Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ARC.

Avery was brought up in a strictly religious American household which has damaged her sexual wellbeing. When she tries to lose her virginity to her boyfriend in the dorm of her uptight Christian college she discovers not only that it hurts beyond belief but also that it gets her kicked out of college while nothing bad happens to her boyfriend's reputation, who promptly dumps her.

Five years later she has made a life for herself in Orlando, Florida and has a book editing job, a flatmate and friends in the gaming community, including Devin, the tattooed owner of the gaming shop. However, her attempts at online dating fail miserably due to the old problem - sex and periods hurt and she doesn't know why.

This is a very unusual book in that it tackles women's health and sexual problems head on. I couldn't relate to the religious bigotry but I've overcome vaginismus myself and know the struggle with the dreaded dilators. I also know you must be honest with a potential partner from the outset - the right man will stay.

In the light of Avery's upbringing I understood her naivety regarding sexual matters but only to an extent - not to have heard of a clitoris or endometriosis nor know how to deal correctly with a small bullet vibrator at the age of 27 when you live in the modern world felt alien to me. It made me sad when she called herself broken and a monster.

I'm not a gamer so the descriptions of the multi-player tabletop games events were like a foreign language to me and there was definitely too much mention of it, but I liked the community and friendships they gave Avery. Avery has found her family after her own is such a disappointment.

The title though - really? A book of that quality really needs a classier title, one that represents the content in a way that isn't out for cheap laughs or thrills.

The romance, however, is lovely. Devin is such a great, supportive character, despite or because of his own struggles with mental health. He is instrumental in persuading Avery to overcome her self-loathing and finally stand up for herself and start believing that she is a normal person with a couple of medical problems that can be cured or at least treated.

This is a surprisingly easy, light-hearted read, despite some of the topics. It's brilliantly written and I couldn't put it down. I'm so glad women's sexual health is finally getting more of the spotlight - it's about time. There is a lot of sexual content in this book but as little as I usually like spice in a romance, here I was cheering on Avery to finally get her groove on!

4.5 stars

Review to Come

Love the cover ❤️
Description intrigued me…
Author is new to me.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

This books deserves to be on my being-good-enough shelf on Goodreads. I don't think it is actually mentioned in the story, but I do think it is a theme. And one worth mentioning, because no one – either with or without a dysfunction or illness – should feel less than others.

The scene where Avery called herself a monster brought tears to my eyes. I've called myself a freak before, nothing related to her medical issue, but for being ill with ME for almost twenty years.
Similar to Tristan, people don't seem to be able to see past their own wants and needs, it is as if they don't know how to be uncomfortable with someone else being ill or less than perfect. People who have been (and still are) hurting me, toxic family members are very much a part of that. Thankfully, not everyone :) Good thing this is all included in this book, I am very glad I bumped into this on Netgalley.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

This book was amazing! It had some deep themes in it and it handled them very well! I really enjoyed the thought and insight that was put into this book!

It is a perfect book? No. Am I very glad I read it and will recommend it to people looking for soft romance or endometriosis rep? For sure.

Loved all the gaming, wish there had been more religious stuff, honestly. Opening with a sexual assault was a choice. The stalkery guy at the beginning was such a weird call. The rest I enjoyed, although I think the editor needs a slightly heavier hand. It is an ARC though; maybe some of the errors and repetitions will be fixed by pub date. It's a light, fast book, and the author should trust the readers to remember details.

Florida gives IVs in the ER for everything? Wild. Y'all feel goofy after general anesthesia? I just sleep until they worry I'll never wake up. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

While I wouldn't necessarily call this a romance, it was a very well-written book about a young woman coming to terms with her religious upbringing and undiagnosed endometriosis. How her life is impacted by the disease had been depicted very well, and I rooted for her to either overcome it or somehow learn to live with it. Overall it was not what I had expected, but still an engaging book.

First of all, I really really wanted to love this book. I hugely support more authors writing about tough topics like medical issues, disability, and/or mental illness. And especially since I know the endometriosis portion of this story is based on the author’s own experience. I can say that she treated the topic with grace, and also wrote about Devin’s struggles beautifully.

However, overall, the book could have used a lot of smoothing out for at least the first half. And the tone throughout was very young. It didn’t read like a romance novel at all, and while the friend characters all insisted it had been obvious that Avery and Devin would get together, that chemistry did not show up on the page at all.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book early.

Not quite what I was expecting, it was far more emotionally intelligent than I assumed - the medical aspect of this is dealt with so well, and is a breath of fresh air honestly, as it's massively under-represented in romantic fiction, or when included is easily solved. This felt educational and realistic - I just wish the heroine had a better mindset, but it was a realistic one.
However, this doesn't mean it was light and had it's sweet moments, with an adorkable hero! It just lost me a bit with the gaming (it's not one of my interests... at all).

