Nineteen: A Daughter's Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery

by Leslie Johansen Nack

For fans of Stephanie Thornton-Plymale's American Daughter and Cea Sunrise Person’s North of Normal comes Leslie Johansen Nack’s emotional follow-up memoir about her battle with addiction following a traumatic childhood—and her inspiring journey toward healing and happiness.

In the mid-1970s, after sailing to French Polynesia with her sisters and father, Leslie Nack returned to the US with her family. In Southern California, she began the integration process back into American life, which meant being tossed back and forth between an alcoholic, mentally ill mother and an abusive, overbearing father who took her to deliver sailboats, sent her on a wilderness survival course, and recovered a stolen boat for an insurance company in the Virgin Islands. During all of that, she and her sisters attempted to free their mentally ill mother from confinement. Life couldn’t be more unpredictable.

At nineteen, her larger-than-life father dies suddenly in a plane crash in Mexico. In the wake of his death, she descends into addiction—caught in a downward spiral, her only solace is her next fix. Ultimately, however, Leslie’s story is one of she chooses sobriety and happiness, builds a healthy marriage, and raises two children.

At its heart, Nineteen affirms that acquiring new skills and investing in oneself are essential to breaking free from the destructive lessons of childhood. Raw and intense but ultimately hopeful, this sequel to the popular memoir Fourteen tells the rest of Leslie’s turbulent—and incredible—story.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

362 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Leslie Johansen Nack has been published in Writer’s Digest and Journey Magazine and is the author of three award-winning books: Fourteen, A Daughter’s Memoir of Adventure, Sailing and Survival; its sequel, Nineteen, A Daughter’s Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery; and the historical romance novel The Blue Butterfly.
Her writing explores survival, resilience, family trauma, and the hard-won beauty of healing. Drawing from her own extraordinary journey — from a childhood shaped by instability and abuse to building a healthy, loving life — Leslie writes with honesty, courage, and compassion.
She holds a degree in English Literature from UCLA and has dedicated her work to helping others find hope through storytelling. Leslie is a member of the National Association of Memoir Writers, the Historical Novel Society, and the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.
She lives outside Seattle with her husband, where she continues to write stories that illuminate resilience, redemption, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Reviews

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio. It's narrated by the author and was really well done. 
It's a gripping coming of age  memoir of the author's own experiences with a dysfunctional and abusive family life throughout her teen years. goes down a destructive path of alcohol, drugs, and men who are bad influences on her and she cannot seem to find the love and security that she seeks. Ultimately, she is able to recover and create a better life. I really related to this book so much, and I was just rooting for her throughout to find a better life path! Such a well written, and inspiring memoir. 

Thank you to the publisher, author and Suzy approved book tours for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Kady M · Rating 5 out of 5]

”The primal need for parental love is a basic yearning. Wading through the minefield I grew up in has taken my entire life. I have found peace and acceptance, and for that, I’m grateful” — Leslie Johansen Nack

If this quote resonates with you, I urge you to pick up Nineteen today. This is an amazing memoir full of tragedy, grief, addiction, hopelessness, despair and heartache. It also brings the hope of healing and recovery. This is a book I didn’t know I needed to read until I did, and it is one I am thankful was put in my path.

I admire and respect Leslie for her courage to pour her heart out to readers in this memoir. It’s is real and raw and there were many times while reading my heart physically ached. This book is a reminder of the lengths that we will ALL go to when searching for love, belonging/acceptance. When you are denied these basic psychological needs as a child, the intensity of your search for them as a young adult into adulthood, can end up being detrimental to your health and well being.

This memoir hit hard for me because there are so many things I can personally relate to within the pages. Reading this was an emotional rollercoaster yet it also felt like I was sitting beside a best friend whose pain and fear I completely understood. Leslie tells her story from a time when mental health and mental, sexual & physical abuse were not acknowledged like they should have been. Not to say that our society is anywhere where it needs to be, but I do feel like we’re in a better place than we were in the 70’s & 80’s. In addition to being a story of healing and hope, this is also a story of survival when all the odds have been stacked against you; when you’ve been dealt an unfair hand that makes you want to throw in the towel but somehow you find the strength and confidence to push through and the story that will remind you that no matter what you’ve been told in the past, you ARE capable of great things!

If a rating could be higher than 5 stars, this one would have it! Thank you so much to BookSparks and Leslie Johansen Nack for this gifted copy of Nineteen 💙 All opinions are my own.

