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I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love
Learn more about the new "Bachelor" Arie Luyendyk from one of the people who knew him best--"Bachelorette" Emily Maynard Johnson. Millions know Emily Maynard Johnson from her unprecedented double appearances on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette . Millions also know that neither of the relationships from those shows lasted much longer than a commercial break. Overcome with embarrassment following her nationally televised failures at romance, Emily finally committed her heart to the only one she knew would never leave her empty and alone. Abandoning her desire to be chosen by men and finding peace in the fact that she was already chosen by God, Emily found the joy she had been looking for in serving God. In I Said Yes , Emily tells the story of her life before and after reality TV fame, describing the profound new reality she discovered when she forsook fame in favor of the Lord. At the end of a long, fruitless search for a man, this courageous young woman found the truest love of all waiting right in front of her. To that love, Emily said yes.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2016
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1256 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
March 9, 2016
As an avid fan of The Bachelor and all of its spin-offs, I'm well acquainted with Emily Maynard. I remember loving her on Brad Womack's second season (yes, the man did get to be the Bachelor twice, though neither turn led to lasting love), and I enjoyed her season of The Bachelorette (though I cared more about the guys than I did about her quest for love). Now Emily has written a book about her life on and off TV, and I jumped at the chance to read it.
While the description of I Said Yes makes this book sound like it will be about Emily's spiritual journey, it really isn't ... for the most part. The first third of the book talks about Emily's childhood and her romance with Ricky Hendrick, who died in a plane crash when Emily was pregnant with their daughter. Much of the rest of the book outlines her time on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, while the final pages discuss her growing relationship with Christ and her romance with her now-husband, Tyler.
By far, my favorite section of the book was when Emily talked about her time on the shows. (Would I have liked more details? Yes.) The tidbit that I found most interesting was that she was annoyed by Kalon from the very first night (she says his helicopter entrance was "a tacky, off-putting gimmick that came across as pretentious"), yet she kept him around because "can you imagine how boring the show would be if I only kept the nice guys around the whole time?" I wanted her to go one step further and confirm what I've long suspected, that the producers "encourage" the lead to keep certain people around, but she didn't.
As far as details about the show and the resulting relationships go, Emily probably spent the most time talking about her relationship with Brad. She pretty clearly explained what went wrong in their relationship, which is something I had been curious about. Her Bachelorette relationships, though, were kind of glossed over, and I found that disappointing.
After I finished reading I Said Yes, I got to thinking: why do we read autobiographies? This marks the third one I've read in a year (after Sean Lowe's For the Right Reasons and Candace Cameron Bure's Dancing Through Life), and in all three cases, I chose to read the book because the author is a "celebrity" whose life and experiences interest me. When I read an autobiography, I'm looking for insight into someone's life. While I got that with both Sean and Candace, Emily's story felt more surface-level to me. Sure, it was entertaining, but I didn't feel that I finished the book with a deeper understanding of Emily. I think the biggest reason for this is the writing style, which is fairly simplistic. I felt like I was getting a basic sketch of the events as Emily experienced them, rather than an insider look at her thoughts and feelings. She tends to talk in vague terms about her various relationships, including her relationship with Christ. This book feels like it just scratches the surface of who Emily is, making for an enjoyable, yet ultimately unmemorable, read.
Bottom line: If you're looking for a Bachelor/ette tell-all (which, let's be honest, I was), you won't find it here.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
While the description of I Said Yes makes this book sound like it will be about Emily's spiritual journey, it really isn't ... for the most part. The first third of the book talks about Emily's childhood and her romance with Ricky Hendrick, who died in a plane crash when Emily was pregnant with their daughter. Much of the rest of the book outlines her time on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, while the final pages discuss her growing relationship with Christ and her romance with her now-husband, Tyler.
By far, my favorite section of the book was when Emily talked about her time on the shows. (Would I have liked more details? Yes.) The tidbit that I found most interesting was that she was annoyed by Kalon from the very first night (she says his helicopter entrance was "a tacky, off-putting gimmick that came across as pretentious"), yet she kept him around because "can you imagine how boring the show would be if I only kept the nice guys around the whole time?" I wanted her to go one step further and confirm what I've long suspected, that the producers "encourage" the lead to keep certain people around, but she didn't.
As far as details about the show and the resulting relationships go, Emily probably spent the most time talking about her relationship with Brad. She pretty clearly explained what went wrong in their relationship, which is something I had been curious about. Her Bachelorette relationships, though, were kind of glossed over, and I found that disappointing.
After I finished reading I Said Yes, I got to thinking: why do we read autobiographies? This marks the third one I've read in a year (after Sean Lowe's For the Right Reasons and Candace Cameron Bure's Dancing Through Life), and in all three cases, I chose to read the book because the author is a "celebrity" whose life and experiences interest me. When I read an autobiography, I'm looking for insight into someone's life. While I got that with both Sean and Candace, Emily's story felt more surface-level to me. Sure, it was entertaining, but I didn't feel that I finished the book with a deeper understanding of Emily. I think the biggest reason for this is the writing style, which is fairly simplistic. I felt like I was getting a basic sketch of the events as Emily experienced them, rather than an insider look at her thoughts and feelings. She tends to talk in vague terms about her various relationships, including her relationship with Christ. This book feels like it just scratches the surface of who Emily is, making for an enjoyable, yet ultimately unmemorable, read.
Bottom line: If you're looking for a Bachelor/ette tell-all (which, let's be honest, I was), you won't find it here.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
June 4, 2016
This book is a major fiasco. What purports to be about faith and love is really just a whitewashed life story that attempts to improve the public image of the woman who was once the Bachelorette. It's "co-written" by a woman who gets overly descriptive about minor little things that Emily could never have possibly remembered (she can't remember many details of dates or even the name of one of her finalists so how can we trust she remembers such tiny fake details?), making this creative non-fiction. And there are huge gaps where negative details are conveniently overlooked.
The fact that it's from a Christian publisher makes the premise disturbing. They have turned Emily's life story into something it's not, ignoring who she really is. She is a spoiled rich girl, a bit of a drama queen (who repeatedly says in the book she's not a drama queen), who was given everything she ever wanted, went to boarding school, had mental issues in high school (in psych wards twice!), started dating (and having sex?) at age 16 or 17 with a much older rich race car driver, got pregnant while still in high school, then was a single mother after the guy died in a plane crash. All of that makes for an interesting story, if enough details are given and the outline not turned into an opportunity to preach at readers about a shallow faith for which there's no evidence of depth. Nowhere does she address that as a "Christian" high school teen she was sleeping with an older man and drinking while still claiming to the two of them being drawn to God together. The entire book is like this--glossing over her faults and sins by turning them into little inspirational moments (and I mean little!).
