It Takes Two: Our Story

by Jonathan Scott, Drew Scott

A New York Times bestseller, It Takes Our Story shares never-before-revealed tales of the Property Brothers’ childhood and rise to fame.Jonathan and Drew Scott, known for their wildly popular HGTV shows including Property Brothers and Brother vs Brother, present their highly anticipated memoir. From starting their first business at seven years old, their years modeling and acting, to their first house purchase at the impressive young age of eighteen. They soon found their true passion in life, combining their natural gifts for entertaining with the skills they learned from buying, renovating, and selling homes.Complete with hilarious behind-the-scenes stories from set, Jonathan and Drew discuss how their family and upbringing have led to their success in life. Throughout, the brothers keep fans laughing with the clever—and sometimes zany—sibling banter for which they’re known best.“Drew and Jonathan exemplify what I call ‘motivational doers.’ While many have made careers just speaking about achieving, we learn in this book how they have created an empire by bridging the gap of talking the talk and walking the walk. Amazing!”—Terry Crews, actor, world’s strongest industrial designer“To say the Scott Brothers are Renaissance men would be an incredible understatement. They are talented to the point that, if you bought twenty copies of this book, they could build you the perfect bookshelf to put them on AND then the perfect house to put THAT in. And because of their ‘twinship,’ there would be a handsome pair of bookends to go on either side. Did I mention I’m also jealous of their height?”—Chris Hardwick, comedian, actor, host

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Audiobook, Autobiography, Biography Memoir, Tv

318 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2017

About the author

Jonathan was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada with his identical twin brother Drew Scott, and older brother J.D. Scott. His passion for entertaining started at the young age of 7 when he began performing in small theatre productions and on weekends as an apprentice clown. His acting eventually segued from the stage to screen and his clowning evolved to performing as a magician. He continued to hone his skills over the next decade or so, winning many awards and accolades. In 2005, Jonathan started getting more heavily involved in producing and promoting independent film & television. With his brother Drew, Jonathan founded Scott Brothers Entertainment and they began producing many of their own projects, which have now toured and gained numerous nods all over the festival circuit. Today Jonathan co-hosts the real estate show Property Brothers (2011) and oversees the operation and expansion of Scott Brothers Entertainment.

Reviews

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve mentioned before that memoirs aren’t usually my favorite thing, but there are always exceptions. And this book was certainly an exception.

I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent watching the Scott brothers on their various HGTV shows. Property Brothers, Buying and Selling, Brother vs. Brother: I love them all. I have a soft spot for siblings, and for twin in particular. My dad is an identical twin, and he and his brother happen to both be construction superintendents, so as soon as I say the Property Brothers for the first time I immediately loved them. But just because I love their shows didn’t mean that I would love their book, so I was a bit hesitant picking it up. I’m glad I did, though!

This was one of the cutest (non-book related) memoirs I’ve ever come across. Each chapter swapped off between brothers, letting each tell his own story, but with notes written by the other brother. Those little notes added so much to the tone of the book. There were heartwarming moments, tales of bitter struggle and broken dreams, and a lot of laughs mixed into the narrative. I love how important family is to the Scott brothers, and how they’ve built an entire brand around the strength of that relationship. They find a way to keep all of their family as well as their close friends involved both in their personal lives and in their business, no matter how busy things become.

Learning more about their background was fascinating. The boys were entrepreneurs by the age of 8, semi-professional clowns before their teens, and are both black belts in karate. Jonathan wanted to be a career in magic, whereas Drew wanted to be an actor. Neither ended up exactly where he dreamed he would be, but both are happy and fulfilled and thankful for where life has taken them. And both have tried incredibly hard to adhere to the Cowboy Code their dad taught them when they were small, which basically boils down to never giving up and always standing up for others.

"In the end, it's not the stories we tell that matter, but the stories we live. Not just our own, but those we pass through on our way to all those places we still hope to go."

I’m so glad I picked up this book. It really helped me to further appreciate the brothers’ quality of character. Not to mention that it gave me a bunch of random facts to share next time I’m at the dentist office and Property Brothers is playing!

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Scott brothers have always shown a high quality work ethic and ensure that everything is done right the first time. They must have had a say in the binding and paper quality of this book. This is by far the heaviest book I have ever picked up of this size. When I first held the book a actually looked inside of it to see if there was something stashed inside.

I have always been a fan of the Scott brothers. I started watching them on HGTV a long time ago. My son adores their show and wants to flip a house when he is older.
I was very interested in reading this book because I wanted to know what they were really like. I had hoped to read about their past, regardless of how crazy or boring it might have been.

Thankfully, they did open up and let us see what was there. I enjoyed the comments from each brother. Reading this made me feel like I was watching one of their shows. The only thing that I wished there were more stories about how their first flips went. I found myself laughing many times throughout the whole book and even shared some passages with my husband.

I thought it was really cool the Drew collected stamps. I thought I was a huge nerd for doing that because no one else I know does or did.

I also wanted to say thank you for putting in encouraging words about standing up for what’s right. As a parent I have been working to show my children that.

I hope they will have another book in the future but with more of a chronological setting. There were a few times that they repeated themselves.

[Heather Venard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm actually surprised at how much I enjoyed listening to this. I've seen a couple other autobiographies come out by reality TV / Home Makeover stars that have mostly been fluff pieces. But the Scott Brothers do an actually really decent job of giving you an insight into their lives, though definitely through rose-colored glasses, that spans quite a bit of their personal histories. Additionally, in the audio book, you get guest voice-overs by their girlfriends and, most charmingly, their parents. But where the rubber really hit the road for me with this Memoir was when Jonathan gets incredibly passionate about his quest for social justice. It was a surprising moment and refreshing in a landscape where most popular TV reality stars have to sanitize their opinions to appease the networks. All in all, not a revelatory read, but surprisingly heartfelt and engaging. Oh, and it's really hard to tell the two brothers apart in the voice over of the audio book, but usually Drew is a little bit more high-pitched. :-)

[Christina DeVane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy hearing people’s story how they arrived to the place they are today! And I have something in common with them-they picked rocks when they were young too!!! 😱😱 (most people have no idea what that is!)
These guys have always worked hard, had unlimited vision, and never quit because of hard circumstances.
Although they work crazy hours and I don’t agree with all their morals, this was a fun read about their lives. They seem very genuine which makes their show popular and enjoyable.

[Jodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever been really excited about reading a memoir or biography, then you did & you were completely disillusioned about the subject? All your illusions & perceptions were shattered. You were left feeling completely different about the person you thought you knew & loved. That will absolutely NOT be the case with It Takes Two: Our Story . Quite the opposite in fact.

If you already like &/or love Jonathan & Drew Scott you're in for a real treat. If anything, you will grow to admire them even more. Reading their story which alternates back & forth between the brothers for each chapter along with commentary from the brother sitting that chapter out, you'll see that not only are they extremely good at what they do, but even more importantly & impressive, they are truly remarkably good humans with enormous hearts & beautiful souls.

While the entire book is wonderful, & I love that there are portions written by the Scott parents, JD, Linda, & Jacinta, my favorite chapter, Speak Up, Step Up , brilliantly illustrates precisely who Jonathan & Drew are, & highlights one of the most impressive, heartfelt, impassioned moments/statements I have ever seen on social media. That moment, which I remember witnessing when it first happened, forever indelibly sealed Jonathan Scott as one of my all-time favorite human beings.

This behind the scenes look at Jonathan & Drew's story is a lovely read, & well worth the time that will fly quickly by while you enjoy getting to know them even better.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a fan of Property Brothers and enjoy the other Scott brother HGTV shows as well. (I could almost be convinced to get cable or satellite TV so I could watch them more than just when I am on vacation, staying in a hotel, except that might spoil the pleasure with overload.) So, I was excited to read more of their story and this book did not disappoint. These two brothers have had surprisingly full and interesting lives. They are probably not anyone I would ever be good friends with, but I would absolutely trust them. The writing is charming, funny and honest. I like how they switched between the two brothers and even got insights from other close family and friends throughout the book. The tone feels authentic as it is much like what you get in their shows, but is occasionally over the top.

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020 bk 34. Ah, the Property Brothers. I turned on HGTV to accompany this review, but alas, they aren't on. These two were raised on a strong belief in work, enjoying what their work is, and loving their family. Along the way they've tried a variety of jobs, but they knew from an early age television or film would be involved. I enjoyed this memoir of two fairly young lives (for Pete's sake, they are in their 30's at the time of writing.) and I hope they continue to have success in their lives. Warning - to those with arthritis in their wrists and hands - they used really good quality paper (heavier weight) for both the narrative and the many photograph and excellent sewn with glue binding. This book is heavy. I had to prop it up on a tv tray or a pillow after about ten minutes of holding the book.

[Janet C-B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a light, entertaining celebrity memoir by Jonathon Scott, one of the twins who stars on the HGTV show, Property Brothers. I chose this book, because I watch the show, and it was available for download. It was an eye-opener for me. These are two very unusual guys. What I appreciated was that it was totally devoid of scandal, gossip, shocking reveals. It is just about two guys who have had big dreams since they were little boys riding horseback with the family.
3 stars

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looks at the backgrounds and behind the scenes of Jonathan and Drew Scott, The Property Brothers of HGTV. Interesting, light read.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike Chip and Jojo's chronologically arranged memoir, the brothers' story were divided into subjects. I am a fan of their shows with a biased inclination to Jonathan (tall, plaid and jeans wearing contractor - sounds familiar), but it doesn't take a fan to appreciate their story. This book gave us an opening to whats going on behind the camera and an understanding of how they are. Which makes the shows now more interesting.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this audiobook. I've only seen a few episodes of their shows, but became more interested after watching Drew on DWTS. Drew and Jonathan took turns on chapters with the other interjecting comments. Mom and I were very entertained and laughed out loud quite often. Their personalities and twin bond came across very well throughout the book.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Background information on these brothers was good but story isn't told in a linear fashion. The back-and-forth in time and jumping from subject to subject made it hard to read and follow. I'm still not sure how they got a TV show on HGTV and I just finished the book.

[Angela Pineda · Rating 4 out of 5]

In all fairness, I love Jonathan and Drew. I’m a huge Property Brothers fan and I just love them to pieces- ergo why I wanted to read their book. It’s nicely written - I loved hearing about their personal lives, loves and struggles. A good book for any Scott brothers fan.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love these two.

[Barbara stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The boys can really tell a story.

[Lindsay Kerr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just like all their shows, the book was meh and I could still never tell who was who. Ooppssss. Also, their writing was all over the place, so it was hard to follow.

[Rosemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was SO happy to finally get to read this book! I have been a fan of the Property Brothers for years and was very interested to learn more about the seemingly charmed lives of these identical twins.

The first thing that I loved was how they managed to translate their brotherly banter into written form. They alternate telling their story: if Drew authors a chapter, Jonathan gets to make random comments and jokes by marking up the page like a teacher grading a homework assignment. Then, in the next chapter they switch roles. To keep things clear, Jonathan always uses blue "ink" and Drew makes comments in red. This method is really quite genius! I could hear them bantering back and forth in my head. It makes for a very unique read.

So, if it seems like they have a whole lot of projects going at the same time, what with a million different shows on HGTV, other appearances like on Dancing with the Stars, etc. it's because that's just how it's always been. They really are hyper-overachievers.

They had their first business at 7 years of age! OMG.

They had taken a family vacation to Scotland where they became fascinated with antique swords. They wanted to buy one, but could not afford the thousands of dollars they cost. Their father encouraged them to get a job and save for it, probably thinking they could never save that much. But, they began brainstorming different ways to make money. At a craft fair, they saw some fancy cloth covered hangers and felt they could do something similar. That was the start. From there it was just one idea after another. Each new project would be at least in part funded by the earnings of the last one. Just a never-ending chain.

They flipped their first house at age 18 - while still in college. So they graduated college already having $50,000 in the bank - OMG!

It wasn't all success though. The brothers are very honest about failures along the way. They laugh very easily at themselves and some of their sillier ideas. But even larger life goals didn't always workout.

Surprisingly, Jonathan wanted to be an illusionist like his idol, David Copperfield. Much of his skill in carpentry comes from building his own props for magic tricks. He had gotten to the point where he changed his name from John Scott to Jonathan Silver - because many of the great magicians he admired had a name with a color in it - and was making plans to take his solo show on the road, when things heartbreakingly fell apart.

Drew wanted to be a pro-basketball player, which made sense with their height of 6'4", but an injury kept him from moving forward with that goal. He also tried for years to break into television, with not much luck. He does say, though, that he once worked as a stunt double for Tom Welling on 'Smallville.' OMG.

They have a lot in common and there are plenty of "twin" stories. But they also have their different interests and have not always been joined at the hip in pursuit of their goals.

My favorite chapter was the one that talks about behind the scenes stuff on their shows. I was surprised to learn that, because they both have knowledge of contracting work AND real estate, the producers at HGTV had originally cast Drew as the contractor and Jonathan as the realtor! OMG, that seems strange to think about now. But eventually, their high standards let them to talk to the producers and make them see that Jonathan has MORE skill in contracting - having gone to school for it - and Drew had had his real estate license longer. So they switched.

They seem to be nice guys from a really close, wholesome family who have a genuine desire to make a difference in the world no matter what they are doing. They also refuse to grow up - I think I like that the best. You may have noticed, as I have on many occasions, that when they joke around it can get quite physical. When one is going at the other, they seem to know exactly how to respond. I used to think that was just part of the "twin connection." But it also turns out that one of their early ideas to make money was answering an add in the local paper for clowns! Their town wanted clowns to work at public events and were willing to provide free training. They were the only kids to sign up. OMG, identical twins with clown training - it doesn't get much more perfect than that. They were on their way to a career in entertainment, even though they didn't know it yet.

As you can see, I had a lot of 'OMG Moments' reading this book. I am sure you will too, as there is so much that I have not covered. This book is filled with amazing stories about these two, as told by these two, because evidently...It Takes Two to do their story justice. :)

If you like Jonathan and Drew, you really need to read this book.

[Jessika Caruso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apparently, “it takes two” to write a memorable, captivating, and laugh-out-loud funny autobiography. Drew and Jonathan Scott prove here that they are skilled writers who can work magic with words as well as renovations. They give their audience everything they could want in a memoir. Each chapter is told in the first person, alternating between Jonathan and Drew’s perspective. Whichever brother is not writing comments on the other’s chapter, creating the same sarcastic banter that viewers have come to love in Property Brothers television shows. Personal and professional photos and illustrations by Drew’s wife Linda accent each chapter.

Aside from the clever, organized presentation, the content is what sets this memoir apart as a page-turner. In every other celebrity autobiography I’ve read, the author writes mostly about what they are known for, i.e. singing, acting, sports. They give a little information about their childhood and formative years, but not much. And they provide readers with next to NO INFORMATION about their romantic relationships. There is never a call-to-action for the reader, as many celebrities are all about me, me, me! I cannot stand this formulaic approach that does not let dedicated fans into other aspects of the author’s life.

The Scott Brothers change this precedent in It Takes Two and give the people what they want. There is ample information about the brothers’ childhood. The biography is not completely chronological; instead, it breaks up chapters by subject. There is a chapter about jobs, family life, school, magic (Jonathan’s passion), basketball and acting (Drew’s passion). Next comes romance, from Jonathan’s first innocent elementary school crush to opening up about a painful divorce. This chapter is followed by the obligatory information about their television shows, which of I of course ate up. The brothers choose to end their story with a chapter about their experience with social justice from early bullying tales to participating in a World Vision outreach. They challenge readers to speak up about causes they stand for in their own communities.

There are no biographies on the market quite like this. I recommend it to any fans of Drew and Jonathan, Property Brothers, or people who have their own drive to succeed in many different aspects of life.

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a light-hearted and thoroughly enjoyable read chronicling the life and rise of two big renovation stars, Jonathan and Drew Scott. I love (I admit) renovation shows. I love to see the "before" and "after". I am intrigued by the vision needed to transform a mundane and/or decrepit house into a comfortable, beautiful home.