[Tara Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memoirs: Love them or skip them? ⛵️✨

Happy release week @leslie.johansen.nack 🫶🏼

This is easily one of my favorite memoirs I’ve read. I’m a huge fan of them so have read quite a few! 😅

Leslie told her story so well I had to remind myself this was HER LIFE. This wasn’t fiction. She lived through all of this.

This was a raw, emotional, coming of age story of her most formative years. It was absolutely heartbreaking to read at times but her resilience, perseverance, and growth showed through the pages.

The book is written in short chapters that had me saying one more chapter every time I picked it up, before I knew it I would be 100 pages in for that sitting.

@leslie.johansen.nack THANK YOU for sharing your story. Your words have the potential to reach hearts that need it the most. We are all cheering for you.

Thank you to @shewritespress & @booksparks for the gifted copy of this one. 🤍

#booksparks #fallpopup #NineteenMemoir #memoir #nonfiction #review #bookreview #arcreview #bookrecs #bookrecommendation #bookish #booksta #bookgirly #reader

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Leslie's first memoir Fourteen many years ago, and always wondered what happened afterwards. Well this book gives the unvarnished story of her teenage years and early adulthood. I couldn't put it down. Leslie is an accomplished and entertaining writer, and a very honest one. Her life wasn't easy, with a mentally ill and alcoholic mother, and an abusive and controlling father. I'm not giving away anything that's not in the blurb for the book on Amazon, but her already difficult life spirals out of control after her father dies, and she herself becomes an addict, giving us a vivid portrayal of what that means. This book is written with such intimacy into her life, and her innermost thoughts, that you are almost living inside her head. Beautifully written, and most definitely recommended. You don't need to read her previous memoir to enjoy this one, but it does help to give an insight into her past, and what makes her the young woman in this book. I honor Leslie for writing this book, as it must have been difficult to relive some terrible times in her life.

[Rossana D'Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leslie Johansen Nack has written a haunting memoir that will stay with you long after the final page. Beautifully written, Nineteen recounts a year of self-discovery, trauma, resilience, and survival. This memoir is for readers who seek to understand how anyone can survive dysfunctional parents and emerge on the other side as strong, powerful, and inspirational role models. Leslie Johansen Nack writes with honesty and grace, transforming heartbreak into hope—in other words, it does exactly what an unforgettable memoir is supposed to do. A powerful memoir that reminds us that healing is possible, even after the darkest chapters. Bravo!

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nineteen is a story about bravery, healing, and survival. Leslie Nack’s story pulls you into her pain, the chaos, and her resilience in a way that feels very personal. Her experiences with family trauma, addiction, and loss are intense and raw, but there’s always this sense of hope running through the story that never really goes away.

Powerful, raw, and hard to stop reading.

I’ve read another book by this author and loved it, and after this one, I’m even more excited to read more of her work.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a very raw and honest telling of the authors life. She didn’t have an easy life, filled with abuse, housing instability, drugs, and bad relationships. With everything against her she fights to survive and she does survive. She never gives up and her story tells that very well. This book serves as a reminder that not everyone has a perfect life but you do the best with what you have no matter what.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

A powerful and moving story of a woman's growth from her childhood into her adulthood trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs in the world. This book will take you on a raw emotional journey unlike others that you may have read. I liked that the author was not afraid to go there and tell her us about all the sorrows and difficult decisions she would have to face to get to where she is today. I applaud her for being so brave to share her journey with us not in just one, but two books. I will have to pick up the prequel fourteen!

[Chelsie Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nineteen: A Daughter's Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery is the sequel to Nack's first memoir, Fourteen: A Daughter's Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival, which is the foundation of her story. After reading Fourteen, much like many other readers, I was desperate to know what happened next. Not only was her story well-written and compelling, but it also left readers with quite a cliffhanger.

My heart was in pieces after the first book, and when I nearly cried while reading the Author's Note (you know, the bit you read before the story even starts, like, before page one), I knew her struggles were far from over. Allowing the world to know the most vulnerable parts of your intimate experiences takes courage, and I applaud Nack for her authenticity and transparency in sharing all the hardships she faced and eventually overcame.

After spending her early years living her father's dream of traveling the world on a sailboat with her and her two sisters, they return to American soil and attempt to lead a more traditional life. But years of trying to protect herself from her father's inappropriate behavior and dealing with her mostly absent, mentally ill mother have left her with few coping skills to manage the chaos going on within and around her. She soon finds herself in the arms of older men, constantly engaging in risky behavior, and eventually discovers the euphoric magic drugs and alcohol provide.