Overall this was a cute little romance which was low-angst and focused on found family. I was happy to see endometriosis covered extensively in this novel - it's one factor that interested me in the first place, and the toxic religious upbringing which contributed to Avery's sexual dysfunction was also pretty fascinating. Devin, the MMC, is delightful - always kind and supportive despite his own challenging back story, and the care and love they have for eachother has developed over years as friends so it's lovely to see that turn into something romantic.

However, there were a few points which I struggled with which may, or may not, be relevant to other readers. Firstly, there's a LOT of gaming - it's mostly in-person table-top (rather than computer games) but still, if you're not into the 'world' this gets a bit tedious and isn't necessary to move the story along. Second, while we see occasional glimpses of Devin, Avery is dating other people at the beginning of the book and it's only around 30% that's she's single and we start to really see them together. Finally, I spent quite a bit of time getting frustrated with ex-boyfriends and Avery thinking the only option for physical intimacy was penetrative sex (though this naivety was explained away by her religious upbringing). It was only when the older, more worldly Devin came along that she found out about any of the things that can be done alone or with a partner that don't involve penetration. As she was almost 27 by this time and away from her religious parents for five years it didn't really ring true.

So, a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the sweetness, the concept and the representation but it felt quite simplistic.

This is just excellent. The plot is great, some excellent gaming and board games and detail of the culture of gamers and running a gamer shop, but also just lovely romance. Avery is so lovely, she is normal, with a job she enjoys, friends and a great flatmate, she has disasters on a dating app and just stops. Devin is also great, he is hurt by his past and every time he thinks he has come up for air, someone pushes him back down, they are made for one another, if they can be honest,
The backdrop is Avery’s painful periods and painful sex. This is dealt with very sensitively and with real knowledge. It all wraps up to a cracking read.

YESSSS!!! We love visibility for underrepresentated topics like endometriosis! I'm not diagnosed with anything officially but I could releate to some aspects of the book so much and this is literally the first time I saw a book tackle this topic. As someone who likes gaming and boardgames I also liked that the primary setting was a game store.

I just found the title not that suitable for the topic and fear that many in the target audience might skip over it, because they think it has some weird 2000s Rom-Com vibes? Idk how else to explain it, sorry! But I mean I was curious enough to look at the description after reading the title (more in like a wtf way) so hopefully it will work on others too!

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Confessions of a Virgin on a Dating App is a book I seriously think anyone who has struggled embracing their sexual side needs to read - especially for my menstruating individuals who have dealt with shame around sex, painful intercourse or the idea that the only way to share physical intimacy with someone is through traditional sex.

Sydney captured all of the shame, exhaustion, anger, pain and frustration that many people go through in finding their person - the ideal person who accepts you for who you are without conditions while addressing what I truly believe is a common issue for many women - that sex is all we are good for but is also something we should be ashamed of. Weaving these heavy topics through Avery’s journey in finding Devin may make it seem like the book is too fake and heavy to enjoy but I found it to be the exact opposite. Sydney balanced the story so well, addressing these subjects with the weight they deserve while also creating an adorable romance that leaves you rooting for the couple throughout the novel.


If you’re a romance lover like me I highly suggest adding this to your TBR! I know I’m glad I did!

Confessions of a Virgin on a Dating App was a very interesting read for me because I related to the main character's journey with endometriosis and religious sort of trauma. Although the latter I shed myself from when I was entering my own life. 20s.

The bones of this book, the essence and what the author tried to communicate, was the best thing, in my opinion. The topic of endometriosis is SO COMMON, yet there are no enough people talking about it and its symptoms, or not doing it in a very female centric space like romance novels. For that alone, I command the author.

However, as a romance novel, I really feel unattached while reading the book. I was engaged when the endometriosis topic was full on, but when it came to the rest of the book -relationships (both romantic and platonic), work, how the female lead actually is, and the religious aspect, I was not that invested. I felt a disconnection in the narrative, to the point of feeling like reading a series of notes, rather than a book.

It was very much like “I did this. He did that. I felt this.” I really don't mind that most contemporary novels don't have the flowery style of writing that fantasy novels tend to have, for example, but some of that could have been very beneficial to this book. That also hurt the exploration of the characters a lot. Other than with the female lead, I could not say what the other characters' deals were. The best friend, pretty none existing. The love interest, he was fine in a very non-descriptive way for most of the book, and then we got more information on him in the end. The rest of the friends, they were just there.

It was the same with the religious part. I'm not saying that there had to be this super in depth dive into how that shaped the main character and how exactly it was affecting her. She struggled with finding a balance between believing in something and letting that be all your life, but some of that would have been nice. Especially, because that made her not to explore her sexuality or even research about it for years. That, being totally frank, I could not believe.

