Maitland Ward’s new personal memoir, Rated X: How Porn Liberated Me from Hollywood (out September 6), was awarded a ‘Kirkus Star’ from Kirkus Reviews. Only 10% of all books reviewed by Kirkus receive the accolade and the star is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the industry.

Ward’s Rated X story takes readers on a 256-page ride, detailing the ups & downs of a life well-lived: growing up in Los Angeles, finding early success as a TV star on The Bold and the Beautiful and Boy Meets World, her auspicious arrival into the adult film business in 2019, and her emergence as an award-winning talent – and a powerful force – that has since “changed the face of the industry and forever broken barriers as an actress and artist.”

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be recognized by Kirkus… it is a huge deal in the literary community to receive a star and I’m shocked that they are recognizing me,” said Ward. “I can’t wait for fans to finally get their hands on the book, and genuinely hope they enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was truly a labor of love.”

Kirkus praised the Atria Books/Simon & Schuster behind-the-scenes tell-all as “an exceptional narrative that champions the discovery of freedom in sexuality,” complimenting Ward as “clear and engaging in her frank discussions of sex and womanhood” and “generous and insightful in her reflections on finding a larger sense of self, as well as finding true friends in an often-superficial industry.”

Rated X can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million and Indiebound. More information is also available at SimonandSchuster.com.

Fans can find and follow Maitland Ward at Twitter @maitlandward, Instagram @maitlandward, and OnlyFans @maitlandward.