What do you think?
Rate this book
The Real Girl Next Door
IT’S COMPLICATED. We’ve read the scandalous headlines, watched her sexy breakout performances in Starship Troopers and Wild Things, and seen her many public faces on her reality television show—the beautiful vixen, the devoted mother, the hard-working entertainer, and the fun-loving friend. But how well do we really know Denise Richards? Like so many small-town girls, she dreamed of making it big in Hollywood. But following a painful, high-profile divorce from Charlie Sheen, she found herself raising their two young daughters alone as her mother was dying of cancer. Denise writes openly and honestly about these experiences and she lets you in on her childhood dreams, her fated move to Hollywood with her close-knit family, her rise to fame, the pressures of living in the spotlight, and the controversy surrounding her relationships. Through it all, she managed to keep her sense of humor and optimism. She offers an up-close and personal look at her most intimate battle scars and the lessons she’s learned as she’s healed and grown. Denise’s story will resonate with anyone who has had to look within herself to find strength and courage when life is throwing curveballs. Inspiring and uplifting, raw and revealing, Denise finally lets her fans in on the resilient woman behind the bombshell persona, the person her friends and family already The Real Girl Next Door.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 26, 2011
24 people are currently reading
1032 people want to read
About the author
Denise Richards
14 books12 followersDenise Lee Richards is an American actress and former fashion model. She has appeared in films including Starship Troopers, Wild Things, and The World Is Not Enough. She appeared on the reality TV show, Denise Richards: It's Complicated, which was carried by American cable channel E!.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
August 18, 2011
This book felt like you were sitting down with a friend listening to her stories. She didn't drag anyone's name through the mud and I respect that. She told relevant things, but the juicy gossip about Charlie that some wanted was not present. Again, I think that's a good thing since he is the father of her daughters. At times she sounded a little preachy, but I don't honestly think she meant to. Her stories of her childhood and her mother were sweet and at times heartbreaking.
September 10, 2011
I have no idea why people would think this book would "spill all the juicy details about Charlie" because this book was about DENISE and her life and how she has dealt with and handled her dark times & rough patches as well as discussing the fact that she chooses to keep the specifics/details of those very personal things private - as she should in my opinion. She has to think about the info she gives out & the possibility it may (and likely would) get back to her children - who really don't need to ever hear most of those details.
I enjoyed the book. I learned a lot about her and like her even more now after reading this. The book and her honesty about her feelings help bring into perspective that yes she is a celeb, but she is also just a woman who is human - like all of us. Lucky for us most of us don't have to go through the sort of stuff she has publicly, but Denise handles it with class and grace.
I enjoyed the book. I learned a lot about her and like her even more now after reading this. The book and her honesty about her feelings help bring into perspective that yes she is a celeb, but she is also just a woman who is human - like all of us. Lucky for us most of us don't have to go through the sort of stuff she has publicly, but Denise handles it with class and grace.
February 2, 2012
First let me say if you are reading this book because you want to hear the juicy dirt on Denise's relationship with her ex, Charlie Sheen (or any other Hollywood gossip for that matter) don't bother. The Real Girl Next Door is not that kind of memoir. Frankly, I find that very refreshing. It's nice to read a book about or by a celebrity that isn't filled with lots of stories about drunken, drug-filled nights or scandelous sex.
Denise's memoir is an easy read, filled with the basics you would expect. Her childhood, her family's move to California, her start in world of modeling and movies. Of course, she discusses her realtionship with Charlie, but instead of bad-mouthing him, she actually has some really nice things to say about him. Obviously, when they met and began their relationship, he was at a very "good" place in his life. I am sure she really could have blasted him, considering how much he did it to her in the media, but she took the high road, choosing instead to focus on the positive. She did love the man very much at one point and they have two beautiful little girls together.
She, of course, included information about her mom's cancer, which ultimately took her life and you could feel the love in Denise's heart for her mom, as well as her dad and sister.
Overall, not a tell-all, but a book that shows other than the fact she is an actress and was married to another high-profile actor, Denise Richards really could be the girl next door.
I think she has written a book she can be proud to have her girls read some day.
Denise's memoir is an easy read, filled with the basics you would expect. Her childhood, her family's move to California, her start in world of modeling and movies. Of course, she discusses her realtionship with Charlie, but instead of bad-mouthing him, she actually has some really nice things to say about him. Obviously, when they met and began their relationship, he was at a very "good" place in his life. I am sure she really could have blasted him, considering how much he did it to her in the media, but she took the high road, choosing instead to focus on the positive. She did love the man very much at one point and they have two beautiful little girls together.
She, of course, included information about her mom's cancer, which ultimately took her life and you could feel the love in Denise's heart for her mom, as well as her dad and sister.
Overall, not a tell-all, but a book that shows other than the fact she is an actress and was married to another high-profile actor, Denise Richards really could be the girl next door.
I think she has written a book she can be proud to have her girls read some day.
January 19, 2012
when I got this book I thought it'll be something to read when I'm bored and thinking I probably wouldn't finish it but as I read it I realized I like Denise Richards and she is alot like the girl next door except she gets to live an adult life few of us ever will. but the parts about her mother really touched me. loss has a way of joining us together.
May 7, 2013
Believe me, I am just as surprised as you that I not only read this, but am giving it 3 stars. I had grabbed it on impulse off the library shelf a few weeks ago, and yesterday I was sick and looking for a mindless read. This fit that bill perfectly!
I have never had an opinion on Denise Richards one way or the other, but I actually like her now after reading this. She seems real, and I appreciate that she didn't badmouth anyone. She could have easily filled pages and pages of dirt on Charlie Sheen and she didn't, which is pretty admirable. For a "tell-all" book, this was pretty weak due to her tendency to be so nice and positive about everyone and everything. However, as a memoir I enjoyed it.
The writing was not very good, which makes me think she actually wrote it herself. (Or perhaps her ghostwriter was just mimicking the writing style of the parts she DID write). Even so, I found myself actually enjoying it, much to my surprise.
Ironically enough, I just read that Charlie and Brooke Mueller's kids have been taken away from them. According to reports, Denise has offered to have the boys live with her for the time being. I was struck by how generous and selfless that is, which cements the feeling I had of her after reading this. I'm never going to be a "fan" of Denise, but I do think she seems like a genuinely nice person. (Also, she dated Patrick Muldoon, who we all know famously stole Kelly Kapowski away from Zach Morris! For that reason alone, I have to like her.)
I have never had an opinion on Denise Richards one way or the other, but I actually like her now after reading this. She seems real, and I appreciate that she didn't badmouth anyone. She could have easily filled pages and pages of dirt on Charlie Sheen and she didn't, which is pretty admirable. For a "tell-all" book, this was pretty weak due to her tendency to be so nice and positive about everyone and everything. However, as a memoir I enjoyed it.
The writing was not very good, which makes me think she actually wrote it herself. (Or perhaps her ghostwriter was just mimicking the writing style of the parts she DID write). Even so, I found myself actually enjoying it, much to my surprise.
Ironically enough, I just read that Charlie and Brooke Mueller's kids have been taken away from them. According to reports, Denise has offered to have the boys live with her for the time being. I was struck by how generous and selfless that is, which cements the feeling I had of her after reading this. I'm never going to be a "fan" of Denise, but I do think she seems like a genuinely nice person. (Also, she dated Patrick Muldoon, who we all know famously stole Kelly Kapowski away from Zach Morris! For that reason alone, I have to like her.)
July 28, 2011
Interesting read. Didn't know she grew up in Mokena first. Mainly read to find out the Charlie Sheen scoop and she just glossed over it. All in all quick and entertaining read.
July 2, 2015
It was kind of random that I read this book, but I'd heard some things about Denise Richards in the past that made me really respect her as a woman and a mother, so I picked it up at the library and ended up enjoying it a lot.
"The Real Girl Next Door" is a great title because she does completely come off like a normal, down to earth, nice girlfriend who's sitting down with you over coffee, filling you in about her life. She honors her parents so beautifully in this book. Sometimes the childhood section of memoirs can get a little boring to me, but I loved reading about how hardworking her mother and father were and the lessons they taught Denise and her sister. The next portion of the book is about her ascent in Hollywood as a model and actress, and then we move on to her marriage and family life.
I like that she didn't drag Charlie Sheen through the mud, nor did she reveal every private moment of their relationship. It was clear she just wanted to tell her story, not write a salicious tell-all. Even though I wanted to know, I respected when she refused to explain the details of why they split up. I mean, it must have been pretty unbearable if she left him while pregnant such a short time after she believed he was her, as she puts it, "everlasting soulmate." The way she has managed the absolute rollercoaster that is being the mother of his children is completely admirable. He's done such completely horrible things to her, but she accepts who he is and doesn't judge him so that her daughters can have their father be a part of their life. I really hope she finds a stable man who deserves her and that she gets good parts in big movies again, though it's clear her children and dogs are what truly brings her joy in life.
