Reflections

by Holly Willoughby

A heartfelt, perceptive book about finding beauty, inside and out

Reflections  explores what it means to live a beautiful life in the modern world. Here, for the first time, Holly Willoughby untangles topical and emotional issues such as body-image, burnout and control with candour, nuance and hard-won insight. This book will start conversations, whether they're about how to find your signature lipstick, reclaim your sexuality, or treat yourself more kindly - and, ultimately, help you on your way to feeling beautiful, confident, complete.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Biography, Autobiography, Self Help

272 pages, Hardcover

Published October 28, 2021

Reviews

[Kate Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Listened to audio book**

I was really sceptical about this book. When a book has a subheading 'life lessons from a superstar presenter' - I thought this was a pretty big claim!
However, it really does live up to the subheading.

The book was so calming, and so inspirational and spiritual.
I didn't know Holly was such a spiritualist.

I love that the audio book was read by Holly Willoughby herself, it felt like a really intimate experience.
There's a lot to take away from this book, and I will definitely be listening to this again and again when I'm in need of a bit of a pick-me-up!

[Clara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just ok, definitely not for me and I’m sad about that as I love Holly. I’ve been thinking though that perhaps it would be nicer to enjoy as an audiobook to hear it read by Holly herself.

[millie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite good I enjoyed most of this :)

[walmsie101 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could do no wrong

[Anthony Poole · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars- Really wanted to love this- it fell somewhere between self help and autobiography and although parts were interesting, topics felt random. To her own admission, the book started out as a random collection of voice notes and that’s exactly what the book was.

[Ellen Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was a relaxing and enjoyable read. There were some very insightful and valuable messages. Willoughby’s emphasis on empathy and understanding (both for yourself and others) felt particularly grounding.

Like all books of this genre, I found some sectioned needed to be taken with a pinch of salt. There were some contradictory ideas that didn’t feel fully explored. For example, how do you know when to follow your gut and when to fake confidence in uncomfortable situations? How do we know what feelings are ‘intuition’ and which should be pushed aside, without the benefit of hindsight?

Other parts (like the makeup advice towards the end) weren’t very interesting for me - but that doesn’t mean somebody else won’t enjoy them.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never really paid much attention to these kind of books until now, maybe it's the getting older & the realisation that life's too short?

Such an uplifting, relatable read for me & one that I'll certainly be dipping in & out of again. With short, snappy chapters, it's easy to understand, full of tips, mindfulness & I would encourage all women to grab themselves a copy.

It's never too late to make those changes & you'll feel a whole lot better for doing so. I've made several big changes since the pandemic began & I feel so much better for doing them, reading this just clarified that I know I made the right decisions.

[Ter Prince · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a “self help”-type book that I didn’t ask for however didn’t know I needed. Reflections literally made me take a look at myself. Holly gave me a different perspective on how I view and how I feel about myself. Really enjoyed this one and feel better about myself for it.

[Oleia Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

*audiobook*
I really like holly but this wasn’t for me - mostly generic beauty tips with some alternative medicine thrown in there 😬 I was hoping it might be more of a delve into the people she’s interviewed throughout her career

[Astilbe]

out of literal boredom. i decided to pick up the first audiobook I saw on borrowbox. i didn’t expect it to be this since i don’t read this type of thing, but i’ll give it a chance??? i don’t know???

[Caz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful and insightful book. It’s like listening to a friend and some good advice given.

[Janet farrow1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. It is another self help, mindfulness book that is quite helpful. There is a little bit about Holly but not a lot.
I did enjoy it though.

[Stephanie McLeod · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pleasant and easy to read, but essentially a generic collection of self-help tips and how we can right the wrongs of the world without much substance or detail.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used audio for this and I was presently surprised by how quickly I got into Hollys story… not really much of a fan! I very much enjoyed listening to Hollys stories and experiences and how she has tried new alternative methods for helping her everyday struggles and growth (something I can relate to) . However…this book soon turned into a beauty guide for me and I quickly lost interest. I’m not one who craves beauty fads and fame so any talk of this will always lose my attention. Good start / not so good end for me. By the end I was a bit confused over what this book was about.

[Ev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the reflections element, didn’t enjoy the make up and beauty section at the end, just personal preference

[Laila-Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
I love Holly so was eager to read this book. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all, I thought it was going to be an autobiography but it’s more of a mindfulness / self-help book. My feeling is that this book was very satisfying and therapeutic for Holly to write although this doesn’t mean that it is unpleasant to read. As I read and understood what type of book it was I got into it. Holly doesn’t say anything groundbreaking but as a young woman it was nice to hear what she had to say about womanhood and the idea of beauty. What I loved about this book is that the writing is not pretentious, the reading experience feels like a conversation with a friend. Furthermore, Holly offers pearls of wisdom and advice from her own experience and the difference from other books of this type is that she isn’t trying to sell an app or a course etc so you feel like the advice is genuine and the book is without an agenda. I also liked how she prefers her makeup nice and natural and nude nail colours… a girl after my own heart. This book hasn’t changed my life but it was certainly a pleasant read.

[Miriam Morgans · Rating 5 out of 5]

ℝ𝕖𝕗𝕝𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 🎧
By Holly Willoughby

I really like Holly and I think she is a beautiful woman.

