Quickies: one hundred little lessons for living sexily ever after in midlife

by Heather Bartos

A bold manifesto to reclaim your desires, reignite intimacy, and celebrate the sacred power of midlife sexuality—unapologetically.

Step aside, stereotypes! Midlife is not a time to fade into the background.

In Quickies, Dr. Heather Bartos, OB/GYN, renowned menopause specialist, and Oprah-approved women's health advocate, delivers a witty, wise, and unapologetically bold roadmap for reclaiming sensuality, confidence, and self-love in midlife.

Packed with 100 empowering, bite-sized lessons, Quickies challenges outdated notions about aging and intimacy. From practical advice on navigating hormonal shifts to cheeky tips for spicing things up in the bedroom (or anywhere else), this groundbreaking guide invites women to embrace their evolving identities with curiosity, courage, and joy. Whether you're reigniting your spark or discovering it for the first time, Dr. Bartos's compassionate and laugh-out-loud voice makes the journey a delight.

Dr. Bartos's expertise isn't just clinical–it's deeply personal. Drawing on years of experience as a top OB/GYN and certified menopause specialist, she offers medical insights with a human touch. A certified reiki practitioner, she also bridges the worlds of science and spirit, encouraging women to connect with their bodies on every level. And with a surprise foreword that's sure to make readers smile, Quickies delivers not just education, but celebration.

Empress Editions Publisher Alisa Kennedy Jones calls Dr. Bartos's work "a revelation," adding, "Quickies is a love letter to midlife women everywhere. It's an invitation to thrive, not just survive." Set for release on June 24th, 2025, on the heels of National Vagina Appreciation Day, this book is poised to redefine midlife and inspire a new wave of bold, beautiful living.

Dr. Heather Bartos's expertise has been featured in The New York Times, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Good Housekeeping. Now, with Quickies, she's giving midlife women everywhere the tools to live sexily ever after.

Genres: Nonfiction

384 pages, Paperback

Published June 24, 2025

Reviews

[Sihle 🪻🌸🌷🌼🌝 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though it’s mostly aimed at women going through menopause, it honestly feels like a book that anyone can relate to. The way it’s written, in short, punchy “little lessons”, makes it super easy to read, like you’re having a chat with a funny, open-minded friend who actually knows what she’s talking about. Dr. Bartos has this warm, humorous tone that makes even the most awkward topics about body changes, sex, and self-love feel normal and empowering. It’s not just about menopause; it’s about learning to feel confident and connected to yourself again, no matter your age.

What I really loved is how the book shifts your mindset. It reminds you that change doesn’t mean loss, it can mean growth, confidence, and rediscovering yourself. The lessons about body confidence, desire, and self-acceptance hit home for me, even though I’m not in that stage of life yet. You can feel her message that sensuality and self-love don’t have an age limit. It’s all about embracing yourself, finding joy, and not being afraid to take up space or talk about the things we’re often told to keep quiet about.

Another thing that stood out was how practical it is. You can open the book anywhere and find something that fits your mood, whether it’s about communication, feeling sexy again, or just learning to appreciate your body. It’s uplifting, funny, and honest. I’d give it a solid 4 out of 5 because it’s empowering, relatable, and way more inclusive than I expected. Even if you’re nowhere near menopause, Quickies is a feel-good reminder to love yourself and live boldly at every stage of life.

[Lena Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an eye opening book that's geared for women going through menopause, but i think anyone could learn a thing or two from Heather Bartos,MD. She's honest, straightforward, very witty and i love her sense of humor. She talks about everything and I mean everything. If there is something you have been wondering about she probably is exploring and explaining it. The chapters are short and easy to understand thank you for writing this book and bringing a lot of taboo subjects out in the open with answers.
I strongly recommend this book.

Thank you @netgalley for allowing me to read this.

[Síle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Heather Bartos, MD and Empress Editions for giving me early access to this book.

I swear, I didn’t plan to read another book on intimacy and body confidence back-to-back… but Quickies slipped in perfectly (and I’m not complaining). Surprisingly insightful and incredibly accessible, this one dives into everything. Dr. Bartos covers sexual health with honesty, humor, and no shame—just straight-up empowerment.

Whether you’re curious, clueless, or just craving a little more knowledge, this book delivers the goods fast and effectively. A real gem for anyone looking to better understand their body, their pleasure, and everything in between.

[Frances Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I REALLY wanted to like this because I am a) perimenopausal and b) a romance author who is very curious (ahem, nosey) about how women's relationship to sex and intimacy is affected by peri-menopause and beyond, but I sadly didn't gel with the writing style and no, that is not a lube joke. It just felt a bit too "middle-aged white woman who's three glasses of Chardonnay down and is trying to millenial cringe their way into people's approval". And I am someone who oozes millenial cringe, I just... couldn't, not this time. All this is to say some other middle-aged women may love this and I hope they find this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the review copy.

