In three women Taddeo gives true life accounts of the desire & sexuality of three women, this is an exploration of female desire, it’s ever fluid nature and how this is used and perceived, not just by women but men, the media and the world at large. It will make you question everything you thought you knew about yourself and everyone you have encountered. This is a truly important book that everyone should read!

Not an actual review. I tweeted about the book and the link is below.

Spent the last two too hot days gripped by this book. Enthralling and enraging.

I'd like to start by saying that I think this is a very important book. The women we meet in the book are real women, whose stories deserve to be heard. It deals with lots of very important themes, from the perspective of women who have lived through the effects of them. It doesn't shy away from anything...it deals with issues around sex and power, sexual manipulation and assault, objectification, eating disorders, objectification.

I was quite torn about the fiction/non-fiction narratives in this book. On the one hand, I found Taddeo's writing style really captivating - her writing style is effective in it's simplicity and directness. There are plenty of poignant and quotable phrases and paragraphs - moments where I wanted to punch my fist in the air and shout "Yes! This!". There is also a dry wit that felt reminiscent of the sorts of conversations that women might have together: when you're so busy and tired of all the responsibility, that you can't even remember if you have a dog and have to add "pluck single black hair from chin' so you don't forget. And the internal debates that can take place when you're eyeing up that almond croissant!

At the same time, I wanted to hear from these women more directly than this form allowed. Knowing that these were real women almost made me feel more removed from them, in a paradoxical way, as someone else was telling me their story.. But Taddeo's non-fictional/fictional narratives were compelling, and she was able to pull out observations that you perhaps don't make when you are living something.

Overall I think this simply wasn't quite the book I was expecting. I'd expected it to be more of a celebration of female desire, whereas I came to realise that it is perhaps more of a lamentation on that theme. In this book, women's desire is created under the male desire their world's are centred around. They have to play the game of desire according to men's rules - and playing the game is the only way to be 'seen', to become 'somebody'. Because of that, it felt extremely uncomfortable to read at times. But at the same time I simply felt I could not look away.

I loved this book, I love this "new genre" of True Romance - from a female perspective. The stories were real, raw and resonated with me on many levels. The desire and wants of each woman were so well articulated that you could feel their internal struggle in different situations. Everyone should read this book - men and women, young(ish) and old. I hope Lisa Taddeo writes more, and I hope others explore this genre/these topics further now the way has been paved with this title.

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo is the fascinating set of stories chronicling three women and the sexual encounters that shaped them as women today. Lisa Taddeo has took the information from the three women and made a highly readable narrative non-fiction.

The stories centre around Lina, Maggie and Sloane – all of whom have been affected in some way by sex. I suppose it is one of those things that still seems a little taboo: women talking openly about sex. This just highlights the misogyny that the women faced in a patriarchal society.

I enjoyed reading Three Women but I do feel that it was a victim of its own hype. The way Taddeo writes is engaging and you do want to read more but Three Women was hyped up that much that I personally think I was expecting more.

That being said, Maggie’s story broke me a little. She was just a young vulnerable girl who was taken advantage of by someone in power who should have known better and when whole thing got out of control it was Maggie who was, once again, the victim.

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo is available now.

For more information regarding Lisa Taddeo (@LisaTaddeo) please visit her Twitter page.

For more information regarding Bloomsbury (@BloomsburyBooks) please visit www.bloomsbury.com.

You have definitely heard of this book. If you follow any sort of bookstagrammer/blogger/anything book related online you will have seen people raving about this book.

It’s non-fiction, though it reads like a novel. Taddeo interviewed swarms of women, asking them to divulge the darkest secrets of their lives – their fantasies, their lusts, their loves. Some women dropped out, some women didn’t make the cut, but in the end we have three women here who have very different but very relevant stories to tell us.

Lina’s husband won’t kiss her, won’t touch her. She gives him three months – in her head, not out loud – and if he hasn’t touched her in that timeframe then she’s leaving him.

Sloane’s husband likes to watch her having sex with other men, women, both. He likes to join in, he likes to be sent videos of it, he likes her to text him throughout. It makes her feel alive, wanted, liberated, closer to her husband than anything else. Other people don’t understand this.

Maggie was a high schooler when her teacher started texting her over winter break. Then he invited her to his house, kissed her, told her he loved her, performed oral sex on her in his locked classroom. And now, years later, she’s realised what he did deserves punishment. But will people believe her when she takes him to court?