Most of the book is devoted to her being on the Bachelor and Bachelorette, but there is little here that is detailed enough to make it interesting. You get nothing about the fantasy suites--nothing. You get her saying how wonderful all the other contestants were and avoiding hurting anyone's feelings. There are four or five surprising behind-the-scenes moments (where producers put words in her mouth or edit things a certain way or leave out some really good meltdowns or let her see her daughter for a whole week during the middle of the production). Everything is extremely vague. Some of that may be for legal reasons, but much of it appears to be because this is all about her keeping her image in place and not wanting to reveal what really happened. Her breakup with Jef is barely mentioned and we're never sure why. Before you know it she is dating a handsome guy from her church.
She doesn't seem to know herself well. She never learns lessons and keeps says "yes" when she should be saying "no." The title of the book makes no sense if they think it's positive because her main problem in life is that she says "yes" when she should say "no."
They have tried to turn her life into some type of inspirational story but it's not. A number of Christian memoirs have recently gone this route of creative non-fiction and it does nothing but detract from the truth. Instead this comes across as a cheap, incomplete way to make a quick buck by avoiding dealing with reality and trying to convince us that she's not the person we saw on reality TV. Not only is she as bad as people criticized her for on TV, she comes across much worse in this book. She should have said "no."
The fact that it's from a Christian publisher makes the premise disturbing. They have turned Emily's life story into something it's not, ignoring who she really is. She is a spoiled rich girl, a bit of a drama queen (who repeatedly says in the book she's not a drama queen), who was given everything she ever wanted, went to boarding school, had mental issues in high school (in psych wards twice!), started dating (and having sex?) at age 16 or 17 with a much older rich race car driver, got pregnant while still in high school, then was a single mother after the guy died in a plane crash. All of that makes for an interesting story, if enough details are given and the outline not turned into an opportunity to preach at readers about a shallow faith for which there's no evidence of depth. Nowhere does she address that as a "Christian" high school teen she was sleeping with an older man and drinking while still claiming to the two of them being drawn to God together. The entire book is like this--glossing over her faults and sins by turning them into little inspirational moments (and I mean little!).
Most of the book is devoted to her being on the Bachelor and Bachelorette, but there is little here that is detailed enough to make it interesting. You get nothing about the fantasy suites--nothing. You get her saying how wonderful all the other contestants were and avoiding hurting anyone's feelings. There are four or five surprising behind-the-scenes moments (where producers put words in her mouth or edit things a certain way or leave out some really good meltdowns or let her see her daughter for a whole week during the middle of the production). Everything is extremely vague. Some of that may be for legal reasons, but much of it appears to be because this is all about her keeping her image in place and not wanting to reveal what really happened. Her breakup with Jef is barely mentioned and we're never sure why. Before you know it she is dating a handsome guy from her church.
She doesn't seem to know herself well. She never learns lessons and keeps says "yes" when she should be saying "no." The title of the book makes no sense if they think it's positive because her main problem in life is that she says "yes" when she should say "no."
They have tried to turn her life into some type of inspirational story but it's not. A number of Christian memoirs have recently gone this route of creative non-fiction and it does nothing but detract from the truth. Instead this comes across as a cheap, incomplete way to make a quick buck by avoiding dealing with reality and trying to convince us that she's not the person we saw on reality TV. Not only is she as bad as people criticized her for on TV, she comes across much worse in this book. She should have said "no."
March 1, 2016
I never watched Emily Maynard's season, but I spotted her book, I Said Yes, recently and picked it up to review. I knew nothing about her story going in, but to give you a quick recap, she lost her fiancé in a plane crash when she was 18, and then found out that she was pregnant. After a few years of being a single mom, she was nominated to be on the Bachelor, and later become the Bachelorette (spoiler alert: her Bachelor relationships didn't work out - what did I tell you about the track record?).
What interested me most about this book was the fact that Emily is a Christian, and I wondered how being on the show fit in with her faith in Jesus. This book is not just a story of how Emily Maynard eventually finds love, but ultimately it's a story of her Christian testimony. Though I was skeptical going in, it was refreshing to read how she eventually comes to find a relationship with Jesus and live out her faith.
I appreciated that Emily struck such a nice balance between describing her daughter as a wonderful blessing and also not condoning sex outside of marriage. Her relationship with her daughter is such a sweet part of her story, and it was so interesting to me to see how being a single mother fit into being on the Bachelor.
If you watched Emily's season, some of the story may be redundant. Originally I thought it might be hard to get interested in the book since I hadn't seen her season, but I think I enjoyed it more not knowing how her stints on the show were going to play out. But whether you have seen her season or not, reading about the "behind the scenes" of the show makes this book worthwhile. The show is even more scripted than I originally knew. I think what was most shocking to me is hearing about how they just pack up and leave after the final rose is handed out and leave this new couple totally on their own. Come on, Bachelor producers, some follow-up might increase your success stories!
If you have watched the show at all, I think you would find this book interesting. I recommend it to fellow Bachelor fans, even if you are a reluctant fan like me.
Note: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
What interested me most about this book was the fact that Emily is a Christian, and I wondered how being on the show fit in with her faith in Jesus. This book is not just a story of how Emily Maynard eventually finds love, but ultimately it's a story of her Christian testimony. Though I was skeptical going in, it was refreshing to read how she eventually comes to find a relationship with Jesus and live out her faith.
I appreciated that Emily struck such a nice balance between describing her daughter as a wonderful blessing and also not condoning sex outside of marriage. Her relationship with her daughter is such a sweet part of her story, and it was so interesting to me to see how being a single mother fit into being on the Bachelor.
If you watched Emily's season, some of the story may be redundant. Originally I thought it might be hard to get interested in the book since I hadn't seen her season, but I think I enjoyed it more not knowing how her stints on the show were going to play out. But whether you have seen her season or not, reading about the "behind the scenes" of the show makes this book worthwhile. The show is even more scripted than I originally knew. I think what was most shocking to me is hearing about how they just pack up and leave after the final rose is handed out and leave this new couple totally on their own. Come on, Bachelor producers, some follow-up might increase your success stories!
If you have watched the show at all, I think you would find this book interesting. I recommend it to fellow Bachelor fans, even if you are a reluctant fan like me.
Note: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
March 9, 2020
Could be called a Christian self-help book.
I wonder how much is real and how much is fairy tale?
In the end she talks of happiness which I hope she found.
I wonder how much is real and how much is fairy tale?
In the end she talks of happiness which I hope she found.
November 21, 2019
I adore Emily and I adored this book! I figured I would enjoy this book considering Emily was and still is my favorite bachelorette! 🌹Emily's life pre-bacelor/ette days was so interesting that by the time she started talking about going on the show I had pretty much forgotten that's how she was famous! 😂 I love Emily's faith in the Lord and how much she talks about following His plan for us, not our own. This book has a lot of behind the scenes info from her time on The Bachelor with Brad, and her time as The Bachelorette. It made me want to go back and watch those seasons to look for some of the scenes she talked about. Emily is a very kind-hearted, faithful person and that definitely shows throughout this book as we get a glimpse into her life. I definitely recommend this book if you're a fan of Emily or even if you're just a part of Bachelor nation!
July 26, 2016
Yikes, I loved Emily on The Bachelor, a little less on The Bachelorette, and after reading this, I outright dislike her. I didn't feel like I could believe most of what she said in this book. So far, Courtney Robertson has the best/most honest of the Bachelor memoirs.
June 20, 2018
As a fan of the shows The Bachelor/ Bachelorette, I thought this was a great read. Not only did I appreciate getting Emily’s inside scoop on the show and her seasons but I also enjoyed learning more about her life and journey to love. It was also encouraging to read more about her Christian testimony and how God has really worked in her life!
February 24, 2016
Emily Maynard Johnson is best known for her appearances on the Bachelor and Bachelorette. Here in this book she chronicles her journey to a true meaningful, sustaining faith, and true love from God.
Emily tells of her childhood, and relationship with her first love and late fiance, as well as the struggles she faced while being a young single mom, and the whirlwind that brought her to The Bachelor.
Emily shares pieces of her life, in this peek into her heart, as she tells of her journey to a purposeful faith, and finding true love.
I am not terribly familiar with the Bachelor franchise, but I did catch some of Brad Womack's 2nd season, and was very impressed with Emily and how important her daughter was to her, and how she represented herself. After that season I didn't watch much, but when I heard Emily was back I didn't miss an episode, because I really liked her as a person and wanted her to be happy--despite being very skeptical of the show and it's format.
If you are looking for a tell all book of shocking Bachelor secrets, this probably isn't the book for you. Instead this is an uplifting and inspiring read about a young woman who found true hope and security in Jesus Christ, and the turning points in her life that brought her to faith.
I enjoyed reading about Emily's story, and was touched by how her faith evolved and grew throughout her journey. I have so much respect for her, and how she is able to look back on things in her life and learn from them, seeing God's call in every step.
Overall, a wonderful and enjoyable read, with a happy ending. A great read for recovering Bachelor and Bachelorette addicts, and for anyone who is somewhat familiar with Emily's story. I think my favorite chapter was the last one where she shares more about her husband and their journey to marriage, and shared faith in Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, you don't have to go on a TV show to find love, sometimes God's best is waiting just around the corner. :)
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."
Emily tells of her childhood, and relationship with her first love and late fiance, as well as the struggles she faced while being a young single mom, and the whirlwind that brought her to The Bachelor.
Emily shares pieces of her life, in this peek into her heart, as she tells of her journey to a purposeful faith, and finding true love.
I am not terribly familiar with the Bachelor franchise, but I did catch some of Brad Womack's 2nd season, and was very impressed with Emily and how important her daughter was to her, and how she represented herself. After that season I didn't watch much, but when I heard Emily was back I didn't miss an episode, because I really liked her as a person and wanted her to be happy--despite being very skeptical of the show and it's format.
If you are looking for a tell all book of shocking Bachelor secrets, this probably isn't the book for you. Instead this is an uplifting and inspiring read about a young woman who found true hope and security in Jesus Christ, and the turning points in her life that brought her to faith.
I enjoyed reading about Emily's story, and was touched by how her faith evolved and grew throughout her journey. I have so much respect for her, and how she is able to look back on things in her life and learn from them, seeing God's call in every step.
Overall, a wonderful and enjoyable read, with a happy ending. A great read for recovering Bachelor and Bachelorette addicts, and for anyone who is somewhat familiar with Emily's story. I think my favorite chapter was the last one where she shares more about her husband and their journey to marriage, and shared faith in Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, you don't have to go on a TV show to find love, sometimes God's best is waiting just around the corner. :)
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."
August 28, 2016
Emily Maynard is a woman with a very particular personality that comes through in this book, and as sweet as she sounds, and as tragic as her first love ended, her life has been a fairly charmed one. I'm not sure I could relate to her at all, quite frankly, and the amount of religion and Bible beating in the book was also a bit off putting, as someone who does not share her uber-Christian faith. Overall, I found the book somewhat exhaustingly preachy-- BUT, there is a silver lining to this book for true Bachelor fans. Maynard has been on both the Bachelor and Bachelorette, and though she doesn't come right out and say it (assuming due to contracts), it is definitely super-interesting to read about the behind the scenes production of the show, which indicate, often, a very predetermined and somewhat manufactured narrative-- this is the first Bachelor book I've read that wink-wink-nod-nods in that direction so much more. So I didn't hate the book, though I don't particularly like Emily. Would only recommend this for super- pampered, Christian teenage girls and HUGE Bachelor fans. Two stars.
May 26, 2016
While it is absolutely Emily's right to censor the parts of her life she is uncomfortable sharing with the masses (and as a mother of small children who will undoubtedly read this someday, it is understandable), this memoir is weak because it is obvious where Emily censors both events and her own personal emotions. It also barely touches on her time in the Bachelor/ette circuit, which is where most of her fans know her from and makes you wonder why she even consented to write about her life in the first place. However, by the time you get to the altar call at the end, Emily's motivations are clear - to highlight her faith and to try and give hope through her story to those that are perhaps having the same struggles she did - whether that's attractive is up to you. An enjoyable read regardless of the lopsided storytelling, but if you're looking for a no holds barred look into the life of a Bachelor/ette contestant 'I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends' by Courtney Robertson would be a better choice.
August 15, 2016
I didn't realize coming into this that this was a book about Faith. Don't get me wrong--there are some really great Christian writers out there (I'm looking at you, Lisa Wingate), but the great Christian writers have their characters' faith as part of a bigger story. Johnson's book could also have shown her faith as part of a bigger story (And what a story she had! She was a Bachelorette twice!) but instead the story was a mere backdrop to the Did-I-Happen-to-Mention-I-Now-Have-Faith bit.
I did learn one interesting thing about the TV show: The rose ceremony is not filmed all at once. Four or five names are called, then there's a break (presumably to get more names) and then four or five more names are called. I always wondered how the Bachelors and Bachelorettes remembered everyone's name. Answer: They don't.
I did learn one interesting thing about the TV show: The rose ceremony is not filmed all at once. Four or five names are called, then there's a break (presumably to get more names) and then four or five more names are called. I always wondered how the Bachelors and Bachelorettes remembered everyone's name. Answer: They don't.
February 15, 2016
Read my full thoughts on this book and hundreds more over at Read.Write.Repeat.
Emily's memoir is as she is: sweet, sincere, and a little bit sassy. While some may be looking for more of a scoop, her intent is clearly to share lessons learned not behind-the-scenes gossip.
Emily's memoir is as she is: sweet, sincere, and a little bit sassy. While some may be looking for more of a scoop, her intent is clearly to share lessons learned not behind-the-scenes gossip.
