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Let Me Tell You Something: Life as a Real Housewife, Tough-Love Mother, and Street-Smart Businesswoman
Let Me Tell You Something offers insights and and lessons on how to create a happy and fulfilling life from Caroline Manzo, the tell-it-like-it-is, breakout star and fan favorite of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
In this personal and practical guide, Caroline Manzo reveals how she has achieved a life that many viewers envy—a close relationship with her children, a strong marriage, and a firm belief in loyalty to friends. She brings her life experience and pragmatic outlook to tough questions about family, friendship, love, and more.
With wit and wisdom, Manzo opens up about life, family, raising children, love, and aging. Let Me Tell You Something: Life as a Real Housewife, Tough-Love Mother, and Street-Smart Businesswoman includes personal color photographs and lots of sage advice.
In this personal and practical guide, Caroline Manzo reveals how she has achieved a life that many viewers envy—a close relationship with her children, a strong marriage, and a firm belief in loyalty to friends. She brings her life experience and pragmatic outlook to tough questions about family, friendship, love, and more.
With wit and wisdom, Manzo opens up about life, family, raising children, love, and aging. Let Me Tell You Something: Life as a Real Housewife, Tough-Love Mother, and Street-Smart Businesswoman includes personal color photographs and lots of sage advice.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2013
37 people are currently reading
504 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
May 5, 2020
One of my not-so-secret indulgences is reading the books put out by “real housewives.” This is one of the most normal ladies from any of the ones I watch. I don’t agree with some of the things she says (her daughter had to make her sons’ beds and they never did 😠) and there are definitely mixed messages throughout but I respect her as a person and it was fun to get her take on some housewife things and read between the lines.
August 5, 2013
this celebrity memoir has the unfortunate distinction of being both poorly written and boring. if you will permit me to make a comparison, i recently read "drinking and tweeting" by brandi glanville, and it was poorly written, but wildly entertaining. caroline manzo is definitely a favorite of mine on RHONJ, but she should have titled this book "let me tell you nothing except a bunch of vague contradictions." hahahaa. i crack myself up.
seriously though. "i spoil my kids rotten but they're NOT SPOILED!" "it's possible that my husband cheated on me but i don't want to know about it if he did and also if your husband is cheating on you it is probably your fault!" "i taught my daughter that she can do whatever she dreams but i made her make her brother's beds because housework is for GIRLS!" "you should sacrifice sleep for time with your family and making yourself pretty for your husband but make sure to get plenty of SLEEP so that you can stay fit, healthy and happy for your children and your husband!" "i only eat fresh fruit for dessert! i don't like sweets! also, here is a recipe for sprinkle covered fried dough!"
...?
i still love her on the show though.
seriously though. "i spoil my kids rotten but they're NOT SPOILED!" "it's possible that my husband cheated on me but i don't want to know about it if he did and also if your husband is cheating on you it is probably your fault!" "i taught my daughter that she can do whatever she dreams but i made her make her brother's beds because housework is for GIRLS!" "you should sacrifice sleep for time with your family and making yourself pretty for your husband but make sure to get plenty of SLEEP so that you can stay fit, healthy and happy for your children and your husband!" "i only eat fresh fruit for dessert! i don't like sweets! also, here is a recipe for sprinkle covered fried dough!"
...?
i still love her on the show though.
November 2, 2014
Yes, I'm a Housewives fan. Yes, Caroline Manzo is one of my favorites, and Yes, I really enjoyed this book.
No, it's not great literature, it's not a self-help book, or a how-to guide to live your life.
And it doesn't pretend to be any of those. Caroline says it over and over: the book is just about her opinions and her experiences. I have always liked how she is just herself. No-nonsense, strong opinions, but caring and never trashy. This book isn't a trashy tell-all, there is no gossip nor any salacious rumours.
It's also not a full biography. Caroline balances her public life with her private one, and I agree with her that some things should still remain private. Regardless, there are plenty of fun tidbits about filming, lots of her sound advice and common sense approach to life. Reading this, you feel like Caroline is sitting at your kitchen table, telling her about her life and the rollercoaster of Housewives.
Entertaining and enjoyable, without being preachy, trashy or fake. After reading this I admire Caroline even more for her strong principles, morals, integrity and fierce loyalty to her family
No, it's not great literature, it's not a self-help book, or a how-to guide to live your life.
And it doesn't pretend to be any of those. Caroline says it over and over: the book is just about her opinions and her experiences. I have always liked how she is just herself. No-nonsense, strong opinions, but caring and never trashy. This book isn't a trashy tell-all, there is no gossip nor any salacious rumours.
It's also not a full biography. Caroline balances her public life with her private one, and I agree with her that some things should still remain private. Regardless, there are plenty of fun tidbits about filming, lots of her sound advice and common sense approach to life. Reading this, you feel like Caroline is sitting at your kitchen table, telling her about her life and the rollercoaster of Housewives.
Entertaining and enjoyable, without being preachy, trashy or fake. After reading this I admire Caroline even more for her strong principles, morals, integrity and fierce loyalty to her family
June 3, 2013
I don't think I've ever rated a book just one star, but "Let Me Tell You Something" was so completely without substance that I didn't hesitate at all. I find it hard to believe that Ms. Manzo had a co-writer or an editor. It's that bad.
She tells us the same things over and over, sometimes just a paragraph or two apart, but more often spread throughout the book, and quite frequently four or more times. The layout is distracting. Random anecdotes and "Ask Caroline" questions & answers are tossed into the middle of the narrative, and the result is choppy.
Every bit of her advice is nothing more than common sense. There are no pearls of wisdom, and nothing at all that I haven't heard my entire life. (Have "date nights" with your husband, make your children your priority, don't worry what other people think. These are not exactly original thoughts.) She spends most of the book telling us how normal she is, how great she is at giving advice, and how non-confrontational and live-and-let-live her attitude is - the last of which is laughable to viewers who have seen her in action over the last several years.
The entire book is badly in need of better editing, but then there would have been nothing left. She really has surprisingly little to say. And quite honestly, I'm not at all interested in her workout routine or her dream places to visit. The little Behind the Scenes sections reveal nothing that most viewers of the Real Housewives shows don't already know. I didn't expect much, but still came away feeling extremely disappointed.
I found this book to be very boring. It's much too self-congratulatory, self-indulgent, and repetitive. I borrowed it from the library so it didn't cost me any money, but I do regret that it cost me time that would have been better spent reading pretty much anything else.
She tells us the same things over and over, sometimes just a paragraph or two apart, but more often spread throughout the book, and quite frequently four or more times. The layout is distracting. Random anecdotes and "Ask Caroline" questions & answers are tossed into the middle of the narrative, and the result is choppy.
Every bit of her advice is nothing more than common sense. There are no pearls of wisdom, and nothing at all that I haven't heard my entire life. (Have "date nights" with your husband, make your children your priority, don't worry what other people think. These are not exactly original thoughts.) She spends most of the book telling us how normal she is, how great she is at giving advice, and how non-confrontational and live-and-let-live her attitude is - the last of which is laughable to viewers who have seen her in action over the last several years.
The entire book is badly in need of better editing, but then there would have been nothing left. She really has surprisingly little to say. And quite honestly, I'm not at all interested in her workout routine or her dream places to visit. The little Behind the Scenes sections reveal nothing that most viewers of the Real Housewives shows don't already know. I didn't expect much, but still came away feeling extremely disappointed.
I found this book to be very boring. It's much too self-congratulatory, self-indulgent, and repetitive. I borrowed it from the library so it didn't cost me any money, but I do regret that it cost me time that would have been better spent reading pretty much anything else.
April 28, 2016
This is a choppy, insubstantial mess. Not only does Caroline not talk about anything you really want her to talk about, what she does talk about is silly and stupid. She even says in the Afterword, "I still chose to keep a lot of my private life private... The feuds with various cast mates will continue to be addressed in upcoming seasons... They didn't need to be addressed here." So if you're looking for any information about Caroline's early life, her relationships with her siblings, her friendships (or lack thereof) with the other Jersey housewives, or even what the hell she does all day when the show isn't filming, you'll be disappointed with her book. Instead of talking about anything of substance, we instead get Caroline's views on topics as broad as traditions, parenthood, marriage, and body image, all interspersed with distracting "Ask Caroline" fan letters, listicles, and "Behind the Scenes" snippets of her time filming RHONJ (the format is so ugly and confusing that I often found myself wondering if pieces were missing, because there was no flow or order). But you probably won't learn anything new or interesting. Some things Caroline would like you to know, however, include:
1. A woman's place is in the home, and her devotion to her husband should be complete! Caroline greets her husband each day as he comes home and will always drop everything to be around him. She does all the cooking and cleaning in her home, and she raised her daughter to do the same. But not her sons! No, boys don't need to learn such frivolities as how to do laundry, clean house, or make their own beds... that's what moms, sisters, and wives are for! From Chapter 3: "Lauren was also always expected to help me around the house. She did laundry, she cleaned the refrigerator. She made the boys' beds. The boys never made their beds, and she would complain about it, but I always told her that a girl needs to learn to be a good wife and mother... But I was raised to believe it's more important for the girl to learn to keep a house than her brothers" (71-72). Just in case you were wondering, this book was originally published in 2013. That's some real forward thinking there.
2. Speaking of the woman's role in a marriage, she should always treat her husband like a king. She must never bore him (her words), and she should learn about his interests and hobbies and take an interest and understanding in them, herself. But, above all, she must never nag. Oh, and she should look pretty for her man, because a man "deserves to see" the beautiful woman he married and not someone who doesn't care what she looks like after she's given birth to her third child in as many years and is left home alone while her husband works all hours of the day and night.
3. If you do not do these things for your man, he probably will cheat on you. According to Caroline, "the odds are stacked wildly against" you that your husband won't cheat on you. If he does, it's probably your fault. "When I hear that a guy is cheating, I always wonder if his wife stopped giving him attention, or if she became so involved in her kids' lives that she has forgotten about him altogether" (140). Or perhaps she wasn't making his bed well enough.
4. Don't go to college! It's a waste! Unless you're going to be something "specific," such as a doctor, lawyer, scientist, or architect, you don't need no schoolin'! "If you're going to college just to have the college experience, don't waste your friggin' money" (178). Instead, you should, I suppose, work on your negotiating skills. Because according to Caroline, you don't need a degree to get a job that requires a degree: "If you don't have a degree and you want a job that requires one, go in there and stand up for yourself. Tell them that you may not have a degree but you're a badass and you're good at what you do. Then tell them that if they give you the job, they can pay you half the salary for two months, and you'll show them" (179). So in Caroline's mind, teachers don't need to be educated on the subjects they're teaching; they just need to "have balls and show initiative." Good advice from someone who never went to college!
5. Never spoil your kids! Make sure they know that they have to work for everything they have, but make sure you give them everything after they've learned the lesson. Make sure your kids know the value of hard work. Once they know, it's okay to sink all of your savings, amounting to about $250,000, into a business venture for them, even though they have no formal business education or training. Alternatively, you could buy them cars.
These are just a few breadcrumbs of advice and wisdom Caroline Manzo has to extol in her book. And in case you need more insight, you'll also read about Caroline's five favorite meals, her most cherished tchotchkes, ways to make time for yourself (which, infuriatingly, includes "take a class at a local college," about 30 pages after she advised everyone not to go to college), what makes Caroline cry, and recipes for salad (yes, salad), meatballs, and brussel sprouts.
So far, this is the most useless book I've read by a Real Housewife, and that's really saying something, all things considered.
