I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand it was really interesting to read about the details of being a sex worker but on the other I felt the author was incredibly judgemental. Learning about the behind the scenes details of sauna's and brothel's was what kept me reading. All the information and thoughts around her work were great. I found the discussions about the laws surrounding sex work and how it effects the industry and her personally were very good!

I could of done less with her attitude though. I know this is a memoir so she can write it however she wants but she was very cutting about many of the women she worked with. I find it hard to believe that she was the best looking, most liked and down to earth worker at every single place she worked.

Also the whole tone of the book was angry. It seeped into everything. I get it though! Her job is illegal and judged wrongly constantly. She has been through some horrible things. But as a reader it got tiring after awhile to be in such a rage filled head. Despite all the life experiences covered or the information shared the emotional tone of the book never changed.

Despite my issues though I would say that this is definitely worth a read for someone like myself who has an interest in the sex industry. It is hard to find books about modern sex workers and this has been the best one I've read so far.

Eve is a mother, partner and sex worker and has been for 20 years. This book talks of her experience in this world, from starting out, finding her feet, the struggle and encounters with the law.
I found parts of this book really eye opening, sad and maddening, along with a bits that made me laugh.
However i struggled with the tone of the book. There were parts that came across quite bitter and often she wanted to make sure that not all sex workers had a tough background but that is then how she portraid herself. There were also time, talking about other sex workers that again, came across quite rude and bitter.
Overall, an enjoyable read and i've walked away with a new perspective on the industy.

How Was It For You? is salacious, enraged, narrated with a frankness to make the Cerne Abbas Giant blush, and utterly unputdownable. The tale grips from the start and is often funny as well as surprisingly tender. Readers who imagine the sex memoir a mere noughties fad should read it and find fresh excitement in the genre without delay.

‘Eve Smith’ (a pseudonym) has many bugbears and one of her biggest are ‘rad fems’ - radical feminists. Besides their perceived sanctimony and urge to patronise, Eve detests how they distort and simplify the reality of sex work. All sex workers have a sob story behind them, have no claim to either an inner life or personal agency, and are incorrigible victims. The same failing is found in lazy screenwriters, who first instinct should be to reject stock characters and idle stereotypes.

Eve’s solution is to give reality back its quirks and nuance. You might suppose, not entirely unreasonably, that a professional dominatrix not only hates men, but does so with a fury grown mechanical. In fact, a misandrist is about as well-suited to the job as a narcoleptic is to flying a plane; it can be done, but rarely with lasting success. The best temperament for the job is theatrical: engagements must be prepped and scripted long in advance and with a feel for the ebb and flow of dialogue.

It surprised me that sex workers can and do form lasting bonds with some of their clients when the chemistry is right. One of the more quietly harrowing stories involves an elderly former client rendered housebound by illness. During her off-hours Eve devotedly visits him at home and spends long hours talking to him and keeping him company, all while avoiding despising glares from his social workers. Nor are other clients exempt. She recalls a sharp pain when she realised a handsome bachelor and devoted architect is, in fact, lonely and starved for affection. If he was lonely, she muses, what hope is there for the rest of us? That bad men exist is a fact. But it’s nice to read something as gently affirming as this:

‘I like to talk, as I actually like men.
Most of the time. Yes, I think they are too easy, too desperate and far too many of them can be dogs but, here's the thing: I have always liked dogs. They're entertaining and just so grateful if you throw them a bone.’

I’ve mentioned that that is an enraged book, but often justifiably so. In parts this is personal. While no victim, Eve had an unfair share of grievances. She grew up wearing ‘jam-jar glasses and train track braces’ and was picked on mercilessly at school, taking refuge in Enid Blyton and adventure stories. Dad was hard-working, Mum an undiagnosed manic-depressive. She recalls the day she had her first kiss, courtesy of a ‘beautiful’ Scottish boy, and felt desired for the first time. The first major boyfriend, a middle-class GP, the apple of her parents’. eyes and an obvious control freak, almost choked her to death. Her love of acting led her to drama school - Eve is a classically trained actress - and with it the full force of southern snobbery. Actresses, even in 21st century Britain, are still expected to speak RP as their default mode. You can only speak in your real accent when playing a prostitute, especially when like Eve (and myself, for the record) you hail from Birmingham. (‘ “You're from Birmingham?” they'd chuckle, saying the word as though it was hard to push out of their sneering lips. “Well, you would have had to move away from there sooner or later, wouldn't you? Well done.” ‘)

I hope you agree this kind of thing isn’t merely snobbish, disgusting, needless, and wrong. It’s absurd.

I also hope that readers don’t miss the economic lessons embedded in the text. They’re not trifling. Perhaps only farmers read the economic room better than a sex worker. When Eve started out, the hourly rate was relatively high. Competition from the Internet and Eastern Europe has saturated the market, particularly in London, to the point where prices have fallen and sex work is now cheaper than ever before. Pressure to perform ‘extras’ is fierce. Workers can spend as much time branding themselves on social media as working - particularly draining are ‘maintenance’ posts - and finding the most cost-effective advertisers. This has brought hazards both local and distant. When holidaying in countries that use facial recognition software, this has dire consequences. To slightly paraphrase, blow a U.S. president for free and they make you First Lady; blow a plumber for market rate and they turn you back at the border.

