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The Girl's Guide to Falling in Love
‘Sophie Hart has quickly become one of my favourite authors…She really injects personality into her writing, and I love her for it. I didn't want the novel to end… It's a FABULOUS read.’ 5/5 Girls Love to Read
‘This is chick lit at its best from the first letter to the last full stop… an amazing, uplifting romantic comedy and one of my favourite reads of 2014.’ 8/10 Chick Lit Club
What happens in the bedroom doesn’t have to stay in the bedroom.
A refreshingly open and uplifting romantic comedy about friendship, love and sex. Sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone in order to give a relationship a good dose of TLC…
Sex therapist Annie Hall helps couples put the fizz back into their relationships. It’s a shame her own love life is non-existent. When Jamie who works next door catches her eye, she can’t ignore the spark of chemistry.
Most men would jump at the chance to skive off work for an afternoon quickie with their gorgeous wife, but Nick knows Julia is after only one thing – a baby. Sex shouldn’t be a chore. Can Annie help Julia see that?
Newly engaged Zoe and Simon can’t keep their hands off each other. They’ve decided to take a vow of celibacy until their wedding night. Will Annie help them stick to it?
Ray and Linda have been married for over thirty years but she’s more interested in the family business than getting intimate with him. Can Annie convince Linda to rediscover her passion for Ray after all this time?
While Annie begins to work her magic with the three couples, she soon discovers that she’ll need to take some of her own advice if she’s going to let a new man into her life.
If you’re a fan of Tracy Bloom’s No one Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday and Lindsey Kelk, put your feet up, turn off your phone, and sink into Sophie’s novel.
What readers are saying about The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds and the Bees
‘The Beginners Guide to The Birds and The Bees is absolutely perfect for chick-lit lovers. It had everything! The comedy, the romance, a little splash of drama! If I could have wrapped my Kindle around me, then I would have, because I felt like I was cocooned into Annie's world with Sophie's superb characters and story.’ 4/5 Becca’s Books
‘There is no doubt that Sophie Hart is a brilliant writer, this story flowed so well and had the perfect mix of humour, love, sex and emotion. A warm-hearted story examining both friendships and relationships, The Beginners Guide To The Birds And The Bees is the perfect book to relax with and take your mind off reality. A must-read!’ 5/5 Bookaholic Confessions
‘this book is fantastic and one of my favourite reads of 2014 so far… The Beginners Guide to the Birds and the Bees’ is an amazing, uplifting romantic comedy that chick lit fans will hopefully adore as much as I did!’ 10/10 Spoonful of Happy Endings
‘The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds and the Bees was a charming, feel-good novel and one which stood out to me as being as little different to a lot of women’s fiction books around at the moment.
‘This is chick lit at its best from the first letter to the last full stop… an amazing, uplifting romantic comedy and one of my favourite reads of 2014.’ 8/10 Chick Lit Club
What happens in the bedroom doesn’t have to stay in the bedroom.
A refreshingly open and uplifting romantic comedy about friendship, love and sex. Sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone in order to give a relationship a good dose of TLC…
Sex therapist Annie Hall helps couples put the fizz back into their relationships. It’s a shame her own love life is non-existent. When Jamie who works next door catches her eye, she can’t ignore the spark of chemistry.
Most men would jump at the chance to skive off work for an afternoon quickie with their gorgeous wife, but Nick knows Julia is after only one thing – a baby. Sex shouldn’t be a chore. Can Annie help Julia see that?
Newly engaged Zoe and Simon can’t keep their hands off each other. They’ve decided to take a vow of celibacy until their wedding night. Will Annie help them stick to it?
Ray and Linda have been married for over thirty years but she’s more interested in the family business than getting intimate with him. Can Annie convince Linda to rediscover her passion for Ray after all this time?
While Annie begins to work her magic with the three couples, she soon discovers that she’ll need to take some of her own advice if she’s going to let a new man into her life.
If you’re a fan of Tracy Bloom’s No one Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday and Lindsey Kelk, put your feet up, turn off your phone, and sink into Sophie’s novel.
What readers are saying about The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds and the Bees
‘The Beginners Guide to The Birds and The Bees is absolutely perfect for chick-lit lovers. It had everything! The comedy, the romance, a little splash of drama! If I could have wrapped my Kindle around me, then I would have, because I felt like I was cocooned into Annie's world with Sophie's superb characters and story.’ 4/5 Becca’s Books
‘There is no doubt that Sophie Hart is a brilliant writer, this story flowed so well and had the perfect mix of humour, love, sex and emotion. A warm-hearted story examining both friendships and relationships, The Beginners Guide To The Birds And The Bees is the perfect book to relax with and take your mind off reality. A must-read!’ 5/5 Bookaholic Confessions
‘this book is fantastic and one of my favourite reads of 2014 so far… The Beginners Guide to the Birds and the Bees’ is an amazing, uplifting romantic comedy that chick lit fans will hopefully adore as much as I did!’ 10/10 Spoonful of Happy Endings
‘The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds and the Bees was a charming, feel-good novel and one which stood out to me as being as little different to a lot of women’s fiction books around at the moment.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 19, 2014
16 people are currently reading
456 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
April 2, 2015
A really amusing read- many thanks to Bookouture and Net Galley for a copy of the book. It was the first book by Sophie Hart that I’ve read and I will definitely be keen to read more. I loved her style.
Annie works with couples- trying to work through their relationship problems. Three couple’s stories are followed in the book and we get to know them well. But should she be listening to her own advice to provide the Happy Ever After for herself? She is looking for the dream relationship.
The couples see Annie for both couple sessions and group session- and they all get to know each other better.
Well worth looking out for this one.
Annie works with couples- trying to work through their relationship problems. Three couple’s stories are followed in the book and we get to know them well. But should she be listening to her own advice to provide the Happy Ever After for herself? She is looking for the dream relationship.
The couples see Annie for both couple sessions and group session- and they all get to know each other better.
Well worth looking out for this one.
January 15, 2016
Sophie hart is becoming one of my favorite authors, She writes quirky and fun books and this book is no different. At first it is hard to keep track of whose who and what is going on in their lives, but once I got to grips with it, it was a very enjoyable read. I'd actually go as far as to say this is one of my favorite books of 2014. ! My favorite character was Annie as I found her job really different and interesting and have never read a book like it before. I also loved Jamie, and found him very sexy. I cant wait to read more from Sophie Hart. She's chick lit at it's best.
Thanks for netgalley for providing a copy for an honest review.
Thanks for netgalley for providing a copy for an honest review.
September 19, 2014
I absolutely adored this wonderful gem of a book. It is the story of Annie Hall, who helps various couples sort out their complex relationships, while struggling to find someone to have a relationship with herself. Interspersed with humor and little nuggets of wisdom, this is a lovely, heart-warming read. I adored the quotes at the beginning of each chapter very much, I think they set the tone for each chapter beautifully. A fabulous book, one to fall in love with.
April 22, 2017
Letto in poco più di un giorno! Bellissimo. Mi è piaciuto davvero tanto. Una storia carinissima che vede coinvolte più vite,diverse coppie la cui strada si intreccia inevitabilmente a quella degli altri e lo fa attraverso gli incontri settimanali da una sessuologa. È un libro spassono e zuccheroso al tempo stesso, di quelli in cui non puoi fare a meno di sorridere e divorare le pagine sperando in un lieto fine per tutti perché se lo meritano e basta!! E quindi leggi, leggi di corsa, senza mollarlo mai solo per sapere se alla fine andrà tutto bene o se qualcosa rimarrà irrisolto proprio come temi tu. (Chissà!)
Ho trovato bellissima l'idea di far iniziare ogni capitolo con una citazione famosa sul sesso, sull'amore e sul rapporto uomo-donna :) adorabili e perfettamente in linea con il racconto.
Ho trovato bellissima l'idea di far iniziare ogni capitolo con una citazione famosa sul sesso, sull'amore e sul rapporto uomo-donna :) adorabili e perfettamente in linea con il racconto.
January 4, 2015
Sex therapist Annie Hall gets a lot of questions about her job- most of them along the lines of what you would expect. For the record, no she does not watch couples "getting it on" nor does she expect them to strip naked in front of her, but she does help couples who are experiencing roadblocks with their sex life move past them by figuring out what the real issue is behind the troubles in the bedroom. There are Nick and Julia, a young couple trying desperately for a baby and finding that sex has lost all appeal to them both. Will Annie be able to fix their relationship before its too late? There are Zoe and Simon, engaged to be married and unable to keep their hands off of one another. They've vowed to stay celibate until their wedding day. Will Annie be able to help them keep their promise to one another? Finally there is Roy and Linda, a couple at retirement age. Roy wants to retire and enjoy his golden years with his wife but she refuses to stop working. Will Annie be able to help them rediscover the magic that has been there all along?
As Annie begins to help these three couples work on their issues she finds herself falling for the handsome guy who works out of her building as well. Having been hurt in the past Annie is reluctant to open herself up to Jamie and to the potential of love. Will she be able to take some of her own advice and be successful in a relationship of her own?
If you're looking for an erotic novel, A Girl's Guide to the Birds and the Bees isn't it. But if you're looking for a fun and witty novel about love and relationships and romance, then you've found it! I enjoyed this clever novel. The character of Annie definitely ties everything together and makes A Girl's Guide... a pleasure to read. Her wisdom was sage and scarily accurate and when her own vulnerabilities to love are exposed she was even more likable. The supporting characters were great as well. I found myself especially enjoying Julia and Nick's story. Nick was so eager to please his wife, and you could tell how much he loved her and wanted to make her happy, but at the same time he was tired with the way things were between them and you could tell that he really wanted to fix their relationship. I couldn't help but like him!
The scenes when all of the characters were participating in group therapy were especially enlightening. I loved that the author managed to make those scenes feel natural instead of awkward and I even managed to pick up a relationship tip or two- a bonus! Sophie Hart definitely did her homework when it came to relationship counselling and it made the story feel all that more authentic.
I did find the scenes when Jamie (Annie's love interest) was explaining to her how to play a video game that he was designing a little tedious. I didn't think that it was necessary to the plot to know exactly how it worked and what the levels were like. I found myself skimming through those parts, though thankfully I believe that it only came up twice!
