This was an interesting one. while the research was interesting I do feel like I was lost in the personal details at times. I think there could have been less of her personal history, but those are just my thoughts.

While this one was an interesting read with some very cringe stories from the author's experiences, I found myself wondering what I would have done in those situations and having a hard time relating. I'm in my late 30s and approaching 20 years with my partner and in my limited dating experiences, I can't imagine what I would say or do in some of these situations (and maybe I just wouldn't???). Thought-provoking for me for sure!

I enjoyed how honest and candid this book was while covering not only taboo subjects, but vulnerable feelings around these taboo subjects. This book was a revelation in digging into the "why/how" of when sex feels gross, unfulfilling or icky, even if all parties were consensual and winning. I think it brings a perspective to sex that isn't only focused on "wellness" (yes, this is a direct subtweet at goop).
The author lines up chapters that truly focus on how sex and pleasure will always be more stressful. burdensome, and "meh" if it is solely focused on an end result. Very cool to see a book lining up research and personal anecdotes that delve into the difficulty and sensuality behind pleasure.
Recommended reading for all 20 something women, especially in the midst of a strange post-pandemic sexual landscape.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review!!

Such an important topic and I'm glad someone wrote about it. Sex is still pretty taboo to talk about and I love that Maria doesn't hold back I using their own experiences to illustrate the research. I found myself sometimes confused as I felt like the stories and research kinda jumped around, making me unsure of what the topic was which is why I went with 4 stars.

This was a very informative read. And I love how it encapsulated the every topic and how they were broken down to make them easily understood and relate to. I am definitely going to recommend it

This book was everything and more to me. Long is when women have had to put up with mediocre and less than that sexual encounters, but I love that we are at a place where women aren't sitting by and settling for such acts. We deserve to be pleasured and have orgasms; we shouldn't have to ask for it. Men get off every single time, so why shouldn't women? This witty collection of essays and research findings puts the pedal to the metal in simplifying simple conversations such as the ones that involve pleasurable sex for women.

This is a fun and informative romp through everyone's favourite topic - sex. The writer, a Vice magazine sex correspondent, brings a similar tone to this book making it compulsively readable. You can use this as a pseudo self-help book or just enjoy the ride - either way it's worth the read.

I haven’t finished this book yet, but I am compelled to leave a review now so that other readers know how great it is. “Laid and Confused” described my life experiences so exactly that I feel like it was written for me. It gave me the gift of knowing that I’m not alone. Thank you, Maria, for writing a book that makes me feel understood.