Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane

by Lindy West

In her most ambitious memoir yet, bestselling author Lindy West takes listeners on a funny and unfiltered cross-country road trip through the most chaotic period of her life. Exclusive self-recorded voice memos captured on the road give this audiobook a raw, real-time immediacy as she rediscovers herself and reinvents her marriage in the process.

Through Shrill—the book and then the Hulu series—Lindy West became an inspiration. To this day she is stopped on the street and hailed as a beacon of empowerment by women who felt badly for not conforming to a narrow set of societal norms—thin, straight, compliant. But behind the scenes, Lindy never felt like she was the self-actualized woman fans made her out to be. When she found herself in the throes of a deep depression, with her marriage and sense of self-worth hanging in the balance, she knew she needed to make a change.

In Adult Braces, Lindy shares the story of her rock bottom, and of the journey she took to claw her way out of it. With her trademark candor and sense of humor, she examines her post-Shrill emotional implosion, her shifting feelings about traditional marriage, and her search for her long-lost self. She also tracks the highs and lows of her journey, from eye-opening natural wonders and kitschy roadside attractions to lackluster tourist traps and campground epiphanies.

The result is an engaging and laugh-out-loud narrative of becoming as Lindy transforms from a passenger into the active navigator of her own life.

Includes an illustrated map of Lindy's journey.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Humor, Feminism, Biography Memoir, Biography, Essays

8 pages, Audible Audio

Expected publication March 10, 2026

About the author

Lindy West is a columnist at The Guardian, a contributor to This American Life, and a freelance writer whose work focuses on feminism, social justice, humor, and body image. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Cosmopolitan, GQ, Vulture, Jezebel, The Stranger, and others. She is the founder of I Believe You, It's Not Your Fault, an advice blog for teens, as well as the reproductive rights destigmatization campaign #ShoutYourAbortion.

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now these catchy lyrics from Kokomo, a 1988 Beach Boys song, are stuck in my head!

“Aruba, Jamaica, ooh, I wanna take ya
Bermuda, Bahama, come on, pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego, baby, why don't we go?
Jamaica

Off the Florida Keys
There's a place called Kokomo
That's where you wanna go
To get away from it all”

Lindy West is one cool chick! And she’s a riot! Loving the song Kokomo, she decided to take a road trip headed for Kokomo in the Florida Keys. Right there, she had me! Did the song steer her right? She set out from Seattle in a funky van, excited to see the country, on a quest to learn more about herself. I can just hear Kokomo blaring through the car as she heads East. I’m singing along!

Lindy is not just funny, she’s also smart as a whip, and large. She’s a crusader for big women. In 2019 she wrote about her journey in Shrill, a best-selling memoir that ended up as a TV series.

She talks about the issues of being big in a thin world, but she gives the most airtime to examining her life and chronicling her trip. The thing about her is that she is brutally honest and self-deprecating, and she lays bare her insecurities, anxiety, and sadness for all the world to see. But it’s not all doom and gloom—she also describes some of the good times of her life. She analyzes her self-image, her psychology, her sex life. She has a lot of insight.

One of the main things she is pondering on her trip is the state of her marriage. Her husband had announced that he’s polyamorous and then developed a close relationship with another woman. Lindy describes her reaction to this as well as looking closely at their relationship. She ends up texting all nice-y nice with this other woman. She works through a lot on her adventure.

Oh, and speaking of adventure, it was a kick to see the country through her eyes. She has an absurdist sense of humor, which I appreciate. I loved her visits to obscure towns, her descriptions of excursions, hotels, eavesdropped conversations. Good stuff.

I loved the Kokomo connection beyond words, but there are two other things that completely endeared me to her:

-She’s close buds with Samantha Irby, another funny woman whose books I love.

-She knows of Paula Poundstone, a great comedian who still performs today but was most popular in the 1980s and 1990s. And this is the killer—Lindy talks about Poundstone’s ancient joke about a woman who tore her face open on a lube rack. (I know, that sounds unfunny as all get-out, but you’d have to hear the joke and its setup. Really!!) This is one of my all-time favorite jokes, and I have few that my memory has held on to! I probably mention it once a year. The fact that Lindy has a chapter called “Tore My Soul Open on a Lube Rack” makes it clear that we’re soul sisters, lol! When I read the chapter title, I was stunned. I thought surely she must know the lube rack joke—and I was right! But how very weird that she knows and loves that joke, too!

Lindy is a millennial, so pop culture references and her generation’s sensibilities aren’t always relatable to this antique boomer, but most of the time I didn’t feel left out.

If I had one beef, it’s that the book has a little more angst than humor. But people can’t be funny all the time, especially when their heart hurts. Plus, it’s my own need for pure escapism that has me even noticing this.

