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The Goddess Workshop
When 4 very different women sign up for a workshop at the village hall promising women a 'garden of earthly delights,' not all of them know what they've signed up for. And when they discover that a giant reproduction from the Kama Sutra has replaced the usual portrait of the Queen, more than one of them contemplates doing a runner before it's too late.
Their mysterious and charismatic workshop leader wants to sweep them into the adventure of their lives. But can they trust her? And can they overcome their personal struggles for long enough to become the happy, sensual beings they deserve to be?
Their mysterious and charismatic workshop leader wants to sweep them into the adventure of their lives. But can they trust her? And can they overcome their personal struggles for long enough to become the happy, sensual beings they deserve to be?
361 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 2013
12 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Margaret K. Johnson
7 books8 followersMargaret K Johnson began writing after finishing at Art College to support her career as an artist. Writing quickly replaced painting as her major passion, and these days her canvasses lay neglected in her studio.
She is the author of both non-fiction and women’s fiction published by Omnific Publishing and Earthy Works Publishing. She also writes award-winning original fiction readers in various genres for people learning to speak English, published by Cambridge University Press and Cengage Learning.
An experienced adult education tutor, Margaret founded WriteUP Courses in early 2015, and works with those who want to use writing as therapy as well as those who want to become published authors. Margaret has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and lives in Norwich, UK with her partner and their bouncy son and dog.
Her website is at: www.margaretkjohnson.com
WriteUP Courses: http://writeupcourses.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargaretKJoh...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Margaretkaj
She is the author of both non-fiction and women’s fiction published by Omnific Publishing and Earthy Works Publishing. She also writes award-winning original fiction readers in various genres for people learning to speak English, published by Cambridge University Press and Cengage Learning.
An experienced adult education tutor, Margaret founded WriteUP Courses in early 2015, and works with those who want to use writing as therapy as well as those who want to become published authors. Margaret has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and lives in Norwich, UK with her partner and their bouncy son and dog.
Her website is at: www.margaretkjohnson.com
WriteUP Courses: http://writeupcourses.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargaretKJoh...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Margaretkaj
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 17, 2013
This is a story about four women, Janet, Estelle, Kate and Reenie, each from different backgrounds and are complete different personalities and with nothing in common apart from just one little thing. None of them have ever experienced an orgasm.
So they decide to attend a workshop, a goddess workshop and here our ladies meet for the first time. At first they do not get on but after they each share personal things in class they connect and become friends, much to each of their surprise.
Each of the characters has something to overcome in their lives before they can embrace and become in tune with their inner goddess and reinvent themselves into the women they want to be.
This is a great story that at times had me laughing out loud it really is a good comedy read. The workshop scenes are no place if you are a little prudish and are a little cheeky at times. But also there is a serious side to the book as one of the characters is dealing with a family tragedy and there are serious issues in the other women’s lives too that are going on too.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a good fun read and I will look forward to reading some more books by the same author.
So they decide to attend a workshop, a goddess workshop and here our ladies meet for the first time. At first they do not get on but after they each share personal things in class they connect and become friends, much to each of their surprise.
Each of the characters has something to overcome in their lives before they can embrace and become in tune with their inner goddess and reinvent themselves into the women they want to be.
This is a great story that at times had me laughing out loud it really is a good comedy read. The workshop scenes are no place if you are a little prudish and are a little cheeky at times. But also there is a serious side to the book as one of the characters is dealing with a family tragedy and there are serious issues in the other women’s lives too that are going on too.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a good fun read and I will look forward to reading some more books by the same author.
January 11, 2023
great characters
I read the book “Five winters”, by this author but under a different name. I did research because I liked it so much and I found she had written this book. Her characters are multidimensional and full of life with real problems. I have grown to love them all, in both books. This book is about different women who come together and have a lot of growth by the end of the book. I will be looking to see what else she has written! Love!!!
I read the book “Five winters”, by this author but under a different name. I did research because I liked it so much and I found she had written this book. Her characters are multidimensional and full of life with real problems. I have grown to love them all, in both books. This book is about different women who come together and have a lot of growth by the end of the book. I will be looking to see what else she has written! Love!!!