"The Real Girl Next Door" is a great title because she does completely come off like a normal, down to earth, nice girlfriend who's sitting down with you over coffee, filling you in about her life. She honors her parents so beautifully in this book. Sometimes the childhood section of memoirs can get a little boring to me, but I loved reading about how hardworking her mother and father were and the lessons they taught Denise and her sister. The next portion of the book is about her ascent in Hollywood as a model and actress, and then we move on to her marriage and family life.
I like that she didn't drag Charlie Sheen through the mud, nor did she reveal every private moment of their relationship. It was clear she just wanted to tell her story, not write a salicious tell-all. Even though I wanted to know, I respected when she refused to explain the details of why they split up. I mean, it must have been pretty unbearable if she left him while pregnant such a short time after she believed he was her, as she puts it, "everlasting soulmate." The way she has managed the absolute rollercoaster that is being the mother of his children is completely admirable. He's done such completely horrible things to her, but she accepts who he is and doesn't judge him so that her daughters can have their father be a part of their life. I really hope she finds a stable man who deserves her and that she gets good parts in big movies again, though it's clear her children and dogs are what truly brings her joy in life.
November 25, 2014
I haven't seen a lot of what Denise Richards has been in ... I remember her mainly in The One with Ross and Monica's Cousin on "Friends". But I like reading bios and memoirs and this one caught my eye.
Though I didn't know a lot about her and wasn't a fan, I found it to be an good book. I liked the writing style and found it to be an easy fast read. As a head's up, there is swearing. I think she'd be fun to hang with.
She starts by telling about moving to California with her family when she was a kid. Rather than going to college, she worked in modeling which eventually led to acting. She tells of meeting and marrying Charlie Sheen (I've never been a fan of his) and their eventual bitter divorce, though she doesn't give the details of why she left him, and of dating Richie Sambora and their break-up.
It was interesting to get a description of what it's like being behind the scenes ... like modeling in Japan, her dilemma about going nude in "Wild Things", getting implants and eventually getting them downsized, raising two young daughters as a single mom, her close relationship with her parents (her mom died a couple years ago from cancer), etc.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/11...
Though I didn't know a lot about her and wasn't a fan, I found it to be an good book. I liked the writing style and found it to be an easy fast read. As a head's up, there is swearing. I think she'd be fun to hang with.
She starts by telling about moving to California with her family when she was a kid. Rather than going to college, she worked in modeling which eventually led to acting. She tells of meeting and marrying Charlie Sheen (I've never been a fan of his) and their eventual bitter divorce, though she doesn't give the details of why she left him, and of dating Richie Sambora and their break-up.
It was interesting to get a description of what it's like being behind the scenes ... like modeling in Japan, her dilemma about going nude in "Wild Things", getting implants and eventually getting them downsized, raising two young daughters as a single mom, her close relationship with her parents (her mom died a couple years ago from cancer), etc.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/11...
December 7, 2011
Ugh. This book was recommended to me by Amazon.com because I enjoyed, I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.
This book was painful and I am amazed that I read the entire thing Yes, I called it a thing. Calling it a book, no matter how bad, would justify its existence.
I did read it for two reasons. The author was featured in a great movie, Starship Troopers, and I was hoping she would have talked about it, and she did for about seven sentences.
Second, I was hoping to hear some good Charlie Sheen stories, but there are none. How do you not talk about the wacky Charlie Sheen? Why cut out of the book, the only interesting part of your life? Based on this premise, maybe I could read a book about Winston Church Hill and it not mention WWII, or a book about Canada and not mention maple syrup?
Do not read this book. Do not touch this book. Do not make eye contact with this book. Do not wonder why the hell she is hold a tooth brush on the cover of this book.
This book was painful and I am amazed that I read the entire thing Yes, I called it a thing. Calling it a book, no matter how bad, would justify its existence.
I did read it for two reasons. The author was featured in a great movie, Starship Troopers, and I was hoping she would have talked about it, and she did for about seven sentences.