[LauraBeach123 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts off strong, tackling the real challenges of aging and sexuality with honesty and insight. It covers important topics like perimenopause, menopause, and their effects on libido, as well as issues like hysterectomies, depression, and incontinence—things that don’t always get discussed openly but are crucial for many women navigating midlife.

However, by the time I got to Part 2, things took a turn that felt way beyond what I was expecting. The book delves into a range of sexual topics with incredible detail—perhaps too much detail for my personal comfort. The descriptions of not just the G-spot but also the A-spot and C-spot were eye-opening, to say the least. And while I appreciate thorough explanations, some of the suggested positions made me wonder if I’d need a chiropractor rather than a romantic evening.

Then there’s the exploration of BDSM, swinging, and other alternative lifestyles. I can’t say I was prepared for just how deep the book went into these areas. While I respect the author’s dedication to covering all aspects of sexuality, there were definitely moments where I felt way out of my depth. Let’s just say some of the mental images I conjured up are here to stay—whether I want them to or not!

That being said, I did learn a few things. Turning 50 has made me more open to educating myself, even if some of this information was beyond my comfort zone. I also now have a much clearer understanding of swinging and, well… certain intimate techniques I hadn’t planned on researching. I do have to wonder if all the menopause experts telling us to lift weights aren’t just trying to help us stay strong for our golden years of adventure in retirement communities!

Overall, Quickies is informative, thorough, and not for the faint of heart. If you’re looking for a straightforward guide to midlife intimacy, be prepared—this book goes all in. But if you’re open-minded, curious, or just looking for a wild read, it definitely delivers.

Thank you NetGalley and Empress Editions for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review of Quickies: One Hundred Little Lessons for Living Sexily Ever After in Midlife

Heather Bartos’s “Quickies: One Hundred Little Lessons for Living Sexily Ever After in Midlife” is a refreshing and empowering guide that challenges societal stereotypes surrounding midlife and menopause. As an OB/GYN and renowned menopause specialist, Bartos brings a wealth of expertise and a unique perspective to the conversation, offering readers practical advice and insights on navigating this significant life stage.

Key Strengths
-Accessible and Engaging Writing Style: Bartos’s writing is clear, concise, and engaging, making the book an enjoyable read for women navigating midlife.
-Practical Advice and Insights: The author provides readers with actionable tips and strategies for maintaining a healthy and fulfilling life during midlife, covering topics such as sexual wellness, relationships, and self-care.
-Empowering Message: “Quickies” is a powerful call to action, encouraging women to take control of their health, happiness, and lives during this significant life stage.

Potential Considerations
-Limited Focus on Specific Topics: Some readers may find that the book’s broad scope means that certain topics are not explored in depth.
-Personal Experiences and Anecdotes: While Bartos draws on her professional experience, some readers may appreciate more personal anecdotes or case studies to illustrate key points.

Score Breakdown (Out of 5)
-Content Depth: 4 - A comprehensive guide covering a range of topics related to midlife and menopause.
-Writing Style: 5 - Bartos’s writing is engaging, clear, and accessible to a broad audience.
-Practicality: 4.5 - The book offers practical advice and insights that readers can apply to their lives.
-Empowerment: 5 - “Quickies” is a powerful and empowering guide that challenges societal stereotypes and encourages women to take control of their lives.
Overall: 4.5 - A vibrant and uplifting guide that will help women navigate midlife with confidence and style.
Overall Score Description: A sparkly, sassy, and supportive companion for women navigating the twists and turns of midlife.

Ideal Audience
-Women in midlife seeking guidance on navigating menopause, sexual wellness, and relationships.
-Healthcare professionals looking for a comprehensive resource on supporting women during this life stage.
-Anyone interested in exploring the complexities and opportunities of midlife.

Gratitude
Thank you to NetGalley and Heather Bartos for providing an advance review copy of “Quickies: One Hundred Little Lessons for Living Sexily Ever After in Midlife”.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quickies by Heather Bartos was an excellent book - Plus, a very different book I would even look or read and I am so glad I found it. It was a great 'Quick' read and I loved it. Especially as I have never heard of this author.

Now, Dr. Heather Bartos is a OB/GYN, renowned menopause specialist, and Oprah-approved women's health advocate, and she delivers a witty, wise, and unapologetically bold roadmap for reclaiming sensuality, confidence, and self-love in midlife. Now, her expertise has been featured in The New York Times, The Oprah Magazine, and Good Housekeeping.