Holly's book focuses on the idealism of beauty and what it means from different perspectives, but what she emphasises is that beauty from within shines outwardly.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel good about yourself as long as it's not detrimental to you as a person.
If you approach life from a place of love, respect, and positivity, then you can't go far wrong.

Holly speaks of what's she has experienced through self-improvement, such as meditation, crystal therapy, talking therapy, and exploring makeup and fashion to find her own unique look.

The most important thing is to not try and be someone else, to be your true authentic self! Xx

It is a lovely book for all women, especially our younger women, from teens to early 30s.

Book 76 of 2023

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me!🤓

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. I’ve always liked Holly on TV but didn’t know too much about her as a person. This isn’t an autobiography, it’s her thoughts on various different things such as spirituality, anger, body image, feminism and more. I think it’s nice to read books like this once in a while to remind us to be kind to ourselves, to not get caught up in society’s expectations of us and to stay true to who we are. I’ll definitely revisit parts of this again I think, and I might pick it up on audio to hear Holly read it herself.

[Kelly Lou 🐝 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I urge every single woman on the planet to read this book from cover to cover and embrace the kind and empowering words written by the beautiful and inspiring Holly…. I laughed, I cried and I now realise that that’s ok because I am all woman and I’m growing and evolving. Please please read this book that I know will stay with me forever! Thank you Holly for your raw truths and helping me to tune back into my special features instead of focusing on my negatives ❤️ women truly are extraordinary… x x x

[Coley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that I dares say I will read again and will definitely keep on my book case and pass it on to my daughters when they grow older! It’s thought provoking I even used some of Hollys questions to myself when journaling to think deeper about what they meant to me! It was like having a coffee and a chat with Holly, so easy to read and understand but absolutely supported my journey through a life coaching course at the same time as reading it! I loved it so much and am actually quite sad that it’s ended! Holly shows us all that there are no limits, she is such an inspiration

[Kerry Norris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Holly so I couldn’t wait to read this. It’s a self help book which encourages you to reflect upon and look after yourself.
It’s very relatable (especially as a mother). Every word in the ‘guilt’ section resonated with me. I can’t begin to describe how guilty I feel about being a working mum and actually enjoying the career I am in. It was nice to hear Holly feels the same.
I also really enjoyed the beauty tips section of the book. I picked up some new pointers on SPF and skin care routines.

[Rebecca Haslam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I very much like Holly, but I found that this book didn't exactly give me any advice etc. that I haven't heard or read in other books. With that said, her writing style and her compassionate, friendly nature - which is showcased well in her many presenting roles - made this an easy book to make my way through, and I highlighted several comments and points made as I felt they were relevant to me and my journey.

[Lucy Melton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate to not be super positive about a book when it’s clear someone has poured their heart into creating it. But… this wasn’t really for me. I am the same age as Holly and was hoping for some relatable snippets but sadly I just feel like Holly has led a privileged life that I can’t relate to. Yes her intentions and recommendations are very honourable but they also feel a little like they’re behind a wall that only those who haven’t had struggles can reach.

[Brb_busyreading · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very disappointing read. I felt this was more like a blog or her diary entry of things she was telling herself. It was all her thoughts about life & it didn’t really come across great. I thought we would have a snippet into her life or she would give some advice/tips on how she’s handled certain things but she’s just basically told us what we all should already know. Make up tips are at the back which I found odd as she has nothing to do with make up 🤔 really wouldn’t recommend

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this book was not what I expected but in the best way. It took me a little bit to get through it as somehow everything she said resonated with me exactly at the right time. I had to read a chapter at a time and then have a proper think about it.

Honestly brilliant. I read so many "self help" books and this one is by far the best.

I honestly recommend this to everyone, especially my fellow girls in their 20s.

[Stephanie Little · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holly Willoughby has used her personal experiences to write a book about self-love and self-care. It is filled with advice, little snippets of her own personal life experiences, beauty tips and photographs. It was well written and an easy read. I really liked how I could related to the majority of things that Holly wrote about. Her caring personality shines through her writing.

[ANNETTE RAVEN · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is an uplifting book in how Holly is getting the message across and I agree with what she has to say. I also think we all as women kind of lose ourselves along the way of being mother, partner and colleague but I think it could have gone further and delved deeper. That being said it made me cry and laugh and I’ve started looking up at the moon more than I did :)

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good book, very enlightening and good advice from one of my favourite celebrities! Probably my own fault as I should have realised before I purchased the book but I was hoping to read more about Holly and her experiences in her career but it’s more of a wellness book. Very well written & the audiobook is amazing to listen to also! Also love all of the images and layout of the book.

[Justyna Rogowska · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Holly, but I must say I was a little disappointed about this book. I find that it was well written (the language etc) but most subjects were just touched without going too deep into them, sometimes felt like she wanted to say something but held back for some reason. Many of the tips that I was already aware of but I guess it could have some good advice for some.

[T M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another self help advice book from someone who thinks they are a sage. If this was written by a psychiatrist I might pay more attention but it’s just the same thing we’ve heard from so many celeb turn life coach, and crystals & the moon mainstream vibes. Nothing new here. She is sweet and kind though, so if you just enjoy her voice and personality maybe youl enjoy it more.