I like to read about different perspectives, especially if they are informed by someone's expertise and insights.
You Are Not Broken is a quick, informative and inclusive read. The target audience that would benefit the most from this book is heterosexual women who are not interested in penetrative sex.
Dr Casperson is persuasive in her argument and I appreciate her having written this book. You are not broken.

A good overview of sexuality and particularly women's empowerment within sexual relationships. Good for men to read too!

(I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

This book was terrific. I laughed and cried It made me keep sleeping into the night. I recommend it to read it with a pack of Kleenex on the ready.

Kelly Casperson’s novel You are not broken is probably the only book I have ever used the bookmark function so much and as someone who feels inadequate and useless when it comes to relationships & sex I found it enlightening and entertaining. It is packed with such sensible advice and should be read by everyone, I understand it is primarily aimed at heterosexual couples but the information inside is aimed at anyone regardless of sexual preference, and although, at times it did seem like it’s just a list of journals that Kelly has read about, she does link them together so well. Each chapter is quick & concise and just straight forward talking. Honestly read it, share it with your partner, your friends even your children, so much is unsaid in relationships, we expect our partner to know instinctively what we are thinking or we imagine what are other half is thinking and get it completely wrong and then building it up and blowing it all out of proportion in our heads, but if we follow the advice in this book and talk to one another about what is really going on in our heads and bedrooms maybe we would all be better.

This book was highly enlightening. I enjoyed the real sex education chapter. I grew up in Alabama with abstinence only sex education. Luckily, I had parents that were sex positive. The chapter on menopause was enlightening as well. Thanks for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

This book was very lighthearted and insightful, very informative and thought provoking.

I requested this book via Netgalley on a whim as it sounded like it might have some interesting stuff in it. It did! The book is aimed mainly at women in relationships with men, although it does make clear several times that the author recognises trans people and the fact that not all people who identify as women have vaginas and so on. But she also asserts that in fact, heterosexual women in relationships with men are still overlooked somewhat when it comes to sex, which bizarre as it sounds does appear to be the case.

There's lots in this book that I was very familiar with, and no doubt many readers will be too - such as the reality of the structure of the clitoris, the fact that most women don't orgasm through penetration alone, and so on. But sometimes it's good to read something that reasserts things you already know and adds a bit more information. It's also quite an eye opener that the author, a trained urinologist, states several times that she wasn't aware of certain anatomical or biological facts, and that they weren't taught during her training.

For all the "openness" about sex, there are still lots of harmful stereotypes and myths that particularly affect women. There is also still lots of shame and guilt associated with sex. We are told we are now liberated but still have to put up with a lot of shitty attitudes and worse (being completely ignored or patronised by doctors for instance) and books like this are always welcome because of that.

There was some stuff here that I wasn't aware of, such as changes to female genitals during menopause and the different ways these can be treated. It can be really useful as a reference book. I would definitely recommend it for younger women growing up as it's good to have all of this information and argument from the outset, rather than have to find things out gradually!

I had a slight criticism in that the author asserts several times that sex is portrayed as involving penetration (penis in vagina or PIV) and that in fact sex is much more than this. This is definitely something that can't be said enough. However, the author also falls into the trap of treating sex as PIV a few times in the book, for instance still referring to other sexual acts as "foreplay", as if penetration has to always be part of sex.

It's also geared more towards women who may feel they aren't interested in sex, and is putting arguments about why in fact that may be and trying to provide information that would help more women have fulfilling sex lives. Which is all well and good, but lots of women in fact DO want sex and don't suffer from "low desire". So it could be criticised for falling into the stereotype that women don't really want sex etc.

But these are quite minor issues, and to be fair the author does clearly state what her goals are with the book from the outset. It's good to have a book that is unsqueamish and talks about sex and relationships in a clear way, and genuinely has lots of useful stuff in it. It's good at unpicking where unhelpful, shameful and oppressive ideas about sex have come from, and in giving advice on how to challenge these in our own minds. I would definitely recommend it.

I’m so glad I found this book on NetGalley! While it feels quite cishetero at times, there is a lot to like about this book. Women’s sexual health and pleasure is a long overdue conversation we need to have including the harmful expectations that we pile on ourselves and each other about sex, pleasure, and desire.

This highly readable book is written in an accessible, conversational tone. Dr. Casperson’s enthusiasm and passion about her subject matter shine through and, as a reader, I noticed myself feeling more empowered as I read. There are some fantastic exercises around open communication and separating thoughts from facts that can be applied outside of the context of sex too! The book’s layout was well-designed with text, trivia, Q&A, bullet points, and kept me engaged as I read.

I learned more from this book than I ever did in sex ed classes and I’m continually appalled at the damage the school system, religion, and societal 'norms' have done and continue to do to women around the world. Understanding our bodies away from the male-centric nonsense we’ve been fed by the media, religion, schools, and society is the first step to normalizing women’s pleasure and embracing sex positivity for all!

As a childfree woman who doesn’t identify as hetero, I found I had to keep actively reminding myself that this stuff applies to me too. Dr. Casperson does a commendable job at emphasizing that the book applies to all genders, bodies, and sexualities, but there were times that I struggled to not disassociate while reading. There might be some sections that would benefit from more inclusive and conscious language choices. Additionally, folks coming to this conversation with trauma, phobias, or more complex healing journeys may not find this book as comprehensive for them; however, it's a great foundation and Dr. Casperson does have some recommendations for further exploration too.

As a primer, I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who identifies as or loves a woman. There’s something in this book for everyone and I bet you’ll learn something new!

I am deeply appreciative of John Murray Publishers for making this book available to read and review on NetGalley - thank you! ✨

Dr. Casperson's book is packed with info and treatments for women who've given up on enjoying sex. It's like the sex ed class you never got, covering everything from desire to menopause. I loved her humorous, confident writing style and found it both informative and fun—highly recommend it for women looking to bring more pleasure into their lives!

I’m glad that books like this exist. From the age 18-19 I was SA. And now 15 years later I’m still dealing with the repercussions. As I’ve gotten into my 30s, i
I realized that it isn’t just me, but I struggle with how to help myself. As I was reading through these chapters, I was so related and even had me laughing out loud. While they are a doctor, the advice is kept simplified. As a mom of 2 daughters, my biggest goal in parenting is to give them the best education I can string relationships and sex. Because it is important. Will definitely be going back to reread chapters when I need that reminder that IM NOT BROKEN.