Strap Yourself In: A memoir of motherhood, dance floors and all the mayhem in between

by Amy Gerard

A laugh-out-loud, deeply relatable memoir challenging our unrealistic expectations of motherhood and life, from the Instagram sensation and host of Beyond the Likes podcastIn a world of highly curated Instagram pages and unrealistic expectations of motherhood, Amy Gerard is a gust of fresh air. She does not sugarcoat the fact that her life with her husband and three small children ( tiny bosses) is a chaotic rollercoaster - seatbelts absolutely required.But she's learned that life very rarely matches up to our expectations, and it's more helpful (and fun) to embrace the warts-and-all beauty, pain and hilarity of everyday life. From birth and parenting to marriage and friendship; sex and holidays to family and careers, Amy unravels her wildly hopeful expectations and candidly reveals the messy, curveballs and plot twists that have shaped her life so far.A must-read for new mums or anyone who has ever compared their own life to an Instagram grid post, this uplifting and laugh-out-loud funny memoir will make you stop to smell the roses and appreciate what you've got.

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2024

Reviews

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

She's absolutely hilarious!

[Kelly Hillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basically a convo with your bestie over a glass of wine! I read this on a kid-free interstate girls trip - I think Amy would be proud!

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Clare | ce.readsss]

In her uproarious and deeply relatable memoir, Amy Gerard, known for her unfiltered portrayal of life's chaos on Instagram and as host of the Beyond the Likes podcast, boldly challenges the idyllic images of motherhood and existence pervasive on social media.

With her husband and three pint-sized dynamos in tow, Amy vividly depicts the whirlwind of her daily life—a rollercoaster ride where seatbelts are non-negotiable. Yet, amidst the chaos, she uncovers the freeing truth that life rarely adheres to our idealized expectations, encouraging us to embrace its messy, authentic, and uproarious nature.

From the challenges of childbirth and the trials of parenthood to the intricacies of marriage and the nuances of friendship, Amy exposes the stark contrast between her once lofty dreams and the wonderfully chaotic reality of her life.

This memoir is a must-read for mothers and anyone who has compared their own experiences to carefully curated social media posts. Bursting with humor and wisdom, it serves as a heartfelt reminder to pause, relish the moment, and celebrate life's imperfect beauty.

As I immersed myself in its pages, I found myself nodding in agreement, feeling as though Amy's words illuminated my own journey through life's tumult. While my path may differ—residing in Clapham South without children—I discovered a wealth of invaluable insights that deeply resonated with me.

Though certain chapters, particularly those delving into career and friendships, struck a profound chord, I am certain that this book will continue to leave a lasting impact on my life for years to come.

For anyone navigating life's twists and turns and questioning the universality of their experiences, this book is a perfect fit. With its candid and relatable storytelling, it offers solace, laughter, and a resounding recommendation from me. Trust me, you won't regret immersing yourself in Amy's delightful narrative—I wholeheartedly endorse it.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️
Two stars.

Strap Yourself In: A memoir of motherhood, dancefloors and all the mayhem in between by Amy Gerard is a candid, humorous, and relatable memoir. The Instagram star shares the chaotic reality of parenting, marriage, and life, contrasting her, often, wild expectations with the chaotic truth. It focuses on embracing the "warts-and-all" beauty of life.

Since I have a problem with the joint in my right thumb and typing on my phone isn’t currently easy for me, I’m going to do somewhat less than I would normally do when writing a review. I’m just going to have to do this until my hand is better, for who knows how long…So what I am going to do is just talk about what I think the best thing about the book is and what I like least about the book is. I'll start with the best thing: well Amy Gerard is honest and reasonably transparent I think. There were a couple of relatable moments and anecdotes that made me smile.

What I liked the least: I understand that memoirs are inherently at least a little bit a vanity project for a lot of people. This book felt like it was most definitely a vanity project. Even when telling a story that is supposed to make her sound relatable, she still can’t help herself adding in things like humble brags. So so so many humble brags. Oh when I was so hot and all the men were chasing me and then I had babies and my boobs got saggy and I was forced to go and have a boob job. Humble brags followed by trying to be relatable, followed by something that reveals exactly how unrelatable she actually is. I got to a point where I was just so sick of listening to this ridiculous vanity project that I just couldn’t wait for it to be over. It felt like it was a real drag towards the end especially because my tolerance for it was gone.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I came by this book, I looked at the cover and thought it might be about a UK reality TV star on a dancing show (or similar). Imagine my surprise when I realised Amy grew up and lives in the same part of Sydney as me. I did like the structure with each chapter focusing on her expectation of life vs reality, her strong family focus and her sense of understanding of herself. A quick and fun read, but I do wonder if Amy and hubby will last. She's got a very full load and he is leaving early and getting home late.

[Tenille Napoli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! Read this book while in the deep throws of having a third child and wrangling a preppy and toddler. This was waaaayyy too relatable in the best way possible. I had actually fits of laughter. So much so that once I was breasfeeding and my husband said I was giving our son a milkshake. Must read if you have one or even seven children. You will feel seen. You will realise you are normal. You will die of laughter. Only to pick yourself up and have to do yet another load of laundry. #mumlife

[Gabriella Tobias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy’s warmth comes through in this book from start to finish. A perfect reflection of life, parenting, friendships and fun.

[Sammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, super relatable, plenty of laughs.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good and funny.

[Amy Pech · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt like I was having a chat with a bestie, such a easy read and thank you as it got myself out of my little hiatus I had taken from reading

[Kelly Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Amy so I knew I was going to love her book, easy read and made me laugh ☺️

[Megan Clinch · Rating 5 out of 5]

So damn relatable. Loved it all! Lots of laughs!

[Jemma Tolhurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laugh out loud, so many lols and relatable

[Melanie Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a a great easy read, Amy is so honest and real and made me feel like a normal mum, I laughed out loud and had a wine in hand really enjoyed it.

[Hayley Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew I would love this book because I have followed Amy for so many years. I laughed out loud multiple times and I was in tears at the end. A must read for mums x

[Morgan Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Love Amy's podcast so listened to the audiobook version and struggled a bit with it. Felt quite performative, whereas I expected to hear her casual chat style.

[Jodi Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Amy, wanted to love this too but just couldn’t, parts I enjoyed parts I zoned out for. Almost like reading someone’s diary…

[Tahlia Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little advice giving for me but had a lot of laughs too. Would recommend if you enjoy following her accounts

[Minnie . · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in the parenting Section in the Library and luckily I found it.
It wasn't really a parenting book, but a beautiful memoir from a Mother.
A funny, smart Mother!
I loved to read about her adventures, it was always in my hands, while we drove from Melbourne to Sydney and stayed for the Christmas holidays, and I wished, I could meet her!!
But reading her book was a lot like meeting her, It was so raw, so beautiful, honest and true..
I loved the spicy details, Loved the messy parts, loved her motherhood journey and went through a varied of emotions while reading the book.
And yes, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and wished it should keep going..
I felt a bit overwhelmed when I read about all her adventures, it gave me a chance to live those moment in those pages.. I was overwhelmed because I felt how wild she was! Before her kids, How daring she was and had so many varied experiences in life!
At 1 point of time, I felt sad that I couldn't have so many chances and choices, I didn't understand boundaries, emotions and feelings at such young age, but she did!
She knew what she was looking for!
And this makes this memoir even more interesting for the young women!
To learn from her experiences, learn from what she's sharing in such beautiful way!
How to have boundaries and what should be a non negotiable!
Loved this book and would recommend every teenager / 20 someone to read it!
I might read it again in a few years once I forget the details.