You are telling me that a woman in her mid-twenties, that consumes a lot of pop media, is on the internet a lot, plays online games with other people, and reads a lot of books due to her job, that woman has never heard about a clitoris?

Anyway, I don't want to sound like I didn't like the book because it was the opposite. The potential of this story is huge, so much so that, what I did not like, it felt like a punch because the core is perfect.

I firmly believe that, with time and more exploration and more feedback, this author could be a force to reckon with in this genre.

I was initially interested in this book as it deals with religious trauma. I thought the author did a great job of capturing the aftermath of leaving toxic religious organisations and the ongoing difficulty with family members still within that world.

Whilst I don't have endometriosis, several friends do. From what I know, it felt like an authentic depiction of endometriosis.

I am not the key audience for this novel as I have no interest in gaming, but I like the idea of a loving community like that.

Overall, I thought this was a lovely little book for anyone experiencing religious trauma or endometriosis.

I'm giving it 4 stars even though I'm not the target audience as it was well written and covers some topics that should be spoken of more.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I got an advance copy of this book via Netgalley.

The cover and title is what initially drew me in but that's where it also stopped.

One of the main topics was this whole world of gaming, and as a non gamer I was a bit lost on this whole part. The terms and verbiage got confusing and sometimes felt like the book was focusing too much on it rather then having it be a fun side thing it started becoming the whole "geeky girl likes games" vibe

The second main topic was endometriosis. I'm glad this was discussed in a romance book but yea thats all I got for that.

Avery seemed so weird. She over reacted to Anthony ( she had one date, the guy came to the gaming shop and then was never heard from again). She also explained the gaming too much, like we get it, you like games, lets move on now. Actually she had a tendency to repeat a lot of stuff over and over again.

this is a hard pass for me

I am crying. I want to thank you for accurately portraying a person with endometriosis. I blindly picked up this arc due to the cover being so so cute. I read this during a big endometriosis flare up of mine. There's something special about finding a book that has the same disease as you- this is my first time doing so. I am just blown away.

Thank you.

Avery Murphy has a big problem: after a painful attempt to lose her virginity, she’s been unable to have sex. After being kicked out of Bible college and cut off by her religious family, she relocates to Orlando, where she’s built a happy life with a cool job and a close-knit group of friends. But as her 27th birthday approaches, she longs for a partner, despite her intimacy issues. Through awkward dates and self-discovery, Avery starts to uncover deeper health problems behind her struggles. This heartfelt story shows that love and connection can often be found in the most unexpected places.

Wow, what a sweet book. If you are in the mood for a great romcom, pick up Confessions of a Virgin on a Dating App.

I do think this would appeal to a large audience as it covers important topics - women’s health + sexual health + religious trauma

Unfortunately - I do not feel this was for me.
It felt childish in a way? Especially to be advertised as Women’s Fiction - i would say almost it was more Young Adult. The way it talked about sex seems very juvenile - it was a little unrealistic to me that the 27 year old female lead had never heard of a clitoris?

It was HEAVY on the gamer jargon - I would say 50% of the book was about gamers/games she was playing etc. Again - this could appear to a large audience but that audience just is not me. I felt this made me bored of the book and wanting to skip the parts about gaming that I did not understand.

I appreciate the medical aspect as I am an Emergency Nurse - and her experience there was very accurate! So I enjoyed that.

As for the Romance side - I do feel it was all over the place. I read a lot of Romance and can always predict where the story is going (but I love that - that’s why I read romance!) But this, I didn’t expect - and almost in a bad way. Devin was a minor character in which she paid little to no mind to (but was randomly coming up in her head periodically for no reason - like it seemed very random her sudden thoughts about him) and then suddenly she decided she was actually in love with him and she had pent up feelings for years. I can appreciate a slow burn or enemies to lovers and all the other tropes … but this just honestly seemed random. There was no chemistry & even the conversations between them seemed very juvenile.

I think bringing attention to these topics is very important! And I appreciate what she was trying to do. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped , but I hope others will :)

Wow, this was an amazing book and really resonated with me because of what I am currently going through. I can deeply relate to Avery and her journey with endometriosis, as this is something I have struggled with. I am also currently struggling with it again, and contemplating another surgery due to symptoms and quality of life. I teared up a few times with this book because Avery provided me much needed representation, and I love that Sydney Wilder created this character and her journey. Devin was just such a sweetheart and gives hope to those who feel broken and like no one will see them and love them. His own journey hurt my heart but his redemption was so wonderful and just shows you can't judge a book by its cover and the best kinds of people are the ones you least expect. The elements of table top gaming were so spot on too, and made the book even more fun and meaningful. I also felt like Sydney Wilder handled the religious trauma depths and heaviness really well and I loved Avery's journey of self-discovery within this realm. This book was fun and lighthearted at times but also so impactful and important. I truly loved this book so much and highly recommend it!