Audiobook Review: Open Book by Jessica Simpson

Book: 44/100

Rating: 5/5

Listen to this one if you like: Early 2000s pop, tell-all memoirs, and a great inner monologue.

Summary: This was supposed to be a very different book. Five years ago, Jessica Simpson was approached to write a motivational guide to living your best life. She walked away from the offer, and nobody understood why. The truth is that she didn’t want to lie.

Jessica couldn’t be authentic with her readers if she wasn’t fully honest with herself first.

Now, America’s Sweetheart, preacher’s daughter, pop phenomenon, reality TV pioneer, and the billion-dollar fashion mogul invites readers on a remarkable journey, examining a life that blessed her with the compassion to help others but also burdened her with an almost crippling need to please. Open Book is Jessica Simpson using her voice, heart, soul, and humor to share things she’s never shared before.

First celebrated for her voice, she became one of the most talked-about women in the world, whether for music and fashion, her relationship struggles, or as a walking blonde joke. But now, instead of being talked about, Jessica is doing the talking. Her book shares the wisdom and inspirations she’s learned and shows the real woman behind all the pop-culture clichés — “chicken or fish,” “Daisy Duke,” "football jinx," “mom jeans,” “sexual napalm…” and more. Open Book is an opportunity to laugh and cry with a close friend, one that will inspire you to live your best, most authentic life, now that she is finally living hers.

Thoughts: I was seriously impressed by this memoir! She opens the book by saying she was initially offered a book deal to write a 'motivational' book, but given that she herself was in a rough place and was struggling with alcohol, she felt she wasn't in a place to dole out advice. We should all be glad she passed up on that to give us this authentic memoir.

Jessica is honest, genuine, and doesn't take herself too seriously. While writing, she said that she wants this book to feel like two friends sitting on a patio swapping life stories - and that's absolutely what it feels like. She was exactly what her title promises: an open book. She was honest about her past relationships, family struggles, and the trials and tribulations (and of course, perks) of being a pop star. She had a lot of heartwarming stories, and I especially loved when she recounted her trips to visit the Armed Forces in the Middle East.

Her narration was fantastic - you could tell at some parts she was super emotional and trying not to cry, which made me feel for her and really brought out how genuine and empathetic she is. I was rooting for her the whole time and so happy she got her happy ending. I really didn't know much about her or follow her career before listening to this one, but am so glad I did!

Buy it/loan it/skip it? I highly recommend getting yourself a Libro.fm account and listening to it!