The book is richly funny and its comic highlights are many:

‘I was a klutz on stage and I am a klutz in the dungeon. I have electrocuted my own nipples and set fire to my laptop.’

‘Between us, Adam and I have a wealth of experience. Street smarts, of course, but academic smarts too. Adam has had the best education that his fine brain could get him; four years at Oxbridge studying physics. Then there's me. A quick learner and streetwise, with a side of strong muscle that comes from beating men in arm wrestles for drinks since I was twenty, and then later for cash. And never underestimate how strong you have to be to get past two sphincters. So, I often think that with both brains and brawn we can achieve quite a lot together. That we're quite the team. Four hours of consultation and cussing, sweating and swearing, and we still haven't been able to assemble the cot.’

I recommend learning a few key segments by heart for your party piece or screenshotting for the Facebook feed. If there’s any justice, perhaps Brick the policeman, Doctor Tom, or the more arrogant specimens splayed on these pages will overhear them in conversation, duly sweat from the palms, and regret they didn’t treat this gifted author better.

Thanks to NetGalley etc.

I enjoyed the book and very much appreciated the opportunity to read it. It is quite hard hitting and portrays the life of a sex worker very honestly. I would unfortunately mark the book down slightly due to the bitter and aggressive narrative running through the read. Sure it's just my view but it did grate on me somewhat.

I was intrigued by this book and what it would tell us.
On the whole, I found it interesting.
Such a different was of life, but one the author rocks.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. This book has kept me engaged from start to end, exploring thoughts and feelings about a difficult and taboo topic. The author often cites that she is not a victim and I respect that but at the same time there are so many elements to her story that make me angry at all she has been exposed to and experienced. A strong female voice which has been through some very tough and difficult times. I hope that in writing her book she finds peace and happiness.

I was really hoping to enjoy this book. As the blurb drew me in. Unfortunately while the real life stories were good the book didn't flow as well as I thought it would.

I really wanted to like this book, from it's clever book cover and interesting description but something just wasn't quite right.

The stories were disjointed and fragmented. It was confusing and didn't flow.

Thank you for the ARC, it was so nearly there.....but just lacking

As someone who is completely for the decriminalisation of prostitution, I was excited to read Eve’s story. I love the clever book cover and it definitely drew me in.

The book has a non linear timeline, which was a bit confusing at first, but the short and engaging chapters were easy to get through.

Eve talks honestly and openly about her experiences with different types of work; brothels, being a dominatrix and also “normal” jobs. She shares some insight on her bosses, customers, working environments and her colleagues/other working girls.

I really wanted to like Eve, but unfortunately, she came across as quite bitter, jealous, greedy and judgemental. She seemed to look down on those working minimum wage jobs and even other sex workers and came across as quite hypocritical in places. Her bitterness towards those with money and anyone in a position of authority took away from the story I think she wanted to tell.

The turning point for me was when she spoke of the 14 year old girl answering the phones. She just “walked away”, why didn’t she call the police? Why didn’t she get that girl some help?

Eve comes across as someone who is bright and hard working but seemingly chose to surround herself with untrustworthy people and an awful lot of drugs. Whilst she claims to not have a problem with them, she sure seems to do a lot of cocaine, and if £300 a day isn’t enough to live on, I’m really not sure we’ve heard the full story here.

She discloses trauma from her past and her difficult relationship with her parents, which unfortunately, plays in to the narrative she’s trying to deny; that girls often end up in the sex industry due to poor life experiences.

Alongside her sex stories, we hear of her pregnancy and follow her experiences into motherhood. It was interesting to read how she navigated working and pregnancy.

Thank you Eve for sharing your story, I wish you all the best with your daughter and the future.

"How Was It for You? Stories from a Sex Worker" by Eve Smith is a compelling and eye-opening collection that provides an authentic glimpse into the world of sex work. Smith's candid and heartfelt writing draws readers in, offering an intimate perspective on the experiences, challenges, and triumphs faced by those in the industry. Each story is told with honesty and empathy, shedding light on the humanity behind a profession often misunderstood and stigmatized. Smith's narrative voice is both engaging and thought-provoking, making this book a crucial read for anyone seeking to broaden their understanding of sex work and the lives of those who navigate it. "How Was It for You?" is an invaluable contribution to contemporary literature, fostering empathy and awareness through its powerful storytelling.