August 26, 2019
Emily has such a powerful and unique story. She does a great job of reminding people of the truth that early relationships will never satisfy-only Christ can. I also loved learning a little about behind-the-scenes from her time on The Bachelor/Bachelorette.
March 16, 2016
Loved hearing about all the behind the scenes but the last 20 pages make this book! Can't wait to see what the Lord does with this for those expecting just a tell all book!
March 13, 2016
The Bachelor is my guilty pleasure, but there were very little behind-the-scenes stories and nothing exciting at all. Boring.
December 20, 2016
This book started with a great deal of laughter. Mainly from me – I don’t think the text was meant to be funny but we discover more about the life of Perfect Emily as seen on TV it sure felt that way. Her dad works his way up from the coalmines of West Virginia to owning two of said mines (wait so that would mean good Ol Em’s LOADED?!). We are led to believe Emily –describing herself as an Ellie Mae Clampet type is begging her daddy not to light his cigs from the gas flame from their stove while she pitterpats around the hard woods of her log cabin home in pigtails. She lets us know has no early athletic skills but loves to ride horses until one throws her mom, aka the Martha Stewart of the south who loves to decorate their mcmansion. (wait I thought you were poor like us Emily?!) Emily then tells us how after spending one of her childhood summers in Key West (um, wha?????) she returns to find that all of her friends from school have turned on her and tell lies about her. Exactly how old are you, 7? Part of me still thinks she harbors enough hate to want to have these girls killed or at least have their eyebrows Naired off while they sleep.
As an escape she leaves her Virginia—wait I thought you said West Virgina—do you even know where you live Emily???—home for a boarding school. Upon arrival things aren’t so grand because the girls there are mean (pattern forming?) so she leaves for Bocca Raton where she finds it is cooler to hang out with OLDER mean girls and lie! (But they are “fancy schmancy and spending $200 at The Limited, Too is equivalent to shopping at a garage sale.”) (Again I am wondering are these like the 12-14 years?????)
As we get into the part where Emily meets and begins her romance with Ricky Hendricks I must continue to remind myself she is 16-18 years old. In pictures I found online, she looks a decade older, as I read it she acts that way too. I will say this portion of the book goes in and out of her co-writer. When her co-writer writes you can see the text book high school writing of “add an adjective, make it longer, fill this paragraph with meaningless words”…like you need seven adjectives before the steak you ate on date one? It’s like a science geek writing a senior year English paper…but when Emily really gets into her relationship with Ricky you see Emily’s words and they become human and real. They are beautiful and powerful, yet you remember, um, this was short period of time and she was 18 and it gets awkward so your feelings get kind of mirky—it’s probably because I’m such a jaded person but I can’t help but think why are spending so much time on this part of your memoir—as if you are justifying your love, trying to prove you didn’t get knocked up?!.....Then you talk about your walk in faith and 10 pages later how you had NO relationship with God…very bizarre
So we get to part three and the Emily we fell in love shines like a bright star. We finally learn about how she got to The Bachelor and she is 100% herself in her writing again. It’s as if we are transported back in time and are watching the filming like a fly on the wall. We learn Michelle Money is as sweet as everyone says despite that evil vixen persona we saw on tv and that Emily and Ashley H had a HUGE never aired fight then a nice reconciliation that also never aired. The behind the scenes information make the dates make more sense and make you think oh these logical women are not completely crazy for falling for these men. You understand how they can get swept up in this fantasy. Yeah, yeah, yeah I hear you naysayers out there…whatever you never saw how hot Brad Womack was so shut it. You also hear more about the other side of Brad (from Emily’s point of view)which is not so pretty. As we learned after filming, and from his twin, Brad was not quite the fairy tail prince we all thought him to be and the way he broke up Emily is down right horrendous. Now to be fair he had some pretty nasty things to say about Emily too, including how “he definitely dodged a bullet with her”. But Emily’s take on how he claimed, “you’re a lot heavier than you look Em!” is a terrible thing to say and replying “I was just joking” never makes anything better, EVER! This section and the next is why I bought the book and it didn’t disappoint!!!!!!
The next section is how she finally agrees to do the Bachelorette. We learn about Alessendro (I don’t even remember him!) the vampire who causes her to flip out and how she gets butterflies early on for Arie. It still boggles my mind she was only 26 at this time because she seemed so much older on the show. We learn a bit more about the HUGE blow up that Kalon caused at the expense of Ricki and how horrendous it was because NO ONE came to her aid and why she started having feeling for Jef (the f still gets me and seriously EVERYONE in AMERICA knew it was going nowhere) and why Sean Lowe was the perfect guy (but just not for her). As we read further it is sad to see that behind the scenes Jef was basically an immature child. He flirted with female producers openly in front of Emily, stole surfboards from locals to use and wink wink returned them when he was done, jumped from balcony to balcony in the hotels they were staying in Europe and nearly got the entire crew kicked out. Then we learn about Arie and his past fling with a producer he tried to keep secret from Emily, the never shown awkwardness of his family date, and then his behavior after the shows ends. When Emily finally gets the ring from Jef it is crazy how Emily rationalizes saying yes to an engagement she specifically from day one said she NEVER wanted. The mayhem that ensues in Charlotte with Arie that we were never told is even more insane!!!!! Bachelor Nation this is what the juiciness was fresh to death!
As an escape she leaves her Virginia—wait I thought you said West Virgina—do you even know where you live Emily???—home for a boarding school. Upon arrival things aren’t so grand because the girls there are mean (pattern forming?) so she leaves for Bocca Raton where she finds it is cooler to hang out with OLDER mean girls and lie! (But they are “fancy schmancy and spending $200 at The Limited, Too is equivalent to shopping at a garage sale.”) (Again I am wondering are these like the 12-14 years?????)