A Girl's Guide to the Birds and the Bees was a light, romantic read, perfect for curling up with on a snowy afternoon. The characters were all likable, some difficult things were touched on but the book never became too heavy, and the book was well-written and flowed nicely. If you're looking for an enjoyable read that feels like you're catching up with old friends and has a deliciously happy ending you've found it in A Girl's Guide to the Birds and the Bees. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book!
As Annie begins to help these three couples work on their issues she finds herself falling for the handsome guy who works out of her building as well. Having been hurt in the past Annie is reluctant to open herself up to Jamie and to the potential of love. Will she be able to take some of her own advice and be successful in a relationship of her own?
If you're looking for an erotic novel, A Girl's Guide to the Birds and the Bees isn't it. But if you're looking for a fun and witty novel about love and relationships and romance, then you've found it! I enjoyed this clever novel. The character of Annie definitely ties everything together and makes A Girl's Guide... a pleasure to read. Her wisdom was sage and scarily accurate and when her own vulnerabilities to love are exposed she was even more likable. The supporting characters were great as well. I found myself especially enjoying Julia and Nick's story. Nick was so eager to please his wife, and you could tell how much he loved her and wanted to make her happy, but at the same time he was tired with the way things were between them and you could tell that he really wanted to fix their relationship. I couldn't help but like him!
The scenes when all of the characters were participating in group therapy were especially enlightening. I loved that the author managed to make those scenes feel natural instead of awkward and I even managed to pick up a relationship tip or two- a bonus! Sophie Hart definitely did her homework when it came to relationship counselling and it made the story feel all that more authentic.
I did find the scenes when Jamie (Annie's love interest) was explaining to her how to play a video game that he was designing a little tedious. I didn't think that it was necessary to the plot to know exactly how it worked and what the levels were like. I found myself skimming through those parts, though thankfully I believe that it only came up twice!
A Girl's Guide to the Birds and the Bees was a light, romantic read, perfect for curling up with on a snowy afternoon. The characters were all likable, some difficult things were touched on but the book never became too heavy, and the book was well-written and flowed nicely. If you're looking for an enjoyable read that feels like you're catching up with old friends and has a deliciously happy ending you've found it in A Girl's Guide to the Birds and the Bees. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book!
August 30, 2014
*ARC copy provided via netgalley and the publisher for an honest review*
2 –no one is really talking about sex – stars
Today I was going over my slowly dwindling to read list (ARC) and I thought do I want to binge read a series, read a book under a hundred pages or read the longest book I have .. I chose the last one. Needing a little chick lit humor. And who doesn’t like to talk about sex?
The quotes at the beginning of each chapter really save this book. I expected a different book then I got. I expected a bunch of crazy wild little stories that made you laugh and other things. The title says lets talk about sex. She talks about stop having sex, start having sex, stop having sex. It’s a very simple read that is easy enough to read fairly quickly despite the fact its almost 400 pages. I was hoping to get some tips and ideas myself from this.
You can preorder this title for 2.99 via Amazon =] (Avail Sept 19)
Our main character Annie is a single sex therapist and her sister wants to hook her up…she hasn’t been the best in the past…
Kevin – the octopus with wandering hands
Owen-divorce still in love with his ex wife
Jack- didn’t pay for date.
Annie is like any single woman addicted to romantic comedies and happy endings.
Annie is also really one dimentional and a pretty easy character to understand. Woman, was married, afraid of that again, goes throught the motions of life gives sex advice on sex she doesn’t have. I love the idea of her but from recently reading a similar plot called Just One night by Lauren Layne I felt like I was already teased with how well this story could of gone (shes a sex columnist that a virgin)
No woman gets an orgasm from shining the kitchen floor-betty friedan
This book focuses around a few couples and their problems
Nick is married to Julia who is hot and wants sex all the time… to make a baby.. which leaves Nick frustrated and failing at work. Julia has become a irritable emotional and obsessed with getting pregantn which turned Nick into being defensive, angry and withdrawn. Julias only focus was being pregnant; her only topics of conversation were natural birth versus epidural, baby names, Lamaze classes and C-sections.
Sex and gold are the two things you can enjoy even if you are not good at them – Kevin Costner
Our next couple is Roy and Linda Roy is 59 and Linda is 58. And they haven’t had sex in over a year and Linda focuses on grankids and business. It isn’t the sex Roy wants back he wants the intimacy.
Women need a reason to have sex. Men just need a place. – billy crystal
Nice girls like sex too- Hugh hefner
We then walk into Zoe and Simons’s proposal and they are hot for teacher and eachother!!!
All in all my favorite part of the book is the quotes the stories are just so overdone each of the couples stories have been spun a million times already and it brought nothing new and exciting to the table for me. Which makes me very sad. I just give up on all the characters because they are hard to connect with. I found myself skipping and skimming out of lack of attention gripping. This concept is a good one but it needs more work to make it unique.
Sex is always about emotions. Good sex is free emotions; bad sex is blocked emotions – Deepak Chopra ( how true is this ladies!)
2 –no one is really talking about sex – stars
Today I was going over my slowly dwindling to read list (ARC) and I thought do I want to binge read a series, read a book under a hundred pages or read the longest book I have .. I chose the last one. Needing a little chick lit humor. And who doesn’t like to talk about sex?
The quotes at the beginning of each chapter really save this book. I expected a different book then I got. I expected a bunch of crazy wild little stories that made you laugh and other things. The title says lets talk about sex. She talks about stop having sex, start having sex, stop having sex. It’s a very simple read that is easy enough to read fairly quickly despite the fact its almost 400 pages. I was hoping to get some tips and ideas myself from this.
You can preorder this title for 2.99 via Amazon =] (Avail Sept 19)
Our main character Annie is a single sex therapist and her sister wants to hook her up…she hasn’t been the best in the past…
Kevin – the octopus with wandering hands
Owen-divorce still in love with his ex wife
Jack- didn’t pay for date.
Annie is like any single woman addicted to romantic comedies and happy endings.
Annie is also really one dimentional and a pretty easy character to understand. Woman, was married, afraid of that again, goes throught the motions of life gives sex advice on sex she doesn’t have. I love the idea of her but from recently reading a similar plot called Just One night by Lauren Layne I felt like I was already teased with how well this story could of gone (shes a sex columnist that a virgin)
No woman gets an orgasm from shining the kitchen floor-betty friedan
This book focuses around a few couples and their problems
Nick is married to Julia who is hot and wants sex all the time… to make a baby.. which leaves Nick frustrated and failing at work. Julia has become a irritable emotional and obsessed with getting pregantn which turned Nick into being defensive, angry and withdrawn. Julias only focus was being pregnant; her only topics of conversation were natural birth versus epidural, baby names, Lamaze classes and C-sections.
Sex and gold are the two things you can enjoy even if you are not good at them – Kevin Costner
Our next couple is Roy and Linda Roy is 59 and Linda is 58. And they haven’t had sex in over a year and Linda focuses on grankids and business. It isn’t the sex Roy wants back he wants the intimacy.
Women need a reason to have sex. Men just need a place. – billy crystal
Nice girls like sex too- Hugh hefner
We then walk into Zoe and Simons’s proposal and they are hot for teacher and eachother!!!
All in all my favorite part of the book is the quotes the stories are just so overdone each of the couples stories have been spun a million times already and it brought nothing new and exciting to the table for me. Which makes me very sad. I just give up on all the characters because they are hard to connect with. I found myself skipping and skimming out of lack of attention gripping. This concept is a good one but it needs more work to make it unique.
Sex is always about emotions. Good sex is free emotions; bad sex is blocked emotions – Deepak Chopra ( how true is this ladies!)
September 14, 2014
This book was wonderful. It's charming, funny, sweet and just an overall pleasure to read. Chick Lit in it's purest, loveliest form.
Despite Annie being a sex therapist - and indeed sex is a large topic throughout the book - it's not raunchy, or vulgar or explicit; it's warm, and charming and cheeky. As is often misunderstood with Annie's profession, at the heart of it all, it's about relationships - about love.
Annie herself, I fell in love with the moment she got home from work and greeted Harry and Sally (you'll have to read it and see!). This is a girl after my own heart. She's had her heart broken in the past and is scared of making the same mistake again, but she's still a romcom lover, in love with love, and believes in happy endings. This is why she does what she does; she may not be great at getting her own love life together, but at least she can help other couples achieve their happily ever after. And I love her for that. I also love her standards. Between persistent (and ill-suited) match-making from her sister, Holly, and pressing comments from her mother, Annie's feeling the pressure to be settling down with someone. But, she refuses to settle for anything less than her dream romance. She wants a man who makes her heart beat fast and puts butterflies in her stomach. Someone who's truly passionate about her too, and not just the first looks-good-on-paper guy who agrees to go on a date with her. And I love her even more for that. I really found myself desperately rooting for her to find her own happy ending.
I really enjoyed the way the book told the story of Annie's clients, as well as her own story. The clients we meet are 3 very different couples, with 3 very different problems, and each character in turn is created beautifully. Sophie's writing is just an absolute delight to read, and I really felt like I was truly getting to know each and every one of them. As they attended their group therapy sessions, it was also lovely to watch how the relationships between the group developed, as well as within each couple. I definitely grew attached to them all and was rooting for their happy endings almost as much as I was for Annie's.
The whole book is just a fabulous story, wonderfully written. It makes you feel as warm and cosy as all great Chick Lit should, and gets five heart-warming stars.
Despite Annie being a sex therapist - and indeed sex is a large topic throughout the book - it's not raunchy, or vulgar or explicit; it's warm, and charming and cheeky. As is often misunderstood with Annie's profession, at the heart of it all, it's about relationships - about love.
Annie herself, I fell in love with the moment she got home from work and greeted Harry and Sally (you'll have to read it and see!). This is a girl after my own heart. She's had her heart broken in the past and is scared of making the same mistake again, but she's still a romcom lover, in love with love, and believes in happy endings. This is why she does what she does; she may not be great at getting her own love life together, but at least she can help other couples achieve their happily ever after. And I love her for that. I also love her standards. Between persistent (and ill-suited) match-making from her sister, Holly, and pressing comments from her mother, Annie's feeling the pressure to be settling down with someone. But, she refuses to settle for anything less than her dream romance. She wants a man who makes her heart beat fast and puts butterflies in her stomach. Someone who's truly passionate about her too, and not just the first looks-good-on-paper guy who agrees to go on a date with her. And I love her even more for that. I really found myself desperately rooting for her to find her own happy ending.
