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A review by sophiesometimesreads
The Ace and Aro Relationship Guide: Making It Work in Friendship, Love, and Sex by Cody Daigle-Orians
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
4.5
Thank you to Netgalley and Jessica Kingsley publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This non-fiction informative self-help book outlines relationship advice, with a focus on asexual and aromantic relationships, including friendships, platonic life partners, and romantic and sexual relationships. I thought this was a really good look into forming relationships as an aspec person, but also would provide good advice to anyone looking to form relationships no matter their sexuality, and those looking to persue relationships with aspec people.
I really liked how relationships were explored outside of romantic relationships, and how we were introduced to a range of different relationship types that can exist. I also really appreciated the author acknowledging their privilege and where this book is lacking in terms of representing the struggles of intersectional people in the aspec community.
Though some of this was quite base-level advice, it would be really great for people just starting their own journey with self-identification as aspec and wanting to navigate relationships. The reflective "Act and Do" sections were good to provide actionable steps towards happy, healthy relationships. I think it would've been a great book for me to read in my teen years, to better understand myself and my relationships.
The book doesn't delve too far into the definitions of sexualities and relationship types, though it doesn't promise to do this so that's fine. It does have some good resources at the end, though, for people to use to explore more about aspec experiences.
I would recommend this not only for aspec people, but for everyone, to learn how to form meaningful and respectful relationships with people with a range of sexualities and identities.
This non-fiction informative self-help book outlines relationship advice, with a focus on asexual and aromantic relationships, including friendships, platonic life partners, and romantic and sexual relationships. I thought this was a really good look into forming relationships as an aspec person, but also would provide good advice to anyone looking to form relationships no matter their sexuality, and those looking to persue relationships with aspec people.
I really liked how relationships were explored outside of romantic relationships, and how we were introduced to a range of different relationship types that can exist. I also really appreciated the author acknowledging their privilege and where this book is lacking in terms of representing the struggles of intersectional people in the aspec community.
Though some of this was quite base-level advice, it would be really great for people just starting their own journey with self-identification as aspec and wanting to navigate relationships. The reflective "Act and Do" sections were good to provide actionable steps towards happy, healthy relationships. I think it would've been a great book for me to read in my teen years, to better understand myself and my relationships.
The book doesn't delve too far into the definitions of sexualities and relationship types, though it doesn't promise to do this so that's fine. It does have some good resources at the end, though, for people to use to explore more about aspec experiences.
I would recommend this not only for aspec people, but for everyone, to learn how to form meaningful and respectful relationships with people with a range of sexualities and identities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse