satyridium reviewed Mono in a Poly World by Tazmyn Ozga
Notes on being in a Mono-Poly Relationship
4 stars
With only 72 pages, this one was a short read. As the author herself states, the book comes was derived from her personal experience and accompanying research about mono-poly relationships (meaning a monoamorous/monogamous person being in a relationship with a polyamorous person). She seeks to provide a jumping off point for absolute beginners dealing with the lack of resources for this specific relationship structure (mainly consisting of online forums and Facebook groups), detailing the unique challenges from the perspective of a monoamorous person and issues around opening up a previously monogamous relationship.
The book includes some basics around polyamory and ethical nonmonogamy, best practices for opening up your relationship, agreements and boundaries, interacting with metamours, and dealing with jealousy and FOMO. While much of the book reads like a compilation of personal notes, the chapters about self-care and supporting yourself as the monoamorous partner as well as some of the writing prompts were unique to this book and especially helpful for me. None of the explanations are particularly detailed, but with only 72 pages, this is to be expected. To summarize, I would have hoped for more content and different personal perspectives on the topic, especially since the author's personal story ends with a breakup. At the same time, it's great to have a book on this topic that will hopefully be followed by others in the near future.