1. A woman's place is in the home, and her devotion to her husband should be complete! Caroline greets her husband each day as he comes home and will always drop everything to be around him. She does all the cooking and cleaning in her home, and she raised her daughter to do the same. But not her sons! No, boys don't need to learn such frivolities as how to do laundry, clean house, or make their own beds... that's what moms, sisters, and wives are for! From Chapter 3: "Lauren was also always expected to help me around the house. She did laundry, she cleaned the refrigerator. She made the boys' beds. The boys never made their beds, and she would complain about it, but I always told her that a girl needs to learn to be a good wife and mother... But I was raised to believe it's more important for the girl to learn to keep a house than her brothers" (71-72). Just in case you were wondering, this book was originally published in 2013. That's some real forward thinking there.
2. Speaking of the woman's role in a marriage, she should always treat her husband like a king. She must never bore him (her words), and she should learn about his interests and hobbies and take an interest and understanding in them, herself. But, above all, she must never nag. Oh, and she should look pretty for her man, because a man "deserves to see" the beautiful woman he married and not someone who doesn't care what she looks like after she's given birth to her third child in as many years and is left home alone while her husband works all hours of the day and night.
3. If you do not do these things for your man, he probably will cheat on you. According to Caroline, "the odds are stacked wildly against" you that your husband won't cheat on you. If he does, it's probably your fault. "When I hear that a guy is cheating, I always wonder if his wife stopped giving him attention, or if she became so involved in her kids' lives that she has forgotten about him altogether" (140). Or perhaps she wasn't making his bed well enough.
4. Don't go to college! It's a waste! Unless you're going to be something "specific," such as a doctor, lawyer, scientist, or architect, you don't need no schoolin'! "If you're going to college just to have the college experience, don't waste your friggin' money" (178). Instead, you should, I suppose, work on your negotiating skills. Because according to Caroline, you don't need a degree to get a job that requires a degree: "If you don't have a degree and you want a job that requires one, go in there and stand up for yourself. Tell them that you may not have a degree but you're a badass and you're good at what you do. Then tell them that if they give you the job, they can pay you half the salary for two months, and you'll show them" (179). So in Caroline's mind, teachers don't need to be educated on the subjects they're teaching; they just need to "have balls and show initiative." Good advice from someone who never went to college!
5. Never spoil your kids! Make sure they know that they have to work for everything they have, but make sure you give them everything after they've learned the lesson. Make sure your kids know the value of hard work. Once they know, it's okay to sink all of your savings, amounting to about $250,000, into a business venture for them, even though they have no formal business education or training. Alternatively, you could buy them cars.
These are just a few breadcrumbs of advice and wisdom Caroline Manzo has to extol in her book. And in case you need more insight, you'll also read about Caroline's five favorite meals, her most cherished tchotchkes, ways to make time for yourself (which, infuriatingly, includes "take a class at a local college," about 30 pages after she advised everyone not to go to college), what makes Caroline cry, and recipes for salad (yes, salad), meatballs, and brussel sprouts.
So far, this is the most useless book I've read by a Real Housewife, and that's really saying something, all things considered.
June 22, 2024
Caroline Manzo, my forever Queen 👸🏼. I can’t believe it took me this long to read this. Felt like reading the guide for how to live life in the best way possible.
July 25, 2013
An enjoyable read if you're a housewife fan. It has some wise advice and also stories from Caroline's past. My favorite part about the book was the behind the scenes sections that were throughout about what happens while filming the show. Some of the stories/antidotes seemed more like Caroline boasting about how she was an amazing person and not presenting real advice.
April 20, 2013
A quick read. I enjoyed reading her book but was surprised that there wasn't a little more about her childhood, family, etc. I thought of all the Housewives she would have more depth to her writing. I still enjoyed reading this book and would read it again. I am going to try a few of the recipes she included in her book as well.
August 16, 2013
I loved and could give a crap if no one else did! If you are reading this to get an expert opinion then don't bother.....Caroline was a normal housewife that lucked into celeb status and she wrote a wonderful book full of her points of view and she never claims to have all the answers! Again I loved it but I was not reading it to fix anything in my life but she does provide some good pointers!
March 27, 2013
I love Caroline's tell-it-like-it-is attitude. I also like that she shared her favorite recipes, favorite books, and other happy tidbits.
April 7, 2013
awful. not much to say, says it poorly and repetitively.
May 11, 2018
I don’t know that anyone who picks up a book like this is expecting a life shattering explosion of substance, but after plowing through a previous book that was quite dense, I needed something easy breezy and this one fit the bill.
I’ve been a longtime fan of all the Real Housewives franchises and New Jersey is by far my #1 favorite. As far as guilty pleasures go, it’s like a televised version of Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese. Of the Jersey Housewives, I do enjoy Caroline, even if I do find her to be a little sanctimonious (we get it. You’re super generous and motherly. Now do me a favor and pass out facedown in a shrubbery for once). This book is a nice look into who she is behind the scenes. It does not offer any dish, but she does include fun little excerpts where she divulges all about the realities of filming reality TV (ex: they can’t sing happy birthday to anyone while filming because the licensing rights are supes expensive. While they aren’t given a script, they are told to go walk in a park to discuss a specific topic. The story lines are written in advance based on gossip and inside fodder the producers get through various sources. These storylines are never disclosed to the cast until filming starts and the cast are suddenly ambushed with a surprise guest, etc...)
Again, War and Peace, this is not.
Light beach reading, sure, but only if you are a fan of the show. Otherwise, this book is just going to be a weird diatribe from a Jersey housewife pontificating for several hours about her version of life lessons and her insistence that she levels the playing field of humanity by reminding herself that everyone takes a shit.
Sooo...yeah.
I’ve been a longtime fan of all the Real Housewives franchises and New Jersey is by far my #1 favorite. As far as guilty pleasures go, it’s like a televised version of Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese. Of the Jersey Housewives, I do enjoy Caroline, even if I do find her to be a little sanctimonious (we get it. You’re super generous and motherly. Now do me a favor and pass out facedown in a shrubbery for once). This book is a nice look into who she is behind the scenes. It does not offer any dish, but she does include fun little excerpts where she divulges all about the realities of filming reality TV (ex: they can’t sing happy birthday to anyone while filming because the licensing rights are supes expensive. While they aren’t given a script, they are told to go walk in a park to discuss a specific topic. The story lines are written in advance based on gossip and inside fodder the producers get through various sources. These storylines are never disclosed to the cast until filming starts and the cast are suddenly ambushed with a surprise guest, etc...)
Again, War and Peace, this is not.
Light beach reading, sure, but only if you are a fan of the show. Otherwise, this book is just going to be a weird diatribe from a Jersey housewife pontificating for several hours about her version of life lessons and her insistence that she levels the playing field of humanity by reminding herself that everyone takes a shit.
Sooo...yeah.
July 17, 2018
I did not like this book...I loved it! Well written with so much positive information about the show and about Caroline's life. What a girl...she may be brazen but that coupled with spunk and maturity show the "real" Caroline! You will get a glimpse of her family and of the cast mates but the real charm of this book is Caroline herself. There were times when I got a bit teary and times I laughed so hard. If you want to read a real feel good book, this is the one. Don't expect a lot of gossip about the show...she is better than that. Expect good and honest advise...I rate this a 10 (need five more stars).
April 28, 2024
Ljudbok, engelska
Denna var (precis som dom andra housewives böckerna) inte värd min tid.
Orimligt tråkig bok, full med hur fantastisk familj hon har och hur otroligt bra människa, fru, mamma hon är. Klart man ska få skryta men efter några timmars lyssnande blev det väldigt tjatigt. Hade såklart velat höra mer om showen men också fler berättelser som inte slutade i hur bra hon hanterade det eller vilken fantastisk man hon har.
Den får två stjärnor för att hon, trots sin inte lyssnarvänliga röst, gjorde ett bra jobb med att läsa in boken (jämför med Theresa som emellanåt lät överraskad över vad hon läste).
Denna var (precis som dom andra housewives böckerna) inte värd min tid.