Second, I was hoping to hear some good Charlie Sheen stories, but there are none. How do you not talk about the wacky Charlie Sheen? Why cut out of the book, the only interesting part of your life? Based on this premise, maybe I could read a book about Winston Church Hill and it not mention WWII, or a book about Canada and not mention maple syrup?
Do not read this book. Do not touch this book. Do not make eye contact with this book. Do not wonder why the hell she is hold a tooth brush on the cover of this book.
September 26, 2011
Just awful. It was readable but not worth reading. I wasn't expecting great literature but I do expect that if in the first chapter, the subject (I hesitate to say "author") goes on and on about what an "honest" person she is, that the same subject won't go on and on in the final chapters recounting lies upon lies that she told her children. There's a lot of sneaking around and lying throughout the book. And, if you are going to write a biography, you can't just ignore the major parts of your life. It's like Bill Clinton's Presidential Library where Monica Lewinsky isn't mentioned. That elephant in the room is still there. For having one of the "nastiest divorces in the history of Hollywood", the reader is forced to consult back issues of the National Enquirer, Star or US Weekly to get the history as it is not to be found in this book.
April 19, 2014
This book was very entertaining to me! I've never really been a huge fan of Denise, not because I didn't like her, but just because I didn't really follow her movies or know that much about her. It wasn't until I saw her show that really interested me to see what she was like and what her book revealed. With all the rumors and gossip that was going around, you would think she'd be this evil villain, but in reality she really is just a normal woman living in Hollywood! I really liked her book because it showed such a different side to her that no one really get's to see. I think she gets a bad rep in the tabloid world but she really does seem like a great mother, daughter, and just over all person. This is a chance for people to get to hear her side of the story and the struggles she went through and how she became stronger in the end. There wasn't a dull moment in this book. Great Read!
November 25, 2012
I loved this book, it was inspirational and nice to read about a celebrity that doesn't profit off of their ex's troubles and instead is taking the high road for her children. We have enough dirt and trashing in the world. Denise is from the Midwest, and you can tell those values have stuck with her. It's wonderful to see someone be so honest about their feelings during tragedy and hard times and come out still positive. I've been a sideline fan but this book made me a real Fan. I really understood her pain in going through her Mothers illness, and loving Dogs so much. Going through a messy divorce is hard, I can't imagine going through it publically. I admire Denise for not giving the "dirt" and trashing her Ex for her children's sake.
March 21, 2014
I found this book at the Dollar Tree, which typically means it's not going to be very good...but sometimes you just need a quick fun read to get yourself through the long days next to the pool!
It wasn't bad at all. I was interested to read more about her life story, versus what I read in tabloids. I like reading most celebrity auto-biogs because I find it interesting to see things from their perspective. Richards was the same, it was a different side to what I read online/in magazines.
If you see this at your Dollar Tree too, I'd pick it up and give it a shot. It's not deep and emotional (although I did tear up in one instance), it is an interesting read if you've seen "news" articles on her before.
It wasn't bad at all. I was interested to read more about her life story, versus what I read in tabloids. I like reading most celebrity auto-biogs because I find it interesting to see things from their perspective. Richards was the same, it was a different side to what I read online/in magazines.
If you see this at your Dollar Tree too, I'd pick it up and give it a shot. It's not deep and emotional (although I did tear up in one instance), it is an interesting read if you've seen "news" articles on her before.
October 5, 2011
To be honest I didn't read the entire book....I just could not get in to it. After the first 50 pages or so I skipped ahead to the Charlie Sheen chapter and Richie Sambora chapter. But, in the end they were both boring too....anything that could have been interesting was left out under the caveat of 'for reasons I won't get into'. I understand the need to keep details to herself as she has 2 small daughters with Charlie, but it just didn't make for a good book. I didn't think it was very well written - it just didn't flow very well. So, all in all I would suggest you pass on this one and spend your time reading something else.
October 9, 2013
I've always been a fan of Denise Richards and have come to really respect her in the past few years. She has always seemed like such a classy person and this book really proves it. If you are hoping to get the dirt on Charlie Sheen or her relationship with Richie Sambora, this isn't the book to read. Richards spoke from the heart about her early life, past relationships (which does include Charlie, but only her love for him), her relationship with her parents and how being a mom to her two (now three) children is her number one priority. A must read for any fan of Richards.