As others have said, I found this book to be very disjointed and as such it did not grip me the way I thought it might. This is going to be a DNF for me

Eve Smith (shockingly not her real name) has been a hooker, a dominatrix, an escort, a hostess in a strip club and has worked on sex phone lines and in "How was it for you?" she writes candidly about her experiences. She says at one point that it was her looks that first got her sex work but it was her personality that kept her clients coming back, and that personality shines through in her writing and kept me reading. This book could have so easily been salacious gossip about an industry that most people know nothing about and judge far too quickly, but instead it focused on Eve's experiences and the growing legal and financial issues for sex workers. How decriminalisation would be the solution to so many of the problems faced by sex workers and the dangers of working in an unregulated, illegal job market in which the police don't care if you live or die (but still turn up at brothels for the services of the women they persecute).
Written in an explosive manner with rage bubbling under the surface, Eve doesn't make claims about anyone else's experience but her own and discusses these (unnecessarily) taboo subjects with tact and rightful rage.
Although there's humour in some of the discussion about her clients, the women she works alongside and brothel managers, Eve also describes the terrible mistreatment that is so pervasive for sex workers, including raids from police and the seizing of assets through the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) that was originally meant to stop drug dealers but is used regularly to the detriment of sex workers - many of whom pay tax on their earnings. She also points out that in every country that has criminalised the purchase of sex, violence against sex workers has risen - the solution to this can only be decriminalisation.
This book is a fantastically written insight into the world of sex work through Eve's perspective, I learnt a lot and couldn't help but be angry on her behalf. A fantastic read which should be essential reading for all the judgemental idiots out there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan McMillan for the eARC.

My thanks to Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for a copy of “ How Was It For You ?” For an honest review.

A very interesting , truthful , and eye opening, book written by a sex worker “Eve”
It dispels the myths and preconceived reasons behind someone who works in the profession .There can be many reasons behind their decisions
It was amusing at times , but also heartbreaking , and it definitely makes you think.
The only niggle I have is that the time scale between chapters is a little disjointed , but I soon got used to this

I thought this was going to be more of a memoir where we learnt about Eve’s experience as sex worker from the beginning but it was quite disjointed and all over the place, I could never quite get into a anecdote before it ended and was on to the next one.

The premise was interesting and it had a lot of potential but the writing style just didn’t work for me.

Unflinching, indeed. This is the type of book where you get a glimpse into lives, industries, insights that you may otherwise not get.
I found the author’s writing engaging and the funny, bizarre or dark anecdotes she shares as well as her own honest opinions and perspectives are valuable.

It’s important to note that of course, I’m reviewing the book, and not the author’s life experience that she has shared with us.

I had thought this book would be various stories/experiences of the author’s time as a sex worker, and in some ways, we do have that. There is also a lot more of about the author’s background and her other jobs, which was really interesting.

I think I was expecting, based on the description, a more chronological time line of stories and snippets, up to the author meeting her partner, ‘Adam’. I think the actual book is a little bit more illogical and all over the place, which I found difficult to follow. Some sections are stories, and some are more general musings, which again I found difficult to follow and felt like I was skimming at times.

I will also add that I felt a bit of internalised misogyny coming through at times too, as well as some thoughts that seemed to be quite contradictory throughout.

A very interesting insight into the sex worker industry in the UK.

I had a bit of a problem with some, what felt like, internalised misogyny against females who work in standard/minimum wage jobs & the idea that people cannot gain enjoyment out of these jobs.

However, overall I did enjoy reading this book. It was super quick paced with each section/chapter being concise but informative, it was interesting to hear the other side of what we always see on the media, news, TV & movies and some myths debunked. It spoke about typically taboo subjects very matter of fact and brought in a great mix of humour, sarcasm, descriptions and facts.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read this!

An unflinchingly honest account of a woman’s experience as a sex worker.
What I really appreciated about this was its nuance. The author shows many different sides of sex work and its varied impact on the workers and clients. It also explores society’s attitudes and the treatment of those in the industry. It even touches upon society’s treatment of women and working class people in general.

The structure of this might not suit everyone. It’s split into very small sections, that sometimes jump about different times and experiences in the authors life. But, I thought it worked very well and was very impactful.

I will say I found a lot of this quite depressing. Interestingly, not the sex work part itself, but actually how so many of the author’s experiences highlight the misogyny prevalent in our society and indeed the appalling way upper and middle class people often make judgements about working class people in general, let alone sex workers. That being said, the author does make some of her own judgements about other sex workers and how they conduct their business.

On the whole found this incredibly thought provoking and was also pretty informative in terms of the laws and debates surrounding sex work. An interesting read that brings humanity to sex workers, it shows their layers and that they are complex human beings, just like anybody else.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read a digital arc of this.

An interesting look at an industry that is never spoken about but is worth around 5 billion a year in the UK.. sex work.

This book really gave some insightful stories and did well to dispell some myths we get often from the media surrounding prostitution. The narrator is quite strong and forceful in their opinion about sex work which makes for a good read.

My lower rating is because this book was quite challenging to read and really could have been a lot shorter. She doesn't quite have enough content and it really isn't delivered in a logical way.

I wanted to like this, I liked the idea of seeing the sex industry from the eyes of a working woman/prostitute/call girl/escort (and any other names that have been used). I expected stories about the different clients that she had been with or different places she had worked. However, it all felt like it dragged a bit and there weren't many of these kinds of stories. There seemed to be a lot of contradictions throughout the book and the author seemed to look down on other prostitutes. Some parts of the book were interesting, but on the whole I struggled to connect with the author and her story.