I really enjoyed the way the book told the story of Annie's clients, as well as her own story. The clients we meet are 3 very different couples, with 3 very different problems, and each character in turn is created beautifully. Sophie's writing is just an absolute delight to read, and I really felt like I was truly getting to know each and every one of them. As they attended their group therapy sessions, it was also lovely to watch how the relationships between the group developed, as well as within each couple. I definitely grew attached to them all and was rooting for their happy endings almost as much as I was for Annie's.
The whole book is just a fabulous story, wonderfully written. It makes you feel as warm and cosy as all great Chick Lit should, and gets five heart-warming stars.
September 30, 2014
Sophie Hart’s first book The Naughty Girls Book Club was one of my favourite reads of last year; it was funny, heart-warming and engaging. If you enjoyed her last book as much as I did then you will not be disappointed by this one. It is very similar, in that it has the same sort of premise where a group of unlikely characters come together and become friends. The characters are on the whole engaging and the story flows really, probably a little too well as this book was finished far too soon.
From the blurb I expected this book to talk heavily about sex, in fact it doesn’t feature that much, Annie as the sex therapist talks to her clients more about how their emotional relationships are working rather than actual physical sexual problems. I liked this as it gave more insight into the characters and their insecurities; this particularly came through with Ray and Linda’s relationship.
Out of all the characters I think Ray was my favourite, he reminded me of a big squashy teddy bear and I just wanted to go give him a hug and tell him everything would be alright in the end. I also loved Annie, she was so sassy and confident most of the time but she let her insecurities about finding love show a couple of times which just made me love her. The way the sparks built up between her and Jamie was really well done and I couldn’t wait to find out if anything would happen between them.
If you read Sophie’s previous novel then you are in for another treat with this one and if you haven’t read it I still recommend you read this as its honest, funny and very well written. I just hoping a third novel is not too far away.
Rating 5/5
From the blurb I expected this book to talk heavily about sex, in fact it doesn’t feature that much, Annie as the sex therapist talks to her clients more about how their emotional relationships are working rather than actual physical sexual problems. I liked this as it gave more insight into the characters and their insecurities; this particularly came through with Ray and Linda’s relationship.
Out of all the characters I think Ray was my favourite, he reminded me of a big squashy teddy bear and I just wanted to go give him a hug and tell him everything would be alright in the end. I also loved Annie, she was so sassy and confident most of the time but she let her insecurities about finding love show a couple of times which just made me love her. The way the sparks built up between her and Jamie was really well done and I couldn’t wait to find out if anything would happen between them.
If you read Sophie’s previous novel then you are in for another treat with this one and if you haven’t read it I still recommend you read this as its honest, funny and very well written. I just hoping a third novel is not too far away.
Rating 5/5
December 28, 2014
Sophie Hart’s “The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds & the Bees” is chick lit personified. And if you’ve ever said you want to read just one more chick lit novel and then quit, read this one. Now.
This is the story of Annie Hall, a sex therapist skilled at guiding couples through troubles and to happy places where they can flourish. None of her clients have any complaints about her, at least not in the end after the rough days at the start. Where Annie knows what to say and knows how to tell others what they could be doing better, she is the last person she listens to. The sex therapist has no sex life, really no personal life at all.
She learns from the group of people the story focus on that she can have shortcomings and still end up on top. With prompting from an engaged couple who’ve taken a vow of celibacy until the wedding, a thirty-something couple struggling to start a family, an older couple with grown children, and a few others, she lets herself start to be more open to the possibilities her nosy but well-meaning sister and mother have insisted she embrace.
And she realizes it doesn’t hurt as much as she thought it would.
The story is light, it is funny, it is sweet, and it is meaningful. Not many stories pull off all those things in one perfectly written novel that anyone and everyone can relate to.
“The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds & the Bees” is available for purchase now…and I suggest you buy it!
(I received a copy of “The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds & the Bees” through NetGalley in exchange for an honest & original review. My review is cross-posted on NetGalley, Goodreads, and my blog.)
This is the story of Annie Hall, a sex therapist skilled at guiding couples through troubles and to happy places where they can flourish. None of her clients have any complaints about her, at least not in the end after the rough days at the start. Where Annie knows what to say and knows how to tell others what they could be doing better, she is the last person she listens to. The sex therapist has no sex life, really no personal life at all.
She learns from the group of people the story focus on that she can have shortcomings and still end up on top. With prompting from an engaged couple who’ve taken a vow of celibacy until the wedding, a thirty-something couple struggling to start a family, an older couple with grown children, and a few others, she lets herself start to be more open to the possibilities her nosy but well-meaning sister and mother have insisted she embrace.
And she realizes it doesn’t hurt as much as she thought it would.
The story is light, it is funny, it is sweet, and it is meaningful. Not many stories pull off all those things in one perfectly written novel that anyone and everyone can relate to.
“The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds & the Bees” is available for purchase now…and I suggest you buy it!
(I received a copy of “The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds & the Bees” through NetGalley in exchange for an honest & original review. My review is cross-posted on NetGalley, Goodreads, and my blog.)
January 20, 2016
Recensione completa su On Rainy Days
Ci sono dei libri che non riuscite a smettere di leggere, nemmeno se ci provate o se vi convincete che, dopo un solo altro capitolo, prenderete il segnalibro e lo userete per ciò che è stato inventato! Io ho letto Lezioni d’amore per amanti imperfetti con questo spirito e il risultato è stato finirlo in meno di una giornata.
È un libro leggero, divertente e soprattutto romantico, figlio forse di una delle tante commedie (appunto) romantiche che compaiono citate tra le pagine e delle quali Annie, la protagonista, è irrimediabilmente appassionata.
[…]
Benché Annie sia il perno del romanzo, né lei né la sua storia personale lasciano il segno. È infatti scontato indovinare come si metteranno le cose per lei e chi, alla fine, vincerà il suo cuore e le regalerà il suo lieto fine. Peccato, ma Chi veramente conquista sono le tre coppie seguite da Annie e, caso vuole, iniziano e finiscono la terapia nel corso del romanzo: Zoe e Simon, Nick e Julia, Ray e Linda. Loro sei rappresentano, in tre modi diversi, l’essenza (anche se sarebbe più giusto dire le essenze) dell’amore, le sue fasi, le paure, i difetti, i pregi e l’evoluzione che affronta qualsiasi rapporto di coppia nel corso del tempo.
[…]
un libro che di certo piacerà a chi ha un animo irrimediabilmente romantico, ma anche a chi cerca un po’ di guizzi divertenti in mezzo al romanticismo melenso, perché Lezioni d’amore per amanti imperfetti non solo è piacevolmente scorrevole e ben scritto, ma regala anche tanti attimi in cui ci si ritrova a sorridere.
Ci sono dei libri che non riuscite a smettere di leggere, nemmeno se ci provate o se vi convincete che, dopo un solo altro capitolo, prenderete il segnalibro e lo userete per ciò che è stato inventato! Io ho letto Lezioni d’amore per amanti imperfetti con questo spirito e il risultato è stato finirlo in meno di una giornata.
È un libro leggero, divertente e soprattutto romantico, figlio forse di una delle tante commedie (appunto) romantiche che compaiono citate tra le pagine e delle quali Annie, la protagonista, è irrimediabilmente appassionata.
[…]
Benché Annie sia il perno del romanzo, né lei né la sua storia personale lasciano il segno. È infatti scontato indovinare come si metteranno le cose per lei e chi, alla fine, vincerà il suo cuore e le regalerà il suo lieto fine. Peccato, ma Chi veramente conquista sono le tre coppie seguite da Annie e, caso vuole, iniziano e finiscono la terapia nel corso del romanzo: Zoe e Simon, Nick e Julia, Ray e Linda. Loro sei rappresentano, in tre modi diversi, l’essenza (anche se sarebbe più giusto dire le essenze) dell’amore, le sue fasi, le paure, i difetti, i pregi e l’evoluzione che affronta qualsiasi rapporto di coppia nel corso del tempo.
[…]
un libro che di certo piacerà a chi ha un animo irrimediabilmente romantico, ma anche a chi cerca un po’ di guizzi divertenti in mezzo al romanticismo melenso, perché Lezioni d’amore per amanti imperfetti non solo è piacevolmente scorrevole e ben scritto, ma regala anche tanti attimi in cui ci si ritrova a sorridere.
September 23, 2014
*I received a copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review - thank you to the publisher Bookouture to have approved my request to read this book.*
5 stars out of 5 for this wonderful book!!!! I wasn't totally sure when reading the blurb if I was going to like it or not. I was a little concerned that this will be another erotic type of book, but no it's not! It's chicklit, pure chicklit with a bit of a naughty and sexy twist to it.
This book is really a very good surprise for me. I really enjoyed Sophie Hart's writing style. I really enjoyed the story in itself and the characters. I found the story very interesting - it's the first time I read about a sex therapist and her job in a chicklit book (main character, Annie, is a sex therapist). It was really interesting to read about the different problems the characters of this book go through in terms of relationships and sexual relationships and how this evolves.
But this book is also very funny and very cute. I loved the romance part of this book and really enjoyed reading about Annie's love life.
To finish up with this review, I'd like to say that I CANNOT WAIT TO READ ANOTHER BOOK FROM SOPHIE HART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D This book was one of the best chicklit book I read so far, and trust me, I've read A LOT of chicklit! ;-)
5 stars out of 5 for this wonderful book!!!! I wasn't totally sure when reading the blurb if I was going to like it or not. I was a little concerned that this will be another erotic type of book, but no it's not! It's chicklit, pure chicklit with a bit of a naughty and sexy twist to it.
This book is really a very good surprise for me. I really enjoyed Sophie Hart's writing style. I really enjoyed the story in itself and the characters. I found the story very interesting - it's the first time I read about a sex therapist and her job in a chicklit book (main character, Annie, is a sex therapist). It was really interesting to read about the different problems the characters of this book go through in terms of relationships and sexual relationships and how this evolves.
