Let the Light In: Lessons learned through life, love and laughter

by Jane McDonald

'Life is what you make it, nothing is for free
Stand up and be counted, and be who you want to be'
'Let The Light In' Jane McDonald
Jane was planning a golden retirement with her beloved partner Ed, when a shocking cancer diagnosis changed everything. Ed was terminally ill. Jane nursed him at home until the end, on her own, with the UK in lockdown. At first she was overwhelmed, but slowly gathered strength from caring for her loved one, and now sees that it was a privilege to be there for him.

'Let The Light In', a song Jane wrote over twenty years ago during another dark time, points the way to finding a new kind of joy out of sorrow. It's a philosophy Jane has always lived by and, in this deeply personal book exploring the same themes, she reveals the lessons she's learned that have helped her grow, adapt and rise up through adversity. She looks back with candour and honesty on her experiences of heartbreak and loss, failure and burn-out. Cherishing the ring of support around her, taking the odd duvet day and keeping a sense of humour throughout, she grew stronger through each challenge, building resilience, trusting her gut, going for her goals.
Read on and let Jane McDonald’s fabulous light into your own life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Biography

320 pages, Paperback

Published June 17, 2025

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy going read about lesson learnt in life

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook. Quite an emotional listen at times but thoroughly enjoyable

[Rich ✧ ✭ ✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane’s latest book was an absolute triumph with me. It’s a beautifully poignant, deeply emotional & profoundly inspiring book in which she’s shared truly personal stories & shares some valuable lessons & thought-provoking quotes for us readers.

It serves as a continuation of her journey documented in her last book ‘Riding The Waves’ as well as cleverly & uniquely helping a reader understand their own worth, instincts & guidance through life.

This latest book is not just an update on the events of her life; it’s a raw & vulnerable reflection on love, loss & the power of resilience. Jane’s candid storytelling, especially when recounting the heartbreaking loss of her beloved partner, Ed, and her mother, touched my heart. Her openness in dealing with such personal grief and the stages she went through is refreshingly honest, offering comfort to anyone navigating similar challenges.

What truly sets ‘Let The Light In’ apart is Jane’s ability to weave her personal experiences into universal life lessons. With great wisdom, she covers a range of topics from managing anxiety, building resilience, navigating relationships, and importance of finding ‘your people’ in life. Each chapter brims with thoughtful reflections & beautiful quotes, offering guidance & comfort no matter where you are on your personal journey.

For fans of Jane, this book is a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes stories from her tours, music & television career. But it’s also so much more than that. ‘Let The Light In’ is for anyone looking for direction, strength, or simply a reminder that they are not alone in their struggles. Jane’s wisdom and heartfelt prose make it a book that will truly resonates with readers from all walks of life.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or someone seeking a guide through life’s trials, this is a must-read. It’s uplifting, thought-provoking, and profoundly moving whilst offering a beacon of hope and light in today’s world.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ì may be biased as I am a huge fan of Jane's, but I really feel that this book could appeal to so many people.
It details parts of Jane's life in different chapters, and basically takes us along for a ringside view of what she went through, and how she came out the other side.
She opens up and very honestly speaks about her ups and downs in life - focussing especially in the "downs" as that is when you learn the most about yourself and sometimes discover a strength you had no idea you possessed.
She speaks candidly about learning to live with grief after the death of her mother, followed soon after by the death of her fiancé.
I would recommend this book in a heartbeat. It is very easy to read, the chapters seamlessly flow,, and the advice is great. Above all you don't need to be a "Jane Fan" to enjoy this. Jane writes as a human being sharing her story with other human beings.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great biography. I know Jane has written other books but I've not read them.

I've always loved The Cruise, but not followed Jane all that much since then, I've watched a few of her travel shows but don't go out of my way to watch her unfortunately. However, this book was so interesting and was a real timeline of her life and career, with some messages and lessons thrown in.

I really enjoyed this, it gave back story to the jobs she has had, relationships and bad times. She is real true person and reading this felt like she was sitting in front of me talking to me. I enjoy watching Jane and Sue on Gogglebox and she really comes across as a down to earth person and the book really reflects that. Very good read.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let the Light In is a warm, emotional, and often laugh-out-loud memoir from the ever-relatable Jane McDonald. It’s a story filled with honesty, heartache, and hope — and Jane’s down-to-earth personality shines through on every page.

