Carnival Girl

by Max Gareth

A sensational story of sex and struggle set against the flaming background of a traveling carnival, where kind hearts clash with ruthless passions, and savage lust takes the place of love.. A pretty face, a love hungry body of nurturing beauty…Norma is young and green. Norma has fought to keep her virginiity since the age of twelve from the hands of her drunken, lustful stepfather. She flees from home and keeps going for three crazy days, heading west without money or clothes. She joins a traveling carnival and becomes their star performer, the sexy sensation of the show, the sensual woman every man wanted to possess and every woman wanted to be. But she’s swept up in a sweet, aching glorious storm of passion and pleasure that threatens to consume her…body and soul. “Max Gareth” was the pseudonym of Stuart James, author of Bucks County Report and Frisco Flat , among other novels.

Paperback

Reviews

[Edwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid writing propels this sleazer a notch above most of vintage erotica of the era. It tells the sordid tale of Norma, an eighteen year old runway, who dreams of California but ends up getting work as a stripper in a traveling carnival. Norma is not only beautiful, she has an eye-popping physique that no man can ignore, or even resist. Norma is forced to fend off advances by slathering, slobbering horndogs who just can’t control their primitive instincts. Sort of a mildly amusing female sexual awakening/coming-of-age story (but written by a man) for most of the book then an interesting plot twist catches fire leading to an unexpected climax. I really liked the carney atmosphere and the writing in general. I give it an extra star just because I have an inexplicable fondness for carnival books (swamp books too). It’s an okay book if you like carnival stories. I can’t recommend it otherwise.

[John Marr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Between the obligatory "stiffener" scenes, there are some apparently authentic looks at life on the midway. Not bad.