October 14, 2021
Oh those Os
This is a feel good romp of a story. If you're looking for raunchy, look elsewhere. This is about 4 womenm
This is a feel good romp of a story. If you're looking for raunchy, look elsewhere. This is about 4 womenm
May 25, 2013
Janet, Estelle, Reenie and Kate arrive at the local church hall feeling apprehensive about what to expect from the course they’ve signed up for. The charismatic course leader, Jade, has her work cut out helping this diverse group of strangers to bond and support each other in their individual journeys to the ‘garden of earthly delights’.
Janet is stuck in a marriage that has lost all warmth, love and respect. She needs to overcome obstacles and come to understand herself more clearly in order to reach happiness and the sensual experience that Jade promises at the start of the course. I found Janet the most sympathetic character, although I could relate to elements of each of the other three women who also have their own difficulties to overcome and journeys of personal growth. The characterisation is good, and unlike other books with four main characters introduced right from the start, I never once muddled them up. However, I would have liked to learn more about Jade.
The women don’t initially take to each other, and at the start of the story I didn’t feel particularly warm towards any of them either. However, in the same way that Jade takes them from indifference and dislike, through tentative friendships on towards trust and genuine affection, the author worked a similar magic on me.
Although this is a story about intimacy, this element is tastefully handled through the use of humour and the avoidance of explicit description. There is a satisfying plot twist. I was on a train when the reveal played out and my reaction drew puzzled glances from my fellow passengers.
Knowing that this was originally written and performed as a stage play, I rather enjoyed picturing the opening and closing scenes on a stage.
The Goddess Workshop is a story of trust and friendship as much as one of finding your inner goddess. I’d like to thank the author for sending me a review copy
Janet is stuck in a marriage that has lost all warmth, love and respect. She needs to overcome obstacles and come to understand herself more clearly in order to reach happiness and the sensual experience that Jade promises at the start of the course. I found Janet the most sympathetic character, although I could relate to elements of each of the other three women who also have their own difficulties to overcome and journeys of personal growth. The characterisation is good, and unlike other books with four main characters introduced right from the start, I never once muddled them up. However, I would have liked to learn more about Jade.
The women don’t initially take to each other, and at the start of the story I didn’t feel particularly warm towards any of them either. However, in the same way that Jade takes them from indifference and dislike, through tentative friendships on towards trust and genuine affection, the author worked a similar magic on me.
Although this is a story about intimacy, this element is tastefully handled through the use of humour and the avoidance of explicit description. There is a satisfying plot twist. I was on a train when the reveal played out and my reaction drew puzzled glances from my fellow passengers.
Knowing that this was originally written and performed as a stage play, I rather enjoyed picturing the opening and closing scenes on a stage.
The Goddess Workshop is a story of trust and friendship as much as one of finding your inner goddess. I’d like to thank the author for sending me a review copy
June 26, 2013
Janet, Estelle, Reenie and Kate arrive at the local church hall feeling apprehensive about what to expect from the course they’ve signed up for. The charismatic course leader, Jade, has her work cut out helping this diverse group of strangers to bond and support each other in their individual journeys to the ‘garden of earthly delights’.
Janet is stuck in a marriage that has lost all warmth, love and respect. She needs to overcome obstacles and come to understand herself more clearly in order to reach happiness and the sensual experience that Jade promises at the start of the course. I found Janet the most sympathetic character, although I could relate to elements of each of the other three women who also have their own difficulties to overcome and journeys of personal growth. The characterisation is good, and unlike other books with four main characters introduced right from the start, I never once muddled them up. However, I would have liked to learn more about Jade.
The women don’t initially take to each other, and at the start of the story I didn’t feel particularly warm towards any of them either. However, in the same way that Jade takes them from indifference and dislike, through tentative friendships on towards trust and genuine affection, the author worked a similar magic on me.
Although this is a story about intimacy, this element is tastefully handled through the use of humour and the avoidance of explicit description. There is a satisfying plot twist. I was on a train when the reveal played out and my reaction drew puzzled glances from my fellow passengers.
Knowing that this was originally written and performed as a stage play, I rather enjoyed picturing the opening and closing scenes on a stage.
The Goddess Workshop is a story of trust and friendship as much as one of finding your inner goddess. I’d like to thank the author for sending me a review copy
Janet is stuck in a marriage that has lost all warmth, love and respect. She needs to overcome obstacles and come to understand herself more clearly in order to reach happiness and the sensual experience that Jade promises at the start of the course. I found Janet the most sympathetic character, although I could relate to elements of each of the other three women who also have their own difficulties to overcome and journeys of personal growth. The characterisation is good, and unlike other books with four main characters introduced right from the start, I never once muddled them up. However, I would have liked to learn more about Jade.
