It takes a brave person to believe they’re worthy of that love. And even without all of that, it takes a brave person to tell another, “I think I could be good at loving you,” and mean it. For them to love each other, openly and without reserve, is a risk to their professional reputations. There’s a lot at stake for both of these flawed, richly layered characters. Danan avoids tired stereotypes: Ethan isn’t the least bit squeamish about sex, and Naomi is vulnerable and open when considering their budding romance. The Intimacy Experiment is sexy and modern and fun, but also thoughtful and authentic. Not only does he acknowledge the brain behind Naomi's beauty, he also understands that the things she’s talking about are important to the millennial generation his congregation needs to survive. Rather than judging her former career as a sex worker, he focuses on her intelligence and the successful company and message she’s created. His own background is somewhat nontraditional, in that he was a career academic before devoting his life to his faith.įaced with budget woes and low participation, Ethan decides to pursue a controversial initiative with Naomi by asking her to co-host a seminar series on modern intimacy.

She’s the perfect foil to Rabbi Ethan Cohen, one of the city’s hottest bachelors, who’s been tasked with attracting a younger generation to the faith. But given the cultural stigma surrounding sex work, she isn’t welcome in the lecture circuit or in higher education. She’s a former porn star who left behind her previous name and identity to build an enormous platform and take-no-prisoners public image, which she has used to transition into a career as a sex educator. Startup executive Naomi Grant thinks of herself as something of a superhero. It’s a triumph of feminist fiction, supporting the importance of healthy emotional and physical intimacy and showing how to make the world a better place with love.

Rosie Danan returns with The Intimacy Experiment, a steamy contemporary romance that is every bit as enjoyable as her debut, The Roommate.

The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan