Blue Skies, No Candy

by Gael Greene

Successful screenwriter Kate Alexander, turning forty and losing her selfconfidence, engages in a succession of erotic fantasies and adventures which culminates in an overwhelming French excursion and a painful decision

Genres: Humor, Fiction, Erotica

213 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Gael Greene was an American restaurant critic, author, and novelist.

Reviews

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first trashy novel (book). I had to hide it from my Mom.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my read-privately-be-shocked-giggle-alot-then-pass-to-friends book. It was on my mom's bookshelf though I don't know why since she was not a romance reader. But she had it, I read it, I was deliciously scandalized (because I was 11-ish) and so I had to bring it to school to trade to the other girls who brought similar books for the exact same reason.
This was our DIY sex-ed. We flagged the sexy parts of our books, then passed them around for abridged reading under the the desks during class. We were little reading rebels.

I have no idea what the book was about. Food and sex. And sex. And sex. And I think a fight. And then food and sex and food.

I never want to read this again because I don't want my magical little bubble of this being the dirtiest-and-most-fun book on earth to be shattered. I don't want to read and understand the actual story. I want this to be my own personal I-was-a-bad-girl Food and Sex book for all of my eternity!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

She makes "50 Shades of Grey" look tame. One of the hottest books I've ever read---by the former restaurant critic of the NYT.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Smut meets New York Times food critic. Some amusing descriptions pop up, excuse the pun.

[Sally · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really am not prude or anything and did not have a problem with explicit language.
But maaaan, this book.
I bought it for one Euro at an antiques store and I am very happy that I didn't spent loads of money on it.
I read the first page in the store and thought that it was funny.
But now, a few months later, I have actually read the book and it wasn't funny anymore.
1. the language
That's probably caused by the translation, but the words that this woman used for her vagina....
Cringeworthy!
2. the characters
They had no substance. And Kate behaved like she was 12. Well, besides the sex.
I don't think 12 year olds have that much sex.
3. the "story"
What was this book even about?
NOTHING happend. Nothing.
She didn't do anything besides having sex, talking about her vagina, saying how good she looks even though she's '38', eating and having more sex.

The book had a few good ideas, but these were not at all well-elaborated. Like Feminism and the womens movement.
The only good thing about the book was, that you can read it really fast. No matter how much you hate it.

[BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) · Rating 2 out of 5]

See No Dutch copy available: Fiction never translated into Dutch/Flemish for a more elaborate review in Dutch.

'Raunchy and elegant', according to the front cover of my edition. Raunchy and elegant? Hmmm, not quite. Unconvincing? Yes, absolutely and totally.

Blue Skies, No Candy reminded me of Fear of Flying by Erica Jong, which appeared a few years earlier (and which is, in my humble opinion at least, a far better book) as there are quite a few similarities.

Beautiful photography on the cover of my edition though, at least that's something I can say in favour of the book.

[Maddie Paris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this book when I was in my early 20's and newly married, It was so explicit and dirty & just a fun read. I bought the book years later, as I was approaching 40, just like Kate in the book. Wow, what a difference. My memory was of a light sexual romp, but when I read it again I found it to be really, really depressing! Still explicit, just not light at all!

[Bob Box · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read in 1977. Probably read because it had the word candy in the title. Don't remember it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first "dirty" book. We passed around to each other, usually with blushing faces. Could't get enough of it as a senior in high school.

[D. Thrush · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kate is a successful screenwriter and in love with her husband but can’t stop sleeping with other men. She thinks it’s fine as long as she remains emotionally detached. Then she becomes obsessed with a rancher who turns out to be controlling, insisting she leave her husband. What to do? I kept hoping she’d come to her senses. This is an odd book written in 1976 with frequent errors, and the perspective changed from first to third person throughout. It was controversial in 1976 because she takes lovers and enjoys sex, but she has no control with the rancher, so I can’t think of her as a feminist. She seems more like a masochist in that relationship. I didn’t find it erotic, just tawdry and sad with an abrupt ending.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh couldn't even finish. Date, too many characters which aren't developed. Waste of time and money

[Deb]

Once again, no recollection....

[Veronica Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paperback - (C)