Dream, Girl bookcover

Dream, Girl

4.9/5.0
21,000+ Reviews
Bookshop.org has the highest-rated customer service of any bookstore in the world

Description

"...an honest look into a world rarely spoken about in polite company."-Alexandria Sure, author of Mister Manhattan

"...dives into the reality behind the fantasy of exotic dance..." -Anne H. Putnam, author of Navel Gazing: One Woman's Quest for a Size Normal

"...is about hope and the fierce determination that can turn hope into a better life."-Amy Buttery

Raised in a household of poverty and an oppressive, fear-based religion she longs to escape, Holly Mayes finds herself drawn from the dispiriting constraints of her childhood into another confining world-one where men call all the shots. Although temporarily enamored by the money, glamour, and popularity of the world of exotic dancing, the confidence she finds on the stripper pole as she captivates and manipulates men eventually turns to disdain and hopelessness.

In her pursuit of purpose and passion, the same strength that she used to navigate the stage at the Dreamgirls club becomes her lifeline to a better future. Despite fateful choices, misfortune, and missteps, she finds resilience and redemption in the power of her dreams, and in turn, a purpose beyond money and fame.

Product Details

PublisherKoehler Books
Publish DateDecember 10, 2024
Pages314
LanguageEnglish
TypeBook iconPaperback / softback
EAN/UPC9798888245422
Dimensions9.0 X 6.0 X 0.7 inches | 1.0 pounds

About the Author

Holly Mayes, a native of Michigan, has shared her passion for writing in a variety of genres, having self-published a young adult science fiction series, GEMS, a romance novel, Fade to Black, and a romance anthology, Mistaken, with two other female authors. Her short stories have been featured in Motherwell Magazine and Lansing's Community College's Washington Square Review. She earned a bachelor of arts in professional communications from Siena Heights University in 2016 and works as a communications representative. She enjoys reading, writing, photography, and spending time with her family, including her three grandchildren.

Reviews

"A life fueled by seduction, held together by secrets, and lived among a found family, Holly Mayes's Dream, Girl tells the story of a woman seeking the acceptance of others but finding the acceptance of herself."-Melissa Ford Lucken, editor, Washington Square Review, and podcaster, Washington Square on Air

"Dream, Girl is a courageous retelling of Holly's journey into erotic dancing, drugs, and toxic relationships, with a strength that lifts her up and out of an almost certain tragic ending. Dream, Girl is an honest look into a world rarely spoken about in polite company."-Alexandria Sure, author of Mister Manhattan

"Dream, Girl dives into the reality behind the fantasy of exotic dance, taking an unflinching look at a complex world of the male gaze, sexual power dynamics, substance use issues, and economic instability. At its core, this is a book about what it is to be a woman operating within structures of oppression and the war between two intense priorities: the desire to be a good mother (and a good person) and the desire to be free."-Anne H. Putnam, author of Navel Gazing: One Woman's Quest for a Size Normal

"Reading Dream, Girl was an eye-opening journey into a world many of us have not bothered to consider, even though we may drive past strip clubs every day. As a woman, I'm grateful for this glimpse into a world that too many women face. I was particularly struck by the economic trap exotic dancers find themselves in when other doors are shut to them due to poverty, abuse, drugs, or other circumstances. The author's story shows clearly that exotic dancers are also mothers, wives, girlfriends, and friends, juggling childcare, relationship, and self-discovery challenges like the rest of us. There's vivid detail, humor, and above all, brutal honesty throughout. In the end, Dream, Girl is about hope and the fierce determination that can turn hope into a better life."-Amy Buttery

Earn by promoting books

Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.sign up to affiliate program link
Become an affiliate