As we get into the part where Emily meets and begins her romance with Ricky Hendricks I must continue to remind myself she is 16-18 years old. In pictures I found online, she looks a decade older, as I read it she acts that way too. I will say this portion of the book goes in and out of her co-writer. When her co-writer writes you can see the text book high school writing of “add an adjective, make it longer, fill this paragraph with meaningless words”…like you need seven adjectives before the steak you ate on date one? It’s like a science geek writing a senior year English paper…but when Emily really gets into her relationship with Ricky you see Emily’s words and they become human and real. They are beautiful and powerful, yet you remember, um, this was short period of time and she was 18 and it gets awkward so your feelings get kind of mirky—it’s probably because I’m such a jaded person but I can’t help but think why are spending so much time on this part of your memoir—as if you are justifying your love, trying to prove you didn’t get knocked up?!.....Then you talk about your walk in faith and 10 pages later how you had NO relationship with God…very bizarre
So we get to part three and the Emily we fell in love shines like a bright star. We finally learn about how she got to The Bachelor and she is 100% herself in her writing again. It’s as if we are transported back in time and are watching the filming like a fly on the wall. We learn Michelle Money is as sweet as everyone says despite that evil vixen persona we saw on tv and that Emily and Ashley H had a HUGE never aired fight then a nice reconciliation that also never aired. The behind the scenes information make the dates make more sense and make you think oh these logical women are not completely crazy for falling for these men. You understand how they can get swept up in this fantasy. Yeah, yeah, yeah I hear you naysayers out there…whatever you never saw how hot Brad Womack was so shut it. You also hear more about the other side of Brad (from Emily’s point of view)which is not so pretty. As we learned after filming, and from his twin, Brad was not quite the fairy tail prince we all thought him to be and the way he broke up Emily is down right horrendous. Now to be fair he had some pretty nasty things to say about Emily too, including how “he definitely dodged a bullet with her”. But Emily’s take on how he claimed, “you’re a lot heavier than you look Em!” is a terrible thing to say and replying “I was just joking” never makes anything better, EVER! This section and the next is why I bought the book and it didn’t disappoint!!!!!!
The next section is how she finally agrees to do the Bachelorette. We learn about Alessendro (I don’t even remember him!) the vampire who causes her to flip out and how she gets butterflies early on for Arie. It still boggles my mind she was only 26 at this time because she seemed so much older on the show. We learn a bit more about the HUGE blow up that Kalon caused at the expense of Ricki and how horrendous it was because NO ONE came to her aid and why she started having feeling for Jef (the f still gets me and seriously EVERYONE in AMERICA knew it was going nowhere) and why Sean Lowe was the perfect guy (but just not for her). As we read further it is sad to see that behind the scenes Jef was basically an immature child. He flirted with female producers openly in front of Emily, stole surfboards from locals to use and wink wink returned them when he was done, jumped from balcony to balcony in the hotels they were staying in Europe and nearly got the entire crew kicked out. Then we learn about Arie and his past fling with a producer he tried to keep secret from Emily, the never shown awkwardness of his family date, and then his behavior after the shows ends. When Emily finally gets the ring from Jef it is crazy how Emily rationalizes saying yes to an engagement she specifically from day one said she NEVER wanted. The mayhem that ensues in Charlotte with Arie that we were never told is even more insane!!!!! Bachelor Nation this is what the juiciness was fresh to death!
August 12, 2018
Love her and loved the book of her story.
May 13, 2020
An inspiring, honest story about walking through tragedy, valleys, and finding your true self and Saviour on the other side.
February 24, 2016
If you have been watching the Bachelor since season 15, then you know who Emily Maynard is. She first appeared on the Bachelor in 2011 and then became the Bachelorette in 2012. Emily Maynard began her journey to find love several years after losing the love of her life in a plane accident. Not only was he the love of her life, but he was also the father to her unborn child, Ricki. I said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love by Emily Maynard Johnson focuses on love, loss, and finding God.
I enjoy reading autobiographies written by former Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants because I like to learn about the juicy behind the scenes action. I didn’t watch Emily on Brad’s season of the Bachelor. I started watching the infamous show the following Bachelor Season and continued to watch when Emily was the Bachelorette. I liked Emily and felt sorrow for her because of what had happened with her daughter’s father. Reading about how they met and fell in love was heartbreaking. The whole first half of the book was depressing. I just kept hoping that their love ended differently, unfortunately you can’t change reality.
After talking about how she loved and lost, Emily then gets into the Bachelor/Bachelorette filming details. There weren’t nearly as much information about the show as there was in Sean Lowe’s book For The Right Reasons, which I also read and reviewed. (You can find that review here.) Sean Lowe was actually one of the final three on Emily’s Bachelorette season. (I really wanted her to pick him.) What was most shocking about her season was how she told the producers she didn’t want to be engaged at the end of the show. The producers didn’t listen. This ultimately led to her saying yes to Jef (the last man standing or kneeling at this point) and her going into an engagement prematurely.
If you’re reading this review, or considering reading this book, I’m sure you know that Emily and Jef broke up. She is now married to someone completely unrelated to the show and just gave birth to her second child, a little boy. Emily’s story does have a happy ending, but she sure did have to go through a lot of trials and tribulations to get to that point. Throughout the entire book, Emily talks about her relationship to God and how instead of saying yes to two engagements she wasn’t ready for, she should have said yes to Him. Faith wasn’t talked about too heavily in the book but did play a role in her life choices. She speaks about how she was Catholic growing up and how her family did not attend church regularly. She thought God was directing her towards finding love on TV, when love was somewhere much closer to home.
Overall, I thought the book was okay. My biggest complaint is how Emily used way too many exclamation points. I love me a good exclamation point, but I would probably not use them as much while writing an autobiography. I enjoyed learning more about Emily’s life prior to reality TV; you only get a glimpse of her story on TV. I am so happy for her and her family. I hope this book clears up many of the false ideas that the public has about her. Emily sounds like an amazing mom to Ricki and I am sure she is just a great with her new baby boy. I wish her only the best in life.
I Said Yes by Emily Maynard Johnson will be available on March 1, 2016. You can preorder the book here to receive a bunch of free stuff! Feel free to also check out Emily’s website.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I enjoy reading autobiographies written by former Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants because I like to learn about the juicy behind the scenes action. I didn’t watch Emily on Brad’s season of the Bachelor. I started watching the infamous show the following Bachelor Season and continued to watch when Emily was the Bachelorette. I liked Emily and felt sorrow for her because of what had happened with her daughter’s father. Reading about how they met and fell in love was heartbreaking. The whole first half of the book was depressing. I just kept hoping that their love ended differently, unfortunately you can’t change reality.
After talking about how she loved and lost, Emily then gets into the Bachelor/Bachelorette filming details. There weren’t nearly as much information about the show as there was in Sean Lowe’s book For The Right Reasons, which I also read and reviewed. (You can find that review here.) Sean Lowe was actually one of the final three on Emily’s Bachelorette season. (I really wanted her to pick him.) What was most shocking about her season was how she told the producers she didn’t want to be engaged at the end of the show. The producers didn’t listen. This ultimately led to her saying yes to Jef (the last man standing or kneeling at this point) and her going into an engagement prematurely.
If you’re reading this review, or considering reading this book, I’m sure you know that Emily and Jef broke up. She is now married to someone completely unrelated to the show and just gave birth to her second child, a little boy. Emily’s story does have a happy ending, but she sure did have to go through a lot of trials and tribulations to get to that point. Throughout the entire book, Emily talks about her relationship to God and how instead of saying yes to two engagements she wasn’t ready for, she should have said yes to Him. Faith wasn’t talked about too heavily in the book but did play a role in her life choices. She speaks about how she was Catholic growing up and how her family did not attend church regularly. She thought God was directing her towards finding love on TV, when love was somewhere much closer to home.