Orimligt tråkig bok, full med hur fantastisk familj hon har och hur otroligt bra människa, fru, mamma hon är. Klart man ska få skryta men efter några timmars lyssnande blev det väldigt tjatigt. Hade såklart velat höra mer om showen men också fler berättelser som inte slutade i hur bra hon hanterade det eller vilken fantastisk man hon har.
Den får två stjärnor för att hon, trots sin inte lyssnarvänliga röst, gjorde ett bra jobb med att läsa in boken (jämför med Theresa som emellanåt lät överraskad över vad hon läste).
June 22, 2021
Ok let me begin by saying, I love me some Caroline Manzo--a Jersey OG and absolute talking head slayer. Listening to this book was like having her back on my tv after many years off. That said, some of her advice--for which she makes no apologies, nor asks permission--really made me cringe. That's the point, if you ask her--she owns her opinions, no matter how dated or sexist (Lauren had to make the boys beds growing up so she could learn to be a good wife?!?! And they didn't?!? Oy.). I respect that, but woof some times I really couldn't contain my eye rolls.
January 31, 2021
I am a huge fan of Caroline, who she is and what she values in life. A great read, it's engaging, fun and everything Caroline is herself with words of inspiration and wisdom from her along the way. #carolinemanzo #letmetellyousomething #tea_sipping_bookworm #goodreads #litsy #bookstagram #bookqueen #amazonkindle #memoir
September 26, 2023
Caroline has always been my fav NJHW! Reading this book just gave me a new appreciation for her and it’s a warm fuzzy feeling I have because the way she mothers, the way she raised her family is a lot like my family so it was very homey to read her words. I value her advise and wish she could be my Tia or Godmama haha ❤️
February 1, 2018
Caroline has always been my favorite Housewife and I really enjoyed her book. I learned new things about her and got some good advise I can use in my life. She had me laughing throughout the book and even made me cry when she talked about certain things. I know she's a very private person, but I appreciate her opening up in her book!
April 16, 2018
If you like Caroline Manzo you'll, probably, like this book. It's the no-nonsens attitude that we love about her. I wish there were more personal family history, but I did enjoy the advice portions of the book.
October 10, 2020
If the phrase “Let me tell you something about my family” sends a manic thrill through your nervous system and inspires a sudden craving for escarole and beans and an impulse to call someone garbage, you will love this book as much as I did. I want Caroline to adopt me.
April 24, 2022
This is beyond beautiful. There were times I was walking with the puppies and get chocked up based on the words I’m hearing. This woman’s soul is like no other. She is special. She is more than the bravo show.
November 29, 2024
Light and easy read for sure. I'm a Bravoholic, so I read it for fun and for that simple fact. If Caroline is one of your favorite housewives, definitely give it a read. It reads just like she's sitting in the room with you.
April 28, 2025
we get it caroline, ur nOt LiKe oThEr HoUsEwiVeS uR aN eMpAtH - this whole book is just a large nothing burger
2/10
ngl i dont think just having children makes you qualified to give parenting advice in a book
2/10
ngl i dont think just having children makes you qualified to give parenting advice in a book
July 28, 2017
Not what I expected but better! Her advice is
Bomb dot com. This is were I learned about
Shaving my face.🤣
Bomb dot com. This is were I learned about
Shaving my face.🤣
April 14, 2020
I didn’t love all the random advice letters throughout the book and as a whole it was a little repetitive but an easy read.
May 10, 2020
Quick read. Did not learn anything I did not know about the family...seeing that I was faithful to watching the show until the deportation started up with Theresa.
November 20, 2021
Meh... I wanted to like it because Caroline is my fav. But a lot of her advice was toxic and outdated. I think the perfect mom and wife thing is overdone in this book.
September 28, 2023
I love Caroline Manzo and this book was just, her. It was real and raw, just like her! Loved every minute.
March 11, 2024
I liked Manzo as a housewife but this book fell flat for me. Maybe it just didn’t age well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews