Good morning dear readers. I am extremely honoured to be the first stop on the blog tour for Sex Drive By Stephanie Theobald, published on the 18th October. A big thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours and Unbound for sending me a copy to review. Always appreciated here at Bunny’s Pause. Thank you!
Grab a cuppa (or a cheeky glass of wine) and settle in for an enlightening new look on a topic that is often quickly shushed out of conversation as soon as it is dared mentioned. Sex. Let’s talk about sex, pleasure and masturbation.
About The Author
Stephanie Theobald is a British novelist, journalist, public speaker and broadcaster known for her playful and thoughtful work around sexuality and alternative feminism. She writes regularly for the Guardian, the Sunday Times, Elle and Red. She is the author of four novels : Biche, Sucking Shrimp, Trix and A Partial Indulgence.
Sex Drive By Stephanie Theobald
“Wouldn’t it be a relief to be honest about your desire?”
Arriving in New York with a failing relationship and a body she felt out of touch with, Stephanie Theobald set off on a 3,497 mile trip across America to re-build her orgasm from the ground up. What started as a quest for the ultimate auto-erotic experience became a fantastic voyage into her own body.
She takes us from body sex classes with the legendary feminist Betty Dodson to an interview with the former US Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders, who was fired for suggesting that masturbation should be talked about in schools. Along the way, we are immersed in a weird, countercultural America of marijuana farms and ecosexual sexologists.
Sex Drive is a memoir about desire and pleasure, merging sexuality and spirituality, eighteenth-century porn and enlightenment philosophy. A new sexual revolution has begun and this time round, it’s all about the women.
My Review
One of the most thrilling experiences of reading Sex Drive is the delicious platter of characters that the reader gets to sample. They educate and share their experiences of sex, orgasms and personal lifestyle choices that teases the tastebuds with antici…..pation. They are truly remarkable characters who are well-respected and inspiring to read. I could spend all day listening to Annie Sprinkle, Joycelyn Elders and my personal favourite Betty Dodson, a pot smoking 85-year-old who runs the masturbation class Bodysex. These characters breathed a new meaning and life into how we view our own personal sexual pleasure. It was refreshing to read and one I thoroughly enjoyed. The kinks, the honesty and naked truth laid out on the page for the reader to absorb and digest. It was liberating, like when you take a compact mirror into the bathroom to look at your vulva for the first time. Beautiful, strange, and intriguing.
Today’s young women are way more at sea about their bodies than their 1970’s counterparts. ‘Most of them haven’t even seen their genitals in a mirror. You show ‘em and they go “eek!” or “ugh”
I felt a strong sense of female empowerment throughout Sex Drive. A sisterhood of sharing and exploring our bodies in a way I had never witnessed before. How knowing what turns you on and gets you off is nothing to be ashamed of. That we should be celebrating our sexual wants, giving into them and being proud of the pleasure it gives us. We should take control of our own orgasms and stop worrying about being sexy enough for our partner. It’s all about you! When Theobald took her top off to a crowd of 600 woman, I was right there with her. Whooping and cheering at the celebration of the naked body, the freedom that this is mine and no one else’s. I could feel the love and support screaming off the pages. It was extremely satisfying, to be a part of a sexual revolution.
I close my eyes and release my bra. Cool air hits my naked breasts and I hear a massive wave of woo hoo!s coming from the auditorium. When I open my eyes, I see a blur of cheering woman and I lift my arms into the air because I’m curious to see how high I can whip this energy up.
I have definitely learned a lot from Sex Drive. Do you know the correct term for the female genitalia? I discovered how masturbation classes such as Bodysex began and how it has developed throughout the years, inspiring others to join the movement in self-discovery. I felt like I was there with Theobald, following the pinks and oranges of the American skyline to learn from the greats about the unspoken mighty O and its hidden mysteries.
This book made me think and question a lot about how we live in a world were many of us deny our sexual pleasures. We have been taught that masturbation is wrong and should never be discussed. But why? Why don’t we talk about it? Why are we so closed of and prude when it comes to sex and orgasms? They are wonderful pleasures of life that should be enjoyed and shared. Sex Drive pushes the boundaries and asks these questions. It’s not afraid to stand up and say “Actually No…I want more!”
It strikes me that porn takes you away from your body, and I want my journey across America to be a trip into my own body. I determine to stay away from hamburgers and aim for something a bit more organic and healthy.
I strongly believe that the same day-in-day-out routine can rot the human brain. You’ve got to shake it up a little and I’m not talking about switching your diet coke for a normal coke. I’m talking about being in touch with yourself. Knowing what turns you on and not being ashamed of it. It is natural and healthy to know the inner workings of your own body. It’s normal to feel and rediscover yourself if your drive has been on hiatus. Never lock it away and keep it hidden from the world. Express it, channel it and release it. Don’t let it build up to the point of frustration where you no longer recognise yourself. Explore and let go. And I mean really let go to the point you see white dots and stars. You owe yourself that. Sex Drive has taught me this and is a book that everyone needs to discover. We all need to take this trip. The open road is waiting. Come on! Get in and let’s go!
My rating
I give Sex Drive By Stephanie Theobald a Five out of Five paw rating.
I laughed, I cried and most importantly I rediscovered a whole new way to view and feel pleasure. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I feel men will enjoy it just as much as women. Nothing is off-limits.
To preorder yourself a copy of this fabulous book click here. Check out the links below and don’t forget to follow the rest of the blog tour!
Hop hop wiggle wiggle
Links
- Preorder A Copy Of Sex Drive By Stephanie Theobald : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sex-Drive-Road-Pleasure-Revolution/dp/1783526815
- Stephanie Theobald Website : http://www.stephanietheobald.co.uk
@stephotheo- Unbound Website : https://unbound.com/books
@unbounders
Bunny’s Pause 
This is amazing! Thanks so much for this wonderful Blog Tour support Emma x
Thank you for letting me take part 🙂 xxx
Nice review Bunny! I will check this out.
Thank you 🙂 definitely give it a read when you can.