While these two are not my (absolute) favorite renovation team, I have watched Property Brothers enough to be curious about their rise to fame. As I have found before (Magnolia Story), family values, hard work, persistence, continual learning, and a can-do mindset all played an important part in transforming two rambunctious twins into confident, successful businessmen.

If you have a free night or two, curl up in a comfortable chair and give this book a try. It is a good reminder that the American Dream is alive and well for anyone who is willing to invest honest, hard work into achieving their dream. A follow-up book would be, The Millionaire Next Door, an encouraging chronicle highlighting the qualities of millionaires (most of whom are first generation and self made) - hard work, good choices, strong values, discipline, and maturity.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for home improvement shows and property brothers is always a good ‘go to’. I also love a good memoir so when I came across this book at the community library in the park, I snatched it up in a heartbeat. Drew and Jonathan Scott are just as affable and genuine as they appear on TV. And I now know why they have a ‘billion’ home improvement show spin offs!! They were born entrepreneurs ! This is a fun read and something you can pick up anytime for a little lift.

[Dorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It Takes Two:Our Story
By Jonathan and Drew Scott
2017
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Uncensored look into the lives of two twins who truly complete each other....in a motivational and positive way....to became very successful television stars.

I really liked this... .these guys....fun, strong and nerdy cool! Highly Recommended.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the casual banter between these two brothers. The book does contain ultra-cute photos from their childhood. One weird thing though- this book is strangely heavy. It's like the book cover is made of concrete. Weird.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read about their family, how they got their start, etc.

[Clarence Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

ReedIII Quick Review: You don't have to be a fan to enjoy It Takes Two. Drew and Jonathan Scott embody what brothers and twins should be. Their enthusiasm, work ethic, drive and focus are highlighted along with lots of brother/twin stories along the way. Dual voices are a nice bonus as they support each other.

[Jenee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Maura Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kind of can’t believe I spent time reading It Takes Two, a dual autobiography by the Property Brothers, but whatever. It was fun. Frequently cringe-inducing, not all that well-written, and basically an advertisement for their various shows, but fun nonetheless. It was like binge-watching a dozen episodes of Property Brothers, as the Scott twins made predictable jokes about each other, spoke un-ironically about helping show participants find their “dream homes,” and goofed around (there are lots of photos depicting this last one). If you’ve read more than a couple magazine profiles of Jonathan and Drew Scott, you probably won’t learn anything new in It Takes Two, but the book does flesh out some of the details of their (carefully constructed for maximum audience acceptability) life stories. And at least I didn’t spend money on a book I’m never going to read again—I borrowed It Takes Two from my local library. If you’re a Property Brothers fan, this is a solid airplane/beach/lazy weekend read.

[Lisa Keegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

these 2 are exhausting!

[Jessica Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

For complete review check out my blog at https://booksaplentybookreviews.blogs...

[Linsey Bair · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! I liked the format, with peanut gallery-style comments from the other twin included in the margins in each chapter. Even after reading it I cannot give a chronological summary because the book was structured by subject.

It was fun to learn more detail about aspects of their lives that have only been referenced on various episodes of their shows. I have even greater respect for their creativity and hard work, expressed in anecdote after anecdote. I also was intrigued by their unique dynamic, where both are assertive and posses leadership qualities, but are also able to give way for the other twin to take the lead when the situation calls for it. Of course they can be competitive, but always in a spirit of fun. It's a testament to their upbringing and their special bond.

The only chapter that felt odd was the one written by JD. It felt like an introduction to his remarks, not much that was substantial in and of itself. I'm sure he could have said much more. I wish he had. Linda and Jacinta's remarks were more complete.

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Scott brother's shows on the H&GTV channel,they are such nice guys and funny too. Their book was a sweet and fun read feel-good read, that I enjoyed very much.

After dysfunctional families being portrayed ala "Rosanne", and "Home Improvement", what a delightful breath of fresh air to read of loving parents who raised their children with admirable principals, and character. If there were more parents like the Scotts, our world would be a better place.

It sounds like the twins have found wonderful soul-mates, and I wish them life-long happiness and joy with them.

I smiled almost the whole time I was reading this.