Open Monogamy: A Guide to Co-Creating Your Ideal Relationship Agreement

This is by far the very best book I have ever read on anything relationship related. It let me know quickly that my unique situation is not at all that unique. Other people are married to people very opposite of them on the stance of open relationships. One may want a more free-style and open deal allowing sex only outside the relationship, while the other just wants their spouse and/or a second partner for sexual experiences. This book helps you to understand how to make that work. It's not easy, ever, but when you love the person it's worth taking the time to understand them better. I added one page from the book the really resonated with me in particular. If it resonates with you too.... this book may be a very good buy for you. Felt like Dr. Nelson wrote this section about me specifically, ha!

What an honest, eloquent book about relationships. It’s a keeper !It has lots of good homework for you and your partner to work on even if you are not looking into opening your relationship.

There’s two kinds of ENM books: the circumspect and the sensational. This is the latter. And that warrants caution.This book primarily deals with opening relationships that were closer to strict monogamy than they are ENM or poly. It also makes it look easy. Long term mono relationships are hard to convert. This makes it sound like everyone naturally wants their partner to explore their suppressed sexualities and kinks when the reality is that this is a domain fraught with anxiety and betrayal. It can be done right, but that usually means choosing the right partner from the beginning, hence the difficulty of LTR conversion.You will see older established couples interested in swinging and monogamish arrangements. This is a great book to read if everyone is on board and curious about spicing up their monogamy. If you’re reading this alone and wishing for your partner to bridge the gap to meet you, it may be a triggering experience. Best read WITH a partner who is already curious themselves.That said, there’s a lot of good material here, but if you follow it, be ready to heal from mistakes and be resilient in the face of adversity. Good luck.

This book is an incredible read! It’s so well-written and packed with insights that really make you think about relationships in a new way. Dr. Nelson does a fantastic job breaking down the practical and emotional sides of creating relationship agreements, and her approach feels genuine and approachable.One of the things I loved most about this book is how it sparks curiosity while staying grounded in reality. The exercises she includes are so useful and thought-provoking—they really help you reflect and communicate better, no matter where you’re at in your relationship.If you’re curious about exploring new ways to connect or just want a fresh perspective on modern relationships, this book is a must-read. Highly recommend it—definitely a five-star experience!

This is a practical and inclusive guide for anyone who is considering consensual nonmonogamy or any sort of more open or expansive relationship. Relationship therapist and sexologist Tammy Nelson describes what she refers to as the monogamy continuum and provides guidance on how to develop a well thought out relationship agreement that can be renegotiated over time. She provides plenty of examples from diverse couples she has interviewed. I found it very interesting to learn about the different types of agreements that partners have developed and how they arrived at those arrangements.Regardless of the type of relationship you want, you are likely to find something of value here. The author provides many questions to help you and your partner(s) identify your values and discuss fears and desires. I loved her discussion of consent, and I think her 3 Ps framework of potential possibilities, problems, and positives can be used in many situations even outside the context of this book.I was provided an unproofed ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.

Tammy Nelson not only is a revolutionary therapist but an author who is in touch with the world and the direction of relationships today! I highly recommend this book to everyone who is in a relationship or is thinking about what a relationship could be!

The terms to name open relationships seem to be growing just to sound unique and interesting. There is not such a thing as an open monogamy. You either are monogamous (only sleep with your partner) or you're not. Let's call things are they are. That provides clarity and truthfulness. Once a monogamous couple beging sleeping with other people the relationship stops being monogamous. It becomes non-monogamous and since there is an agreement, it becomes an ethical non-monogamy. Monogamy cannot be flexible, it is monogamy or it isn't.