Despite the hardships and heartache Leslie faced, this powerful memoir is full of hope. Her story proves that no matter what trauma you've faced, it's not too late to change the direction of your life. I highly recommend reading Fourteen first, but this isn't a memoir to overlook. These books will stick with me for a long time.

[Amanda (spooky.octopus.reads) Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

💙𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 // 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘕𝘢𝘤𝘬⁣
⁣
It takes a very strong and talented person to take such tragedy and trauma in their life and turn it into such beauty and hope on the page. ⁣
⁣
Full transparency, I usually do not seek out memoirs. However, when one wanders into my life with depth, rawness, and some heavy, dark topics, my curiosity is typically piqued. And my curiosity definitely paid off this time! ⁣
⁣
Leslie’s story of growing up with two very troubling parents- an abusive father and a tuned out, mentally ill mother- certainly didn’t set her up with the behaviors and skills she’d need to thrive and just deal with life. With chaos abound, she turned to what was easy, what numbed…drugs, alcohol, and destructive behaviors. Leslie held back zero punches and laid her life bare through the words she wrote. Sometimes the story almost seemed like just that…a story. Like how could someone endure this life and somehow emerge like a butterfly, transformed in the chrysalis surrounded by mayhem and trauma? ⁣
⁣
This story truly proves that healing is hard work- it takes strength and courage every day just to keep going and moving towards the light- to continue to keep the darkness at bay. I think we could all learn a bit from Leslie’s endurance and determination in not letting her suffering define her. ⁣
⁣
I’ll admit, I didn’t read the prequel to this book, Fourteen: A Daughter’s Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival, so I went into this one without the background context provided within. (It’s on my list now though!) However, I think Nineteen can certainly be read as a stand alone and still deliver quite an impact. ⁣
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🖤🖤🖤🖤💕/5⁣
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*Thank you @booksparks and @leslie.johansen.nack for this #gifted copy! ⁣
⁣

[Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
📕 enjoy memoirs
👀 were looking for a follow up to Fourteen
💔 like books that put you in your feels
✌🏻 grew up in the 70s

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

In the mid-1970s, Nack's family returned from sailing to French Polynesia
and began the integration process into American life again, which included being tossed back and forth between an alcoholic, mentally ill mother, and an abusive, overbearing father. 

In an effort to find love and acceptance, Nack chases a myth that throws her into the path of nefarious older men, where she eventually falls into drug and alcohol addiction. When her father dies in his own plane in Mexico, his abuse lingers in her psyche, and she spirals out of control. Her only solace is her next fix. Somehow, she finds the grace, despite her abjectly dysfunctional family background, to believe in her worth, which leads her to sobriety and recovery.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

Wow, this was such a heart wrenching story about a girl who experienced things nobody should have to go through! I felt so bad for her. I haven’t read her first memoir, Fourteen, but this picks up nicely and shares what she experienced after her first memoir. I wanted so badly to be able to reach through the pages and travel back in time and help her in any way I could. She was let down by the very people who should have been uplifting her. My favorite part was watching her dig herself out of the hole she unfortunately found herself in and turning her life around for the better. Her fiery spirit had me rooting for her the whole time. If you’re looking for a memoir that will have you in your feels, I highly recommend this one.

[Jennifer Silva Redmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nineteen: A Daughter’s Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery begins not long after the end of the previous book, still in Southern California, where we’re thrown into a truly dysfunctional situation, with her mom back in the mix part-time and her bright and ambitious dad wrangling everyone into working in his various marine businesses, sometimes to an abusive degree.
Her mom’s struggles with mental illness continue, in SoCal and in her hometown of Toronto, Canada; her daughters are uprooted, taken along for brief stints, and some collateral damage in done. Torn between countries and parents, teenaged Leslie seeks comfort with an older man who shows an interest in her and soon they are lovers. Her life keeps her unrooted and unsure of herself, and she finds solace in men’s adoration of her beautiful face and body, both in Toronto and when she is back in California.
As soon as she is able, this young woman is out on her own, but not exactly, as each step is taken with or toward a different, debatably helpful man who believes he knows what is best for her. But those men are not her dad, and being with someone who is not her father is all that Leslie requires at that point. The security and love she lacks and is desperately looking for eludes her and, perhaps predictably, the men turn her on to alcohol, and then drugs, which seem like the perfect way to cope with the emptiness of her fruitless search for self—at least, at first.