Overall, I thought the book was okay. My biggest complaint is how Emily used way too many exclamation points. I love me a good exclamation point, but I would probably not use them as much while writing an autobiography. I enjoyed learning more about Emily’s life prior to reality TV; you only get a glimpse of her story on TV. I am so happy for her and her family. I hope this book clears up many of the false ideas that the public has about her. Emily sounds like an amazing mom to Ricki and I am sure she is just a great with her new baby boy. I wish her only the best in life.
I Said Yes by Emily Maynard Johnson will be available on March 1, 2016. You can preorder the book here to receive a bunch of free stuff! Feel free to also check out Emily’s website.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
April 26, 2020
I initially started this audiobook thinking it would be good background noise during the workday. Within 2 chapters I was sucked in so curious to learn more about Emily’s first fiancé, who was notoriously killed in a plane crash before the bachelor, and the rest of her life before going on the show. If you are looking for a bachelor tell all, this is not the book, almost 2/3 are dedicated to her life before and after the show. I would say the bachelor piece of the book seemed a little whiny. While I understand that may have just been the readers tone (book was not read by Emily herself), it seemed like all of her reactions to be chosen, receiving roses, being asked to be the bachelorette, were “ooo me?? No way! Ok!” Which I found to be interesting given how much distaste she reiterated having for the media and her overall experience. She even said she told produces she did not want to get married on the bachelorette and almost said no to the proposal but she didn’t want to cause a PR nightmare. Emily has lived a truly interesting life, all seemingly tied together by her discovery of herself within Christianity. Would definitely recommend to any Bachelor fans who are familiar with Emily!
April 1, 2016
There are strict rules for all contestants on the Bachelor and Bachelorette reality shows, meaning no contact with the outside world: no phones, television, newspapers, internet etc. The bachelor mansion was beautiful, spacious, and elegant. However, Maynard stayed in a small room with three other women, taking it all in stride. Appearing on season 15 of the Bachelor and season 8 of the Bachelorette in 2014: "I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love" is her extraordinary tell-all authored with A.J. Gregory.
As a single mother of a young daughter, a friend contacted the show. Maynard initially rejected the idea of appearing on the Bachelor. Approaching her mid-twenties she didn't think anyone could fill her heart as her first love NASCAR driver Ricky Hendrick, who was tragically killed when the family plane crashed in the Bell Mountains, NV on the way to a NASCAR event. Their daughter Ricki was born afterward, as Maynard deeply mourned her loss.
The producers of the show persisted, wanting Maynard as a contestant to compete for the affections of bachelor Brad Womack, who had already rejected bachelorettes previously. Intrigued, needing to make a change, hoping to find love again, in such a dramatic romantic way--she went on the show. Maynard details the behind the scenes well, she enjoyed the friendship with the other bachelorettes. Though falling in love on camera, the camera crews encouraging contestants to express their emotions, getting little sleep before locations were suddenly changed etc. were challenging and stressful. Viewers wondered what Brad Womack was thinking when he expected the beautiful non-athletic bachelorettes to do the extreme advanced maneuvers rock climbing! When Maynard received the final rose, and a startling marriage proposal, the tabloids would have a field day following the details of her life, as she became a national celebrity. The sweeping TV romance didn't work out as anticipated and Maynard was invited to appear next on the Bachelorette.
The shows were really fun overall, and afforded Maynard experiences she wouldn't have had otherwise, also a unique way to finally move past heartbreak and grief after losing Hendrick. Eventually, she would stop following her tabloid media and pick up her Bible. It was during this time, deeply studying Bible scriptures, attending church regularly, her spirituality and faith increased, she became better acquainted with future husband Tyler Johnson. All the things that had happened to her transformed her into the person she was meant to be, in this fun and heartwarming story. ~ With thanks to the Seattle Public Library.
As a single mother of a young daughter, a friend contacted the show. Maynard initially rejected the idea of appearing on the Bachelor. Approaching her mid-twenties she didn't think anyone could fill her heart as her first love NASCAR driver Ricky Hendrick, who was tragically killed when the family plane crashed in the Bell Mountains, NV on the way to a NASCAR event. Their daughter Ricki was born afterward, as Maynard deeply mourned her loss.
The producers of the show persisted, wanting Maynard as a contestant to compete for the affections of bachelor Brad Womack, who had already rejected bachelorettes previously. Intrigued, needing to make a change, hoping to find love again, in such a dramatic romantic way--she went on the show. Maynard details the behind the scenes well, she enjoyed the friendship with the other bachelorettes. Though falling in love on camera, the camera crews encouraging contestants to express their emotions, getting little sleep before locations were suddenly changed etc. were challenging and stressful. Viewers wondered what Brad Womack was thinking when he expected the beautiful non-athletic bachelorettes to do the extreme advanced maneuvers rock climbing! When Maynard received the final rose, and a startling marriage proposal, the tabloids would have a field day following the details of her life, as she became a national celebrity. The sweeping TV romance didn't work out as anticipated and Maynard was invited to appear next on the Bachelorette.
The shows were really fun overall, and afforded Maynard experiences she wouldn't have had otherwise, also a unique way to finally move past heartbreak and grief after losing Hendrick. Eventually, she would stop following her tabloid media and pick up her Bible. It was during this time, deeply studying Bible scriptures, attending church regularly, her spirituality and faith increased, she became better acquainted with future husband Tyler Johnson. All the things that had happened to her transformed her into the person she was meant to be, in this fun and heartwarming story. ~ With thanks to the Seattle Public Library.
August 4, 2016
Original book review can be found on my blog, http://tayandgriffepperson.blogspot.c...
"I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption and True Love" by Emily Maynard. I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I personally love reading memoirs and this was a good one! Emily tells her story of how she found love as a teen with Ricky, who she plans to marry after high school. Ricky is a nascar driver, but in an unexpected plane accident, loses his life. Leaving Emily alone, to battle with her loss. Shortly after the death of Ricky, Emily discovers that she is pregnant with his child. She is happy, but also sad. Happy to have part of Ricky with her, but sad that they don't get to have the life they'd been planning.
When Ricki, Emily's daughter, is about three, Emily's friend submits her name to be on The Bachelor. [I've never really watched The Bachelor or the Bachelorette, but it was fun to read about in this book.] Emily ends up on The Bachelor, and then later on the Bachelorette. I won't say any more about what happens during the shows, but in the end she discovers that the love and life she wants is closer than she thinks.
This book is heartwarming and honest. I love how open Emily is about the different things that she experienced. I love reading memoirs for this exact reason. I believe that there is so much you can learn form others, because we all have a story. We all have different experiences. The more I read memoirs the more I am inspired to write my own story, which is difficult at times. But well worth it. I loved reading this book. I highly recommend it! I recommend this book because it's honest, as well as spiritual in a way. Emily shares with us her own personal journey with God and in life, and I think that is truly incredible. I gave "I Said Yes" 4 stars.
