No Judgments. No Limits. No Shame. 
 I was only thirty-five and I had never had really great, mind-blowing, liberating, luscious sex, the kind that notebook seemed to allude to... 
 Cassie has only been with one man. Ever. She met him when she was young and fell in love. And then, she married him. 
 Their marriage was never passionate. He could be sweet -- when he felt like it -- but that just wasn't anything to count on. 
 He turned into an angry drunk. An angry abusive drunk. So, Cassie left him. 
 And then, he died. 
 So, Cassie had to find a way to make ends meet. She got a job as a waitress at a quaint cafe. She was fond of watching people -- especially couples. 
 There was one couple that always especially intrigued Cassie. The woman seemed so confident and self-assured. She presented herself as alluring and sexual without seeming slutty. 
 And then, one day that woman left a tiny journal. Of course, Cassie had to peek. And what she found was exciting and frightening. And forbidden. 
 The journal read like an erotic little adventure. Pornographic, really. It described the sexual encounters of a liberated woman. 
 Cassie didn't want to sleep around -- not necessary, at least. But, she wouldn't mind just a tiny piece of that life.... 
 Step One: Surrender 
 Step Two: Courage 
 Step Three: Trust 
 Step Four: Generosity 
 Step Five: Fearlessness 
 Step Six: Confidence 
 Step Seven: Curiosity 
 Step Eight: Bravery 
 Step Nine: Exuberance 
 Step Ten: The Choice 
 Before she knew it, Cassie was invited into a secret society of woman. It was called S.E.C.R.E.T. and had been created many years ago for the purpose of liberating women -- for allowing women to live out their sexual fantasies in real life. 
 Cassie is asked to fill out a questionnaire, choosing her ultimate fantasies from a pre-selected list. Sex with a celebrity? Sounds great! Sex in a blindfold? Sure. Being rescued by a strong man? Okay, maybe that one feels anti-feminist, but it's worth a check mark, right? 
 The next thing she knows, Cassie is approached by a stranger who asks her if she is willing to accept her first step. If she says yes, and completes a single task that highlights one of her selected fantasies, she will earn a delicate gold charm. She has the possibility to wear ten charms on her bracelet, a sign that marks members of the group and allows them to recognize one another. 
 At the end, Cassie will be faced with a choice. Is she ready to stop here and take what she has learned to move on and find a real relationship of her own? Or, will she choose to stay behind, with her sisters in the S.E.C.R.E.T. to take the next step? 
 I actually did enjoy this novel a lot more than I expected. While I'm not entirely familiar with the genre, I admit that I did start to take more notice of similar selections after that event called THE FIFTY SHADES OF GREY. I mean, what other book allowed regular women to talk around in public with erotica like it was nobody's business? 
 Now, given that all of my experience has been strictly with BDSM themed literature selections, this novel felt refreshingly stepped down a notch, almost. Nothing was extraordinarily graphic at all, and I really felt that the author took the time to develop Cassie as a character without leaving the sex scenes to carry the story through that all-popular shock and awe type strategy. I really felt like I could identity with Cassie's desire to just feel more courageous and more confident in herself -- and although I, personally, wouldn't choose to join a secret sex society to develop these traits in myself, the relatability is high enough here that readers can understand where she is coming from and appreciate her struggles as a realistic character. 
 I was really pleased that the ending didn't feel overly cheesy and that every loose end was perfectly tied in a gorgeous little package for the reader by the final page. Although Cassie seemed confident in her final decision, you could still sense a little hesitancy there -- and even the possibility for this to be expanded into a series? Maybe? Please? 
 If you're shy about sexy books, you still may want to give this one a try, honestly. It's pretty tame and it's definitely fun. 
 (Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review a galley copy of this book)