But this book is also very funny and very cute. I loved the romance part of this book and really enjoyed reading about Annie's love life.
To finish up with this review, I'd like to say that I CANNOT WAIT TO READ ANOTHER BOOK FROM SOPHIE HART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D This book was one of the best chicklit book I read so far, and trust me, I've read A LOT of chicklit! ;-)
June 7, 2015
I don't know if those who reviewed this book before me were reading a different book than I was. All those 4-star and 5-star reviews? The story is very pedestrian and extremely dull. I forced myself to read to the end, after all, those 4 & 5 star reviews can't be wrong, but they were. In fact the reviews were more entertaining than the book. It was a real struggle to get all the way through it, and I wish I hadn't wasted my time.
November 20, 2021
Non sapevo bene che cosa aspettarmi da questo romanzo e devo dire che, ora che l’ho finito, ancora non mi è ben chiaro se e quanto mi sia piaciuto.
La storia, infatti, è sicuramente carina, anche se a tratti un po’ scontata.
Ciò che mi è piaciuto sono state le evoluzioni delle coppie in crisi, il ritrovarsi dei loro rapporti che spesso sembravano completamente persi, ma soprattutto le amicizie che si sono andate a creare tra i diversi personaggi.
Che ho meno sopportato, invece, è stata la relazione amorosa che Annie ha cercato di creare per se stessa: la conclusione è stata un po’ troppo affrettata, ma questa è stata completamente colpa di Annie, che è un esempio lampante di predicare bene e razzolare malissimo.
Per quel che riguarda i personaggi, devo dire che questi si sono divisi per me in due grosse categorie: quelli che mi sono piaciuti tantissimo e quelli che invece ho odiato con tutta me stessa. Del primo gruppo fa sicuramente parte Simon, che ho trovato divertente e dolcissimo, mentre tra quelli che non ho mandato giù, oltre ad Annie c’è stata sicuramente Julia, una dei personaggi più odiosi con cui abbia avuto a che fare da lungo tempo e che non importa quanto abbia cercato di redimersi, proprio non sono riuscita a mandarla giù fino alla fine, non vedevo l’ora di finire il romanzo anche per non dover più avere a che fare con lei.
La storia, infatti, è sicuramente carina, anche se a tratti un po’ scontata.
Ciò che mi è piaciuto sono state le evoluzioni delle coppie in crisi, il ritrovarsi dei loro rapporti che spesso sembravano completamente persi, ma soprattutto le amicizie che si sono andate a creare tra i diversi personaggi.
Che ho meno sopportato, invece, è stata la relazione amorosa che Annie ha cercato di creare per se stessa: la conclusione è stata un po’ troppo affrettata, ma questa è stata completamente colpa di Annie, che è un esempio lampante di predicare bene e razzolare malissimo.
Per quel che riguarda i personaggi, devo dire che questi si sono divisi per me in due grosse categorie: quelli che mi sono piaciuti tantissimo e quelli che invece ho odiato con tutta me stessa. Del primo gruppo fa sicuramente parte Simon, che ho trovato divertente e dolcissimo, mentre tra quelli che non ho mandato giù, oltre ad Annie c’è stata sicuramente Julia, una dei personaggi più odiosi con cui abbia avuto a che fare da lungo tempo e che non importa quanto abbia cercato di redimersi, proprio non sono riuscita a mandarla giù fino alla fine, non vedevo l’ora di finire il romanzo anche per non dover più avere a che fare con lei.
October 4, 2014
THE BEGINNERS GUIDE TO THE BIRDS AND THE BEES BY SOPHIE HART
THE BLURB
What happens in the bedroom doesn’t have to stay in the bedroom.
A refreshingly open and uplifting romantic comedy about friendship, love and sex. Sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone in order to give a relationship a good dose of TLC…
Sex therapist Annie Hall helps couples put the fizz back into their relationships. It’s a shame her own love life is non-existent. When Jamie who works next door catches her eye, she can’t ignore the spark of chemistry.
Most men would jump at the chance to skive off work for an afternoon quickie with their gorgeous wife, but Nick knows Julia is after only one thing – a baby. Sex shouldn’t be a chore. Can Annie help Julia see that?
Newly engaged Zoe and Simon can’t keep their hands off each other. They’ve decided to take a vow of celibacy until their wedding night. Will Annie help them stick to it?
Ray and Linda have been married for over thirty years but she’s more interested in the family business than getting intimate with him. Can Annie convince Linda to rediscover her passion for Ray after all this time?
While Annie begins to work her magic with the three couples, she soon discovers that she’ll need to take some of her own advice if she’s going to let a new man into her life.
WHAT I SAY
i was not sure if i was going to enjoy this book i not a big fan sexy books (as you know ) well how wrong was i this book not like that at all it just a great fun book to read it will make you smile laugh and think
Yes sex is discussed as Annie is a sex therapist but there are no over the top x rated scene
It done in a very sweet funny way . it was to me like reading a comedy you with laugh with it or i should say at it
Annie i loved her she so good at sorting out people relationship
She not in a relationship at the minute but her sister like to try to set her up it just make me laugh some of the dates she when on . i kill my sister for doing that to me
She seem to like Jamie from her office block i thought at the start they just seem to chick and hit it off very well i think they were very a like Jamie into his computers he making the next top game
Annie mum want her to be happy married by now just like most mum do i think but Annie happy as she is or is she ?
Annie just loves her job it so important to her
We get to meet the three couples she helping they were such fun couples i like how we get to hear about them as couple and then as one group it great now the story mixes together
Ray and Lynda i jus loved them they were a bit older their children had grow up now with family of their own i think both feel a bit lost now
Ray want to have sex with Lynda his wife they married so young but she not sure of herself or her body any more she works so hard at looking after her kids she got no time for Ray she seem to put the family first now all the time their story so nice to hear i liked the way Lynda was at the start she was so mad at Ray will things work out for them ? I hope so a lovely couple that have grow old together and done so much together like still work but she should not she she enjoy her time with Ray now i hope they can
Julia and Nick
Nick works so hard all the time but when at her gets calls from Julia and has to run home
After a day work all he want to do is go home to a nice meal relax watching tv and talk but Julia got other ideas all the time
Julia i was not sure of her she only got one thing on her mind is that good or bad ? She does not see nick for himself any more she can not she the person she married both have very good jobs they just make you smile they seem to have the world at there feet
(All work and no play or the other way around for them)
Nick goes to Annie but what will Julia say or do ?
Can they sort it out?
Zoe and simon my favourite couple they seem to have a fab relationship they seem to be so in love and so devotion to each other they have so much fun in their life's why are they going to see Annie to the outside the seem the perfect couple but both have worries on the minds at time they are very young their whole life ahead of them
But why are they going to class ?
What will happen to them ?
Will they make it ?
The couples were great mix of all different ages , jobs,worries and what was going on in their relationships
The group sessions were so funny i could see them all in my mind some of the things they did sounded fun . It was great to hear about each couple they became my friends as i was reading i felt part of their life to i enjoy listen to them
They all developed great friendship and become friends out side group Annie to become friends which was nice a great group of people having fun together that how i saw them in the book will you ?
Annie dates were so funny i like hearing about her too Jamie and her seem to have chemise between then the group thought so too when he pop in
But Annie did not see it
Can they be more than work buddies?
Whats holding them both back ?
They both single i think just right for each do you?
I just loved this book it will make you think about your life's we all get caught up with work , family , kids, ect do we make enough time for each other do we still go out together on dates just you and him times ?
The story just flows along and you flow with it it so easy to follow it a great book to read very light heart book
I like to thank Bookouture and net galley for letting me review this book
4 stars a fun read one to keep
THE BLURB
What happens in the bedroom doesn’t have to stay in the bedroom.
A refreshingly open and uplifting romantic comedy about friendship, love and sex. Sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone in order to give a relationship a good dose of TLC…
Sex therapist Annie Hall helps couples put the fizz back into their relationships. It’s a shame her own love life is non-existent. When Jamie who works next door catches her eye, she can’t ignore the spark of chemistry.
Most men would jump at the chance to skive off work for an afternoon quickie with their gorgeous wife, but Nick knows Julia is after only one thing – a baby. Sex shouldn’t be a chore. Can Annie help Julia see that?
Newly engaged Zoe and Simon can’t keep their hands off each other. They’ve decided to take a vow of celibacy until their wedding night. Will Annie help them stick to it?
Ray and Linda have been married for over thirty years but she’s more interested in the family business than getting intimate with him. Can Annie convince Linda to rediscover her passion for Ray after all this time?
While Annie begins to work her magic with the three couples, she soon discovers that she’ll need to take some of her own advice if she’s going to let a new man into her life.
WHAT I SAY
i was not sure if i was going to enjoy this book i not a big fan sexy books (as you know ) well how wrong was i this book not like that at all it just a great fun book to read it will make you smile laugh and think
Yes sex is discussed as Annie is a sex therapist but there are no over the top x rated scene
It done in a very sweet funny way . it was to me like reading a comedy you with laugh with it or i should say at it
Annie i loved her she so good at sorting out people relationship
She not in a relationship at the minute but her sister like to try to set her up it just make me laugh some of the dates she when on . i kill my sister for doing that to me
She seem to like Jamie from her office block i thought at the start they just seem to chick and hit it off very well i think they were very a like Jamie into his computers he making the next top game
Annie mum want her to be happy married by now just like most mum do i think but Annie happy as she is or is she ?
Annie just loves her job it so important to her
We get to meet the three couples she helping they were such fun couples i like how we get to hear about them as couple and then as one group it great now the story mixes together
Ray and Lynda i jus loved them they were a bit older their children had grow up now with family of their own i think both feel a bit lost now
Ray want to have sex with Lynda his wife they married so young but she not sure of herself or her body any more she works so hard at looking after her kids she got no time for Ray she seem to put the family first now all the time their story so nice to hear i liked the way Lynda was at the start she was so mad at Ray will things work out for them ? I hope so a lovely couple that have grow old together and done so much together like still work but she should not she she enjoy her time with Ray now i hope they can
Julia and Nick
Nick works so hard all the time but when at her gets calls from Julia and has to run home
After a day work all he want to do is go home to a nice meal relax watching tv and talk but Julia got other ideas all the time
Julia i was not sure of her she only got one thing on her mind is that good or bad ? She does not see nick for himself any more she can not she the person she married both have very good jobs they just make you smile they seem to have the world at there feet
(All work and no play or the other way around for them)
Nick goes to Annie but what will Julia say or do ?