"I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption and True Love" by Emily Maynard. I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I personally love reading memoirs and this was a good one! Emily tells her story of how she found love as a teen with Ricky, who she plans to marry after high school. Ricky is a nascar driver, but in an unexpected plane accident, loses his life. Leaving Emily alone, to battle with her loss. Shortly after the death of Ricky, Emily discovers that she is pregnant with his child. She is happy, but also sad. Happy to have part of Ricky with her, but sad that they don't get to have the life they'd been planning.
When Ricki, Emily's daughter, is about three, Emily's friend submits her name to be on The Bachelor. [I've never really watched The Bachelor or the Bachelorette, but it was fun to read about in this book.] Emily ends up on The Bachelor, and then later on the Bachelorette. I won't say any more about what happens during the shows, but in the end she discovers that the love and life she wants is closer than she thinks.
This book is heartwarming and honest. I love how open Emily is about the different things that she experienced. I love reading memoirs for this exact reason. I believe that there is so much you can learn form others, because we all have a story. We all have different experiences. The more I read memoirs the more I am inspired to write my own story, which is difficult at times. But well worth it. I loved reading this book. I highly recommend it! I recommend this book because it's honest, as well as spiritual in a way. Emily shares with us her own personal journey with God and in life, and I think that is truly incredible. I gave "I Said Yes" 4 stars.
April 23, 2020
2.5 stars.
I read I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love in April of 2016, so I’m not going to review. I’m just adding books to my read shelf that never made it there when I first read them (thanks, child Kayleigh, for deciding to keep a list of all the books you’ve read, their dates, and their rating since early 2007).
I read I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love in April of 2016, so I’m not going to review. I’m just adding books to my read shelf that never made it there when I first read them (thanks, child Kayleigh, for deciding to keep a list of all the books you’ve read, their dates, and their rating since early 2007).
June 14, 2016
As I begin this review, I want to make one thing very clear: I DO NOT watch the Bachelor or the Bachelorette! I also knew nothing about Emily Maynard Johnson prior to reading this new book. I requested this book to review because the topic of brokenness and the search for true love intrigued me. As a woman, I know the feeling of desiring romance and the search for peace and stability in this crazy life. This book is an in-depth look at Emily's life from the start, through her difficult single mom years and her stints on the Bachelor and the Bachelorette to final redemption and true love- both spiritual and human. Emily is very open and honest and I really couldn't put the book down!
I appreciate how Emily doesn't condone the fact that she took part in both the Bachelor and the Bachelorette; in fact after reading more about those shows I would really question someones sanity if they thought it a good way to meet a true love!
This book is a story of a girl who wasn't opposed to Christianity and its traditions but who did not have a personal relationship with Jesus. The idea of the book is that Emily finally finds true joy and peace in Jesus and through him, finds her husband. As an optimistic reader with no idea of the heart of the author, I was excited to read this account. However, afterwards I had some doubts as to the sincerity of Emily Maynard Johnson. Her book doesn't have ENOUGH repentance and regret in it. Although she mentions some regret over her Bachelor and Bachelorette stints, she it's not the huge repentance one would expect. Also, she seems to think she was a Christian even during her time on the shows... I'm open to the fact that she became a Christian afterwards.... I don't know her and feel a little confused about this book now that I know how off the B. and B. shows are.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!
I appreciate how Emily doesn't condone the fact that she took part in both the Bachelor and the Bachelorette; in fact after reading more about those shows I would really question someones sanity if they thought it a good way to meet a true love!
This book is a story of a girl who wasn't opposed to Christianity and its traditions but who did not have a personal relationship with Jesus. The idea of the book is that Emily finally finds true joy and peace in Jesus and through him, finds her husband. As an optimistic reader with no idea of the heart of the author, I was excited to read this account. However, afterwards I had some doubts as to the sincerity of Emily Maynard Johnson. Her book doesn't have ENOUGH repentance and regret in it. Although she mentions some regret over her Bachelor and Bachelorette stints, she it's not the huge repentance one would expect. Also, she seems to think she was a Christian even during her time on the shows... I'm open to the fact that she became a Christian afterwards.... I don't know her and feel a little confused about this book now that I know how off the B. and B. shows are.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!
March 1, 2016
Almost three years ago, I had the unique opportunity of meeting Emily Maynard at Disney World. At that time, she had just ended her season on the Bachelor with Brad Womack, and it was just announced the two had broken up. Emily was very sweet in person and was visiting Disney World with her daughter, Ricki. She was very kind and genuine in person. Her southern accent was super strong too and she was just darling as I love to say.
Fast forward, Emily has since had her own season as the Bachelorette, moved on with life, started a family and is newly married. In her newest book, " I Said Yes", Emily talks about the journey that got her to love, a new little one and her relationship with the Lord. This book walks us through the story of her first love Ricky to her absolute love, Jesus and of course, her husband. Emily is transparent about the struggles of being a single momma, the life of the race track and the things that we don't all get to see from the TV aspect of the hit show, the Bachelor.
If you haven't watched her season, this book is an excellent overview of her season on the Bachelor and Bachelorette. If you have seen her season, it will give you an entirely different perspective as you see the show through her eyes and her journey to finding love unfold. Overall, I was more interested in hearing about her life before the Bachelor and after. Emily was extremely transparent about how difficult it was to lose Ricky and the hope pregnancy brought during that season. I was impressed with her willingness to share her faith and wished she would have shared more about her life now. I was disappointed how she summed the end of the book. If you're an Emily fan, you'll enjoy this book. I give this book four stars.
I received this book as a complimentary gift in exchange for my honest review, which I have provided.
Fast forward, Emily has since had her own season as the Bachelorette, moved on with life, started a family and is newly married. In her newest book, " I Said Yes", Emily talks about the journey that got her to love, a new little one and her relationship with the Lord. This book walks us through the story of her first love Ricky to her absolute love, Jesus and of course, her husband. Emily is transparent about the struggles of being a single momma, the life of the race track and the things that we don't all get to see from the TV aspect of the hit show, the Bachelor.
If you haven't watched her season, this book is an excellent overview of her season on the Bachelor and Bachelorette. If you have seen her season, it will give you an entirely different perspective as you see the show through her eyes and her journey to finding love unfold. Overall, I was more interested in hearing about her life before the Bachelor and after. Emily was extremely transparent about how difficult it was to lose Ricky and the hope pregnancy brought during that season. I was impressed with her willingness to share her faith and wished she would have shared more about her life now. I was disappointed how she summed the end of the book. If you're an Emily fan, you'll enjoy this book. I give this book four stars.
I received this book as a complimentary gift in exchange for my honest review, which I have provided.