If you want a memoir that’s funny, insightful, self-deprecating, and smart, check this book out. And West happens to be a good writer, too! Here are some of her funny chapter titles: Addicted to What the Pepperoni Stick Did, Mid Wife Crisis, and Shy Marshmallow. I could go on. The story about how Lindy came about getting braces as an adult is priceless.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

Expected publication date: March 10, 2026

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

At this point I’m basically only a librarian so I can get access to Lindy West ARCs.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

For decades, Lindy has helped me understand, in such a fundamental way, that I exist and that it’s ok to exist while being fat. But this book is a sexy little beckoning to thrive, too, to challenge ourselves to be truly alive. How often do you finish a book and feel filled with just exuberant love that you wanna take out on the world? Adult Braces is an embarrassment of riches.

I laughed and cried, sometimes at the same time. Lindy is so vulnerable and honest here, as much with her pain as with her joy. She really captures what can be so hard about experiencing fat joy -- that it feels taboo, still, to be joyful in a fat body -- and then she proceeds to say fuck that, and just lavish us with fat joy! I was so grateful to be let in on Lindy's experience of meeting herself in a little camper van as she drove back and forth across this dumb, beautiful country -- her exuberance, and hunger, and desire. It made me feel excited to allow it all, too, not just as an act of resistance but as a very simple, profound reclamation.

Also, don't worry, there are still fart jokes.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always forget just how funny Lindy West is, and I don't know how. I've read her books and listened to her audiobooks and there are few writers who can tickle my funny bone just like she can. I would listen to her review pretty much anything. The fact that I deeply relate to so much of what she's gone through is icing on the cake.

And I can speak from experience--a road trip around the US can definitely heal you, whether or not you make it to Kokomo.

[lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

an extreme pleasure to read - contains the phrase “the vast and unforgiving un-Kokomo of life” - I gasped

[Hillary Getty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true delight, as is all of Lindy West’s work. I was intrigued by the title and cover as I, too, have adult braces (and my god, I cannot wait to get them off). This book was ultimately not very much about adult braces, but a solo roadtrip, introspection, and complicated relationships. Many genuine LOLs! I regret that I mostly read this on the subway rather than in a body of water, as Lindy would have wanted it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central for the advance copy!

[Simone]

Review to come, maybe

[Aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve been a big fan of Lindy West’s since reading her Guardian article more than ten years ago in which she discussed being a fat bride and shared gorgeous and joyful photos of her wedding. While I can’t claim to have read every word or book she’s written, I think Adult Braces is my favorite work of hers so far. Lindy’s (Ms. West’s?!?!) tone is conversational, like you’re chatting with a dear friend, but also poetic at just the right moments.

The book chronicles her road trip from Seattle to the Florida Keys and back again in 2021, just after she and her husband began to explore their relationship through the lens of practicing nonmonogamy (rather than nonmonogamy in theory and ethics only) and after learning that her husband had two girlfriends. The book is nonlinear, moving between the time before leaving on the road trip as well as afterwards (the road trip, spoiler alert, did not cure all that ails her). The ending is not tied up in a neat, tidy bow because this is real life and real life and real people are messy and grow in nonlinear ways. And I think that’s what makes this book feel different from Shrill. Not only is Lindy that much older and wiser but she knows she’s writing in media res and the end of the book is just that. She will continue to grow, to struggle, and to change over time. She does not need to wait to have it all figured out to share some of what she’s learned with us (even if she’s inconsistent in applying what’s she learned). I think the biggest gift Lindy gives us with her writing is common humanity. Who has not experienced being othered whether due to body size, race, faith, gender or gender expression, sexuality, etc. We can all related to being alienated from others and from ourselves. We can all relate to the impossible task of healing in a world designed to keep us unwell and disenfranchised. Lindy is able to face all that and break it down into more easily digestible, humorous chunks.

I laughed out loud many times and highlighted many passages (not quoting here as the book may still be revised).

[Katarina Duerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adult Braces is a raw and emotional look at adapting our lives to do what feels good, right, and true to us, rather than hiding in the shadows of our routine. Not only that, but it’s fun. Lindy uses exclamation points, puns, and footnotes in a way that makes this novel feel alive and cozy, like I’m reading a text from my best friend who is going through the same shit as me.

Thank you Grand Central publishing for the ARC.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of West’s writing for a long time. I’ve enjoyed her previous books. As someone in the abyss of middle age, I was pretty confident I’d like this one too.

I love the writing. Parts make me laugh out loud, and I don’t mean that as an expression, I’m actually laughing suddenly and startling the people around me. Absolutely her best book so far. There’s an honesty that’s visceral.

