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Love Me as I Am: A Raw and Funny Memoir from Haiti to Hollywood on Motherhood and Finding Self-Love
“Dishy, warm, and entertaining.”—Kirkus Reviews
?The beloved Black pop culture icon, entrepreneur, Hollywood actress and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star bares her life in this frank, funny, and fearless memoir about life, love and the pursuit of true happiness.
Love Me As I Am is Garcelle Beauvais’s smart, inspiring, and raw memoir—an entertaining and unforgettable emotional rollercoaster ride that moves from her early childhood years in Haiti to her adolescence in Boston; from her heady days as a young model in New York—her first taste of real freedom—to Los Angeles and the many ups, downs, and then more ups, both personal and professional, she experienced in her three-decade acting career, including her massive fame as a star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Throughout her life, Beauvais has suffered from an emotional battle between her wild, rebellious nature and her desire to be a “good girl.” No matter how many cover stories she earned, “Most Beautiful” lists, or coveted roles in iconic series such as The Jamie Foxx Show and NYPD Blue, Beauvais could not cure herself of her “disease to please” or learn to put herself first. She also had to learn how to unapologetically put herself first. In Love Me As I Am, she brings together the voices of both the good girl and the rebel to deliver an unflinching examination of her successes and ongoing challenges as a mother, wife, daughter, sibling, and friend.
Beauvais fearlessly talks about how she boldly embraced her sexuality in her 40s, and her determination to break free of the stereotypes that define and limit African American women in popular culture. Most importantly, she reveals how finally putting herself first led to better relationships with her three sons and even her ex-husband. Beauvais dishes too—offering juicy behind-the-scenes stories from movie sets, red carpet events, and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Love Me As I Am is an unflinching look at one woman’s extraordinary journey to create a new and more exciting life—and to become the woman she was meant to be.
?The beloved Black pop culture icon, entrepreneur, Hollywood actress and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star bares her life in this frank, funny, and fearless memoir about life, love and the pursuit of true happiness.
Love Me As I Am is Garcelle Beauvais’s smart, inspiring, and raw memoir—an entertaining and unforgettable emotional rollercoaster ride that moves from her early childhood years in Haiti to her adolescence in Boston; from her heady days as a young model in New York—her first taste of real freedom—to Los Angeles and the many ups, downs, and then more ups, both personal and professional, she experienced in her three-decade acting career, including her massive fame as a star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Throughout her life, Beauvais has suffered from an emotional battle between her wild, rebellious nature and her desire to be a “good girl.” No matter how many cover stories she earned, “Most Beautiful” lists, or coveted roles in iconic series such as The Jamie Foxx Show and NYPD Blue, Beauvais could not cure herself of her “disease to please” or learn to put herself first. She also had to learn how to unapologetically put herself first. In Love Me As I Am, she brings together the voices of both the good girl and the rebel to deliver an unflinching examination of her successes and ongoing challenges as a mother, wife, daughter, sibling, and friend.
Beauvais fearlessly talks about how she boldly embraced her sexuality in her 40s, and her determination to break free of the stereotypes that define and limit African American women in popular culture. Most importantly, she reveals how finally putting herself first led to better relationships with her three sons and even her ex-husband. Beauvais dishes too—offering juicy behind-the-scenes stories from movie sets, red carpet events, and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Love Me As I Am is an unflinching look at one woman’s extraordinary journey to create a new and more exciting life—and to become the woman she was meant to be.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 12, 2022
88 people are currently reading
1198 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
April 26, 2022
4 stars!
As a housewives fan, I adore Garcelle Beauvais. She’s a no nonsense straight shooter who doesn’t take any crap. I knew she had a book coming out, but when I saw her castmate Erika Jayne threw a copy of the book in the trash, I KNEW I had to read this book asap.
This is a memoir that follows key moments in Garcelle’s life, which I didn’t know a lot about and it was fun to learn. I thought she was pretty darn respectful talking about others in her life, she was pretty honest but not mean spirited. I enjoyed most the parts where she discussed her relationships with all of her children; it’s clear she loves them very much and is a great mom.
The only thing I didn’t love about this book is it didn’t seem very cohesive, it was more a selection of key moments in her life in random order which would throw me off because we’d finish one thing just to revisit the past right after. It felt a little disjointed, but I still enjoyed it overall.
As a housewives fan, I adore Garcelle Beauvais. She’s a no nonsense straight shooter who doesn’t take any crap. I knew she had a book coming out, but when I saw her castmate Erika Jayne threw a copy of the book in the trash, I KNEW I had to read this book asap.
This is a memoir that follows key moments in Garcelle’s life, which I didn’t know a lot about and it was fun to learn. I thought she was pretty darn respectful talking about others in her life, she was pretty honest but not mean spirited. I enjoyed most the parts where she discussed her relationships with all of her children; it’s clear she loves them very much and is a great mom.
The only thing I didn’t love about this book is it didn’t seem very cohesive, it was more a selection of key moments in her life in random order which would throw me off because we’d finish one thing just to revisit the past right after. It felt a little disjointed, but I still enjoyed it overall.
May 3, 2022
Garcelle’s memoir was good. Nothing too salacious or illuminating, but I always enjoy reading about our Black women in film and television.
My one drawback was that this memoir felt like it had a very distinct audience, its gaze directed towards other actors and actresses. I felt like she spent a lot of time explaining herself.
As a lover of memoirs, I feel like there's something beautiful to be learned from every person's life. The main takeaway that Ms. Beauvais wanted to leave the reader with is: who you are is good enough, you are good enough! It was a lesson she was putting down, and you'd be remiss to not pick it up. I picked it up!
Finally, I enjoyed her reflections on The View (the cattiest daytime on television) and she discussed their insanity, as well as her beautiful friendship with Jamie Foxx. I'm still rooting for Jamie and Fancy! I’m going to check out her podcast. The photo inserts were beautiful, especially her picture with the one and only Luther Vandross (RIP), whom she was a music video girl for! I loved her references to her Haitian heritage, the truthful nature in which she dealt with her issues surrounding her father, husbands, and son, and her forever connection to her mother. It was wonderful.
My one drawback was that this memoir felt like it had a very distinct audience, its gaze directed towards other actors and actresses. I felt like she spent a lot of time explaining herself.
As a lover of memoirs, I feel like there's something beautiful to be learned from every person's life. The main takeaway that Ms. Beauvais wanted to leave the reader with is: who you are is good enough, you are good enough! It was a lesson she was putting down, and you'd be remiss to not pick it up. I picked it up!
Finally, I enjoyed her reflections on The View (the cattiest daytime on television) and she discussed their insanity, as well as her beautiful friendship with Jamie Foxx. I'm still rooting for Jamie and Fancy! I’m going to check out her podcast. The photo inserts were beautiful, especially her picture with the one and only Luther Vandross (RIP), whom she was a music video girl for! I loved her references to her Haitian heritage, the truthful nature in which she dealt with her issues surrounding her father, husbands, and son, and her forever connection to her mother. It was wonderful.
April 10, 2023
I enjoyed this and learned a lot about Garcelle, but the cohesiveness was not there. It was kind of all over the place and not in order, but I appreciate her realness and honesty on racism in Hollywood, Bill Cosby, Whoopi Goldberg’s uppity ugliness and Jamie Fox’s very large…smile. I always shipped them back in the day and appreciate that she was honest that they were very attracted to each other and shared a passionate kiss backstage, but knew they didn’t want to mess up a good thing. She did see him naked though and confirmed all of our questions. All in all, I enjoyed it.
April 3, 2022
I made quick work of this brief memoir. I had never of Garvelke Beauvais before she joined the Housewives franchise. I watched her for one season and then I dumped all the Housewives. What I saw of her on the show I liked. She was a straight shooter and called people out on their malarkey. Her book discusses her life and I found it interesting to discover more of her background story. That she even talks to her second ex husband after what he did shows that she has a very forgiving nature.
For anyone who likes a Housewives story, be sure to check this one out.
Thanks to Amistad and NetGalley for the early read.
For anyone who likes a Housewives story, be sure to check this one out.
Thanks to Amistad and NetGalley for the early read.
April 1, 2022
I love Garcelle when she was on the Jamie Foxx show. Garcelle's memoir is bold, intimate and honest. She focuses on her Haitian heritage, family, career, marriage, divorce, motherhood and life. She shares on her life experiences that led to she who is today.
May 25, 2022
IDK why I was soooo into needing to read this book but I truly learned so much! I love her podcast and remember her from her various acting roles. The crazy thing is, I started RHOBH from the beginning this year & literally skipped to her season after attempting to endure the initial all white cast and honestly GAF all at once but NO DICE lol!! She brings a centering to the show for me in the way only a fellow black woman can do, in my opinion, plus her 3 sons are so gorgeous! Her family looks like they hold space for each other in a genuine way & I love that.
COME THROUGH WITH THE FRENCH!!! I love all her sister’s names… SOOOO PRETTY!! I’ve been grappling with the thought of actually completing French classes to fully grasp the language cause I will bailout in a NY minute 🤣 on anything that I’m not 120% committed to— including people!
Lastly, I enjoyed hearing about her journey and her coming to terms with everything, even an absent father which seems to be a running theme in quite a few lives I’ve witnessed. My biggest takeaway, was her stance on what women can do and I loved it—simple yet profound. Overall, a lovely memoir AND yea Sis, you fumbled a few bags lol but you’ve maintained a fabulous life from what I can see & I pray that you find your one in due time. FOREVER THEEEE OPTIMIST— Thanks for sharing!!! 💚
COME THROUGH WITH THE FRENCH!!! I love all her sister’s names… SOOOO PRETTY!! I’ve been grappling with the thought of actually completing French classes to fully grasp the language cause I will bailout in a NY minute 🤣 on anything that I’m not 120% committed to— including people!
Lastly, I enjoyed hearing about her journey and her coming to terms with everything, even an absent father which seems to be a running theme in quite a few lives I’ve witnessed. My biggest takeaway, was her stance on what women can do and I loved it—simple yet profound. Overall, a lovely memoir AND yea Sis, you fumbled a few bags lol but you’ve maintained a fabulous life from what I can see & I pray that you find your one in due time. FOREVER THEEEE OPTIMIST— Thanks for sharing!!! 💚
April 18, 2022
While the book isn't super gossipy, and only occasionally shady, Garcelle's intelligence, integrity, and love of family shine through. She comes across as someone you'd like to spend time with, and could trust with a secret or two. Time well spent!
April 20, 2022
garcelle is very open and real and i really like that about her, and this book is no different. i enjoyed hearing about her culture, identity, relationships, and career. though, i will admit that i wanted more gossip and juicy details, and i feel like because the book is pretty short, some things didn’t get as much depth as they could’ve.
content/trigger warnings; racism, anti-blackness, immigration, divorce, child abandonment, bullying, predatory men, addiction, ableism, misogyny, bio essentialism, infidelity, miscarriage, sex, infertility,
i just gotta say. god bless her for calling out the mistreatment of denise richards by the rhobh women and how they use “honesty” as a weapon. and calling out kyle (or as garcelle once refers to her, “that woman”!!!) for attacking her at the reunion for not making payment on a charity item she bid on “she saved the information and squirreled it away, plotting to weaponize it at the right time” GOD BLESS. the housewife we need.
content/trigger warnings; racism, anti-blackness, immigration, divorce, child abandonment, bullying, predatory men, addiction, ableism, misogyny, bio essentialism, infidelity, miscarriage, sex, infertility,
i just gotta say. god bless her for calling out the mistreatment of denise richards by the rhobh women and how they use “honesty” as a weapon. and calling out kyle (or as garcelle once refers to her, “that woman”!!!) for attacking her at the reunion for not making payment on a charity item she bid on “she saved the information and squirreled it away, plotting to weaponize it at the right time” GOD BLESS. the housewife we need.
April 14, 2022
Memoirs and autobiographies are not typically my go-to genre for reading. My non-fiction reads usually consist of true crime. However, I will make exceptions for Real Housewives and because Garcelle Beauvais has become a force to be reckoned with on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, I jumped at the chance to read her memoir. We only see glimpses of her life on the show and I wanted to know more about her.
The memoir begins with Garcelle’s upbringing in Haiti. She is part of a family broken by her father that left her at a young age and was raised by her older siblings as her mother had to work to support the family. She makes her journey to the United States as a young girl to Massachusetts and after a few years the family ends up in Florida.
Miami is where she is discovered by Eileen Ford and promptly moves to NYC. She writes bluntly about her struggles as an up-and-coming black model/actress in the industry. Reading about her experiences as not just a young woman in the modeling world, but a young black woman is eye-opening.