[Amanda ( boookstamanda ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir shattered my heart into pieces and then slowly pieced it back together again. In Nineteen, Leslie Johansen Nack shares her heartbreaking journey through tragedy, grief, and addiction. What starts as a story of pain and loss turns into one of strength, resilience, and hope. I didn’t realize there’s a prequel called Fourteen, but this reads beautifully on its own and I never felt confused or lost.

I have so much admiration for the author’s bravery and honesty in telling such a deeply personal account. Her writing is so raw and vivid that I had to remind myself it wasn’t fiction. The short chapters and beautiful flow completely pulled me in, and the sleep deprivation from staying up reading was absolutely worth it. It’s one of those memoirs that sticks with you long after you finish, the kind that quietly rearranges something inside you.

Every reader will take something different from this book, but I think we can all find a piece of ourselves somewhere within its pages. It’s a reminder that healing isn’t simple, that survival takes courage, and that even in the darkest moments, light still finds a way through.

Big thanks to the author and BookSparks for the gifted copy!

[Cassie’s Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This memoir is raw, heartbreaking, and deeply moving. Set in the mid-1970s, it follows Leslie Nack as she is thrust back into American life after an idyllic sailing childhood in French Polynesia, only to be caught between an alcoholic, mentally ill mother and an abusive, controlling father. The contrast between freedom and dysfunction makes her story especially haunting.
Desperate for love and belonging, Leslie chases acceptance in all the wrong places, falling into destructive relationships with older men and eventually into drug and alcohol addiction. Even after her father’s sudden death in a plane crash in the jungles of Mexico, his abuse continues to shape her life, pushing her deeper into a spiral where her next fix becomes her only comfort.
What makes this memoir so powerful is its honesty. Nack doesn’t soften the ugliness of addiction or trauma, but she also doesn’t let despair have the final word. Her journey toward self-worth and sobriety feels hard-won and authentic, offering a message of hope without cliché.
As a sequel to Fourteen, this book completes Leslie Nack’s extraordinary story with courage and vulnerability. It’s a painful but ultimately uplifting read about survival, resilience, and the transformative power of learning to believe in your own worth.

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧 Audiobook Review
✨ Nineteen by Leslie Johansen Nack
🎙️ Narrated by the author

Listening to Nineteen in audio form is an intense and deeply immersive experience, made even more powerful by the fact that it is narrated by Leslie Johansen Nack herself.

As the follow up to Fourteen A Daughter’s Memoir, this audiobook feels raw, unfiltered, and profoundly personal.

Set in the mid 1970s, the story traces Leslie’s painful reentry into American life after years at sea, where instability, abuse, addiction, and emotional neglect collide. Hearing these experiences in the author’s own voice adds an undeniable authenticity. The fear, longing, self destruction, and survival come through with emotional clarity that only the storyteller herself could deliver.

What makes this audiobook especially impactful is the balance between unsparing honesty and resilience. Even in the darkest moments, there is an undercurrent of hope. The journey toward self worth, sobriety, and recovery is never rushed or romanticized, making it feel honest and earned.

Nineteen is challenging at times, but it is also compassionate, validating, and ultimately empowering. This is a memoir that refuses to blame or shame, instead offering a deeply human portrait of a young woman fighting to believe she deserves more.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

“God knows I’d wished him dead for years. It had become a mantra, a rut in my brain where hatred for him grew like a weed… And still, who would I be in this world if he never came back? My whole life had existed to fight against him. I could already feel the vacuum of where he used to be beginning to suck me in.”

That’s deep. I have not read the authors first book Fourteen: A Daughter’s Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival, but it appears that this is a much asked for follow up to that one.

I applaud the author’s grit and ability to dig deep and tell her very tragic and traumatic story. Her father sexually abused her and her mother was mentally ill and, in essence, absent for a lot of her formative years. This book is an emotional ride and a peek into her trauma, subsequent rock bottom, and then her path to healing. So powerful!

Thank you to @BookSparks and @Leslie.Johansen.Nack for the tour spot and the #gifted book.

[Miss W Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nineteen: A Daughter's Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery is a follow up to the author's first memoir Fourteen: A Daughter's Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival.

I listened to this book on audio, and the author narrates the book herself which I think really brought so much feeling and depth to the audiobook.

After reading the first book, I was curious if we would learn more about her story.

A story filled with heartache and abuse. Her mother who was mentally ill and her father, well the abuse was rampant.

Drugs are a part of the story, an escape.

This is a powerful story of hardship and recovery, but most of all HOPE.

I definitely recommend reading the first book, you won't be sorry.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nineteen is the follow up to the author's previous book Fourteen. I was drawn to the first book as the author lived aboard and sailed at the same time I did during the seventies and I really enjoyed the book, though she had far more adventure then I did.