Taddeo’s writing is so beautiful that it feels like you’re reading fiction. The storytelling, from their mouths to her head and back out onto the page is so mesmerising and captivating, it’s hard to sometime’s step back and be like ‘shit. These are real women.’ But at the same time, it’s not. These three women’s lives are full of the crap we have to put up with daily. The trauma of sexual assault, the not being believed of reporting it, the mind games and power plays, the judgement for choices about our sexualities.

It’s intense, it’s relatable, and it’s super important, so go and check it out now! 4.5 stars out of 5. Three women is out now.

Have you read it? What are your thoughts?

I have to admit to not finishing this book, something I rarely ever do. I was intrigued by the premise of the nook, but found it too uncomfortable to read, as it was almost harrowing. I cut my adolescent teeth reading feminist fiction and non-fiction in the 80's from both sides (libertarian and progressive/angry radical), and found it profoundly sad to read the stories of three women in more current times.

This is a unique work of non-fiction which recounts the lives of Lina, Sloane and Maggie (and also to an extent Arlene, Maggie’s Mother). The author immersed herself into these women’s lives to understand their backgrounds (societal, geographical and familial) and how these impact their current lives. I was very impressed by the author’s deftness and professionalism. There is one phrase that resonates: ‘We pretend to want things that we don’t want so nobody can see us not getting what we need’.

With thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for a review copy.

Such an interesting and unusual story. I loved the way it was written and it read so smoothly, like fiction.

Thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

So the media hype is most definitely real with this one. Quite simply, this is a book about the lives, loves and desires of three women. Maggie, a young woman who has become a local pariah, despite being a victim of a predatory teacher. Lina, a victim of abuse trapped in a loveless marriage, who still pines over a lost love, and Sloane, an enigmatic woman from a background of privilege who has a complicated relationship with her own needs and desires.

All of these women are completely fascinating in their own way. In their stories we have outrage and affirmation, love, despair, desperation, raw desire and confusion. It's not always an easy read and there were times I wanted to give some of the women a shake and tell them to get a grip of themselves. I had to remind myself that these are real people with all the associated flaws, demons and idiosyncrasies we carry around. There were some quotes that really hit home about the female experience:

"We pretend to want things we don't want so nobody can see us not getting what we need"

'If only they could have talked more. Now they merely visited each other in beautiful places, where they each kept their own closets of shit'

Of the three women featured I was less into Sloane's story. I felt she was much more of an enigma and I struggled to get to know her and to identify with her experience. Perhaps if I was a stunningly beautiful, WASP type it would have been easier but alas, I am not.

A great book that will leave you both outraged and full of admiration for all the crap we go through in the name of love.

I pondered this book for a few days unsure how to review it. I thought the premise of understanding the desire of women would be insightful. Having just read Supper Club (a brilliant novel on a similar vein) I was keen to dig in. I found, instead, a highly descriptive book of three American women and the mess they made of their love lives. What it tells me of a woman's desire is that chasing after a married man and doing anything you can to keep him is not the best way to happiness. It reads more like a book on misery than desire even if much of it was akin to soft porn.

I was on the side of our three women - Maggie, Lena and Sloan - and, initially, wanted to see where their stories went. As the book progressed my interest turned to pity then out and out disgust. It's not about desire at all but, rather, choices and what happens when women ignore life lessons of right and wrong and fail to take responsibility. Even Maggie, as a 17 year old, knows the difference between right and wrong but, having chosen wrong, spent years ruminating over her lost love after she was spurned. We have all had our hearts broken and we get over it and move on. Yes, what happened to her should have never happen but she was a willing, eager party to it. I did finish the book because I wanted to see how her trial ended. It concluded much as you would expect when a teacher of high regard is accused by a young woman of wrong doing.

I could not stomach Lena and the reek of desperation coming off her. Sloane was a more well rounded character but she didn't get to the crux of her issues until the end when she said she was simply doing what her husband wanted.

What was solid and helped the book immensely was the writing style. It read easily, like a novel, and, though too floral, it's descriptive elements did go beyond the requirement. Everyday items were described to the Nth degree as was the copious amounts of sex. Lena was the worst offender by a country mile. Cadbury eggs... oh, dear.

I struggled with this book and the themes were not really something I enjoy reading about so I did not finish it.

Thanks for letting me review this book

This, I found, was not as promised and not a particularly satisfying read. I thought this would be more entertaining instead of weird and Whiney. I felt like maybe the author had an agenda that I didn’t quite get. For large parts of this I was bored!