Can they sort it out?
Zoe and simon my favourite couple they seem to have a fab relationship they seem to be so in love and so devotion to each other they have so much fun in their life's why are they going to see Annie to the outside the seem the perfect couple but both have worries on the minds at time they are very young their whole life ahead of them
But why are they going to class ?
What will happen to them ?
Will they make it ?
The couples were great mix of all different ages , jobs,worries and what was going on in their relationships
The group sessions were so funny i could see them all in my mind some of the things they did sounded fun . It was great to hear about each couple they became my friends as i was reading i felt part of their life to i enjoy listen to them
They all developed great friendship and become friends out side group Annie to become friends which was nice a great group of people having fun together that how i saw them in the book will you ?
Annie dates were so funny i like hearing about her too Jamie and her seem to have chemise between then the group thought so too when he pop in
But Annie did not see it
Can they be more than work buddies?
Whats holding them both back ?
They both single i think just right for each do you?
I just loved this book it will make you think about your life's we all get caught up with work , family , kids, ect do we make enough time for each other do we still go out together on dates just you and him times ?
The story just flows along and you flow with it it so easy to follow it a great book to read very light heart book
I like to thank Bookouture and net galley for letting me review this book
4 stars a fun read one to keep
June 4, 2019
This book was not what I thought it would be and to be honest the title of the book hardly had anything to do with the story. When I first started the book I didn’t think that I would get on with it due to the ongoing theme but I was extremely surprised that it was written about very tastefully. I enjoyed this book the more I kept reading it and would definitely read another book by the author in the future.
March 31, 2024
#stereotipesssss
Letto perché mi è stato regalato
Un guilty pleasure che non è stato così pleasure ma anzi un po' noioso e vuoto
Un up solo perché è una storia a lieto fine e suvvia a chi non piacciono le storie a lieto fine
Letto perché mi è stato regalato
Un guilty pleasure che non è stato così pleasure ma anzi un po' noioso e vuoto
Un up solo perché è una storia a lieto fine e suvvia a chi non piacciono le storie a lieto fine
May 10, 2025
Just loved this easy-read romcom book. Devoured in a day in a sunny garden. All the characters felt real and relatable. real life issues handled delicately, with heart and humour. slightly predictable but aren't all good love stories.
Will definitely read more from this author.
Will definitely read more from this author.
February 9, 2018
Easy to read
It was a easy read, enjoyable and fun.
Would be a great holiday read. Or just something to turn your brain off to whilst in the bath.
It was a easy read, enjoyable and fun.
Would be a great holiday read. Or just something to turn your brain off to whilst in the bath.
April 7, 2018
Perfect holiday reading... funny in places, moving in others. Love has many faces...
May 19, 2021
Leggero, un po’ in stile commedia romantica, per riflettere sugli errori che si commettono a volte nelle relazioni
February 6, 2022
3,5 stelline
March 16, 2022
Un po' melenso ma si fa leggere!
September 17, 2014
2.5 stars.
This is my first Sophie Hart's book although I have heard about her already, and my curiosity has really reached for the top when I'd spotted that she's going to release her next novel. The title has me sold immediately, it's brilliant, and well, I guess everybody likes to talk about sex from time to time, right? Right.
The story follows Annie Hall (yes!), who is a sex - therapist (but not in a way you think, you know, when you go to such a therapist. She doesn't watch her patients by "doing this" and giving directions, nonono :) ). She's also divorced and, despite her sister's utmost efforts, still single. She just can't find it in herself to open and trust a man again. But she goes on dates, yes, she does, but the potential "boyfriends" are just... well, not suitable, forgetting the wallet or flirting with other girls. So she puts all her strength into helping people who come to her for advice, usually about sex, but also about relationships. Can Annie really help those people? Can she also find her happy end with a man?
Sounds exciting? Hell, sure! Unfortunately, no matter how exciting the blurb is, the story doesn't stand up to it. First of all, I couldn't connect with our heroine. I had also some silly issues with her name, Annie, I don't know why but the name didn't suit her AT ALL! It's of course the smallest problem that I had with her. She just felt so flat and meh, I couldn't relate to her in any way. She was also a very simple character, I missed some complexity in her. Everything looked so simple and cliche in her life and she couldn't surprise me in any way.
The book focuses also on some couples that come to Annie for counselling, and we have a very different bunch of characters there. As first we get to know Nick and Julia, who are trying for a baby and Julia became obsessed with it. Nick feels he's only the sperm - donor, he misses the fondness, love and understanding and sees his wife as a sex - machine only. Then there are Linda and Roy, a couple in their late 50-ies and their sexual life has lost its sparkle. There is also not much feeling from Linda's site and I was really gutted at her abruptness and coldness towards Roy. The third couple is Zoe and Simon, young people, full of life, freshly engaged who want to make their life hot baby, hot, without sex! They've just swear to celibacy till they marry. Those two were the most interesting in my opinion, lively and funny and they felt so good in their own company, till Zoe went mental at one point and I thought, oh, that was it, but fortunately it was only for a short period of time and Zoe went back to her old self.
The stories could be told in such a different way! I've seen what Sophie wanted to achieve, could see her concept but nevertheless, it just didn't work out for me, I have found myself skipping more and skimming more in the hope to find something that would have me hooked. It was all a little too cliche, too banal and too woody, I just couldn't relate or warm to the characters, the way they behave, they spoke didn't feel real to me. They all, together with Annie, were just flat people without personality. Despite of such a wide spectrum of characters, backgrounds and potential of this all, their stories didn't have me hooked. They were trivial and easy to predict, with the exception of Zoe and Simon, they were like a little ray of sunshine. It just all felt so forced, and the situations or people mentioned were not believable. Altogether I had a feeling I have been there, have seen it and I haven't spotted anything new, refreshing, any new look at the problems the couples had. And there were moments the story felt too flat, too long, I missed some sparkles (and I don't mean hot sex scenes or something).
To be honest, I didn't get from this book what I have expected. While I was not looking for erotic, filthy, naughty story I hoped for a funny, quick, sharp and dynamic read, and maybe not a bonk - buster but for sure a book with a "let's really talk about sex" approach. And although we get some very tactful sex scenes - which is great - it's more about relationships in fact, about finding new or old love, about dealing with problems. My biggest problem though were the characters who were, I would say, very average ones, and while the plot had a lot of potential, it was under - developed and one - dimensional, without twist and turns. Please don't get me wrong - it was a book with a great potential but I had the feeling that the author has lost her sparkle somewhere, that she lost her idea, her mojo. To be totally honest, I've read some other reviews of this book and I felt as if we were reading with the other reviewers a different book. I'm not saying the book was bad, absolutely not, and as I'm in minority here with my rating most people find this novel good. And that's great.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
This is my first Sophie Hart's book although I have heard about her already, and my curiosity has really reached for the top when I'd spotted that she's going to release her next novel. The title has me sold immediately, it's brilliant, and well, I guess everybody likes to talk about sex from time to time, right? Right.
The story follows Annie Hall (yes!), who is a sex - therapist (but not in a way you think, you know, when you go to such a therapist. She doesn't watch her patients by "doing this" and giving directions, nonono :) ). She's also divorced and, despite her sister's utmost efforts, still single. She just can't find it in herself to open and trust a man again. But she goes on dates, yes, she does, but the potential "boyfriends" are just... well, not suitable, forgetting the wallet or flirting with other girls. So she puts all her strength into helping people who come to her for advice, usually about sex, but also about relationships. Can Annie really help those people? Can she also find her happy end with a man?
Sounds exciting? Hell, sure! Unfortunately, no matter how exciting the blurb is, the story doesn't stand up to it. First of all, I couldn't connect with our heroine. I had also some silly issues with her name, Annie, I don't know why but the name didn't suit her AT ALL! It's of course the smallest problem that I had with her. She just felt so flat and meh, I couldn't relate to her in any way. She was also a very simple character, I missed some complexity in her. Everything looked so simple and cliche in her life and she couldn't surprise me in any way.
The book focuses also on some couples that come to Annie for counselling, and we have a very different bunch of characters there. As first we get to know Nick and Julia, who are trying for a baby and Julia became obsessed with it. Nick feels he's only the sperm - donor, he misses the fondness, love and understanding and sees his wife as a sex - machine only. Then there are Linda and Roy, a couple in their late 50-ies and their sexual life has lost its sparkle. There is also not much feeling from Linda's site and I was really gutted at her abruptness and coldness towards Roy. The third couple is Zoe and Simon, young people, full of life, freshly engaged who want to make their life hot baby, hot, without sex! They've just swear to celibacy till they marry. Those two were the most interesting in my opinion, lively and funny and they felt so good in their own company, till Zoe went mental at one point and I thought, oh, that was it, but fortunately it was only for a short period of time and Zoe went back to her old self.
The stories could be told in such a different way! I've seen what Sophie wanted to achieve, could see her concept but nevertheless, it just didn't work out for me, I have found myself skipping more and skimming more in the hope to find something that would have me hooked. It was all a little too cliche, too banal and too woody, I just couldn't relate or warm to the characters, the way they behave, they spoke didn't feel real to me. They all, together with Annie, were just flat people without personality. Despite of such a wide spectrum of characters, backgrounds and potential of this all, their stories didn't have me hooked. They were trivial and easy to predict, with the exception of Zoe and Simon, they were like a little ray of sunshine. It just all felt so forced, and the situations or people mentioned were not believable. Altogether I had a feeling I have been there, have seen it and I haven't spotted anything new, refreshing, any new look at the problems the couples had. And there were moments the story felt too flat, too long, I missed some sparkles (and I don't mean hot sex scenes or something).
To be honest, I didn't get from this book what I have expected. While I was not looking for erotic, filthy, naughty story I hoped for a funny, quick, sharp and dynamic read, and maybe not a bonk - buster but for sure a book with a "let's really talk about sex" approach. And although we get some very tactful sex scenes - which is great - it's more about relationships in fact, about finding new or old love, about dealing with problems. My biggest problem though were the characters who were, I would say, very average ones, and while the plot had a lot of potential, it was under - developed and one - dimensional, without twist and turns. Please don't get me wrong - it was a book with a great potential but I had the feeling that the author has lost her sparkle somewhere, that she lost her idea, her mojo. To be totally honest, I've read some other reviews of this book and I felt as if we were reading with the other reviewers a different book. I'm not saying the book was bad, absolutely not, and as I'm in minority here with my rating most people find this novel good. And that's great.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
October 25, 2014
Originally posted on http://beccasbooooks.blogspot.co.uk/
As usual, I'm going to begin my review by thanking the fabulous publishers Bookouture for accepting me via Net Galley. I hate to sound like a complete cover fiend (which I am), but I just loved the cover for Sophie's title, which of course enticed me to to then read the description, and as soon as I clicked 'request', I knew that I was in for a treat. I also can't forget to thank the author herself, Sophie Hart, for writing such a gorgeous story. The Beginner's Guide to The Birds and The Bees had everything that I love and so it was an absolute pleasure and joy for me to read.
There were SO MANY THINGS that I adored about this book. SO MANY!
Firstly, I'm going to talk about Sophie Hart's wonderful writing style, because it is something that I have grown to adore in the short time that I spent reading the book. There's something sweet about it, something that makes me want to sit back with a hot cup of tea, a few chocolate biscuits and completely give myself up to Sophie's gorgeous words. It's light-hearted, warm, and entirely good-natured. You'd think that Annie's career as a sex therapist would mean that you'd be in for a dark and naughty read, but surprisingly it's not like that at all. Of course there's talk of sex and relationships etc, but it all comes along with a stunning little dose of softness. It's not hard-hitting or shocking in anyway, and I wanted to just wrap myself up in Sophie's words and snuggle down. When I think of the writing style in The Beginner's Guide to The Birds and The Bees, I smile, because it's the sort of writing that does that to you.
The actual plot of the book was bloody brilliant, and not once did I find myself feeling tired or bored of the story. Annie's profession meant that you were always being introduced to/catching up with a different couple who were seeking Annie's help, as well Sophie expertly changing the narrative to the couples themselves. I loved this, as it meant you were given a little insight into each couple's personal lives when they were away from Annie's office, and you were also invited to figure out where the problems lay between them. But even despite the focus being on Annie's career, Sophie also switches it between that and Annie's personal life too, which again, was just bloody fabulous!
Annie Hall herself was superb, and I felt connected with her right from the very beginning. I found Annie to be a lovely, well-rounded woman, who most definitely deserved her own chance at true-love after putting her all into making everybody else's dreams come true. This really emphasised the fact that Annie was a truly beautiful person, inside and out, and she always chose to put her client's needs before her own. I just really, really wanted Annie to find a love for herself. She worked incredibly hard, staying late and ensuring she provided her clients with only the best. She was definitely in need of a break, by all accounts. Her love for rom-com movies made me think that she was a true romantic at heart. Annie's pregnant sister was always trying to set Annie up on dates with strange men, but Annie just knew it wasn't happened. No chemistry, no connection, and most of them were plain idiots anyway. No, I knew that Annie wanted something magical, something different, and she knew herself that she wasn't going to find that in one of her sister's set-ups.
Besides Annie, there were a multitude of fabulous characters to keep you entertained. The couples were brilliant, each with their own unique set of problems that they went to Annie with. They all had their own personalities and their own views towards visiting a sex therapist which made me giggle at times. And there's also the gorgeous Jamie who works across the hall from Annie, who she sees every now and again when popping into the communal kitchens for a drink and a biscuit or two. And as mentioned above, there's Annie's pregnant sister who really wants Annie to find someone who can make her happy. Sophie created such a colourful array of characters, and I think I fell for them all!
The Beginners Guide to The Birds and The Bees is absolutely perfect for chick-lit lovers. It had everything! The comedy, the romance, a little splash of drama! If I could have wrapped my Kindle around me, then I would have, because I felt like I was cocooned into Annie's world with Sophie's superb characters and story.
Becca's Books is rating The Beginner's Guide to The Birds and The Bees with four gorgeous cupcakes! Everything about this book is why I love to read.
As usual, I'm going to begin my review by thanking the fabulous publishers Bookouture for accepting me via Net Galley. I hate to sound like a complete cover fiend (which I am), but I just loved the cover for Sophie's title, which of course enticed me to to then read the description, and as soon as I clicked 'request', I knew that I was in for a treat. I also can't forget to thank the author herself, Sophie Hart, for writing such a gorgeous story. The Beginner's Guide to The Birds and The Bees had everything that I love and so it was an absolute pleasure and joy for me to read.
There were SO MANY THINGS that I adored about this book. SO MANY!
Firstly, I'm going to talk about Sophie Hart's wonderful writing style, because it is something that I have grown to adore in the short time that I spent reading the book. There's something sweet about it, something that makes me want to sit back with a hot cup of tea, a few chocolate biscuits and completely give myself up to Sophie's gorgeous words. It's light-hearted, warm, and entirely good-natured. You'd think that Annie's career as a sex therapist would mean that you'd be in for a dark and naughty read, but surprisingly it's not like that at all. Of course there's talk of sex and relationships etc, but it all comes along with a stunning little dose of softness. It's not hard-hitting or shocking in anyway, and I wanted to just wrap myself up in Sophie's words and snuggle down. When I think of the writing style in The Beginner's Guide to The Birds and The Bees, I smile, because it's the sort of writing that does that to you.
The actual plot of the book was bloody brilliant, and not once did I find myself feeling tired or bored of the story. Annie's profession meant that you were always being introduced to/catching up with a different couple who were seeking Annie's help, as well Sophie expertly changing the narrative to the couples themselves. I loved this, as it meant you were given a little insight into each couple's personal lives when they were away from Annie's office, and you were also invited to figure out where the problems lay between them. But even despite the focus being on Annie's career, Sophie also switches it between that and Annie's personal life too, which again, was just bloody fabulous!
Annie Hall herself was superb, and I felt connected with her right from the very beginning. I found Annie to be a lovely, well-rounded woman, who most definitely deserved her own chance at true-love after putting her all into making everybody else's dreams come true. This really emphasised the fact that Annie was a truly beautiful person, inside and out, and she always chose to put her client's needs before her own. I just really, really wanted Annie to find a love for herself. She worked incredibly hard, staying late and ensuring she provided her clients with only the best. She was definitely in need of a break, by all accounts. Her love for rom-com movies made me think that she was a true romantic at heart. Annie's pregnant sister was always trying to set Annie up on dates with strange men, but Annie just knew it wasn't happened. No chemistry, no connection, and most of them were plain idiots anyway. No, I knew that Annie wanted something magical, something different, and she knew herself that she wasn't going to find that in one of her sister's set-ups.
Besides Annie, there were a multitude of fabulous characters to keep you entertained. The couples were brilliant, each with their own unique set of problems that they went to Annie with. They all had their own personalities and their own views towards visiting a sex therapist which made me giggle at times. And there's also the gorgeous Jamie who works across the hall from Annie, who she sees every now and again when popping into the communal kitchens for a drink and a biscuit or two. And as mentioned above, there's Annie's pregnant sister who really wants Annie to find someone who can make her happy. Sophie created such a colourful array of characters, and I think I fell for them all!
The Beginners Guide to The Birds and The Bees is absolutely perfect for chick-lit lovers. It had everything! The comedy, the romance, a little splash of drama! If I could have wrapped my Kindle around me, then I would have, because I felt like I was cocooned into Annie's world with Sophie's superb characters and story.
Becca's Books is rating The Beginner's Guide to The Birds and The Bees with four gorgeous cupcakes! Everything about this book is why I love to read.
January 28, 2015
Posted originally http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2014...
The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds and the Bees was a charming, feel-good novel and one which stood out to me as being as little different to a lot of women’s fiction books around at the moment. It was packed full of friendship, romance and was simply a really warm read – the equivalent of an uplifting day spent catching up with old friends with lots of laughs and smiles.
Annie Hall is a sex therapist, which unlike what the name might suggest, doesn’t mean she goes around showing couples how things work in the bedroom department… Rather, Annie was just a caring, very likeable character, hopeful and eager to help her clients on the way to their own happy endings. Annie is long-term single after a bad relationship and so on surface is maybe not the best person to help couples get their relationships back on track, but she was so positive and full of patience and advice, she felt like the perfect person to turn to. Early on, we’re introduced to the three latest couples who are enlisting Annie’s help – Nick and Julia, Ray and Linda and Zoe and Simon. Even though we’re then brought four individual stories throughout the book, it was never hard to keep up. Sophie effortlessly switched between each couple’s stories, and Annie’s story, and then when they did combine, the novel hit its heart-warming best.
I loved each individual couple and how different they all were – whether that was due to age, ambition or personalities, the book had a great mix of characters and seeing them all connect with each other at the group therapy sessions was really interesting to read. Nick and Julia have been trying unsuccessfully for a baby – and I couldn’t help but feel for Nick at the beginning and his frustration with Julia only seeing him as an object to help her conceive. Although as the book went on, I did grow to understand Julia a lot more and I liked seeing her friendships grow and help her as a person. Ray and Linda were a couple in their late fifties, missing the intimacy and closeness in their relationship and struggling to spend much time with each other too. I adored Ray – he was so obviously in love with Linda and I just wanted them to put time aside to see each other and re-connect and live out the rest of their lives happy. This book did turn me hopelessly optimistic and soppy, I’ll admit. Zoe and Simon wanted a sex therapist for a very different reason – in their twenties and completely in love (and all over each other too), they took a vow of celibacy until their wedding night and were eager to make that night the most special of all… Zoe and Simon were my favourite couple – they were just so happy and in love, it was endearing to read.
What I loved the most about each couple here, and Annie’s motives towards them too, was that it felt impossible to not want the best for them all. Annie definitely turned me into a true fan of happy-endings and that was all I wanted for the outcome of this book. I wanted Annie to get her happy ever after too and once she started to see the lovely Jamie in a different light, I was fascinated with how things might work out.
