Details from Audible:
- By: Maitland Ward
- Narrated by: Maitland Ward
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- 4.6 out of 5 stars (205 ratings)
Publisher’s summary
A celebrity memoir unlike any other, this is an empowering, sex-positive, behind-the-scenes look at both Hollywood and the porn industry. Perfect for fans of Pleasure Activism and How to Make Love Like a Porn Star.
Maitland Ward got her start in acting as a teenager when she was cast in The Bold and the Beautiful, but it wasn’t until she joined the later seasons of the sitcom Boy Meets World that she got her first taste of fame. As the loveable co-ed Rachel McGuire, Ward soon found herself being typecast as the good girl next door and was repeatedly denied darker, more intriguing roles. So she made a career change—one that required her to turn away from the Disney universe—and eventually established herself as one of the most-respected actresses in the porn industry today.
Now, Ward reveals the ups and downs of her fascinating career, including personal stories from her time on one of the most beloved shows of the 1990s, in this anything but a run-of-the-mill memoir. By showing Hollywood and triple-X stardom in a whole new light, she offers a fresh and stirring perspective on the sex industry and “champions the discovery of freedom in sexuality” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Ultimately a story of hope and triumph, thisis a sharp and provocative look at a former Disney princess who found her fairy tale in porn.
©2022 Ashley Maitland Baxter. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs
Initial Thoughts:
As I’m sure you noticed I have a very specific type of audiobook I like the most, non-fiction and read by the author. I search for them and when I found this one, and it was about porn, I was in. As are millions of people all over the world I enjoy porn and have been fascinated by it since I was around 14 (no internet back then, so harder to find). I’m not into the ultra-hard core degrading crap a lot of websites offer but seeing two people have sex and it be a mutually pleasurable experience, that can be nice to watch. I’m also already off topic, this was on Audible, had some good reviews so I gave it a listen.
Main Points:
I never saw “Boy Meets World” (or any of her other work) and as such had no idea who Maitland Ward was before I listened to her book, which I think is a good thing as I came at it totally fresh. I had read books by porn stars before like Asa Akira and Monica Mayhem but this one was different as Maitland started as a mainstream actor. I found it both sad and educational to hear about all of the trials and tribulations she had in Hollywood. Basically she was treated so badly by executives/producers/agents and other people in the Hollywood industry that she first moved to NYC and then into porn. The interesting part is that she is just a sexual (I would also say very kinky) person that she realizes it was only be combining porn and acting would be able to find happiness both personally and professionally.
She does a great job reading and has a lovely (and sexy) speaking voice. I could have easily listened to more but she does end the book on a very positive (and fitting) note and part of her life. I admire people who are true to themselves and I think it’s wonderful she can be public about being such a sexual and geeky person who loves her fans, is very generous and was lucky enough to find a partner who loves, encourages and accepts her for who she is. That said I will say that I did find some parts to be a little repetitive and I found it odd from someone who is so sexually open to not give more details about her sex life, especially for a scene where she has 4 guys in her at the same time, I can imagine how it’s done but I would have really liked the details. I was impressed though with her honesty about all of her problems, trials and struggles and she sounds like a very generous, fun, kind, sexy and geeky woman, the kind of woman most geeky people dream about.
Final Thoughts:
Oh of course it’s worth noting this is for ages 19+ due to coarse language and explicit sexual details. There are also some disturbing scenes that really made me feel sorry for her and makes me hope that Hollywood has gotten a little better and people who abuse positions of power are held accountable. I give it an 8 out of 10. By the end I was hoping there was more, I hope she writes another book, perhaps about her love of cosplay and other geeky things, along with the best (and newest) adventures she’s had in porn and mainstream. I would reccomend this to anyone who isn’t bothered by sexual content and/or has an open mind. I think it’s wonderful to see how Maitland overcomes all the obstacles in her life and has achieved happiness not only in her personal life but in her career, as she says doing what she loves, hardcore porn along with acting.