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practicingshelfcare's review against another edition
5.0
The Intimacy Experiment is an absolute delight of a book. Rosie Danan’s second book is even better than her first, The Roommate-- although I highly recommend you read that one first. In The Intimacy Experiment, readers get to see Naomi Grant’s love story! I actually did not like Naomi that much in The Roommate because of the way she treats Clara and Josh. However, she had a real redemption arc and now I adore her. Danan does a great job creating a past that makes you empathize with her without feeling pity (something Naomi definitely does not want). I also think Ethan is an actual gem and perfect for Naomi. He is adorable and nerdy and smart and passionate and sexy. Both Ethan and Naomi are Jewish, Ethan is actually a rabbi, and I loved the way Danan included Naomi’s struggles with and reacquaintance with her faith. This #ownvoices book is a must read for all!
nightshiftreads's review against another edition
4.0
after enjoying The Roommate on audio last month, I was excited to see that The Intimacy Experiment was releasing just a few weeks later. the author takes one of her prominent side characters from her first novel, making her the badass focus of her second. the plot definitely tackles a very interesting premise - a former sex worker and a rabbi connecting to teach a seminar on modern intimacy which inevitably evolves into a flirty romance.
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the positives: naomi’s character had so much depth, tackling her guarded past head on as a fierce female lead. ethan’s character was absolutely charming, but also taught me a lot about Judaism, a topic of which I was definitely unfamiliar. as with Roommate, the underlying themes of sex positivity was prominent and handled tastefully here as well.
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the negatives: this was definitely a way slower burn than it’s predecessor, and slightly less steamy BUT I felt it was justified given that this book focused more on the entwining of religion and intimacy.
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overall an easy, spring/summer read!
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the positives: naomi’s character had so much depth, tackling her guarded past head on as a fierce female lead. ethan’s character was absolutely charming, but also taught me a lot about Judaism, a topic of which I was definitely unfamiliar. as with Roommate, the underlying themes of sex positivity was prominent and handled tastefully here as well.
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the negatives: this was definitely a way slower burn than it’s predecessor, and slightly less steamy BUT I felt it was justified given that this book focused more on the entwining of religion and intimacy.
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overall an easy, spring/summer read!
abc_culpan's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
jayney21's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
elemomi's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
_marcied's review against another edition
2.0
idk what else to say other than this book was weird and i struggled to finish it
auudrey's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tamtamslibrary's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I loved the portrayal of the protagonists in this one, how they worked together, how they moved in each other’s worlds. There is tension, it’s emotional, and—this is only slightly spoilery—the growth of the FMC doesn’t end with her apologizing for her lifestyle or choices, but growing with AND because of them.
meggiemoo8's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mik_kass's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
An enjoyable read but won’t stand out as a top book for me. I liked the characters Naomi and Ethan but something felt off with this book. Can’t put my finger on it.