The women don’t initially take to each other, and at the start of the story I didn’t feel particularly warm towards any of them either. However, in the same way that Jade takes them from indifference and dislike, through tentative friendships on towards trust and genuine affection, the author worked a similar magic on me.
Although this is a story about intimacy, this element is tastefully handled through the use of humour and the avoidance of explicit description. There is a satisfying plot twist. I was on a train when the reveal played out and my reaction drew puzzled glances from my fellow passengers.
Knowing that this was originally written and performed as a stage play, I rather enjoyed picturing the opening and closing scenes on a stage.
The Goddess Workshop is a story of trust and friendship as much as one of finding your inner goddess. I’d like to thank the author for sending me a review copy
August 20, 2013
I think Margaret's book, 'The Goddess Workshop', tackles a problem which some women tend to avoid talking about and she does it in a fun way, bringing together four women who probably wouldn't have met otherwise, in a story where they each re-evaluate who they are and how much they value themselves.
I liked it for it's honesty, its female solidarity and its friendship.
Janet, Reenie, Kate and Estelle are all very different women, at different stages in their lives who are missing one vital component...sexual satisfaction. Three of them decide to attend a class on the subject at a local church hall, not quite knowing what to expect. The fourth, Janet, goes with her very proper neighbour Gwen, and they think they are there to attend a gardening class but it's not the flowers which are blooming! Gwen, horrified, walks out immediately in disgust and tries to drag Janet with her but Janet makes a stand and stays. As the four of them sit waiting for their tutor they contemplate a rather large...picture on display and start to wonder why on Earth they thought it was a good idea to attend.
I felt for Janet the most. Hers is an old story of a long marriage to a controlling husband and her need to find some self esteem again.
Margaret tackles this subject well. The story flows along and I felt empathy for the characters. I think this is a story with a bit of a message to all women - girls, don't settle for almost :)
I liked it for it's honesty, its female solidarity and its friendship.
Janet, Reenie, Kate and Estelle are all very different women, at different stages in their lives who are missing one vital component...sexual satisfaction. Three of them decide to attend a class on the subject at a local church hall, not quite knowing what to expect. The fourth, Janet, goes with her very proper neighbour Gwen, and they think they are there to attend a gardening class but it's not the flowers which are blooming! Gwen, horrified, walks out immediately in disgust and tries to drag Janet with her but Janet makes a stand and stays. As the four of them sit waiting for their tutor they contemplate a rather large...picture on display and start to wonder why on Earth they thought it was a good idea to attend.
I felt for Janet the most. Hers is an old story of a long marriage to a controlling husband and her need to find some self esteem again.
Margaret tackles this subject well. The story flows along and I felt empathy for the characters. I think this is a story with a bit of a message to all women - girls, don't settle for almost :)
September 13, 2013
I didn't quite know what to expect when I started reading The Goddess Workshop. The opening paragraphs were not what I expected at all until it all became clear that this was a deliberate ruse to surprise me when I realised the true subject of the story. In fact, I thought it was all about women learning to experience an orgasm for the first time; but what came across loud and clear was that this wasn't just a novel about those less than intimate moments between two consenting adults; instead it was a glorious look at the human psyche. Reading this novel gave me insight into what goes on behind the closed doors of both relationships and minds and it's laugh out loud funny too. It is rich with both wit and wisdom and very well rounded too.
May 29, 2013
Signing up for a course at the local Church hall meant different things to one set of ladies."A Woman's harvest of delight" meant offering advice for Gwen's primulas. Kate was there because of a dare, Estelle was attending to discover her own problems, Reenie's husband had suggested the course and Janet had been pushed in to the course by Gwen's dominance. When Gwen discovered that it was in fact "An orgasm workshop" she left in disgust, but the others remained to embark on a wild journey not only to find their inner Goddess, but also to resolve their hidden fears. Follow this diverse group as they are led out of their comfort zones and on to a path of hilarious sexual discovery.
August 21, 2013
I loved getting to know Johnson's four flawed but ultimately lovable characters, whose differences would have prevented them from ever becoming friends if they hadn't met in such an unusual setting as The Goddess Workshop. The subject matter provides a great venue for the random funny line, but the story, although lighthearted in general, carries an important message for women everywhere. It's about love, friendship, trust, and letting go of past grievances
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews