Summary
This novel obliterates the stereotypical sexually frustrated leading woman. Sophie isn’t waiting for a charismatic, handsome man to sweep into her life and improve things. Sophie decides she doesn’t need a man to take her by the hand and lead her to happiness. Sophie wants to enjoy sex and explore her sexuality, but monotony and mediocrity seem to dominate her existence. Rather than wait for things to change, Sophie decides to change them on her own terms and in her own time. We follow Sophie Valentine as she takes control. We watch her grow in confidence and launch herself into new and exciting opportunities in all areas of her life. Sophie manages to negotiate some of the constraints and expectations that society puts on her, without the wholesale dramatic and damaging changes associated with a midlife crisis. Sophie revitalises her marriage in many ways, starting with improving her sex life, as she experiments with desires and fantasies. Sex becomes more fun and interesting than she could ever have imagined. Her new-found confidence encourages her to progress a career that had previously been a series of failures and false starts. This book follows her as she begins to understand her value, and asserts herself where she would previously have stayed quiet. This is the story of the adventures, setbacks, and successes, as Sophie Valentine becomes the person she wants to be.
Excerpt
“So, what is this plan that you need help with?” Jess said with her usual, bright, beaming, joyful smile. She had greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. She took off her light summer jacket and sat herself down opposite me in the restaurant booth. She looked intrigued as she leant forward from the padded bench chair.
“Should we order first?” I asked, avoiding her question temporarily. “I’m a little nervous about telling you. I hope some food will help with the butterflies.”
Jess laughed, and rolled her head back as she did. “It must be good if it makes you nervous around me, Sophie. Take your time.” She seemed amused by my shyness. We had been intimate with each other a few times. I suppose it was pretty unnecessary for me to feel any
awkwardness, but I did anyway. Maybe it was because I was asking a favour? I hadn’t known her for more than a few weeks. That was a potential explanation for my slight insecurities.
We ordered salads and a glass of white wine each, catching up on the mundane events of our mornings. She looked radiant in her figurehugging knit dress. Her smiling face, shining happiness at me from across the table.
“Come on, I can’t wait any longer, Soph.” She interjected into our small talk. What are we going to do? You were so vague on the phone. I’ve been wondering about it ever since we spoke”.
“Well,” I drew the word out slightly, with a hint of a smile arriving at my lips. “I actually need your help with something just for me.”
“Ok, with what?” She was leaning forward in her seat again now. Instinctively drawing herself closer to find out what I was planning.
Review
Talk about mixed feelings. You want to show me a woman free of social constructs who enjoys her sexuality without shame and with her husband’s support? I’m all for it. And it could be empowering if the game wasn’t rigged from the start.
It’s the story of Sophie, a married woman who discovers through an argument with her husband that her life has stalled–a boring intimate life, and no progress in her prefered career. She decides to take hold of her life and change things. Good for her! The process leads her to enter an open relationship with her husband, with his encouragement even. The fact that her newly found confidence helps her with her employment is a bonus.
They often discuss her discoveries, and that means interesting conversations about love and sex, about jealousy, about trust. That part, I couldn’t love more. There’s not enough established relationships in romance, and watching them work through their struggles together was great.
Also, it’s hot. It’s erotica, remember? The ensemble scenes could have been written better, but it’s definitely a challenge to describe what’s happening to several people in a reduced space while keeping the sexy–it seemed a bit technical at times. More than variations, the author writes an escalation in Sophie’s experiences, which was interesting. Like a bird opening its wings.
So where is the game rigged, you ask? Sophie is pretty and has a beautiful body. And the men she encounters through her experiences–the men she chooses even–are all beautiful and athletic. At some point, with Sophie’s constant critical eyes, it felt that the empowering message was only addressed to conventionally attractive people. If you aren’t, don’t bother. Like feminism is only for pretty people.
Another point bothered me a lot, but I understand the reason of its existence. So it’s a story about a woman, for women, I get it. But where is Paul’s side of the story? The husband is also supposed to live in an open relationship, after all, but they never discuss his experiences. Does he have some? Does he hide stuff? Not knowing annoyed me, to be honest.
As for the writing, it wasn’t bad for a debut novel. The conversations sounded a bit stilted, not really natural. There were a few repetitions of words and phrases too close to each other, and some minor editing problems. But all in all, it wasn’t an unpleasant read at all.
A powerful message with a weak transmission, in my opinion, but just see for yourself.
Quickie
- Series: standalone
- Hashtags: #erotica #feminism #married couple #open relationship
- Triggers: N/A
- Main couple: Sophie Valentine & Paul Valentine
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 3/5
- + interesting journey of self discovery
- – the message is a bit biaised though, in my opinion
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