Despite her struggles, Garcelle makes a quite successful career for herself with roles in Coming to America and The Jamie Foxx Show. Although I remember her first from Models, Inc. I was a big Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place fan and I remember watching Models Inc when it aired, and I was bummed when it was canceled. She writes a lot about her acting career and the friendships & relationships she has made throughout her career, especially with Jamie Foxx.
Garcelle goes very in-depth about her two marriages and her children. On Real Housewives, she has spoken candidly about her marriages and her children, however, she provides a lot more insight about the relationships and self-reflects on the choices she has made. Garcelle has been open on the Real Housewives about one of her son’s addiction struggles and I found it admirable that she does not use his story to tell her own. She writes only from her point of view without providing too much detail and simply states that it is not her story to tell.
For Real Housewives fans, if you’re expecting a bunch of tea from behind the scenes with the other cast members, prepare to be disappointed. There are only a few pages about Garcelle’s experience on Real Housewives and her castmates. Most of which fans already know about. The real juicy stuff is sprinkled throughout in stories about her career before the Housewives.
Love Me As I Am is a memoir of a determined and resilient woman’s journey of self-acceptance and breaking through barriers. It was an enjoyable read to learn more about Garcelle and her life. While it isn't going to be a Pulitzer Prize-winning book, it certainly did not deserve to be thrown in the trash.
*I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions included herein are my own.*
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The memoir begins with Garcelle’s upbringing in Haiti. She is part of a family broken by her father that left her at a young age and was raised by her older siblings as her mother had to work to support the family. She makes her journey to the United States as a young girl to Massachusetts and after a few years the family ends up in Florida.
Miami is where she is discovered by Eileen Ford and promptly moves to NYC. She writes bluntly about her struggles as an up-and-coming black model/actress in the industry. Reading about her experiences as not just a young woman in the modeling world, but a young black woman is eye-opening.
Despite her struggles, Garcelle makes a quite successful career for herself with roles in Coming to America and The Jamie Foxx Show. Although I remember her first from Models, Inc. I was a big Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place fan and I remember watching Models Inc when it aired, and I was bummed when it was canceled. She writes a lot about her acting career and the friendships & relationships she has made throughout her career, especially with Jamie Foxx.
Garcelle goes very in-depth about her two marriages and her children. On Real Housewives, she has spoken candidly about her marriages and her children, however, she provides a lot more insight about the relationships and self-reflects on the choices she has made. Garcelle has been open on the Real Housewives about one of her son’s addiction struggles and I found it admirable that she does not use his story to tell her own. She writes only from her point of view without providing too much detail and simply states that it is not her story to tell.
For Real Housewives fans, if you’re expecting a bunch of tea from behind the scenes with the other cast members, prepare to be disappointed. There are only a few pages about Garcelle’s experience on Real Housewives and her castmates. Most of which fans already know about. The real juicy stuff is sprinkled throughout in stories about her career before the Housewives.
Love Me As I Am is a memoir of a determined and resilient woman’s journey of self-acceptance and breaking through barriers. It was an enjoyable read to learn more about Garcelle and her life. While it isn't going to be a Pulitzer Prize-winning book, it certainly did not deserve to be thrown in the trash.
*I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions included herein are my own.*
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April 17, 2023
I really enjoyed this memoir, I thought it was organized well, was honest, and she shared quite a bit about her life that I was not expecting. She is one of my favorite housewives and actresses and I am very glad she shared how her life experiences made her into the person she is today.
April 23, 2022
As a fan of many of Garcelle's work in movies and tv, I couldn't wait to hear about her background. I never believe it's my place to judge anyone's memoir. I love how to she weaved in her experiences as a child and showed how they both affected and made her grow as an adult. The stories and antidotes were interesting, funny, and at times heartbreaking. I appreciate that Garcelle let us into her world a little bit seeing as she is a private person, even though she is on a reality show now. I look forward to seeing her new projects since she has so many different ideas.
Thanks to Netgalley and Amistad for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Thanks to Netgalley and Amistad for this ARC in exchange for my review.
June 6, 2022
Garcelle has become a great addition to the RHOBH so I was excited to listen to her book! She doesn’t talk much about the show but a lot about her marriages, kids and her career which of course were all interesting! She’s an open book who curses which made her feel even more relatable! Great on audio!
April 14, 2022
I didn’t know who Garcelle was until she joined RHOBH, and then I started putting the pieces together 😂 I’ve seen her in SpiderMan, in Merry, Happy Whatever… in I Know Who Killed Me 💙
She is one of my favorite housewives and I liked getting to know more about her and her life; the early years in Haiti and Boston, about her modeling career, her divorce from Mike Nilon… I also loved how she opened up about her struggles and her journey towards happiness and acceptance.
It added a new layer to my appreciation for Garcelle and the wonderful woman (and human) she is!
She is one of my favorite housewives and I liked getting to know more about her and her life; the early years in Haiti and Boston, about her modeling career, her divorce from Mike Nilon… I also loved how she opened up about her struggles and her journey towards happiness and acceptance.
It added a new layer to my appreciation for Garcelle and the wonderful woman (and human) she is!
April 10, 2022
I was excited when she joined RHOBH based off her previous work, and loved her strong presence as a loyal friend that will be straight up with the other cast members.
Love Me as I Am is a great tribute to her hard work and background that made her the woman she is today. This memoir had a perfect balance of touching on aspects most of us are looking for (RHOBH tea for me) but also detailing individual stories and memories that shaped Garcelle’s life. It was such a quick read because I couldn’t get enough, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about her journey and self discovery! If you love a celebrity memoir this is a great one to add to the list!
Check it out on its PUB date 12 April 2022! Thank you @netgalley and @amistadbooks for the ARC! Can’t wait to see what’s next for Garcelle!
Love Me as I Am is a great tribute to her hard work and background that made her the woman she is today. This memoir had a perfect balance of touching on aspects most of us are looking for (RHOBH tea for me) but also detailing individual stories and memories that shaped Garcelle’s life. It was such a quick read because I couldn’t get enough, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about her journey and self discovery! If you love a celebrity memoir this is a great one to add to the list!
Check it out on its PUB date 12 April 2022! Thank you @netgalley and @amistadbooks for the ARC! Can’t wait to see what’s next for Garcelle!
April 15, 2022
From one island girl to another. Thank you.
felt like I was reading my own story in the beginning and even after all you've gone through that's still there, the free spirited island girl. Classy, beautiful, a true butterfly.
felt like I was reading my own story in the beginning and even after all you've gone through that's still there, the free spirited island girl. Classy, beautiful, a true butterfly.
June 26, 2022
A bit jumpy or disjointed, but a solid memoir with a great message and some powerful stories. But am I the only one who missed the supposed part where she “insulted Lisa Rinna’s daughter”? I listened to the audiobook so maybe I missed something, but the hate her fellow cast-mate Erika Jayne threw at this book, I thought it’d be a super obvious part. Even knowing what the “insult” was, I didn’t think it was bad at all, but like I didn’t even hear anything about Rinna or anyone else that was bad? Anyways, I enjoyed this book and Garcelle is the best housewife!
January 17, 2022
I’m a huge fan of RHOBH and I’ve enjoyed seeing Garcelle’s personality shine through these past few seasons. Right away, you can tell she’s a woman with strong family values, a sensitive soul, hard-working, and has amazing fashion sense. I was excited to read her memoir through an ARC by NetGalley. I like that she touched on various aspects of milestones in her life- childhood, her Haitian heritage, motherhood, marriage and divorce, life in the entertainment industry. This is not a book where she divulges many stories about colleagues in Hollywood or gives the tea or bashes anyone. This is very much her story, and she is a beacon of positivity for not just black women, but all women.
November 10, 2021
This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Amistad and #NetGalley for my honest opinion. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
A raw, honest, transparent look at her life. I’d highly suggest it to anyone that’s a fan or likes autobiographies.
A raw, honest, transparent look at her life. I’d highly suggest it to anyone that’s a fan or likes autobiographies.
December 28, 2022
Love Garcelle and loved hearing about how she grew up/her story, but it was written like one long run on sentence and I got bored.
May 6, 2022
This woman deserves all the stars ✨!!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Amistad for my advanced copy of Love Me as I Am.
I am not a huge nonfiction / memoir reader but this is Garcelle Beauvais. I jumped at the chance to read and review her book.
What I Loved-
✨The Audio- As sad as I am that I did not read this book in time for its publication (my apologies, Amistad) - I am so glad that I listened to the audiobook. Love Me As I Am is read by the author. Garcelle is lovely and talented and her personality really shines through in the narration. One of the major perks of Garcelle narrating her own book is that nothing is misinterpreted. Everything translates the way she intended.
✨Garcelle- The woman herself. I think she is fabulous. This book proved her to be beautiful inside and out. I chose to read this book mainly because I wanted a glimpse into Garcelle's life outside of the housewives franchise. I know she had been a model prior and an actress but she wasn't really on my radar until a couple of years ago. Plus- when it comes to the housewives : you only really see what the cameras / production allows you to. It was a privilege to read this book and to be able to see more of Garcelle's life. Thank you Garcelle.
✨ The Writing- This memoir was very easy to follow. The pacing was excellent. Garcelle touched upon a variety of topics and talking points without staying on one specific one too long. The book flowed nicely.
✨ The Entertainment Factor- I was engaged from beginning to end. This memoir was insightful and delightful.
Overall- Highly recommend.
✨Side Note- I have no idea why Erika Jane would throw this book in the garbage. Garcelle didn't have a single unkind word to say about anyone. Maybe its her constant need to make everything about herself or her want for attention. Or maybe she's illiterate? If you can't read Erika just say that. We're dealing with the same person who said - I don't own a debit card 😂 its giving very much Donald Trump saying he doesn't know what a burner phone is....
That is all. Sorry for that tangent. Had to get that out of my system =)
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Amistad for my advanced copy of Love Me as I Am.
I am not a huge nonfiction / memoir reader but this is Garcelle Beauvais. I jumped at the chance to read and review her book.
What I Loved-
✨The Audio- As sad as I am that I did not read this book in time for its publication (my apologies, Amistad) - I am so glad that I listened to the audiobook. Love Me As I Am is read by the author. Garcelle is lovely and talented and her personality really shines through in the narration. One of the major perks of Garcelle narrating her own book is that nothing is misinterpreted. Everything translates the way she intended.
✨Garcelle- The woman herself. I think she is fabulous. This book proved her to be beautiful inside and out. I chose to read this book mainly because I wanted a glimpse into Garcelle's life outside of the housewives franchise. I know she had been a model prior and an actress but she wasn't really on my radar until a couple of years ago. Plus- when it comes to the housewives : you only really see what the cameras / production allows you to. It was a privilege to read this book and to be able to see more of Garcelle's life. Thank you Garcelle.
✨ The Writing- This memoir was very easy to follow. The pacing was excellent. Garcelle touched upon a variety of topics and talking points without staying on one specific one too long. The book flowed nicely.
✨ The Entertainment Factor- I was engaged from beginning to end. This memoir was insightful and delightful.
Overall- Highly recommend.
✨Side Note- I have no idea why Erika Jane would throw this book in the garbage. Garcelle didn't have a single unkind word to say about anyone. Maybe its her constant need to make everything about herself or her want for attention. Or maybe she's illiterate? If you can't read Erika just say that. We're dealing with the same person who said - I don't own a debit card 😂 its giving very much Donald Trump saying he doesn't know what a burner phone is....
That is all. Sorry for that tangent. Had to get that out of my system =)
July 11, 2022
Love Me as I Am by Garcelle Beauvais
Published April 12th 2022
<3 There were a lot of TMI LMAO moments. An overall great read <3
Love Me As I Am is Garcelle Beauvais's smart, inspiring, and raw memoir—an entertaining and unforgettable emotional rollercoaster ride that moves from her early childhood years in Haiti to her adolescence in Boston; from her heady days as a young model in New York—her first taste of real freedom—to Los Angeles and the many ups, downs, and then more ups, both personal and professional, she experienced in her three-decade acting career, including her massive fame as a star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Throughout her life, Beauvais has suffered from an emotional battle between her wild, rebellious nature and her desire to be a "good girl." No matter how many cover stories she earned, "Most Beautiful" lists, or coveted roles in iconic series such as The Jamie Foxx Show and NYPD Blue, Beauvais could not cure herself of her "disease to please" or learn to put herself first. She also had to learn how to unapologetically put herself first. In Love Me As I Am, she brings together the voices of both the good girl and the rebel to deliver an unflinching examination of her successes and ongoing challenges as a mother, wife, daughter, sibling, and friend.
