I will preface this review with saying that growing up, I was more of a Britney girl (c'mon, Hit me Baby One More Time was iconic!) I watched Jessica Simpson on Newlyweds and thought Nick Lachey was a total dreamboat, but other than that, I did not have much of an opinion of Jessica other than she seemed like a vapid popstar. I completely ate crow when I listened to the audiobook of her memoir, Open Book.
True to the title, Jessica completely opens up and bares her soul, holding nothing back, and sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Her candidness is endearing and authentic. Everyone can relate to at least one piece of her story. Covering everything from her early childhood, rise to fame, first marriage and it's demise, shooting The Dukes of Hazards and falling for Johnny Knoxville, her tumultuous relationship with John Mayer, body dysmorphia, alcohol and prescription pill addiction, and finding her true self through all of this.
After listening to this audio, which I highly recommend because Jessica narrates it, I completely adore her. I could hear the emotion in her voice as she narrated and the raw parts were so pure and touching. Jessica is open about the fact that she used a ghost writer, but she kept detailed journals from a young age into adulthood and much of the book is based off her journals, memory, and her family and friends.
Open Book was a solid 5/5 read for me. Jessica Simpson's brutal honesty and vulnerability is refreshing, especially coming from someone in the public eye. It took a lot for her to bare her soul to the world and Open Book is one of those books that you will be for the better after reading it. I highly recommend the audio because there is something so powerful about listening to an author narrate their book. This is one of those where I also want to purchase the physical copy, just to keep on my shelves and support the author. Either way, add this one to your list. Jessica kept me company on many of my "quarantine walks" with my pup, Ollie. Her voice is endearing and the end of her audiobook included some of the songs she wrote when she was going through her lowest of times, as well as songs she wrote when she overcame her demons and found peace. I won't lie, I shed some tears listening to the lyrics. I am officially a Jessica Simpson fan and I don't care who knows!
Happy reading!
Mel
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