This book was So worth a read . . . . . 'Blush' . . . . I learnt so much. . . . . and is aimed at us lovely ladies from the age of I would say 40 upwards. It has 100 empowering, bite-sized lessons and quickies for you and your partner or maybe partners. It will also give you practical and brilliant advice on navigating your hormonal shifts to cheeky tips for spicing things up in the bedroom or anywhere else you would like to go, within reason! lol
This is a brilliant groundbreaking guide invites women to embrace their evolving identities with curiosity, courage, and joy. Whether you're reigniting your spark or discovering it for the first time, Dr. Bartos's compassionate and laugh-out-loud voice makes the journey a delight.

This book made me Blush and smile and lol, . . . . . Phew, I was so glad I had this book on my kindle and not in a paperback or hardback! lol so people could see what I was reading. I'll just have the 👀 strange looks I received whilst I was reading it on holiday! 😜

Big thank you to NetGalley and Empress Editions for my ARC.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

"Quickies" is an informative, surprisingly thorough guide for women in midlife who are seeking clarity, reassurance, or simply a broader understanding of sexual intimacy and the many factors that influence it. With 100 short chapters—each focused on a specific issue, suggestion, or scenario—this really does feel like a “something for everyone” kind of resource. I skimmed the table of contents first, and it struck me immediately how wide-ranging and thoughtfully organized this book is.

Dr. Bartos writes with humor (sometimes a little cringe-y, as the kids say, but in an endearing way), and I appreciate her effort to add levity to a subject that many women still feel uncomfortable discussing, even among close friends. We live in a world where entertainment is saturated with sex, but real-life conversations often tell a very different story. This book bridges that gap with openness, practicality, and encouragement.

As a reviewer, I often have to read quickly—but this is one I plan to buy on Kindle when it’s released so I can return to it at a slower pace. There are so many nonfiction books that serve as long-term references, and "Quickies" definitely fits that category.

This is best suited for open-minded readers who are curious, reflective, and willing to take what’s helpful and leave what’s not. I requested this book out of curiosity—curious about the approach and curious about what it might say—and I found it far more interesting and comprehensive than expected. A helpful companion for anyone navigating midlife, intimacy, and all the conversations we don’t always know how to start.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This book reads like a sex-ed class for midlife women.

I appreciated the accessability of the information and the informal, approachable manner in which it was delivered. Though I teach college level human sexuality every year I still found lots of new information in this book. I especially liked the focus on embracing sexuality as we age and the concept of body positivity. Sex is not about how you loook but about how you feel is an important take away for many of us as we age and grapple with the ways our bodies are changing.

This book can be read cover to cover like I did or dabbling in on the chapters that are relevant to you. I think this is especially true in the second section. Some of those topics may not resonate with everyone. I also see this as a book that can be revisited from time to time as new situations arise.

Not sure how this could have been achieved but I think some illustrations would have helped. For those of us who do not visualize easily it was hard to picture some of the things the author was describing.

My only "criticism" is that in trying to find 100 things I think there were a few parts that were repetiive. However, the positive far outweigh any of those concerns and I recommend this book to all mid-life women even those who are happy with their sex lives. The take away nuggets were invaluable!

[Joy Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was super intrigued by this book, and was really surprised that it basically does everything it says it will. It has 100 lessons that are a few pages each that cover a huge range of topics that are about women’s bodies and sex (or sex adjacent). I feel like an equally wide range of women could get something out of this book. Are the really spicy chapters too much for you? Skip them. There are plenty more lessons in there. Not feeling the sections on the innate spirituality of sex? No problem-just skip them. I am really impressed with Dr. Barton’s ability to talk about women’s bodies, hormones and desires in such a natural and positive way. I would and will absolutely recommend this book to all my friends. It is for women’s my age, I think (peri-menopausal), but I think there is a lot of knowledge to be gained by women of any age (keeping in mind the sexual content). Thanks to NetGalley and Empress Editions for the digital ARC of Quickies.

[vic. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley & Empress Editions for sending me an ARC of this amazing book in exchange for an honest review. 💕

Let me start by saying, in the prologue of this book the author states who this book is for, and it's focus audience is not my current age group. With that being said, have I went and got three copies of this book to annotate for friends, family, and other important woman in my life; yes, yes I have.

Heather Bartos gives you 100 short, sweet, and sometimes straight sexy, "little lessons for living sexily ever after in midlife." From specifics like, "Why You Should Be Having 'TV DINNER SEX'" to more niche topics like how "TV & Movies are messing with our sexy," there is a short and sweet lesson for everyone in here.

As a woman that is turning 29 in a couple of moths, while this is written for women in their midlife, I found myself identifying and relating to so much of this, and can't wait to re-read and reflect on as my years go bye. <3

[Laura Black Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quickies is fabulous! It's focused on peri and post menopausal women and their health and pleasure but I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a re-boot or some fresh self-positive ideas for their intimate life. It's incredibly inclusive, positive and joyful. I loved how it included lots of difference, referring to mental health issues, those having cancer treatments and so many other individual circumstances.