Thank you Lindy West for being a breath of fresh air. Reading her books feels like having that one friend you can always count on to be able to share a crazy eyed look across the room at a party or at work when everything is batshit insane. That one person who clocks the insanity and acknowledge you’re not alone.

[Nat · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a hard review to write. I was so excited to read this, yet by halfway through, I desperately wanted her to get through the darkness and self-flagellation so I could understand the deeper meaning of adult braces and her cross-country road trip.

The memoir bops around between the day-to-day of her road trip and events leading up to it. When Lindy focuses on the road trip, the memoir works. It was fun to travel along with her as she befriends strangers, takes risks, has adventures with friends, exceeds her expectations, and copes with disappointments. And yet, even as she demonstrates some personal growth in pushing herself outside her comfort zone, it always seems to be in the context of her romantic relationship. We keep circling back to the specter of her pre-road trip life, the one waiting for her back in Seattle. It seemed like each time she experiences something liberating or has a moment of self-discovery, we are yanked back into what appears to be a bleak home scenario.

Lindy says that memoirs are really just fiction, given how perspective is limited and shaped by the writer. With that in mind, here's a story (spoiler-y if you don't follow Lindy's writing already):

A couple gets together. They are each other's best friend. She believes herself to be too fat to be desirable. She is enamored and intimidated by his beautiful looks. The couple breaks up, then reunites after her father dies. He tells her that he is polyamorous and does not want to practice monogamy. She cannot bear to live without him orto be in a polycule with him. The idea of polyamory amplifies every self-hating thought conditioned into her by a society that does not champion fat women. She tells herself there’s no certainty he will pursue polyamory--that she can perhaps bind him to her through excessive love--and accepts his condition for their relationship. She sets conditions of her own and he agrees to them. He doubts her acquiescence, thinking she has agreed to a polyamorous relationship to keep from losing him. She demurs and he lets himself believe her, even though she avoids discussing it every time he hints at it in the years to come. They marry.

A decade passes. In that time, she writes about their relationship often. It becomes celebrated as evidence that fat women can be loved and desired unconditionally, that they don't need to settle. Her words lend themselves to this view of their relationship. She profits from this selective viewpoint; it is a story many fat women want to hear, and they express their gratitude to her for sharing it. She becomes overwhelmed by being a leading face in the fat acceptance/body positivity movement. She never mentions their polyamory to the wider public. In her comedic voice, she tells of how they fight only once a year. It is written as a cute quirk. In reality, rather than communicating clearly, they bury their resentments and frustrations. She will blame herself for this.

She is depressed. She pulls away from life. Showering becomes a chore. Her eating is disordered. Her body aches. Her libido is low. She grinds her teeth until they nearly crack, necessitating braces that will make her feel even uglier. He is a beautiful artist. He becomes frustrated that she has stopped living fully. She sees his frustration as her fault; she believes herself to be emotionally manipulative, guilting him into staying close through her excessive care.

She learns from a stranger that he was seen kissing another woman at a bar. It does not violate the conditions they set at the start. She is heartbroken. She learns that he is engaging in a third relationship at the same time. This one does break their rules. Both women are thin and conventionally pretty. They exemplify her deepest fears, as they are precisely the sort of women she always expected he would leave her for.

They go to couples therapy. She considers leaving him. They engage in light dominance and submission, in which he orders her on how she should live her life and rewards her when she complies. Apart from the sex, his challenges are akin to what she would get from a life coach or therapist to help pull her from her depressed torpor. He continues to have a relationship with his other partner--the one who does not break the rules. He is in love with that person. She burns with jealousy.

She decides to go on a solo road trip. He encourages this. It is the first time she has taken an adventure alone since they began their relationship. She leaves, knowing he is going to bring his partner to their hometown. He has a medical emergency as her trip begins. He will not let her return, as his other partner is there at his side. She communicates with the other woman throughout the emergency. They begin a texting relationship. She goes on adventures. She thinks about him and his other partner. She goes on more adventures, feels more confident in her body. She thinks about them less.

Then she begins to wonder about the other woman. He tells her that the other woman has a crush on her. She begins to think about the other woman more and more. She has adventures. She begins to flirt with and eventually sext with him and his partner. She knows when she returns they will all have sex. She has more adventures. She returns. They become a throuple.

One read of Lindy's road trip, based on the way it's interspersed with chapters of self-loathing and reflections on her sexuality, is that its purpose was to help her come to terms with her husband's desired polyamory. She claims a lot of blame for the painful situation she's in as she leaves Seattle. Over and over, she denigrates herself and casts her husband as the long-suffering spouse. The way she tells it, you can justify why he would violate her trust by breaking their pact. You can see why he would not communicate with her before he begins relationships. Lindy is, by Lindy's account, too needy, too self-hating, too clingy, too controlling, too jealous, too sexually repressed. Lindy claims that we might see him as a jerk because we're only getting her perspective, but honestly, unless she's playing some complicated game with her writing, she's setting herself up as the jerk. It's awful to witness.

Important context may be that when she first announced that she was in a throuple, people had some pretty mean things to say about her husband and their partner. (They recorded a long video in their underwear. The producers put the three of them on stools...known the world over for being comfortable seats for fat bodies. Their interview covered a lot of ground we cover in this book, where Lindy talks about how she was the frustrating, repressed one in the relationship. Since the story undercut everything she had said publicly about her and her husband's relationship to date, many people were worried that perhaps her comfort and care were not centered in this relationship, and that she was accepting less than she deserved. As happens on the trash internet, people decided to share their unsolicited thoughts. A lot.) Perhaps, then, the way this whole story is framed is meant to defend the people she loves, even at her own expense. And there's no doubt she loves her partners.

It's wonderful that we end with her romantically happy. That's a bright spot after so many of her lacerating comments about herself. But why the road trip as the central organizing device? It took place five years ago. Even before she gets to the end, she talks about how little she's carried forward, in terms of the type of activities she's doing. So maybe it's about loving herself? Except she is horrible in how she describes herself and all the blame she thinks she deserves. All written recently! It was so hard to read someone you respect talk about themselves this way. Heck, it would be hard to read someone I didn't respect talk about themself this way. As a fat woman, I found this unbearable at times. So in the end, we're left with Lindy's major growth being that she now accepts the polyamorous relationship she did not initially want. It feels like a letdown, all things considered. (Not the polyamory--that's lovely if it works for them--but the implication that the road trip could be about her "coming around" to her husband's frame of mind, and not say, a deeper and abiding sense of self.)

I found this exhausting, but there were enough lovely moments and a few laughs that sort of made it worth reading. Fewer laughs than I expected, though, and more sadness and darkness than I think the book jacket promised--even with the comical mascara tears. All of that said, it seems like other people found it super hilarious, so maybe you will, too!

I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

[Kelly Kindle · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a place called Kokomo
That's where you wanna go to get away from it all.”

But alas, there is no real Kokomo off the Florida Keys. This didn’t stop Lindy West from packing a van and traveling to the keys while her life was in a state of confusing transition.

Full disclosure, I am a huge fan of Lindy West. I’d try to get an early copy of a cereal box if she wrote a blurb on the back. I recommend her book “Shit Actually” to anyone I think could use a laugh. “Adult Braces” did not disappoint. At times, I laughed out loud (“"abracadabra my cornholio chakra" is a line from this book that made me stop reading and type it into my Notes), other times, I felt her pain (“Lust is too much like hunger, and I’m not allowed to be hungry”).

In “Adult Braces”, Lindy shows us multitudes. She takes us with her as she recounts her great American road trip, delving into relationships, love, acceptance, friendship, and growth. And cornholio chakras.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced copy.

[Laura Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Samantha Irby is the funniest memoirist alive, so it makes sense that her bestie Lindy West is also EFFING HILARIOUS. I haven’t laughed this hard reading a memoir since I devoured all of Irby’s books back to back. Lindy West, you’re good.

This memoir is the perfect mix of humorous and reflective/melancholy. The overall tone is funny even though many of the themes in this book are not. Lindy West has written (in my view) a more relatable version of Cheryl Strayed’s WILD (lord knows I’m not hiking the Pacific Crest Trail!). This solo road trip memoir takes us through Lindy West’s internal struggle with her marriage back home. Her husband has always been openly nonmonogamous, and when he starts seeing another woman, Lindy is conflicted. A lot of people have a lot of feelings about ethical nonmonogamy, but all I can say is no one but Lindy and her partner know what it’s like to exist in their relationship, which is not for us to judge. I understand the challenges Lindy faces as she grapples with her husband’s need for other women. Lindy puts all her personal (and very relatable) insecurities on display for readers, asking herself why she can’t just be enough for him. But she also shows us the beauty of nontraditional relationships. Lindy doesn’t have to be everything for her husband. She can go off and focus on her friends and herself for a bit while he dates another woman. This dynamic works for them, and Lindy is correct that she doesn’t need readers and outsiders telling her she has it all wrong. I agree with Lindy’s husband that monogamy at its core is a form of ownership, and it’s simply not realistic for everyone (most people, to be honest).

Having lost my father to cancer in 2006 (when I was17), Lindy’s passages about her late dad made me weep. He was the love of her young life, and I so related to that. I also related to her point about marrying someone to erase the pain of losing her dad. This backfired for us both.

I love that she brings up her Norwegian roots. Only thing missing from this portion of the book is whether or not Lindy can tolerate Lutefisk, and my guess is no, because Lutefisk is the worst. I married a Norwegian guy whose parents grew up in Minnesota, so I connected with Lindy’s passages about Norsk energy, work ethic, and chilliness.

I have seen Lindy’s show SHRILL, but I never read the book, so now’s the time for me to start buying Lindy’s other works. Also, there’s a lot in this memoir about working on the show and how Lindy still felt dismissed on set despite the fact that her show depicts cruelty towards people of a certain size. I appreciated her commentary on Ozempic culture and why body positivity icons are in a tough spot. If they try to lose weight or focus on wellness in a certain way, they will be ostracized by some fans. If they don’t, people will mock them anyway.

1000/10 for Lindy West.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to receive an early copy of this book because I am a huge Lindy West fan. I’ve read 3 previous books, including ‘Shrill’ for a women’s book club, and really appreciate her talent as a writer. Her voice is distinct and always feels as though she is honest or at least seeking honesty.

Though I am a fan, I was not sure what to expect from Adult Braces, which is described as West’s catalogue of her road trip after hitting ‘rock bottom’. But as the universe often does, it brought me West’s book at exactly the right time. I had just finished reading a book about Moby Dick, only for Adult Braces to feature many quotes and references to Moby Dick. This is a coincidence too unique to ignore. Like Moby Dick, Adult Braces is also about an ‘impossible’ journey, in which self-love and acceptance of relationship changes, are a sort of great white whale. Along West’s cross-country road trip, in a personified painted van called “Baa,” she rediscovers nature’s beauty, and goes physically and metaphorically off-roading.

After living a life that became a bit too scripted (here’s what I have to do to be happy, here’s what I have to do for people to accept me) she realized she had shrunk herself into near invisibility. She didn’t know herself or know what made her happy. And she was making decisions out of fear, not hope or love. This road trip was her rediscovery and she was kind enough to take us along for the ride. Complete with voice-memos from her trip, this does feel a bit like an in-depth travel log (think Star Trek, but less spacey and less dramatic pauses). I laughed with her. I cried with her. I dreamed of yummy road snacks with her. And I resonated with more of her experiences than I thought I would.

One of her most poignant descriptions comes during a solo snorkeling trip, which turns out to be more of a booze cruise, and where she aptly points out that no one was accounting for her. She questions who would have noticed had she not gotten back on the boat. It was a pretty sobering realization; I took it as a reminder that we have to account for and care about ourselves.

While the catalyst of West’s journey is not something I can directly connect with (e.g. polyamorous relationship, cancelled TV show, etc.) I think everyone can relate to journeys. We may not have the ability to take a month-long road trip of rediscovery, but I think most of us relate to the need to find ourselves and know that sometimes discovery happens in unlikely settings.

Adult Braces is written with so much heart. She addresses statements in previous books that she views now as inauthentic . She speaks to her Norwegian heritage but also historical landgrabs from White settlers. She speaks of her public persona as someone proud and happy while her real self struggles with acceptance. She writes of mental health and counseling, of mistakes she’s made and harms others have done to her. She writes with joy and heartbreak. And I think it’s the best book she’s ever shared with us.

West is the narrator of Adult Braces, and she does an excellent job. I was skeptical at first of the voice memos because I don’t usually like my books to be chopped up or interrupted with extraneous noise, sound-effects, or anything that pulls me out of the story. However, the voice memos were woven in so well, it actually brought me in. I thought I was listening to a voicemail she was leaving while on the road. As Adult Braces is a collection of essays, I also think the order and pacing of the chapters is well-done. The production quality is really high and I was enthralled. I finished this in one day.

Thank you again for the opportunity to listen to this book. It was an excellent read!

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd imagined something charming, human, spontaneous, romantic, specific--I thought that if I brought my body to this place, as far away from home as I could get without crossing a border, then the meaning would make itself. The sheer scale of my need for magic would manifest a chance meeting, a wooden sailboat, an oyster, a lover, a revelation, an explosion of colour, a moment of eye contact with a dolphin. Not watching seventy-two drunk Trump voters fail at the limbo, followed by a pointless death in twenty feet of churning brown bathwater.

I'd love for Lindy West to tell me random anecdotes about happenstances on a road trip for a whole other book. I enjoy her essays, but her little tales of the road are something else: funny, sentimental, vivid, slathered in ironic contrast when needed. Sooo many quotes highlighted in this one.

This book is also more sentimental and candid than her other ones, which is saying something, since those are quite personal at times. There's more of a sense of West unpacking things, working through things, figuring out how exactly to lay them out for herself to understand and to achieve, if not complete understanding from the reader, at least an "agree to disagree" feeling.

I know pretty much nothing about West's personal life, so it was kind of surprising to look up photos of the "characters" in this memoir and find videos and forum threads 2-3 years old talking about the polyamorous relationship she steps into at the end of the book. And though I found West a little defensive about it at times, seeing exactly how people have been talking about her for 3 years makes that tone make a whole lot of sense. I ran into two threads--one on a normie smarmy straight man subreddit, and one on r/polyamory. The smarmy one was what you'd expect: sneering comments about her husband trading her out for a younger, sexier model, complaining about blogs West wrote, like, a DECADE ago. But among all the praises and #goals! comments on r/polyamory, there was still someone who popped up to say that it made sense that her husband was polyamorous, because after all, he was already atypical for finding a fat woman romantically and sexually attractive. We always knew he'd be #woke enough for polyamory :)

People are weirdos. I love how West explores topics but I kinda want her to stop writing, to stop being online, to leave it all behind. How do you not go crazy from all this nonsense chasing you, day after day?

[Monica Beard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always enjoyed the writing of Lindy West, particularly since I remember her writing back in her Jezebel era, and I was always stumped how she managed to continue to be so vulnerable while dealing with the worst of internet trolls and abuse.

The book really comes at a time when West is going through it with her husband and so decides to take a month long road trip to Key West to take some time to reflect on herself. The road trip gives the book a narrative (if a bit of a windy one), which I think would have been lacking if she had just spent the book as a reflection on her marriage. West is still an incredibly brave writer - I think there is little more brave than re-examining ideas or thoughts that you've held to be true previously and seeing if they still fit. I really appreciated her reflection on the tightrope between embracing body positivity and recognizing that being unkind to your body has an impact on your weight. The one thing I think that was missing from this book was that West is pretty determined to tell us how much she loves her husband and how important it was for her relationship to be kind to herself. I believe that - as someone who has been married for over a decade, I know I am the happiest in my marriage when I am happy with myself - but all we get to see of her husband is the ways that he is unkind to her. I wish we had gotten to know the husband who seemed to make her feel safe and fulfilled.

Fans of Lindy West, or of thoughtful reflective writing with a feminist lens, will love this one. Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the early copy.

[Sacha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I really enjoy Lindy West as a writer and, from what I can tell through her writing, as a human. Her wildly public torture sessions from trolls have made her someone over whom a lot of us maybe feel a little protective. I feel that way about her, and that makes me really dive right in each time I encounter fresh content from her. West's work feels particularly vulnerable, and this newest effort maybe most of all. I loved this read, and it also sent me on a total emotional roller coaster.

West is hilarious, but she is also dark, and often the two vibes merge. This memoir puts readers in the passenger seat as West takes a road trip to, of all places, Kokomo. Sort of. That's the inspo for the trip, but she actually heads to the Florida Keys, and the various experiences she has on the way, and more interestingly the realizations she has about herself, make for an engaging and fast-paced read. West does not shy away from extremely personal content, whether that is about her body, her sexuality, or even the precarious state of her evolving marriage. Readers need to really, uh, buckle up for this material.

I cannot recommend the audio version enough. In addition to being read by the author, this version also features voice notes from the trip. Absolutely a must.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Cherié Burgett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the early read. While I have enjoyed Lindy West's work in the past, this one was not for me. I expected a funny book, but there wasn’t a single point where I even chuckled. Instead, I finished the book feeling deeply sad.

I’m glad that Lindy says she’s happy, and I truly hope that she is. However, much of the situation described in the book left me feeling like she may have been manipulated into doing what her husband wanted out of fear of losing him. Reading about the broken trust in their relationship was difficult for me. It reminded me of how I used to feel when I was in an unstable relationship with someone I couldn’t trust.

I considered stopping at that point, but I kept reading. In hindsight, maybe I wouldn’t have had that same nervous feeling in my stomach if I had. Much of Lindy’s backstory and struggles reminded me of parts of my own life, so I found myself rooting for her throughout the book -- and I still am.

I truly wish the best for Lindy and hope she has found real happiness. I just wish I had known more about what this book would focus on before requesting Adult Braces. Readers expecting humor may be surprised, as this definitely did not feel like a humor book to me.

___________________________________________
My post while reading:

I am currently reading this, but I am so irritated. I am nineteen chapters in on an audiobook ARC, and it feels like a lot of excuses for a selfish man. Lindy deserves better.

[Annie Hegedus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lindy West is always brilliant and hilarious and goofy in the best ways, but this book is also so vulnerable and genuine and beautiful. Listening to Lindy's work always feels like listening to your funniest friend, but this one also felt like one of those first times where your funny friend lets their guard down a little, and you suddenly know so much more about them.

Lindy does such a good job of putting words to feelings that I have had but couldn't describe. The way her brain works is just so cool. During her Kokomo-inspired journey across the country, she reflects on self-worth, self-love (but not in a live-laugh-love way and more of in a real-convincing-your-brain-"I am a person who matters"-way), relationships, unlearning things we've been conditioned to believe, reclaiming our bodies, and public persona vs. real life identity. And even though she's covering heavy topics and fundamentally rethinking how she views her marriage and herself, she somehow makes me laugh the whole time because she's herself and she can't help it. I especially love her visit to writer Sam Irby's home and the two of them being the most wonderful little weirdos together. May friendship like that find all of us.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Hachette Audio for the ALC so I could listen as god intended (with Lindy's giggles and voice notes).

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published March 10, 2026.

3.5 stars

I absolutely loved West’s SHRILL; five star read for me, reviewed it for my city’s newspaper. Thought it was one of the best books of the year of….whatever year it was released. West was both wise and relatable.

This is a different West. She is going through some stuff. A lot. And, in fact, I felt I was a witness to a minor nervous breakdown in book form as she treks from Seattle to Key West and back again, solo, in a van. But she pulls it together (by the end) and makes some tough but interesting choices.

Part travel diary, but mostly the exploration of self your enjoyment of this may depend on how much you like West and how much angst you can handle. I liked it, but being from the east coast I was surprised at how little west coaster West knew about the country east of say, Wyoming. I am very lucky to have traveled so much (all U.S. states but three, so far, and I WILL go to all fifty, short of disaster, and I thank my parents, my profession and my husband for that. And also reading…..why do I know things about the U.S.? Why do I know weird trivia? Why am I pretty good at the NYT Connections puzzle? READING!

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like Lindy West's writing. Her blend of brutal honesty, self-deprecation, confession, and snarky wit resonates with me. I have enjoyed her previous books, and was very excited for this latest. I was surprised to see how much this one affected me though - it's much darker and heavier, and while I get why (she's explaining the cost of allowing herself to become the poster child for body positivity), it made for a much tougher read as a result.

The writing is still sharp and well done, but I found myself repeatedly having to stop after reading a few chapters, to take a break from the weight of what I was reading. I felt her pain and frustration and exhaustion bleed through the pages. She has a fantastic knack for pulling you into her head, and when that's a snappy place it's a fun journey, but when it's a real and painful one the ride is, accordingly, bumpier.

This one won't be for everyone - but then again, she rarely is. It will help those of us who struggle though, by sharing the realization (often easy to ignore) that we are not alone in the battles we face every day...

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.

[Danni · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Eat Pray Love was written by a funny fat white woman with a polyamorous husband.

... I'm almost tempted to just leave the review there but I guess I have more to say.

First, I've always previously listened to Lindy West on audio, but when I got the opportunity to get an eARC of this one, I was so excited.

A little bit travel memoir, a whole lot of personal essay and introspection. This felt more raw and real than her others. She's very vulnerable in her writing about her insecurities and low self-esteem. She's open (ha!) about her relationship and her journey from resenting her husband's pursuit of polyamory to becoming a throuple (!!). At times this was the kind of memoir that felt too personal, like "this should be between you and your therapist and why the hell are you telling the whole world because isn't this embarrassing for you / your husband / your family / etc" but I guess what's life if we don't share it with others??

And of course, despite it all, Lindy West is still very very funny.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars

Things I enjoyed:
- I absolutely want to be best friends with Lindy after reading her open and candid thoughts.
- It’s refreshing to see a fat person openly struggling with weight. Lately, it feels like if you don’t like yourself, then you’re “letting diet culture win,” but if you do like yourself, you’re not allowed to say one negative thing or want to change anything about your body. A fat person can’t win!

Things I struggled with:
- Even though the book comes across as candid, I still felt a sense of holding back. As she says, we only get to see what she wants us to see, and I felt that throughout the book.
- I think some of the essays could have been cut. I found myself skimming to get to the travel or relationship stories.

Overall:
A well-thought-out, funny, candid, inspirational, heartbreaking, and insightful read. If you want to feel all the feels, read this book!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I somehow made it this far without reading anything by Lindy West, but after listening to Adult Braces, I'm officially a fan. Now I need to go back and experience her other books.

This audiobook is such a unique listening experience. West narrates it herself and includes real voice memos she recorded during her cross-country road trip, which makes the whole story feel incredibly intimate and immediate. It feels less like a traditional memoir and more like being in the passenger seat while a friend processes a huge turning point in her life.

What really stood out to me was her honesty. West openly shares the deep depression she found herself in after the success of Shrill, the pressure of being seen as a symbol of empowerment, and the complicated reality behind her marriage and sense of self. She's sharp, funny, and painfully candid in a way that makes the heavier moments feel grounded rather than overwhelming.

I've never once felt the urge to take a solo cross-country road trip, but after listening to this book, I found myself strangely curious about the idea. There's something powerful about the way West uses the journey to reset, reflect, and slowly rediscover herself.

If you enjoy memoirs that are funny, raw, and deeply human, Adult Braces is absolutely worth the listen. And if you're choosing between formats, the audiobook is the way to go — Lindy West is an incredible narrator.

[Pamela Skjolsvik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance listening copy of Adult Braces through NetGalley, and I’m so glad I did. Experiencing this book in audio format added an extra layer of connection, especially because Lindy West narrates it herself. Hearing her voice, her timing, and even her on‑the‑road recordings from her journey to “Kokomo” made the memoir feel intimate and immediate.

The book is engaging, funny, and deeply relatable. West has a way of talking about life’s awkwardness and vulnerability that feels like a conversation with a friend—honest, self-aware, and full of heart. Her reflections are sharp without being cynical, and her humor lands in that perfect space between self-deprecating and empowering.

Listening to Adult Braces felt less like reading a memoir and more like keeping someone great company on a long drive. It’s thoughtful, entertaining, and full of moments that stay with you long after the last chapter.

[EJ Pepe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Lindy West! I have been a fan of her for years. It was truly a gift to receive access to an advanced copy of this audiobook. The audio version with voice memos was so fantastic!
I have been waiting for this book for a long time. I followed Lindy's journey while she was traveling cross country. Anytime I see a bug or wildlife, which is quite often, I always think of her instagram stories "that my best friend 🎶" I felt extra connected to this book because I watched her instagram stories in real time as she went on this trip.
This book was a delight! Even if you are new to discovering Lindy West you will enjoy this book. Her writing is so smart and emotional and also laugh out loud funny. There is a lot of humanity and vulnerability to her stories. Everything is very real and emotional. She is extremely open about her life and experiences. I love this style of memoir. This was so well done, I highly recommend it!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

(ARC out 03/10/26 via Grand Central) I have read and loved all of Lindy West’s previous books and this one is no different. This is a memoir charting her solo trip driving across the U.S., but also essays about her marriage, polyamory, falling in love, her family, and her relationship to herself. I am always so gobsmacked by writers who are willing to explore the parts of themselves and their lives that diverge from what societal conditioning has deemed “normal.” West’s writing is frequently tender, often melancholy, but also so fucking funny. She can make me cry and laugh all within a paragraph. The trip she embarks on in this is one of self-actualization and a nice reminder that you will forever be learning new parts of yourself, reshaping how you see and interact with the world, and coming to terms with life not always looking like you’d expected it to. I loved this so much.

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to get early access to the audiobook as read by the author through NetGalley. I have been reading Lindy West for more than a decade now, and this is probably my favourite thing she has written. I racked my brain trying to come up with words other than "brave" and "honest" to describe this book, but I couldn't. West is very good at talking about things that no one else wants to. And in doing so, she gives us the keys to our own stories. She went on a solo road trip across the country and back and shared her reflections on her marriage, her feelings about her sexuality and her body, and what it was like to finally get everything you want and hate it. I mean, how weird would it be to have a tv producer nitpick the script about your life? And of course, she made me laugh out loud. As it turns out, Kokomo was inside of you all along. Be your own Pretty Mama.

[Amanda W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read any of Lindy West’s previous books, nor have I seen her show Shrill. Flying blind here! That being said, I think she’s a charming and funny writer, not afraid to go for gut punches of honest truth. I enjoyed reading about her physical journey across the USA and back again, although I did feel something was missing…a lot of it seemed very surface and glossed over. Learning how her personal life dramatically changed over the course of a few years, and how she not only learned to deal with parts of it but actually seemed to welcome them, was probably the most delightful part of the book. You really feel for West in these instances. You’re rooting for her to figure out her way. I will seek out more of her writing.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC!

[Cari Zuckerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her new memoir, Lindy West takes readers along on a cross-country trip from Seattle to Key West. In an effort to find herself amidst depression and marital struggles, West rented a van in 2021 and solo-tripped across the country. She faces fears, meets friends and has revelations about life along the way. The trip helps repair her marriage into something new and find herself again.

West's writing is hilarious and relatable and struck a chord with me many times as I devoured this book. She is honest and raw about living in a fat body, sex, marriage, polyamory, friendship and more. I absolutely loved this book. I hope to one day consume it again as an audiobook to hear West read her own deeply personal story.