The topic of this book is one which has been a long time coming (pardon the pun) as it counters the myths which have informed so many romance novels for generations. I can imagine many readers picking this up with a sigh of relief that finally a romance book will offer some realism about the physical aspects of the relationships it contains. The premise of this book is great but I found some of the less appealing aspects of the book outweighed that a bit. Some pretty toxic relationships undid a lot of the potential this books offers.

So... this is awkward because this book is one big tough cookie. As much as I loved the blurb, the plot barely matched that, if at all. Unfortunately, the style didn't help the case as I often found it dry and I felt like I was reading a script rather than an actual finished piece.

It was a little stalkerish, a little troubling with the doctors and some other situations Rebecca inserted herself into and in the end, I still question what was her real motivation.

Kyle is an eye-candy for sure, and I loved him most times but a little more build up with that relationship wouldn't have hurt. As it is, poor boy gave the impression of being a prop and the prize for Rebecca. And not in the cute way. More like when you treat a dog when they follow your orders. That treat was Kyle.

I fully understand and support the message at it's core, that's the reason why this book caught my interest in the first place, but... this series of unfortunate events was just not it.

Over all, it was interesting to see how Rebecca dealt with her situation but there were so many wrong turns on the way, it was hard to believe she could land where she did in the end.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the advance reader copy of Love, Only Better.

The concept of this book really appealed to me - I love the idea of exploring the mechanisms of female pleasure. The author’s note was great too, it helped set the intention of the book.

Unfortunately I had some issues with the execution.

Things I liked:
- The awareness raised re. the female orgasm
- Reflecting on the relationship between self confidence and pleasure - although I found it strange that having an orgasm seemed to immediately improve Rebecca’s confidence

Things I didn’t like:
- Rebecca’s friends weren’t very good to her - they did improve, but they were tough at the start
- Some scenes were really over the top long and descriptive (like what was in each aisle at a pharmacy), but key elements (like a build up to Kyle and Rebecca getting together) were lacking
- The study seemed quite unusual, particularly the pressure the Drs put on Rebecca, and the filming component - I question the ethics?
- I also am unsure about the ethics of the sex therapist

There were a few typos (organisms instead of orgasms etc.) which might need to be checked before publication.

In short: I absolutely loved the idea of this book, but the ”romance” execution fell short. I think it could have been really fun if Kyle was 100% committed to working with Rebecca on achieving her orgasm and went on the journey with her.

This book deals with very important issues, and I really wanted to like it. But I couldn't.
The amount of self-loathing from the main character was way to much, to the point of being boring (and trust me, I know a LOT about self-loathing). The study seemed like it was being done in the 50's, the best friends were bullies.

The concept was good, the idea of talking about difficult issues that women face with their sexuality was very good, but in the end the execution was poor.

This story is unique in the sense that most romance stories feature intimate moments that always go according to plan and then some. I appreciated that this story had a more realistic representation of intimacy and the struggles that often go undiscussed when they occur in the bedroom. While the pacing of this book seemed to lag at times and the study that Rebecca participated in during the first half of this book had me feeling unsure about the trajectory of the story, I could see how that was a starting point for Rebecca to learn more about herself and discover new ways to learn about herself. Her journey towards self confidence and ownership of who she is makes this book feel like part romance and women’s fiction. I found some of the main character’s struggles very relatable and could empathize with what she was going through. Her vulnerabilities and her struggles had the reader routing for her and wanting her to find the happily ever after she deserved. It was nice to see the realistic way that couples can discuss openly and honestly about health, physical needs and expectations during the course of this story. That’s not something I see often (if ever) in romances and appreciated those themes throughout this book. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this story, all thoughts are my own.

I firmly believe this book is well-intentioned and may be of great use to women experiencing similar issues. As a didactic tool or a conversation starter, it has lots of value. And it's definitely a conversation that SHOULD be started. There is so much silence and ignorance around women's sexual health (let alone their actual pleasure!) that any discussion and resources are extremely valuable.

That said, as literature, this did not work too well for me. The scenarios of sexual health research, treatment, and therapy concerned me as they didn't fit the ethical or courtesy standards I would expect (the research study therapists seemed pushy and remarkably unconcerned with their participant's comfort and I can't imagine a "watch your language" warning when asking a woman to describe her intimate history and experiences). The actual characters and plot were not developed to an equal degree as the main character's therapeutic journey.

