Open Book by Jessica Simpson and Kevin Carr O'Leary

The #1 New York Times Bestseller Jessica reveals for the first time her inner monologue and most intimate struggles. Guided by the journals she's kept since age fifteen, and brimming with her unique humor and down-to-earth humanity, Open Book is as inspiring as it is entertaining. 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 cliché’s — “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.

Enjoyed this way more than I was expecting to (even after all the positive reviews). I was also raised evangelical in north Texas, so I identified with a lot of the earlier parts of the book. Jessica seems like an excellent hang and I admire the hell out of her for being so honest in this and making it through some truly awful experiences. John Mayer can jump off a cliff.

Sometimes we are all so afraid to be honest with ourselves because we know that honesty will lead to somewhere.” I wrote this ten years ago. “Can fear walk us to something better?

Enjoyable

If you know me then you know that my short list of favorite hobbies includes reading, writing, movies and music. I have this habit of picking up memoirs from celebrates just to break up my thrillers and gore. I have to say listening to Jessica read the book herself made this much more enjoyable for me as the reader.
She could have taken the easy road, but she chose honesty. The crappy thing about honesty is it's not easy to do & it's almost never pretty. She could have just made Hollywood sound glamorous and call it a day. When someone is ready to tear back those layers and say here, this is me, this is what I've been through, you know they have come to terms with themselves.... that's priceless. It doesn't mean that they have the perfect life or that they figured out life just means they are ready to put out the best versions of themself and to let you know that celebrates are humans too.

I am not sure what compelled me to buy this book. To be fair I am not the biggest Jessica Simpson fan. I listened to her music I did watch Newly Weds with her and Nick but I can't say I had to have it. This book however impressed me. It was real and raw and it showed that she is not the same girl she was when she first started. After reading it I have much more respect for her she seems to be owning her mistakes and living her best life. I wish her family would have been more supportive of what she wanted when she first started because I don't think her early years were pleasant. I also feel that maybe she got the raw end of the deal with her divorce. Over all this was a solid three star read. If you are looking for a memoir and like a celebrity one I would recommend this one.

I loved this book so much. I didn't expect to be so pulled into this story! Jessica is so vulnerable and open in this book, and it's truly a beautiful and inspirational journey. I listened to this on audible, and just purchased the paperback! One of the best celebrity biographies I have read.