Beauvais fearlessly talks about how she boldly embraced her sexuality in her 40s, and her determination to break free of the stereotypes that define and limit African American women in popular culture. Most importantly, she reveals how finally putting herself first led to better relationships with her three sons and even her ex-husband. Beauvais dishes too—offering juicy behind-the-scenes stories from movie sets, red carpet events, and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Love Me As I Am is an unflinching look at one woman's extraordinary journey to create a new and more exciting life—and to become the woman she was meant to be.
Published April 12th 2022
<3 There were a lot of TMI LMAO moments. An overall great read <3
Love Me As I Am is Garcelle Beauvais's smart, inspiring, and raw memoir—an entertaining and unforgettable emotional rollercoaster ride that moves from her early childhood years in Haiti to her adolescence in Boston; from her heady days as a young model in New York—her first taste of real freedom—to Los Angeles and the many ups, downs, and then more ups, both personal and professional, she experienced in her three-decade acting career, including her massive fame as a star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Throughout her life, Beauvais has suffered from an emotional battle between her wild, rebellious nature and her desire to be a "good girl." No matter how many cover stories she earned, "Most Beautiful" lists, or coveted roles in iconic series such as The Jamie Foxx Show and NYPD Blue, Beauvais could not cure herself of her "disease to please" or learn to put herself first. She also had to learn how to unapologetically put herself first. In Love Me As I Am, she brings together the voices of both the good girl and the rebel to deliver an unflinching examination of her successes and ongoing challenges as a mother, wife, daughter, sibling, and friend.
Beauvais fearlessly talks about how she boldly embraced her sexuality in her 40s, and her determination to break free of the stereotypes that define and limit African American women in popular culture. Most importantly, she reveals how finally putting herself first led to better relationships with her three sons and even her ex-husband. Beauvais dishes too—offering juicy behind-the-scenes stories from movie sets, red carpet events, and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Love Me As I Am is an unflinching look at one woman's extraordinary journey to create a new and more exciting life—and to become the woman she was meant to be.
August 15, 2022
I stumbled upon Love me as I am by Garcelle (well, her ghost writer) and decided to jump right on it. I always liked her, been following her career a bit ever since Models Inc. and yes, I'm still that guy who watches RHOBH. So naturally I thought, liking Garcelle, I would like this book. But I was disappointed in the end. The book is written in a slightly messy order, the language, tone of voice, often extremely boring and the name dropping was something I kinda had not expected her to be doing. I mean, I get the stars that she has worked with, but at the point where she mentions Bill Cosby (and how she actually never really had anything to do with him) it felt like she was lifting on something that had nothing to do with her. The acting in some of her work, like Models Inc, but also other work, was not as much dealt with as the stupid argument she had with Kyle Richards. Garcelle didn't paint a very flattering picture of herself all the way through. Yes, there was enough to love, but in the end I'm at 50% of loving it, giving it 2.5 stars, which I will round up to 3 for good intentions. But I do feel this was a rushed job, an idea or better, a 'hustle' that she didn't give her all, yet she isn't shy of loving herself too much, and that was a shame.
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April 6, 2022As a major Real Housewives fan, I was ecstatic to receive an ARC of LOVE ME AS I AM by Garcelle Beauvais. I didn’t know much about Garcelle before she became a Beverly Hills housewife a few seasons ago, but I instantly loved her on the show!
My thoughts on this memoir:
-absolutely loved her chapter about joining the RH franchise and her experience the first season
-her Bill Cosby & OJ stories were wild 😳
-she dishes out some great pieces of advice such as creating your own happiness & not relying on others for it
All in all, I really enjoyed learning more about Garcelle’s history, but would have loved some more tea 💁🏼♀️ If you’re a Housewives fan, pick this up for a quick read!
Thank you netgalley and Amistad Publishing for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
My thoughts on this memoir:
-absolutely loved her chapter about joining the RH franchise and her experience the first season
-her Bill Cosby & OJ stories were wild 😳
-she dishes out some great pieces of advice such as creating your own happiness & not relying on others for it
All in all, I really enjoyed learning more about Garcelle’s history, but would have loved some more tea 💁🏼♀️ If you’re a Housewives fan, pick this up for a quick read!