"Three Women” is a piece of non-fiction that reads like the most racy fiction - desire, illicit encounters, forbidden love. It is an extraordinary look at the existence of three women in contemporary America, delving into their lives over a decade, combining interviews, emails and various records. The advertising campaign intrigued me (and what a beautiful cover!) and I could not wait to read the book.

It reads like a good fiction, a page-turner. The narrative switches back and forth between three stories - but all three of them are equally compelling. You would be dying to find out what happens next. Sadly, or maybe as expected, as in real life - life just goes on.

Lisa Taddeo isn’t here to hold your hand through the narrative and make sure you understand the purpose of telling these stories. These reports stand on their own and what you take from them varies.

Interesting, but did not blow my socks off.

Although this book is non-fiction and it starts in a journalistic style, I was soon engrossed in the three women’s stories, which read like a novel and totally engaged me. Fortunately I was on holiday and could spend time with it.
All three woman were so real, and were brave to share their stories. All so different but with similarities in the way their dreams and desires led to unhappiness and, at times, exploitation.
Not always an easy read, Three Women is a book I will be recommending to all my female friends. It is enlightening and could even be seen as liberating. I see this as a potentially important book, and I hope it sells really well.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review #ThreeWomen #NetGalley I was impressed and touched.

My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of Lisa Taddeo’s highly anticipated ‘Three Women’ in exchange for an honest review.

In her opening Author’s Note Lisa Taddeo outlines her approach to researching ‘Three Women’ and how she spent eight years meticulously documenting the lives of these three American women.

High school student Maggie had been groomed by her married teacher. When he ends their relationship she is devastated. Five years later she brings the matter to the police and becomes a local pariah when the case comes to court.

Lina is in a loveless marriage though after she reconnects with an old flame she begins a passionate affair with him. Finally, Sloane has struggled with eating disorders and is married to a man who enjoys watching her having sex with other men.

Taddeo moves between each of the women’s accounts which worked fine for me as it allowed some comparisons between their evolving situations.

The focus is almost exclusively on their sex lives. I can understand the fascination of such a frank examination but realised that my own experience of relationships and my sexuality has been quite different.

Therefore, it was hard at times to feel much of a connection with them especially given the passivity exhibited by the women. Maybe it is due to being of a different generation or just my temperament and upbringing.

It does flow well and reads more like a work of fiction to the point that I had to remind myself on occasion that these were real people. Of the three women I found that I was most drawn to Maggie due to her vulnerability.

It was an okay read but didn’t live up to the buzz. It was just too depressing contemplating the sense of how unfulfilling love proved to be for these women.

# Three Women # Netgalley
I can’t say I particularly enjoyed this book, at first I read the synopsis and I actually thought it really would be interesting. To a certain degree it was. I just found it very hard going. It was a book that seemed to be a bit all over the place. Truthfully I did finish it, but only just. Sorry it’s how I perfect felt. Had it been written better without hopping here there and everywhere. It could have been a excellent book. Not in its present format. Would I recommend no

I really liked the idea of this book as an exploration of somewhat ordinary women's sex lives and Taddeo's investment in her subjects' lives. Unfortunately, I found her writing style to be infuriating. There were a lot of metaphors and similies and what I felt was over-written description. The tense switching I found disconcerting, especially the sections in second person. The stories of inequality and powerless were, to me, undermined by these stylistic decisions.

Whilst I do appreciate that this book is not fiction, it read like fiction to me. Not because of the details that the book covered but the way that the book was written. Not only did I find the style and tone of the book to be more like a story told by one person but found it challenging many times when, half a page further on, i noticed the book was now relating the story of a different one of those Three Women. The attempt to write down the modus vivendi for the women, in my eyes at least, failed. This is not a book that I would recommend to anyone. Whilst my view does fly in the face of the opinion of the many, to me it is a book trying too hard to be "clever".

As soon as I'd finished the first page of this incredible work of non-fiction, I knew I was about to embark on something special. Lisa Taddeo spent a long time interviewing three women; Maggie - groomed by her school teacher in the cruelest of ways; Sloane - encouraged by her husband to have sex with other men and women, whilst he watches; and Lina - married to Ed for 10 years, but he has never even kissed her. The book flits from one character to another, each chapter has its own mini cliff hanger which keeps you on the edge until that character's story comes round again. It was brilliant, a real page turner and a complete eye opener into the lives of these very special women. I was only sorry that it had to come to an end.