February 2, 2012
I am a huge fan of Denise Richards and was excited when she was writing a book. If you are hoping to read it to get the details on her marriage with Charlie Sheen, don't read it. She keeps most of the details of that part of her life private, as she said she did for her daughters. This book is about her life, not just Charlie. I really enjoyed seeing into her life and the good and bad time she endured. It gave me a different view on her and her life, and proved she is not just what you read online. If you are a fan of hers give the book a read.
August 19, 2014
I thought that this would be a good beach read, and it was...sort of. My expectation of this book was that it would be a "tell all" which it was not. Instead, it was a "tell nothing". I get that Denise Richards wants to keep her private life private, but I do not understand how she got a book deal. The rest of her life is just not that interesting. The things that readers want to read about are missing. She says "I won't go into details" several times throughout. Oh, well. What did I expect? More than I was given.
April 4, 2012
BORING! Denise Richards has lived a life full of drama and scandal. She has been married to and divorced from one of the most controversial men in Hollywood. She has the "dirt" to write an amazing life story and she absolutely did NOT do that in this book.
This book is basically a Wikipedia timeline that could be written by anyone that reads tabloids, but doesn't have any inside scoop.
I am 100% disappointed.
This book is basically a Wikipedia timeline that could be written by anyone that reads tabloids, but doesn't have any inside scoop.
I am 100% disappointed.
May 28, 2012
I went into this book with low expectations. I mean, another celebrity tell-all, right? Except I came out of it liking Denise Richards a lot more than before. Yes, she didn't dish any real dirt, but you know what? I kind of respect her for that. All in all, she comes off better in the book(and Charlie does too) than I expected. Not for everyone, especially those expecting her to go after her ex. My opinion of her changed with this book, for the better. Not that my opinion counts, lol.
August 22, 2011
Wow what an honest book! I always had great respect for Denise but this just reinforced with me the kind of person she is. I cried when reading about her losing her mom, it touched me very personally and brought back the moment my mom passed. The fact that she didn't speak badly of Charlie shows that through it all she remains a loving mom and a very classy woman.
September 3, 2011
This book wasn't really what I expected. She doesn't really go into much detail about her experience choosing to keep many things private. I respect her right to privacy but why write a book? My opinion is she wrote this book just to make money knowing people would read it wanting to read juicy details of her marriage and divorce that she doesn't provide.
October 21, 2011
It was very sad for me to read about what she went thru with her mom.. I knew a little of the details from watching her show but didnt know all of them.. It seems like she is a the real girl next door and has a good head on her shoulders.. How she got mixed in with Charlie, Ill never understand it!!
December 29, 2011
I really didn't think there was a lot to Denise Richards and this book proved it. I know, I know, what was I expecting? Since she was married to Charlie Sheen and had a front row seat to his epic meltdown, I was hoping for some insight. Not for "I'm too much of a lady to tell what happened." Then don't write a book.
January 13, 2013
I'm always a sucker for celebrity "tell-alls" (except this isn't so lurid). Yes, Denise does talk about Charlie Sheen and Richie Sambora but it was done respectfully. I mostly enjoyed reading about her family upbringing and how it molded her life in Hollywood. Always liked Denise before, but definitely think she's not only sexy, but a super cool & great single mom.
September 6, 2011
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Denise has a good attitude, and I appreciate how she handled discussing Charlie - it would be easy to trash him, but as a mother, she understands that she has to keep things civil for the sake of her children.
September 8, 2011
I absolutely loved her book. She really exemplifies a real single mother. She documents her life's positives and negatives in an upbeat manner and really gives you a different perspective about her. Everyone should read it.
May 25, 2012
I honestly was surprised on how much I enjoyed this book! It wasn't just the gossipy read you would get from a celeb's book. It really gave you hope and strength on how to get through your own obstacles in life.
September 21, 2012
I didn't really like Denise Richards that much, but still wanted to read this book. After reading it, I think she is awesome! I think she is smart and comes off as a genuinely good person. I highly recommend it!!
October 10, 2012
Probably the most discreet autobiography I've ever read. I've loved Denise from the first time I ever saw her and I really hoped she and Charlie would make it. It seems they have, in a sense.
A good read but I wanted more.
A good read but I wanted more.
October 14, 2012
Denise Richards is really a nice girl, probably had lots to tell but chose not to. I respect her for that, but doesn't make for a great book. She touched me on the part about her mom though. Still wish her luck in the future.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews