The fact the there aren’t any books similar to this speaks to society’s view of women’s sexuality 10 times over. A well written dive into the minds of three very different women and their sex lives. This book is written within the women’s head space often leading me to forget I wasn’t reading a fiction title, while this was immersive my one wish would be for their to be some chapters that had Taddeos research and reactions, bringing these women’s stories past just their own side. I’ll be discussing this with my friends for weeks.

An ambitious project that didn't completely come together for me. The stories of the three women are told in an interesting manner with Lisa Taddeo writing as if she was an omniscient narrator that can see into the heads of Maggie, Lina and Sloane (nothing is quoted in the book). But this style also makes it hard for an authorial voice to come through and Taddeo doesn't do enough, in my opinion, to link their three lives together. It felt more like reading three very in-depth essays or profiles rather than a cohesive book.

I also had a hard time buying into the premise that the lives of three women could say something larger about the broader experience of being a woman. There's no broader context or research to show why their lives are emblematic of larger societal trends, which disappointed me. For some readers that connect more to the three women this probably won't be an issue - I'm fully aware that my review may reek as being written by a straight, cis-gender male (give me facts and statistics!).

A bold, innovative work of non-fiction, but one that sadly fell flat for me

📚📚Book Review📚📚
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Wow. I have to say I went into this book with some expectations simply because I had heard so many good things and man, I was NOT disappointed. I found myself becoming deeply involved in the lives of Maggie, Lina and Sloane. This book was full of drama and sex and realism and deep deep emotion. I can honestly say this book did many things to my emotions. I can say that I don’t cry often in books but there was one deeply emotional part where I had to put the book down because I couldn’t see through my tears. I don’t think there was even one thing I didn’t like about this book! I would definitely recommend it!

I want to say a big thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster and of course Lisa Taddeo for the advanced e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I read this amazing book last month but wanted to take some time to sit with it before reviewing.. I was drawn to Three Women after reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s rave reviews. About it, she has said ‘As far as I’m concerned, this is a nonfiction literary masterpiece … I know already that I will never stop thinking about the women profiled in this story—about their sexual desire, their emotional pain, their strength, their losses. I saw myself in all of them.”
 
I mean….WOW.
 
So, yes it’s a nonfiction book about the intimate lives of three women. The commitment of the author in understanding and telling these women’s stories is profound. She follows them for eight years and this book is the culmination of what she learns. Pretty incredible.
 
They are Maggie- a high school student who falls for her teacher and as such her future is permanently altered in every way imaginable. Lina- a  lonely and bored young mother trapped in a loveless marriage. Sloane, a beautiful women married to a man who asks her to act in ways that jeapordize her friendships, confidence and self worth.
 
I read it in a few days. It would have been sooner but I found the honesty and intimacy of their stories overwhelming. I had to take breaks. This book is bold in every way and I highly recommend it. I hope my book club will be read it in August and maybe yours should too….

Thank you to @avidreaerspress and @netgalley for the free review copy.
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#threewomen #lisataddeo #amreading

📚#partner| Thank you to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster Canada & Lisa Taddeo for the free advanced digital copy! Available July 9th!|
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🌟BOOK REVIEW🌟
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▪️MY THOUGHTS
✔️It’s hard for me to express my feelings for this book. I started it at 10pm one night and put it down - only because I had to get some sleep, but not until I read to at least 50%. This book was incredible! It read like a book of fiction and knowing how much time it took to write this and be involved in these women’s life is amazing. All three stories broke my heart; please be warned that this may be a hard read for many. Although one of the main themes was surrounded around sex - it was more about the power and struggle that these women faced in their own personal situations. The honesty and emotion of these women was depicted throughout the chapters and it was so incredibly powerful. It was pretty amazing that this story was told over 8 years - you honestly would never know, because the story telling was done so well.
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▪️OVERALL RUNDOWN
✔️Overall this book was amazing! As someone who does not typically read non-fiction this book had me hooked from the first page. I thought it was so well written and I really felt and connected with these women. As mentioned this book does discuss many topics including sex & infidelity. Thank you to these three women for sharing their story and for the author for her incredible writing.
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▪️TITLE RUNDOWN
Three stories
Honest
Riveting
Excellent
Empowering
Wow
Original
Marriage
Enjoyable
Necessary
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▪️STAR RATING
✔️🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Ms. Lisa Taddeo for the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy of "Three Women".

