This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
My Review:Title: The Intimacy Experiment
Author: Rosie Danan
Series: The Roommate #2
Published by: Penguin Audio
Release Date: April 6, 2021
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Alex McKenna, Kaleo Griffith
Length: 11 hours and 11 minutes
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
Source: Libby
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2021 Audiobook Challenge, Lenoreo's 2021 COYER Spring, Lenoreo's 2021 Diversity Reading Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iTunes ✩ Libro.FM
My rating:
Blurb:Naomi and Ethan will test the boundaries of love in this provocative romance from the author of the ground-breaking debut, The Roommate.
Naomi Grant has built her life around going against the grain. After the sex-positive start-up she cofounded becomes an international sensation, she wants to extend her educational platform to live lecturing. Unfortunately, despite her long list of qualifications, higher ed won't hire her.
Ethan Cohen has recently received two honors: LA Mag named him one of the city's hottest bachelors and he became rabbi of his own synagogue. Taking a gamble in an effort to attract more millennials to the faith, the executive board hired Ethan because of his nontraditional background. Unfortunately, his shul is low on both funds and congregants. The board gives him three months to turn things around or else they'll close the doors of his synagogue for good.
Naomi and Ethan join forces to host a buzzy seminar series on Modern Intimacy, the perfect solution to their problems--until they discover a new one--their growing attraction to each other. They've built the syllabus for love's latest experiment, but neither of them expected they'd be the ones putting it to the test.
4.5 stars — This one surprised me with how much I loved it.
Both narrators were new for me, but I enjoyed them both. They had great pacing, great emotions, and pretty good distinct voices. Mr. Griffith nailed Ethan’s kindness and occasional innocence. Ms. McKenna NAILED Naomi’s dryness, and the balance between her hard edges and her soft underbelly.
Ethan was a dream book boyfriend for me. So genuinely kind and caring, and open and non-judgmental. Not without his flaws for sure, but all his goodness overcame those for me. He was terrible at communication sometimes, and he let his hesitations give the wrong impressions. But oh god…if I had the ebook, I would have been highlighting fucking everything he said. He said the most beautiful things to Naomi, and I was so happy that she had someone who could see *her*.
I was worried I wasn’t going to love Naomi, because she’s so sharp and protected. But Ms. Danan did a great job of showing us why she is the way she is, and how its worked for her. And we got to watch someone get under her walls and make her risk her heart again. I loved that it wasn’t just Ethan that was opening her up though — she was growing already on her own. With some help from Josh and Clara, but also just pursuing learning and opening herself up to new experiences.
I felt so many emotions in this one. I mean, I laughed so hard at some moments, and cried at others. I ached watching Naomi open her heart and sometimes get bitten by it. I wanted the two of them to work so fucking badly I ached.
They seriously just complemented each other so well. They are the quintessential opposites attract, where they actual love and appreciate the things about the other person that makes them different from themselves. The steamy scenes were definitely great, but I think it was the other intimate moments that truly sold me on the two of them as a couple
Lots of great secondary characters, I adored the wide range of folks attending the seminar and the crazy characters at Ethan’s shul. And of course Josh and Clara make their appearance. And then there’s Ethan’s family. His sister Leah cracked me up.
I think I actually loved this one even more than The Roommate. There was something just so emotional in it…something magical.
Leave a Reply