Wilde Like Me | Book Review

Hello To You,

This is my first time writing a little book review on this blog. This may not be the type of book review you are used to but please bear with. I like to think of this little blog as a place to express my feelings and have a little chat with you about all things in life and give my honest opinion on bits and bobs. Today it just so happens to be a review of 'Wilde Like Me' the best-selling book written by Youtuber, Blogger and now Mummy of two, Louise Pentland.

I  pre-ordered this book after watching a series of embarrassing story videos Louise has posted to her Youtube channel (Sprinkle of Glitter). After laughing hysterically at her relatable embarrassments, the promise of similar little gems tucked into her novel seemed too good to pass up.

I would like to start with the end because it is at the end of the book I realised just how much I loved reading about the adventures of Robin Wilde and co. As I closed the book with tears in my eyes at 01:11 am (I remember the time because I tweeted Louise telling her how much I loved her book and how amazing she is, just a little bit of a fangirl moment) I knew I had to write a review, to let you know about this wonderful and moving book.

You must know that even though I am a fan of Louise I didn't start reading this book purely because it was written by her. It was a purchase based purely on the content she had promised to include. I'm not the biggest reader and wouldn't exactly call myself a bookworm, in fact, more often than not a struggle to keep my concentration when reading and get distracted rather easily or find myself re-reading a paragraph umpteen times before I even register the words. So when I tell you a book is worth a read, I'd like to think you can trust me.

I first picked up this novel when I was experiencing a bit of a Dip in my mental health. I was stuck in a slump and to my surprise so was the main character, Robin Wilde. This first section of the book was ridiculously relatable, despite not being a single mother I found many of my own traits and thought patterns to be in sync with this character. It was a comfort to know that I wasn't alone; before me was a woman (I know she's fictional and not actually real) with a very different background and situation to mine, yet relatable on so many levels.

Unfortunately, as my MH was getting worse, I put the book down, I stopped reading, I had lost all concentration and motivation to pick it back up again. Once I had restored a bit of myself and given myself the rest I needed, I was happy to pick up from where I left off, and honestly couldn't put the book down. My slump had nothing to do with the book, it's content orthe way it was written and once I had dove back into the life of Robin Wilde my only regret was that I had not picked the book back up sooner.

Louise carefully accentuated symptoms of anxiety and depression within Robin's Character. The emptiness that one can feel whilst lonely increases when experiencing depression. The complexity and raw emotions are often hard to describe, however, I found that Louise's way with words made this experience understandable and relatable, shining a light onto the isolation that can be felt, even when standing in a room full of people.

It doesn't take you long to become a member of team Robin, rooting for her to jump the hurdles placed in her path. I found myself feeling a variety of emotions you can whilst reading, one minute I was laughing, the next crying and at other moments feeling so incredibly proud of the heroin before me. I even found myself feeling protective over Robin and Layla (Robin's daughter), to the point where I physically wanted to punch other characters within the book (obviously violence is never the answer) and was thrilled when others came to her aid.

This story gives an insight into the life of a single mother, and also motherhood in general, with the complexity of playground politics, the self-doubt, courage, and love, wonderfully portrayed. I wanted to hug my own mother at numerous points whilst reading this book. The appreciation and love that Robin has for those who care for her will help to remind you of the ones in your life that support you unconditionally. Robin's role as a mother, daughter, niece, and friend shows the intricacy of those relationships and how easily it is to take a loved one for granted.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much female empowerment and character development was represented, not only for the main but also secondary characters. Empowerment and courage were two strong themes that continued throughout the chapters. Women who support, praise and empower other women appeared in abundance within this novel. Women from all different walks of life, with different backgrounds and personality traits, were celebrated. Louise demonstrates time and time again that women together can conquer anything, are a brilliant support system and a really good laugh.

If you're a fan of Louise you'll happy to know that her vocabulary and humor shines from page to page. If you're not a fan of Louise or simply don't know her this may still be worth a read. If you are looking for a heart-warming, relatable and empowering novel about a single mother who develops her career, lifestyle, focus and motivation, this book is definitely for you. I'd recommend taking this book on holiday, reading it in the bath, or the perfect companion to curl up with a cuppa on the sofa. This is also a good one to gift this mother's day.

Have you read 'Wilde Like Me'? What did you think?

Thanks for Reading
XO