I hesitated for a brief moment when I was contacted about reviewing a complimentary copy of 25 Questions You’re Afraid to Ask About Love, Sex, and Intimacy by Dr. Juli Slattery. After all, sex isn’t a common topic here on Of The Hearth. It is a very important topic, though, especially in our sex-saturated modern culture. We desperately need a Biblical viewpoint so we can effectively counter the carefree approach to sex that is so prevalent around us!
In this book, Dr. Slattery provides answers to common questions about love, sex, and intimacy. Here are a handful of the questions she addresses:
- What’s the big deal about sex?
- Why do guys care so much about sex?
- How adventurous can we be in bed?
- Is living together a good test run for marriage?
- How do I make time to make love?
- Can I be godly and gay?
- How do we fight without hurting each other?
Dr. Slattery uses a conversational tone throughout the book, so it is a comfortable, easy read despite the potentially awkward topics being addressed. I appreciate that she integrates a lot of Scripture throughout the book and that she provides practical advice in her answers to a number of questions.
Advantages of the book
The question and answer format of this book is very nice. If readers don’t have time to or are uninterested in reading the entire book, they can thumb through it and read about the specific topics that are relevant to them. Because many women are most comfortable reading advice from someone of their own gender, it’s also nice that the book was written for women by a woman.
Another wonderful aspect of this book is that it is suitable for both single women and married women. I’ve read a few books on the topics of intimacy and sex that are really only appropriate for women who are married. It is great that this one addresses these topics in a straightforward, sensitive way that is entirely suitable for single women.
Drawbacks of the book
Dr. Slattery provides answers to 25 questions in this relatively short book. She dedicates about 4-6 pages to each answer. This sort of brevity means the answers can’t be very thorough, so it is important to remember that they really only scratch the surface of their respective topics. If you find this book to be beneficial and you want to share it with your husband, you may find that he won’t read it because it was written for women by a woman. Though I indicated earlier that this is an advantage, it is also a drawback.
As Christians, we should live holy lives because we desire to honor the Lord, not because we fear the earthly consequences of our actions (e.g., we should avoid “sleeping around” because God teaches against this, not because we are afraid of getting an STD). At a few points in this book, Dr. Slattery places a lot of emphasis on earthly consequences (e.g., living together before marriage increases your risk of divorce, “mommy porn” leads to false intimacy). At these times I wish she had placed more emphasis on obedience to God. I feel like she did a great job with this when answering Question 2 (Who are you to judge my sexual choices?), but this focus isn’t as strong in her answers to other questions.
Final thoughts and giveaway
If you’re a Christian woman looking for succinct, straightforward answers to tough questions about love, sex, and intimacy, then this is a great resource for you. With this book in one hand and a Bible in the other, you’ll get sound answers to the questions you’ve always wanted to ask!
Would you like to win a free copy of 25 Questions You’re Afraid to Ask About Love, Sex, and Intimacy? If so, leave an answer in the comments section to one of the following questions and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a copy of the book.
- What is one question about love, sex, and intimacy that you would like to see answered?
- Where do you turn when you have questions about love, sex, and intimacy?
In order to enter the drawing you must have a mailing address in the United States or Canada. You must enter the drawing by the end of the day on December 9th, 2015. The winner will be randomly selected on December 10th, 2015. I will email the winner on this date to get his or her mailing address. This post will be updated at that time to include the name of the winner.
12/10/15 Update: The winner of the drawing is Charlotte! I hope you enjoy the book.
As noted above, a complimentary copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This post contains an affiliate link (click here to read about what this means).
Shared on the following link-ups: Faith Filled Wednesday, WholeHearted Wednesday, Titus 2sday, Monday’s Musings, Living Proverbs 31, Making Your Home Sing and Faith and Fellowship.
Ironically, now that my girls are grown and parents, I find I can talk with them about these issues, if not in a specifically personal way.
That’s a really unexpected source for discussing these topics! How wonderful, though, that you have this relationship with them.
I think turning to good books for advice when you have questions is a safe place to start. I always hesitate to ask Google anything. 😉
I haven’t heard of this book before, looks interesting. I love honest reviews!
Hi Ana,
Oh, I totally agree about asking Google! Good books are a resource I love, too.
There is not enough godly and straightforward material out there to help women with their questions!
Hi Helene,
You are right. These questions are also sometimes overlooked by churches, so women are left without answers. I’m glad to see good materials being developed that address the topics.