The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds and the Bees was a really easy to read, pleasant story – I can’t fault it for that. I loved the quotes which started off each chapter, I thought they added a special touch to the novel and set the tone for what was to follow. However, I did think this book was missing a little sparkle and a little something to really bring it to life and make it shine. I find it difficult to review in that aspect because I really can’t find anything to criticise but I had expected to love it even more than I did. But even saying that, I really did adore Sophie’s writing style. It was so full of heart and the stories in this book weren’t forced or over-the-top – it all felt natural and the manner of the book was just like chatting to your friends with a bit of gossip and lots of fun and more tender moments too. The Beginner’s Guide to the Birds and the Bees will ultimately put a smile on your face and leave it there for the remainder of the day, so I would definitely recommend it for all chick-lit fans.
*Book gifted for honest review.
January 6, 2015
Originally reviewed for Bookaholic Confessions
Annie Hall’s quite happy with the way her life’s turned out so far. So what if she’s still single in her thirties? She has a successful career and loves working as a sex therapist. After getting hurt in a part relationship she’s quite happy being single. So she may have a job which people often mistake for her being a prostitute but she does have a rather brilliant DVD collection and her beloved goldfish Sally and Harry.
Plus Annie has her fill of relationship woes at work as she helps three very different couples, all with very different concerns in the bedroom department. There’s the eldest couple, Ray and Linda who seem to have lost the spark in their marriage, there’s Nick and Julia whose sex life has become a chore after deciding to try for a baby, and finally there’s Zoe and Simon who are about to get married and decide to take a vow of celibacy until their wedding night.
After helping these three couple out, the last thing Annie has on her mind his a relationship of her own. At least until she starts to notice Jamie, the rather hunky guy who works in the office next door…
I have to start off by saying that I am a huge Sophie Hart fan. I thoroughly enjoyed The Naughty Girls Book Club, so naturally I had very high expectations for The Beginners Guide To The Birds and The Bees and I am super delighted to say that this novel met those ridiculously high expectations…and some! Firstly, I really liked the storyline. I don’t recall reading a book about a sex therapist before, it’s something a bit different and I wasn’t sure how it was going to play out – would this be a ridiculously hot, steamy, Fifty-Shades style book? If that is not your thing then have no fear, because The Beginners Guide To The Birds and The Bees is not like that at all.
Of course sex is discussed, Annie is a sex therapist after all, but there aren’t really any X-Rated, blush-inducing scenes. This is just one very well formed, sweet, funny and immensely enjoyable romantic comedy.
Annie makes for a brilliant lead and you can’t help but appreciate the irony that she spends her life sorting out other peoples relationships, yet doesn’t take her own advice and is quite unlucky in the love department. She’s easy to relate to and pretty much your typical chick-lit lead character (and there’s nothing wrong with that!) in the sense that she is always being asked when she’s going to settle down by her mother, has a string of disastrous dates after being set up by her sister, likes Leonardo DiCaprio and is a sucker for a happy ending.
However, along with Annie, the couples that she counsels are absolutely brilliant as well. They’re each so lovely that you can’t help but warm to them, sympathise with their problems and desperately hope that they can sort things out. I think of the three couples I liked Zoe and Simon the best, particularly Zoe as she was such a fun-loving, outgoing character who made me laugh numerous times!
The other thing I really liked about The Beginners Guide To The Birds And The Bees was how there’s a sex/relationship-related quote by somebody famous at the start of each chapter. I felt that was a really nice little touch and these quotes will have you laughing very loudly, or nodding your head in recognition.
There is no doubt that Sophie Hart is a brilliant writer, this story flowed so well and had the perfect mix of humour, love, sex and emotion. A warm-hearted story examining both friendships and relationships, The Beginners Guide To The Birds And The Bees is the perfect book to relax with and take your mind off reality. A must-read!
Annie Hall’s quite happy with the way her life’s turned out so far. So what if she’s still single in her thirties? She has a successful career and loves working as a sex therapist. After getting hurt in a part relationship she’s quite happy being single. So she may have a job which people often mistake for her being a prostitute but she does have a rather brilliant DVD collection and her beloved goldfish Sally and Harry.
Plus Annie has her fill of relationship woes at work as she helps three very different couples, all with very different concerns in the bedroom department. There’s the eldest couple, Ray and Linda who seem to have lost the spark in their marriage, there’s Nick and Julia whose sex life has become a chore after deciding to try for a baby, and finally there’s Zoe and Simon who are about to get married and decide to take a vow of celibacy until their wedding night.
After helping these three couple out, the last thing Annie has on her mind his a relationship of her own. At least until she starts to notice Jamie, the rather hunky guy who works in the office next door…
I have to start off by saying that I am a huge Sophie Hart fan. I thoroughly enjoyed The Naughty Girls Book Club, so naturally I had very high expectations for The Beginners Guide To The Birds and The Bees and I am super delighted to say that this novel met those ridiculously high expectations…and some! Firstly, I really liked the storyline. I don’t recall reading a book about a sex therapist before, it’s something a bit different and I wasn’t sure how it was going to play out – would this be a ridiculously hot, steamy, Fifty-Shades style book? If that is not your thing then have no fear, because The Beginners Guide To The Birds and The Bees is not like that at all.
Of course sex is discussed, Annie is a sex therapist after all, but there aren’t really any X-Rated, blush-inducing scenes. This is just one very well formed, sweet, funny and immensely enjoyable romantic comedy.
Annie makes for a brilliant lead and you can’t help but appreciate the irony that she spends her life sorting out other peoples relationships, yet doesn’t take her own advice and is quite unlucky in the love department. She’s easy to relate to and pretty much your typical chick-lit lead character (and there’s nothing wrong with that!) in the sense that she is always being asked when she’s going to settle down by her mother, has a string of disastrous dates after being set up by her sister, likes Leonardo DiCaprio and is a sucker for a happy ending.
However, along with Annie, the couples that she counsels are absolutely brilliant as well. They’re each so lovely that you can’t help but warm to them, sympathise with their problems and desperately hope that they can sort things out. I think of the three couples I liked Zoe and Simon the best, particularly Zoe as she was such a fun-loving, outgoing character who made me laugh numerous times!
The other thing I really liked about The Beginners Guide To The Birds And The Bees was how there’s a sex/relationship-related quote by somebody famous at the start of each chapter. I felt that was a really nice little touch and these quotes will have you laughing very loudly, or nodding your head in recognition.
There is no doubt that Sophie Hart is a brilliant writer, this story flowed so well and had the perfect mix of humour, love, sex and emotion. A warm-hearted story examining both friendships and relationships, The Beginners Guide To The Birds And The Bees is the perfect book to relax with and take your mind off reality. A must-read!
September 16, 2014
Last year I read and thoroughly enjoyed The Naughty Girls' Book Club by Sophie Hart, despite it's Fifty-Shades-esque cover (thankfully it was NOTHING like that awful set of novels). So I was super excited when Sophie announced her second novel would be released in September, and I was even more excited when I saw the fabulous people over at BookOuture were the ones publishing the novel! I was even more delighted to see the stunning cover of The Beginner's Guide To The Birds & The Bees, and I couldn't wait to get stuck in! As soon as it appeared on Netgalley, I downloaded it and I knew it was going to be my next read, because I just loved Sophie's writing first time around!
The Beginner's Guide To the Birds & The Bees is all about a sex therapist (and no, it's not dirty, and it's not what you think) called Annie Hall (yes, really) who helps couples when their relationship hits snags (preferably of the bedroom variety) but doesn't have the best relationship track record herself, after a disastrous relationship early in her twenties. Until the guy in the office next door, Jamie catches her eye (and mine, to be frank). We're also introduced to three of the couples Annie has sessions with - Linda and Roy, a couple in their 50s whose love life has ground to a halt; Nick and Julia, trying to get pregnant, but Nick feels like that's the only thing they do these days; and Zoe and Simon, a newly-engaged couple who have decided a vow of celibacy is the way to go until they get married... If they can last that long, that is...
I really, really loved The Beginner's Guide To The Birds & The Bees. I was hooked immediately, Annie's job is something you don't always hear about, and it was interesting to see the way she handled the couples that came into her office- with care, and professionalism. I loved the fun acitivities she ran on a Saturday during her group therapy sessions, and I loved her burgeoning flirtation with the geeky Jamie (especially after she offended me for a tiny second, saying she didn't want a geek earlier on in the novel - there is nothing wrong with the geeks). I also liked the peek into the lives of the three couples Annie takes care of, most especially Zoe and Simon. They're a cute, young couple, excited about their life together, and their vow of abstinence was cute. I didn't expect to enjoy Julia and Nick's portions as generally baby talk isn't for me, but it worked, because thankfully it wasn't as obsessive as I expected. I was most surprised by Linda and Roy, bless them, they were so lovely and it was so lovely to see them re-discover their love for each other.
I absolutely raced through to the end of The Beginner's Guide To The Birds & The Bees. Sophie Hart has quickly become one of my favourite authors and she's only released two books, which is super impressive. She's one of those authors who manages to make the third-person narrative be warm, friendly, and as if you really get to know your characters, she really injects personality into her writing, and I love her for it. I didn't want the novel to end, and I was really surprised to check how far along I was and see I had reached 91%, I was so sad it was just about to end. It's a FABULOUS read, probably one of my favourites of the year so far, and it'll be a long time before I forget this novel! I am so, so disappointed that it's over, and I just wonder how soon the next Sophie Hart novel will be out, because this one was a triumph!This review was originally posted on Girls Love To Read
The Beginner's Guide To the Birds & The Bees is all about a sex therapist (and no, it's not dirty, and it's not what you think) called Annie Hall (yes, really) who helps couples when their relationship hits snags (preferably of the bedroom variety) but doesn't have the best relationship track record herself, after a disastrous relationship early in her twenties. Until the guy in the office next door, Jamie catches her eye (and mine, to be frank). We're also introduced to three of the couples Annie has sessions with - Linda and Roy, a couple in their 50s whose love life has ground to a halt; Nick and Julia, trying to get pregnant, but Nick feels like that's the only thing they do these days; and Zoe and Simon, a newly-engaged couple who have decided a vow of celibacy is the way to go until they get married... If they can last that long, that is...