If I had a quibble, it's that the format of 100 lessons and the length of the book means that the lessons are all at the surface level. That said, author Heather has a lot to offer and this book serves as a jumping off point for learning and reading and listening to more of Heather's ideas.

Recommended!
Thank you Heather Bartos for the ARC. I'll be buying a copy!

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quickies reads like a club of 100 flirty winks from Dr. Bartos—no formal homework, but each tiny lesson feels like a mini invitation my husband and I can’t resist turning into a fun little experiment. With chapters on everything from libido limbo to spicing up positions and even body A-spots (hit me near the anterior fornix erogenous zone, baby!) we didn’t know existed, we’re practically rewriting date night one cheeky ‘lesson’ at a time. Good thing the kids are back at school for fall semester! Not very academic of me, I know—but our bedside nightstand has never looked more intellectually adventurous.

[Zee Monodee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giving it 3 stars because it is informative...
However, the format felt too short to give enough attention and information to each topic covered. It felt a lot like flitting from this to that and in the end, you're left with a notion of 'much' but not enough knowledge of 'any'. The earlier chapters also felt more 'beefy' than the chapters getting closer to the end (and while I loved the last/100th quickie of the book, nothing really prepared me that this book was coming to that<,i> so it was a bit of whiplash at that point.)
Again, it's informative, but mostly like it suggests and then falls flat, sadly.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the format of lots of little bits of info. It ran the gamut of not just physical but so many mental & relationship aspects as well, which is important, especially for a more "seasoned" female (40 is not old!). While I appreciated the overall positivity of the book, I felt like sometimes it was slightly repetitive...not necessarily a bad thing - especially when you can easily skip what you don't find applicable. I also loved that she gave links/references in certain categories. Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC opportunity.

[Jude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quickies was a surprising book for me, Broken down into 100 short lessons, it covers more about sexuality than can be imagined. Focusing on women in midlife, the lessons are informative, helpful and told with humor. It is packed with so much information that it would work as a reference to return to when needed. The author writes honestly, without shame and with a shot of humor and joyfulness. I enjoyed reading and would recommend Quickies to anyone who is open to a positive look at a topic that is for manu, hard to discuss.

[Sherry Steveson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book about sex your mother never told you about. Midlife isn’t for the weak and figuring out how to navigate the many changes your body and life experiences as we grow older can leave a person feeling overwhelmed. Simple, short chapters that deal with a variety of topics on sec and relationships for the perimenopausal and beyond. Great source of information with some great humor sprinkled throughout to ease a bit of the awkwardness

[Morgan Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

It felt like about 25 of the 100 chapters applied to me. I definitely learned a few things but there were many chapters I skipped. Swingers? lol. I’d like to keep my marriage intact, thanks.

My favorite thing about this book was the supportive, lift women up tone, and the body positivity. It’s worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for a honest review.

[Elizabeth Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book that I read off of NetGalley. It tells you all about sex when your older and you think your just not in it anymore. Midlife sexual crisis. I call it. I went through it for about two years. It tells you how to get out of it what toys to use what lubes to use. What to do with your partner. It’s very good

[Teresa Starrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Bartos shares quick tips regarding how women in their midlife can embrace themselves and increase the intimacy they have. With wit and straightforwardness, she does not shy away from any topic.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Empress Editions for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book with lots of very short chapters giving you lessons, though the one on narcissistic traits seemed odd with the rest of the book.

I received this book from NetGalley in return for a honest review.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I picked up this book not knowing who Heather Bartos was or that it was geared toward women 50 and up. I’m 37 and thought “midlife” meant pushing 40. Whoops.
First of all, I was surprised by how much I genuinely enjoyed this.
Bartos, an OB-GYN and podcast host, serves up a hundred bite-sized “lessons” that are equal parts insightful, compassionate, and magnificently unfiltered. She tackles everything from pelvic floor health to body confidence to sexual wellness with candor and kindness.
The tone is frank—sometimes hilariously so—and she invites readers to be just as open, to stop apologizing for their bodies, their desires.
While not every chapter was “for me” (I skipped a few and that’s totally fine!), there were plenty that were, and I came away feeling better informed.
Now, real talk: her sense of humor didn’t always click for me. I half-expected a “wine o’clock”-like quip straight out of Hacks—and sometimes got it. But hey, generational gap, maybe?
What I *did* like? The short, punchy chapter format. Perfect for flipping through whenever you have five minutes and want to feel like someone just gave you a pep talk (with a little anatomy lesson thrown in for good measure) along with witty chapter titles.
Thank you to NetGalley, Empress Editions, and Heather Bartos for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.