the author wrote them was just so good. I had a really great time reading this and I do think it is a must read. The novel raised so many questions which made the reader think and it was such a complex, nuanced novel. The issue of morality was just so well done. I definitely recommend this novel and I can see many people loving it. I am giving this 4.5 stars rounded down to a 4, I did really like it but it was slightly too long for me towards the end. However, after some time I may upgrade this to a 5 as it was so well done. Saintclare has a true talent and I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

I loved the writing style and the characters. The storyline was good and i enjoyed how real it felt, the characters felt like real people. A really enjoyable read.

Sugar, Baby is a fictional (?) look into the world of women who let men bestow money and gifts on them for the pleasure of their company.
The protagonist is brought up by an extremely religious mother and also works with her as a cleaner. It's on a cleaning job that she meets Emily, a spoilt, rich girl who has it all. Emily changes her life by introducing her to the darker side of life revolving around drugs, drinking, and sex.

The characters are believable, Saintclaint writes with dark humour, and it's a recommendable read.