I wouldn't discourage anyone experiencing sexual dysfunction from picking this up--it includes clear, explicit information about several possible methods of resolving issues and may be more accessible/less intimidating than clinical works. However, if one is simply looking for an enjoyable story to read for fun, this is probably not the best choice.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

I was so excited to get Love, Only Better as my first ARC because I loved the concept of this book. I liked the message of female empowerment and the way it shows that women should discuss sex and orgasm more often without being ashamed of it. But I guess this was the only thing I really enjoyed.

I felt like things were happening too fast, it seemed there were a lot of things going on at the same time and that none of them have been well developed.

I didn't really care about the romance because they had zero development. They just met and were already in love. Kyle was a nice guy but I missed some development and they had no chemistry.

So, I really enjoyed the concept but overall was a little bit disappointing.

Thank you Netgalley and Media Goddess Inc for this ARC.

I loved the way Paulette Stout wrote Rebecca's story. I loved the feminism and the long overdue mentions of women's basic needs/wants. It was a quick, fun read. The chemistry between Kyle and Rebecca had me on the edge of my seat. I definitely recommend this book.

I really, really struggled to get into this book no matter how many times I tried. I just couldn't get Rebecca's voice or into her head. I couldn't finish it. I liked the idea of it, women not being embarrassed to embrace or enjoy their sexual pleasure in romance isn't always brought up enough in this context.
Thanks to netgalley and the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

With a great and important message of female empowerment, Love, Only Better gives light and explores an issue often disregarded and made to feel shameful. I loved the authors take on sex positivity and loving and accepting yourself without judgment.

I do have to say that, Love, Only Better was wildly different from my expectation after reading the blurb and accompanying prequel short. The story was too focused on Rebecca's issues, mostly occurring in her own head, rather on the relationship building between the two MCs, which made it a little tedious and long winded at times.
I would have loved to see more from Kyle's prospective, as his character came across as a little flat - an accessory to Rebecca and not a MC on it's own merit - in contrary to the prequel short where I really liked him.

3.5 stars and an O.

So the description sounded pretty decent and I like the idea of women taking control of their bodies and feeling confident and empowered. Wow though, we took a really long and pretty boring path to get there. I didn't care about our main character's boss, her clinical sex therapy or homework assignments, or her annoying friends. If this book is helpful for some people (it gives what I feel like are women's health/body information basic examples/exercises, such as looking at your vulva in the mirror to get better acquainted, etc.), then by all means read it. If you're good with all that, just skip this one; you aren't missing anything.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Paulette Stout deserves all the stars for bringing to the page a story that I haven't seen explored in fiction this way before. The protagonist--Rebecca--has psychological barriers that restrict her ability to enjoy sex, specifically, to have an orgasm. Helen Hoang approached something similar in The Kiss Quotient, which involved a woman on the autism spectrum hiring an escort to conquer her challenges with intimacy. But Stout's challenges are specifically focused on the orgasm, and she seeks out professional help (from a hospital study, to "homework" involving toys and visual materials, to a sex therapist). The story is inspired by the author's own experience, something she relates in an author's note at the end. Many readers will feel "seen" in this novel, and Stout's frank and candid discussions will spark conversations and introspection among readers that might not otherwise have happened.

I love the idea the author is trying to convey in this book - sex positivity and female empowerment. It's good to see the main character taking the step to consult her doctors to overcome her fears and self-doubt regarding organisms. The concept is GREAT. Please let there be more books about it instead of everyone getting earth-shattering sex in the sky (ACOTAR reference).
However...
- The first part of the book reads like a therapy session logbook filled with self-loathing.
- Too much, WAY TOO MUCH self-loathing, and a very passive main character. She's so passive and pessimistic that it's extremely frustrating to read. The way it's written is so very cliché it made me laugh several times.
Quote 1 'Two old ladies talked as they rolled grocery wagons. One full of groceries, one empty. Rebecca knew which hers would be.'
Quote 2 'The floral scent of spring filled her nose. Fresh and clean, it was the antithesis of everything about her life.'
Too bad these quotes aren't meant sarcastically. It would be brilliant if they were.
Scene 1: MC talked to the phone after the other person hung up.
When a theatre kid says it's cliche, it's REALLY cliche. Monologues are okay but DON'T SAY IT OUT LOUD unless on a stage.
- A friendship that doesn't sit well with me. After a whole scene about friends being pushy and the MC being reluctant, the MC would conclude that they're best friends I love them oh so much. Best friend how? I'm not convinced.
- There's more romance in SpongeBob than in this romance book. There's no build-up, no chemistry.
Quote 3: 'He was perfect. She was broken.'
How sad. I don't care.