I really, really loved The Beginner's Guide To The Birds & The Bees. I was hooked immediately, Annie's job is something you don't always hear about, and it was interesting to see the way she handled the couples that came into her office- with care, and professionalism. I loved the fun acitivities she ran on a Saturday during her group therapy sessions, and I loved her burgeoning flirtation with the geeky Jamie (especially after she offended me for a tiny second, saying she didn't want a geek earlier on in the novel - there is nothing wrong with the geeks). I also liked the peek into the lives of the three couples Annie takes care of, most especially Zoe and Simon. They're a cute, young couple, excited about their life together, and their vow of abstinence was cute. I didn't expect to enjoy Julia and Nick's portions as generally baby talk isn't for me, but it worked, because thankfully it wasn't as obsessive as I expected. I was most surprised by Linda and Roy, bless them, they were so lovely and it was so lovely to see them re-discover their love for each other.
I absolutely raced through to the end of The Beginner's Guide To The Birds & The Bees. Sophie Hart has quickly become one of my favourite authors and she's only released two books, which is super impressive. She's one of those authors who manages to make the third-person narrative be warm, friendly, and as if you really get to know your characters, she really injects personality into her writing, and I love her for it. I didn't want the novel to end, and I was really surprised to check how far along I was and see I had reached 91%, I was so sad it was just about to end. It's a FABULOUS read, probably one of my favourites of the year so far, and it'll be a long time before I forget this novel! I am so, so disappointed that it's over, and I just wonder how soon the next Sophie Hart novel will be out, because this one was a triumph!This review was originally posted on Girls Love To Read
May 10, 2023
Speravo in una storia più coinvolgente e diversa invece non si è rivelato nulla di innovativo.
October 19, 2014
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this free copy. In exchange for a copy I am giving an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book about sex and relationships by Sophie Hart. It's her second book and I liked it enough that I want to read her first one. Hart's niche seems to be on sex and relationships. At the end of her book she thanks the reader for reading the "naughty" book. However, and this is not a complaint, I didn't find it naughty at all. I found it so well-written and so classy. I thought it was great.
Annie is a 34 year old single woman who happens to be a sex therapist. She has a flourishing practice and her professional life is amazing. It's her personal life that isn't flourishing and needs some help. Scarred from a past relationship, Annie is reluctant to try again. Meanwhile, she counsels couples through relationship issues that affect their intimate lives. The story focuses on Annie and three couples she is working with. The couples are in various stages of relationship. Ray and Linda have been married for 30 years and Ray feels like all they are is roommates. Zoe and Simon have been dating for 3 years and just recently got engaged. In an attempt to keep their already vibrant sex life sizzling they decide to take a vow of celibacy until the wedding night. It could be a long six months. Nick and Julia have been married for three years and trying for almost a year to get pregnant. With every month that passes and no baby is conceived Julia grows more and more clinical toward Nick and their intimate life and Nick dreads being around his own wife. Three very different couples in very different stages of life and they all come to Annie for help. While Annie helps them she wonders who might help her, she's lonely and desires relationship but fears it at the same time. Is there anyone out there who will help her change her mind?
I REALLY liked this book. Annie is a counselor so I relate closely to her. I have been married for 19 years so I could relate to Ray and Linda but also Nick and Julia, even though we are way past trying to have babies! As it always is in relationships there is more to the story. Each couple comes to Annie with a problem, the one they identify as the major one but in order to have a major problem you usually have a bunch of minor ones that have piled up. Even with Zoe and Simon choosing celibacy other issues are exposed and need to be addressed in order for their marriage to start off in healthy ways. I felt like Hart did a masterful job with Annie, both her professional and personal life were realistic and true to life. How Hart unpacked each couple and their problems and inner selves was so good, very realistic and very relateable. I found myself being able to relate with every character, male or female. Sophie Hart writes well, very easy and pleasurable to read. I think I'm a fan of hers!
I really enjoyed this book about sex and relationships by Sophie Hart. It's her second book and I liked it enough that I want to read her first one. Hart's niche seems to be on sex and relationships. At the end of her book she thanks the reader for reading the "naughty" book. However, and this is not a complaint, I didn't find it naughty at all. I found it so well-written and so classy. I thought it was great.
Annie is a 34 year old single woman who happens to be a sex therapist. She has a flourishing practice and her professional life is amazing. It's her personal life that isn't flourishing and needs some help. Scarred from a past relationship, Annie is reluctant to try again. Meanwhile, she counsels couples through relationship issues that affect their intimate lives. The story focuses on Annie and three couples she is working with. The couples are in various stages of relationship. Ray and Linda have been married for 30 years and Ray feels like all they are is roommates. Zoe and Simon have been dating for 3 years and just recently got engaged. In an attempt to keep their already vibrant sex life sizzling they decide to take a vow of celibacy until the wedding night. It could be a long six months. Nick and Julia have been married for three years and trying for almost a year to get pregnant. With every month that passes and no baby is conceived Julia grows more and more clinical toward Nick and their intimate life and Nick dreads being around his own wife. Three very different couples in very different stages of life and they all come to Annie for help. While Annie helps them she wonders who might help her, she's lonely and desires relationship but fears it at the same time. Is there anyone out there who will help her change her mind?
I REALLY liked this book. Annie is a counselor so I relate closely to her. I have been married for 19 years so I could relate to Ray and Linda but also Nick and Julia, even though we are way past trying to have babies! As it always is in relationships there is more to the story. Each couple comes to Annie with a problem, the one they identify as the major one but in order to have a major problem you usually have a bunch of minor ones that have piled up. Even with Zoe and Simon choosing celibacy other issues are exposed and need to be addressed in order for their marriage to start off in healthy ways. I felt like Hart did a masterful job with Annie, both her professional and personal life were realistic and true to life. How Hart unpacked each couple and their problems and inner selves was so good, very realistic and very relateable. I found myself being able to relate with every character, male or female. Sophie Hart writes well, very easy and pleasurable to read. I think I'm a fan of hers!
September 25, 2014
The Beginners Guide to the Birds and the Bees is a great book which had me laughing out loud, but also some sensitive moments.I was totally hooked right from the start, and throughout.
The storyline is different to any that I have read before and I loved it. Whilst I have read many books about couples, I have never read any where the main character, Annie, is a sex therapist, and we meet the couples when they enlist her help for various issues. I thought it was brilliant and gave a new depth to each relationship.
We meet three couples; Ray and Linda, Julia and Nick, and Zoe and Simon. Each couple go to Annie wanting help with their sex life. Annie explores these in both individual sessions, but also holds group sessions during which they all meet up and become friends. The couples are all very different in age, relationship status, and what brings them to Annie. I loved each of them and felt real empathy towards them all. My favourites were Zoe and Simon who just appeared to have the most amazing relationship, with such love and devotion to eachother, as well as always having so much fun together. They had me laughing out loud more than once. Would it be wrong to say that I almost wanted to enrol in sessions with Annie so I could meet them all and be part of the group? They are just so adorable!
I also adore Annie who we get to see both as therapist, but also as a woman searching for love herself. I really liked her and how much she cared about others and worked hard to get the best for them. We meet Jamie who works in the same building as Annie, and there seems to be definite chemistry between them. However, will love blossom? I loved the way the author developed their friendship, and with all the lovely things that Annie does for others I so wanted her to be happy too.
Sophie is a brilliant author who has bought the characters and storyline together so wonderfully. Whilst sex is a big theme throughout the book it is not written in a graphic or embarrassing way so would be suitable for all readers. There is humour injected throughout as well as some beautiful touching scenes. The beginning of each chapter starts with a sex related quite which were brilliant.
I loved the way the book flows. It felt so natural and because there are only a few characters I felt we had time to really get to know them all. I was willing them to sort through their issues and have their happy endings. Having three couples spanning a wider age and life experience range meant that as a reader I could think about how important sex and more importantly intimacy is through their lives and how easy it is just to get caught up in day to day life and stresses and forget about keeping the spark alive.
I loved this book and would highly recommend others read it too. Full of fun, laughs, love and hopefulness this book had it all for me.
Thank you to Bookouture who provided a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
The storyline is different to any that I have read before and I loved it. Whilst I have read many books about couples, I have never read any where the main character, Annie, is a sex therapist, and we meet the couples when they enlist her help for various issues. I thought it was brilliant and gave a new depth to each relationship.
We meet three couples; Ray and Linda, Julia and Nick, and Zoe and Simon. Each couple go to Annie wanting help with their sex life. Annie explores these in both individual sessions, but also holds group sessions during which they all meet up and become friends. The couples are all very different in age, relationship status, and what brings them to Annie. I loved each of them and felt real empathy towards them all. My favourites were Zoe and Simon who just appeared to have the most amazing relationship, with such love and devotion to eachother, as well as always having so much fun together. They had me laughing out loud more than once. Would it be wrong to say that I almost wanted to enrol in sessions with Annie so I could meet them all and be part of the group? They are just so adorable!
I also adore Annie who we get to see both as therapist, but also as a woman searching for love herself. I really liked her and how much she cared about others and worked hard to get the best for them. We meet Jamie who works in the same building as Annie, and there seems to be definite chemistry between them. However, will love blossom? I loved the way the author developed their friendship, and with all the lovely things that Annie does for others I so wanted her to be happy too.
Sophie is a brilliant author who has bought the characters and storyline together so wonderfully. Whilst sex is a big theme throughout the book it is not written in a graphic or embarrassing way so would be suitable for all readers. There is humour injected throughout as well as some beautiful touching scenes. The beginning of each chapter starts with a sex related quite which were brilliant.
I loved the way the book flows. It felt so natural and because there are only a few characters I felt we had time to really get to know them all. I was willing them to sort through their issues and have their happy endings. Having three couples spanning a wider age and life experience range meant that as a reader I could think about how important sex and more importantly intimacy is through their lives and how easy it is just to get caught up in day to day life and stresses and forget about keeping the spark alive.
I loved this book and would highly recommend others read it too. Full of fun, laughs, love and hopefulness this book had it all for me.
Thank you to Bookouture who provided a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
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