A Place of Yes: Review

A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life by Bethenny Frankel

(Author of Naturally Thin and Skinnygirl Dish)

If you are unfamiliar with Bethenny Frankel (really? I'm not sure how that is even possible - this girl is in everything, but I digress), she is an author, Natural Foods Chef, Runner up on Martha Stewart's Apprentice, started the Skinnygirl cocktail line, has a Body by Bethenny workout DVD, was a "Housewife" on The Real Housewives of New York City, and starred on Skating with the Stars, Bethenny Getting Married?, and most recently, her new reality show, Bethenny Ever After.

Ok, I have to admit I was not "impartial" in picking out this book, Bethenny Getting Married? was a Sunday morning guilty pleasure in my house for many weeks and I could barely contain my excitement for the Bethenny Getting Married? marathon (much to my husband's chagrin, I am sure). I love Bethenny. She is smart, independent, sassy and says what everyone else is thinking but is to scared/polite (?) to say. She is just like the rest of us if the rest of us where ultra-successful reality stars with their own line of food, alcohol, books, clothes...(insert multi-million dollar business here). I have read Naturally Thin and The Skinnygirl Dish, mostly out of curiosity than content - as a fairly seasoned cook, most of the recipes were a bit basic, but perhaps wonderful gifts for culinary-challenged friends.

Back to A Place of Yes ~ marketed as a self-help book, it had 10 Rules to "Getting Everything you Want out of Life": Break the Chain, Find Your Truth, Act on It, Everything's Your Business, All Roads Lead to Rome, Go For Yours, Separate from the Pack, Own It, Come Together, Celebrate.

Is Bethenny a self-help guru? Absolutely not. Is she trying to be? I don't think so. The rules are juxtaposed with stories from her past - her childhood, her failures, her successes and how persevering and being herself led her to happiness and successes in her own life. Everything relates back to coming from a Place of Yes in life and acting accordingly.

Is this book probably going to tell you anything you don't already know? Probably not - but the self-help market has grown exponentially on the basis that repetition is more important than new material (sorry - but it's true. Read a few of these page-turners and you will find it all feels very familiar and comfortable).

What I can tell you is that it is clever, laugh-out-loud-funny, sad and gritty. It has that, 'I'm a regular person who made my dreams come true and so can you' quality that Bethenny pulls off quite successfully. Sort of like that friend that you love to hang out with because they have the craziest stories that you are glad you were never a part of. And it might just remind you to get off your butt and try a few new things - that's not going to kill you, now is it?

If you like Bethenny or are just marginally interested in her past or how she got to where she is now, this is a must read; however, if you are looking for real self-help advice from an expert or if you find her honesty too much for you, skip it - this book is everything you love or hate about Bethenny condensed in 336 pages or 8 hours of audio book love (read by the author, of course).

Verdict ~ If you are a fan - a must read. If you are not, perhaps flip through it at the bookstore for a sense of what she has to offer or just move along to another title in the self-help section, my friend. There are no shortage of titles to fit your fancy.

I recommend this book.

For more information on this title, or the author, visit:  bethenny.com