After finishing The Roommate, I didn’t think it could get any better. But than I heard about The Intimacy Experiment – Naomi’s book. And I was hooked. Naomi was one of my favorites from the first and I was unbelievably excited for this one! Keep reading this book review to see what I thought about this companion novel!
Summary
Naomi Grant has built her life around going against the grain. After the sex-positive start-up she cofounded becomes an international sensation, she wants to extend her educational platform to live lecturing. Unfortunately, despite her long list of qualifications, higher ed won’t hire her.
Ethan Cohen has recently received two honors: LA Mag named him one of the city’s hottest bachelors and he became rabbi of his own synagogue. Taking a gamble in an effort to attract more millennials to the faith, the executive board hired Ethan because of his nontraditional background. Unfortunately, his shul is low on both funds and congregants. The board gives him three months to turn things around or else they’ll close the doors of his synagogue for good.
Naomi and Ethan join forces to host a buzzy seminar series on Modern Intimacy, the perfect solution to their problems–until they discover a new one–their growing attraction to each other. They’ve built the syllabus for love’s latest experiment, but neither of them expected they’d be the ones putting it to the test.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: anti-semitism, biphobia, slut shaming, sexism
This dual POV stole my heart. I knew I was going to love Naomi’s story, but what I enjoyed was how much I got to know her. The Intimacy Experiment is about, you guessed it, intimacy. Being vulnerable with someone, sharing the flaws and jagged edges. Naomi, who is used to getting naked with people, but needs to figure out how to be comfortable with her own vulnerability. The chemistry between Naomi and Ethan was steaming. The ways someone can see the truths, our mistakes, and our fears so plainly.
Our bisexual queen, Naomi skyrockets The Intimacy Experiment above The Roommate for me. Her strength, power, and compassion as she deals with the sexism from men and in her professional life. She reminded me of “Peace” by Taylor Swift, the ways her past has strings attached that she doesn’t have control over. Even if we don’t believe in the lies and the expectations of others, the sexism and double standards have insidious ways.
Overall,
We can become hardened by loss, emerging glittering and shiny now. But with every crack, it becomes harder to expose our softness. In a world where we can decide between making everyone welcome versus comfortable, where will we land? I wasn’t expecting to love Ethan’s POV as much as I did, but his own selflessness and flaws were so endearing. We have to learn how to let people in, how to let our guards down, to know that we can make things work. The Intimacy Experiment sweeps you up and I finished it WAY faster than I expected.
Find The Intimacy Experiment on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.
Ah, I absolutely loved The Roommate! I’m so glad you liked this one even more because I trust your taste and I’m really, really excited to read this one <3
YAY! Yes what sweeties, this one ended up like a few days of reading because of how much I loved it