In Forbidden Fruit, Regnerus tackles a prevalent topic for today’s teenagers and sex. However he takes this discussion further than most by looking at the correlation between teenagers’ attitudes towards sex and their religious beliefs and upbringing. This sociological study cleverly intertwines facts and surveys with the personal experiences of today’s American teenagers from a wide range of religious backgrounds to give the reader a clear picture of American teenage sex culture. The title of the book also suggests the secretive nature of the topic, as well as having obvious biblical connotations.

The book engages with topics that parents are often wary of talking about with their children and revels whether or not religious upbringings influence the decisions teenagers make surrounding sex and how levels of guilt vary between the genders and religious groups. Honest and eye-opening interviews with the teenagers reveal the truth about teenage sex in America today and the thoughts that they have after they have lost their virginity.

 Regnerus finds that most teenagers put much more thought into sex than they are given credit for and they are not all as carefree as the media insinuates. The book is presented as a journey through the lives of the teenagers and the ways they find out about sex and the factors, other than religion, that affect the teenagers’ decisions regarding sex. Many girls are influenced by their peers’ opinions, while others steer clear of sex for reasons such as pregnancy and the risk of catching STDs, and some have pledged to remain celibate until they are married because of a religious upbringing.  Regnerus discovers early on that the sexual morality of adolescents is far from simple and, as the book progresses, it becomes clear that there are many influencing factors for young people these days.

By using data from the National Survey of Youth and Religion (NSYR) and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health there are countless tables full of data that give Regnerus’s study extra detail and give the reader a quick and easy way of comparing the varying sets of data. Coupled with the interviews with the young people, there are plenty of factual and real life elements to the book, without it becoming stale and contrived.

The book provides a well researched and informed study on the subject of adolescents and sex. It is a must-read for parents worried about the paths their children may decide to take when growing up. There are real-life stories that give the reader an insight into the lives of modern day teenagers and which illustrate the thought process behind male and female sexual behaviour. Forbidden Fruit puts minds to rest by revealing that the reports in the media about teenage promiscuity do not apply to all young Americans, and shows that religion is still an influential factor in many teenage lives.