In "Sex, Secrets, and Lies," author Marie Miranti Burnett, PhD, encourages husbands and wives to rethink their vows and consider whether sexual exclusivity should remain the rigid foundation of a good marriage, an ideal that too often leads to secrets and lies and the dissolution of relationships meant to last a lifetime. To strengthen the vow "until death do us part" it may be necessary to place less importance on the vow "to forsake all others."

Honest conversations about our sexual needs could lead to real changes in the institution of marriage for the twenty-first century. To guide the...