This wonderful book by the Ortega's is a much needed resource for all Catholic couples of any age!

In this book, the Ortega's frankly, honestly, and openly discuss martial lovemaking and all the needs to go into the marriage relationship to make sex great! They share some of the common pitfalls that couples fall into which has a negative impact on their sex life. They discuss what needs to happen in day to day life to ensure that a "sex is a physical expression of an invisible reality."; that reality being true oneness as a couple in mind, body, and spirit. The Ortega's believe that "sex is fundamentally an act of communication" and so this book continually encourages couples to communicate about everything about their communal life as a way to achieve oneness. The book also includes helpful information about Natural Family Planning and generously sharing the gift of life. The book concludes with helpful conversation starters to get couples into the practice of good communication.

This book shines because the Ortega's have a solid foundation in the theology of John Paul II through his works "Love and Responsibility" and the "Theology of the Body". This is a book I will unapologetically suggest to many, to couples who are just starting out on their martial journey, to couples who have been married for many years, and even to couples preparing for marriage. I think that this book will be a great resource for many for years to come.

The Ortega's also have a podcast - which I discovered because of this book - which I would highly recommend as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ave Maria Press for sharing an ARC copy of this book with me.

I just love that this is written by a husband AND wife! It is so refreshing to hear both sides of the story, so to speak. Renzo and Monica’s experience is so relatable, and their suggestions will surely help many couples! I especially appreciated the conversation starters at the end of each chapter. It’s hard to know where to start when talking about these things so having specific questions to discuss will be helpful to even the most experienced couples. It also just shows how important communication and emotional intimacy is in a marriage! If we want better sex, we need to be vulnerable with our spouse not only in the bedroom but outside too. Renzo and Monica cover it all, and I’m so grateful to have this book to recommend to couples of all ages!

I wish I had this book when my husband and I got married! What a beautiful gift to the Church! I appreciated Monica and Renzo being vulnerable with sharing their story, but I also really loved the inclusivity of experiences and perspectives: regardless of the topic, I was able to find a way to relate. This will be soooo helpful for engaged and married Catholics.

Renzo and Monica Ortega have written a book that reads like a conversation with a trusted big brother or big sister, except even less awkward, because, well, it’s just a book and you can read it in the privacy of your own home. While it’s contents will hopefully burrow deep into your heart and mind, the entire point is that you become more able to open up and share your heart and mind all the more with your spouse. With an abundance of suggested conversation starters and illustrated by numerous personal anecdotes from their own marriage (seriously, their honesty and vulnerability will absolutely inspire your own), the Ortegas coach readers on how to discover the full potential of their marital embrace by strengthening the spousal relationship in every arena of life - social, emotional, physical, spiritual, etc.
Not every single chapter will be directly or immediately applicable to every reader in his/her current season, but the book as a whole is a worthwhile read for any husband or wife, no matter what length of time you’ve been married.

Easy to read. I read this book in one sitting. If you've listened to the podcast it is pretty similar and follows the episodes they have covered. It does try to go a little deeper than the podcast episodes. This would make a good wedding gift for new couples just starting out. It reads from the couple's personal experiences. Many couples will find it easy to relate to their experiences.

A good consideration for future books would be to interview different types of couples who have struggled through different types of circumstances. In today's society there seems to be a majority of unconventional relationships. I would like to see a book addressing more of these situations and how to bring them to the fullness of the faith.

Lovemaking is a lighthearted, insightful and honest reflection on sexual intimacy - a most important, yet often neglected, topic of discussion for married couples. Too often, we get fixated on how we think our sex lives ought to be. And when that ideal is not realized, we resign ourselves to believing that it will never change, and worse, we avoid talking about it with our spouse. But like everything in life, marriage is both beautiful and messy. It requires courage and willingness to talk about the real struggles, even those in the bedroom. Monica and Renzo Ortega are courageous and willing to talk about it! They bring humanity and raw honesty right into the conversation about marital sex. Through sharing their own story with great humility and humor, they provide married couples practical ways to communicate with deeper intimacy and vulnerability. They remind us how we are uniquely designed as men and women, and how these differences play out in marriage, especially when it comes to sexual desire. Monica and Renzo skillfully put to words what so many of us experience, but haven't yet figured out how to process. After reading the Ortega's book, you will most surely come away refreshed and recommitted to the most intimate relationship that is intended for you and your spouse through lovemaking.

I've read a couple books on Christian sex. This one provided discussion questions that would be perfect for a monthly date night. This would be a great gift for a newly married couple.

I’m not Catholic, but this is an important and thoughtful book. Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free it had no bearing on the rating I havevit.