Nineteen is what happens after that time when she comes back to the states. Her father is as crazy as ever and I understood the love/hate dynamic she had with him. Her mother was a mentally unbalanced alcoholic that was often in psych wards and could not care for or nurture her children. In Leslie's case this was the perfect storm for her to spiral down into unimaginable and harrowing depths which few have ever been able to get themselves out of.

Leslie is alive, lived to tell the cautionary tale and is doing well. What a wild ride!

[wellreadtraveler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I this brutally honest memoir author Leslie Johansen Nack shares her story of her childhood trauma and how her life played out over the years. As I was reading the story I kept thinking...how many of her nine lives has she used up?!? Leslie did not have a normal upbringing and dealt with mental healthy issues with her mother, being sexual assaulted, verbal and mentally abused by her father. I found myself reading the book and saying why..... Leslie shares her life in all it's up's and down's, success's and failures, and comes out in the end with messages from her now self. Parts of the book take place in towns very near to me so it was interesting to her talk about bars or airports I was familiar with. Drugs, alcohol, sex...Leslie abused them all but hearing her story and what she went through no one could blame her for trying to find a vice to take away her pain. Memoirs have become my favorite genre because I enjoy learning about people and how they overcome obstacles. Sometimes it helps put your own life into perspective too. Reading memoirs/nonfiction helps you become more empathetic and it's always a gift when someone opens up and shares their life with the reader.
Thank you Leslie for sharing your story.

[Lacey White · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Thank you for Book Sparks for sending me a copy of this book to read!!! I very much appreciate it!


This is the sequel to her first memoir: Fourteen. I was so eager to read it, to know more of her story. This book has just as much adventure, time spent on the ocean, heartbreak, emotional pulls as the first one. The only reason it was not a 5 star for me... is that selfishly, I wanted more from the ending. Her years from 19-24 went super fast & short in the book.. like it was all in maybe 20 pages. Those were the years that she struggled with drug use & finding herself. Maybe those years were tough to write & that's why it was kind of hurried... or could be because the book was coming close to 400 pages. Either way though - I really enjoyed the book & if she ever writes another memoir, you better believe I'll be reading it!

[Beth Mathews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put Nineteen: A Daughter's Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery down. This unflinching coming-of-age memoir follows Leslie's struggle to overcome a profoundly dysfunctional family, in which her father was abusive and alcoholism made her mother’s undiagnosed mental illness worse.

During Leslie’s previous book, Fourteen, she and her two sisters set out for Polynesia under their father’s demanding rules and tyranny. En route she became a capable ocean-crossing sailor—and stands up to him. Back on land, trapped again under his thumb in circumstances beyond her control, her courage, honesty, and tenacity—even when she makes mistakes—keep us rooting for her.

If Nineteen were fiction, I don't think I could have stayed with it. But knowing it is true made Leslie's journey all the more compelling. Don’t miss Jouhansen-Nack’s heart-pounding, intimate story of redemption and hard-earned escape from the clutches of family trauma.

[Kim Wilch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate to say I enjoyed a book about someone’s turmoil. But the raw intensity and ultimate healing punctuate the word hope. Her journey from childhood trauma to her messy adulthood leaves no leaf unturned. It’s one of those books that punches you in the gut and then gently stitches you back together. Nack doesn’t sugarcoat anything—she puts it all out there: the good, the bad, and the downright heartbreaking. Her honesty is refreshing, her courage inspiring, and her story may feel familiar to anyone who’s ever tried to carve out their own place in the world while battling addiction. Whether you’ve read Fourteen or not (I’m definitely going back for it now), this powerful memoir is one you’ll carry with you long after you close the last page. Kudos to the author for slaying the dragons!

[Micheal D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nineteen: A Daughter’s Memoir of Reckoning and Recovery is a stunning continuation of Leslie Johansen Nack’s story a fearless, unflinching memoir that dives deep into the chaos of trauma, addiction, and the quiet triumph of self-forgiveness.

Following Fourteen, Nack brings readers back into the aftermath of her turbulent youth where grief, abuse, and addiction threaten to drown her before she learns how to rise above it all. Her prose is raw yet graceful, painting pain without sentimentality and hope without illusion. Every page pulses with honesty, compassion, and the hard-won beauty of survival.

Nineteen isn’t just a memoir, it’s a testament to the power of healing, and proof that even in the wreckage, we can find redemption.