Overall a disappointing read, the concept is great but I would not recommend this book.

Rebecca and Kyle meet when he moves in to her building. She is just out of a relationship and hurt by what her ex said to her about her performance in bed. This makes her wary of getting close to anyone else, and ends up in a programme that is supposed to help her. Will they give each other a chance?

I would have liked to see more from Kyle's point of view too, as we did in the short prequel.

I really enjoyed the message of female empowerment in this book, while exploring an issue that is incredibly common but never really discussed because of the shame surrounding it. We’re taught not to discuss sex or arousal, and we internalize a lot of feelings because of it.

At first I wasn’t sure about Rebecca’s friends, they seemed overly pushy when she wasn’t ready to talk, but they redeemed themselves (although I’m still not sure why Leslie smoking and the job she was working on was brought up randomly, maybe that’s in the next book). Rebecca has incredibly low self esteem in all aspects of her life, but it’s not made clear whether it stems from her relationship with her parents (likely?), or just from her belief that she can’t climax and from how her ex, Ethan, treated her. She engages in a lot of frequent, negative self talk, I don’t think the fact that she couldn’t climax was the root of all those issues, and it seemed a little outlandish that the ability to orgasm was magically the end all be all to solving the low self esteem and negative self talk.

There were also things that didn’t really work for me. Are there really sex therapists out there that have you strip down in their office and teach you how to masturbate while walking you through a fantasy and dribbling oil on your breasts? This seems like a sexual assault charge waiting to happen… I also didn’t really buy the relationship with Kyle. It happened so quickly and didn’t seem very organic.

The authors note did give really great insight into the book and the author herself and her reason for writing the book, what she was going though and what she hoped that writing it would accomplish. It’s very insightful and the book opens the door for more discussion on the topic, and maybe it will start to feel less like a taboo topic and like something that is okay to discuss and that should be okay to talk about.


Thank you Netgalley and Media Goddess Inc for providing me with this ARC of Love, Only Better.

I was so excited to get Love, Only Better as my first ARC. I saw it and knew it was something I would enjoy and enjoy it I definitely did!

Rebecca is 28 years old and has never had an orgasm. Alone. With a partner. Nada. It's affected her every relationship, especially in the last one. Ethan ended things with her after years of dating because she was "cold" for never hitting the big O with him. His parting words haunt Rebecca and she's hung up on trying to have an orgasm on her own. She thinks there must be a physical issue with her. She doesn't even know what getting there would look like. Enter Kyle, the hot new neighbor. They're attracted to one another immediately and he seems to be the man she's been missing her whole life - attentive, patient, caring, and romantic. But, Rebecca's mental hang ups means she doesn't trust herself and could ruin this fledgling relationship before it has a chance to take off.

There were a few issues I had with the book. I couldn't stand how down on herself Rebecca was ALL the time, but if it was weighing on her mind I guess it's understandable. Kyle was a little too quick with the relationship stuff in my mind. He was having trust issues with her very early on and it just seems a bit much, but dude had been cheated on so.. who am I to judge?! I will say the author's note at the end of this was a breath of fresh air and really enlightened my understanding of where her head was at. Having healthy conversations about sex and empowering women really should be something we aren't ashamed to talk about, yet the majority of us are. In that regard, thus could be a really great thing for someone looking for a little education to pick up and maybe feel less embarrassed. We should be able to talk about this stuff with the people close to us in our lives and for addressing that issue alone, I applause Paulette Stout.

For the record, I would give this a 3.5 if I could!

This was a unique book about a heroine that has hang-ups about sex and self esteem and her journey to find love and an orgasm.A cute story.