September 16, 2016
Emily Maynard of Bachelor/Bachelorette fame writes about her life in this autobiographical (and clearly co-authored) book. The book doesn't quite get deep enough - particularly about her faith - but it is an enjoyable book and makes me happy to see that she has found love after going through some very difficult times.
I loved hearing some of the details from the behind-the-scenes of the Bachelor. She clearly alludes that she didn't want Kalon there, but it wouldn't be great television without him. In other words, the producers forced her to keep him around. She writes that she said Brad was her favorite past Bachelor and that her dream date was to ride elephants...guess who shows up as the Bachelor and guess what one of their dates was?! And finally, the question of just how one person can learn 25 names in one night is answered. They can't. They stop filming after 5 roses, take a break, resume, and continue in that fashion.
I just wish there were more details about her time as the Bachelorette. I've got to be honest; it seems like they got to that part and decided to rush the rest of the book to meet a deadline. It just wasn't as detailed as the earlier sections.
This book also goes to show that sometimes there is more than what meets the eye. Emily always seemed so put-together on the show; however, in the book you discover her insecurities about her intelligence and her anxieties over social settings and being filmed in a swimsuit. Emily also reveals about the difficulties she had as a teenager.
If you enjoyed watching Emily Maynard's season of the Bachelorette, then you would most likely enjoy this book. It is a quick, interesting, and uplifting read.
I loved hearing some of the details from the behind-the-scenes of the Bachelor. She clearly alludes that she didn't want Kalon there, but it wouldn't be great television without him. In other words, the producers forced her to keep him around. She writes that she said Brad was her favorite past Bachelor and that her dream date was to ride elephants...guess who shows up as the Bachelor and guess what one of their dates was?! And finally, the question of just how one person can learn 25 names in one night is answered. They can't. They stop filming after 5 roses, take a break, resume, and continue in that fashion.
I just wish there were more details about her time as the Bachelorette. I've got to be honest; it seems like they got to that part and decided to rush the rest of the book to meet a deadline. It just wasn't as detailed as the earlier sections.
This book also goes to show that sometimes there is more than what meets the eye. Emily always seemed so put-together on the show; however, in the book you discover her insecurities about her intelligence and her anxieties over social settings and being filmed in a swimsuit. Emily also reveals about the difficulties she had as a teenager.
If you enjoyed watching Emily Maynard's season of the Bachelorette, then you would most likely enjoy this book. It is a quick, interesting, and uplifting read.
February 24, 2016
In I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love, Emily Maynard Johnson talks about her faith, family, and time on the TV shows The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. I had watched part of Emily’s season of The Bachelor, so it was interesting to read what her thoughts were during the ups and downs of both shows. I felt like I got a much better idea of who Emily is after reading this book.
I previously reviewed For the Right Reasons by the Bachelor/Bachelorette star Sean Lowe, which gave a lot of behind-the-scenes info about the shows; Emily’s book also provides readers with many behind-the-scenes details. Her story sounded similar to those of other Bachelor contestants: she was nominated for the show by a friend, pursued by the producers, and then she signed on to a rollercoaster of an experience. I Said Yes definitely shows the dark side of reality TV.
I think that many Bachelor viewers will appreciate this book, because Emily discusses memorable events from her TV appearances, and she mentions what happened before and after the cameras were rolling. Additionally, I Said Yes is not just about Emily’s time on TV; I really enjoyed reading her stories about motherhood, becoming more involved in her church, and meeting her husband, Tyler.
*I received this book for review*
I previously reviewed For the Right Reasons by the Bachelor/Bachelorette star Sean Lowe, which gave a lot of behind-the-scenes info about the shows; Emily’s book also provides readers with many behind-the-scenes details. Her story sounded similar to those of other Bachelor contestants: she was nominated for the show by a friend, pursued by the producers, and then she signed on to a rollercoaster of an experience. I Said Yes definitely shows the dark side of reality TV.
I think that many Bachelor viewers will appreciate this book, because Emily discusses memorable events from her TV appearances, and she mentions what happened before and after the cameras were rolling. Additionally, I Said Yes is not just about Emily’s time on TV; I really enjoyed reading her stories about motherhood, becoming more involved in her church, and meeting her husband, Tyler.
*I received this book for review*
December 19, 2016
Being a huge Bachelor/Bachelorette fan, I feel like I have followed Emily Maynard in her journey of love. I became invested in her story, and was so happy for her when she got married to her now husband Tyler. So, I knew that I would love to read a book about her story from her perspective.
The first half of the book is about her first love, and all of the struggles that she went through with that. While I was interested in this part of her story, it is a dark part of her story. It was hard to read, and took me a while to get through. I can only imagine how it felt to live through it. That being said, the second half of the book was definitely my favorite part. This is where she wrote about her journey of the Bachelor and then on the Bachelorette. She shared a lot of things that the viewers have no idea of when simply watching the show. It was cool to read, but definitely made me wonder how ANYONE finds true love in the short amount of time they have to film this show.
All in all, this was a book that I enjoyed reading. I loved hearing Emily's story from her perspective, and am so happy that she is now happily married.
The first half of the book is about her first love, and all of the struggles that she went through with that. While I was interested in this part of her story, it is a dark part of her story. It was hard to read, and took me a while to get through. I can only imagine how it felt to live through it. That being said, the second half of the book was definitely my favorite part. This is where she wrote about her journey of the Bachelor and then on the Bachelorette. She shared a lot of things that the viewers have no idea of when simply watching the show. It was cool to read, but definitely made me wonder how ANYONE finds true love in the short amount of time they have to film this show.
All in all, this was a book that I enjoyed reading. I loved hearing Emily's story from her perspective, and am so happy that she is now happily married.
September 25, 2018
For Emily Maynard, love has been one heartbreak after the other. After the tragic death of her fiancé, Ricki, Emily didn’t know if she would find someone again. Then, one day, her friend told her that she’d applied Emily to go on The Bachelor to find her hubby, little did Emily know the rollercoaster she would go through in this season of her life! From The Bachelor to The Bachelorette, Emily learned what it means to lean on God and discover who you are before marrying the wrong person.
I’ve wanted to read I Said Yes for a few years and am so glad I finally got the chance! This book was inspiring and entertaining to learn the behind the scenes of The Bachelor and Bachelorette. I enjoyed listening to Emily’s life story and the struggles she’s gone through. My only criticism is that the end came far too quickly! I wish there were more about Emily’s love story with now hubby, Tyler. Altogether, a well-written book!
I’ve wanted to read I Said Yes for a few years and am so glad I finally got the chance! This book was inspiring and entertaining to learn the behind the scenes of The Bachelor and Bachelorette. I enjoyed listening to Emily’s life story and the struggles she’s gone through. My only criticism is that the end came far too quickly! I wish there were more about Emily’s love story with now hubby, Tyler. Altogether, a well-written book!
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