[Laura Engel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Leslie Johansen Nack's first memoir "Fourteen" years ago and was so looking forward to this 2nd memoir. "Nineteen" did not disappoint. Nack doesn't hold back on her incredible story of her as a troubled teen living through unbelievable abuse and one tumultuous event after another. This book is raw, honest, and powerful. I found myself unable to put it down. I cried along with this young woman, and I found myself cheering her along the entire read, page after page. This is an addiction story, a coming-of-age story, a story about strength and survival, and a story that speaks of the love a child has for family and parents, regardless of awful circumstances. I loved this book! Laura L.Engel

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

People’s stories are so important: to give them a voice, to be heard, and to let others know they aren’t alone in their struggles, and I'm thankful that Leslie has shared hers with us.

From sailing to French Polynesia as a teenager, to being split between her divorced parents, one an alcoholic and mentally ill mother, the other an abusive, domineering father, Leslie was constantly adrift, looking for love. She made bad decisions with older men, alcohol, and drugs.

Leslie retells her journey towards acceptance, self-worth, and recovery with honesty and vulnerability. It is a testament to overcoming abuse and trauma, to the power of healing and resilience.


Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @leslie.johansen.nack for the gifted audiobook via @audible.

[Amy Shook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intense, coming-of-age memoir from Leslie Johansen Nack, spanning roughly ages fifteen to twenty-five. She lived a deeply unorthodox life—either sailing the world with her father or staying on land with her alcoholic mother.

Life at sea offered adventure and travel, but it came at a cost. Her father was controlling and frequently crossed boundaries. Schooling was inconsistent, proper nutrition wasn’t guaranteed, and stability was nonexistent. On land, things weren’t much easier. With her mother, Leslie had to worry about sobriety, food on the table, and basic security. Whether at sea or on shore, she never truly felt like she belonged—especially among her peers at school.

Without a stable foundation, it’s no surprise she sought validation in unhealthy places. She became involved with men and drugs at a young age, spiraling further before finally hitting rock bottom. Parts of her story were difficult to witness; the turmoil and vulnerability of her younger years are laid bare on the page.

Still, it was ultimately a relief to see that she was able to turn her life around and begin a path toward healing. I only wish the memoir had spent a little more time exploring how she worked through her trauma in the end. Even so, it’s a raw and honest account of survival, resilience, and the long road to self-reclamation.

[TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read Fourteen, and this one still worked for me with just enough backstory on Leslie Nack’s early life. She has just returned to the US after a long sailing trip. She lives between her two parents, one abusive and one struggling with mental health.

Eventually, Leslie seeks the love of older men, and begins to struggle with addiction. When her father passes away, she truly begins to spiral until she finds a way out of her own accord.

Nineteen is a gritty and hopeful story of survival and resilience. Leslie’s journey after addiction is most definitely an inspiration.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Jill Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild by Cheryl Strayed has nothing over Nineteen by Leslie Johansen Nack. Beautiful, breathtaking, and at times heartbreaking, this memoir of reckoning and recovery is told with remarkable honesty and courage. Nack’s energetic, descriptive language and vivid sensory details immerse the reader in the natural world—from the vastness of the ocean to the majesty of the mountains. The ever-present sense of danger, paired with her raw honesty, creates a suspenseful narrative that is nearly impossible to put down. Despite the abuse and pain she endured, Nack’s enduring love for her family shines through, lending the memoir both depth and grace. Nineteen is a powerful testament to resilience, self-discovery, and the complicated bonds of family.

[Caroline Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

NINETEEN is a riveting read -- a true story that is so much bigger than life, you could mistake it for fiction. But it's not. Lesley Johansen Nack starts the narrative in her teen years (sailing across the ocean at fourteen, her family moving constantly, and dealing with two dysfunctional parents). One crisis after another hits, and she and her two sisters are ill-equipped to deal with it all. As she eloquently writes, "The primal need for parental love is a basic yearning." When that love and support is withheld, it can have devastating longterm effects. You'll need to read the book to learn the ending.

[Carol Odell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nineteen is a tribute to Leslie Johansen Nack's resilience and bravery in the face of abuse and hardship. This memoir is a stand alone although follows her first memoir, Fourteen, with more harrowing tales of sailing with her abusive father and rebelling against his tyranny. The section about going "undercover" for her dad in order to retrieve an insurance fraud boat particularly had me on the edge of my seat. I appreciated reading the arc of this author's trauma-filled story as she, in the end, comes to navigate her own 'ship' in a different direction. I highly recommend reading this courageous memoir.