From Sexless Marriage to Sex Goddess: A Memoir

by Alisa Kriegel

For fans of Eat Pray Love and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, a therapist’s tale of mid-life sexual awakening as she bravely explores relationships, sex, and pleasure—and learns that it’s never too late to desire and be desired.

Is it ever too late to connect to the sexual part of yourself? At forty-eight years old, after her husband announced he had fallen in love with a man, Alisa Kriegel was determined to finally figure out this essential part of herself. As a psychologist, she had the tools to help others; now, it was time to help herself.

Alisa’s bold and vulnerable story told with honesty and humor, shows us that it’s possible to have a sexual awakening—and to experience the thrill of feeling desired—at any age. Letting go of decades of shame and giving herself permission for pleasure was just the beginning of jumping into a series of adventures in online dating, sex, and romance. From sex clubs in New York City to a canoe trip in the Canadian wilderness, this memoir offers readers an insight-filled journey into one woman’s mid-life discoveries about sex, love, and relationships—and a behind-the-scenes, in-depth analysis of women’s sexuality. 

Genres: Nonfiction

293 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 4, 2025

Reviews

[Claire Druschel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for this arc.
It took me a minute to get into this book but once I did I enjoyed it. As a poly person who’s had her fair share of relationships it was nice to read about someone else’s poly journey. Overall this a was interesting and fun read. I recommend it. The book did have a fair share of typos and weird highlighted bits but it’s an arc so hopefully that will be fixed in the final edit.

[Dawn Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Sexless Marriage to Sex Goddess by Alisa Kriegel

4 Stars

256 Pages
Publisher: She Writes Press
Release Date: November 4, 2025

Nonfiction (Adult), Memoir, Sexual Inexperience, Sexual Encounters, Medical, Parenting, Families, Relationships

The author discusses how she discovered her sexuality. She grew up in a conservative household and was ashamed of her body. She married her college sweetheart at age 22. They had sex infrequently and it became painful. They had a son after fifteen years of marriage and she was afraid his birth would change the dynamics of their marriage. She discusses the importance of knowing her body, her needs, and how to ask for what she wanted.

Her writing style is conversational and may resonate with others in similar situations. If you are having difficulty stating your sexual needs with your partner or have painful encounters, you may be interested in reading this book.

[Tara ☆ Tarasbookshelf · Rating 2 out of 5]

From Sexless Marriage to Sex Goddess: A Memoir describes the dating escapades of a highly privileged middle-aged psychotherapist and mother exiting a complicated quarter century relationship.

I found the writing to be shallow and trite while posing questions that may be construed as more profound if they had been dealt with in any degree of depth. This would have been an excellent magazine series. The quality is such that it could have been written by AI.

Expected Publication Date: November 4, 2025

Thanks to NetGalley, She Writes Press and Alisa Kriegel for access to a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Sexless Marriage to Sex Goddess is a courageous, honest, and deeply empowering memoir about self-discovery, healing, and reclaiming desire later in life. With warmth and insight, Alisa Kriegel blends her professional expertise as a psychologist with raw personal vulnerability, creating a story that feels both intimate and reassuring.Rather than sensationalizing sexuality, the book focuses on emotional growth, self-acceptance, and the dismantling of long-held shame. Kriegel’s journey sparked by an unexpected life rupture is relatable, thoughtful, and often humorous, offering readers permission to question old narratives about age, relationships, and fulfillment.

[Laurie Collister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a rollercoaster ride! Kriegel combines the open-to-almost-any-experience fresh eyes of a newbie to the dating world, with the gravitas and insight of a psychologist, long-married woman and mother. I found myself slowing down my reading 50 pages from the end; I didn't want to get off the ride. The book combines the action and twists of a Hollywood thriller with the self-reflection and "aha" moments of a compelling memoir. In the acknowledgments, Kriegel points out that this book was many years in the making. Like a finely polished gem with many facets, the book reflects all those years.

[Amy Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a woman in midlife, I could relate to so much of Dr. Kriegel's story. I've found it to be a time in life for rediscovery of the self on many levels, including sexually. In a culture that often demonizes women's bodies and sensuality, "From Sexless Marriage to Sex Goddess" is a brave and illuminating memoir. It's incredibly readable; I couldn't put it down and finished it in two days, and I've recommended it to my friends. Dr. Kriegel's memoir will help de-stigmatize female pleasure, empowering women of all ages to live richer, fuller, and more embodied lives.

[Marley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, She Writes Press, and the author for an advanced e-book copy in return for an honest review.

From Sexless Marriage to Sex Goddess is a unique and engaging memoir, highlighting the journey of a woman as she explores and embraces a broader view of her own sexuality and sexual experiences. The author very openly shares her experiences as she goes from a woman in her 40s with minimal sexual experience to such a wide range of experiences that she could fill a book about it. And that’s exactly what she did.

I feel like I can relate to many of her emotional experiences, as will many others who read this book, even if her sexual adventures might fall outside the bounds of other people’s experiences. I can appreciate that she has had some very positive encounters in her life, even though many are not things that appeal to me.

#FromSexlessMarriagetoSexGoddess #NetGalley

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this five stars, because the writing was good and the author was straightforward and honest. The book was written over a couple of years, which might be the reason we feel what she felt. I was frustrated with her for being in denial, but at least she could see it herself eventually. Her escapades were daring and interesting to read; she is quite the risk-taker.

[Liza Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bold, brave & beautifully written. Highly recommend this book!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alisa is a therapist who is suddenly blindsided by the admission of her husband that he is gay, despite their marriage being almost completely devoid of intimacy and sexual attraction. Throughout the course of the book she is struggling to find herself and what exactly she wants and needs in a physical relationship. While I applaud the fact that she is very candid about her experiences, I felt like a lot of the experiences were glossed over and not as clear as they could have been to really connect with her audience. Overall I felt that the book could have been more engaging, and most of what I read was watered down. It was still a good book, but it could have been a great book with more depth and candor.