Intimacies: Secrets of Love, Sex & Romance

As a sexologist and adult sex education teacher, most of my clients are men wanting to know how they can improve their ability to relate to women. Although I am a woman, I found it extremely valuable to read Karen's column regularly and learn about other women's perspectives. Now she has published all of her articles in a single book, with an icon coded table of contents that guides you directly to the articles of particular interest. I am grateful to Karen for her honest and insightful sharing of thoughts about intimacy, marriage, and sexual relationships.

Karen's book of stories provides a fresh as well as timeless perspective on a topic often considered too 'personal' to talk about but most everyone thinks about every day. Whether it is the young teen feeling anxiety about dating, sex, and condoms; the young married couple learning how to enjoy each other's sexuality (as well as their own), or a couple married for years wondering what happened to their "fun and frolicking" sex life-- there is a universal message in this book that spans the generations. Karen tells us, "Understanding emotions and managing feelings are the real challenges in life." "We operate in a vacuum. . . people ought to be able to learn from one another about what works for some and what doesn't." The Key to the Table of contents makes it easy to find the articles that are relevant to topics of interest. I was especially impressed with the notion of improving your relationships by using the Law of Attraction. a Timely topic. This book leaves me with the belief that with more openness and acceptance in discussing intimate thoughts, feelings and ideas in group settings, individuals will feel validated and less isolated.

Karen Kreps isn't afraid to tell it like it is - and then some. This fresh and frank book doesn't pull any punches and the wonderful thing is - she manages to bring what many would consider "taboo" subjects into a place of great warmth, caring and wit. That is a rare gift and a great boon to those of us wandering the morass of relationships, sex and love these days. The first chapter on honoring the simple holidays that celebrate love made me misty-eyed for all the lost opportunities that slip by us. Not only on those holidays - but on every day. It's warm and wise. Read it! You, your spouse and your relationship to the world around you will be the better for it!

It sounds so simple to live and write about this subject, but after reading this book I realize how complex and intertwined life and love really are. We all see things differently, and this book opens up peoples' perspectives, choices and experiences that I would otherwise never know existed. Great book, helps me to understand myself a bit better. Interesting reading, written as if you could hear the conversations as they are being told to the author, Ms. Kreps. Thanks for writing this book!

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/08) Having been happily married for ten years, Karen Kreps has written a book about how to have successful relationships. She has experienced both sides of the coin. She has had her heart broken in unfulfilling relationships, and now she is experiencing a wonderful marriage. Accepting the opportunity to write a monthly relationship column, she also got to host a monthly Intimacies Conversation Group in Austin, TX. This group attracted people from a variety of backgrounds and ages to it. Each month there was a specific topic and a special guest to provide their expertise. "Intimacies" is a collection of articles that were written based upon information that was gathered from these meetings. They might include personal observations and experiences, professional advice and information about human behavior and current trends. In the table of contents there are symbols for each article to indicate who the topics would be most relevant to. Even if I wasn't reviewing the book, I still would have read all the articles, just because they provide a wealth of information about human behavior. I also loved the personal stories and reflections. They are touching and heartwarming. Kreps husband, Arye Shapiro illustrates her book with photographs of sculptures that he has created. These sculptures are beautiful and reflect depth and emotion. "Intimacies" is well written and does not provide a "one size fits all" formula. Kreps writes about what works for different people. One example of this is her discussion of non-monogamy. For some people this works. Even though I would not be interested in a polyamorous relationship, it is interesting to read the views of people for whom it works. Kreps doesn't leave any subject regarding relationships untouched, however, she writes in a manner that is respectful and not crude. I love that the last chapter is about "The Law of Attraction." This adds a special spiritual touch to the book and provides a perfect ending. I highly recommend "Intimacies" to all people who are either in a relationship or would like to be.