An extraordinary in-depth account of the sexual lives of three American Women. The motivations, drives and obsessive behaviours come alive in this report style read.

Ms. Taddeo followed these women for several years as she chronicled their sexual pursuits...the good, the bad and the very private with no flourishes other than the raw truth. As hard as it is to read at times, this is a story that screams to be heard!

The women tell their stories openly and frankly while coming to terms with how their sexual lifestyle, their sexual needs influenced the choices they made.
We also discover how disappointingly other women view these three...from close friends and relatives to public opinions.

This is a startling story that shows us just how far women still need to go to find their sexual stride, rights and place in our ever tightening misogynistic society.

4 stars
Publishing July 9, 2019

#NetGalley
#ThreeWomen
#LisaTaddeo
#feministread
#sexabuse

Men are trash. Women don’t have enough positive sexual experiences. In summary, life is short, be sex positive and fuck while you’re happy.
No, in all seriousness this book is groundbreaking. Following the lives of three American women and how theirs sexual experiences affect their lives, outlooks, philosophies and how they are viewed by society. Truly heartbreaking. This is a book that should be featured in many stores and schools around the world. Women should not be shamed for exploring their sexuality and being sexually liberated. The bravery of these three women to share their stories is tremendous and they are real trailblazers. A round of applause for taking their time to eloquently translate their lives and how sex has morphed their adulthood and their relationships with others. The writing was beautiful and contained so many amazing quotes. Definitely recommend. •

4.5 stars for Lisa Teddo's 'Three Women'!

Lisa Taddeo recounts the stories of three women in contemporary America in a book that reads like it's fiction. 'Three Women' covers sex, consent, lust, passion and love from Lina, a woman in a sexless marriage who embarks on an affair with her high school love; Sloane, whose husband enjoys watching her have sex with other men; and Maggie, who years after high school decides to come forward with her story of her teacher's predatory relationship with her.

I loved how these women were so raw vulnerable in telling their stories: covering all the good, bad, and ugly.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and have an appreciation for the time on behalf of the author and the women that went into recording these stories. Would love to read more books like these!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Three Women is a true story based on the sex lives of three American women gained through a decade of vigilant reporting. Readers follows three women as they are faced with different challenges and issues within their sex lives. It is an intimate look at female desire in all its complexities.

Taddeo’s writing style mirrors that of a stream of consciousness technique. This style allows for Three Women to read as fiction as readers explore almost all aspects of these women’s lives. I enjoyed the narrative while simultaneously disliking it. I was able to jump into these women’s lives easily and sympathize with their plights. However, it made reading Three Women long and cumbersome. At times, there is too much detail slowing down the narratives.

Maggie becomes involved with her high school English teacher. Maggie’s story is heart wrenching and a prime example of misogyny, patriarchy, and the delicate balance of power teachers has over their high school students. Her story is hard to read as Taddeo outlines clearly the ways Maggie was groomed and manipulated. Rape comes in many different forms, not just penetration. Even though I criticized the writing style, it works perfectly for Maggie’s narrative as it conveys her innocence and the power imbalance.

Lina is in a sexless marriage. Her husband will not kiss her or engage in any sexual activity. Lina then becomes consumed in an affair that allows her own her sexuality and explore undiscovered parts of herself.

Sloan is part restaurant owner with her husband who happens to like watching her have sex with other men. Sloan explores her sexuality as she navigates the power imbalance between herself and her husband.

Overall, Three Women is an interesting take on nonfiction that reads like fiction. Taddeo isn’t here to hold your hand and make sure you understand the purpose of telling these women’s stories. Instead, they stand on their own and what you take from them varies.