Libido Reboot is a true story about the sexual reawakening of a woman after several years of celibacy following the death of her husband. This is a book that everyone will be able to relate to at some point in their life. It chronicles the experiences of a widow navigating the options in today’s world for satisfying her physical and emotional needs for sex and intimacy without getting remarried or even shacking up with someone. For some it may just be an interesting read, but for others it could serve almost as an instructional manual. L.A. Maria tells her story in a straightforward manner that is neither salacious nor clinical, and touches on the difficulty of wrestling with ingrained social mores and personal insecurities. Whereas this book is focused on baby boomers, the issues it addresses are applicable to surviving spouses of all ages.
I absolutely loved this book and applaud the author for writing it! Libido Reboot is not erotic fiction. I guess I would label it a short memoir. The author was happily married for nearly four decades and then suddenly lost her beloved husband to lung cancer. Widowed at 58 and not wanting to marry again, she accepted her fate: to live the rest of her life without sex. But five years later, her libido comes back to life in a rush. What to do?
I love the open, sincere and humorous manner in which she describes her experiences. I was cheering for her all the way and I’m impressed by her daring. Seeing a woman in her 60s experimenting with such a happy, wild sex life was mind-blowing. It’s immensely reassuring to know that sex doesn’t have to end in middle age. I’m also thrilled to see a book that talks about the sexuality of older people seriously, it’s high time this taboo is broken.
Told in a secretive, anonymous way, this book captures the essence of a mature woman who feels that sexuality is something to be celebrated, but isn’t very well accepted for older people. I enjoyed the journey and I found that I could appreciate the way she found her way into a life that met her needs sexually, while separating it from her day-to-day life with her job and adult child. I imagine it would be difficult reconciling that this part of yourself would not be accepted by others after being a devoted wife and not viewed as a sexual being, because it seems wife, mother, and high-skills employee don’t mesh with sexuality.
Written as a first person narrative, this non-fiction story bounces back and forth in time and switches themes accordingly. The content is solid gold, and I’m so glad I read this. Bravo, Ms. Maria! The world needs more books like this! Libido Reboot is currently available in ebook and audiobook formats.