Thank you netgalley and Amistad Publishing for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
May 12, 2022
I have so much respect for Garcelle Beauvais and knew when this book was coming out, I had to read it! I love how this book is aunthentically Garcelle and enjoyed reading about how she navigates life, love and happiness.
I did wish there was more tea, but I’m glad she kept it authentic and real. My favourite parts of the book included her talking about RHOBH, about her upbringings as a young, Haitian, black girl in America and how her career began. There were also surprisingly a lot of memorable quotes or sections that I could relate to which was nice.
Also fitting how I finished the book on RHOBH premiere day 🤩💎
I did wish there was more tea, but I’m glad she kept it authentic and real. My favourite parts of the book included her talking about RHOBH, about her upbringings as a young, Haitian, black girl in America and how her career began. There were also surprisingly a lot of memorable quotes or sections that I could relate to which was nice.
Also fitting how I finished the book on RHOBH premiere day 🤩💎
April 18, 2022
Loved, loved, loooovvveeedddd this memoir by Garcelle!
I've always found Garcelle's story compelling and looked forward to knowing more about her life - the good, the bad and the ugly. Safe to say, I was not disappointed!
Garcelle takes readers through every aspect life and I love the fact that every chapter is dedicated to one e.g. Chapter 1 is 'Childhood', Chapter 2 is 'Motherhood', Chapter 3 is 'Marriage and Love' and so on and so forth. This allows readers to focus and fully take in her story.
I also love the fact that it feels like you’re conversing with her over drinks in a calm setting. It doesn’t feel rushed, it doesn’t feel heavy. It’s well-paced and engaging.
I took a lot from this book and it has only deepened my admiration, appreciation and love for Ms. Beauvais.
For anyone out there who's contemplating reading this book, I encourage you to do so! I'm sure you’ll gain something from it🤗
I've always found Garcelle's story compelling and looked forward to knowing more about her life - the good, the bad and the ugly. Safe to say, I was not disappointed!
Garcelle takes readers through every aspect life and I love the fact that every chapter is dedicated to one e.g. Chapter 1 is 'Childhood', Chapter 2 is 'Motherhood', Chapter 3 is 'Marriage and Love' and so on and so forth. This allows readers to focus and fully take in her story.
I also love the fact that it feels like you’re conversing with her over drinks in a calm setting. It doesn’t feel rushed, it doesn’t feel heavy. It’s well-paced and engaging.
I took a lot from this book and it has only deepened my admiration, appreciation and love for Ms. Beauvais.
For anyone out there who's contemplating reading this book, I encourage you to do so! I'm sure you’ll gain something from it🤗
April 21, 2022
I usually want my real housewives books to include HATEFUL gossip…. and I’m actually happy this one doesn’t!! Garcelle’s book is so authentic and i’m so glad i did the audiobook and listened to her tell this story. her chapter about forgiveness really resonated with me. if you’re even thinking about reading this book, DO IT!
October 30, 2022
Garcelle is usually the voice of reason in rhobh and I enjoy that on the show. In a book though, her perfectly reasonable decision to not provide details or dish dirt most of the time makes for a fairly boring read. There are racy bits about “dating” in her 40s and 50s, bit otherwise? She made the right decisions as a human (eg not to provide too much detail about her son’s addiction) but making the right decisions is not why you look to the real housewives.
My only actual criticism is that her going on about how she wants to eat right and exercise more and how people need to look “tidy” felt like moralising and I always find that a bit gross to read.
My only actual criticism is that her going on about how she wants to eat right and exercise more and how people need to look “tidy” felt like moralising and I always find that a bit gross to read.
November 9, 2022
I loved hearing Garcelle talk about her life and her carrer. She's one of my favorite housewives EVER and hearing talk felt as I was having a chi chat with her. We can also feel that through what she wrote, she is the same as the woman we see on TV : real, honest and smart.
May 18, 2022
I love Garcelle so much and love that she narrated this!
There were a lot of cliches and platitudes in this. I enjoyed it more when she discussed the things that were personal/unique to her.
There were a lot of cliches and platitudes in this. I enjoyed it more when she discussed the things that were personal/unique to her.
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January 8, 2026i actually really admire and respect this woman and her life story is so fun and interesting I wish this memoir was more personal and introspective :p
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