I listened to the audiobook, and hearing Jane read it herself made it feel all the more personal. Her natural Yorkshire warmth and humour made me feel like I was sitting with a friend having a cuppa and a good chat. There were moments that truly moved me, and others that had me giggling out loud.

This is more than just a celebrity memoir — it’s a story of resilience, joy, and learning to let the light in, even when life gets tough. A heartfelt, uplifting read that I’d highly recommend, especially in audiobook form.

[David Cottington · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolute girl Janey <3

I wasn't sure what to expect from this having already read her 2 previous books but I got everything I wanted and more - I really did live, laugh and love.

Highly recommend the audiobook, which I read along to. It felt like Jane was in the room reading it to me. Perfection.

I got quite teary reading about Jane losing Ed - I'm not sure I even knew he died until reading this. Revisiting the passing of her mum really hit me too as someone that is close to their mum.

I unfortunately missed getting a signed copy - so if you're reading this Janey, hit me up!

[Kieran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was a great insight into national treasure Jane McDonald. I have read her previous book and did think that some of the chapters in here were quite similar to the last book but still enjoyable. I listened on Audible which Jane narrated which was fantastic. She’s a great story teller, down to earth and full of wisdom. Loved hearing about her up to date career and what she has planned for the future. Very self aware and honest. An enjoyable read/listen.

[nikki-louise smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

WELL WELL WELL I’m not gonna lie this absolutely devoured.

I loveee arr Jane and I actually couldn’t put this down - I especially loved the part where she referred to herself as a ‘hun’ and a ‘diva’ we love our self aware icon.

Honestly what a dorl luv u queen xxx

Even if you aren’t a fan of Jane I’d still recommend just for the sheer life lessons she teaches like yes mi love slay slay slay.

[Matthew Mclane · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you were to strip away the ‘I told you so’ stories, hubris and lazily rehashed material from 2019’s ‘Riding the Waves’ there’d be very little of this book left. It was an enjoyable enough listen, however, and it was very moving to hear her talk about her husband, Ed’s death.

[Karyn Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing read, gave an insight into Jane's life

[Frankie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic read from my favourite diva
Love her to bits and her book is so true and honest

Worth a read x

[Angela Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Jane...shes so down to earth. This book definitely gave me food for thought!

[JULIA DAVEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. Listening to Jane talk about her life experiences was very thought provoking.

Emotional at times, but really didn’t want it to end.

Jane, you’re fantastic x

[Ruth Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant Audio book Jane narrating it

[trying_to_read_a_bit_more · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outpouring of emotion and honesty! Brilliant to read/listen to, so raw and actually really uplifting!

[Richard McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Jane’s book in just over 24 hours! I could not put it down.
A lovely well written book about Jane’s life, very open and honest and with some life lessons.
Excellent from start to finish.

[Gill Crout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading all about Jane's journey through her life experiences.

[Juley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, I am a huge JM fan and this book surpassed even my expectations 😀

[Lucy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely loved this book, so hard to put down. so honest

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ADORE Jane McDonald! Hearing more about her life was genuinely really interesting and her life advice was both useful and validating.

[Dylan Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane, what an icon.

Would I be lying if I said I hadn’t just decided to read it because her face was on the cover? Yes. However this book was so much more than just a spiel and I will hold my hands up and say that I was wrong to assume.

It provided such an insight into her life and was just so raw and real and even if don’t remember all 10 lessons she provides, I think the thing that will stick with me the most is that you can still be successful after so much has gone wrong.

Thank you so much Jane for such an emotional and unfiltered insight into your life.

[Jess Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jane and it was great, I love her personality and it shines through in her narration of this book. I read Jane's first book, Riding the Waves, which I loved although I did find that stories from that book made their way into this book, so at times it did feel repetitive. However I loved her sharing her life lessons, I enjoyed hearing more about her recent few years and what she has done career wise. I felt heartbroken to hear about her husband Ed and her reflections on grief were very raw, honest and relatable. She comes across as such a lovely, down-to-earth amazing human and I wish we could be besties!